cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning Problem-Oriented Decision Structures from Decision Rule: The AQDT-2 System

A decision structure is an acyclic graph that specifies an order of tests to be applied to an object (or a situation) to arrive at a decision about that object. and serves as a simple and powerful tool for organizing a decision process. This paper proposes a methodology for learning decision structures that are oriented toward specific decision making situations. The methodology consists of two phases: 1—determining and storing declarative rules describing the decision process, 2—deriving on-line a decision structure from the rules. The first step is performed by an expert or by an AQ-based inductive learning program that learns decision rules from examples of decisions (AQ15 or AQ17). The second step transforms the decision rules to a decision structure that is most suitable for the given decision making situation. The system, AQDT-2, implementing the second step, has been applied to a problem in construction engineering. In the experiments, AQDT-2 outperformed all other programs applied to the same problem in terms of the accuracy and the simplicity of the generated decision structures.
An echocardiographic analysis of the long-term effects of carvedilol on left ventricular remodeling, systolic performance, and ventricular filling patterns in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Background: The long-term clinical benefit of beta blockade is well recognized, but data quantifying long-term effects of beta blockade on remodeling of the left ventricle (LV) is limited. Methods: This consecutive series evaluates the long-term response of the LV to the addition of carvedilol to conventional therapy for dilated cardiomyopathy. There were 33 patients who had a LV ejection fraction <45%, LV enlargement and symptomatic heart failure. Quantitative Doppler echocardiography was performed at baseline 6, 12, 24, and 36 months after initiation of carvedilol to evaluate LV ejection fraction, LV volume, wall stress, mass, regional function, and diastolic performance. Results: Compared to baseline there was a significant and sustained reduction in end-systolic volume and end-systolic wall stress with a corresponding improvement in LV ejection fraction. The LV mass did not decline but relative wall thickness increased toward normal. An analysis of regional wall motion responses showed an improvement in all areas, particularly the apical, septal, and lateral walls that was significantly more frequent in patients with a nonischemic etiology. Filling patterns of the LV remained abnormal throughout the study but changed with therapy suggesting a decline in filling pressures. These changes were sustained for 3 years. Conclusion: (1) The addition of carvedilol to conventional therapy for a dilated cardiomyopathy significantly improves LV ejection fraction and reduces LV end-systolic volume and wall stress for at least 3 years, (2) the response to 6 months of treatment predicts the long-term response, (3) the typical response is partial improvement of the LV, complete return to normal size, and function is uncommon, and (4) abnormalities of LV filling persist in virtually all patients throughout the course of treatment.
Jam Tomorrow: Distributive Justice and the Limits of International Economic Law

The chasm between the rich and the poor has become unfathomable. This Article asks whether existing international economic law can bridge this chasm and effectuate distributive justice. "Distributive justice" itself is an ambiguous goal. This Article inquires, as a threshold question, what, exactly, is required for actual "distributive justice". It takes as a starting point the relatively modest objective of the Millennium Development Goals-to halve the number living in extreme poverty by 2015. It argues that this objective is not going to be achieved under the aegis of international economic law for two reasons. First, distributive justice is not an objective of international economic law. Second, even if the political will existed, distributive justice would be unattainable because "international economic law" is not a coherent legal subject with the capacity to make it happen. Neoliberalism cannot be relied upon to produce distributive justice, but neoliberalism is not the only game in town. "I'm sure I'll take you with pleasure!" the Queen said. "Twopence a week, and jam every other day." Alice couldn't help laughing, as she said "I don't want yon to hire in--and I don't care for jam." "It's very good jam," said the Queen. "Well, I don't want any to-day, at any rate." "You couldn't have it if you did Aant it," the Queen said. 'The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday-but never jam to-
Cholesterol metabolism in squirrel monkeys: Analysis of long-term kinetic studies in plasma and body tissues

Abstract Thirty adult male Brazilian-type squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) were fed a semipurified diet containing 45% of the calories as fat. One milligram of cholesterol per calorie was added to the diet of one-half of the animals. After 4 months on their respective diets, a single intravenous dose of [3H] cholesterol was administered to each animal. At 2, 4, and 6 months following intravenous labeling, five animals from the cholesterol-fed group and five animals from the non-cholesterol-fed group were killed for analysis of tissue cholesterol specific activity. The analysis of ratios between cholesterol specific activity of various tissues to the specific activity of terminal blood samples of the cholesterol-fed group indicated to us that cholesterol in liver, spleen, adrenal gland, ileum, stomach, kidney, testes, lung, heart, skin, tendon, fascia, and skeletal muscle had reached equilibrium with plasma cholesterol radio-activity by 2 months. The tissue/plasma ratios of adipose tissue, aorta, and gallstones demonstrated a slower rate of exchange. In the non-cholesterol-fed group the tissue/plasma ratios of all the tissues mentioned above remained close to unity in all three subgroups, indicating equilibration with plasma by 2 months. As before, the tissue/plasma ratios in adipose tissue and aorta had a slower rate of exchange. In both groups, cerebrum and spinal cord had a very slow rate of exchange with plasma cholesterol. Computer analysis of the plasma cholesterol specific activity time curve suggested to us a significantly better three-exponential fit rather than a two-exponential fit in 5 14 of the cholesterol-fed group and in none of the non-cholesterol-fed group. The minimal mass of the miscible body pool of cholesterol derived from kinetic analysis agreed reasonably well with, but consistently overestimated, the whole-body miscible pool determined by carcass analysis in both groups.
Introduction to Deformable Body Mechanics

Basic concepts of statics were introduced in Chaps. 4 and 5 along with some of their applications. The field of statics is based on Newton’s laws (Newtonian mechanics). It constitutes one of the two main branches of the more general field of rigid body mechanics, dynamics being the other branch. The basic assumption in rigid body mechanics is that the bodies involved do not deform under applied loads. This idealization is necessary to simplify the problem under investigation for the sake of analyzing external forces and moments. The field of deformable body mechanics, on the other hand, does not treat the body as rigid, but incorporates the deformability (ability to undergo shape change) and the material properties of the body into the analyses. This field of applied mechanics utilizes the experimentally determined and/or verified relationships between applied forces and corresponding deformations.
Immune-tolerant elastin-like polypeptides (iTEPs) and their application as CTL vaccine carriers

AbstractBackground: Cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) vaccine carriers are known to enhance the efficacy of vaccines, but a search for more effective carriers is warranted. Elastin-like polypeptides (ELPs) have been examined for many medical applications but not as CTL vaccine carriers.Purpose: We aimed to create immune tolerant ELPs using a new polypeptide engineering practice and create CTL vaccine carriers using the ELPs.Results: Four sets of novel ELPs, termed immune-tolerant elastin-like polypeptide (iTEP) were generated according to the principles dictating humoral immunogenicity of polypeptides and phase transition property of ELPs. The iTEPs were non-immunogenic in mice. Their phase transition feature was confirmed through a turbidity assay. An iTEP nanoparticle (NP) was assembled from an amphiphilic iTEP copolymer plus a CTL peptide vaccine, SIINFEKL. The NP facilitated the presentation of the vaccine by dendritic cells (DCs) and enhanced vaccine-induced CTL responses.Discussion: A new ELP design and ...
Developmental Trajectories of Impulsivity and Their Association With Alcohol Use and Related Outcomes During Emerging and Young Adulthood I

Although several personality characteristics have been associated with alcohol use and associated outcomes, including alcohol use disorders (AUDs), the most robust and consistent relation appears to exist between alcohol involvement and traits associated with impulsivity (see Sher and Littlefield, 2008; Sher et al., 1999; for reviews). Impulsivity, which is sometimes used interchangeably with the term behavioral undercontrol and in this context refers to a range of interrelated behaviors that suggests difficulty in inhibiting behavioral impulses (Elkins et al., 2006), has been linked to alcohol use and AUDs both cross-sectionally (e.g., Bennett et al., 1999; McGue et al., 1997; Trull et al., 2004) and longitudinally (e.g., Caspi et al., 1998; Elkins et al., 2006; Schuckit, 1998; Sher et al., 2000). Impulsivity, like other personality constructs, has been traditionally considered an immutable trait (e.g., McCrae et al., 2000), although research over the past decade has documented normative (i.e., mean-level) change in several personality traits, with the most pronounced changes occurring during emerging (i.e., roughly ages 18 to 25, Arnett, 2000) and young adulthood (e.g., Caspi et al., 2005; McCrae et al., 1999; Roberts et al., 2006; Robins et al., 2001). These mean-level changes are in the direction of what is typically viewed as greater psychological “maturity” (i.e., the “maturity principle”; Caspi et al., 2005), such as increases in traits thought to be antithetic to impulsivity (i.e., conscientiousness, constraint; Blonigen et al., 2008; Donnellan et al., 2007; Vaidya et al., 2008; see Blonigen, 2010). Further, there are substantial individual differences in personality change (i.e., interindividual differences in intraindividual change) and these differences appear to relate significantly to a range of outcomes (see Roberts and Mroczek, 2008). For example, Littlefield and colleagues (2009) recently found that decreases in impulsivity and neuroticism were associated with decreases in alcohol problems from ages 18 to 35 and that this relation held even when controlling for the influence of reported adult role statuses, such as marriage and parenthood.
Selective, reversible inhibition of the lactose phosphotransferase system of Staphylococcus aureus by dodecyl sulfate and deoxycholate.

Abstract Low concentrations of sodium dodecyl sulfate (0.015%) and sodium deoxycholate (0.33%) completely inhibit phosphorylation of β-galactosides by the lactose phosphotransferase system of Staphylococcus aureus. Inhibition is reversible, even after prolonged detergent treatment. Phosphorylation of methyl-α-glucoside by the same preparations is only slightly inhibited by 0.015% dodecyl sulfate. The membrane-bound component, Enzyme IFlac, is not solubilized by 0.015% dodecyl sulfate, nor is its ability to bind [14C]lactose affected. The results are consistent with hypotheses of selective binding of anionic detergent to Enzyme IIlac or to Factor IIIlac, the detergent serving in the latter case as a membrane analog.
Law enforcement agency defibrillation: position statement and best practices recommendations from the National Center for Early Defibrillation.

position statement and best practices recommendations from the National Center for Early Defibrillation , Mary M. Newman *, Vincent N. Mosesso, Jr. , Joseph P. Ornato , Paul M. Paris , National Center for Early Defibrillation Police AED Issues Forum 1 a National Center for Early Defibrillation, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, 230 McKee Place, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA b Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA, USA
Bargaining and the effectiveness of international criminal regimes

International institutions lack the independent ability to punish non-compliance, but states sustain cooperation because they can target one another for punishment. In contrast, international criminal courts and tribunals (ICTs) can enforce rulings once suspects are in custody, but they lack the independent power of capture, leaving them unable to punish alleged criminals and therefore deter crime. We analyze a game between an ICT and a suspect to assess the potential of pre-arrest bargaining as a solution to the problem of capture. We show that ICTs that bargain with fugitives will be able to secure their surrender and administer justice, although this comes at the cost of incentivizing some crime. Further, those courts least able to secure their suspects’ capture will, surprisingly, be the most willing to issue warrants. International institutions may thus be able to achieve compliance even when faced with uncooperative member states.
Southwestern corn borer damage and aflatoxin accumulation in conventional and transgenic corn hybrids

Southwestern corn borer (Diatraea grandiosella Dyar) is a major pest of corn (Zea mays L.) in the southern United States. In addition to the direct yield losses caused by southwestern corn borer, larval feeding on developing ears provides a site for fungi to enter the ear. Aspergillus flavus Link: Fries infection and the subsequent accumulation of aflatoxin in corn grain are major limitations to profitable corn production in the southern United States. This investigation was conducted to determine the effectiveness of transgenic corn hybrids expressing the δ-endotoxin insecticidal (CryIAb) proteins isolated from Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) in reducing southwestern corn borer damage and aflatoxin accumulation. Ear damage and aflatoxin accumulation were compared among 10 pairs of conventional nonBt and transgenic Bt corn hybrids following infestation with southwestern corn borer and inoculation with A. flavus using kernel-wounding and nonwounding techniques. Both nonBt and Bt hybrids exhibited high levels of aflatoxin accumulation when inoculated with a kernel-wounding technique. When inoculated with a non-wounding technique and infested with southwestern corn borer, aflatoxin accumulation was significantly higher in nonBt than Bt hybrids. Aflatoxin accumulation was also significantly higher for nonBt hybrids inoculated with A. flavus and infested with southwestern corn borer than for hybrids that were only inoculated with A. flavus. Southwestern corn borer larval establishment was significantly higher on nonBt hybrids than on Bt hybrids. Larval survival was extremely low on the Bt hybrids. The results of this investigation indicate that these Bt hybrids should be effective in reducing aflatoxin contamination in areas where high southwestern corn borer infestations occur. The reduced levels of aflatoxin accumulation associated with Bt hybrids are likely a consequence of reduced insect damage rather than resistance to A. flavus infection or aflatoxin accumulation per se.
A New Species of Small Yellow Hyla from Perú (Anura: Hylidae)

Hyla aperomea n. sp. is described from the cloud forests on the eastern slopes of the Andes in Peru. The new species is the only Andean species in a complex of small Hyla having 30 chromosomes and otherise inhabiting the cis-Andean tropical lowlands.
Tilt grain boundaries in NiO

Abstract High-resolution Electron Microscopy (HREM) show that crystallinity is maintained right up to the interface in a high-purity NiO 〈001〉 tilt grain boundary (GB). The strong Fresnel contrast effects that are found in high-angle NiO GBs by both conventional TEM and HREM are largely due to a locally reduced atomic density at the GB and are not caused by the presence of an amorphous phase. The HREM micrographs indicate several atomic-scale GB features.
The stability of cylindrical shell under gravity load

Abstract In this paper, an analysis is made to study the stability of a cylindrical shell of finite length, placed horizontally and simply supported at both ends. The load on the shell is a simulation of its weight. The partial differential equations governing the stability of the shell contain variable coefficients x and φ. The solution to the differential equations is assumed in the form of a double Fourier series. The coefficient determinant of a set of infinitely many algebraic equations is of infinite order and the convergence of such determinant is proved for the case of doubly symmetrical buckling modes. Numerical results obtained with the use of a digital computer are presented to verify the convergence of the determinant and also to show the non-dimensional critical load.
Advanced nanocomposites for bone regeneration

The field of orthopedic tissue engineering is quickly expanding with the development of novel materials and strategies designed for rapid bone regeneration. While autologous bone grafts continue to be the standard of care, drawbacks include donor-site morbidity and short tissue supplies. Herein we report a novel nanocomposite sponge composed of poly(1,8-octanediol-co-citrate) (POC) and the bioactive ceramic β-tricalcium phosphate (TCP). We show that these nanocomposite sponges can be used as a depot for bone-producing (a.k.a. osteogenic) growth factors. In vitro bioactivity is demonstrated by significant upregulation of osteogenic genes, osteopontin (∼3 fold increase), osteocalcin (∼22 fold increase), alkaline phosphatase (∼10 fold increase), and transcription factor, RUNX2 (∼5 fold increase) over basal expression levels in mesenchymal stem cells. In vivo osteogenicity and biocompatibility is demonstrated in a standard subcutaneous implant model in rat. Results show that the nanocomposite sponge supports complete cell infiltration, minimal adverse foreign body response, positive cellular proliferation, and cellular expression of osteogenic markers in subcutaneous tissue. The results shown herein are encouraging and support the use of this sponge for future bone tissue engineering efforts.
SAR and Temperature Distributions in Canonical Head Models Exposed to Near- and Far-Field Electromagnetic Radiation at Different Frequencies

This article presents numerical computations of the specific absorption rate (SAR) distribution and temperature elevation in a canonical model of the human head—homogeneous spherical models exposed to near-field dipoles and far-field plane waves at 400 MHz and 900 MHz. Two homogeneous spheres filled with average brain equivalent materials are investigated: 18 cm approximating an adult head and 10 cm for child-head sizes. The distribution of SAR and temperature elevation computed for the spherical models are analyzed and compared. The computed SAR and temperature distributions inside the head models are very different for the near-field dipole and far-field plane wave. The highest SAR in both models occurred near the surface, directly beneath the feed point of the dipole. The decrease in SAR was faster at 900 MHz than at 400 MHz for the spherical head in the near field. In contrast, the maximum SAR shifted to inside the spheres for far-field plane waves, and was characterized by resonant oscillations, in b...
Effects of paddle impeller geometry on power input and mass transfer in small‐scale animal cell culture vessels

Process scaleup for stirred-tank animal cell cultures such as suspension and microcarrier cultures often begins at the bench scale in small spinner vessels. In order to initiate process development under the proper conditions, it is essential to know the physical conditions under which the cells are grown. In this article, power inputs and surface oxygen transfer rates to culture medium in 500-mL Corning spinner vessels were determined as a function of the impeller geometry, impeller height, and agitation speed. The results obtained indicate that power dissipation dependency differs from literature correlations and may compromise scale up at constant power input from these vessels. These results are of general utility to researchers using small-scale vessels.
The effects of response contingency and reinforcement identity on response suppression by alternative reinforcement

Abstract Rats were trained on a multiple schedule in which lever pressing was reinforced in one component and nose poking was reinforced in the other. The reinforcers contingent on the two responses were always different, either corn oil or Noyes pellets. A schedule of alternative reinforcement was superimposed in each component, either presenting the same reinforcer as that contingent on the lever/key, or the alternative reinforcer. When the alternative reinforcers were freely presented on a variable time (VT) schedule, their suppressive effects were substantially larger when the free reinforcer was the same as the reinforcer contingent on the lever/key than when it was different. But when the alternative reinforcers were presented according to a variable-interval schedule for a third response (rod pressing), the differences caused by the nature of reinforcement were greatly reduced and not statistically significant. Similar effects occurred when the alternative reinforcement was presented on a VT schedule but preceded by a signal. The results suggest that the effects of alternative reinforcement cannot be explained solely in terms of relative reinforcement rate.
Leed debye-waller analysis of vibrational hybridization for p(2 × 2)-O/Pd(100)

Abstract The temperature dependence of the 75 eV specular LEED beam intensity was measured between ∼100–300°C and ~50–200°C for clean p(1 × 1) and quarter-monolayer O-covered p(2 × 2) Pd(100), respectively. The experiments were performed in a near-normal-incidence geometry to increase sensitivity to vibrations perpendicular to the surface, which include the high-energy, HRELS-active O-stretch mode. The measurements indicate that the effective meansquare displacements were ∼40% larger for the clean surface than for the bulk, in qualitative agreement with expectation, and were increased another 20% for the O-chemisorption structure. This observed increase in the Debye—Waller effect upon chemisorption is interpreted to suggest hybridization between the substrate phonon continuum and the high-energy, O-stretch modes. As a result of the hybridization oxygen would have a vibrational component within the substrate continuum that would dominate the magnitude of the oxygen mean-square displacements. A bulk impurity model due to Mannheim is invoked for numerical simulation of such hybridization effects and to serve as an analogy with the surface problem. It is shown that this analogy can be extended to describe resonant modes on a clean surface, and the force-constant increases necessary to create local modes at step defects, in agreement with more realistic treatments. It is shown also that vibrational hybridization can significantly influence the choice of the appropriate adsorbate Debye temperature — an important contrast parameter — that enters into dynamical LEED calculations.
The role of internal packing interactions in determining the structure and stability of a protein

Cassette mutagenesis has been used to investigate how internal packing interactions help to specify a protein's three-dimensional structure and stability. Three interacting residues in the hydrophobic core of the N-terminal domain of lambda repressor were randomized combinatorially. The randomization was restricted to the five amino acids Val, Leu, Ile, Met and Phe, thereby generating a sterically diverse set of core sequences composed solely of hydrophobic residues. We have isolated 78 of the 125 possible sequences generated by this randomization. Approximately 70% of the isolated sequences show some level of biological activity, and thus still carry sufficient information to encode the basic structure of lambda repressor. An assay based on the temperature dependence of activity in vivo has been used to estimate the relative activities and thermal stabilities of the set of mutants. In addition, nine mutants have been purified and their stabilities and DNA binding activities characterized in vitro. Of the 56 active sequences, only two, in addition to the wild-type, maintain the wild-type level of stability and activity. All three of these proteins satisfy stringent requirements for specifically shaped residues at each position. All of the remaining active sequences have reduced stabilities and/or reduced DNA binding affinities. These and previous results suggest that there are two levels of structural information encoded in core residues. At the first level, the basic structural information appears to reside largely in the hydrophobic character of these residues. The majority of sequences that simply maintain hydrophobicity at core positions are able to adopt the overall lambda repressor fold and maintain moderate stability. At the second, more detailed level, specific steric features of these residues and their packing interactions clearly act as important determinants of the protein's precise structure and stability. These results imply that many of the basic structural features of a protein could be predicted from relatively simple, degenerate sequence patterns.
Neural network algorithm for sea-ice edge classification

The NASA Scatterometer, launched in August 1996, is designed to measure wind vectors over ice-free oceans. To prevent contamination of the wind measurements, by the presence of sea ice, algorithms based on neural network technology have been developed to classify ice-free ocean surfaces. Neural networks trained using polarized alone and polarized plus multi-azimuth `look' Ku-band backscatter are described. Algorithm skill in locating the sea ice edge around Antarctica is experimentally evaluated using backscatter data from the Seasat-A Satellite Scatterometer that operated in 1978. Comparisons between the algorithms demonstrate a slight advantage of combined polarization and multi-look over using co-polarized backscatter alone. Classification skill is evaluated by comparisons with surface truth (sea ice maps), subjective ice classification, and independent over lapping scatterometer measurements (consecutive revolutions).© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The HER2 I655V polymorphism and breast cancer risk in Ashkenazim.

SUMMARY BACKGROUND Over-expression of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) protooncogene is associated with poor prognosis among female patients with breast cancer. A polymorphism in the HER2 gene (I655V) has been associated with an elevated risk of breast cancer in some ethnic groups. METHODS Subjects from a community-based study of 5318 Ashkenazim from the Washington, DC area were selected for analysis of the I655V HER2 germline polymorphism. We estimated age-specific breast cancer risk from HER2 I655V based on the family history data, using the female first-degree relatives of the study participants and a novel extension of the kin cohort method. RESULTS The estimated cumulative risk of breast cancer to age 70 was approximately 30% higher among HER2 I655V carriers than noncarriers (RR = 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03-1.83). The effect of the allele seems stronger at younger ages (among women younger than 50 years, RR = 2.11; CI = 1.39-3.28) and especially among younger women with a family history of breast cancer (RR = 8.9; CI = 1.9-19.7). Increased risk of breast cancer associated with the I655V allele was also observed among BRCA1/2 mutation carriers, although these results are based on small numbers. CONCLUSION These analyses suggest that the HER2 valine allele might be associated with increased risk of breast cancer, especially in young women and in women with a family history of the disease.
Investigation of the inorganic and organic phosphorus forms in animal manure

The most viable way to beneficially use animal manure on most farms is land application. Over the past few decades, repeated manure application has shown adverse effects on environmental quality due to phosphorus (P) runoff with rainwater, leading to eutrophication of aquatic ecosystems. Improved understanding of manure P chemistry may reduce this risk. In this research, 42 manure samples from seven animal species (beef and dairy cattle, swine, chicken, turkey, dairy goat, horse, and sheep) were sequentially fractionated with water, NaHCO₃, NaOH, and HCl. Inorganic (P(i)), organic (P(o)), enzymatic hydrolyzable (P(e); monoester-, DNA-, and phytate-like P), and nonhydrolyzable P were measured in each fraction. Total dry ash P (P(t)) was measured in all manures. Total fractionated P (P(ft)) and total P(i) (P(it)) showed a strong linear relationship with P(t). However, the ratios between P(ft)/P(t) and P(it)/P(t) varied from 59 to 117% and from 28 to 96%, respectively. Water and NaHCO₃ extracted most of the P(i) in manure from ruminant+horse, whereas in nonruminant species a large fraction of manure P was extracted in the HCl fraction. Manure P(e) summed over all fractions (P(et)) accounted for 41 to 69% of total P(0) and 4 to 29% of P(t). The hydrolyzable pool in the majority of the manures was dominated by phytate- and DNA-like P in water, monoester- and DNA-like P in NaHCO₃, and monoester- and phytate-like P in NaOH and HCl fractions. In conclusion, if one assumes that the P(et) and P(it) from the fractionation can become bioavailable, then from 34 to 100% of P(t) in animal manure would be bioavailable. This suggests the need for frequent monitoring of manure P for better manure management practices.
Individualized learning environments: Intra- and interpersonal consequences

Abstract This study examines the effects of individual goal structures on the intra- and interpersonal behavior of 120 fourth-grade children. Each group of four children was introduced to one of two individualized learning programs: (a) workbook materials color-coded according to level of difficulty (allowing implicit comparisons among children as to progress), and (b) materials not coded according to difficulty (discouraging comparisons). In both learning programs, children worked individually (at story writing) and were rewarded for the work. Results indicate that boys, but not girls, who were rewarded equally for doing good work in an individualized setting but who start and end at a lower step than other more frequently took away a toy from those peers with whom they compared themselves than did boys who were rewarded equally for good work and where there were no comparisons. Boys as a group, regardles of condition, gave more prize tickets to themselves than to others and gave more prize tickets to themselves than girls gave either to themselves or others. Both boys and girls appear to adopt the evaluations of their work given by the experimenter and appear to be influenced thereby in later prized-giving to themselves and to others.
Urinary retention following operations for benign anorectal diseases.

Awareness of the problem of urinary retention following operations for benign anorectal diseases is essential in decreasing the incidence of bladder catheterization. A substantial decrease in the incidence of urinary retention in this study can be clearly attributed to fluid restriction—preoperatively, intraoperatively and postoperatively. Delaying catheterization until the bladder is obviously distended will help decrease the incidence of catheterization.
Effect of Subtotal Pancreatectomy on the Rate of Liver Regeneration: The Role of Hepatic Stimulator Substance

Abstract The endogenous signals controlling liver regeneration are becoming rapidly defined. One of the key findings during liver regeneration following partial hepatectomy is the appearance of peripheral blood factors that stimulate DNA synthesis in the parenchymal cells. Hepatopoietin A, or hepatocyte growth factor, has been described as a complete mitogen for hepatocytes, one of its major tissue sources being the pancreas. The changes in the rate of DNA synthesis (incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA) in both subtotally pancreatectomized–partially hepatectomized (Group A) and partially hepatectomized (Group B) male rats were determined at different postoperation times. DNA synthesis in Group A was increased progressively, reaching a maximum at 40 hr after operation in contrast to the 24- and 32-hr peaks obtained in nonpancreatectomized rats (Group B). However, liver regeneration in Group A was significantly lower than in Group B. To evaluate the effects of hepatic stimulator substance (HSS) on liver regeneration, the time course of HSS biological activity during the liver regeneration process was determined in the livers of Group A rats. A concurrent change of HSS activity and rate of liver regeneration was observed. These results support the hypothesis that HSS biological activity may be delayed but not suppressed by subtotal pancreatectomy.
ALLOPURINOL TREATMENT OF URIC-ACID DISORDERS IN CALCIUM-STONE FORMERS

Abstract Twenty-one calcium-stone formers who had no detectable metabolic disorders except hyperuricaemia or hyperuricosuria were treated with allopurinol to determine whether reversal of their uric-acid disorders would reduce stone formation. During the interval from the passage of the first stone until onset of treatment (mean, 8·8 years; range, 1-27 years), 73 stones were formed (0·398 stones per patient-year). During allopurinol treatment (mean, 1·85 years; range, 0·5-7 years) 1 stone was formed. The reduction of stone formation by allopurinol suggests that uric-acid disorders may play a role in the development of calcium stones.
X-Ray Fluorescence Emission Tomography (XFET) With Novel Imaging Geometries— A Monte Carlo Study

This paper presents a feasibility study for using two new imaging geometries for synchrotron X-ray fluorescence emission tomography (XFET) applications. In the proposed approaches, the object is illuminated with synchrotron X-ray beams of various cross-sectional dimensions. The resultant fluorescence photons are detected by high-resolution imaging-spectrometers coupled to collimation apertures. To verify the performance benefits of the proposed methods over the conventional line-by-line scanning approach, we have used both Monte Carlo simulations and an analytical system performance index to compare several different imaging geometries. This study has demonstrated that the proposed XFET approach could lead to a greatly improved imaging speed, which is critical for making XFET a practical imaging modality for a wide range of applications.
The impact of man on climate

In the past decade the realization has grown that (a) our society is becoming increasingly vulnerable to fluctuations in climate, and (b) human activities may have important influences on climate in coming years. The effects of steadily increasing use of fossil fuels seem likely to be most serious through increasing atmospheric concentration of CO2 and raising the temperatures of the global atmosphere. Also, introductions of chlorofluoromethanes and NOx into the stratosphere either by transport and diffusion from the surface or by jet or rocket exhaust in the stratosphere may lead to depleting the Earth's O3 shield and to significant effects on climate and health. Regional influences on the large scale climate are highly uncertain but should not be dismissed lightly. Such influences include the effects of release of large quantities of heat from urban areas or from ‘power parks’, large irrigation or desalination projects, and extensive forest clearing. Injection into the atmosphere of particles and gases from industry, vehicles, and homes affects the atmosphere in a variety of ways and may result in regional changes in climate.
VIDEO-BASED FREEWAY MONITORING SYSTEM USING RECURSIVE VEHICLE TRACKING

An image processing and object tracking approach is proposed for the design of a video-based freeway traffic monitoring system. Proper estimation of the traffic speed in different lanes of a freeway allows for timely detection of possible congestions. The proposed method consists of a road modeling stage and a vehicle tracking stage. In the first stage, a three-dimensional model of the background road image is generated using several initial frames. In the tracking stage, each car in the scene is isolated and tracked over many frames, and by mapping its coordinates to the road's 3D model, an estimate of its velocity on the road is produced. The algorithm runs in real-time on a workstation. Experimental results on frame sequences taken from Santa Ana area freeways will be presented.
Aerial Vision: Unique Adaptation in an Intertidal Fish

Mnierpes macrocephalus, a clinid fish of rocky shores of the eastern tropical Pacific, makes frequent terrestrial sojourns. The normal fish eye is myopic in air because of curvature of the cornea. This is overcome in Mnierpes by the presence of two flattened corneal surfaces.
Flying squirrels and their ectoparasites: disseminators of epidemic typhus.

Information gathered during the past decade indicates that the eastern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans, is a zoonotic reservoir of Rickettsia prowazekii - causative agent of louse-borne (epidemic) typhus. The sporadic cases o f typhus that have occurred in the USA in association with flying squirrels provide evidence that flying squirrels can transmit R. prowazekii infection to humons. Strains of R. prowazekii, isolated from flying squirrels multiply readily in human body lice, but flying squirrel lice, although readily infected, are very host specific and tend not to bite humans. It may be that the infection is spread to humans in in fective ectoporasite faeces aerosolized when the flying squirrels groom themselves. As Joseph McDade emphasizes in this article, current concepts of typhus epidemiology and control must be re-evaluated to take into account this zoonotic aspect.
Scheduling and coding for unicast in multi-radio systems: the two-user case

Cross-layer scheduling and coding for the coexistence between two wireless networks, a primary network and a secondary network, are considered for the case of two users. Both networks want to transmit to the users, which, however, cannot receive simultaneously on the two radios. Subject to fading and random interruption from the primary network modeled as continuous Markov chain, the secondary network optimizes its scheduling (probing/transmission time/ACK) and coding to maximize its throughput. Performances of several algorithms are considered, which characterize the relationship among important system parameters and shed light on system design.
Effect of Population Outcrossing Rate on Inbreeding Depression in Pinus contorta var. murrayana Seedlings

Self and cross families from three populations (A, low-density, ecologically marginal site for lodgepole pine, and B + C, normal sites) were cultured in a common outdoor nursery for 2 yrs. Previous results had shown higher natural selfing rates and lower inbreeding depression in embryo survival in A than in B + C. In the nursery test, selfing decreased means of size traits, retarded phenological development, increased variance among families within populations, increased the coefficient of within-family variance, and increased within-family skewness. The selfing depression of mean values was moderately less and the selfing inflation of within-plot variation was much less in A than in B + C. Results were compatible with the idea that the higher selfing rate in A had purged both severely deleterious alleles affecting embryo survival and severely deleterious alleles affecting later life-cycle traits related to plant size. Purging partially mitigated the genetic consequences associated with increased inbreedi...
The Unlubricated Sliding Wear Behavior of Polyetheretherketone Against Smooth Mild-Steel Counterfaces

In this counterface roughness regime, the wear rate of PEEK decreased to a relative minimum as roughness increased. The worn system of PEEK against polished steel was simulated using several contact models. The application of a numerical non-Hertzian elastic stress analysis yielded estimates of sub-surface stresses, which were correlated with results of wear particle morphological studies. As counterface roughness increased, minor changes were observed in the wear mechanism. Wear particle morphology, however, displayed evidence of mechanical counterface interaction resulting in interfacial film formation and reduced wear
Conduction-electron spin resonance in zinc-blende GaN thin films.

We report electron-spin-resonance measurements on zinc-blende GaN. The observed resonance has an isotropic g value of 1.9533\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.0008 independent of temperature, a Lorentzian line shape, and a linewidth (18 G at 10 K) which depends on temperature. The spin-lattice relaxation time at 10 K was estimated to be ${\mathit{T}}_{1\mathit{e}}$=(6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}5}$ sec. Using a five-band model a g value consistent with the experimental results was obtained and a conduction-electron effective mass ${\mathit{m}}^{\mathrm{*}}$/${\mathit{m}}_{0}$=0.15\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01 was calculated. The observed signal, together with conductivity data, was attributed to nonlocalized electrons in a band of autodoping centers and in the conduction band.
Acute panretinal structural and functional abnormalities after intravitreous ocriplasmin injection.

Importance Ocriplasmin cleaves fibronectin and laminin, components of the vitreous gel, and is used as a pharmacologic treatment for vitreomacular traction. Laminin is also found throughout multiple retinal layers. Ocriplasmin injection may lead to acute panretinal dysfunction in some eyes, but the mechanism of this toxic reaction has not been described. Observations We evaluated a 63-year-old woman demonstrating acute panretinal dysfunction after intravitreous ocriplasmin injection for a small macular hole with vitreomacular adhesion. Findings included visual acuity loss, visual field constriction, pupillary abnormalities, attenuated retinal arteries, loss of outer retinal signals on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, and severely reduced electroretinography responses. B-waves were reduced more than A-waves were, suggesting postreceptoral dysfunction and decreased photoreceptor activity. Conclusions and Relevance Retinal dysfunction associated with intravitreous ocriplasmin injection is not limited to the macular region and seems to involve the entire retina. Enzymatic cleavage of intraretinal laminin is a biologically plausible mechanism for acute ocriplasmin retinal toxic effects.
Dopamine transporter gene polymorphisms are not associated with polysubstance abuse.

Susceptibility to drug and alcohol abuse is presently thought to arise from a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors. Genetic contributions to substance use, abuse, and dependence are supported by family, twin, and adoption studies (Pedersen 1984; Cadoret et al 1987; Luthar et al 1992). Most substances that are abused by humans can enhance dopamine activity in mesolimbic/mesocortieal circuits important for behavioral reward and reinforcement (Di Chiara and lmperato 1988). Such neurobiological findings have stimulated interest in the possibility that interindividual differences in the structure or expression of genes of dopaminergic neurotransmission could contribute to individual differences in vulnerability to substance abuse. Interest is also spurred by evidence that variation at the dopamine D2 receptor gene may help to determine such vulnerability (Blum et al 1990; Uhl et al 1992; Smith et al 1992). Although the effect of a single gene is unlikely to account for the entire genetic contribution to substance abuse vulnerability, these results lend credence to searches for possible involvement of other dopaminergic genes. The dopamine transporter (DATI) gene encodes a dopamineceU-specific protein that is the direct target of cocaine action (Ritz et al 1987). DATI is thus a candidate gene for involvement in substance abuse vulnerability. We have recently cloned human DATI complementary DNAs, and identified a 5' polymorphic restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) (Vandenbergh et al 1992a) and a 3' variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) marker for the human DATI gene locus (Vandenbergh et al 1992b). These advances now allow study of possible allelic association of these human DATI gene markers with substance abuse.
Selected Infectious Diseases of Birds of Prey

Abstract Infectious diseases of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic origin are common in wild and captive birds of prey presented to veterinary hospitals for medical care. Veterinarians should be knowledgeable of the infectious agents, clinical signs associated with disease, as well as diagnostic methods and treatment to increase the survival rate of raptors infected with these devastating and fatal diseases. The most commonly seen infectious diseases as well as a few emerging diseases are presented.
The June 2000 Mw 7.9 earthquakes south of Sumatra: Deformation in the India–Australia Plate

[1] Two large (Mw 7.9) earthquakes occurred on 4 and 18 June 2000, south of Sumatra, beneath the Indian Ocean. Both earthquakes were predominantly left-lateral strike-slip on vertical N-S trending faults that we interpret to be reactivated fracture zones. The 4 June Enggano earthquake occurred at the edge of the rupture area of the 1833 subduction earthquake. The first strike-slip subevent within the subducting plate triggered a thrust subevent on the plate interface, which comprised at least 35% of the total moment and ruptured SE away from the 1833 earthquake. The 18 June earthquake in the Wharton Basin is one of the largest shallow strike-slip faulting earthquakes ever recorded. A small second subevent with reverse slip is required to fit the body waves. The orientation of both subevents in our preferred model is consistent with the current stress field in the region. Both the June 2000 earthquakes are consistent with recent models of distributed deformation in the India–Australia composite plate. The occurrence of the Enggano earthquake implies that the stress field within the Indian plate continues to a depth of 50 km in the subducting slab. The purely strike-slip source model of the Wharton Basin earthquake obtained by Robinson et al. [2001] matches the P waves very poorly and fits the S waves no better than our preferred model. The strike-slip subevents of both earthquakes had few aftershocks and higher stress drops than the subduction thrust subevent of the Enggano earthquake. This difference is consistent with previous observations of oceanic and subduction earthquakes.