cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Comparative Study of Object Tracking using CNN and SDAE

Object tracking which refers to automatic estimation of the trajectory is a challenging problem. To track the object robustly and efficiently, we explored an autonomous object tracking methodological framework that adopts the deep learning architectures, specifically the convolutional neural network (CNN) and the stacked denoising autoencoder (SDAE), as opposed to the most frequently used tracking algorithms that only learn the appearance of the tracked object. Moreover, we conduct a comparative study of both approaches in terms of tracking accuracy and efficiency. The results show that the features learned by both CNN and SDAE are very supportive in object tracking problem and the detailed comparisons are demonstrated in this work.
Emerging Evidence Toward a 2:1 Clinical to Simulation Ratio: A Study Comparing the Traditional Clinical and Simulation Settings

Abstract Background There is limited evidence comparing the clinical and simulation environments. Methods This multicenter observational study compared traditional clinical to simulation on the type, number, and level of educational activities as determined by Miller's Pyramid. Results Forty-two students' experience revealed that skills, physical assessment, teaching, and critical thinking activities occurred more frequently in simulation, with safety interventions more common in clinical. In addition, in simulation, students performed a greater percentage of activities in higher levels of Millers Pyramid, “Knows How”; 12.8% as compared with 8.6% in clinical, and “Does”; 66.3% as compared with 46.2% in clinical. Notably, the activities in “Does” were completed in approximately 1/5 of the time in simulation; 440 minutes, as compared with clinical; 2,137 minutes. Conclusion The intensity and efficiency of simulation was demonstrated through the completion of more activities in higher levels of Millers Pyramid in significantly less time than clinical providing emerging evidence toward a 2:1 clinical to simulation ratio.
Polyethylene Ear Reconstruction: A State-of-the-Art Surgical Technique

The use of a porous high-density polyethylene (pHDPE) implant for ear reconstruction is gradually gaining acceptance because it allows for a pleasing ear reconstruction in young children before they enter school. In this chapter, we discuss the rationale behind the use of pHDPE for ear reconstruction, describe the steps of this challenging procedure, and answer the common questions that surgeons have when they come to observe the surgery, or when they go back to their respective practices and start performing this procedure. The key parts of this surgery are to meticulously harvest a well-vascularized superficial temporoparietal fascia (STPF) flap and to use appropriate color-matched skin grafts. This allows for a pleasing ear reconstruction with an excellent definition, projection, symmetry and long-term viability. The use of pHDPE with a thin STPF flap coverage is our preferred method of ear reconstruction since it can be performed at an earlier age, in a single stage, as an outpatient procedure with minimal discomfort and psychological trauma for the patients and parents.
On Measuring Aggregate

Cross-country comparisons of social indicators controlling for income and/or social spending have been widely used to measure and explain "social efficiency" analogously to "technical efficiency" in production. Ravallion argues that these methods are clouded in ambiguities about what exactly is being measured. Standard methods of measuring technical efficiency require assumptions that seem unlikely to hold for social indicators. In the context of a simple parametric model of life expectancy, conditions are identified under which there will be a systematic pattern of bias in estimates of efficient health spending. This paper - a product of the Poverty Team, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to assess the reliability of empirical methods used to inform policy debates.
A Case of Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis Triggered by a Ketogenic Diet in a Patient With Type 2 Diabetes Using a Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitor

Sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are one of the newest classes of antihyperglycemic medications now available for the treatment of type 2 diabetes (1). Clinical guidelines recommend this type of medication as one of various possible approaches for pharmacological therapy after failure of or intolerance to metformin (1). SGLT2 inhibitors are the first class of medications that act on the kidneys to optimize glycemic control; they prevent the reabsorption of glucose in the proximal renal tubules by targeting the action of the protein SGLT2 (2). As glucose is excreted through the urine, plasma glucose levels fall, leading to an improvement in glycemia (1). The most common adverse side effects attributed to SGLT2 inhibitors are genital and urinary infections. Because of osmotic diuresis induced by the glucosuria resulting from SGLT2 inhibition, volume depletion is also a possibility (3). Recently, episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) have been identified as a rare side effect (2). As a consequence of the glucosuria induced by SGLT2 inhibition, the majority of reported DKA episodes have been associated with a mild to moderate increased glycemia (4). R.F., a 44-year-old man with a history of type 2 diabetes, presented to the hospital emergency department with complaints of malaise, fatigue, heartburn, and decreased exercise capacity. He had been taking the dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor sitagliptin 100 mg, the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin 25 mg, and metformin 1,000 mg twice daily for the past 2 years. He said his symptoms started 4 days earlier. The only change he could identify in his lifestyle was that he had switched to a ketogenic diet and was restricting carbohydrates, which he had been doing for 7 days before coming to the hospital. R.F.’s heart rate was 120 bpm, his blood pressure was 120/80 mmHg, and his temperature was 97.8°F. On physical …
Two Faces of Ideology: Double-Edged Functions of Ideology in the Reform Discourse Under Xi Jinping:

Many scholars recognise that ideology plays indispensable roles in sustaining the legitimacy of the Chinese Communist Party and enhancing its governing capacity. However, less attention has been gi...
Teaching temptation bundling to boost exercise: A field experiment

Abstract Temptation bundling—pairing a pleasurable indulgence with a behavior that provides delayed rewards—combats present bias by making behaviors with delayed benefits more instantly-gratifying. If people are sophisticated and capable of following self-set rules to overcome present bias, they could benefit from learning about temptation bundling. Participants in a four-week exercise-boosting program (N = 6792) received either an audiobook with encouragement to temptation bundle, only an audiobook, or neither an audiobook nor encouragement to temptation bundle. Giving participants audiobooks and encouraging temptation bundling boosted their likelihood of a weekly workout by 10–14% and average weekly workouts by 10–12% during and up to seventeen weeks post-intervention. Relative to giving audiobooks alone, encouraging temptation bundling had a modest positive effect on exercise on the extensive margin. The marginal benefit of encouraging temptation bundling may be small because free audiobooks leak information: Simply providing an audiobook to exercise program participants suggests they should temptation bundle.
Investigating the role of matrix habitat use in determining avian area-sensitivity

The absence of some species from small habitat patches has long posed a challenge for conservationists, yet the underlying mechanisms that cause this "area-sensitivity" remain poorly understood. Capacity of a species to extend their activities into the surrounding matrix habitat represents one potential determinant of area-sensitivity. Species may be able to occupy smaller patches if they can utilize matrix habitat beyond patch boundaries, whereas area-sensitive species may be restricted to larger patches due to their inability to utilize the surrounding matrix. We investigated the potential role of matrix utilization in determining area-sensitivity by mapping the movements of two shrubland-obligate passerines with contrasting patch area requirements in shrub-dominated forest openings ranging in area by nearly an order of magnitude. Our findings were consistent with our predictions; the less area-sensitive chestnut-sided warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) exhibited greater use of matrix habitat than the highly area-sensitive prairie warbler (S. discolor). Furthermore, chestnut-sided warblers that occupied smaller openings used mature forest more than conspecifics in larger patches, yet forest use by prairie warblers was unrelated to opening size. Chestnut-sided warblers foraged as frequently in mature forest as within shrubland, whereas prairie warblers foraged significantly more in openings compared to forest. The findings of this study suggest that the ability or inclination of a species to utilize surrounding matrix habitat explains at least some of the observed variation in area-sensitivity in songbirds and potentially other taxa.
EFFICIENCY OF INFILTRATIVE ARTICAINE V/S NERVE BLOCK LIDOCAINE IN MANDIBULAR THIRD MOLARS SURGERY

Objective: To compare the efficiency of infiltrative articaine versus nerve block lidocaine in pain management during mandibular third molar extraction. Material and methods: Randomized clinical trial. 25 patients with symmetrical semi-included third molars were analyzed, to which infiltrative Articaine and Nerve block Lidocaine were randomly applied to each demi-side. The proposed variable was the efficiency of the anesthesia protocol. Results were analyzed with a proportional comparison Z test, analyzed with a confidence level of 95%. Results: The infiltrative articaine efficiency was 92% for B-group, existing no statistically significant difference to Nerve block lidocaine (p<0.05). Conclusion: Infiltrative articaine achieves pain management comparable to that of nerve block lidocaine.
Diffusion Imaging of the Head and Neck in the Future

While diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) has been present in clinical practice for more than a decade, its primary use in neuroradiology has centered around its utility in brain pathologies including acute ischemic stroke, abscesses, and tumors. Multiple studies that have focused on DWI in the head and neck over the past 15 years or so have been crucial in increasing our understanding of the clinical applications of DWI in head and neck pathologies. The advent of Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) and intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) has allowed for the rapid acquisition necessary to collect DWI data with a significant reduction in motion artifact. With improved imaging technology and advances in MRI sequences, it has become possible to tackle the inherent challenges in applying DWI in the head and neck that include geometric contour variations, motion artifact from pulsating vessels and physiological maneuvers such as swallowing and susceptibility artifacts from air-soft tissue interfaces.
Protocol versus practice: Deviations from guidelines in low-risk twin deliveries in the United States.

Background Medical guidelines recommend vaginal delivery for low-risk twin pregnancies because cesareans increase the probability of maternal morbidity and mortality. Yet, vaginal delivery rates for twins are considerably lower than for comparable singletons. One explanation for this disparity argues that greater risk associated with twins warrants increased surgical intervention. An alternative explanation is that twin deliveries are more likely to deviate from protocols that advise vaginal birth. Methods Using the 2017 Natality Detail File (N = 3,197,401), we measured alignment of vaginal birth and trial of labor (TOL) with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists' guidelines for twin and singleton no-indicated-risk births. We calculated predicted probabilities for the population and by maternal race/ethnicity to assess whether low rates of vaginal births among twins are explained by associated risk factors, or by deviations from recommended delivery methods. Results Overall, 31.2% of twins were born vaginally compared with 79.4% of singletons. Controlling for indicated risks, the predicted probability of vaginal birth for twins was 0.49 and 0.85 for singletons. The predicted probability of TOL for twins was 0.18 and 0.47 for singletons. Maternal race/ethnicity was only weakly associated with mode of delivery. These findings indicate that no-indicated-risk twin pregnancies, across maternal racial/ethnic categories, have lower probabilities of vaginal birth and TOL than would be expected with widespread adherence to current guidelines. Conclusions Given the life-threatening consequences that may result from unnecessary surgical procedures, our findings highlight the need for further research to illuminate medical and nonmedical mechanisms driving nonadherence to clinical guidelines for twin births.
Article on religious support for assisted dying ignores the teaching of the Catholic Church

The title of the essay by Romain and Carey—“There is nothing holy about agony: religious people and leaders support assisted dying too”—ignores 2000 years …
The spectrum of unhealthy drug use and quality of care for hypertension and diabetes

Background Addiction is associated with medical consequences, due to direct drug effects, poor adherence to health-care recommendations, and poor quality of care. But little is known about how the spectrum of illicit drug use in primary care patients affects quality of medical care measures for chronic conditions. The objectives of this study were to determine the association between drug use (drug, frequency of use, and severity) and quality measures indicating failure to meet criteria for good blood pressure (BP) and blood glucose (BG) control among primary care patients identified by screening as using illicit drugs who also have hypertension and/or diabetes. Materials and methods The study population was adult patients presenting for primary care visits in an urban, safety-net hospital with recent illicit drug use or prescription drug misuse identified by screening and either hypertension or diabetes mellitus. The outcomes were failure to control: a blood pressure (primary), defined as systolic BP of 140 or higher or diastolic BP of 90 or higher, and b) blood glucose (secondary), defined as hemoglobin A1c of 8 percent or higher (National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set [HEDIS] measures). Main independent variables were: days of drug use in the past month; drug type (i.e., opioid, cocaine, marijuana); and severity of use (Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test global drug risk score (tertiles). We fit separate longitudinal logistic regression models for each measure of drug use and each outcome.
A Literature Review of Vertical Violence Between Staff Medical Surgical Nurses and Nursing Students During Clinical Rotations

Vertical violence is defined as any act of violence including yelling, snide comments, withholding information, ignoring, and humiliating behaviors • Occurs between two or more persons on different levels of a hierarchical system • Prohibits professional performance and satisfaction within the workplace •The purpose of this literature review is to explore the attitudes and biases of staff nurses when working with students Problem Statement •Vertical violence is an ongoing problem in the nursing profession • Affects hospital units where newly graduated nurses are needed the most. • Gap of knowledge of why staff nurses are holding biases against the students, and how communication and teamwork between the two can be improved. Indications For Clinical Practice •.Decrease vertical violence among staff and students •Decrease hospital attrition rates •Promote a safe and positive learning environment for students •Promote continuing education for staff nurses •Promote a stronger generation of new nurses Lisa Cunningham Dominican University , 2015
Diel Interactions of Oxygenic Photosynthesis and N 2 Fixation (Acetylene Reduction) in a Marine Microbial Mat Community

Diel variations in N2 fixation (acetylene reduction), CO2 fixation, and oxygen concentrations were measured, on three separate occasions, in a marine microbial mat located on Shackleford Banks, North Carolina. Nitrogenase activity (NA) was found to be inversely correlated with CO2 fixation and, in two of the three diel periods studied, was higher at night than during the day. Oxygen concentrations within the top 3 mm of the mat ranged from 0 to 400 μM on a diel cycle; anaerobic conditions generally persisted below 4 mm. NA in the mat was profoundly affected by naturally occurring oxygen concentrations. Experimentally elevated oxygen concentrations resulted in a significant depression of NA, whereas the addition of the Photosystem II inhibitor 3(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea decreased oxygen concentrations within the mat and resulted in a significant short-term enhancement of NA. Mat N2-fixing microorganisms include cyanobacteria and heterotrophic, photoautotrophic, and chemolithotrophic eubacteria. Measured (whole-mat) NA is probably due to a combination of the NA of each of these groups of organisms. The relative contributions of each group to whole-mat NA probably varied during diel and seasonal (successional) cycles. Reduced compounds derived from photosynthetic CO2 fixation appeared to be an important source of energy for NA during the day, whereas heterotrophic or chemolithotrophic utilization of reduced compounds appeared to be an important source of energy for NA at night, under reduced ambient oxygen concentrations. Previous estimates of N2 fixation calculated on the basis of daytime measurements may have seriously underestimated diel and seasonal nitrogen inputs in mat systems.
Utilizing interdisciplinary teams in teaching e-commerce

E-business continues to be a multi-million dollar business with demands in the area continuing to rise [1]. Business programs frequently include courses in e-commerce topics, but few computer science programs provide instruction in this area [2,4,6]. Schools that do offer computer science courses in e-commerce typically present a one-sided view of the e-commerce discipline, focusing all attention on the technical aspects of web-programming and ignoring the role of business in e-commerce [2,4]. In order to implement real-world e-commerce sites, computer scientists need to have the technical skills to implement the site, but also need to have an appreciation for business aspects of e-commerce and the ability to communicate with non-technical professionals. This paper examines an interdisciplinary team experience in which students in an undergraduate computer science e-commerce course and an undergraduate business e-commerce course collaborated to produce an e-commerce site. Offering an interdisciplinary team experience provides students with a unique perspective on the e-commerce discipline but also comes with many challenges. This paper summarizes some practical mechanisms for managing interdisciplinary groups in an e-commerce course. Examples of course activities and evaluation tools are included. These activities and evaluation methods could be used in other interdisciplinary courses as well.
Incidence of Hypertension-Related Emergency Department Visits in the United States, 2006 to 2012

Hypertension is a common chronic condition, but the burden of emergency department (ED) visits due to hypertension and associated patient and hospital characteristics are not well described. The goals of this study were to (1) establish the burden of hypertension-related ED visits, estimated by the total number, proportion of adult visits, and population-based rate, (2) evaluate for change over time, and (3) identify associated patient and hospital characteristics. The Nationwide Emergency Department Sample from 2006 to 2012 was used to identify hypertension-related ED visits (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 401 to 405, inclusive, and 437.2), and this was linked to US Census Bureau July population estimates to determine population-based rates for each study year. Negative binomial regression was performed to determine whether rates of hypertension-related ED visits changed over time. A total of 165,946,807 hypertension-related ED visits occurred during the 7-year study period (23.6% of all adult ED visits), and hypertension was the primary diagnosis for 6,399,088 (0.9% of all adult ED visits). The estimated yearly incidence rate increased 5.2% per year (incident rate ratio, 1.052; 95% confidence interval, 1.044 to 1.061; p <0.001) for hypertension-related visits and 4.4% per year (incidence rate ratio, 1.044; 95% confidence interval, 1.038 to 1.051; p <0.001) for ED visits with a primary diagnosis of hypertension. Over the same time, the proportion hospitalized decreased and the proportion of visits increased at safety net hospitals and among uninsured patients. In conclusion, these data indicate that hypertension-related ED visits are common and increasing.
Common data link (CDL) interference model

The increasing use of airwaves for military communication and surveillance and commercial applications places burdens on spectrum use. This crowding of the spectrum presents two broad problem categories. The first is "cosite interference" where numerous transmitters and receivers are physically located in a small area and share a given portion of the spectrum. Under these conditions, a receiver can be "victim" to a co-located transmitter. The second category involves numerous transmitters (typically airborne) well separated from each other but communicating to receivers placed in a relatively small area. The common data link (CDL) refers to a standard protocol for military data delivery and communication. Surveillance platforms such as tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (TUAV), JSTARS, U2s, Global Hawks will stream high rate surveillance data (radar, visual and/or infrared imagery, etc) down to ground terminals. As such, bandwidths are wide (100s MHz) and the potential exists for ground receivers to be victim to signals from airborne transmitters other than its desired source. MITRE has developed a CDL interference model to assess potential problems in realistic tactical surveillance scenarios. This paper documents the physical basis of the CDL interference model.
13C NMR Spectra of Δ 24(28) Phytosterols

The effect of structure and stereochemistry on the 13C chemical shifts for 24-methylenecholesterol, fucosterol and isofucosterol has been determined.
SAMAF: Situation aware mobile apps framework

Mobile devices have become ubiquitous, with their adoption being driven by their immediacy and sensing capabilities. Applications or apps that run on a portable computing device have recently surged in popularity. An increasing number of mobile apps and their diverse users make it difficult to select the correct app to respond to evolving situations. To address this issue, we have developed a semantic framework for mobile apps named the Situation Aware Mobile Apps Framework (SAMAF) that can achieve the goal of dynamic and automated adaptive apps for software systems responding to the mobile users' context and environmental changes. In this paper, we have implemented the SAMAF system. An assessment of the prototype of the SAMAF system has been conducted from the perspective of performance and adaptability.
Social Distance and the Formerly Obese: Does the Stigma of Obesity Linger?*: SOCIAL DISTANCE AND THE FORMERLY OBESE

Research has documented the stigma of obesity extensively, but little attention has been given to the study of stigma toward formerly obese individuals. The present study examines whether the stigma of obesity in romantic relationships carries over to formerly obese individuals by using primary data collected from a Midwestern university in the United States (N = 363). We consider how an individual's own body weight, demographic characteristics, familiarity, and attitudes affect the willingness to form a romantic relationship with a formerly obese person. Results suggest that obese individuals are less likely to hesitate about engaging in a romantic relationship with a formerly obese person than underweight or normal weight individuals, but only when attitudes toward obese and formerly obese individuals are controlled. In terms of demographic characteristics, men and African Americans are more likely to hesitate about forming a romantic relationship than their respective counterparts. More familiarity with currently obese family members and formerly obese close friends appears to reduce the stigma minimally. Greater social distance is also desired if weight loss is believed to be temporary.
Managerial Entrenchment and Corporate Risk Management

We theoretically and empirically analyze the effects of managerial agency on corporate hedging and risk management. Our theoretical analysis indicates that even risk neutral entrenched managers of unlevered firms will optimally establish costly hedging positions. Moreover, our model presents novel prediction on the relationship between the extent of risk management and the level of managerial entrenchment and available cash flows. Using a unique and hand-collected dataset with detailed quarterly information on derivative positions by non-integrated exploration and production firms in the oil and gas industry during 1996-2008, we test these predictions and find strong support for them, even after controlling for factors used in the earlier literature. We thus provide a theoretical and empirical explanation for why corporations hedge even when it does not increase firm value.
Metal carbonyls—II Carbon monoxide and chloride exchange with some cyclopentadienyl metal carbonyls

Abstract The exchange reactions of 14CO with cyclopentadienyl metal carbonyls in solution have been studied. The nickel and cobalt cyclopentadienyl carbonyls exchange rapidly whereas the other compounds equilibrate very slowly. The exchange in (C5H5)2Ni2(CO)2 and C5H5Co(CO)2 depends on the carbon monoxide concentration and hence proceeds by a bimolecular displacement. The rates and mechanism are discussed and possible explanations are presented in terms of electronic structures, steric hindrance and MCO bond strengths. It is suggested that the results may provide some evidence in support of certain electronic differences between metals in the simple carbonyls and those in the “isoelectronic” cyclopentadienyl carbonyls. The chloride exchange with C5H5Fe(CO)2Cl in 5 per cent ethanol-water is second-order in the complex and independent of the chloride ion concentration. The reaction is very slow in benzene. An attempt is made to correlate the CO and chloride exchange results.
Closing the smoothness and uniformity gap in area fill synthesis

Control of variability in the back end of the line, and hence in interconnect performance as well, has become extremely difficult with the introduction of new materials such as copper and low-k dielectrics. Uniformity of chemical-mechanical planarization (CMP) requires the addition of area fill geometries into the layout, in order to smoothen the variation of feature densities across the die. Our work addresses the following smoothness gap in the recent literature on area fill synthesis. (1)The very first paper on the filling problem (Kahng et al., ISPD98 [7]) noted that there is potentially a large difference between the optimum window densities in fixed dissections vs. when all possible windows in the layout are considered. (2)Despite this observation, all filling methods since 1998 minimize and evaluate density variation only with respect to a fixed dissection. This paper gives the first evaluation of existing filling algorithms with respect to "gridless" ("floating-window") mode, according to both the effective and spatial density models. Our experiments indicate surprising advantages of Monte-Carlo and greedy strategies over "optimal" linear programming (LP) based methods. Second, we suggest new, more relevant methods of measuring a local uniformity based on Lipschitz conditions, and empirically demonstrate that Monte-Carlo methods are inherently better than LP with respect to the new criteria. Finally, we propose new LP-based filling methods that are directly driven by the new criteria, and show that these methods indeed help close the "smoothness gap".
Novel biocatalysis by database mining

Broad-based adoption of biocatalytic methods will require widely available database tools, analogous to previous efforts compiling information for the facilitation of chemical synthesis. The analog to chemical reagents are enzymes. The analog to chemical synthetic routes are metabolic pathways. The free on-line database BRENDA exemplifies efforts to compile relevant information on enzymes for biocatalytic purposes. Likewise, the University of Minnesota Biocatalysis/Biodegradation Database focuses on novel enzymes and metabolic pathways useful in environmental and industrial biotechnology. The development of biocatalytic protocols will be facilitated by the increasing availability of well-curated database information on enzymatic enantioselectivity and capabilities for transforming disparate chemical functional groups.
The Blood of Guatemala—A History of Race and Nation

The Blood of Guatemala—A History of Race and Nation. Greg Grandin. Durham, NO Duke University Press, 2000. vxiii + 236 pp., appendixes, notes, references, index.
The influence of reactor pressure on rate-limiting factors and reaction pathways in MOVPE of GaAs

Abstract A quantitative model for homoepitaxial deposition of GaAs on (111)Ga using Ga(CH 3 ) 3 and AsH 3 has been extended to consider the effects of temperature, flow rate, and inlet gas composition on the process behavior at different reactor pressures. When the pressure is reduced, surface kinetics and thermal diffusion become more important relative to gas-phase reactions and diffusion, although the extent of the shift depends on the method used to lower the pressure. In addition, the dominant species and reaction pathways change with operating conditions, e.g., some species that adsorb at atmospheric pressure tend to desorb preferentially when the pressure is lower. Results for impinging-jet and rotating-disk reactors indicate that the relative importance of diffusion and kinetics is dependent on the reactor configuration. However, the different systems exhibit similar trends in behavior, and these trends agree closely with available experimental data. The model also shows that neither replacement of H 2 carrier gas with He nor addition of CH 4 to the inlet gas mixture have an appreciable effect on the process behavior over a wide range of operating conditions.
Gasification of Lignite Coal Using Twin Circulating Fluidized Bed Gasifier

Coal gasification technology is increasingly important in the world because of the rise in cost of oil and natural gas. Lignite coal is huge in reserved quantity, and is suitable for gasification because of its higher reactivity so that a simple and cheap gasifier is needed for the lignite coal. Circulating fluidized bed with twin reactor (riser combustor and bubbling bed gasifier) is suitable for lignite coal gasification because it can produce syngas with high calorific value without using pure oxygen or pressurized condition. IHI has developed TIGAR® (Twin IHI Gasifier) process based on our commercialized circulating fluidized bed technology. This process can produce syngas with high calorific value and also high hydrogen content with air at the atmospheric pressure. Additionally, both syngas and electricity (from steam) can be produced and also the yields can be controlled by the ratio of combustion and gasification, which will sufficiently meet the demand of the user. In this paper, some results obtained by process simulation, cold model test and pilot scale experiments are shown.
IMPROVEMENT IN CLAUDICATION AFTER INSERTION OF A CARDIAC PACEMAKER

Despite severe arterial insufficiency (with claudication) in both lower extremities, insertion of a cardiac pacemaker improved the distal circulation in a 76-year-old man with atrioventricular dissociation. This result suggests that when the cardiac condition requires insertion of a pacemaker, this procedure should antedate any arterial reconstruction in cases of severe peripheral vascular disease.
The ideology of transnational enterprise

Abstract In recent years, numerous individuals from the business and academic professions have constructed an ideological justification for the spread of transnational enterprise. Invoking classical Free Trade doctrine, the “Corporate Cobdenites” argue that the proliferation of transnational corporations within an interdependent world economy holds forth the promise of international peace, prosperity, and a growing freedom for all people. The historical significance of liberalism as the ideology of capitalism invites scrutiny of the modern Free Trade doctrine in light of the issue of power. Employing the theory of “postimperialism” advanced by Richard L. Sklar, I argue that the internationalization of corporate capital through direct foreign investment combined with the steady growth of transnational enterprise in recent decades heralds the rise of a transnational class based largely on corporate enterprise. This development, moreover, signals the eclipse of the era of capitalist imperialism by the new stage of corporate international capitalism in the era of postimperialism. Modern Free Trade ideology justifies the rise of transnational corporate power by defining the global marketplace as a realm of freedom apart from the coercive domain of nation-states. In the tradition of American constitutionalism and corporate-liberal reform, moreover, the Corporate Cobdenites promote the consolidation of transnational corporate power by applying the logic of the corporate reconstruction of American society to international relations and the world market.
Unimoment Method for Electromagnetic Wave Scattering

A simple problem in 2-dimensional space is used as an example for the application of the unimoment method. The discussion includes fundamentals, mesh generation, loading of equations, sparse matrix inversion and boundary matching. The objective of this paper is to help uninitiated readers understand and apply this method.
Learning proficiency on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test in people with serious mental illness: What are the cognitive characteristics of good learners?

Although it is widely accepted that schizophrenia and other serious mental illnesses (SMI) are associated with neurocognitive difficulties, there is great variability in neurocognitive functioning across individuals. In recent years, a growing number of schizophrenia studies have utilized the concept of learning potential to explore individual variation in cognition. Learning potential refers to the ability to benefit from instruction and is measured by assessing test performance before and after training. The present study was intended to explore the cognitive characteristics associated with learning potential in people with serious mental illness. Sixty individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar or major (unipolar) depression completed a learning potential assessment using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and a battery of standard cognitive measures. Based on established criteria for WCST learner subgroups, participants were categorized as high achievers, learners or non-retainers. There were several significant cognitive differences among the three learner subgroups. Most notably, individuals who were categorized as learners on the WCST showed significantly better verbal and working memory compared to non-retainers. Secondary analyses revealed that the three SMI diagnostic groups (depression, bipolar, schizophrenia) were similar in learning potential and did not differ on any of the standard cognitive measures. This study provides support for learning potential classification in schizophrenia as well as other serious mental illnesses, and indicates that learning potential may specifically be related to verbal and working memory abilities.
Electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of the tetrathiafulvalene /TTF/ pseudohalides, /TTF/12/SCN/7 and /TTF/12/SeCN/7

The electrical, magnetic, and optical properties of charge-transfer salts containing tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and the pseudohalides, thiocyanate (SCN) and selenocyanate (SeCN), have been investigated. These salts are quasi-one-dimensional compounds containing cation radicals only, in contrast to a cation-radical-anion-radical system, such as tetrathiafulvalene tetracyanoquinodimethane (TTF) (TCNQ). Measurements of electrical conductivity, thermoelectric power, and optical reflectivity of single crystals of the nonstoichiometric salts (TTF)12(SCN)7 and (TTF)12(SeCN)7 show metal-like characteristics above 200 K (high-temperature region). The conductivities at room temperature are approximately 750 mho/cm comparable to those found in (TTF) (TCNQ), and increase with decreasing temperature down to approximately 200 K. The thermoelectric power at room temperature is small and positive (approximately 9 microvolts/deg K), and decreases linearly with decreasing temperature in this region (as expected for metal-like hole conduction along the TTF chains). The ESR intensity, however, decreases with decreasing temperature above 200 K. At 170 K a metal-nonmetal transition occurs, and the transport and magnetic properties below this temperature are characteristic of a semiconducting state.
Race/Ethnicity/Nativity Differentials and Changes in Cause-Specific Infant Deaths in the Context of Declining Infant Mortality in the U.S.: 1989–2001

Using data from the national linked birth/infant death cohort files, we examined race/ethnicity/nativity disparities and changes in infant mortality due to the five leading causes of infant death between 1989 and 2001. Our results indicate substantial decreases in infant mortality from three causes (congenital anomalies, sudden infant death syndrome, and respiratory distress syndrome) for which specific perinatal health innovations emerged or were expanded. However, for these three causes, the relative disparities in infant mortality between infants born to U.S.-born black women as compared to infants of U.S.-born white women increased following the introduction (or expansion) of beneficial interventions. Among infants of U.S.-born Mexican American mothers, the findings differed. In the static comparisons, our results show the often-reported similarity in the risk of death of these babies compared to those born to non-Hispanic white mothers. However, when changes over time were modeled, there was an erosion of the relatively favorable survival chances of Mexican American infants. Our models show little change in the relative risk of death for infants of immigrant women. Regarding the other two causes (disorders relating to short gestation and unspecified low birth weight and maternal complications) for which no efficacious innovations occurred, either little change or actual increases in risks were observed. Future studies and health policy efforts should be geared toward further understanding and aggressively working to close infant mortality gaps, especially for infants of U.S.-born black mothers—an effort that will be facilitated by research focused on cause-specific infant mortality.
Reductions in Long-Term Suspensions Following Adoption of the Virginia Student Threat Assessment Guidelines

This quasi-experimental study examined the adoption of the Virginia Student Threat Assessment Guidelines in 23 high schools. After training, school administrators and other staff members demonstrated substantial increases in knowledge of threat assessment principles and decreased commitment to zero tolerance approaches. Schools using the guidelines showed a 52% reduction in long-term suspensions and a 79% reduction in bullying infractions from the pretraining year to the posttraining year, in contrast to a control group of 26 schools not using the guidelines.
Non-absorption of ingested lipophilic and amphiphilic allelochemicals by generalist grasshoppers: the role of extractive ultrafiltration by the peritrophic envelope.

The role of the peritrophic envelope in the non-absorption of three allelochemicals ingested by generalist grasshoppers was examined. This study tested the hypothesis that the association of lipophilic and amphiphilic allelochemicals with lipid aggregates (mixed micelles) reduces their permeability through the peritrophic envelope, a process similar to extractive ultrafiltration. Each of three allelochemicals (digitoxin, ouabain, and xanthotoxin) were solubilized in a lysolecithin suspension and injected separately into the midgut lumens of adult Melanoplus sanguinipes (Orthoptera: Acrididae). The low permeability of digitoxin through the peritrophic envelope was consistent with the extractive ultrafiltration of this compound. By comparison, ouabain and xanthotoxin permeability coefficients were 7- and 12-fold higher, respectively, than those of digitoxin. The results of extractive ultrafiltration assays confirmed that digitoxin is effectively extracted in lysolecithin micelles, but that neither ouabain nor xanthotoxin aggregates efficiently with these micelles. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 42:130‐137, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Methods of body composition analysis the status of the gold standard.

Abstract The prevention, treatment, and comprehension of disease processes can be advanced with improved methods for assessing changes in body composition. Recently developed methodology has expanded our capacity to quantify body constituents and has stimulated a trend away from the two-compartment model (fat mass and fat-free mass) for describing body composition. As these advances take place, the "gold standard" for measuring living human subjects will likely shift from the frequently relied upon underwater weighing method to techniques that further divide the fat-free mass. New and widely used techniques for quantifying various body compartments are described.
Do marketing capabilities consistently mediate effects of firm intangible capital on performance across institutional environments

Abstract This study examines whether marketing capabilities consistently mediate intangible capital on performance across institutional environments. A partial test of resource-advantage theory is conducted, examining the relationship between four intangible capital elements on marketing capabilities and consequent firm performance. The results, based upon samples of 239 importers in Japan and the U.S., indicate that human capital and relational capital influenced marketing capabilities, and that marketing capabilities influenced performance similarly across institutional environments. Organizational capital, however, was found to only influence marketing capabilities for U.S. importers. Furthermore, our results indicate full mediation in both samples. Implications for academics and practitioners are presented.
Structural analysis and mapping of DNase I hypersensitivity of HS5 of the β-globin locus control region

The beta-globin locus control region (LCR) is a cis regulatory element that is located in the 5' part of the locus and confers high-level erythroid lineage-specific and position-independent expression of the globin genes. The LCR is composed of five DNase I hypersensitive sites (HSs), four of which are formed in erythroid cells. The function of the 5'-most site, HS5, remains unknown. To gain insights into its function, mouse HS5 was cloned and sequenced. Comparison of the HS5 sequences of mouse, human, and galago revealed two extensively conserved regions, designated HS5A and HS5B. DNase I hypersensitivity mapping revealed that two hypersensitive sites are located within the HS5A region (designated HS5A(major) and HS5A(minor)), and two are located within the HS5B region (HS5B(major), HS5B(minor)). The positions of each of these HSs colocalize with either GATA-1 or Ap1/NF-E2 motifs, suggesting that these protein binding sites are implicated in the formation of HS5. Gel retardation assays indicated that the Ap1/NF-E2 motifs identified in murine HS5A and HS5B interact with NF-E2 or similar proteins. Studies of primary murine cells showed that HS5 is formed in all hemopoietic tissues tested (fetal liver, adult thymus, and spleen), indicating that this HS is not erythroid lineage specific. HS5 was detected in murine brain but not in murine kidney or adult liver, suggesting that this site is not ubiquitous. The presence of GATA-1 and NF-E2 motifs (which are common features of the DNase I hypersensitive sites of the LCR) suggests that the HS5 is organized in a manner similar to that of the other HSs. Taken together, our results suggest that HS5 is an inherent component of the beta-globin locus control region.
Analysis and predictive models of stormwater runoff volumes, loads, and pollutant concentrations from watersheds in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Minnesota, USA.

Abstract Urban nonpoint source pollution is a significant contributor to water quality degradation. Watershed planners need to be able to estimate nonpoint source loads to lakes and streams if they are to plan effective management strategies. To meet this need for the twin cities metropolitan area, a large database of urban and suburban runoff data was compiled. Stormwater runoff loads and concentrations of 10 common constituents (six N and P forms, TSS, VSS, COD, Pb) were characterized, and effects of season and land use were analyzed. Relationships between runoff variables and storm and watershed characteristics were examined. The best regression equation to predict runoff volume for rain events was based on rainfall amount, drainage area, and percent impervious area ( R 2 =0.78). Median event-mean concentrations (EMCs) tended to be higher in snowmelt runoff than in rainfall runoff, and significant seasonal differences were found in yields (kg/ha) and EMCs for most constituents. Simple correlations between explanatory variables and stormwater loads and EMCs were weak. Rainfall amount and intensity and drainage area were the most important variables in multiple linear regression models to predict event loads, but uncertainty was high in models developed with the pooled data set. The most accurate models for EMCs generally were found when sites were grouped according to common land use and size.
Participating in the poetry playground: Staging the nonsense wordplay in children's poetry

This article explores the challenges of performing children's nonsense poetry with rather than to an audience of children. It discusses different nonsense operations and offers a broad‐based schema for making performance decisions about what kind of nonverbal (vocal and nonvocal) emphasis to use in performance. Also included are examples of nonsense in literary works with accompanying suggestions for performance.