cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Negative-resistance switching effect in polycrystalline ceramic yttrium-iron-garnet

A current-controlled negative-resistance effect has been observed in sintered polycrystalline yttrium-iron-garnet (y.i.g.) ceramics. There are some differences between the switching behaviour of these materials and the switching behaviour of single-crystal y.i.g., which has been described previously by other workers.
Analyzing the Surface Temperature Depression in Hot Stage Atomic Force Microscopy with Unheated Cantilevers: Application to the Crystallization of Poly(ethylene oxide)

The in situ study of phase transitions in polymers by real-time atomic force microscopy (AFM) has received much attention recently. In this paper we report on the accuracy of surface temperatures measured during variable-temperature AFM experiments. In AFM studies on organic and polymeric samples at elevated temperatures, the presence of an unheated AFM cantilever and tip close to the sample surface can result in a significant depression of the surface temperature. This effect was estimated by measuring the temperature depression quantitatively for a series of n-alkanoic acids in different gases, i.e., argon, air, and helium. We developed an analytical expression by modeling the observed surface temperatures and their distance dependence using heat transfer theory, which allows us to predict the temperature effects in different experiments. For poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) we predict that no temperature correction is necessary for films thinner than 500 nm. To test the temperature calibration, we have acquired quantitative data on the crystallization of individual PEO lamellae in thin films on silicon surfaces. The lamellar growth rates, lamellar thicknesses, and melting ranges obey the typical dependencies on crystallization temperature and supercooling known from bulk polymer crystallization. The values for equilibrium melting temperatures, as well as surface free energies of the fold surfaces, determined by Hoffman-Weeks extrapolation, the Gibbs-Thompson equation, and the Hoffman-Lauritzen theory, compare favorably with values published in the literature and hence validate our model calculations.
Vairimorpha invictae N. Sp. (Microspora: Microsporida), a Parasite of the Red Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)12

. Vairimorpha invictae n. sp. infects the red imported fire ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren, in Brazil. The parasite is dimorphic, producing two morphologically distinct types of spores, which develop sequentially in the same fat cells or oenocytes in the fat body. The binucleate free spores develop from disporous sporonts; the uninucleate octospores develop from multinucleate sporonts within a sporophorous vesicle. Infected cells are transformed into large sacs which contain both types of spores in mature adult hosts. Mature free spores are often present by the time the larvae pupate, but mature octospores are found only in adult hosts. Masses of spores may be seen through the intact cuticle by low power phase-contrast microscopy; there are no other physical signs and no behavioral signs of infection. Attempts to transmit the infection in the laboratory failed.
Bayesian estimation under Poisson testing using the LINEX loss function

Abstract Bayesian estimation for the mean failure rate under Poisson type 1 testing is considered. The loss function that is considered in this study is the LINEX loss. The admissibility of the linear function of the sample mean (failure rate) for the Poisson testing is also discussed.
An employee-centered model of organizational justice and social responsibility:

This paper reviews recent research within the area of organizational justice. It argues that a key element of the employee experience is the formation of perceptions about how both the self and others are treated by organizational stakeholders, as well as the level of dignity and respect bestowed by the organization to external groups. Employees, therefore, look in, around, and out, in order to comprehend their working experiences, and depend on these judgments to navigate the organizational milieu. A full understanding of justice phenomena requires consideration of individual differences; contextual influences; affective, cognitive, and social processes; as well as a person-centric orientation that allows for both time and memory to influence the social construction of worker phenomena.
Indwelling pulmonary arterial and venous catheters in the dog.

SummaryA method is described for placing permanent polyethelene catheters into the pulmonary artery and vein of dogs through the jugular vein and common carotid artery, respectively. The pulmonary artery catheter seems to cause little trouble to the animals and has been kept in place up to 56 days for sampling blood and measuring pressures. The pulmonary vein catheters, however, cause considerable trauma and animals succumb within 10 days after placement of the tube.
Design to improve the freshman admissions process

Universities are under increasing pressure to decrease operation costs to reduce increasing tuition and to maintain or improve enrollment rates. These two conflicting pressures come to a head with the University Admissions Department, which must meet target enrollment rates within their budget. The admissions department at George Mason University must currently hire outside application readers in order for admissions counselors to complete all fundamental admissions tasks by their deadlines. The hours worked by outside readers accounts for approximately 8% of hours worked by the freshman admissions staff during the reading season. One way of reducing labor costs is by reducing or reorganizing the staff to be comprised of fewer high salary employees. Lower wage employees are less skilled and are limited to performing specific tasks. The goal of this paper is to design the process and analyze the feasibility of reorganizing the admissions staff. To lower system costs and make the process feasible, reorganization must occur without decreasing enrollment rates or increasing the time students wait for service. The design alternatives tested were: (1) the current process, (2) Decreasing the number of counselors and increasing the number of outside readers, (3) Removing outside readers, adding fellows, and specializing tasks between fellows and counselors. and (4) Keeping outside readers and specializing tasks between fellows and counselors. The utility of each alternative from first to last are: 0, 0.290, 2, and 0.376. Alternative 3, removing outside readers, adding fellows, and specializing tasks between fellows and counselors, is recommended, as it shows the greatest improvement of the admissions process out of the alternatives.
Catheter closure of atrial septal defect in anatomically corrected malposition with left juxtaposition of the atrial appendages using intracardiac echocardiography.

Anatomically corrected malposition is characterized by abnormally related great vessels and atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial concordance. It is often associated with juxtaposition of the atrial appendages where the plane of the atrial septum is abnormally oriented. We describe the device closure of an atrial septal defect in a patient with such a lesion under intracardiac echocardiography guidance. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Economics: Conservation in the red

The Convention on Biological Diversity has pledged to reduce species-extinction threats around the globe by 2020. Analysis shows that this goal is achievable but requires a significant increase in the current rate of investment.
Motion of the Esophagus Due to Cardiac Motion

When imaging studies (e.g. CT) are used to quantify morphological changes in an anatomical structure, it is necessary to understand the extent and source of motion which can give imaging artifacts (e.g. blurring or local distortion). The objective of this study was to assess the magnitude of esophageal motion due to cardiac motion. We used retrospective electrocardiogram-gated contrast-enhanced computed tomography angiography images for this study. The anatomic region from the carina to the bottom of the heart was taken at deep-inspiration breath hold with the patients' arms raised above their shoulders, in a position similar to that used for radiation therapy. The esophagus was delineated on the diastolic phase of cardiac motion, and deformable registration was used to sequentially deform the images in nearest-neighbor phases among the 10 cardiac phases, starting from the diastolic phase. Using the 10 deformation fields generated from the deformable registration, the magnitude of the extreme displacements was then calculated for each voxel, and the mean and maximum displacement was calculated for each computed tomography slice for each patient. The average maximum esophageal displacement due to cardiac motion for all patients was 5.8 mm (standard deviation: 1.6 mm, maximum: 10.0 mm) in the transverse direction. For 21 of 26 patients, the largest esophageal motion was found in the inferior region of the heart; for the other patients, esophageal motion was approximately independent of superior-inferior position. The esophagus motion was larger at cardiac phases where the electrocardiogram R-wave occurs. In conclusion, the magnitude of esophageal motion near the heart due to cardiac motion is similar to that due to other sources of motion, including respiratory motion and intra-fraction motion. A larger cardiac motion will result into larger esophagus motion in a cardiac cycle.
Sex, Lies and Letters: A Sample of Significant Deceptions in the Freud-Jung Relationship

This project focuses on an examination of the correspondence between and the writings of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung. A core theme in their relationship has been identified as deception, which appears to be correlated with and perhaps the cause of the end of their association. Incidences of mistrust and distrust have been detailed and dis-cussed.
Decomposition approximation of queueing-network control models with tree structures

We devise a decomposition approximation method for a general branching queueing network with service-rate controls. The decomposition method, which reduces and simplifies computation routines considerably, results from the conditions for monotone optimal control policies in induction arguments. We first isolate each branch of connected queues as a subnetwork and then link the subnetworks through branching nodes to approximate the optimal control policies for the global network. The numerical results for a wide class of cost models show that the approximated optimal policies from the decomposed problems are sufficiently close to the optimal policies of the global problem.
Synthesis of nanostructured WC-12 pct Co coating using mechanical milling and high velocity oxygen fuel thermal spraying

A nanostructured WC-12 pct Co coating was synthesized using mechanical milling and high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying. The variation of powder characteristics with milling time and the performance of the coatings were investigated using scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray, transmission electron microscope (TEM), thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), and microhardness measurements. There is no evidence that indicates the presence of an amorphous phase in the sintered WC-12 pct Co powder, and the binder phase in this powder is still crystalline Co. Mechanical milling of up to 20 hours did not lead to the formation of an amorphous phase in the sintered WC-12 pct Co powder. During the initial stages of the milling, the brittle carbide particles were first fractured into fragments and then embedded into the binder phase. This process gradually formed polycrystal nanocomposite powders of the Co binder phase and W carbide particles. The conventional cold welding and fracturing processes primarily occurred among the Co binder powders and polycrystal composite powders. The nanostructured WC-12 pct Co coatings, synthesized in the present study, consist of an amorphous matrix and carbides with an average particle diameter of 35 nm. The coating possesses an average microhardness of 1135 HV and higher resistance to indentation fracture than that of its conventional counterpart.
Hydrogels from 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate and propylene glycol monoacrylate

Hydrophilic three-dimensional polymer networks (hydrogels) were prepared from 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and propylene glycol monacrylate (PGMA). By wet crosslinking, hydrogels which maintain their original shape and volume relatively well, compared with the dry-cross-linked polymer networks, were obtained. The maximum amount of water which can be maintained in transparent hydrogels depends on the hydrophilicity of the monomers, e. g., about 40% for HEMA gels, about 50% for PGMA gels, and 40–50% for HEMA–PGMA copolymer gels depending on the monomer composition. When the water content exceeds this maximum in transparent gels (homogeneous hydrogels), they become opaque and/or spongy (heterogeneous hydrogels). Effects of the amount of crosslinking agent and the initial dilution of the monomer solution upon the swelling behavior of hydrogels were investigated. The temperature dependence of the swelling of these hydrogels and the water permeation through them were also studied.
Long-Term Lemonade Based Dietary Manipulation in Patients With Hypocitraturic Nephrolithiasis

Purpose: Citrus fruits and juices are a known natural source of dietary citrate. Of all the citrus juices, lemon juice appears to have the highest concentration of citrate. Therefore, lemonade therapy has been proposed as a potential treatment for patients with hypocitraturia. We retrospectively evaluated the impact of long-term lemonade therapy on urinary metabolic parameters and stone formation in patients with hypocitraturic nephrolithiasis.Materials and Methods: A total of 32 patients were identified as being on long-term lemonade therapy for hypocitraturic nephrolithiasis. The 11 patients on lemonade therapy who met the entrance criteria for evaluation were compared to an age and sex matched control group of patients treated with oral slow release potassium citrate. Pre-therapy and post-therapy urinary parameters were recorded for both groups. The effect of lemonade therapy on stone burden and stone formation rate was calculated. New stone formation was defined as passage, surgical removal or appeara...
COMMERCIAL BANK RISK: MARKET, INTEREST RATE, AND FOREIGN EXCHANGE

Because of recent structural changes in the balance sheets of banks, regulatory changes in the risk-based capital requirements, and the recent adoption of mark-to-market accounting changes, interest rate risk remains an important issue for commercial banks and an important regulatory concern. Market, interest rate, and foreign exchange risk are estimated for a sample of commercial banks using ordinary least squares from 1986 to 1991. Consistent with earlier studies, the estimated coefficients continue to be unstable. We find that interest rate risk decreases and foreign exchange risk increases. Moreover, the results differ depending on practices of the bank (money center, superregional, or regional). We find evidence consistent with earlier studies that theorize foreign exchange risk is explained by unhedged foreign loan exposure.
Periodic breathing and genetics

The episodic waxing and waning of ventilation is a fundamental event in sleep apnea syndromes. Post-hypoxic frequency decline (PHFD) and periodic breathing (PB) are evoked by brief hypoxic exposures in unanaesthetized and unrestrained inbred C57BL/6J mice, but not in A/J mice; and expression of PHFD differs not only among these mice strains but in among rat strains as well. These observations along with the current literature on genetic factors that operate on ventilatory behavior at rest and with chemosensory drive lead to the hypothesis that genetic factors infer some proportion of risk for the ventilatory instability observed in human sleep apnea syndromes.
Lung Structure and Ventilation in Theropod Dinosaurs and Early Birds

Reptiles and birds possess septate lungs rather than the alveolar-style lungs of mammals. The morphology of the unmodified, bellowslike septate lung restricts the maximum rates of respiratory gas exchange. Among taxa possessing septate lungs, only the modified avian flow-through lung is capable of the oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange rates that are typical of active endotherms. Paleontological and neontological evidence indicates that theropod dinosaurs possessed unmodified, bellowslike septate lungs that were ventilated with a crocodilelike hepatic-piston diaphragm. The earliest birds (Archaeopteryx and enantiornithines) also possessed unmodified septate lungs but lacked a hepatic-piston diaphragm mechanism. These data are consistent with an ectothermic status for theropod dinosaurs and early birds.
Long-term Survival of Children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infectin in New York: City: Estimates from Population-based Surveillance Data

The life expectancy of children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection acquired through mother-to-child transmission has important clinical and public health significance. Several sources of population-based surveillance data from New York City, covering 1982 through the end of 1994, were combined to estimate long-term survival of HIV-infected children and age-specific prevalence. HIV incidence among newborns was estimated by applying expected transmission rates to seroprevalence surveys of parturient women and by using back-calculation methods. HIV prevalence in childhood was based on cumulative HIV incidence and cumulative mortality, adjusting for underreporting of death and background causes of death. A modified actuarial method was developed to estimate survival of infected children. At the beginning of 1995, between 1,945 and 3,323 children less than age 13 years were estimated to be living with HIV infection acquired through mother-to-child transmission in New York City. Between 36% and 61% of these infected children were estimated to survive to age 13 years (median survival, 8.6 years to >13 years). A substantial proportion of infected children will survive to adolescence. Thus, it is important that their educational, medical, and other needs be considered. These methods may be useful in other areas in which HIV seroprevalence data among childbearing women and HIV mortality statistics are available.
Effects of thyroglobulin and pendrin on iodide flux through the thyrocyte

Iodide transport by thyrocytes involves porters on the apical and basal surfaces of the cell facing the follicular lumen and bloodstream, respectively. Recent work identifies pendrin as an apical porter and shows that follicular thyroglobulin is a transcriptional regulator of the gene encoding pendrin and other thyroid-restricted genes. For example, whereas follicular thyroglobulin suppresses the gene expression and activity of the sodium iodide symporter (NIS), it increases pendrin gene expression. A potential new dynamic for iodide flux and thyroid hormone formation in thyrocytes has thus emerged and is supported by in vivo data.
Current Update on Borderline Ovarian Neoplasms

OBJECTIVE. Borderline ovarian tumors comprise a unique group of noninvasive ovarian neoplasms with characteristic histology and variable tumor biology that typically manifest as low-stage disease in younger women with resultant excellent prognosis.CONCLUSION. Borderline tumors are considered to be precursors of low-grade ovarian cancers. Accurate diagnosis and staging facilitate optimal patient management particularly in patients desiring to preserve fertility.
Amantadine restores impulse conduction across demyelinated nerve segments.

SUMMARY 1. Drugs can be identified that relieve clinical symptoms of demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis based on their ability to alter voltage-dependent ion channels in membranes and restore conduction in demyelinated nerve. Beneficial drugs either slow inactivation of membrane Na+ channels or block K+ channels. 2. Amantadine, an antiviral drug that slows Na+ inactivation in Myxicola giant axons, restores conduction in frog and rat sciatic nerves partially demyelinated by disruption of the perineurium (the ‘perineurial window') loose ligatures, or lysolecithin. 3. A positive effect of amantadine on several different animal models supports the need for clinically oriented studies of amantadine and related inactivation-blocking agents in diseases such as multiple sclerosis.
Bubble induced entrainment between stratified liquid layers

Abstract The phenomenon of liquid entrainment by a gas bubble rising vertically across the interface between two immiscible liquid layers is addressed primarily by experiment. An analytical/empirical model is developed which predicts the volume of liquid entrained as a function of the bubble volume and the physical and transport properties of the two liquids. The entrainment efficiency is presented as a function of the reduced bubble volume and bubble Reynolds numbers in each fluid. When compared to the experimental data for eight immiscible liquid pairs, the correlation and the data exhibit good agreement.
Impact of emissions from natural gas production facilities on ambient air quality in the Barnett Shale area: A pilot study

Rapid and extensive development of shale gas resources in the Barnett Shale region of Texas in recent years has created concerns about potential environmental impacts on water and air quality. The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the potential contributions of emissions from gas production operations to population exposure to air toxics in the Barnett Shale region. This goal was approached using a combination of chemical characterization of the volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from active wells, saturation monitoring for gaseous and particulate pollutants in a residential community located near active gas/oil extraction and processing facilities, source apportionment of VOCs measured in the community using the Chemical Mass Balance (CMB) receptor model, and direct measurements of the pollutant gradient downwind of a gas well with high VOC emissions. Overall, the study results indicate that air quality impacts due to individual gas wells and compressor stations are not likely to be discernible beyond a distance of approximately 100 m in the downwind direction. However, source apportionment results indicate a significant contribution to regional VOCs from gas production sources, particularly for lower-molecular-weight alkanes (< C6). Although measured ambient VOC concentrations were well below health-based safe exposure levels, the existence of urban-level mean concentrations of benzene and other mobile source air toxics combined with soot to total carbon ratios that were high for an area with little residential or commercial development may be indicative of the impact of increased heavy-duty vehicle traffic related to gas production. Implications: Rapid and extensive development of shale gas resources in recent years has created concerns about potential environmental impacts on water and air quality. This study focused on directly measuring the ambient air pollutant levels occurring at residential properties located near natural gas extraction and processing facilities, and estimating the relative contributions from gas production and motor vehicle emissions to ambient VOC concentrations. Although only a small-scale case study, the results may be useful for guidance in planning future ambient air quality studies and human exposure estimates in areas of intensive shale gas production.
Evaluating health care technology: an example from electrocardiography.

This paper discusses the evaluation of innovations in health care technology using an illustrative example drawn from computerized electrocardiography. It focuses on the increasing role of such soft technologies that involve computer- assisted diagnostic problem-solving. The purpose is not only to present one evaluative methodology, but also to detect any unanticipated side effects. Since knowledge of the patient's true state is usually not possible in these situations, an alternative evaluative approach has been used to assess the automated system. It is argued that if computer-physician agreement is as high or higher than that between different physicians or the same physician over time, then the computer is interpreting electrocardiograms on an equal par with physicians even though at times both could be wrong. By this criterion, computer interpretation was judged as inadequate for one of five diagnostic classifications. In addition, it was found that the computer systematically biased the judgment of ...
Curved Andes: Geoid, forebulge, and flexure

Using geoid anomalies determined from satellite observations of the South American plate, we demonstrate the existence of a lithospheric flexural forebulge east of the High Andes. Using the planform and location of the geoid anomalies and accounting for the curvature of the Andean orogen, we can successfully model plate flexure using a uniform elastic thickness. Topography above 3 km elevation between −5° and −30° latitude in the Andes loads the margin of the western side of the Precambrian shield of the continental plate and drives bending of the cratonic plate. Removal of horizontal wavelengths greater than 4500 km from the geoid anomaly reveals a 5–7 m positive anomaly paralleling the trend of the orogen some 400 km east of the mountain front. We interpret the secondary geoid high as a flexural forebulge that developed in response to topographic loading of the South American plate by the Andes. While the topographic expression of this forebulge is hidden by the alluvium shed from the Andes and the vegetative cover of the Amazon jungle, our filtered geoid anomalies and a three-dimensional, single-plate flexural model in spherical geometry are both well fit by a single model with ~50 km effective elastic thickness.
Skin layer-specific transcriptional profiles in normal and recessive yellow (Mc1re/Mc1re) mice

The melanocortin 1 receptor (Mc1r) plays a central role in cutaneous biology, but is expressed at very low levels by a small fraction of cells in the skin. In humans, loss-of-function MC1R mutations cause fair skin, freckling, red hair, and increased predisposition to melanoma; in mice, Mc1r loss-of-function is responsible for the recessive yellow mutation, associated with pheomelanic hair and a decreased number of epidermal melanocytes. To better understand how Mc1r signaling affects different cutaneous phenotypes, we examined large-scale patterns of gene expression in different skin components (whole epidermal sheets, basal epidermal cells and whole skins) of neonatal (P2.5) normal and recessive yellow mice, starting with a 26K mouse cDNA microarray. From c. 17 000 genes whose levels could be accurately measured in neonatal skin, we identified 883, 2097 and 552 genes that were uniquely expressed in the suprabasal epidermis, basal epidermis and dermis, respectively; specific biologic roles could be assigned for each class. Comparison of normal and recessive yellow mice revealed 69 differentially expressed genes, of which the majority had not been previously implicated in Mc1r signaling. Surprisingly, many of the Mc1r-dependent genes are expressed in cells other than melanocytes, even though Mc1r expression in the skin is confined almost exclusively to epidermal melanocytes. These results reveal new targets for Mc1r signaling, and point to a previously unappreciated role for a Mc1r-dependent paracrine effect of melanocytes on other components of the skin.
The effects of land use on stream nitrate dynamics

Summary The effects of land use and land use change on stream nitrate are poorly understood. While case studies have been presented, most process work has been done in areas with one land use (minimally disturbed or agricultural) and areas with substantial atmospheric deposition. In this paper we present results from three neighboring headwater catchments in western Oregon with similar (low) atmospheric deposition, size, and geology but with different, spatially consistent land use expressions: forest, agriculture, and residential. The climate in western Oregon has a distinct pattern of a three-month rainless period in the summer, a wetting up with many storms in the fall and winter, and a decrease of storms in the spring. We investigate how human activity alters the export of nitrate, whether the input of nitrate changes throughout the year which may affect storm response (i.e., depletion of soil water nitrate, addition of fertilizer, etc.), and how the changing contribution of source waters throughout the year affects streamflow concentrations. Our results showed marked differences in export rates between the three catchments. The forested catchment showed minimal export for three monitored storms (fall, winter, spring) through the seasonal wetting up of the catchments, and the residential catchment showed high export for all three storms. While the agricultural catchment displayed elevated export in the fall (similar to the residential catchment), exports decreased progressively throughout the rainy period (following late summer manure and green bean application). Overall, our results of storm event nitrate concentrations suggest that varying nitrate inputs have a large affect on nitrate dynamics. While within-storm nitrate concentration response patterns in the residential catchment were the same as the patterns in the reference forested catchment (a ‘‘concentration’’ pattern throughout the year), a ‘‘dilution’’ pattern was observed in the fall and winter and a ‘‘concentration’’ pattern was observed in the spring in the agricultural catchment.
The interaction in vitro between group B meningococci and rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes. Demonstration of type specific opsonins and bactericidins.

The interaction in vitro between group B meningococci and rabbit polymorphonuclear leukocytes has been described. Phagocytosis did not occur in the presence of normal rabbit serum. Antiserum collected 12–21 days following one subcutaneous inoculation of living log phase meningococci exhibited opsonic activity with type specificity; this opsonic action depended on both heat-labile and heat-stable factors. Following ingestion by granulocytes, meningococci were rapidly killed. These studies suggest that group B meningococcal strains contain specific antiphagocytic surface factors of an as yet unknown chemical nature. Antisera obtained 4 or more wk after immunization showed bactericidal activity with the same type specificity as opsonic activity. This bactericidal activity was also lost after heating and restored by the addition of normal serum. Further studies on opsonins and bactericidins for meningococci may shed light on virulence factors in these microorganisms, and may prove useful for a more precise classification of meningococci according to type rather than group specificity.
Mineral nitrogen distribution, redox potential, and pH of rice paddy soils profiles in Northern Italy

Abstract Monthly recordings of NH+ 4‐N, NO− 3‐N, redox potential, pH, and soil organic matter were made in soil profiles of four different commercial rice fields during the growing season. Ammonium was the prevalent form of mineral N until July, when an increase of NO− 3‐N occurs. At the same time, there was a drop in redox potential and an increase in pH and soil organic matter content. These conditions are particularly favorable for N losses through denitrification. In September the relatively high concentrations of NO− 3‐N indicate a possible leaching of nitrates after autumn rainfalls.
Probabilistic control from time-bounded temporal logic specifications in dynamic environments

The increasing need for real time robotic systems capable of performing tasks in changing and constrained environments demands the development of reliable and adaptable motion planning and control algorithms. This paper considers a mobile robot whose performance is measured by the completion of temporal logic tasks within a certain period of time. In addition to such time constraints, the planning algorithm must also deal with changes in the robot's workspace during task execution. In our case, the robot is deployed in a partitioned environment subjected to structural changes in which doors shift from open to closed and vice-versa. The motion of the robot is modeled as a Continuous Time Markov Decision Process and the robot's mission is expressed as a Continuous Stochastic Logic (CSL) temporal logic specification. An approximate solution to find a control strategy that satisfies such specifications is derived for a subset of probabilistic CSL formulae. Simulation and experimental results are provided to illustrate the method.
Variations in Practice Adoption: The Roles of Conscious Reflection and Discourse

We argue that our understanding of practice adoption has been limited by the prevailing view that variations in adoption stem from consciously made decisions. We counter this position by arguing that a key—and neglected—aspect of the adoption process concerns the level of conscious engagement of those involved. In so doing, we theorize that there are two distinct institutional dimensions necessary for understanding how practice adoption takes place: acceptance and implementation. We develop these dimensions to provide a framework showing that different within-organization responses will be associated with differing levels of acceptance of the need to adopt a practice—the acceptance dimension—and differing levels of conscious reflection during implementation of the practice—the implementation dimension. We then unpack this framework to explain how variations in discourse play a determining role in how practice adoption unfolds. This reveals an interesting institutional paradox: the discursive characteristi...
Multicomponent control via shaped, strong laser fields mass spectrometry

The fragmentation processes of polyatomic molecules induced by an intense laser field exhibit sensitive dependence on the laser characteristics such as intensity, pulse duration, wavelength, and shape of the temporal pulse envelope. Adaptive laser pulse shaping can control the fragmentation of methyl/methoxy groups in dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a simulant for nerve agent sarin. The exploitation of the sensitivity of molecular fragmentation to laser pulse shapes represents a new way to discriminate molecular identity. Here we have shown manipulation of branching ratio M-(OCH3)+/M-(CH3)+, M-2(CH3)+/M-(CH3)+ and M-(OCH3)+/M-2(CH3)+ fragment ion ratios for DMMP in the presence of complex background in the extraction region of a TOF spectrometer using tailored femtosecond laser pulses. We suggest that the use of adaptive femtosecond laser pulse shaping coupled to TOF mass spectrometry is an accurate way to identify complex airborne organophosphate molecules similar to nerve agents.
Moving Forward, One Step at a Time

We reply to John Duffield's critique of the Rational Design project, a special issue of International Organization that explains the features of international institutions from a game-theoretic perspective. The project was deliberately limited to the analysis of explicit and observable institutional arrangements, and focused on the specific institutional properties of centralization, membership, scope, control, and flexibility. Its empirical contribution relies on case studies, but it is significantly amplified by the tight connections provided by a common theoretical perspective that is oriented toward testing a set of specific conjectures about institutional design. The results raise further issues of measurement and cross-case comparisons that provide valuable lessons for future work on institutional design. Although all of these research design choices are worth revisiting and questioning, as Duffield does, the initial results of the Rational Design project show that it provides a good basis from which to explore alternative research design decisions.
Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers: Falling Short of the Mark?

In recent years, the clinical development of targeted therapies has been advanced by a greater understanding of tumor biology and genomics. Nonetheless, drug development remains a slow and costly process. An additional challenge is that targeted therapies may benefit only a subset of patients treated-typically those patients whose tumors are dependent on the target of interest. Thus, there is a growing need for the incorporation of both predictive and pharmacodynamic (PD) biomarkers in drug development. Predictive biomarkers are important to help guide patient selection, while PD biomarkers can provide information on the pharmacologic effects of a drug on its target. PD studies may provide insights into proof of mechanism (i.e., Does the agent hit its intended target?) and proof of concept (i.e., Does hitting the drug target result in the desired biologic effect?). PD studies may also provide information on the optimal biologic dosing or scheduling of a targeted agent. Herein, we review PD endpoints in the context of targeted drug development in non-small cell lung cancer, highlighting some of the key challenges encountered to date. In doing so, we discuss recent experiences with repeat tumor biopsies, surrogate tissue analysis, alternative clinical trial designs (e.g., window-of-opportunity trials), circulating biomarkers, and mechanism-based toxicity assessments. The application of such technologies and biomarkers in early clinical trials may facilitate rational drug development, while enhancing our understanding of why certain targeted therapies succeed or fail. See all articles in this CCR focus section, "Progress in pharmacodynamic endpoints."
Learning primary care in medical school: does specialty or geographic location of the teaching site make a difference?

Abstract PURPOSE: The Liaison Committee on Medical Education mandates a core curriculum in primary care but does not specify its content or structure. In this study, we explored the question of whether primary care specialty or geographic location affects student learning and satisfaction. METHODS: From 1994 to 1996, 294 third-year medical students at one medical school in New York state were randomly assigned to multiple teaching sites for a required 5-week primary care clerkship. Independent predictor variables were primary care specialty of the preceptor (family medicine, medicine, pediatrics, or joint medicine and pediatrics) and geographic location of the site (urban, suburban, rural). Outcome measures included four areas of student satisfaction, one of patient volume, and two of student performance. RESULTS: Primary care specialty had no detectable association with the outcome measures, except for a lower rating of patient diversity in pediatric experiences ( P P values CONCLUSIONS: Rural geographic location of teaching site, but not primary care specialty, was associated with higher student satisfaction. However, higher student satisfaction ratings did not correspond to better student performance. Provided that all sites meet the screening criteria for inclusion in a teaching program, these findings support the continued development of high-quality, heterogeneous, interdisciplinary, primary care experiences.
3-D Deformable Registration of Medical Images Using a Statistical Atlas

Registration between 3-D images of human anatomies enables cross-subject diagnosis. However, innate differences in the appearance and location of anatomical structures between individuals make accurate registration difficult. We characterize such anatomical variations to achieve accurate registration.
Clarifying some fundamental concepts in software testing

A software test data adequacy criterion is a means for determining whether a test set is sufficient, or adequate, for testing a given program. A set of properties that useful adequacy criteria should satisfy have been previously proposed (E. Weyuker, 1986; 1988). The authors identify some additional properties of useful adequacy criteria that are appropriate under certain realistic models of testing. They discuss modifications to the formal definitions of certain popular adequacy criteria to make the criteria consistent with these additional properties. >
A FRET-Based High Throughput Screening Assay to Identify Inhibitors of Anthrax Protective Antigen Binding to Capillary Morphogenesis Gene 2 Protein

Anti-angiogenic therapies are effective for the treatment of cancer, a variety of ocular diseases, and have potential benefits in cardiovascular disease, arthritis, and psoriasis. We have previously shown that anthrax protective antigen (PA), a non-pathogenic component of anthrax toxin, is an inhibitor of angiogenesis, apparently as a result of interaction with the cell surface receptors capillary morphogenesis gene 2 (CMG2) protein and tumor endothelial marker 8 (TEM8). Hence, molecules that bind the anthrax toxin receptors may be effective to slow or halt pathological vascular growth. Here we describe development and testing of an effective homogeneous steady-state fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) high throughput screening assay designed to identify molecules that inhibit binding of PA to CMG2. Molecules identified in the screen can serve as potential lead compounds for the development of anti-angiogenic and anti-anthrax therapies. The assay to screen for inhibitors of this protein–protein interaction is sensitive and robust, with observed Z' values as high as 0.92. Preliminary screens conducted with a library of known bioactive compounds identified tannic acid and cisplatin as inhibitors of the PA-CMG2 interaction. We have confirmed that tannic acid both binds CMG2 and has anti-endothelial properties. In contrast, cisplatin appears to inhibit PA-CMG2 interaction by binding both PA and CMG2, and observed cisplatin anti-angiogenic effects are not mediated by interaction with CMG2. This work represents the first reported high throughput screening assay targeting CMG2 to identify possible inhibitors of both angiogenesis and anthrax intoxication.
Chemical Source Inversion Using Assimilated Constituent Observations in an Idealized Two-Dimensional System

We present a source inversion technique for chemical constituents that uses assimilated constituent observations rather than directly using the observations. The method is tested with a simple model problem, which is a two-dimensional Fourier-Galerkin transport model combined with a Kalman filter for data assimilation. Inversion is carried out using a Green's function method and observations are simulated from a true state with added Gaussian noise. The forecast state uses the same spectral spectral model, but differs by an unbiased Gaussian model error, and emissions models with constant errors. The numerical experiments employ both simulated in situ and satellite observation networks. Source inversion was carried out by either direct use of synthetically generated observations with added noise, or by first assimilating the observations and using the analyses to extract observations. We have conducted 20 identical twin experiments for each set of source and observation configurations, and find that in the limiting cases of a very few localized observations, or an extremely large observation network there is little advantage to carrying out assimilation first. However, in intermediate observation densities, there decreases in source inversion error standard deviation using the Kalman filter algorithm followed by Green's function inversion by 50% to 95%.
Analysis of Information Processing and Cognitive Disability Theory

This study used the information-processing approach to conceptualize planning and problem-solving abilities and to expand the theoretical and empirical data base of Claudia Allen's cognitive disability model. The congruent validity of the Allen Cognitive Levels (ACL) test as a measure of cognition, specifically of the fluid information-processing abilities that underlie learning, was investigated. Criterion measures used were subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised edition (WAIS-R). Forty adult psychiatric patients participated in the study. Spearman r coefficients showed moderately high correlations between the ACL test and the WAIS-R subtests measuring fluid abilities, and Performance scale IQ. These results indicate that Allen's model and test can be useful in guiding occupational therapy planning when expected outcomes depend on the patient's learning potential.
To the point: Medical education reviews - Dealing with student difficulties in the clinical setting

Learners with cognitive and behavioral difficulties are particularly challenging in the clinical setting. Cognitive difficulties in the clinical realm may relate to knowledge deficits and/or weak problem solving skills. Behavioral difficulties resulting from attitudinal or motivational problems may manifest themselves as specific unprofessional acts either committed or omitted in the course of caring for patients as well as in unprofessional behavior. A disproportionate amount of time and energy can be expended addressing the needs of such students. This paper reviews several types of difficulties encountered by educators and suggests strategies for preventing, assessing, and working effectively with challenging students in the clinical setting. Specific attention is directed to impaired students.
Family and Kinship in Early Modern German Prose Novels

The debate about the relevance of the marriage theme in the late Middle Ages has been ongoing for a long time. We are still collecting data to establish a solid paradigm for future discussions about this topic. The current article examines two highly popular prose novels, Thuring von Ringoltingen's Melusine (1456) and the anonymous Fortunatus (1509) where the married life of the protagonist gains much more traction in the narrative development than in previous courtly romances. Most importantly, both authors place significant emphasis on the role of the family and portray their characters as situated in the network of smaller social units consisting of parents and children only. We can thus recognize the meaningfulness of the new genre of the prose novel (Volksbuch) in the public discourse about family and kinship during the late Middle Ages.
Current trends in using Internet and mobile technology to support the treatment of substance use disorders.

Issues: By allowing for the efficient delivery of instructional content and the secure collection of self-report data regarding substance use and related problems, the Internet has tremendous potential to improve the effectiveness and accessibility of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery-oriented services. Approach: This article discusses some of the ways in which Internet and mobile technology can facilitate, complement and support the process of traditional clinician-delivered treatment for individuals with SUDs. Key Findings: Internet applications are being used to support a range of activities including (a) the assessment and feedback process that constitutes a key feature of brief motivational interventions; and (b) the concurrent monitoring of patients who are receiving treatment for SUDs, to support continuing care, and the ongoing recovery of SUD patients who have completed face-to-face treatment. Internet technology is also being used to (c) support efficient delivery of clinical training in evidence-based practices for treating individuals who may have SUDs. Implications: This emerging body of literature suggests that SUD treatment providers and program administrators can enhance the quality of clinician-delivered treatment by incorporating internet applications into existing processes of care and recovery oriented services. Conclusion: Internet applications provide an unparalleled opportunity to engage patients in the treatment process, incorporate real-time data into treatment planning, prevent relapse, and promote evidence-based treatment approaches.