cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vibrational analysis of l-alanine and deuterated analogs

Abstract Raman spectra of the polycrystalline l -alanine analogs CH 3 CH(NH + 3 )COO − , CH 3 CH(ND + 3 )-COO − , CD 3 CD(NH + 3 )COO − , and CD 3 CD(ND + 3 )COO − have been obtained. A normal coordinate analysis is carried out based on the experimental frequencies of the four isotopic analogs and a 34 parameter valence-type force field defined in terms of local symmetry coordinates. The final refinement, in which five stretching force constants are constrained to fixed values obtained from bond length data, results in an average error of 7 cm −1 (0.9%) for the observed frequencies of the four isotopically substituted molecules. Band assignments are given in terms of the potential energy distribution for local symmetry coordinates. For non-deuterated l -alanine, the vibrations above 1420 cm −1 and below 950 cm −1 may be described as localized group vibrations. By contrast, the eight modes in the middle frequency range, viz. the three skeletal stretching, the COO − symmetric stretching, one NH + 3 rocking, the symmetric CH 3 deformation, and the two methyne CH deformation vibrations, are very strongly coupled to one another. Some decoupling appears to take place in the perdeutero molecule, and all but five modes can be described as localized group vibrations.
Software error detection model with applications

This paper deals with the modeling of software errors encountered in a small and a large software system. A deterministic analysis of software failure process is presented to obtain an appropriate mean value function for a nonhomogeneous Poisson process. Several quantitative measures for software quality assessment are also proposed. Statistical techniques of inference about unknown parameters are discussed and detailed analyses of software error data from two systems are presented.
150 EFFECTS OF EXCHANGE TRANSFUSION(ExTx) ON THE PULMONARY AND SYSTEMIC CIRCULATIONS IN LEFT-TO-RIGHT SHUNTS(Q LR )

150 EFFECTS OF EXCHANGE TRANSFUSION(ExTx) ON THE PULMONARY AND SYSTEMIC CIRCULATIONS IN LEFT-TO-RIGHT SHUNTS(Q LR )
Acceptance of soy foods by the elderly in a long-term care facility.

Abstract Soy foods were successfully substituted for traditional foods in a three-week cycle menu serving 260 long-term care facility residents. Plate waste from 9,298 resident meals showed there was no significant difference in grams eaten between the study periods. Residents ate 66% of the items served during both soy and traditional food service periods. Energy values between study weeks, by meals, and products were not significantly different. Protein values were significantly higher (P < 0.01) for the soy study period. Soy foods can be acceptably substituted for traditional foods while increasing protein intake in the elderly.
Discretization Error Estimation in Multidisciplinary Simulations

This paper proposesmethods to estimate the discretization error in the system output of coupledmultidisciplinary simulations. In such systems, the governing equations for each discipline are numerically solved by a different computational code, and each discipline has different mesh size parameters. A classic example of multidisciplinary analysis involves fluid–structure interaction, where the element sizes in fluid and structure meshes are typically different. The general case of three-dimensional steady-state problems is considered in the current paper, where mesh refinement is possible in all three spatial directions for each discipline. Two aspects of discretization error, which are of interest in multidisciplinary analysis, are considered: disciplinary mesh sizes and the mismatch of disciplinary meshes at the interface at which boundary conditions are exchanged. Two alternate representations for the discretization error for the previously specified generic case are presented: 1) ignoring mesh mismatch at the interface and 2) considering mesh mismatch at the interface. Polynomial, rational function, and Gaussian process error models are used to represent the discretization error. The proposed error models are illustrated using a threedimensional fluid–structure interaction problem of an aircraft wing.
Many-one degrees associated with problems of tag

Tag systems were defined by Post [9], [10] and have been studied by a number of researchers including Minsky [7], Maslov [6] and Aanderaa and Belsnes [1]. In their recent paper Aanderaa and Belsnes demonstrated that every r.e. many-one degree (exclusive of the degree of the empty set) is represented by the general halting problem for tag systems, that is, by the family of halting problems ranging over all tag systems. Their result depends upon an informal proof of this property for Turing machines but may be seen to be correct in light of a formal proof due to Overbeek [8]. Our aim is to extend their results to the general word problem for these systems. Specifically, we shall present an effective method which, when applied to an arbitrary r.e. set S , where S is neither empty nor the set of all natural numbers, produces a tag system R ′ whose word and halting problems are both of the same many-one degree as the decision problem for S . The proof is realized by first constructing, from the description of an arbitrary Turing machine M , which machine has at least one mortal and one immortal configuration, a 5-register machine R , whose word and halting problems are both of the same many-one degree as the halting problem for M . From R we then construct the desired tag system R ′. This construction combined with Overbeek's [8] shows that every r.e. many-one degree (exclusive of the degrees of the empty set and the set of all natural numbers) is represented by the general word and halting problems for tag systems. Moreover our results are seen to be best possible with regard to degrees of unsolvability in that it is not the case that every nonrecursive r.e. one-one degree is represented by either of the general decision problems for tag systems which are considered here. These results were first shown in the author's thesis [3] and were announced in [4], They form part of an extensive study into the many-one equivalence of general decision problems. An overview of the initial findings of this research project may be found in [5].
The case for a Schism: a commentary on Subotnik, Olszewski-Kubilius, and Worrell (2011)

Lack of theoretical coherence in the field of gifted education has given rise to multiple attempts at a grand unification, including most recently the work of Subotnik, Olszewski-Kubilius, and Worrell (2011). The authors argue that the incoherence is an inevitable consequence of the fundamental incompatibility of theoretical and definitional features desired by psychologists and educators. Our field could best progress by splitting into the two related but distinct disciplines of high-ability psychology and advanced academics. Furthermore, the prospective adoption of Subotnik et al.'s eminence framework as an organizational principle for either advanced academics or high-ability psychology is criticized.
Thallium-bromo-iodide as a far-infrared beamsplitter for Fourier transform spectroscopy

We show that room-temperature, thallium-bromo-iodide is a useful material for a beamsplitter for spectroscopy in the far-infrared, to near 50 μm wavelength.
WikiAnalytics: disambiguation of keyword search results on highly heterogeneous structured data

Wikipedia infoboxes is an example of a seemingly structured, yet extraordinarily heterogenous dataset, where any given record has only a tiny fraction of all possible fields. Such data cannot be queried using traditional means without a massive a priori integration effort, since even for a simple request the result values span many record types and fields. On the other hand, the solutions based on keyword search are too imprecise to capture user's intent.To address these limitations, we propose a system, referred to herein as WikiAnalytics, that utilizes a novel search paradigm in order to derive tables of precise and complete results from Wikipedia infobox records. The user starts with a keyword search query that finds a superset of the result records, and then browses clusters of records deciding which are and are not relevant. WikiAnalytics uses three categories of clustering features based on record types, fields, and values that matched the query keywords, respectively. Since the system cannot predict which combination of features will be important to the user, it efficiently generates all possible clusters of records by all sets of features. We utilize a novel data structure, universal navigational lattice (UNL), that compactly encodes all possible clusters. WikiAnalytics provides a dynamic and intuitive interface that lets the user explore the UNL and construct homogeneous structured tables, which can be further queried and aggregated using the conventional tools.
Situational hyperactivity: a social system approach

A sociological approach for viewing hyperactivity has been proposed. Its explanatory power may at this time be limited to differentiating between situational hyperactivity and a medical model for explaining the syndrome. Further research could serve to expand and illuminate this theory. However, even as presently formulated, by focusing on situational hyperactivity we have a perspective that returns meaning to the child's behavior. We can now inquire as to what hyperactive children can tell us about school systems, family structure, and the position of children in our own society. Putting meaning back into explanations of behavior can produce greater insights into our understanding of children and the social systems in which they operate.
Electron Transport in Methane Gas

We propose a kinetic theory for electron-drift-velocity maxima in polyatomic gases. The case of methane is considered in detail, and good agreement with experiment is obtained with use of model cross sections. The Boltzmann equation is solved directly by applying an iterative numerical technique, which converges well when inelastic scattering effects are important.
High voltage polymer solar cell patterned with photolithography

An acid-sensitive semiperfluoroalkyl resorcinarene has recently been demonstrated as an effective photoresist for the photolithographic patterning of organic semiconductor materials. In this work, we show that it can be used to pattern polymer solar cells fabricated from a blend of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and [6,6]-phenyl-C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM), so as to obtain high open circuit voltages (Voc). An array of 300 solar cells in series, with a period of 50 µm, achieved a Voc of 90 V and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.3%.
2,3-Diphenyl-2,3,5,6-tetra­hydro-4H-1,3-thia­zin-4-one

The six-membered thia­zine ring in the title compound, C16H15NOS, adopts a half-chair conformation, with the S atom forming the back of the chair. The base of the chair has a slight twist reflected in the r.m.s. deviation (0.0756 A) of those five atoms from the plane defined by them. The phenyl substituents are almost perpendicular to each other [dihedral angle 87.06 (9)°]. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked into chains parallel to the c axis through C—H⋯O inter­actions.
Ranking School Districts on the Basis of Statewide Test Results: Is It Meaningful or Misleading?.

How do state educational authorities use statewide test data to rank schools? Can refinements in the procedures change the rankings of schools? Will interpretations based on such rankings be fair, accurate, and valid? Does ranking school districts reveal anything meaningful about the schools? Can ranking schools be counterproductive?
Psychological Interventions for Drug Abuse: A Critique and Summation of Controlled Studies

Abstract Empirical evaluations of treatments for abuse of substances other than alcohol are reviewed and critiqued. Methodological strengths and deficits of treatment-outcome studies are delineated, and interpretation of reported results is considered in light of these factors. In large part, intervention strategies for which controlled outcome evaluations exist can be divided into those conceptualized along classical conditioning lines (e.g., extinction and stimulus avoidance) and those derived from operant learning principles (e.g., contingency contracting and community reinforcement). Whereas stimulus-avoidance techniques appear to be relatively more effective than pure extinction trials in reducing drug use, the efficacy of operant methods has been most strongly supported. Moreover, componential treatment packages in which contingent reinforcement is applied to both reductions in drug use and increases in stimulus-avoidance behaviors evince the most dramatic effects. Additional research that addresses the methodological shortcomings of contemporary studies is needed.
Persistent allergic contact dermatitis from squaric acid dibutyl ester.

21. Segal RJ, Watson W. Kaposi's varicelliform eruption in mycosis fungoides. Arch Dermatol 1978;114:1067-9. 22. Brion N, Guillaume JC, Dubertret L, et al. Herpes cutane dissemine de I'adulte et syndrome de S6zary. Ann Dermatal VenereoI1981;108:517-21. 23. Verbov J, Munro DD, Miller A. Recurrent eczema herpeticum associated with ichthyosis vulgaris. Br J Dermatol 1972;86:638-40. Briefcommunications 259
Self-adaptive admission control policies for resource-sharing systems

We consider the problem of admission control in resource sharing systems, such as web servers and transaction processing systems, when the job size distribution has high variability, with the aim of minimizing the mean response time. It is well known that in such resource sharing systems, as the number of tasks concurrently sharing the resource is increased, the server throughput initially increases, due to more efficient utilization of resources, but starts falling beyond a certain point, due to resource contention and thrashing. Most admission control mechanisms solve this problem by imposing a fixed upper bound on the number of concurrent transactions allowed into the system, called the Multi-Programming-Limit (MPL), and making the arrivals which find the server full queue up. Almost always, the MPL is chosen to be the point that maximizes server efficiency.In this paper we abstract such resource sharing systems as a Processor Sharing (PS) server with state-dependent service rate and a First-Come-First-Served (FCFS) queue, and we analyze the performance of this model from a queueing theoretic perspective. We start by showing that, counter to the common wisdom, the peak efficiency point is not always optimal for minimizing the mean response time. Instead, significant performance gains can be obtained by running the system at less than the peak efficiency. We provide a simple expression for the static MPL that achieves near-optimal mean response time for general distributions.Next we present two traffic-oblivious dynamic admission control policies that adjust the MPL based on the instantaneous queue length while also taking into account the variability of the job size distribution. The structure of our admission control policies is a mixture of fluid control when the number of jobs in the system is high, with a stochastic component when the system is near-empty. We show via simulations that our dynamic policies are much more robust to unknown traffic intensities and burstiness in the arrival process than imposing a static MPL.
Wisdom, Compassion, and Courage in The Wizard of Oz A Humanbecoming Hermeneutic Study

This article is the report of the humanbecoming hermeneutic method study on The Wizard of Oz (the book, the screenpla and the motion picture). The study unfolded in part as a dialogue between the delegates of the International Consortium Parse Scholars' November 2006 conference, Humanbecoming and Children's Literature, answering the question What wisdom, compassion, and courage as humanly lived? Emergent meanings were uncovered that enhanced knowledge an understanding of wisdom, compassion, and courage in general and expanded the humanbecoming school of thought.
Patterns of participation and free riding in territorial conflicts among ringtailed lemurs (Lemur catta)

Cooperation in animal social groups may be limited by the threat of "free riding," the potential for individuals to reap the benefits of other individuals' ac- tions without paying their share of the costs. Here we investigate the factors that influence individual contribu- tions to group-level benefits by studying individual par- ticipation in territorial defense among female ringtailed lemurs (Lemur catta). To control for potentially con- founding factors, particularly group size, we studied two semi-free-ranging groups at the Duke University Primate Center. First, we used a combination of experimental and observational methods to investigate the costs and bene- fits of territorial defense for individual lemurs. We found three indications of costs: physical contact occurred dur- ing inter-group encounters, participation in territorial defense was negatively correlated with ambient temper- ature, and rates of self-directed behaviors increased dur- ing encounters. Benefits were more difficult to quantify, but observational and experimental tests suggested that individuals shared the gains of territorial defense by for- aging in defended territories. Thus, during experiments in which one of the groups was prevented from defending its territory, the free-ranging group made more frequent in- cursions into the other group's territory. Second, we ex- amined variation in participation in territorial defense. Individuals varied significantly in their rates of aggression and genital marking during inter-group encounters. The extensive variation documented among individuals was partially accounted for by dominance rank, kinship and patterns of parental care. However, we found no evidence to suggest that participation was enforced through pun- ishment (policing) or exchange of benefits involving grooming. In conclusion, this study provides further in- sights into cooperative behavior in mammalian social groups by revealing how the costs and benefits of terri- toriality influence patterns of individual participation in the context of shared (collective) goods.
The Synthetic Triterpenoid CDDO-Im Inhibits Fatty Acid Synthase Expression and Has Antiproliferative and Proapoptotic Effects in Human Liposarcoma Cells

Liposarcomas constitute a rare group of tumors of mesenchymal origin that are often poorly responsive to therapy. This study characterizes a novel human liposarcoma cell line (LiSa-2) and defines the mechanism of its response to a synthetic triterpenoid. Fatty acid synthase (FAS) is a key enzyme of de-novo fatty acid synthesis and is highly expressed in both human liposarcoma tissue specimens and LiSa-2 cells. Treatment of the LiSa-2 cell line with the synthetic triterpenoid 2-cyano-3,12-dioxooleana-1,9-dien-28-oic imidazolide (CDDO-Im) markedly inhibited FAS mRNA expression, FAS protein production and FAS gene promoter activity. As expected, fatty acid synthesis was down regulated, but there was no effect on cellular fatty acid uptake or glycerol-3-phosphate synthesis suggesting a selective inhibition of endogenous fatty acid synthesis. Importantly, CDDO-Im produced a dose-dependent apoptotic effect in the LiSa-2 cell line, and simultaneous treatment with CDDO-Im and the fatty acid synthase inhibitor Cerulenin produced a synergistic cytotoxic effect. Thus, CDDO-Im and Cerulenin act at different loci to inhibit long chain fatty acid synthesis in liposarcoma cells. This study's demonstration of CDDO-Im inhibition of FAS and Spot 14 (S14) expression is the first report of triterpenoid compounds affecting the fatty acid synthesis pathway. The observed dependence of liposarcomas on lipogenesis to support their growth and survival provides a novel approach to the treatment of liposarcomas with agents that target fatty acid production.
Structural Techniques for Engaging Reluctant Parents in Counseling

Parents sometimes present their children for counseling with the hope that counselors can resolve or ameliorate their children's “pathology.” Often what is presented or understood by parents as the individual pathology of children in fact has a relational component involving parental interactions with the children. However, some parents may initially be reluctant consumers of the counseling process. Yet, parental involvement is important because parents may not only be contributors to the problem that their children are experiencing, but the best resource to assist their children in developing positive mental health. This article describes structural interventions for engaging reluctant parents in counseling.
Empirical Evidence: Regulated Industries

At this juncture we have presented neoclassical theory (an admitted mechanical presentation, with some justification), XE theory, and several other deviations from orthodox neoclassical theory. In several ways these deviations, including XE theory, have common elements. In several ways, each is unique. We have also presented the implications of XE theory. It is thus now time to present empirical evidence consistent with these implications of XE theory. Several points about this evidence should be kept in mind. First, the evidence will be divided into three categories: (1) studies on regulated industries; (2) studies on the ownership form of the firm; and (3) studies of market structure. Second, some any of these studies probe into two or more of these categories. Each study was placed in the category which seemed to be its central focus. Third, most of the studies presented in the next three chapters discuss XE theory explicitly. The reader will be made aware of those studies that do not discuss XE theory explicitly. The inclusion of this latter group of studies is felt justified as long as the results are consistent with the implications of XE theory. Despite this, I made an attempt to minimize the number of these types of studies.
Characterization of a Microbial Consortium Capable of Rapid and Simultaneous Dechlorination of 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane and Chlorinated Ethane and Ethene Intermediates

ABSTRACT Mixed cultures capable of dechlorinating chlorinated ethanes and ethenes were enriched from contaminated wetland sediment at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) Maryland. The “West Branch Consortium” (WBC-2) was capable of degrading 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane (TeCA), trichloroethene (TCE), cis and trans 1,2-dichloroethene (DCE), 1,1,2-trichloroethane (TCA), 1,2-dichloroethane, and vinyl chloride to nonchlorinated end products ethene and ethane. WBC-2 dechlorinated TeCA, TCA, and cisDCE rapidly and simultaneously. A Clostridium sp. phylogenetically closely related to an uncultured member of a TCE-degrading consortium was numerically dominant in the WBC-2 clone library after 11 months of enrichment in culture. Clostridiales, including Acetobacteria, comprised 65% of the bacterial clones in WBC-2, with Bacteroides (14%), and epsilon Proteobacteria (14%) also numerically important. Methanogens identified in the consortium were members of the class Methanomicrobia, which includes acetoclastic methanogens. De...
The mathematics of Bruce Rothschild

A review is given of some of the mathematical research of Bruce Rothschild, emphasizing his results in combinatorial theory, especially that part known as Ramsey Theory. Special emphasis is given to the Graham-Rothschild Parameter Sets Theorem, its consequences, and some extensions.
The Art of Gymnastics: Creating Sequences

(1988). The Art of Gymnastics: Creating Sequences. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 59, No. 3, pp. 66-69.
Perirhinal cortex and hippocampus mediate parallel processing of object and spatial location information

An alternative to Aggleton & Brown's interpretation is presented suggesting that the perirhinal cortex and hippocampus mediate different attribute information, but use the same processes, supporting the idea of parallel processing based on attribute (visual object and spatial location) rather than process characteristics (item recognition and familiarity).
A SHIPBUILDING PRODUCTIVITY PREDICTOR.

The first author has been working on the development of a Shipbuilding Productivity Predictor for many years. His first attempt was presented as a SNAME Section paper in 1998. It used only two parameters, namely, size and Technology Level of the shipyard. However, it was clear that other parameters, such as throughput, vertical integration, range of ship types, and the ratio of production workers versus non-production workers also affected productivity, and since that time he has been working to determine what parameters should be included and to develop an equation including all the significant parameters. This paper describes the research performed by the authors and the resulting Shipbuilding Productivity Predictor Equation. It is not the intent that the Productivity Predictor presented should be used by any shipyard to predict a Target Productivity based on its values of the parameters, but rather to show an approach how it could be done, and validate it. If the approach was supported by shipyards around the world it would become more acceptable. Shipyards could then benchmark their actual productivity against the target productivity.
Molecular dynamics simulation of lithium diffusion in Li2O–Al2O3–SiO2 glasses

The molecular dynamics (MD) computer simulation technique has been used to study the structure of lithium aluminosilicate (LAS) glasses and the diffusion of lithium ions. Five kinds of lithium aluminosilicate glasses with different R (ratio of the concentration of Al to Li) values are simulated. The structural features of the simulated glasses are analyzed using Radial Distribution Functions (RDFs) and Pair Distribution Functions (PDFs). With the increase of R, the environments of the Li ions alter from bonding to non-bridging oxygen to bonding to the bridging oxygen associated with tetrahedral Al. The diffusion coefficients and activation energy of lithium ion diffusion in simulated lithium aluminosilicate glasses were calculated and the values are consistent with those in experimental glasses. When R equals 1.00, lithium ions have the lowest activation energy for diffusion. The relationship between the activation energy for lithium diffusion and the composition of these glasses is similar to that previously observed for sodium in sodium aluminosilicate glasses. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
STOPOVER HABITAT USE BY SPRING MIGRANT LANDBIRDS: THE ROLES OF HABITAT STRUCTURE, LEAF DEVELOPMENT, AND FOOD AVAILABILITY

Abstract Stopover habitat quality may influence the abundance of migrant landbirds, yet little is known about how spatial and temporal changes in stopover habitat quality influence the use of habitats by migrant landbirds. From late April to late May, 1997–1999, we surveyed migrant landbirds within five habitats (early successional shrub-sapling-stage forest, midsuccessional pole-stage forest, mature forest interior, mature forest-agricultural edge, and mature suburban forest) in central Pennsylvania. To assess relative quality of stopover habitats, we measured species abundance, species richness, and foraging behavior of Yellow-rumped Warblers (Dendroica coronata). We measured vegetation structure and phenology to examine proximate cues of potential importance in habitat selection. Of nine transient (nonbreeding) species analyzed, seven-Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus), Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla), Northern Parula (Parula americana), Magnolia Warbler (D. magnolia), Black-throated Blue W...
Biotechnological applications of mobile group II introns and their reverse transcriptases: gene targeting, RNA-seq, and non-coding RNA analysis

Mobile group II introns are bacterial retrotransposons that combine the activities of an autocatalytic intron RNA (a ribozyme) and an intron-encoded reverse transcriptase to insert site-specifically into DNA. They recognize DNA target sites largely by base pairing of sequences within the intron RNA and achieve high DNA target specificity by using the ribozyme active site to couple correct base pairing to RNA-catalyzed intron integration. Algorithms have been developed to program the DNA target site specificity of several mobile group II introns, allowing them to be made into ‘targetrons.’ Targetrons function for gene targeting in a wide variety of bacteria and typically integrate at efficiencies high enough to be screened easily by colony PCR, without the need for selectable markers. Targetrons have found wide application in microbiological research, enabling gene targeting and genetic engineering of bacteria that had been intractable to other methods. Recently, a thermostable targetron has been developed for use in bacterial thermophiles, and new methods have been developed for using targetrons to position recombinase recognition sites, enabling large-scale genome-editing operations, such as deletions, inversions, insertions, and ‘cut-and-pastes’ (that is, translocation of large DNA segments), in a wide range of bacteria at high efficiency. Using targetrons in eukaryotes presents challenges due to the difficulties of nuclear localization and sub-optimal magnesium concentrations, although supplementation with magnesium can increase integration efficiency, and directed evolution is being employed to overcome these barriers. Finally, spurred by new methods for expressing group II intron reverse transcriptases that yield large amounts of highly active protein, thermostable group II intron reverse transcriptases from bacterial thermophiles are being used as research tools for a variety of applications, including qRT-PCR and next-generation RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The high processivity and fidelity of group II intron reverse transcriptases along with their novel template-switching activity, which can directly link RNA-seq adaptor sequences to cDNAs during reverse transcription, open new approaches for RNA-seq and the identification and profiling of non-coding RNAs, with potentially wide applications in research and biotechnology.
Tunable External Cavity Laser With a Liquid-Crystal Subwavelength Resonant Grating Filter as Wavelength-Selective Mirror

We demonstrate a tunable external cavity laser consisting of a voltage-tuned liquid-crystal cladded subwavelength resonant grating filter placed directly in front of a semiconductor laser gain chip. The filter acts as a tunable wavelength-selective mirror. As the applied voltage to the filter changes from 0 to 22 V, the laser wavelength demonstrates a tuning range of 7 nm, which may be further increased. As the laser has simple cavity design and no moving parts, it can be low cost and easy to fabricate and assemble.
A high-resolution, four-band SAR Testbed with real-time image formation

This paper describes the Twin-Otter SAR Testbed developed at Sandia National Laboratories. This SAR is a flexible, adaptable testbed capable of operation on four frequency bands: Ka, Ku, X, and VHF/UHF bands. The SAR features real-time image formation at fine resolution in spotlight and stripmap modes. High-quality images are formed in real time using the overlapped subaperture (OSA) image-formation and phase gradient autofocus (PGA) algorithms.
Triangle: Engineering a 2D Quality Mesh Generator and Delaunay Triangulator

Triangle is a robust implementation of two-dimensional constrained Delaunay triangulation and Ruppert's Delaunay refinement algorithm for quality mesh generation. Several implementation issues are discussed, including the choice of triangulation algorithms and data structures, the effect of several variants of the Delaunay refinement algorithm on mesh quality, and the use of adaptive exact arithmetic to ensure robustness with minimal sacrifice of speed. The problem of triangulating a planar straight line graph (PSLG) without introducing new small angles is shown to be impossible for some PSLGs, contradicting the claim that a variant of the Delaunay refinement algorithm solves this problem.
The impact of managed care on the practice of occupational therapy by hand therapists.

Current Occupational Therapy (OT) literature on managed care is limited to opinion or anecdotal experience. Questionnaires were mailed to 214 OTs practicing as hand therapists nationwide to test the null hypothesis that there was no difference in reimbursement or barriers to practice for OT services between patients enrolled in managed care organizations and those enrolled in fee-for-service insurance plans. Statistically significant results were obtained indicating greater barriers to reimbursement for OT under managed care. The primary effect has been the increased administrative demands it places on both therapists and patients. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1–800–342–9678. E-mail address: getinfo@haworth.com]
Global decoupling of crust and mantle: Implications for topography, geoid and mantle viscosity on Venus

The surface of Venus is so hot that the lower crust may be weak enough to allow decoupling of mantle and crust. An analytic model of such decoupling assumes that the shallow mantle forms the top boundary layers of large scale mantle convection cells. Crustal flow is driven by the motion of the mantle and by topographically induced pressure gradients. The model predicts that the lowest lowlands are sites of mantle upwelling and thinner than average crust. Highlands are places where mantle downwells and the crust is thick. Surface heat flow is inversely correlated with elevation, consistent with recent estimates of brittle layer thickness variations on Venus. If the average crustal thickness is about 20 km then the average lower crustal viscosity must be close to 1018 Pa s to allow decoupling. The observed amplitude of geoid highs over highlands requires an Earth-like increase in mantle viscosity with depth.
Rough numbers and computations

Introduces a class of real numbers based on the concepts of rough sets and model numbers with respect to a given computer system. We call them rough numbers. We study their structures and define computation for rough numbers. To do so, we must revise ordinary interval computation from compact intervals to closed-open intervals for their initial intervals. This way, we can promise that the final resulting interval is always a shorter than the result from the ordinary interval computation. In addition, we address the mathematical properties for real numbers, dyadic numbers, and rough numbers.
The Banality of Evil Reconsidered: SS Mid-Level Managers of Extermination Through Work

Historians have mostly, and with good reason, examined the industrial exploitation of concentration-camp prisoners from the standpoint of its injustice. Studies have covered either the politics which led to forced labor, the involvement of individual factories where prisoners suffered starvation and death, or the harrowing experience of the Victims. Yet few have considered forced labor as the perpetrators saw it: coldly, as a colossal managerial problem. A surprisingly small number, no more than 200 top and mid-level bureaucrats within the Wirtschaftsverwaltungshauptamt of the SS (WVHA), brokered prisoners to labor sites across the Reich, and, after 1941, across the breadth of Europe. Of course, many more German managers were involved in the execution of forced labor programs, and an examination of the WVHA can by no means capture the whole picture.
Transport-aware IP routers: a built-in protection mechanism to counter DDoS attacks

The lack-of service differentiation and resource isolation by current IP routers exposes their vulnerability to Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks (Garber, 2000), causing a serious threat to the availability of Internet services. Based on the concept of layer-4 service differentiation and resource isolation, where the transport-layer information is inferred from the IP headers and used for packet classification and resource management, we present a transport-aware IP (tIP) router architecture that provides fine-grained service differentiation and resource isolation among different classes of traffic aggregates. The tIP router architecture consists of a fine-grained Quality-of-Service (QoS) classifier and an adaptive weight-based resource manager. A two-stage packet-classification mechanism is devised to decouple the fine-grained QoS lookup from the usual routing lookup at core routers. The fine-grained service differentiation and resource isolation provided inside the tIP router is a powerful built-in protection mechanism to counter DDoS attacks, reducing the vulnerability of Internet to DDoS attacks. Moreover, the tIP architecture is stateless and compatible with the Differentiated Service (DiffServ) infrastructure. Thanks to its scalable QoS support for TCP control segments, the tIP router supports bidirectional differentiated services for TCP sessions.
Integrating rules and inheritance networks in a knowledge-based financial marketing consultation system

The integrated use of rule-based inference and an object centered knowledge representation (inheritance network) in a financial marketing consultation system is described. The rules provide a highly flexible pattern match capability and inference cycle for control. The inheritance network provides a convenient way to represent the conceptual structure of the domain. By merging the two techniques, the financial computation can be shared at the most general level, and rule inference is carried out at any appropriate level of generalization. Since domain knowledge is represented independently from control knowledge, knowledge about a particular problem-solving technique is decoupled from the conditions for its invocation. A large financial marketing system has been built, and examples are given. >
Robust bayesian estimation for the linear model and robustifying the Kalman filter

Starting with the vector observation model y = Hx + v , robust Bayesian estimates \hat{x} of the vector x are constructed for the following two distinct situations: 1) the state x is Gaussian and the observation error v is (heavy-tailed) non-Gaussian and 2) the state is heavy-tailed non-Gaussian and the observation error is Gaussian. Bounds with respect to broad symmetric non-Gaussian families are derived for the error covariance matrix of these estimates. These "one-step" robust estimates are then used to obtain robust estimates for the Kalman filter setup y_{k}= H_{k}x_{k}+ v_{k}, x_{k+1}=\Phi_{k}x_{k}+w_{k} . Monte Carlo results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed estimation procedure, which might be termed a robustified Kalman filter.
Hemolytic Anemia Due to Pyrimidine-5'-Nucleotidase Deficiency: Report of Eight Cases in Six Families

We describe the clinical, hematologic, and biochemical findings in eight patients with pyrimidine-5′-nucleotidase deficiency occurring in six unrelated families. In most cases, a profound lowering of red cell pyrimidine-5′-nucleotidase activity, associated with the characteristic change in the u.v. spectrum brought about by increased levels of pyrimidine nucleotides was observed. One patient had an atypical presentation in that no stippled cells were apparent in the peripheral blood film, and the u.v. spectrum of red cell extracts was normal or nearly so. In addition, the one parent of this patient whose red cells were tested was not pyrimidine-5′-nucleotidase deficient. This patient may be a heterozygote for pyrimidine-5′-nucleotidase deficiency with hemolysis due to this or another cause. Several of the patients were found to be mentally retarded, and in one family in which several sibs, two with and one without pyrimidine-5′-nucleotidase deficiency, could be studied, the low IQ values were found only in the enzyme-deficient subjects. A pyrimidine-5′-nuclootidase activity is found in normal fibroblasts and, to the same extent, in the fibroblast of patients with pyrimidine-5′-nucleotidase deficiency. This activity is largely membrane bound, however, and is inhibited by the 5′-nucleotidase inhibitor, α-β-methylene ADP. Accordingly, it appears that fibroblasts are devoid of the type of specific pyrimidine-5′-nucleotidase activity found in normal erythrocytes. We suggest that pyrimidine-5′-nucleotidase deficiency is one of the more common recognized causes of nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia and that in some cases it may produce, in addition to hemolysis, mental retardation.
A replacement name for Asthenes wyatti perijanus Phelps 1977.

A recent near-complete phylogeny of the avian family Furnariidae (Derryberry et al . 2011) found a number of discrepancies between the phylogeny and the then-current taxonomy of the group, and several changes were proposed to reconcile the taxonomy of the family with the phylogeny. Among these was the merging of the genus Schizoeaca Cabanis 1873 into Asthenes Reichenbach 1853 (Derryberry et al . 2010). This change has now been generally adopted. The Committee on Classification and Nomenclature (South America) of the American Ornithologists’ Union (Remsen et al . 2015) passed a proposal to merge the genera in 2010, and recent global reference works (e.g., Dickinson & Christidis 2014) have likewise adopted the lumping of these genera.
Echocardiographic Assessment of Right Atrial Pressure in a Pediatric and Young Adult Population

Right atrial pressure (RAP) reflects right-sided cardiac hemodynamics and is useful in management of patients with cardiac and systemic disease. Studies in older adults demonstrated that inferior vena cava (IVC) diameter, IVC collapsibility index, hepatic vein systolic filling fraction (SFF), and right atrial volume (RAV) correlated with mean RAP at catheterization. This study aimed to assess the utility of echocardiographic parameters for assessment of RAP in children and young adults. Patients with pulmonary hypertension or heart transplantation undergoing right heart catheterization were recruited for this prospective observational pilot study. Transthoracic echocardiographic assessment of RAP was performed simultaneously with catheterization. For each parameter, three consecutive cardiac cycles were recorded. Long- and short-axis images of the IVC were obtained. RAV was assessed by area-length and biplane methods. IVC diameters and RAV were indexed to body surface area (BSA)(0.5) and (BSA)(1.4), respectively. Relationships between echocardiographic parameters and mean RAP were correlated using "Pearson's r." Fifty subjects aged 0.3-23 years (median 13, mean 12.3 ± 7 years) were enrolled. Mean RAP correlated modestly with RAV (r = 0.51, p < 0.001). Long-axis IVCmax (r = 0.30, p < 0.05) and tricuspid E wave velocity (r = 0.36, p < 0.01) also correlated with mean RAP. RV free wall tissue Doppler velocities, IVC collapsibility index, and hepatic vein SFF had no relation to mean RAP. In a pediatric and young adult population with pulmonary hypertension or heart transplantation, echocardiographic assessment of RAV and long-axis IVCmax provided a reasonable estimate of mean RAP. IVC collapsibility index and hepatic vein SFF demonstrated no association with mean RAP.
Cognitive Complexity as a Function of the Significance of the Stimulus Objects being Judged

The question was raised as to whether cognitive complexity (CC) would vary as a function of the stimulus objects being judged. REP Test protocols of 126 Ss were analyzed in terms of two clusters of role models that differed in regard to their social distance from the judge. A significant difference in CC was found; socially distant people were differentiated more complexly than socially close people. The results were interpreted within the context of a “vigilance” hypothesis wherein complex differentiation serves an adaptive function in terms of anticipating the behavior of more remote and possibly more threatening persons.
Role of ZrO2 in Promoting the Activity and Selectivity of Co-Based Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis Catalysts

The effects of Zr promotion on the structure and performance of Co-based Fischer–Tropsch synthesis (FTS) catalysts were investigated. Inclusion of Zr in the catalysts was found to increase the FTS turnover frequency and the selectivity to C5+ hydrocarbons and to decrease the selectivity to methane under most operating conditions. These improvements to the catalytic performance are a function of Zr loading up to an atomic ratio of Zr/Co = 1.0, above which the product selectivity is insensitive to higher concentrations of the promoter. Characterization of the Co nanoparticles by different methods demonstrated that the optimal Zr loading corresponds to half monolayer coverage of the Co surface by the promoter. Measurements of the rate of FTS at different pressures and temperatures established that the kinetics data for both the Zr-promoted and unpromoted catalysts are described by a two-parameter Langmuir–Hinshelwood expression. The parameters used to fit this rate law to the experimental data indicate that ...
Applying risk assessment models in non-surgical patients: overview of our clinical experience.

Many venous thromboembolic events occur in non-surgical patients. Prophylaxis is recommended in consensus statements but is not uniformly applied in clinical practice. Medical conditions such as stroke, cancer, and myocardial infarction are associated with thromboembolism. Patients' overall risk is affected by pharmacotherapies (e.g., cancer chemotherapy), mechanical interventions (e.g., central venous catheterization), and by intrinsic patient factors such as age, obesity and coagulation disorders, both inherited and acquired. Few large clinical trials in well-defined medical patient subgroups have been performed. Due to the perceived lower incidence of thromboembolism in non-surgical patients compared to patients undergoing high-risk surgery (e.g., hip replacement), the value of thromboprophylaxis in medical patients has been questioned. Prophylaxis may have a significant impact on the frequency of non-fatal thromboembolic events, thereby reducing short- and long-term morbidity. Due to the complexity of overall thromboembolic risk assessment in medical patients and the paucity of convincing studies at present, prospectively validated evidence-based risk assessment models for determining thrombosis risk would be useful. Further clinical research is needed to help develop accurate methods of risk stratification and to clarify the benefits of thromboprophylaxis in medical patients.
Results and outcomes in ossiculoplasty.

This article presents a series of goals and questions for future research in ossiculoplasty. Important technical questions include what are the best materials, prosthesis shapes, and techniques of placement for both immediate and long-term success. Important clinical questions include what improvements in communication should we expect, how should cases be selected, and how should patients be counseled. There are many variables that could affect reported results, including the selection of cases, audiometrie techniques, the frequencies of hearing measurement, and the methods of data analysis. These are all discussed in this article.