cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attenuation correction without structural images for PET imaging

Deriving accurate attenuation correction factors for whole-body positron emission tomography (PET) images is challenging due to issues such as truncation, inter-scan motion, and erroneous transformation of structural voxelintensities to PET μ-map values. In this work, we proposed a deep-learning-based attenuation correction (DL-AC) method to derive the nonlinear mapping between attenuation corrected PET (AC PET) and non-attenuation corrected PET (NAC PET) images for whole-body PET imaging. A 3D cycle-consistent generative adversarial networks (cycle GAN) framework was employed to synthesize AC PET from NAC PET. The method learns a transformation that minimizes the difference between DL-AC PET, generated from NAC PET, and AC PET images. It also learns an inverse transformation such that cycle NAC PET image generated from the DL-AC PET is close to real NAC PET image. Both transformation network architectures are implemented by a residual network and outputs are judged by a fully convolutional network. A retrospective study was performed on 23 sets of whole-body PET/CT with leave-one-out cross validation. The proposed DL-AC method obtained the average mean error and normalized mean square error of the whole-body of -0.01%±2.91% and 1.21%±1.73%. We proposed a deep-learning-based approach to perform wholebody PET attenuation correction from NAC PET. The method demonstrates excellent quantification accuracy and reliability.
Magnetic Moments of Composite Fermions

Once upon a time physicists believed that nucleons and pions were elementary like electrons and photons, and that Yukawa’s theory of nuclear forces was the analog of QED for strong interactions. Then the Δ was discovered, and then the ρ and other pion resonances, and it became apparent that neither the pion nor the nucleon was elementary and that both had a composite structure. Pions and nucleons now seem to be very similar objects, instead of being very different like the electron and photon, and made of the same basic building blocks: spin 1/2 quarks bound by colored gluons. But perhaps history will repeat itself. Maybe 25 years from now a lecture at Orbis Scientiae will begin with the statement “Once upon a time physicists believed that quarks and gluons were elementary, and that Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD) was the analog of QED for strong interactions. Then…?”
Cosmological initial data for numerical relativity

We find initial data for numerical relativity simulations of inhomogeneous cosmologies. This involves treating an exceptional case of the general relativity constraint equations. We devise analytic and numerical methods to treat this exceptional case. We apply the analytic method to the standard case of cosmology with a single scalar field. The numerical method is applied to the two-field ekpyrotic cosmology.
Addressing Health Literacy as a Foundation for Effective and Equitable Health Communication

Health behaviors contribute heavily to health outcomes and play a role in health disparities. To develop health education programming that is equitably accessible, health communicators in clinical ...
Post-licensure safety monitoring of quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine using the national adverse event following immunization surveillance system from Zhejiang province, 2018-2020.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the reporting rate of adverse events following immunization (AEFI) of the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine (4vHPV) and to compare the reporting rate of AEFI following 4vHPV with those following other vaccines. METHODS Review and describe the AEFI reported to national adverse event following immunization surveillance system (NAEFISS) in Zhejiang province from 2018 to 2020. Reporting rates of AEFI were calculated by age, city, severity of AEFI, categories of AEFI, and reaction categories. The data mining algorithm used in this study was reporting odds ratio (ROR). A value of ROR‑1.96SE >1 (standard error [SE]) was considered as positive signal. RESULTS NAEFISS received 238 reports after receipt of 4vHPV and 899,282 doses of 4vHPV were administered during the study period, with a crude reporting rate of 2.7/10000 doses. Fever/redness/induration (101 reports) was the most common event reported (1.12/10000 doses). Two cases of anaphylactic shock, three cases of Guillain Barre Syndrome and two cases of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis were reported. ROR showed positive signals for seizure (ROR‑1.96SE: 2.1), syncope (ROR‑1.96SE: 1.3), allergic rash (ROR‑1.96SE: 1.6) and headache (ROR‑1.96SE: 2.1). CONCLUSION The present analysis did not identify new/unexpected safety concerns. Further epidemiological studies are required to systematically validate the data provided by NAEFISS.
Chapter 21. Phospholipases

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the increasing importance of the active enzymes in the regulation of the cellular functions. Various reviews on phospholipase A or C have emphasized the properties, purification, and subcellular distribution of these enzymes. Phospholipases A1 and A2, respectively, catalyze the liberation of fatty acids from the sn-1- and sn-2- positions of the diacylglycerolphospholipids. The sn-1-position of the diacylglycerolphospholipids is commonly esterified by the saturated fatty acids, while the sn-2-position is predominantly esterified by unsatu- rated fatty acids. Phospholipases hydrolyze ester bonds in glycerophospholipids and are readily subdivided according to the particular bond being attacked. Both phospholipases induce the formation of a lysophospholipid. Phospholipase A2 has been detected in almost any cell in which its presence has been investigated. This activity has extensively been studied in liver cells, where it is present in different cell organelles, such as plasma membranes, microsomes, golgi membranes, and lysosomes. The agonist-induced stimulation of phospholipase A2 does not seem to be regulated in the same way as the pancreatic phospholipase A2. The inactive zymogen of pancreatic phos-pholipase A2 is converted into an active enzyme by the removal of a heptapeptide from the N-terminus by trypsin. Phospholipase D cleaves the phosphoester bond between phosphatidic acid and the alcoholic moiety of different phospholipids. It is widely present in plants, but few reports have indicated the presence of phospholipase D in mammalian tissues.
Abnormal central venous oxygen saturation in cardiac surgery patients: a prospective, observational study

Background Central (ScVO2) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (SvO2) and blood lactate are useful measurement tools for evaluating the degree of hypoperfusion in patients with different disease processes. The aim was to study incidence of both low as well as high ScvO2 and assessed their relationship to markers of tissue hypoxia, course and outcome in patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery.
Advertising and Advertisements

This article offers a definition of advertising, followed by brief descriptions of its function from various points of view (traditional economics, Marxist cultural theory, and so on). The forms advertising has taken over time and in various cultures are described and analyzed with an eye to the implications for consumer response. In particular, the claim that advertising is primarily an ‘image’ genre, is disputed. Then, a few elements that might constitute an ‘aesthetics of advertising’ are proposed. Lastly, various theories about ‘how advertising works’ are described and discussed.
“Inert” Strengths of Silicon Nitride Ceramics at Elevated Temperatures

An attempt to determine high temperature "inert" strengths of several silicon nitride ceramics was made by using dynamic fatigue testing at the very high stressing rate of 2 x 106 MPa/min. The fatigue strengths of all the silicon nitride materials exhibited a well-defined convergence to the corresponding room-temperature inert strengths as stressing rate was increased. The result showed that the high temperature Inert" strength of a ceramic material can be obtained by using sufficiently high stressing rates (greater or = 2 x 10(exp 6) MPa/min) at which fatigue strength converges to a specific value. The specific value can be close to the room-temperature strength of the material.
Evaluation of aerosol‐cloud interaction in the GISS ModelE using ARM observations

Observations from the US Department of Energy's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program are used to evaluate the ability of the NASA GISS ModelE global climate model in reproducing observed interactions between aerosols and clouds. Included in the evaluation are comparisons of basic meteorology and aerosol properties, droplet activation, effective radius parameterizations, and surface-based evaluations of aerosol-cloud interactions (ACI). Differences between the simulated and observed ACI are generally large, but these differences may result partially from vertical distribution of aerosol in the model, rather than the representation of physical processes governing the interactions between aerosols and clouds. Compared to the current observations, the ModelE often features elevated droplet concentrations for a given aerosol concentration, indicating that the activation parameterizations used may be too aggressive. Additionally, parameterizations for effective radius commonly used in models were tested using ARM observations, and there was no clear superior parameterization for the cases reviewed here. This lack of consensus is demonstrated to result in potentially large, statistically significant differences to surface radiative budgets, should one parameterization be chosen over another.
Improving the reliability of internet paths with one-hop source routing

Recent work has focused on increasing availability in the face of Internet path failures. To date, proposed solutions have relied on complex routing and path-monitoring schemes, trading scalability for availability among a relatively small set of hosts. This paper proposes a simple, scalable approach to recover from Internet path failures. Our contributions are threefold. First, we conduct a broad measurement study of Internet path failures on a collection of 3,153 Internet destinations consisting of popular Web servers, broad-band hosts, and randomly selected nodes. We monitored these destinations from 67 PlanetLab vantage points over a period of seven days, and found availabilities ranging from 99.6% for servers to 94.4% for broadband hosts. When failures do occur, many appear too close to the destination (e.g., last-hop and end-host failures) to be mitigated through alternative routing techniques of any kind. Second, we show that for the failures that can be addressed through routing, a simple, scalable technique, called one-hop source routing, can achieve close to the maximum benefit available with very low overhead. When a path failure occurs, our scheme attempts to recover from it by routing indirectly through a small set of randomly chosen intermediaries. Third, we implemented and deployed a prototype one-hop source routing infrastructure on PlanetLab. Over a three day period, we repeatedly fetched documents from 982 popular Internet Web servers and used one-hop source routing to attempt to route around the failures we observed. Our results show that our prototype successfully recovered from 56% of network failures. However, we also found a large number of server failures that cannot be addressed through alternative routing. Our research demonstrates that one-hop source routing is easy to implement, adds negligible overhead, and achieves close to the maximum benefit available to indirect routing schemes, without the need for path monitoring, history, or a-priori knowledge of any kind.
Comment on R. N. Cooper, “Monetary Theory and Policy in an Open Economy”

Since Professor Meinich has given us such a good summary of Dick Cooper’s paper, I will confine myself to making several points that either were omitted in the paper or that I think require some further discussion and clarification. Let me say in the beginning that the paper is a very useful introduction to one of the basic problems with which this Conference is dealing: the theoretical analysis of macro-economic behavior under flexible exchange rates. My critical remarks are intended mainly to sharpen Cooper’s discussion of the analytical questions.
Accretion Disks: Limit Cycles and Instabilities

The existing disk instability model for dwarf nova eruptions is reviewed, in the light of recent progress in the understanding of angular momentum transport in accretion disks. It is proposed that the standard lower branch in the ``S-curve'' in the effective temperature-surface density plane may not exist. Rather, angular momentum transport may be suppressed in quiescence as a result of cooling. The model for superoutbursts is also examined, and it is pointed out that recent simulations strongly support the idea of a thermal-tidal instability.
Real-time analysis of fuel spray images

This paper provides a fast and efficient technique for real-time preprocessing and analysis of fuel spray images. The preprocessing stage consists of global thresholding of the log-edge of the image. The recognition of in-focus droplets is achieved through a 3-level tree classifier. The algorithm was tested using 400 images including approximately 8000 candidate objects. The percentage of correct classification was > 93%. The algorithm was also tested using 200 images of very low quality, and a recognition rate of 87% was achieved.
"Rancho Orejano" de Herib Campos Cervera: obra ejemplar de antropomorfismo poético

Podemos resumir la cuestion bibliografica general del poeta Leon Felipe (1884-1968) diciendo que abundan los articulos informativos, los comentarios y las notas en la prensa diaria, las revistas y los semanarios, mientras que escasean relativamente las obras de con junto y los estudios monograficos, aunque existen algunos ejemplos notables, que se mencionan en este trabajo.
Placental HIF-1α, HIF-2α, membrane and soluble VEGF receptor-1 proteins are not increased in normotensive pregnancies complicated by late-onset intrauterine growth restriction

Inadequate trophoblast invasion and spiral artery remodeling leading to poor placental perfusion are believed to underlie the pregnancy pathologies preeclampsia (PE) and intrauterine growth restric...
Histone Deacetylases Are Critical Regulators of the Renin-Angiotensin System During Ureteric Bud Branching Morphogenesis

Mutations in the genes encoding components of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) in mice or humans cause congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract. We hypothesized that absence of angiotensin (Ang) II in angiotensinogen (AGT)-deficient mice leads to defects in ureteric bud (UB) branching and that RAS genes are critically dependent on histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity. The number of UB tips was lower in AGT−/− compared with AGT+/+ embryonic (E) day E13.5 metanephroi (24 ± 1.5 versus 36 ± 3.7, p < 0.05). Real-time RT-PCR demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of HDAC activity with Scriptaid increases AGT, renin, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and AT1 receptor (AT1R) mRNA levels in E12.5 mouse metanephroi and early mesenchymal (MK3) cells. Furthermore, Scriptaid enhanced Ang II-induced decrease in Sprouty (Spry) 1 gene expression in cultured UB cells. Treatment of intact E12.5 mouse metanephroi grown ex vivo with Ang II (10−5 M, 24 h) increased HDAC-1 and decreased total acetylated histone H3 protein levels. These findings indicate that lack of endogenous Ang II in AGT-deficient mice inhibits UB branching. We conclude that intact RAS is critical in structural integrity of the renal collecting system and that UB morphogenetic program genes, such as AGT, renin, ACE, AT1R, or Spry1, are epigenetically controlled via HDACs.
Interferometric Hartmann wave-front sensing for active optics at the 6.5-m conversion of the Multiple Mirror Telescope

A little-used interferometric modification to the classical Hartmann optical test is being used for active optics corrections at the 6.5-m Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT) Observatory. The technique produces compact interference spots whose positions depend on discrete wave-front phase-difference errors. A diffraction model illustrates the formation of interference spots. The limitations on wave-front sampling that are due to atmospheric seeing are estimated. Two data reduction matrix strategies are given. A single correction of collimation and primary mirror figure produces a nearly diffraction-limited telescope image. Wave-front polynomial coefficients ranging from several nanometers to several micrometers in amplitude are reliably detected.
The economics of two-pass machining operations

Abstract It is widely known that the total cost of machining a job is minimized if the machining operation is performed in a single pass. However, it is very often not practically feasible to do so. For such jobs, the machining operation must be performed in two or more passes. In this paper, a mathematical model is presented for determining cost of metal removal for a job in which the machining operation must be performed in two passes. It is suggested that the maximum possible depth of cut on the first pass will achieve minimum cost.
Joint semantic utterance classification and slot filling with recursive neural networks

In recent years, continuous space models have proven to be highly effective at language processing tasks ranging from paraphrase detection to language modeling. These models are distinctive in their ability to achieve generalization through continuous space representations, and compositionality through arithmetic operations on those representations. Examples of such models include feed-forward and recurrent neural network language models. Recursive neural networks (RecNNs) extend this framework by providing an elegant mechanism for incorporating both discrete syntactic structure and continuous-space word and phrase representations into a powerful compositional model. In this paper, we show that RecNNs can be used to perform the core spoken language understanding (SLU) tasks in a spoken dialog system, more specifically domain and intent determination, concurrently with slot filling, in one jointly trained model. We find that a very simple RecNN model achieves competitive performance on the benchmark ATIS task, as well as on a Microsoft Cortana conversational understanding task.
Equipment‐dependent mechanical distortion of a tortuous right coronary artery during PTCA

Guidewires can distort a tortuous vessel, creating the illusion of an intraluminal defect that does not exist. This case report demonstrates the changing severity of defects in the same vessel seen with two different types of guidewires varying in stiffness.
Some remarks on Richardson orbits in complex symmetric spaces

Roger W. Richardson proved that any parabolic subgroup of a complex semisimple Lie group admits an open dense orbit in the nilradical of its corresponding parabolic subalgebra. In the case of complex symmetric spaces we show that there exist some large classes of parabolic subgroups for which the analogous statement which fails in general, is true. Our main contribution is the extension of a theorem of Peter E. Trapa (in 2005) to real semisimple exceptional Lie groups.
Adaptation of the health literacy universal precautions toolkit for rheumatology and cardiology – Applications for pharmacy professionals to improve self-management and outcomes in patients with chronic disease

Over a decade of research in health literacy has provided evidence of strong links between literacy skills of patients and health outcomes. At the same time, numerous studies have yielded insight into efficacious action that health providers can take to mitigate the negative effects of limited literacy. This small study focuses on the adaptation, review and use of two new health literacy toolkits for health professionals who work with patients with two of the most prevalent chronic conditions, arthritis and cardiovascular disease. Pharmacists have a key role in communicating with patients and caregivers about various aspects of disease self-management, which frequently includes appropriate use of medications. Participating pharmacists and staff offered suggestions that helped shape revisions and reported positive experiences with brown bag events, suggestions for approaches with patients managing chronic diseases, and with concrete examples related to several medicines [such as Warfarin©] as well as to common problems [such as inability to afford needed medicine]. Although not yet tested in community pharmacy sites, these publically available toolkits can inform professionals and staff and offer insights for communication improvement.
Single-Pot Biofabrication of Zinc Sulfide Immuno-Quantum Dots

Quantum dots (QDs) are a powerful alternative to organic dyes and fluorescent proteins for biological and biomedical applications. These semiconductor nanocrystals are traditionally synthesized above 200 °C in organic solvents using toxic and costly precursors, and further steps are required to conjugate them to a biological ligand. Here, we describe a simple, aqueous route for the one-pot synthesis of antibody-derivatized zinc sulfide (ZnS) immuno-QDs. In this strategy, easily expressed and purified fusion proteins perform the dual function of nanocrystal mineralizers through ZnS binding sequences identified by cell surface display and adaptors for immunoglobin G (IgG) conjugation through a tandem repeat of the B domain of Staphylococcus aureus protein A. Although ≈4.3 nm ZnS wurtzite cores could be biomineralized from either zinc chloride or zinc acetate precursors, only the latter salt gives rise to protein-coated QDs with long shelf life and narrow hydrodynamic diameters (8.8 ± 1.4 nm). The biofabrica...
A new approach to the covering radius of codes

We introduce a new approach which facilitates the calculation of the covering radius of a binary linear code. It is based on determining the normalized covering radius ϱ. For codes of fixed dimension we give upper and lower bounds on ϱ that are reasonably close. As an application, an explicit formula is given for the covering radius of an arbitrary code of dimension ⩽4. This approach also sheds light on whether or not a code is normal. All codes of dimension ⩽4 are shown to be normal, and an upper bound is given for the norm of an arbitrary code. This approach also leads to an amusing generalization of the Berlekamp-Gale switching game.
Effect of reaction parameters on SP435 lipase-catalyzed synthesis of citronellyl acetate in organic solvent

The reaction parameters affecting the enzymatic synthesis of citronellyl acetate by direct esterification were studied. Reaction mixtures were prepared using 2 ml dry n-hexane, 0.1 m citronellol, 0.1 m acetic acid, 10% (w/w) Candida antarctica lipase, SP435, incubated at 30°C and 200 rev min−1 for 24 h. A 98% molar conversion yield was achieved after 14 h incubation, the highest yield ever reported. Acetic acid concentrations > 0.30 m inhibited the esterification activity of SP435. Optimum temperature was 20°C, giving a yield of 98%. Addition of water to the reaction mixtures decreased the esterification activity of SP435. The highest yields were observed for solvents having log P values ≥ 0.85. SP435 was able to give 95.6% conversion even after the tenth reuse, demonstrating its stability and efficiency under the conditions of this study.
Diversity Indices Applied to the Fish Biofacies of a Small Stream

Abstract The numerical and biomass structures of the fish biofacies from a small stream were studied by means of diversity indices. Biweekly samples taken over a year's period showed temporal fluctuations within a narrow range of variation. Seasonal changes in species composition had very little effect on the overall numerical structure of the fish biofacies, as species richness and diversity indices based on numbers of individuals showed stability throughout the year. Contrastingly, the number of species per collection and diversity indices based on biomass exhibited seasonal variations in response to seasonal changes. In total, the numerical structure of the fish biofacies was controlled by the persistent dominance of a few resident species.
Behavior Genetics and Anomie/Strain Theory

This chapter explores how behavior genetics can complement and expand traditional social science understanding of criminal behavior in the context of anomie/strain theory, a respected and long-lived criminological theory that focuses on cultural and structural causes of crime. It suggests that it is time for mainstream criminology to at least pull back its blinders and peek at what behavior genetics has to offer. The chapter shows how behavior genetics can complement, extend, and add coherence to criminological theory, using one of its most revered and long-lived theories as an illustration. Behavior genetics, a branch of quantitative genetics, is not so much a "biological" discipline as it is a biologically-friendly environmental discipline. In addition to apportioning variance into genetic and environmental components, the methods of behavior genetics yield a further benefit to social science in that they allow researchers to break down environmental variance into shared and nonshared components. Behavior geneticists differentiate between passive, reactive, and active gene/environment correlation.
Heterogeneous real-time embedded software optimization considering hardware platform

This paper classifies embedded software into four models according to hardware platform and execution time. We propose an algorithm, CMPCH (Cost Minimization with Probability for Configurable Hardware) that efficiently solves the configurable hardware, no-fixed execution time model, which is the most complicated model among the four models we proposed according to hardware platform and execution time. CMPCH can solve other three models also. Our approach fully takes advantage of configurable hardware and the soft real-time feature to improve the system performance. Experimental results show our approach achieves significant cost-reduction comparing with previous work.
Periodic Solutions of Integrodifferential Equations

On considere un systeme d'equations integrodifferentielles de Volterra x'=h(t,x)+∫ −∞ t q(t,s,x(s))ds ou h:(−∞,∞)×R n →R n et q:(−∞,∞)×(−∞,∞)×R n →R n sont continues
Do the personalities of international and U.S. medical graduates in psychiatry differ? A preliminary study.

Objective To compare personality traits of psychiatry residents with various characteristics.
Multiscale Deformation of Open Cell Aluminum Foams

Abstract This article reports the results of experimental studies of the deformation of open cell aluminum foams under monotonic and cyclic compression. The multiscale nature of compressive deformation is examined from individual struts to overall foam deformation. Stress-strain curves of individual struts are investigated using micro-tensile testing. Deformation localization (dislocation slip bands) in individual struts is discussed along with evidence of deformation bands at the macro-scale. The onset and propagation of deformation localization bands are elucidated via in situ imaging and digital image correlation (DIC) techniques that provide continuous mapping of strain fields across sample sections; the Gibson-Ashby model is then used to estimate the dependence of foam strength and stiffness on relative density and strut properties. Finally, foam fatigue behavior under cyclic behavior is also studied, and attributed to surface crack nucleation and propagation in individual struts at different fatigue...
Sustained mitochondrial functioning in cerebral arteries after transient ischemic stress in the rat: a potential target for therapies

The objective of the present study was to determine whether mitochondrial function in the cerebral vasculature is maintained after transient middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion (tMCAO) in rats. ...
Calcium signals from intact rabbit ciliary epithelium observed with confocal microscopy

PURPOSE. We investigated patterns of evoked calcium signals to learn about the function of the calcium second messenger system in ciliary epithelium. METHODS. Isolated intact ciliary processes were loaded with fluo-3/AM and observed with a Bio-Rad MRC-600 laser scanning confocal imaging system, before, during, and after perfusion with catecholamines, cholinergic agents, and autocoids. RESULTS. One µM acetylcholine (ACH) and 10 µM carbachol (CARB) induced an atropine-sensitive increase in intracellular free calcium ion concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i) , considerably greater in NPE than in PE. 10 µM epinephrine (EPI) and 100 µM phenylephrine (PHE) increased [Ca 2+ ] i in NPE and PE, in this case PE > NPE. These effects were blocked by prazosin. 10 mM caffeine (CAF) increased of [Ca 2+ ] i in NPE and PE (NPE > PE) and sometimes produced very slow oscillations with an interval of 10 to 25 s. Prior administration of CAF strongly suppressed the effects of ACH, CARB, EPI, PHE, histamine, and adenosine 5-triphosp...
Incremental construction and evaluation of defeasible probabilistic models

Abstract A method is presented for representation of and inference on probabilistic models based on local, structured, symbolic representations of uncertainty of propositions of interest. An example is provided of the intended use of this technique, and it is argued that it is a more direct and efficient basis for the construction of problem solvers than standard representation and inference methods. This argument is based on an analysis of the task requirements that problem solving places on representation and inference.
Experiments in knowledge-intensive system architecting: Interactive architecture optimization

Large aerospace organizations typically spend significant resources in optimizing system design by means of specialized software (e.g., computer-aided design, simulation). Conversely, architectural decisions are made much faster, with far less resources, and typically, in a much less structured way. This is despite clear indications that architectural decisions fix many design decisions, and have a larger impact on lifecycle cost and performance than design decisions.
Fiscal Management of Scaled-Up Aid

This paper discusses the role of fiscal policy and fiscal institutions in managing scaled-up aid. In an environment of volatile scaled-up aid, fiscal policy formulation should be anchored in medium-term frameworks, incorporating a longer-term view of potential resource availability and spending plans. There is merit in smoothing expenditures over time so that all programs are adequately funded. The paper argues that wage-bill ceilings should be used in Fund-supported programs only in exceptional cases. The paper also discusses basic reforms for strengthening public financial management systems for effective utilization of scaled-up aid flows.
Formation of n-alkenes during anaerobic decomposition of a marine algal mat

Polyolefins containing two to four double bonds are ubiquitous constituents of sedimentary hydrocarbons in estuarine and coastal regions1–11. Several unsaturated hydrocarbons found in marine environments have been correlated with specific sources7,12–21, but the origins of many polyolefins remain uncertain. Such information would enhance the use of these compounds as biological markers of organic matter sources and/or geochemical processes. Samples of flora collected from a New England saltmarsh have been mixed with marsh sediment and allowed to decompose anaerobically in order to assess whether such processes are a source of sedimentary alkenes. We report here the formation of a series of isomeric n-nonadecadienes and n-heneicosadienes during anaerobic decomposition of a marine algal mat. Their formation was found to be both substrate- and light-dependent, and is thought to proceed through either diagenetic modification of algal organic matter or de novo synthesis by microorganisms active in anaerobic decomposition. These findings suggest that the presence of such dienes in Recent nearshore sediments5,22 and participate matter23 is more likely to be indicative of early diagenetic processes than of organic inputs from specific sources.
Carbonyl Carbon Probe of Local Mobility in 13C,15N-Enriched Proteins Using High-Resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

The utility of carbonyl carbons as probes of internal mobility in proteins is investigated by theoretical and experimental methods. In a double 13C,15N-labeled sample, the relaxation of the carbony...
Read it and Weep: How Metaphor Limits Views of Literacy

In the United States, as in most societies, the concept of literacy has as much to do with status and power relations as with the text-based skills of reading and writing. Because social relationships are constructed through language, the metaphors we use to talk about literacy help construct our views of it, but the conceptual shorthand they provide is problematic. This paper argues that metaphors found in public and scholarly discourse about literacy exaggerate the importance of certain concepts (notably the perceived powerlessness or deficiency of the non-reader) and ignore significant others, particularly the socioeconomic and political factors which dictate literacy `standards' and influence achieved levels of textual fluency. This work explores the implications of common literacy metaphors, tracing their entailments in the promotional materials of literacy programs, the popular press, scholarly articles and in the words of adult learners. It concludes that such metaphors may have significant negativ...
Micromechanism of wear at polymer-metal sliding interface

Abstract Sliding experiments between polymer and steel surfaces were conducted to investigate the mechanism of wear. The nature of fracture as well as the changes in the surface as a result of sliding were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy and differential thermal analysis. Electron microscopy revealed that, in the case of PTFE, high density polyethylene and polyoxymethylene at very low velocity, where heating at the interface can be neglected, thin films are sheared and are laid across the sliding surface. The shearing of films was anticipated to be due to interlamellar shear. At high velocities it was probable that the same mechanism of interlamellar shear for wear was also present for PTFE. Thermal softening or melting was not detected in PTFE by differential thermal analysis even at high velocities, whereas for the other two polymers it was shown by scanning electron microscopy and differential thermal analysis that thermal softening or even melting was the important mechanism of wear at high velocities.
Statistical quality control for correlated samples

SUMMARY The paper is an extension of Neuhardt's work which questions the typical assumption that the subsamples used to establish statistical process control charts are uncorrelated. The work was prompted by Neuhardt's work and by checking the data used to determine statistical process charts of ten applications. In all ten situations the data was found to be correlated. Situations where the subsamples are multivariate normals with constant variance and an arbitrary correlation matrix are presented. The rules and equations to determine the control limits of x¯ charts are presented. Simulations are conducted to determine the effect of correlated subsamples on S, R, and S2 charts. The output of user-friendly software that performs the necessary computations for establishing x¯, R, S and S2 are presented and discussed.
A Comparison of Confinement and Range for Laying Stock

Abstract A TREND toward the confinement of laying stock is evident in a number of sections of the country. This trend has appeared during the rapid development of commercial poultry raising in recent years as a result of attempts to increase the size of flocks without increasing acreage and to control weather conditions, diseases, and intestinal parasites. The economic soundness of such a policy has been seriously questioned. Therefore it was deemed desirable to make a controlled comparison of the performance of chickens kept in confinement with that of those given access to a limited amount of range. Three consecutive experiments were conducted in each of which two pens of Single Comb White Leghorn pullets were used. These pens were in a combination, or two-pitch roof, type of laying house. The one in which the confined birds were kept was 15 by 19 feet, and the other was 15 by 15 . . .
Dose-dependent responses to nerve growth factor by adult rat cholinergic medial septum and neostriatum neurons.

Abstract This study describes the relationship between the concentration of intraventricularly infused nerve growth factor (NGF) and several responses by axotomized cholinergic medial septum neurons and normal cholinergic neostriatal neurons of the adult rat. NGF infused for 14 days starting either immediately after a unilateral fimbria-fornix transection or after a 2-week delay period elicited similar dose-response relationships for the maintenance or restoration of ChAT and NGF receptor positivity and cell body size and for intraseptal ‘sprouting’ of the axotomized medial septum neurons. Thus, in the medial septum it appears that the expression of ‘marker’ molecules, cell body size and the induction of ‘sprouting’ are regulated by virtually the same concentrations of NGF in the two treatment strategies. This suggests that NGF has a general regulatory role and injured but untreated neurons remain fully susceptible to NGF at least up to 2 weeks after the lesion. A 14-day infusion with NGF also induced an above-normal cell body size (hypertrophy) both in axotomized medial septum and in intact striatal cholinergic neurons. The hypertrophic response of normal striatal neurons required less NGF than did that of medial septum neurons. Since the striatal response began to be detectable at a similar concentration as that required for the full maintenance or restoration of ChAT and NGF receptor positivity it could be seen as an unwanted side-effect. The definition of a sub-optimal dose with which a significant, but not maximal response can be elicited will allow future evaluations of potentially additive or synergistic actions by other agents.
Discrimination of the native from misfolded protein models with an energy function including implicit solvation.

An essential requirement for theoretical protein structure prediction is an energy function that can discriminate the native from non-native protein conformations. To date most of the energy functions used for this purpose have been extracted from a statistical analysis of the protein structure database, without explicit reference to the physical interactions responsible for protein stability. The use of the statistical functions has been supported by the widespread belief that they are superior for such discrimination to physics-based energy functions. An effective energy function which combined the CHARMM vacuum potential with a Gaussian model for the solvation free energy is tested for its ability to discriminate the native structure of a protein from misfolded conformations; the results are compared with those obtained with the vacuum CHARMM potential. The test is performed on several sets of misfolded structures prepared by others, including sets of about 650 good decoys for six proteins, as well as on misfolded structures of chymotrypsin inhibitor 2. The vacuum CHARMM potential is successful in most cases when energy minimized conformations are considered, but fails when applied to structures relaxed by molecular dynamics. With the effective energy function the native state is always more stable than grossly misfolded conformations both in energy minimized and molecular dynamics-relaxed structures. The present results suggest that molecular mechanics (physics-based) energy functions, complemented by a simple model for the solvation free energy, should be tested for use in the inverse folding problem, and supports their use in studies of the effective energy surface of proteins in solution. Moreover, the study suggests that the belief in the superiority of statistical functions for these purposes may be ill founded.
Invitation to historians: History, the historian, and an autobiography

Drawing on perspectives he developed in studying other historians' autobiographies, Jeremy Popkin explores the circumstances that led him to become a professional historian, and the consequences of being a fourth-generation autobiographer. His parents, academics themselves, encouraged his intellectual propensities, as did the atmosphere of the post-Sputnik era and the family's Jewish heritage. The political excitement of the 1960s played its part, as did inspirational teachers, although Popkin came to see his studies as a refuge from the dilemmas of political activism. His career has been less adventurous than those of his great-grandfather, grandmother, and father, all of whom also wrote about their own lives, but it has nevertheless had its satisfactions.
DeMAID/GA an Enhanced Design Manager's Aid for Intelligent Decomposition

Many companies are looking for new tools and techniques to aid a design manager in making decisions that can reduce the time and cost of a design cycle. One tool is the Design Manager's Aid for Intelligent Decomposition (DeMAID). Since the initial public release of DeMAID in 1989, much research has been done in the areas of decomposition, concurrent engineering, parallel processing, and process management; many new tools and techniques have emerged. Based on these recent research and development efforts, numerous enhancements have been added to DeMAID to further aid the design manager in saving both cost and time in a design cycle. The key enhancement, a genetic algorithm (GA), will be available in the next public release called DeMAID/GA. The GA sequences the design processes to minimize the cost and time in converging a solution. The major enhancements in the upgrade of DeMAID to DeMAID/GA are discussed in this paper. A sample conceptual design project is used to show how these enhancements can be applied to improve the design cycle.
The conversion of isotopically labeled glycine to 1-methyl-2-amino-2-imidazolin-4-one (creatinine)

A procedure is presented which allows the conversion of glycine to creatinine (1-methyl-2-amino-2-imidazolin-4-one). The scheme was devised to optimize the yield based on the amount of glycine used so that the relatively readily available isotopically labeled glycines could be efficiently converted to the correspondingly labeled creatinines. In this case 1-(13C)-glycine was converted to 4-(13C)-1-methyl-2-amino-2-imidazolin-4-one.
Fe K-edge XAFS spectra of phyllosilicates of varying crystallinity

Fe K-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy was used to examine local molecular structure and cation distribution in the natural nanosilicate hisingerite and synthetic nanoaluminosilicate allophane. Fitting procedures for XAFS spectra were established on well-characterized clay mineral standards for application to the poorly crystalline nanosilicate materials. Nanospherical models for these materials were tested against clay-like structures. From XAFS interpretations, the following structural information was concluded: (1) Fe in both hisingerite and allophane is present in well-defined octahedral sites, (2) less long-range structure is observed in hisingerite and allophane than in smectites, and (3) Fe in allophane is present in small clusters in the octahedral sheet. The best fit for hisingerite was obtained using a 1:1 model structure rather than a 2:1 model, supporting a description of it as a ferric halloysite-type structure. Allophane could not be fit using paths based on Fe-substituted proto-imogolite nanospherical models but was successfully fit using a montmorillonite structure. Published models of nanospherical particles suggest backscattering path lengths in allophane and hisingerite should be shortened compared to clay minerals; however, no such shortening was observed, suggesting the nanosphere model does not accurately describe the local atomic structure of these Fe-substituted minerals.
Not Fade Away: Adapting History and Trauma in László Krasznahorkai's The Melancholy of Resistance and Béla Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies

In his 1989 novel The Melancholy of Resistance, Hungarian author Laszlo Krasznahorkai deploys postmodernist techniques to relate the tale of a small Hungarian town that falls briefly under the spell of a mysterious circus performer known as The Prince, only to have that spell broken in brutal fashion by a newly reconstituted town government. While many have interpreted the novel simply as a fable addressing humankind’s frailties and susceptibility to manipulation, I propose to read the text in a new way: as an allusive and slyly allegorical attempt to contend with the twin specters haunting modern Hungarian history, those being complicity with Nazi Germany during World War II and the subsequent capitulation to/collaboration with the Soviet Union. Through suggestive and symbolically freighted language, Krasznahorkai is able to reflect on these “unrepresentable” traumas and begin the process of healing Hungary's psychic scars. Filmmaker Bela Tarr, in his 2000 cinematic adaptation of the novel entitled Werckmeister Harmonies, continues the process begun by Krasznahorkai, concentrating in particular on the role played by Hungary in the Holocaust. Infusing Krasznahorkai's story with the kind of visceral and affective impact only film can provide, Tarr takes another step toward the “mourning work” necessary for Hungary to overcome its past and move into the future free from history's debilitating effects.
Rate equations and capture numbers with implicit islands correlations

We introduce a numerical method based on the level-set technique to compute capture numbers used in mean-field rate equations that describe epitaxial growth. In our level-set approach, islands grow with a velocity that is computed from solving the diffusion equation for the adatom concentration. The capture number for each island is then calculated by integrating the growth velocity of an island around the island boundary. Thus, our method by construction includes all spatial correlations between islands. The functional form of the capture numbers ss is, to first approximation, affinely dependent on the island sizes. Integration of a completely deterministic set of mean-field rate equations for the first time properly reproduces the correct island densities and cluster size distribution.
Methimazole-induced cholestatic jaundice in an elderly hyperthyroid patient.

Abstract Background: Hyperthyroidism is a common disease in the elderly. Antithyroid medications such as methimazole are one of the few treatment options. Case summary: A 76-year-old white woman presented to the clinic with a 1-week history of fatigue, sleepiness, 7-pound weight loss, and tachycardia. Her blood work showed low levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone and high levels of free thyroxine. Due to persistence of her symptoms, she was hospitalized and started on methimazole 10 mg TID. Six weeks after receiving methimazole for the treatment of hyperthyroidism, she had severe jaundice and itching. Results of her liver function tests showed elevation of her alkaline phosphatase and liver transaminase levels, as well as hyperbilirubinemia, formed mainly of the conjugated fraction. Methimazole-induced cholestatic jaundice was diagnosed. Her symptoms gradually improved after discontinuation of the medication, and plasma bilirubin levels were near normal after 8 weeks without methimazole. Conclusions: We report here a probable association between methimazole use and severe cholestatic jaundice in an elderly hyperthyroid patient. The patient's jaundice was reversed after drug discontinuation. ( Am J Geriatr Pharmacother . 2007;5:236-240).