cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessing prosodic and text features for segmentation of Mandarin broadcast news

Automatic topic segmentation, separation of a discourse stream into its constituent stories or topics, is a necessary preprocessing step for applications such as information retrieval, anaphora resolution, and summarization. While significant progress has been made in this area for text sources and for English audio sources, little work has been done in automatic segmentation of other languages using both text and acoustic information. In this paper, we focus on exploiting both textual and prosodic features for topic segmentation of Mandarin Chinese. As a tone language, Mandarin presents special challenges for applicability of intonation-based techniques, since the pitch contour is also used to establish lexical identity. However, intonational cues such as reduction in pitch and intensity at topic boundaries and increase in duration and pause still provide significant contrasts in Mandarin Chinese. We first build a decision tree classifier that based only on prosodic information achieves boundary classification accuracy of 89--95.8% on a large standard test set. We then contrast these results with a simple text similarity-based classification scheme. Finally we build a merged classifier, finding the best effectiveness for systems integrating text and prosodic cues.
Effects of Integrating Multimedia into the Third Grade Mathematics Curriculum to Improve Student Learning

This project was designed to test Mayer's multimedia theory in an elementary school to improve students' mathematics learning for low-income children. The study designed and developed two multimedia mathematics experiments in 3rd grade: 9's multiplication experiment and geometric solids experiment. The two experimental lessons were implemented in two 3rd grade classes of low-income children in the United States in January and May 2010, respectively. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data in both experiments. Both experiments found that the participating teacher and students scored very high respectively; the participating students were very attentive to multimedia mathematics instruction; and the participating students scored significantly higher in mathematics quizzes at posttest at the end of the implementation than at pretest prior to the implementation. The project has theoretical and practical implications for international kindergarten through high ...
Impacts on Asteroids: Fragmentation, Regolith Transport, and Disruption

Abstract We use a numerical hydrocode model to examine the outcomes of various size impacts into targets the sizes of Asteroids 951 Gaspra and 243 Ida, which were imaged by the Galileo spacecraft. A shock wave fractures the asteroid in advance of crater excavation flow; thus, for impactors larger than 100 m impacting at 5.3 km s −1 , tensile strength is unimportant in these bodies, whether they are initially intact or are “rubble piles.” Because of the shock-induced fracture, impact results are controlled by gravity. Therefore these asteroids are much more resistant to catastrophic disruption than predicted by previous estimates, which had assumed that strength was controlling these processes for rock targets. The rubble and regolith produced by this fracture can be “jolted” by the impact, redistributing surface material and globally erasing craters. The crater ejecta can produce tens of meters of regolith per large event, likely consisting of 100-m-size boulders mixed with smaller particles. The response of kilometer-size asteroids to impacts is qualitatively different from that of few-centimeter targets in terrestrial experiments, making prediction based on such experiments difficult. The compositional distribution of delivered meteorites depends on the outcomes of such asteroid impacts.
Sodium-Driven Potassium Uptake by the Plant Potassium Transporter HKT1 and Mutations Conferring Salt Tolerance

Sodium (Na+) at high millimolar concentrations in soils is toxic to most higher plants and severely reduces agricultural production worldwide. However, the molecular mechanisms for plant Na+ uptake remain unknown. Here, the wheat root high-affinity potassium (K+) uptake transporter HKT1 was shown to function as a high-affinity K(+)-Na+ cotransporter. High-affinity K+ uptake was activated by micromolar Na+ concentrations; moreover, high-affinity Na+ uptake was activated by K+ (half-activation constant, 2.8 microM K+). However, at physiologically detrimental concentrations of Na+, K+ accumulation mediated by HKT1 was blocked and low-affinity Na+ uptake occurred (Michaelis constant, approximately 16 mM Na+), which correlated to Na+ toxicity in plants. Point mutations in the sixth putative transmembrane domain of HKT1 that increase Na+ tolerance were isolated with the use of yeast as a screening system. Na+ uptake and Na+ inhibition of K+ accumulation indicate a possible role for HKT1 in physiological Na+ toxicity in plants.
Association of NR3A with the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor NR1 and NR2 subunits.

The NR3A subunit of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor has been shown to form glutamatergic receptor complexes with NR1 and NR2 subunits and excitatory glycinergic receptor complexes with NR1 alone. We developed an antibody to NR3A and, using quantitative immunoblotting techniques, determined the degree of association between the NR3A subunit and the NR1 and NR2 subunits as well as changes in these associations during development. NR3A expression peaks between postnatal days 7 and 10 in the cortex, midbrain, and hippocampus and reaches higher maximal expression levels in these areas than in the olfactory bulb and cerebellum. Immunoprecipitation experiments with an anti-NR1 antibody demonstrated that the majority of NR3A is associated with NR1 in postnatal day 10 rat cortex (80 ± 8%), decreasing by half (38 ± 4%) in the adult rat cortex. Using the anti-NR3A antibody in immunoprecipitation studies, we find that 9.7 ± 0.8% of NR1, 8.7 ± 1.8% of NR2A, and 5.0 ± 0.6% of NR2B are associated with NR3A at postnatal day 10. These values decrease by about half in adult rat cortex. The results of this study demonstrate that NR3A is expressed, distributed, and associated with other subunits in a manner that supports its role in synaptic transmission throughout the rat brain, perhaps playing different roles during development.
VALIDATION OF A CARDIOPULMONARY EXERCISE TEST SCORE IN HEART FAILURE

Cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPX) responses, including peak VO2, markers of ventilatory inefficiency (eg. The VE/VCO2 slope and oxygen uptake efficiency slope [OUES]), and hemodynamic responses, such as heart rate recovery (HRR) are strong predictors of outcomes in patients with heart failure (HF
Localized Immigration Policy and Migrant Life Experiences: The Case of Mexican Migrants in Southern California

ABSTRACT How do Mexican migrants experience and respond to policies designed to affect their migration and settlement plans in Los Angeles? Which policies prove most salient? Drawing on life history interviews with authorized and unauthorized migrants in Los Angeles, we find that a mix of federal, state and local level policies affect the daily lives and behaviors of our migrant informants. Once in the U.S., however, given the current state of federal level policy, it is routine encounters with restrictive local level policies that shape our informants' daily strategies and settlement considerations. The outcome of these encounters is further mediated by the local context and the personal circumstances of the migrants themselves. Our findings suggest that it is crucial to consider a broad range of policy and practice, beyond formal immigration policy, not only in assessing policy's impact on migration trends but also in constructing comparative research designs in future work.
Laboratory study for estimating the number of lightning flashes to transmission lines

The estimated number of lightning flashes to a transmission line is the vital parameter to evaluate the lightning performance precisely. An experimental study on the factors that have an impact on the number of lightning flashes to transmission lines has been performed at the MSU High Voltage Laboratory. Models of typical transmission lines with different configurations have been tested under both negative polarity and positive polarity of lightning strokes. Based on experiments, the attractive width of transmission lines was established. The attractive width showed a dependence on the height of overhead ground wires and the polarity of lightning. All experimental results are presented and analyzed in this paper.
Unfolding of bZIP dimers formed by the ATF-2 and c-Jun transcription factors is not a simple two-state transition

The varied selectivity of bZIP transcription factors stems from the fact that they are dimers consisting of two not necessarily identical subunits held together by a leucine zipper dimerization domain. Determining their stability is therefore important for understanding the mechanism of formation of these transcription factors. The most widely used approach for this problem consists of observing temperature-induced dissociation of the bZIPs by any means sensitive to their structural changes, particularly optical methods. In calculating thermodynamic characteristics of this process from such data it is usually assumed that it represents a two-state transition. However, scanning micro-calorimetric study of the temperature-induced unfolding/dissociation of the three bZIPs formed by the ATF-2 and c-Jun proteins, i.e. the two homodimers (ATF-2/ATF-2) and (c-Jun/c-Jun) and the heterodimer (ATF-2/c-Jun), showed that this process does not represent a two-state transition, as found previously with the GCN4 homodimeric bZIP protein. This raises doubt about all indirect estimates of bZIP thermodynamic characteristics based on analysis of their optically-observed temperature-induced changes.
Oxidation Potentials of Soil Organic Matter in Histosols under Different Tillage Methods

Organic soils in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) of southern Florida, USA, are subsiding due primarily to oxidation by aerobic microorganisms. Since there are large C losses in drained Histosols, it is not certain if minimum tillage will significantly reduce soil C losses below the background levels. The objective of this experiment was to determine if increasing the surface soil disturbance through tillage significantly increases the soil organic matter oxidation potential (OP) in Histosols. Tiliage treatments from lowest to highest soil disturbance consisted of (i) no-till; (ii) tine implement cultivation, one pass; (iii) tine implement cultivation, two passes; (iv) heavy harrow disking; and (v) switchplowing. Treatments were conducted on two fields (bare fallow and plant residue covered). Surface soil samples (0-15 cm) and all microbial measurements were taken on 0, 1, 4, 13, 28, and 42 d after tillage. The switchplow treatment had the greatest OP ( 14 C oxidation of benzoate) and soil microbial CO 2 respiration (RESP) averaged across the 42-d period compared with the other treatments. No-till tended to have the lowest OP and RESP. Other tillage treatment effects were intermediate depending on field type. Correlation analyses indicated that greater quantities of extractable N (EXN) were related to increased OP in both fields, while higher quantities of extractable C (EXC) were related to increased RESP in both fields, This research demonstrates that minimum tillage can be used on Histosols to reduce C loss and thereby reduce soil subsidence.
Seismic interaction in electrical substation equipment connected by non‐linear rigid bus conductors

An important element within the power transmission lifeline is the electrical substation that typically consists of a complex set of equipment items interconnected through conductor buses or cables. If the connections are not sufficiently flexible, significant dynamic interaction may occur between the connected equipment items during a seismic event, which may result in damage and loss of the equipment. This paper investigates the interaction effect between electrical substation equipment items connected by non-linear rigid bus conductors. The equipment items are modelled as single-degree-of-freedom oscillators by use of appropriate shape functions. The hysteretic behaviours of rigid bus connectors are described by differential equation models fitted to experimental data. An efficient non-linear random vibration method is used to quantify the seismic interaction effect of the connected equipment items. Based on the developed analytical models and method, the effect of interaction in the connected equipment system is investigated through extensive parametric studies. The results lead to practical charts and guidelines for the seismic design of interconnected electrical substation equipment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
How to compare apples to oranges: balancing internal candidates' job-performance data with external candidates' selection-test results.

Abstract When making hiring decisions, it is imperative to know whether internal candidates' job-performance information is as reliable as selection-test data, and whether recent job-performance information is more valuable than similar but aged data.
One Step Forward: African-American Married Women in the South, 1950-1960

The labor-force participation of African-American married women in the southern United States was increasing during a period of deteriorating labor markets when that of African-American men was decreasing. Although the effect of this development on the African-American family was complex, the trend was certainly a sign of limited progress for these women. The jobs that they were able to acquire were generally better than their customary work since the Civil War, despite the adverse labor-market shocks to which African-American families were subject.
155 Mapping Floating Kelp Beds in Alaska With Remote Sensing

The commercial harvest of floating kelps has promise as a business opportunity that could be especially valuable for small communities in southeast Alaska. The giant kelp, Macrocystis, is harvested mainly for the commercial herring roe-on-kelp harvest in Alaska. In addition, in southeast Alaska the two other species of floating kelps, Nereocystis luetkeana and Alaria fistulosa, have been commercially harvested since 1992 for use as agrochemicals by the Alaska KelpCo. The continued existence of this company and others that may wish to harvest seaweeds on a commercial basis is threatened by the lack of a kelp harvest management system in Alaska. The objective of this research is to develop a reliable and cost effective method for estimating the aerial extent and the standing crop biomass of the floating kelps in SE Alaska. We are employing an aerial multispectral imaging system that can be flown at varying altitudes to achieve spatial resolutions ranging from 0.5 to 2 meters. We are investigating whether the three species have unique spectral or textural characteristics in the multispectral imagery that can be used to differentiate the populations. The end products for this project will be kelp resource maps that delineate the spatial extent and biomass of kelp populations within the beds and a methodology for assessing kelp beds with mixed species composition. These products will find use by resource managers such as the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and the Department of Natural Resources.
Controllable doping and wrap-around contacts to electrolessly etched silicon nanowire arrays

Top-down electroless chemical etching enables non-lithographic patterning of wafer-scale nanostructured arrays, but the etching on highly doped wafers produces porous structures. The lack of defect-free nanostructures at desired doping and the difficulties in forming reliable electrical side-contacts to the nanostructure arrays limits their integration into high performance nanoelectronics. We developed a barrier layer diffusion technique to controllably dope wafer-scale silicon nanowire arrays (1017?1020 cm?3) produced by chemically etching lightly doped silicon wafers. In order to achieve low resistance top-side electrical contacts to the arrays, we developed a two step tip-doping procedure to locally dope the tips (?1020 cm?3) to metallic levels. The dopant concentration is characterized by depth profiling using secondary ion mass spectroscopy and four-point probe electrical measurements. Further, array scale electrical measurements show that the tip-doping lowers the specific contact resistivity (?10?5 ? cm2) since the metallic tips enable direct tunneling of electrons across the nickel silicide contacts to the nanowire arrays. This work provides a scalable and cost-effective doping approach to control charge injection and charge conduction in nanowire arrays, thus advancing their integration into various device applications.
Evaluation of cell‐mediated reactivity and serum blocking factors in melanoma patients on chemotherapy

Sequential assays for cell-mediated reactivity (CMR) and serum blocking factor (SBF) were performed in a group of 12 melanoma patients who were treated with one or both of the clinically available imidazole carboxamide derivatives, DTIC and TIC Mustard, in order to consider the effects of treatment and changing patterns of disease on the results of in vitro tests in individual patients. Microcytotoxicity assays and the dilute agar colony inhibition test were employed. Of the 12 patients, 8 had no change in CMR and 5 had no change in SBF. Three patients demonstrated a fall in both CMR and SBF to nondetectable levels, and 3 additional patients showed a fall in SBF only. From these results, we conclude that there is no significant depression of CMR in melanoma patients by either of the imidazole carboxamide derivatives used. The results of SBF are less conclusive and more open to question, since it is just a likely that any depression to undetectable levels may be due to a change in disease status rather than to coincident drug use. It appears that microcytotoxicity assay results on individual patients may be fortuitous and difficult to interpret, even though results seen in patients as a group indicate important trends. The microcytotoxicity assay is a useful tool for the experimental tumor immunologist, but its clinical usefulness in individual patients is limited.
Ecology and biogeochemistry of alkenone production at Station ALOHA

Abstract In our study of Station ALOHA, a site representative of the oligotrophic North Pacific subtropical gyre (NPSG), alkenone content and composition were examined in (1) sinking particulate materials collected in sediment traps moored at 2800 m during 2 year-long deployments (1992–1993 and 2000–2001) and (2) suspended particulate materials collected throughout the euphotic zone in two contrasting seasons (winter and summer). Each year, sediment trap records documented pronounced alkenone export events in both seasons. The winter event appears triggered by eddy diffusive mixing of nutrients into the upper water column and the release of light limitation on alkenone-producing photoautotrophs growing in the deep chlorophyll maximum layer (DCML). The summer event originates apparently from a stratified euphotic depth well above the DCML where others have now documented the occurrence of N2 fixation-based ‘new production’. Although our time series record is yet limited, it is likely that the absolute magnitude of alkenone export and its quantitative importance in winter relative to summer is an ecological feature of the NPSG which can oscillate significantly on decadal time scales in response to climatic forcing. Despite the significant seasonal and interannual differences in alkenone export noted in our study, findings suggest that paleotemperature assessments based on analysis of the alkenone unsaturation index U 37 K ' measured in underlying sediments would likely be unimpaired by the higher frequency temporal variability in the surface water ecology of alkenone-producers. When translated using a widely accepted calibration equation ( U 37 K ' =0.034 T+0.039), U 37 K ' values in average sediment trap particles are consistent with the mean annual sea-surface temperature at Station ALOHA.
Findings from a 1000-patient internet-based survey assessing the impact of morning symptoms on individuals with allergic rhinitis.

Abstract Background: Although the severity of allergic rhinitis symptoms might depend on the degree of exposure to the triggering allergen, it has also been noted that symptom severity varies over the course of the day. Objectives: The aims of this study were to investigate the reported impact (influence on behavior and/or feelings) of morning symptoms on individuals with allergic rhinitis and determine their perception of the effectiveness of allergy treatment. Methods: In January 2005, online interviews basedon a 16-item questionnaire were presented to adults (aged ≥18 years) with physician-diagnosed allergic rhinitis in the United States. Participants were recruited from the Roper Public Affairs and Media US national online panel. The survey sample was balanced to reflect the US population by Census Division, ethnicity, sex, and presence of children living at home. Data were weighted by sex (65% female, 35% male) based on previous research of the adult population suffering from allergies. Results: The first 1000 respondents (sex, female,550 [55%]; age, ≥55 years, 378 [38%], race, white, 883 [88%]) that met all inclusion/exclusion criteria were included in the study results. There was no significant difference in the regional distribution of participants: South (34%), Midwest (25%), West (22%), and Northeast (19%). The majority of the sample (83%) reported experiencing morning symptoms of allergic rhinitis; 49% reported that their symptoms were most severe during the morning hours. The most common symptom on awakening was nasal congestion, reported by 85% of those with symptoms when they first woke tip. Of those with symptoms on awakening, the majority reported that these affected their feelings (96`/0) or behavior (87%). Among respondents who experienced symptoms on awakening, the majority reported that their symptoms affected the rest of their day “somewhat” or ”a great deal” (51% and 24%, respectively). Of those respondents using allergy medication, 33% reported that its effectiveness wore off before the next dose most or all of the time. A majority of respondents reported feeling that it was very important for an allergy medication to maintain effectiveness until the next dose (68%), provide relief all day and into the next morning (62%), and enable them to wake tip with their symptoms render control (63%). Conclusions: Based on the results from this largeInternet-based survey, the morning symptoms of allergic rhinitis have a negative impact on individuals, both emotionally and in terms of disruption of daily activities. Medication used for treating allergic rhinitis was reported as not always effective for the whole time interval between doses. This suggests that it might be important, when considering management options in allergic rhinitis, to select medications that offer sustained effectiveness throughout the 24-hour period.
Nanomaterials for biomedical applications

Recent advances in creating nanomaterials have created new opportunities in biomedical research and clinical applications [1,2]. High-quality nanomaterials, of well-controlled size and shape, are a new class of building blocks to enable the establishment of assays for monitoring molecular signals in biological systems and living organisms. Many of these new nanoassays have higher sensitivity, selectivity and throughput than conventional bioanalytical methods. On the one hand, these nanoassays will be capable of detecting biochemical changes at the single-molecule level in living cells [3]. Conversely, these assays will lead to low-cost, point-of-care devices for rapid diagnosis of pathogenic and genetic diseases (e.g., HIV and cancer) [4]. In addition, nanomaterials have been used as advanced contrast agents for clinical imaging technologies, such as MRI, computer tomography and ultrasound [5–7]. Moreover, the use of nanomaterials will lead to the invention of ‘smart’ drug-delivery vehicles, new therapies and even new scalpel-free surgery methods. These new opportunities stem primarily from the novel nature of nanomaterials. Owing to their size-dependent effects, nanomaterials exhibit new physical and chemical properties compared with conventional bulk and molecular materials [8]. In general, nanomaterials include inorganic, organic and inorganic/organic composite nanostructures, such as nanoparticles, nanowires and nanopatterns. This special issue of Nanomedicine presents readers with current exciting developments in the use of nanoparticles and nanopatterns for biomedical diagnosis and drug delivery.
Age and ethnic variation in children's thinking about the nature of racism

A content analysis of interviews with an ethnically diverse group of 202 children aged 6 to 10 describes what children think racism is, and examines associations between age, ethnicity, and children's thinking about racism. Children's narratives capture many dimensions of racism, including stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination, and ethnic conflict. With age, children's ideas about racism become more elaborated and differentiated. At every age, compared to their peers, African American children have more elaborated and differentiated ideas about racism and mention those dimensions of racism that overtly reflect power relations more frequently. Qualitative analyses suggest that children's ideas about racism are abstract, increasingly coherent with age, and sometimes incorporate causal language. Findings are discussed in terms of origins of individual differences, the extent to which children's ideas about racism might be considered a lay theory, and the likely consequences of such a theory in daily life.
A Cultural and Historical Perspective on Pregnancy-related Activity Among U.S. Teenagers:

This article examines data on recent changes in birth rates, sexual activity, abortion, illegitimacy, and adop tion rates among White and non-White adolescents. The social and cultural implications...
Development of crustal profiles for receptor modeling

Abstract A comprehensive program to sample and analyze soil and street dust was undertaken to develop representative source profiles for use in receptor modeling. Samples of soils and dusts from road surfaces were collected in the Philadelphia area, resuspended, fractionated into fine (
Physical processes in the tropical tropopause layer and their roles in a changing climate

Tropical climate and the composition of the global upper atmosphere are affected by the tropical tropopause layer. A synthesis report concludes that transport and mixing in the tropopause region are closely linked with the Asian monsoon and other tropical circulation systems, with possible implications for the impacts of climate change on this important layer. Tropical climate and the composition of the global upper atmosphere are affected by the tropical tropopause layer — the atmospheric transition zone between the well-mixed, convective troposphere (up to altitudes of 12–14 km) and the highly stratified stratosphere (above about 18 km). Featuring chemical and dynamical properties that are midway between those of the troposphere and stratosphere, the tropopause layer is maintained by a complex interplay between large- and small-scale circulation patterns, deep convection, clouds and radiation. Tropospheric air enters the stratosphere primarily in the tropics. Ozone- and aerosol-related constituents of the global stratosphere, as well as water vapour content, are therefore largely determined by the composition of the air near the tropical tropopause. Over the past years, it has emerged that both slow ascent and rapid deep convection contribute to the composition and thermal structure of the tropical tropopause layer. Ice formation processes at low temperatures affect the efficacy of freeze drying as air passes through the cold tropopause region. Transport and mixing in the tropopause region has been found to be closely linked with the Asian monsoon and other tropical circulation systems. Given these connections, climate change is expected to influence the tropopause layer, for example through enhanced large-scale upwelling of air and potential changes in tropical convection, air temperature, chemical composition and cirrus.
Computer-aided study of a problem in hermitian matrix theory

Let A be any nxn positive definite matrix and B any nxn non-negative definite matrix. In anearlier paper, it was shown that for each n there is a real number t"n>2 such that if t
Notions of Grammaticality Among Teachers of Bilingual Pupils

Teachers attending summer institutes were asked to react to different varieties of English and Spanish. The teachers participating in the ESL and Applied Sociolinguistics Institutes evaluated four varieties of English: (a) standard American English, (b) Hispanicized English, (c) ungrammatical English, and (d) English/Spanish code alternation. The teachers participating in the Bilingual Institute judged four varieties of Spanish: (a) standard Mexican Spanish, (b) local Spanish, (c) ungrammatical Spanish, and (d) English/Spanish code alternation. All three groups of teachers rated each variety in terms of its appropriateness for the classroom, degree of correctness, and the speaker's academic potential. The teachers ranked the English and Spanish varieties on a standard continuum. Teachers from the Bilingual Institute differentiated among the four Spanish varieties, while teachers in the ESL and Applied Sociolinguistics Institutes did not judge code switching less favorably than ungrammatical English. Some of the notions that teachers held about Spanish varieties were influenced by Spanish proficiency, ethnicity, and birthplace. Knowledge about language use in bilingual contexts did influence the teachers' level of tolerance toward marked English varieties, suggesting that some attitudes toward nonstandard speech styles are influenced by cognitive and motivational considerations.
Soot-velocity measurements by particle vaporization velocimetry.

We demonstrate a new imaging technique for velocity measurements in particle-laden flows. The technique, particle vaporization velocimetry, is a form of flow tagging based on laser vaporization of absorbing particles at defined locations in the flow. The locations of these tagged regions are then interrogated after a known delay to determine the convective velocity. Results are presented for vaporization of carbonaceous (soot) particles in a nonreacting gas jet and a hydrocarbon flame, with interrogation provided by either elastic scattering or laser-induced incandescence from the soot. The long lifetime of the tagged soot regions >2 ms allows measurements to be made over a wide range of velocities.
Digital controller chip set for isolated DC power supplies

This paper describes a digital controller chip set for high-frequency DC-DC power converters with galvanic isolation. The secondary-side controller includes an A/D converter and a transmitter that sends a digital error signal as serial data through an opto-coupler. The primary-side controller includes a serial-data receiver, a programmable digital PID regulator, and a high-resolution (10-bit) digital pulse-width modulator. The digital error signal transmission through the isolation boundary eliminates the problem of gain variation when the opto-coupler is used in linear mode. The chip set is tested as a replacement for a conventional analog current-mode controller in a 3.3 V, 20 A, 400 KHz DC power supply. Experimental results with the digital controller show improved dynamic responses compared to the responses obtained with the analog controller.
FRACTIONATION OF THE EYE PIGMENTS OF DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Eye pigments of normal and mutant types of D. melanogaster have been extracted with water and fractionated by chromatographic adsorption on powdered talc. Spectra of all the fractions obtainable in solution have been measured and the general chemical behavior of the pigments is described. Two chemically distinct groups of pigments are found, to be identified with the earlier designated red and brown components. The red component in the wild-type eye contains three well defined pigments, two of them capable of further subdivision so that the total number of fractions obtained is five. There is also present a brown component pigment which could not be treated quantitatively by the methods employed. All members of the wild-type red component are found in cinnabar eyes, unaccompanied by the brown component. Conversely, brown eyes contain a pigment indistinguishable from the wild-type brown component, virtually alone. In sepia eyes, one red component and two brown component pigments can be distinguished, all three pigments differing from those of wild-type eyes. Pigments apparently identical with those found in wild-type melanogaster eyes have also been found in D. virilis.
Early clinical experience with anidulafungin at a large tertiary care medical center.

Study Objective. To evaluate early clinical experience with anidulafungin. Design. Retrospective cohort study. Setting. Large, university-affiliated, tertiary care medical center. Patients. All patients receiving anidulafungin between July 15, 2006, and January 15, 2007. Measurements and Main Results. Thirty-five patients received at least one dose of anidulafungin. Safety and tolerability were evaluated in all patients; efficacy outcomes were assessed in 13 patients who had a documented fungal infection and received anidulafungin for a minimum of 5 days. Common conditions at baseline were hepatic dysfunction (25 patients [71%]), severe sepsis (17 patients [49%]), and solid organ or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (10 patients [29%]). Eight patients (23%) were receiving drugs with the potential to interact with echinocandins other than anidulafungin. Seventeen (49%) of the 35 patients received anidulafungin as empiric antifungal therapy. Anidulafungin was used to treat invasive candidiasis in seven patients (20%) and candidemia in 10 patients (29%); Candida albicans or Candida glabrata was isolated most frequently in these two infections combined (7 isolates each [41%]/17 infections). A favorable efficacy outcome was noted in 10 (77%) of 13 evaluable patients. One patient developed breakthrough Candida parapsilosis fungemia while receiving anidulafungin. Overall, anidulafungin was well tolerated, with only one patient having an infusion-related reaction. Anidulafungin was also well tolerated among patients receiving concomitant metronidazole. Conclusion. Anidulafungin was well tolerated and produced favorable outcomes in the majority of the patients evaluated. The availability of anidulafungin makes it a feasible option for antifungal therapy, particularly in patients who have hepatic dysfunction and in those who are receiving drugs than can interact with other echinocandins.
A new class of entropy estimators for multi-dimensional densities

We present a new class of estimators for approximating the entropy of multi-dimensional probability densities based on a sample of the density. These estimators extend the classic "m-spacing" estimators of Vasicek (1976) and others for estimating entropies of one-dimensional probability densities. Unlike plug-in estimators of entropy, which first estimate a probability density and then compute its entropy. our estimators avoid the difficult intermediate step of density estimation. For fixed dimension. the estimators an polynomial in the sample size. Similarities to consistent and asymptotically efficient one-dimensional estimators of entropy suggest that our estimators may sham these properties.
State violence and health in Nigeria

Discussions of health in Nigeria are often restricted to morbidity and mortality statistics, the political economic character and causes of which hardly enter the equation. Yet, morbidity and mortality indices exist within, and reflect, a specific political economic reality, including the State apparatus. It is contended here that beyond overseeing the political economy within which it exists, the State in Nigeria produces and promotes ill health and death through economic policies which invariably influence conditions of material existence and more overtly, through active violence. Specific instances of the latter are discussed.
Recognition of operator motions for real-time assistance using virtual fixtures

Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) are used for automatic segmentation and recognition of user motions. A new algorithm for real-time HMM recognition was developed. The segmentation results are used to provide appropriate assistance in a combined curve following and object avoidance task. This assistance takes the form of a virtual fixture, whose compliance can be altered online. Recognition and assistance experiments were performed using force and position data recorded from a cooperative manipulation system, where a robot and a human operator hold an instrument simultaneously. Recognition accuracy exceeds 90%, even when the users training the HMMs differ from those executing the task. For a task consisting of both path following and avoidance motions, an HMM-based virtual fixture switches the compliance from low to high when the user is trying to move away from the path. The HMM method improves operator performance in comparison with a constant virtual fixture and no virtual fixture.
The Utilization of Food Elements by Growing Chicks XIV. Effect of the Addition of Vitamin B12 and Antibiotic

Abstract THE use of vitamin B12 concentrates in chick feeding was reviewed by Reed and Couch (1951) who reported a decided increase in the weight of chicks fed up to 2 percent of the concentrate in the diet over that obtained in the controls. This increase was evident on both plant and animal protein rations. In another trial different concentrates failed to produce a response on a plant protein diet. Simultaneous feeding of the two contrates produced results which agreed with the earlier trials. The difference in the response to the two concentrates was considered to be due, at least in part, to differences in their antibiotic content. Scott and Glista (1950) studied the effect of additions of aureomycin on the growth of chicks and found only a slight early advantage when the ration was fed ad libitum and no response when feed intake was equalized. Patrick (1951) reared poults on . . .
Characterizing Stem Cell Proliferation on Magnesium Nanoparticle Mineralized Poly(l-Lactic Acid) Scaffolds for Enthesis Applications

There is a dire need for an orthobiologic material that can provide a stable transition from hard bone to soft ligament tissue since reconstructed joints tend to fail at the tendon-to-bone insertion site (TBI). Here, research is being done to investigate regenerating the TBI using poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) mineralized with hydroxyapatite (HA) and magnesium nanoparticles. Ultimately, the goal of this research is to develop a nano-structured material fashioned in the shape of an o-ring to restore functionality to injured entheses - the graded transition of mineralized fibrocartilage connecting ligament to bone.
The Influence of Dimensionality on Parameter Estimation Accuracy in the Generalized Graded Unfolding Model

The generalized graded unfolding model (GGUM) is an ideal point model of responding that is consistent with the Thurstonian theory of respondent behavior. Ideal point models have recently generated...
Prediction of In-Cylinder Turbulence for IC Engines

Abstract This paper presents the preliminary results of some of a few of its kind efforts in large eddy simulation (LES) of engine flows to predict turbulent fluctuations, and the statistics of turbulence quantities inside IC engine cylinders. For this purpose, the well-known engine simulation code, KIVA, is used with special precautions to keep the numerical accuracy at a sufficiently high level, as well as using relatively fine grid resolution. The capabilities of this code are tested against benchmark cases, such as lid-driven cavity flow, and swirling and non-swirling free jet flows. It is then applied to a typical engine geometry under motored conditions. In particular, turbulence generated during the intake stroke, and the instabilities induced by a typical piston-bowl assembly are investigated. The computed velocity fluctuations, correlation coefficients and energy spectra of turbulent fluctuations are compared to experimental results. The predictions seem to extend well into the inertial range of ...
Book Review: Where do I go from Here? Meeting the Unique Educational Needs of Migrant Students by Karen Vocke

Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann, 2007, 119 pages, $15.00 (paperback). During the past two generations, U.S. migrant farm worker streams have come to be dominated by Latinos, especially Latinos of Mexican...
NBS-LANL RTM Injector Installation

The injector for the NBS-LANL CW racetrack microtron consists of a 100 KeV electron gun and beam transport line followed by a 5 MeV linac. The function of the gun and transport line, which have been installed at NBS, is to provide a chopped and bunched 100 KeV and up to 0.67 mA dc or pulsed beam of very low transverse emittance for matched insertion into the linac. In this paper the authors present both the design and construction details of the 100 KeV system and the results of preliminary beam tests. The tests conducted thus far show the gun and transport system to be performing well within design specifications.
On the Electromagnetic Response of AN Imperfectly Conducting Thin Dyke

The theoretical electromagnetic response from a thin dyke has been recently treated by Wesley (1958). In his first paper, the dyke was idealized by a perfectly conducting half‐plane, and the source was taken to be a magnetic dipole. The Green’s function he obtains is very simple and is in agreement with an earlier result (Bateman, 1932).
Minimization of regret decision making with Dempster-Shafer uncertainty

We are concerned with the problem of uncertain decision making. The paradigm of decision making using minimization of maximal regret (MMR) is introduced. We discuss a generalization of the MMR method leading to a parameterized family of minimal regret methods. We apply the minimal regret method of decision making to situations in which our uncertainty profile is represented by a Dempster-Shafer belief structure.
Methods for Evaluating Earthquake Potential and Likelihood in and around California

From the outset, the vision of the Regional Earthquake Likelihood Models (RELM) project recognized that the best way to come to grips with the full impact and uncertainty in earthquake hazard estimates is to compare a wide range of independent, well-documented, and physically defensible hazard models that produce identically formatted output. Ideally, these models should be rooted in the complete spectrum of geophysical input. Toward this end, I offer testable earthquake potential maps based on geodesy, geology, historical seismicity, and computer simulations of earthquakes. Motivation. Until recently, earthquake rate estimation was entirely the domain of geologists and seismologists. With well-defined faults and sufficiently frequent earthquakes, geology, historical seismicity, and paleoseismology can furnish fairly reliable earthquake statistics. More commonly, questionable fault geometries, fault slip rates, fault rupture modes, and scattered seismicity characterize the situation, and earthquake statistics do not reveal themselves readily. For much of the world, historical seismicity and paleoseismology cannot constrain earthquake statistics to the degree necessary for an acceptable rate assessment. Today, information from space geodesy patches some of these voids. Space geodetic monitoring quantifies potential earthquake activity within a network even if that activity occurs on faults that are unknown, too slowly slipping, or too deep to study by conventional geological or seismological techniques. Geodesy's most valuable contributions in this arena spring from its ability to: Technical description. Geodetic earthquake potential maps require few inputs. This feature is both the beauty and the value of the approach. The steps in computing the maps include: 1. Compile a GPS velocity map for …
Design and evaluation of a multi-agent collaborative Web mining system

Most existing Web search tools work only with individual users and do not help a user benefit from previous search experiences of others. In this paper, we present the Collaborative Spider, a multi-agent system designed to provide post-retrieval analysis and enable across-user collaboration in Web search and mining. This system allows the user to annotate search sessions and share them with other users. We also report a user study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of this system. Our experimental findings show that subjects' search performance was degraded, compared to individual search scenarios in which users had no access to previous searches, when they had access to a limited number (e.g., 1 or 2) of earlier search sessions done by other users. However, search performance improved significantly when subjects had access to more search sessions. This indicates that gain from collaboration through collaborative Web searching and analysis does not outweigh the overhead of browsing and comprehending other users' past searches until a certain number of shared sessions have been reached. In this paper, we also catalog and analyze several different types of user collaboration behavior observed in the context of Web mining.
Gynecomastia with marked cellular atypia associated with chemotherapy.

Abstract Gynecomastia is a common benign male breast disease, which may exhibit mild cellular atypia in cytology specimens. However, marked cytologic atypia can be seen in gynecomastia superimposed by chemotherapy. The case described in this report demonstrated severe cytologic atypia of gynecomastia mimicking carcinoma in a patient treated with chemotherapy for acute leukemia. A distinct cytologic feature helpful in avoiding the diagnostic error is described, namely, atypical cells admixed with bland ductal cells and appearing at a different plane. The importance of applying strict diagnostic criteria in breast cytology and clinical correlation is also emphasized.
Two-fluid and finite Larmor radius effects on helicity evolution in a plasma pinch

The evolution of magnetic energy, helicity, and hybrid helicity during nonlinear relaxation of a driven-damped plasma pinch is compared in visco-resistive magnetohydrodynamics and two-fluid models with and without the ion gyroviscous stress tensor. Magnetic energy and helicity are supplied via a boundary electric field which initially balances the resistive dissipation, and the plasma undergoes multiple relaxation events during the nonlinear evolution. The magnetic helicity is well conserved relative to the magnetic energy over each event, which is short compared with the global resistive diffusion time. The magnetic energy decreases by roughly 1.5% of its initial value over a relaxation event, while the magnetic helicity changes by at most 0.2% of the initial value. The hybrid helicity is dominated by magnetic helicity in low-β pinch conditions and is also well conserved. Differences of less than 1% between magnetic helicity and hybrid helicity are observed with two-fluid modeling and result from cross h...