cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flexible time-varying filter banks

Linear phase maximally flat FIR Butterworth filter approximations are discussed and a new filter design method is introduced. This variable cutoff filter design method uses the cosine modulated versions of a prototype filter. The design procedure is simple and different variants of this procedure can be used to obtain close to optimum linear phase filters. Using this method, flexible time-varying filter banks with good reconstruction error are introduced. These types of oversampled filter banks have small magnitude error which can be easily controlled by the appropriate choice of modulation frequency. This error can be further decreased by magnitude equalization without increasing the computational complexity considerably. Two dimensional design examples are also given.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Reversal of CD8 T-cell-mediated mucocutaneous graft-versus-host-like disease by the JAK inhibitor tofacitinib.

The utility of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is limited by graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Patients with GVHD exhibit cutaneous manifestations with histological features of interface dermatitis followed by scleroderma-like changes. JAK inhibitors represent a class of immunomodulatory drugs that inhibit signaling by multiple cytokines. Herein we report the effects of tofacitinib in a murine model of GVHD. Oral administration of tofacitinib prevented GVHD-like disease manifested by weight loss and mucocutaneous lesions. More importantly, tofacitinib was also effective in reversing established disease. Tofacitinib diminished the expansion and activation of murine CD8 T cells in this model, and had similar effects on IL-2-stimulated human CD8 T cells. Tofacitinib also inhibited the expression of IFN-γ-inducible chemoattractants by keratinocytes, and IFN-γ-inducible cell death of keratinocytes. Tofacitinib may be an effective drug for treatment against CD8 T-cell–mediated mucocutaneous diseases in patients with GVHD.
Postural and Fine Motor Control in Preterm Infants in the First Six Months

This study analyzed the differences in posture and fine motor control between at-risk preterm and full-term infants. On a qualitative measure with a sample of 65 full-term and 25 preterm infants, the full-term infants scored significantly higher in all aspects of posture and fine motor control than the preterm infants of the same adjusted ages. When the preterm infants were further categorized by number of medical risk factors, the postural differences existed only in preterm infants with high risk factors. All preterm infants (those with high and low risk factors) demonstrated less fine motor control when compared to full-term. These results have implicated regarding the qualitative differences that may be observed in preterm infants during the first months of life.
A field-dissociation relation for polyelectrolytes with an application to field-induced conformational changes of polynucleotides

An extension to polyelectrolyte solutions of Onsager's field-dissociation relation for weak electrolytes can be derived in a simple way. It is found that, except in the limit of zero ionic strength, a strong applied electric field prevents counterion condensation from proceeding to completion. The extent of incompleteness initially varies linearly with the applied field. The field-dissociation relation can easily be incorporated into the theory of ionic effects on the stability of ordered polynucleotide Structures, whereupon a dependence of the stability on field strength emerges. An explicit calculation for a cooperative transition of the DNA melting type is presented, and it is concluded that for sufficiently low ionic strengths, a field of the order of 10 kVcm may be able to induce, melting by lowering the Tm by a few degrees. The threshold effect found experimentally by Porschke, and particularly the observed linear dependence of the threshold field on the logarithm of the ionic strength, appears here as a simple-consequence of the linear increase of the stabilization free energy with the logarithm of ionic strength.
An Eavesdrop Vulnerability Analysis of Random Network Coding over Wireless Ad-Hoc Networks

In wireline networks, random network coding combined with path diversity provides inherent protection against eavesdropping since the eavesdropper has to compromise nodes along each diverse path, presumably at significant risk and cost per compromise, in order to acquire enough information to decode the source data. This touted ``free security'' does not necessarily apply, however, towireless networks. Since a sophisticated over-the-air eavesdropper at a protected site away from the network can receive transmissions from multiple nodes, without incurring significant additional risk or expense, any inherent protection that network coding provides in this context is unclear. In this paper, we investigate the eavesdropping vulnerability of a mobile ad-hoc network using the current state-of-the-art in random linear network coding and subgraph generation techniques. Specifically, we develop a simulation framework with proper metrics to quantify the eavesdropper's decoding success probability for a network-coded wireless network. Our results, obtained from extensive Monte Carlo simulations, demonstrate that such networks are indeed vulnerable to eavesdropping--and to a remarkable degree. Finally, we experimentally confirm the high degree of eavesdrop vulnerability using packets captured from an operational prototype testbed.
Growth regulation of human melanocytes: mitogenic factors in extracts of melanoma, astrocytoma, and fibroblast cell lines

Melanocytes derived from fetal or adult skin do not propagate in vitro unless cultured in the presence of factors such as 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). In a search for physiological factors regulating the growth of melanocytes, extracts of various cultured cell types were tested. Factors produced by melanoma and astrocytoma cell lines support continued proliferation of melanocytes in the absence of TPA. WI-38, a fibroblast cell line derived from human embryonic lung, was the most active source of melanocyte growth factors. No melanocyte growth-promoting activity was found in extracts of cultured neuroblastoma, renal cancer, normal keratinocytes, or renal epithelium. Nerve growth factor, epidermal growth factor, melanocyte-stimulating hormone, transforming growth factor-beta, and platelet-derived growth factor did not have growth-promoting activity for melanocytes. The presence of melanocyte growth factors and TPA together resulted in the strongest mitogenic activity for melanocytes, permitting the recovery (at 20 days) of 4 to 20 times as many cells as in growth factor or TPA alone.
Human Biliverdin Reductase Is Autophosphorylated, and Phosphorylation Is Required for Bilirubin Formation

Biliverdin reductase (BVR) reduces heme oxygenase (HO) activity product, biliverdin, to bilirubin. BVR is unique in having dual pH/dual cofactor requirements. Using Escherichia coli-expressed human BVR and COS cells, we show that BVR is autophosphorylated and that phosphorylation is required for its activity. An "in blot" autophosphorylation assay showed that BVR is a renaturable phosphoprotein. Controls for the experiments were HO-1 and HO-2; both are phosphoproteins but are not autophosphorylated. Autophosphorylation was pH-dependent, with activity at pH 8.7 being most prominent. In addition, 2'(3')-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)adenosine 5'-triphosphate fluorescence titration of BVR gave a lower K(d) at pH 8.7 than at pH 7.4 (15.5 versus 28.0 micrometer). Mn(2+) was required for binding of the ATP analogue and for autophosphorylation; the autokinase activity was lost when treated at 60 degrees C for 10 min. The loss of transferred phosphates by alkaline treatment suggested that BVR is a serine/threonine kinase. Potato acid phosphatase treatment reversibly inactivated the enzyme. The enzyme was also inactivated by treatment with the serine/threonine phosphatase, protein phosphatase 2A; okadaic acid attenuated the inhibition. Titration of protein phosphatase 2A-released phosphates indicated a 1:6 molar ratio of BVR to phosphate. The BVR immunoprecipitated from COS cell lysates was a phosphoprotein, and its activity and phosphorylation levels increased in response to H(2)O(2). The results define a previously unknown mechanism for regulation of BVR activity and are discussed in the context of their relevance to heme metabolism.
The Politics of Appointment and the Federal Courts’Role in Regulating America: U.S. Courts of Appeals Judgeships from T.R. to F.D.R.

Historians and political scientists have noted that appointments of judges to the U.S. Courts of Appeals are not determined by senatorial courtesy alone. What has not been adequately explained is why and when a president defers to a senator's choice rather than seek to control the selection. This article attempts to understand the politics of federal appellate court appointments. The author first identifies a major change in the work of the courts of appeals during the years 1900-1945—the growth in review of the actions of newly created federal regulatory agencies. Then, by examining Justice Department files and presidential correspondence, he discoveres three patterns of appointment emerging in the same period. The patterns vary with presidential perceptions of the role of the federal government and of the courts of appeals' ability to affect accomplishment of administration goals. Appointments during the first years of the presidencies of Theodore and Franklin Roosevelt and during the Harding and Coolidge administrations were dominated by patronage concerns. Those administrations yielded to the recommendations of senators and demonstrated no interest in the policy-making potential of these courts. In the two other patterns the White House played a more active role, with senators more often deferring to the president's selection. Concerns about professionalism dominated selections in Taft's and Hoover's administrations: because they recognized the policy importance of those judgeships but saw the role of government as limited, they sought judicial craftsmen who would make policy only incrementally. Policy concerns dominated selections during Wilson's administration and the latter years of both the Roosevelts' administrations: Justice Department officials screened nominees to determine their policy orientation, because federal appellate court judgeships were perceived as crucial policy positions that could affect the president's ability to implement his reform programs.
The Evolution of Green Community Planning, Scholarship, and Practice: An Introduction to the Special Issue

Problem: How have the major visions of urban form evolved over the past century, and have they influenced practice and scholarship in green communities? Purpose: I examine how the major visionary ideas about urban form have influenced the evolution of green communities and provide a context for the forward-looking articles in this special issue. Methods: I appraise secondary sources of primary scholarship to describe and synthesize the main themes that influence green community thought and practice. Results and conclusions: Visionary ideals of green communities that embrace bioregionalism and other environmental dimensions that emerged in the early 20th century failed to take hold in contemporary planning practice. The ideals of green communities have become more salient in contemporary debates about community futures. Despite growing market demand for greener communities and emerging scientific consensus that green dimensions of urban form have a positive effect on sustainability, there is a widely share...
Dissociated effects of misoprostol on gastric acid secretion and mucosal blood flow

Misoprostol, a synthetic prostaglandin analog, has been reported to inhibit gastric acid secretion and to protect the gastric mucosa from the effects of aspirin and aspirin plus hemorrhagic shock. This study examined the effect of misoprostol on basal gastric corpus mucosal blood flow (MBF), and on pentagastrin-stimulated gastric acid output and MBF. Gastric corpus MBF in ml/min/100 g was measured by hydrogen gas clearance in fasted, anesthetized rats. Acid output in μeq/min was determined by a continuous gastric perfusion technique. For the basal study, vehicle or misoprostol in doses of 50 and 1000 μg/kg was administered intragastrically in separate groups of rats. For the pentagastrinstimulation study, vehicle or misoprostol, 1000 μg/kg, was infused intravenously after gastric acid output was stimulated to plateau by intravenous pentagastrin, 20 μg/kg/hr. The results showed that misoprostol had no effect on basal gastric corpus MBF. During pentagastrin stimulation, misoprostol decreased acid secretion but did not decrease gastric corpus MBF. We speculate that this dissociated effect of misoprostol on stimulated gastric acid secretion and corpus MBF may be of therapeutic importance if it can be confirmed in human studies.
Defocusing of an ion beam propagating in background plasma due to two-stream instability

The current and charge neutralization of charged particle beams by background plasma enable ballistic beam propagation and have a wide range of applications in inertial fusion and high energy density physics. However, the beam-plasma interaction can result in the development of collective instabilities that may have deleterious effects on ballistic propagation of an ion beam. In the case of fast, light-ion beams, non-linear fields created by instabilities can lead to significant defocusing of the beam. We study an ion beam pulse propagating in a background plasma, which is subjected to two-stream instability between the beam ions and plasma electrons, using PIC code LSP. The defocusing effects of the instability on the beam can be much more pronounced in small radius beams. We show through simulations that a beamlet produced from an ion beam passed through an aperture can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify the presence of the two-stream instability and quantify its defocusing effects. The effect can be observed on the Neutralized Drift Compression Experiment-II facility by measuring the spot size of the extracted beamlet propagating through several meters of plasma.
Academic Strain and Non-Medical Use of Prescription Stimulants among College Students

Recent research indicates that the prevalence of non-medical prescription drug use is now greater than the prevalence of other illicit drug use, with the exception of marijuana. Existing research focuses on demographic characteristics of users, risk factors and motivations for use, and sources of diversion. A significant gap in the extant literature is an examination of theoretical predictors of use. Using data from the Harvard School of Public Health's College Alcohol Study, the current research addressed this limitation by applying Agnew's general strain theory to the study of non-medical prescription drug use. Specifically, we examine whether academic strain is associated with the non-medical use of prescription stimulants. Findings are supportive of general strain theory, as students who experience academic strain report higher levels of depression, our measure of negative affect, and students who report higher levels of depression are more likely to report the non-medical use of prescription stimulants.
Clipped representations of fourier-transform ion-cyclotron resonance mass spectra

Abstract Because of its high mass resolution over a wide mass range, a Fourier transform/mass spectrometry (F.t./m.s.) experiment may generate very large spectral data sets (⩾ 64 K each), creating severe data storage problems for g.c./F.t./m.s. and for mass spectral library storage, search and retrieval. Fortunately, the stored experimental data need not be highly precise. In this paper, it is shown that useful mass spectra can be produced from time-domain F.t./m.s. data that have been clipped to only 1 bit/word, thereby offering a potential reduction by a factor of ⩾ 20 in data storage requirement. In many cases, mass spectral resolution can actually be enhanced by the clipping process. Finally, it is shown tha a compound can be identified quickly and accurately by comparison of its clipped representation with similarly clipped data for library compounds.
Chemistry of Fischer-type rhenacyclobutadiene complexes. I. Deprotonation, addition/substitution of nucleophilic reagents at α-carbon, and insertion of heteroatoms into rhenium–carbon bonds

Abstract The rhenacyclobutadienes (CO)4Re(η2- C(R)C(CO2Me)C(OR′)) (2) undergo a number of reactions that mirror those of Fischer alkoxycarbene complexes. Thus, (CO)4Re(η2-C(Me)C(CO2Me)C(OEt)) (2a) can be deprotonated by LDA, Na[OBu-t], or Na[CH(CO2Me)2] to give the ylide-like conjugate base [(CO)4Re(η2-C(CH2)C(CO2Me)C(OEt)]− (3), which was isolated as PPN(3). Li(3) undergoes deuteriation with DCl/D2O and alkylation with Et3OPF6 at ReCCH2, with the latter reaction affording (CO)4Re(η2-C(CH2Et)C(CO2Me)C(OEt)) (4). Repetition of the sequence deprotonation-ethylation on 4 generates (CO)4Re(η2-C(CHEt2)C(CO2Me)C(OEt)) (5). The nature of the alkoxy substituent in 2 can be varied by use of the rhenacyclobutenones Na[(CO)4Re(η2-C(R)C(CO2Me)C(O))] (Na(1)) in conjunction with AcCl and R′OH to produce a series of new complexes (R=Ph, R′=Et (2b); R=Me, R′=CH2CHCH2 (2c), (CH2)3CCH (2d), Me (2e)). Aminolysis of 2a with the primary and secondary amines PhNH2, HO(CH2)2NH, p-TolNH2, and Et2NH yields the aminorhenacyclobutadiene complexes (CO)4Re(η2-C(Me)C(CO2Me)C(NHR′ or NR′2)) (R2′=Et2 (6a); R′=Ph (6b), (CH2)2OH (6c), p-Tol (6d)). These complexes display lesser carbene-like character than their alkoxy counterparts 2, as evidenced by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopic properties and lack of reactivity toward LDA by 6a. Reactions of each 2a and 6a with PPhMe2 at low temperature afford (CO)4Re(η2-C(Me)(PPhMe2)C(CO2Me)C(OEt)) (7) and (CO)3(PPhMe2)Re(η2-C(Me)C(CO2Me)C(NEt2)) (9), respectively, further in agreement with the more carbenoid nature of 2a than 6a. 7 undergoes conversion to (CO)3(PPhMe2)Re(η2-C(Me)C(CO2Me)C(OEt)) (8) upon heating. 2a reacts with each of (NH4)2[Ce(NO3)6], DMSO, EtNO2/Et3N, and Me3NO under various conditions to afford one or both of the oxygen atom insertion products into the ReC bonds, (CO)4Re(κ2-OC(Me)C(CO2Me)C(OEt)) (10) and (CO)4Re(κ2-C(Me)C(CO2Me)C(OEt)O) (11). In contrast, no reaction occurred between 2a and S8 on heating. However, 6a was converted to the NH insertion product (CO)4Re(κ2-NHC(Me)C(CO2Me)C(NEt2)) (12) by the action of H2NNH2 · H2O at 0 °C. All new compounds were characterized by a combination of elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and IR and NMR spectroscopy.
Estrogen replacement improves spatial reference memory and increases hippocampal synaptophysin in aged female mice

Abstract Estrogen deficiency during menopause is often associated with memory dysfunction. However, inconsistencies regarding the ability of estrogen to improve memory in menopausal women highlight the need to evaluate, in a controlled animal model, the potential for estrogen to alleviate age-related mnemonic decline. The current study tested whether estrogen could ameliorate spatial reference memory decline in aged female mice. At the conclusion of testing, levels of the presynaptic protein synaptophysin, and activities of the synthetic enzymes for acetylcholine and GABA, were measured in the hippocampus and neocortex. Aged (27–28-month-old) female C57BL/6 mice were given daily subcutaneous injections of 1 μg or 5 μg of β-estradiol-3-benzoate dissolved in sesame oil. Control mice received daily injections of sesame oil or no injections. Estradiol treatment began 5 days prior to behavioral testing and continued throughout testing. Spatial and non-spatial memory were assessed in the Morris water maze. The 5 μg dose of estradiol significantly improved spatial learning and memory in aged females. The performance of 5 μg females improved significantly more rapidly than that of control females; estradiol-treated females performed at asymptotic levels by session 2. Furthermore, 5 μg females exhibited a more robust spatial bias than controls during probe trials. In contrast, 1 μg of estradiol did not improve spatial task performance. Neither dose affected performance of the non-spatial task. In the hippocampus, synaptophysin was increased in 5 μg females relative to controls. Estrogen did not affect enzyme activities in either brain region. This study is the first to examine the effects of estrogen replacement on spatial reference memory and synaptophysin expression in aged post-estropausal female rodents. The results suggest that: (1) estrogen can profoundly improve spatial reference memory in aged females, and (2) this improvement may be related to increased hippocampal synaptic plasticity, but not modulation of the synthetic enzymes for acetylcholine and GABA.
Physics and modeling of an ac-plasma display picture element

A computer code which simulates the operation of a monochrome or color plasma display picture element is being jointly developed by a university, industrial partner, and a national laboratory under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement. The goals of the project, a description of a generic picture element and the plasma model are described. The role played by the wall in determining boundary values is presented. A brief discussion of the computer codes under development is given. The first year of progress by the University of Toledo group is summarized. Simulations of the voltage, electrode surface charge and current flow as a function of time for write, erase and sustain pulses for a pure helium discharge have been run.
Coherent control of Forster energy transfer in nanoparticle molecules: energy nanogates and plasmonic heat pulses.

We study how Forster energy transfer from a semiconductor quantum dot to a metallic nanoparticle can be gated using quantum coherence in quantum dots. We show this allows us to use a laser field to open the flow of the energy transfer for a given period of time (on-state) before it is switched off to about zero. Utilizing such an energy gating process it is shown that quantum-dot–metallic-nanoparticle systems (meta-molecules) can act as functional nanoheaters capable of generating heat pulses with temporal widths determined by their environmental and physical parameters. We discuss the physics behind the energy nanogates using molecular states of such meta-molecules and the resonance fluorescence of the quantum dots.
Development of terminal arbors of retino-geniculate axons in the kitten—I. Light microscopical observations

Abstract The maturation of terminal arbors of retino-geniculate axons was studied in normal kittens from 1 to 8 postnatal weeks. Horseradish peroxidase injected into the optic tract rostral to the lateral geniculate nucleus gave a dense fill of cut axons and their terminals, resembling results obtained by the Golgi methods. At 1 and 2 weeks postnatal, the overall size and extent of axon arbors is not significantly different than in the adult. However, terminal branches of axon arbors at this age give rise to high variable endings. They terminate in finely divided sprays of finger-like extensions and filopodia bearing small spikes rather than the characteristic clusters and strands of crenulated terminals of adult axons. The bases of these sprays are broad and irregular in contour, with foliate growth-cone-like structures occurring at the ends of some branches. At 3 weeks postnatal, terminal swellings become thicker and more crenulated in contour. By 5 to 6 weeks, axon arbors have adult-like terminals with respect to their size, shape and arrangement, although entire branches may still be immature with irregular terminal swellings. Small slightly indented terminals are also seen for the first time. By 8 weeks, axon arbors are generally mature, but occasionally have a bizarre and immature arrangement of fine extensions or growth-cone-like tips. Although these observations do not establish whether reduction of branches or of terminals takes place during postnatal maturation, they demonstrate that kitten retino-geniculate axon terminal arbors are highly immature and undergo considerable changes during the period optimal for induction of sprouting by eye enucleation. The morphogenetic maturation of terminal branches that begins at 3 weeks also marks a decline in their sprouting capacity, even though remodeling of terminals is not complete until after 8 weeks of age.
Effective management policies for remnant inventory supply chains

A remnant inventory distribution system is considered where a set of geographically dispersed distribution centers meet stochastic demand for a one-dimensional product. This demand arises from some other set of geographically dispersed locations. The product is replenished at the centers in a limited number of standard sizes, while the demand is for various smaller sizes of the product and arrives over time according to a Poisson process. There are costs associated with cutting and transportation and scrap can be profitably reclaimed. The combined production (cutting) and distribution problem is modeled as a network. A linear programming formulation is solved for a deterministic version of this problem using mean demand rates and the optimal dual multipliers are used to assign inherent values to remnants of various sizes. These values are then used to develop a price-directed policy that can be used in a stochastic environment. A simulation study shows that this policy significantly outperforms heuristic ...
An alternative approach to arrays

This paper presents a new approach to the treatment of arrays in Pascal and Pascal-like languages. The proposed mechanisms allow arrays to be used flexibly in assignments and as parameters to procedures while at the same time preserving the benefits of strong type checking. Several examples to illustrate the mechanisms are presented. Their implementation is also described.
On the measurement of stability in over-time data.

In this article, autoregressive models and growth curve models are compared. Autoregressive models are useful because they allow for random change, permit scores to increase or decrease, and do not require strong assumptions about the level of measurement. Three previously presented designs for estimating stability are described: (a) time-series, (b) simplex, and (c) two-wave, one-factor methods. A two-wave, multiple-factor model also is presented, in which the variables are assumed to be caused by a set of latent variables. The factor structure does not change over time and so the synchronous relationships are temporally invariant. The factors do not cause each other and have the same stability. The parameters of the model are the factor loading structure, each variable's reliability, and the stability of the factors. We apply the model to two data sets. For eight cognitive skill variables measured at four times, the 2-year stability is estimated to be .92 and the 6-year stability is .83. For nine personality variables, the 3-year stability is .68. We speculate that for many variables there are two components: one component that changes very slowly (the trait component) and another that changes very rapidly (the state component); thus each variable is a mixture of trait and state. Circumstantial evidence supporting this view is presented.
Temperature dependence of molecular interactions involved in defining stability of glutamine binding protein and its complex with L-glutamine.

The temperature dependence of dynamic parameters derived from nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation data is related to conformational entropy of the system under study. This provides information such as macromolecules stability and thermodynamics of ligand binding. We studied the temperature dependence of NMR order parameter of glutamine binding protein (GlnBP), a periplasmic binding protein (PBP) highly specific to l-glutamine associated with its ABC transporter, with the goal of elucidating the dynamical differences between the respective ligand bound and free forms. We found that the protein–ligand interaction, which is stabilized at higher temperature, has a striking effect on the stability of the hydrophobic core of the large domain of GlnBP. Moreover, in contrast to what was found for less specific PBPs, the decreasing backbone motion of the hinge region at increasing temperature supports the idea that the likelihood that GlnBP can adopt a ligand free closed conformation in solution diminishes...
Variations in the arbitrariness of ASL: an assessment of the symbolicity of simian signs

This paper summarizes and applies a continuum of «arbitrariness» or «symbolicity» composed of symptoms, rituals and symbols to the results of research in which American Sign Language (ASL) was used as the method of «language» training. Additionally, an expansion of the symbolicity continuum to include a continuum of «abstractness» with the «conceptual symbol» anchoring the most arbitrary end of the continuum was advanced. The results of the comparison provide additional support for the claim that apes are capable of learning and using symbolic signs. However, only a small number of those symbolic signs could be considered «conceptual symbols».
Technical writing knowledge transfer from first year composition to major courses

Written communication skills among engineers are critical to their career development. Unfortunately, students often have limited opportunity to hone these skills. The authors have been developing a process built upon the principles of knowledge transfer whereby non-technical peer writing tutors are trained to provide feedback to engineering students. The tutors learn to employ concepts of persuasion already in use when tutoring nontechnical subject matter to a technical writing assignment. Results of using this method include improved engineering student perceptions of the process and increased tutor feedback. Finally, the authors propose a partnership between engineering faculty and instructors of first-year composition courses to further improve knowledge transfer.
Infrared photochemistry of (CH3)2Cl+, (CH3)Cl+ (CD3) and (CD3)2Cl+ in the gas phase using low-intensity cw laser radiation

Abstract Of the three isotopic variants of the dimethylchloronium ion (CH 3 ) 2 Cl + , (CH 3 )Cl + (CD 3 ) and (CD 3 ) 2 Cl + only (CD 3 ) 2 Cl + dissociates following irradiation by a relatively low-power ( −2 ) cw CO 2 laser. Techniques of cyclotron resonance spectroscopy are used to generate, store and detect the gas-phase ions.
Calculation of parameter values from node voltage measurements

In this paper a theorem is given for the necessary and sufficient test conditions required to determine the value of a circuit component from node voltage measurements at a single test frequency. Several techniques are then presented for the calculation of circuit component values from voltage measurements, including a new technique based on the adjoint circuit concept. In addition, some results are presented on the measurement of component values using different test frequencies.
Antibiotic Levels in Infected and Sterile Subcutaneous Abscesses in Mice

The pharmacokinetic properties of 10 antimicrobial agents were examined in sterile and infected encapsulated subcutaneous abscesses in mice. The inoculum for sterile abscesses was autoclaved cecal contents; that for infected abscesses was autoclaved cecal contents combined with Bacteroides fragilis. The antimicrobial agents examined were rosaramicin, clindamycin, chloramphenicol, metronidazole, and six beta-lactam antibiotics. All antimicrobial agents entered abscesses, produced peak levels of biological activity that were somewhat delayed in comparison to serum levels, and were present in negligible levels 8 hr after administration. The highest concentration in abscesses was achieved with rosaramicin and clindamycin, with peak levels of 43%--63% of the peak serum level. Peak levels of other antimicrobial agents in sterile abscesses were 13%--27% of the peak serum level. Levels of biologically active during were significantly lower in infected abscesses than in sterile abscesses for antimicrobial agents that are inactivated by B. fragilis beta-lactamase.
An Examination of Fatigue in Advanced Childhood Cancer

Fatigue is a complex phenomenon without a widely accepted definition, and is one of the least explained phenomena of advanced disease. A great deal of work and research has been done to explore the experience, incidence, and management of fatigue in children with cancer. Fatigue remains, however, a source of suffering for children with advanced disease and their families. The knowledge we have gained from the study of fatigue in children receiving antineoplastic therapy can be applied to children during this phase of their illness. The goal of this article is to address the incidence of fatigue in the advanced stage of illness, review the literature regarding fatigue in pediatric oncology, and propose how such findings may be applicable to children in the later stages of their illness.
All-optical excitonic switch

We demonstrate experimental proof of principle for all-optical excitonic switches where light controls light using excitons as intermediate medium.
Sharing Songs: A Powerful Tool for Teaching Tolerance and Honoring Culture

Teaching songs from a wide variety of cultures is commonplace in music classrooms around the United States. Students gain understanding of and insight into a wide range of cultures by singing their...
William James and the Humanistic Implications of the Neuroscience Revolution: An Outrageous Hypothesis

William James anticipated that his views on a science of consciousness would have an impact even decades after he had passed away in 1910. His evolving model of consciousness is reviewed as it developed between the 1860s and the early 1900s. As a result of these investigations, James developed a metaphysics of pragmatism, pluralism, and radical empiricism to answer the question of how waking rational consciousness can understand states of consciousness beyond itself and to address the larger problem as to whether or not a science of consciousness is even possible. His answer led him to an investigation of the primary presuppositions underlying how consciousness is actually conducted and an alternative epistemology to reductionistic positivism. His view influenced subsequent developments in personality—social psychology in the 1930s and 1940s, and the birth of existential-humanistic psychology in the 1950s. Though emphasis on the person as the central focus of psychology has virtually disappeared in the er...
Development and testing of the modified version of the Pulmonary Functional Status and Dyspnea Questionnaire (PFSDQ-M)

OBJECTIVE: Describe the process of development and testing to reduce the Pulmonary Functional Status and Dyspnea Questionnaire (PFSDQ) from 164 items to a modified questionnaire (the PFSDQ-M) consisting of 40 items. DESIGN: Instrument development and testing for reliability, validity, and practicality. SETTING: Hospital-based outpatients. PATIENTS: Testing was done on three groups of clinically stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a secondary analysis of 131 subjects for item selection, reliability, and validity; 50 additional subjects evaluating the PFSDQ-M for internal consistency, test-retest correlations, and construct validity; and 34 subjects from a longitudinal study for responsiveness. OUTCOME MEASURES: PFSDQ, PFSDQ-M, and spirometry. RESULTS: The practicality of the PFSDQ-M was supported by its sixth- to seventh-grade reading level, ease of reading (Flesch-Kincaid 69.5), self-administration, brief period for testing (7 minutes initially, 6 minutes on repeated testing), and limited missing data (< 8%). Reliability of the three components was supported by internal consistency α = 0.93 for change experienced by the patient with activities (CA), 0.95 for dyspnea with activities (DA), and 0.95 for fatigue with activities (FA). Good stability of the PFSDQ-M was demonstrated on test-retest; r = 0.70 for change, 0.83 for dyspnea, and 0.79 for fatigue (with activities). The usefulness of the PFSDQ-M in discriminating between dyspnea scores in patients based on their rate of deterioration in lung function was demonstrated. CONCLUSIONS: The PFSDQ was modified by reducing the number of activities evaluated, standardizing scaling formats, and adding a fatigue component. Findings suggest that the PFSDQ-M demonstrates initial reliability; good validity estimates, as seen with the factor analysis, and the dyspnea and activity scores appear responsive to physiologic changes in lung function over time.
Genetics and Evolution of Deep-Sea Chemosynthetic Bacteria and Their Invertebrate Hosts

The clams, mussels, and tubeworms that dominate deep-sea chemosynthetic communities obtain most of their nutrition through intracellular symbiotic g-Proteobacteria that oxidize reduced compounds. The modes of symbiont transmission employed by various taxa have profound consequences for genetic, demographic, and evolutionary processes affecting the symbionts and their hosts. Vesicomyid clams transmit endosymbionts vertically via their eggs, a process that leads to symbiont clonality and accelerated rates of evolution. Vertical transmission provides the host with symbiont assurance because dispersing larvae carry the bacteria as they colonize new habitats. The symbionts and their host clams exhibit cospeciation. Vertical transmission for at least 45 million years has contributed to significant genome reduction, as the symbionts have lost almost half their DNA and many of the genes that were required for living in the ambient environment. In contrast, the horizontally transmitted symbionts associated with siboglinid tubeworms do not exhibit genome reduction. Tubeworm larvae are newly infected in each generation when they settle on appropriate substrates. Infection by local bacterial strains is hypothesized to provide the worms with locally optimal symbionts. Symbiont diversity is structured geographically and by habitat type (vent vs seep) and does not parallel host evolution. Less is known about the endosymbionts associated with various species of bathymodiolin mussels. Acquisition of local symbionts occurs in these mussels, but a vertical component of transmission might also exist. Symbiont diversity is structured geographically and not according to host species. The benefits of various symbiont transmission modes also carry associated risks that range from pure enslavement and genomic erosion under strictly vertical transmission to the possible evolution of bacterial strains that cheat the host when mixed symbiont genotypes infect a single host under horizontal transmission. The prevalence of horizontal transmission systems in chemosynthetic environments suggests that the symbionts must have escape strategies that allow them to ­re-inoculate the ambient environment and contribute to their overall fitness.
The Proliferation Risks of Plutonium Mines

A number of observers have recently pointed to the risk that spent fuel repositories could eventually become relatively low‐cost sources of fissile material for nuclear weapons—that is, “plutonium mines.” However, the range of conditions under which repository mining will look attractive compared to other means of acquiring plutonium is extremely narrow. At a minimum, mining significant quantities of plutonium will take several months and will be readily detectable if reasonable safeguards are applied at the repository sites. In any case, if spent fuel is not put into a repository, and is instead left in retrievable storage and eventually reprocessed, with the plutonium and other actinides in the spent fuel separated and transmuted, that course will itself generate significant risks of plutonium diversion or theft.
Acid mist and soil Ca and Al alter the mineral nutrition and physiology of red spruce.

We examined the effects and potential interactions of acid mist and soil solution Ca and Al treatments on foliar cation concentrations, membrane-associated Ca (mCa), ion leaching, growth, carbon exchange, and cold tolerance of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) saplings. Soil solution Ca additions increased foliar Ca and Zn concentrations, and increased rates of respiration early in the growing season (July). Soil Al treatment had a broad impact, reducing foliar concentrations of Ca, Mg, Mn, P and Zn, and resulting in smaller stem diameters, sapling heights and shoot lengths compared with soil treatments with no added Al. Aluminum treatment also reduced respiration when shoots were elongating in July and decreased net photosynthesis at the end of the growing season (September).
SALT SUBSTITUTES IN CANNED LUNCHEON MEAT

Potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium sulfate were used to replace 50% of the ionic strength of the sodium chloride in a luncheon meat product. The magnesium chloride treatment had a higher cook yield while all four treatments resulted in lower (P ≥ 0.05) thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values than the control. Samples from the calcium chloride and magnesium chloride treatments were lighter (P ≥ 0.05) in color than the control, suggesting that these two adjuncts were detrimental to product color. Total lipid content of the magnesium chloride treatment, which had a correspondingly higher cook yield, was greater (P > 0.05) than the other treatments. Cholesterol content of the magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium sulfate treatments was higher (P ≥ 0.05) than the control. These results suggest that potassium chloride is a viable replacement for up to 50% of the ionic strength of sodium chloride in luncheon meat without any deleterious effects on product quality.
Pneumocystis carinii isolated from lung lavage fluid in an infant with cystic fibrosis.

Pneumocystis carinii (P. carinii) cysts were identified in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from a 15-week-old child newly diagnosed with cystic fibrosis who presented with bronchitis, pneumonia, and weight loss. The child was not infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and there was no evidence of impaired immunity or exposure to individuals with known or suspected P. carinii disease. Culture of the lavage fluid also revealed pathogens typical of lung disease associated with cystic fibrosis. It is suspected that the presence of P. carinii in this patient represented a new acquisition, as has been described in immunocompetent infants and children. Whether P. carinii infection complicated cystic fibrosis-associated lung disease in this patient is unknown.
Pre- versus post-anterior clinoidectomy measurements of the optic nerve, internal carotid artery, and opticocarotid triangle: a cadaveric morphometric study.

OBJECTIVE Published morphometric data supporting the microsurgical advantages of anterior clinoidectomy are scant. The goal of this study was to quantify, with direct measurements, the improved exposure of the optic nerve, internal carotid artery (ICA), and opticocarotid triangle (OCT) after extradural removal of the anterior clinoid process. METHODS Ten formalin-fixed adult cadaver heads were dissected bilaterally, and measurements were made both before and after anterior clinoidectomy. Twenty sets of pre- and post-anterior clinoidectomy measurements were collected, consisting of: 1) optic nerve length from the optic chiasm to the optic canal (pre) and to the anulus of Zinn (post); 2) ICA length from the ICA bifurcation to the distal limit of the anterior clinoid process (pre) and to the ICA distal dural ring (post); 3) OCT width, the widest in situ distance between the optic nerve and the ICA (pre) and the analogous measurement with allowable retraction on the mobilized ICA and optic nerve (post); and 4) OCT length from the point where the A1 segment crosses the optic chiasm to the optic canal (pre) and to the anulus of Zinn (post). RESULTS The right and left combined mean values +/- standard error of the mean before and after removal of the anterior clinoid process, respectively, were: optic nerve length, 10.28 +/- 2.30 mm and 22.83 +/- 2.54 mm; ICA length, 10.48 +/- 2.39 mm and 14.78 +/- 3.02 mm; OCT width, 3.93 +/- 1.16 mm and 12.95 +/- 2.61 mm; and OCT length, 10.38 +/- 2.84 mm and 23.55 +/- 2.79 mm. CONCLUSION Anterior clinoidectomy can provide a twofold increase in exposure of the optic nerve length and the OCT length, as well as a three- to fourfold increase in the maximum OCT width. This dramatically improves surgical exposure in the suprasellar and periclinoid regions.
On delay in real-time streaming communication systems

We focus on the problem of real-time streaming over a blockage channel with long feedback delay, as arises in real-time satellite communication from a comm-on-the-move (COTM) terminal. For this problem, we introduce a definition of delay that captures the real-time nature of the problem, which we show grows at least as fast as O(log(k)) for memoryless channels, where k corresponds to the number of packets in the transmission. Moreover, we show that a tradeoff exists between this delay and a natural notion of throughput that captures the bandwidth requirements of the communication. We develop and analyze an efficient “multi-burst” transmission protocol for achieving good delay-throughput tradeoffs within this framework, which we show can be augmented with coding for additional performance gains. Simulations validate the new protocols on channels with and without memory.
Innate defenses in the liver during Listeria infection

The majority of pathogens entering the bloodstream are cleared by the liver. Listeria monocytogenes, an important natural pathogen of humans, is a useful tool for examining protective immune responses during systemic infections of mice. Innate immunity contributes to blood clearance and eventual sterilization of the liver subsequent to Listeria infections. Effector mechanisms expressed in the liver early after infections are orchestrated by complex interactions between resident populations, i.e. hepatocytes and Kupffer cells, with infiltrating monocytes, neutrophils, and natural killer cells. These interactions include cell to cell contact through adhesion molecules, as well as communication through secretion of cytokines and chemokines. The liver environment, as the interface between blood-borne pathogens and innate host defenses, is reviewed here.
ISSUES INVOLVED IN FORMULATING A STRUCTURES POLICY FOR U.S. AGRICULTURE

On March 12, 1979, Secretary of Agriculture Bob Bergland issued a call for a full-scale national dialogue on the structure of American agriculture. According to USDA, “Reaction to the speech has been widespread and, in the main, highly positive.” The main factor contributing to this “widespread highly positive” response has been the ambiguity of the subject matter. Farmers, along with special interest groups of all types and persuasions, have eagerly jumped on the structures bandwagon to blame/praise one or more particular aspects of agricultural structure for all the evils/blessings currently within their fields of vision. This broad range of comments and opinions on structure can be attributed to the extreme extent to which the structure of agriculture pervades and is interwoven with the national economy and society in general. Unfortunately, some unreasonable expectations apparently have also emerged concerning which of agriculture's ills can be alleviated via a structures policy. The aim of this article is to attempt to give some perspective to the structures issue.
Arts Integration What’s the Problem?

Arts integration has been a popular topic for many years. Music educators often find arts integration to be challenging, because it requires a great deal of time, necessitates collaboration with ot...