cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A PERINATAL RESEARCH DATABASE

A computerized perinatal database has been developed at Mount Sinai Hospital to manage information generated by 7000 admissions per year (3500 maternal & 3500 infant), including 900 admissions to the Newborn Special Care Unit. The unique features of this database system occur in 3 areas. 1. It was designed from inception as a comprehensive, integrated maternal-infant database. There are currently 534 maternal and 646 infant variables. The database is designed to prospectively collect data of general utility to any perinatal research study enabling integration of that data with the specialized data collected by specific research. 2. The database is distributed over two separate computer systems to be cost-effective, yet allow complex use of the data. Data are entered on a 16-bit multi-user micro-computer where admission notes, discharge summaries, and summary reports on < 1 year's data are generated. Data are regularly transmitted from the local computer to our University Computing Center where complex statistical analysis, long-term analysis, and archival storage are available. 3. Data collection has been integrated into routine medical care, utilizing problem oriented records to allow prospective data collection rather than retrospective chart abstraction.
Effects of instructions on habituation of the orienting response: another perspective on the study by Gruzelier and Eves.

Abstract A recent study by Gruzelier and Eves (1987, Int. J. Psychophysiol., 4: 289–291) purported to test the hypothesis of Iacono and Lykken (1979, Schizophrenia Bull., 5: 11–14), that instructions to subjects that clarify task demands facilitate habituation. However, the Gruzelier and Eves study did not provide an adequate test of this hypothesis. Moreover, contrary to the assertions of Gruzelier and Eves, the data presented in their paper are consistent with the predictions of Iacono and Lykken.
Determining soil salinity from measurements of electrical conductivity.

Abstract This paper summarizes the principles of soil electrical conductivity, the equipment and methods used for measuring it, and the means of interpreting field soil salinity without need for soil sampling and laboratory analysis. A new technique for determining the salinity of soil samples from the electrical conductivity of the saturated‐paste is also described.
Energy-delay based provisioning for large datacenters: an energy-efficient and cost optimal approach (abstracts only)

It is challenging to determine the optimum number of servers required to provision for large online applications because of the conflicting mandates of (a) achieving peak performance needs and (b) minimizing unused datacenter power and capacity. Since Online Services application loads are unpredictable, datacenter operators often conservatively provision for maximum power utilization by characterizing workloads for peak load performance. In contrast, we aim to optimize the service capacity per total cost of ownership (TCO) of an Online Service datacenter deployment by characterizing the energy-delay properties of large scale datacenter workloads. We show that the peak load performance is not the energy efficient point of operation for most applications. We choose two industry-strength workloads (Internet Search and D-Process) and analyze their energy-delay behavior under varying loads. We then calculate the optimal operating point for the specific large-scale application and provision datacenter energy and capacity based on the energy-delay curves. In contrast to workload-based peak power provisioning, we show a 7% benefit in Service Capacity-per-TCOdollar for the energy-delay characterization methodology in our cost analysis for Online Services Applications.
On the red blood cell Ca2+-pump: an estimate of stoichiometry.

Efflux of Ca2+ from reversibly hemolyzed human red blood cell ghosts was determined by a Ca2+ selective electrode, by atomic absorption spectroscopy, and by the use of45Ca. Hydrolysis of ATP was determined by measurement of inorganic phosphate (Pi). At 25°C, ghosts loaded with CaCl2, MgCl2, Na2ATP, and Tris buffer (pH 7.4) extruded Ca2+, with mean rates ranging from 58.8±3.5 (sd) to 74.7±8.2 (sd) μmoles·liter ghosts−1·min− depending on the method of Ca2+ determination. The ratio of Ca2+ transported to Pi released in the presence of ouabain without correction for background ATP splitting was 0.83, 0.83, and 0.80, respectively, for the three methods of Ca2+ determination. Correction for the ATPase activity not associated with Ca2+ transport resulted in a ratio of 0.91:1. In other experiments, the use of La3+ to inhibit the Ca2+-pump allowed an estimate of the ATPase activity associated with Ca2+ extrusion. In the presence of various concentrations of La3+, the ratio of Ca2+ pumped to Pi liberated was 0.86 or 1.02, depending on the method of Ca2+ determination. It is concluded that the stoichiometry of the Ca2+-pump of the RBC plasma membrane is one Ca2+ pumped per ATP hydrolyzed.
Cytokine Induced Neutrophil Chemoattractant (Cinc) Expression Is Increased In Hyperoxia Exposed Premature Newborn Rat Lung † 1603

Cytokine Induced Neutrophil Chemoattractant (Cinc) Expression Is Increased In Hyperoxia Exposed Premature Newborn Rat Lung † 1603
EHD3 Mediates Integral Membrane Protein Trafficking and Maintain Electrical Excitability and Adrenergic Responsiveness in the Heart

Cardiac contraction relies upon the proper expression, trafficking, and retention of integral membrane proteins such as ion channels, transporters, and hormone receptors. These proteins govern cardiac contraction and short and long term adaptations to physiological and pathophysiological stimuli. The profile of expressed proteins is dynamic, and it is regulated to assure the proper response to stress. Yet, despite its obvious importance, little is known regarding even the identity (or the function) of the intracellular molecular pathways underpinning the trafficking and targeting of integral membrane proteins in the context of the native heart. The goal of this work is identify new molecular players that regulate protein targeting and trafficking in the heart. Eps 15 homology domain-containing (EHD) gene products (EHD1-4) are intracellular proteins that are key regulators of endosomal trafficking, lipid homeostasis, membrane protein recycling and trafficking. Previously uncharacterized in the heart, we recently presented evidence which demonstrated that this protein family likely plays indispensable roles in protein trafficking in cardiac muscle. Notably, an essential role for one of these proteins, EHD3, in the membrane trafficking of the Na/Ca exchanger (NCX) in heart was uncovered. The goal of this research program is for the first time to directly test the role of these proteins in cardiac structural and electrical activity using cutting-edge in vivo models of EHD deficiency. We show that EHD3 deficiency in the heart leads to: 1) abnormal cardiac structure at baseline; 2) irregular action potential morphology, heart rhythm, and conduction; 3) depressed β-adrenergic responsiveness; 4) dysfunctional NCX and LTCC trafficking and function; and 5) dysregulated ankyrin-B expression and trafficking. These data strongly support a role for EHD3 in membrane protein trafficking and regulation within the context of the native heart.
Lattice calculation of meson form factors for semi-leptonic decays

Abstract We present a study of form factors of exclusive semi-leptonic decays of mesons on the lattice using Wilson fermions in the quenched approximation. We discuss our first preliminary results for K → π ev, D → KeV and D → π ev.
Simulating Nanopore Sensor Dynamics Over Long Times Scales

Nanopores of both synthetic and biological origin hold broad potential for single-molecule sensing applications. We present a Brownian kinetic model that combines: (1) analyte diffusion kinetics; (2) electrophoretic drift; (3) and convective electroosmotic flow. This approach provides insight into analyte behavior over relatively long time scales (microsecond to millisecond).The simulation utilizes a distributed computer network to model these three kinetic factors in beta-cyclodextrin (βCD)-modified αHL. The structure of this modified channel is simplified to a three-dimensional reflecting solid, whereby diffusing analytes are individually tracked as they migrate above the pore and through the lumen. Based on measurements of diffusion constants, electrophoretic mobility, and electroosmotic flow rates through the nanopore, the simulator follows trajectories of particles located at different positions relative to the mouth of the pore. We present data collected over a range of applied transmembrane potentials and estimate the probability of capturing analytes as a function of distance relative to the pore. The timing of analyte arrival at the βCD detection site is also described. The results highlight the dominance of thermal diffusion and illustrate the relative contribution of each of the three kinetic factors in the production of detection events.View Large Image | View Hi-Res Image | Download PowerPoint Slide
Rapid tracking of a human retina using a nonlinear joint transform correlator

Experimental results on rapid (2.5 ms, approximately 400 Hz) tracking of a human retina are presented. The optical tracking was implemented with a nonlinear joint transform correlator that used ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) spatial light modulators (SLM) at both the input and joint transform planes. The input SLMs were electrically addressed and the joint transform SLM was optically addressed with a photodiode. Realistic images of a human retina were used in a scenario that is directly traceable to surgical applications. For a one hundred image noisy test set, only one false alarm was obtained. The threshold requirements and tracking accuracy were quantified. Hardware improvements that are realizable in the near term (approximately 1 year) are discussed.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Upper thoracic pedicle screw loss of fixation causing spinal cord injury: a review of the literature and multicenter case series.

STUDY DESIGN Case Series and Review of the Literature. OBJECTIVE To report on cases of spinal cord injury from loss of fixation of upper thoracic pedicle screws. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Despite generally low rates of intraoperative neurological injury from pedicle screws, there is 1 reported case of T2 pedicle screw pullout causing spinal cord injury. METHODS A review of the literature and an informal poll of 2 professional societies searching for cases in which thoracic pedicle screws migrated postoperatively into the spinal canal was performed. RESULTS Three patients had failure of spinal instrumentation with the most cephalad pedicle screws (T2, T4 and T4) plowing into the spinal canal, causing direct trauma to the spinal cord with resulting clinical and neurological injury. Failure of fixation occurred at 1 month, 1 year, and 2 years after index procedure. In 2 patients, neurological injury was severe enough that they became nonambulatory; the third patient had rapidly progressive leg weakness. In each case, there were only 1 or 2 pedicle screws at the top of the construct, and a span of 6 to 7 vertebrae without rigid fixation below this. One similar case was found in the literature. CONCLUSIONS Spinal instrumentation with only 1 to 2 pedicle screws at the top of the construct, and a span of >5 vertebrae below these screws without rigid fixation may be at risk for implant failure and catastrophic spinal cord injury. In the rare instance in which only 1 to 2 pedicle screws can be placed at the cephalad half of long spinal constructs, one may consider using hooks that would fail posteriorly and may present less risk to the spinal cord.
Green targets: people who buy organic food – a customer acquisition challenge

The key issue in this paper is customer acquisition for organisations that sell organic food or promote the purchase of organic food. Who should these organisations target for more cost-effective marketing acquisition campaigns? The analysis focuses on who tries to buy organic food regularly, and the type of consumers who do not do so. The paper is based on a secondary analysis of The Millennial Survey, January 2010, sponsored by the Pew Foundation. Consumers with higher educational levels who practice recycling at home, and have household incomes above $50,000 are most likely to be regular customers for organic food.
Dependence of wind erosion and dust emission on surface heterogeneity: Stochastic modeling

[1] A method for incorporating surface heterogeneity into models of wind erosion and dust emission is presented. Parameters that control threshold shear velocity (bare-soil threshold shear velocity, vegetation cover, and vegetation shape) are parameterized as modified-normal distributions with defined means and coefficients of variation. A parameterized bootstrap (Monte Carlo) approach is used to estimate histograms of threshold shear velocities for vegetated surfaces using the model of Raupach et al. (1993). Horizontal mass flux is calculated from threshold shear velocity histograms and a wind record. Vertical mass flux (dust emission) can be inferred from horizontal mass flux. The results from these simulations indicate that wind erosion and dust emission are dominated by the few instances with unusually high surface erodibility (e.g., low threshold shear velocity). This finding is supported by observations of dust emission “hot spots” in landscapes undergoing dust emission. As a result, wind erosion and dust emission flux rates are much higher in simulations with variability than they are in nonvariable cases using only parameter means. The magnitude of highly nonlinear, threshold-controlled processes such as wind erosion and dust flux is essentially controlled by variability in the landscape. This result argues for inclusion of surface heterogeneity in global and regional dust emission models.
Noise temperature as a measure of mean electron energy in a gaseous discharge

Abstract A technique which is thought to be more relevant and applicable than the conventional Langmuir-probe technique for determining mean electron energy in a gas discharge is presented here. Electron temperatures obtained using a Langmuir probe are compared with noise temperatures measured with external probes at high frequencies for a variety of discharge conditions. The results lead to a simple formula for finding mean electron energies using noise techniques.
Sustained outcomes following mild traumatic brain injury: results of a five-emergency department longitudinal study.

AbstractObjective: To report on the occurrence of sustained outcomes including post-concussion symptoms, health services used and indicators of social disruption following a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI).Research design: A dual cohort comparing MTBI Emergency Department (ED) patients and a comparison group of non-head injured ED patients.Methods and procedures: The outcomes measures employed were the Rivermead Post-Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) and indicators of health services used and social disruption all recorded at the ED and at 3 and 6 months post-ED discharge. ‘Sustained’ meant a positive response to these measures at 3 and 6 months.Main outcomes and results: Reasonable follow-up success was achieved at 3 and 6 months and the cohorts were alike on all demographic descriptors. RPQ average score and symptom occurrence were far more frequent among MTBI patients than for the comparison cohort from 3 to 6 months. The use of health services and indicators of social disruption were also mor...
Changes in the stratification structure of sociology, 1964–1992

Early sociological studies of the American higher education system noted that despite a widespread ideology of egalitarianism, both individuals and departments are highly stratified. Their main findings were that 1) the distribution of Ph.D. departments in any given field tended to cluster at the low end of the prestige hierarchy; 2) a few elite graduate programs graduated the vast majority of all Ph.D.’s awarded in the United States; 3) downward mobility for all but a handful of Ph.D.’s was inevitable; and 4) elite graduate programs protected their prestige through inbreeding. Since those studies there have been few attempts to document changes in the structure of stratification in scientific disciplines in general, and sociology in particular. I use longitudinal data on departments and individual data on recent sociology Ph.D.’s to study changes in the structure of the stratification system in sociology over the past 30 years. My results reflect a mixed picture of change and stability; while the distribution of departmental prestige, the production of Ph.D.’s, and inbreeding mechanisms have shifted since 1964, the pattern of placement of new Ph.D’s in doctorate-granting departments has changed very little.
Molecular characterization and evolutionary insights into potential sex-determination genes in the western orchard predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis (Chelicerata: Arachnida: Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Little is known about the process of sex determination at the molecular level in species belonging to the subclass Acari, a taxon of arachnids that contains mites and ticks. The recent sequencing of the transcriptome and genome of the western orchard predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis allows investigation of molecular mechanisms underlying the biological processes of sex determination in this predator of phytophagous pest mites. We identified four doublesex-and-mab-3-related transcription factor (dmrt) genes, one transformer-2 gene, one intersex gene, and two fruitless-like genes in M. occidentalis. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted to infer the molecular relationships to sequences from species of arthropods, including insects, crustaceans, acarines, and a centipede, using available genomic data. Comparative analyses revealed high sequence identity within functional domains and confirmed that the architecture for certain sex-determination genes is conserved in arthropods. This study provides a framework for identifying potential target genes that could be implicated in the process of sex determination in M. occidentalis and provides insight into the conservation and change of the molecular components of sex determination in arthropods.
Back to school: updates for speech-language pathologists.

Purpose In this column, the editor gives an overview of each article in the current issue of Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools (Vol. 45, No. 4).
Reactions of thiosulfate and sulfite ions with DTNB: interference in sulfhydryl group analysis.

Abstract DTNB has been found to react quantitatively with sulfite ion liberating two moles of 3-carboxylato-4-nitro-thiophenolate ion. While this reaction provides a quantitative measurement of sulfite ion, it also provides quantitative interference with the determination of sulfhydryl groups in proteins. Thiosulfate also interferes with the sulfhydryl determinations using DTNB and the equilibrium constant for the reaction formulated as Eq. (3) is (4.8 ± 0.2) × 10 −2 at pH 7.75 and at ionic strength of 0.4.
Life And Death In A Chinese Famine: Infanticide As A Demographic Consequence Of The 1935 Yellow River Flood

Famine mortality has a special interest for those interested in population history. After Malthus wrote An Essay on the Principle of Population in 1798, famine was viewed as an event that “checks” population growth, perhaps the inevitable consequence of overpopulation. Although demographers have recently tried to show that a single famine or demographic crisis cannot retard population growth in the long run (Watkins and Menken 1985; Bongaarts and Cain 1982), yet famine, to the extent that it exists today, still constitutes a most dramatic demographic event.
Efficacy of Spinosad in Control of Larval Culex tarsalis and Chironomid Midges, and Its Nontarget Effects

Formulations of spinosad for mosquito and midge control (e.g., Natular) are derived from the Saccharopolyspora spinosa bacterium. They offer a different mode of action from other larvicides. We tested the effectiveness of single-brood (2EC) and extended-release pellet (G30) formulations against larvae of Culex tarsalis and chironomid midges, at mid- to high label rates, in wetland mesocosms. We also monitored survival of mayfly nymphs and other nontarget insects. Both formulations were effective against mosquitoes for > 4 wk and yielded excellent midge control. Spinosad caused mortality of mayflies and other nontarget insects. Spinosad was less toxic to mayflies than to targets, and effects on mayflies were undetectable after day 21. The higher toxicity for mosquitoes indicates that future research could identify rates that reduce nontarget effects while maintaining high efficacy.
Identity of structural protein from two isolated of TRV with different length of associated short particles.

Abstract The properties of structural protein from two isolates of TRV characterized by different lengths of associated short particles (85 and 110 mμ) were compared. Amino acid compositions were identical with proline released from the C-terminus of both isolates by hydrazinolysis. Subunit protein extracted by exposure to acetic acid displayed no distinct difference in sedimentation rates, electrophoretic mobility in polyacrylamide gel, and peptide mapping. Reconstitution of nucleoprotein particles with typical biological activities was possible from homologous or heterologous mixtures of extracted protein and RNA.
Layer-Anion Interactions in Magnesium Aluminum Layered Double Hydroxides Intercalated with Cobalticyanide and Nitroprusside.

The interactions of cobalticyanide and nitroprusside with magnesium aluminum layered double hydroxide are investigated using oriented infrared spectroscopy together with powder X-ray diffraction. Cobalticyanide is known to intercalate into layered double hydroxides in the same manner as ferrocyanide, with its 3-fold rotational axis perpendicular to the cation sheets. The intercalated cobalticyanide anion shows a small yet observable deviation from local Oh symmetry, causing small differences between its oriented and nonoriented infrared spectra. Nitroprusside is shown to intercalate into 2:1 Mg:Al LDH with decomposition to form intercalated ferrocyanide and nitrosyl groups of an unidentified nature.
A coupled energy transport and hydrological model for urban canopies evaluated using a wireless sensor network

We propose a new surface exchange scheme coupling the transport of energy and water in urban canopies. The new model resolves the subfacet heterogeneity of urban surfaces, which is particularly useful for capturing surface exchange processes from vegetated urban surfaces, such as lawns or green roofs. We develop detailed urban hydrological models for surfaces consisting of either natural (soil and vegetation) or engineered materials with water-holding capacity. The coupling of energy and water transport enables us to parametrize surface evaporation from different urban facets including soils, vegetation and water-holding engineered surfaces. The new coupled model is evaluated using field measurement data obtained through a wireless sensor network deployed over the Princeton University campus. Comparison of model prediction and measured results shows that the proposed surface exchange scheme is able to predict widely varying surface temperatures for each subfacet with good accuracy. Different weather conditions and seasonal variability are found to have insignificant effect on the model performance. The new model is also able to capture the subsurface hydrological processes with reasonable accuracy, particularly for urban lawns. The proposed model is then applied to assess different mitigation strategies of the urban heat island effect.
Hybrid sensors for impact-induced strain in smart composite plates

An experimental study if conducted to evaluate the performance of different types of strain gauges for impact detection in eight layer symmetric cross-ply Graphite/Epoxy composite plates. The plates were impacted with rigid spheres using the drop-weight technique. The impacts did not produce apparent damage in the composite plate. The responses of calibrated surface-mounted extrinsic Fabry-Perot fiber optical sensors, a metalized polyvinylidene fluoride foil sensor, and a conventional electrical resistance rosette are compared. Characteristics of signal signatures from each sensor are demonstrated. Advantages and disadvantages of utilizing each type of strain sensor in the composite structure are discussed. The experimental strain responses are presented for various impact energies. The significant features of the strain response are contact duration, peak strain, strain rise time, and full width at half maximum. All of the sensors exhibited reproducible and similar results. The extrinsic Fabry-Perot fiber optical sensor performed superior with respect to sensitivity and accuracy of point measurement.
Hydride Transfer from (η5-C5Me5)(CO)2MH (M = Fe, Ru, Os) to Trityl Cation: Different Products from Different Metals and the Kinetics of Hydride Transfer

Reactions of the metal hydride complexes Cp*(CO)2MH (M = Fe, Ru, Os) with Ph3C+BF4- in CH2Cl2 were studied. Hydride transfer from Cp*(CO)2FeH to Ph3C+BF4- gives Cp*(CO)2FeFBF3. Hydride transfer from the ruthenium hydride Cp*(CO)2RuH to Ph3C+BF4- produces the bridging hydride complex {[Cp*(CO)2Ru]2(μ-H)}+BF4-, indicating that Cp*(CO)2RuH exhibits significant nucleophilicity in addition to hydridic reactivity of the Ru−H bond. The osmium hydride Cp*(CO)2OsH reacts with Ph3C+BF4- in CH2Cl2 to give a mixture of Cp*(CO)2OsFBF3 and [Cp*(CO)2Os(ClCH2Cl)]+BF4-. The kinetics of these hydride transfer reactions were monitored by stopped-flow methods, leading to the second-order rate law −d[Ph3C+BF4-]/dt = k[Ph3C+BF4-][MH]. The temperature dependence of the rate constants was determined for the iron hydride, the osmium hydride, and the osmium deuteride Cp*(CO)2OsD. Activation parameters for hydride transfer from Cp*(CO)2FeH are ΔH⧧ = 2.6 ± 0.1 kcal mol-1 and ΔS⧧ = −22.1 ± 0.4 cal K-1 mol-1; for Cp*(CO)2OsH the activ...
A New Rickettsia from a Herbivorous Insect, the Pea Aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)

An undescribed, maternally heritable, rod-shaped bacterium (or “tertiary symbiont”) was detected by microscopy in hemolymph of about half (59/122) of pea aphid [Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris)] clones collected from widely separated locations in California. On the basis of molecular phylogenetic analysis of 16S rDNA sequences, the bacterium was clearly placed among other Rickettsia in the α-subgroup of Proteobacteria, close to Rickettsia bellii—a rickettsia found in ticks. A PCR assay was developed to detect this bacterium in pea aphid clones with specific 16S rDNA PCR primers. Results of PCR-based assays completely correlated with detection by microscopy. This is the first confirmed detection of a Rickettsia in a herbivorous insect.
LACK OF MYCORRHIZAL SPECIFICITY BY THE ERICACEOUS HOSTS ARBUTUS MENZIESII AND ARCTOSTAPHYLOS UV A‐URSI

SUMMARY Twenty-eight cultures of ectomycorrhizal fungi isolated from diverse host and habitat associations were tested in pure culture syntheses with the ericaceous hosts Arbutus menziesii Pursh and Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (L.) Spreng. All but three of the fungi formed arbutoid mycorrhizas. Sheathing fungal mantles, Hartig net penetration and intracellular colonization were well developed on most mycorrhizas. These results confirm that ectomycorrhizal fungi form arbutoid mycorrhizas and that these particular hosts are broadly receptive towards fungal associates. The significance of these results with respect to ecological and practical implications and better understanding of ectomycorrhizal specificity is emphasized. Arbutoid mycorrhizas are most closely related to ectomycorrhizas than to ericoid mycorrhizas.
Flooded flow fuel cells: A different approach to fuel cell design

Abstract Flooded flow fuel cells provide a different approach to fuel cell design where gas phases are eliminated from the fuel cell structure by saturating the electrolyte with the reactant gases in separate vessels. The reactants are delivered to the electrode surface by passing the saturated liquid electrolyte across the electrode structure. This concept offers operational advantages over conventional porous-gas-diffusion electrodes, particularly for mobile applications where resistance to shock and vibration is desirable. The technical feasibility of the concept was evaluated by designing, constructing and operating an alkaline (KOH), H 2 O 2 fuel cell with flooded flow electrodes. Future work is focused on addressing important scale-up issues to increase current densities to commercially acceptable levels.
Collaborative virtual reality for command and control

Virtual environment workspaces require the proper choice of user interfaces combined with highly realistic visualization techniques and behavior driven objects to enable effective user interaction. MITRE's virtual interactive environment provides an extension of the physical workspace into the virtual domain to support interactive design, visualization, and collaboration. This paper discusses visualization techniques and user interfaces which have proven effective in the application domain.
Quantitative TLC Analysis of Amine Antioxidants in High-Temperature Jet Engine Lubricants

Abstract : A quantitative thin-layer chromatography (TLC) method with a relative standard deviation of four percent is described for the analysis of commonly used amine antioxidants in high-temperature jet engine lubricants. The method is convenient in that after development of the plates, the components develop characteristic visible colors suitable for analysis. (Author)
The Impact of Small Brownfields and Greenspaces on Residential Property Values

Using a hedonic pricing model, this paper investigates the responsiveness of residential property values in a well-defined inner-city neighborhood of Kenosha, Wisconsin, to the presence of two small former industrial sites contaminated by various environmental pollutants, or brownfields, and a local neighborhood park, or greenspace. Using readily available data on sales and assessments for residential property in close proximity to the brownfields and the greenspace, we estimate well-behaved and statistically significant property value gradients with respect to the park, the environmental amenity, and the brownfields, the environmental disamenities. These functions are then used to estimate the possible impact that brownfield remediation may have on total property value. We estimate that remediation and redevelopment of the brownfields into greenspaces would increase property values for the 890 neighborhood residences between $2.40 and $7.01 million. These results suggest that small brownfields have a measurable impact on property values and that readily accessible data can be used to help local policymakers make decisions on remediation issues.
A New Titanium Band System

THE dominant feature of the M-type stars is the very extensive group of titanium oxide bands, beginning in the blue region of the spectrum and continuing far to the red. The group of bands occurring in the blue-green region has been analysed (see Christy and Birge, NATURE, 122, 205; 1928), and shown to be due to a 3P – 3P transition of neutral titanium oxide.
Determination of absolute coagulation rate constants by multiangle light scattering

Abstract The use of simultaneous, multiangle static light scattering measurements for studying the kinetics of coagulation of monodisperse spherical colloids is reported. Absolute coagulation rate constants were determined from analysis of the change in the angular dependence of the scattered light intensity with time, at the early stage of the aggregation process. This method is advantageous to current light scattering methods which provide relative coagulation rates.
Enhancement of Acute Myocardial Lesions by Asthma Drugs in Rats

Asthma morbidity and mortality have risen significantly in the last 10 years. The reasons for the increase are multifactorial. One proposed explanation is possible myocardial toxicity arising from the use of β-agonists alone or in combination with methylxanthines. Previous studies have shown that β-agonists given alone and β-agonist/methylxanthine combinations given at higher than recommended clinical doses induced dose-related cardiotoxicity and sudden death in rats. The objective of the present study was to determine whether or not β-agonists given alone and in combination with methylxanthines at recommended clinical doses also induce cardiotoxicity and sudden death in rats. The β-agonists, isoproterenol hydrochloride (15 μg/kg), fenoterol hydrobromide (40 μg/kg), and terbutaline hemisulfate (0.4 mg/kg) were given in single sc doses separately and concurrently with the methylxanthines aminophylline hydrate (20 mg/kg) and caffeine (40 mg/kg), which were given ip to a susceptible animal model, the heavy S...
Cross-Layer Response Surface Methodology Applied to Wireless Mesh Network VoIP Call Capacity

Wireless Mesh networking is a recent technology proposed to extend and improve the Wireless LAN capabilities to even larger geographical areas. Parallel advances in network-delivered services have created a situation where more and more end-users will want to use richer services based on the network. However, wireless networks have capacity bottlenecks due to reasons of their broadcast nature, MAC layer constraints among others. The paradigm of cross-layer design is especially relevant in wireless networks so as to effect key optimizations to improve performance. In this paper, we look at the specific service of Voice over IP over Wireless Mesh Networks and quantify the capacity constraints using algebraic functions, fit to experimental (simulation) results. We use the Response Surface Methodology for this purpose. We also look at how application level parameters can be adapted to MAC level parameters so as to improve total call capacity, by use of our cross layer ";metamodel";.
The Impact of Animated Pedagogical Agents on Girls' and Boys' Emotions, Attitudes, Behaviors and Learning

We report on the reactions of males and female students to the presence of animated pedagogical agents that provided emotional and motivational support. One hundred high school students used agents embedded in an Intelligent Tutoring System for Mathematics and randomized controlled evaluations compared students with and without learning companions. The results indicate that affective pedagogical agents improve affective outcomes of students in general and particularly so for female students, who reported being more frustrated and less confident while solving math problems prior to using the tutoring system. We discuss issues of incorporating gender into user models and of generating responses tailored to gender.
Anomaly-free theories in D = 4k dimensions

General constraints are found for local anomaly-free theories in D = 4k dimensions which yield chiral four-dimensional theories after compactification: (1) the Yang-Mills group must have a complex representation; (2) most odd-order traces vanish, i.e., TrF/sup 1/ = TrF/sup 3/ = ... = TrF/sup 2//sup k//sup -3/ = 0 and TrF/sup 2//sup k//sup +1/ = c TrF/sup 2//sup k//sup -1/ for D = 4k. Any complex representation of the SO(4l+2) group (lgreater than or equal tok+1 or l = k-1) in D = 4k satisfies the constraints. Other simple solutions are also given.
Second Malignant Neoplasms Following Radiotherapy

More than half of all cancer patients receive radiotherapy as a part of their treatment. With the increasing number of long-term cancer survivors, there is a growing concern about the risk of radiation induced second malignant neoplasm [SMN]. This risk appears to be highest for survivors of childhood cancers. The exact mechanism and dose-response relationship for radiation induced malignancy is not well understood, however, there have been growing efforts to develop strategies for the prevention and mitigation of radiation induced cancers. This review article focuses on the incidence, etiology, and risk factors for SMN in various organs after radiotherapy.
Parallel Hierarchical Clustering on Market Basket Data

Data clustering has been proven to be a promising data mining technique. Recently, there have been many attempts for clustering market-basket data. In this paper, we propose a parallelized hierarchical clustering approach on market-basket data (PH-Clustering), which is implemented using MPI. Based on the analysis of the major clustering steps, we adopt a partial local and partial global approach to decrease the computation time meanwhile keeping communication time at minimum. Load balance issue is always considered especially at data partitioning stage. Our experimental results demonstrate that PH-Clustering speeds up the sequential clustering with a great magnitude. The larger the data size, the more significant the speedup when the number of processors is large. Our results also show that the number of items has more impact on the performance of PH-Clustering than the number of transactions.
On the Design of a Language for Programming Real-Time Concurrent Processes

ILIAD is a high-evel language for programming real-time applications which involve concurrent processing. It was designed to help scientists and engineers write reliable programs that can be read and maintained. An ILIAD program consists of a group of concurrent tasks. The tasks are autonomous and must cooperate in using the shared memory and devices in the execution environment. The language has facilities for providing secure access to these resources and for creating and synchronizing parallel instruction streams. In providing an overview of the language, the factors motivating the major design choices are discussed. A programming example illustrates how ILIAD might be applied. An assessment of the language includes a discussion of potential problem areas, both technical and nontechnical.
THE ALON-SAKS-SEYMOUR AND RANK-COLORING CONJECTURES

This thesis studies the Alon-Saks-Seymour Conjecture and the Rank-Coloring Conjecture and their relationships to computer science. For a graph G, the chromatic number, χ(G), is the minimum number of colors needed to properly color the vertices of G. If A(G) is the adjacency matrix of G, then rank(A(G)) denotes its rank. The biclique partition number, bp(G), is the minimum number of complete bipartite subgraphs (bicliques) necessary to partition the edge set of G. The Rank-Coloring Conjecture states that for any graph G, χ(G) ≤ rank(A(G)) and the Alon-SaksSeymour Conjecture states that for any graph G, χ(G) ≤ bp(G) + 1. Both of these conjectures have been previously disproven. In this thesis we construct an infinite family of graphs that are counterexamples to both conjectures. This construction generalizes previous work of Razborov and Huang and Sudakov. We discuss the relationship between these conjectures and questions in theoretical computer science relating to communication complexity, which is the amount of information that two parties need to exchange in order to compute some objective boolean function. We also discuss a generalization of biclique partitions to hypergraphs, where we consider the minimum number of complete rpartite r-uniform hypergraphs necessary to partition the edge set of the complete r-uniform hypergraph on n vertices.
Measurement and application of limiting activity coefficients

Infinite dilution activity coefficients (γ∞) in binary liquid mixtures are data of wide practical and theoretical applicability, but their extensive use has been hindered by the experimental limitations of classical vapor-liquid equilibrium techniques. Two new experimental methods for accurate γ∞ determinations are presented. These techniques, both faster and more accurate than classical methods, are complementary, and their applicability to different types of binary systems is discussed.
Qualitative Human Immunodeficiency Virus RNA Analysis of Dried Blood Spots for Diagnosis of Infections in Infants

The Gen-Probe Aptima human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA assay was adapted for the diagnosis of HIV infection in infants by using dried blood spots. The assay was 99% sensitive (128/129) and 100% specific (162/162). This may prove useful in resource-limited settings, since it precludes the need for a phlebotomist and maintenance of a cold chain.
Reinforcers in infancy: Classical conditioning using stroking or intra‐oral infusions of milk as UCS

Six-day-old rats received 20 forward pairings of an odor-conditioned stimulus (CS) with one of two unconditioned stimuli (UCS); 1) intra-oral milk infusions or 2) stroking with a sable-hair brush. These UCS's produce a common general response of increased behavioral activity, but different specific behaviors. For each UCS, additional pups received backward pairings of the CS and UCS, random pairings of the CS and UCS, CS only, UCS only, or no stimuli. Four hours later, pups received a two-odor choice test to assess the development of an odor preference and a CS-only test to assess the acquisition of conditioned responding (CR). The results of the two-odor choice test indicated that for both UCS's only forward pairings of the CS and UCS resulted in an odor preference. Similarly, the CS-only test showed that only forward pairings of the CS and either UCS were effective in producing CR's; pups that received forward pairings exhibited increased behavioral activity during presentations of the CS, which is an unconditioned response (UCR) to both UCS's. Only the forward paired CS-milk UCS group exhibited increased mouthing and probing during the CS only test; these are UCR's that occur to milk infusions but infrequently to the stroking UCS. These results demonstrate the development of similar conditioned odor preferences using behaviorally activating UCS's, but CR's which are specific to the form of the UCR.
Social Determinants: Taking the Social Context of Asthma Seriously

Although asthma has emerged as a major contributor to disease and disability among US children, the burden of this disease is unevenly distributed within the population. This article provides a brief overview of social-status variables that predict variations in asthma risks and social exposures, such as stress and violence, that are emerging as important risk factors. The central focus of the article is on the distal social variables that have given rise to unhealthy residential environments in which the risk factors for asthma and other diseases are clustered. Effective initiatives for the prevention and treatment of childhood asthma need to address these nonmedical determinants of the prevalence of asthma.
Redesigning an inpatient pediatric service using Lean to improve throughput efficiency.

BACKGROUND Data suggest that delays in discharges from inpatient units affect hospital throughput and contribute to emergency department crowding. Lean/Six Sigma (LSS) has been shown to improve inefficiencies in other industries. There are no published data on what impact LSS can have on advancing and sustaining earlier patient discharges. OBJECTIVE Determine the impact LSS has on advancing times of placement of discharge order and patient discharge compared to control. Secondary outcomes were length of stay (LOS) and readmission rates. DESIGN Prospective quality study with concurrent controls. SETTING Academic medical center. PATIENTS Hospitalized pediatric patients compared to remainder of the children's hospital services. INTERVENTIONS Staff reallocation, creation of standard workflow, multidisciplinary predischarge planning, and creation of a discharge checklist. MEASUREMENTS Median time of discharge order entry and median time of actual patient discharge, proportion of patients discharged before noon and 2 pm, and LOS and readmission rates. RESULTS The median time of order entry was 10:45 compared to 14:05, and the median time of discharge was 14:15 compared to 15:48. The LOS and the readmission rates remained the same in both cohorts. The control group had faster baseline discharge order entry and patient discharge, but discharge performance did not improve, despite a significantly lower average daily census. CONCLUSIONS We determined that Lean approaches can have an immediate and sustained impact on advancing patient discharges, with no negative affect on LOS or readmission rates. Our intervention generated consistent results independent of personnel during the busiest months of the year at a tertiary care children's hospital. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:220–227. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine
Sub-threshold time-resolved spectroscopy of Mid-UV AlGaN laser diode structures pseudomorphically grown on bulk AlN

AlGaN based heterostructures exhibit photo-pumped stimulated emission out to 237 nm with a switched from TE to TM polarized observed. PL lifetimes reflect the stronger exciton binding energy of the higher Al content material.
Calcified Intracranial Lesions: Detection with Gradient-Echo-Acquisition Rapid MR Imaging

Seventeen patients with partially calcified intracranial lesions, as documented by CT, were evaluated with MR imaging at 1.5 T. All patients were imaged with both conventional spin-echo techniques and reduced flip-angle gradient-echo-acquisition (GEA) sequences, during which a signal is acquired in the absence of a 180 degrees radiofrequency pulse. GEA parameters were implemented so that T2* effects were maximized on these scans. In all 17 patients GEA images showed marked hypointensity throughout the entire area of calcification, matching the calcified region as seen on CT. In contrast, spin-echo findings in the calcified portions of the lesions were extremely variable, precluding confident identification of calcification on these images. The depiction of regions of calcification as marked hypointensity on GEA images can be ascribed to T2* shortening from static local magnetic field gradients at interfaces of regions differing in magnetic susceptibility, a phenomenon that is well documented in vitro, whe...
Arrayed microring filter with tunable resonance wavelength, extinction ratio and bandwidth

We demonstrate a tunable filter based on an array of silicon-on-insulator microring resonators. The resonance wavelength, extinction ratio and bandwidth can be simultaneously controlled by thermal tuning.
Everyday functioning in mild cognitive impairment and its relationship with executive cognition

Objective Elderly persons with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are at increased risk of dementia and functional impairments. The present study investigated the contribution of three domains of executive cognition to everyday functioning among persons with MCI. Methods 124 MCI patients and 68 cognitively normal elderly participants were administered a cognitive screening battery. These tests were used to divide patients into four subgroups (amnestic single domain, amnestic multiple domain, non-amnestic single domain, and non-amnestic multiple domain). Subjects were then administered 18 executive function tests that assess planning/problem-solving, working memory, and judgment. Performance of everyday activities and everyday cognition was rated with two informant-reported measures. Results All MCI subtypes had more difficulties in everyday activities than cognitively normal elderly participants. Multiple domain MCI patients had more functional impairments than single domain MCI patients. Contrary to our expectations, only one executive function component, working memory, contributed significantly to functional status after controlling for demographic, health-related and other cognitive factors. Conclusions Functional abilities are compromised in all MCI subtypes. Working memory may be associated with functional impairments, but general cognitive measures account for more unique variance. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.