cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Detection and recognition of North Atlantic right whale contact calls in the presence of ambient noise

The problem of detection and recognition of contact calls produced by North Atlantic right whales, Eubalaena glacialis, is considered. A proposed solution is based on a multiple-stage hypothesis-testing technique involving a spectrogram-based detector, spectrogram testing, and feature vector testing algorithms. Results show that the proposed technique is able to detect over 80% of the contact calls detected by a human operator and to produce about 26 false alarms per 24 h of observation.
Reliability-oriented IGBT selection for high power converters

This paper presents a methodology to select IGBT in the reliability-oriented design of high power converters. The failure rate models are presented and the main contributors are analyzed. A review of commercial IGBT chip technologies is conducted, which are used in the later IGBT selections. The reliability models of the power module that includes the IGBTs and other components are built by Markov-Chain Model. Finally, a methodology to conduct the IGBT selection process is developed and illustrated by a given design example, with the goal of the highest power module reliability by selecting the most appropriate IGBTs.
Investigation of Texas poison center calls regarding a chlorine gas release: implications for terrorist attack toxicosurveillance

The investigation reported here was conducted to describe the pattern of calls received by the Texas Poison Center Network (TPCN) in relation to a chlorine gas release that resulted from a train collision in Bexar County, Texas, on June 28, 2004, and to test various methods for conducting toxicosurveillance. TPCN received a total of 42 calls; the first call was received approximately 35 minutes after the collision. Calls continued for 10 days after the collision. Comparison of the number of calls received from Bexar County on the collision date with the number of similar calls received in the past revealed that numbers for this collision date were elevated for total calls, total information calls, total human exposure calls, chlorine gas calls, and calls involving coughing or choking, headache, throat irritation, or bronchospasm. When a similar analysis was performed for the entire state, call numbers were elevated only for chlorine gas calls and calls involving bronchospasm.
An Interview with Amy Azano: Fidelity of Implementation

Recently, the “response to intervention” paradigm has been adopted to ensure early intervention for children with learning and other problems. One main concern is the teacher’s ability to implement this intervention (in academic and other areas) with fidelity, and integrity. This interview reviews some of these issues and discusses the main concerns in this realm.
Orchestrating Ca2+ influx through CaV1.2 and CaV3.x channels in human cerebral arteries

Vascular tone, and thus blood flow to a tissue bed, is regulated by neuronal-, endothelial-, and smooth muscle–dependent mechanisms. The smooth muscle–dependent component, reflecting the increase in arterial tone in response to increasing pressure (the myogenic response), has been appreciated
Patterns of spatial co‐occurrence among native and exotic carnivores in north‐eastern Madagascar

Human populations continue to increase and encroach on remaining natural habitats worldwide, resulting in greater numbers and larger ranges of commensal exotic carnivores such as cats and dogs. This results in increased interactions with native wildlife. In Madagascar, we know relatively little about the effects of domestic and/or feral dogs and cats on native carnivore populations. We investigated spatial interactions by combining photographic sampling across seven sites with two-species co-occurrence modeling to provide the first assessment of the spatial co-occurrence of native and exotic carnivores in Madagascar, including an examination of habitat characteristics that explain these relationships. Our surveys from 2008 to 2013 accumulated 2991 photo-captures of native and exotic carnivores in 8854 trap nights. We found that native and exotic carnivores in rainforest habitat occur together less often than expected and that exotic carnivores may be replacing native carnivores, particularly in forest areas nearest villages. Six of the native carnivores in this study had higher site use in the absence of exotic carnivores and their species interaction factors (SIF) revealed a lack of co-occurrence (e.g. SIF < 1.0). We found that nocturnal and/or crepuscular native carnivores were less likely to co-occur with exotic carnivores. We demonstrate the effectiveness of combining photographic sampling with co-occurrence modeling to investigate the effects of exotic carnivores on an entire community of native carnivores. Our study exposes the strong negative influence of exotic carnivores, ranging from exclusion to complete replacement of native carnivores, and we urgently recommend a combination of targeted educational programs and removal programs to combat the influx of exotic carnivores.
Shortness of breath in an infant with history of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

2-year-old boy with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) n remission was seen in the Emergency Department (ED) or 2 days of low-grade fever with shortness of breath. ccording to his mother, the upper respiratory symptoms egan 2 days earlier. The mother denied any decrease in the oy’s feeding or nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. The child was playful and in no apparent distress. The espiratory rate was 36 breaths/min, and rectal temperaure was 38.3°C (100.8°F). Physical examination of the ead and neck showed mild nasal congestion only. The eck was supple without meningeal signs or jugular enous distention. Visual examination of the chest howed good movement of the chest wall and no retracion. Breath sounds were equal but were decreased hroughout; no crackles, rales, rhonchi, or stridor were eard. The heart sounds were distant but were otherwise ormal without murmur or rub. Abdominal examination howed mild, nontender hepatosplenomegaly. All other esults of the physical examination were normal. A large mass in the chest was seen on chest X-ray tudy (Figure 1). Electrocardiography showed sinus achycardia with no alternating variations in electrocar-
CT, Positron Emission Tomography, and MRI in Staging Lung Cancer

Lung cancer is a common malignancy and remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women in the United States. Imaging plays an important role in the detection, diagnosis, and staging of the disease as well as in assessing response to therapy and monitoring for tumor recurrence after treatment. This article reviews the staging of the two major histologic categories of lung cancer-non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and small-cell lung carcinoma-and emphasizes the appropriate use of CT, MRI, and positron emission tomography imaging in patient management. Also discussed are proposed revisions of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer's terms used to describe the extent of NSCLC in terms of the primary tumor, lymph nodes, and metastases descriptors.
Monitoring decadal lake dynamics across the Yangtze Basin downstream of Three Gorges Dam

Abstract The Yangtze River Basin downstream of China's Three Gorges Dam (TGD) (thereafter referred to as “downstream” basin) hosts the largest cluster of freshwater lakes in East Asia. These lakes are crucial water stocks to local biophysical environments and socioeconomic development. Existing studies document that individual lakes in this region have recently experienced dramatic changes under the context of enduring meteorological drought, continuous population growth, and extensive water regulation since TGD's initial impoundment (i.e., June, 2003). However, spatial and temporal patterns of lake dynamics across the complete downstream Yangtze basin remain poorly characterized. Using daily MODIS imagery and an advanced thematic mapping scheme, this study presents a comprehensive monitoring of area dynamics in the downstream lake system at a 10-day temporal resolution during 2000–2011. The studied lakes constitute ~ 76% (~ 11,400 km2) of the total downstream lake area, including the entire + 70 major lakes larger than 20 km2. The results reveal a decadal net decline in lake inundation area across the downstream Yangtze Basin, with a cumulative decrease of 849 km2 or 7.4% from 2000 to 2011. Despite an excessive precipitation anomaly in the year 2010, the decreasing trend was tested significant in all seasons. The most substantial decrease in the post-TGD period appears in fall (1.1% yr− 1), which intriguingly coincides with the TGD water storage season. Regional lake dynamics exhibit contrasting spatial patterns, manifested as evident decrease and increase of aggregated lake areas respectively within and beyond the Yangtze Plain. This contrast suggests a marked vulnerability of lakes in the Yangtze Plain, to not only local meteorological variability but also intensified human water regulations from both the upstream Yangtze main stem (e.g., the TGD) and tributaries (e.g., lakes/reservoirs beyond the Yangtze Plain). The produced lake mapping result and derived lake area dynamics across the downstream Yangtze Basin provides a crucial monitoring basis for continuous investigations of changing mechanisms in the Yangtze lake system.
A survey of mobile phone use in older adults

Mobile phone adoption by older adults is radically increasing. As a part of multiple empirical studies to improve older adults' experiences with mobile phones, a survey was conducted to investigate a number of specific aspects of mobile phone use in the older adult population including motives of ownership, usage patterns, preferences on mobile phone features, and perceived usability of their own phones. A total of 154 older adults from 20 states of the United States who owned a mobile phone participated in this study. Results indicated that participants used a few basic features of mobile phones since they used them mainly for personal communication and safety reasons. Overall, participants perceived that their current phones offered marginal “ease of use”, but they found most usability problems with understanding error messages, inputting text, and understanding user manuals. The majority of older adults (over 50%) desired a phone with basic features that include making /receiving a call, phonebook, eme...
An endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase regulates endothelial adhesiveness for monocytes.

AbstractOBJECTIVESWe sought to determine whether asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) inhibits nitric oxide (NO) elaboration in cultured human endothelial cells and whether this is associated with th...
Water-phase synthesis of cationic silica/polyamine nanoparticles

Silica particles are commonly functionalized with amine groups on their surface through the hydrolytic condensation of aminotrialkoxysilanes for use in bioimaging, enzyme immobilization, and other applications. Eliminating this aminotrialkoxysilane condensation step could simplify and improve the efficiency of the synthesis of amine-functionalized silica. Here, we describe a one-pot, ambient-condition, water-phase method to synthesize silica-based nanoparticles (NPs) that present surface amine groups. The formation mechanism involves the electrostatic cross-linking of cationic polyallylamine hydrochloride by citrate anions and the infusion of the resulting polymer/salt aggregates by silicic acid. The particles were unimodal with average diameters in the range of 40 to 100 nm, as determined by the size of the templating polymer-salt aggregates. Colorimetric analysis using Coomassie brilliant blue and zeta potential measurements confirmed the presence of surface amine groups on the hybrid silica/polymer NPs...
Recent progress on terahertz quantum-cascade lasers

Terahertz quantum-cascade lasers are based on intersubband optical transitions that could be “engineered”. Operation above 160 K has been demonstrated for frequencies ranging from 1∶8–4∶4 THz. This talk reviews their recent progress, design aspects and future challenges.
A Numerical Study of Flow and Heat Transfer in Rotating Rectangular Channels (AR=4) With 45 deg Rib Turbulators by Reynolds Stress Turbulence Model

Computations were performed to study three-dimensional turbulent flow and heat transfer in stationary and rotating 45 deg ribbed rectangular channels for which experimental heat transfer data were available. The channel aspect ratio (AR) is 4:1, the rib height-to-hydraulic diameter ratio (e/D h ) is 0.078 and the rib-pitch-to-height ratio (P/e) is 10. The rotation number and inlet coolant-to-wall density ratios, Δρ/ρ, were varied from 0.0 to 028 and from 0.122 to 0.40, respectively, while the Reynolds number was fixed at 10,000. Also, two channel orientations (β=90 deg and 135 deg from the rotation direction) were investigated with focus on the high rotation and high density ratios effects on the heat transfer characteristics of the 135 deg orientation
Local particle velocity, size, and concentration measurements in an industrial-scale pulverized coal-fired boiler☆

Abstract Parametric, in situ, particle velocity, size, and number density measurements have been made in a full-scale, coal-burning power plant using an optical diagnostic technique. Available ports in the boiler allowed measurement at three locations above the burner level. Variable test parameters included furnace load, excess air, and burner tilt, using a medium volatile bituminous coal. Higher particle velocities were observed when the boiler was operated at maximum capacity due to increased air and coal flows. Port-to-port velocity variations were attributed to the rotational nature of the mean flow, changes in gas density with changing gas temperature, and the interaction of the flow with the boiler nose. Measured particle number density profiles were characterized by high values in the small particle size class (
Noninvasive pressure measurement with 4D phase contrast MRI in patients with aortic coarctations

In this study, pressure gradients measured with 4D phase contrast MRI were compared to those measured with Doppler ultrasound in patients with aortic coarctations. We found good agreement between these methods as well as good correlation between pressure measurements and degree of stenosis.
Agency Characteristics and Changes in Home Health Quality After Home Health Compare

Objective: This study examines the association between home health agency characteristics and quality improvement in home health care after Home Health Compare (HHC), a public-reporting initiative in the Medicare program. Method: We examined the changes in seven quality measures reported in HHC from 2003 to 2007. We used a linear regression model to examine whether quality changes over time differed by agency characteristics. Results: We found improvements in quality after HHC in the indicators that measure patients’ ability to independently manage daily activities; however, the use of emergent care did not change, and hospitalization rates increased during the study period. Agencies with low quality at baseline, not-for-profit or hospital-based agencies, and agencies with longer Medicare tenure showed greater improvement for some quality measures than their counterparts. Discussion: There was large variation in the degree of quality improvement after HHC by quality indicators and by agency characteristics.
A model for estimating the extent of variegation in mosaic tissues.

Abstract A method is described which allows the size of patches of like cells in mosaic tissues to be estimated from the frequency with which small samples taken from the tissue contain both of the mosaic cell types. The mosaic patches are represented as close-packed geometric figures arranged in twoor three-dimensional tissues. Small samples drawn at random from these tissues will include portions of one or more patches; only those samples which include portions of two or more dissimilar patches (mixed samples) will contain both cell types. The expected frequency of mixed samples is calculated as a function of the shape of the mosaic patches, the frequency of the two mosaic cell types and the sample to patch size ratio. This expected frequency is not strongly dependent on patch shape for triangular, square and hexagonal patches in two dimensions or for cubic and orthotetrakaidekahedral patches in three dimensions. Elongation of square patches along one axis or of cubic patches along one or two axes results in slight increases in the expected frequency of mixed samples for given sample to patch size ratio.
Analysis of media provisions in Beijing platform for action

Abstract Jane E. Kirtley attended the official United Nations Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China, on September 4–15, 1995, as an accredited nongovernmental organization observer representing the World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC). This Discussion Forum is adapted from her report prepared for WPFC and its affiliates.
Performance of Students in Project-Based Science Classrooms on a National Measure of Science Achievement.

Reform efforts in science education emphasize the importance of supporting students' construction of knowledge through inquiry. Project-based science (PBS) is an ambitious approach to science instruction that addresses concerns of reformers. A sample of 142 10th- and 11th-grade students enrolled in a PBS program completed the 12th-grade 1996 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) science test. Compared with subgroups identified by NAEP that most closely matched our student sample, White and middle class, PBS students outscored the national sample on 44% of NAEP test items. This study shows that students participating in a PBS curriculum were prepared for this type of testing. Educators should be encouraged to use inquiry-based approaches such as PBS to implement reform in their schools. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 410–422, 2002
Wavelets and waveform coding: extensions and new results

Recently, we demonstrated the use of orthonormal wavelets as desirable waveforms for baseband waveform coding application in digital communications. In this paper, we examine the use of generalized biorthogonal wavelets for waveform coding. Though the transmit and receive waveforms have different supports in the biorthogonal case, it is shown that binary symbols can be extracted easily at the receiver. Spectral characteristics of several types of biorthogonal wavelets are examined and resulting codecs' bandwidth efficiencies (in bits/sec/Hz) are provided. An M-band wavelet codec is also proposed. Preliminary results indicate that the M-band codec (used in this study) will be out-performed by a two-band codec of the same order.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Decision instrument for the isolation of pneumonia patients with suspected pulmonary tuberculosis admitted through US emergency departments.

Study objective Many patients with pneumonia are admitted to respiratory isolation for possible tuberculosis (TB), but most do not have active TB. We created a decision instrument to predict which pneumonia patients do not need admission to a TB isolation bed. Methods The design was a prospective case series conducted in 11 university-affiliated, urban, US emergency departments (EDs) ( EMERGE ncy ID NET). Participants were patients admitted to the hospital through the ED with a diagnosis of pneumonia or suspected TB. The main outcome measure was derivation and validation of a sensitive decision instrument to identify patients not having TB (and not requiring isolation) according to clinical data and chest radiographs. Results Of 5,079 pneumonia patients, 224 (4.4%) had pulmonary TB according to sputum cultures or tissue staining. The instrument derived to predict which patients did not have pulmonary TB included no TB history or previous positive tuberculin skin test result, nonimmigrant, not homeless, not recently incarcerated, no recent weight loss, and no apical infiltrate or cavitary lesion on plain chest radiograph. When tested on the validation subgroup, the decision instrument exhibited a negative predictive value of 99.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 99.1% to 99.9%), and a sensitivity of 96.4% (95% CI 91.1% to 99.0%). Conclusion A decision instrument can accurately predict which patients with pneumonia do not require admission to TB isolation rooms.
Studying Teachers’ Sensemaking to Investigate Teachers’ Responses to Professional Development Focused on New Standards

Recent research on teacher professional development (PD) underscores the importance of the coherence of PD with standards, curriculum, and assessment. Teachers’ judgments of the coherence of PD with larger system goals influence their decisions about what ideas and resources they appropriate from PD. Little research, however, has examined how teachers formulate these judgments and why teachers’ judgments vary within the same system and for the same reform. In this article, we use organizational theory’s concept of sensemaking to examine teachers’ responses to PD related to the Next Generation Science Standards within two schools in the United States. Our study shows that teachers’ perceptions of coherence emerge from interactions within PD, associated curriculum materials, and with colleagues and leaders in their schools. Some teachers, we found, were able to manage ambiguity, uncertainty, and perceived incoherence productively, while others foreclosed deep and sustained sensemaking. Our findings suggest ...
An Exploratory Analysis of the Value of the Skills of IT Personnel: Their Relationship to IS Infrastructure and Competitive Advantage

Determining and assessing the requisite skills of information technology (IT) personnel have become critical as the value of IT has risen in modern organizations. In addition to technical skills traditionally expected of IT personnel, softer skills like managerial, business, and interpersonal skills have been increasingly cited in previous studies as mandatory for these employees. This paper uses a typology of IT personnel skills—technology management skills, business functional skills, interpersonal skills, and technical skills—and investigates their relationships to two information systems (IS) success variables, IS infrastructure flexibility and the competitive advantage provided by IS. The study investigates these relationships using the perceptions of chief information officers (CIOs) from mostly Fortune 2000 companies. The contributions of this study are: IT personnel skills do affect IS success, technical skills are viewed as the most important skill set in affecting IS infrastructure flexibility and competitive advantage, and modularity is viewed as more valuable to competitive advantage than integration. Several explanations are offered for the lack of positive relationships between the softer IT personnel skills and the dimensions of IS success used in this study.
Reaction of fibroblasts to various dental casting alloys

The cytotoxicity of a series of dental casting alloys in the as-cast and polished condition was determined with cell culture techniques involving phase contrast microscopy to examine cell morphology and the succinic dehydrogenase histochemical reaction to measure any ring of inhibition of Balb/c 3T3 cellular respiration around alloys. Crown and bridge casting alloys and a nickel- and a cobalt-base alloy were biocompatible in the polished condition, but less so in the as-cast condition. The only two exceptions were casting alloys containing 50-60 wt% Cu. Porcelain-fused-to-metal alloys were biocompatible in either the as-cast or polished condition. This direct contact method appeared satisfactory for evaluating biocompatibility of dental casting alloys, especially since these materials are in contact with gingival tissues.
Placed Blame: Narratives of Youth Culpability

A persistent problem in educational policy and research concerns how social (dis)advantage is reproduced in free societies built on ideologies of equality, opportunity, and social mobility. In this article, the author examines narratives by and for incarcerated young men about how they "got caught up" in illegal activity and eventually incarcerated. Young men and adults supervising them are found to contest choice and culpability in terms of generational and spatial legacies of possibility and social (dis-)advantage. This work is significant for what it suggests about juvenile culpability--specifically, how young people and those around them contest "choice(s)" and, subsequently "blame," in narratives about childhood and young adulthood. The author argues that historical and geographic contexts frame universes of choices and developmental pathways that are always already present in young people's lives. In doing so, the author challenges reductive and privatized framings of youth development to suggest a more balanced and comprehensive approach to working with and educating young offenders.
Altruism and Economic Behavior, I Developments in the Theory of Public and Private Redistribution

. The principal recent contributions from economics toward the understanding of behavior that is, or seems to be, altruistic, are discussed. Relevant developments in anthropology, biology and psychology are also introduced. Most of these models rely on some form of sophisticated goal maximization (attainment of power, genetic propagation, long-term influence or even material benefit by means of a complex dynamic game strategy) and hence describe quasialtruistic behavior which is, in fact, consistent with individual welfare maximization. When looking at the public sector, government redistributive programs are considered by some to be expressions of collective altruism but these in fact have their roots in an implicit social contract enforced by the coercive power of the State. Genuine altruism must be action taken without expectation of reward or coercion and it is not to be found in models of concealed requirement or in forcible redistribution. A subsequent article discusses the area in which private activity can achieve more efficiently the redistributive objective.
Seeing, not Participating: Viewscape Fetishism in American and Norwegian Rural Amenity Areas

Based on participant-driven photo elicitation and in-depth key informant interviews conducted in an American and Norwegian rural amenity area, this article argues that newcomers, seasonal home owners and other stakeholders in rural amenity areas may fail to appreciate, or choose to ignore, the social relations tied to their property or the consequences that their seemingly innocuous decisions can have for local communities. Viewscape fetishism can cause the “magic” of commodified natural amenities to obscure more complex, holistic understandings of the land in favor of a simplified view based on individualized use or exchange value, both of which are highly influence by the sign value inherent in property situated with access to scenic viewscapes. This phenomenon can create barriers to social interaction and community building, and lead to environmental degradation in places that are rich in natural amenities and vulnerable to change.
Propranolol suppresses reactivation of herpesvirus

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) reactivates from the nervous system and causes recurrent disease in end organs such as the eye and the lips. We found that the β-adrenergic receptor blocker, propranolol, reduces HSV-1 reactivation in an animal model. Mice latent for McKrae strain HSV-1 were injected with propranolol or saline once a day for 3 successive days, and subjected to a brief period of hyperthermia on the second day to induce reactivation. Twenty-four hours after the third injection, swabs of the ocular surface and homogenates of the corneas and trigeminal ganglia were analyzed for the presence of infectious virus and viral DNA. Treatment with propranolol significantly decreased the appearance of infectious virus in the tear film, cornea, and trigeminal ganglia (P < 0.05, x2-test). The results suggest a possible new pharmacologic approach to suppressing herpesvirus reactivation in the nervous system and thereby preventing recurrent disease.
Machine learning for programming

If you want to recognize speech or filter out spam emails, you will probably write a machine learning algorithm and will not try to write the whole program using a "traditional" software specification and implementation. There are many examples of successful machine learning solutions, but can we more broadly apply the techniques to most or all software problems, and for most or all programmers, from the novice in their first programming course to the seasoned professional?
From Randomized Controlled Trials to Observational Studies

Randomized controlled trials are considered the gold standard in the hierarchy of research designs for evaluating the efficacy and safety of a treatment intervention. However, their results can have limited applicability to patients in clinical settings. Observational studies using large health care databases can complement findings from randomized controlled trials by assessing treatment effectiveness in patients encountered in day-to-day clinical practice. Results from these designs can expand upon outcomes of randomized controlled trials because of the use of larger and more diverse patient populations with common comorbidities and longer follow-up periods. Furthermore, well-designed observational studies can identify clinically important differences among therapeutic options and provide data on long-term drug effectiveness and safety.
Legal Methodology As Nursing Problem Solving

This article presents legal methodology as a form of nursing research. The four elements of the legal methodology are examined. The sources of legal authority are explained and the essential components of one case, Sermchief v Gonzales are presented in detail as an illustration of the legal methodology. In addition to the elements of the methodology, the methodological tools for the process are described. The computer and manual searching strategies are identified. Finally, the citation system which serves as an integral portion of the methodological process is discussed.
The Interplay between the Intestinal Microbiota and the Immune System

The relationship between commensal microbes and their hosts has been studied for many years. Commensal microorganisms are known to have a significant role in regulating the physiology of their hosts and preventing pathogenic infections while the hosts' immune system is important in determining the composition of the microbiota. More recently, specific effects of the intestinal microbiota on the local and distal immune systems have been uncovered with important consequences for health and disease, and alterations in intestinal microbial composition has been associated with various disease states. Here, we will review the current understanding of the microbiota/immune system crosstalk, highlight the clinical consequences of changes in the microbiota and consider how to harness this symbiotic relationship to improve public health.
Fenestration Condensation Resistance: Computer Simulation and In Situ Performance

The purpose of this paper is to examine condensation rating procedures, specifically the procedures as defined by the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC), and to compare the standardized procedure with in situ performance data. The American Architectural Manufacturers Association (AAMA) was the first to develop standardized methods to compare fenestration system performance with respect to the formation of condensation. Following this, the NFRC developed its own procedure for developing condensation resistance values. The AAMA test method involves laboratory testing, while the NFRC method involves computer simulation. Both methods provide a rating system to enable relative ease in performance comparison between similar fenestration products. The ratings are based on standardized conditions (i.e., fenestration size and shape, fenestration surround, and environmental conditions) that do not account for the in situ conditions and therefore may not accurately predict actual performance. Recent literature has discussed the limitations of condensation resistance ratings relative to as-built conditions that can impact the formation of condensation on a fenestration system. For example, (1) installing spandrel panel insulation, although necessary to improve the thermal performance of a curtain wall, can lower surface temperatures of adjacent framing members; (2) existing interior blinds or drapery act as an insulator, which can cause the framing members to be colder; and (3) if the fenestration’s thermal break is not aligned with the wall’s insulation, the framing members can be subject to colder temperatures. This paper will focus on the NFRC rating procedure and examine a case study to demonstrate the differences between NFRC ratings, simulated surface temperatures using THERM and WINDOW computer software, and in situ measurements of a high-rise office building curtain wall. The case study will provide a representative illustration of how actual conditions can impact the fenestration product’s in situ condensation resistance and provide insight on the condensation resistance of a representative curtain wall system.
Straight Talk From Recent Grads: Tips for Successfully Surviving Your Doctoral Program

Pursuing a doctoral degree represents a major life change for students, is incredibly demanding, and the process is complex. Although surviving the PhD process is difficult, it can be done. The authors are both recent graduates of a social work doctoral program and have compiled a brief list of inter- and intra-personal tips that they believe greatly promoted their successful completion of the process and attainment of the degree. They hope these 10 simple strategies are helpful to students pursuing doctoral studies and to social work faculty who currently teach and advise graduate students to promote a successful journey through doctoral education.
Mechanism of Heavy Metal Ion Activation of Phytochelatin (PC) Synthase BLOCKED THIOLS ARE SUFFICIENT FOR PC SYNTHASE-CATALYZED TRANSPEPTIDATION OF GLUTATHIONE AND RELATED THIOL PEPTIDES

Abstract The dependence of phytochelatin synthase (γ-glutamylcysteine dipeptidyltranspeptidase (PCS), EC 2.3.2.15) on heavy metals for activity has invariably been interpreted in terms of direct metal binding to the enzyme. Here we show, through analyses of immunopurified, recombinant PCS1 from Arabidopsis thaliana(AtPCS1), that free metal ions are not essential for catalysis. Although AtPCS1 appears to be primarily activated posttranslationally in the intact plant and purified AtPCS1 is able to bind heavy metals directly, metal binding per se is not responsible for catalytic activation. As exemplified by Cd2+- and Zn2+-dependent AtPCS1-mediated catalysis, the kinetics of PC synthesis approximate a substituted enzyme mechanism in which micromolar heavy metal glutathione thiolate (e.g.Cd·GS2 or Zn·GS2) and free glutathione act as γ-Glu-Cys acceptor and donor. Further, as demonstrated by the facility of AtPCS1 for the net synthesis of S-alkyl-PCs from S-alkylglutathiones with biphasic kinetics, consistent with the sufficiency of S-alkylglutathiones as both γ-Glu-Cys donors and acceptors in media devoid of metals, even heavy metal thiolates are dispensable. It is concluded that the dependence of AtPCS1 on the provision of heavy metal ions for activity in media containing glutathione and other thiol peptides is a reflection of this enzyme's requirement for glutathione-like peptides containing blocked thiol groups for activity.
Long-Term Phase Instability in A Water-Quenched Uranium Alloy

The U-6 wt.% Nb (U6Nb) alloy in water-quenched (WQ) state has been in service for a number of years. Its long-term reliability is affected by the changes of the alloy microstructure and mechanical properties during service. In this communication, the water quenched U-6 wt.% Nb (WQ-U6Nb) alloy in service for 15 years at ambient temperatures was studied using an analytical TEM analysis. We found that the long-term natural aging resulted in a disorder-order phase transformation, leading to the formation of anti-phase boundaries (APBs). The newly-found ordered phase was then identified by proposing two phase transform schemes, which were also discussed with regards to the potential subsequence of the microstructural evolution for the alloy in further service. The initial study also provides convincing evidence for the disorder-order transformation, which has been predicted by numerous studies to be a transient thermodynamic event before spinodal decomposition. This suggests that the long-term naturally aged WQ-U6Nb is a good model alloy to study thermodynamic and kinetic phenomena requiring chronic processes.
Hydrocarbon exposure and chronic renal disease

The study objective was to investigate further the potential role of long-term exposure to hydrocarbons (HCs) in the development of idiopathic chronic glomerulopathy (ICG) using a more refined measurement of HC exposure. A total of 321 pairs of cases and controls, matched by age, gender, and geographical area, were assembled. A detailed questionnaire was blindly administered to cases and controls to collect information on occupational and medical history and sociodemographic data. By integrating quantified measurements of HC exposure from a variety of sources with each subject's occupational history, a lifetime HC exposure score could be estimated and expressed in parts per million (ppm). Cases had an hydrocarbon exposure mean score of 165 ppm (median 48 ppm) as compared to 162 ppm (median 43 ppm) for controls (P = 0.757). When using hydrocarbon exposure as a dichotomous variable with a cutoff point at 100 ppm, cases had a higher proportion of exposed than controls, but the difference was not statistically significant at the 0.05 level, even after controlling for possible confounders through logistic regression. Subgroup analyses showed mixed results. In most subgroups differences between cases and controls tended to become significant when hydrocarbon was used as a dichotomous variable. Results from this study do not sufficiently support the hypothesized association of HC exposure and ICG in general. Subgroup analyses need further investigations. Efforts to generate accurate estimates of lifetime HC exposure should be emphasized for future investigations.
Digital Libraries in Africa: Evolution, Status, and Challenges

This paper discusses evolution, status, and problems/challenges of digital libraries in Africa. Different definitions and concepts of digital library were given. Benchmarks/standards developed by recognized leaders in the movement towards digital libraries and plans that identify appropriate time frames to strategize have been noted. Characteristics and benefits of digital libraries were enumerated. Global digital library initiatives for Africa and digital library projects in Africa are still minimal. Prospects for digital libraries for Africa and their users were also highlighted. Problems/challenges of digital libraries in Africa were discussed. Recommendations for establishment of digital libraries in Africa and conclusion were made.
Is 3D chip technology the next growth engine for performance improvement

The semiconductor industry is reaching a fascinating confluence in several evolutionary trends that will likely lead to a number of revolutionary changes in how computer systems are designed, implemented, scaled, and used. Since Moore's Law, which has driven the evolution in systems for the last several decades, is imminently approaching real and severe limitations, the ability to create three-dimensional (3D) device stacks appears promising as a way to continue to integrate more devices into a "chip." While on the one hand, this nascent ability to make "3D technology" can be interpreted as merely an extension of Moore's Law, on the other hand, the fact that systems can now be integrated across multiple planes poses some novel opportunities, as well as serious challenges and questions. In this paper, we explore these various challenges and opportunities and discuss structures and systems that are likely to be facilitated by 3D technology. We also describe the ways in which these systems are likely to change. Since 3D technology offers some different value propositions, we expect that some of the most important ways in which 3D technology will likely impact our approach to future systems design, implementation, and usage are not yet obvious to most system designers, and we outline several of them.
MOBILIZATION BY PINUS RESINOSA CONES AND SHOOTS OF C14‐PHOTOSYNTHATE FROM NEEDLES OF DIFFERENT AGES

A B S T R A C T Current-year, 1-year-old, 2-year-old, and 3-year-old needles of 25- to 30-year-old Pinus 1resinosa trees were separately exposed to C"402 at various times during the growing season. Currently produced C'4-photosynthate was preferentially mobilized in the following order: second-year cones > current needles > current internodes > first-year conelets. A changing seasonal pattern was shown in sources of current photosynthate for growth of cones and shoots. One-year-old needles were the major source of current photosynthate for growth of both cones and shoot internodes. During June the 2- and 3-year-old needles contributed appreciable amounts of current photosynthate to both cones and developing shoots, but after late June their contribution was slight. The supply of carbohydrates to all tissues, except 2nd-year cones, from the three age classes of old needles declined late in the season as tissues mobilized increasingly more carbohydrates from current-year needles. Nevertheless, the bulk of the C14-photosynthate produced by current-year needles was retained by them. The preferential mobilization of carbohydrates by reproductive tissues over vegetative tissues is emphasized as is the importance of both reserve and currently produced carbohydrate for growth of various tissues.
All about the Beat: Why Hip‐Hop Can't Save Black America

All about the Beat: Why Hip‐Hop Can't Save Black America JOHN McWHORTER New York: Gotham Books, 2008 ISBN 978‐1592403745 186 pp., $20.00 In the current era of increasing commodification and appropr...
An examination of group-based treatment packages for increasing elementary-aged students' reading fluency

Reading fluency has been described as one of the essential ingredients for ensuring that students become successful readers. Unfortunately, a large number of elementary-aged students in this country do not fluently read age-appropriate material. Because of this, small-group interventions are practical and more time efficient than individualized intervention programs, but very few small-group interventions have been developed to target students' reading fluency of connected text. The primary purpose of this study was to examine four group-based treatment packages containing two or more of the following reading interventions: repeated reading, listening passage preview, and practicing difficult words in isolation. Effects of each treatment package were evaluated with 4 third graders using an alternating-treatments design, and effects were evaluated for both immediate and retained reading-fluency gains. Findings indicated that the combination of all three intervention components was most effective. Results also suggested some inconsistent relationships between immediate and retained reading gains for 3 of the 4 students. Implications of these findings, limitations of the study, and directions for future research are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Psychol Schs 43: 183–195, 2006.
Theoretical investigation of InAs/GaInSb type-II superlattice infrared detectors for long wavelength and very long wavelength infrared applications

Abstract Type-II superlattices (SLs) based on InAs/GaInSb material systems have been theoretically investigated and optimized to achieve large valence band splitting and thin constituent layers, which are desirable for high detectivity and large absorption coefficient for the long-wavelength infrared (LWIR) and very long-wavelength infrared (VLWIR) detection covering the waveband from 8 to 14 μm and longer. Two approaches have been employed to optimize the SL: the first approach is to increase the InSb mole fraction in GaInSb alloy, keeping the balance between the compression and tension in the SL, and the second approach is to increase the SL thickness ratio, allowing small misfit in the SL. In the first approach, the valence band splitting was found to increase with increasing InSb composition and reached a maximum at 25% of InSb composition for 9 μm and at 30% of InSb composition for 11, 13, 15, 17, and 19 μm peak wavelength, respectively. When the thickness ratio is increased with fixed InSb composition, the valence band splitting has its maximum around a thickness ratio of 2–3, but the advantage of increasing the thickness ratio is obtained only for SL with less than 15% of InSb composition. It was also found in the first approach that higher InSb composition in GaInSb alloy was very efficient in reducing the total thickness of one period of SL up to 35% of InSb mole fraction. In the second approach, the minimum thickness of SL is obtained at the point where the valence band splitting is maximized. However, since the second approach is useful only for InSb composition less than 15%, the reduction of total thickness of SL is less effective than the first approach. Consequently, we can design high performance type-II SL IR detectors by both approaches for LWIR and VLWIR applications.
Extrapolating Experience Gained with the SLD Detector to Higher Energy And/or Luminosity

The operation of the SLD detector at the SLC, the only existing high energy linear collider, is a good place to address the question of the feasibility of operating a sophisticated cylindrical geometry detector in a high energy and/or luminosity environment. Performance aspects of the SLD relevant to this question are presented, along with a qualitative discussion about the extrapolation to higher energy and luminosity. In particular, the choice of a combined barrel/endcap geometry seems undesirable for operation in a linear collider environment.
A vectorized Monte Carlo detector simulation program for electromagnetic interactions

Abstract MC4 is a detector simulation program combining a vectorized ray-tracing algorithm with a vectorized version of the electromagnetic interaction routines from GEANT3. The implementation of ray tracing is able to represent moderately complex geometries such as single calorimeter modules or test-beam situations. Results from MC4 are compared with EGS4 simulations and with experimental results. Timing results are given for scalar machines and on a vector supercomputer. Production applications and applications to future versions of the GEANT code are discussed.