cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Infant auditory perception: Tonal masking

Abstract The results of an earlier study ( Olsho, 1984 ) indicated that 5- to 8-month-old infants were relatively better at discriminating among high-frequency pitches than low. In the present study, sensory and nonsensory explanations for that effect were evaluated by examining infants' performance in a task requiring similar sensory processing but differing in the demands placed on processes such as memory. Infants' ability to resolve frequency was tested using a tonal masking paradigm, the psychophysical tuning curve. Twenty-four infants were tested at probe frequencies ranging from 500 to 4000 Hz; a group of young adults served as a comparison. Masked and unmasked thresholds were estimated using the visually reinforced head turn procedure in conjunction with an adaptive psychophysical method. Although infants' tuning curves fell below those of adults (indicating poorer performance), the widths and slopes of the infants' curves were not different from the adults'. Moreover, the difference between age groups remained constant across probe frequencies. These findings imply that by 5 months of age, the infant's ability to resolve sound frequency is similar to the adult's.
Electron spin resonance study of a cured epoxy resin exposed to high-energy radiation

Abstract Tetraglycidyl-4,4′-diaminodiphenyl methane cured with 4,4′-diaminodiphenyl sulphone was irradiated with varying dosages of 0.5 MeV electrons and 1.17 and 1.33 MeV gamma rays and was studied using electron spin resonance. The radical concentration increases with increasing radiation dose and decays, at ambient temperature, in a way consistent with a model that assumes two simultaneous second-order reactions occurring in different zones.
Inversion of dose rate effects in ion implanted gallium arsenide in the low dose regime

Control of threshold voltage during gallium arsenide (GaAs) Metal Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MESFET) processing is critical. Variation in the dose rate during ion implantation has previously been demonstrated to affect sheet resistance and peak damage fraction for doses of 5 × 1013 ions/cm2 and higher. In this high dose regime, sheet resistance and damage increase as the dose rate increases. This paper describes dose rate effects in the low dose regime, where traditional channel implants are done, i.e., for 29Si+ in the low 1012 ions/cm2 range. 29Si+ was implanted at 3 × 1012 ions/cm2 followed by a co-implant of 9Be+ at 1 × 1012 ions/cm2 into GaAs substrates. The silicon dose rate was varied from 3 nA/cm2 to 44 nA/cm2. The FET channel resistance varied by 4.0%, and was a direct function of the implanted beam current. Sheet resistance decreased as the beam current increased, which is in sharp contrast to results previously published for the high dose regime. Damage has been characterized and correlated to the electrical properties in the low dose regime. The results are compared to those for the high dose regime in order to more clearly define the differences associated with the inversion of the dose rate dependence between the low dose and high dose regimes.
Variation in seed dormancy in Echinochloa and the development of a standard protocol for germination testing. II: Breaking dormancy in seeds unresponsive to light or dark conditions alone by using heat and ethanol pretreatment

A recently established method for the germination of Echinochloa seeds recognised and accounted for variation in responses to light and darkness. This method used parallel light and dark tests and was successful in promoting germination in most seed lots. However, some samples exhibited deeper dormancy and were not fully responsive to either test. In the present study, we employed warm pretreatments where seeds were exposed to dilute aqueous ethanol solutions to attempt to break their dormancy. Based on tests of five Echinochloa accessions, we propose a new, follow-up protocol that can be used on samples unresponsive to the established method. The additional step involves a 3-day dark pretreatment at 35-37°C, imbibing the seeds in ~0.25M ethanol (aq). After this pretreatment, the seeds should be germinated for 14 days at 20/30°C (16 hours/ 8 hours) with half held in darkness and the other half exposed to an 8-hour light cycle.
Jackal helpers and pup survival

BLACKBACKED jackals (Canis mesomelas) are one of the few mammalian species to have long-term pair bonds and to exhibit a tendency for some offspring to help in the provisioning and guarding of subsequent litters. Bonded pairs of adults were studied for 28 months over 3½ years at Lake Ndutu, Serengeti Plain, Tanzania. In the 15 litters observed, families with helpers had significantly higher offspring survivorship.
Synaptonemal Complex Length Variation in Wild-Type Male Mice

Meiosis yields haploid gametes following two successive divisions of a germ cell in the absence of intervening DNA replication. Balanced segregation of homologous chromosomes in Meiosis I is aided by a proteinaceous structure, the synaptonemal complex (SC). The objective of this study was to determine total average autosomal SC lengths in spermatocytes in three commonly used mouse strains (129S4/SvJae, C57BL/6J, and BALB/c). Our experiments revealed that the total autosomal SC length in BALB/c spermatocytes is 9% shorter than in the two other strains. Shorter SCs are also observed in spermatocytes of (BALB/c × 129S4/SvJae) and (C57BL/6J × BALB/c) F1 hybrids suggesting a genetic basis of SC length regulation. Along these lines, we studied expression of a selected group of genes implicated in meiotic chromosome architecture. We found that BALB/c testes express up to 6-fold less of Rec8 mRNA and 4-fold less of REC8 protein. These results suggest that the mechanism that defines the SC length operates via a REC8‑dependent process. Finally, our results demonstrate that genetic background can have an effect on meiotic studies in mice.
Synthesis, Structure, Assembly, and Modulation of the CO2 Adsorption Properties of a Zinc-Adeninate Macrocycle

The preparation and self-assembly of zinc adeninate macrocycles [Zn6(adeninate)6(pyridine)6(dimethylcarbamate)6] is described. The macrocycles self-assemble through adenine−adenine hydrogen bonding interactions into a 3-D porous crystalline material that maintains its structural integrity after removal of guest molecules and coordinated pyridine molecules. By adjusting the activation temperature prior to gas adsorption measurements, the size of the pore aperture can be modulated to afford unique gas sorption properties including selective gas adsorption and CO2 sequestration.
Ultraviolet observations of Uranus and Neptune

Abstract Far and extreme ultraviolet observations of Uranus and Neptune, principally by the ultraviolet spectrometer (UVS) on Voyager 2, are reviewed. Occultation observations have characterized the temperature, energy deposition, and major-constituent compositional profiles of these atmospheres above the 0.1–1 mbar level. Observations of airglow, light emitted by these atmospheres, are more complex to interpret but yield insight into atmospheric energy balance and chemistry.
Experimental Validation of a Generalized Procedure for MDOF Real-Time Hybrid Simulation

AbstractReal-time hybrid simulation (RTHS) has increasingly been recognized as a powerful methodology to evaluate structural components and systems under realistic operating conditions. The concept of RTHS combines the advantages of both numerical analysis and physical laboratory testing. Furthermore, the enforced real-time execution condition enables testing of rate-dependent components. One of the most important challenges in RTHS is to achieve synchronized boundary conditions between computational and physical substructures. The level of synchronization, i.e., actuators tracking performance, largely governs RTHS test stability and accuracy. The objective of this study is to propose and validate a generalized procedure for multiple-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) RTHS. A loop-shaping H∞ robust control design strategy is proposed to control the motion of the actuators. Validation experiments are performed successfully, including the challenges of multiple actuators dynamically coupled through a continuum steel ...
Development of an Integrated Computer-Based Assessment System for Early Childhood Programs

This article describes the development of a computer-based assessment system for children in early childhood programs, The Indiana Assessment System of Educational Proficiencies: Early Childhood (IASEP: EC). Skills in five developmental domains (i.e., cognitive, communication, social, sensory motor, and self-help) were selected and content validated using a representative stakeholder and expert panel process. Resulting indicators were included in assessment software and piloted with 40 teachers and 128 children between the ages of 3 ½ and 6 ½ years. Analysis of core ratings yielded four separate factors: language development, social development, sensory motor development, and self-help skills. The rotated factor structure was largely consistent with the initial domain structure. Correlations between IASEP: EC domain ratings and the Speed DIAL and Picture Naming Task suggest a strong positive relationship between the developmental constructs measured by each. Initial results would lend support for the reli...
Modified clipless antegrade nerve preservation in robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with validated sexual function evaluation.

Abstract Introduction We present our technique for clipless antegrade neurovascular bundle preservation during robotic laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, along with short-term follow-up of our patients’ sexual function. Technical Considerations Using the da Vinci three-arm robotic system, we performed robotic laparoscopic radical prostatectomy using a transperitoneal approach in an antegrade fashion. After division of the bladder neck, the posterior plane of the prostate was developed distally toward the apex of the prostate in the midline. This plane was then developed completely, releasing the vascular pedicles and neurovascular bundles in a medial to lateral direction, with occasional use of bipolar cautery and without the use of clips or monopolar cautery. Patients with a minimal follow-up of 3 months who did not require open conversion were included in this study. A total of 56 patients met these inclusion criteria between February 2003 and May 2004, with a mean follow-up of 6 months. Patients were given the validated Rand Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Health Survey, version 2, with the University of California, Los Angeles, Prostate Cancer Index preoperatively and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. The overall score for both unilateral and bilateral nerve-sparing groups was 35.0, 39.7, 49.4, and 49.6 at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively, respectively. These coincided with a return to baseline potency rate of 47%, 54%, 66%, and 69% at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively. Conclusions Antegrade dissection of the neurovascular bundle, avoiding the use of clips or monopolar cautery during robotic laparoscopic radical prostatectomy, may result in early return of sexual function and overall outcome similar to that after radical retropubic prostatectomy.
Overexpression of CXCR4 predicts adverse overall and event-free survival in patients with unmutated FLT3 acute myeloid leukemia with normal karyotype.

BACKGROUND. CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) expression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is reported to correlate with FLT3 gene mutation and poorer prognosis. The prognostic significance of CXCR4 expression in patients with AML that have a normal karyotype and no evidence of FLT3 gene mutations was examined. METHODS. The prognostic significance of CXCR4 expression in 122 AML patients with normal karyotype and no evidence of FLT3 gene mutation treated at our institution between 1997 and 2003 was analyzed. All patients received intensive chemotherapy according to institutional protocols; 84% received cytarabine-containing regimens. Bone marrow biopsy or clot specimens obtained before treatment were immunostained for CXCR4. RESULTS. There were 70 men and 52 women with a median age of 62 years (range, 22–82 years). Median follow-up was 18 months (range, <1–97 months). Seventy-six patients achieved complete remission (CR); 39 had recurrence. Sixty-six patients died, including 9 with no evidence of disease. CXCR4 was positive in 70 and negative in 52 patients, with CR rates of 58% and 71%, respectively (P = .09). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CXCR4 expression, presence of multilineage dysplasia, and high creatinine level predicted poorer overall (OS) and event-free (EFS) survival. CONCLUSIONS. The results suggest that CXCR4 expression is associated with poor prognosis in AML patients with an unmutated FLT3 gene. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Baking and Roasting: A Compact Demonstration of a Cultural Code

A linguistico-semantic pattern associated with the designation of foods in English can be used in convenient classroom demonstrations of the concept of a cultural code and its importance.
Inducibility of glutathione S-transferases in hamsters

The effects of 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC), 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), phenobarbital, trans-stilbene oxide (TSO), pregnenolone-16 alpha-carbonitrile (PCN), dexamethasone, ethanol, isoniazid and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) on hepatic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities toward six substrates were determined in hamsters. TCDD and 3-MC, which are comparatively poor inducers of GSTs in rats, were most effective in enhancing GST activities in hamster liver. In contrast, TSO, BHA and phenobarbital, which are very effective inducers of hepatic GSTs in rats and mice, were ineffective or poor inducers of GSTs in hamster liver. While dexamethasone increased some GST activities, treatments with PCN, ethanol and isoniazid were without effect. The findings indicate that not only the control activity but also the inducibility of hepatic GSTs are different in hamsters from those in other species.
Molecular Analysis of the Chicken Major Histocompatibility Complex Gene and Gene Products

Abstract New technologies are enabling researchers to conduct analysis of the molecular structure of the genes and gene products of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Two of these new technologies are the production of monoclonal antibodies by hybridomas and analysis of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) by restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) on Southern blots. Monoclonal antibodies, because of their exquisite specificity, can be used to isolate purified MHC antigens for further study. The RFLP analysis can be used to examine differences in the MHC at the DNA level. This paper describes the two aforementioned technologies and their application to molecular analysis of the chicken MHC.
Degree of mitral regurgitation and left ventricular scarring are more powerful predictors of long-term outcomes than volumes and sphericity: a multi-modality imaging study in patients with severe ischemic cardiomyopathy

ss Open Acce Oral presentation Degree of mitral regurgitation and left ventricular scarring are more powerful predictors of long-term outcomes than volumes and sphericity: a multi-modality imaging study in patients with severe ischemic cardiomyopathy Deborah Kwon*, Zoran B Popovic, Venugopal Menon, Carmel M Halley, Danielle Brennan, Randall C Starling, Scott D Flamm, Paul Schoenhagen, Bruce W Lytle, Brian P Griffin and Milind Y Desai
Comparing observational software with paper and pencil for time-sampled data : A field test of Interval Manager (INTMAN)

In this article, we describe the Interval Manager (INTMAN) software system for collecting timesampled observational data and present a preliminary application comparing the program with a traditional paper-and-pencil method. INTMAN is a computer-assisted alternative to traditional paper-and-pencil methods for collecting fixed interval time-sampled observational data. The INTMAN data collection software runs on Pocket PC handheld computers and includes a desktop application for Microsoft Windows that is used for data analysis. Standard analysis options include modified frequencies, percent of intervals, conditional probabilities, and kappa agreement matrices and values. INTMAN and a standardized paper-and-pencil method were compared under identical conditions on five dimensions: setup time, duration of data entry, duration of interobserver agreement calculations, accuracy, and cost. Overall, the computer-assisted program was a more efficient and accurate data collection system for time-sampled data than the traditional method.
Comment on "Method for observation of neutrinos and antineutrinos"

The proposed supercoherent elastic neutrino scattering is not compatible with basic assumptions about wave mechanics. The arguments leading to supercoherence would also predict an analogous effect in x ray scattering, contrary to observation.
Engineering of ultrathin barriers in high TC, trilayer Josephson junctions

Josephson junctions with ultrathin (25–40 A) barriers were fabricated using high TC, trilayer films grown by atomic layer‐by‐layer molecular beam epitaxy (ALL‐MBE). The films consisted of top and bottom electrodes of Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8, separated by a single molecular layer of a metastable compound, Bi2Sr2(Ca, Sr, Bi, Dy)n−1CunO2n+4, with n=5 to 11. Systematic variation of Bi or Dy doping on Ca sites in the barrier layer provided four orders of magnitude of tuning of both the junction critical current and the normal state resistance, while keeping their product approximately constant, near 0.5 mV. Barrier and junction engineering, on an atomic length scale, has been demonstrated for the first time.
A Lumped Finite Element Method for Cap Rock Heat Loss Calculations

Abstract Numerical models of thermal recovery processes arising in petroleum engineering require accurate estimates of the interaction between a reservoir and the surrounding cap and base rock. It is important to obtain an accurate approximation of the energy flux at the interface between the reservoir and the surrounding rock, and the distribution of the temperature in the surrounding rock is of only secondary importance. A flux calculation procedure implemented as a post-processing algorithm based upon a finite element method is used to calculate an accurate approximation to the energy losses. Oscillatory behavior is observed in the computed temperature distribution using a standard computational scheme. If the time derivatives are lumped, the oscillatory behavior is avoided. Computational experiments performed on sample test cases possessing analytical solutions indicate an excellent agreement between the approximations obtained using the lumped procedure and the exact solution.
Insider Trading and Corporate Information Transparency

Our study examines the relation between insider trading and corporate information transparency. We find a negative relation between firms’ information transparency and the economic significance of insider trading, including the amount of insider purchase and sale and the profitability of insider transactions. We also find a negative relation between information transparency and stock price reaction to news of insider trading, which suggests that increases in information transparency preempt insiders’ private information. Our study provides evidence consistent with firms’ transparency-enhancing activities decreasing information asymmetry between insiders and investors by revealing insiders’ private information to investors in a timely manner.
COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING : THE POTENTIAL ROLE OF VIRTUAL COLONOSCOPY

Virtual colonoscopy is a promising new technique that combines rapid spiral CT scanning of the abdomen with advanced computer programs capable of re-creating two- and three-dimensional views of the colon and rectum. Recent studies comparing this method with conventional colonoscopy show that virtual colonoscopy already is more accurate than barium enema X-ray studies for the detection of colorectal polyps, and that it approaches the accuracy of colonoscopy for diagnosing advanced lesions. Before virtual colonoscopy can be promoted for population-based screening for colorectal cancer, a number of issues discussed in this review need to be addressed. These include questions of accuracy, availability, acceptability, and cost-effectiveness.
Figure-of-Merit Enhancement for Laterally Vibrating Lithium Niobate MEMS Resonators

This paper reports on figure-of-merit (FoM) enhancement techniques for a new class of lithium niobate (LN)-based microelectromechanical systems laterally vibrating resonators (LVRs). A weighted electrode configuration is used to experimentally demonstrate a more than 2× enhancement for the device electromechanical coupling kt2, and an optimized reactive ion etch is used to attain straighter LN sidewalls and subsequently a 3× improvement in quality factor (Q=1300). As a result, the resonators orientated 30 ° to +y in the x-cut plane exhibited a kt2 of 21.7%, and a quality factor of 1300, effectively corresponding to an FoM of 280-the highest demonstrated to date for LVRs. These devices are expected to provide an unprecedented and unmatched platform for frequency-agile and adaptive RF filtering technology.
Naturalism and Prescriptivity

Statements about a person's good slip into and out of our ordinary discourse about the world with nary a ripple. Such statements are objects of belief and assertion, they obey the rules of logic, and they are often defended by evidence and argument. They even participate in common-sense explanations, as when we say of some person that he has been less subject to wild swings of enthusiasm and disappointment now that, with experience, he has gained a clearer idea of what is good for him. Statements about a person's good present themselves as being about something with respect to which our beliefs can be true or false, warranted or unwarranted. Let us speak of these features as the descriptive side of discourse about a person's good.
Evaluation of a model for the evolution of wear in a scotch-yoke mechanism

A nearly ideal two-dimensional scotch yoke mechanism was constructed to test a model of wear depth as a function cycle number. Model variables include the reciprocating mass, a two dimensional wear-rate, crank radius, and angular velocity. The model originally developed by T. A. Blanchet (1997), was nondimensionalized and simplified under conditions of large numbers of cycles, to predict the importance of including coupling based solely on a ratio of maximum allowable wear depth to the crank radius. Experiments show a linear progression of wear over two distinct regions, suggesting a sudden transition in wear modes just after 1.5 million cycles. The need for cycle or time dependent wear rates in analysis, which is a potentially far more significant source of error, is clearly illustrated by the experiment and discussed.
In vivo imaging of functional microvasculature within tissue beds of oral and nasal cavities by swept-source optical coherence tomography with a forward/side-viewing probe

We report three-dimensional (3D) imaging of microcirculation within human cavity tissues in vivo using a high-speed swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) at 1300 nm with a modified probe interface. Volumetric structural OCT images of the inner tissues of oral and nasal cavities are acquired with a field of view of 2 mm × 2 mm. Two types of disposable and detachable probe attachments are devised and applied to the port of the imaging probe of OCT system, enabling forward and side imaging scans for selective and easy access to specific cavity tissue sites. Blood perfusion is mapped with OCT-based microangiography from 3D structural OCT images, in which a novel vessel extraction algorithm is used to decouple dynamic light scattering signals, due to moving blood cells, from the background scattering signals due to static tissue elements. Characteristic tissue anatomy and microvessel architectures of various cavity tissue regions of a healthy human volunteer are identified with the 3D OCT images and the corresponding 3D vascular perfusion maps at a level approaching capillary resolution. The initial finding suggests that the proposed method may be engineered into a promising tool for evaluating and monitoring tissue microcirculation and its alteration within a wide-range of cavity tissues in the patients with various pathological conditions.
Technology Forecasting for Wireless Communication

Abstract Wireless communications technologies have undergone rapid changes over the last 30 years from analog approaches to digital-based systems. These technologies have improved on many fronts including bandwidth, range, and power requirements. Development of new telecommunications technologies is critical. It requires many years of efforts. In order to be competitive, it is critical to establish a roadmap of future technologies. This paper presents a framework to characterize, assess and forecast the wireless communication technologies. A DEA-based methodology was used for predicting the state-of-the-art in future wireless communications technologies.
Assessing the quality of abstract data types written in ADA

As software systems have become more complex, a search for better abstraction mechanisms has led to the use of abstract data types (ADTs). To more appropriately use ADTs, however, it is imperative that their properties and characteristics be understood. In this paper we present a method of assessing the quality of ADTs in terms of cohesion and coupling. We argue that an ADT that contains and exports only one domain and exports only operations that pertain to that domain has the best cohesive properties, and we argue that ADTs that make neither explicit nor implicit assumptions about other ADTs in the system have the best coupling properties. Formal definitions are presented for each of the cohesion and coupling characteristics discussed. Their application to Ada® packages is also investigated, and we show how a tool can be developed to assess the quality of an Ada package that represents an ADT. We analyzed nearly one hundred Ada ADT packages found in Ada text books, articles about Ada, and student projects and discovered that more than half of them had inferior cohesive characteristics and almost half of them allowed inferior coupling characteristics.
Volcanic rift margin model for the rift-to-drift setting of the late Neoproterozoic-early Cambrian eastern margin of Laurentia: Chilhowee Group of the Appalachian Blue Ridge

New data support a model of a volcanic rifted margin for eastern Laurentia and the breakup of the supercontinent Rodinia. Upper Neoproterozoic–lower Cambrian rocks of the Chilhowee Group in the Blue Ridge Province of eastern North America are subdivided into two facies assemblages separated by an unconformity. Historically, the rocks have been correlated as a tripartite division: 1) basal sandstone and conglomerate (Cochran, Unicoi, and Weverton Formations), 2) middle siltstone and shale (Nichols Shale, Hampton Shale, and the Hampton and Harpers Formations), and 3) an upper sandstone and shale (Nebo Quartzite, Murray Shale, Hesse Quartzite, and Helenmode, Erwin, and Antietam Formations). Sedimentary analyses show that boundaries of the newly defined facies assemblages transect the named stratigraphic units. Assemblage A consists of fluvial-lacustrine deposits with interbedded subaerial basalt flows overlain by marine deposits. Fluvial strata formed in anastomosing braided-river channels and are interbedded with mudstones deposited in shallow lacustrine plains. Overlying shallow marine deposits consist of upward-coarsening successions capped by over-thickened sandstones. Shale-rich turbidite deposits characterized by subdued bioturbation and common slump features occur at the top. Assemblage B consists of sandstone and shale deposited on a stable shelf. These upward-coarsening parasequences are stacked to form transgressive-regressive system tracts reflecting long-term sea-level fluctuations. A working hypothesis is that these rocks are comparable to those present in seismic reflection profiles and drill cores of the volcanic rift margins of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Assemblage A deposits formed during rapid subsidence associated with the formation of seaward-dipping reflectors. Flood basalts within fluvial sandstones are the landward facies of more voluminous basalt flows in the opening basin. Overlying marine deposits of Assemblage A were coeval with basaltic volcanism and deeper-water deposits to the east. Assemblage B unconformably overlies Assemblage A rocks and laps onto much older continental rocks. It was deposited on the craton into the late Cambrian. Much of the lateral lithologic variability and differences in character and thickness of the Chilhowee Group is attributed to the depositional setting that was influenced by the underlying rift architecture. It was further complicated by juxtaposition of rocks telescoped along numerous Paleozoic thrust faults. This model predicts that coeval rocks in outboard thrust sheets are finer-grained, mafic volcanic-rich marine sequences (Assemblage A), overlain by shelf-margin and basin deposits that lack volcanic rocks (Assemblage B). This model provides more refined sedimentary criteria for examination of other volcanic rift margins.
A Simple Pattern-matching Algorithm for Recovering Empty Nodes and their Antecedents

This paper describes a simple pattern-matching algorithm for recovering empty nodes and identifying their co-indexed antecedents in phrase structure trees that do not contain this information. The patterns are minimal connected tree fragments containing an empty node and all other nodes co-indexed with it. This paper also proposes an evaluation procedure for empty node recovery procedures which is independent of most of the details of phrase structure, which makes it possible to compare the performance of empty node recovery on parser output with the empty node annotations in a gold-standard corpus. Evaluating the algorithm on the output of Charniak's parser (Charniak, 2000) and the Penn treebank (Marcus et al., 1993) shows that the pattern-matching algorithm does surprisingly well on the most frequently occuring types of empty nodes given its simplicity.
TouchSync: Lightweight Synchronization for Ad-Hoc Mobile Collaboration

For current generation of PDA and smart phone devices, wireless capabilities are practically a standard feature. Consequently, they should be able to support users in their spontaneous daily interactions. Yet, the original host-centric model of data synchronization is still entrenched, thereby depriving users of adequate support for ad-hoc collaboration. In our view, what is needed is a more relaxed and intuitive sharing model that reflects the semistructured nature of informal user interactions. We present TouchSynca lightweight framework that allows users to easily form an ad-hoc group and automatically share data on their devices. The framework provides a flexible sharing mechanism that allows various single-user applications to be easily adapted for collaboration. Adapted applications completely retain their original user interaction functions, while the infrastructure provides generic collaboration tools for session management and privacy control. We discuss both the overall design of the framework and an implementation for PalmOS and Bluetooth. We also present implementation results from the adaptation of three common applications to support meetings.
Molecular mechanism of voltage sensing in voltage-gated proton channels

Voltage-gated proton (Hv) channels play an essential role in phagocytic cells by generating a hyperpolarizing proton current that electrically compensates for the depolarizing current generated by the NADPH oxidase during the respiratory burst, thereby ensuring a sustained production of reactive oxygen species by the NADPH oxidase in phagocytes to neutralize engulfed bacteria. Despite the importance of the voltage-dependent Hv current, it is at present unclear which residues in Hv channels are responsible for the voltage activation. Here we show that individual neutralizations of three charged residues in the fourth transmembrane domain, S4, all reduce the voltage dependence of activation. In addition, we show that the middle S4 charged residue moves from a position accessible from the cytosolic solution to a position accessible from the extracellular solution, suggesting that this residue moves across most of the membrane electric field during voltage activation of Hv channels. Our results show for the first time that the charge movement of these three S4 charges accounts for almost all of the measured gating charge in Hv channels.
LIAM-a linear induction accelerator model

A flexible linear induction accelerator model (LIAM) was developed to predict both beam centroid position and the beam envelope. LIAM requires on-axis magnetic profiles and is designed to easily handle overlapping fields from multiple elements. Currently, LIAM includes solenoids, dipole steering magnets, and accelerating gaps. Other magnetic elements can be easily incorporated into LIAM due to its object-oriented design. LIAM is written in the C programming language and computes fast enough on current workstations to be used in the control room as a tuning and diagnostic aid. Combined with a non-linear least squares package, LIAM has been used to estimate beam energy at various locations within the ETA-II accelerator. >
Molecular Characterization of Mycoplasma arthritidis Membrane Lipoprotein MAA1

Genes encoding the Mycoplasma arthritidis surface-exposed lipoprotein MAA1 were cloned and sequenced from MAA1-expressing strains 158p10p9 and PG6, from a low-adherence (LA) variant derived from 158p10p9 that expresses a truncated version of MAA1 (MAA1Delta) and from two MAA1-negative strains, 158 and H39. The deduced amino acid sequences of maa1 from 158p10p9 and PG6 predicted, respectively, 86.5- and 86.4-kDa basic, largely hydrophilic lipoproteins with 29-amino-acid signal peptides and predicted cleavage sites for signal peptidase II (Ala-Ala-Ala downward arrowCys). The truncation in the LA variant resulted from a G-->T substitution at nucleotide 695, which created a premature stop codon. This, in turn, generated a predicted 26.6-kDa prolipoprotein (23.6 kDa after processing), consistent with an M(r) of approximately 24,000 calculated for MAA1Delta. Similarly, absence of MAA1 expression in H39 and 158 resulted from C-->A substitutions at nucleotide 208, generating premature stop codons at that site in both strains.
Toward a Comprehensive Safeguards System: Keeping Fissile Materials out of Terrorists' Hands

The nexus of terrorism and nuclear weapons is today’s greatest security concern. The importance of keeping fissile materials out of the hands of terrorists is now generally accepted. The difficulty of doing so is not. Lack of appreciation, especially for the technical difficulties, is hampering our ability to build a comprehensive safeguards system and prevent nuclear terrorism.
Coexistence-Aware Scheduling for Wireless System-on-a-Chip Devices

Today's mobile devices support many wireless technologies to achieve ubiquitous connectivity. Economic and energy constraints, however, are driving the industry to implement multiple technologies into a single radio. This system-on-a-chip architecture leads to competition among networks when devices toggle across different technologies to communicate with multiple networks. In this paper, we study the impact of such network competition using a representative scenario where devices split their time between WiMAX and WiFi connections. We show that competition with WiMAX significantly lowers WiFi's throughput, but this performance degradation is largely unnecessary, and can be attributed to the fact that WiMAX's transmission scheduling does not consider competing networks. We propose PACT, a new coexistence-aware WiMAX scheduling policy that cooperates with WiFi links hosted by its users without compromising its own transmission requirements. We derive PACT's design using an analytical model of network competition, and apply it to design practical WiMAX scheduling algorithms for various traffic classes. We evaluate PACT using OPNET's realistic models for WiFi and WiMAX. Using real network topologies, our experiment results show that PACT significantly improves WiFi performance by up to 17 fold without affecting the WiMAX user experience.
Comparison of single cropping, relay cropping and double cropping of soyabeans with wheat using cultivar blends.

Comparisons of single cropping, double cropping and relay cropping of soyabeans (Glycine max) with wheat (Triticum aestivum) were made at two sites in Arkansas over a two-year period. The comparisons were made using both soyabean blends and their component cultivars. In relay cropping the yields of pure lines of soyabeans were reduced by 17% compared with single-cropped soyabeans, but the yield of wheat in relay cropping was 15% less than in double cropping. Double cropping reduced the branch number, plant height, node number and leaf area of soyabeans compared with single cropping, but relay cropping reduced only node number and leaf area. Both double cropping and relay cropping gave greater land equivalent ratio (LER) values than single cropping, and double cropping gave greater LER values than relay cropping. Net returns were lowest with single cropping and greatest with double cropping. Soyabean blends gave yields similar to the mean of the component genotypes in all three cropping systems, and the net returns of blends were similar to those of the means of component genotypes.
Integrating Follett: history, philosophy and management

This paper describes Follett’s contribution to management theory in relationship to the political events and intellectual currents of her time and her unique inter‐relating of philosophy, political theory and management theory.
Field Experimentation and the Study of Law and Policy

Field experiments are randomized experiments that take place under naturalistic conditions. This research method is experiencing rapid growth throughout the social sciences and especially in legal studies, where it is used to rigorously evaluate policies and programs. We begin by charting the growth of field experimentation in law and legal studies, describing the statistical properties of experiments and discussing the practical threats that may undermine experiments conducted in field settings. Next, we review the experimental research literature in a variety of domains: legal institutions, including the judiciary, legislature, and legal profession; incentives, especially as they apply to tax compliance and business law; and laws and obligations, including legal code, policy, and legal theory. We conclude by highlighting some of the challenges that the experimental literature must confront if it is to speak convincingly to issues of law and policy.
Suppression of self-pulsations in dual-clad, ytterbium-doped fiber lasers

Regimes of self-pulsing in fiber lasers have been characterized. Experiments show that the addition of a long section of passive fiber in the laser cavity can stabilize the laser and largely suppress the self-pulsations.
Inertial Effects on Void Growth in Porous Viscoplastic Materials

The present work examines the inertial effects on void growth in viscoplastic materials which have been largely neglected in analyses ofdynamic crack growth and spallation phenomena using existing continuum porous material models. The dynamic void growth in porous materials is investigated by analyzing the finite deformation of an elastic/viscoplastic spherical shell under intense hydrostatic tensile loading. Under typical dynamic loading conditions, inertia is found to have a strong stabilizing effect on void growth process and consequently to delay coalescence even when the high rate-sensitivity of materials at very high strain rates is taken into account. Effects of strain hardening and thermal softening are found to be relatively small. Approximate relations are suggested to incorporate inertial effects and rate sensitivity of matrix materials into the porous viscoplastic material constitutive models for dynamic ductile fracture analyses for certain loading conditions.
Devalued Dollars And Deep Deficits

Devaluating a country’s currency, according to long established theories, has two effects: it makes the country’s imported products more expensive and its exported goods cheaper, thus reducing imports and increasing exports, helping the country’s balance of trade. This paper examines the reasons why this theory did no have an effect on the US balance of trade, which for the last 30 years has been getting bigger every year, despite repeated devaluations of the dollar.
Examining the effect of spatial resolution and texture window size on classification accuracy: an urban environment case

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate spatial resolution effects on image classification. Classification maps were generated with a maximum likelihood (ML) classifier applied to three multi-spectral bands and variance texture images. A total of eight urban land use/cover classes were obtained at six spatial resolution levels based on a series of aggregated Colour Infrared Digital Orthophoto Quarter Quadrangle (DOQQ) subsets in urban and rural fringe areas of the San Diego metropolitan area. The classification results were compared using overall and individual classification accuracies. Classification accuracies were shown to be influenced by image spatial resolution, window size used in texture extraction and differences in spatial structure within and between categories. The more heterogeneous are the land use/cover units and the more fragmented are the landscapes, the finer the resolution required. Texture was more effective for improving the classification accuracy of land use classes at finer resolution levels. For spectrally homogeneous classes, a small window is preferable. But for spectrally heterogeneous classes, a large window size is required.
Evaluation of PAH and Metal Contents of Different Biochars for Use in Climate Change Mitigation Systems

Biochar, a solid byproduct generated during biomass pyrolysis or gasification in the absence (or near-absence) of oxygen, has recently garnered interest for both agricultural and environmental uses owing to its unique physical and chemical properties, such as its high surface area and porosity, and ability to adsorb a variety of compounds, including nutrients, organic contaminants, and some gases. This material is also considered ‘sustainable’ as it can be derived from agricultural wastes and is currently being investigated for carbon sequestration applications and as a soil cover amendment for reduced greenhouse gas emissions from landfills. Ongoing research in our laboratory has shown that biochar can enhance both methane adsorption and subsequent microbial oxidation in soils, making it a promising material to mitigate residual landfill emissions for which gas recovery is not economical or feasible. Physical and chemical properties of biochar are dictated by the feedstock and production conditions (i.e. temperature, conversion technology and post-treatment processes, if any), which vary widely across commercially produced biochars. In this study, several commercially available biochars are characterized for key physical and chemical properties relevant to the common uses of biochars in environmental applications, with special attention given to PAH and heavy metal content and leachability. A high variability in chemical composition, surface properties, and PAH and heavy metal contents among commercially available biochars was observed, underscoring the importance of pre-screening biochars for the presence of PAHs and heavy metals prior to selection as a landfill cover or soil amendment.
Passive Wireless Monitoring of Wafer Cleanliness During Rinsing of Semiconductor Wafers

Semiconductor facilities consume large amounts of water, most of which is used for rinsing of wafers during cleaning steps. To optimize water use, real-time and in situ monitoring of wafer cleanliness during rinsing is necessary. Yet no prior art is real-time and in situ. In this paper, we present a passive wireless sensing system capable of measuring the residual contamination on the wafers in real-time and in situ. The wireless system consists of a micromachined Electro-Chemical Residue Sensor (ECRS) and wireless transponder circuitry based on RFID technology. The ECRS measures the impurities concentration of the water inside micro-features during the rinsing processes. The sensor reading is converted to a frequency by the on-wafer transponder and remotely logged through a wireless link between two coupled inductors, while the transponder captures power from the remote RF signal: a battery-free system. A prototype system was fabricated and its frequency output was characterized by using sodium chloride solution ranging from 190 ppb to 6 ppm. The measured wireless chemical sensor system has a relative uncertainty of less than 1% in the concentration range.
Experimental Evidence of Bacterial Translocation in Trauma

The intestine performs many functions, including the complex processes of digestion, selective absorption, and secretion. Yet, in addition to these functions, the intestine must also serve as a major defense barrier to prevent bacteria colonizing the gut from invading systemic organs and tissues. Based on epidemiologic studies, the mucosal barrier to bacteria appears to be lost under certain clinical circumstances resulting in systemic sepsis (1,2,3,4). In fact, life-threatening infections with gutassociated bacteria, in which no infective focus can be found even at autopsy, is a major clinical problem in burn patients (5,6), victims of trauma (7) and patients developing the multiple organ failure syndrome (8,9). Although clinical studies performed in the 1960’s (10,11) documented that bacteria and endotoxin originating in the gut may gain access to the systemic circulation in a wide variety of patients, this concept was largely ignored until the middle to late 1970’s.
Paroxetine for hepatopulmonary syndrome

Hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a severe pulmonary sequela which can affect up to 15% of patients with cirrhotic liver disease. There is no treatment for HPS other than liver transplantation. The cause of HPS is incompletely understood, but the pulmonary vasodilation in HPS is thought to be related to increased levels of nitric oxide. We therefore suggest that, the extremely safe and commonly used antidepressant medication paroxetine (Paxil) which is a potent nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor be considered for use in HPS.