cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Band selection in hyperspectral imagery using sparse support vector machines

ABSTRACT In this paper we propose an ` 1 -norm penalized sparse support vector machine (SSVM) as an e mbedded approachto the hyperspectral imagery band selection problem. SSVMs exhibit a model structure that includes a clearlyidenti able gap between zero and non-zero weights that perm its important bands to be de nitively selected inconjunction with the classi cation problem. The SSVM Algor ithm is trained using bootstrap aggregating toobtain a sample of SSVM models to reduce variability in the ba nd selection process. This preliminary sampleapproach for band selection is followed by a secondary band s election which involves retraining the SSVM tofurther reduce the set of bands retained. We propose and comp are three adaptations of the SSVM band selectionalgorithm for the multiclass problem. Two extensions of the SSVM Algorithm are based on pairwise bandselection between classes. Their performance is validated by using one-against-one (OAO) SSVMs. The thirdproposed method is a combination of the lter band selection method WaLuMI in sequence with the (OAO)SSVM embedded band selection algorithm. We illustrate the p erfomance of these methods on the AVIRISIndian Pines data set and compare the results to other techni ques in the literature. Additionally we illustratethe SSVM Algorithm on the Long-Wavelength Infrared (LWIR) d ata set consisting of hyperspectral videos ofchemical plumes.Keywords: Band selection, classi cation, sparse support vector mach ines, sparsity, bootstrap aggregating,hyperspectral imagery
Metabolic syndrome after laparoscopic bariatric surgery.

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is common among morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the impact and predictors of bariatric surgery on the resolution of MS. Subjects included 286 patients [age 44.0 ± 11.5, female 78.2%, BMI 48.7 ± 9.4, waist circumference 139 ± 20 cm, AST 23.5 ± 14.9, ALT 30.0 ± 20.1, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) 30.1% and MS 39.2%] who underwent bariatric surgery. Of the entire cohort, 27.3% underwent malabsorptive surgery, 55.9% underwent restrictive surgery, and 16.8% had combination restrictive–malabsorptive surgery. Mean weight loss was 33.7 ± 20.1 kg after restrictive surgery (follow up period 298 ± 271 days), 39.4 ± 22.9 kg after malabsorptive surgery (follow-up period 306 ± 290 days), and 28.3 ± 14.1 kg after combination surgery (follow-up period 281 ± 239 days). Regardless of the type of bariatric surgery, significant improvements were noted in MS (p values from <0.0001–0.01) as well as its components such as DM (p values from <0.0001–0.0005), waist circumference (p values <0.0001), BMI (p values <0.0001), fasting serum triglycerides (p values <0.0001 to 0.001), and fasting serum glucose (p values <0.0001). Additionally, a significant improvement in AST/ALT ratio (p value = 0.0002) was noted in those undergoing restrictive surgery. Multivariate analysis showed that patients who underwent malabsorptive bariatric procedures experienced a significantly greater percent excess weight loss than patients who underwent restrictive procedures (p value = 0.0451). Percent excess weight loss increased with longer postoperative follow-up (p value <0.0001). Weight loss after bariatric surgery is associated with a significant improvement in MS and other metabolic factors.
Experimental study of clinopyroxenite partial melting and the origin of ultra-calcic melt inclusions

Ultra-calcic melt inclusions (UCMI: CaO>13.5 wt% and/or CaO/Al2O3>0.9) are magnesian and near-primary liquids trapped in volcanic phenocrysts from mid-ocean ridges, arcs, back-arcs, and ocean islands. UCMI can be subdivided into two classes based on tectonic association and degree of silica saturation: those from arcs are nepheline normative and those from all other localities (silicic UCMI) are hypersthene normative. Silicic UCMI share a number of common features, including primitive host minerals, low alkali contents, and variable ratios of K2O/TiO2 ranging to high values. Their compositions are not easily derived by partial melting of mantle lherzolite. Accordingly, we have performed a series of partial melting experiments on three clinopyroxenite compositions at 1.0 to 2.0 GPa to investigate the role of partial melting of clinopyroxene-rich lithologies in silicic UCMI genesis. Estimated solidus temperatures for all three compositions are similar to those of normal peridotites, but 1.0 GPa isobaric melt productivities are higher for clinopyroxenite than for peridotite. High degree partial melts of the clinopyroxenites are ultra-calcic and have similarities to silicic UCMI, but the experiments produce ultra-calcic liquids only at melt fractions greater than 30% and temperatures higher than 1,350 °C at 1.0 GPa. Such temperatures are higher than those likely to be prevailing beneath normal mid-ocean ridges, which suggests that some or all silicic UCMI may originate by a process other than simple partial melting of clinopyroxene-rich lithologies. We consider a possible role for partial melting of depleted harzburgite in the genesis of silicic UCMI.
High Permittivity Oxide Gate Stacks on Silicon Incorporating UHV Silicon Nitride Interfacial Layers

Current high permittivity material deposition techniques produce a low permittivity oxide interfacial layer consequently increasing the equivalent oxide thickness. This interfacial oxide layer can be prevented by initially growing a thin nitride layer to act as a diffusion barrier. The interfacial nitride layer must also have low interface state densities comparable to state-of-the-art SiO2 insulators in order to be suitable for MOSFETs. The nitride layer used in this study was formed by thermal nitridation in a UHV system, with the subsequent high permittivity deposition done in an adjoining system. After forming capacitors from these films, capacitance vs. voltage (C-V) techniques were used to determine the interface state density and equivalent oxide thickness of the films. Gate stack films were produced on Si(100) and Si(111) and the results are compared. Gate stacks on Si(100) show a slight increase in stretchout in the high frequency C-V curves for both n-type and p-type samples. Initial data suggests that Si(111) has a lower interface state density than the Si(100) gate stacks. This may be attributed to the Si3N4layer on Si(111) being epitaxial nitride.
Representation of general and polyhedral subsemilattices and sublattices of product spaces

Abstract It is shown that each element of the lattice of meet (resp., join) sublattices of a product S of n chains has a representation as the intersection of n subsets of S , the i th of which is decreasing (resp., increasing) for each fixed value of the i th coordinate for each i . This result is applied to show that an arbitrary element of the lattice of sublattices of S has a representation as the intersection of n 2 subsets, the ij th of which is decreasing for each fixed value of the i th and increasing for each fixed value of the j th coordinate for each i , j . Irreducible representations are given in each case, providing an alternative proof of an instance of Hashimoto's (1952) representation of sublattices of a distributive lattice. Moreover, irreducible representations are given for the polyhedral members of the lattice of closed convex subsets of n -dimensional Euclidean space that are at once subsemilattices or sublattices. It is alsoshown that the polyhedral subsemilattices and sublattices can be represented as duals respectively of pre-Leontief substitution systems and generalized network-flow problems. Finally, the problems of checking whether a polyhedral set is a subsemilattice or sublattice are reduced to that of solving a system of linear inequalities, thereby showing that these recognition problems can be solved in polynomial time.
Differential effects of paraoxonase 1 (PON1) polymorphisms on cancer risk: evidence from 25 published studies

Paraoxonase is an HDL-associated enzyme that plays a preventive role against oxidative stress, which is thought to contribute to cancer development. PON1 activity varies widely among individuals, which is in part related to two common nonsynonymous polymorphisms in the PON1 gene (Q192R and L55M). The polymorphisms in PON1 have been implicated in cancer risk. However, results from the studies to date have been conflicting. To clarify the association, a meta-analysis was performed for 7,073 cases and 9,520 controls from 25 published case-control studies. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of the association. Significant associations between PON1-L55M but not Q192R polymorphism and total cancer were observed from all the comparisons. In stratified analyses, PON1-55M allele was a risk factor for breast cancer. Similarly, increased risk was observed for prostate cancer (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01-1.36, P (heterogeneity) = 0.260) and Caucasian population (OR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02-1.38, P (heterogeneity) = 0.1) of the LM genotype, compared with the LL genotype. For PON1-Q192R polymorphism, PON1-192R allele was a decreased risk factor for cancer in the Asian group (RR vs QQ: OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38-0.98, P (heterogeneity) = 0.268; QR vs QQ: OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.52-0.96, P (heterogeneity) = 0.130; RR + QR vs QQ: OR = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.53-0.95, P (heterogeneity) = 0.135). Although some modest bias could not be eliminated, this meta-analysis suggests that the PON1-55M allele is a risk factor for the development of cancer, in particular for breast cancer. Future studies with larger sample sizes are warranted to further evaluate these associations.
How much sleep apnea is too much? Authors' response

Our study [1] had two main purposes: first, to examine the occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and then to exclude patients with this confound in order to evaluate the structure of sleep in a group of patients with "pure" CFS to look for relations with the symptoms of fatigue and sleepiness. In order to do this, we had to define an upper limit for the occurrence of respiratory events that might explain the daytime symptoms. Martinez and Cassol are correct that the currently accepted cutpoint for abnormality proposed by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in the US is an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 5 per hour but less than 15 per hour – but only if symptoms such as EDS are present. However, the AHI is an insensitive measure of the severity of mild respiratory events (such as respiratory event-related arousals (RERAs)) as it requires either a 3 or 4% desaturation for the definition of hypopnea and this is frequently not present in respiratory events that cause arousal and may contribute to sleep disruption (RERA). For this reason, our cutpoint for SDB is based on a respiratory disturbance index (RDI) of 18 events per hour and not the AHI. The RDI includes RERAs along with the AHI, although we used a slightly different definition of hypopneas beginning with any event showing "flow limitation" rather than the current amplitude based entry criterion. The rationale for this is from an earlier paper by our group [2] that shows that the sensitivity and specificity for explaining EDS in a group composed of symptomatic but mild SDB and non-complaining controls were greater using the RDI criterion than the AHI criterion. Since that paper, it has become customary to use a cut-off of 15 events per hour for RDI in many applications. It is important to note that for RDI, using 5 events per hour will include essentially 80% of the normal population. Furthermore, as pointed out in our current paper [1], although we chose 18 events per hour as a cut-off to exclude three subjects (one with CFS and two normal subjects) when defining the final group for our sleep analysis who might have SDB, in fact the highest RDIs we saw in the non-SDB group were 10.4, 10.8, 10.1, and 9.5 events per hour; we feel these numbers are within a range seen in many normal subjects without EDS [2]. Thus, our cut-off of 18 is not effectively different from the more recently accepted number of 15 events per hour. And after excluding those subjects with high RDI values, there was no significant difference in the AHI of patients with only CFS, those with CFS and fibromyalgia and healthy controls (1.7 ± 1.6, 2.8 ± 2.6, and 2.2 ± 1.7, respectively). In fact, the above logic is not fundamentally different from the choice made by Martinez and Cassol in their own work [3-6], where they define SDB as present in fibromyalgia when the AHI <5 and when more than 10 RERAs per hour occurred (5 + 10 events = 15 per hour, similar to our cut-off of 18 per hour).
Characterization of carbohydrate oxidation at copper electrodes

The electro-oxidation of carbohydrate compounds at copper electrodes in strongly alkaline solution was investigated by cyclic voltammetry, hydrodynamic voltammetry and coulometry experiments. Product analysis was carried out by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Model carbohydrate compounds examined included, in addition to simple monosaccharides, alditols and aldonic, aldaric and uronic acids. All these oxidations were found to consist of many-electron processes. For glucose itself, 12 electrons were involved in complete oxidation at +0.60 V vs. Ag|AgCl|3 M NaCl, and the sole product appeared to be the formate ion, with no partial oxidation species seen as either intermediate or final products. For other carbohydrates, carbonate was assumed (but not observed) to be a possible oxidation product as well. In view of the fact that various alditol compounds were oxidized even more readily than glucose and other monosaccharides, it appeared that the aldehyde or ketone functionality is not required for oxidation at the Cu electrode. Rather, voltammetry results obtained for a series of polyhydroxyl compounds revealed that the minimum structural requirement for facile oxidation is the presence of at least two, and preferably more, nearby hydroxyl groups in the compound to be oxidized.
Dependence graphs and compiler optimizations

Dependence graphs can be used as a vehicle for formulating and implementing compiler optimizations. This paper defines such graphs and discusses two kinds of transformations. The first are simple rewriting transformations that remove dependence arcs. The second are abstraction transformations that deal more globally with a dependence graph. These transformations have been implemented and applied to several different types of high-speed architectures.
Observation of positive and negative oxygen ions during electron bombardment of oxygen-covered Mo (100) surfaces

Electron-stimulated desorption of both positive and negative ions from oxygen-covered Mo (100) surfaces was investigated. Two adsorption states, $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and $\ensuremath{\beta}$, were identified. For the high-ion-yield $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ state, the ${\mathrm{O}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ to ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ yield ratio varied with both temperature and oxygen coverage, indicating changes in the nature of this state. For the low-ion-yield $\ensuremath{\beta}$ state, the ${\mathrm{O}}^{+}$ -ion yield showed reversible thermal enhancement, possibly caused by the migration of oxygen atoms in and out of the Mo surface. A velocity-dependent isotope effect was also observed for both positive and negative oxygen ions. The phenomenon is discussed in the framework of Franck-Condon transitions.
Pig pancreas anatomy: implications for pancreas procurement, preservation, and islet isolation.

Background Islet transplantation is emerging as a treatment option for selected patients with type 1 diabetes. The limited human islet supply from cadavers and poor islet yield and quality remain substantial impediments to progress in the field. Use of porcine islets holds great promise for large-scale application of islet transplantation. Consistent isolation of porcine islets is dependent on advances in pancreas procurement, pancreas preservation, and islet isolation, requiring detailed knowledge of the porcine pancreatic anatomy. The primary aim of this study was to describe the vascular and ductal anatomy of the porcine pancreas to guide and improve organ preservation and enzyme perfusion. Methods Pancreata were removed by en bloc viscerectomy from 65 female Landrace pigs. Results Fifteen percentage of organs exhibited inconsistent vascular branching from the celiac trunk. All organs showed uniform patterns of branching at the superior mesenteric artery. The superior and inferior mesenteric veins merged to become the portal vein in all but one case in which the inferior mesenteric vein drained into the splenic vein. Ninety-seven percent of pancreata had three lobes: duodenal lobe (DL), connecting lobe (CL), and splenic lobe (SL); 39% demonstrated ductal communication between the CL and the other two lobes; 50% had ductal communication only between the CL and duodenal lobe; and 11% presented other types of ductal delineation. Conclusions Accounting for the variations in vascular and ductal anatomy, as detailed in this study, will facilitate development of protocols for preservation, optimal enzyme administration, and pancreas distention and digestion, and will ultimately lead to substantial improvements in isolation outcomes.
Editor’s Introduction: Public Engagement and Hope

In this issue, we present a set of papers that continue the still fascinating conversation about “public sociology,” particularly in response to the conceptual model articulated by Michael Burawoy around the time of his presidency of the American Sociological Association (2003–2004), but also moving independently in new directions. The initial paper, by Steven Ortiz, provides a first-person account of the experience of communicating sociological research via mass media. Here, the sociologist moves from the well defined role of academic researcher to the unfamiliar position of public figure playing a very different game that involves high-profile risks. Ortiz offers reflections on how sociology departments, as well as graduate training programs, might better meet these challenges. Lina Hu extends the conversation on public sociology into Asia, in her account of an intensive intervention in the People’s Republic of China. The focus here is on nontraditional public education for workers. The relationship of these efforts to Burawoy’s conceptual model is significantly different from those considered in earlier papers in this journal. Gabor Scheiring presents a friendly critique of Burawoy in his reflections on public sociology and the late modern turn, with particular reference to the European experience. Working from the premise that the gap between professional and public sociology can be overcome, and that public sociology has not been suppressed, he offers his own perspective for pursuing the project, based on what he calls a “selfanthropology.” Miklos Hadas likewise engages the Burawoy model and seeks to articulate an alternative strategy that is based on three dimensions of social-scientific work, namely, the prestige of scientists, their influence and their position on what is called the “action chain.” Citing the longstanding engagement of many sociologists in public policy, as evidenced by the research committees of the International Sociological Association, Hadas raises the question of whether Burawoy—with the best of intentions—is applying a battering ram to an already opened door. Am Soc (2007) 38:221–222 DOI 10.1007/s12108-007-9018-6
Generation of Mean Flows and Jets on a Beta Plane and over Topography

Abstract This paper proposes and discusses mechanisms whereby mean flows and jets are produced by differential rotation and by topographic effects. It is shown that, in general, a mean gradient of potential vorticity not only inhibits the cascade of energy to large scales but directly produces anisotropic structures. Scalings for this are examined on the β plane using ideas from classical phenomenology. The scalings are naturally anisotropic and predict the formation of zonal flows directly through a turbulent cascade. Numerical simulations and two-point closure calculations qualitatively confirm the predictions. Also, simulations of barotropic flow on the β plane can produce zonal jet structures of exceptional persistence over many eddy turnover times. Unsteady flow over topography generally produces a mean flow with a correlation between streamfunction and topography, with anticyclonic motion over humps. If the topography is shallow (or the flow sufficiently energetic) the mean streamfunction will be of...
The effect of Be and Cr electrode deposition rate on the performance of MIS solar cells

An experimental study has been performed on MIS solar cells with Be, Cr and layered CrBe electrodes on single crystal Si, Wacker and Monsanto poly-Si substrates. Electrical characterization in the dark and under illumination was correlated to X-ray and Auger spectroscopy results. It was found that the electrode deposition rate directly affects that oxygen content of the electrodes for all metal-substrate configurations. This oxygen is believed to originate from the deposition ambient as well as from the SiO2 layer. In the case of cells with Cr and layered CrBe electrodes oxygen acts to reduce the electrode work function (thus increasing the open-circuit voltage) in direct proportion to the relative content of oxygen to chromium.
Therapeutic efficacy of omalizumab

In the 1960s, IgE antibody was identified as critical to the expression of atopy. Since that time, reducing IgE expression has been a therapeutic goal. It seems likely that a number of approaches might reach the goal of reducing IgE expression, but for the moment, there is but one biologic agent on the market that succeeds in reducing IgE levels. Omalizumab is a humanized mAb that has 2 critical attributes. The first is that it binds an epitope on IgE that is needed for IgE to bind to both its lowand high-affinity receptors. The second is that omalizumab is unable to bind to IgE already bound to cells. Therefore it should not be able to induce receptor aggregation and inadvertent mast cell/ basophil activation. As with all therapeutic agents, it is necessary to ask how much is enough. For this particular therapeutic, it is at least possible to actually measure the change in its target and indeed assess the significance of the reduction in the target, IgE, on some of the cellular responses that depend on IgE. It is technically possible to measure the free IgE levels in patients being treated with omalizumab, but the measurement is not simple because it amounts to finding a way to discriminate between the huge amount of IgE bound to omalizumab and the remaining free IgE. At this time, measurements have been done sparingly. Slavin et al have attempted to bypass the limitations of infrequent free IgE assessments with a pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic model of free IgE that has been partially validated by adjusting model parameters to fit actual free IgE measurements obtained from a smaller study in which rich sampling of free IgE was done. Using this model to make predictions about free IgE levels during a course of treatment with omalizumab and working with data from a larger clinical trial with sparse free IgE measurements, the authors examine several issues. The reason for omalizumab being ineffective for some patients is unknown, but it is reasonable to ask whether the ‘‘failures’’ result from ineffective reductions in IgE levels. Omalizumab is administered according to both starting serum IgE level and the patient’s body weight, and physicians use a 2-factor table to choose the dose of drug. Among clinicians, questions are being asked about whether the dose can be reduced after months of treatment or whether off-table regimens can be used (notably, use of the maximum allowable amount of omalizumab for individuals with levels of IgE or body weight that exceed the approved table), and this study also addresses these questions.
Role of protein kinase cα in the induction of carcinoembryonic antigen by transforming growth factor β

Previous studies showed that transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) regulates the expression of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and CEA-cross-reactive glycoproteins (CEA-GLYs) in human colon carcinoma cells through a signal-transducing pathway associated with protein kinase C (PKC) (Chakrabarty, J. Cell. Physiol., 1992, 152:494-499). In this study we determined the role of the PKC alpha isoform in the regulation of CEA and CEA-GLYs expression by TGF beta 1. Expression of PKC alpha antisense RNA, through transfection experiments with an antisense PKC alpha expression vector, resulted in down-modulation of PKC alpha RNA and protein expression. TGF beta 1 was unable to stimulate the expression and secretion of CEA in cells in which the expression of PKC alpha protein was substantially reduced. The ability of TGF beta 1 to stimulate the expression of the 95- and 55-kDa CEA-GLYs, however, was not affected. We therefore conclude that TGF beta 1 regulates the secretion and expression of CEA through a signal-transducing pathway associated with PKC alpha. TGF beta 1 may also regulate the expression of CEA-GLYs through signal-transducing pathways associated with other PKC isoforms.
Genetic testing in child neurology

Integration of genetic and genomic information into the clinical practice of child neurologists is revolutionizing how diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of neurogenetic diseases are approached. Genetic testing technology, informatics, and interpretation are rapidly expanding. High-throughput next-generation sequencing has changed the landscape of many fields of medicine by enabling new diagnoses and gene/disease associations. Now more than ever, a comprehensive understanding of the risks, benefits, limitations, and nuances of testing in the pediatric population is essential for the child neurologist.
Encyclopedia of Great Popular Song Recordings

In an October 1939 radio broadcast, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill described the foreign policy pursuits of Russia as “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.” He concluded, tho...
Stress Cardiomyopathy After Intravenous Administration of Catecholamines and Beta-Receptor Agonists

Objectives The aim of this study was to report a series of patients with stress cardiomyopathy precipitated by the intravenous administration of catecholamines and beta-receptor agonists. Background Stress cardiomyopathy is a syndrome of transient cardiac dysfunction precipitated by intense emotional or physical stress. Excessive sympathetic stimulation is believed to be central to the pathogenesis of this disorder, but a causal link has not been convincingly demonstrated. Methods We observed 9 cases of stress cardiomyopathy precipitated immediately by the intravenous administration of epinephrine (n = 6) or dobutamine (n = 3). Patients were evaluated with coronary angiography and with serial echocardiography, electrocardiography, and cardiac enzymes. Results The median age was 44 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 30 to 48 years), and 7 (78%) were woman. Troponin-I was mildly elevated (median 4.07 ng/ml, IQR: 0.47 to 5.63 ng/ml), but none of the patients undergoing angiography had obstructive coronary disease. All patients developed corrected QT interval (QTc interval) prolongation (median QTc interval 504 ms, IQR: 477 to 568 ms) within 24 h of receiving drug. All 3 previously described variants of left ventricular “ballooning” (apical, midventricular, and basal) were observed. The median ejection fraction on admission was 35% (IQR: 35% to 40%). During follow-up (median 7 days, IQR: 4 to 13 days) there was recovery of left ventricular systolic function in all patients (median ejection fraction 55%, IQR: 40% to 60%, p Conclusions Exposure to catecholamines and beta-receptor agonists used routinely during procedures and diagnostic tests can precipitate all the features of stress cardiomyopathy, including cardiac isoenzyme elevation, QTc interval prolongation, and rapidly reversible cardiac dysfunction. These observations strongly implicate excessive sympathetic stimulation as central to the pathogenesis of this unique syndrome.
The Role od Dispensable Amino Acids for the Maximum Growth of Chick

Chicks were fed on the purified diets of which amino acid pattern was modeled after whole egg protein and crude protein content was 21.1%, changing the dietary ratio of indispensable amino acid nitrogen to dispensable amino acid nitrogen (I/D ratio) from 1/1.5 to 3/1 at regular intervals. The balances among amino acids in each indispensable and dispensable group of test diets were kept the same pattern as that of the whole egg, respectively. Optimum I/D ratio for normal chick growth was estimated to be in the range of between 1/1 and 1.5/1, because feed efficiency was the highest at the I/D ratio 1/1 and growth rate was the highest at the I/D ratio 1.5/1. Chicks were killed and the serum was collected at the end of the experiment. It was shown that the I/D ratios of free amino acid in the serum of chicks were strongly influenced by that of diet. White Leghorn chicks fed on the Scott's reference amino acid diet grew as well as those fed on a conventional chick starter. Nitrogen retention of the former was a little less than that of the latter, but the amount of carcass fat of the former was almost twice as much as the latter. Growth rate of chick was considerably reduced, when glutamic acid which is the only dispensable amino acid in the Scott's diet was replaced by a mixture of glutamic acid, aspartic acid, alanine and serine, nitrogen content being kept at constant. Sufficient amount of glutamic acid in the Scott's diet seems to be essential for the maximum growth of chick.
An FSM model for situation-aware mobile application software systems

Situation-awareness is a desirable feature of application software systems in mobile computing environments. In this paper, we present an extended finite state machine model for the situation-aware mobile application software systems. In this model, each state represents an impromptu condition that a system is presented, and the state is characterized by the historical context record and the internal action record. Each state transition in the model represents a context input. The whole finite state machine models the dynamicity of the situation-aware application software system that adjusts its own behavior according to the situation changes. The situation-aware requirement is application-specific, and each situation-aware requirement is corresponding to an FSM. This model is useful in the mobile application software development: it can be used to verify the validness of the situation-aware requirement; it can be used to generate test cases that represent the situation changes a system may experience in a mobile environment.
Slow Adjustment and the Level of Government Spending

Abstract A distortionary tax finances a public service and, because of an adjustment cost, the tax base adjusts slowly to any change in the tax rate. I compare the steady-state public service level with the level achieved using lump-sum taxation (first-best). Utility is assumed to be additively separable. If the government can commit, the public service is unaffected by the adjustment rate and is likely to be less than the first-best level. However, if the government cannot commit, this outcome is time-inconsistent. If the government cannot commit but reoptimizes continuously, the public service is affected by the adjustment rate. A very slow adjustment rate causes the marginal cost of funds to be approximately unity and the public service to strictly exceed the first-best level.
The Use of the Arc-Sine Transformation in the Analysis of Variance

The use of the arc-sine transformation in the analysis of variance is discussed. The application of the transformation can lead to difficult inference situations and pose interpretational problems for the researcher. An example data set is used to illustrate the difficulty. Additional Monte Carlo results are presented which suggest that the application of the transformation has no effect on the Type I error rate. Furthermore, the transformation can produce tests of noticeably lower power when the null hypothesis is false. As such, the transformation is not recommended as a standard data analytical tool.
On the accurate measurement of amide one-bond 15N-1H couplings in proteins: effects of cross-correlated relaxation, selective pulses and dynamic frequency shifts.

Abstract Amide one-bond 15N–1H scalar couplings of 15N- and [15N,2H]-isotopically enriched ubiquitin have been measured with the Quantitative J approach by monitoring NMR signal intensity modulation. Scalar couplings of the non-deuterated protein are in average ∼0.6 Hz larger than values of deuterated ubiquitin. This deviation is 30 times the error derived from experiment reproducibility. Refocusing dipole/dipole cross-correlated relaxation decreases the discrepancy to ∼0.1 Hz, suggesting that it likely originates from relaxation interference. Alternatively, the subtraction of J values obtained at different magnetic fields largely reduces the relaxation effects. In contrast, the dynamic frequency shift whose main contribution to 1J(15N–1H) arises from 15N chemical shielding anisotropy/NH dipole cross-correlation, is not eliminated by refocusing spin evolution under this interaction. Furthermore, the average difference of 1J(15N–1H) values at two magnetic fields closely agrees with the theoretical expected difference in the dynamic frequency shift.
Dielectric behavior of three phase polyimide percolative nanocomposites

Three phase ceramic–metal–plastic (cermetplas) percolative nanocomposite films were prepared using polyimide, as the matrix to prepare the composite films. Silver nanoparticles with a mean particle size of about 41 nm were prepared and used as the metal phase. Nanocomposites of barium titanate (BaTiO3) particles in polyimide matrix, with silver as metallic inclusion, were formulated using effective medium theory and percolation theory. The concentration and frequency dependence of dielectric permittivity (e) and loss tangent (tan δ) measurements were reported and discussed for cermetplas below the percolation threshold. Experimental results for cermetplas show that a e of above 500 can be achieved below the percolation. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2006
Book Review: The Jossey-Bass Reader on Contemporary Issues in Adult Education, by Merriam, S. B., & Grace A. P. (Eds.).

Merriam, S. B., & Grace A. P. (Eds.). (2011). The Jossey-Bass Reader on Contemporary Issues in Adult Education. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. 483 pp. ISBN 978-0-470-97356-4 (hardcover). The Jossey-Bass Reader on Contemporary Issues in Adult Education, edited by S. B. Merriam and A. P. Grace, is a collection of previously published writings covering a broad spectrum of adult education issues with a decided emphasis on the role that adult education should play in instigating meaningful social reform. The selections are a combination of theoretical and research-based articles first published between 1925 and 2009. This book has broad appeal, as the editors explain in the preface: [It is] a stand-alone reader for those self-directed adult educators who want to sample some of the thinking about adult education, and a reader that surveys an array of historical and contemporary issues important to study and critique in undergraduate or graduate courses in adult education, (p. viii) The book explores multiple aspects of adult education today. Divided into five parts, each part contains an introduction written by the editors and five to seven chapters, with one reading selection per chapter. The chapters were selected with an emphasis on the potentially socially transformative aspects of adult education. These themes are echoed and amplified in the each section's introduction. The editors do an excellent job in each section's introduction by providing a solid organizational rationale for the section along with brief summaries of each work. At the end of each section, thought-provoking and engaging Questions for Reflections and Discussion require the reader to reflect on the concepts and themes across the section's chapters. Part 1, Defining a Field of Practice: The Foundations of Adult Education, focuses on the history of the field of adult education. The selections' authors explore what the editors posit as two competing viewpoints on the primary purpose of adult education: social education (defined as consciousness-raising, community-building endeavors) and more immediately practical vocational preparation. This section contains the oldest selections, including classic works on adult education's potential for social improvement by Eduard C. Lindeman, Alain Locke, and Paulo Freire. The second part, Positioning Adult Education in a Global Context, focuses on how the dichotomous purposes of adult education introduced in the first part are realized in developing countries. As the editors explain in Part 2's introduction, The authors call for a return to traditional forms of adult learning and education that emphasize social education for diverse learners. …
Accurate and efficient calculation of excited vibrational states from quartic potential energy surfaces

Vibrational anharmonicity and resonances frequently complicate assignment of vibrational spectra. In order to analyse such spectra, these effects can be calculated from ab initio quartic potential energy surfaces (PESs) using second-order vibrational theory with resonances (VPT2 + K). This study compares the accuracies of using the cc-pVTZ basis set, the aug-cc-pVQZ basis set, and a hybrid approach that uses the cc-pVTZ basis set for the equilibrium geometry and quadratic force constants and the aug-cc-pVQZ basis set for the cubic and quartic force constants. Quartic PESs are computed using these basis sets for H2O, H2CO, HFCO, SCCl2, and their deuterated analogs with the CCSD(T) method. The computed PESs are assessed by comparing experimentally determined and theoretically calculated spectroscopic constants. The average absolute difference (⟨|error|⟩) between theoretical and experimental zero-point energy-corrected harmonic frequencies ( ) decreases by 54.7% when the hybrid approach is used instead of th...
AMPA/kainate receptors mediate axonal morphological disruption in hypoxic white matter

Abstract We used acute brain slices to investigate the hypothesis that oxygen–glucose deprivation (OGD) induced loss of axon function and neurofilament labeling are correlated to axonal morphological disruption in the corpus callosum of adult brain. Coronal brain slices including corpus callosum were prepared from adult mice. White matter immunohistochemical properties and conduction along axons remained stable over 12 h after preparation. White matter injury was assessed by recording compound action potentials (CAPs) across corpus callosum, combined with immunofluorescence for axonal neurofilaments and by bright field microscopy of myelin profiles in semi-thin sections. OGD for 30 min resulted in irreversible loss of the CAPs, formation of axon heads and bulbs, and swelling of myelin profiles in slices examined 1 h after OGD. In slices followed for 9 h after OGD, there was complete loss of neurofilament labeling and myelin profiles. Because overactivation of AMPA/kainate receptors mediates axon structural and functional disruption in hypoxic corpus callosum slices, we tested whether blockade of AMPA/kainate receptors reduced OGD-induced axonal morphological disruption. NBQX (30 μM), an AMPA/kainate receptor antagonist, prevented OGD-induced formation of axon heads and bulbs, swelling of myelin profiles, loss of neurofilament staining and preserved axonal morphology. These results expand our previous findings that the AMPA/kainate receptor activation contributes to axonal morphological disruption, as well as loss of electrical function.
The role of BWR secondary containments in severe accident mitigation: Issues and insights from recent analyses

Abstract All commercial boiling water reactor (BWR) plants in the US employ primary containments of the pressure suppression design. These primary containments are surrounded and enclosed by secondary containments. While not designed for severe accident mitigation, these secondary containments might also reduce the radiological consequences of severe accidents. This issue is receiving increasing attention due to concerns that BWR MK I primary containment integrity would be lost should a significant mass of molten debris escape the reactor vessel during a severe accident. The fission product retention capability of an intact secondary containment will depend on several factors. Recent analyses indicate that the major factors influencing secondary containment effectiveness include: the mode and location of the primary containment failure, the internal architectural design of the secondary containment, the design of the standby gas treatment system, and the ability of fire protection system sprays to remove suspended aerosols from the the secondary containment atmosphere. Each of these factors interact in a very complex manner to determine secondary containment severe accident mitigation performance. This paper presents a brief overview of US BWR secondary containment designs and highlights plant-specific features that could influence secondary containment severe accident survivability and accident mitigation effectiveness. Current issues surrounding secondary containment performance are discussed, and insights gained from recent secondary containment studies of Browns Ferry, Peach Bottom, and Shoreham are presented. Areas of significant uncertainty are identified and recommendations for future research are presented.
Effect of Varying Displacement Rates on the Densification of Nanostructured Zirconia by Current Activation

Nanostructured yttria-stabilized zirconia powder (fully and partially stabilized) was densified using simultaneous applied current and pressure using varying displacement control rates for pressure application. The varying displacement rates were found to significantly affect densification rates as well as the final density of the products at all temperatures in the study. The densification rates were significantly higher than those previously reported without current application. In addition the effective densification activation energies are affected by the displacement control rates, highlighting the importance of pressure application method.
Isosteric Heats of Adsorption on Carbon Predicted by Density Functional Theory

Isosteric heats of adsorption (qst) of propane and butane adsorbed on carbon were studied by numerical differentiation of nonlocal density functional theory (NDFT) isotherms. The qst values of both adsorbates in slit-shaped pores were a weak function of temperature, and decreased with increasing pore width. Using the calculated pore size distribution (PSD) of an activated carbon, it was further determined that the qst for both propane and butane decreased with increasing loading, consistent with a heterogeneous adsorbent. The NDFT results utilizing the PSD were also in fair agreement with those obtained from the classical approach using experimental isotherms fitted to a model and applied to the Clausius−Clapeyron-type equation; both models predicted qst of butane to be ∼10 kJ/mol higher than that of propane at the same loading. On a model homogeneous carbon, the qst of both adsorbates increased with reduced surface coverage up to ∼0.5, then they dropped rapidly. The reduced surface coverages correspondin...
Chemical and Microbiological Studies on Leachates from a Waste Tip

1 Some chemical and microbial parameters were examined in a 12 month study of leachate from a waste tip. 2 Anaerobic decomposition within the tip yielded large amounts of aliphatic acids in raw leachate, which exerted a bacteriostatic action on coliforms within the tip. 3 Heterotrophic aerobes subcultured from the four sampling areas included representative from 11 bacterial genera and one mould. 4 Many of the isolated bacteria grew slowly and produced colonies much smaller than normal. The pollutants in raw leachate probably suppressed the growth of these organisms.
Hydrothermal Processing of PbTiO3 and PbTiO3/Polymer Thin Films from Titanium Metallo-organic Precursors

PbTiO3 and PbTiO3/polymer thin films were synthesized from metallo-organic precursors on metallized quartz substrates. Titanium dimethoxy dineodecanoate (TDD) was spin-cast onto the substrates and converted to polycrystalline TiO2 via hydrolysis in deionized water for 5 h at 80°C. Polycrystalline PbTiO3 films were then formed by reacting the TiO2 films for 4 h at 200°C in aqueous solutions of KOH and Pb(CH3COO)2·3H2O. Low KOH concentrations suppressed film coarsening, thereby facilitating the formation of fine-grain continuous PbTiO3 films. PbTiO3/polymer thin films were processed as above after first dissolving TDD and a polystyrene/polybutadiene block copolymer in p-xylene. PbTiO3 and PbTiO3/polymer films had relative permittivities of ≈56 and 34 and dielectric strengths of ≈250 and 850 kV/cm, respectively.
Goal Setting and Job Enrichment: An Integrated Approach to Job Design

Productivity and job satisfaction are two dominant concerns of managers. One approach to designing jobs so that both of these outcomes can result is to combine job enrichment and goal setting, but little is known concerning the interaction between these two major techniques. This article reviews the empirical literature relating task goals and job enrichment. The interaction of job characteristics, individual differences, and organizational characteristics is reviewed, and an integrated model presented that explains the relationships.
Pertussis Toxin Exacerbates and Prolongs Airway Inflammatory Responses during Bordetella pertussis Infection

Throughout infection, pathogenic bacteria induce dramatic changes in host transcriptional repertoires. An understanding of how bacterial factors influence host reprogramming will provide insight into disease pathogenesis. In the human respiratory pathogen Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of whooping cough, pertussis toxin (PT) is a key virulence factor that promotes colonization, suppresses innate immune responses during early infection, and causes systemic disease symptoms. To determine the full extent of PT-associated gene regulation in the airways through the peak of infection, we measured global transcriptional profiles in the lungs of BALB/c mice infected with wild-type (WT) or PT-deficient (ΔPT) B. pertussis. ΔPT bacteria were inoculated at a dose equivalent to the WT dose and at a high dose (ΔPT(high)) to distinguish effects caused by higher bacterial loads achieved in WT infection from effects associated with PT. The results demonstrated that PT was associated with a significant upregulation of immune and inflammatory response genes as well as several other genes implicated in airway pathology. In contrast to the early, transient responses observed for ΔPT(high) infection, WT infection induced a prolonged expression of inflammatory genes and increased the extent and duration of lung histopathology. In addition, the administration of purified PT to ΔPT(high)-infected mice 1 day after bacterial inoculation exacerbated and prolonged inflammatory responses and airway pathology. These data indicate that PT not only is associated with exacerbated host airway responses during peak B. pertussis infection but also may inhibit host mechanisms of attenuating and resolving inflammation in the airways, suggesting possible links between PT and pertussis disease symptoms.