cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring the complex permittivity of thin grain samples by the free-space transmission technique

In this paper, a numerical method for solving a higher-order model that relates the measured transmission coefficient to the permittivity of a material is used to determine the permittivity of thin grain samples. A method for resolving the phase ambiguity of the transmission coefficient is presented. Results calculated by using the higher-order model for the permittivity of grain over a range of moisture contents and frequencies are presented and compared to those calculated by using an approximate model. The advantage of using relatively thin grain samples is that a wider range of grain moisture contents can be reliably measured for a fixed sample thickness.
Design and field operation of an in-situ environmental enclosure for tree branches

Abstract In order to examine the effects of airborne chemicals and other atmospheric components on mature trees in natural ecosystems, branch-sized environmental chambers were developed. These were designed to withstand the rigors of season-long exposure in montane environments while effectively controlling the conditions within. Field testing of the chambers demonstrated a reasonable, although not exact semblance of ambient conditions. Solar heating effects were difficult to control, although a configuration was developed that allowed the chambers to operate within standard specifications for similar devices. Overall, performance was good, and it is felt that this technique is a valuable tool for the evaluation of the effects of atmospheric chemicals on trees, as long as attention is paid to the environmental alterations caused by the chambers, and comparisons are made against control chambers.
Investment Averaging: A Risk-Reducing Strategy

As individuals go through life earning income they invest, they implicitly engage in dollar cost averaging (with the same investment they buy more when prices are low, and less when prices are high). They rebalance their stock-bond mix periodically, by selling appreciated assets, or buying more of depreciated assets. They do all of this on autopilot. They are told not to try to time the market. Instead, life and rigid rules dictate the timing of their investment. Does this passive behavior increase the risk that they will miss their retirement targets? The author concludes that just the opposite may actually occur. He shows that while the purported cost advantage of dollar cost averaging for a long-term investor is doubtful (asset prices increase over time, so delaying investment is costly), the reduction of investment risk is not. By investing smoothly over time rather than in large discrete chunks (or once up front), investors reduce not only the standard deviation of the terminal value of their investment upon retirement, but also the expected amount by which they may fall short in case they miss their retirement goal. The author argues that the latter measure is a much better metric of risk than the standard deviation or beta of a stock or portfolio.
Increasing pregnancy-related use of prescribed opioid analgesics

Abstract Purpose To quantify the prevalence of prescribed opioid analgesics among pregnant women enrolled in Tennessee Medicaid from 1995 to 2009. Methods Retrospective cohort study of 277,555 pregnancies identified from birth and fetal death certificates, and linked to previously validated, computerized pharmacy records. Poisson regression was used to estimate trends over time, rate ratios, and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results During the study period, 29% of pregnant women filled a prescription for an opioid analgesic. From 1995 to 2009, any pregnancy-related use increased 1.90-fold (95% CI, 1.83–1.98), first trimester use increased 2.27-fold (95% CI, 2.14–2.41), and second or third trimester use increased 2.02-fold (95% CI, 1.93–2.12), after adjusting for maternal characteristics. Any pregnancy-related, first trimester, and second or third trimester use were each more likely among mothers who were at least 21 years old, white, non-Hispanic, prima gravid, resided in nonurban areas, enrolled in Medicaid owing to disability, and who had less than a high school education. Conclusions Opioid analgesic use by Tennessee Medicaid-insured pregnant women increased nearly 2-fold from 1995 to 2009. Additional study is warranted to understand the implications of this increased use.
The good, the bad and the ugly of consumer cloud storage

The promise of automatic data backup into the cloud is alluring. Off-site backup offers protection against a whole class of catastrophic risks (fire, flood, etc.) that on-site backup solutions cannot. Data can be backed up into the cloud automatically with little or no user involvement. Incremental backup software running detects the latest changes, encrypts the data, and sends it into the cloud. Files can be restored on demand and some services allow copies of files to be downloaded through a web interface to other machines , providing a form of file sharing. With costs dropping to ∼$60-$100 per year for unlimited storage, it is not surprising that many home and small business users are signing up. In this paper, we evaluate four popular consumer cloud storage offerings - Mozy, Carbonite, Dropbox, and CrashPlan - to determine if they live up to the benefits users expect. We document wide variations in backup and restore performance, the type of data that is backed-up, no liability for data loss, and problems with data privacy. From our experiments, we derive a set of lessons and recommendations for consumer cloud storage that if followed more uniformly, could substantially improve the cloud storage experience for many consumers.
Isolation of plasma membranes from bovine corpus luteum possessing adenylate cyclase, 125I-hCG binding and NaK-ATPase activities☆

Abstract Plasma membranes from bovine corpora lutea have been purified by sucrose density gradient centrifugation. The purified membranes, in addition to binding 125 I-hCG, also possess hCG-stimulated adenylate cyclase and NaK-ATPase. The relative purification of 125 I-hCG binding, adenylate cyclase and NaK-ATPase on the basis of the specific activities in the whole homogenate were 7.8, 6.4 and 2.6, respectively. The presence of both the hormone sensitive adenylate cyclase and 125 I-hCG binding activities suggest that these plasma membranes might possess the ‘receptor’ for gonadotropin.
Enzyme levels in chick embryo heart and brain from 1 to 21 days of development.

Abstract Enzyme activity levels were measured in chick embryo brain and heart during development, beginning with medullary plate and cardiogenic mesentoderm. To study heart and brain during the period of morphogenesis (1–4 days) a method for freezedrying whole chick embryos was developed. In three divisions of brain—diencephalon, telencephalon, and hindbrain-hexokinase, glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase, and 6-P-gluconic dehydrogenase maintained approximately constant levels of activity during this period. Brain glucose-6-P dehydrogenase levels fell somewhat, but contrary to earlier reports showed no wide fluctuations. In heart, glucose-6-P dehydrogenase activity fell to one-half between 1 and 4 days, 6-P-gluconic dehydrogenase activity remained constant, while hexokinase activity doubled in atrium from 1 to 2 days, and tripled in ventricle from 1 to 4 days. From 6 to 21 days of development, homogenates of hearts and brains were used. Hexokinase activity in brain increased four-fold during this period, while in heart the specific activity did not change. Glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase activity showed no change in either organ. NAD-dependent isocitric dehydrogenase increased in both heart and brain, fourfold in brain, nearly twofold in heart. α-Ketoglutaric dehydrogenase increased 50% in brain and 250% in heart. The increasing levels of citric acid cycle enzymes probably reflect an increasing energy demand in both organs during the last 2 weeks before hatching. Since adult brain depends primarily upon glucose for energy, it seems reasonable that the hexokinase activity continued to increase. Adult heart, however, obtains its energy from substrates other than glucose, which may account for the fact that during the last 2 weeks no change in heart hexokinase activity was seen.
Building Health Services Research capacity in nursing: Views from members of nursing's leadership

Abstract Background: Despite a short history that dates back to the 1960s, health services research (HSR) has become an important force in shaping the delivery system in the current health care environment. Nursing has been noticeably absent from this endeavor, and if it does not increase its presence, it risks missing an important opportunity to influence future directions of health care delivery. Purpose: Our purpose was to evaluate the state of nursing's HSR contributions and to consider ways to increase its capacity in this arena. Method: An interview with four members from nursing's leadership was conducted. Discussion: Nurses can increase the capacity by becoming better collaborators with those who are currently contributing to HSR, both nurses and members of other healthcare disciplines. Also, by reshaping undergraduate and graduate curricula and creating mentorships, nursing can increase its involvement through an informed workforce. Conclusions: Solutions that were offered in this discussion are presented. Nurs Outlook 2001;49:187-92.
Automatic intelligibility classification of sentence-level pathological speech.

Pathological speech usually refers to the condition of speech distortion resulting from atypicalities in voice and/or in the articulatory mechanisms owing to disease, illness or other physical or biological insult to the production system. Although automatic evaluation of speech intelligibility and quality could come in handy in these scenarios to assist experts in diagnosis and treatment design, the many sources and types of variability often make it a very challenging computational processing problem. In this work we propose novel sentence-level features to capture abnormal variation in the prosodic, voice quality and pronunciation aspects in pathological speech. In addition, we propose a post-classification posterior smoothing scheme which refines the posterior of a test sample based on the posteriors of other test samples. Finally, we perform feature-level fusions and subsystem decision fusion for arriving at a final intelligibility decision. The performances are tested on two pathological speech datasets, the NKI CCRT Speech Corpus (advanced head and neck cancer) and the TORGO database (cerebral palsy or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), by evaluating classification accuracy without overlapping subjects’ data among training and test partitions. Results show that the feature sets of each of the voice quality subsystem, prosodic subsystem, and pronunciation subsystem, offer significant discriminating power for binary intelligibility classification. We observe that the proposed posterior smoothing in the acoustic space can further reduce classification errors. The smoothed posterior score fusion of subsystems shows the best classification performance (73.5% for unweighted, and 72.8% for weighted, average recalls of the binary classes).
Efficient score statistics for mapping quantitative trait loci with extended pedigrees.

The method of variance components is the method of choice for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with general pedigrees. Being a likelihood-based method, this method can be computation intensive even for nuclear families, and has excessive false positive rates under some situations. Here two efficient score statistics to detect QTLs are derived, one assumes that the candidate locus has no dominance effect, and the other one does not make such an assumption. These two score statistics are asymptotically equivalent to the method of variance components but they are easier to compute and more robust than the likelihood ratio statistic. The derivation of these score statistics is facilitated by separating the segregation parameters, the parameters that describe the distribution of the phenotypic value in the population, from the linkage parameters, the parameters that measure the effect of the candidate locus on the phenotypic value. Such a separation of the model parameters greatly reduces the number of parameters to be dealt with in the analysis of linkage. The asymptotic distributions of both score statistics are derived. Simulation studies indicate that, compared to the method of variance components, both score statistics have comparable or higher power, and their false-positive rates are closer to their respective nominal significance levels.
Fixed rings and integrality

Abstract In this note, we offer some variants of a theorem of Pare and Schelter on integrality in matrix rings. We use these to deduce that a ring R is integral over the fixed subring RG under the action of a finite abelian group G provided ¦G¦ · R = R . We also obtain an integrality version of the Bergman-Isaacs theorem.
Biomechanics: Deadly strike mechanism of a mantis shrimp

Stomatopods (mantis shrimp) are well known for the feeding appendages they use to smash shells and impale fish. Here we show that the peacock mantis shrimp (Odontodactylus scyllarus) generates an extremely fast strike that requires major energy storage and release, which we explain in terms of a saddle-shaped exoskeletal spring mechanism. High-speed images reveal the formation and collapse of vapour bubbles next to the prey due to swift movement of the appendage towards it, indicating that O. scyllarus may use destructive cavitation forces to damage its prey.
Religious Involvement and Political Behavior: a Log‐linear Analysis of White Americans, 1952‐1968*

The political distinctiveness of major American religious groupings is well-documented, but the role of church attendance in maintaining these cleavages has been unclear. Analysis of white respondents in five national surveys covering 16 years reveals that church attendance is significantly related to party identification and presidential vote in all but one instance. Application of Goodman's log-linear analysis of contingency tables shows that higher rates of church attendance are related to non-Democratic preferences among Protestants and Democratic preferences among Catholics. In several years, the relationship depends as well upon region of residence. The effects, particularly on the vote, seem to be changing systematically over time as the South becomes politically similar to the non-South.
Analysis of fenhexamid in caneberry, blueberry, and pomegranate by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

An analytical method for the determination of fenhexamid [N-(2,3-dichloro-4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-methylcyclohexanecarboxamide] in caneberry, blueberry, and pomegranate was developed utilizing acetone e...
Understanding Sexualities, Genders, and Fatness in Physical Education

Sykes, H. (2011). Queer Bodies: Sexualities, Genders, and Fatness in Physical Education. New York, NY: Peter Lang. ISBN 978-1-4331-1161-7 (paperback). In June of 2011, the National Prevention Counc...
Antiproliferative effects of free and liposome-encapsulated retinoic acid in a squamous carcinoma model: monolayer cells and multicellular tumor spheroids.

Antiproliferative effects of free retinoic acid (RA) and liposome-encapsulated RA (RAlp) were compared in a squamous carcinoma system using both monolayer cells and multicellular tumor spheroids (MTS), an in-vivo-like model with three-dimensional histological structure. Initial studies examined the effect of lipid composition on the efficiency of RA encapsulation and on the subsequent toxicity of RAlp to red blood cells. In 5-day growth assays for monolayer cells, RA and RAlp (1 μM-0.1 nM) produced similar growth inhibition. In 6-day growth assays for MTS, RAlp was shown to have increased effectiveness. Liposomal uptake by the squamous carcinoma cells was examined by culturing monolayers and MTS with fluorescence-tagged liposomes and examining them under fluorescence microscopy between days 1 and 6. Phagocytosed liposomes were present, but their low levels suggested that other mechanisms of drug delivery such as adsorption, fusion or direct lipid transfer probably occurred for RAlp. Histological examination of MTS showed that RA and RAlp produced similar alterations. In this squamous carcinoma system, liposomes are effective in delivering retinoic acid and in producing biological effects in monolayer cells and within the three-dimensional structure of MTS.
Bertrand, the Cournot Paradigm and the theory of perfect competition

Presents a study which developed a game-theoretic model of a pure exchange, monetary economy in which buyers and sellers announce both quantities and prices. Motivation and outline of the model; Similarities and differences between the model and that of Bertrand's; Components of the strategic market game.
Terrain recognition improves the performance of neural-machine interface for locomotion mode recognition

Neural-machine interface (NMI) for artificial limbs is a typical biomedical CPS that requires seamless integration of cyber components with physical systems (i.e. prostheses and users). In this paper we aimed to adopt a bio-inspired concept to improve the performance of a NMI for artificial legs by introducing additional information about the walking environment ahead of the prosthesis user. First, a terrain recognition module based on a portable laser distance sensor and an inertial measurement unit (IMU) was designed to accurately classify the terrain type in front of the prosthesis user. The output of this module was then modeled as prior probability and integrated into a Bayesian-based NMI system. The cyber algorithms were real-time implemented and evaluated on an able-bodied subject wearing a passive prosthetic leg in the laboratory environment. The preliminary results showed that the terrain recognition module can accurately recognize the type of terrain in front of the user, approximately half to one second before the critical timing for prosthesis control mode change. NMI with or without the terrain recognition module accurately predicted all the tested task mode transitions. However, the NMI with the terrain recognition module yielded approximately 5% higher classification accuracy rate in static state and 30~105 ms earlier prediction of mode transitions than the NMI without prior knowledge of environmental information. The preliminary results demonstrated the soundness of the bio-inspired concept and established CPS framework to further enhance the accuracy and response time of NMI for artificial leg control.
An Empirical Study of In-Class Laboratories on Student Learning of Linear Data Structures

Active learning increases student learning through collaborative engagement with materials during class time. A CS1.5 course at NC State, CSC216, uses active learning lectures involving short simplified think-pair-share in-class exercises to engage students with course materials. However, students still struggle with the course materials and several students do not successfully complete the course on their first attempt. To increase student learning and engagement, we conducted a quasi-experimental study incorporating in-class labs into two sections of CSC216 during the linear data structures unit in the Fall 2014 semester. Both sections completed in-class labs on the Java Collections Framework and iterators. One section completed in-class labs on array-based lists; the other section completed in-class labs on linked lists, in a counter-balanced study design. The active learning lecture delivery was used for the control section and an Exam was administered between the array-based list and linked list topics. Overall, we found no significant difference in student learning on array-based and linked lists as measured by the final exam. Students displayed half as much disengaged behavior during in-class labs and were five times more likely to ask for help from the teaching staff during in-class labs.
Monetary rules and the nominal rate of interest under uncertainty

Abstract The expected real rate of return on a nominal bond is shown to be equal to the real rate of interest plus a premium for systematic purchasing power risk. The particular monetary rule employed by the central monetary authority affects the entire joint distribution of inflation and aggregate real wealth. Thus, the monetary authority is able to influence the relationship between the real and nominal interest rate not only by affecting the expected rate of inflation but also by affecting the systematic purchasing power risk of fixed nominal claims.
Chaos via mixed-mode oscillations

The route by which chaos arises from mixed-mode periodic states in a model of the peroxidase enzyme catalysed oxidation of NADH is described. The specific model studied displays a rich variety of exotic dynamical behaviour including simple oscillations, quasiperiodicity, bistability between periodic states, complex periodic oscillations (including the mixed-mode type) and chaos. The route to chaos in this system involves a torus attractor which becomes destabilized and breaks up into a fractal object, a strange attractor. The mixed-mode states correspond to phase-locking on this fractal attractor and are arranged in staircases according to the complexity of the state. In this paper, we investigate the sequence leading from a mixed-mode periodic state to a chaotic one in the staircase region and find a familiar cascade of period-doubling bifurcations, which finally culminate in chaos.
Rapid and easy sequencing of large linear double-stranded DNA and supercoiled plasmid DNA

Abstract We have developed a rapid method for sequencing supercoiled plasmid DNA and bacteriophage λ DNA. The plasmid DNA is obtained from a 5-ml overnight culture using a rapid alkaline extraction method. The double-stranded lambda DNA is extracted from 0.75 ml of a standard liquid phage lysate using a modification of the diethylaminoethyl cellulose method. A synthetic oligonucleotide primer (12–18 bases) is annealed to the DNA, and the DNA is rapidly sequenced using the Sanger dideoxy chain-termination technique and reverse transcriptase. The advantages of these methods are 1) no cloning of the DNA is necessary, 2) one can rapidly and easily extract DNA, sequence it, and obtain the sequence in one day, and 3) both strands of the DNA can be sequenced from one molecule.
Quantum dynamics of X2BC van der Waals clusters

Wave packet calculations modeling vibrational predissociation in X2BC(v') van der Waals clusters are discussed. A model involving three active degrees of freedom is used. Cluster lifetimes and BC vibrational product distributions are obtained, and compared with available experimental results for He2Cl2, and Ne2Cl2. Some preliminary results for He2I2 and Ne2I2 are also discussed. Mechanistic issues, including the role of direct versus sequential mechanisms in leading to the production of 2X + BC are addressed, as well as the role of intramolecular vibrational relaxation (IVR). Higher dimension extensions of the model are suggested.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A Disciplined Approach to School Reform

School reform is a notoriously ambitious undertaking; even among school reform efforts, ATLAS stands out in terms of the scope of its ambition. Seeking to address education from kindergarten through 12th grade, the ATLAS program includes the creation of planning and management teams, the forging of ties to the wider community; the incorporation of up-to-date technologies; and substantial reconsideration of crucial aspects of curriculum, instruction, and assessment. Indeed, quite self-consciously, ATLAS seeks to meld lessons drawn from the experiences of four complex partner educational organizations that themselves have collectively been involved in school reform throughout the United States for well over 100 years.
Synthesis, Improved Antisense Activity and Structural Rationale for the Divergent RNA Affinities of 3′-Fluoro Hexitol Nucleic Acid (FHNA and Ara-FHNA) Modified Oligonucleotides

The synthesis, biophysical, structural, and biological properties of both isomers of 3′-fluoro hexitol nucleic acid (FHNA and Ara-FHNA) modified oligonucleotides are reported. Synthesis of the FHNA and Ara-FHNA thymine phosphoramidites was efficiently accomplished starting from known sugar precursors. Optimal RNA affinities were observed with a 3′-fluorine atom and nucleobase in a trans-diaxial orientation. The Ara-FHNA analog with an equatorial fluorine was found to be destabilizing. However, the magnitude of destabilization was sequence-dependent. Thus, the loss of stability is sharply reduced when Ara-FHNA residues were inserted at pyrimidine-purine (Py-Pu) steps compared to placement within a stretch of pyrimidines (Py-Py). Crystal structures of A-type DNA duplexes modified with either monomer provide a rationalization for the opposing stability effects and point to a steric origin of the destabilization caused by the Ara-FHNA analog. The sequence dependent effect can be explained by the formation of ...
Hop reservation multiple access for multichannel packet radio networks

A new multichannel MAC protocol, called Hop Reservation Multiple Access (HRMA), for packet-radio networks is introduced, specified and analyzed. HRMA is based on slow frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) and takes advantage of the time slotting necessary for frequency hopping. HRMA applies a hop reservation and handshake mechanism on every hop, to guarantee collision-free data transmission in the presence of hidden terminals; this is accomplished by allowing a pair of communicating nodes to reserve a frequency hop (channel). HRMA provides a baseline to offer QoS in ad-hoc networks, based on simple half-duplex slow FHSS radios. We analyze the throughput achieved in HRMA for the case of a fully connected network, assuming variable-length packets, and compare it against an ideal multichannel access protocol and the multichannel slotted ALOHA protocol. The numerical results show that HRMA can achieve much higher throughput than multichannel slotted ALOHA in the traffic-load ranges of interest, especially when the average packet length is large compared to a slot size in which case the maximum throughput of HRMA is close to what can be obtained with an ideal protocol.
Teaching peace: a dialogue on the Montessori method

Most educators are familiar with the principles of one of the founding mothers of peace education, Maria Montessori. Bringing an utterly fresh vision to notions of childhood and education, she re‐imagined the classroom as one in which children would explore and discover their own interests and passions. With regard to conflict resolution, she specifically stated that such an education made the continuation of man’s seemingly endless cycle of war and poverty more likely to continue: further, she argued that if education truly could develop ethically and socially conscious men and women, whose moral sense had been developed as fully as their ability to read and write, mankind could begin hoping for a more peaceful world. The following profiles of international Montessori schools should help clarify the processes an educational philosophy goes through when it is adopted by another culture—essential knowledge as education becomes increasingly global—as well as the contributions of today’s Montessori schools t...
A narrative analysis of one mother's story of child custody loss and regain

Abstract The purpose of this qualitative case study was to illustrate how existing theoretical concepts may be used to advance understanding of the maternal identity of mothers who lose and regain custody of their children. The study subject was a fifty-five-year-old African-American single mother of three. She consented to an interview with the author regarding her experience with mothering, seven years after reunification with her children. The interview was a general interview guide. It was audio-taped and transcribed following standard transcription practices. The 76-page text was analyzed with a form of structural narrative analysis that allowed identification of the surface and deep manifestations of her maternal identity. Findings are evaluated in relation to child welfare research and practice.
Mechanism of the Electrochemical Reduction of 3,5-Di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone. Evidence for a Concerted Electron and Proton Transfer Reaction Involving a Hydrogen-Bonded Complex as Reactant†

The electrochemical reduction of 3,5-di-tert-butyl-1,2-benzoquinone (Q) has been investigated in acetonitrile with glassy carbon electrodes in the absence and presence of the hydrogen-bond and proton donating additives, water and 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (TFE). Under nominally anhydrous conditions, the first step of the reduction is the reversible formation of the persistent radical anion, Q-·. However, in long-term experiments such as controlled potential electrolysis, the radical anion disappears slowly with the rate being enhanced by the addition of water. This reaction was shown to be the water-promoted disproportionation of the radical anion giving neutral quinone (Q), the protonated dianion (HQ-), and hydroxide. This reaction is too slow to affect the voltammetric experiments. Variation of the standard potential for the first step with the addition of water was explained by the formation of hydrogen-bonded complexes between Q-· and water. The 1:1 complex, (Q-·)(H2O), is proposed to be the reactant in ...
Interactions of Sires with Feeding and Management Factors in Illinois Holstein Cows

Components of phenotypic variation in milk yield from interactions between sires and several feeding and management factors were estimated. Milk yield data were first lactation records. Feeding and management data from Illinois Holstein Dairy Herd Improvement herds were obtained by questionnaires. Sire-herd interaction component was 10% of phenotypic variance in milk yield. Components of variance from interaction between sires and three feeding and management factors, namely, source of roughage for milking herd during summer, amount of grain fed to heifers between 12 and 18 mo age, and amount of grain fed to heifers during 2 mo before calving were negative. Interaction between sires and ideal weight for breeding heifers accounted for 3% of phenotypic variation in milk yield.
Direct electromegnetic generation of high frequency acoustic waves in semiconductor superlattices

Abstract The periodic space charge layers formed in semiconducting superlattice structures can be used for direct electromagnetic generation of high frequency acoustic waves. The mechanism for and resonant nature of the acoustic generation are discussed.
Development of the ReaxFF Reactive Force Field for Describing Transition Metal Catalyzed Reactions, with Application to the Initial Stages of the Catalytic Formation of Carbon Nanotubes

With the aim of developing a computationally inexpensive method for modeling the high-temperature reaction dynamics of transition metal catalyzed reactions we have developed a ReaxFF reactive force field in which the parameters are fitted to a substantial quantum mechanics (QM) training set, containing full reaction pathways for relevant reactions. In this paper we apply this approach to reactions involving carbon materials plus Co, Ni, and Cu atoms. We find that ReaxFF reproduces the QM reaction data with good accuracy while also reproducing the binding characteristics of Co, Ni, and Cu atoms to hydrocarbon fragments. To demonstrate the applicability of ReaxFF we performed high-temperature (1500 K) molecular dynamics simulations on a nonbranched all-carbon feedstock in the presence and absence of Co, Ni, and Cu atoms. We find that the presence of Co and Ni leads to substantial amounts of branched carbon atoms, leading eventually to the formation of carbon-nanotube-like species. In contrast, we find that under the same simulation conditions Cu leads to very little branching and leads to products with no nanotube character. In the absence of metals no branching is observed at all. These results suggest that Ni and Co catalyze the production of nanotube-like species whereas Cu does not. This is in excellent agreement with experimental observations, demonstrating that ReaxFF can provide a useful and computational tractable tool for studying the dynamics of transition metal catalytic chemistry.
THz spectroscopy in the lab and at telescopes

Terahertz (THz) radiation extends roughly from 0.1-10times1012 Hz, or 3-333 cm-1. Spectroscopy at THz frequencies holds the key to our ability to remotely sense environments as diverse as primeval galaxies, star and planet-forming circumstellar disks, comets, laboratory plasmas, semiconductor materials, and hydrogen bonded liquids/polymers. For astrophysical applications, the upcoming deployments of the Herschel Space Telescope, the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) observatories promise to revolutionize our understanding of the THz sky. To fully realize this promise, however, and to capitalize more broadly on the science possible at THz frequencies, it is essential that we achieve a quantitative experimental understanding of the complex materials (dust, ice, and gas) which are found in nature; yet THz laboratory studies largely lag behind the astronomical capabilities that Herschel, SOFIA, and ALMA will deploy, thanks primarily to technological limitations. In this talk I will first review the molecular and icy/solid state tracers that can serve as probes of both remote environments and man-made materials, and then turn to emerging laboratory tools that make their detailed characterization possible. For the astrophysical (and potentially planetary) applications, I will concentrate on new THz routes to the study of prebiotic chemical evolution, namely the detection of the lowest frequency skeletal vibrations of 'molecular grains' such as Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the torsions of complex organics such as amino acids and/or sugars that are in principle observable in both the solid state and gas phase. While of interest in their own right, such species can also serve as model systems to guide the experimental and theoretical investigation of the molecular properties of biological polymers and other 'soft materials.' In assessing the state of laboratory studies, I will outline how an integrated approach using both frequency- and time-domain approaches should lead to a dramatically improved ability to characterize the optical properties of complex materials across the full THz window. Such results will be central to the interpretation of new observations made possible by the next generation of microwave rarr THz telescopes and in the development of coherent control strategies for the large amplitude motion that operate in even the simplest building blocks of biological macromolecules. Indeed, particularly distinct tools involving non-linear THz spectroscopic and dynamical probes should soon become available using mW-average power devices such as THz quantum cascade lasers and high pulse energy femtosecond THz time-domain systems. Possible non-linear THz studies of the nano- structured materials that are present in nature or that form the heart of solar energy conversion and photoremediation strategies will be briefly highlighted.
Changes in Lake Ontario Total Phosphorus Concentrations 1976–1978

Abstract An apparent decrease in total phosphorus concentrations of approximately 4.l μgP/L has been reported recently for the spring values of 1977 and 1978 in Lake Ontario. Investigation of the loading reduction for this period independent of sedimentation factors can account for only 10% of the change. The results indicate that changes in the sedimentation rate of total phosphorus during this period offer an explanation for the majority of the change in concentration.
Carotenoids affect development of UV-B induced skin cancer.

One large dose of UV-B (8 × 1014 J m-2: 290-320 nm) has been found to cause the development of skin tumors in hairless mice, and carotenoid pigments prevent or delay tumor development in this system. This model was used to determine if the protective effect of carotenoid pigments against UV-B induced skin tumors occurred during the induction phase or progression phase of UV-B carcinogenesis. The results indicate that the carotenoids canthaxanthin and (J-carotene interfered with the progression phase in this system; whether they also had an effect during induction could not be definitely determined from our data.
Determination of fluorescent pesticides and metabolites by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Abstract A high-performance liquid chromatograph equipped with a C 8 reversed-phase column and fluorescence detector was investigated for the selective determination of toxic chemicals at residue (ng) levels. Of 75 compounds (pesticides, metabolites, and a few industrial chemicals) initially studied, 35 compounds were successfully chromatographed and detected at residue levels. An acetonitrile—water gradient mobile phase was used to chromatograph most of the naphthalene and heterocyclic compounds. Two hydroxycoumarin compounds were chromatographed with an acetonitrile—aqueous 1% acetic acid mobile phase and detected after post-column addition of base for maximum fluorescence. The benzimidazole compounds were chromatographed using an acetonitrile-aqueous 0.07 M triethylamine-phosphate (ph 7.1) gradient mobile phase.
ESTADO NUTRICIONAL, CONOCIMIENTOS Y CONDUCTAS EN ESCOLARES DE KINDER Y PRIMER AÑO BÁSICO EN 3 ESCUELAS FOCALIZADAS POR OBESIDAD INFANTIL EN LA COMUNA DE VALPARAÍSO, CHILE

Resumen es: En el 2008, en el marco del Plan Nacional de Promocion de la Salud y del Plan Comunal de Promocion de la Salud se priorizan acciones para abordar la obes...
Autonomic computing engines for internet scale applications

Internet scale desktop grids can aggregate large numbers of globally distributed resources to support large computations, and can potentially be used to address large applications in science, engineering and business with significant computational requirements. However current practices are largely limited to embarrassingly parallel applications, where the individual tasks are independent and do not require inter-task communications, which seriously limits the class of application that can benefit from these environments. This talk will describe an autonomic computing engine that extends traditional desktop grids to support more general application workflows and formulations, which require synchronization and inter-task communications. The engine provides the abstractions and mechanisms required to support Internet scale parallel applications, including mechanisms for dynamic resource discovery, dynamic and anonymous task distribution, task coordination and execution, decoupled communication and data exchange, task/resource failures, etc. Deployment of the engine and its evaluations using the PlanetLab wide-area testbed will be presented.
Synergistic interactions between Pit-1 and other elements are required for effective somatotroph rat growth hormone gene expression in transgenic mice.

The role of the pituitary-specific POU-domain protein, Pit-1, in GH gene activation has been established by in vitro analyses and by the observation that mutations affecting the Pit-1 genomic locus result in genetically transmitted dwarfism. To define the quantitative contribution of the two Pit-1 response elements and the potential role of other factors in GH gene activation, we systematically assessed the ability of a series of GH promoter regions to activate transgenes in the mouse anterior pituitary gland. These studies revealed that the two GH Pit-1 binding sites are necessary, but not sufficient, for efficient transcriptional activation. Transgenes containing information including only these cis-active regions are expressed at extremely low levels in the pituitary glands of transgenic mice. The addition of 35 base pairs of 5'-flanking information, contributing other elements including a thyroid hormone/retinoic acid response element, results in much higher levels of transgene expression. Sequences l...
Urokinase in the Management of Complicated Parapneumonic Effusions in Children

Objective Use of intrapleural fibrinolytic agents in the management of complicated parapneumonic effusions has been widely reported in adults. Such agents promote drainage of fluid through the thoracostomy tube and may obviate surgery. Both streptokinase and urokinase have been used for this purpose, but there are few reports of their use in the children. The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of intrapleural urokinase in the management of complicated parapneumonic effusions in children. Methods We reviewed the hospital course of nine children, ages 6 months to 6 years, with complicated parapneumonic effusions who received intrapleural urokinase after failing to respond to IV antibiotics and closed-tube thoracostomy drainage. Four subjects had additional thoroscopic adhesiolysis before intrapleural instillation of urokinase; 20,000 IU of diluted urokinase was instilled three times a day via the thoracostomy tube for 3 days. Results Eight subjects responded to 3 days of urokinase instillation, with increased thoracostomy tube drainage and clinical resolution of symptoms. The remaining subject responded to a second course of instillation. Two subjects needed oral analgesic for transient chest pain. All subjects tolerated the procedure well. No bleeding, fever, anaphylaxis, or allergic reactions were noted. The coagulation parameters remained unchanged. Conclusion Intrapleural instillation of urokinase appears to be a useful and safe adjunct in the management of complicated parapneumonic effusions in children. Its use may be considered in potential decortication patients in an effort to prevent surgery and possibly shorten hospitalization.
Measuring CRT display image quality: effects of phosphor type, pixel contrast and luminance

There is much interest in methodology for accurate measurements of display image quality that is suitable for evaluation and Quality Control purposes. This work aimed to assess the image qualities of two mammography Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) displays for the detection of small targets simulating microcalcifications. Twenty five test patterns containing single pixel targets with variable background values and contrasts, and uniform background test patterns, were generated. Each test pattern was displayed on a P-45 and a P-104 five mega-pixel monitor and images were acquired with a CCD camera. An existing method for measuring Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) of targets on uniform backgrounds was adapted by including a crucial step to suppress the spurious effects due to the raster lines in the display. It was found that SNR scaled linearly with target contrast and increased with background luminance. The P-45 phosphor was superior at low luminance. Preliminary indications are that this method may be the preferred way to evaluate AMLCD displays.
A comparison of technology in centrally-planned and market-type economies

Abstract The present paper considers the role of technical progress in centrally-planned and market-type economies using a case study approach of Czechoslovakia and Austria. The paper goes beyond the usual treatment of productivities of prime factors in that the demand for intermediate inputs is specifically considered. The empirical analysis is based on the input-output approach which consists of testing the ‘fundamental’ properties of the input-output tables including triangularity, physical homogeneity and bloc decomposability. The comparisons include new sensitivity tests of ‘critical’ values and new methods of matrix triangulation. It is found that the ‘fundamental’ structures of both Czechoslovakia and Austria were triangular in form and formed a hierarchical arrangement. The findings suggest that the forces generating ‘fundamental’ properties of production structure in developed market economies can be also found in centrally-planned economies.
Auditory performance of children with cochlear ossification and partial implant insertion

The management of the profoundly deaf child with a cochlear implant poses a special challenge, particularly when total ossification of the cochlea is present. In this setting, insertion of an electrode array into a child's cochlea is often difficult. Our experience supports the feasibility of partial insertion of a multichannel implant into the basal turn of an ossified cochlea. Five children with ossified cochleae who had undergone partial implantation of a multichannel electrode were compared with the performance of matched controls who had full insertion of multichannel implants. No dramatic differences were detected during a 6- to 18-month follow-up period on selected test measures. These preliminary results suggest that active electrode number may exert a limited effect on performance with a cochlear implant. Drilling out the basal turn of an ossified cochlea in conjunction with partial insertion of a multichannel implant appears to be an acceptable surgical and rehabilitational alternative for placement of a cochlear implant prosthesis in children with complete cochlear ossification.
The Influence of Racial Transition on Incumbency Advantage in Local Elections

The author assesses the impact of incumbency on racial voting patterns and, more important, the extent to which the changing racial composition of a city's electorate conditions the relationship between voting behavior and incumbency. To address these concerns, the author examines voting behavior across a series of mayoral and city council elections held in New Orleans between 1965 and 1986, the period during which that city underwent racial transition from majority white to majority black.
Retroreflectance from a dense distribution of spherical particles

The backscattered intensity from a dense distribution of latex microspheres is measured near the retroreflection direction. It is shown that a sharp peak appears in the retroreflection direction when the volume density is above 1%. The angular width of this peak is much smaller than (wavelength)/(particle size) and cannot be explained by Mie theory, double-passage effects, or radiative-transfer theory. When the particle size D is less than the wavelength λw, a small peak appears at the retroreflection direction. When D is 2–4 times greater than λw, the peak becomes large as the density increases. When D is many times greater than λw, the sharp peak at the retroreflection direction is superimposed upon the Mie-scattering pattern. The angular width of the peak is of the order of (a wavelength)/(a mean free path).
Evaluation of a community-Based electricity load management program☆

Abstract During the summer of 1980, Davis (CA) undertook a program to encourage residents to reduce peak electricity use. The program was initiated by the local utility company and carried a collective financial incentive: for every 1% reduction in peak electricity use, the utility would reward the city $10,000 up to a maximum of $100,000. This paper discusses the program and evaluates its effects during the first experimental summer of operation. Most of the strategies developed in Davis to reduce peak load also indirectly encouraged conservation during off-peak hours, and the program evolved, in effect, as a conservation program. Total electricity use for the Davis residential sector, adjusted for weather and prices, was reduced by about 7%, and the reduction of peak load was somewhat greater. The program was economically rewarding to residents, the city, and the utility. In addition, the program had other, intangible impacts on general energy consciousness and community spirit.