cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of Vegetation Thinning on Above- and Belowground Carbon in a Seasonally Dry Tropical Forest in Mexico

Mature tropical forests are disappearing and secondary forests are becoming more abundant, thus there is an increasing need to understand the ecology and management of secondary forests. In the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, seasonally dry tropical forests are subject to frequent fire, and early-successional stands are extremely dense. We applied vegetation thinning (removal of all stems 10 cm had higher carbon accumulation rates in thinned plots than in control plots. Carbon stored in the Oi-horizon and the Oe > 2 mm fraction remained significantly higher in thinned plots even 5 yr after treatment. Carbon in fine roots was significantly higher in thinned plots, and radiocarbon (14C) data suggest that fine roots in thinned plots were recently produced in comparison with fine roots in control plots. We did not find significant differences in total ecosystem carbon after 5 yr (126 ± 6 and 136 ± 8 Mg C/ha, respectively). These results suggest rapid carbon recovery and support the hypothesis that young tropical forests thinned to hasten succession and reduce the fire hazard may have only a short-term negative impact on carbon accumulation in vegetation and soils. RESUMEN Los bosques tropicales maduros estan desapareciendo y los bosques secundarios se han vuelto mas abundantes, por eso hay una creciente necesidad de entender la ecologia y el manejo de los bosques secundarios. En la Peninsula de Yucatan, Mexico, los bosques secos de temporal estan sujetos a frecuentes fuegos y los bosques secundarios son extremadamente densos. En este estudio se aplico un aclareo de vegetacion (remocion de todos los tallos 10 cm tuvieron mayor acumulacion de carbono en las parcelas de aclareo que en las control. El carbono guardado en el horizonte Oi y en la fraccion Oe > 2 mm permanecio con niveles mas altos en las parcelas de aclareo incluso cinco anos despues del tratamiento. El carbono en las raices finas fue significativamente mayor en las parcelas con aclareo y los datos de radiocarbono (14C) sugieren que las raices finas en las parcelas con aclareo fueron producidas despues que las raices finas en las parcelas control. No encontramos diferencias en el carbono total del ecosistema entre las parcelas control y las de aclareo despues de cinco anos (126 ± 6 and136 ± 8 Mg C/ha, respectivamente). Estos resultados sugieren una rapida recuperacion del carbono y apoyan la hipotesis de que el aclareo para acelerar la sucesion y controlar el riesgo de fuego en bosques tropicales tempranos solo tiene un efecto negativo a corto plazo en la acumulacion de carbono del suelo y vegetacion.
Functional connections of the rat medial cortex and basal forebrain: an in vivo intracellular study.

Abstract Projections between the medial cortex and basal forebrain in the rat were demonstrated by intracellular recordings and the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin. Direct projections between these areas were indicated by antidromic action potentials, short latency ( Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin into posterior cingulate cortex. High proportions of antidromic action potentials were encountered in responsive cortical neurons (66%) and basal forebrain neurons (97%). Antidromic latencies recorded in the basal forebrain ( Possible monosynaptic (
Superior convergence domains for the p -cyclic SSOR majorizer

Abstract Thus far for an n × n complex nonsingular matrix A, the symmetric successive overrelaxation (SSOR) majorizing operator has been used to establish convergence properties of the SSOR method mostly in the case where A is an H-matrix. In this paper we use (actually a similarity transformation of) the SSOR majorizer to investigate convergence properties of the block SSOR method when A is a block p-cyclic matrix. Let JA denote the block Jacobi method and let ν = ϱ(¦J A ¦) . We establish regions in the (ν, ω)-plane where ϱ( S ω A ) ⩽ ϱ( Q ω A ) L ω A )] . Here S ω A is the block SSOR iteration operator associated with A, L ω A is the block successive overrelaxation (SOR) iteration operator associated with A, and Q ω A is a convenient similarity transformation of the majorizing operator for S ω A . Of special interest to us are the values of ν for which the above inequality holds for the corresponding values of the relaxation parameter ω(A) = 2 (1 + ν) , the latter being an important quantity in the SOR-SSOR theory for H-matrices.
Ranging patterns and habitat use of Sulawesi Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) in a human-modified habitat.

The goal of this study was to investigate the ecological flexibility of Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) by examining how they respond to human-induced habitat alteration. To do so, I observed movement patterns, forest strata use, microhabitat use, and home range use in two groups that occupied habitats with different levels of human alteration and habitat quality in Lore Lindu National Park, Sulawesi, Indonesia. The group occupying the heavily altered habitat (Anca) spent a significantly greater proportion of time traveling on the ground than the group in minimally altered habitat (CH), and significantly more time than expected in microhabitats within their range that were characterized by greater alteration (e.g., agroforestry areas). There was no significant difference between the two groups in daily path length, despite differences in group size. The Anca group exhibited a greater home range area per individual than the CH group, and utilized a more limited area within their home range with greater intensity, relative to the CH group. Tonkean macaques therefore show considerable flexibility in response to anthropogenic disturbance by adjusting their use of forest strata to facilitate travel and increase foraging opportunities and by intensively using particular areas within their home range where known resources are present and predictably available. Am. J. Primatol. 70:670–679, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Resolving Paraphrases to Support Modeling Language Perception in an Intelligent Agent

When interacting with humans, intelligent agents must be able not only to understand natural language inputs but also to remember them and link their content with the contents of their memory of event and object instances. As inputs can come in a variety of forms, linking to memory can be successful only when paraphrasing relations are established between the meaning of new input and the content of the agent's memory. This paper discusses a variety of types of paraphrases relevant to this task and describes the way we implement this capability in a virtual patient application.
Measuring Productivity in Federal Agencies: Does Total Quality Management Make a Difference?

In the 1980s, during the Reagan and Bush administrations, many federal agencies embarked on journeys toward Total Quality Management. The Government Performance and Results Act of 1993 then shifted the focus of federal agencies to "reinventing" government. Are these events evidence that management is faddish? Is TQM a fad whose time has passed? Is there any difference between agencies that did implement TQM and those that did not? Is it time to abandon TQM?A case study of TQM implementation in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) analyzed the effects of TQM in an agency that is continuing that emphasis (Mani, 1995). This paper expands the IRS case study by adding an analysis of data from other federal agencies. The Federal Productivity Measurement System (FPMS), administered through the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, reports the results of approximately 2,500 output indicators. I analyze these data, provided by individual agencies and agencies' assessments of their own efforts to imple...
Mid‐region pro‐adrenomedullin adds predictive value to clinical predictors and Framingham risk score for long‐term mortality in stable outpatients with heart failure

Aims The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term prognostic utility of mid-region prohormone adrenomedullin (MR-proADM) in stable outpatients with heart failure (HF). Methods and results Echocardiogram and serum for MR-proADM and BNP levels were obtained in 724 stable outpatients. These patients were followed for up to 6 years for the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality. There were 198 stage A patients, 328 stage B patients, and 200 stage C/D patients, with an average age of 68 ± 12 years. There were 195 deaths during the 6-year follow-up period. MR-proADM was predictive of mortality in the overall patient population. The predictive value of MR-proADM for long-term mortality was independent of BNP, echocardiographic indices of structural heart disease, clinical predictors of mortality, and the Framingham risk score. Patients with elevated MR-proADM had significantly increased risk for mortality in stage A and stage C/D HF, with hazard ratio (HR) 3.780, P < 0.001 and HR 2.744, P < 0.001, respectively. There was a trend toward increased mortality in patients with elevated MR-proADM and stage B HF (HR 1.579, P = 0.05005). MR-proADM added incremental predictive value to clinical predictors and the Framingham risk score. Conclusions MR-proADM was a potent independent predictor of long-term all-cause mortality in stable outpatients with stage A–D HF, especially in patients in stage A and stage C/D HF. MR-proADM added incremental predictive value to clinical predictors and the Framingham risk score.
Prediction of first molar occlusion

Abstract A longitudinal study of the deciduous terminal plane relationship and occlusion of the first permanent molars was carried out in fifty-four boys and sixty-four girls 4 1 2 to 14 years of age. Distributions of the deciduous terminal planes, initial occlusion of the first permanent molars, the degree of association between the two, and subsequent changes in the occlusion of the first permanent molars are described. A method of predicting the occlusion of the first molars is presented.
Two-time scale analysis of coherent vortex evolution in turbulence

The first SLAM II network simulation model for Juvenile Detention Management in Washington State was built in 1989 by the Washington State Office of the Administrator for the Courts. The juvenile detention process can be viewed as a complicated queuing system from the juvenile's arrival at the detention facility to final release from the facility. The detention process is simulated through the use of RESOURCEs, AWAITs and GATEs that control the movement of the juveniles entering and leaving the system. The goal of this research is to help judges and court administrators apply Operations Research to court management and to examine how parameters as well as structure in the simulation model influence the detention system operation. For example, how does varying the arrival rate, the service rate, or service style affect bed usage and judge time in a detention center? Or, how do changes in legal procedures effect the structure of the model and detention facilities' operations.
A risk index model for predicting eastern equine encephalitis virus transmission to horses in Florida

A GIS-based risk index model was developed to quantify EEEV transmission risk to horses in the State of Florida. EEEV is a highly pathogenic arbovirus that is endemic along the east coast of the United States, and it is generally fatal to both horses and humans. The model evaluates EEEV transmission risk at individual raster cells in map on a continuous scale of 0 to 1. The risk index is derived based on local habitat features and the composition and configuration of surrounding land cover types associated with EEEV transmission. The model was verified and validated using the locations of documented horse cases of EEEV. These results of the verification and validation indicate that the model is able to predict locations of EEEV transmission to horses broadly across the state. The model is relatively robust to regional variation in EEEV transmission and habitat conditions in Florida, and it accurately predicted nearly all verification and validation cases in the Panhandle, North, and Central regions of the state. The model performed less accurately in the South, where relatively few cases are documented. Despite these differences, the model provides a useful way to assess EEEV risk both from a regional perspective and at more localized scales. The resulting predictive maps are designed to guide EEEV surveillance and prevention efforts by county mosquito control districts.
Microdetermination of acetylenic hydrogen by nonaqueous titration

Abstract A micromethod is presented for the titrimetric determination of monosubstituted acetylenes. The sample (approx. 0.1 mequiv.) is dissolved in methanol and treated with 0.25M silver perchlorate. The perchloric acid liberated is titrated with 0.01N tris(hydroxy-methyl)aminomethane using martius yellow as indicator. The influence of the strength of the silver perchlorate solution on the titration, the effect of water, the nature of the endpoint and the use of a stable indicator solution have been investigated. The results indicate a reproducibility of ±0.5% and an accuracy of ±1%.
Combined collimator/reconstruction optimization for myocardial perfusion SPECT imaging using polar map-based LROC numerical observer

Polar maps have been used to assist clinicians diagnose coronary artery diseases (CAD) in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging. Herein, we investigate the optimization of collimator design for perfusion defect detection in SPECT imaging when reconstruction includes modeling of the collimator. The optimization employs an LROC clinical model observer (CMO), which emulates the clinical task of polar map detection of CAD. By utilizing a CMO, which better mimics the clinical perfusion-defect detection task than previous SKE based observers, our objective is to optimize collimator design for SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging when reconstruction includes compensation for collimator spatial resolution. Comparison of lesion detection accuracy will then be employed to determine if a lower spatial resolution hence higher sensitivity collimator design than currently recommended could be utilized to reduce the radiation dose to the patient, imaging time, or a combination of both. As the first step in this investigation, we report herein on the optimization of the three-dimensional (3D) post-reconstruction Gaussian filtering of and the number of iterations used to reconstruct the SPECT slices of projections acquired by a low-energy generalpurpose (LEGP) collimator. The optimization was in terms of detection accuracy as determined by our CMO and four human observers. Both the human and all four CMO variants agreed that the optimal post-filtering was with sigma of the Gaussian in the range of 0.75 to 1.0 pixels. In terms of number of iterations, the human observers showed a preference for 5 iterations; however, only one of the variants of the CMO agreed with this selection. The others showed a preference for 15 iterations. We shall thus proceed to optimize the reconstruction parameters for even higher sensitivity collimators using this CMO, and then do the final comparison between collimators using their individually optimized parameters with human observers and three times the test images to reduce the statistical variation seen in our present results.
A Disaggregate Analysis of Profit Rates in Turkish Manufacturing

This study analyzes profit rate trends in Turkish manufacturing at the subsectoral level during the period from 1970 to 2000. Previous studies provide profit rates only at the aggregate level due to a lack of subsectoral capital stock data availability. Generating capital stock series, the author calculates the profit rates for selected subsectors. Applying Weisskopf's method, changes in the profit rate are decomposed, and evidence is found for a rising significance of conflict-based factors over “environmental” factors.
SU-FF-T-504: An Integrated Software Framework for Radiotherapy Research and Outcome Analysis for Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy

Purpose: To develop a software framework which allows analysis and evaluation of outcomes for patients treated with hypo‐fractionated stereotactic body radiotherapy(SBRT)Method and Materials: An outcomes‐study database was designed, under IRB‐approval, to collect and analyze medical information for lungcancer patients undergoing SBRT. The outcomes‐study database incorporates a variety of patient information, including demographic, social, diagnostic, treatment and follow‐up data. A software tool with a graphical user interface was developed to calculate biological dose indices, including TCP, EUD (Niemierko) and NTCP (Lyman‐Kutcher‐Burman and relative seriality models). Biologically effective doses are determined from dose distributions and DVHs, automatically imported from the treatment planning systems. Results: Approximately 200 SBRT patients' medical records have been populated into the outcomes database. To demonstrate the functionality of the software framework, 11 lungcancer patients treated with SBRT (12 Gy/fraction × 4 fractions) for central lesions (tumors within a 2 cm zone of the proximal bronchial tree) were reviewed. The linear‐quadratic (LQ) adjusted mean lungdose was 13.38 Gy (range: 9.24 Gy to 16.50 Gy) with an α/β ratio of 3.0 Gy. Observed lung toxicities were reviewed using the database and showed the regimen to be well tolerated: none of the patients developed grades 3–5 toxicities and only 2 lower‐grade toxicities were noted. The calculated NTCP ranged from 1.73% to 8.22% using the LKB model, with parameters n=1, m=0.33, TD50 =30.5 Gy. Conclusions: One of the goals of the outcomes database is to enable the investigation of correlation between dose, volume and effect for patients treated with SBRT, using non‐standard, hypo‐fractionated RT doses. Parameters specific to biological dose models are being updated using maximum likelihood analysis of calculated probabilities vs. observed outcomes for this large cohort of patients. Such outcomes studies are important in understanding the efficacy of new treatment paradigms.
Non-linear prices and price-taking behavior

Abstract The solution of the non-linear pricing problem when consumers are fully rational price takers is compared to that obtained when consumers act as if prices are linear, with the price per unit equal to the average price actually paid. I show that for a broad class of economics the alternative behavior reduces the monopolist's profits and increases utility for at least some of the consumers.
Analysis of FTO gene variants with measures of obesity and glucose homeostasis in the IRAS Family Study

Multiple studies have identified FTO gene variants associated with measures of adiposity in European-derived populations. The objective of the study was to determine whether FTO variants were associated with adiposity, including visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue (VAT, SAT), and glucose homeostasis measures in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Family Study (IRASFS). A total of 27 SNPs in FTO intron 1, including SNPs prominent in the literature (rs9939609, rs8050136, rs1121980, rs17817449, rs1421085, and rs3751812), were genotyped in 1,424 Hispanic Americans and 604 African Americans. Multiple SNPs were associated with BMI and SAT (P values ranging from 0.001 to 0.033), and trending or associated with waist circumference (P values ranging from 0.008 to 0.099) in the Hispanic Americans. No association was observed with VAT, illustrating that FTO variants are associated with overall fat mass instead of specific fat depots. For the glucose homeostasis measures, variants were associated with fasting insulin but, consistent with other studies, after BMI adjustment, no evidence of association remained. The lack of association of FTO SNPs with insulin sensitivity is consistent with the lack of association with VAT, since these traits are strongly correlated. In the African Americans, only rs8050136 and rs9939609 were associated with BMI and WAIST (P values of 0.011 and 0.034), and associated or trending towards association with SAT (P values of 0.038 and 0.058). These results confirm that FTO variants are associated with adiposity measures, predisposing individuals to obesity by increasing overall fat mass in Hispanic Americans and to a lesser degree in African Americans.
Language Acquisition and Form in a Bilingual Environment: A Framework for Studying Birdsong in Zones of Sympatry

Parallels drawn between critical variables (e.g., the effects of live input and social interaction) in first and second language acquisition and, respectively, species-specific and allospecific song learning have led to insights into the vocal behavior of both humans and birds. We propose that these parallels can be extended further. Because studies of human behavior in multilingual environments suggest that the potential for bilingualism and the particular forms of bilingualism that develop may be attributed to specific contextual constraints, we suggest that contextual factors may similarly affect the singing behavior of birds in zones of sympatry. We therefore describe various types of human multilingual behavior, discuss factors that may contribute to the development of such behavior, and describe and predict some appropriate avian parallels.
Age-related cytochemical changes in rat Purkinje neuron nucleic acids.

Abstract Age-related changes in Purkinje neuron nucleic acids were investigated using two-wavelength cytophotometry. Twenty-micron-thick sections of cerebellum from male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 4, 12, and 28 months were stained using the Feulgen method for DNA and azure B for RNA determinations. Feulgen-DNA (F-DNA) results showed there was no overall change in Purkinje neuron DNA during aging: DNA values from 4-month-old rats did not differ significantly from 28-month-old rat DNA values. However, shifts in the F-DNA histograms were observed between 4- and 12-month-old rats and between 12- and 28-month-old rats. It is suggested these shifts in F-DNA between age groups are probably not due to quantitative changes but instead may result from alterations in stainability due to an age-related differential susceptibility of the DNA to acid hydrolysis. In contrast to DNA, an overall reduction in Purkinje neuron RNA content was found during aging. Significant shifts in RNA content between the three different ages were evident in the RNA histograms. RNA decreased between the ages of 4 and 12 months but then increased between 12 and 28 months. RNA content in rats at 28 months was still significantly lower than at 4 months of age. Between the age groups the shifts in RNA paralleled the shifts in DNA and may be explained as compensatory changes in RNA content due to possible age changes in DNA metabolic activity.
Best-First vs. Depth-First AND/OR Search for Multi-objective Constraint Optimization

In this paper we present and evaluate the power of best-first search over AND/OR search spaces for multi-objective constraint optimization. The main virtue of the AND/OR representation of the search space is its sensitivity to problem structure, which can translate into significant time savings. We introduce a linear-space best-first search algorithm that explores an AND/OR search tree and uses a class of partitioning-based heuristics for guidance. The superiority of the best-first approach over depth-first AND/OR Branch-and-Bound search using the same heuristic function is demonstrated empirically on random and real-world benchmarks for multi-objective constraint optimization.
Breeding bird community response to establishing intercropped switchgrass in intensively-managed pine stands

Intercropping switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) between tree rows within young pine (Pinus spp.) plantations is a potential method to generate lignocellulosic biofuel feedstocks within intensively managed forests. Intensively managed pine supports a diverse avian assemblage potentially affected by establishment and maintenance of an annual biomass feedstock via changes in plant communities, dead wood resources, and habitat structure. We sought to understand how establishing switchgrass on an operational scale affects bird communities within intercropped plantations as compared to typical intensively managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) forest. We conducted breeding bird point counts using distance sampling for three years (2011–2013) following establishment of intercropped switchgrass stands (6 replicates), traditionally-managed pine plantations, and switchgrass-only plots (0.1 km2 minimum) in Kemper Co., MS. We detected 59 breeding bird species from 11,195 detections. Neotropical migrants and forest-edge associated species were less abundant in intercropped plots than controls the first two years after establishment and more abundant in year three. Short distance migrants and residents were scarce in intercropped and control plots initially, and did not differ between these two treatments in any year. Species associated with pine-grass habitat structure were less abundant initially in intercropped plots, but converged with pine controls in subsequent years. Switchgrass monocultures provided minimal resources for birds. If songbird conservation is a management priority, managers should consider potential reductions of some breeding birds for one to two years following intercropping. It is unclear how these relationships may change outside the breeding season and as stands age.
An anti-CD11/CD18 monoclonal antibody in patients with acute myocardial infarction having percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (the FESTIVAL study).

Maximal benefits of coronary reperfusion after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) with ST-segment elevation may be attenuated by neutrophil-mediated reperfusion injury. Inflammatory mediators released from potentially viable myocytes cause activation of neutrophils, which traverse the endothelium and enter the myocardium. This process involves interaction between the neutrophil-expressed CD11/CD18 and endothelial-expressed intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). Preclinical studies have shown that monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to CD18 can limit infarct size and preserve left ventricular function. We sought to determine the initial clinical safety and tolerability of Hu23F2G (LeukArrest), a humanized MAb to CD11/CD18, in patients with AMI who underwent percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Sixty patients with AMI were randomized to low- (0.3 mg/kg) or high-dose (1.0 mg/kg) Hu23F2G or to placebo immediately before PTCA. We found no clinically significant differences in vital signs, physical examination, laboratory evaluation, or need for subsequent cardiac interventions. In Hu23F2G treatment groups, serum concentration of Hu23F2G increased rapidly to 3,234 ± 1,298 μg/L (low-dose group) and 15,558 ± 4409 μg/L (high-dose group) between 5 and 60 minutes, then declined over 72 hours to near-baseline values. Myocardial single-photon emission computed tomographic imaging 120 to 260 hours after PTCA showed no statistically significant differences in final left ventricular defect size. Hu23F2G was well tolerated, with no increase in adverse events, including infections. Thus, Hu23F2G appears safe and well tolerated in patients undergoing PTCA for AMI.
A selective synthesis of alkenylmercuric chlorides via alkenylalanes

Abstract The reaction of alkenylalanes with mercuric chloride in THF produces stereospecically the coresponding alkenylmercuric chlorides in high yields.
Differential subcellular localization of particular mRNAs in hippocampal neurons in culture

In situ hybridization was used to assess the subcellular distribution of mRNAs encoding several important neuronal proteins in hippocampal neurons in culture. mRNA encoding GAP-43, a protein that is largely excluded from dendrites, was restricted to nerve cell bodies, as were mRNAs encoding neurofilament-68 and beta-tubulin, which are prominent constituents of dendrites and of axons. In contrast, mRNA encoding MAP-2, a protein that is selectively distributed in dendrites and cell bodies, was present in both dendrites and cell bodies. These results demonstrate that different mRNAs are differentially distributed within individual hippocampal neurons. Taken together with previous findings from other laboratories, our results suggest that only a limited set of mRNAs are available for local translation within dendrites.
Group inverses of certain nonnegative matrices

Abstract Nonnegative matrices with the property that the group inverse of the matrixis equal to a power of the matrix are characterized. The special case of the Moore- Penrose inverse is considered. The situation when the matrix is stochastic is examined.
Strategies for Enhancing the Teaching of ICT in Business Education Programmes as Perceived by Business Education Lecturers in Universities in South South Nigeria

This study assessed the strategies for enhancing the teaching of ICT in Business Education programme as perceived by Business Education lecturers in universities in south south Nigeria. Three research questions and six hypotheses guided the study. The design of this study was a descriptive survey. The population which also served as a sample comprised 134 Business Education lecturers in universities in the south south geopolitical zone of Nigeria. The instrument for data collection was a 66 – item questionnaire. The instrument was validated by experts in Business Education. The internal consistency of the instrument was determined using cronbach alpha, which has a reliability coefficient of 0.93. The data were analysed using mean and standard deviation. The study revealed the prospects of teaching ICT: ICT facilitates interaction between lecturers and students; ICT enhances effective storage of business information; ICT facilitates the retrieval of business information. The study also revealed constraints facing the teaching of ICT such as inadequate ICT facilities/equipment; frequent electricity interruption of ICT facilities and poor implementation of ICT policies. Moreover, the study revealed some strategies for enhancing the teaching of ICT: adequate funding of ICT facilities; provision of adequate ICT equipment; provision of adequate ICT facilities among others. Among the recommendations made were that Business Education lecturers should undergo training and retraining in ICT programme to have more skills and competencies, that adequate ICT facilities should be provided by university authorities to enable lecturers carry out their teaching assignment effectively.
Evaluation (not validation) of quantitative models.

The present regulatory climate has led to increasing demands for scientists to attest to the predictive reliability of numerical simulation models used to help set public policy, a process frequent...
Interfacial oxide thickness determination and interface studies of HfO/sub 2//SiO/sub 2//Si dielectrics

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) has been applied to the high-K/Si system to analyze chemical bonding structure, high-K/Si system interfaces, and interfacial silicon oxide layer formations. Also we derive an expression to determine the thickness of an interfacial oxide layer based on ARXPS electron intensity ratios and compare our results with experimental values obtained from ellipsometer measurements. In addition, we describe the formation of HfO/sub 2//Si interfacial layers together with their thermal stability and chemical structure. Finally we present valence band offset measurements obtained with HRXPS to determine band structure.
Young Adults' Attitudes toward Filial Responsibility and Actual Assistance to Elderly Family Members

Research has yet to examine young adults in caregiver roles to older family members and their attitudes toward filial responsibility. In response, the authors collected data from two groups: (a) young adults who were primary caregivers to impaired elderly relatives (n = 40), and (b) 18-to 40-year-olds who had yet to take on caregiver roles (n = 40). As anticipated, the majority of young adults assumed their caregiver roles out of respect for the older family member in need and to help out the traditional elder caregivers in their families (middle-aged parents and siblings). In addition, expected differences in attitudes toward filial responsibility between the young adult caregivers and their noncaregiver peers were found. The implications of these findings for future research are discussed.
Duality gaps in semi-infinite linear programming—an approximation problem

This paper builds upon the relationship between the objective function of a semi-infinite linear program and its constraints to identify a class of semi-infinite linear programs which do not have a duality gap. The key idea is to guarantee the approximation of the primal program by a sequence of linear programs where thenth approximating program is to minimize the objective function subject to the firstn constraints. The paper goes on to show that any program not in the identified class can be linearly perturbed into it with the optimal value of the perturbed program converging to the optimal value of the original program. The results are then extended to the case when an uncountable number of constraints are present by reducing this case to the countable case.
Intragastric β-casomorphin1–7 attenuates the suppression of fat intake by enterostatin☆

Abstract The current experiments were designed to compare the feeding response to enterostatin and β-casomorphin 1–7 injected intragastrically. Sprague-Dawley rats with a gastric cannula were allowed to chose from high-fat diet (HF) or low-fat diet (LF) in separate jars. Enterostatin injected intragastrically into overnight fasted rats caused a U-shaped dose-dependent reduction in the intake of the HF diet for the first two hours after infusion but had no effect on the LF intake. β-Casomorphin 1–7 stimulated the intake of the HF diet but had no effect on the LF diet. Finally, β-casomorphin 1–7 blocked the inhibitory effect of enterostatin on HF intake in fasted rats.
SC 25152: A Potent Mineralocorticoid Antagonist with Reduced Affinity for the 5α-Dihydrotestosterone Receptor of Human and Rat Prostate

It has previously been shown that spironolactone possesses antiandrogenic activity in the rat and interacts with rat prostate 5α-dihydrotestosterone cytoplasmic receptors to block the nuclear uptake of this hormone. Current evidence suggests that this androgen receptor interaction may be an important mechanism through which spironolactone causes endocrine side effects in rat and man. We have analyzed the interactions of several spirolactone analogs with the androgen receptor of human and rat prostate and the mineralocorticoid receptor of human and rat kidney. One analog, SC 25152, was found to have considerably reduced affinity for the prostate 5α-dihydrotestosterone receptor [Ka = 24 ± 1% and 19 ± 6% (mean ± SE) in the human and rat, respectively, of Ka the for spironolactone] while maintaining similar affinity for the mineralocorticoid receptors of human and rat kidney [Ka = 113 ± 37% and 86 ± 1% (mean ± SE), respectively, of the Ka for spironolactone]. These findings would predict this analog to have r...
Assessing and Improving Early Social Engagement in Infants

Empirical studies have documented a variety of social abnormalities in infancy that indicate risk for later social and behavioral difficulties. There is very little research illustrating the presence of such behavioral vulnerabilities with frequent repeated measures, and the feasibility of designing interventions for improving social engagement in infants under one year of age. In the context of a multiple baseline research design, three young infants, ages 4, 7, and 9 months referred for concerns about social engagement were assessed for affect, social interest, eye contact avoidance, and response to name. Additionally, the feasibility of implementing an intervention to target social behaviors was examined. Results demonstrated that: (1) consistently low or erratic levels of social behavior were evident throughout the baseline assessment period; (2) these patterns could be improved with a brief intervention (a modified Pivotal Response Treatment) showing an immediate increase and stability of social engagement; and (3) social engagement remained at a stable and high level at follow-up. The results are discussed in terms of implications of early assessment and intervention for clinical populations, including infants with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
New force or model-dependent effect in the mine gravity measurements?

Abstract The exact solution for the oblate spheroidal layer model of the earth is applied to recent gravity data measured at the Hilton mine, Mount Isa, Queensland. We find that our extracted values of the gravitational constant from the Hilton mine data are consistent with the laboratory value within the accuracy of the mass density profile determination made at the Hilton mine and the surrounding area.
SU‐E‐J‐169: CT Simulation Optimization for Prostate Cancer Patients in Radiation Therapy: A General Strategy

Purpose: To develop a general strategy that allows for automatically, prospectively, and objectively determine the optimal CT simulation technique for individual prostate cancer patients based on radiation‐therapy goals: maintenance of contouring quality and integrity while minimizing patient CT simulation dose. Methods: An image quality index (IQI) was defined to characterize the simulation performance on target delineation required in radiation therapy. The optimal IQI is the one requiring the minimum dose to provide an image dataset that yields target contours that are equivalent to those segmented from greater‐dose‐technique scans. An anthropomorphic pelvis phantom with added‐bolus layers were used to mimic prostate cancer patients with 38–53 cm lateral diameters for the experiments and the prediction model development. The manual prostate contour delineated from the highest dose CT scan was used as the ground truth to determine the optimal IQI for each patient size. A clinical workflow was recommended for selecting optimal CT simulation techniques, incorporating patient size, target delineation, and dose efficiency. Results: The median optimal IQI for accurate manual segmentation (compared to the ground truth) was 5.27 (range 4.8 to 6.32) for patient sizes of 38‐53 cm. 120 kVp scan protocols could not reach the optimal IQI due to the tube power limit for patient sizes above 53 cm. The optimal tube potentials (yielding the lowest radiation dose) for patient sizes of 38–53 cm were 120, 140, 140, and 140, respectively. The corresponding minimum CTDIvol for achieving the optimal image quality were 16.7, 24.7, 48.7, and 96.9 mGy without tube current modulation enabled. Conclusions: The proposed strategy can predict the optimal CT simulation scan protocols with minimum radiation dose while taking into account patient sizes and treatment planning tasks. We expect that the optimal image quality index will vary for automatic segmentation algorithms compare to the manual method.
Ion selectivity of colicin E1: modulation by pH and membrane composition.

Colicin E1 is a plasmid-encoded bacteriocidal protein which, though water soluble when secreted by its host bacterium, spontaneously interacts with planar lipid bilayers to form voltagegated ion channels. In asolectin bilayers, the preference for anions over cations exhibited by these channels at low pH can be reversed by raising the pH on either side of the membrane. When incorporated into membranes composed of either of the two zwitterionic lipids, bacterial phosphatidylethanolamine and diphytanoyl phosphatidylcholine, colicin E1 channels were nearly ideally anion selective in the limit of low pH and moderately cation selective at the high pH limit. In phosphatidylcholine membranes, however, the response of these channels to changes in pH exhibited a pattern of behavior peculiar to this lipid. If the side of the membrane on which the protein had been introduced (the cis side) was exposed to pH 4.0, all the channels in the bilayer, whether opened or closed, became refractory to further changes in pH. This irreversibility has been interpreted as evidence that the selectivity of colicin E1 is under the control of a pH-sensitive conformational change. Protonation of groups on the cis side of the membrane appear to be essential to the conversion to the anionselective state. These groups are rendered kineticaily inaccessible to the aqueous phase when the transition takes place in phosphatidylcholine membranes.
Expression of fructose sensitive glucose transporter in the brains of fructose-fed rats

Glucose transporters play a critical role in mammalian brain energy metabolism because glucose is the principal brain energy source and these transporters promote glucose movement into neural cells. When glucose is unavailable, fructose can serve as an alternative energy source. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction and actin as a reference mRNA, we investigated the impact of fructose feeding on rat brain and other tissue mRNA expression of glucose transporter 5 which has high affinity for fructose. Brain mRNA levels of glucose transporter 5 increased 1.5-fold in 35-day old rats after 7 days of fructose feeding compared with controls, whereas it increased 2.5-fold in jejunum. Semi-quantitative analysis of protein expression by immunofluorescence of glucose transporter 5 in rat hippocampi indicated a 2.4-fold increase. We demonstrated the specificity of fructose feeding on glucose transporter 5 expression by showing that the expression of the neuronal glucose transporter 3 and insulin-regulated glucose transporter 4 were unaffected. In addition, the expression of glucose transporter 5 increased in fructose fed older adult rats (8-months and 12-months old) when compared with controls. These results suggest that short-term fructose feeding increases the expression of glucose transporter 5 in both young and aging adult rats. Increased brain expression of glucose transporter 5 is likely to be important in the role of fructose as an alternative energy source.
Molecular basis of metronidazole resistance in pathogenic bacteria and protozoa.

The molecular basis of metronidazole resistance has been examined in anaerobic bacteria, such as Bacteroides, Clostridium, and Helicobacter, and anaerobic parasitic protists such as Giardia, Entamoeba, and trichomonads.A variety of enzymatic and cellular alterations have been shown to correlate with metronidazole susceptibility in these pathogens; however, a common theme has been revealed. Resistant cells are typically deficient in drug activation.The frequent correlation between metronidazole resistance and ineffective drug activation suggests that drug resistance is the result of modification of proteins involved in drug activation.
Reliability evaluations of under bump metallurgy in two solder systems

Under bump metallurgy (UBM) reliability is one of the critical issues in the total reliability of a flip-chip bumping technology. Since the UBM materials and structures vary for different bumping technologies, the UBM strength and reliability need to be determined for each design and process. In addition, the stress that a UBM experiences during thermal cycles depends on the solder alloy used in the interconnect. Different solder alloys require different UBM structures and strengths to achieve good reliability in thermal cycling. In this study, a simplified stress model is developed to determine the UBM stress during thermal cycling. A simplified stress model for the UBM strength is also developed. These models are used to predict the stress and strength of the UBM under the die pull test and the thermal cycle conditions for both eutectic and high lead solder systems. A methodology for using the pull test results to evaluate UBM reliability is also discussed. This methodology can be extended to the studies of UBM's with other solder systems such as lead free solder systems.
A Fine Line Between Molecular Umbrella Transport and Ionophoric Activity

A persulfated molecular umbrella derived from one spermine, four lysine, and eight deoxycholic acid molecules was found to exhibit ionophoric activity, as shown by pH discharge and Na(+) and Cl(-) transport experiments. In sharp contrast, a moderately more hydrophilic analogue derived from cholic acid showed no such ionophoric activity. Both molecular umbrellas crossed liposomal membranes by passive transport with experimental rates that were similar. These findings show how the interactions between such amphomorphic molecules and phospholipid bilayers are a sensitive function of the umbrella's hydrophilic/lipophilic balance (HLB). They also raise the possibility of exploiting molecular umbrellas in fundamentally new ways.
AN EMPIRICAL ESTIMATE OF THE RELATION BETWEEN TWO MEASURES OF ECONOMIC WELFARE

The main objective of this paper is to explore and quantify the difference between two measures of comparative economic welfare: (a) the more or less conventional measure of per capita national income, and (b) the capitalized value of expected future income per capita. The paper begins with a brief summary of the argument in favor of the present value of expected future income per capita as a measure of economic welfare. This is followed by an examination of the empirical relationship of the ratio of the suggested alternative measure to per capita income and an analysis of the variables used to compute the present value of expected income per capita. The main conclusion drawn from the calculations is that very substantial differences occur in the measurement of relative economic well-being depending on which measure is used. A final section discusses the implications of this finding for international comparisons of economic welfare.
The Strange Case of Sustained Dedication to an Unfulfilling Relationship: Predicting Commitment and Breakup From Attachment Anxiety and Need Fulfillment Within Relationships

Two studies investigated whether need fulfillment within relationships moderates the associations of attachment anxiety with relationship commitment and persistence. The authors hypothesized that individuals who experience low attachment anxiety would exhibit declining commitment and increased risk of breakup if their partner failed to meet their core psychological needs, whereas individuals who experience high attachment anxiety would not. Study 1 employed longitudinal procedures to examine the associations among need fulfillment within relationships, attachment anxiety, commitment, and breakup. Study 2 employed experimental procedures to examine whether the temporary activation of attachment anxiety alters the association of need fulfillment with commitment. As predicted, relative to their high anxiety counterparts, individuals experiencing low attachment anxiety reported less commitment at study entry (Studies 1 and 2), declining commitment over time (Study 1), and an increased risk of breakup (Study 1...
Failed Stars or Overachieving Planets

With masses between those of stars and planets, brown dwarfs remain a bit of a mystery. Are they failed stars, or giant planets that have lost their stellar companion? In his Perspective, [Reid][1] reviews recent progress toward resolving this question, which is important for understanding star formation. [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/296/5576/2154
Evaluation of Ceftobiprole in a Rabbit Model of Aortic Valve Endocarditis Due to Methicillin-Resistant and Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus

Ceftobiprole is a novel broad-spectrum cephalosporin that binds with high affinity to PBP 2a, the methicillin-resistance determinant of staphylococci, and is active against methicillin- and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Ceftobiprole was compared to vancomycin in a rabbit model of methicillin-resistant S. aureus aortic valve endocarditis. Ceftobiprole and vancomycin were equally effective against endocarditis caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus strain 76, whereas ceftobiprole was more effective than vancomycin against the vancomycin-intermediate S. aureus strain HIP5836. The activity of ceftobiprole against drug-resistant strains of S. aureus warrants its further clinical development.