cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Effective Defense Against Spoofed IP Traffic

The problems presented by Denial of Service (DoS) attacks are aggravated by IP spoofing. In this paper we propose a new approach for IP spoofing detection and real-time prevention. The proposed method depends on the inability of attackers with spoofed source IP address to complete TCP transactions and on the concept of path signatures. Simulations based on real-world Internet topologies shows that 95% of spoofed packets are dropped by the border routers employing the proposed scheme. Using the concept of partial matching of signatures coupled with priority queueing of packets at border routers, the proposed method can be deployed in an incremental fashion with immediate benefit for ISPs who deploy the scheme. In addition, a filter aggregation technique, based on an analysis of BGP dynamics and substantiated by extensive measurements, is presented which allows the proposed scheme to be highly scalable and feasible for deployment on current generation hardware
Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome (PMWS) Surveillance Study

PMWS is characterized by a clinical history of wasting or poor performance in weaned pigs and by severe lymphoid depletion and histiocytic replacement of follicles in lymphoid tissues. The detection of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) antigen or nucleic acids within characteristic microscopic lesions is required for the diagnosis of PMWS. Swine veterinarians submitted a specified set of samples from one hundred field cases that they felt fit the clinical definition of PMWS. All these cases were further analyzed for the presence or absence and scored for severity of the hallmark microscopic lesions (lymphoid depletion) of PMWS, the amount of PCV2 antigen associated with the lesions, and identification of concurrent bacterial and viral infections. Fifty-four of the 100 field cases were confirmed to be PMWS, whereas, no association with PCV2 was found in 46 of the cases. This highlights the need for further diagnostic testing, specifically histopathology and antigen detection, for confirmation of cases clinically suspected to be PMWS. This will become particularly important as vaccines for PCV2-associated diseases become approved for use.
Transmission of rhinovirus in the Utah BIG-LoVE families: Consequences of age and household structure

Background Common cold viruses create significant health and financial burdens, and understanding key loci of transmission would help focus control strategies. This study (1) examines factors that influence when individuals transition from a negative to positive test (acquisition) or a positive to negative test (loss) of rhinovirus (HRV) and other respiratory tract viruses in 26 households followed weekly for one year, (2) investigates evidence for intrahousehold and interhousehold transmission and the characteristics of individuals implicated in transmission, and (3) builds data-based simulation models to identify factors that most strongly affect patterns of prevalence. Methods We detected HRV, coronavirus, paramyxovirus, influenza and bocavirus with the FilmArray polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform (BioFire Diagnostics, LLC). We used logistic regression to find covariates affecting acquisition or loss of HRV including demographic characteristics of individuals, their household, their current infection status, and prevalence within their household and across the population. We apply generalized linear mixed models to test robustness of results. Results Acquisition of HRV was less probable in older individuals and those infected with a coronavirus, and higher with a higher proportion of other household members infected. Loss of HRV is reduced with a higher proportion of other household members infected. Within households, only children and symptomatic individuals show evidence for transmission, while between households only a higher number of infected older children (ages 5-19) increases the probability of acquisition. Coronaviruses, paramyxoviruses and bocavirus also show evidence of intrahousehold transmission. Simulations show that age-dependent susceptibility and transmission have the largest effects on mean HRV prevalence. Conclusions Children are most likely to acquire and most likely to transmit HRV both within and between households, with infectiousness concentrated in symptomatic children. Simulations predict that the spread of HRV and other respiratory tract viruses can be reduced but not eliminated by practices within the home.
Outcomes from an electronic medical record (EMR)-based standardized tobacco assessment and cessation program in a NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center.

1529 Background: Tobacco assessment and cessation is advocated by ASCO and national clinical oncology guidelines, but there is little information on large scale clinically efficient models to asses...
Energy Transduction in Nitrogenase.

ConspectusNitrogenase is a complicated two-component enzyme system that uses ATP binding and hydrolysis energy to achieve one of the most difficult chemical reactions in nature, the reduction of N2 to NH3. One component of the Mo-based nitrogenase system, Fe protein, delivers electrons one at a time to the second component, the catalytic MoFe protein. This process occurs through a series of synchronized events collectively called the “Fe protein cycle”. Elucidating details of the events associated with this cycle has constituted an important challenge in understanding the nitrogenase mechanism. Electron delivery is a multistep process involving three metal clusters with intra- and interprotein events. It is proposed that the first electron transfer event is a gated intraprotein transfer of one electron from the MoFe protein P-cluster to the FeMo cofactor. Measurement of the effect of osmotic pressure on the rate of this electron transfer process revealed that it is gated by protein conformational changes....
Lanthanide migration and immobilization in metallic fuels

Abstract It is recognized that the lanthanide fission products can enhance the fuel-cladding chemical interaction (FCCI), which is a key concern of using metallic fuels such as U-Zr in a sodium-cooled fast reactor. The present work conducts a critical review on the analysis of lanthanide functions in FCCIs. Available in-pile and out-of-pile data are first collected and analyzed, then the theories for lanthanide migration and redistribution in the fuel in operation are analyzed. For mitigating FCCIs, one of the effective method is applying fuel additives for immobilizing lanthanides. The review investigates four candidates of fuel additives (Pd, Sn, Sb and In), and it is concluded that Sb can be the best candidate among the four elements based on current available thermodynamic data and microstructure characterizations. Considering that FCCIs lead to formation of metallic alloys/compounds between lanthanides and steel cladding constituents (Fe, Cr, and Ni), the review also analyzes the thermodynamic data such as enthalpy of formation of the alloys and/or metallic compounds and identify the solidus temperature of each alloy.
Color Crit: Critical Race Theory and the History and Future of Colorism in the United States:

Critical race theory teaches that racism and racial inequality are constants in American society that stand outside of the prejudices of individuals. It argues that structures and institutions are primarily responsible for the maintenance of racial inequality. However, critical race theorists have neglected to formally examine and theorize colorism, a primary offshoot of racial domination. Although studies of colorism have become increasingly common, they lack a unifying theoretical framework, opting to lean on ideas about prejudice and preference to explain the advantages lighter skinned, Black Americans are afforded relative to darker skinned Black Americans. In this study, I deploy a critical race framework to push back against preference as the only, or primary, mechanism facilitating skin tone stratification. Instead, I use historical Census data and regression analysis to explore the historical role of color-based marriage selection on concentrating economic advantage among lighter skinned Black Ame...
Sensitivity of SOI Lateral Diodes for Bolometric Sensing

In this study we characterize the thermal sensitivity of lateral diodes fabricated in a commercial 180 nm SOl-CMOS process. The current responsivity to temperature and the low-frequency noise were measured and correlated to the device dimensions. We also report on a FPA microbolometer sensor for THz imaging (0.6-1.2 THz) implemented with lateral diode detectors coupled to on-chip antennas.
Time-Compressed Speech Identification Is Predicted by Auditory Neural Processing, Perceptuomotor Speed, and Executive Functioning in Younger and Older Listeners

Older adults typically have difficulty identifying speech that is temporally distorted, such as reverberant, accented, time-compressed, or interrupted speech. These difficulties occur even when hearing thresholds fall within a normal range. Auditory neural processing speed, which we have previously found to predict auditory temporal processing (auditory gap detection), may interfere with the ability to recognize phonetic features as they rapidly unfold over time in spoken speech. Further, declines in perceptuomotor processing speed and executive functioning may interfere with the ability to track, access, and process information. The current investigation examined the extent to which age-related differences in time-compressed speech identification were predicted by auditory neural processing speed, perceptuomotor processing speed, and executive functioning. Groups of normal-hearing (up to 3000 Hz) younger and older adults identified 40, 50, and 60 % time-compressed sentences. Auditory neural processing speed was defined as the P1 and N1 latencies of click-induced auditory-evoked potentials. Perceptuomotor processing speed and executive functioning were measured behaviorally using the Connections Test. Compared to younger adults, older adults exhibited poorer time-compressed speech identification and slower perceptuomotor processing. Executive functioning, P1 latency, and N1 latency did not differ between age groups. Time-compressed speech identification was independently predicted by P1 latency, perceptuomotor processing speed, and executive functioning in younger and older listeners. Results of model testing suggested that declines in perceptuomotor processing speed mediated age-group differences in time-compressed speech identification. The current investigation joins a growing body of literature suggesting that the processing of temporally distorted speech is impacted by lower-level auditory neural processing and higher-level perceptuomotor and executive processes.
Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Reducing Anxiety in Children with High Functioning ASD: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at greater risk for experiencing high levels of anxiety symptoms. Recent evidence suggests Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may also be effective for anxiety reduction in some presentations of ASD. This meta-analysis evaluated twenty-three studies. Results yielded a moderate effect size (g = − 0.66) for the reduction of anxiety symptoms. Moderators indicated larger effects for studies were achieved with parental involvement (g = − 0.85, p < .05) than with child-only treatments (g = − 0.34, p < .05). Short-term interventions generated a smaller effect (g = − 0.37 p < .05) than either standard-term (g = − 1.02, p < .05) or long-term interventions (g = − 0.69, p < .05).Implications for children with ASD are discussed.
Dynamics of Liposomes in the Fluid Phase

Abstract We review the currently available material on the morphology and dynamics of phospholipids assembled into liposomes. Key information obtained from neutron scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and other techniques plays a crucial role in understanding the vital role of lipids in sustaining life in living organisms. We concentrate on the dynamics in the biologically important fluid phase in the time range from picoseconds to seconds, which includes a discussion of the center of mass diffusion of liposomes, membrane fluctuations; and lateral, rotational, and flip-flop motions of the lipids. We emphasize on the sensitivity of the dynamics on interactions with a variety of biologically relevant molecules such as cholesterol. By a comparison of data from literature, we witness a good agreement of the results from different techniques and studies.
Adsorption of naphthols in the presence of different electrolytes and peptising agents and at different temperatures

Adsorption of some dyestuffs of the Naphthol AS series by cotton fibre has been studied in the presence of alcohol, sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium phosphate, soap, gum tragacanth and agar-agar and at different temperatures to understand the mechanism of the process of dyeing. It is observed that adsorption of the dyestuffs decreases with increasing amount of alcohol, gum tragacanth and agar-agar, while it first increases, reaches a maximum and then decreases on adding increasing amounts of sodium hydroxide, sodium chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium phosphate and soap solutions. Regarding the effect of temperature on adsorption, it is found that (1) the rate of adsorption is greater at higher than at lower temperatures, (2) the equilibrium adsorption increases with the rise of temperature, and (3) the amount of increase of adsorption for a particular range of temperature is greater at lower than at higher temperatures. The results obtained become easily intelligible if it is assumed that the dye particles exist in colloidal condition and the process of dyeing is interpreted from that point of view.
Optical atomic clock

We precisely control the quantum states of more than 1000 strontium atoms to achieve a more stable and accurate atomic clock than any existing atomic clocks, with both stability and uncertainty reaching the 10−18 level. Such advanced clocks will allow us to test fundamental laws of nature and fuel applications in a wide range of technological frontiers.
Semi-classical Monte Carlo study of the impact of contact geometry and transmissivity on quasi-ballistic nanoscale Si and In0.53Ga0.47As n-channel FinFETs

The effects of contact geometry and specific contact resistivity on In0.53Ga0.47As (InGaAs) and silicon (Si) nanoscale (18 nm channel length) n-channel FinFETs performance, and the effects of models thereof, are studied using a quantum-corrected semiclassical Monte Carlo method. Saddle/slot, raised source and drain (RSD), and reference end contacts are modeled. Both ideal perfectly injecting and absorbing contacts and those with more realistic specific contact resistivities are considered. Far-from-equilibrium degenerate statistics, quantum-confinement effects on carrier distributions in real-space and among energy valleys and on scattering, and quasiballistic transport are modeled. Silicon ⟨ 110 ⟩ channel and Si ⟨ 100 ⟩ channel FinFETs, multivalley InGaAs channel FinFETs with conventionally reported InGaAs energy valley offsets, and reference idealized Γ-valley-only InGaAs (Γ-InGaAs) channel FinFETs are simulated. Among our findings, InGaAs channel FinFETs are highly sensitive to modeled contact geometry and specific contact resistivity and to the band structure model, while Si channel FinFETs showed still significant but much less sensitivity to the contact models. For example, for idealized unity transmissivity contacts, Γ-InGaAs channel FinFETs performed best for all contact geometries, at least in terms of transconductance, and end contacts provided the best performance for all considered channel materials. For realistic contact resistivities, however, the results are essentially reversed. Silicon channel FinFETs performed best for all contact geometries, and saddle/slot and RSD contacts outperformed end contacts.
Comparative Environmental Analysis of Seismic Damage in Buildings

AbstractIn studying the environmental impacts of buildings, earthquake hazards are rarely considered, but their environmental impacts can be significant. This case study paper demonstrates how the ...
Long-term Preservation of Repeatable Builds in Occam

In order to provide transparency, wide availability, and easier reuse of scholarly software, there is a need for greater emphasis on code preservation. Yet, not just mirroring the source code, but preserving the ability to build it. Occam is a tool that offers preservation and distribution using containerization to provide repeatable execution in both building and running software. This paper gives detail about the design of Occam and its potential use within the scholarly community and beyond.
Quantification of immune response after dual checkpoint inhibition in a microsatellite stable model of colorectal cancer.

160Background: Checkpoint inhibitors have demonstrated significant clinical impact in colorectal cancer with deficient mismatch repair (MMR) and high microsatellite instability. However, most patie...
Bronchogenic Cyst Presenting as Acute Pericarditis.

Bronchogenic cysts are speculated to arise from abnormal budding of the foregut tissue during embryogenesis. Around 90% of mediastinal bronchogenic cysts are asymptomatic, and a small percentage of them present with chest pain and dyspnea. Pericardial effusion is one of the manifestations described; however, pericarditis has not been widely reported. We describe a case of a bronchogenic cyst in a 19-year-old female with an initial presentation of pericarditis due to mechanical impingement. There was an associated trace to small pericardial effusion. The bronchogenic cyst was planned to be excised; however, it could only be partially excised due to its adherence to the left atrium.
Cell-to-cell heterogeneity in Escherichia coli stress response originates from pulsatile expression and growth

Cell-to-cell heterogeneity in gene expression and growth can have critical functional consequences, such as determining whether individual bacteria survive or die following stress. However, the timescales of the dynamics that underlie this heterogeneity are often unknown. This is a critical piece of information because different phenotypic outcomes can arise from gradual versus rapid changes in expression and growth. Using single-cell time-lapse microscopy, we conducted detailed measurements of gene expression and growth over many generations using 15 reporters in Escherichia coli, focusing on genes related to stress response. In constant environmental conditions without stress, we found many examples of pulsatile gene expression, suggesting that this may be a widespread dynamic property. Pulse lengths often exceeded the cell cycle, leading to multi-generational correlations. Temporal properties of the pulses, such as their frequency, duration, and amplitude, varied widely across the reporters. Single- cell growth rates were often anti-correlated with gene expression, with changes in growth typically preceding changes in expression. These dynamics and the timescales of the pulses have functional consequences, which we demonstrate by measuring single-cell survival after challenging cells with the antibiotic ciprofloxacin. Together, this work reveals that pulsatile expression dynamics are widespread in E. coli stress response networks. Further, these dynamic patterns of gene expression are closely linked with growth and have important consequences for survival.
Borderline Magnetism: How Adding Mg to Paramagnetic Ce Co 3 Makes a 450-K Ferromagnet with Large Magnetic Anisotropy

Large magnetic-anisotropy energy and high Curie point are key properties in the design of permanent magnets, which are crucial for emerging energy technologies. Based on first-principles calculations, the authors explain why alloying is a viable strategy for optimizing these properties in paramagnetic CeCo${}_{3}$. Here Mg alloying substantially increases the density of states at the Fermi level, transforming a paramagnet into a ferromagnet with the above properties. These results show a route to discovering ferromagnetic materials, and provide fundamental insight into the magnetic properties of these compounds.
Discipline-Specific Perspectives on Caring for Babies with Trisomy 13 or 18 in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Objective Care offerings vary across medical settings and between families for babies with trisomy 13 or 18. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore nurse, advanced practice practitioner, and neonatologist perspectives on care for babies with trisomy 13 or 18 in the intensive care unit. Study design Voice-recorded qualitative interviews occurred with 64 participants (41 bedside nurses, 14 advance practice practitioners, and 9 neonatologists) from two neonatal intensive care units (NICU) in the midwestern United States. Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines were followed. Content analyses occurred utilizing MAXQDA (VERBI Software, 2020). Results Over half of NICU staff perceived care for babies with trisomy 13 or 18 as different from care for other babies with critical chronic illness. Qualitative themes included internal conflict, variable presentation and prognosis, grappling with uncertainty, family experiences, and provision of meaningful care. Neonatologists emphasized the variability of presentation and prognosis, while nurses emphasized provision of meaningful care. Phrases "hard/difficult" were spoken 31 times; primarily describing the comorbidities, complexities, and prognostic uncertainty. Conclusion Care for babies with these genetic diagnoses reveals need for a shared dialogue not only with families but also across staff disciplines. While perspectives differ, participants depicted striving to offer compassionate, family-centered care while also balancing biomedical uncertainty about interventions for children with trisomy 13 and 18. Key points · Care for babies with trisomy 13 or 18 has been recognized as shifting.. · Controversy exists across the diverse and changing range of care models.. · This study describes perspectives of bedside neonatal nurses, advanced practitioners, and neonatologists.. · Differences in perspectives warrant attentiveness to insights and dialogue across disciplines..
Efficiency and Teamwork in Emergency Departments: Perception of Staff on Design Interventions.

Objectives:The goal of this study is twofold: (1) identifying design strategies that enhance efficiency and support teamwork in emergency departments (EDs) and (2) identifying design features that ...
Using a language socialization framework to explore Chinese Students’ L2 Reticence in English language learning

Abstract Chinese students’ reticence in English learning has been widely observed in language classrooms. While a number of prior studies have made a significant contribution to understanding Chinese students’ L2 reticence, greater clarity would benefit the field's understanding of L2 reticence, in terms of L2 reticence as a classroom phenomenon and how learners’ agentic effort manifests in reticent ways of language learning. To bridge this gap, in the present study we set out to investigate Chinese students’ L2 interactional reticence drawing insights from a language socialization perspective and using an ethnographic design. In doing so, this study demonstrated the mechanisms of language socialization in an English class in China, and provided alternative ways of understanding how the students appeared to become reticent learners of English. These results suggest a more nuanced understanding of L2 reticence. Based on these findings, we discuss the potential of the language socialization approach in researching L2 reticence and implications for research in this topical domain.
Sequencing Data of North American SARS-CoV-2 Isolates Shows Widespread Complex Variants

Several new variants of the SARS-CoV-2 have been isolated in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Many of the variants contain single variants of functional significance (e.g. S: N501Y increases transmissibility). To study the occurrence and co-circulation of these variants, we have developed an easy-to-use dashboard at janieslab.github.io/sars-cov-2. We created a multiple sequence alignment workflow and processing script to generate a variant dataset, which populates this dashboard. We then use the features of the dashboard, such as visualization of the single and complex nucleotide variants geospatially and in a color-coded matrix format. Users also interact with the dashboard to filter the underlying data to regions of interest and or variants of interest. The user can export reports based on the desired filters, which we intend to be used for regionally specific pandemic response. We find in Genbank, an isolate from Massachusetts containing [(S: Q677H), (ORF3a: Q57H), (M: A85S), (N: D377Y)] collected on September 11, 2020. Moreover, we find that many viral isolates bear a marker of increased transmissibility (S: N501Y) in linkage with at least one variant of concern isolated from Ohio also range across the Untied States and stretch from British Columbia, Canada to Mexico. When we analyze co-circulation of more complex variant constellations with (S: N501Y), we note that the Upper Midwest and Northeast United States contain these isolates. In summary, the viral variants that have raised concern in a few US States in recent reports are widespread. Based on the increase in the proportion of variant viruses being sampled and some empirical evidence in the United Kingdom, South Africa, and Ohio, these variants are likely to lead to increased transmission of SARS-CoV-2 across North America in the coming months.
Organizational Buyer Decision Logic: The Impact of Decision Complexity Change

A modified rebuy and a new task decision sequence were presented to the organizational buyers, all members of NAPM, participating in a mail survey. They were asked to score potential suppliers on quality, delivery and technical assistance assuming that the vendors were the same on price and other factors. A conjoint analysis procedure was used and compensatory and noncompensatory logic patterns were found. As the decision complexity increased, the buyers moved more toward the compensatory end of the logic spectrum.
Partitioned Parallel Job Scheduling for Extreme Scale Computing

Recent success in building extreme computing systems poses new challenges in job scheduling design to support cluster sizes that can execute million’s of concurrent tasks. We show that for these extreme scale clusters the resource demand at a centralized scheduler can exceed the capacity or limit the ability of the scheduler to perform well. This paper introduces partitioned scheduling, a hybrid centralized and distributed approach in which compute nodes are assigned to the job centrally, while task to local node resources assignments are performed subsequently at the assigned job nodes. This reduces the memory and processing growth at the central scheduler, and improves the scaling behavior of scheduling time by enabling operations to be done in parallel at the job nodes. When local resource assignments must be distributed to all other job nodes, the partitioned approach trades central processing for increased network communications. Thus, we introduce features that improve communications such as pipelining that leverage the presence of the high speed cluster network. The new system is evaluated for jobs with up to 50K tasks on clusters with 496 nodes and 128 tasks per node. The partitioned scheduling approach is demonstrated to reduce processor and memory usage at the central processor and improve job scheduling and job dispatching times up to an order of magnitude.
Migration and mental illness: Some reconsiderations and suggestions for further analysis☆

Abstract This paper examines the utility of the ‘culture shock’ concept and several alternative social-psychological factors in explaining variations in rates of mental illness among different migratory status groups. The data provide little support for ‘culture shock’ as an explanatory concept. Such variables as goal-striving stress, reference group orientation, and self-esteem are found to be useful, particularly when the presence or absence of certain pathology-linked characteristics in the same individual is considered. The findings suggest the importance of incorporating social-psychological variables into the design of studies of social factors in mental illness. Such global variables as ‘migration’ may be too varied in their situational contexts and effects to order data on mental illness.
Trends and patterns among online software pirates

Computer crime on the Internet poses a significant threat to the well-being of businesses and individuals, and none are immune from the repercussions that can result. One type of this unethical and unlawful activity is online software piracy. In this work, the significance of piracy as a topic for academic inquiry is first presented, followed by a summary of the conflicting stances on this issue. Then, a review of scholarly literature previously conducted in this area is given to provide a backdrop for the current research. Univariate and bivariate findings from a quantitative study of students are used to demonstrate the incidence, scope, and associated correlates of Internet piracy in a university setting. Technological and ethical policy solutions that an institution might implement are suggested and discussed in conclusion.
Touchless Fingerprint recognition using MATLAB

Fingerprint recognition is the reliable and oldest biometrics used for personal identification. Many sensors were developed for fingerprint recognition systems in which the user's finger print is placed on a sensor. Due to this contact the input fingerprint from the same finger can be different and there can be fingerprint issues which can lead to forgery and hygienic problem. For this reason touchless fingerprint recognition has been developed in which the fingerprint is acquired using a high resolution webcam. The acquired images are subjected to pre-processing steps and the region of interest is extracted. Minutia features are extracted from the fingerprint image and matching is based on the number of minutia pairings among two fingerprints to be matched. The project is coded in Matlab.
Controlling Students and Teachers: The Increasing Constriction of Constitutional Rights in Public Education

The Tinker dicta that students and teachers do not lose their constitutional rights at the schoolhouse gate is at the center of almost every case that examines the First or Fourth Amendment rights of these individuals. Yet, the clear trajectory of modern appellate decisions is to favor a highly controlled school environment over one that fosters freedoms of expression or privacy. This Article explores the paradox between the rhetoric and the actual outcomes in school cases — outcomes that consistently subordinate liberty to state control. Through Tinker and its progeny, the Court has vastly constricted student rights based on the need for administrators to maintain order in schools. Based on this constriction, lower federal courts now restrict the rights of teachers in ways that often go beyond the limits placed on the children with whose care they are entrusted. This is accomplished by incorrectly analogizing teachers to students or by superimposing standards for other governmental employees onto teachers without recognizing the special nature of the educative process. The effect of this judicial cabining of students and teachers’ rights has been a diminution in educational outcomes. Students do not learn the value of dissent or autonomy, accepting as the norm these infringements on their constitutional rights. Teachers must endure overly constrictive curtailments of their speech and privacy rights, which negatively impact the pedagogical dynamics of their professions. The significance of this trend is that it not only has a chilling effect on learning, but it also conditions the citizenry from youth to accept restrictions on speech and to acquiesce to government surveillance. Because schools are to serve as laboratories for democratic engagement, courts should renew their attention to the infringement creep in this area of jurisprudence and the negative effects it engenders.
Photonic processing of ultra-wideband signals

We examine how and where nonlinear optical phenomena has and could have impact on wideband signal processing. The emphasis here is on analog microwave signals within antenna systems and suitable for over-air transmission.
First-return limits for functions of several variables.

In this paper we begin the search for appropriate definitions of first-return continuity and first-return approachability for functions of several real variables. We do this by first reviewing the one dimensional theory and then considering several candidate definitions in higher dimensions.
Nuclei of Planetary Nebulae

The nuclei of planetary nebulae are examined both observationally and theoretically. It is seen that the region occupied by these stars in the log T— logL diagram is quite wide but consistent with a general progression of stars from high to low luminosity, with a noticeable but not large increase in luminosity during the early phase. The ‘evolutionary path’ is intrinsically quite wide and may indicate the evolution of stars under different conditions or non-monotonic passage along the mean path. Among the several theoretical approaches to this subject, only the double shell burning models seem to offer enough luminosity and short enough timescales to match the observations.
Ro 15-4513 selectively attenuates ethanol, but not sucrose, reinforced responding in a concurrent access procedure; comparison to other drugs.

The experiments described in this report used a concurrent access procedure to study ethanol reinforcement. Rats were trained to lever press for a 10% sucrose solution and a 10% ethanol/10% sucrose mixture, and both reinforcers were available on variable-interval 5-s schedules. In baseline and vehicle injection sessions, the animals distributed their responding between both solutions. When injected with the partial inverse benzodiazepine agonist Ro 15-4513 (3, 9, and 18 mg/kg), responding for the ethanol solution decreased while responding for sucrose remained intact. Ethanol injections (0.5 and 1.0 g/kg) engendered a similar profile. Chlordiazepoxide led to an increase in ethanol mix responding at 2 mg/kg and a decrease in ethanol mix responding at higher doses; no dose affected sucrose responding. Morphine (0.5–16 mg/kg) decreased responding for both the ethanol mix and sucrose solutions, more or less simultaneously. Naloxone (0.125–20 mg/kg) selectively reduced ethanol mix responding at low doses, and decreased responding for both reinforcers at high doses. In another group of animals, isocaloric alternatives were concurrently available: 10% ethanol/0.25% saccharin versus 14% sucrose. Injections of Ro 15-4513 and chlordiazepoxide produced similar results as in the first group of rats: an increase in ethanol mix responding with low dose chlordiazepoxide, and a decrease in ethanol mix responding with Ro 15-4513. However, naloxone injections did not selectively affect responding for either of the reinforcers when they were isocaloric. These results are discussed in terms of ethanol's neuropharmacological actions.
Surgery of Extensive, Subclinical Lentigo Maligna

Because atypical melanocytes in some cases of lentigo maligna extend beyond the standard 5-mm margins of nonpigmented, normal-appearing skin, surgical removal of these lesions with histologic control is advocated. Two case reports are described and illustrated.
Application of a Ring Pseudorandom Aperture for Transverse Section Tomography

Tomographic images of gamma ray sources have been obtained by the use of a one-dimensional pseudorandom aperture and computerized digital reconstruction. The binary code is laid out on the surface of a cylinder. The source to be imaged must be located within the cylinder and detectors are placed outside and facing inward. The length of the code is matched to the cylinder circumference so that its rotation provides a complete pseudorandom time modulation for each source-detector combination. Counts from each detector are separately stored as a function of the rotation phase angle. Subsequent correlation computations give the reconstructed source intensity along any angle within the fan for each detector. Experimentally measured variances confirm the predictions of a theoretical analysis of the statistics of pseudorandom imaging given elsewhere. We have used only three detectors to date, but the scheme will easily accommodate a complete detector ring to maximize the photon counting efficiency and permit a full tomographic reconstruction of the section.
Full phase matching of ultrafast coherent high harmonic x-rays at 0.5 keV

By focusing a 2 µm driving laser into a multi-atmosphere pressure, gas-filled waveguide, we demonstrate full phase matching of high harmonic x-rays throughout the water window for the first time, at energies > 0.5 keV.
Managing the Web-Enhanced Geographic Information Service

Abstract The Web offers an exciting opportunity for geographic information services in the library. It presents both increased visibility and the challenge of providing meaningful service in an untested environment.
Externally Activated Antitachycardia Pacemaker With Noninvasive Electrophysiologic Re‐testing Capability

An Omni Orlhocur 234A special device pacemaker was implanled in nine patients for treatment of drug-resistant supraventricular tachycardia (three patients) or ventricular tachy cardia (six patients). This device is activated using a special external unit, which delivers from six to 15 stimuli at preselected coupling intervals ranging from 195 to 500 ms. Serial noninvasive electrophysiology studies were performed either in the hospital or on an outpatient basis using the triggered mode, which can respond fo programmed chest wall stimulation. Three patients with reciprocating supraventricular tachycardia were treated eJJectively by this device during an average follow-up of 2.2 years. Of the six patients with stable ventricular tachycardia amenable to pacemaker termination, only four remained successful during an average follow-up of 1.9 years. Such devices may find impor tant use in serial noninvasive electrophysiologic testing during long-term clinical follow-up. The pres ent form of this device is inadequate for widespread application, but may be useful for highly selected individuals.
Population dynamics of the soft-shell clam Mya arenaria

A life table was constructed for Mya arenaria from Gloucester, Massachusetts, USA, based on schedules of age-specific fecundity and mortality determined under natural conditions. Mortality rates decrease with size and age in this species, with the period of maximum mortality occurring during the summer months. Mortality rates during the fall and winter were considerably lower, perhaps due to the inactivity of natural predators. The survivorship curve for M. arenaria approximates the Type 3 curve of Deevey (1947). Mean life expectancy is low in recently-settled clams, peaks when the individual reaches 30.0 to 34.9 mm (1 year of age) and remains fairly high for most of the remainder of life. The intrinsic rate of natural increase (r max) is very high: 4.74. This enormous rate of potential increase is offset by high rates of larval mortality in the plankton. Unlike the reproductive values of most animals studied, those in M. arenaria peak late in life, well after the know age of first reproduction. This is probably the result of increased fecundity with age. The implications of this work in the area of resource management are discussed.
Expert Systems, Fuzzy Logic, and Coral Reef Development under Environmental Stress

Meesters et al. (1998) offer a fuzzy logic model with which to predict the development of coral reefs under various levels of environmental stress. Their paper brings several innovative elements to the conservation management of coral reefs but needs to be considered with caution on two grounds. First, although they describe a sophisticated and innovative implementation of an expert system, they misleadingly portray the system as a predictive model, with the implication of corresponding capabilities. Second, they fail to specify a critical component of the fuzzy logic process, namely the method used to reach a "crisp" decision when multiple fuzzy rules are triggered, and this precludes independent repetition of the work. Their approach is more likely to find practical applications if it is correctly described, with all critical information provided.
Evaluating the effectiveness of AAC programs for persons with severe handicaps

A technological base now exists from which a variety of devices and techniques can be applied to the special augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) needs of individuals with severe handicaps. Accompanying this growing inventory of resources, however, are continued accounts of these individuals' inabilities to use their newly acquired communication systems outside of contrived environments, such as the clinical setting. This position paper begins with a review of attempts to promote functional uses of AAC systems by persons with severe handicaps. The author then calls for a more rigorous validation of the usefulness of these systems for such individuals and their conversational partners. Practitioners are urged to adopt more functional orientations when selecting the content and evaluating the effectiveness of AAC programs.
Glucocorticoid receptors in human tumors.

Abstract Glucocorticoid receptors were examined in a range of solid human tumors. In addition to breast carcinomas, subsets of other tumor types (notably renal cell carcinomas) contain concentrations of these receptors characteristic of glucocorticoid-responsive tissues. The physico-chemical properties of the single glucocorticoid receptor present in the human tumors resembled those of the glucocorticoid receptor in rat tumors and the pre-dominant form found in normal target tissues of the rat.
De novo and DNA primer-mediated initiation of cDNA synthesis by the mauriceville retroplasmid reverse transcriptase involve recognition of a 3' CCA sequence.

Abstract The Mauriceville mitochondrial retroplasmid of Neurospora encodes a novel reverse transcriptase that initiates cDNA synthesis at a 3′ tRNA-like structure of the plasmid transcript, either de novo (i.e. without a primer) or by using the 3′ OH group of a DNA primer. Both the de novo and primer-mediated initiations involve recognition of structural features at the 3′ end of the retroplasmid transcript, which ends with a 3′ CCACCA. Here, detailed biochemical characterization of the retroplasmid reverse transcriptase shows that the 3′ CCA of the plasmid transcript is the major structural feature recognized by the reverse transcriptase for both the de novo and primer-mediated initiations. Complementarity between the DNA primer and RNA template is not required for the primer-mediated initiation, although short (1 to 3 nt) base-pairing interactions can influence both the efficiency and site of initiation near the 3′ end of the transcript. Single nucleotide changes in the 3′ CCA lead to less efficient initiation in the upstream CCA with an increased propensity to add extra “non-coded” nucleotides to the 5′ end of the cDNA during de novo initiation or to the 3′ end of the primer during primer-mediated initiation. Secondary structure features upstream of the 3′ CCA also influence the efficiency of initiation, but are not stringently required in vitro . Finally, we find that the retroplasmid reverse transcriptase does not efficiently use DNA primers that are base-paired to internal positions in the RNA template, nor does it use analogs of natural substrates used by non-long terminal repeat retrotransposon or retroviral reverse transcriptases. Our results indicate that the retroplasmid reverse transcriptase is uniquely adapted to initiate cDNA synthesis by recognizing a 3′ CCA sequence. The ability to recognize a specific template sequence is common for RNA polymerases, but unprecedented for a reverse transcriptase.
Eye malformations in rats: induction by prenatal exposure to nickel carbonyl

Exposure of pregnant rats to inhalation of nickel carbonyl on days 7 or 8 of gestation frequently causes the progeny to develop ocular anomalies, including anophthalmia and microphthalmia. The incidence of extraocular anomalies is very low. The specificity of nickel carbonyl for induction of ocular anomalies in rats appears to be unique among known teratogenic agents.
Application of linear network analysis to Feynman diagrams

An analogy between a linear passive electrical network and a Feynman diagram is pointed out. The power dissipated in the network is closely related to the denominator of the Feynman matrix element, and this similarity provides a very simple proof of Nambu's results concerning the location of the singularities of Green's functions.
Initiation of crack propagation in KCl

Abstract Initiation of {100} cleavage crack propagation in single-crystal KCl was studied using a constant-moment, double-cantilever beam technique at 22°C and 40–50% relative humidity. KCl crystals doped with Sr+2 or γ-irradiated to increase their yield strengths exhibited variations in fracture energy (γc) versus critical resolved shear stress (τy) lying within the boundaries γc α τy 2 and γc independent of τy. Slip on two {110} ⟨110⟩ systems was observed to intersect the cleavage cracks with increased applied stress. The fracture energy measured for crystals having constant τy was dependent on the loading rate and the presence of mobile dislocations. Dislocation mechanisms for crack tip blunting and for initiation of crack propagation described the observed fracture energy-critical resolved shear stress behaviour.
Sensor for right ventricular volumes using the trailing edge voltage of a pulse generator output.

Cardiac and thoracic volume (Vol) signals are useful for diagnosis and adaptive rate, pacing. Present systems need an AC or pulsed constant current carrier to measure conductivity (proportional to Vol), causing high battery drain and requiring complex detection algorithms or special leads. The aim of this study was to propose a new and simple sensor for cardiac volumes using standard pacing leads and no AC carrier signal. “Constant voltage” pulse generators (PG) deliver a square pulse to the lead via a capacitor (Cap). The signal resulting from the interaction between the PG and the tissues and blood is trapezoidal, with a leading edge voltage determined by PG output and a trailing edge voltage (TEV) dependent on electrode surface and Cap value (device constants), and patient load. The hypothesis that right ventricular (RV) and chest Vol variations could produce load-related TEV changes was tested. Four PGs were connected to bipolar (Bip) leads within containers with 5–80 cc of saline, and TEV was measured with every 5 cc Vol change. Fifteen patients with previously implanted Bip PGs were studied during VOO pacing, scanning the intrinsic cardiac cycle. TEV was noninvasively measured as a function of time from onset of QRS. Results: (1) There was a nonlinear relationship between Vol and TEV, best expressed by exponential, power, or hyperbolic equations; (2) Cardiac cycle scanning revealed smaller TEV at end-systole than at end-diastole (mean difference = 88 mV [P < 0.001]); (3) Reconstruction of RV Vol curve by scanning-rendered waveforms very similar to those obtained by the conventional impedance technique, end-diastolic Vol, end-systolic Vol, stroke Vol. and ejection fraction could thus be derived. Conclusion: TEV sensor provides a simple, reliable signal for hemodynamic diagnosis and for adaptive rate pacing in implantable devices, using conventional bipolar leads.