cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energy-aware data transfer algorithms

The amount of data moved over the Internet per year has already exceeded the Exabyte scale and soon will hit the Zettabyte range. To support this massive amount of data movement across the globe, the networking infrastructure as well as the source and destination nodes consume immense amount of electric power, with an estimated cost measured in billions of dollars. Although considerable amount of research has been done on power management techniques for the networking infrastructure, there has not been much prior work focusing on energy-aware data transfer algorithms for minimizing the power consumed at the end-systems. We introduce novel data transfer algorithms which aim to achieve high data transfer throughput while keeping the energy consumption during the transfers at the minimal levels. Our experimental results show that our energy-aware data transfer algorithms can achieve up to 50% energy savings with the same or higher level of data transfer throughput.
Evolution of a Highly Selective and Potent 2-(Pyridin-2-yl)-1,3,5-triazine Tie-2 Kinase Inhibitor

Inhibition of angiogenesis is a promising and clinically validated approach for limiting tumor growth and survival. The receptor tyrosine kinase Tie-2 is expressed almost exclusively in the vascular endothelium and is required for developmental angiogenesis and vessel maturation. However, the significance of Tie-2 signaling in tumor angiogenesis is not well understood. In order to evaluate the therapeutic utility of inhibiting Tie-2 signaling, we developed a series of potent and orally bioavailable small molecule Tie-2 kinase inhibitors with selectivity over other kinases, especially those that are believed to be important for tumor angiogenesis. Our earlier work provided pyridinyl pyrimidine 6 as a potent, nonselective Tie-2 inhibitor that was designed on the basis of X-ray cocrystal structures of KDR inhibitors 34 (triazine) and 35 (nicotinamide). Lead optimization resulted in pyridinyl triazine 63, which exhibited >30-fold selectivity over a panel of kinases, good oral exposure, and in vivo inhibition ...
Boundary behavior of Orlicz-Sobolev classes

It is proved that homeomorphisms of the Orlicz-Sobolev class Wloc1, φ can be continuously extended to the boundaries of some domains if the function φ defining this class satisfies a Carderon-type condition and the outer dilatation Kf of the mapping f satisfies the divergence condition for integrals of special form. In particular, the result holds for homeomorphisms of the Sobolev classes Wloc1,1 with Kf ∈ Llocq for q > n − 1.
Optimum coding framework for error detection in the self-assembly of the Sierpinski triangle

This study presents a coding framework by which DNA self-assembly can be analysed for error detection. The proposed framework relies on coding and mapping functions that allow establishing the correctness of bonding each tile based on the codes of the tiles along a so-called traversal path. This method is different from the one that relies on comparing the pattern to be assembled (as defined by the tile set) and the current aggregate (as resulting from previously assembled tiles). As a widely used pattern and instantiation of this process, the Sierpinski triangle self-assembly is analysed in detail. The Sierpinski triangle is therefore utilised as an example to show the application of the proposed method. Different properties are proposed and its optimum coding is achieved for error detection. Simulation results are presented.
Induction of mucosal anti-HIV antibodies by facilitated transfection of airway epithelium with lipospermine/DNA complexes

Abstract Background: Expression of microbial protein sequences in eukaryotic cells transfected by transcriptional/translational permissive cDNA constructs can induce systemic humoral and cellular responses in vivo. Two methods of in vivo transfection have been described to date. One method uses large quantities of naked DNA injected into skeletal muscle. The second method uses relatively small quantities of DNA complexed to gold particles for bollistic penetration of the plasma membrane of keratinocytes. The major disadvantage of the bolistic method is that instrumentation is required which is not generally available. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine whether the use of DNA complexed with a cationic lipopolyamine could reduce the quantity of DNA required to induce systemic humoral responses following muscle transfection and whether similar DNA/lipopolyamine complexes could induce mucosal humoral responses following airway exposure. Study design: Balb/c mice were exposed by nasal aerosol or intramuscular inoculation to a mammalian transcriptional/translational permissive DNA construct containing the entire sequence for the HIV-1 envelope polyprotein. Experimental animals were further segregated by the number of exposures at 3-week intervals and whether the DNA was complexed to dioctadecylamidoglycylspermine (DOGS) at a 5:1 molar charge ratio of DOGS/DNA. Results: DOGS facilitated in vivo transfection of mouse muscle reduced the quantity of DNA required for a systemic humoral response to surface expressed HIV-envelope proteins by one order of magnitude. Exposure of airway mucosa to both 10 μg and 1 μg quantities of DNA complexed to DOGS produced systemic humoral responses to HIV-envelope as well as mucosal antibodies in pulmonary and colonic epithelia. Molecular modeling of DOGS/DNA complexes at the 5:1 charge ratio used in this study indicates that the DNA component is not exposed to aqueous solvents and may be relatively resistant to degradation under common biological environments. Conclusion: Facilitated transfer of DNA by DOGS to transcriptional/translational competent cells offers several distinct advantages to the use of DNA alone. Since significantly smaller amounts of DNA are required, the potential for the induction of antibodies against DNA itself lessens the likelihood for the development of a lupus-like syndrome. More importantly, however, is the apparent ability to transfect mucosal cells which results in the development of specific mucosal immune responses. This procedure may allow the development of general methods for the induction of mucosal immunity at the level of entry for mucosal pathogens without the disadvantages inherent in live attenuated vectors.
Evaluation of selected genotypes of soybean for resistance to Phakopsora pachyrhizi.

Abstract Soybean rust, caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi Syd. & P. Syd., is one of the most destructive diseases of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] worldwide. To identify sources of resistance to do...
THE ROTATIONAL BARRIER IN METAL SANDWICH COMPOUNDS

Abstract The vibrational spectra of metallocenes and dibenzene-metal complexes have been of considerable value in helping elucidate the bonding forces present in these molecules.1–3 The skeletal vibrations, in particular, are useful for evaluating ring to metal forces.4 The torsional frequency, however, cannot be observed directly under normal conditions for π-Cp2M or (π-C6H6)2M compounds since the vibration is inactive in both infrared and Raman spectra. This is unfortunate since knowledge of this frequency would make it possible to directly evaluate the potential barrier to internal rotation in a di-ring molecule.
Green's function for eigenvalue problems and the inversion of Love wave dispersion data

Summary The change in the nature of the dispersion curve for Love waves has been determined for the case of a delta function inhomogeneity introduced at depth. The unperturbed medium is arbitrarily inhomogeneous in the depth dimension. It is shown that the perturbation in the dispersion curves due to a density inhomogeneity are decoupled from those due to a modulus inhomogeneity. Hence it is proved that any dispersion curve can correspond to an infinity of possible distributions of density and modulus; the relation between the possible solutions is given by a linear integral equation. The inversion of the integral equations is carried out for the case when the starting values are those of the usual homogeneous layer overlying a homogeneous half-space. Hence from a given dispersion curve, the infinity of solutions are obtained as perturbations upon the assumed starting structure. The limitations of the inversion are discussed.
Simultaneous presentation in the neck and abdomen of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors involving two different nerve tracts.

Abstract Neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1) is a relatively common autosomal dominant disease and it is caused by mutation of the NF-1 tumor suppressor gene; hence, the individuals affected have increased risk for developing familial cancer. Abdominal cavity neurofibromas are common but the simultaneous occurrence of a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) in the chest and in the abdomen is rare. Here, we present a patient with MPNST (spindle cell sarcoma) affecting simultaneously the vagus nerve in the head and neck region, mediastinum, pleura as well as celiac plexus branches near the stomach.
An Advancing Glacier in Canada

The Commander Glacier, in the Purcell Range of interior British Columbia, advanced 810 +/- 50 feet in the 6 years 1954-1960. The advance may be a response to a general cooling trend previously noted elsewhere in the Pacific Northwest.
Genetic and crystallographic studies of the 3',5'-exonucleolytic site of DNA polymerase I

Site-directed mutagenesis of the large fragment of DNA polymerase I (Klenow fragment) yielded two mutant proteins lacking 3',5'-exonuclease activity but having normal polymerase activity. Crystallographic analysis of the mutant proteins showed that neither had any alteration in protein structure other than the expected changes at the mutation sites. These results confirmed the presumed location of the exonuclease active site on the small domain of Klenow fragment and its physical separation from the polymerase active site. An anomalous scattering difference Fourier of a complex of the wild-type enzyme with divalent manganese ion and deoxythymidine monophosphate showed that the exonuclease active site has binding sites for two divalent metal ions. The properties of the mutant proteins suggest that one metal ion plays a role in substrate binding while the other is involved in catalysis of the exonuclease reaction.
The political economy of telecommunications in Malaysia and Singapore: A structure–conduct–performance comparative analysis

Abstract This article presents a political economy analysis of national telecommunications policy in Malaysia and Singapore. Our approach combines a stakeholder analysis of central political actors with the Structure, Conduct, Performance paradigm of industrial economics. We posit that the structure of telecommunications market sectors along with reforms that are implemented can be seen as fulfilling the main political stakeholder's policy objectives. Preliminary findings from a comparative study using the Stakeholders–SCP methodology are presented based on fieldwork in Malaysia and Singapore. Along with the analysis of stakeholders, we describe telecommunications market structure in the two countries. The structures of four market sectors are compared: cellular telephony, paging, EDI and the Internet. © 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
The genetics of bryophytes. II

Various reports indicate the occurrence of polyploid series of related species among bryophytes as among plants of other groups. There are occasional indications also of the occurrence of different chromosome numbers in strains referred to a single species. Riccia fluitans has been recorded as having 8 (95) and 14 or 15 chromosomes (29). Both Calypogeia Neesiana and Haplozia lanceolata are credited with 9 (95) and 16 to 18 (29). Dumortiera hirsuta, previously reported with 9 (29, 45) or 10 (54), is found (89, 93-95) to occur in Japan in 3 forms having, respectively, 9, 18 and 27. The triplont is more widespread than the haplont or the diplont and appears upon a wider range of geological formations. A diploid form with 18 chromosomes is reported (89) from Tennessee. Polytrichum commune has 7 (35) ; var. uliginosum 7 and an unnamed variety 14 (43). Races of Bryum caespiticium occur with 20 instead of the typical 10 chromosomes (98, 99). Aneuploid races are apparently infrequent in nature. In Pallavicinia Lyellii, whose usual haploid number is 8, 9 chromosomes were found (104, 105) in gametophytes from North Carolina and Texas. Sporophytes from the latter source had 18. In 16-chromosome sporophytes from Virginia, irregular meioses were observed. Such divisions may account for the origin of spores with unusual chromosome numbers. Two gametophytes of Calobryum rotundifolium had 10 chromosomes instead of the usual 9 (78, 95). A gametophyte of Sphaerocarpos Donnellii with a constant chromosome number of 9 instead of 8 developed from an irradiated spore (39). Individuals of this species which are euploid in terms of autosomes but aneuploid with respect to sex chromosomes will be considered later. 'Supplement to article in The Botanical Review 1: 269-291. 1935. 260
Minimally Invasive Surgery for Colorectal Cancer: Past, Present, and Future

A rapid progression from conventional open surgery to minimally invasive approaches in the surgical management of colorectal cancer has occurred over the last 2 decades. Initial concerns that this new approach was oncologically inferior to open surgery were ultimately refuted when several prospective randomized trials concluded that laparoscopic colectomy could achieve similar oncologic outcomes to open surgery. On the contrary, level 1 data has not yet matured regarding the oncologic safety of minimally invasive approaches for rectal cancer. We review the published literature pertaining to the evolution of minimally invasive techniques used to treat colorectal cancer surgery, including barriers to adoption, and the prospects for future advances related to innovative techniques.
Radiopaque contrast dye in nasopharynx reaches the middle ear during swallowing and/or yawning.

ConclusionContrast dye in the nasopharynx reaches the middle ear during swallowing and yawning in normal adults. This suggests that displacement of bacteria in nasopharyngeal secretion to the middle ear may occur frequently during sleep.ObjectiveThe middle ear is sterile under normal conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine by means of CT whether radiopaque contrast dye in the nasopharynx would reflux into the middle ear of normal adults during swallowing and/or yawning.Material and methodsSix normal adult volunteers were studied. Contrast dye was kept at the orifices of the Eustachian tube during swallowing and/or yawning by placing volunteers in either a head-down or lateral decubitus position. Reflux was determined by the presence of contrast dye in the middle ear on CT scanning of the temporal bone.ResultsTwo of the three volunteers in each group (four out of six in total) had contrast material detected in one or both middle ear cavities.
Suppression of male copulatory behavior by δ9-THC is not dependent on changes in plasma testosterone or hypothalamic dopamine or serotonin content☆

Castrated B6D2 F1 male mice were tested for their sexual responses after being administered 0.5 mg/kg delta 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) 50 mg/kg THC or oil. The animals that received 50 mg/kg, but not 0.5 mg/kg THC, showed deficits in copulatory behavior. Another group of B6D2 F1 castrates were given testosterone propionate (TP) replacement therapy plus 50 mg/kg THC or oil. Similarly, those mice which received 50 mg/kg THC showed behavioral deficits. Lastly, a group of intact B6D2 F1 males were treated with 0.5 mg/kg THC, 50 mg/kg THC or oil, were bled and decapitated, and their brains removed 10 min or 4 hr after treatment. Plasma testosterone (T) and hypothalamic dopamine (DA) levels were unaltered 4 hr after treatment with 50 mg/kg THC, but the concentration of serotonin (5-HT) in their hypothalami was elevated. This effect of THC on hypothalamic 5-HT concentration was not apparent in a larger group of randomly bred animals that were tested. These data strongly suggest that THC's behavioral effects are not mediated by variations in T levels, or by changes in hypothalamic 5-HT or DA concentrations.
Development of a HT seismic monitoring tool for downhole

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) require the stimulation of the drilled well, likely through hydraulic fracturing. Whether fracturing of the rock occurs by shear destabilization of natural fractures or by extensional failure of weaker zones, control of the fracture process will be required to create the flow paths necessary for effective heat mining. As such, microseismic monitoring provides one method for real-time mapping of the fractures created during the hydraulic fracturing process. This monitoring is necessary to help assess stimulation effectiveness and provide the information necessary to properly create the reservoir. In addition, reservoir monitoring of the microseismic activity can provide information on reservoir performance and evolution over time. To our knowledge, no seismic tool exists that will operate above 125°C for the long monitoring durations that may be necessary. Replacing failed tools is costly and introduces potential errors such as depth variance, etc. Sandia has designed a high temperature seismic tool for long-term deployment in geothermal applications. It is capable of detecting microseismic events and operating continuously at temperatures up to 240°C. This project includes the design and fabrication of two High Temperature (HT) seismic tools that will have the capability to operate in both temporary and long-term monitoring modes. To ensure the developed tool meets industry requirements for high sampling rates (>2ksps) and high resolution (24-bit Analog-to-Digital Converter) two electronic designs will be implemented. One electronic design will utilize newly developed 200°C electronic components. The other design will use qualified Silicon-on-Insulator (SOI) devices and will have a continuous operating temperature of 240°C.
Analysis of Ferroelectric Domain Switching in 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3·0.3PbTiO3: Heterogeneous Nucleation

Polarization reversal and domain dynamics were investigated in 0.7Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3·0.3PbTiO3 using a method of current transients. Investigations were performed as a function of applied electric field. The kinetics of the transients were modeled to a stretched exponential-type function.
Economics, ethics and sustainability: redefining connections

Economists have generally framed the question of welfare in terms of wealth creation and distribution. More recently this conception of welfare has been challenged by concerns for the unsustainability of expanding material wealth. Sustainability thus requires the expansions of welfare considerations to include the limits posed by the biophysical world within which all economic activity takes place. This paper pursues the question how the concept of ethics generally accepted and operative in mainline economics influences our understanding of sustainability. The question pursued is whether this concept of ethics can lead to sustainability or whether other ethical concepts are necessary to achieve a more compatible relationship between economic activity and sustainability? To pursue this question three ethical concepts are discussed: utilitarian ethic, discursive ethic, and the ethic of care. In each case the question is raised whether the ethical concept under consideration contributes to or undermines sustainability. The conclusion reached in this paper is that a utilitarian ethic leads to a perception of the links between economic activity and environmental context which is not likely to yield sustainable outcomes beyond an economically defined notion of sustainability. Discursive ethic and ethic of care have important contributions to make to redefining concept and implementation of broader sustainability goals.
Some Problems in Estimating the Demand for Outdoor Recreation: Reply

research is to provide nonmarket measures of the value of recreational facilities which are comparable to market values for competing activities. Measurement of the value of recreational facilities has been beset by data shortcomings and theoretical problems, and, as indicated in an article by J. A. Sinden recently published in this Journal, some of the perennial research problems remain. The purpose of this paper is to derive recreation demand functions consistent with utility maximization to address specific issues in empirical research. Outdoor recreation demand functions are used to
A COMMENT ON “THE FEDERAL HOME LOAN BANK SYSTEM AND THE CONTROL OF CREDIT”

IN "THE FEDERAL Home Loan Bank System and the Control of Credit" (Journal of Finance, XII [1957], 319-32), Gordon W. McKinley set forth an erroneous analysis in support of the view that there is little or no need for the monetary authorities to exercise greater control over savings intermediaries. The principal errors in his analysis can be demonstrated by reconsidering the three questions he sought to answer (p. 320). 1. Do commercial banks alone among private institutions have the ability to create money? Defining money as "anything which is normally, consistently, and generally used as a store of value and/or a medium of exchange" (p. 321), McKinley answered this question in the negative. What McKinley defined, however, is not money but assets. The unique property of money is that it serves as a store of value and as a medium of exchange. It is true that all stores of value which do not serve as means of payment are, in varying degrees, substitutes for holding money, but it is unnecessary and actually extirpatory of correct analysis to include these substitutes in the concept of money. If the concept of money is not restricted to those things serving as a medium of exchange, the concept of the velocity of the circulation of money, which McKinley misapprehended but did not abandon in his analysis, loses its significance. One can speak of time deposits, savings and loan shares, etc., as having a certain "rate of turnover," but this is not the same concept as the velocity of the circulation of money. Time deposits and other savings claims turn over against money. In the same sense one can speak of the rate of turnover of inventories, real estate, used cars, or any other non-money asset. The turnover of money and the turnover of time deposits, savings and loan shares, and other non-money assets are obverse phenomena. Savings intermediaries, including the savings departments of commercial banks, do exert a quantitative effect upon monetary magni-
Pulsed Delivery of Inhaled Nitric Oxide to Patients With Primary Pulmonary Hypertension: An Ambulatory Delivery System and Initial Clinical Tests

Background Inhaled nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to be a selective pulmonary vasodilator in certain patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). Objectives The purpose of this study was to design and test a system for delivery of NO to awaken, ambulatory patients with PPH and to evaluate this system in the home setting. Methods The ambulatory delivery system consisted of a tank of 80 ppm of NO (balance N 2 ), a modified gas-pulsing device, and nasal cannulas. The pulsing device was set to deliver NO for 0.1 s at the beginning of each inspiration. Results Using this system, eight patients with PPH were studied with pulmonary artery catheters in place. Inhalation of NO led to significant reductions in both mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAPm) (51±12 to 43±10 mm Hg; p=0.001) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) (790±285 to 620±208 dyne·s·cm −5 ; p=0.01). Three of the eight patients had both greater than 20% and greater than 30% decreases in PAPm and PVR, respectively. No exhaled NO or NO 2 was detectable in any of the eight patients. One patient was discharged home from the hospital on a regimen of inhaled NO. At 9 months, no adverse effects were noted and the system was working well. Conclusions Pulsed delivery of inhaled NO to ambulatory patients with PPH, via nasal prongs, is feasible and, in some patients, leads to significant improvement in pulmonary hypertension. Inhaled 09NO, therefore, may have a role in the long-term treatment of patients with PPH.
Curvature perturbations from a massive vector curvaton

We study a ghost-free model of a massive vector curvaton proposed in the literature, where the quick decrease of the vector background expectation value is avoided by a suitable choice of kinetic and mass functions. The curvaton perturbations of this model have been so far computed assuming that these functions are external classical quantities, and it was found that some special time evolution of these functions leads to scale-invariant and statistically isotropic perturbations of the vector curvaton. However, external functions should be understood as originating from the expectation value of some additional field. Since these functions need to present a nontrivial evolution during inflation, the field cannot be trivially integrated out, and in particular, its perturbations need to be included in the computation. We do so in a minimal implementation of the mechanism, where the additional field is identified with the inflaton. We show that, except for a narrow window of model parameters, the interaction with this field generally causes the curvature perturbations to violate statistical isotropy beyond the observational limit.
The effects of testosterone and progestins on the rate of beta-glucuronidase synthesis in mouse kidney as studied with an immunoprecipitation assay.

Testosterone increases the activity of β-glucuronidase up to 50-fold in mouse kidney by increasing the rate of synthesis of new enzyme molecules. Several progestins also influence the activity of this enzyme by mimicking, potentiating or inhibiting androgen action. These effects have been termed the androgenic, synandrogenic and antiandrogenic actions of progestins. The present study was performed to determine whether progestins, like androgens, exert their effects on β-glucuronidase activity by changing its rate of synthesis. To determine this, β-glucuronidase catalytic activity was compared to the rate of enzyme synthesis measured by immunoprecipitation assay. β-Glucuronidase activity and rate of synthesis were measured in female mice treated with varying amounts of progestins (0.1 - 10 mg/day) alone and in combination with ***
The Carboxyl-terminal Sequence of the Human Secretory Mucin, MUC6 ANALYSIS OF THE PRIMARY AMINO ACID SEQUENCE

The distribution of MUC6 suggests that its primary function is protection of vulnerable epithelial surfaces from damaging effects of constant exposure to a wide range of endogenous caustic or proteolytic agents. A combination of genomic, cDNA. and 3′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends techniques was used to isolate the carboxyl-terminal end of MUC6. The 3′ nontandem repeat region contained 1083 base pairs of coding sequence (361 amino acids) followed by 632 base pairs of 3′-untranslated region. The coding sequence consists of two distinct regions; region 1 contained the initial 270 amino acids (62% Ser-Thr-Pro with no Cys residues), and region 2 contained the COOH-terminal 91 amino acids (22% Ser-Thr-Pro with 12% Cys). Although region 1 had no homology to any sequences in GenBank, region 2 had approximately 25% amino acid homology to the COOH-terminal regions of human mucins MUC2, -5, and -5B and von Willebrand factor. The shortness of region 2 would leave little of the peptide backbone exposed to a potentially hostile environment. Antibody studies suggest that MUC6 in its native form exists as a disulfide-bonded multimer. The conservation of the 11 cysteine positions in region 2 suggests the importance of this short region to mucin polymerization.
Resolution measurements in parametric upconversion of images

An experimental investigation is made of the imaging properties of a parametric upconverter. Resolution is measured for several optical configurations and for different wavelengths. These results are compared to earlier theoretical analyses.
“Brothers of the Soul:” Men Teaching and Learning in the Spirit of Feminism

Feminism is a spiritual response to how one should treat women, other men, and children. —Aaronette White My heretical hope is that as more male human beings understand the fundamental dichotomy be...
The characterization of snake venoms using capillary electrophoresis in conjunction with electrospray mass spectrometry: Black Mambas

Capillary electrophoresis has been used in conjunction with electrospray mass spectrometry using both full-scan and selected ion monitoring modes to supply as much information as possible about the venom of Dendroaspis polylepis polylepis (Black Mamba). As an example of the application of capillary electrophoresis/electrospray mass spectrometry (CE/ESI/MS) to the analysis of a complex mixture of small proteins, we have analyzed the venom of Dendroaspis polylepis polylepis using the combined techniques. Both full-scan and selected ion monitoring modes were employed. CE/ESI/MS provides a rapid and extremely sensitive method for molecular weight determination, particularly when selected ion monitoring is employed. It has been utilized to provide sequence confirmation for those toxins which have already been described in the literature. Our methodology indicates the presence of at least 70 peptides in the molecular weight range 6000-9000. Language: en
Integration of weather information into the dispatcher pre-flight route selection process

This paper describes a field study of the procedures and weather information sources used by a major airline's dispatchers in the pre-flight route selection process in the presence of significant weather. Additionally, this paper will describe how the AWIN decision-support tool, an aide for selecting optimal four-dimensional routes that avoid weather hazards, could be incorporated into the flight dispatch process to produce safer, more fuel-efficient routes that avoid hazardous weather. The challenges lie in effectively integrating route and weather information in the same application to facilitate decision-making, and to standardize the definitions of what weather is to be avoided and the thresholds of severity across an airline's dispatchers. The current work processes of a major airline's dispatchers were studied via a combination of observational field studies, interviews, written questionnaires, and surveys. With such a system in place, airlines can expect gains in safety, in fuel efficiency of planned routes, and in time efficiency in the preflight dispatch process.
Generalized inverses in signal processing and remote sensing

An important class of remote sensing and time-varying medium characterization problems fall into the conceptual framework of the theory of generalized inverses. Fundamental theory associated with generalized inverses of linear operators establishes the processing structure for these inverse problems. To illustrate general ideas with specific examples, the problem of characterizing time-varying propagation and scattering by delay-Doppler (narrowband) and delay-time-scale (wideband) spreading functions is examined in detail. We show that the adjoint operators for estimation of these spreading functions are in the forms of Gabor and wavelet transforms, respectively. Underlying group structure as exploited to obtain reproducing properties of narrowband (NB) and wideband (WB) ambiguity functions that arise in spreading function identification. These results can provide insight into the design of optimum probing signals. >
IN VITRO BIOSYNTHESIS OF ISOTOPIC ALDOSTERONE: COMPARISON OF PRECURSORS

Progesterone-4-C14, desoxycorticosterone-4-C14, and corticosterone-4-C14 are converted to aldosterone by aerobic incubation with beef adrenal capsule strippings. The yield of aldosterone from a two-hour incubation of progesterone was significantly greater than the yield from similar incubations of desxycorti-costerone or was significantly greater than the yield from similar incubations of desoxycorticosterone or corticosterone. The specific activity of the radioactive aldosterone relative to that of the labeled precursor was also higher in progesterone incubations than in those in which desoxycorticosterone or corticosterone was used as a steroid substrate.
Addressing Wife Abuse in Mexican Immigrant Couples: Challenges for Family Social Workers

This article addresses wife abuse in undocumented Mexican immigrant couples and suggests an ecosystems treatment approach that takes into consideration the structural forces of oppression and discrimination on abusive behaviors in the home and combines individual, family and community level interventions to help immigrant men stop the abuse. Recognized are limitations on service provisions in rural communities and small towns where many “newly arrived” immigrants reside. Family service workers in these settings are encouraged to advocate for this population and create culturally competent domestic violence services that draw on formal and informal resources and supports in the social environment.
Extrinsic base surface passivation in GaInP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors

The authors demonstrate excellent passivation of the extrinsic base surfaces in GaInP/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) having small emitter areas. Passivated devices with an area as small as 4*20 mu m/sup 2/ exhibit the highest reported current gain value of 2690 for GaInP/GaAs HBTs, while unpassivated 4*20- mu m/sup 2/ devices exhibit a current gain of only 500. Measured current gains as a function of collector current density are almost identical for devices with varying emitter widths of 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 100 mu m. The current gains are also nearly identical for devices with varying passivation ledge widths of 1, 2, 3, and 6 mu m. These results are contrasted with those of a previously published study reporting surface passivation for a GaInP/GaAs HBT with a large emitter area. >
The Use of Probiotics for the Prevention, Management, and Treatment of Gastrointestinal Disease

Bacterial flora acquired at birth remain relatively constant throughout life. Temporary alterations of this flora using probiotic organisms may result in positive therapeutic effects. Precise mechanisms of probiotic action are just beginning to be understood. The function of competitive inhibition, while important, has been found to be augmented by effects on the intestinal and, possibly, the systemic, immune system. A few lactobacillus and bifidobacteria species, along with Saccharomyces boulardii, have been evaluated in clinical settings using appropriate methodology. These are discussed in this review.
Cash Conversion Cycle Management in Small Firms: Relationships with Liquidity, Invested Capital, and Firm Performance

Abstract This study investigated the relationship between cash conversion cycle and levels of liquidity, invested capital, and performance in small firms over time. In a sample of 879 small U.S. manufacturing firms and 833 small U.S. retail firms, cash conversion cycle was found to be significantly related to all three of these aspects. Firms with more efficient cash conversion cycles were more liquid, required less debt and equity financing, and had higher returns. The results also indicate that small firm owners/managers may be reactive in managing cash conversion cycle. The study highlights the importance of cash conversion cycle as a proactive management tool for small firm owners.
Endoscopic Techniques in Resection of Anterior Skull Base/Paranasal Sinus Malignancies†

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the role of endoscopic approaches to the resection of anterior skull base and paranasal sinus malignancies at one tertiary care medical center. Study Design: The authors conducted a retrospective chart review over a period of 17 years. Methods: Patients undergoing anterior skull base resections for malignancies over a 17-year period were reviewed. Data were collected on each patient with respect to the pathology of the tumor and approach used as well as demographic and follow-up information. Results: A total of 78 patients were treated at a tertiary care medical center for malignancies of the paranasal sinuses and anterior skull base. The most common diagnosis was squamous cell carcinoma occurring in 33% of the cases. The remaining pathologies included esthesioneuroblastoma (23%), adenoid cystic carcinoma (15%), melanoma (3%), sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (3%), lymphoma (5%), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (4%), and other tumor types (14%). Endoscopic techniques were used extensively in this population of patients. Combined approaches using a sublabial/transmaxillary approach and coronal approaches were used when indicated and complemented the endoscopic approach. A majority of patients were without evidence of disease at the end of this review. Using endoscopic techniques allowed for acceptable cosmetic results and facial incisions were used minimally. Conclusion: With complete endoscopic surgical resection followed by radiation therapy, local recurrence, morbidity, and cosmetic deformity have been minimized. The microscopic view provided by endoscopic techniques, with or without complementary approaches, allows for complete tumor removal.
Kindergartners' Temperament, Classroom Engagement, and Student–teacher Relationship: Moderation by Effortful Control

The purpose of this study was to examine whether kindergartners' (N = 291; M age = 5 years) effortful control (EC), impulsivity, anger, or shyness predict their classroom participation, school liking, and student–teacher relationship. Parents and teachers reported on children's temperament. Children's EC and impulsivity were also assessed with the Continuous Performance Task. Teachers and children reported on classroom participation and school liking, and teachers reported on the student–teacher relationship. Consistent with predictions, EC was frequently positively related to the outcomes. Both impulsivity and anger were often negatively related to the outcomes. Evidence of a quadratic relation, in the form of an inverted U, between shyness and the student–teacher relationship also emerged. There was evidence that EC moderated many of the main effects. Subsequent analyses for impulsivity and anger demonstrated that the negative relations were often only for children low in EC whereas the negative relation for shyness was for children high in EC. Findings illustrate the utility in considering multiple ways components of temperament relate to early indices of school success.
Analysis of sequential stopping rules

Sequential stopping rules applied to confidence interval procedures (CIPs) may lead to coverage that is less than nominal. This paper introduces a method for estimating coverage functions analytically in order to evaluate the potential loss of coverage. This method also provides an estimate for the distribution of the stopping time of the procedure. Knowledge of coverage functions could help evaluate and compare confidence interval procedures while avoiding lengthy empirical testing. Numerical implementation of our method shows that analytical coverage functions approximate those calculated empirically. Analytical coverage functions can be used to explain why many sequential procedures do not provide adequate coverage.
Antenatal Sonographic Diagnosis of Dacryocystocele

Dacryocystocele is an uncommon condition presenting at birth as a bluish swelling approximately 1 cm in diameter located below and nasal to the medial canthus. It represents a cystic swelling of the lacrimal sac due to obstruction of the lacrimal drainage system both above and below the sac. The average age when the lacrimal duct becomes patent is the eighth intrauterine month. If this does not occur, a dacryocystocele can result [1]. Dacryocystocele is also referred to in the literature as mucocele, dacryocele, and amniocele of the lacrimal sac. We report a case of a dacryocystocele detected sonographically during pregnancy.
The Magnetostatic Frill Source

The magnetostatic frill source (MsFS) is introduced as a convenient way to obtain the electric field from a coaxial aperture in a ground plane. This approximation simplifies the analysis of arbitrarily shaped monopole antennas since both radial and axial components of the electric field may be expressed in closed form. Antenna characteristics computed using the MsFS are shown to agree very well with theoretical and measured results for cylindrical, conical and spheroidal monopoles. To demonstrate the utility of this model, it is shown that a single filamentary loop of magnetic current equal to the driving voltage and with radius equal to the geometric mean of inner and outer radii of the coaxial aperture is quite adequate for most purposes. Limitations of this approximation are discussed.
Steroids and Idiopathic Facial Paralysis

The face proclaims to the world an individual's identity and as such is the most conspicuous part of his anatomy. No wonder, then, that idiopathic facial paralysis is a frightening experience for the patient. Ever since it was first noted, all manners of measures have been used to bring about early and full recovery. Unfortunately, none of these treatments is effective. Following Rothendler's case description in 1951, a multitude of papers have appeared, evaluating the effectiveness of steroids in idiopathic facial paralysis. This article evaluates 92 of these papers. Only a few properly controlled, randomized prospective studies were available. Their main conclusion was that steroid treatment was not more beneficial than conventional treatment. But several less valid prospective and retrospective studies have suggested that steroid treatment is beneficial. The definitive, statistically valid study of the benefits of steroids in treating has yet to be performed. Until then steroid treatment of this condit...
Thermal Contact Resistance Measurements of Gas Diffusion Layers in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Localized temperature gradients in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell are known to decrease the durability of the polymer membrane. The most important factor in controlling these temperature gradients is the thermal contact resistance at the interface of the gas diffusion layer and the bipolar plate. Here we present thermal contact resistance measurements of carbon paper and carbon cloth gas diffusion layers over a pressure range of 0.7–14.5 MPa. Contact resistances are highly dependent upon the clamping pressure applied to a fuel cell, and in the present work, contact resistances vary from 3.5E−4 to 2.0E−5 m2K/W, decreasing non-linearly over the pressure range for each material tested. The data presented here also shows that the thermal resistance of the sample is negligible in comparison to the thermal contact resistance. Thermal uniformity in a fuel cell is desirable, and the measurements presented here can be used to more accurately predict temperature distribution in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Gamma-Emitting States in O 16 below 12 Mev

A study has been made of states in ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ between 7.2- and 11.5-Mev excitation which belong to the sequence ${0}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, ${1}^{+}$, ${2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, ${3}^{+}$,... (even angular momentum and odd parity, and vice versa). These states cannot break up into ${\mathrm{C}}^{12}$+$\ensuremath{\alpha}$ but must decay by $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ emission. The $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays from the ${\mathrm{F}}^{19}(p, \ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\gamma}){\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ and ${\mathrm{N}}^{15}(d, n\ensuremath{\gamma}){\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ reactions were studied at bombarding energies up to 6.0 and 5.08 Mev, respectively, using a three-crystal pair spectrometer and other scintillation counters. The design, resolution, and efficiency of the three-crystal pair spectrometer are given. The ground state transition from the ${2}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, 8.87-Mev state was observed to have 0.07\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.02 the intensity of the 2.73-Mev cascade transition to the ${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, 6.14-Mev state. A state was found at 10.98\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.04 Mev which decays predominantly to the ${1}^{\ensuremath{-}}$, 7.12-Mev state. No $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays resulting from the decay of this state to other states of ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ were observed. The angular correlation of the 3.86- and 7.12-Mev $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays shows a positive anisotropy of approximately 1. These results suggest a ${0}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ spin and parity assignment for the 10.98-Mev state. The predictions of the alpha-particle and shell models of ${\mathrm{O}}^{16}$ are compared with these results.
Disruption of Pheromone Communication in Platynota stultana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Grape Vineyards

Leafroller, Platynota stultana Walsingham, pheromone–communication–disruption experiments were conducted in grape vineyards in the San Joaquin Valley in California during 1993. Four synthetic pheromone components were released, either singly or in various mixtures, into the atmosphere of the vineyards at predetermined rates from evaporation sources. These sources were attached to grape stakes at specified heights and spacings, in grids of 36 (6 × 6) evaporators. The numbers of male moths that located and were caught in female-baited traps in the centers of the evaporator arrays, compared with the numbers captured in similar female-baited traps in untreated control areas, were used to calculate the effectiveness of communication disruption. Most of the disruptive activity of the P. stultana pheromone was provided by the 2 components that are found in greatest amounts in living female moths, (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate and (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate. These components, combined in a 9: 1 ratio, disrupted pheromone communication more effectively than did either component displayed alone. The extent of communication disruption was proportional to the amount of the pheromone components released per hectare per day and was a function of both separation between evaporators and pheromone release rate from each evaporator. Ninety-nine percent disruption was obtained with the release of 6.4 mg per hectare per day of the 9:1 blend of the 2 components. Most male P. stultana moths were active in the upper 3rd of the grapevine structure, and evaporators placed at this height were most effective in preventing males from locating females.
Determining Interfacial Free Energies from Creep Experiments on Silver-Iron Multilayers

Experiments were conducted on multilayer thin films to determine the free energies associated with silver/iron interfaces. Creep studies determined the loads for which the multilayers neither shrank nor stretched over time. Microstructural data was used with the zero creep loads in a model for grain boundary diffusion controlled creep in multilayers to determine the interfacial free energy.
Clinical feasibility of diffuse optical spectroscopic imaging in sarcoma

Diffuse Optical Spectroscopic Imaging (DOSI) measures functional information which could serve as a new biomarker for chemotherapy response in sarcoma. Here we evaluate the feasibility of using DOSI at common sarcoma anatomic locations.
Gender, sexuality, and technology in male pregnancy: An analysis of Lee Mingwei and Virgil Wong’s installation, POP! The First Human Male Pregnancy:

In this article, I examine performance artists Lee Mingwei and Virgil Wong’s long-running online art installation project, POP! The First Human Male Pregnancy, as a liminal science fiction-like space in which the relationships between gender, sexuality, technology, and pregnancy, are illuminated and, at times, rearranged. Secondly, I look at user-generated content on YouTube left in response to one part of Lee and Wong’s installation as a further site for meaning-making about male pregnancy. In both these sites, I argue that the meaning-making of male pregnancy is transgressive in its queering of pregnancy while remaining normative in its reflection of male/female binary gender categories.