cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Centroid, Leaf-centroid, and Internal-centroid

We consider some different distance-based "central parts" of a tree including sets of vertices that minimize the sum of distances to: all other vertices (the centroid of a tree), all leaves (the leaf-centroid of a tree), all internal vertices (the internal-centroid of a tree). The subgraphs induced by these "central parts" are briefly discussed. Regarding their relative locations in the same tree, it is shown that the centroid is always located in the "middle" of the leaf-centroid and internal-centroid. In a tree T of order n, the distance between the leaf-centroid and the centroid or the internal centroid can be as large as $${\frac{n}{2}}$$ n 2 (asymptotically); the distance between the internal centroid and the centroid, however, can only be as large as $${\frac{n}{4}}$$ n 4 (asymptotically). All extremal cases are obtained by the so called comets. We also point out that this study can be further generalized to trees with additional constraints on the diameter or vertex degrees. The arguments are very similar but with more technical calculations.
From classrooms to the real engineering world: the training program in the Microelectronics Research Center at Georgia Tech

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a training program that helps students transfer their classroom knowledge to hands-on equipment-operating and device-processing skills in the Microelectronics Research Center at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta. The program is designed to bring down the barrier between engineering students and well-equipped research facilities, while decreasing the mistakes caused by new users. Since the program started three years ago, more than 500 on-site classes (a one-time class with a maximum of eight attendees per class) have been offered, and more than 3000 attendees have gone through the program. The program has had a strong impact on clean-room operation and the processing capability in the center. More importantly, students are prepared more thoroughly for the real engineering world.
Responses of midbrain raphe neurons to ethanol

The effects of ethanol on single midbrain raphe neurons were studied in the rat. For dorsal raphe neurons, only the units with rhythmic slow firing were consistently inhibited by ethanol. Those units often exhibited periodic cessation of spontaneous discharges in the initial responses, but later showed a dose-related slowing of discharge rates. Although median raphe neurons were also inhibited by ethanol, their responses consisted of an early tendency to fire more regularly, and then a decrease in spontaneous activity with bursting discharges. The data indicate that ethanol exerts different modes of inhibition on these two functionally different cell groups in the midbrain raphe complex.
Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in JAZF1 and BCL11A gene are nominally associated with Type 2 Diabetes in African American Families from the GENNID Study

Prior type 2 diabetes (T2D) genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have generated a list of well-replicated susceptibility loci in populations of European and Asian ancestry. To validate the trans-ethnic contribution of the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) involved in these GWASs, we performed a family-based association analysis of 32 selected GWAS SNPs in a cohort of 1496 African-American (AA) subjects from the Genetics of NIDDM (GENNID) study. Functional roles of these SNPs were evaluated by screening cis-eQTLs in transformed lymphoblast cell lines available for a sub-group of Genetics of NIDDM (GENNID) families from Arkansas. Only three of the 32 GWAS-derived SNPs showed nominally significant association with T2D in our AA cohort. Among the replicated SNPs rs864745 in JAZF1 and rs10490072 in BCL11A gene (P=0.006 and 0.03, respectively, after adjustment for body mass index) were within the 1-lod drop support interval of T2D linkage peaks reported in these families. Genotyping of 19 tag SNPs in these two loci revealed no further common SNPs or haplotypes that may be a stronger predictor of T2D susceptibility than the index SNPs. Six T2D GWAS SNPs (rs6698181, rs9472138, rs730497, rs10811661, rs11037909 and rs1153188) were associated with nearby transcript expression in transformed lymphoblast cell lines of GENNID AA subjects. Thus, our study indicates a nominal role for JAZF1 and BCL11A variants in T2D susceptibility in AAs and suggested little overlap in known susceptibility to T2D between European- and African-derived populations when considering GWAS SNPs alone.
Lexico‐grammatical patterns and the interpretation of texts

It is well‐known that the meanings of sentences are affected by the contexts in which they are perceived. Texts create patterns of meaning which affect how the component sentences are interpreted in context. A careful study of a two‐paragraph text which contains a high concentration of matching relations shows one technique by which this process happens. Repetitions of the experiential relations expressed in the text, together with the matching conjunctive relations which hold between the various messages of the text, establish paradigmatic and syntagmatic patterns in the meanings of the text which encourage readers to interpret the text (and its parts) in certain ways. These patterns also relate to dynamic aspects of the text, such as the use of denials, partial denials, and the probable placement of tonic accent. The technique of analysis proposed here may be extended to examine matching between large portions of a text (as in episodes of a story).
Hashing and Data Fingerprinting in Digital Forensics

Hashing is a primary, yet under appreciated, tool in digital forensic investigations. Recent R&D has demonstrated that, with clever design, we can construct robust fingerprinting and similarity hashes that can significantly speed up an investigation.
Preschoolers' cognitions of authority, and its relationship to sexual abuse education

This study investigated preschoolers' perceptions of authority in sexual and benign situations and how these might influence acquisition of concepts presented in a sexual abuse prevention program. Participants were 117 children, ages 36-84 months, at four day-care centers. Children were randomly assigned to either an experimental or delayed treatment control group. Measures of authority and prevention skills were administered prior to and following the first administration of the curriculum. Preschoolers reasoned at a higher level of authority in sexually abusive encounters as compared to benign ones. For experimental children, this capability increased after participating in the prevention program. At pretest, sexual abuse authority scores predicted scores on one of two prevention skills; pretest authority scores did not predict either posttest prevention skill. Results are discussed in relation to children's understanding of moral versus social-conventional rules, and future directions for research are indicated.
Neighborhood environment and opportunity to use cocaine and other drugs in late childhood and early adolescence

We hypothesized that neighborhood disadvantage might function as a determinant of ‘exposure opportunity’, an intermediate step on a path toward starting to use drugs illicitly. Testing this hypothesis, we analyzed self-report data gathered in 1992 by means of confidential interviews with 1416 urban-dwelling middle-school participants in a longitudinal field study. Within this epidemiologic sample, 50 youths said that someone actively had offered them a chance to take cocaine or smoke crack; tobacco had been offered to 395 youths; alcohol to 429 youths. Using multiple logistic regression to hold constant grade, sex, minority status, and peer drug use, we found a moderately potent association between neighborhood disadvantage and exposure to cocaine: youths living in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods (highest tertile) were an estimated 5.6 times more likely to have been offered cocaine, as compared to those in relatively advantaged neighborhoods (P = 0.001). By comparison, there were weaker but statistically significant associations involving tobacco exposure opportunity (odds ratio, OR =1.7, P = 0.004) and alcohol exposure opportunity (OR = 1.9, P = 0.0005). Future research will clarify the etiologic significance of neighborhood disadvantage in pathways leading toward illicit drug use.
Effect of prostaglandin F2α treatment before norgestomet and estradiol valerate treatment on regression, formation, and function of corpora lutea in beef heifers

Two experiments were conducted to determine if corpus luteum regression, formation, and function were associated with the decreased calving rate observed in beef females administered PGF2 alpha 5 days before Syncro-Mate B (SMB) treatment. Experiment 1 included 31 beef heifers 11 to 13 months old and experiment 2 included 31 beef heifers 19 to 21 months old. Heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups (control and PGF2 alpha 5 days before SMB treatment). Heifers were bled 10 days before PGF2 alpha treatment, immediately before PGF2 alpha and SMB treatments, at the time of implant removal, and twice weekly after implant removal. Heifers in experiment 2 were observed twice daily for estrus for 5 days after PGF2 alpha treatment and for 3 days after norgestomet implant removal. Based on the blood samples collected before SMB treatment, 15 heifers in experiment 1 and every heifer in experiment 2 were with estrous cycles. All heifers in experiment 1 had progesterone concentrations 1.0 ng/ml 2 days after implant removal than diestrus heifers (0%). In addition, progesterone concentrations during the luteal phase in metestrus heifers were lower (P 0.25) on the number of heifers with > 1.0 ng/ml progesterone 2 days after implant removal and progesterone concentrations during the luteal phase. There was no treatment by stage of the estrous cycle interactions. In summary, the administration of PGF2 alpha 5 days before SMB decreased the calving rate by causing more heifers to be metestrus at SMB treatment. Fewer metestrus heifers (than diestrus heifers) were synchronized (with < 1.0 ng/ml of progesterone 2 days after implant removal) to SMB treatment and those synchronized had lower progesterone concentrations during the luteal phase.
Top predator persistence in differential equation models of food chains: The effects of omnivory and external forcing of lower trophic levels

Persistence criteria are given for the highest trophic level predator in ordinary differential equation models of food chains exhibiting arbitrary omnivory and external supplementation of food source or an intermediate predator. The results are expressed in terms of inequalities involving the bounds on the intrinsic growth and interaction rates. Whether omnivory or external forcing enhances persistence is discussed, particularly for the examples of three-, four-, and five-link Lotka-Volterra food chains.
Depressive symptoms in children after tonsillectomy.

Abstract Objective: Several cases of severe depression after tonsillectomy have been described in children, indicating psychological trauma after surgery and hospitalization. The actual prevalence of depressive symptoms after tonsillectomy is unknown and possibly underestimated. This study aims to quantify this problem by employing current diagnostic methods. Methods: This is a prospective study of 159 children who underwent tonsillectomy in a major Pediatric University Hospital. All patients stayed in the hospital overnight. Parents were sent questionnaires based on diagnostic criteria for depression (ICD-10) 3 weeks postoperatively. Whenever the criteria for a depressive episode were met, a telephone interview with the parents followed 3 months after the operation. Results: Some 89 questionnaires were returned (56%), revealing that 15 patients (17%), 4–16 years old, developed depressive symptomatology compared with a 4% prevalence of depression in the general child population and 10–20% in the pediatric hospital populations. No children had persisting symptoms 3 months later. Conclusions: These results suggest that post-tonsillectomy morbidity can occasionally manifest with depressive symptoms, usually resolving spontaneously. A high index of suspicion is required by the otolaryngologist, nurses and primary care physician for early diagnosis and referral of persisting cases to a specialist. Emphasis is given to a structured preoperative psychological preparation of pediatric patients.
Movement, adsorption and mineralization of atrazine in two soils with and without switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) roots

Summary A study was conducted to determine the influence of switchgrass roots on the mobility, adsorption–desorption and mineralization of atrazine in Cullen clay loam and Emporia loamy sand soils. Bromide and atrazine distribution profiles in the leachates indicated greater preferential movement in columns with roots than in columns without roots. Larger concentrations of atrazine were detected at lower depths of Emporia soil with switchgrass roots than without. Adsorption of atrazine was greater in Cullen than in Emporia soil and conformed to Freundlich isotherms. In both Cullen and Emporia soils, adsorption and desorption were not different between soil with or without switchgrass roots. After 84 days of incubation, less than 6% of the applied atrazine was mineralized in the Cullen soil and 2% in Emporia soil. Mineralization was greater in the Cullen soil than in the Emporia soil at 42, 56, 70 and 84 days of sampling. The presence of switchgrass roots did not affect the mineralization of atrazine in Emporia soil. The presence of switchgrass roots caused preferential movement of atrazine, but did not affect its adsorption and mineralization in either soil type.
A Comparison of Touch and Mouse Interaction Techniques for a Graphical Windowing Software Environment

This paper reports a behavioral evaluation of touch interface techniques intended to be used with highly interactive, graphical, windowing software environments. Previous research (Mack and Lang, 1989) indicated that touch interface techniques can produce levels of task performance in such environments comparable to that obtained using conventional mouse pointing devices. The touch technology in that study enabled users to emulate the basic interactions associated with using a mouse: that is, to emulate click, double click and dragging techniques using taps, double taps and tap, hold and drag. While encouraging, problems remained, especially when the finger was used as the input device. The purpose of this study was to compare mouse and touch techniques using an alternative to mouse emulation for controlling touch interactions. Instead, users selected one of three possible touch “modes”. In each mode, a simple tap (contact and lift-off) was interpreted by the software in ways corresponding to the three ba...
The indications, rationale, and results of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation in the treatment of prostatic cancer: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center results**

Abstract Objectives The use of neoadjuvant chemotherapy prior to definitive surgery has been firmly established in other areas of oncology, most notably in the treatment of testis and Wilm's tumors. The use of neoadjuvant androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in conjunction with radical prostatectomy remains a source of controversy. We have conducted phase II and phase III studies to assess the effects of 3 months of preoperative ADT (goserelin and flutamide) on the pathologic staging and postsurgery prostate-specific antigen (PSA) relapse rate. We also reviewed the data confirming the understaging of clinically localized prostatic cancer and the experimental data providing the conceptual support for ADT. Methods We report the results of 141 patients, Stage TO-TO, in a Phase II study with concurrent, nonrandomized controls (N = 72) versus a treatment arm (N = 69) of men receiving 3 months of ADT with 3.6 mg goserelin for 28 days and 750 mg flutamide daily. We also report the interim results in 114 men participating in a prospective, randomized study of ADT versus surgery alone. Results The 69 patients who received 3 months of goserelin and flutamide followed by radical prostatectomy had a pathologic organ-confined cancer rate of 74%, versus 48% in the control group who received no ADT prior to surgery. The margin-positive rate was 10% in the ADT group versus 33% in the control group. In an interim analysis of 114 patients (59 ADT, 55 control), the organ-confined and margin-positive rates were 73% and 17% in the ADT group versus 56% and 36% in the control arm, respectively. The PSA disease-free rate at a mean follow-up of 28.6 months (range 6.2 to 49.5 months) was 89% in the ADT-treated patients (N = 98) and 84% in the control patients (N = 96). There was no statistical difference demonstrated between the arms with respect to biochemical failure. Conclusions While the pathologic staging of tumors following ADT treatment was improved compared with surgical controls, to date the PSA disease-free survival rates are similar. Patients with residual extracapsular (P3) disease after ADT manifest an increased PSA failure rate compared with those with P3 tumors treated by surgery alone. This suggests that ADT may identify a subset of patients with aggressive tumors that may be candidates for additional therapeutic interventions even before PSA failure occurs.
Error correction coding for a meteor burst channel

The time-varying signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) model for the meteor burst (MB) channel is reviewed. Bounds on the capacity of the channel are derived for both a constant SNR model and a time-varying SNR model. These bounds show that there is a significant throughput improvement to be gained by using forward error correction. Two methods are given for determining the performance of an MB system when packets of information are encoded with an (n,k) linear block code. Numerical results are generated using high-rate BCH codes, and it is found that about 25% improvement over uncoded systems can be obtained by choosing the code rate properly. In addition, some suggestions for techniques that provide further improvement are given. >
Toward a Liberation Theology for the “Oppressor”

Amidst the absence of methodological consensus and the divergent theologies which presently characterize traditional theological circles, liberation theologies from the black, feminist, and Third World perspectives stand out as the most discernible development in Christian thought. Because implicit in these theologies is a distinctiveness concerning the nature and scope of theology, and because they include a social critique which links the destinies of the "oppressed" and the "oppressor", those who stand outside communities of oppression but inside the community of faith are challenged to take seriously liberation theologies and their far-ranging implications. The inter-relationship of "oppressed" and "oppressor" is explicated in the theologies of Freire, Cone, Gutierrez, Ruether, and others. All address the dialectical themes of particularity and universality in the Christian tradition. "Can a theology for the oppressed also become a theology for the oppressor" is the question raised by Robert McAfee Brown, though Frederick Herzog and others also have queried the North Atlantic theological community and its corresponding churches. That is, can those outside the movements for liberation develop a liberation theology of their own; one which will affect their theological and human renewal and complement the obvious quests for liberation and the theological explication of them? And if so, how is that to happen? The major thesis of this essay is that the theological methods employed in black, feminist, and Third World liberation theologies are the clues for understanding this new development and also the key to theological renewal elsewhere. Beginning with corporate reflection on the struggle for justice, identity, and meaning, liberation theologies then move to an interpretation of concrete experience, the application of Judaic and Christian themes GLENN R. BUCHER is Associate Professor of Religion at The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio. He co-edited Confusion and Hope: Clergy, Laity and the Church in Transition with Patricia R. Hill. He has had articles published in The Journal of Religious Thought, Theology Todar, Christian Century, Brethern, Life and Thought, Intellect, and others. This essay is a revised version of a paper delivered at the 1975 AAR meeting and part of a larger project on liberation theology.
Quasimolecular modelling of turbulent and nonturbulent vortices

Abstract A quasimolecular, particle model is developed for simulating both turbulent and nonturbulent vortices. The approach uses n -body modeling with molecular-type force interactions. Large systems of second-order, ordinary differential equations are generated and solved numerically. Serial and vector computer examples are described and discussed.
Denso Protal anti‐corrosion coatings

Denso Protal modified wax‐based products were developed to meet the requirement for anti‐corrosion coatings suitable for application to a wide range of substrate conditions.
Conditions for Asymmetric Information Solutions when Alliances Provide Acquisition Options and Due Diligence

One main problem with both acquisitions and alliances is separating the attractive partners from the rest. An additional problem with alliances is getting each partner to provide its best assets and efforts. One solution offered for the acquisition adverse selection problem is due diligence through a pre-acquisition alliance; however, none of the papers recommending such an approach analyze the alliance adverse selection and moral hazard problems. This paper presents the first formal model of joint venturing as acquisition due diligence, detailing how the joint solution works and under what conditions.
Exhumation of the central Wasatch Mountains, Utah: 2. Thermokinematic model of exhumation, erosion, and thermochronometer interpretation

[1] The Wasatch fault is a � 370 km long normal fault in Utah that marks the boundary between the stable Colorado Plateau to the east and the extending Basin and Range to the west. Understanding the thermokinematic evolution of this fault can provide insights into intracontinental extensional tectonics and deformation processes in other rift zones (e.g., East Africa Rift, Transantarctic Mountains). We explore the thermokinematics of footwall exhumation and erosion in the Cottonwood Intrusive Belt of the central Wasatch Mountains. Emphasis is placed on using low-temperature thermochronometers to quantify (1) the spatial and temporal variability of exhumation and erosion rates, (2) the geometry of footwall tilt, (3) the fault dip angle, and (4) the magnitude and duration of exhumation. These processes are investigated using two-dimensional (2-D) thermal-kinematic models coupled with cooling-rate-dependent kinetic models which predict exhumed apatite fission track (AFT) and (U-Th)/He ages. The range of model parameters considered includes footwall exhumation and erosion rates at the fault between 0.2 and 2.0 mm yr � 1 , footwall tilt hinge positions between 15 and 40 km distance from the fault, a single planar normal fault with dip angles of 45� and 60� , and exhumation magnitudes of up to 15 km at the fault. Simulations include the formation of a low thermal conductivity sedimentary basin and erosion of heat-producing layers. Erosion maintains a constant topographic profile. The kinematic and exhumation history of the Wasatch Mountains is investigated by comparing model predicted thermochronometer ages to observed AFT, ZFT, and (U-Th)/He ages. Predicted and observed ages are compared using a reduced chi-square analysis to determine a best fit kinematic model for the Wasatch Mountains. The preferred model includes exhumation occurring on either a 45� or 60� dipping fault, a footwall hinge located a minimum of 20–25 km from the fault, and a step decrease (deceleration) in the footwall exhumation rate at the fault from 1.2 to 0.8 mm yr � 1 at around 5 Ma. The model also suggests an exhumation duration of � 12 Myr ± 2 Myr). INDEX TERMS: 1035 Geochemistry: Geochronology; 8010 Structural Geology: Fractures and faults; 8015 Structural Geology: Local crustal structure; 8109 Tectonophysics: Continental tectonics— extensional (0905); 8130 Tectonophysics: Heat generation and transport; KEYWORDS: exhumation, erosion, normal faults, numerical modeling, heat flow, thermochronometers
Field-Portable Lensless Holographic Microscope using Pixel Super-Resolution

We report a portable lensless holographic microscope utilizing pixel super-resolution to achieve <1um resolution and 24mm2 field-of-view. The performance of this light-weight (95g) microscope is validated by imaging malaria parasites in blood-smears.
Long-range Electrostatic Complementarity Governs Substrate Recognition by Human Chymotrypsin C, a Key Regulator of Digestive Enzyme Activation.

Human chymotrypsin C (CTRC) is a pancreatic serine protease that regulates activation and degradation of trypsinogens and procarboxypeptidases by targeting specific cleavage sites within their zymogen precursors. In cleaving these regulatory sites, which are characterized by multiple flanking acidic residues, CTRC shows substrate specificity that is distinct from that of other isoforms of chymotrypsin and elastase. Here, we report the first crystal structure of active CTRC, determined at 1.9-Å resolution, revealing the structural basis for binding specificity. The structure shows human CTRC bound to the small protein protease inhibitor eglin c, which binds in a substrate-like manner filling the S6-S5′ subsites of the substrate binding cleft. Significant binding affinity derives from burial of preferred hydrophobic residues at the P1, P4, and P2′ positions of CTRC, although acidic P2′ residues can also be accommodated by formation of an interfacial salt bridge. Acidic residues may also be specifically accommodated in the P6 position. The most unique structural feature of CTRC is a ring of intense positive electrostatic surface potential surrounding the primarily hydrophobic substrate binding site. Our results indicate that long-range electrostatic attraction toward substrates of concentrated negative charge governs substrate discrimination, which explains CTRC selectivity in regulating active digestive enzyme levels.
Reactivity of tungsten carbides. I, Catalytic and temperature-programmed reactions of methanol

When methanol reacts over tungsten carbide in a steady-state catalytic mode, methyl formate is formed with a selectivity higher than 90%. On the other hand, temperature-programmed decomposition of methanol preadsorbed on the same surface produces mostly carbon monoxide. The difference in selectivity in both modes of reaction is discussed. By contrast, platinum catalyzes the transformation of methanol to dimethyl ether with high selectivity.
Control of behavior by intravenous nicotine injections in laboratory animals.

Abstract A series of recent studies are reviewed which demonstrate that behavior can be controlled by nicotine injections in different ways depending on the behavioral history of the subject and the schedule of reinforcement under which nicotine is administered. Lever-pressing responses by squirrel monkeys and beagle dogs were maintained well above saline-substitution levels by injections of 10 to 30 ωg/kg of nicotine under fixed-ratio schedules of nicotine injection. Lever-pressing responses by squirrel monkeys also were well maintained by injections of 30 to 300 ωg/kg of nicotine under a fixed-interval schedule of nicotine injection. The highest rates of responding were maintained by injections of 10 to 30 ωg/kg of nicotine under second-order schedules in which responding by squirrel monkeys produced brief-light presentations which were only occasionally paired with nicotine injection. Under other conditions, however, response-produced injections of these same injection doses of nicotine (10 to 30 ωg/kg) suppressed food-maintained fixed-ratio responding by squirrel monkeys during the punishment component of a multiple schedule. Finally, under a schedule of nicotine postponement, injection doses of 30 to 56 ωg/kg of nicotine maintained responding that prevented, rather than produced, nicotine injections. These findings indicate that nicotine may control smoking behavior of humans in very complex and divergent ways depending on prevailing environmental conditions.
Mentors, Muses, and Mutuality: Honoring Barbara Snell Dohrenwend.

I describe feminist community psychology principles that have the potential to expand and enrich mentoring and that honor Barbara Snell Dohrenwend, a leader who contributed to the research, theory, and profession of community psychology. I reflect on the affect that Barbara Dohrenwend had on life and on the development of feminist community psychology. Examples of peer mentoring between Barbara Dohrenwend's research assistant, John L. Martin, and me are used to illustrate radiating effects of mentoring and interrelationships among forms of mentoring. Feminist community psychology principles discussed in relation to mentoring include mutuality, the power of contexts, and the importance of recognizing and affirming stigmatized and oppressed aspects of identities. The concepts of “muse” (Sullivan, 1996), “public homeplaces,” and “developmental leadership” (Belenky, Bond, & Weistein, 1997) are used to illustrate qualities of feminist community psychology mentoring. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
LISP as a rapid prototyping environment: The Chinese tutor

LISP provides a powerful interactive environment that supports rapid prototyping of complex software. This has always been a main feature of the language, and one that has contributed to its widespread use for experimental applications. Recent years have also seen the development of LISP systems that provide performance comparable with, or better than, that of more traditional programming languages. The next logical step is to show that systems developed in LISP with a rapid-prototyping approach can also provide excellent performance. As an example of the suitability of LISP for rapid prototyping of efficient systems, this article presents a case study where a system was built in a Common Lisp environment out of a series of existing tools. Reliance on existing tools, as well as the interactive features typical of LISP, resulted in extremely rapid prototyping. The system, a computer-based tutor for beginner-level Chinese, was developed in less than three man-weeks. Very rapid development time, however, did not in any way sacrifice performance: the system's performance is quite good and comparable to that of ad hoc systems. This is true of both the interactive component of the program, i.e. the interface to the student, and the database component, which stores the system's knowledge about the Chinese language. The factors that contributed most to the short development time were the extensive reliance on existing tools, the use of an efficient knowledge representation language to implement most of the data structures, and the use of an integrated programming environment. All of these factors were in turn made possible, or at least greatly facilitated, by the choice of LISP as the programming language.
Interfacial charge behavior in nanodielectrics

In recent years, the availability and low cost of nanometric-sized filler particles have generated great interest in polymer nanocomposites for a host of applications, including electrical insulation with enhanced breakdown and voltage endurance properties. This work combines the results of several experiments to add insight to the processes taking place in the crucial polymer transition region near the particle surfaces. The relative tendency to accumulate space charge under a high DC field is investigated through pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) apparatus. DC transient (absorption) currents reveal a quasi-DC conductivity that is surprisingly high in the nanocomposite, a result that is reinforced by dielectric spectroscopy, which also indicates a reduction in the nanocomposite's real permittivity. Thermally-stimulated currents reveal the presence of shallow traps that accompany the nanoparticle inclusions. Taken together, the results of the study indicate that the transition region is responsible for the desirable nanocomposite bulk properties which are today of interest, and help explain the difference in performance between these new materials and both unfilled resin and conventional composites composed of micron-sized fillers.
Cold hardiness in the European corn borer, Pyrausta nubilalis (Hübn.)

Abstract The relationships between undercooling capacity, tissue freezing, and survival at subzero temperatures were studied in mature larvae of the European corn borer, Pyrausta nubilalis (Hubn.). Undercooling temperatures were determined by means of a thermistor-thermometer. Larval survival was measured at −10, −15, and −20°C. It was found that the undercooling temperatures of the larvae were not a reliable indication of their ability to survive under subzero conditions. Cold-hardening of borer larvae in the field began in August and continued to increase until late November. Summer larvae in diapause succumbed rapidly to low temperatures. Cold-hardy winter larvae, on the other hand, survived up to 3 months at −20°C, when in the absence of contact moisture. Chilling in the presence of contact moisture caused freezing of the larvae and reduced their ability to survive cold conditions. Despite the formation of ice in their tissues, fully cold-hardy borers survived several weeks while frozen at −20°C. The undercooling temperatures of cold-susceptible larvae were lowered by chilling and desiccation, but such treatment did not significantly enhance their ability to survive subzero conditions. Cold hardiness was destroyed by incubating cold-hardy larvae at 30°C, either with or without contact moisture.
CHROMITE MINING IN PAKISTAN

(1968). CHROMITE MINING IN PAKISTAN. The Professional Geographer: Vol. 20, No. 5, pp. 342-345.
Transesophageal echocardiographic detection of abnormalities of the tricuspid valve in adults associated with spontaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect.

Abstract Perimembranous defects are the most frequent types of ventricular septal defect. Spontaneous closure of these defects occurs often in childhood. The mechanism of closure is controversial, but recent pathologic and clinical studies in children suggest that it occurs by reduplication and adhesion of the septal leaflet of the tricuspid valve to the margins of the defect. 1–2 Closure of the defect is frequently associated with the formation of a ventricular septal aneurysm, a term that describes an outpouching in the region of the membranous septum. 3 The adherent tricuspid valve protrudes into the right ventricle during ventricular systole, accounting for its aneurysmal appearance. Less frequently, prolapse of an aortic valve leaflet reduces the size of the defect and can result in aortic insufficiency. 1 Early pathologic studies demonstrated deformity of the tricuspid valve resulting from ventricular septal aneurysm formation. 4 Chordal shortening and fusion, and leaflet deformity have been demonstrated in necropsy examinations of patients with ventricular septal aneurysms. Functional abnormalities resulting from tricuspid valve involvement in the formation of the aneurysm were recently described in pediatric studies.2 However, these abnormalities have not been described in adults, and the use of transesophageal echocardiography for the detection of ventricular septal aneurysms was not previously reported.
Tailor-Made Pentablock Copolymer Based Formulation for Sustained Ocular Delivery of Protein Therapeutics

The objective of this research article is to report the synthesis and evaluation of novel pentablock copolymers for controlled delivery of macromolecules in the treatment of posterior segment diseases. Novel biodegradable PB copolymers were synthesized by sequential ring-opening polymerization. Various ratios and molecular weights of each block (polyglycolic acid, polyethylene glycol, polylactic acid, and polycaprolactone) were selected for synthesis and to optimize release profile of FITC-BSA, IgG, and bevacizumab from nanoparticles (NPs) and thermosensitive gel. NPs were characterized for particle size, polydispersity, entrapment efficiency, and drug loading. In vitro release study of proteins from NPs alone and composite formulation (NPs suspended in thermosensitive gel) was performed. Composite formulations demonstrated no or negligible burst release with continuous near zero-order release in contrast to NPs alone. Hydrodynamic diameter of protein therapeutics and hydrophobicity of PB copolymer exhibited significant effect on entrapment efficiency and in vitro release profile. CD spectroscopy confirmed retention of structural conformation of released protein. Biological activity of released bevacizumab was confirmed by in vitro cell proliferation and cell migration assays. It can be concluded that novel PB polymers can serve a platform for sustained delivery of therapeutic proteins.
Acetaminophen protein adducts in children with acute liver failure of indeterminate cause.

To the Editor .— I am surprised at the conclusion provided by James et al in their article “Detection of Acetaminophen Protein Adducts in Children With Acute Liver Failure of Indeterminate Cause.”1 The authors showed that results for a test for acetaminophen protein adducts were positive in a small number of patients with liver injury known not to be caused by acetaminophen and in about the same number of patients whose liver failure was causally indeterminate. With regard to seropositivity for the acetaminophen cysteine adduct, the group of …
Gizzard Erosion and Lower Intestinal Congestion and Ulceration Due to Feed and Water Deprivation in Chickens of Various Ages

Abstract INTRODUCTION WILSON AND EDWARDS (1952) observed a cyanosis of the comb in hens deprived of water 24 hours. Marion et al. (1956) reported increased mortality in day-old chicks not immediately placed on feed and water. Williams (1959) indicated that water starvation was sometimes associated with Salmonella infection in poultry. Fisher et al. (1961) and Bierer et al. (1965) observed symptoms and lesions of bluecomb disease in hens deprived of water. Starvation of chicks and poults has been reported to lower body temperature and alter blood values (Bierer et al., 1964; Gee and Huston, 1965; Haller and Sunde, 1965). Marsden et al. (1964, 1965) observed losses in 2 to 3-weeks-old poults 48 hours after water deprivation, and deaths due to convulsions when water was replenished. Haller and Sunde (1965) found that withholding water from 1 to 2-weeks-old poults for 48 or 60 hours retarded growth more than 28 days, body temperature …
Genetic and Environmental Control of Variation in Retinal Ganglion Cell Number in Mice

How much of the remarkable variation in neuron number within a species is generated by genetic differences, and how much is generated by environmental factors? We address this problem for a single population of neurons in the mouse CNS. Retinal ganglion cells of inbred and outbred strains, wild species and subspecies, and F1 hybrids were studied using an unbiased electron microscopic method with known technical reliability. Ganglion cell numbers among diverse types of mice are highly variable, ranging from 32,000 to 87,000. The distribution of all cases ( n = 252) is close to normal, with a mean of 58,500 and an SD of 7800. Genetic factors are most important in controlling this variation; 76% of the variance is heritable and up to 90% is attributable to genetic factors in a broad sense. Strain averages have an unanticipated bimodal distribution, with distinct peaks at 55,500 and 63,500 cells. Three pairs of closely related strains have ganglion cell populations that differ by >20% (10,000 cells). These findings indicate that different alleles at one or two genes have major effects on normal variation in ganglion cell number. Nongenetic factors are still appreciable and account for a coefficient of variation that averages ∼3.6% within inbred strains and isogenic F1 hybrids. Age- and sex-related differences in neuron number are negligible. Variation within isogenic strains appears to be generated mainly by developmental noise.
Refactoring via Program Slicing and Sliding

This short paper is a summary of my doctoral research, which was conducted under Oege de Moor's supervision at the University of Oxford, starting October 2001. The thesis was submitted on September 29, 2006, and defended on January 18, 2007. The final version was submitted, after minor corrections, on June 15, 2007.
Iron deficiency in whole blood donors.

Each year, 5 million regular donors meet almost half the transfusion needs of the United States by voluntarily giving their blood. In this issue of Transfusion, we learn how well the needs of these committed donors are being met from an analysis of enrollment data from the Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study-II (REDS-II) Donor Iron Status Evaluation (RISE) study of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.1 The RISE study is the largest and most comprehensive study yet conducted of iron deficiency in blood donors, with an enrollment of 2,425 women and men. The results are alarming. Among frequent donors, two-thirds (66%) of the women and almost half (49%) of the men were iron deficient.1 The true prevalence of iron deficiency among regular donors is surely higher; the RISE study enrolled only frequent donors who had been accepted for donation, excluding those deferred for a low hemoglobin concentration. Moreover, the enrolled, iron-deficient donors then each donated a unit of whole blood, further depleting their body iron by an additional 200 to 250 mg. Neither these loyal donors nor the national blood supply are well served by the collection practices and regulatory framework that have produced widespread iron deficiency among those who regularly give their blood.
Characterization of transgene expression in adenoviral vector-based HIV-1 vaccine candidates

Recombinant adenovirus vectors have been extensively used in gene therapy clinical studies. More recently, the capability of inducing potent cell-mediated and humoral immunity has made these vectors equally attractive candidates for prophylactic or therapeutic vaccine applications. Merck and Co., Inc., developed HIV-1 vaccine candidates based on adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) vectors in which the E1 gene, a critical component for adenovirus replication, was replaced by the cytomegalovirus immediate/early promoter, followed by mutated versions of the HIV-1 gag, pol or nef genes (constructs referred to as MRKAd5gag, MRKAd5pol and MRKAd5nef, respectively). Vaccine performance was evaluated in vitro in a novel assay that measures the level of transgene expression in non-permissive A549 cells. Various combinations of vectors were studied. The results indicate that the vaccine induces a dose-dependent expression of the HIV-1 transgenes in vitro. Furthermore, the gag, pol, and nef transgenes are expressed differentially in A549 cells in an MOI-dependent and formulation-dependent manner, yielding an unexpected enhancement of protein expression in trivalent vs. monovalent formulations. Our data suggest that the presence of additional virus in multivalent formulations increases individual transgene expression in A549 cells, even when the amount of DNA encoding the gene of interest remains constant. This enhancement appears to be controlled at the transcriptional level and related to both the total amount of virus and the combination of transgenes present in the formulation.
Breastfeeding update 1: immunology, nutrition, and advocacy.

1. Wendelin Slusser, MS, MD* 2. Nancy G. Powers, MD† 1. 2. *Assistant Clinical Professor, Department of Pediatrics, UCLA; Director, UCLA Breastfeeding Resource Program at the UCLA Center for Healthier Children, Families, and Communities, School of Public Health, Los Angeles, CA. 3. 4. †Medical Director, Lactation Services, Associates in Neonatology, PA, Columbia Wesley Medical Center, Wichita, KS, and Clinical Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of Kansas School of Medicine, Wichita. 1. Human milk protects and promotes infant health by its species-specific immune system, which complements the infant’s very immature immune system. Formula cannot provide this immune protection. 2. The pediatrician can and should be an advocate for the breastfeeding family. 3. There are important differences in the nutrient composition of human milk and artificial milk. 4. Current recommendations for feeding infants include breastfeeding for at least the first year of life. 5. Human milk has a dynamic nature; changes in composition can vary from one feeding to another and over time as the infant matures. Most pediatricians are knowledgeable about the advantages of breastfeeding, especially exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of an infant’s life. These benefits in developed countries include a reduction in the incidence of infectious disease (in particular, diarrhea, otitis media, upper respiratory tract infections, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections), provision of complete nutrition that sustains adequate growth and hydration of the infant in the first 6 months of life, prevention of disease and allergy, improved child spacing, and psychosocial benefits. Despite our understanding of the numerous benefits of breastfeeding, a number of studies have found that health-care providers represent one of the major barriers to successful breastfeeding. In 1993, United States statistics revealed breastfeeding initiation rates of 55.9%. At 6 months postpartum, continuation rates for breastfeeding were only 19%. One might ask, “How can so few women breastfeed when the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all infants be breastfed exclusively for the first 4 to 6 months of life and continue to be breastfed for a year or more?” (The World Health Organization [WHO] and United Nations Children’s Fund [UNICEF] recommend continuation for 2 years or more.) However, one might also ask,“ How can so many women in the United States successfully breastfeed with little support from health-care …
Marital Quality in Black and White Marriages

This article investigates differences in marital quality in Black and White marriages. The specific focus is the role of spousal behavior and how this differs by race. Using national sample data, the author found several things. First, there are significant differences in marital quality across race. This is a general finding that has been reported in previous research. Second, Blacks and Whites differentially characterize their spouses. Blacks are significantly more likely to report that the spouse has affairs, hits or pushes, wastes money, or does not make them feel loved. Therefore, an important reason for race differences in marital quality is that Blacks and Whites experience different levels of positive and negative behavior from their spouses. These factors completely explain the association of race and marital quality. The author concludes with a discussion of implications for future research.
Automated robotic radiation surveys

The characteristics of hazardous environments and the impact these have on robot manipulator system control are reviewed. In particular, computer-based reasoning must be integrated into the control of robot manipulators to allow successful application to such environments. Computing architectures and the concomitant software structures necessary to support both the high-level reasoning and low-level servo control requirements are discussed in the context of a prototype robot system to perform radiation surveys. The issue of manual control in a robot manipulator system is addressed. >