cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2-D array wavelength demultiplexing by hybrid waveguide and free-space optics

We demonstrate wavelength demultiplexing into a raster-scanned 8/spl times/9 array by combining a 1/spl times/8 arrayed waveguide grating with a free-space grating multiplexer. 9 diffraction orders from each AWG output are separated onto a 2D array on an InGaAs camera or coupled into a scanned output fiber. This first proof-of-principle device had 0.2 nm channel -20 dB width, >35 dB spectral extinction and 15 to 25 dB insertion loss over the 70 nm operating range.
Effects of Counselor Smoking Status, Experience Level, and Treatment Modality on the Credibility of Smoking Cessation Programs.

One hundred and seventeen smokers were presented with descriptions of a smoking control program and a smoking counselor and were then asked to rate program and counselor effectiveness and counselor empathy. The descriptions varied along three dimensions constituting a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design: counselor smoking status—ex-smoker, current smoker, never smoker; experience level; and group or individual treatment. Counselor smoking status yielded highly significant main effects on all three dependent measures. There were no other significant main effects. Experience level tended to moderate the effects of smoking status though the interaction was significant only for program effectiveness. Responses to direct preference questions confirmed the counselor smoking status findings and indicated a preference for group over individual treatment.
Intrastriatal AP5 differentially affects behaviors induced by local infusions of D1 vs. D2 dopamine agonists

Using bilateral infusions into the rat striatum, the effects of the competitive NMDA receptor antagonist 2-amino-5-phosphopentanoic acid (AP5) on behaviors induced by the dopamine (DA) D1 receptor agonist SKF 82526 (fenoldopam) or the D2 receptor agonist quinpirole were determined. These effects were tested in DA-replete (intact) rats and in rats that were receiving injections of the monoamine-depleting drug reserpine. In both intact and reserpinized rats, fenoldopam induced significant sniffing. This effect was attenuated by simultaneous co-infusion of AP5 in the reserpinized rats. Quinpirole induced locomotion, sniffing, and oral behaviors, all of which were attenuated by AP5 co-infusion in the intact rats. In contrast, AP5 enhanced the quinpirole-induced sniffing of reserpinized rats. These findings suggest that distinct D1/glutamate and D2/glutamate relationships exist in the striatum, and that the nature of the latter is influenced by DA tone.
270 CROUP IN A PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT(ED)

The aim of this study was to assess clinical patterns and management of croup in a well defined area, served by only one children's hospital during one year. 91 patients(pts)presented croup(0.5% of total ED consultation, 4.7% of ac.resp.tract disease):80 were diagnosed as ac. laryngotracheobronchitis(LTB), 11 as spasmodic croup(SC). LTB pts(61% male) were aged from 1 month to 15.5 yrs(M 3 yrs); 45% presented in autumn, 41% during the night. Symptomatology consisted of cough(73%), dyspnea (29%), fever(21%)and dysfonia(20%). Most common treatments were nebulized sterile saline(nss)alone(53%)or combined with beclomethasone(bt, 9%), phenylephrine(pe, 3%), bt+pe or oral corticosteroids(cs,13% each one) 15 pts were hospitalized:management consisted of aerosol with pe(69%) or with bt(31%), plus nss or oral cs(23% each one). Hospitalization last ed less than 2 days. SC pts(64% female)were aged from 8 months to 7 yrs (M 2.8 yrs). 55% presented in winter, 72% during the night. Most common symptoms were cough(96%)and dyspnea(46%). Management consisted of nss alone(55%)or in combination with bt(9%), pe(9%), bt+pe(27%). One patient was hospitalized for a night and treated with nss+bt. In our area croup is usually managed at home. Patients referring to the ED are newly diagnosed or have not responded to home treatment.
Tracer particle generation in superfluid helium through cryogenic liquid injection for particle image velocimetry (PIV) applications

Abstract This paper reports the first experimental study of liquid neon injection into superfluid helium (He II) through a plain orifice atomizer to explore different means of introducing micron-size tracer particles into a He II bath for particle image velocimetry (PIV) applications. The obtained results verify that the direct injection of liquid neon into He II introduces seed particles into the He II bath. It is also demonstrated that the particle sizes can be controlled by changing the pressure above the injected liquid. Additionally, the size distribution of the particles is calculated from the PIV results through the use of the correlations to the standard drag curve.
Assessing Afghanistan's mineral resources

Afghanistan has significant amounts of undiscovered nonfuel mineral resources, with copper and iron ore having the most potential for extraction, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) assessment. The assessment, done cooperatively with the Afghanistan Geological Survey of the Afghanistan Ministry of Mines, also found indications of significant deposits of colored stones and gemstones (including emeralds, rubies, and sapphires), gold, mercury, sulfur, chromite, and other resources. “Mineral resource assessments provide government decision-makers and potential private investors with objective, unbiased information on where undiscovered mineral resources may be located, what kinds of resources are likely to occur, and how much of each mineral commodity may exist in them,” said USGS director Mark Myers. The USGS, in cooperation with the Afghan government, released an oil and gas resources assessment in May 2007. For more information, visit the Web sites: http://afghanistan.cr.usgs.gov and http://www.bgs.ac.uk/afghanminerals/.
The Companion Animal Bonding Scale: Internal Reliability and Construct Validity

The literature on the relationship of companion animals and children shows only a weak effect of human-animal bonding on child development. The use of “pet ownership” or cohabitation rather than the relationship or interaction between the child and the animal as a measure of bonding appears to be a serious and limiting deficiency, which impaired the empirical evidence concerning the development and effects of human-animal bonding. The Companion Animal Bonding Scale is an 8-item behavioral scale describing the extent of child-animal activities. The scale was administered by questionnaire with a childhood focus and a contemporary focus to 121 high school and college students. The Cronbach alpha estimates of internal reliability were 0.82 and 0.77, respectively. Construct validity was indicated by significant correlations between scores on the Pet Attitude Scale and the childhood and contemporary bonding scale of .39 and .40, respectively.
Near-equatorial eddies off South America

A considerable amount of the Amazon River water that is discharged into the equatorial Atlantic is then advected northward along the shelf by the strong North Brazil Current (NBC). Being relatively fresh, this water remains in the near-surface layer and can serve as an excellent tracer for the complex and variable flow of the offshore mesoscale eddies. Both surface salinity observations and CZCS (Coastal Zone Color Scanner) imagery can be mapped to estimate the circulation patterns of the eddies. Presented here are two sets of XBT (expendable bathythermograph) sections that give the thermal structure of eddies off the Demerara Rise (6–9°N). They were occupied nearly contemporaneously with CZCS imagery obtained during October 1980 and November 1981. Several studies have shown from ship drift data, from CZCS observations, and from Geosat altimetry that, particularly during late summer and fall, the NBC is found to retroflect offshore to the east, supplying the North Equatorial Counter Current (NECC) and is associated with eddies along the coast. Good agreement is shown between the CZCS and a NAVOCEANO AXBT (airborne bathythermograph) survey during this period as well as observations of surface phytoplankton and geopotential anomaly from an earlier 1964 survey. Estimates of volume transport within the eddy structure indicate that at times the offshore retroflection during spring as well as autumn can amount to 10 × 106 m3 s−1. The pronounced eddy variability off South America is shown by comparing a number of past hydrographic surveys. These suggest that considerable spatial variability can occur as can seasonal changes in volume transport of the NBC and the associated eddy circulation.
Discharge Characteristics of Some Copper Oxide‐Magnesium Thermal Cells

Improved service life through reduction of self discharges in copper oxide-magnesium thermal cells
Analysis of Compression Behavior of a [011] TA Single Crystal with Orientation Imaging Microscopy and Crystal Plasticity

High-purity tantalum single crystal cylinders oriented with [011] parallel to the cylinder axis were deformed 10, 20, and 30 percent in compression. The engineering stress-strain curve exhibited an up-turn at strains greater than {approximately}20% while the samples took on an ellipsoidal shape during testing, elongated along the [100] direction with almost no dimensional change along [0{bar 1}1]. Two orthogonal planes were selected for characterization using Orientation Imaging Microscopy (OIM): one plane containing [100] and [011] (longitudinal) and the other in the plane containing [0{bar 1}1] and [011] (transverse). OIM revealed patterns of alternating crystal rotations that develop as a function of strain and exhibit evolving length scales. The spacing and magnitude of these alternating misorientations increases in number density and decreases in spacing with increasing strain. Classical crystal plasticity calculations were performed to simulate the effects of compression deformation with and without the presence of friction. The calculated stress-strain response, local lattice reorientations, and specimen shape are compared with experiment.
ELEVATION OF CEREBROSPINAL FLUID CHOLINE LEVELS BY NICOTINAMIDE INVOLVES THE ENZYMATIC FORMATION OF N1-METHYLNICOTINAMIDE IN BRAIN TISSUE

Abstract Nicotinamide administration can elevate plasma and brain choline levels and produce a marginal increase in striatal acetylcholine levels in the rat. We now report that subcutaneous nicotinamide produces a substantial and long-lasting rise in asternal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of choline in free-moving rats, possibly through the enzymatic formation of N 1 -methylnicotinamide (NMN) in brain. CSF choline levels peaked 2 hours after nicotinamide administration and were accompanied by increases in striatal, cortical, hippocampal and plasma choline levels. The enzymatic formation of [ 3 H]NMN in rat brain was evaluated by incubating aliquots of rat brain cytosol with unlabelled nicotinamide and the methyl donor [ 3 H]S-adenosylmethionine. High performance liquid chromatography and radiochemical detection demonstrated that [ 3 H]NMN was specifically formed by a brain cytosolic enzyme. The production of [ 3 H]NMN was dependent on exogenous nicotinamide and could be prevented by denaturing the cytosol. The metabolism of nicotinamide to NMN in rat brain may explain the rise in CSF choline levels since NMN, a quaternary amine, can inhibit choline transport at the choroid villus and reduce choline clearance.
Plant [delta]-Aminolevulinic Acid Dehydratase (Expression in Soybean Root Nodules and Evidence for a Bacterial Lineage of the Alad Gene)

We isolated a soybean (Glycine max) cDNA encoding the heme and chlorophyll synthesis enzyme [delta]-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) dehydratase by functional complementation of an Escherichia coli hemB mutant, and we designated the gene Alad. ALA dehydratase was strongly expressed in nodules but not in uninfected roots, although Alad mRNA was only 2- to 3-fold greater in the symbiotic tissue. Light was not essential for expression of Alad in leaves of dark-grown etiolated plantlets as discerned by mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity levels; hence, its expression in subterranean nodules was not unique in that regard. The data show that soybean can metabolize the ALA it synthesizes in nodules, which argues in favor of tetrapyrrole formation by the plant host in that organ. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of ALA dehydratases from 11 organisms indicated that plant and bacterial enzymes have a common lineage not shared by animals and yeast. We suggest that plant ALA dehydratase is descended from the bacterial endosymbiont ancestor of chloroplasts and that the Alad gene was transferred to the nucleus during plant evolution.
Barack Obama's “Authentic Self” as a Spiritual Warrior: Discipleship to the Apostolic

The rhetoric of Barack Obama is characterized by Biblical references, quotations, and images. In a global context, Obama's 2009 speech in Cairo, Egypt, which contributed to his being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in religion in 2009, honored 3 major religious traditions, as he read from the Bible, the Talmud, and the Koran. Building on the religious framing of Barack Obama's rhetoric as jeremiad by communication scholars, this article asserts the view that Barack Obama's rhetoric also finds meaningful contextualization in religious apostolic framing, a theology-as-practice framing that reflects his personal values. Pauline theology and apocalyptic discourse images lend support to this article's theses. Obama was “called” by destiny to be all that he has become, a public leader with an apostolic vision that was ontologically predictable by his early personality and “authentic self” as a “spiritual warrior.” My reading of Obama is a case in cultural rhetoric.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal effects on plant water relations and soil greenhouse gas emissions under changing moisture regimes

Abstract Increased nutrient and/or water uptake by AM symbiosis may affect soil biochemical properties and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. A greenhouse experiment was carried out to compare mycorrhizal tomato (76R MYC) and its non-mycorrhizal mutant ( rmc ) on the CO 2 and N 2 O emissions from an organically-managed soil. Plants were grown for 10 weeks in pots with compost amended soil and subjected to two consecutive dry down cycles to simulate changing moisture regimes in the field. Dry downs were applied gradually through controlled watering treatments. The effects of AM and soil moisture in GHG emissions were assessed in root in-growth PVC cylinders installed in the pots. Gas samples were taken from the cylinders using static chambers 4 h after each watering event. Photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance of the plants were assessed after watering using a field portable open flow infra-red gas analyzer. Soil moisture was monitored throughout the experiment. Plant biomass and total shoot N, P and K as well as soil content of DON, DOC, NH 4 + –N, NO 3 − –N and microbial biomass C, were assessed at harvest. For the same shoot growth and nutrient content, rmc plants allocated more resources to root biomass than mycorrhizal plants. AM symbiosis improved the capacity of the plants to adapt to changing soil moisture, increasing photosynthetic rates and stomatal conductance at high soil moisture but decreasing them when soil moisture was lower. In addition AM symbiosis helped to regulate N 2 O emissions at high soil moisture. Control over N 2 O emissions by AM plants seemed to be driven by a higher use of soil water and not by increased N uptake.
Theory of the libration of the moon

In 1693, Jean Dominique Cassini disclosed his finding that the rotational motion of the Moon could be neatly described by the superposition of two uniform motions, a prograde rotation of the Moon about its polar axis and a retrograde precession of the Moon's equator along the ecliptic. The description of these motions is now called Cassini's laws. The theoretical explanation of Cassini's laws shows that physical librations with amplitudes less than 0″.5, as seen from the Earth, must also exist. Until 1970, the physical librations were just marginally discernible, and the dynamical theory was developed to a level far superior to the quality of the observations. In 1970 the resolution of libration observations jumped by a factor of 104 over earlier techniques, and existing theories became inadequate for analyzing the observations. This paper presents a new semianalytic libration theory that is of use for analyzing observations. In this development the Moon is assumed to be either rigid, elastic or anelastic, and its gravity potential is represented through its fourth-degree harmonics. The Moon is considered to be moving about the Earth in an orbit that is perturbed by the Sun (the ALE of Deprit, Henrard and Rom), and by the planets and the figures of the Earth and Moon (from the ILE, principally derived by Brown). The direct effects of the rotation of the plane of the ecliptic and the figure of the Earth are also considered. Tables for physical libration variables are tabulated which are truncated at 0″.010.
Compressible laminar boundary layers with large acceleration and cooling

The paper extends an approximate prediction method involving the integral form of the momentum equation to deduce the flow quantities of interest when compressibility effects become important and heat transfer may occur. The approximate method is applicable to a two-dimensional laminar boundary layer on an impermeable surface of negligible curvature for a specified integral momentum equation. The proposed approximate method involves the use of similar solutions in conjunction with the integral momentum equation for isentropic freestream flow of a perfect gas by assuming that viscosity is proportional to stagnation condition and Prandtl number is unity. The study pertains to larger values of acceleration (acceleration parameter to 20 rather than 2) than previously considered to account for rapidly accelerating flows such as in supersonic nozzles. A discussion of some applications confirms the advantages of the method in establishing better confidence in the predictions.
On the higher-order Kerr effect in femtosecond filaments

A recent experiment probing the electronic nonlinearity in the femtosecond filament indicated that the optical Kerr effect not only saturates but even changes its sign at high intensities and thus switches from self-focusing to a strongly defocusing regime. Here we examine, through simulations and experiment, some implications of such a behavior. We perform comparative simulations based on the standard model on one hand and on a model implementing the intensity-dependent Kerr effect on the other. Comparison with an experiment provides a strong indication that of these two Kerr-effect models the standard model is better in capturing the observed length of the filament. However, neither of the models can reproduce length and filament radius. Possible implications are discussed.
Improving teacher candidates' knowledge of phonological awareness: A multimedia approach

Knowledge of phonological awareness (PA) and how to teach students to develop PA is an important component of teacher preparation given its role in learning to read. We believe multimedia can play a key role in improving how educators acquire, master, and prepare to implement evidence-based reading instruction in any nation. One multimedia-based instructional practice, Content Acquisition Podcasts (CAPs), utilizes Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (2009) to ensure the looks and sounds of instruction help reduce extraneous cognitive load while maximizing active cognitive processes. In this empirical study, researchers randomly assigned 148 participants (education and non-education university students) to either watch a CAP or read a practitioner friendly article on PA and PA instruction. The dependent variable is an instrument that measures knowledge- and skill-based items related to PA and PA instruction. Results demonstrate a significant main effect and large effect size for the CAP group on the posttest and, several weeks later, a maintenance probe. Findings indicate that multimedia instructional tools, such as CAPs, may benefit undergraduates as they acquire necessary knowledge and skills that underwrite advanced practices for teaching students in general and special education settings.
Geometric considerations for distribution of sensors in ad-hoc sensor networks

Ad-hoc sensor networks need to create their own network after deployment. Various schemes have been suggested for sensors to create a better coverage pattern than if they are randomly deployed. A better coverage pattern translates into a geometry of having disks cover an area completely and even redundantly. In this paper, we present two coverage arrangements which turn out to be equivalent to grid lattice arrangements and analyze their efficacy.
Labor Relations: Development, Structure, Process

The article reviews the book “Labor Relations: Development, Structure, Process,” by John A. Fossum.
Variations in parthenolide content and daily dose of feverfew products

Variations in the parthenolide content of feverfew products available to consumers were studied. Feverfew products were analyzed for the content of parthenolide, the purported active component. The actual weight of feverfew was determined only in those products containing dried feverfew leaf. The total daily doses of feverfew leaf and parthenolide were calculated by using the instructions on each product label. Parthenolide content was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The quantity of feverfew leaf in each capsule was similar to that stated on the label and ranged from 25 to 500 mg. Parthenolide content per dosage form varied 150-fold (from 0.02 to 3.0 mg), while percent parthenolide varied 5.3-fold (from 0.14% to 0.74%). If a person consumed the daily dose recommended on the label, intake of dried feverfew leaf would range from 225 to 2246 mg/day, a 10-fold variation, while intake of parthenolide would range from 0.06 to 9.7 mg/day, a 160-fold variation. Large variations were observed in the parthenolide contents and daily intake as recommended by the labeling in commercial feverfew products.
Competitive nonlinear tariffs

Abstract This paper generalizes the study of nonlinear tariffs, i.e., those depending nonlinearly on the quantity purchased, to the case of a symmetric oligopoly. Competitive equilibria and the corresponding tariffs are analyzed in a Cournot framework. Various equilibria are obtained, which depend both upon the number of competing suppliers and the choice of market parameters used to characterize the competitors' strategies. Buyers are classified by type, each selecting an optimal consumption level in response to the prevailing tariff. The phenomena of buyer self-selection found in monopoly nonlinear pricing and the scaling of equilibrium demand elasticity found in Cournot models both appear in the results.
A cortical recording platform utilizing μECoG electrode arrays

Clinical applications of brain implantable devices for recording and interpreting electrical signals from the cortex have grown rapidly in the last decade. For long-term cortical recording, a micro-electrocorticographic (μECoG) electrode and universal platform were developed and evaluated. The electrode diameters and inter-electrode distances of the new device are on the order of 100 s of μm, significantly smaller than general ECoG grids, and do not require penetrating the brain. Acute recordings from the device demonstrated that independent brain activity could be recorded from electrodes with a spatial resolution of 1 mm.
Multiagent Learning Using a Variable Learning Rate

Abstract Learning to act in a multiagent environment is a difficult problem since the normal definition of an optimal policy no longer applies. The optimal policy at any moment depends on the policies of the other agents. This creates a situation of learning a moving target. Previous learning algorithms have one of two shortcomings depending on their approach. They either converge to a policy that may not be optimal against the specific opponents' policies, or they may not converge at all. In this article we examine this learning problem in the framework of stochastic games. We look at a number of previous learning algorithms showing how they fail at one of the above criteria. We then contribute a new reinforcement learning technique using a variable learning rate to overcome these shortcomings. Specifically, we introduce the WoLF principle, “Win or Learn Fast”, for varying the learning rate. We examine this technique theoretically, proving convergence in self-play on a restricted class of iterated matrix games. We also present empirical results on a variety of more general stochastic games, in situations of self-play and otherwise, demonstrating the wide applicability of this method.
Genetic parameter identification of the Doyle-Fuller-Newman model from experimental cycling of a LiFePO 4 battery

This paper examines the identification of the parameters of the Doyle-Fuller-Newman electrochemistry-based Lithium-ion battery model from voltage and current cycling data. The battery used in this study has a lithium iron phosphate cathode chemistry intended for high-power applications such as plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. The variables optimized for model identification include parameterizations of the model's anode equilibrium potential, cathode equilibrium potential, and solution conductivity. A genetic algorithm is used to optimize these model parameters against experimental data. The resulting identified model fits two experimental data sets used for system identification, as well as separate validation data sets corresponding to five different vehicle drive cycles. These drive cycles simulate the current a battery would undergo while used in a plug-in hybrid vehicle battery pack. The accuracy of the parameters is investigated using various validation data sets. This is believed to be the first attempt at fitting nearly all of the parameters and functions in the DFN model simultaneously using only voltage and current data. Computational logistics of using a genetic algorithm to identify 88 parameters of an electrochemistry-based model for 7.5 hours of cycling data are discussed. In addition, a detailed analysis of local parameter identifiability is presented.
Optimal Maneuvering of Seismic Sensors for Localization of Subsurface Targets

We consider the problem of detecting and locating subsurface objects by using a maneuvering array that receives scattered seismic surface waves. We demonstrate an adaptive system that moves an array of receivers according to an optimal positioning algorithm that is based on the theory of optimal experiments. The goal is to minimize the number of distinct measurements (array movements) needed to localize objects such as buried landmines. The adaptive localization algorithm has been tested using data collected in a laboratory facility. The performance of the algorithm is exhibited for cases with one or two targets and in the presence of common types of clutter such as rocks in the soil. Results are also shown for a case where the propagation properties of the medium vary spatially. In these tests, the landmines were located using three or four array movements. It is envisioned that future systems could incorporate this new method into a portable mobile mine-location system
Wnt signaling in osteoblasts and bone diseases

Recent revelations that the canonical Wnt signaling pathway promotes postnatal bone accrual are major advances in our understanding of skeletal biology and bring tremendous promise for new therapeutic treatments for osteoporosis and other diseases of altered bone mass. Wnts are soluble glycoproteins that engage receptor complexes composed of Lrp5/6 and Frizzled proteins. A subgroup of Wnts induces a cascade of intracellular events that stabilize beta-catenin, facilitating its transport to nuclei where it binds Lef1/Tcf transcription factors and alters gene expression to promote osteoblast expansion and function. Natural extracellular Wnt antagonists, Dickkopfs and secreted frizzled-related proteins, impair osteoblast function and block bone formation. In several genetic disorders of altered skeletal mass, mutations in LRP5 create gain-of-function or loss-of-function receptors that are resistant to normal regulatory mechanisms and cause higher or lower bone density, respectively. In this review, we summarize the available molecular, cellular, and genetic data that demonstrate how Lrp5 and other components of the Wnt signaling pathway influence osteoblast proliferation, function, and survival. We also discuss regulatory mechanisms discovered in developmental and tumor models that may provide insights into novel therapies for bone diseases.
Facts, truth conditions, and the skeptical solution to the rule-following paradox

Etude du probleme de l'interpretation de la conception des faits sur laquelle reposent a la fois l'argument sceptique de Kripke inspire du paradoxe du suivre la regle chez Wittgenstein et la solution sceptique qu'il propose. Examinant la tension entre la definition naturelle et minimale des faits, d'une part, et la definition d'un role explicatif des faits dans les theories de la signification et de la comprehension, d'autre part, l'A. propose une version non-descriptive et une version anti-conditions de verite de la solution sceptique, avant de mesurer la possibilite meme d'une interpretation unique et coherente du texte de Kripke
Compensation of slice profile mismatch in combined spin- and gradient-echo echo-planar imaging pulse sequences

Combined acquisition of gradient-echo and spin-echo signals in MRI time series reveals additional information for perfusion-weighted imaging and functional MRI because of differences in the sensitivity of gradient-echo and spin-echo measurements to the properties of the underlying vascular architecture. The acquisition of multiple echo trains within one time frame facilitates the simultaneous estimation of the transversal relaxation parameters R2 and R2*. However, the simultaneous estimation of these parameters tends to be incorrect in the presence of slice profile mismatches between signal excitation and subsequent refocusing pulses. It is shown here that improvements in pulse design reduced R2 and R2* estimation errors. Further improvements were achieved by augmented parameter estimation through the introduction of an additional parameter δ to correct for discordances in slice profiles to facilitate more quantitative measurements. Moreover, the analysis of time-resolved acquisitions revealed that the temporal stability of R2 estimates could be increased with improved pulse design, counteracting low contrast-to-noise ratios in spin-echo-based perfusion and functional MRI.
Milton Friedman and the Genesis of Inflation Tax Analysis

This essay argues that Milton Friedman’s initial exposition of the inflation tax on money was flawed. Ironically, the flaw traces to Friedman’s attempt to shoehorn the tax into a Keynesian (circa 1936) setting. While the subsequent inflation tax literature has never acknowledged the flaw, it also never utilized a Keynesian setting to exposit the tax.
Temporal deletion of Arl13b reveals that a mispatterned neural tube corrects cell fate over time

Cilia are necessary for sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, which is required to pattern the neural tube. We know that ventral neural cell fates are defined by a specific cohort of transcription factors that are induced by distinct thresholds of Shh activity mediated by opposing gradients of Gli activator (GliA) and Gli repressor (GliR). Despite this understanding, the role of Shh as an instructive morphogen is viewed as increasingly complex, with current models integrating positive inputs in terms of ligand concentration and time, along with negative feedback via the downstream gene regulatory network. To investigate the relative contributions of the positive and negative inputs from Shh signaling in neural patterning, we took advantage of a protein that uncouples the regulation of GliA and GliR: the cilia protein ADP-ribosylation factor-like 13b (Arl13b). By deleting Arl13b in mouse, we induced low-level constitutive GliA function at specific developmental stages and defined a crucial period prior to E10.5 when shifts in the level of GliA cause cells to change their fate. Strikingly, we found that improperly patterned cells in these mice converted to the wild-type pattern by E12.5. We further showed that the recovery of patterning did not occur when we also deleted Gli3, the primary GliR in the neural tube, revealing a crucial role of Gli3 in the maintenance of neural patterning.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever-Treatment and Preventive Strategies

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever is a tick-borne viral disease reported from more than 30 countries in Africa, Asia, South-East Europe, and the Middle East. The majority of human cases are workers in livestock industry, agriculture, slaughterhouses, and veterinary practice. The current mortality rate in endemic areas varies between 5 to 20 percent depending on the geographic location and medical supportive treatment. Unfortunately, there is currently no FDA-approved vaccine for prevention or specific antiviral drug for the treatment of CCHF. Ribavirin, effective against CCHFV in vitro, is one of the few options for treatment of CCHFV, but its efficacy is still questionable due to contradictory clinical studies. The efficacy of other options including Intravenous Immuneglobulin (IVIG), steroids, CCHF hyperimmuneglobulin, and CCHF monoclonal antibodies is still controversial.
Analysis of printed wiring board assembly systems

A model is presented for predicting the cost of manufacturing printed wiring boards. The model represents manufacturing systems currently in use in the industry. The model concentrates on surface-mount technology, using a mixture of automatic, programmable-assembly and manual-assembly techniques. The model includes elements to account for inventory, assembly, and test and rework costs. The model also considers the effect of introducing a component type on total manufacturing cost. >
The Role of SPS, MPSA, and Chloride in Additive Systems for Copper Electrodeposition

This paper documents an experimental study to compare the behavior of bis-(3-sodiumsulfopropyl) disulfide (SPS)-Cl-polyethylene glycol (PEG) and 3-mercaptopropanesulfonic acid sodium salt (MPSA)-Cl-PEG additive systems during copper electrodeposition. These systems are analogous to those used industrially to plate copper lines onto integrated circuits. Galvanostatic experiments show that in the absence of chloride ion, either SPS or MPSA added to the plating solution inhibited copper deposition. Upon the addition of Cl - , a rapid transition from inhibition to acceleration was observed for both additives, illustrating the critical role played by the chloride ion in these systems. Potentiostatic experiments performed for the Cl-PEG-SPS and Cl-PEG-MPSA additive systems show that the potential dependency of the Cl-PEG-SPS system was much stronger than that of the MPSA-Cl-PEG system. Differences between the SPS and MPSA additive systems suggest that acceleration may occur through an MPSA pathway. Finally, results with chemical compounds similar to MPSA indicate that the thiol group is associated with inhibition and that a synergistic accelerating relationship exists between the sulfonate group and chloride, presumably due to complex formation.
Dual-polarized slot-coupled patch antennas on Duroid with teflon lenses for 76.5-GHz automotive radar systems

A dual-polarized 76.5-GHz microstrip patch and teflon lens antenna system was designed, constructed, and tested. A receiver (RX) array of three dual-polarized microstrip patches was coupled through a 10-cm-diameter lens to produce radiation patterns with 3/spl deg/ beamwidths and beam crossovers of -3 dB. The transmitter (TX) consisted of a single dual-polarized microstrip patch coupled through a 2.5-cm-diameter lens to produce a 10/spl deg/ beamwidth. Slot-coupled patches were used to isolate the microstrip feed circuit from the radiating elements. The antennas and feeds were fabricated on commercially available 5880 Duriod substrates. Cross-polarization levels were less than -20 dB and were typically less than -30 dB over the entire beam at the design frequency. First sidelobe levels were no greater than -15 dB and were typically closer to -20 dB. Stepped and unstepped versions of the 10-cm-diameter receive lens were designed and fabricated. Antenna system sidelobes levels were lower with the stepped lens while the cross-polarization levels were comparable.
Probing structural elements in RNA using engineered disulfide cross-links

Three analogs of unmodified yeast tRNAPhe, each possessing a single disulfide cross-link, have been designed and synthesized. One cross-link is between G1 and C72 in the amino acid acceptor stem, a second cross-link is in the central D region of yeast tRNAPhe between C11 and C25 and the third cross-link bridges U16 and C60 at the D loop/T loop interface. Air oxidation to form the cross-links is quantitative and analysis of the cross-linked products by native and denaturing PAGE, RNase T1 mapping, Pb(II) cleavage, UV cross-linking and thermal denaturation demonstrates that the disulfide bridges do not alter folding of the modified tRNAs relative to the parent sequence. The finding that cross-link formation between thiol-derivatized residues correlates with the position of these groups in the crystal structure of native yeast tRNAPhe and that the modifications do not significantly perturb native structure suggests that this methodology should be applicable to the study of RNA structure, conformational dynamics and folding pathways.
Copyediting versus grading-an alternative approach for critiquing students' work

The author's grading strategy in an upper-division technical writing course is documented. Students taking the course plan technical communication careers. They complete 50 pages of editing exercises and generate more than 75 pages of double-spaced copy for eight assignments. The author responds to students' work in several ways: (1) personalized memos and extended handwritten comments, (2) marginal handwritten comments and questions, (3) internal copyediting of student manuscripts, (4) individual conferences, and (5) assignment of a grade. When editing student assignments, criticism is provided of content, communication effectiveness, and appearance. For content, the accuracy, consistency, logic, and evidence are evaluated. For communication effectiveness, the appropriateness of the narrative and visuals for the audiences, organization, clarity, and conciseness are evaluated, and for appearance, checks are made for spelling, mechanics, stylebook, and format errors. >
Another look at chemical immobilization of raccoons (Procyon lotor) with ketamine hydrochloride.

Forty-one wild raccoons (Procyon lotor) were captured in Kentucky (USA) and immobilized with 7 to 16 mg/kg of ketamine hydrochloride, January to May 1987. Eight raccoons had muscle tremors in response to ketamine, but recovered with no other observable adverse effects. Mean (±SD) induction and duration of immobilization times were 3.2 ± 1.8 and 42.3 ± 14.5 minutes, respectively. Based on multiple regression analysis, the interaction of sex (P = 0.0030), body mass (P = 0.0036), dose (P = 0.0159), and the interaction of sex × dose (P = 0.0030) and body mass × dose (P = 0.0021) had a significant effect on the duration of raccoon immobilization.
Broadening the Audience for Computational Thinking:Graduate Student Consortium

The fifth annual graduate consortium at VL/HCC addresses the question: How can researchers and designers of end-user development environments better address the needs of an increasingly diverse population?
Anisotropic Mn-Al-(C) hot-deformed bulk magnets

In this work, bulk anisotropic Mn-Al-(C) magnets have been produced by hot-deforming arc-melted alloys. The hot-deformed magnets develop a texture in a plane perpendicular to the deformation direction. Optimum magnetic properties have been obtained in a magnet with nominal composition Mn53.5Al44.5C2 with values of remnant magnetization, coercivity, and energy product of 2.2 kOe, 3.3 kG, and 1.8 MGOe, respectively. A maximum coercivity of 2.8 kOe has been obtained in the magnet with composition Mn54.5Al43.5C2. Addition of C is effective in increasing the coercivity of the substituted alloy.
Family Assessment and Intervention for Physicians

Most symptoms or illnesses evolve in a social context: understanding the social context of the presenting problem is critical to biopsychosocial formulation and treatment planning. Families (including nonrelative significant others) can help in identifying history, precipitants, and potential future obstacles to the management of presenting problems and thereby significantly impact ongoing treatment. How a patient with an illness interacts with his or her significant others and how they in turn interact with the patient has a significant impact on the duration of the presenting problems, their likelihood of resolving and recurring over time.
Social Construction as Fantasy: Reconsidering Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann’s The Social Construction of Reality after 50 Years:

Ever since Berger and Luckmann published their treatment of the sociology of knowledge in 1966, older versions of the subfield have languished, been forgotten, or misrepresented, as if The Social Construction of Reality (SCR) eliminated the need to study its predecessors in Wissenssoziologie. By considering Berger’s subsequent statements about the book, along with remarks recently made by Luckmann, and then returning to the text itself, this article shows that some of the main suppositions on which SCR rests are foreign to the sociology of knowledge in its original forms, and that a number of these premises do not seem as plausible in today’s social world as they may have in the early 1960s when their authors formulated them. The unintended scholarly results of SCR’s surprising publishing success are evaluated.
Through Hmong America: A Bibliographic Journey

Since 1975, the Hmong people have actively woven their presence into the social, economic, and political fabric of the United States. In little more than three decades they have endured the trauma of refugee displacement to forge new lives and livelihoods within both the urban centers and rural towns of the United States. As a consequence, the Hmong presence can also be found in the growing literature and research that has surfaced in libraries, special repositories, and in the mainstream and ethnic press.
Changes in Forest Canopy Structure along a Site Quality Gradient in Southern Wisconsin

The foliage-height profiles of 13 forest stands in southern Wisconsin were measured using a vertical point sampling technique. Sites were selected to repre- sent a wide range of soil and vegetational conditions. An ordination of profiles yielded a continuum in vertical structure paralleling a continuous change in species composition and soil moisture status. The profiles were used to test hypotheses on canopy structure relating to net energy capture under different levels of moisture stress. Canopies on the mesic end of the moisture gradient showed the hypothesized shift from multilayer to monolayer with increasing moisture availability. Stands on the xeric end of the gradient included a significant shrub layer which caused a divergence from the hypothesized trends leading essentially to a double layer structure.
A Theorem on Reciprocal Polynomials with Applications to Permutations and Compositions

A polynomial f(x) = an xn +… + ao is called reciprocal if f(x) = xnf(l/x); it is called unimodal reciprocal if in addition ai,- ai-1,>0 for 1 < I < n/2. It is here proved that the product of two re...
Neurobiological Bases of Executive Function and Social-Emotional Development: Typical and Atypical Brain Changes

Neuroscience research has uncovered dynamic brain changes during typical and atypical development. Although these neurobiological processes have been recognized in behaviors such as reading and learning, they are applicable as well to children's self-regulation, decision making, and sociomoral behavior. In this article the authors focus on brain systems mediating these complex aspects of human development and highlight the key role of the prefrontal cortex. This region is unique in size, anatomy, and physiology in humans and requires multiple decades to mature. It is sensitive to social influences and underlies much of our social cognition and emotions, shared cultural values, and goal-oriented approach to life. Influences on executive and sociomoral processes include early parental nurturing, socioeconomic adversity, social modeling, and schooling. When prefrontal cortex and related systems are disrupted because of injury, stress, or disease, executive and sociomoral difficulties can surface and be challenging to remediate, although researchers continue to examine treatment options.
OC14 Reliability and validity of a linear position transducer for strength assessment

Validity, precision and reliability in power, strength and movement velocity measurements are fundamental characteristics for assessing sport performance in many sport disciplines. The main variables traditionally considered in strength training for stimulus control have been the type and order of exercises, the number of sets and repetitions, the intensity or training workload and the recovery time (Kraemer and Ratamess, 2004, MSSE, 36: 674–688). Movement velocity is another factor that may be useful for assessing and monitoring resistance training (Gonzalez-Badillo and Sanchez-Medina, 2010, IJSM , 31 : 347–2) characterising the type of neuromuscular response and the subsequent adaptations (Sanchez-Medina and Gonzalez-Badillo, 2011, MSSE , 43 :1725–34). The aim of this study was to test the validity and reliability of a Chronojump linear position transducer (CLPT) (Chronojump, Barcelona, Spain) compared to a reliable and validated one (T-Force System, Ergotech, Murcia, Spain). 19884 repetitions were analysed with two devices in order to compare the average velocity (AV) and average power (AP) measurements obtained with the two systems. An isoinertial dynamometer (T-Force Dynamic Measurement System ® , Ergotech, Murcia, Spain) was used as a reference instrument to compare with the CLPT. For this purpose, bench press (BP) and back squat (BS) were selected, and validity and reliability were studied. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for validity assessment were very high, with values ranging from 0.925 to 0.988. The absolute bias was calculated for AV and AP. Mean absolute bias were 0.018% (±0.001) and 0.024% (±0.027) for AV and AP, respectively. Correlations between the two devices were highly significant for AV and AP (r 0.99, p
Inelastic collisions of solitons in optical fibers

We study the interaction between two solitons from different frequency channels in an optical fiber in the presence of third order dispersion (TOD). We find that the amplitude of the emitted radiation is proportional to d3/Ω2, where d3 is the TOD coefficient and Ω is the inter-channel frequency difference. The source term for this radiation is identical to the one that would be generated by a variation with respect to distance along the fiber of the second order dispersion coefficient.