cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adapting Big-Step Semantics to Small-Step Style

We adapt Kahn-style (“big-step”) natural semantics to take on desirable aspects of small-step and denotational semantics forms, more precisely: (i) the ability to express divergent computations; (ii) the ability to reason about the (length of a) computation of a derivation; and (Hi) the ability to compute upon and reason about higher-order values. To accomplish these results, we extend the classical, inductive interpretation of natural semantics with coinduction mechanisms and use “negative” rules to express divergence. A simple reformatting of the syntax of derivations allows a simple description of the “length” of a derivation. Finally, the receding of closure values into denotational-semantics-like functions lets one embed derivations within closures that embed within derivations; in this sense, the semantics becomes “higher order.” Examples are given to support the definitional developments.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE TRANSPORT OF PROTEINS BY THE ISOLATED CHOROID PLEXUS.

1. The passage of fluorescein labeled as well as radioactive I131 labeled albumin and gamma globulin into the choroid plexus of the chick and rabbit was studiedin vitro. 2. Incubations in solutions of fluorescent tracers [fluorescein labeled albumin (FLA), fluorescein labeled gamma globulin (FLGG), and Strophanthin K] revealed two patterns of uptake by the isolated chick choroid plexus characterized by either predominant stromal or epithelial uptake. 3. At room temperature FLA and Strophanthin K were shown to penetrate rapidly into the stroma without any visible accumulation of these tracers in the choroidal epithelium. This stromal passage revealed features compatible with active transport, i.e. effect of low temperature and of metabolic inhibitors. 4. The capacity for the stromal uptake of FLA by the chick choroid plexus was shown to develop between the 9th and 13th days of embryonic life. No penetration of FLGG into the chick choroid plexus was observed at any stage. 5. The incubations in fluorescent proteins and Strophanthin K with addition of unlabeled gamma globulin resulted in intense uptake of these tracers by the choroidal epithelium. No such effect was achieved in incubations with addition of unlabeled albumin. 6. The observations on the uptake of radioactive albumin and gamma globulin by the rabbit choroid plexus revealed that radioactive iodinated human serum albumin (RIHSA) uptake was inhibited by low temperature and by metabolic inhibitors whereas the uptake of radioactive iodinated human serum gamma globulin (RIHSGG) was reduced by low temperature only. 7. The significance of these observations particularly with reference to the possible role of active transport and pinocytosis is discussed.
Comment on "synthesis, characterization, and structures of persistent aniline radical cation": it is a protonated aniline and not an aniline radical cation

The same, but different: The reaction of tri-tert-butylaniline (TBA) with AgSbF6 in CH2 Cl2 produces a green-colored intermediate which undergoes decomposition to form a protonated aniline (TBAH(+) SbF6 (-) ). Crystals of the protonated aniline salt were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and found to have the same crystal characteristics as the crystals of the supposed cation radical first identified in 2012.
Re-examination of the photochemistry of anthrone in solution: evidence for highly reactive self-quenching

Abstract Self-quenching of anthrone triplets by the ground state plays an important role in determining the kinetics and products of triplet decay. The reaction occurs with a rate constant of 7.4 × 108 M−1 s−1 in benzene at room temperature and leads to the formation of anthranoxyl and anthrone ketyl radicals. This reaction is more important in benzene than in methanol, where part of the self-quenching involves triplet energy transfer from anthrone to anthranol. The transient spectra of the various intermediates involved have been characterized in detail.
Effect of nutrient supplementation on atopic dermatitis in children: A systematic review of probiotics, prebiotics, formula, and fatty acids

Objective To identify whether nutrient supplementation with probiotics, prebiotics, formula, or fatty acids prevents the development of atopic dermatitis (AD) or reduces the severity of AD in newborns to children younger than 3 years. Data Sources We searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and LILACS (Latin American and Caribbean Health Science Literature) from January 1, 1946, to August 27, 2012, and performed an additional manual search. Study Selection Randomized controlled trials and cohort studies examining nutritional supplementation in prevention and amelioration of AD among children younger than 3 years. Data Extraction Of 92 articles, 21 met inclusion criteria. Data Synthesis In the 21 studies, a total of 6859 participants received supplements, which included infants or mothers who were either pregnant or breastfeeding; 4134 infants or mothers served as controls. Nutritional supplementation was shown to be an effective method in preventing AD (11 of 17 studies) or decreasing its severity (5 of 6 studies). The best evidence lies with probiotics supplementation in mothers and infants in preventing development and reducing severity of AD. Specifically, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG was effective in long-term prevention of AD development. γ-Linolenic acid reduced severity of AD. Supplementation with prebiotics and black currant seed oil (γ-linolenic acid and ω-3 combination) was effective in reducing the development of AD. Conflicting findings were reported from different research groups that performed supplementation with an amino acid–based formula. Conclusions Certain types of nutrient supplementation are beneficial in preventing AD development and reducing its severity. Future research elucidating the mechanisms underlying the actions of nutritional supplementation on AD is necessary.
Gnotobiotic mouse model of phage–bacterial host dynamics in the human gut

Bacterial viruses (phages) are the most abundant biological group on Earth and are more genetically diverse than their bacterial prey/hosts. To characterize their role as agents shaping gut microbial community structure, adult germ-free mice were colonized with a consortium of 15 sequenced human bacterial symbionts, 13 of which harbored one or more predicted prophages. One member, Bacteroides cellulosilyticus WH2, was represented by a library of isogenic transposon mutants that covered 90% of its genes. Once assembled, the community was subjected to a staged phage attack with a pool of live or heat-killed virus-like particles (VLPs) purified from the fecal microbiota of five healthy humans. Shotgun sequencing of DNA from the input pooled VLP preparation plus shotgun sequencing of gut microbiota samples and purified fecal VLPs from the gnotobiotic mice revealed a reproducible nonsimultaneous pattern of attack extending over a 25-d period that involved five phages, none described previously. This system allowed us to (i) correlate increases in specific phages present in the pooled VLPs with reductions in the representation of particular bacterial taxa, (ii) provide evidence that phage resistance occurred because of ecological or epigenetic factors, (iii) track the origin of each of the five phages among the five human donors plus the extent of their genome variation between and within recipient mice, and (iv) establish the dramatic in vivo fitness advantage that a locus within a B. cellulosilyticus prophage confers upon its host. Together, these results provide a defined community-wide view of phage–bacterial host dynamics in the gut.
Dual Diode Array and Fourier Transform Near Infrared Reflectance Spectrometer Calibrations for Composition Analysis of Single Soybean Seeds for Genetic Selection, Cross-Breeding Experiments

Experimental results of extensive evaluations of Diode-Array and FT-NIRS instruments are presented that aim at developing reliable and robust NIR calibrations for single soybean seed composition analysis on both Dual Diode Array and Fourier Transform NIR reflectance instruments. Single soybean seed, bulk, and powder calibrations were developed on four different NIRS spectrometer models that are commercially available.
George W. Bush, Idealist

There is much anger and confused grumbling these days outside the United States—and in Europe in particular—about the character of the Bush administration's foreign policy. Perceived American unilateralism is raising hackles and questions. This article contends that current trends in US foreign policy can be better understood by realizing that many senior Bush administration officials are not ‘realists’, at least as that philosophy of world politics is classically understood. Many of the resulting views—that, for example, threats to security often originate in ideology rather than material strength—are demonstrably correct and even hopeful in their faith in long-term historical trends. But there may be no getting around the essential contradictions required of US foreign policy in an age when America is the leading power, when a new global community of trading democracies is emerging, and yet when a number of distinctly old-style threats to the peace remain very much in evidence. Washington could do more to smooth the edges of those contradictions in order to point up the idealism and hopefulness of US policy.
Serum fetoprotein and malignancy in children.

This study was undertaken to determine the incidence of alpha fetoprotein in the sera of 107 children with various malignancies. Seventy-five of the children had demonstrable tumors while no disease appeared to be present in 32 patients. Serum alpha fetoprotein was detected in seven patients using antiserum to monkey alpha fetoprotein (three with rhabdomyosarcomas, 1 each with neuroblastoma, lymphosarcoma, teratoma, and orchioblastoma). Using antiserum to human alpha fetoprotein, only two of these sera showed reactions of identity with human alpha fetoprotein (malignant teratoma and orchioblastoma). The disappearance of alpha fetoprotein from the serum of one patient correlated with complete surgical removal of the tumor. The protein disappeared from the sera of two children with inoperable tumors following intensive chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The determination of alpha fetoprotein may provide a valuable parameter for the evaluation of the activity of disease in children with certain tumors.
Crystal statistics. I. A two-dimensional model with an order-disorder transition

The partition function of a two-dimensional "ferromagnetic" with scalar "spins" (Ising model) is computed rigorously for the case of vanishing field. The eigenwert problem involved in the corresponding computation for a long strip crystal of finite width ($n$ atoms), joined straight to itself around a cylinder, is solved by direct product decomposition; in the special case $n=\ensuremath{\infty}$ an integral replaces a sum. The choice of different interaction energies ($\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}J,\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}{J}^{\ensuremath{'}}$) in the (0 1) and (1 0) directions does not complicate the problem. The two-way infinite crystal has an order-disorder transition at a temperature $T={T}_{c}$ given by the condition $sinh(\frac{2J}{k{T}_{c}}) sinh(\frac{2{J}^{\ensuremath{'}}}{k{T}_{c}})=1.$ The energy is a continuous function of $T$; but the specific heat becomes infinite as $\ensuremath{-}log |T\ensuremath{-}{T}_{c}|$. For strips of finite width, the maximum of the specific heat increases linearly with $log n$. The order-converting dual transformation invented by Kramers and Wannier effects a simple automorphism of the basis of the quaternion algebra which is natural to the problem in hand. In addition to the thermodynamic properties of the massive crystal, the free energy of a (0 1) boundary between areas of opposite order is computed; on this basis the mean ordered length of a strip crystal is ${(\mathrm{exp} (\frac{2J}{\mathrm{kT}}) tanh(\frac{2{J}^{\ensuremath{'}}}{\mathrm{kT}}))}^{n}.$
Low Complexity Implementations of Sum-Product Algorithm for Decoding Low-Density Parity-Check Codes

In this paper, we propose low complexity implementations of sum-product algorithm (SPA) for decoding low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. The finite precision implementations for SPA have an important tradeoff between the decoding performance and hardware complexity caused by two dominant area consuming factors. One is the memory for updated messages storage and the other is the look-up table (LUT) for implementation of nonlinear function ?(x). The proposed two types of variable quantization schemes result in significant reductions of LUT sizes. Computer simulation results indicate that the performance losses of SPA with reduced LUT by proposed schemes are less than 0.05 dB compared to that of SPA with original LUT. Moreover, the proposed implementation offers a large reduction in the finite wordlength for storage of updated messages using a kind of compression technique without performance losses. As a result, using the proposed implementation based on variable quantization scheme and data compression technique, the novel proposed implementation for SPA decoder architecture offers significant reductions of 75% and 33% in hardware complexities of LUT and memories, respectively, without significant performance degradations over conventional uniform quantization scheme. Furthermore, since each LUT with variable (6:3) quantization scheme II has only 8 entries, its hardware implementation can be replaced with a small combination circuit instead of read-only-memory (ROM) for LUT.
Distribution of mitochondria in echinoderm embryos as determined by electron microscopy

Abstract The distribution of mitochondria in early gastrulae of the sea urchins Lytechinus anamesus and Strongylocentrotus purpuratus and of the sand dollar, Dendraster excentricus, was determined by electron microscopy. Visual inspection of electron micrographs indicated no localization or gradients of mitochondria or other inclusions in embryos of these forms. Calculations of mitochondrial densities show a uniform distribution of mitochondria in animal, equatorial, vegetal and primary mesenchyme cells. In electron micrographs of L. anamesus and D. excentricus, although not in S. purpuratus gastrulae, the mitochondria in the vegetal and mesenchyme cells are larger than those in the equatorial and animal cells. The general appearance of the cells of the early gastrula is described.
d-Band Contributions to the Energy Distribution of Field-Emitted Electrons from Platinum-Group Metals

Experimental field-emission spectra for the principal planes of the fcc transition-group metals (iridium, rhodium, palladium, and platinum) exhibit significant systematic agreement with relativistic augmented-plane-wave band calculations by Andersen. Surface band-edge contraction as well as effects of chemisorbed hydrogen and nitrogen are discussed.
Global solutions for coupled Kuramoto-Sivashinsky-KdV system

We study the global smooth solution for the coupled Kuramoto-Sivanshin-sky-KdV system in two-dimensional space. The model is proposed to describe the surface waves on multi-layered liquid films. The global solution is obtained for general initial data, using an a priori estimate for the nonlinear system, and the smoothness of such solution is established in t > 0.
Design of an Integrated Spatial Information System for Multiobjective Land-Use Planning

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the development of an integrated decision support system that will permit planners to address the multiobjective nature of the sitescreening process. This decision support system will consist of three distinct decisionmaking technologies: a geographical information system (GIS); a rule-based system (RBS); and a multiobjective programming model (MPM). that will be linked together in the form of an integrated spatial information system (ISIS). The result is expected to be a powerful, flexible and interactive decision support system that will assist in the effective planning and management of land resources.
Treatment of Supraventricular Tachycardias by Rapid Atrial Stimulation

In 10 patients, 24 episodes of supraventricular tachycardia were treated by rapid electrical stimulation of the right atrium. One episode of sinus tachycardia, eight episodes of atrial tachycardia, two episodes of atrial flutter, and 13 episodes of A-V junctional tachycardia occurred. In each case the diagnosis of the arrhythmia was documented by obtaining unipolar and bipolar intra-atrial electrograms. In three cases of supraventricular tachycardia the ventricular rate was slowed as a result of an increased atrial rate. The increased atrial rate caused an increase of the functional refractory period of the A-V junction, and thus, fewer atrial impulses were transmitted to the ventricles. In seven cases, 21 episodes of supraventricular tachycardia were terminated by rapid atrial stimulation. In six of these cases the tachycardia was converted to normal sinus rhythm either during or shortly after atrial stimulation. In one case, 12 episodes of A-V junctional tachycardia were converted to rhythms varying bet...
Bacterial genome sequencing in the clinic: bioinformatic challenges and solutions.

Bacterial whole-genome sequencing is showing promise in clinical applications. Here, the authors present their opinions on what the main bioinformatic challenges are in transferring bacterial whole-genome sequencing to medical diagnostics. The potential of bacterial whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to complement existing diagnostic infrastructures in clinical microbiology has been shown in proof-of-principle examples and extensively discussed. However, less attention has been drawn to bioinformatic challenges that are associated with the clinical adoption of WGS-based molecular diagnostics. This Perspective article discusses questions that are related to standard operating procedures, computational resource management, and data storage and integration in the context of recent developments in the sequencing and bioinformatics service markets.
Electric current as a control variable in the electrospinning process

In the electrospinning process submicron-diameter polymer fibers can be produced when a high potential difference is applied to a polymer drop suspended at the tip of a capillary. The electrospinning process is affected by a wide range of parameters, because of which controlling the properties of the fibers is difficult. This is the major hurdle in the development of practical applications of electrospun fibers along with its low productivity. Here we are proposing to use the electric current in the electrospinning process to control the “quality of the fibers”. Electrospinning of a solution of polyacrylonitrile in dimethylformamide (PAN/DMF) was done by applying a programmed variable flow rate at different constant voltages. The electric current in the process was measured in real time. Four types of jet regimes were observed, electric current and the morphology of the fibers corresponding to these regimes were analyzed. A relation between the electric current, type of jet and morphology of the fibers has been established. The mechanical properties of electrospun fiber mats were also measured by a tensile testing method. POLYM. ENG. SCI. 46:954–959, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers
Experimental results of a high gain microwave FEL operating at 140 GHz

Abstract The electron laser facility (ELF) at LLNL has been used to generate high peak powers at 140 GHz, extending the operating range of the device from previous experiments at 35 GHz. With 30 W of input signal, an exponential gain of 21 dB/m and a saturated output power of over 50 MW were measured. Numerical tapering studies indicate that space charge effects at 3.5 MeV were sufficiently large to affect trapping efficiency. Broadband spontaneous emission was observed over a wide range of wiggler fields at frequencies corresponding to FEL resonance. Over 150 MW of spontaneous power was measured near 94 GHz. The results are in good agreement with particle simulation codes.
The use of batch reading to improve the performance of screening mammography.

Objective The objective of our study was to prove that batch reading of screening mammograms can reduce recall rates without sacrificing cancer detection. Materials and methods We analyzed recall rate, cancer detection, minimal cancer detection, detection of low-stage cancer, and tumor size from consecutive screening mammography examinations from October 2001 to July 2003. The initial 7,984 mammograms were interpreted in the midst of a busy breast imaging practice. Although these studies were not read online, the interpretations were often interrupted for telephone calls, procedures, and diagnostic mammograms. The remaining 1,538 studies were interpreted after the institution of dedicated uninterrupted batch reading. Results Recall rates were 20.1% before and 16.2% after the introduction of batch reading (p Conclusion Our experience shows that batch reading can significantly reduce screening mammography recall rates without affecting the cancer detection rate or the proportion of cancers diagnosed with favorable prognostic indicators.
For Whom Do Sanctions Deter and Label

Deterrence and labeling theories make opposing predictions regarding the effect of sanctions on subsequent crime. Deterrence anticipates that sanctions deter, while labeling anticipates that sanctions amplify future crime. The knowledge base with respect to this question is vast, and while a handful of studies provide evidence of a deterrent effect, the majority of studies indicate a null effect. Our study examines whether an arrest leads to an increase in subsequent crime, but extends the knowledge base by considering whether an arrest has the same effect across offender trajectories and by employing techniques that deal with sample selection bias. Thus, we assess for whom sanctions deter or exacerbate subsequent offending. Results indicate that for greater risk youth, arrest amplifies subsequent delinquency, net of other effects, but not among lower risk youth. Thus, experiencing an arrest aggravates subsequent delinquency among some but not all persons. Implications and directions for future research are identified.
THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING: Considerations Following Daubert, Kumho, and Joiner

The legal standards for admissibility of expert testimony have recently been raised following several U.S. Supreme Court decisins. Although forensic mental health experts have relied on psychological testing as a method of data collection for many years, the scientific basis of such testing has traditionally gone unquestioned in court. Given the increased scrutiny currently being applied to expert testimony, it is more important now than ever for attorneys, judges and forensic experts to understand the scientific principles underlying psychological tests. In this article, the scientific principles of validity and reliability are explained, and scientifically acceptable methods for the forensic use of psychological testing are discussed. The application of recent case law to several well-known tests is described.
Type-II endoleaks following endovascular AAA repair: preoperative predictors and long-term effects.

l l Purpose: To determine the significance of persistent type-II endoleaks and whether they can be predicted preoperatively in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Methods: The charts of all AAA patients treated with the AneuRx stent-graft at a single center from 1996 to 1998 were reviewed. Patients with ,12-month follow-up or type-I endoleaks were excluded. The presence or absence of type-II endoleaks was determined from duplex imaging and computed tomographic angiography. Three groups were iden- tified and compared: 16 patients with persistent type-II endoleaks (PE), 14 patients with transient type-II endoleaks (TE), and 16 patients with no endoleak (NE). Results: The groups did not differ with regard to age, preoperative comorbidities, follow- up time, and AAA neck diameter and length. AAA diameters were 57.1 6 9.0 mm for NE, 63.4 6 11.4 mm for TE, and 55.6 6 4.2 mm for PE. The inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) was patent in 5 (31%) NE patients, 6 (43%) TE patients, and 13 (81%) PE patients (p , 0.01). The number of patent lumbar arteries visualized preoperatively was 0.5 6 1.0 in NE, 1.3 6 0.8 in TE, and 2.4 6 0.6 in PE (p , 0.0001). Patent IMAs (RR 0.82, p,0.01) and .2 lumbar arteries (RR 0.40, p , 0.0001) were identified as independent preoperative risk factors for persistent endoleaks. There were no changes in mean diameter or volume in aneurysms with persistent endoleaks. Conclusions: No adverse clinical events were related to the presence of type-II endoleaks, but there was no decrease in aneurysm size in patients with persistent type-II leaks. Pa- tients with a large, patent IMA, or .2 lumbar arteries on preoperative CT angiography are at higher risk for persistent type-II endoleaks. J Endovasc Ther 2001;8:503-510
A game-theoretical approach to some situations in opinion making☆

Abstract : A game theoretical approach of situations in opinion making is presented. The opinions of the members are supposed to be expressed under internal and external pressures which take into account the sincerity of the members and their authority influence. Different cases are considered and conditions for the existence of equilibrium points are derived. Furthermore in the last section, by using the contraction principle in metric spaces, a sufficient condition for the existence of one equilibrium point in a general game is presented. Some examples are outlined.
Female and male student athletes' perceptions of career transition in sport and higher education: a visual elicitation and qualitative assessment

Abstract The termination of a collegiate athletic career is inevitable for all student athletes. The purpose of this study was to explore student athletes' perceptions of the athletic career transition process. One-hundred-andforty- three (n= 143) National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division II student athletes were administered the Life After Sports Scale (LASS) designed by the authors. The LASS is a 58-item mixed method inventory. The scope of this inquiry explored the qualitative section, which examined participants' perceptions that were visually primed with a narrative description of a student athlete who made the transition out of collegiate sport successfully. Three major themes emerged from the participants' responses: Career Path Well Planned, Balancing Academics and Athletics, and Positive Role Model. These themes are discussed in relation to the contextual approach used to explore human enactment in life and career.
Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke and Risk Factors for Heart Disease among Never Smokers in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

The relative risk of coronary artery disease among never smokers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) versus never smokers not exposed to ETS is approximately 1.2 based on more than a dozen epidemiologic studies. Most of these studies have controlled for the major heart disease risk factors, but residual or uncontrolled confounding remains a possible explanation for the epidemiologic findings. The authors studied 3,338 never-smoking adults aged 17 years or older, who are representative of all US never smokers, in the 1988-1991 Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) to determine whether selected risk factors for heart disease differ between ETS-exposed and -nonexposed persons. Both self-reported ETS exposure (at home and at work) and serum cotinine levels were available, the latter reflecting recent ETS exposure. After adjustments were made for age, sex, race, and education among adults aged 17 years or older, no significant differences were found between the ETS exposed and the nonexposed for any of 13 cardiovascular risk factors with the exception of dietary carotene, which was lower among the exposed. On the other hand, significant positive linear trends were found between serum cotinine and two risk factors (body mass index and alcohol consumption), and significant inverse trends were found with dietary carotene. There were also few differences between exposed and nonexposed never smokers among adults aged 40 years or older, who are most at risk of heart disease. In this group, however, there was an inverse linear trend between serum cotinine and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (p < 0.001). This finding could result from ETS exposure rather than be an indication of confounding; a similar inverse trend was found for children, confirming other results in the literature. Overall, these data suggest little potential for confounding by the heart disease risk factors studied here when ETS exposure is determined by self-report.
Size distributions for multivariate morphological granulometries: texture classification and statistical properties

As introduced by Matheron (1975), granulometries depend on a single sizing parameter for each structuring element forming the filter. Size distributions resulting from these granulometries have been used to classify texture by using as features the moments of the resulting pattern spectra. The concept of granulometry is extended in such a way that each structuring element has its own sizing parameter and the size dis- tribution is multivariate. Whereas with univariate granulometries the nor- malized size distribution (pattern spectrum) is easily shown to be a prob- ability distribution function, this proposition is more difficult to show for multivariate granulometries. Its demonstration is the main theoretical re- sult. The classical single-structuring-element granulometries appear as marginal size distributions and the single-parameter multiple-structuring- element granulometries result from setting all parameters equal in a mul- tivariate granulometry. Because of the greatly expanded freedom in choosing parameters, multivariate granulometries can discriminate tex- tures that are indistinguishable using single-parameter granulometries. Texture classification proceeds by taking either the Walsh or moment transform of the multivariate pattern spectrum, obtaining a reduced fea- ture set by applying the Karhunen-Loeve transform to the Walsh or mo- ment features, and classifying textures via a Gaussian maximum- likelihood classifier. For the disjoint multiprimitive random set model, multivariate granulometric moments are represented in terms of sizing- distribution moments and shown to be asymptotically normal. Formulas are given for their asymptotic mean and variance. © 1997 Society of Photo- Optical Instrumentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(97)02705-0)
Massive open online courses (MOOCs): educational innovation or threat to higher education?

MOOCs are receiving the intense attention of the media and, in turn, of academic and industry researchers fascinated by their potential to revolutionize educational access and life-long learning. The presentation introduces MOOCs and traces their history and development both inside and outside the academy. This leads to an overview of documented strengths of MOOCs as elaborated upon by various educational technology futurists. These futurists and media accounts make it difficult to argue against taking up the charge and contributing to the next great educational wave. Still, as exciting as these promises and potentials are, I want also to describe the various challenges presented by MOOCs, challenges for learners, instructors and faculty, educational administrators and educational institutions in general. And the stakes for these developments can't be underestimated. Google, MIT, Georgia Tech, Stanford, and many others are investing millions of dollars in MOOC initiatives and start-ups. Investing in what has been called "the single biggest change in education since the printing press.".
The impact of focusing a program to prevent heavier drinking on a pre-existing phenotype, the low level of response to alcohol

BACKGROUND: Heavy drinking is common during transitions from high school to college. Optimal programs for diminishing risks for high alcohol consumption often tailor the approach to the specific needs of students. This study describes the results of an Internet-based prevention protocol that tailors the information to the risk associated with a pre-existing phenotype, the Low level of Response (Low LR) to alcohol. METHODS: Using stratified random assignment, 454 freshmen with Low and High LR values were assigned to 2 education groups (LR-based where all examples were given the context of the Low LR model of heavy drinking or a State Of The Art (SOTA) Group where the same lessons were taught but without an emphasis on LR) or a no-intervention Control Group. Individuals in the 2 education groups viewed 50-minute online videos once per week for 4 weeks. Changes in drinking patterns were assessed at Baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks using a 2 (LR status) by 3 (education group) by 3 (time points) analysis of variance, with additional tests for ethnicity and sex. RESULTS: Low LR participants tended to decrease their usual (p CONCLUSIONS: These results support the advantages of carrying out prevention via the Internet and in tailoring the approach to a pre-existing phenotype. Language: en
Fundamental Study of Clay: X, Water Films in Monodisperse Kaolinite Fractions

Water-film thicknesses in monodisperse kaolinite fractions were determined by direct measurements and compared with those in the gibbsite and quartz systems. The influence of Ca, Na, and H exchangeable ions on kaolinite films was investigated and the solid-liquid interface energy was computed by means of heat of wetting. A mechanism of base exchange and a new concept of the plastic structure are offered.
Classifying Work in the New Economy

Alternatives to the archetypal model of full-time regular employment are now both prevalent and wide-ranging. Over a fifth of U.S. workers, and even more globally, now perform economic work under arrangements that differ from full-time regular employment. Yet most of our management and social science notions about economic work are based on the full-time employment model. We know relatively little about the operation and consequences of alternative arrangements in part because while these arrangements vary considerably, they are commonly grouped together for research purposes using existing classification systems. We outline an inclusive classification system that distinguishes clearly between employment and its alternatives. It also distinguishes among the alternatives themselves by grouping work arrangements into categories that share common properties and that are distinct from each other in ways that matter for practice and for research. The classification system is based on distinctions about the sou...
Neonatal listeriosis: Experience in Suffolk

Four cases of neonatal infection with Listeria monocytogenes are reported. Two of them resulted in neonatal death and two in long-term healthy survival. The literature on the subject is reviewed with particular reference to epidemiology, early recognition and treatment.
Market segmentation, cannibalization, and the timing of product introductions

Consider a seller who faces two customer segments with differing valuations of quality of a durable product. Demand is stationary and known, the technology exists to release two products simultaneously, and the seller can commit in advance to subsequent prices and qualities. Should he introduce two differentiated products at once or one at a time? Under the simultaneous strategy, the lower quality would cannibalize demand for the higher quality. To reduce cannibalization, the seller could lower the quality of the low-end model and reduce the price of the high-end. Alternatively, he could increase the quality of the low-end model, but delay its release. Sequential introduction, however, would mean that the profits from the low-end model arrive later. We show that sequential introduction is better than simultaneous introduction when cannibalization is a problem and customers are relatively more impatient than the seller. However, when the seller cannot pre-commit, sequential selling is much less attractive because then he cannot use his product designs to alleviate cannibalization.
Insights into the Taxonomy and Systematics of North American Eocene Soft-Shelled Turtles from a Well-Preserved Specimen

ABSTRACT A nearly complete fossil soft-shelled turtle (Trionychidae) from the Eocene Washakie Formation of Wyoming is described and identified as Oliveremys uintaensis, comb. nov. Previously known only from a single shell specimen, O. uintaensis can now be diagnosed using both skull and shell characteristics, including callosified but unsculptured xiphiplastra. “Trionyx” tritor “T.” franciscae, “T.” nelsoni and “T.” scutumantiquum are identified as junior synonyms of O. uintaensis. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses place O. uintaensis and all of its junior synonyms along with multiple previously scored fossil trionychid taxa. Reinterpretation of three characters within the matrix, as well as the addition of fossil taxa, resulted in novel relationships. These relationships were not recovered when only extant trionychids were included in a reinterpreted matrix or when fossil taxa were added without reinterpretation. The results indicate that the addition of fossil taxa is sometimes necessary to detect changes...
Review of the Safety and Efficacy of Exenatide Once Weekly for the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVE:To summarize and evaluate the available literature assessing the efficacy and safety of exenatide once weekly for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.DATA SOURCES:PubMed (1966-January 2012) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts (1969-January 2012) were searched using the term exenatide once weekly. Abstracts presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Annual Meeting in 2011 and reference citations from publications were reviewed for inclusion. Eli Lilly and Company and Amylin Pharmaceuticals were contacted for additional unpublished information.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:All English-language articles and abstracts were evaluated for inclusion. All randomized controlled trials were included in the review.DATA SYNTHESIS:The efficacy and safety of exenatide once weekly has been evaluated as initial monotherapy and as add-on therapy to metformin, sulfonylureas, and thiazolidinediones in patients with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes for up to 3 years. Results from...
Metaphoric Competence in Children with Learning Disabilities

Metaphoric competence was examined in two groups of children with learning disabilities and one group of nondisabled peers ranging in age from 9-0 to 11-0 years. There were five girls and seven boys in each group. One group of students with learning disabilities had a history of spoken language impairment and the other group did not. Subjects were administered three verbal metaphor tasks (comprehension, preference, and completion) and a visual metaphor task, the Metaphor Triads Task (MTT). The three verbal metaphor tasks were administered in three contexts: (a) sentence, (b) story, and (c) story plus visual (pictorial) support. The group with a history of language impairment consistently performed more poorly on the metaphor tasks than the group without a history of language impairment, who, in turn, performed more poorly than the nondisabled children on all but the MTT. Context variations had no effect on children's performance. Theoretical and clinical implications will be discussed.
The Effect of Nanoparticle Shape on the Photocarrier Dynamics and Photovoltaic Device Performance of Poly(3-hexylthiophene):CdSe Nanoparticle Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

The charge separation and transport dynamics in CdSe nanoparticle :poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) blends are reported as a function of the shape of the CdSe-nanoparticle electron acceptor (dot, rod, and tetrapod). For optimization of organic photovoltaic device performance it is crucial to understand the role of various nanostructures in the generation and transport of charge carriers. The sample processing conditions are carefully controlled to eliminate any processing-related effects on the carrier generation and on device performance with the aim of keeping the conjugated polymer phase constant and only varying the shape of the inorganic nanoparticle acceptor phase. The electrodeless, flash photolysis time-resolved microwave conductivity (FP-TRMC) technique is used and the results are compared to the efficiency of photovoltaic devices that incorporate the same active layer. It is observed that in nanorods and tetrapods blended with P3HT, the high aspect ratios provide a pathway for the electrons to move away from the dissociation site even in the absence of an applied electric field, resulting in enhanced carrier lifetimes that correlate to increased efficiencies in devices. The processing conditions that yield optimum performance in high aspect ratio CdSe nanoparticles blended with P3HT result in poorly performing quantum dot CdSe:P3HT devices, indicating that the latter devices are inherently limited by the absence of the dimensionality that allows for efficient, prolonged charge separation at the polymer:CdSe interface.
Reducing the cost of IT operations: is automation always the answer?

The high cost of IT operations has led to an intense focus on the automation of processes for IT service delivery. We take the heretical position that automation does not necessarily reduce the cost of operations since: (1) additional effort is required to deploy and maintain the automation infrastructure; (2) using the automation infrastructure requires the development of structured inputs that have up-front costs for design, implementation, and testing that are not required for a manual process; and (3) detecting and recovering from errors in an automated process is considerably more complicated than for a manual process. Our studies of several data centers suggest that the up-front costs mentioned in (2) are of particular concern since many processes have a limited lifetime (e.g., 25% of the packages constructed for software distribution were installed on fewer than 15 servers). We describe a process-based methodology for analyzing the benefits and costs of automation, and hence for determining if automation will indeed reduce the cost of IT operations. Our analysis provides a quantitative framework that captures several traditional rules of thumb: that automating a process is beneficial if the process has a sufficiently long lifetime, if it is relatively easy to automate (i.e., can readily be generalized from a manual process), and if there is a large cost reduction (or leverage) provided by each automated execution of the process compared to a manual invocation.
Steel Temperature in Natural Fires

Post-flashover fires are widely adopted to represent natural fires. In literature, the temperature of a steel member exposed to a post-flashover fire is usually determined by first modeling the fire phenomenon by a empirical correlation (e.g. parameter fire model [1]) or advanced compute simulation (e.g. Fire Dynamic Simulation [2]) to obtain a temperature-time curve to represent the fire environment, then substituting the fire curve into a 1D condensed heat transfer model to obtain the steel temperature [3].
I-123 DaTscan imaging: Effects of Lugol patient preparations on thyroid uptake

2733 Objectives Contrary to our department Lugol patient procedure policy (two day regimen), I-123 DaTscan product insert recommends a one day Lugol regimen. Our laboratory evaluated the differences in thyroid uptake in patients receiving Lugol’s solution the day prior to and the day of I-123 DaTscan administration versus patients receiving Lugol’s solution one hour prior to administration. Methods A total of 13 DaTscan patients were studied. The first group of patients (n=5) received a two-day Lugol regimen (the day before and the day of I-123 administration). A second group of patients (n=8) received a one-day dose (one hour prior to I-123 administration). All patients were injected with 4.4-5.1 mCi I-123 DaTscan. Residual syringe activity was measured to determine the exact activity administered. At four hours after injection, a 10 minute thyroid image was obtained prior to initiating I-123 DaTscan studies. Regions of interest were drawn around thyroid images to obtain thyroid uptake counts. An I-123 standard was used to quantify thyroid counts and the percent thyroid uptake calculated from decayed administered activity. Statistical analysis was performed (t-test) to determine significant differences between the two patient groups. Results Thyroid uptake in I-123 DaTscan patients (n=8) who received a one-day Lugol regimen ranged from 2.2% to 4.0%. Thyroid uptake in I-123 DaTscan patients (n=5) who received a two-day Lugol regimen ranged from 2.6% to 3.2%. Statistical analysis of the two groups demonstrated no significant differences (p=0.05) between a one-day and a two-day Lugol regimen. Conclusions The effect of one day vs two day Lugol regimen in patients receiving I-123 DaTscan was investigated. No statistically significant differences between patient groups was observed. For patient convenience, our laboratory has adapted a one day Lugol regimen for patients receiving I-123 DaTscan.
A New Record of the Rare Freshwater Red Alga Tuomeya americana (Batrachospermaceae, Rhodophyta) from Connecticut

Abstract Members of the freshwater red algal order Batrachospermales are widely distributed across the northeastern US. Among them, the monotypic Tuomeya is the least reported genus, showing a sporadic distribution and being documented by decreasingly frequent reports. This study presents a new find of T. americana from Connecticut and is the first published Connecticut record of the species since 1890. I conducted an extensive literature search and review of herbarium records in order to summarize the known occurrence data for T. americana in New England. From my compilation it appears that the species has been reported with decreasing frequency, but it cannot be determined whether the sparse records reflect a true rarity and decline of T. americana or dwindling floristic efforts in New England. The present study underscores the importance of continuous floristic work aiming to better understand the distributions of algal species.
A Matrix Representation of the Problem

Throughout this and the following three chapters, the objective function, f, is assumed to be an element of the finite dimensional reconstruction space, Z(n), for some known n. Under this condition the problem of reconstruction from projections is considered. The question of approximating an arbitrary objective function by an element of Z(n) is discussed in Chapters VIII and IX.
Finding information about men's health on the internet: an overview

It's a well-known fact that men are less likely than women to seek health care. Men tend to wait as long as possible to see a doctor about a health problem, making early diagnosis of a disease difficult if not impossible. When one looks at the statistics related to men's health, the apparent aversion to seeking health care is disconcerting. Given the fact that men seem to be more private about their illnesses, the Internet provides an excellent place for them to seek health care information. A search of "men's health" finds an overwhelming number of sites on the Internet. This article provides a highly selected list of Web sites intended as a starting place for finding information about men's health on the Internet.