cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring the Business Value of IT

Firms have consistently struggled to measure the business value of information technology (IT). In an era where IT is transitioning to a services model, firms are replacing capital expenditure with operating expenditure. The implications for IT business value measurement are significant. In this chapter, we examine the state of knowledge about IT business value with particular emphasis on established metrics for IT business value. We then consider how these metrics might be applied to cloud-based services. The move to a services model further provides an opportunity to consider IT business value in a new light by considering how cloud technologies enhance IT agility, how firms can monetise their data, and how firms now have greater flexibility around IT use than ever before.
A Practical and Pictorial Guide for Creating ECMO Simulation

The entirety of this text is focused upon the use of simulation to improve the training and efficiency of clinical providers tasked with managing the highly complex, life-saving technology that is ECMO. This chapter presents a practical guide to assist simulation educators and their colleagues in ECMO leadership in crafting the institution-specific curricula necessary for initial and ongoing ECMO education for providers. Included in this guide is a discussion of water drills as well as examples of several simulation scenarios, including three common ECMO emergencies as well as emergent and non-emergent cannulation. The emergency scenarios include a pictorial guide for equipment preparation, as well as recommended vital sign and other clinical changes; these are designed to assist in simulation faculty as they customize training regimens. While the topics covered are by no means exhaustive, they will serve as a guide for faculty members working to develop institution-specific, simulation-based training for ECMO.
Analyze Phase: Other Data Analysis Tools

This chapter examines seven old tools, seven new tools, and other tools to solve problems, analyze, and visualize the data used in Six Sigma teams. The seven old tools are check sheets, histograms, fishbone diagrams – cause-and-effect diagrams, Pareto analysis and diagrams, scatter diagrams, stratification analysis, and control charts. The seven new tools are affinity diagrams, systematic diagrams, arrow diagrams, relationships diagrams, matrix diagrams, matrix data analysis, and process decision program charts. The other tools are brainstorming, 5 Whys analysis, Gantt charts, dot plots, run charts, box-and-whisker plots, probability plots, bar charts, line graphs, and stem-and-leaf plots.
Nitric oxide releasing halloysite nanotubes for biomedical applications.

Abstract Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are natural aluminosilicate clay that have been extensively explored for delivery of bioactive agents in biomedical applications because of their desirable features including unique hollow tubular structure, good biocompatibility, high mechanical strength, and extensive functionality. For the first time, in this work, functionalized HNTs are developed as a delivery platform for nitric oxide (NO), a gaseous molecule, known for its important roles in the regulation of various physiological processes. HNTs were first hydroxylated and modified with an aminosilane crosslinker, (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTMS), to enable the covalent attachment of a NO donor precursor, N-acetyl- d -penicillamine (NAP). HNT-NAP particles were then converted to NO-releasing S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine HNT-SNAP by nitrosation. The total NO loading on the resulting nanotubes was 0.10 ± 0.07 μmol/mg which could be released using different stimuli such as heat and light. Qualitative (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and Nuclear magnetic resonance) and quantitative (Ninhydrin and Ellman) analyses were performed to confirm successful functionalization of HNTs at each step. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) showed that the hollow tubular morphology of the HNTs was preserved after modification. HNT-SNAP showed concentration-dependent antibacterial effects against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), resulting in up to 99.6% killing efficiency at a concentration of 10 mg/mL as compared to the control. Moreover, no significant cytotoxicity toward 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells was observed at concentrations equal or below 2 mg/mL of HNT-SNAP according to a WST-8-based cytotoxicity assay. The SNAP-functionalized HNTs represent a novel and efficient NO delivery system that holds the potential to be used, either alone or in combination with polymers for different biomedical applications.
Anthrax toxin channel: What we know based on over 30 years of research.

Protective antigen channel is the central component of the deadly anthrax exotoxin responsible for binding and delivery of the toxin's enzymatic lethal and edema factor components into the cytosol. The channel, which is more than three times longer than the lipid bilayer membrane thickness and has a 6-A limiting diameter, is believed to provide a sophisticated unfoldase and translocase machinery for the foreign protein transport into the host cell cytosol. The tripartite toxin can be reengineered, one component at a time or collectively, to adapt it for the targeted cancer therapeutic treatments. In this review, we focus on the biophysical studies of the protective antigen channel-forming activity, small ion transport properties, enzymatic factor translocation, and blockage comparing it with the related clostridial binary toxin channels. We address issues linked to the anthrax toxin channel structural dynamics and lipid dependence, which are yet to become generally recognized as parts of the toxin translocation machinery.
The Power of the Chairman's Agenda: An Experiment for Teaching 'Committee Karate' in the Classroom

The power of agenda setters is often raised when teaching parliamentary rules in political science and public choice classrooms. Most students do not have a frame of reference to understand the topic, and fail to internalize it. This paper describes a classroom experiment putting students in the position of representatives deciding over mutually exclusive proposals. The instructor divides students into subcommittees to lower the number of proposals to two, which are then voted for by the class. With proper planning, described within, the instructor can manipulate the outcome to match a preference held by a minority of the students.
217 Effectiveness of transversus abdominis plane (TAP) blocks in ambulatory laparoscopic and robotic nephrectomies

Background and Aims Ultrasound-guided (USG) Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) blocks are fascial plane blocks widely used because of their technical ease and analgesic implications in abdominal surgery.1 However, only a few small-scale TAP studies in laparoscopic nephrectomies for tumor removal exist, none in an outpatient setting.2 We assessed the impact of TAP on pain, PONV and other clinical outcomes when included in an ERAS pathway for extended ambulatory nephrectomies. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of 209 ambulatory surgery patients who underwent partial laparoscopic and robotic nephrectomies using an ERAS protocol from 09/2016–12/2019. Preoperative TAP blocks were performed bilaterally with 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine or ropivacaine, 50 mcg clonidine and 2 mg dexamethasone. We assessed the association between preoperative administration USG TAP (51%) vs. no block (49%) on postoperative outcomes: intraoperative fentanyl, postoperative opioid consumption using morphine milligram equivalent units (MME), PONV rate and hours to first ambulation. Results Our results demonstrated a trend toward decreased intraoperative MME requirements in the TAP group vs no TAP (p=0.061). Patients receiving a TAP also required less postoperative narcotic (p=0.043). After adjusting for Apfel Score, age and operative time, the need for PONV rescue medication although not significant trended 8.6% higher in those without a TAP (95% CI -2.7%, 19%; p=0.11). Conclusions We found evidence that US guided bilateral TAP blocks are associated with a reduced need for postoperative narcotics in ambulatory laparoscopic and robotic nephrectomies with a trend toward decreased intraoperative MME requirements. ERAS pathways should consider including TAP blocks, even for these minimally invasive surgeries.
A comparative study of Contents of e-Government service websites of Middle East and North African (MENA) countries

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have historical ties and MENA countries share similarities with respect to socio-cultural characteristics, national economics (mainly based on natural resources such as oil), religious beliefs (predominantly Muslim), national languages (mainly Arabic), form of governance, and affiliation to regional organizations such as the Arab League. Few comparative e-government researchers have addressed e-government services and contents of e-government Websites within the context of MENA countries. This chapter fills in this gap by presenting e-governance as a desired outcome of diffusion of the Internet among MENA countries. It presents comparisons with respect to types of Websites and services, service-oriented features, online executable services, stages of development of e-government service, and e-government rankings of Websites hosted by MENA governments. Results of our analyses suggest that the similarities in e-governance among MENA countries span a number of variables including the stages of development of e-government services provided through Websites. Our recommendations, grounded in careful examination of 230 Websites of 18 MENA nations, could assist them in the provision of better e-government services to their citizens.
More frequent cloud-free sky and less surface solar radiation in China from 1955 to 2000

In this study, we used newly available data frorn extended weather stations and time period to reveal that much of China has experienced significant decreases in cloud cover over the last half of the Twentieth century. This conclusion is supported by analysis of the more reliably observed frequency of cloud-free sky and overcast sky. We estimated that the total cloud cover and low cloud cover in China have decreased 0.88% and 0.33% per decade, respectively, and cloud-free days have increased 0.60% and overcast days decreased 0.78% per decade from 1954-2001. Meanwhile, both solar radiation and pan evaporation have decreased in China, with'solar radiation decreasing 3.1 w/square m and pan evaporation decreasing 39 mm per decade. Combining these results with findings of previous studies, we speculated that increased air pollution may have produced a fog-like haze that reflected/absorbed radiation from the sun and resulted in less solar radiation reaching the surface, despite concurrent increasing trends in cloud-free sky over China.
An adaptive actuator failure compensation scheme for a hexapod system

This paper develops a new fault-tolerant robot control technique, by constructing and evaluating an adaptive actuator failure compensation scheme for control of a Hexapod subject to uncertain actuator failures. Based on adaptive integration of multiple individual failure compensators and direct adaptation of controller parameters, the adaptive actuator failure compensation scheme utilizes redundancy in the system to guarantee desired closed-loop stability and asymptotic output tracking, despite concurrent actuator failures whose pattern, time and value are all uncertain. Simulation results are presented to verify the desired adaptive failure compensation control performance for a typical Hexapod dynamic system model.
Some Studies on the Nonlinear Dynamic Response of Shell-type Structures

Nonlinear flexural vibrations of thin walled circular cylinders, and buckling of shallow, conical and spherical shells subjected to uniform, impulsive pressures
Purification and Properties of an α-l-Fucosidase from Rat Epididymis

Abstract An α-l-fucosidase has been purified from rat epididymis by fractionation of extracts with ammonium sulfate and subsequent chromatography on ion exchange celluloses. It is a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 210,000 to 220,000 and dissociates in the presence of mercaptoethanol and guanidine hydrochloride or sodium dodecyl sulfate. The dissociated material behaves as two components with molecular weights of approximately 47,000 and 60,000, thus suggesting two pairs of dissimilar subunits. A preliminary amino acid and carbohydrate composition is reported. Other glycosidases of rat epididymis, α-d-mannosidase, β-d-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and β-d-galactosidase have been partially purified from the same extract. All were active against a variety of glycoprotein and glycopeptide substrates. The purified fucosidase preparation is stable, is essentially free from other glycosidases with the exception of small amounts of N-acetylglucosaminidase activity, and it catalyzes the hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl-α-l-fucoside. Studies with glycopeptides show quantitative release of fucose by the purified enzyme from the tryptic glycopeptide of the hormone-specific chain of bovine luteinizing hormone and from a peptide of horse immunoglobulin G. A general method has been developed for quantitative determination by gas-liquid chromatography of the monosaccharides released by enzymic hydrolysis of glycoproteins and glycopeptides.
Improving video-based resting heart rate estimation: A comparison of two methods

Recent advancements in video processing make video-based heart rate (HR) estimation possible. Building on this burgeoning field, we adapted an existing video-based HR estimation method to produce more robust and accurate results. Specifically, we removed periodic signals from the recording environment by identifying (and removing) frequency clusters that are present the face region and background. This adaptive passband filter generates more accurate HR estimates and allows other applied filters to work more effectively.
Exploring the acceptability envelope

An acceptability envelope is a region of imperfect but acceptable software systems surrounding a given perfect system. Explicitly targeting the acceptability envelope during development (rather than attempting to minimize the number of errors, as is the current practice) has several potential benefits. Specifically, leaving acceptable errors in the system eliminates the risks and costs associated with attempting to repair the errors; investing fewer resources in less critical regions of the program and more resources in more critical regions may increase acceptability and reduce the overall investment of development resources.To realize these benefits, the acceptability envelope must be both sizable and accessible. We present several case studies that explore the acceptability envelopes of the Pine email client and the Sure-Player MPEG decoder. These studies show that both Pine and Sure-Player can tolerate the addition of many off-by-one errors without producing unacceptable behavior. This result suggests that current systems may be overengineered in the sense that they can tolerate many more errors than they currently contain.Our SurePlayer case study also shows that SurePlayer has unforgiving regions of code that must be close to perfect for the system to function at all. To effectively exploit the acceptability envelope, developers must be able to distinguish forgiving and unforgiving regions so that they can appropriately prioritize their development effort. In SurePlayer, the unforgiving regions occur in code that uses metadata to parse the input stream; the forgiving regions tend to access the data within each image. This result suggests that developers may be able to use relatively simple indicators to effectively prioritize their development effort.
Identifying Shades of Green: The SPECpower Benchmarks

To drive energy efficiency initiatives, SPEC established SPECpower_ssj2008, the first industry-standard benchmark for measuring power and performance characteristics of computer systems.
Diastereoselectivities Realized in the Amino Acid Catalyzed Aldol Cyclizations of Triketo Acetonides of Differing Ring Size

A study designed to assess the diastereoselectivity of the intramolecular aldol reaction of two differently sized monocyclic 1,3-diketones bearing a chiral, oxygenated side chain has been undertaken. The cyclizations were brought about under catalysis by pyrrolidine, a series of D- and L-amino acids including proline, and several proline derivatives. The levels of selectivity were found to be consistently higher with the six-membered ring system than its cycloheptane counterpart.
Entropy with Limited Computation Resources

We consider information in presence of computation limitations. Specifically, we consider the following question. What is the output entropy of a computation if no (or limited) computation resources are available. We first explain two notions of effective input information and the average number of decisions in a computation problem and show how these notions can helps us understand the output entropy of a computation when computation resources are limited. Then we propose a procedure to evaluate output entropy in such scenarios and show that it satisfies some nice properties.
Students, ethics & electronic communication: an adventure in user education

As growing numbers of users become aware of the communications capabilities available to them in the university's mainframe computing environment, the need for a strong educational program emphasizing ethical and responsible use of the resources becomes more and more urgent. Working with an ever-changing student user population challenges the User Services staff of the Computing Center of the University of Tennessee with the need to inform users of policy regarding appropriate use of the system. This paper focuses on the basic types of student computer access at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the methods used to educate local students about expected behavior in using e-mail, bulletin boards, direct messaging, and Relay.
Evidence that Ca2+-activated K+ channels participate in the regulation of pituitary prolactin secretion

We evaluatedthe role of Ca2+-activated K+ channels in the regulation of prolactin (PRL) secretion with a perifusion system using acutely dispersed rat anterior pituitary cells. Apamin, which blocks Ca2+-activated K+ channels, induced PRL secretion in a dose-dependent fashion between 1 and 300 nM (r = 0.99, P < 0.01). Charybdotoxin, another Ca2+-activated K+ channel-blocker, also induced PRL secretion at 20 nM concentration. These were not non-specific toxic effects, since stimulation of PRL secretion by 10 nM thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was not different before and after applying the channel-blockers. Both 10 μM dopamine and 2 μM nifedipine significantly, but incompletely, depressed PRL secretion induced by 100 nM apamin; 10 μM dopamine completely blocked PRL secretion induced by 20 nM charybdotoxin. Our data indicate that Ca2+-activated K+ channels may play an important role in the regulation of PRL secretion.
Psycholinguistic aspects of pauses and temporal patterns in schizophrenic speech

Schizophrenic speech was investigated at the moment of reading aloud paragraph-long stories andretelling them. Twenty white schizophrenic patients, with at least a high school diploma, were matched with 20 normals on the basis of race, educational level, sex, and age. Silent pauses (duration, frequency, and location), utterances (duration and syllable lengths, speech and articulation rates), and spoken hesitations (frequency and syllable lengths) were measured. When the semantic content of the stories did not agree with commonly held presuppositions, the speech characteristics of normals were analogues of the schizophrenic thought disorder.
Supercomputer algorithms for efficient linear octree encoding of three-dimensional brain images

We designed and implemented algorithms for three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of brain images from serial sections using two important supercomputer architectures, vector and parallel. These architectures were represented by the Cray YMP and Connection Machine CM-2, respectively. The programs operated on linear octree representations of the brain data sets, and achieved 500-800 times acceleration when compared with a conventional laboratory workstation. As the need for higher resolution data sets increases, supercomputer algorithms may offer a means of performing 3-D reconstruction well above current experimental limits.
Considering a frame of reference for physical activity research related to the cardiometabolic risk profile in schizophrenia

This article reviews evidence that researchers and mental health service providers need to take into account four modifiable factors that affect the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome in people with schizophrenia: (a) physical activity as part of a health-related lifestyle, (b) physical fitness, (c) mental health status and (d) antipsychotic medication. The implementation of physical activity in order to prevent and treat cardiometabolic risk factors in people with schizophrenia is discussed. English language articles published until July 2009 were identified by PubMed, CINAHL, PsychINFO, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. The search terms schizophrenia and metabolic syndrome, physical activity, health, fitness, and lifestyle were used. Physical activity interventions result in positive effects on metabolic outcomes, physical fitness, health-related behavior and mental health. Considering present knowledge, physical therapists should take into account the emotional (negative symptoms, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and stress) and physiological (cardiometabolic parameters) components of mental illness when offering physical activity interventions. The physical activity stimulus should be adapted to the individual's physical fitness level and the side effects of the antipsychotic medications. More research is needed to assist in the practical development of effective evidence-based preventive and curative strategies in psychiatric services for metabolic syndrome in persons with schizophrenia.
Stream temperature/air temperature relationship : a physical interpretation

Abstract In studies of the potential effects of global climate change on freshwater ecosystems, water temperature is a primary factor. Linear regressions of stream temperature versus air temperature are attractive for this purpose, because they require only one input variable (air temperature) which can be simulated by General Circulation Models (GCMs) better than other climate variables. Under a warmer climate scenario, high stream temperatures must be projected by extrapolation. The question arises whether linear extrapolation is valid. To answer the question, the heat exchange processes that contribute to surface water temperature have been analyzed and related to air temperature on a weekly time scale. The equilibrium temperature concept introduced by Edinger has been used. In stream reaches with large drainage area, stream temperature can be approximated by equilibrium temperature. At elevated air temperatures, the vapor pressure deficit above a water surface increases drastically (even in humid regions) causing strong evaporative cooling and hence a flatter stream temperature/air temperature relationship. At low air temperatures, stream temperatures often reach 0°C as an asymptote. If an upstream flow control (dam, reservoir release) or a waste heat input is present, the lower asymptotic value can be larger than 0°C. As a result of these upper and lower constraints for stream temperatures, the stream temperature/air temperature relationship resembles an S-shaped function rather than a straight line. Linear extrapolations to high and low air temperatures are therefore not justified.
Effects of Technical Parameters on Process Stability and Microstructure during Continuous Rheo-Extrusion Process of 6201 Alloy Wire

In this paper, effects of technical parameters on process stability and microstructure during continuous rheo-extrusion process of 6201 alloy wire were investigated. The optimal process parameters for producing 6201 alloy wire are obtained. The casting temperature is from 720°C to 740°C, and the roll rotating speed is 15r/min. The 6201 alloy wire with good performance has been successfully manufactured. After heat treatment, the tensile strength of the product reaches 325 MPa and the resistivity reaches 32.47 nΩm, which is better than LHA2 conducting wire of China.
Electronic structure and properties of quasi-two-dimensional layered superconducting perovskites: La2-xMxCuO4 (M=Ba, Sr,.).

Results of highly precise all-electron local-density calculations are presented for the quasi-two-dimensional superconductors, La/sub 2-//sub x/M/sub x/CuO/sub 4/(M = Ba, Sr, . . . ) with x = 0 and correlated with a number of observed properties of these materials for varying x. The dominant role of the van Hove saddle-point singularity (SPS) on the density of states (DOS) and the DOS-derived properties (specific heat, magnetic susceptibility, T/sub c/) is emphasized--as is the fact that this SPS represents the classic Lifshitz transition versus x (and/or pressure) with its possible thermodynamic and galvanomagnetic anomalies. Estimates of the enhancement factor lambda from a variety of measured specific-heat values and our calculated DOS indicate that these materials may possibly be weak-coupling superconductors. Crude estimates of coherent lengths (xi/sub X/ and xi/sub perpendicular/) and upper critical fields (H/sub c//sub 2//sub X/ and H/sub c//sub 2//sub perpendicular/) are presented.
Immunoprecipitation of an Affinity-Alkylated Fragment of the Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor with an Anti-Ligand Monoclonal Antibody

: A monoclonal antibody raised against the muscarinic acetylcholine affinity-alkylating antagonist propylben-zilylcholine mustard was tested for its ability to recognize affinity-alkylated muscarinic receptors. We demonstrate here that although the antibody will not recognize the mustard when it is covalently linked to the native muscarinic receptor, trypsinization of affinity-labeled membranes releases a proteolytic labeled fragment that can be specifically immunoprecipitated by the antibody. Electrophoretic analysis of the immunoprecipitate indicates that the ligand was associated with a polypeptide of molecular weight 5,000. The recognition of this fragment by the antibody provides a means to immunopurify a portion of the muscarinic receptor that is at or near the ligand binding site.
Edge detection using Hopfield neural network

This paper presents an edge detection algorithm using Hopfield neural network. This algorithm brings up a new concept which is different from those conventional differentiation operators, such as Sobel and Laplacian. In this algorithm, an image is considered a dynamic system which is completely depicted by an energy function. In other words, an image is described by a set of interconnected neurons. Every pixel in the image is represented by a neuron which is connected to all other neurons but not to itself. The weight of connection between two neurons is described as being a function of contrast of gray-level values and the distance between pixels. The initial state of each neuron represents the normalized gray-level value of the corresponding pixel in the original image. As a result of Hopfield network analysis, output of neurons is modified until the convergence. Even though the outputs are analog, they are close to zero in all regions except edges where the corresponding neurons have near 1.0 output values. A robust threshold on the output level of the converged network can be easily set up at 0.5 level to extract edges. The experimental results are presented to show the effectiveness and capability of this algorithm.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Activity of the plant-derived peptide Ib-AMP1 and the control of enteric foodborne pathogens

Abstract Consumer demand for use of fewer traditional antimicrobial agents in foods has driven research interest in development of plant based antimicrobial agents for use in food and food processing. The purpose of the present study was to investigate Ib-AMP1, a plant antimicrobial peptide (pAMP), isolated from seeds of Impatiens balsamina. Activity against foodborne pathogens, cytotoxicity to select human cells, and residual activity were investigated. Results of these experiments aid in determining the feasibility of using Ib-AMP1 as an antimicrobial agent to control foodborne pathogens. Ib-AMP1 exhibited bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enteric serovar Newport, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacillus cereus. When tested using low (103 CFU mL−1) and intermediate (106 CFU mL−1) E. coli O157:H7 cell numbers, an approximately 1.46–2.69 log reduction in cell numbers occurred at the 1× and 2× minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Ib-AMP1. The results suggest that a concentration of Ib-AMP1 several fold greater than the MIC would be required in foods with high levels of commensal bacteria. A separate experiment showed no residual activity of Ib-AMP1 was apparent following interaction of the peptide with bacteria. Results of the MTS [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] cell proliferation assay indicated that Ib-AMP1 at 200, 400 and 600 μg mL−1 inhibited by 50% cell proliferation activity of Hep G2, FHs 74 Int and HT29 cells, respectively. Taken together, these data suggest that Ib-AMP1 has potential application as an antimicrobial agent in food systems.
Azole-based antimycotic agents inhibit mold on unseasoned pine

Inhibiting the growth of mold fungi on cellulose-based building materials may be achievable through the use of azole-based antimycotics. Azoles were variably effective against mold fungi that are frequently found on wood and wood products. Unseasoned southern yellow pine specimens that were dip-treated with varying concentrations of eight azoles were evaluated for their ability to resist mold infestation when challenged with Aspergillus niger, Penicillium chrysogenum, and Trichoderma viride spores. Minimal fungicidal concentrations (MFC90) were determined to be 0.016% for thiabendazole and 0.043% for voriconazole, the most efficacious azoles against the challenge fungi. We conclude that thiabendazole or voriconazole may be used alone or in combination to inhibit mold fungi on unseasoned pine.
Subpicosecond resonance Raman spectra of the early intermediates in the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin.

The resonance Raman spectra are presented for the species formed during the photocycle of bacteriorhodopsin (bR) on a timescale of 800–900 fs. In the ethylenic stretch region two intermediates were found with frequencies of 1,510 and 1,518cm -1 , corresponding to species with optical absorption maxima at 660 and 625 nm, respectively. This leads to the assignment of the 1,518cm -1 band to the J 625 intermediate. In the fingerprint region, the appearance of a vibration at 1,195cm -1 strongly suggests that the isomerization indeed has taken place in a time less than the pulsewidth of our laser. This supports the previous proposals made on the basis of the optical spectra. The spectra are compared with those observed in tens of picoseconds up to nanoseconds.
Procedural knowledge versus fact retrieval in mental arithmetic: A reply to Baroody☆

Abstract Based on a review of reaction time studies, a model of mental arithmetic performance which emphasizes the process of fact retrieval from organized memory representations was proposed ( M. H. Ashcraft, Developmental Review , 1982, 2 , 213–236). In contrast to this view A. J. Baroody (Developmental Review, 1983 , 3 , 225–230) proposes that most mental arithmetic performance depends on procedural knowledge such as rules, heuristics, and principles. While Baroody's idea is both intriguing and potentially important, its exposition is quite vague and speculative. Without concrete suggestions as to the nature of the proposed rules and heuristics, especially for routine problems like 4 + 3 and 8 × 5, Baroody's proposal appears to be pertinent only to special cases like N + 0 and N + 1. Lacking this sort of elaboration, the alternative does not provide a useful or compelling explanation of the existing Chronometric results, and seems, at best, to be premature.
Uniting Wisdom and Eloquence: The Need for Rhetorical Invention.

This essay provides a synoptic history of the relation between wisdom and eloquence as a perennial problem in the history of rhetorical theory and pedagogy. The need for rhetorical invention as a step toward unification of wisdom and eloquence is explained, and promising directions for inventional research are reviewed.
Lung inclusion bodies: different ultrastructure in simian and non-simian mammals.

Les inclusions lamellaires des cellules du second type du poumon sont la source de la substance tensioactive. Chez l'homme et les singes de l'ancient et du nouveau monde, ces inclusions sont de forme concentrique et peuvent provenir du reticulum endoplasmique. Chez d'autres mammiferes, y compris un lemurien, elles ont, pour la plupart, des barres rectilignes ou arguees et proviennent des corps multivesiculaires.
Evaluation of 3-(p-fluorophenyl)-L-alanyl-3-[m-bis-(2-chloroethyl) aminophenyl]-L-alanyl-L-methionine ethyl ester HCl (PTT.119) against xenografts of human rhabdomyosarcoma.

PTT.119 [p-F-phe-m-bis(2-chloroethyl)amino-l-phe-met ethoxy HCl], a synthetic tripeptide mustard, was evaluated for therapeutic efficacy against a spectrum of childhood rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) maintained as xenografts in immune-deprived mice. These xenografts were established from previously untreated tumors, and sublines were selected in mice for resistance to l-phenylalanine mustard (L-PAM). PTT.119 caused regression of four of six RMS lines established from untreated tumors, and demonstrated activity similar to that of L-PAM in this model. Against tumors Rh18/L-PAM and Rh28/L-PAM, selected in situ for L-PAM resistance, PTT.119 had no significant activity. Rh28/L-PAM was cross-resistant also to oxazophosphorine mustards (ifosfamide, cyclophosphamide), and both tumors were cross-resistant to adriamycin and vincristine. PTT.119 caused hematologic toxicity similar to thet of L-PAM, characterized by a marked decrease in white blood cells and thrombocytopenia.
Local environment around gold(III) in aqueous chloride solutions: An EXAFS spectroscopy study

The local environment around Au (III) in aqueous solutions containing 1 M NaCl was determined as a function of pH and Au concentration using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) at ambient temperature and pressure. The solution Au concentrations studied were 10− to 10−3 M and the pH ranged between 2 and 9.2. No significant changes of Au speciation were detected with increasing Au concentration; however, major speciation changes were caused by variations in pH. At pH = 2, Au is coordinated by four Cl atoms (mean d [AuCl] = 2.28 –2.29 ± 0.01 A), whereas at pH 7.5 and 9.2, Au is coordinated by three Cl and one O (or OH) and by two Cl and two O (or OH), respectively (mean d[AuCl] = 2.28 ± 0.02 A; mean d[AuO or AuOH] = 1.97 ± 0.02 A), indicating replacement of Cl by O (or OH) with increasing pH. In all solutions studied, the number of first-neighbors around Au(III) is close to four. XANES analysis suggests the presence of a square-planar geometry for AuX4 (X = Cl, O) at all pH values studied. These results are in excellent agreement with those from our previous Raman, resonance Raman, and UV/visible spectroscopy study of gold(III)-chloride solutions (PECK et al., 1991), which found that AuCl4−, AuCl3(OH)−, and AuCl2(OH)2− are the majority species in the pH ranges 2–6, 6–8.5, and 8.5–11, respectively. We did not find evidence for Au(I)Cl2− or Au(I)Cl(OH)− complexes in our pH 7.5 and 9.2 solutions, as was recently suggested by Pan and Wood (1991) for acidic gold chloride solutions at temperatures > 100°C, although we can't rule these complexes out as minority species (<10% of the total Au in solution). Our EXAFS results also provide the first direct evidence for Cl second neighbors around AuCl4− complexes in the most acidic solutions studied (pH = 2 and 4.5). These second-neighbor Cl atoms were also detected at low Au concentrations (10−3 M) and are similar in number and arrangement to those observed in crystalline KAuCL4·2H2O (two Cl at a mean d[Au-Cl(2)] = 4.42 ± 0.03 A). No evidence was found for second-neighbor Au atoms, which indicates little or no Au polymers or colloidal particles in any of the solutions studied. Our EXAFS results are in broad agreement with earlier predictions of Au speciation based on a variety of chemical measurements. Moreover, they directly confirm that mixed chloro-hydroxo Au (III) complexes are more stable than predicted on the basis of thermodynamically estimated stability constants.
Be Sensitive to Your Errors: Chaining Neyman-Pearson Criteria for Automated Malware Classification

Thwarting the severe threat posed by the voluminous malware variants demands effective, yet efficient, techniques for malware classification. Although machine learning offers a promising approach to automating malware classification, existing methods are oblivious of the costs associated with the different types of errors in malware classification, i.e., false positive errors and false negative errors. Such treatment adversely affects later applications of per-family malware analysis such as trend analysis. Against this backdrop, we propose a unified cost-sensitive framework for automated malware classification. This framework enforces the Neyman-Pearson criterion, which aims to maximize the detection rate under the constraint that the false positive rate should be no greater than a certain threshold. We develop a novel scheme to chain multiple Neyman-Pearson criteria on heterogeneous malware features, some of which may have missing values. Using a large malware dataset with labelled samples belonging to 12 families, we show that our method offers great flexibility in controlling different types of errors involved in malware classification and thus provides a valuable tool for malware defense.
What hospital inpatient services contributed the most to the 2001-2006 growth in the cost per case?

Objective To demonstrate a refined cost-estimation method that converts detailed charges for inpatient stays into costs at the department level to enable analyses that can unravel the sources of rapid growth in inpatient costs. Data Sources Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Databases and Medicare Cost Reports for all community, nonrehabilitation hospitals in nine states that reported detailed charges in 2001 and 2006 (n = 10,280,416 discharges). Study Design We examined the cost per discharge across all discharges and five subgroups (medical, surgical, congestive heart failure, septicemia, and osteoarthritis). Data Collection/Extraction Methods We created cost-to-charge ratios (CCRs) for 13 cost-center or department-level buckets using the Medicare Cost Reports. We mapped service-code-level charges to a CCR with an internally developed crosswalk to estimate costs at the service-code level. Principal Findings Supplies and devices were leading contributors (24.2 percent) to the increase in mean cost per discharge across all discharges. Intensive care unit and room and board (semiprivate) charges also substantially contributed (17.6 percent and 11.3 percent, respectively). Imaging and other advanced technological services were not major contributors (4.9 percent). Conclusions Payers and policy makers may want to explore hospital stay costs that are rapidly rising to better understand their increases and effectiveness.
Targeting of mRNAs to domains of the endoplasmic reticulum

The targeting of proteins to specific regions of the cell by signal elements within the polypeptide sequence has received much attention, but proteins can also be directed to their appropriate cellular locations by localization of their mRNAs. This mechanism is seen clearly in polar cells like germ and embryonic cells, neurons and epithelia. Recent evidence indicates that mRNAs may also be localized to morphologically and functionally distinct endoplasmic reticulum membranes, thereby facilitating sorting of the proteins they encode to subdomains of the reticulum or to polarized plasma membranes.
Formation of oxidation-resistant Cu-Mg coatings on (001) Cu for oxide superconducting tapes

ARTICLE I NFO The formation of oxidation-resistant buffer layers on (001) oriented Cu for coated high-temperature superconducting tape applications was investigated. The approach employed Cu/Mg multilayer precursor films that were subsequently annealed to form either Mg-doped fcc Cu or intermetallic Cu2 Mg. The precursor consisted of an Mg/Cu multilayer stack with 5 each of 25 nm thick Mg and 25 nm thick Cu layers which were grown at room temperature by sputter deposition. At annealing temperature of 400 °C, formation of the intermetallic Cu2 Mg was observed. X-ray diffraction showed that the Cu2 Mg (100) oriented grains were epitaxial with respect to the underlying Cu film, possessing a cube-on-cube orientation. In order to test oxidation resistance, CeO2 films were deposited at elevated temperature on Ni/(Cu,Mg)/Cu/MgO structures. In case of the CeO2 film on Ni/Cu/MgO, significant surface roughness due to the metal oxidation is observed. In contrast, no surface roughness is observed in the SEM images for the CeO2/Ni/(Cu,Mg)/Cu/MgO structure.
Blends of styrene/acrylic acid copolymers and acrylic polymers

The miscibility of a series of styrene/acrylic acid copolymers with various polyacrylate and polymethacrylate homopolymers, as well as a series of styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymers, has been investigated. According to the binary interaction model, the miscibility diagram for styrene/acrylic acid copolymers with styrene/methyl methacrylate copolymers indicates that acid and ester groups interact endothermically. The phase behavior of the homopolymers also implies this. The analysis ignores the association and self-association observed for the polymer blends and the low-molecular-weight analogs used to model them. The heat of mixing of low-molecular-weight analogs depended greatly on both composition and acid structure.
The first programming paradigm and language dilemma

In recent years there has been increasing controversy surrounding the choice of a language for introducing programming to computer science majors. The issue has been complicated by the increasing acceptance of the importance of non-procedural paradigms. This paper compares the available vehicles for teaching programming to beginners. These comparisons are based on the results of a survey conducted by the authors in early 1995 and on the published reports and opinions of other workers in this area.
Some pharmacological effects of phenitrone and its interaction with Δ9-THC

We have investigated the pharmacological effects of phenitrone (3-(hexahydro-l-H-azepin-l-yl)-3′-nitropropiophenone HCl), a compound which has been reported to block and reverse the toxic and behavioral effects of hashish in dogs. There was no apparent blockade of cannabinoid-like activity when phenitrone was administered prior to or concomitantly with Δ8-THC, Δ9-THC, or the NIMH marihuana distillate in dogs and pigeons. However, phenitrone produced bizarre behavioral effects in dogs when given at a dose of 40 mg/kg and decreased the rate of conditioned key pecking for food at doses above 18 mg/kg in pigeons. When phenitrone and Δ9-THC were given simultaneously, a dose-dependent inhibition of Δ9-THC-induced activity in the mouse tail-flick test was observed. Phenitrone did not block hypothermia produced by either a single injection or 5 daily injections of Δ9-THC in mice. Phenitrone also produced a decrease in spontaneous activity and had an LD50 of 175 mg/kg i.p. in mice.
A study of the red alga, Calonitophyllum medium (Hoyt) comb. Nov. [= Hymenena media (Hoyt) Taylor]

Ontogeny of the vegetative system and reproductive structures found in Hymenena media (Hoyt) Taylor (Delesseriaceae, Nitophylleae) indicates that the alga is similar to the Phycodrys group in its vegetative development, and to the Nitophyllum group in its female reproductive system. The vegetative system bears striking resemblance to the type species of a European genus, Radicilingua [R. thysanorhizans (Holm.) Papenf.]. Reproductive structures of two other species of this genus, R. adriatica (Kylin) Papenf. and R. reptans (Zanard.) Papenf. and the type species are inadequately known. On the basis of several vegetative characters and the location and superficial organisation of the tetrasporangial sori, a new genus, Calonitophyllum, is proposed to contain our Western Atlantic plants. The new combination, Calonitophyllum medium (Hoyt) Aregood, thus replaces Hymenena media (Hoyt) Taylor.
Accountability measures in workforce training

Accountability and reporting mechanisms go hand in hand with government programs that promote workforce development. This chapter describes current practice in the United States and suggests how institutional researchers can help improve the process of documenting outcomes.
Predictors of decreased renal function in patients with heart failure during angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy: results from the studies of left ventricular dysfunction (SOLVD)

Background: Although angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy reduces mortality rates in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), it may also cause decreased renal function. Little information is available to predict which patients are at highest risk for this complication. Objective: To quantify specific clinical predictors of reduction in renal function in patients with CHF who are prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy. Method: We analyzed data from the Studies of Left Ventricular Dysfunction (SOLVD), a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of enalapril for the treatment of CHF. There were 3379 patients randomly assigned to enalapril with a median follow-up of 974 days and 3379 patients randomly assigned to placebo with a mean follow-up of 967 days. Decreased renal function was defined as a rise in serum creatinine ≥0.5 mg/dL (44 μmol/L) from baseline. We used time-to-event analysis to identify potential predictors of decrease in renal function including age, baseline ejection fraction, baseline creatinine, low systolic blood pressure (<100 mm Hg), history of hypertension, diabetes, and use of antiplatelet, diuretic, and β-blocker therapy. Results: Patients randomly assigned to enalapril had a 33% greater likelihood of decreased renal function than controls (P = .003). By multivariate analysis, in both the placebo and enalapril groups older age, diuretic therapy, and diabetes were associated with decreased renal function, whereas β-blocker therapy and higher ejection fraction were renoprotective. Older age was associated with a greater risk of developing decreased renal function in both groups, but significantly more so in the enalapril group (enalapril: risk ratio [RR] 1.42 per 10 years, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.32-1.52 with enalapril; placebo: RR 1.18, 95% CI 1.12-1.25). Diuretic therapy was likewise associated with a greater risk of decreased renal function in the enalapril group (RR 1.89, 95% CI 1.70-2.08) than in the placebo group (RR 1.35, 95% CI 1.09-1.66). Conversely, enalapril had a relative renoprotective effect (RR 1.33, 95% CI 1.13-1.53) compared with placebo (RR 1.96, 95% CI 1.57-2.44) in patients with diabetes. A lower risk of renal impairment was seen in both groups with β-blocker therapy (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57-0.85) and higher baseline ejection fraction (RR 0.93 per 5% increment, 95% CI 0.91-0.96). Conclusions: Enalapril use caused a 33% increase in the risk of decreased renal function in patients with CHF. Diuretic use and advanced age increased this risk. Diabetes was associated with an increased risk of renal impairment in all patients with CHF, but this risk was reduced in the enalapril group compared with the placebo group. β-Blocker therapy and higher ejection fraction were renoprotective in all patients regardless of therapy. (Am Heart J 1999;138:849-55.)