cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clay Minerals in Arctic Ocean Sea-Floor Sediments: ABSTRACT

Sediments of the sea floor of the Alpha Rise, 500 mi north of Point Barrow, Alaska, were cored to a depth of about 3 m below the sea-sediment interface beneath Ice Island T-3, where the ocean is slightly deeper than 2,000 m. The sediments contain about 80 percent clay and silt, the remainder being fine sand. They are either gray or brownish gray in color, the brown color being caused mainly by the oxidation of ferrous monosulfide. Although organic matter seems plentiful, it is of colloidal size and amounts to about 3 percent of the sediments. The clay minerals present are mica (both muscovite and biotite), mixed-layer mica and organic matter, vermiculite, chlorite (two polytypes), together with quartz, feldspar, and, in some samples, dolomite. The predominant clay mineral are mica and mixed-layer micas. Chlorite commonly is present, but vermiculite is scarce. Dolomite appears to be authigenic, but the micas, most of the chlorite, quartz, and feldspar are detrital. The mixed-layer mica with organic matter is authigenic. End_of_Article - Last_Page 522------------
Fluticasone propionate powder: Oral corticosteroid–sparing effect and improved lung function and quality of life in patients with severe chronic asthma

Abstract Background: Many patients with severe asthma are dependent on oral corticosteroids for maintenance control of their disease. Treatments that allow patients to be weaned off oral corticosteroids may help to minimize the risk of side effects associated with their chronic use. Objective : This study evaluated whether inhaled fluticasone propionate powder could maintain pulmonary function while reducing the dose of oral prednisone in patients with chronic, severe asthma. Methods : Oral prednisone–dependent (5 to 40 mg/day) adolescents and adults with asthma (n = 111; mean FEV 1 = 61% of predicted value) were randomized to placebo or twice daily fluticasone propionate 500 or 1000 μg administered by means of a multidose powder inhaler for 16 weeks in a double-blind, parallel-group study. Patients underwent controlled prednisone reduction on the basis of predetermined asthma stability criteria. Results : Oral prednisone was eliminated by 75% and 89% of patients in the twice daily 500 and 1000 μg fluticasone propionate groups, respectively, versus 9% of the placebo group ( P 1 , morning and evening peak expiratory flow, asthma symptoms, albuterol use, and nighttime awakenings improved with fluticasone propionate treatment, achieving statistical significance ( P ≤ .009) primarily in the 1000 μg twice daily group. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis suppression observed at baseline improved when patients were weaned off oral prednisone to fluticasone propionate. Adverse events ascribed to drug treatment were primarily topical effects of inhaled corticosteroids or those associated with prednisone withdrawal. Patient quality of life assessed by means of the Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire was clinically and significantly improved after fluticasone propionate treatment ( P ≤ .003). Conclusion : Fluticasone propionate powder (500 or 1000 μg twice daily) effectively improved lung function, adrenal function, and asthma-specific quality of life in patients with severe chronic asthma previously treated with oral prednisone while allowing most patients to be weaned off oral corticosteroid therapy. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 1999;103:267-75.)
The finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation incorporated with surface stress effect to model elastic bending nanowires in large deformation

Surface stress was incorporated into the finite element absolute nodal coordinate formulation in order to model elastic bending of nanowires in large deformation. The absolute nodal coordinate formulation is a numerical method to model bending structures in large deformation. The generalized Young-Laplace equation was employed to model the surface stress effect on bending nanowires. Effects from surface stress and large deformation on static bending nanowires are presented and discussed. The results calculated with the absolute nodal coordinate formulation incorporated with surface stress show that the surface stress effect makes the bending nanowires behave like softer or stiffer materials depending on the boundary condition. The surface stress effect diminishes as the dimensions of the bending structures increase beyond the nanoscale. The developed algorithm is consistent with the classical absolute nodal coordinate formulation at the macroscale.
What Is Comprehensive Sexuality Education Really All About? Perceptions of Students Enrolled in an Undergraduate Human Sexuality Course

Abstract The purpose of this study was to use qualitative evaluation techniques to explore the perceptions of students enrolled in undergraduate human sexuality classes regarding their expectations for the course as well as outcomes. One hundred forty-eight students were surveyed at the beginning and again at the end of the semester long course. While pregnancy and STI prevention were considered important components of their courses, other outcomes associated with positive, healthy sexuality were given greater emphasis. Results suggest that while primary and secondary level sexuality education have been increasingly focused on abstinence-only education with a focus on pregnancy and STI reduction, this may not represent what is most important from students' perspectives. It also suggests that college may be one place where more comprehensive sexuality education can still be taught.
Crosslinking in isoprene polymerization

A study has been carried out on the emulsion polymerization of isoprene in an attempt to evaluate the relative rate of the crosslinking reaction and its variation with temperature. From the relation between primary chain length and gel formation during polymerization, the following values were obtained for the relative crosslinking rate constant, i.e., ratio of the velocity constants of the crosslinking and propagation reactions. Text Table Text. Temperature, °C. K = kx/kp 60 3.4 × 10−5 70 4.3 × 10−5 80 5.2 × 10−5 The above data lead to a calculated value for the difference in the activation energy between the crosslinking and the propagation reaction (Ex − Ep) of 5.0 kcal. From these data and the known value of the propagation rate constant, it is possible to calculate the following absolute rate expression for the crosslinking reaction itself: It is noteworthy that the relative crosslinking rate in isoprene polymerization is only about one-sixth that found for butadiene (K = 2 × 10−4 at 60°C.) apparently owing largely to a higher steric factor. Hence longer chains are possible for polyisoprene before network formation leads to gelation. In the Mutual Recipe, the rate per particle for isoprene polymerization is about three times as fast as for butadiene, although it is still short of the rate found in the ideal low temperature systems.
Validation of serine/threonine protein phosphatase as the herbicide target site of endothall

Abstract Endothall, an older commercial herbicide, and cantharidin, a natural product from the blister beetle ( Epicauta spp.), are close chemical analogues. A comparison of the effect of endothall and cantharidin on plants revealed a similarity in their level of phytotoxicity on both Arabidopsis thaliana and Lemna paucicostata . Cantharidin is a potent inhibitor of animal serine/threonine protein phosphatases. Protein phosphatases and kinases maintain a sensitive balance between phosphorylated and dephosphorylated forms of proteins playing important roles in signal transduction pathways. In this study, we found endothall and cantharidin to both completely inhibit plant serine/threonine protein phosphatases, and their relative inhibitory activities were similar to their relative phytotoxicities. Both compounds acted as slow, irreversible inactivators of the serine/threonine protein phosphatase activities. Transcription of several genes determined to be affected by the inhibition of these protein phosphatases by cantharidin in A. thaliana by transcriptome analyses were affected similarly by endothall, but in a more pronounced way. Therefore, the molecular target site of endothall in plants is similar to that of cantharidin in animals, namely, serine/threonine protein phosphatases responsible for regulating an array of biochemical processes. This mode of action is unlike any other commercial herbicide.
Efficiency in multiple objective optimization problems

We generalize many of the results on efficient points for linear multiple objective optimization problems to the nonlinear case by focusing on an auxiliary problem. The approach, which relies on duality theory, is a straightforward development that even in the linear case yields simpler proofs.
Screening for developmental neurotoxicity using PC12 cells: comparisons of organophosphates with a carbamate, an organochlorine, and divalent nickel.

BackgroundIn light of the large number of chemicals that are potential developmental neurotoxicants, there is a need to develop rapid screening techniques.ObjectivesWe exposed undifferentiated and ...
Proposed enhancements to fixed segmented LRU cache replacement policy

The goal of this research is to design a low cost cache replacement algorithm that achieves comparable performance to existing scheme. In previous work, we proposed an enhancement to the SLRU (Segmented LRU) algorithm called fixed SLRU that fixes the number of protected and probationary segments. Due to an ineffective simulation environment, we were unable to fully understand our results. In this work, we will test fixed SLRU with an improved simulation environment, and propose three enhancements to the algorithm: cache bypassing, random promotion, and aging. Our experiment results show that fixed SLRU achieved an average speed up of 7.00% over LRU, and 4.22% over SLRU, with a maximum speed up of 43.55% over LRU, and 41.59% over standard SLRU. With certain enhancements applied, we achieved a maximum speed up of 61.70% over LRU.
The surface of liquid gallium

Abstract Data for liquid metals is reinterpreted in terms of a model in which the surface is solid in the direction normal to the surface but is disordered in directions parallel to the surface. Thermal motions previously termed capillary waves become vibrations along the normal axis and therefore lack viscous damping. The model, which applies to liquids with surface-induced layering, avoids problems that arise when such a surface is analyzed as a simple liquid, notably (i) negative dilatational viscosity, (ii) unexpectedly large surface tension, and (iii) the need to restrict surface waves to low k -values to ensure normal-mode excitations.
In living memory: Abortion as cultural amnesia

This essay argues that abortion is more than the termination of a pregnancy: it is a metaphor for cultural amnesia. Early medical anti‐abortion rhetoric in the United States established women's bodies as rhetorical sites of cultural memory. Physicians formed a system of mnemonics: cultural truth about humanity was located in women's reproductive physiology, protocols for accessing that truth were formed via diagnostic practices, and a network of bodies (discursive and corporeal) was established through which truth could circulate. In the face of increasing numbers of abortions, physicians made the act of listening to the female body a culturally genealogical act.
THE EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION OF A LONG‐LIVED NATURAL RESOURCE(*)

This paper, a synthesis of previous work by the author, examines both the exploration and the production decisions of a firm in a durable natural resource industry, and finds that monopoly power leads to a slowing in the rate of extraction and a reduction in the exploration rate. Thus in a durable resource industry such as gold, the effect of monopoly is multi-plied: less of the resource will be « discovered », and the stock of the re-source will be extracted more slowly so that early-period prices may be kept above the competitive level.
NEW DEVICE FOR VISUAL NEODYMIUM:YAG LASER PROSTATE ABLATION : ACUTE AND CHRONIC CANINE EVALUATION

This canine study (n = 6) evaluated the acute and chronic effects of Nd:YAG laser prostatectomy using a Prolase II fiber. The Prolase II device consists of a 1,000 μm quartz fiber which directs a cone of Nd:YAG laser energy, at 45° to the axis of the fiber, into the prostatic urethra under direct visual guidance [visual laser ablation of prostate, (VLAP)]. Under visual guidance and saline irrigation, 60 seconds of 60 watts of laser power was delivered at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock positions (14,400 J). One canine was instrumented but received no laser energy (control). One prostate was harvested acutely. The remaining four laser-treated dogs were evaluated at 6 to 16 weeks. The histopathology of acute laser effects shows areas of necrosis with loss of glandular structures and stromal edema. Surrounding this area was a zone of degenerative glandular structures extending up to 12.6 mm into the prostate. Two of the four dogs developed urinary retention at 6.5 and 9 weeks. On examination, both were found to have fibrotic strictures at the distal prostatic urethra with markedly dilated proximal prostatic urethral lumens (1.98 and 2.8 cm). Two other dogs showed no signs of urinary retention at sacrifice. Histopathology, both the 6 and 16 week laser-treated animals without urinary retention demonstrated dilated prostatic urethras with maximum cross-sectional diameters of 1.52 and 1.50 cm, respectively. However, the 16 week dog demonstrated mild distal urethral narrowing by urethrogram. The control dog demonstrated normal histology of the prostate at 16 weeks. This study demonstrates the safety and initial results of a delivery device for trans-urethral laser prostate ablation in a canine model. Further studies are needed to evaluate the cause of the fibrotic urethral strictures in this model and determine its clinical relevance. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Synchronization of fault-tolerant clocks in the presence of malicious failures

The problem of achieving global clock synchronization in fault-tolerant clocks by preventing so-called multiple cliques in the presence of malicious clock failures (i.e. clock failures that are perceived differently by different nonfaulty clocks) is addressed. A solution to the problem, referred to as the averaging rule, is developed, and its use is analytically justified using the notions of clock partitions and generalized clock partitions. Experimental characterization of the multiple cliques problem has been undertaken, and certain conditions that induce their occurrence in practical hardware implementation are identified. The effects of clock-receiver triggering variations and phase-detector operating range on the instantaneous frequencies of the clock modules are investigated. The efficacy of the averaging rule is established not only by analysis but also by means of simulations and experimentation with hardware clock implementations. >
A method for determining soil gas 220Rn (thoron) concentrations.

A technique has been developed to accurately, precisely, and quickly measure soil gas {sup 220}Rn using commercially available grab-sample scintillation detectors. The method requires two counting periods for each sample: a 1-min count as soon as the sample has been drawn into a scintillation cell, followed by a 5- or 10-min count at least 5 min after the soil gas sample has been obtained. The {sup 222}Rn concentration is determined from the second count. The counts in the first counting period (1-min) due to {sup 222}Rn and its progeny are calculated from the known {sup 222}Rn concentration and then subtracted from the total counts obtained in the first counting period. The remaining counts are due to {sup 220}Rn and its progeny and are used to calculate the {sup 220}Rn concentration. The overall uncertainty when using this method to measure typical soil gas {sup 220}Rn and {sup 222}Rn concentrations [> {approximately}5 kBq m{sup -3} (130 pCi L{sup -1})] was determined to be 19.8% and 10.8% (90% confidence levels), respectively, from analyses of duplicate field measurements. The lowest {sup 220}Rn concentrations that can be measured using this technique while maintaining an overall error no greater than about 30% is {approximately}500 Bq m{supmore » -3} (13 pCi L{sup -1}), assuming an approximately equal {sup 222}Rn concentration. The {sup 220}Rn measurement uncertainty at this concentration level decreases to {approximately} {+-} 20% if at least three measurements sampled in series are arithmetically averaged. The uncertainty in the {sup 220}Rn measurement at low levels is proportionately affected by the relative concentration of {sup 222}Rn present. 11 refs., 2 figs., 1 tab.« less
Hydrogen reactivity on highly-hydroxylated TiO2(110) surfaces prepared via carboxylic acid adsorption and photolysis

Combined scanning tunneling microscopy, temperature programmed desorption, photo stimulated desorption, and density functional theory studies have probed the formation and reactivity of highly-hydroxylated rutile TiO2(110) surfaces, which were prepared via a novel, photochemical route using trimethyl acetic acid (TMAA) dissociative adsorption and subsequent photolysis at 300 K. Deprotonation of TMAA molecules upon adsorption produces both surface bridging hydroxyls (OHb) and bidentate trimethyl acetate (TMA) species with a saturation coverage of nearly 0.5 monolayers (ML). Ultra-violet light irradiation selectively removes TMA species, producing a highly-hydroxylated surface with up to ~0.5 ML OHb coverage. At high coverages, the OHb species typically occupy second-nearest neighbor sites along the bridging oxygen row locally forming linear (2 × 1) structures of different lengths, although the surface is less ordered on a long scale. The annealing of the highly-hydroxylated surface leads to hydroxyl recombination and H2O desorption with ~100% yield, thus ruling out the diffusion of H into the bulk that has been suggested in the literature. In agreement with experimental data, theoretical results show that the recombinative H2O desorption is preferred over both H bulk diffusion and H2 desorption processes.
Systems and Automatisms: Jack Burnham, Stanley Cavell and the Evolution of a Neoliberal Aesthetic

ABSTRACT This paper compares Jack Burnham's “systems esthetics” and Stanley Cavell's “automatisms,” linking them by way of organizational and systems theories of the mid-20th century and the rise of the post-medium condition in art. Although rarely paired, curator and critic Burnham and philosopher Cavell offer similar ontologies of art in the post--World War II period. Their ideas freed artists from old constraints of formalism and medium specificity while foreshadowing the rise of an artistic atomization driven by technology and economics. If Burnham's concept of systems aesthetics is concerned with a sense of cybernetic connectivity based on a feedback loop between the artist, artwork, art community and monetizing power of the market, then Cavell's automatisms describe a condition of laissez-faire independence in which each artist must work entrepreneurially, wholly for and unto herself.
Design of a microprogrammable computer with bit-slice devices

Abstract In this two-part series of articles the basic principles of designing a 16-bit computer made up of 4-bit bit-slice devices are discussed. The first part considers the data processing and control sections of such a system.
Ground-state electronic properties of diamond in the local-density formalism

We use our previously reported method for solving self-consistently the local-density one-particle equations in a numerical-basis-set linear combination of atomic orbitals expansion to study the ground-state charge density, x-ray structure factors, directional Compton profile, total energy, cohesive energy, equilibrium lattice constant, and behavior of one-electron properties under pressure of diamond. Good agreement is obtained with available experiment data. The results are compared with those obtained by the restricted Hartree-Fock model: the role of electron exchange and correlation on the binding mechanism, the charge density, and the momentum density is discussed. I. INTRODU(.'TION The local density functional (LDF) formalism of Hohenberg, Kohn, and Sham, " and its recent extension as a local spin-density functional formalism, ' form the basis of a new approach to the study of electronic structure in that the effects of exchange and correlation are incorporated directly into a charge- density- dependent potential term that is determined self -consistently from the solution of an effective one-particle equation. Applications of the LDF formalism to atoms+' and molecules' have yielded encouraging results. Similar applications for solids are complicated by (i) the need to con sider both the short-range and the long- range multicenter crystal potential having nonspherical components, (ii) the difficulties in obtaining full self-consistency in a periodic system, and (iii) the need to provide a basis set with sufficient variational flexibility. Hence, theoretical. studies of ground- state electronic properties of solids in the LDF formalism have been mainly l.imited to muffin-tin models for the potential, " non-selfconsistent schemes, ' treatments of simplified jellium models'0 or spherical cellular schemes We have recently proposed"" a general selfconsistent method for solving the LDF formalism one-particle equation for realistic solids using a numerical-basis-set LCAO (linear combination of atomic orbitals) expansi. on and retaining all nonspherical parts of the crystal potential. We have demonstrated a rapid convergence of the selfconsistent (SC) cycle when the treatment of the full crystal charge density is suitably apportioned between real- space and Fourier- transformed reciprocal-space parts and have indicated the large degree of variational flexibility offered by a nonlinearly optimized (exact) numerical atomiclike basis set. We have shown that all multicenter interactions as well as the nonconstant parts of the crystal potential are efficiently treated by a three- dimensional Diophantine integration scheme.
Vitamin D-dependent Rickets in Institutionalized, Mentally Retarded Children Receiving Long-Term Anticonvulsant Therapy. I. A Survey of 288 Patients.

In 288 institutionalized mentally retarded children, fasting serum values of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase, sodium, potassium, magnesium, and osmolality, and random urinary values of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium, creatinine, and amino acid nitrogen were measured. Roentgenograms of long bones were obtained from 75 patients. Of the 288 patients, 134 had received anticonvulsants of various types, combinations, and dosages for more than one year. All had a daily vitamin D 2 intake of 800 to 1,200 I.U. Patients who received anticonvulsants had lower values for both serum and urinary calcium and phosphorus and higher values for serum alkaline phosphatase and urinary amino acids than those who received no anticonvulsants. These changes were correlated with the duration of therapy but not with the dosage of the drug. The 68 patients receiving combinations of anticonvulsants had the most marked reductions of calcium and phosphorus and increases of alkaline phosphatase. Nine of them had biochemical and roentgenologic evidence of rickets, and 20 had severe osteoporosis. Neither rickets nor alterations in calcium metabolism were found in patients who were not receiving anticonvulsant medication. The serum calcium and phosphorus values of patients who were nonambulatory and confined indoors were lower than those of patients who were ambulatory and participated in normal outdoor activities. Vitamin D-dependent rickets associated with long-term anticonvulsant therapy may occur in patients who receive a combination of medication for more than one year. In our survey rickets was found in nonambulatory patients who were confined indoors and in whom chronic recurrent infections were common.
Thermal cis–trans isomerization of cis,cis‐3,7‐decadiene: A model for cis‐1,4‐polybutadiene

The thermal cis-trans isomerization of cis,cis-3,7-decadiene (DD), a model compound for cis-PBD, is reported. It is demonstrated that the rather low E for the polyalkenamer isomerizations compared with that for the 2-olefins is not an artifact of the solid polymer structures, but rather is characteristic of both small and large molecules possessing pairs of nonconjugated vinylene double bonds in a suitable arrangement.
Ab initio calculations of the pressure-induced structural phase transitionsfor four II-VI compounds

We report on pseudopotential calculations of the structural properties and pressure-induced solid-solid phase transitions for four II-VI compounds: ZnSe, ZnTe, CdSe, and CdTe. For each of these compounds, we fix the zinc-blende structure as the ambient pressure phase and consider the rocksalt, cinnabar, and Cmcm structures as candidates for the high-pressure phases. We calculate the transition pressures and the changes in specific volume for each compound. The pressure dependences of the structural parameters of the cinnabar and the Cmcm phases are determined. The Cmcm structure appears to be a common high-pressure phase for the II-VI and III-V semiconductors.
Phorbol ester attenuates cholecystokinin-stimulated amylase release in pancreatic acini of rats.

Abstract 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and cholecystokinin octapeptide stimulate amylase secretion in dispersed pancreatic acini, presumably acting via the activation of protein kinase C. In this study, we examined TPA pretreatment on the subsequent response of rat pancreatic acini to secretagogues. Acini exposed to TPA (3·10−7 M) at 37°C reduced the subsequent amylase secretion as stimulated by cholecystokinin octapeptide and carbachol, but not by A23187 or VIP. The optimal effect was obtained after 5 min of preincubation with TPA. Longer incubation did not result in greater attenuation. The degree of attenuation was dependent on the concentration of TPA used in the pretreatment. Maximal effect was seen at TPA concentrations of 10−7 M and higher. Preincubation with TPA resulted in alterations of the dose response of pancreatic acini to cholecystokinin octapeptide. A decrease in amylase secretion was obtained at optimal and suboptimal but not at supraoptimal concentrations of cholecystokinin octapeptide. The peak response to cholecystokinin octapeptide, furthermore, was shifted almost 1 log unit to the right, suggesting a decrease in cholecystokinin binding of the acini following TPA treatment. Binding studies demonstrated a reduction in the specific binding of 125I-labelled cholecystokinin octapeptide to acini following TPA treatment. Analysis of binding data revealed a decrease in affinity and binding capacity of the high-affinity component. No significant change in the binding capacity was detected with the low-affinity component, but a great increase in its affinity was observed. This suggests that the attenuation effect by TPA on the cholecystokinin octapeptide response in rat pancreatic acini in vitro is at the receptor level.
Stock plant etiolation and stem banding effect on the auxin dose-response of rooting in stem cuttings of Carpinus betulus L. ‘Fastigiata’

Experiments were undertaken to determine the effect of stock plant etiolation and stem banding, prior to cutting propagation, on the auxin dose-response of rooting in Carpinus betulus L. ‘Fastigiata’ stem cuttings. Stock plants were forced in a greenhouse, etiolated for 10 days and banded with black, light-tight Velcro™ for 8 weeks. Indole-3-butyric acid was applied to cuttings at concentrations ranging from 0 to 79 mM. Rooting percentages and numbers increased to a peak reponse at 20 mM in light-grown and 40 mM in etiolated shoots, followed by an inhibition at higher concentrations for all except etiolated and banded shoots. Cuttings prepared from shoots which had been etiolated or banded rooted better than controls at low and optimal IBA concentrations. Cuttings from shoots receiving both etiolation and banding also yielded higher rooting percentages and more roots per rooted cutting. Furthermore, etiolation and banding reduced the sensitivity of cuttings to supra-optimal auxin-induced inhibition of adventitious root initiation.
Modeling of axially moving wire with damping: Eigenfunctions, orthogonality and applications in slurry wiresaws

Abstract The classical modal analysis is applied to derive the analytical solution and to obtain the free vibration response of damped axially moving wire in this paper. The corresponding eigenvalues, eigenfunctions, and orthogonal relationship are presented. The orthogonality property and closed-form solution of free vibration response with damping are the main contributions of this study. In addition, the analytical modal analysis, with damping factor removed, shows agreement with those in existing research literature of moving wire without damping. The specific relevance of this general solution is discussed with respect to the moving wire in a slurry wiresaw. The theoretical definition of the damping factor of the slurry wiresaw system is also provided.
Application of similarity coefficient method to parts coding and classification analysis in group technology

Abstract This paper presents an alternative method of group formation in group technology using parts coding and classification. The majority of machine-part grouping problems use the production flow analysis (PFA) concept in which a machine is assigned a nondescriptive weight of 1 if a part is routed through it, or 0 otherwise. Clusters of machines are then formed using an appropriate similarity coefficient and a grouping algorithm. We introduce this concept to coding and classification where component parts are described and weighted by numerical codes. A grouping algorithm is then used to form groups of the most similar parts to minimize production and design setup times and costs. A numerical example of the procedure is also presented.
High-sensitivity absorption diagnostic for NO2 using a blue diode laser

Abstract An improved diagnostic for monitoring NO 2 , over a temperature range of 300– 2000 K , has been developed utilizing a tunable diode laser at 390.130 nm . The advantage of this diagnostic over previous methods is its increased sensitivity and simplicity. High sensitivity is attainable because 390 nm is at the peak of the broad NO 2 absorption spectrum and the diode laser output is low-noise. In addition, the dense NO 2 A–X spectrum near 390 nm produces optical absorption that is nearly constant with pressure, simplifying interpretation. The NO 2 absorption cross-section at 390.130 nm was measured in a room-temperature flowing absorption cell, and between 500 and 1900 K in shock-heated NO 2 /Ar mixtures. The absorption cross-section was found to vary with temperature according to the linear relationship: σ, 10 −19 cm 2 =6.7−0.00198T( K ) , with an uncertainty of ±5%. We also demonstrate the utility of this diagnostic for chemical kinetics applications by studying shock-heated NO 2 decomposition.
Prospects for ACT: Simulations, power spectrum, and non-Gaussian analysis

Abstract A new generation of instruments will reveal the microwave sky at high resolution. We focus on one of these, the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, which probes scales 1000 l
Spawning success and early life history of longnose suckers in Great Lakes tributaries

Fish eggs and larvae are often subject to very high mortality, and variation in early life survival can be important for population dynamics. Although longnose suckers (Catostomus catostomus) are widespread in northern North America, little is known about their early life history. We examined fecundity and early larval survivorship during sucker spawning events in three small Lake Michigan tributaries. Although egg deposition varied 25% among spawning events, estimated larval export to the lake varied over 25,000-fold from around 1000 to 26 million. Based on variation in environmental conditions across years, it appears that spring flow and temperature may be important determinants of egg survival to larval outmigration. Larval age data suggest that most individuals that survived to outmigration hatched during a 2-day period despite adult spawning across at least 10 days. Most larvae spent <2 weeks in the stream and emigrated around the time of transition from endogenous to exogenous feeding before substantial growth occurred. In two of three cases, larvae drifted exclusively at night; however, high drift rates occurred during both day and night in the case where larvae were very abundant, suggesting density-dependent drift behaviour. Our results indicate that survival in tributary streams from egg deposition to larval export is highly variable in longnose suckers. These large differences in early life survival may translate into variability in recruitment, thereby influencing population structure and dynamics.
Prostaglandin E-1, fatty acids and microbial growth.

THE isolation and structural elucidation of a new group of naturally-occurring C20 fatty acids, the prostaglandins, have recently been achieved by Bergstrom and his co-workers1. These fatty acids have been found in semen2,3, lung4 and endometrium5. Their physiological significance is unknown. Since fatty acids account for some of the antimicrobial activity of human sebaceous secretions6,7, it was decided to investigate whether prostaglandins might also be naturally-occurring antimicrobial agents, thus providing a chemical defence mechanism in the respiratory and reproductive tracts.
Discrete-time modelling of digitally-controlled multiphase converters

Digital controllers are often used in interleaved multiphase DC-DC converters for voltage regulator modules. A dynamic, discrete-time model is required for frequency-domain characterisation and subsequent controller design. An exact, small-signal model for a general multiphase converter is presented that is suitable for direct digital design. The proposed model is verified for a dual-phase buck converter, using hardware measurements and numerical simulation. The open loop control-to-output and the closed-loop transfer functions predicted by the proposed method match those extracted from an average-value model and network analyser, respectively.
Factor analysis methods and validity evidence: a review of instrument development across the medical education continuum.

PurposeInstrument development consistent with best practices is necessary for effective assessment and evaluation of learners and programs across the medical education continuum. The author explored the extent to which current factor analytic methods and other techniques for establishing validity ar
Lagged Y cells in the cat lateral geniculate nucleus.

We report on the existence of lagged Y (YL) cells in the A laminae of the cat lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and on criteria for identifying them using visual and electrical stimulation. Like the lagged X (XL) cells described previously (Mastronarde, 1987a; Humphrey & Weller, 1988a), YL cells responded to a spot stimulus with an initial dip in firing and a delayed latency to discharge after spot onset, and an anomalously prolonged firing after spot offset. However, the cells received excitatory input from retinal Y rather than X afferents, and showed nonlinear spatial summation and other Y-like receptive-field properties. Three YL cells tested for antidromic activation from visual cortex were found to be relay cells, with long conduction latencies similar to those of XL cells.Simultaneous recordings of a YL cell and its retinal Y afferents show striking parallels between lagged X and Y cells in retinogeniculate functional connectivity, and suggest that the YL-cell response profile reflects inhibitory processes occurring within the LGN. The YL cells comprised -5% of Y cells and -1% of all cells in the A laminae. Although infrequently encountered in the LGN, they may be roughly as numerous as Y cells in the retina, and hence could fulfill an important role in vision.
The accumulation of ascorbic acid by squamous cell carcinomas of the lung and larynx is associated with global methylation of DNA.

BACKGROUND Cigarette smokers are known to have lower concentrations of circulating ascorbic acid than nonsmokers. In contrast, there is evidence that the extracellular fluid lining of the alveolus, which comes in close contact with cigarette smoke, and the alveolar macrophages of smokers are enriched with ascorbic acid. The clinical significance of these observations is unknown. METHODS The authors measured the ascorbic acid concentrations and radiolabeled methyl incorporation (which is inversely related to the degree of DNA methylation in vivo) of paired samples of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adjacent uninvolved mucosa of the lung and larynx (n = 22). RESULTS Cancerous tissues had significantly higher ascorbic acid concentrations (mean ± standard deviation [SD, 485 ± 77; median, 483 ng/mg protein) compared with their matched uninvolved tissues (mean ± SD, 151 ± 52; median, 72 ng/mg protein; P < 0.0001). The radiolabeled methyl incorporation was significantly higher in cancerous tissues (mean ± SD, 31,419 ± 2629; median, 31,416 counts per minute [CPM]/μg DNA) compared with their matched uninvolved tissues (mean ± SD, 11,883 ± 1567; median, 11,444 CPM/μg DNA; P < 0.0001). The Spearman correlation between ascorbic acid concentrations and radiolabeled methyl incorporation by DNA in SCCs was inverse and statistically significant (r = −0.58, P = 0.008), indicating a beneficial effect of accumulated ascorbic acid in global methylation of DNA. In the uninvolved tissues, this correlation was inverse but statistically not significant (r = −0.20, P =0.35). CONCLUSIONS Cancerous tissues of the lung and larynx demonstrated their ability to accumulate ascorbic acid. The accumulation of ascorbic acid by these tissues seemed to facilitate global methylation of DNA. Cancer 2000;89:171–6. © 2000 American Cancer Society.
Spontaneous Inhibitory Synaptic Currents Mediated by a G Protein-Coupled Receptor

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) affect many physiological processes by modulating both intrinsic membrane conductances and synaptic transmission. This study describes spontaneous miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents mediated by vesicular dopamine release acting locally on metabotropic D2 receptors leading to the activation of a G protein-coupled inwardly rectifying potassium conductance. Thus, individual exocytotic events result in spontaneous GPCR-mediated transmission, similar to synaptic activation of classical ligand-gated ion channels.
Work Environments That Negate Counterproductive Behaviors and Foster Organizational Citizenship: Research-Based Recommendations for Managers

Past research has identified both employee characteristics and aspects of the work environment that can serve as antecedents to positive and negative workplace behavior. This article reviews research identifying the major factors that prompt both counterproductive work behaviors (CWB) and organizational citizenship behaviors (OCB). The dynamics of these relations are discussed, and possible approaches for workplace diagnosis and interventions designed to negate CWB and foster OCB are offered. A special focus on the implications of and possible interventions incorporating organizational justice are also presented.
Computer control of grating phase and movement

A method is presented which uses an on-line computer to control the spatial phase and move­ ment of an electronically generated grating display for visual experiments. This technique mini­ mizes CPU overhead and is inexpensive. The method is compared with several other schemes for controlling grating phase and movement. When vision researchers use grating patterns, the temporal modulation of the patterns is often important. Despite the trend away from optically generated patterns and toward CRT displays, it is difficult to move, jiggle, or displace patterns in real time. Most systems for temporally modulating gratings have been expensive and limited stand-alone devices; when com­ puters have been employed, the task of producing a moving display has left the machine with little time to perform other tasks. We have developed a system useful to computer-based laboratories that resolves some of these problems. The system combines machine software with a minimum of hardware construction (one $1.20 chip) and reduces the overhead on the CPU. Although we used a full-blown minicomputer for our implementation, all but the most primitive micropro­ cessors can serve just as well. Consequently, the method should be of general interest. The customary method of generating a CRT grating (Campbell & Green, 1965; Schade, 1950) is as follows: Function generators or other oscillators supply signals for each axis of the display. A high-frequency (approxi­ mately 50-100 kHz) triangle or sawtooth wave drives the CRT beam up and down along its vertical (Y) axis, generating a bright line; a ramp (sawtooth) wave­ form of much lower frequency (approximately 100 Hz) sweeps this bright line horizontally along its X axis. This generates a uniform bright field on the CRT screen. If the intensity (Z axis) of the display is then modulated, say, sinusoidally, vertical sinusoidal bars appear on the CRT. The number of bars is proportional to the ratio of the Z-axis frequency to the X-axis frequency. If the X-axis sweep oscillator is synchronized with the Z-axis signal, the grating is stationary. If it is not, the grating drifts across the screen, unless the Z-axis signal is an exact multiple of the sweep frequency. The drift rate of the grating can be controlled by manipulating the relative frequency of the sine and the sweep, but it is difficult to know how fast the grating is moving, and
Enterprise integration framework and semantic metadata in financial industry

This paper aims the enterprise architecture issue as a means of addressing the vertical gap in the cross-layers interconnectivity. We launched framework to address the integration strategy of metadata integration between business, service and information layers. This creates vertical alignment and uses metadata configuration to construct the mapping between each layer. This research paper reviews component-based implementation and uses an example in financial industry to review the design process from micro-component design to macro-component-based service virtualisation. The supplementary solutions of these two processes construct the enterprise integration interoperability and service virtualisation, which is the priority in financial industry.
Observations of first learners with different capabilities (abstract only)

During the Summer of 2013, we participated in a United Cerebral Palsy supported summer camp for children with disabilities. While our initial motivation for attending the camp was to conduct a user study of a Vocal User Interface, we worked with the camp attendees outside of testing and beyond computer activities, and during these activities, we were able to ask the attendees about their computer experience and interest. The attendees' experience and interest was noted along with the results of the study. The study demonstrated that voice was a useful modality for this audience; however, we were more surprised to learn that the majority of the attendees were not enthusiastic about using the computer and preferred more social activities. Three different types of computer science education activities were offered during the six week camp. The first activity was a group activity in which roughly ten students participated. The next activity was completed with smaller groups consisting of 2-3 attendees in which five students participated throughout the camp. The final activity was a one-on-one activity, and only three students chose to participate in the one-on-one activity. This poster presents the details of these activities, results of the user study, and thoughts as to why few attendees chose to participate in the smaller group activities based on observations during the summer camp.
End-to-end fairness over non-convex capacity region in IEEE 802.11-based wireless networks

Fair resource allocation for end-to-end flows is an important yet challenging problem in multi-hop wireless networks. Recent research on fair resource allocation is mainly based on the assumption of convex resource regions, which has been theoretically proven untrue. Thus, the definition of fairness in IEEE 802.11 is intriguing for two reasons: non-convexity of the IEEE 802.11, and the intrinsically deficient MAC scheduling. Two key questions that emerge unanswered are 1) How to define end-to-end fairness under IEEE 802.11. 2) How to achieve end-to-end fairness. In this paper, we present a new fairness model for IEEE 802.11 wireless network where the capacity region is non-convex. To characterize the desired fairness property, we adopt an axiomatic approach based on the game theoretic framework. Our new fairness model grounds on the Nash Extension Solution (NES), which is shown to be consistent with the concept of proportional fairness under the convex cases and approximate it under the non-convex cases. We further present an efficiency enhanced version of Nash extension solution, which pushes the NES to the strong Pareto frontier. Based on the construction method of NES and its extension solution, we present a time-decomposed price-based rate allocation algorithm and prove its stability. The simulation study over a variety of topologies (e. g., random and dynamic) validates the performance of our algorithms and demonstrates this theoretically sound new fairness model for IEEE 802.11 networks.
Ultrasensitive Optical Rotation And Refractive Index Measurements

Among the many techniques that benefited from the developement of laser technology, two examples are the improved detectability in optical rotation and in refractive index meas-urements. The former is an interesting physical property because it is usually associated with biological activity. The latter is useful because it is a universal physical property. In conjunction with liquid chromatography, one can take advantage of the improved detectability to study molecules that are present in small quantities in fairly complex samples, such as biological fluids and fossil fuels. The high degree of collimation of the laser allows better levels of extinction to be achieved between crossed polarizers. The amount of scattered light, and thus the amount of depolarization, can be greatly reduced. This then allows small rotations of the polarization axis of light to be detected. A detectability of 1.5 x 10-5 degrees can be achieved. The high monochromaticity of the laser brings about new applications of Fabry-Perot interferometry. The interference fringes can be used to monitor refractive index changes inside the interferometer. In conjunction with a flow cell interfaced to a liquid chromatograph, a detectability of 4 x 10-9 RI units is possible.
Guns and Butter and Government Popularity in Britain

Britain under the government of Prime Minister Thatcher provides a unique opportunity to probe the effects of both war and macroeconomic performance on government popularity. Monthly ratings for Thatcher and Conservative-party support (June 1979 to July 1985) are examined by way of Box-Tiao intervention models. The model that best captures the impact of the Falklands War of 1982 is of the gradual-temporary variety: popularity gains accrued through the three-month war shrink in a geometric fashion. Nevertheless, they prove to be worth over five percentage points for the Conservative party a year later, in the 1983 election. Macroeconomic performance, meanwhile, is found to have an asymmetric effect on government popularity, with unemployment strongly significant but inflation not significant at all. Apparently, the British public is punishing failure (on employment) while letting success (on inflation) go unrewarded. Qualifications of the positive effect of war and the negative effect of macroeconomic performance are suggested.