cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Computer Ethics: A Case-based Approach

Computer Ethics: A Case-based Approach teaches students to solve ethical dilemmas in the field of computing, taking a philosophical, rather than a legal, approach to the topic. It first examines the principles of Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, Existentialism, and Philosophical Analysis, explaining how each of them might be adopted as a basis for solving computing dilemmas. The book then presents a worksheet of key questions to be used in solving dilemmas. Twenty-nine cases, drawn from the real-life experiences of computer professionals, are included in the book as a means to let students experiment with solving ethical dilemmas and identify the philosophical underpinnings of the solutions.
Robust team-play in highly uncertain environments

Effective teamwork in highly dynamic environments requires a delicate balance between giving agents the autonomy to act and react on their own and restricting that autonomy so that the agents do not work at cross purposes. In this article we describe the problems involved in coordinating behavior based upon a highly dynamic object, a soccer ball, for agents with sensing and communications limitations. We then present a system for coping with these problems and examine its success in light of its performance at the RoboCup 2007 championship.
The Information Gap amongst the Generations and the Implications for Organizations

The ubiquitous nature of technology today fosters the perception that its use as a means of information sharing and gathering occurs equally across resources. There is however a digital divide which commonly refers to the socio-economic, ethnic, educational, and cultural inequality of access and use of digital technologies in society today. Less clear in the literature is as Digital natives and Immigrants age and enter the workforce, how their age will affect their use of technology as a social and information gathering resource Herring, 2008. Will advances in mobile technologies and age extend the digital divide or will they continue to be technology zealous? Based on data analyzed from wave 6 of the World Values Survey WVS a significant difference exists between the generations in the use of different information sources used for information gathering and sharing as they age.
Measuring the level of agreement between directly measured blood pressure and pressure readings obtained with a veterinary-specific oscillometric unit in anesthetized dogs.

Objective To determine if an oscillometric device optimized for use in dogs produces systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressures (MAPs) measurements that are in good agreement with directly obtained pressures Design Prospective study. Setting University teaching hospital. Animals Twenty-one dogs under general anesthesia for surgical procedures. Interventions A 20-Ga catheter was placed into the dorsal pedal artery and systolic, diastolic, and MAPs were directly measured using a validated blood pressure measurement system. Indirect blood pressure measurements were collected using a widely available veterinary oscillometric blood pressure unit. Results obtained by the 2 methods were then compared. Measurements and Main Results Agreement between the directly and indirectly measured pressure demonstrated a bias of 9.9 mm Hg and limits of agreement (LOA) 73.7 to −53.9, a bias of −8.9 mm Hg and LOA 23.3 to −41.2, and a bias of −6.3 mm Hg and LOA 28.2 to −40.8 for systolic, diastolic, and MAP, respectively. Conclusions There was poor agreement between the direct and indirect measured blood pressure measurement systems. Therefore, use of the oscillometric blood pressure unit evaluated in this study for monitoring patients under anesthesia cannot be recommended at this time.
Teen online information disclosure: Empirical testing of a protection motivation and social capital model

With bases in protection motivation theory and social capital theory, this study investigates teen and parental factors that determine teens' online privacy concerns, online privacy protection behaviors, and subsequent online information disclosure on social network sites. With secondary data from a 2012 survey N=622, the final well-fitting structural equation model revealed that teen online privacy concerns were primarily influenced by parental interpersonal trust and parental concerns about teens' online privacy, whereas teen privacy protection behaviors were primarily predicted by teen cost-benefit appraisal of online interactions. In turn, teen online privacy concerns predicted increased privacy protection behaviors and lower teen information disclosure. Finally, restrictive and instructive parental mediation exerted differential influences on teens' privacy protection behaviors and online information disclosure.
Posterior chorioretinal atrophy and vitreous phenotype in a family with Stickler syndrome from a mutation in the COL2A1 gene.

Abstract Purpose To report posterior chorioretinal atrophy (PCRA) and correlate the vitreous phenotype with inheritance of the disease mutation in a family with vitreoretinal dystrophy. Design Prospective observational case series. Methods Twenty-four members of a family with 14 affected individuals were examined, and genetic linkage analysis was performed at the COL2A1, COL11A1, and Wagner disease loci. The vitreous phenotype was prospectively graded as optically empty with retrolenticular membrane, fibrillar, or normal. Ocular ultrasonography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed on selected individuals to study the vitreous structure and vitreoretinal interface. Results The 6-year-old proband had PCRA and optically empty vitreous without systemic features, suggestive of Wagner disease. The family history was negative for systemic disease, except for one cousin with cleft palate. However, when examined, clinical features of the 14 affected subjects included 5 with small chin, 4 with at least submucosal cleft palate, and 9 with a myopic refractive error greater than 5 diopters. Lens opacity or previous cataract extraction was found in 13 family members. All affected individuals in whom the vitreous could be examined had an optically empty vitreous with retrolental membrane. Posterior chorioretinal atrophy was found in eight of the affected subjects. The finding was not limited to highly myopic subjects, nor did all the high myopes have PCRA. Ultrasonography and OCT revealed vitreous adherent to the retina, but without apparent retinal distortion or edema of the macula. Significant linkage was established to the COL2A1 locus; the other loci were excluded. A single nucleotide insertion mutation (c.2012^2013insC) was identified in exon 34, leading to a downstream premature stop codon in the COL2A1 gene. Conclusions Although posterior chorioretinal atrophy and vitreoretinal degeneration have been classically associated with Wagner disease, we demonstrate its presence in a family with typical Stickler syndrome. On the basis of clinical, ultrasonographic, and OCT studies, the etiology of PCRA in this family does not seem to be attributable to vitreomacular traction or myopia. The vitreous findings in this large family confirm reports that mutations in the COL2A1 gene lead to the optically empty vitreous with retrolenticular membrane phenotype.
Evaluation of the efficiency of sexual reproduction in restoring Podospora anserina mitochondrial DNA to wild-type

A Podospora anserina mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) rearrangement mutant, Mn19, was crossed with a deletion mutant, αΔ5. Ascospores (212) from random asci were tested for viability, growth and life-span phenotypes, and mtDNA inheritance. Some spore inviability was detected along with early growth arrest (at the time of spore germination) from which some isolates recovered. However, the majority had wild-type growth and life-span phenotypes. All isolates tested at the DNA level (102) had wild-type mtDNA hybridization patterns with probes that detected defects in the parents. About 20% also inherited low levels of mtDNA molecules with the rearrangement characteristic of the Mn19 parent. These results demonstrate that P. anserina has a remarkable ability, through sexual reproduction, to restore its mtDNA to wild-type, even when the parents are predominately mutant.
MR imaging of pituitary morphology in idiopathic intracranial hypertension.

The aim of this study was to investigate the morphologic changes of the pituitary gland in patients with the clinical diagnosis of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH). Qualitative and quantitative analyses of pituitary morphology were performed in normal subjects (n = 23), patients with the clinical diagnosis of IIH (n = 40), and patients with acute increased intracranial pressure (AICP; n = 37) caused by acute head trauma. The loss of pituitary height (concavity) on the sagittal T1-weighted image was classified into five categories: I = normal, II = superior concavity that was mild ( (2/3) concavity of height of sella), and V = empty sella. The area ratio of pituitary gland to sella turcica measured in the midsagittal plane was quantified. Clinical records were retrospectively reviewed to correlate with magnetic resonance (MR) findings. Using moderate concavity (>(1/3)) as the minimum criterion for abnormality, IIH patients had an 85% incidence of morphologic changes with 80% sensitivity and 92% specificity. Empty sella (almost complete concavity of the sella) was found in only 2.5% of patients with IIH. Quantitative analysis of the pituitary gland/sella turcica area ratio showed a significant decrease in patients with IIH (P < 0.0001) but no significant difference between the normal subjects and AICP patients. A posterior deviation of the pituitary stalk was seen in 43% of patients. No enlargement of the ventricles or sulcal effacement was seen in IIH patients. Routine brain MR examination of patients with IIH frequently shows morphologic changes of the pituitary gland ranging from various degrees of concavity to (rarely) the extreme case of an empty sella. The etiology is unknown and may be related to the severity and duration of elevated CSF pressure. Such findings may be useful to facilitate the diagnosis of IIH, particularly in patients with equivocal clinical findings or when IIH is not suspected. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;12:808-813.
Organic Amendment and Rotation Crop Effects on the Recovery of Soil Organic Matter and Aggregation in Potato Cropping Systems

Soil structural degradation is common in intensively cultivated ecosystems due to the depletion of soil organic matter (SOM). We investigated the mechanisms by which different frequencies of organic amendment application and rotation crops restore C, N, and aggregation in gravelly loam soils used for potato production. A single amendment application [FIRST; 22 Mg ha -1 compost and 45 Mg ha -1 beef cattle (Bos taurus L.) manure] did not affect total C in 1996 and increased it by 28% in 1997 relative to unamended plots (NONE); light fraction (LF) C accounted for 56% of this increase. Plots in which amendment was suspended for 1 yr (SASP) following 4 or 5 yr of annual application had more total C in 1996 (28%) and 1997 (46%) relative to NONE. A green manure crop consisting of oat (Avena sativa 'Porter'), pea (Pisum sativum 'Trapper'), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) grown in 2-yr rotation with potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) increased soil C in 1997 (25.9 vs. 23.9 g kg -1 ), LF properties in 1996 and 1997, and water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) on several sample dates relative to an oat rotation crop. Large aggregate (2-6.5 mm) stability in 1996 and 1997 and medium aggregate (1-2 mm) stability in 1997 were increased by FIRST relative to NONE. Total soil C was more strongly related to medium (r = 0.65 in 1997) and large (r = 0.51 in 1997) aggregate stability than LF or water soluble carbohydrate fractions. Compost and manure influences occurred rapidly and were persistent, demonstrating that annual applications are not necessary to reverse soil degradation.
How to speak up … or down

One sign of effective public speaking is an alert audience. To gain and sustain that alertness and interest a speaker must he heard, his words must be intelligible, and his delivery should vary in pitch and pace. The message will be received and understood in proportion to the speaker's use of vocal variety and emphasis to simplify and clarify his principal points.
Coarse Coding in Natural and Artificial Vision Systems

Coarse-coding is the transformation of raw data using a small number of broadly overlapping filters. These filters may exist in time, space, color, or other information domains. Inspired by models of natural vision processing, intensity and color information has been previously encoded and successfully decoded using coarse coding. The color and intensity of objects within test images were successfully retrieved after passing through only two coarse filters arranged in a checkerboard fashion. It was shown that a consequence of such a filter is a natural edge enhancement of the objects within the image. Coarse-coding is considered here in a signal processing frequency domain and in a sensory spectral filtering domain. Test signals include single frequency, multiple frequency, and signals with broad frequency content. Gaussian-based filters are used to discriminate between different signals of arbitrary frequency content. The effects of Gaussian shape changes and spectral contrasting techniques are demonstrated. Consequences in filter parameter selection are further discussed.
Abstract LB-225: EGFR and EGFRvIII interact with PUMA to inhibit mitochondrial translocalization of PUMA and PUMA-mediated apoptosis independent of EGFR kinase activity

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Glioblastoma is the most common and most intractable brain malignancy in adults. Patients with glioblastoma have dismal prognosis with a median survival of 12-14 months. This unfortunate poor prognosis is, in part, due to the aggressive nature of these tumors and the lack of effective therapy. EGFR and its constitutively activated variant EGFRvIII are linked to glioblastoma resistance to therapy, the mechanisms underlying this association, however, are still unclear. We report here that in glioblastoma cell lines, xenografts and primary specimens, EGFR and EGFRvIII paradoxically co-express with p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA), a proapoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins primarily located on the mitochondria. Both EGFR and EGFRvIII bind to PUMA constitutively and under apoptotic stress, and subsequently sequester PUMA in the cytoplasm. The EGFR-PUMA interaction is independent of EGFR activation and is sustained under EGFR inhibition. A Bcl-2/Bcl-xL inhibitor that mimics PUMA activity sensitizes EGFR- and EGFRvIII-expressing glioblastoma cells to EGFR kinase inhibitor, Iressa. Collectively, we uncovered a novel kinase-independent function of EGFR and EGFRvIII that leads to drug resistance of glioblastoma and potentially other tumor types. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-225.
Nuclear data sheets for A = 219

Abstract Available information on decay characteristics and level structure for all nuclei with A = 219 has been examined. A summary and evaluation of experimental data, including adopted values and comparison with theory are presented. The individual level schemes are discussed, and comments pertaining to adopted spin and parity assignments and to gamma-ray multipolarities are given. Any apparent discrepancies and inconsistencies are pointed out. Much of the level information in the A = 219 mass chain is obtained from the α-decay of the A = 223 parent nuclei. While a summary of these results is reflected in both the level schemes and in discussions under “Level Properties” and “Gamma-Ray Properties”, the actual data are presented under the respective A = 223 parent. Decay energies and separation energies have been taken systematically from the 1977 Mass Adjustment (76WaBo, 77Wa08). Detailed comparison has been made between the adopted α-energies and the input values to the Mass Adjustment.
An automated non-contact surface profile meter

Abstract An automated non-contact microrelief meter was developed to measure profile elevations on the soil surface in field situations. The meter consists of an optical probe which scans the soil surface at a known tracking height in predetermined transects. Horizontal and vertical translations are accomplished through ball bearing screws. Displacements are recorded by encoders, which relay electrical pulses for directional movement via digital subtractors to a cassette tape data logger. Performance tests on geometric models and soil profiles indicate good agreement between point gauge values and microrelief meter values adjusted for tracking height and hysteresis effects. Accuracy was generally bettern than 3 mm and the reproducibility was about 1 mm.
Responses of limbic and extrapyramidal substance P systems to nicotine treatment

Neuropeptides are linked to the psychopathology of stimulants of abuse, principally through dopamine mechanisms. Substance P (SP) is one of these neuropeptides and is associated with both limbic and extrapyramidal dopaminergic pathways and likely contributes to the pharmacology of these stimulants. The effects of nicotine on these dopamine systems have also been extensively studied; however, its effects on the associated SP pathways have received little attention. In the present study, we elucidated the effects of nicotine treatment on limbic and extrapyramidal SP systems by measuring changes in associated SP tissue concentrations. Male Sprague–Dawley rats received (±)nicotine 4.0 mg/kg/day (0.8 mg/kg, intraperitoneally; five injections at 2-h intervals) in the presence or absence of selective dopamine D1 and D2 receptor antagonists or a nonselective nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist. The nicotine treatment significantly but temporarily decreased substance P-like immunoreactivity (SPLI) content in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra 12–18 h after drug exposure. The nicotine-mediated changes in SPLI were selectively blocked by pretreatment with mecamylamine as well as a dopamine D1, D2, or both receptor antagonists. Other brain areas that also selectively demonstrated nicotine-related declines in SPLI content included prefrontal cortex, the nucleus accumbens shell, and the very posterior caudate. These findings indicate that some limbic and basal ganglia SP systems are significantly affected by exposure to nicotine through processes mediated by nicotinic and dopaminergic receptors, suggesting a role for SP pathways in nicotine’s limbic and extrapyramidal effects.
Chronic acral dermatitis: association with extreme elevations of IgE.

Three patients with a pruritic, papulovesicular, and keratotic dermatitis of the hands, feet, and extremities had markedly elevated serum IgE levels up to 100,000 ng/ml. There was no personal or family history of atopic disease. A variety of immunologic, physiologic, and pharmacologic studies of the skin had normal results. Mast cells were observed in large numbers in the dermis and even in the epidermis. The course of this unique dermatitis is chronic, lasting many years, and it is resistant to all treatments except administration of corticosteroid drugs.
A Biomimetic Climbing Robot Based on the Gecko

The excellent climbing performance of the gecko is inspiring engineers and researchers for the design of artificial systems aimed at moving on vertical surfaces. Climbing robots could perform many useful tasks such as surveillance, inspection, repair, cleaning, and exploration. This paper presents and discusses the design, fabrication, and evaluation of two climbing robots which mimic the gait of the gecko. The first robot is designed considering macro-scale operations on Earth and in space. The second robot, whose motion is controlled using shape memory alloy actuators, is designed to be easily scaled down for micro-scale applications. Proposed bionic systems can climb up 65 degree slopes at a speed of 20 mm·s−1.
Distributing social goods between generations

The issue of justice in intergenerational exchange has been studied with a focus on what is owed the elderly. Conceptual matters have been emphasized. The analysis has concerned two levels: the macrolevel on which a social contract might be achieved between representatives of generation-based interest groups, and a microlevel on which members of families and family-based networks have to find a proper balance between elder care and their other wants and obligations. The paper was written with the situation in Sweden in mind, but I believe that the analytical arguments have a wider generality.
PD-1/PD-L1 signaling in JIA synovial regulatory T cell function

Regulatory T cells (Treg) are key players in the prevention of aberrant immune responses and can be a future therapeutic target in auto-immunity. Tregs can be induced in the periphery by cytokines like TGFβ, or in the presence of inhibitory signals provided by antigen presenting cells. The murine programmed death (PD)-1 molecule is known to induce FOXP3 expression by influencing the downstream signaling of the T cell receptor and CD28 via inhibition of the PI3K/PKB pathway. We investigated the role of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction for the induction and functioning of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) patient synovial Treg. Expression profiles of surface molecules and FOXP3 were monitored by FACS analysis. Cells were in vitro activated by beads coated with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 and PD-L1 or isotype. High numbers of PD-1+ T cells and PD-L1+ macrophages were found in the synovium of JIA patients. In vitro incubation of peripheral blood cells from healthy donors with synovial fluid from JIA patients induced upregulation of these molecules. Activation of CD4 T cells from healthy individuals by beads with PD-L1 resulted in reduced proliferation and increased induction of FOXP3+ cells, accompanied by a reduced PKB phosphorylation as compared to isotype. Culture of synovial T cells with PD-L1 coated beads did not influence the highly activated status of PKB, but did reduce the proliferation of these cells. These data suggest an important role for PD-1 and its ligand in human Treg biology and immune homeostasis in chronically inflamed tissue which will be further investigated in future experiments.
Assembly of cadmium stearate and valinomycin molecules assists complexing of K+ in mixed Langmuir-Blodgett films

The incorporation of valinomycin molecules into cadmium stearate multilayers increased complexation of valinomycin with potassium ions and potassium permeability of the multilayers. Valinomycin-cadmium stearate mixed Langmuir-Blodgett multilayers were exposed to aqueous solutions of KCl, NaCl and KClNaCl mixtures in a concentration range of 0.001–100 mM. The current responses of the multilayers indicated a significant dependence on the K+ concentration but not on the Na+ concentration. A marked preference for K+ over Na+ was observed in mixed ion solutions even when the concentration of Na+ exceeded the concentration of K+ by the factor of 100000. The K+Na+ selectivity was dependent on the concentration of valinomycin in mixed monolayers and was highest at about 9 mol% of valinomycin, at which point the antibiotic molecules were completely surrounded by cadmium stearate molecules. This information may be useful for understanding of fundamental properties of molecular assemblies and antibiotic/cell membrane interactions.
Cardiovascular and metabolic actions of neurotensin and (Gln4)-Neurotensin.

Rosell, S., E. Burcher, D. Chang and K. Folkers. Cardiovascular and metabolic actions of neurotensin and (Gln4)-neurotensin. Acta physiol. scand. 1976. 98. 484–491. The actions of the tridecapeptides neurotensin and (Gln4)-neurotensin have been studied on the heart and on the blood flow in subcutaneous adipose tissue, skin and small intestine of anesthetized dogs. In addition, their possible actions have been investigated on blood glucose concentration and lipolysis in subcutaneous adipose tissue. The two peptides were found to he approximately equipotent. Intravenous infusion of 20–120 ng × kg % min produced slight hypotension, an initial vasodilatation in the small intestine and a delayed vasoconstriction in denervated subcutaneous adipose tissue and to a lesser extent in the skin and small intestine. At this infusion rate, neurotensin and (Gln4)-neurotensin did not elicit vasodilatation in the skin or adipose tissue and had no effect on heart rate. The delayed vasoconstriction in adipose tissue was not inhibited by local cr-receptor blockade. Both neurotensin and (Gln4)-neurotensin increased glucose concentration in the upper dose range. No effects on lipolysis were observed, either in vivo or in vitro. These experiments show that neurotensin and (Gln4)-neurotensin have both vasodilator and vasoconstrictor actions in the peripheral vasculature but seem to be without cardiac actions. They also increase blood glucose concentration. It remains to be shown whether these actions are direct or whether some are indirectly mediated.
Ergodic group automorphisms are exponentially recurrent

We show that ergodic automorphisms of compact abelian groups have the property that for every nonempty open setU, the measure of the set first returning toU aftern iterates decays exponentially inn. This follows from a result about aperiodic automorphisms of countable abelian groups, whose proof employsp-adic analysis.
Influence of Modified Corticosteroids on Antitryptic Activity of Rat Serum

This report deals with the influence of cortisone, prednisolone, prednisone and 9 α-fluorocortisol acetate on the serum antitryptic activity of normal, splenectomized, adrenalectomized and adrenalectomized-splenectomized rats. Elevation of serum antitryptic activity was most consistent with 9α-fluorocortisol acetate administration. Prednisolone and prednisone proved less effective while cortisone-induced changes were of small magnitude.
Radical Disenchantments: Neoconservatives and the Disciplining of Desire in an Anti-Utopian Era.

This article traces part of the history of neoconservatism in the United States and analyses its impact on contemporary schooling. It examines the political evolution of a fraction of old leftists whose disenchantment with the possibilities of radical transformation led them to become new rightists. Whether attacking the countercultural left or the welfare state in the 1960s, or critical multiculturalism more recently, neoconservatives have embraced anti‐utopianism as the only corrective for the assumed naivete of leftist cultural and economic desires. Concerns for the ‘restoration’ of cultural and national order are evident in reforms endorsed by this segment, including educational standards and a core curriculum that mediate against the progressive monopoly presumed to exist in schools. Rather than allowing more radical desires to be disciplined by such reforms, it is imperative to reclaim the freedom dreams embedded in past democratic movements and to learn from the grassroots efforts of communities wo...
The significance of non-sustained hypotension in emergency department patients with sepsis

Objective Few studies have documented the incidence and significance of non-sustained hypotension in emergency department (ED) patients with sepsis. We hypothesized that ED non-sustained hypotension increases risk of in-hospital mortality in patients with sepsis.
Q-switched frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser surface finishing of metals

Etude du polissage de metaux par refusion de la surface par un faisceau laser: exemples de molybdene, d'une surface de nickel implantee d'ions argent et d'une couche mince d'or sur du ruthenium
Adsorption dynamics of single and binary surfactants at the air/water interface

Abstract Models of diffusion-controlled adsorption of mixed surfactants at the air/water interface reveal a rich variety of interesting behavior. The models predict the following. A maximum in the dynamic adsorption concentration for the less surface-active surfactant can occur if this component has a higher initial bulk concentration. The maximum is even more pronounced for small diffusion lengths, at which the dynamic subsurface concentration of the fast-adsorbing component can temporarily exceed that of the bulk. If an impurity is more surface-active than the main component, then small amounts of the impurity can drastically alter the adsorption behavior of the latter, as shown in some examples. These phenomena can be partly explained in terms of the timescales of adsorption for single surfactants described by the Henry's law or Langmuir isotherms, and partly by the competition of the components for surface sites. Since dynamic surface concentration data are not yet available for binary surfactants, the model predictions are used to calculate dynamic surface tensions and compare them with dynamic tension data. The results have implications for the dynamic and equilibrium selectivities of foam fractionation processes and for the dynamics of free-surface flows.
Mass transfer correlations for nonaqueous phase liquid pool dissolution in saturated porous media

Local mass transfer correlations are developed to describe the rate of interface mass transfer of single component nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) pools in saturated subsurface formations. A three‐dimensional solute transport model is employed to compute local mass transfer coefficients from concentration gradients at the NAPL–water interface, assuming that the aqueous phase concentration along the NAPL–water interface is constant and equal to the solubility concentration. Furthermore, it is assumed that the porous medium is homogeneous, the interstitial fluid velocity steady and the dissolved solute may undergo first‐order decay or may sorb under local equilibrium conditions. Power‐law expressions relating the local Sherwood number to appropriate local Peclet numbers are developed for both rectangular and elliptic/circular source geometries. The proposed power law correlations are fitted to numerically generated data and the correlation coefficients are determined using nonlinear least squares regression. The estimated correlation coefficients are found to be direct functions of the interstitial fluid velocity, pool dimensions, and pool geometry.
Public Health, Patronage and National Culture The Resuscitation and Commodification of Community Origins in Neoliberal Brazil

This article examines state and citizens' reliance on patron—client relations during neoliberal restructuring. It contends that neoliberalism is not an objectively apparent set of processes but an ...
Development of Coherent, Expandable, Reconfigurable Instrument Node (ERIN) for Web Sensor Applications

Microwave radars operating over the L-band microwave spectrum are often used as sensors for estimation of vegetation biomass, land surface topography and surface deformation, surface soil moisture, and polar ice sheets thickness. Monitoring of these parameters is essential for gauging the Earth's ecosystem. Because of restriction on the mass and size of a radar sensor that can be deployed on a small aircraft/spacecraft, the surface resolution with which these essential earth parameters can be improved using this technology by forming interferometric baselines between nodes. The expandable reconfigurable instrument node (ERIN) will provide a semi-closed loop system solution for a variety of sensors. The ERIN baselines a reconfigurable processing technology with required memory to allow on-board processing of science data. Standardized interfaces are provided to allow for interfacing to attitude control instrumentation such as global positioning systems (GPS) and inertial measurement units (IMU). A communications device will be added to the node that would allow for node-to-node communications.
Surface Treatment for Inhibition of Corrosion and Hydrogen Penetration of Type 718 Alloy

Abstract Polarization and permeation experiments showed that a monolayer coverage of lead (Pb) effectively inhibited the hydrogen (H) evolution reaction and H penetration through type 718 (UNS N07718) alloy. Observed inhibition effects were a result of the kinetic limitations of the H discharge reaction and suppression of H absorption on the deposited monolayer. H evolution reaction and H permeation rates were reduced by ∼ 67% and 70%, respectively.
Radiographic appearance and population distribution of the pneumatized articular eminence of the temporal bone

The pneumatized articular eminence of the temporal bone (PAT) is a cavity similar to that seen in the mastoid process that occurs in the zygomatic process of the temporal bone. Panoramic radiographs of 1061 dental school patients were reviewed to determine the radiographic appearance and population characteristics of this finding; PAT was found in 28 patients (2.6%). The mean age of the patients was 32.5 years; there was no sex predilection and four patients showed this defect bilaterally. Two radiographic types of PAT were identified, unilocular and multilocular. Panoramic radiography appears to be an efficacious method to display the articular eminence for visualization of PAT. Due to the relatively common occurrence of PAT and the increasing amount of surgery of the temporomandibular joint, visualization of this defect becomes important for the clinician planning surgical manipulation of the articular eminence.
Functional Response of Red Flour Beetles to Density of Cigarette Beetles and the Role of Predation in Population Regulations

Laboratory studies of interaction of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), and the cigarette beetle, Lasioderma serricorne (F.), revealed that numbers of the latter were reduced, at all densities, by predation by the red flour beetle. Numbers of red flour beetles were increased when immatures of the cigarette beetle were supplied as prey. Adult and late-instar red flour beetles generally killed more immobile prey (eggs and pupae) than mobile prey (larvae). The number of prey killed per predator increased as prey density and duration of exposure to the predator increased.
Defining and operationalizing ‘research-based’ prevention: a critique (with case studies) of the US Department of Education's Safe, Disciplined and Drug-Free Schools Exemplary Programs

Abstract ‘Science-based’ and ‘research-based’ are terms that have increasingly been applied to school drug and violence prevention programs over the past 5 years. The US Department of Education recently produced a list of research-based drug and violence prevention programs, which conferred ‘Exemplary’ status on nine programs. According to the criteria used to define Exemplary, there must be at least one evaluation that has demonstrated an effect on a behavioral outcome, and this evidence must come from a methodologically sound evaluation. This paper discusses these criteria through an examination of two evaluations of school-based programs that were conferred Exemplary status—the Second Step curriculum and the Adolescent Training and Learning to Avoid Steroids (ATLAS) program. The preponderance of evidence reported in each evaluation shows that the programs had little or no effect on behavioral outcomes. Also, both evaluations have methodological flaws, especially with regard to recruitment and retention of participants. These findings suggest that the Exemplary criteria were either poorly defined or not well operationalized in the process of program selection.
Estimating the Volumes of the Cones in a Gröbner Fan

We present a stochastic method for estimating the relative volumes of the Grobner cones of a Grobner fan without computing the actual fan. The method is particularly useful when the dimension of the Grobner fan is large and/or the volumes of several or all cones need to be estimated. A Macaulay 2 implementation for uniform sampling from the Grobner fan is provided by the author.
Cyclooxygenase‐2 inhibitor celecoxib augments chemotherapeutic drug‐induced apoptosis by enhancing activation of caspase‐3 and ‐9 in prostate cancer cells

Many tumors constitutively express high levels of the inducible form of proinflammatory enzyme, cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Increased COX-2 expression is associated with tumor cell resistance to many cytotoxic chemotherapy drugs. Furthermore, increased resistance to cytotoxic antitumor drugs is also known to be dependent on associated stromal cells in many tumors. We investigated whether prostate tumor-associated stromal cells, marrow-derived osteoblasts, affect cytotoxicity of 2 antitumor drugs, COL-3 and docetaxel (TXTR), and whether it is dependent on COX-2 activity. We further examined whether inhibiting the activity of COX-2 negate the stroma-induced decrease in drug sensitivity in tumor cells. COX-2-specific inhibitor celecoxib (CXB) was used to inhibit COX-2 activity and associated alteration in cell death signaling was investigated. Coculturing PC-3ML cells with osteoblasts decreased the cytotoxicity of the tested antitumor drugs and was associated with increased COX-2 activity in PC-3ML cells. A significant decrease in drug-induced PGE2 increase and an increase in cytotoxicity were observed when cells were treated with COL-3 or TXTR combined with CXB. Cytotoxicity of single or combination treatment increased apoptosis, which was associated with caspase-3 and -9 activation, PARP cleavage, increased BAD protein, but decreased protein levels of XIAP and BCL-xL. Oral administration of CXB (40 mg/kg) to mice with PC-3ML tumors for 42 days increased tumor latency, decreased tumor growth and enhanced tumor control with COL-3 or TXTR. Overall, a synergistic enhancement of antitumor activity in combination treatment was observed in vitro and an additive effect in vivo. These observations suggest a potential clinical use of combined dosing of COX-2 inhibitors and cytotoxic drugs at lower, nontoxic dose than currently used to treat advanced prostate cancer. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Leaky-Conduit Model of Transient Flow in Karstic Aquifers

Karst Flow Model (KFM) simulates transient flow in an unconfined karstic aquifer having a well-developed conduit system. KFM treats the springshed as a two-dimensional porous matrix containing a triangulated irregular network of leaky conduits. The number and location of conduits can be specified arbitrarily, perhaps using field information as a guide, or generated automatically. Conduit networks can be tree-like or braided. Rainwater that has infiltrated down from the surface leaks into the conduits from the adjacent porous matrix at a rate dictated by Darcy’s law, then flows turbulently to the spring via the conduits. KFM is calibrated using the known steady state; geometry and recharge determine the steady fluxes in the conduits, and the head distribution determines conduit gradients and sizes. Spring flow can vary with time due to spatially and temporally variable recharge and due to prescribed variations in the elevation of the spring. KFM is illustrated by four examples run on a test aquifer consisting of 27 nodes, 42 elements, and 26 conduits. Three examples (drought, uniform rainstorm, storm-water input to one element) are simulations, while the fourth uses data from a spring-basin flooding event. The qualitative fit between the predicted and observed spring discharge in the fourth example provides support of the hypothesis that the dynamic behavior of a karst conduit system is an emergent property of a self-organized system, largely independent of the locations and properties of individual conduits.
A comparison of some discrete event simulation languages

Discrete event simulation is now a widely used tool to aid the decision maker faced with the need to investigate the effect of changes on dynamic real-time systems. It is used in those situations which are not susceptible to analytic solutions and where the only alternative to trying out the changes on the live system is to build a model and try the changes on the model. This paper is concerned with the evaluation of three languages which have been developed to enable the model builder to represent a discrete event system on a computer and hence simulate a system. These languages are GPSS, ECSL and SIMULA 67. See refs. 1,2,3.
Effects of biotic factors on depth selection by salt marsh nekton

Abstract Biotic factors such as interactions among co-occurring taxa are frequently cited as important in determining how nekton use habitat, yet their effects have rarely been tested experimentally. We investigated the general hypothesis that depth distributions of five taxa common in salt marsh intertidal creeks are affected by the presence of other taxa. Two experiments were conducted in a pair of large (15 m3), multi-level (20, 40, and 60 cm water depth) flow-through tanks under fairly stable environmental conditions. During the first experiment, when grass shrimp (Palaemonetes spp.), mummichog (Fundulus heteroclitus), white mullet (Mugil curema), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), and pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) were each tested alone, the highest proportions of individuals occupied the intermediate and deepest depths. When all taxa were tested together, the distributions of resident creek taxa, mummichog and grass shrimp, shifted to shallower depths, but the distributions of the seasonal transient taxa, white mullet, spot, and pinfish, did not change. A second experiment was conducted to test the effect of predator presence on grass shrimp depth selection. Neither predatory pinfish nor non-predatory white mullet had a strong influence on grass shrimp depth distribution when tested separately, but grass shrimp shifted to shallower depths in the combined presence of both fish. This suggests that a multiple-taxa effect such as increased disturbance or higher encounter frequency influenced the depth selection of grass shrimp. Our results demonstrate that biotic factors are important in shaping distributions of grass shrimp and mummichog in shallow water habitat.
A New Foam Girdle for the Significant Reduction of Ecchymoses Post-Liposuction

background. Reston foam (3M, St. Paul, MN) has been used in the past for the reduction of ecchymoses postliposuction surgery. The application of this modality, however, can cause allergic dermatitis, bullae formation and postinflammatory hyper-pigmentation, and it takes approximately 30 minutes to apply. objective. To develop a girdle that protects the skin from the aforementioned problems while incorporating the concepts of foam compression. methods. A garment was developed that incorporates foam into a lycra covering. Velcro straps are placed throughout the entire length of the girdle so that the surgeon can adjust the pressure according to specific needs. This garment is kept on for two to three days. results. No cases of allergic dermatitis, bullae formation or postinflammatory pigmentations were found with using this garment in over 800 cases. conclusion. In most cases, Reston foam is a good adjunct to liposuction surgery. However, it can occasionally cause allergic dermatitis, bullae formation or postinflammatory hyper-pigmentation and can take an inordinately long time to apply. The author presents a new garment that incorporates the foam into a lycra covering that includes velcro-adjustable straps along the entire length of the girdle. This garment has not caused the aforementioned problems of dermatitis, bullae formation or postinflammatory hyper-pigmentation in over 800 cases.
Stages of faith and identity: birth to teens

In closing, some of the strengths, limitations, and criticisms of faith development theory need to be acknowledged. Fortunately, there was gender balance in the formative sample of 359 interviews from which the theory of faith development derived (50% each of male and female respondents). In the original sample, Protestants made up 45% of the interviewees, Catholics represented 36.5%, 11.2% were Jews, and 3.6% were Orthodox Christians. A remaining 3.6% were "other." Given the growth in the numbers of adherents to other major traditions in the United States, interview research needs to be conducted to widen the sample to include Muslim, Buddhist, and secular respondents. Interviewees have not been studied longitudinally. Furthermore, most of the foundational research was conducted in the 1 980s and early 1990s. A new major round of faith development interviews could shed light on the impacts on peoples' faith of "globalization" and the features of experience that have come to be called the "postmodern condition." These phenomena reflect patterns of radical secularization and the erosion of religious and moral authority on the one hand and, paradoxically, the worldwide growth of fundamentalist and conservative faith practices on the other. Add to these phenomena the interest of many "nonchurched" persons in "spirituality" and we begin to grasp the richness and diversity that faith development research encounters today. Professor Heinz Streib of the University of Bielefeld is conducting the most significant research in the faith development tradition. The research he and his colleagues are conducting in Europe and in the United States promises to yield some tangible data and insights into these issues. To date, faith development theory has not been incorporated into child, adolescent, and family psychiatric interviewing and case formulation to any appreciable or measurable degree. These perspectives and inroads into the interior lives and thought processes of young people, however, may be helpful in the understanding of normal and pathologic development and of healthy and psychiatrically ill children and adolescents. Further collaborative work in this area is needed among psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychologists of religion, religious educators, and theologians.
Why additive utility models fail as descriptions of choice behavior

Abstract This experiment sought to determine whether previously found metric violations of additive expectancy-value models C.F. J. C. Shanteau, Journal of Experimental Psychology , 1974 , 103 , 680–691; J. G. Lynch and J. L. Cohen, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology , 1978 , 36 , 1138–1151) were attributable to the inappropriateness of these models or to nonlinearities in the relationship between numerical ratings and underlying psychological impressions. Undergraduate participants performed two tasks employing the same experimental stimuli. In the first task, they rated the subjective values of hypothetical bets, judged separately and in combination. In the second task, they made pairwise comparisons of the same bets in terms of preference. The use of the same experimental stimuli in both tasks allowed a test of alternative models of utility judgment through application of the criterion of scale convergence ( M. H. Birnbaum & C. T. Veit, Perception and Psychophysics , 1974 , 15 , 7–15). Results suggested that the additive expectancy-value model of judgments of the utilities of combinations of outcomes should be replaced by a weighted averaging rule in which the weight given to the value of each outcome in the averaging process is greater when this value is negative and extreme than when it is neutral.