cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physics- and Learning-based Detection and Localization of False Data Injections in Automatic Generation Control

Abstract In this paper, we propose two complementary methods of detecting False Data Injection (FDI) attacks in Automatic Generation Control (AGC). The first is a physics-based method which relies on Interaction Variables, and is derived by using a more detailed spatial dynamic model of the control area than the currently used Area Control Error (ACE). The second method of detecting FDI attacks in AGC is based on Deep Learning. This method mainly depends on historical data (tie-line flow, and frequency) and ACE data, and employs a Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) neural network to build a model using the available historical data to learn the data patterns, and then predict ACEs through the learned patterns. The performance of both methods is verified through simulations on a 5-bus power system. Our results show that both methods yield high detection accuracy. The physics-based method performs better than the learning-based method, although, at the cost of requiring significantly more noise-free measurements.
Demographics and Epidemiology of Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Elbow Among Children and Adolescents

Background:Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the elbow is a disorder of subchondral bone and articular cartilage, of which the incidence among children is not clearly known.Purpose:To assess the d...
Coping with constraints: Longitudinal case studies of early elementary science instruction after professional development

Professional development holds significant potential in promoting science education, but that potential is undermined if instructional changes are not sustained. For professional development, sustainability refers to the continuation of outcomes over an extended period of time after the program ends and is an issue across international contexts. This longitudinal research, part of a larger research project funded by NSF, investigated sustainability of early elementary science instruction after teacher participation in a 3-year professional development program and the factors that influenced teachers’ decisions about instructional time and strategies. The research used a case-study approach to obtain an in-depth understanding of why instructional shifts occurred over a period of 7-years. The primary data sources were teacher surveys, self-efficacy assessments, and interviews. The findings highlight how school level factors changed over time and affected teachers’ science instruction in both positive and negative ways. The research illustrates the connection between contextual constraints and science instruction and holds implications for sustaining meaningful instructional changes after professional development ends.
Training Optimus Prime, M.D.: Generating Medical Certification Items by Fine-Tuning OpenAI's gpt2 Transformer Model.

This article describes new results of an application using transformer-based language models to automated item generation (AIG), an area of ongoing interest in the domain of certification testing as well as in educational measurement and psychological testing. OpenAI's gpt2 pre-trained 345M parameter language model was retrained using the public domain text mining set of PubMed articles and subsequently used to generate item stems (case vignettes) as well as distractor proposals for multiple-choice items. This case study shows promise and produces draft text that can be used by human item writers as input for authoring. Future experiments with more recent transformer models (such as Grover, TransformerXL) using existing item pools are expected to improve results further and to facilitate the development of assessment materials.
Sequenced circulating tumor (ct) DNA to detect the molecular landscape in advanced GIST.

11036Background: Molecular (mol) characteristics-guided precision therapy has well-established utility in GIST management. The GIST mol landscape is poorly represented by selective tumor biopsy (bx...
Minimum Distance Estimation and Components of Goodness-of-fit Statistics

SUMMARY The relationship of minimum distance (MD) estimation to components of goodness-of-fit statistics is considered. M-estimation is viewed as a special case, with interesting interpretations in terms of the defining +-function as related to linear combinations of the components and modified Fourier approximations to the efficient score. The essence of the competition between efficiency and robustness is the determination of the magnitudes of the coefficients of the high frequency components. Applications to the composite and simple goodness-of-fit problems are indicated.
Quality of life in patients at first time visit for sleep disorders of breathing at a sleep centre

Sleep-disordered breathing adversely affects daytime alertness and cognition. Patients suspected of suffering from sleep apnea present several typical symptoms including habitual snoring (often disruptive to bed partners), waking feeling unrefreshed, excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) or fatigue, lack of concentration, memory impairment, and at times psychological disturbances. The aim of the study was to evaluate different aspects in the health related quality of life (HRQoL) in a group of subjects who were referred to our sleep laboratory for their first examination for suspicion of OSA. One hundred ninety-eight consecutive outpatients (152 M) (mean age 52.7±12.8 years, range 18-82 years; mean BMI 31.1±6.6 kg/m 2 , range 17.3-57.8 kg/m 2 ) underwent Psychological General Well-Being Index (PGWBI), and SF-12 self reported questionnaires as a measure of the HRQoL, and ESS for detecting subjective sleepiness before nocturnal diagnostic examination. Comparisons were performed by Mann-Whitney test. Subjects showed a variable HRQoL score. No relation was found with AHI severity (range 0-129 n/h), T90% (range 0-87.9 %) or BMI. Subjects with ESS >10 showed a significantly worse HRQoL profile (p
Parents learning about their children’s TGNC identities

This paper reviews the results of a qualitative metasummary exploring parents’ experiences of a transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) child’s initial identity disclosure conversations or the ...
Two cases of brand-specific albumin sensitivity in patients receiving regular therapeutic plasma exchange

Therapeutic plasma exchange (PLEX) involves the removal of detrimental substances, commonly pathogenic antibodies or toxins, from a patient's blood by exchanging their plasma with a replacement fluid. While a variety of replacement fluids are available, human albumin (4-5 %) is the most commonly used, as it is widely available, easily stored, and generally well tolerated. Despite its excellent safety profile, adverse reactions to albumin are well documented, ranging in severity from mild allergic symptoms to severe anaphylaxis. This report describes two cases of patients receiving frequent PLEX who developed sensitivities to human albumin. These patients differed substantially in the manifestations of their symptoms, the duration of their treatment, and their medical indication for PLEX. In both cases, symptom onset occurred shortly after completion of plasma exchange procedures and lasted for several hours. Symptoms disappeared when the patients were switched to albumin from a different manufacturer, suggesting that the reaction was specific to that formulation of albumin and not to the albumin itself. These cases highlight the possibility of manufacturer-specific acquired albumin sensitivities and provide a simple framework for the initial approach to the management of such reactions.
The Correlation between Retained Primitive Reflexes and Scholastic Performance among Early Elementary Students

Aims: The purpose of this study was to understand the frequency of reflex retention as well as the correlation between primitive reflex activity and scholastic performance. This quantitative correl...
Properties of GABAA Receptors Underlying Inhibitory Synaptic Currents in Neocortical Pyramidal Neurons

Rapid applications of GABA (from 10 microM to 10 mM) to outside-out patches were used to study the role that the kinetic properties of GABAA receptors play in determining the time course of IPSCs in neocortical pyramidal neurons. Currents induced by rapid applications of brief (1 msec) pulses of GABA (1 mM) showed a biexponential decay phase that seems to involve the entry of GABAA receptors into desensitized states. This conclusion is based on the similar fast decay kinetics of the response to brief and prolonged pulses of GABA and on the correlation between the degree of paired-pulse depression and the decay rate of the currents induced by brief pulses. Under nonequilibrium conditions we found that the concentration-response curve of pyramidal GABAA receptors has an EC50 of 185 microM (GABA pulse of 1 msec). The decay time course of the patch currents in response to brief applications of GABA was insensitive to agonist concentrations at the range from 50 microM to 10 mM. Faster decay rates were observed only in response to pulses of 10 microM GABA. These data are compatible with the suggestion that briefer openings derive from a monoliganded state and that these are negligible when receptor activation is >2%. Assuming that GABA transients at neocortical synapses are fast, a several millimolar GABA concentration would be needed to saturate the postsynaptic GABAA receptors.
Metal-silicon bonded compounds

Abstract The crystal and molecular structure determinations of 2,2,4,4,6,6,8,8-octamethyl-2,4,6,8-tetrasila-1,5-mercuracyclooctane. Hg 2 Si 4 C 10 H 28 (I) and of bis-(triphenylsilyl)mercury, (Ph 3 Si) 2 Hg (II), are reported. The structures have been determined from single-crystal X-ray data collected by counter methods. Both molecules crystalize in the space group P 1 with one centrosymmetric molecule per unit cell. Each structure contains linear SiHgSi groups, with mercury-silicon distances of 2.490(4) A in I and 2.503(4) A II. In compound I the SiHgSi groups are linked by methylene bridges which form an eight member ring in the chair conformation. The cell dimensions for compound I are a 6.277(2), b 8.408(2), c 9.274(4) A, α 92.75(3), β 94.79(3) and γ 100.14(2)° with R 1 0.062 for 1809 observed reflections. The cell dimensions for compound II are a 9.999(4), b 11.727(8), c 7.654(5) A, α 99.87(5), β 115.35(4) and γ 98.41(4)°, with R 1 0.081 for 2394 observed reflections.
Construction of irregular LDPC codes with low error floors

This work explains the relationship between cycles, stopping sets, and dependent columns of the parity check matrix of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes. Furthermore, it discusses how these structures limit LDPC code performance under belief propagation decoding. A new metric called extrinsic message degree (EMD) measures cycle connectivity in bipartite graph. Using an easily computed estimate of EMD, we propose a Viterbi-like algorithm that selectively avoids cycles and increases stopping set size. This algorithm yields codes with error floors that are orders of magnitude below those of girth-conditional codes.
Evidence for a diffusible factor that induces susceptibility in the Colletotrichum-maize disease interaction.

Summary Colletotrichum graminicola, the causal agent of maize anthracnose, is a hemibiotrophic fungus that initially infects living host cells via primary hyphae surrounded by a membrane. A nonpathogenic mutant disrupted in a gene encoding a component of the signal peptidase complex, and believed to be deficient in protein processing and secretion, regained pathogenicity when it was inoculated onto maize leaf sheaths close to the wild-type fungus. Evidence is presented suggesting that the wild-type produces a diffusible factor(s) that induces the localized susceptibility of host cells at the borders of expanding colonies, causing them to become receptive to biotrophic invasion. The induced susceptibility effect is limited to a distance of approximately eight cells from the edge of the wild-type colony, is dosage dependent and is specific to C. graminicola.
Biosynthesis of tRNA in yeast mitochondria. An endonuclease is responsible for the 3′-processing of tRNA precursors.

Abstract To study the mechanism involved in the 3'-processing of mitochondrial tRNA precursors, we examined tRNA processing in a reconstituted system with a yeast mitochondrial extract. Two mitochondrial tRNA(Glu) precursors synthesized from SP6 RNA polymerase-directed transcription system were used as substrates. One contained a 214-nucleotide 5' terminus and 115-123-nucleotide 3' trailer. The other had the same sized 3' trailer, but contained a mature 5' terminus. An endonucleolytic activity was identified in a mitochondrial S30 fraction which cleaves the 3' terminus of the latter tRNA precursor precisely at the in vivo CCA addition site. No cleavage of the 5'-extended precursor was observed in vitro. This mitochondrial 3'-processing activity was partially purified using DEAE-CL-6B chromatography. It removes the 3' trailer sequence from the 5'-matured precursor leaving a 3'-hydroxyl group on the processed tRNA and a 5'-phosphate group on the trailer. The resulting tRNA product serves as a substrate for tRNA nucleotidyltransferase which catalyzes the addition of CCA residues to the tRNA to complete its 3' maturation. Thus, yeast mitochondrial 3'-tRNA processing events resemble those found in eucaryotic cytoplasmic/nuclear systems where a single endonucleolytic cleavage is responsible for the formation of the 3' end of the tRNAs. This is in contrast to the multistep 3'-processing events known to occur in procaryotes.
Mechanical damage to murine neuronal-enriched cultures during harvesting: Effects of free fatty acids, diglycerides, Na + , K + -ATPase, and lipid peroxidation

The most commonly used procedure to harvest cultured cells from petri dishes is to scrape the cells off the plates with a rubber or Teflon policeman. However, the results reported herein demonstrate that this technique, with its associated mechanical trauma, significantly perturbed cell membranes in neuronal-enriched cultures derived from the ventral half of fetal murine spinal cords. This is evidenced by liberation of free fatty acids and diglycerides, partial inhibition of Na+K+-ATPase activity, and increased malondialdehyde production. Harvesting the cells by freezing, either on liquid nitrogen or dry ice, significantly attenuated these effects. This important observation indicates that mechanical manipulation of cultured cells during harvesting significantly affects subsequent biochemical analyses, particularly those associated with the cell membrane (e.g., membrane lipid metabolism and assay of intrinsic membrane enzymes).
Effects of salinity on the respiration and heart rate of the common mussel, Mytilus edulis L., and the black chiton, Katherina tunicata (Wood)

Abstract The rate of oxygen consumption of stepwise acclimated Mytilus edulis L. increased linearly from 30 to 10‰ salinity ( S ) while that of Katherina tunicata (Wood) was not significantly different between 10 and 30‰ S . Heart rate was 21–22 and 17–18 beats m −1 in Mytilus edulis and Katherina tunicata , respectively, and no difference was found in the heart rate of either species acclimated stepwise to 10, 20 or 30‰ S . The average oxygen consumption rate of Mytilus edulis exposed to 12 h, 30-10-30 and 10-30-10‰ S cycles of fluctuating salinity was significantly lower than the respective control rate: there was a similar response during the 30-10-30‰ S cycle in Katherina tunicata . The respiration rate of Mytilus edulis and Katherina tunicata declined as salinity deviated from the control salinity and increased as salinity returned to the control salinity. The rate of oxygen consumption by K. tunicata varied directly with the ambient salinity during the 10-30-10‰ S cycle. The average heart rate of Mytilus edulis was significantly lower during cyclic changes in salinity than at the respective control salinities; a similar relationship existed for Katherina tunicata during the 10-30-10‰ S cycle. Heart rate of Mytilus edulis varied in a parallel manner with oxygen consumption during both cycles. Katherina tunicata heart rate was relatively constant and could not be fitted to a regression line during the 10-30-10‰ S cycle. The normalized heart rate increased to 113% of control at 10‰ S of the 30-10-30‰ S cycle and returned to the control rate by 12 h. The oxygen consumption and heart rate of these two species are not directly coupled to regulation of water volume because different responses are observed with respect to salinity although there is poor water volume regulation in both species.
Abstract 3302: Roles of cortical and subventricular GFAP+ astrocytes in initiation of astrocytomas

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Astrocytomas, including glioblastomas (GBM), are characterized by cellular, molecular, and morphological heterogeneity, which raises the question from which cells astrocytomas originate. Research with many different types of cancer has established that tumor initiating cells share molecular characteristics and gene expression signatures with stem cells; however, the origin of glioma initiating cells and their relationship to adult neural stem cells remains unclear. Using conditional, inducible genetically-engineered mouse models (GEMM) with inactivated RB (GFAP-driven transgenic expression of N-terminal SV40 large T mutant (T121), T) and/or PTEN (P) and/or constitutively activated KRAS (R, KRAS(G12D)), we show that tumorigenesis was initiated in both parenchymal GFAP+ astrocytes as well as GFAP+ NSC/progenitor cells in the subventricular zone (SVZ) within two weeks of induction in adult mice. The induced GFAP+ cells proliferated (measured by EDU incorporation) and expressed multiple neural stem cell (NSC) markers such as Sox2, nestin and CD133, which persisted in developing astrocytomas over several months. Primary cortical astrocytes from TRP-/- mice cultured in vitro under NSC conditions displayed self-renewal and multi-lineage differentiation potential and expressed multiple NSC markers. When stereotactically injected in the diencephalon of syngeneic recipient mice, astrocytomas formed within 3 weeks, which histopathologically and genetically resembled human glioblastoma and proved to be fatal with a median survival of 25 days. To further evaluate the relationship between adult neural stem/progenitor cells in the SVZ and astrocytoma initiating cells, we crossed TRP GEMM with knock-in Sox2-GFP reporter mice to purify TRP neural stem cells from the SVZ. These cells were then stereotactically injected into the diencephalon of syngeneic recipient mice. Allograft cells, identified by GFP expression, were found proliferating around the injection site several weeks after injection, suggestive of developing astrocytomas. Some cells also migrated along white matter tracks and infiltrated the stem cell niche in the subventricular zone. These results suggest that GFAP+ NSC within the SVZ, and potentially GFAP+ astrocytes elsewhere in the neuraxis, may serve as the cell-of-origin for diffuse astrocytomas in the adult murine brain. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3302. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3302
The Cultural Construction of Semantic Contingency in Mother-Child Speech.

Abstract The concept of “semantic contingency” has been suggested as an important feature of maternal speech, which promotes normal language development in young children. Cross-cultural comparisons of mothers' speech styles, however, have suggested a paradox in the apparent lack of this feature in the speech of mothers in many other cultures. This paper applies the theoretical framework of the “developmental niche” to a consideration of how mother-child speech is culturally regulated within a context of settings, social roles, speech functions and intentions. The daily lives of language-learning children and discourse between three mothers and their two-year-old children are examined with particular reference to the functions of nurturance and socialization for responsibility in maternal speech. Within these contexts, it is argued that maternal speech is semantically contingent in the sense that both partners in the conversation are jointly focused on a shared topic of concern. It is suggested that a fuller understanding of relations between language input and acquisition can be achieved through analysis of the cultural dimensions of mother-child interaction.
Sociology as Knowledge New Perspectives on Systems, Society, Culture, Community

Contemplate the nature, relevance, and limitations of traditional systems analysis in understanding virtual systems as work communities. Considering herself from the perspective of a system personi...
Neutrino masses in superstring models with E6 singlets coming from H1(End T)

In superstring models with E/sub 6/ singlets coming from H/sup 1/(End T), in addition to the couplings 27 x 27 x 27 and 27-bar x 27-bar x 27-bar, there are the couplings 27 x 27-bar x 1 and 27-bar x 27 x 1. It is shown in this paper that the general mass matrix of neutrinos is (5(p/sub 1/+p/sub 2/)+p/sub 3/) x (5(p/sub 1/+p/sub 2/)+p/sub 3/), where p/sub 1/, p/sub 2/, and p/sub 3/ are the numbers of 27, 27-bar, and the singlets of E/sub 6/, respectively. By appropriate choice of vacuum expectation values and letting p/sub 1/ = p/sub 1/ = p/sub 3/ = 1, the 11 x 11 mass matrix reduces to 4 x 4, from which a light neutrino with mass m/sub ..nu../<10 eV is obtained.
Comparison of Grid-Definition Schemes for Monte Carlo Simulations

We examine spatial-discretization approaches for the direct simulation Monte Carlo method for axisymmetric and three-dimensional flows. Computations using three schemes, 1) a uniform Cartesian grid, 2) a structured body-fitted grid, and 3) an unstructured tetrahedral grid, are presented for the hypersonic flow past a blunted cone for two angles of attack.
Periventricular localization of a toxic encephalopathy induced by a mechanism involving choroid plexus

An aliphatic triamine has been reported to cause lesions in rats in the vicinity of the area postrema and the median eminence of the hypothalamus, sites known to lack a blood-brain barrier. The present study revealed that some of the rats developed lesions in the cerebellum as well. The cerebellar lesions were related topographically to the choroid plexus in the underlying fourth ventricle. This periventricular distribution could be due to passage of the triamine from blood to choroid plexus and cerebrospinal fluid and then to parenchyma. In further experiments, the permeability of the plexus was increased by inducing choroid plexitis with cyclophosphamide. Subsequent administration of the triamine induced periventricular cerebellar lesions in higher incidence and at lower dose levels than in normal rats. Thus, the induction of choroid plexitis supported the aforementioned hypothesis and also suggested that it might be a useful model for periventricular localization of other types of lesions or diseases.
Monoclonal antibodies specific for rat relaxin. I. Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies that neutralize rat relaxin's bioactivity in vivo.

The physiological role of relaxin during pregnancy and at parturition in the rat is not absolutely established. There are limitations to the experimental approach used in the few studies that examined the influence of relaxin in the pregnant rat. These studies were unphysiological, since they involved administration of porcine relaxin as well as progesterone and estrogen to ovariectomized pregnant rats. A more physiological approach is to use antibodies to neutralize the biological actions of endogenous relaxin in the intact pregnant rat. The purpose of the present study was to produce and characterize monoclonal antibodies suitable for this approach. Six stable and rapidly growing hybridoma clones which produced monoclonal antibodies specific for rat relaxin (MCA-rR) were obtained after the fusion of NSO mouse myeloma cells with lymphocytes from the spleen of a BALB/c mouse immunized with rat relaxin. Five MCA-rR (MCAl-5; all immunoglobulin Glk) inhibited the ability of exogenously administered rat relax...
Spine loading and probability of low back disorder risk as a function of box location on a pallet

It is widely believed that depalletizing operations in manufacturing and service environments substantially increase the risk of occupationally related low back disorders (LBDs). It has been established that the weight of the box lifted off a pallet can affect the risk of occupationally related LBD but few have considered the influence of the location of the box on the pallet (region) when assessing risk. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess spinal loading characteristics and the probability of high LBD risk as a function of box weight and its location on the pallet. Ten experienced order selectors were recruited from a local distribution center and were evaluated as they transferred boxes of different weights (40, 50, and 60 lb) from six different locations (regions) of a pallet to a pallet jack. Workers were monitored for their trunk motion characteristics as well as the electromyographic (EMG) activity of ten trunk muscles as they performed the task. Workplace factors as well as trunk kinematic and EMG information were used as inputs to: (1) a risk assessment model, and (2) an EMG-assisted model that was used to predict the three-dimensional spine loadings that occurred during the task. The results indicated that conditions where a worker must reach to a low level of the pallet increased spinal load and risk probability far more than changes in the weight of the box. Thus, spinal loads were significantly large in magnitude and would be expected to lead to an increase in low back disorders when workers lifted form the lowest layer of the pallet. The load moment was found to be strongly influenced by pallet region, which resulted in increased spinal loading and risk probability as the moment increased. This effort has also facilitated our understanding as to why spine loading increases under the various conditions studied in this experiment. Nearly all differences in spinal loading can be explained by a corresponding difference in coactivation of the trunk musculature. This in turn significantly increases the synergistic forces supplied by each muscle to the spine and results in an increase in spinal loading. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Validation of a new coma scale: The FOUR score

The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) has been widely adopted. Failure to assess the verbal score in intubated patients and the inability to test brainstem reflexes are shortcomings. We devised a new coma score, the FOUR (Full Outline of UnResponsiveness) score. It consists of four components (eye, motor, brainstem, and respiration), and each component has a maximal score of 4. We prospectively studied the FOUR score in 120 intensive care unit patients and compared it with the GCS score using neuroscience nurses, neurology residents, and neurointensivists. We found that the interrater reliability was excellent with the FOUR score (kappa(w) = 0.82) and good to excellent for physician rater pairs. The agreement among raters was similar with the GCS (kappa(w) = 0.82). Patients with the lowest GCS score could be further distinguished using the FOUR score. We conclude that the agreement among raters was good to excellent. The FOUR score provides greater neurological detail than the GCS, recognizes a locked-in syndrome, and is superior to the GCS due to the availability of brainstem reflexes, breathing patterns, and the ability to recognize different stages of herniation. The probability of in-hospital mortality was higher for the lowest total FOUR score when compared with the lowest total GCS score.
The effects of atropine on food-reinforced vs water-reinforced VI responding

Both atropine sulfate and atropine methyl nitrate (2 mg/kg) were found to suppress VI responding for food reinforcement, while neither had a significant effect on responding for water reinforcement. It was suggested that suppression of thirst-related behavior by anticholinergic substances is a dose-related function of both the central and the peripheral consequences of cholinergic attenuation.
An interlaboratory study of an EPA/Ames/Salmonella test protocol.

Abstract 7 laboratories participated in a collaborative study to evaluate an EPA standard protocol for the Ames test. The study utilized Salmonella typhimurium (strains TA98 and TA100) and 3 metabolic activation levels (0%, 2%, and 10% S9 in the S9 mix). 6 pure chemicals and 2 complex mixtures were tested as coded unknowns. Ability to obtain qualitative results in agreement with published data was less (% agreement) than that reported in an earlier study (% agreement) by de Serres and Ashby (1981) in which each laboratory used its own protocol. The conclusion from analysis of the quantitative data from this interlaboratory Ames study was that both intralaboratory and interlaboratory variations were substantial. Results for the same substance varied by an order of magnitude or more (CV of 115%) when the mutagenic response was measured as the slope of the dose response in revertants /μg. Taking interlaboratory variation into account, one chemical must be more than an order of magnitude more mutagenic than another (ratio of slopes greater than 10) to have only an even chance of finding a statistically significant difference between the two chemicals at the 5% level. Such large variations must be taken into account when evaluating Ames/Salmonella data.
Cubic Splines for Filter Design in Computed Tomography

Application of cubic splines is investigated to provide a convenient method of designing flexible reconstruction filters for computed tomography (CT). Cubic splines were found to be compatible with the basic requirements of CT filter's frequency response functions. An interactive computer software system was developed to implement the method of designing CT filters with cubic splines. The system was found to be convenient to use and could provide filters of various characteristics. An example is shown to illustrate the capability of the method in designing filters that can reduce noise levels in emission CT images.
Orientational phase transitions in systems of adsorbed molecules

The herringbone orientational transition of ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ molecules adsorbed on the graphite (001) surface has been studied by Monte Carlo simulation. Using the recently developed histogram method combined with an analysis of finite-size scaling and the fourth-order energy cumulant, our results strongly suggest a continuous transition in this model, contrary to the results of previous simulation studies and renormalization-group analysis. The critical exponents are determined to be those of the three-state Potts model, in good agreement with recent experimental results on systems that belong to the same universality class.
Persistence of Wintertime 500 mb Height Anomalies over the Central Pacific

Abstract The persistence of daily 500 mb geopotential height anomalies during the 17 winters from 1966 to 1982 is documented for a region over the central Pacific that is noted for its frequent blocking activity. Persistence is expressed here in terms of the degree to which a height value remains constant during the next several days. For a 9 grid-point region centered on 50°N, 165°W, blocks (large positive geopotential height anomalies) tend to be less persistent than negative height anomalies between −100 and −200 m. The greater persistence of negative height anomalies in this region is related to periods of stronger than normal zonal flow centered near 40°N (high zonal index). These periods of stronger than normal zonal flow are more persistent than expected of a first-order autoregressive process.
Inexpensive method of demonstrating microwave fiber optics

When asked to demonstrate the performance of fiber optics engineers often resort to hundreds of thousand dollars worth of test equipment including plotters and displays to show a screen view and to prove the viability of the photonic system. This paper will present a relatively inexpensive and unusual method of allowing visitors to see and hear operation of a microwave link versus that of a coaxial coupled RF link.
Documentation of decision-making capacity, informed consent, and health care proxies: a study of surrogate consent

Background Patients in the general hospital are routinely asked to make decisions about their medical care. However, some of them are unable to express a choice, understand the information provided, weigh the options, or make a decision for themselves; when this occurs, the task of making an appropriate medical decision is left to another—a substitute decision-maker (SDM). Objective We sought to understand the practice patterns surrounding surrogate consent. We hypothesized that SDMs would be used frequently for patients with an altered mental status (AMS) but that there would be insufficient documentation of health care proxies (HCP) and of clinician assessment of a patient's decision-making capacity. Methods A retrospective chart review was conducted on inpatients who underwent a lumbar puncture. The review assessed whether patients had a HCP in the record, if the patient's mental status was evaluated prior to obtaining informed consent, if the patient's capacity was addressed in this assessment, and whether a SDM was asked to provide the informed consent. Results Consistent with our hypotheses, we found that the majority of patients did not have documentation of a HCP in the record. We found that the mental status of all patients was assessed prior to the procedure, but that documentation regarding assessment of decision-making capacity was lacking. Conclusions Our pilot investigation suggests that there is need for improvement in our evaluation and documentation of altered mental status and a patient's ability to make informed decisions. To this end, several quality-improvement suggestions are discussed.
Experimental Investigation During Stall and Surge in a Transonic Fan Stage and Rotor-Only Configuration

High-speed pressure measurements of a transonic compressor rotor-stator stage and rotor-only configuration during stall and surge are presented. Rotational speed data showed the difference between the rotor-only case and rotor-stator stage. The rotor-only case stalled and remained stalled until the control throttle was opened. In the rotor-stator stage the compressor surged entering a cyclical stalling and then un-stalling pattern. An array of pressure probes was mounted in the case wall over the rotor for both configurations of the machine. The fast response probes were sampled at 196 608 Hz as the rotor was driven into stall. Inspection of the raw data signal allowed the size and speed of the stall cell during its growth to be investigated. Post-processing of the simultaneous signals of the casing pressure showed the development of the stall cell from the point of inception and allowed the structure of the stall cell to be viewed.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
Multiplicity features of distributed systems—I. Langmuir-Hinshelwood reaction in a porous catalyst

Abstract A simple procedure is presented for predicting the multiplicity features of distributed-parameter systems described by a single two-point boundary-value problem. The scheme enables division of the parameter space into regions corresponding to different numbers of solutions. It is shown that when a Langmuir-Hinshelwood exothermic reaction is carried out in a porous catalytic slab two distinct parameter regions exist, in each of which five solutions exist. When the same reaction is carried out isothermally in a slab, at most three solutions exist. However, when it is carried out in a cylindrical or spherical pellet a region with 2 n + 1 solutions exists for any n ⩾ 0. A simple scheme is presented for predicting the minimal Thiele modulus φ and dimensionless adsorption coefficient K values for which 2 n + 1 solutions exist.
Effect of feeding different roughage levels and sodium acetate in high-grain rations on milk production, milk constituents, and rumen volatile fatty acids.

Summary Two trials, ten animals in Trial 1 and 12 animals in Trial 2, were conducted to study the effect of feeding program on milk production, milk constituents, and rumen volatile fatty acids. A switchback design was used consisting of 7-wk periods, 3-wk changeover periods, and 4-wk comparison periods. Treatments in Trial 1 were (1) 10lb pineapple bran plus concentrate, (2) Treatment 1 with 2.91% sodium acetate in concentrate, (3) 12lb pineapple bran, 50lb chopped Napier grass and concentrate. Treatments in Trial 2 were (1) 10lb pineapple bran plus concentrates, (2) Treatment 1 with 2.83% sodium acetate in concentrate, (3) Treatment 1 with 5.66% sodium acetate in concentrate. Data from cows in Trial 1 on Treatments 1, 2, and 3, respectively, were: 4% FCM 35.35 a , 37.13 a , and 39.74 a lb; milk fat 2.79 a , 2.94 a , and 3.79 b %; total solids 11.05 a , 11.10 a , and 12.44 b %; SNF 8.22 a , 8.16 a , and 8.45 b %. In Trial 2, the values for Treatments 1, 2, and 3, respectively, were: 4% FCM 30.30 a , 32.85 b , and 34.17 e lb; milk fat 3.42 a , 3.96 b , and 4.18 b %; total solids 11.94 a , 12.49 b , and 12.63 b %; SNF 8.50 a , 8.50 a , and 8.43 a %. Values in the same category with different superscripts are significantly different by Duncan's multiple range test. No significant differences were observed in pounds of milk produced daily and body weight change in either trial. Rumen fluid from cows on Treatment 3 in Trial 1 contained significantly more acetic and less propionic, valeric, and longer-chain acids than from cows on Treatment 1.
Phase-difference operator analysis of microscopic radiation-field measurements☆

Abstract We analyze the reported microscopic, radiation-field, phase measurements in terms of phase-difference operators, instead of the previously used phase operators. The predictions of this analysis are in agreement with the reported measurements.
Evolution of periodontal regeneration: from the roots' point of view.

Tissues lost as a consequence of periodontal diseases, i.e. bone, cementum and a functional periodontal ligament (PDL), can be restored to some degree. Nevertheless, results are often disappointing. There is a need to develop new paradigms for regenerating periodontal tissues that are based on an understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating the development and regeneration of periodontal tissues. As one approach we have developed strategies for maintaining cementoblasts in culture by first determining the gene profile for these cells in situ. Next, cells were immortalized in vitro using SV 40 large T antigen (SV40 Tag) or by using mice containing transgenes enabling cellular immortality in vitro. Cementoblasts in vitro retained expression of genes associated with mineralized tissues, bone sialoprotein and osteocalcin, that were not linked with periodontal fibroblasts either in situ or in vitro. Further, cementoblasts promoted mineralization in vitro as measured by von Kossa and ex vivo using a severely compromised immunodeficient (SCID) mouse model. These cells responded to growth factors by eliciting changes in gene profile and mitogenesis and to osteotropic hormones by evoking changes in gene profile and ability to induce mineral nodule formation in vitro. The ultimate goal of these studies is to provide the knowledge base required for designing improved modalities for use in periodontal regenerative therapies.
Structure and conservation of lepidopteran communities in managed forests of northeastern North America : a review

We review the existing literature on patterns of moth (Lepidoptera) species richness and community composition in northeastern Nearctic forest ecosystems across hierarchical scales ranging from individual trees to entire managed ecoregions. Moths are species-rich in northeastern forests of North America, with the most diverse families being Noctuidae and Geometridae. Individual trees and forest stands, however, are often dominated by few species. Climate, stand age, disturbance regime, and landscape heterogeneity are significant predictors of abundance of dominant species. Most other moth species in the regional pool are patchily distributed and appear to occur regularly at very low abundance. Moth communities respond predictably to forest-management practices, and the outcomes of postmanagement response are largely driven by changes in the plant community. Significant reductions in moth species richness and changes in community composition are correlated with clear-cut harvesting, whereas selective logging appears to cause more moderate changes in moth community structure. Broad-scale effects of forest fragmentation on moth communities in unglaciated regions are best described by species replacement rather than species loss; moth species richness decreases slightly across a gradient of fragment sizes, but shifts in moth community composition are more important, especially in the relative importance of herbaceous-plant-feeding species in large and small fragments. Species that appear to be most sensitive to timber management or habitat loss are dietary specialists as larvae, dispersal-limited as adults, or dependent on commercially valuable tree species such as oaks, Quercus L. (Fagaceae). Restored forest stands tend to converge in terms of lepidopteran species dominance and diversity among stands, suggesting that the long-term consequences of timber management or habitat loss include a significant reduction of regional β-diversity. Finally, future research on forest Lepidoptera should include an emphasis on understanding the role of urban woodland habitat in retaining viable and diverse moth communities and how the spatial pattern of timber harvest affects the relative magnitude of α- and β-diversity components within a given ecoregion.
Increasing practice efficiency by linear programming.

Linear programming is a modern mathematical technique useful for solving problems that involve the allocation of scarce resources among alternative ends. This paper discusses the technique and, with the use of a simplified example, illustrates a potential application in dental practice.
Teaching assistant argumentativeness: Effects on affective learning and student perceptions of power use

This study examined effects of teaching assistant argumentativeness on student affective learning and perceptions of teacher power use. Significant differences were found in student affective learning for classes taught by low, moderate and high argumentative TAs. Lower TA argumentativeness is positively associated with student affective learning and vice versa. Significant differences were also found for student perceptions of instructor power use for classes taught by low, moderate, and high argumentative TAs. Lower TA argumentativeness is associated with higher levels of power use and vice versa. Multiple correlations revealed that TA and student argumentativeness accounted for 14% of the variance in student affective learning and for 15% of the variance in TA referent power use. Findings suggest that although high argumentative TAs may be “social specialists” in power use (and thus be perceived by students to use less power), their high levels of argumentativeness seem to have negative effects on stud...
Laser-capture microdissection

Deciphering the cellular and molecular interactions that drive disease within the tissue microenvironment holds promise for discovering drug targets of the future. In order to recapitulate the in vivo interactions thorough molecular analysis, one must be able to analyze specific cell populations within the context of their heterogeneous tissue microecology. Laser-capture microdissection (LCM) is a method to procure subpopulations of tissue cells under direct microscopic visualization. LCM technology can harvest the cells of interest directly or can isolate specific cells by cutting away unwanted cells to give histologically pure enriched cell populations. A variety of downstream applications exist: DNA genotyping and loss-of-heterozygosity (LOH) analysis, RNA transcript profiling, cDNA library generation, proteomics discovery and signal-pathway profiling. Herein we provide a thorough description of LCM techniques, with an emphasis on tips and troubleshooting advice derived from LCM users. The total time required to carry out this protocol is typically 1-1.5 h.
Reply to "Comment on 'Chiral gauge theories on a lattice and application to the chiral Schwinger model' "

In the preceding paper by Golterman and Petcher, from the consistency of the theory, it is claimed that the lattice action I proposed for chiral gauge theories is equivalent to the model proposed by others before. Here I discuss differences between the two formalisms in detail. The possibility of a nonperturbative continuum limit is also mentioned.
Identification of Protein-Protein Contacts between α/β-Type Small, Acid-soluble Spore Proteins of Bacillus Species Bound to DNA

Abstract Small, acid-soluble spore proteins (SASP) of the α/β-type from several Bacillus species were cross-linked into homodimers, heterodimers and homooligomers with 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) in the presence of linear plasmid DNA. Significant protein cross-linking was not detected in the absence of DNA. In all four α/β-type SASP examined, the amino donor in the EDC induced amide cross-links was the α-amino group of the protein. However, the carboxylate containing amino acid residues involved in cross-linking varied. In SASP-A and SASP-C ofBacillus megaterium two conserved glutamate residues, which form part of the germination protease recognition sequence, were involved in cross-link formation. In SspC from Bacillus subtilis and Bce1 from Bacillus cereus the acidic residues involved in cross-link formation were not in the protease recognition sequence, but at a site closer to the N terminus of the proteins. These data indicate that, although there are likely to be subtle structural differences between different α/β-type SASP, the N-terminal regions of these proteins are involved in protein-protein interactions while in the DNA bound state.
The Mexican sports car controversy: An appraisal analysis of BBC's Top Gear and the reproduction of nationalism and racism through humor

Abstract One case of derogatory speech that originated from an episode of the BBC television show, Top Gear, is examined as a prototypical example of the interplay among national stereotypes, humor, and mass media. The authors use Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to examine the global controversy that erupted in response to the single episode in which the show's hosts invoked demeaning stereotypes of Mexico. Martin and White's appraisal framework was applied to a series of texts taken from this global discourse in order to identify the textual means by which humor—in the episode itself as well as the emotionally-charged discourse that emanates from it—serves to reinforce nationalist ideology as the prevailing commonsense. Drawing on multiple fields, this CDA exploration draws a conceptual bridge to the established work on racialized humor in that both benefit from controversial episodes that are played out in mass media because people take the central ideological premise as a given in order to participate in the discourse, thus perpetuating the ideology's central positioning as an unchallenged commonsense. It is worthwhile to study the relationship between nationalized humor and the mass media because it serves as a valuable complement to the existing literature on racialized humor, and it also contributes to broader questions about the role of mass media in reinforcing ideologies.