cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance testing of small interconnected wind systems

There is a need for performance information on small windmills intended for interconnected operation with utility distribution service. The owner or prospective buyer needs the data to estimate economic viability and service reliability, while the utility needs it to determine interconnection arrangements, maintain quality of power delivered by its line, and to answer customer inquiries. No existing testing program provides all the information needed, although the Rocky Flats test site comes close. To fill this need for Michigan, Consumers Power Company and the Michigan Electric Cooperative Association helped support a two-year program at Michigan State University involving extensive performance testing of an Enertech 1500 and a 4-kW Dakota with a Gemini inverter. The performance study suggested measurements necessary to characterize SWECS for interconnected operation. They include SWECS energy output to a-c line, miles of wind passing the rotor, var-hour metering for average var consumption, and recording watt, current, and voltmeters to assess SWECS output variability. Added instruments for waveform measurement (to assess power quality) are also needed. Typical data taken at the MSU test site are used to illustrate the techniques and preliminary data from a current project is given. Finally, conclusions about SWECS performance are listed.
1,2,3-benzotriazines. II. Reactions of benzimidazo[1,2-c][1,2,3]benzotriazines and naphth[1′,2′(2′,1′):4,5]imidazo[1,2-c][1,2,3]benzotriazine†

A number of methyl- and halogeno-substituted benzimidazo[1,2-c][1,2,3]benzotriazines were subjected to a series of hydrolytic cleavages in acid media. The reactions of these compounds with dilute sulfuric acid yielded 2-(o-hydroxyphenyl)benzimidazoles. Concentrated hydrochloric acid produced a mixture of 2-(o-chlorophenyl)- and 2-(o-hydroxyphenyl)benzimidazoles. Hydrogen chloride in ethanol caused the formation of 2- phenylbenzimidazoles contaminated with small amounts of 2 - (o-chlorophenyl)benzimidazoles. The benzimidazo[1,2-c][1,2,3]benzotriazines underwent the Sandmeyer reaction to form 2-(o-chlorophenyl)- and 2-(o-bromophenyl)benzimidazoles in excellent yields. These reactions illustrated the behavior of these 1,2,3-triazines as internal diazonium compounds. Naphth[1′,2′(2′,1′):4,5]imidazo[1,2-c][1,2,3]benzotriazine behaved similarly. Bromination of some benzimidazo[1, 2 - c][1,2,3]benzotriazines in aqueous medium yielded bromine-substituted [1,2-c][1,2,3]benzotriazines.
Fatty acid esters of furfuryl alcohol

Furfuryl esters were prepared from linseed oil and methyl palmitate by alcoholysis using metallic sodium as the catalyst. They were also prepared from linseed oil and from methyl oleate by partial saponification in furfuryl alcohol. These esters, although containing conjugated double bonds, did not possess any increased drying power.
Results of nuclear magnetic resonance with cerebral glioma comparison with computed tomography

Abstract Our experience using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) in eight patients with abnormalities on computed tomography (CT) scans suggesting glioma is reported. Three patients underwent biopsies. Two patients had grade II astrocytomas. Difficulty was encountered confirming the diagnosis of astrocytorna on frozen sections in one patient, and permanent sections were required for diagnosis in the other. The third patient to undergo biopsy had a grade III anaplastic mixed glioma. Biopsy of subsequent patients with probable gliomas was not done because of the risk of producing neurological deficit. The NMR images suggest that lower-grade astrocytomas are well circumscribed, whereas higher-grade gliomas affect adjacent association bundles by direct extension of tumor cells or vasogenic edema.
Simple Derivations of Graded Affine Algebras in Positive Characteristic

Abstract A derivation d on a ring R is simple if the only ideals of R invariant under d are the trivial ideals {0} and R. In this work we show a new proof that, for affine k-algebras, R = k[x 1,…, x n ]/I where k is a field and I is a homogeneous ideal, simple derivations exist if and only if I has a rather restrictive form. Some examples of simple derivations on these algebras are then presented.
Methods to assess natural and anthropogenic thaw lake drainage on the western Arctic coastal plain of northern Alaska

[1] Thousands of lakes are found on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska and northwestern Canada. Developed atop continuous permafrost, these thaw lakes and associated drained thaw lake basins are the dominant landscape elements and together cover 46% of the 34,570 km2 western Arctic Coastal Plain (WACP). Lakes drain by a variety of episodic processes, including coastal erosion, stream meandering, and headward erosion, bank overtopping, and lake coalescence. Comparison of Landsat multispectral scanner (MSS) imagery from the mid-1970s to Landsat 7 enhanced thematic mapper (ETM+) imagery from around 2000 shows that 50 lakes completely or partially drained over the approximately 25 year period, indicating landscape stability. The lake-specific drainage mechanism can be inferred in some cases and is partially dependant on geographic settings conducive to active erosion such as riparian and coastal zones. In many cases, however, the cause of drainage is unknown. The availability of high-resolution aerial photographs for the Barrow Peninsula extends the record back to circa 1950; mapping spatial time series illustrates the dynamic nature of lake expansion, coalescence, and drainage. Analysis of these historical images suggests that humans have intentionally or inadvertently triggered lake drainage near the village of Barrow. Efforts to understand landscape processes and identify events have been enhanced by interviewing Inupiaq elders and others practicing traditional subsistence lifestyles. They can often identify the year and process by which individual lakes drained, thereby providing greater dating precision and accuracy in assessing the causal mechanism. Indigenous knowledge has provided insights into events, landforms, and processes not previously identified or considered.
Performance of Atriplex species in the San Joaquin Valley, California, under irrigation and with mechanical harvests

Abstract Field studies were conducted in the San Joaquin Valley, California to evaluate perennial Atriplex species as multi-clipped forage crops under irrigated field conditions. Plants were first established using fresh water irrigations and then irrigated with saline drainage water (electrical conductivity, 18 dS m−1). Plant stands were cut and baled four times during the first 27 months of growth using conventional farm equipment. Analyses of ash, crude protein and fat, acid detergent fiber, neutral detergent fiber, lignin and macromineral contents were performed on bale samples collected from each species harvest. Estimated regrowth yields ranged from 2.2 to 5.3 t ha−1 year−1 for the species planted on areas larger than 0.25 ha. Those species, such as Atriplex deserticola Phil. and Atriplex undulata (Moq.) D. Dietr., which displayed relatively woody basal stems and were capable of producing adventitious roots appear to be more tolerant of multiple harvests, low cut heights and harvest traffic operations than those species not having the combination of these characteristics. Atriplex canescens (Pursh.) Nutt. regrowth forage provided the best combinations of low ash and sodium levels and low Na/K ratios.
Communicating logic: an alternative embedded stream processing paradigm

This paper introduces a new concurrent processing model called "Communicating Logic" (CL). As the target architecture we adopt the dual layered "Plastic Cell Architecture" (PCA). Data-path-oriented processing functionality is encapsulated in asynchronous hardware objects with variable graining and implemented using look-up tables. Communication (i.e. connectivity and control) between the distributed processing objects is achieved by means of inter-object message passing. The key point of the CL approach is that it offers the merits of scalable, high performance hardware implementation with the compilation and linking capabilities unique to software.
A Sweat Gland-derived Differentiation Activity Acts through Known Cytokine Signaling Pathways

The sympathetic innervation of sweat glands undergoes a target-induced noradrenergic to cholinergic/peptidergic switch during development. Similar changes are induced in cultured sympathetic neurons by sweat gland cells or by one of the following cytokines: leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), or cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1). None of these is the sweat gland-derived differentiation activity. LIF, CNTF, and CT-1 act through the known receptors LIF receptor β (LIFRβ) and gp130 and well defined signaling pathways including receptor phosphorylation and STAT3 activation. Therefore, to determine whether the gland-derived differentiation activity was a member of the LIF/CNTF cytokine family, we tested whether it acted via these same receptors and signal cascades. Blockade of LIFRβ inhibited the sweat gland differentiation activity in neuron/gland co-cultures, and extracts of gland-containing footpads stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of LIFRβ and gp130. An inhibitor (CGX) of molecules that bind the CNTFRα, which is required for CNTF signaling, did not affect the gland-derived differentiation activity. Soluble footpad extracts induced the same changes in NBFL neuroblastoma cells as LIF and CNTF, including increased vasoactive intestinal peptide mRNA, STAT3 dimerization, and DNA binding, and stimulation of transcription from the vasoactive intestinal peptide cytokine-responsive element. Thus, the sweat gland-derived differentiation activity uses the same signaling pathway as the neuropoietic cytokines, and is likely to be a family member.
Changes in the bronchial epithelium in relation to smoking and cancer of the lung.

MANY investigators have reported an association between the occurrence of lung cancer and exposure to certain dusts and vapors such as uranium and chromate dusts, general air pollution and cigarett...
Survey of wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae) in North Carolina sweetpotato fields and seasonal abundance of Conoderus vespertinus.

Adult and larval wireworm (Coleoptera: Elateridae) populations were surveyed in North Carolina sweetpotato, Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam., fields during 2005 and 2006 by using yellow sticky traps and larval baits. Eight species of larvae and nine species of adult wireworms were identified. Conoderus vespertinus (F.) was the most prevalent wireworm species, making up 65.9% of the larvae and 62.9% of the adults captured. Adult C. vespertinus were most abundant in July, and larvae were smaller and more abundant after 15 July than earlier in the season, indicating an early summer generation turnover and oviposition in fields planted to sweetpotato. A significant positive relationship was observed between late-season abundance of C. vespertinus and the incidence of wireworm damage. Other wireworm species encountered were Conoderus amplicollis (Gyllenhal), Conoderus bellus (Say), Conoderus falli (Lane), Conoderus lividus (Degeer), Conoderus scissus (Schaeffer), Glyphonyx bimarginatus (Schaeffer), and Melanotus communis (Gyllenhal).
Quotient maps, group actions and Lusternik–Schnirelmann category

Abstract This note explores connections between Lusternik–Schnirelmann category, quotient maps and group actions. Category is used to restrict group actions in general and Hamiltonian actions in particular.
A structured approach to optimization of energy harvesting wireless sensor networks

We analyze the data throughput maximization problem over fading channels for a energy harvesting wireless sensor network. The effective use of energy harvesting wireless sensor networks requires an apt understanding of the underlying environmental processes. Energy as a constrained resource must be carefully utilized so as to enable good performance through a horizon of epochs, trading off sensing performance and energy usage. We develop an algorithm for the allocation of power across sensors and time which is based on observations of the underlying structure of the optimization problem. We provide an analysis of particular features of the problem and present a maximum sum rate algorithm for generalized energy flow constraints, which proves to be optimal given known energy availability and fading coefficients. We present simulation results to validate the theory and algorithm.
Affective education for “at-risk” students: The view of urban principals

A sample of principals (N=116) was drawn from a large, urban school district to determine their viewpoints on the academic needs of high-risk students. Principals participated in focus groups designed to establish a common set of definitions and educational objectives for students with chronic achievement problems. Survey data were subsequently gathered for the sample to identify areas where educational delivery systems could be supplemented or enhanced. Factor analysis of the data revealed five critical areas for improving educational outcomes for at-risk students, including academic transitions, affective interventions, content-oriented programs, alternative structures, and social-needs programs. The common theme identified in the responses of these principals was a belief that more attention should be given to the affective resources, including counseling personnel, transitional programs, and alternative classroom structures.
Effects of systemic inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in diabetic rats

Diabetes is associated with alterations in nitric oxide-mediated vasomotor function. The role of nitric oxide generated via the neuronal nitric oxide synthase pathway in the control of systemic and renal hemodynamics in diabetes has not been studied. To explore the hypothesis that diabetic vascular dysfunction is in part caused by altered neuronal nitric oxide synthase activity, systemic and renal hemodynamics were assessed before and after acute inhibition of this enzyme with a specific inhibitor, S-methyl-L-thiocitrulline, in control and diabetic rats. The interaction of this pathway and the renin-angiotensin system was studied in separate groups of rats pretreated with the angiotensin II receptor blocker losartan; these rats were compared with rats treated with losartan alone. Diabetic animals demonstrated higher baseline glomerular filtration rates and filtration fractions. At a low dose, the neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibitor induced similar dose-dependent pressor responses in control and diabetic rats. Losartan abolished the pressor response in both groups. No changes in renal plasma flow or renal vascular resistance occurred in control rats. In contrast, diabetic rats responded with significant renal vasoconstriction. At a high dose, the renal vasoconstriction was similar in both groups and was not affected by losartan. In conclusion, neuronal nitric oxide synthase-derived nitric oxide plays a role in the control of systemic and renal hemodynamics in normal and diabetic rats. Diabetic rats are more sensitive to the inhibitor, suggesting increased activity of this pathway in the diabetic kidney. Furthermore, renal responses in diabetic rats were attenuated by angiotensin II receptor blockade, whereas losartan alone induced hemodynamic changes that were opposite those seen with neuronal nitric oxide synthase inhibition. This observation implicates angiotensin II as an important modulator of this nitric oxide pathway in diabetes.
Flexible torsion-angle noncrystallographic symmetry restraints for improved macromolecular structure refinement

One of the great challenges in refining macromolecular crystal structures is a low data-to-parameter ratio. Historically, knowledge from chemistry has been used to help to improve this ratio. When a macromolecule crystallizes with more than one copy in the asymmetric unit, the noncrystallographic symmetry relationships can be exploited to provide additional restraints when refining the working model. However, although globally similar, NCS-related chains often have local differences. To allow for local differences between NCS-related molecules, flexible torsion-based NCS restraints have been introduced, coupled with intelligent rotamer handling for protein chains, and are available in phenix.refine for refinement of models at all resolutions.
Genetic Influences on Language, Reading, and Mathematics Skills in a National Sample: An Analysis Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth

Purpose The present study had two purposes: provide an illustration of use of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Children’s (CNLSY; U.S. Department of Labor, 2009) database and use the ...
Zur Vergiftung von Nickel-Hydrierungskatalysatoren durch Wasserstoff†

Bei der Hydrierung von Zimtsaureathylester an Nickelpulver in wasrig-methanolischer Losung wird die maximale Aktivitat des Katalysators bei Verwendung O2-haltigen Methanols praktisch sofort, bei Verwendung O2-freien Methanols sehr langsam, zum Teil mehrere Stunden nach Beginn der Hydrierung erreicht. Ausgehend von Vorstellungen EUCKENS uber die Absorption von Wasserstoff an Nickel wird hierfur und fur eine Reihe einander widersprechender Angaben der Literatur eine Erklarung gegeben.
Post-Failure Analysis of Bolted Composite Joints in Tension or Shear-Out Mode Failure

A progressive damage model was developed for bolted joints in laminated composites which may fail in either tension mode or shear-out mode. The model is capable of assess ing damage accumulated in laminates with arbitrary ply orientations during mechanical loading and of predicting the ultimate strength of the joints which failed in tension or shear-out mode. The model consists of two parts, namely, the stress analysis and the failure analysis. Stresses and strains in laminates were analyzed on the basis of the theory of finite elasticity with the consideration of material and geometric nonlinearities. Damage accumulation in laminates was evaluated by the proposed failure criteria combined with a proposed property degradation model. Based on the model, a nonlinear finite element code was developed. Numerical results were compared with available experimental data. An excellent agreement was found between the analytical predictions and the experimental data.
Reaction time and effect of Ritalin on children with learning problems.

In Exp. I, 22 poor readers and 22 normal readers of elementary-school age were matched on age, IQ, and sex and tested with a visual reaction-time task requiring same-different judgments. On initial trials poor readers were slower than normal readers. In addition, the performance of poor readers deteriorated faster than that of normal readers as testing progressed. In Exp. II, 20 hyperactive boys taking methylphenidate medication, 19 hyperactive boys whose medication was temporarily discontinued, and 19 normal boys were tested. Reaction time on early trials was not significantly different for boys in the on-medication and off-medication groups; however, both hyperactive groups were slower than the normal group. As testing progressed, reaction times of normal boys and boys taking medication remained fairly stable, while the performance of hyperactive boys not taking medication declined. The significance of these results to reading and spelling is discussed.
THE ASYMPTOTIC PROPERTIES OF THE SAMPLE AUTOCORRELATIONS FOR A MULTIPLE AUTOREGRESSIVE PROCESS WITH ONE UNIT ROOT

. In this paper the large sample behaviour of the sample autocorrelation matrix Rn(h), (h being the lag, n the sample size), of a multivariate autoregressive time series with one of its characteristic roots equal to unity and the rest of the roots lying inside the unit circle is studied. It is shown that Rn(h) converges almost surely to a constant matrix. Further, the asymptotic distribution of Rn(h) is characterized as that of a random matrix which is a function of jointly normal random variables.
Landscape-level Factors Influencing Bog Turtle Persistence and Distribution in Southeastern New York State

Abstract The bog turtle Glyptemys muhlenbergii is a highly endangered species inhabiting freshwater wetlands of the eastern United States. Habitat degradation is considered one of the chief causes of bog turtle declines. Most of the studies investigating habitat requirements of bog turtles focus on intrawetland influences on bog turtle habitat, but few have explored landscape-level drivers of bog turtle distribution. To better understand causes of bog turtle declines, we combined bog turtle occurrence records with geographic data to contrast 12 landscape variables among wetlands containing extant populations of bog turtles (n = 65) and 500 nearby and 500 distant, randomly located wetlands in southeastern New York State. In contrast to randomly chosen wetlands, bog turtles have persisted in relatively large, open-canopy wetlands (typically >0.42 ha) within large watersheds (typically >13.54 ha), in wetlands with more numerous stream connections, and more often in wetlands positioned atop carbonaceous roc...
Solutions to the Boltzmann equation for electrons in a metal: Energy dependence

The solution to the Boltzmann equation for electrons in a metal is a distribution function which depends on energy and wave vector. This paper solves for the energy dependence by expanding the distribution function in sets of orthogonal functions, (a) energy polynomials, (b) Legendre polynomials in tanh ($\frac{{\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{k}}{2{k}_{B}T}$), or (c) a combination of these two choices. To study only the effects of the energy dependence, the electrical and thermal conductivities were calculated for a class of isotropic models. For one of these models, the electrical resistivity is 37% lower than the Bloch-Gr\"uneisen result at a temperature of 0.15 (in units of the Debye temperature, ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{D}$). For thermal resistivity, this method is consistent with the result of Klemens; i.e., at very low temperature the correction to the lowest-order result is 51%. Corrections are important at temperatures as high as 0.3 ${\ensuremath{\Theta}}_{D}$. These results show that the standard, i.e., simple variational, results for the temperature dependence of transport coefficients make significant errors. However, by the methods of this paper, accurate results can be obtained quite easily by computer, not only for simple isotropic models, but also for realistic metals. Results for transition metals are briefly mentioned; more complete calculations will be presented elsewhere.
Vanadate stimulates bone cell proliferation and bone collagen synthesis in vitro

We recently proposed a hypothesis for the molecular mechanism of the osteogenic action of fluoride in which it stimulates osteoblast proliferation via the inhibition of an osteoblastic acid phosphatase-like phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase activity. To test this hypothesis, we investigated whether orthovanadate, a known phosphotyrosyl protein phosphatase inhibitor, would mimic fluoride in the stimulation of bone cell proliferation and bone collagen synthesis in vitro. Orthovanadate inhibited the osteoblastic acid phosphatase activity and stimulated bone cell proliferation at the same low concentrations (i.e. 5-15 μM). At the mitogenic doses, orthovanadate also showed a dose-dependent increase in alkaline phosphatase (a marker of mature osteoblasts) in cultured calvarial cells and stimulated bone collagen synthesis, as measured by the incorporation of [3H]proline and the conversion into [3H] hydroxyproline in organ calvaria cultures. Therefore, orthovanadate stimulated bone formation by increasing the nu...
Impact of the Vietnam war on the civil rights movement in the Midsixties

The Vietnam War had a major impact on the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The war helped to split the struggle for social justice at the very time that it was achieving its greatest successes. The factionalism over whether or not to support the war decimated the crusade for human equality.
The Ethics of Spiritual Formation for a Christian Puerto Rican in a Postmodern Urban Context

This article examines the ministry-ethical implications and meanings of spiritual formation grounded in the so called ‘culture wars’ and then in light of identity, the postmodern condition and the urban context. It highlights the tensions the church faces between being conformed to the world and being conformed to the image of Jesus (Rom12:2; 8:29, NLT). It offers a critical reflection one some of the lessons that I (the author) have learned over the years and attempts to draw conclusions for Christian education and experience.
Sputtering of nano-grains by energetic ions

Abstract Sputtering from grains with a size of tens of nanometers is important in a number of astrophysical environments having a variety of plasma properties and can have applications in nano-technology. Since energy deposition by incident ions or electrons can create `hot' regions in a small grain, thermal spike (TS) models have been applied to estimate the sputtering. The excitations produced by a fast ion are often assumed to form a `hot' cylindrical track. In this paper we use molecular dynamics (MD) calculations to describe the energy transport and sputtering due to the creation of a `hot' track in a grain with one quarter million atoms. We show the enhancement due to grain size and find that TS models work over a limited range of excitation densities. Discrepancies of several orders of magnitude are found when comparing our MD results for sputtering of small dust grains to those obtained by the astrophysical community using spike models.
Taking the pulse of snowmelt: in situ sensors reveal seasonal, event and diurnal patterns of nitrate and dissolved organic matter variability in an upland forest stream

Highly resolved time series data are useful to accurately identify the timing, rate, and magnitude of solute transport in streams during hydrologically dynamic periods such as snowmelt. We used in situ optical sensors for nitrate (NO3 −) and chromophoric dissolved organic matter fluorescence (FDOM) to measure surface water concentrations at 30 min intervals over the snowmelt period (March 21–May 13, 2009) at a 40.5 hectare forested watershed at Sleepers River, Vermont. We also collected discrete samples for laboratory absorbance and fluorescence as well as δ18O–NO3 − isotopes to help interpret the drivers of variable NO3 − and FDOM concentrations measured in situ. In situ data revealed seasonal, event and diurnal patterns associated with hydrological and biogeochemical processes regulating stream NO3 − and FDOM concentrations. An observed decrease in NO3 − concentrations after peak snowmelt runoff and muted response to spring rainfall was consistent with the flushing of a limited supply of NO3 − (mainly from nitrification) from source areas in surficial soils. Stream FDOM concentrations were coupled with flow throughout the study period, suggesting a strong hydrologic control on DOM concentrations in the stream. However, higher FDOM concentrations per unit streamflow after snowmelt likely reflected a greater hydraulic connectivity of the stream to leachable DOM sources in upland soils. We also observed diurnal NO3 − variability of 1–2 μmol l−1 after snowpack ablation, presumably due to in-stream uptake prior to leafout. A comparison of NO3 − and dissolved organic carbon yields (DOC, measured by FDOM proxy) calculated from weekly discrete samples and in situ data sub-sampled daily resulted in small to moderate differences over the entire study period (−4 to 1% for NO3 − and −3 to −14% for DOC), but resulted in much larger differences for daily yields (−66 to +27% for NO3 − and −88 to +47% for DOC, respectively). Despite challenges inherent in in situ sensor deployments in harsh seasonal conditions, these data provide important insights into processes controlling NO3 − and FDOM in streams, and will be critical for evaluating the effects of climate change on snowmelt delivery to downstream ecosystems.
The role of ERCP in patients with pancreatico-biliary problems in the setting of hematopoietic stem cell transplant

Background Patients undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplant may develop pancreatico-biliary complications that may require ERCP. Due to their immunocompromised state, these patients may be at higher risk of procedure-related complications. Objective To determine the role of ERCP in the diagnosis and treatment of patients who have undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplant and the patients' clinical outcomes. Design Retrospective analysis of patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplant who underwent ERCP from 1997 to 2004 evaluating ERCP indications, diagnosis, therapeutic interventions, and complications. Setting Tertiary referral center. Results Of the 16 patients identified, 9 were female, 15 had had allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant, and 1 had an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant. Twenty-six ERCP procedures were performed in the 16 patients. Index ERCP findings included: extra hepatic bile duct obstruction in 12 patients, of which 7 had biliary lithiasis. Ampullary obstruction due to infiltration from graft versus host disease was seen in 3 of 12 patients, benign bile duct stricture in 1 of 12, and ampullary obstruction in the setting of a peri-ampullary diverticulum in 1 of 12. Index ERCP findings in the remaining 4 patients included: intrahepatic bile duct compression due to metastatic disease in 1 of 16 patients, bile duct leak in 1 of 16, pancreatic duct stone in 1 of 16, and normal ERCP in 1 of 16. Complications occurred in 4 patients: mild pancreatitis (1), mild bleeding (1), cholangitis due to late stent occlusion (1), and intermittent bradycardia (1). There were no ERCP-related deaths. Limitations Single-center study. Conclusion In patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplant, bile duct lithiasis was the most common finding at ERCP, followed by obstructive ampullary tissue infiltration due to graft versus host disease. ERCP yielded clinically relevant information in this particular group of patients.
Effect of cultural practices and fungicides on Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon in the Carolinas

Abstract Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon, caused by Phytophthora capsici, is an important and emerging disease in Southeastern U.S.A. The effects of two cultural practices (raised bare ground and raised plastic mulched beds) used for growing watermelon and different fungicide treatments on development of Phytophthora fruit rot were evaluated. The experiments were conducted over three years (2005–2008) at research stations in North Carolina and South Carolina, U.S.A. Fungicides were applied at weekly intervals on the diploid cv. Mickey Lee for an average of five applications. Fruit rot incidence was recorded at the end of each experiment. Fruit rot incidence in the non-treated plots was 66% across two states and six trials. Overall, the levels of fruit rot on the raised bare ground and raised plastic mulched beds were not significantly different. Based on percent disease reduction relative to the non-treated check plots, the fungicide Captan was the most effective across years and locations (range = 23–70%, mean = 57%), followed by mandipropamid (25–65%, mean = 50%), fluopicolide (24–65%, mean = 43%) and cyazofamid (0–48%, mean = 31%). Mefenoxam, the current standard treatment reduced fruit rot by 8–28% (mean = 18%). The addition of copper hydroxide to the spray mix did not significantly enhance effectiveness of Captan or mandipropamid. The variability in fungicide efficacy observed in these experiments across locations and years demonstrates the importance of environmental conditions in disease development and management. Even when the most effective fungicides are used, heavy losses may occur when conditions are highly favorable for disease development. Ultimately, effective control of Phytophthora fruit rot of watermelon will require an integrated management strategy that includes well-drained fields, water management and crop rotation in addition to fungicides.
Images in clinical medicine. Anterior cervical osteophytes causing airway compromise.

An 81-year-old man had had mild dysphagia for several years. During the six months before admission, the dysphagia worsened, and he had occasional hemoptysis. For several days before admission he had increasing shortness of breath and throat tightness, both of which worsened in the supine position. Laryngoscopic examination revealed marked narrowing of the airway due to a visible retropharyngeal bulge. The patient was admitted to the intensive care unit, where stridor was noted on physical examination. Radiographs of the cervical spine and magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the neck were obtained immediately. The lateral radiograph of the cervical spine revealed . . .
Symposium theme: A conceptual approach to integrated cancer therapy

The term "integrated cancer therapy" reflects treatment in which the decision making process is disease oriented rather than specialty or modality oriented. Two phases of integrated cancer therapy can be defined, the first being a determination of the treatment failure mechanisms for each of the variable clinical presentations of specific neoplasms. The second phase, integration of the available treatment modalities, is aimed at neutralizing the inherent weakness of any one method with the strength of other methods. A general strategic approach is presented.
Posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity and HIV-risk behaviors among substance-dependent inpatients

Despite findings that the co-occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and substance use disorders (SUD) is associated with heightened risk for a variety of risky behaviors, few studies have examined behaviors linked to heightened risk for HIV infection and transmission in particular, or explored the unique associations between specific PTSD symptom clusters and these HIV-risk behaviors. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the associations between PTSD symptom severity and HIV-risk behaviors (i.e., risky sexual behavior [RSB] and injection drug use [INJ]) within an ethnically diverse sample of 85 SUD patients in residential SUD treatment. Participants completed a battery of questionnaires assessing PTSD symptom severity and HIV-risk behaviors, including RSB and INJ. Results demonstrated significant positive associations between PTSD symptom severity and RSB; however, no significant relationship between PTSD symptom severity and INJ was found. Furthermore, the severity of hyperarousal...
Efficacy and safety of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in the treatment of depression in children and adolescents: practitioner review

Background: Given the widespread reports involving the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in children, the present paper reviews and discusses published double-blind, placebo-controlled studies assessing the safety and efficacy of SSRIs in children and adolescents with major depressive disorder. Methods: Published and unpublished double-blind, placebo-controlled studies of SSRIs in children and adolescents with depression during the years 1990-2004 were reviewed. A MEDLINE search was performed using the words ‘depression’, ‘randomised controlled trial’, ‘SSRIs’, ‘children’ and ‘adolescents’. The GlaxoSmithKline website was also searched for relevant studies on paroxetine. Outcome measures were the Clinical Global Impressions scale, the Children’s Depression Rating Scale-Revised, the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, the depression subscales of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for Adolescents-Lifetime version, and the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale. Adverse effects and withdrawal rates are reported. Results: There were seven randomised, placebo-controlled trials involving 1619 children and adolescents aged 6–18 years in total. The SSRIs fluoxetine, paroxetine, sertraline and citalopram were reported to exhibit safety and efficacy for treatment of depression in children and adolescents. Reanalysis of published and unpublished studies by the US FDA and the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) raised alerts regarding higher suicidal ideation rates from SSRIs in this population. Present guidelines are discussed. Conclusions: SSRIs remain a first-line pharmacological treatment for depression in children and adolescents for whom psychotherapy has failed or is unavailable. Suicidal ideation and behaviours merit close monitoring. More studies are needed.
Waste, weapons, and resolve: Defense posture and politics in the defense budget

The defense budget poses many problems to the student of budgetary behavior and its ever-changing structure makes it difficult to identify patterns and trends in allocation. This study examines defense budget requests from the Eisenhower through the Reagan administrations. An analysis of changes in allocation to the 54 appropriation categories suggests that the defense budget responds to new doctrines and management introduced by each administration. Shifts in allocation among the services are greatest in the first two budgets of an administration and reversals of previous program priorities also occur early in each administration. After three or four budget requests, year-to-year continuity in allocation to “winners” and “losers” finally begins to emerge. Two other findings also shed light on the politics of defense budgeting. First, the degree of variation in allocation is least when the defense budget increase is large. Second, low presidential popularity leads to less variation. The identification of such trends should permit future budget requests to be evaluated in the context of the long-term evolution of defense politics.
EUROPEAN PATENT LAWS AND DECISIONS: IMPLICATIONS FOR MULTINATIONAL MARKETING STRATEGY

Marketing executives face numerous hurdles in introducing new products into foreign markets. This article examines the difficulties multinational firms face in patenting new products in the EEC, the difficulties they face in protecting those patents, and the steps the EEC has taken to facilitate or hinder that protection through treaties and litigation. Finally, the article discusses marketing strategy implications of the patent treaties and litigated cases.
Dose inhomogeneity in interstitial implants using 125I seeds

Abstract Radioactive 125 I seeds have been used increasingly in intraoperative permanent interstitial implants of certain tumors. Dosimetry calculations of dose distribution in the implants have been based on the assumption of isotropic radiation emission from the 125 I seeds. This paper presents experimental results which show that the radiation fluence around single 125 I seeds is highly anisotropic. Dosimetry calculations based on the measured radiation distribution pattern indicate unusual dosage inhomogeneity within the implant volume. The clinical significance of this effect and approaches to circumvent this potential problem are discussed.
Watershed characterization using seasonal time‐lapse DC resistivity data

Changes in water saturation can cause significant changes in the electrical conductivity of near surface materials. Thus mapping changes in the conductivity distribution during wet and dry periods provides an indirect way to quantify changes in the saturation of the near-surface medium. This, in turn, leads to better understanding of the water mass balance in a watershed characterization problem. The conductivity imaging can also provide other information such as fracture orientations within the nearsurface medium. At Dry Creek watershed; situated at 1830m elevation near Boise, Idaho; we study seasonal changes in saturation using the time-lapse DC resistivity method. Four DC resistivity data sets were acquired between October 2005 and July 2006 to monitor the changes in conductivity. The results indicate that DC resistivity is a cost-effective tool to characterize a watershed and aids in the interpretation of other data collected in the watershed.
Improving key predistribution with deployment knowledge in static sensor networks

Pairwise key establishment is a fundamental security service for sensor networks. However, establishing pairwise keys in sensor networks is a challenging problem, particularly due to the resource constraints on sensor nodes and the threat of node compromises. This article proposes to use both predeployment and postdeployment knowledge to improve pairwise key predistribution in static sensor networks. By exploiting the predeployment knowledge, this article first develops two key predistribution schemes, a closest pairwise keys scheme and a closest polynomials scheme. The analysis shows that these schemes can achieve better performance if the expected location information is available and that the smaller the deployment error is, the better performance they can achieve. The article then investigates how to use postdeployment knowledge to improve pairwise key predistribution in static sensor networks. The idea is to load an excessive amount of predistributed keys on sensor nodes, prioritize these keys based on sensors' actual locations discovered after deployment, and discard low-priority keys to thwart node compromise attacks. This approach is then used to improve the random subset assignment scheme proposed recently to demonstrate its practicality and effectiveness. The analysis indicates that the postdeployment knowledge can also greatly improve the performance and security of key predistribution.
Randomized methods in lossless compression of hyperspectral data

We evaluate recently developed randomized matrix decomposition methods for fast lossless compression and reconstruction of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) data. The simple random projection methods have been shown to be effective for lossy compression without severely affecting the performance of object identification and classification. We build upon these methods to develop a new double-random projection method that may enable security in data transmission of compressed data. For HSI data, the distribution of elements in the resulting residual matrix, i.e., the original data subtracted by its low-rank representation, exhibits a low entropy relative to the original data that favors high-compression ratio. We show both theoretically and empirically that randomized methods combined with residual-coding algorithms can lead to effective lossless compression of HSI data. We conduct numerical tests on real large-scale HSI data that shows promise in this case. In addition, we show that randomized techniques can be applicable for encoding on resource-constrained on-board sensor systems, where the core matrix-vector multiplications can be easily implemented on computing platforms such as graphic processing units or field-programmable gate arrays.
Effect of 6-hydroxydopamine on the metabolism of endogenous octopamines and catecholamines.

The daily excretion in rat urine of o-(OHMA) (0.2), m-(MHMA) (0.9), p-(PHMA) hydroxymandelic acid (78), vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) (3.5) and homovanillic acid (30 μg day−1), terminal metabolites of the isomeric octopamines and catecholamines, has been determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Chemical sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine (i.p.) caused the daily output of each acid (except OHMA) to drop by 50% and that of PHMA was restored to normal the most rapidly after cessation of treatment. These results indicate that m-and p-(but not o-) octopamine coexist with catecholamines in sympathetic nerve terminals, are subject to the same compensatory biosynthetic mechanism following chemical sympathectomy and that p-octopamine has the highest turnover rate of these biogenic amines in the rat.
Plasma adrenocorticosteroid levels in protein and energy restricted pigs.

Pigs (Yorkshire) were subjected to protein-energy mal nutrition in the following manner: 3- or 4-week-old pigs from control dams were fed a control diet (18% protein), an energy-restricted diet (18% protein), or a low protein diet (6% and 3% protein) for 8 weeks. Energy restriction was achieved by feeding the control diet in amounts that al lowed some growth, but only to an extent equal to the low protein diet being matched. After the restriction period, all pigs were fed the control diet for another 8 weeks. Blood samples were collected at intervals from the superior vena cava. Plasma samples were analyzed for corticosteroids in all groups and for free cortisol in the controls and 3% protein groups. No sig nificant differences were found for total plasma corticosteroids among all groups. Free cortisol was found significantly higher in the 3% group com pared to the controls. An ACTH test was performed with depleted and recovered pigs of the 3% protein group and controls. No differences were found among controls, depleted and recovered pigs. J. Nutr. 106: 952-957,1976.
Virtual field testing for performance evaluation of cooperative multiple robots

This paper presents the field testing in virtual environments for performance evaluation of cooperative multi-robot systems. Once motions of robots, objects of interests are modeled, a real-like virtual environment is created. Robots are then physically linked to the virtual environment within a simulator and cooperatively operate in the environment. Unlike a real field testing, the virtual testing allows users to evaluate performance of cooperation of robots both in qualitative and quantitative ways. Additionally, due to its easiness of controlling the environmental conditions the virtual testing can be effectively utilized for testing multi robot cooperation under the same or different conditions. In this paper, a team of multiple robots are assigned to one or more missions in the virtual environment, and their cooperative performances are numerically analyzed within the simulator.
Optically Encoded Nanoparticles for Detecting Single Biomolecules and Viruses: Rapid Analysis of Two-Color Colocalization Data by High-Speed Computing

Nanometer-sized particles such as luminescent quantum dots (QDs) and energy-transfer nanoparticles have unique optical, electronic, and structural properties (e.g., signal brightness, photostability, and multicolor light emission) that are not available from traditional organic dyes and fluorescent proteins. Here we report the use of color-coded nanoparticles and dual-color fluorescence correlation for real-time detection of single native biomolecules and viruses in a microfluidic channel. Using green and red nanoparticles to simultaneously recognize two binding sites on a single target, we show that individual molecules of genes, proteins, and intact viruses can be detected and identified in complex mixtures without target amplification or probe/target separation. When combined with high-speed computing such as image segmentation and parallel computing, these nanoparticle probes raise new opportunities in molecular diagnostics, bioterrorism agent detection, and intracellular single-molecule imaging