cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Generalization of Shortest Path Map

We consider the problem of constructing shortest path maps in two dimensions under angle constraint. Shortest path maps are used for planning short length paths from a fixed source point s to varying goal points. In the standard shortest path map the implied shortest paths can have any turn angle. Such paths may not be acceptable for planning routes for robotic vehicles with limited turn-radius. We propose a modified shortest path map that can be used for planning turn-constrained collision-free paths. We present a simple algorithm for constructing turned-constrained shortest path maps and discuss interesting extensions.
Introduction to Issues 2 and 3: Symposium on Consent in Sexual Relations

Legal and social norms regarding gender relations have undergone dramatic changes in the past 25 years. The changes have come about largely because of the confluence of changing economic and technological realities, the unfolding of the norm dictating equal treatment of individuals, the sexual revolution and its corollaries of improved contraception and legal abortion, the rise of women as a self-conscious group and a presence in the academy, and the interrelations of all of these factors. As men and women have come to share dormitories and workplaces, and as the old mores governing sex—and male-female relations in general—have broken down, there has been struggle and uncertainty over what norms should apply to sexual relations.
Effectiveness of extended-duration transdermal nicotine therapy: a randomized trial.

Background: Tobacco dependence is a chronic, relapsing condition that may require extended treatment. Objective: To assess whether extended transdermal nicotine therapy increases abstinence from tobacco more than standard duration therapy in adult smokers. Design: Parallel randomized placebo-controlled trial from September 2004 to February 2008 (small block randomization scheme, not stratified). Study participants and all research personnel except for the database manager were blinded to randomization. ({"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00364156","term_id":"NCT00364156"}}NCT00364156) Setting: Academic center. Participants: 568 adult smokers. Intervention: Participants were randomized to: standard (8 weeks 21mg Nicoderm CQ, 16 weeks placebo) or extended (24 weeks 21mg Nicoderm CQ) therapy. Measurements: The primary outcome was biochemically-verified point prevalence abstinence at weeks 24 and 52. Secondary outcomes were continuous and prolonged abstinence, lapse and recovery events, cost/additional quitter, and side effects and adherence. Results: At 24 weeks, extended therapy produced higher rates of point prevalence abstinence (31.6% versus 20.3%; Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.81 [1.23-2.66], p = 0.002), prolonged abstinence (41.5% versus 26.9%; OR = 1.97 [1.38-2.82] p = 0.001), and continuous abstinence (19.2% versus 12.6%; OR = 1.64 [1.04-2.60] p = 0.032), versus standard therapy. Extended therapy reduced the risk for a lapse (Hazard Ratio [HR] = 0.77 [0.63-0.95], p = 0.013) and increased the chances of recovery from lapses (HR = 1.47 [1.17-1.84], p = 0.001). Time to relapse was slower with extended versus standard therapy (HR = 0.50 [0.35-0.73], p < 0.001). At week 52, extended therapy produced higher quit rates for prolonged abstinence only (p = 0.027). There were no group differences in side effects and adverse events at the extended treatment phase assessment. Limitations: The generalizability of the findings may be limited because participants were treatment-seeking smokers without medical comorbidity and differences in adherence across treatment arms were detected. Conclusion: Compared to 8 weeks of transdermal nicotine, 24 weeks of transdermal nicotine increased biochemically-confirmed point prevalence abstinence and continuous abstinence at week 24, reduced the risk of smoking lapses, and increased the likelihood of post-lapse recovery to abstinence.
Reduced Tillage System Influence on Yield of Sunflower Hybrids

(...) Yield, weight, oil concentration, and oil yield of the sunflower seed was not significantly different among tillage systems or between weed control methods. Hybrids performed similarly in the seed parameters measured, although the late maturity hybrid consistently produced smaller seed. Results from the study indicated that early maturity sunflower hybrids are better adapted to the dryland areas of the cool northern states (...)
Elementary solutions of the linear transport equation for continuously varying spatial media

We demonstrate that it is possible to construct elementary solutions (eigenfunctions) of the linear transport equation for certain types of continuously varying spatial media. In general, both discrete and continuum modes result, which appear to be complete on the half‐range. A detailed analysis is given for an ’’exponential’’ medium, including numerical results and a half‐range completeness proof. A ’’linear’’ medium is also considered. A general method is presented for constructing, jointly, the spatial variation of a medium and the corresponding functional forms of the eigenfunctions. Our results represent a partial generalization of the singular eigenfunction technique to media with continuous spatial variation.
Nonparametric methods in multivariate factorial designs for large number of factor levels

Abstract We propose different multivariate nonparametric tests for factorial designs and derive their asymptotic distribution for the situation where the number of replications is limited, whereas the number of treatments goes to infinity (large a, small n case). The tests are based on separate rankings for the different variables, and they are therefore invariant under separate monotone transformations of the individual variables. There are no restrictions on the covariance structure of the multivariate observations, and the methods also work for data that have ties or are measured on an ordinal scale. We compare the proposed tests to their parametric counterparts by simulating the power functions. In the presence of outliers, the new nonparametric tests show far superior power. The multivariate nonparametric tests can be used, e.g., in screening trials in agriculture or for survey data. We illustrate the application with a survey data set.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Unimolecular Capsule

There is more than one way to assemble the two halves of a tethered, urea-substituted calix[4]arene dimer (shown schematically): formation of unimolecular capsules (far left), dimers, or oligomers. By combination of NMR spectroscopy and electrospray mass spectrometry, a hexamethylene spacer was shown to be exactly right to permit the preferential formation of a unimolecular capsule under inclusion of solvent or other guest molecules.
Microfluid mechanics: progress and opportunities

The application of microfabrication techniques to problems involving fluids is reviewed. A number of scientific issues have been addressed using microstructures designed to confine and manipulate fluids. These problems include studies of fluid motion in percolative structures, chemical applications involving small volumes of reactants and products, biologically inspired experiments involving the manipulation of individual molecules, and studies of fundamental properties of liquids in extremely small geometries. Representative work is described, along with the ingenious fabrication methods which have been developed. We believe that there are many opportunities for interesting basic physics and also interdisciplinary work in this area. The primary goal of this article is to bring this message to the general physics community.
Removal of invasive shrubs reduces exotic earthworm populations

Invasive species are a leading threat to native ecosystems, and research regarding their effective control is at the forefront of applied ecology. Exotic facilitation has been credited with advancing the success of several aggressive invasive species. Here, we suggest using the knowledge of exotic facilitations to control invasive earthworm populations. In northern hardwood forests, the invasive shrubs Rhamnus cathartica (buckthorn) and Lonicera x bella (honeysuckle) produce high quality leaf litter, and their abundance is positively correlated with exotic earthworms, which increase nutrient cycling rates. We performed an invasive plant removal experiment in two northern hardwood forest stands, one dominated by buckthorn and the other by honeysuckle. Removal of invasive shrubs reduced exotic earthworm populations by roughly 50% for the following 3 years. By targeting invasive species that are part of positive feedback loops, land managers can multiply the positive effects of invasive species removal.
Effect of topical naltrexone 0.3% on corneal sensitivity and tear parameters in normal brachycephalic dogs.

Objective To determine the effect of topical naltrexone 0.3% on tear production, corneal sensitivity, and tear film stability in normal brachycephalic dogs. Animals Studied Twenty-two normal brachycephalic dogs. Procedures Measurements of tear production (Schirmer tear test I and II), intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal sensitivity (CS), and tear film breakup time (TFBUT) were collected at time 0, 1, and 24 h after administration of either naltrexone (NTX) 0.3% or placebo (SV). Naltrexone or SV was then administered once daily for 1 week, and the above measurements were repeated at 7 days, then again 7 days after discontinuing medication. Owners scored the degree of comfort, redness, rubbing, squinting, and tearing. Serum was collected at time 0, 1, 24 h, and 7 days to determine systemic concentrations. Results Owners reported no significant change in the degree of comfort, redness, rubbing, squinting, or tearing. Naltrexone was detected in serum of all treated dogs 1-h postadministration (average: 908 pg/mL, range: 319–1570 pg/mL) and in two dogs at the 1-week time point. Naltrexone was not detected at the 24-h time point. There was no significant effect of NTX on STT1, STT2, IOP, CS, or TFBUT. Conclusions Naltrexone 0.3% is well tolerated and safe when applied topically to the eye once daily. Naltrexone 0.3% did not show any significant effects on corneal parameters as measured in this study. At once, daily dosing NTX is systemically absorbed; however, the degree of systemic absorption is not likely to be clinically significant.
Reducing endogenous estrogens during the neonatal and juvenile periods affects reproductive tract development and sperm production in postpuberal boars.

Increased Sertoli cell proliferation during the neonatal period, transient negative effects on epididymal sperm maturation, larger postpuberal testis size reflective of increased Sertoli cell numbers, and increased testicular sperm production characterized boars subjected to continuous inhibition of endogenous estrogen production. The objective in the present experiment was to extend these previous observations to evaluate the effects of a shorter period of reduced estrogen production during the neonatal and juvenile periods on Sertoli cell proliferation, postpuberal testis size, sperm production and epididymal function. Experiments were designed to detect cumulative effects on accessory sex glands as well. Four pairs of littermate boars were assigned to the experiment with one member of each pair randomly selected to receive weekly oral treatment with the aromatase inhibitor, Letrozole, beginning at 1 week of age; the littermates received weekly oral treatment with the corn oil vehicle. Treatment stopped at 12 weeks of age and effects were examined at 10 months. Treated animals had approximately 25% larger testes (P < 0.05) correlated with increased Sertoli cell numbers (P < 0.05) and larger epididymides. Sperm quality was approximately equivalent in treated and control littermates. Accessory sex glands tended to be smaller in the treated boars. Sertoli cell proliferation during the neonatal and juvenile interval appears to be influenced by endogenous estrogen levels in the boar. A relatively short postnatal interval of Letrozole treatment effectively increased postpuberal testis size. Increased sperm production capacity in response to decreased endogenous estrogens has intriguing possibilities for animal agricultural production.
Nonparametric analysis of technical, pure technical, and scale efficiencies for food crop production in East Java, Indonesia

Abstract Nonparametric analysis of technical efficiency for irrigated farms in the Madiun regency in the west-central part of East Java, Indonesia is conducted using linear programming techniques. This procedure allows the relative technical efficiency for each farm to be determined and for inefficiencies to be decomposed into pure technical inefficiency and scale inefficiency and does not require restrictions or assumptions regarding functional form to be placed on the data. Farmers in Madiun generally are efficient relative to each other. Farmers operating inefficiently do so more often because of scale inefficiencies rather than pure technical inefficiencies. A majority of the farms operate in the region of decreasing returns to scale rather than increasing returns to scale. Farmer age, the level of diversification of cropping activities, and high school education were found to be related to technical efficiency in the rainy season under irrigated conditions. Other socioeconomic factors were not statistically significant. The results imply that inefficient farms use excessive levels of inputs, particularly nitrogen fertilizer. This is perhaps due to the lingering effects of past input subsidization policies, particularly of fertilizers, in Indonesia, or to risk-reducing behavior. The results also imply that current government policies to encourage diversification of cropping practices in Java may lead to greater technical inefficiencies in production. In addition, extension education targeted to younger farmers with low levels of formal education would improve efficiency.
Intragroup behavioral variation in white-fronted capuchin monkeys (Cebus albifrons): mixed evidence for social learning inferred from new and established analytical methods

The study of socially learned traditions in field settings has been complicated by the need to rule out alternative hypothesized causes of behavioral variation, including underlying genetic variation, and asocial reinforcement learning that shapes behavior in response to microecological variations. Intragroup associations of spatial proximity and behavioral similarity support the tradition hypothesis when the associations are predicted specifically by social learning and not by alternative hypotheses. This paper attempts to test for socially learned traditions by combining variations in multiple foraging techniques into pairwise behavioral similarity matrices. This method thereby avoids loss of power from conducting multiple statistical tests. These matrices are then compared through correlation and cluster analysis to a proximity association matrix. Cluster analysis enables very specific predictions to be made from the social learning hypothesis, predictions that are not particularly likely under alternative hypotheses that do not invoke social learning or traditions. The results are mixed, with binary behavioral variations being consistent with a traditional influence of social learning, and with variations in the frequency of technique use being inconsistent with traditions.
Chromosomal abnormalities of a mediastinal embryonal cell carcinoma in a patient with 47,XXY Klinefelter syndrome: evidence for the premeiotic origin of a germ cell tumor.

Abstract Trypsin-Giemsa banding studies were performed on 30 tumor cells from an embryonal cell carcinoma originating in the mediastinum of an 18-year-old male with the Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY). All tumor cells revealed an XXY chromosomal pattern with the addition of extra chromosomes. Electrophoretic patterns of the patient's red blood cells and tumor cells were identical. These data suggest that this germ cell tumor originated from a primordial germ cell in which oncogenesis had occurred prior to meiotic division.
ExecRecorder: VM-based full-system replay for attack analysis and system recovery

Log-based recovery and replay systems are important for system reliability, debugging and postmortem analysis/recovery of malware attacks. These systems must incur low space and performance overhead, provide full-system replay capabilities, and be resilient against attacks. Previous approaches fail to meet these requirements: they replay only a single process, or require changes in the host and guest OS, or do not have a fully-implemented replay component. This paper studies full-system replay for uniprocessors by logging and replaying architectural events. To limit the amount of logged information, we identify architectural nondeterministic events, and encode them compactly. Here we present ExecRecorder, a full-system, VM-based, log and replay framework for post-attack analysis and recovery. ExecRecorder can replay the execution of an entire system by checkpointing the system state and logging architectural nondeterministic events, and imposes low performance overhead (less than 4% on average). In our evaluation its log files grow at about 5.4 GB/hour (arithmetic mean). Thus it is practical to log on the order of hours or days between checkpoints. It can also be integrated naturally with an IDS and a post-attack analysis tool for intrusion analysis and recovery.
Primordial nucleosynthesis in the next millenium

Abstract Primordial nucleosynthesis is and shall continue to be a cornerstone of nuclear astrophysics and cosmology. It is the key probe of the early universe at times of order 1 to 10 4 sec. The power of big bang nucleosynthesis as a cosmological probe comes from the fact that much of the physics is accessible to terrestrial measurement. Nevertheless, uncertainties remain for many nuclear reactions and the field is currently limited by the quality of the primordial abundances inferred from observations. There is an urgent need, formore quantitative definitive observations of primordial abundances along with supporting theorretical investigations of chemical evolution, stellar processing, stellar model atmospheres, and recombination/collisional excitation rates so as to reduce the systematic uncertainties in the abundance constraints. There is also a need to better quantify the nuclear data. As the field now stands, alternative scenarios to the standard homogeneous big bang are not ruled out. This paper is a summary of what measurements and cosmological scenarios might be considered as we approach the next millennium.
A Formyltransferase Required for Polymyxin Resistance in Escherichia coli and the Modification of Lipid A with 4-Amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose IDENTIFICATION AND FUNCTION OF UDP-4-DEOXY-4-FORMAMIDO-l-ARABINOSE

Modification of the phosphate groups of lipid A with 4-amino-4-deoxy-L-arabinose (L-Ara4N) is required for resistance to polymyxin and cationic antimicrobial peptides in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium. We previously demonstrated that the enzyme ArnA catalyzes the NAD+-dependent oxidative decarboxylation of UDP-glucuronic acid to yield the UDP-4''-ketopentose, uridine 5'-diphospho-beta-(L-threo-pentapyranosyl-4''-ulose), which is converted by ArnB to UDP-beta-(L-Ara4N). E. coli ArnA is a bi-functional enzyme with a molecular mass of approximately 74 kDa. The oxidative decarboxylation of UDP-glucuronic acid is catalyzed by the 345-residue C-terminal domain of ArnA. The latter shows sequence similarity to enzymes that oxidize the C-4'' position of sugar nucleotides, like UDP-galactose epimerase, dTDP-glucose-4,6-dehydratase, and UDP-xylose synthase. We now show that the 304-residue N-terminal domain catalyzes the N-10-formyltetrahydrofolate-dependent formylation of the 4''-amine of UDP-L-Ara4N, generating the novel sugar nucleotide, uridine 5'-diphospho-beta-(4-deoxy-4-formamido-L-arabinose). The N-terminal domain is highly homologous to methionyl-tRNA(f)Met formyltransferase. The structure of the formylated sugar nucleotide generated in vitro by ArnA was validated by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy. The two domains of ArnA were expressed independently as active proteins in E. coli. Both were required for maintenance of polymyxin resistance and L-Ara4N modification of lipid A. We conclude that N-formylation of UDP-L-Ara4N is an obligatory step in the biosynthesis of L-Ara4N-modified lipid A in polymyxin-resistant mutants. We further demonstrate that only the formylated sugar nucleotide is converted in vitro to an undecaprenyl phosphate-linked form by the enzyme ArnC. Because the L-Ara4N unit attached to lipid A is not derivatized with a formyl group, we postulate the existence of a deformylase, acting later in the pathway.
PRODUCTIVITY OF FIELD‐GROWN SOYBEANS EXPOSED TO SIMULATED ACIDIC RAIN

SUMMARY Two experiments were performed during the summer of 1981 to determine the effects of simulated acidic rain on seed yields of soybeans grown using standard agronomic practices. In one experiment, plants were shielded from all ambient rainfall and exposed to simulated rainfall in quantities equal to the average amount of rainfall that occurs at the site. Seed yields of soybeans exposed twice weekly to simulated rain of pH 4.1, 3.3 and 2.7 were, respectively, 10.7, 16.8 and 22.9 % below yields of plants exposed to simulated rain of pH 5.6. A treatment-response function of seed yield vs rainfall pH was y= 7.40 +1.025x and had a correlation coefficient of 0.997 (y is seed mass per plant and x is the pH of the simulated rain). In a second experiment, soybean plants were not shielded from ambient rainfall (weighted mean hydrogen ion concentration equal to pH 4.04) and received only small volumes of simulated rainfall three times weekly. Plants exposed to simulated rainfall of pH 4.1, 3.3 and 2.7 exhibited yield reductions of 2.7, 7.0 and 7.6%, respectively, below yields of plants exposed to simulated rainfall of pH 5.6. By best fit analyses, the equation describing this relationship is expressed by y= 9.68 + 0.318x, and the correlation coefficient is 0.97. In both experiments, the observed decrease in seed yields was due to a decrease in number of pods per plant.
Non-traditional team sports - taking full advantage of the teachable moment.

(1990). Non-Traditional Team Sports—Taking Full Advantage of the Teachable Moment. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 61, No. 4, pp. 76-79.
Effect of molecular adsorption at the liquid–metal interface on electronic conductivity: the role of surface morphology

Abstract Exposure of thin (20 nm≤d≤80 nm) Au films to solutions of strongly interacting Lewis bases, e.g. organothiols, I−, results in adsorption which raises the resistivity of the metal film ∼2%. The relative ease of measuring resistivity via a four-point probe and the large signal-to-background ratio which characterizes the measurement makes electrical conduction measurements an attractive candidate for chemical sensors and studies of the liquid–solid interface. It is widely accepted that surface contributions to resistivity are determined both by electronic structure in the near-surface region and by morphology. In these experiments Au film sensitivity to molecular adsorption was varied by controlling surface roughness. Resistivity changes were measured on smooth annealed Au films, on the same films after etching with CN−, and then after subsequent treatment with I−. After each treatment the film morphology was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), and the resulting power spectral densities were correlated with resistivity changes resulting from standard exposures to C16H33SH. These measurements were used to understand the role of morphology in determining the sensitivity of resistivity measurements to molecular adsorption. As expected CN− significantly roughened the annealed Au films, a change accompanied by an increase in sensitivity to adsorption. Subsequent I− exposure smoothed the films at all length scales, but surprisingly the sensitivity increased again. A two-site model is proposed which explains the results in terms of the competing effects of increased surface area and changes in surface site densities caused by chemical etching.
The protective effects of executive functions and episodic memory on gait speed decline in aging defined in the context of cognitive reserve.

Objectives: To evaluate whether levels of cognitive reserve (CR), as measured using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)-III vocabulary test, moderated longitudinal associations between cognitive functions and decline in gait speed in a community-based cohort of older adults without dementia, specifically, whether the protective effect of executive function (EF) and episodic memory against decline in gait speed would be greater in individuals with higher CR. Design: Longitudinal (median number of repeated annual gait speed measures, 3; maximum number of visits, 7). Setting: General community. Participants: Seven hundred thirty-one community-residing individuals aged 70 and older without dementia were followed longitudinally with cognitive and gait evaluations at baseline and at annual visits. Measurements: Decline in gait speed (cm/s) served as the primary outcome. The Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) was used to assess episodic memory. The Digit Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) was used to assess attention and EF. The vocabulary test served as a marker for CR. Results: Linear mixed effects model showed that gait speed declined over the follow-up period (P < .001). The significant three-way interactions of time by DSST by vocabulary (P = .01) and time by FCSRT by vocabulary (P = .02) revealed that levels of CR moderated the longitudinal associations between EF and episodic memory and gait speed decline. Conclusion: The protective effects of EF and episodic memory against gait speed decline in aging are greater in individuals with higher CR.
The structure of a "simple" phycobilisome.

This report describes the properties of a relatively simple phycobilisome, Synechococcus 6301 (Anacystis nidulans). Morphology. -- Examination of wild type and mutant phycobilisomes by electron microscopy has shown them to have two morphologically differing substructures when seen in "face-view". There is a core consisting of two contiguous objects, disc-like in face-view projection, 115 A in diameter, and six rods, each composed of several stacked discs 60 A thick and 120 A in diameter, which radiate from the core in a hemidiscoidal arrangement. Each of the core components consists of four discs approximately 30 A thick. Rod substructures. -- Each of the discs in the rod substructure is a phycocyanin hexamer held together by interaction with a specific linker polypeptide, i. e., it has the composition (alpha beta)6 . X, where X is the linker polypeptide and alpha beta a phycocyanin monomer. The disc proximal to the core is an (alpha beta)6 . 27,000 complex. A small portion, Mr approximately 2,000,, of the Mr 27,000 polypeptide is essential to the attachment of this disc to the core. From studies of phycobilisomes from nitrogen-starved cells, and from mutants containing lowered amounts of phycocyanin relative to allophycocyanin, the second disc has been established to be an (alpha beta)6 . 33,000 complex. Either (alpha beta)6 . 33,000 or (alpha beta)6 . 30,000 complexes occupy the positions in the rods distal to the (alpha beta)6 .33,000 discs. Core substructure. -- Structural studies on the core and on core-rod junctions were greatly facilitated by the isolation of a mutant, strain AN112, which produces phycobilisomes with rods only one disc in length but with normal cores. Partial dissociation of these incomplete phycobilisomes under a variety of conditions, and separation and characterization of the resulting sub-complexes, has led to the determination of the composition of four distinct "trimeric" complexes, each of which is present in two copies per phycobilisome. These complexes, which account for the composition of the core, are as follows: (alpha beta)3AP . 10,500 with lambda maxF at 662 nm; (alpha beta)3AP with lambda maxF at 660 nm; (alpha 2AP alpha APB beta 3AP) . 10,500 with lambda maxF at 680 nm; where apha AP and alpha AFB are alpha subunits of allophycocyanin and allophycocyanin B, respectively, and beta AP is a subunit common to these two biliproteins; (alpha beta)2 AP . 18,300 . 40,000* . 11,000* with lambda maxF at 680 nm, where the Mr 40,000* and 11,000* polypeptides are derived from a Mr 75,000 polypeptide by tryptic digestion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The use of serum creatine phosphokinaseand other serum enzymes in the diagnosis of progressive muscular dystrophy

The early diagnosis of muscular dystrophy may be very difficult and the later less common forms may pose many diagnostic problems to the clinician. Serum creatine phosphokinase activity appears to be a valuable laboratory test to aid in the diagnosis of muscle disease. In determinations on serum from 200 patients with muscular disorders, the concentration of this enzyme was found to be increased only in patients with progressive muscular dystrophy or dermatomyositis.
Did We Lose the War on Poverty

Was the War on Poverty a failure or a success? Official U.S. poverty statistics based on household income imply that the War on Poverty ended in failure. According to the Bureau of the Census, the proportion of the U.S. population below the poverty level of income reached a minimum of 11.1 percent in 1973. This ratio rebounded to 15.2 percent in 1983 and has fluctuated within a narrow range since then, giving rise to the widespread impression that the elimination of poverty is difficult or even impossible. 1 However, poverty estimates based on household consumption imply that the War on Poverty was a success. Jorgenson and Slesnick (1989) showed that the proportion of the U.S. population below the poverty level of consumption fell to 10.9 percent in 1973, only slightly below the poverty incidence as measured by income in that year; the poverty ratio for consumption declined further, reaching 6.8 percent in 1983. Slesnick (1993) presents estimates of poverty ratios incorporating consumption data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The poverty rate for consumption fell to 9.7 percent in 1973 and reached a low of 8.7 percent in 1978 before rising to 12.0 percent in 1980. The consumptionbased poverty rate then declined to a new low of 8.3 percent in 1986, ending at 8.4 percent in 1989. Calibrating consumption to levels reported in the U.S. National Income and Product Accounts, Slesnick obtained a poverty rate of 4.1 percent in 1978 and a postwar low in 1989 of only 2.2 percent. 2 1 The persistence of poverty, as reflected in the official statistics, is discussed by Sawhill (1988). 2 Slesnick (1993) presented a detailed decomposition of the differences between estimates of poverty rates based on consumption and the official estimates based on income. Neither measures of consumption from the Consumer Expenditure Survey nor measures of income used by the Bureau of the Census include in-kind transfers. Slesnick (1996) discussed the effects of these transfers on measures of poverty.
The Integrating Power of the Eye for Short Flashes of Light

The integrating power of the eye has been tested for short flashes of light, ranging in duration from 10−2 to 8×10−9 sec. The shorter flashes were produced by passing the image of the straight filament of an electric lamp across a narrow slit, the light having been reflected from a mirror mounted on an air-driven turbine. The longer flashes were produced by means of a sectored disk. In all cases the number of flashes received by the eye was great enought to avoid flicker and the intensity was well above that required to produce the sensation of vision. It was concluded that the response of the eye depends only upon the total amount of light in the beam and is independent of the length of the light flash. The limit of error was 1.5 percent.
In vivo Reflectance Confocal Microscopy

Reflectance confocal microscopy provides real time, cellular resolution images of in vivo and ex vivo tissues. I will describe the development of these systems and how the properties of tissue influence the optical and overall system design.
Estimation of demands resulting from inelastic axial impact of steel debris

Abstract Impact of debris generated during extreme events such as floods, tsunamis, and hurricane storm surge and waves can cause severe structural damage. It is necessary to be able to estimate debris impact forces properly in order to design the structures to resist typical water-borne debris. The objective of this study is to characterize the impact demands generated during inelastic response of the debris and to develop a simple model that can estimate impact force and duration accurately. In previous work, a series of debris axial impact experiments were conducted at full scale under increasing impact velocities of up to 3.8 m/s. In this paper, the results are used to validate nonlinear dynamic finite element models of simplified and complex debris-types and are used to examine response under impact velocities up to 15 m/s. A simplified one-dimensional (1D) model is developed, illustrated, and validated using a simple debris-type consisting of a steel tube under axial impact. The model is also extended to estimate impact demands for complex debris-types such as shipping containers. This model is examined using numerical models and validated with data from full-scale impact experiments of a container. The numerical and simplified models provide accurate estimation of the axial impact demands generated under inelastic response of the debris. Results indicate that as the debris response changes from elastic to inelastic the duration of the impact event increases and the peak impact force generated reaches a limit. The maximum impact force is found to be equal to the strength of the axial members under impact. The results also show that impact forces estimated by current design guidelines are not accurate and can lead to over or under prediction of the design force levels.
Investigations of aroma volatile biosynthesis under anoxic conditions and in different tissues of "Redchief Delicious" apple fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.).

Disks from different tissues were obtained from “Redchief Delicious” apple fruit (Malus domestica Borkh.) and analyzed for the ability to metabolize 1-pentanol as well as synthesize constitutive esters and alcohols under anoxic and aerobic conditions. The skin tissue displayed a greater capacity to synthesize pentanal, pentyl acetate, pentyl propionate, pentyl butyrate, and pentyl hexanoate than the hypanthial and carpellary tissues during incubation with 1-pentanol. With the exception of pentyl acetate and pentyl propionate biosynthesis, the hypanthial tissue synthesized these compounds at a higher rate than the carpellary tissue. Anoxia inhibited both constituent and 1-pentanol-derived ester biosynthesis. While anoxia inhibited ester biosynthesis, ethanol biosynthesis increased at a greater rate in tissue disks held under these conditions. Biosynthesis of 1-butanol, 2-methyl-1-butanol, and 1-hexanol was greater in tissue disks held in air during the first part of the measurement period and dropped off m...
Another Fossil Tsetse Fly

IN NATURE, August 22, 1907, I reported the discovery of a tsetse-fly (Glossina) in the Miocene shales of Florissant, Colorado. In going over the materials collected in the same locality in 1908, I find a second species of the same genus. It is preserved showing the lateral aspect, the abdomen arched dorsally, and the proboscis evident, though imperfect. It is about 10 mm. long, the wing 7 mm., thus much smaller than G. oligocena. The venation is perfectly typical for Glossina, but the first basal cell bulges less subapically than in G. oligocena, its maximum breadth or depth being only 323 micromillimetres. The vein bounding the outer side of the discal cell has a double curve, as in the Œstridae.
Ag/Cu(001): Observation of the development of the electronic structure in metal overlayers from two to three dimensionality

Angle-resolved photoemission was used to investigate the valence-band structure of the metal overlayer system c(10 x 2)Ag/Cu(001). At 1--2 monolayer coverages, the Ag adlayer exhibited d-band spectral behavior characteristic of two-dimensional dispersion. Evaporation of progressively more Ag onto the substrate produced a series of surfaces which by 3--5 monolayer exposures were converging toward a three-dimensional valence electronic structure characteristic of a bulk, Ag(111)-like system.
Electrochemistry with Stationary Disk and Ring-disk Millielectrodes in Magnetic Fields

The most well-known effect of the magnetic field on electrochemical systems is hydrodynamic convection (stirring) of the electrolytic solution. The basic hydrodynamic equations governing mass trans...
Citizens against the MX: Public Languages in the Nuclear Age

Glass applies the critical social theory of Jnrgen Habermas to explicate a successful citizens' struggle against the national security bureaucracy as a coalition of ranchers, environmentalists, Western Shoshones, and Mormons battled with words and protest for two years to keep the MX weapons system
Characterization of human cytomegalovirus UL145 and UL136 genes in low-passage clinical isolates from infected Chinese infants

BACKGROUND Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised individuals. The unique long b' (ULB') region of HCMV contains at least 19 open reading frames (ORFs); however, little is known about the function of UL145 and UL136. We characterized UL145 and UL136 in low-passage clinical isolates from Chinese infants. MATERIAL/METHODS The clinical strains of HCMV were recovered from the urine from HCMV-infected infants. Human embryonic lung fibroblasts (HELFs) were infected with clinical isolates of HCMV, and the viral DNA and mRNA for UL145 and UL136 were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing techniques. We also predicted the structure and function of UL145 and UL136 proteins. RESULTS Sixty-two Chinese infants infected with HCMV were recruited into this study and the clinical isolates were recovered from the urine. Two strains among the low-passage isolates, D2 and D3, were obtained. The UL145 and UL136 sequences were deposited with GenBank under accession numbers of DQ180367, DQ180381, DQ180377, and DQ180389. The mRNA expression of both UL145 and UL136 was confirmed by reverse transcription (RT-PCR) assays. UL145 was predicted to contain 1 protein kinase C phosphorylation site, 2 casein kinase II phosphorylation sites and a zinc finger structure. UL136 was predicted to contain a protein kinase C phosphorylation site, N-myristoylation site, cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinase phosphorylation site and tyrosine kinase II phosphorylation site. Both UL145 and UL136 are highly conserved. CONCLUSIONS UL145 may act as an intranuclear regulating factor by direct binding to DNA, while UL136 may be a membrane receptor involving signal transduction.
A missing policy: Capacity building for sharing scientific knowledge

Federal research policy focuses on how much should be invested in specific scientific problems and topics. Little attention is given to investment in the capacity needed to share the results of this research. Given the Internet revolution and the rise of i-Science this policy vacuum needs to be filled.
Active current gating in electrically biased conical nanopores.

We observed that the ionic current through a gold/silicon nitride (Si3N4) nanopore could be modulated and gated by electrically biasing the gold layer. Rather than employing chemical modification to alter device behavior, we achieved control of conductance directly by electrically biasing the gold portion of the nanopore. By stepping through a range of bias potentials under a constant trans-pore electric field, we observed a gating phenomenon in the trans-pore current response in a variety of solutions including potassium chloride (KCl), sodium chloride (NaCl), and potassium iodide (KI). A computational model with a conical nanopore was developed to examine the effect of the Gouy–Chapman–Stern electrical double layer along with nanopore geometry, work function potentials, and applied electrical bias on the ionic current. The numerical results indicated that the observed modulation and gating behavior was due to dynamic reorganization of the electrical double layer in response to changes in the electrical bias. Specifically, in the conducting state, the nanopore conductance (both numerical and experimental) is linearly proportional to the applied bias due to accumulation of charge in the diffuse layer. The gating effect occurs due to the asymmetric charge distribution in the fluid induced by the distribution of potentials at the nanopore surface. Time dependent changes in current due to restructuring of the electrical double layer occur when the electrostatic bias is instantaneously changed. The nanopore device demonstrates direct external control over nanopore behavior via modulation of the electrical double layer by electrostatic biasing.
Manipulation of carbon nanotubes and properties of nanotube field-effect transistors and rings

Using the tip of an atomic force microscope, we have manipulated individual carbon nanotubes on a patterned substrate, and have fabricated model nanodevices, including a room temperature field-effect transistor with a channel only 1.6 nm wide, as well as single-electron transistors. We have also developed a technique to produce rings of single-wall nanotubes with a very high yield.
Cellular Quantitation of In Vivo Effects of 1-β-d-Arabinofuranosylcytosine on Leukemia L1210

We derived a cellular model for the use of the cytidine analogue 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) against L1210 leukemia in vivo from dose- and time-survival studies. We employed a quantitative assay for leukemia colony-forming cells to construct dose- and time-survival curves for single, divided, and infused doses of ara-C. Time-survival curves for a large dose range of ara-C indicated not only cell killing but also progression delay effects in vivo. Divided dose studies showed the extent of cell killing (optimum effect) to be dependent upon both the dose and the interval of time between administration of the drugs. When the drug was given as an infusion, the extent of cell killing was as great as that produced by the best fractionation schedule, an effect which was verified in terms of therapeutic efficacy in leukemic mice.
Minimizing probable collision pairs searched in interactive animation authoring

Animation authoring involves an author’s interaction with a scene, resulting in varying scene complexity for a given animation sequence. In such a varying environment, detection and prediction of collision in minimal time and with high accuracy is a challenge. This paper proposes using the bounding volume-based space subdivision mechanism to reduce search space for an object pair collision search. This data structure is enhanced using a direction-based spatial hash table, which predicts collision between static and dynamic objects. These techniques are shown to work in conjunction with existing search space reduction methods. The event of collision is accurately detected using known methods, such as kinetic data structures. Simulation results show that for a scene with 10000 objects with varying dynamic objects (10–90%), the method finds probable collision-pairs with 95–99% accuracy.
Decreasing reimbursements for outpatient emergency department visits across payer groups from 1996 to 2004.

Study objective There is increasing concern that decreasing reimbursements to emergency departments (EDs) will negatively affect their functioning, but little evidence has been published identifying trends in reimbursement rates. We seek to examine and document the trends in reimbursement for outpatient ED visits throughout the past decade. Methods We use Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data covering a 9-year span from 1996 to 2004, using outpatient ED visits as the unit of analysis. Our primary outcome variables were total and per-visit charges and payments across insurance. Using regression analyses with a generalized linear models approach, we also derived the adjusted mean payment and mean charge for each ED visit, as well as the average payment ratio. Results Overall, adjusted mean charges for an outpatient ED visit increased from $713 (95% confidence interval [CI] $665 to $771) in 1996 to $1,390 (95% CI $1,317 to $1,462) in 2004. The adjusted mean payment also increased from $410 (95% CI $366 to $453) in 1996 to $592 (95% CI $551 to $634) in 2004. Because payments increased at a slower rate in all payer groups compared with charges, the overall share of charges that were paid decreased over time from 57% in 1996 (n=3,433) to 42% in 2004 (n=5,763; P Conclusion The proportion of charges paid for outpatient ED visits from Medicaid, Medicare, and privately insured and uninsured patients persistently decreased from 1996 to 2004. These concerning decreases may threaten the survival of EDs and their ability to continue to provide care as safety nets in the US health care system.
The U.S. Commerce Department Aids Hollywood Exports, 1921–1933

(2000). The U.S. Commerce Department Aids Hollywood Exports, 1921–1933. The Historian: Vol. 62, No. 3, pp. 575-588.
Simulating the performance of a multiprocessor operating system

The authors constructed a simulation model, using the PAWS simulation modeling tools, to predict the performance of a shared memory multiprocessor operating system. The operating system is divided into five distinct sections, called empires. They used the model to predict the efficiency of this paradigm of multiprocessing for the Hewlett-Packard HP-UX Release 8.0 operating system. The simulation results show that the empires architecture is effective in providing enough concurrency for a four-way computer under a program development workload. The authors describe the model and its parameters, present and discuss the results, provide a statistical analysis of the data, and analyze the results. >
Discriminating between Tornadic and Nontornadic Thunderstorms Using Mesoscale Model Output

Abstract The ability to discriminate between tornadic and nontornadic thunderstorms is investigated using a mesoscale model. Nine severe weather events are simulated: four events are tornadic supercell thunderstorm outbreaks that occur in conjunction with strong large-scale forcing for upward motion, three events are bow-echo outbreaks that also occur in conjunction with strong large-scale forcing for upward motion, and two are isolated tornadic supercell thunderstorms that occur under much weaker large-scale forcing. Examination of the mesoscale model simulations suggests that it is possible to discriminate between tornadic and nontornadic thunderstorms by using the locations of model-produced convective activity and values of convective available potential energy to highlight regions of likely thunderstorm development, and then using the values of storm-relative environmental helicity (SREH) and bulk Richardson number shear (BRNSHR) to indicate whether or not tornadic supercell thunderstorms are likely....
The evolution of vacuum interrupter arc control systems

The moving contact is moved by the switchgear mechanism during a switching operation, to form a gap of between 6mm and 24mm depending on the interrupter and system voltage. Currently vacuum interrupter designs use a range of arc control systems ranging from no arc control – (diffuse arc system for low currents), to a number of Radial Magnetic Field (RMF) systems, and Axial Magnetic Field (AMF) systems using both internal and external methods of generating the necessary magnetic fields. In addition today a range of contact materials are used to provide the optimum interrupter performance. This performance can be significantly changed by using a different contact material, a subject which will be discussed later.