cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
When Can Models Learn From Explanations? A Formal Framework for Understanding the Roles of Explanation Data

Many methods now exist for conditioning model outputs on task instructions, retrieved documents, and user-provided explanations and feedback. Rather than relying solely on examples of task inputs and outputs, these approaches use valuable additional data for improving model correctness and aligning learned models with human priors. Meanwhile, a growing body of evidence suggests that some language models can (1) store a large amount of knowledge in their parameters, and (2) perform inference over tasks in textual inputs at test time. These results raise the possibility that, for some tasks, humans cannot explain to a model any more about the task than it already knows or could infer on its own. In this paper, we study the circumstances under which explanations of individual data points can (or cannot) improve modeling performance. In order to carefully control important properties of the data and explanations, we introduce a synthetic dataset for experiments, and we also make use of three existing datasets with explanations: e-SNLI, TACRED, and SemEval. We first give a formal framework for the available modeling approaches, in which explanation data can be used as model inputs, as targets, or as a prior. After arguing that the most promising role for explanation data is as model inputs, we propose to use a retrieval-based method and show that it solves our synthetic task with accuracies upwards of 95%, while baselines without explanation data achieve below 65% accuracy. We then identify properties of datasets for which retrieval-based modeling fails. With the three existing datasets, we find no improvements from explanation retrieval. Drawing on findings from our synthetic task, we suggest that at least one of six preconditions for successful modeling fails to hold with these datasets. Our code is publicly available at this https URL
Passive Thermography Measurement of Damage Depth During Composites Load Testing

Passive thermography is commonly used for composites load testing to detect damage formation as a function of the applied load. The advantages of passive thermography are real time implementation, large area coverage, and noncontact measurement. Passive thermography is able to detect the damage location and size, however, damage depth has been a challenge. Recent work has shown that damage formation during loading produces heating that is composed of two heat generation components. The first component is an instantaneous thermal response due to an irreversible thermoelastic strain release due to rapid damage formation. The second component observed is mechanical heating, at the interface of failure, due to fracture damage that produces a transient rise in temperature as a function of damage depth. The first component defines the thermal start time for the transient response. A one-dimensional thermal model is presented and fitted to the data pixel by pixel, to produce imagery of the damage depth. The results are compared to ultrasonic and X-ray CT data.
Stretching [8]cycloparaphenylene with encapsulated potassium cations: structural and theoretical insights into core perturbation upon four-fold reduction and complexation

The consequences of four-electron addition to [8]cycloparaphenylene ([8]CPP, 1) have been evaluated crystallographically, revealing a significant core deformation. The structural analysis exposes an elliptical distortion observed upon electron transfer, with the deformation parameter (D.P.) increased by 28% in comparison with neutral [8]CPP. The C-C bond length alteration pattern also indicates a quinoidal structural rearrangement upon four-fold reduction. The large internal cavity of [8]CPP4- allows the encapsulation of two {K+(THF)2} cationic moieties with two additional cations bound externally in the solid-state structure of [{K+(THF)2}4([8]CPP4-)]. The experimental structural data have been used as a benchmark for the comprehensive theoretical description of the geometric changes and electronic properties of the highly-charged [8]CPP4- nanohoop in comparison with its neutral parent. While neutral [8]CPP and the [8]CPP2- anion clearly show aromatic behavior of all six-membered rings, subsequent addition of two more electrons completely reverses their aromatic character to afford the highly-antiaromatic [8]CPP4- anion, as evidenced by structural, topological, and magnetic descriptors. The disentanglement of electron transfer from metal binding effects allowed their contributions to the overall core perturbation of the negatively-charged [8]CPP to be revealed. Consequently, the internal coordination of potassium cations is identified as the main driving force for drastic elliptic distortion of the macrocyclic framework upon reduction.
Breeding soundness examination of a Longhorn bull pelleted with lead shot

This case is presented because it 1) demonstrates the importance of being thorough while conducting a lameness and/or breeding soundness examination of a bull, 2) is an example of one bull that in spite of an extemely poor prognosis for fertility has since sired more than twenty-five calves, and 3) is an example of a bull that responded favorably to unconventional and radical treatment. Although not used routinely, selected radiographic and ultrasonographic examination of the scrotal contents can aid in the diagnosis of some infertile bulls.
From cities to networks: Power rules:

Power relations are the source of social organization and institutions. This has been observed and theorized by the author in relation to various realms of social life, such as the formation of spa...
Uncovering the nuances of criminal motivations and modus operandi in the Russian Far East: A wildlife crime case study:

Wildlife crime is a relatively new line of inquiry for scholars of criminology; traditionally it has been the purview of conservation science. However, as conservation is fundamentally about changi...
Oxygenation indices in noninvasive ventilation: Could they predict mortality in covid-19?

D'Silva C. Oxygenation Indices in Noninvasive Ventilation: Could They Predict Mortality in COVID-19? Indian J Crit Care Med 2021;25(8):841-842.
Disruptive gratitude: Challenging relationships between fangirls and curriculum theory

By pulling from the complex field of fan studies, I hope to show how fan studies, particularly fangirls and their practices, can inform the field of curriculum theory. In this article, through an a...
Causes and Explanations

In the late afternoon of January 13, 1982, during a blinding snowstorm, Air Florida Flight 90 from Washington, D.C. to Tampa and Fort Lauderdale crashed into the Fourteenth Street Bridge just seconds after taking off from National Airport. The airplane had undergone de-icing procedures 45 minutes before take-off, but lumbered down the airport’s 6,870-foot runway, failed to gain altitude, struck the bridge crowded with rush-hour traffic, and plunged into the iced-over waters of the Potomac River. Upon impact the tail section of the plane separated from the main portion of the fuselage, and this forward part of the aircraft quickly sank into the river. Only five of the 79 people aboard the plane were rescued; an additional four people were killed who had been traveling across the bridge at the time of impact.
Balancing Act: A Phenomenological Study of Female Adult Learners Who Successfully Persisted in Graduate Studies

A study was conducted utilizing Cross’ (1981) barriers to adult learning as a framework to better understand how adults successfully complete their graduate studies. Participants in the study were solicited via Facebook and LinkedIn. Three female adult learners who persisted in their graduate studies while balancing demands outside academics including employment and family responsibilities were selected. The study found the barriers identified by Cross 30 years ago – institutional, dispositional and situational – were still relevant for these female graduate adult learners. The phenomenological approach allowed the participants to describe how they made meaning of these barriers while overcoming them to persist in their graduate studies. Sarah cannot wait to be finished with school. Approaching the midpoint of her master’s degree, she reflects on her challenges in the program thus far. Returning to higher education twenty years after completing her undergraduate degree in business, she is married with one daughter in college and another in high school. Her class schedule often conflicts with her daughter’s extracurricular activities. Her spouse works full–time and spends much of his time on the road traveling. Compounding matters further, her school costs come directly out of the family budget. She hopes her efforts to complete graduate school will be worth the sacrifices she and her family are making. Sarah’s pursuit of a graduate degree is driven by her desire to change careers from business management to education. After being advised to pursue a teacher certificate program when interviewing with the local school board, she attempted to obtain information from the local university. Following this guidance, she tried to contact the local state university to learn more about the process. Reflecting on that experience, she stated:
Baryon number violation and instantons in the standard model

We report on the recent developments in the theory of high energy collisions mediated by an instanton. Theoretical methods of studying the nonperturbative dynamics of the Standard Model at high energies in association with multi-particle-production and (B+L)-violation are reviewed. Particularly, we concentrate on the optical theorem approach based on the valley method. A pre-history and a current status of the theory of electroweak (B+L)-violation in high energy collisions are discussed.
Brachial plexus injuries and reanimation

Abstract Brachial plexus injuries are devastating and have a significant impact on quality of life and upper extremity function. Although traditionally surgical intervention has resulted in relatively poor recovery of function, the implementation of new surgical techniques such as nerve transfers, combined with significantly improved knowledge of internal nerve topography, has dramatically improved outcomes. Although there remains a role for surgical interventions such as nerve grafting and tendon transfer, especially in the obstetrical brachial plexus palsy population, nerve transfers are rapidly emerging as the standard of care for the treatment of these difficult patients. This chapter highlights the anatomy, etiologies, investigations, patterns of injury, and surgical options to manage these patients and discusses the outcomes in this emerging field.
Anaerobic Roll Tube Media for Nonselective Enumeration and Isolation of Bacteria in Human Feces

Medium 10 (M10), developed for rumen bacteria and containing small amounts of sugars, starch, volatile fatty acids, hemin, Trypticase, yeast extract, cysteine, and sulfide, plus agar, minerals and CO2-HCO3-buffer, was used with the Hungate anaerobic method as a basal medium to evaluate the efficacy of various ingredients. Three-day-old colony counts from adults on normal diets (17 samples) were 0.55 × 1011 to 1.7 × 1011 per g (mean, 1.15 × 1011) for M10. Single deletion of volatile fatty acids, Trypticase, yeast extract, or sulfide did not reduce counts. Deletion of hemin or both Trypticase and yeast extract significantly lowered counts. Addition of fecal extract, rumen fluid, 1% dehydrated Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) or 2 to 6% liver infusion did not increase counts; 1% dehydrated bile or 3.7% BHI markedly depressed them. Decreasing the gas-phase CO2 concentration from 100 to 5% with N2 and correspondingly lowering the HCO3 had little effect. Counts in supplemented Brewer Thioglycollate (Difco), BHI, and Trypticase soy agar were similar or lower than in M10; ease in counting was best in M10. Comparison of features of 88 predominant strains of fecal bacteria randomly isolated indicated that M10 supported growth of as many or more species of bacteria as compared to supplemented BHI. The results suggest that predominant bacteria of human feces, in general, are not as nutritionally fastidious as rumen bacteria and indicate that media for counts or isolation containing large amounts of rich organic materials are neither necessary nor desirable when adequate anaerobic techniques are used.
Spiritual Activities for Adults with Alzheimer's Disease: The Cognitive Components of Dementia and Religion

SUMMARY Engaging adults with Alzheimer's disease in activities can prevent disease related agitation. Finding meaningful and enjoyable activities proves to be a difficult task due to severe damage to explicit memory and executive functioning. Fortunately, many spiritual and religious activities rely on more resilient cognitive features such as procedural memory and limbic system aspects of attachment and motivation. Such spiritual activities, if properly selected, can be used to engage adults with dementia. This approach, called Procedural and Emotional Religious Activity Therapy, can be used by various religious traditions and extended to multiple therapeutic venues.
Poloidal Field Superconducting Ring Coil Case and Support Structure Design

Conceptual design studies have been carried out at the Fusion Engineering Design Center (FEDC) on a succession of tokamak devices. In order to quickly assess the technical feasibility and to estimate the costs of competing poloidal field (PF) systems, it is desirable to develop simple, but accurate, rules for the structural design of these coils. In this paper the authors describe the rules developed for superconducting ring coils and illustrate their application to a specific example. This methodology may be easily adapted to resistive ring coil design.
Familial allergic seminal vulvovaginitis

Vulvovaginal reactions to seminal fluid occurred in all four women in a family. The reactions consisted of stinging, burning, and pain in the vagina, starting during coitus or immediately after ejaculation, and persisting for 2 to 72 hours. The vagina and vulva were red and swollen, with urticaria on the labia. Although skin tests showed a positive reaction in two of three women tested, no sperm agglutination antibody was detected. Benadryl was effective in preventing the development of vulvovaginal reactions completely in one woman and partially in two others.
Starvation-Based Instability of Distributed Scheduling Policies in Non-Acyclic Fluid and Queuing Networks

We review the stability condition of a class of guided distributed scheduling policies in queuing systems and show that the same stability condition also holds for fluid systems. This condition is interpreted as requiring a contraction of machine starvation delays in the cycles of material flow in the system. Machine starvation is the cause of instability and arises naturally in queuing systems due to the discrete nature of operations (it can also be caused by the scheduling policy). In fluid systems, however, machine starvation can only be caused by the scheduling policy. Although the cause of machine starvation can be different in queuing and fluid systems, our results show that this is inconsequential to the condition for stability.
Keynote address: critical issues in wafer scale design

Summary form only given. The author discusses critical barriers to the further developments of wafer-scale design technology and its successful transfer to industry. These include: 1) difficulty in obtaining multireticle stepper lithography for sub 2-micron fabrication, (2) limitation to two levels of metal and resulting problems in power and clock distribution, (3) excessive turnaround time because of limitations of wafer-scale design tools, and (4) compromise in performance because of the emphasis on using foundry fabrication which excludes the use of vertical links, overglass optimized for laser penetration and other custom fabrication techniques. >
High pressure turbomachinery ground test facility

Turbomachinery test facilities are at present scarce to non-existent world-wide. The turbomachinery test facility at Stennis Space Center will provide for advanced development and research and development capabilities for liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen propellant rocket engine components. The facility will provide ultra-high pressure via gas generators to deliver the needed turbine drive on various turbomachinery. State of the art process control systems will provide the vital pressure, temperature and flow requirements during tests. These systems will better control adverse transient conditions during start-up and shutdown, and by using advanced control theory, as well as incorporate test article health monitoring. Also, digital data acquisition systems will obtain high frequency (up to 20 KHz) and low frequency (up to 1 KHz) data during the test. Pressures of up to 15,000 psi will be generated to pressurize high pressure tanks supplying cryogens to various test article inlets thus pushing turbopump materials and manufacturing processes to their limits. By planning for future projects the test facility will be easily adaptable to multi-program test configurations over a range of thermodynamic positions.
Molecular views of Arf-like small GTPases in cilia and ciliopathies

The primary cilia are microtubule-based organelles that protrude from most of the eukaryotic cells. Recognized as the cell's antenna, primary cilium functions as a signaling hub for many physiologically and developmentally important signaling cascades. Ciliary dysfunction causes a wide spectrum of syndromic human genetic diseases collectively termed "ciliopathies". Mounting evidences have shown that various small GTPases have been implicated in the context of cilia as well as human ciliopathies. However, how these small GTPases affect cilia formation and function remains poorly understood. Here we review and discuss the ciliary role of three Arf-like small GTPases (Arls), Arl3, Arl6, and Arl13b.
Developing a virtualization platform for courses in networking, systems administration and cyber security education

Students studying topics in cyber security benefit from working with realistic training labs that test their knowledge of network security. Cost, space, time, and reproducibility are major factors that prevent instructors from building realistic networks for their students. This paper explores the ways that existing virtualization technologies could be packaged to provide a more accessible, comprehensive, and realistic training and education environment. The paper focuses on ways to leverage technologies such as operating system virtualization and other virtualization techniques to recreate an entire network environment consisting of dozens of nodes on moderately equipped hardware.
Thermal studies of (NH4)2 Cr2O7, (NH4)2 WO4, and (NH4)6Mo7O24· 4H2 O deposited on ZrO2

Ammonium molybdate, ammonium dichromate or ammonium tungstate modified zirconia are considered to be catalysts with superacid properties. The activation of these catalysts involves complex chemical changes. In the present study, combined TGA-DTA, TG-MS and TG-FTIR techniques were used to investigate the weight loss and the phase transformations of the solids and to monitor the chemical compounds that evolved under controlled heating in different environments. Through online analysis of the evolved species, some insight into the activation mechanism can be obtained. The phase transformation temperature of zirconia was shifted to a higher temperature when the sample was treated with any of these anions, which indicates that the thermal stability of the catalysts was enhanced.
Analysis and interpretation of composite foliations in areas of progressive deformation

Abstract In areas of progressive deformation, where successive structures develop during a relatively continuous deformation within a geologically short time period, traditional chronological notations of structural elements (e.g. S 1 , S 2 , etc.) can give erroneous impressions of how large rock masses evolve in time and space. We demonstrate from field examples that successive structures can develop which: (a) are comparable in morphology and orientation but of different ages; (b) are different in morphology but of comparable age; and (c) show rapid morphological changes over short distances. Under such conditions, correct identification of the relative age of structures is often difficult to impossible. We consider the concepts of a composite foliation , and of Transposition Cycles as vehicles to objectively evaluate the significance of different sets of structures in the evolution of larger rock masses. We suggest that: (1) structural elements be labeled using morphological notation, adding numerical subscripts only when independent evidence is available; (2) geologists more fully acknowledge and integrate the concept of deformation partitioning into their models; and (3) when analyzing areas of multiple deformation, more emphasis is placed on the relationship between domains of differing complexity. Integration of these three perspectives in the analysis will lead to a more realistic basis upon which to model the structural evolution of large rock masses.
Influence of Droplet Characteristics on the Formation of Oil-in-Water Emulsions Stabilized by Surfactant-Chitosan Layers

The objective of this study was to establish the optimum conditions for preparing stable oil-in-water emulsions containing droplets surrounded by surfactant−chitosan layers. A primary emulsion containing small droplets (d32 ≈ 0.3 μm) was prepared by homogenizing 20 wt% corn oil with 80 wt% emulsifier solution (20 mM SDS, 100 mM acetate buffer, pH 3) using a high-pressure valve homogenizer. The primary emulsion was diluted with chitosan solutions to produce secondary emulsions with a range of oil and chitosan concentrations (0.5−10 wt% corn oil, 0−1 wt% chitosan, pH 3). The secondary emulsions were sonicated to help disrupt any droplet aggregates formed during the mixing process. The electrical charge, particle size, and amount of free chitosan in the emulsions were then measured. The droplet charge changed from negative to positive as the amount of chitosan in the emulsions was increased, reaching a relatively constant value (≈+50 mV) above a critical chitosan concentration (CSat), which indicated that sa...
An approximate nonlinear dynamic theory for plates

In this paper an approximate theory for the moderately large motion of transversely isotropic (orthotropic) plates is presented. Unlike other methods used in the past, the method used here involves no artificial assumptions. The method of approach begins with the equations of a partially non-linear elasticity theory and utilizes a method of asymptotic integration to arrive at successive two-dimensional approximations of increasing accuracy. The first approximation theory obtained here is the dynamic counterpart of Karman's plate theory. It includes the effect of rotatory inertia.
IFT Proteins Accumulate during Cell Division and Localize to the Cleavage Furrow in Chlamydomonas

Intraflagellar transport (IFT) proteins are well established as conserved mediators of flagellum/cilium assembly and disassembly. However, data has begun to accumulate in support of IFT protein involvement in other processes elsewhere in the cell. Here, we used synchronous cultures of Chlamydomonas to investigate the temporal patterns of accumulation and localization of IFT proteins during the cell cycle. Their mRNAs showed periodic expression that peaked during S and M phase (S/M). Unlike most proteins that are synthesized continuously during G1 phase, IFT27 and IFT46 levels were found to increase only during S/M phase. During cell division, IFT27, IFT46, IFT72, and IFT139 re-localized from the flagella and basal bodies to the cleavage furrow. IFT27 was further shown to be associated with membrane vesicles in this region. This localization pattern suggests a role for IFT in cell division.
Más allá del malestar.: Una hipótesis sociológica sobre el significado político del movimiento estudiantil chileno

La irrupcion del movimiento estudiantil chileno requiere ser abordada en clave sociologica. Hasta el momento, la lectura predominante respecto a las tensiones y conflictos que las movilizaciones estudiantiles han dejado emerger se limita a describir como las logicas economicistas de las politicas educativas, impulsadas por los diferentes gobiernos chilenos durante estos ultimos treinta anos, han provocado un creciente malestar contra el neoliberalismo rampante del que el movimiento estudiantil seria su principal expresion social. Proponemos una hipotesis teorica: el movimiento estudiantil rompe la clausura social establecida por la democracia consensual en Chile. Por medio de este universal polemico el movimiento desafia las politicas de consenso y abre la posibilidad a formas alternativas de concebir la democracia y la participacion politica. El movimiento estudiantil sintoniza con los movimientos sociales difusos originados en 2011 a raiz de la primavera arabe, tanto en su critica a la desigualdad producida y reproducida por las politicas neoliberales, como por su naturaleza organizativa horizontal, flexible y participativa. El cuestionamiento del sistema educativo emprendido por los estudiantes pone por primera vez en entredicho el consenso mediante el cual el sistema politico chileno ha obtenido su legitimidad durante mas de treinta anos. A partir de una contextualizacion sociologica, el articulo propone una hipotesis que permitiria la glocalizacion del debate sobre el significado politico del movimiento; desde temas locales relacionados con la consolidacion de la democracia y el deseado desarrollo economico, hacia nuevos temas emergentes donde lo fundamental es dilucidar problemas politicos que hoy parecen universales. Consideramos que en esta confluencia entre lo concreto y lo universal reside la principal novedad del movimiento. Se trata de un movimiento que, en principio, responde a la nocion mas tradicional del movimiento social, en tanto actor que encauza su lucha hacia objetivos claramente definidos, combinando reivindicaciones de caracter gremial, como la gratuidad de la educacion, y de indole politica, como la condicion publica o privada de la Universidad. Sin embargo, algunas de sus reivindicaciones van mas alla del mero anhelo de una sociedad mas justa para todos.
Hereditary Deficiency of Pseudocholinesterase in Eskimos

HIGH susceptibility to the neuromuscular blocking action of succinylcholine is usually associated with a defective form of pseudocholinesterase in blood plasma; the abnormal enzyme is distinguished by its resistance to inhibition by dibucaine1. The gene frequency of this abnormality in Caucasians is estimated to be 0.019; 3.8 per cent of the population are heterozygous; and 1 in 2,800 individuals is sensitive to succinylcholine2.
THE RENEWAL OF ROD AND CONE OUTER SEGMENTS IN THE RHESUS MONKEY

The renewal of retinal rod and cone outer segments has been studied by radioautography in rhesus monkeys examined 2 and 4 days after injection of leucine-3H. The cell outer segment consists of a stack of photosensitive, membranous discs. In both rods and cones some of the newly formed (radioactive) protein became distributed throughout the outer segment. Furthermore, in rods (but not in cones), there was a transverse band of concentrated radioactive protein slightly above the outer segment base 2 days after injection. This was due to the formation of new discs, into which labeled protein had been incorporated. At 4 days, these radioactive discs were located farther from the outer segment base. Repeated assembly of new discs had displaced them away from the basal assembly site and along the outer segment. Measurements of the displacement rate indicated that each retinal rod produces 80–90 discs per day, and that the entire complement of outer segment discs is replaced every 9–13 days. To compensate for the continual formation of new discs, groups of old discs are intermittently shed from the apical end of the cell and phagocytized by the pigment epithelium. Each pigment epithelial cell engulfs and destroys about 2000–4000 rod outer segment discs daily. The similarity between visual cells in the rhesus monkey and those in man suggests that the same renewal processes occur in the human retina.
Synthesis and biological activity of hydroxamic acid-derived vasopeptidase inhibitor analogues.

Syntheses of novel hydroxamic acid-derived azepinones containing pendant mercaptoacyl groups or formyl hydroxamates are described. These new analogues of therapeutically important ACE and NEP inhibitors include unprecedented changes at the previously assumed essential acid component.
The neural rejuvenation hypothesis of cocaine addiction

A leading hypothesis guiding current molecular and cellular research into drug addiction conceptualizes key aspects of addiction as a form of memory in which common neuroplasticity mechanisms that mediate normal learning and memory processes are 'hijacked' by exposure to drugs of abuse to produce pathologic addiction-related memories. Such addiction-related memories are particularly robust and long-lasting and once formed are less amenable to updating. Here we propose a neural rejuvenation hypothesis of cocaine addiction. According to this hypothesis, repeated exposure to drugs of abuse induces some plasticity mechanisms normally associated with brain development within the reward circuitry that mediate the highly efficient and unusually stable memory abnormalities that characterize addiction.
Linear and nonlinear optical behavior in hemicyanine Langmuir—Blodgett monolayers

Abstract Hemicyanine dyes, N -(3-sulfopropyl-4-( p -dioctylaminostyryl)) pyridinium ( I ) and 4-(4-dihexadecylaminostyryl)- N -methylpyridinium iodide ( II ), fabricated in Langmuir—Blodgett monolayer films have been studied by means of absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as second harmonic generation (SHG). The two hemicyanine dyes exhibit substantially different aggregation behavior during monolayer formation. While monolayers of I contain predominantly the aggregate species, the composition of pure monolayers of II can be managed to contain either pure aggregate, pure monomer, or any intermediate composition. SHG studies indicate that films with significant monomer population give a nonzero second-order nonlinear response, while films containing only aggregates give zero nonlinear response, χ (2) = 0. Monolayers of I sandwiched between two layers of stearic acid were obtained, and the spectroscopic behavior is compared with a single monolayer on a quartz substrate. Fluorescence experiments indicate the presence of a species with twisted tertiary amine in the sandwiched structure. This might be the result of stresses experienced by the N-bound long alkyl chains originating from tail—tail interactions with the neighbouring layer of stearic acid.
Control of unconventional processes

Abstract New modelling and control problems have arisen as chemical engineering has broadened its scope into areas such as materials processing and biotechnology. In addition, a move towards flexible manufacturing of specialty chemicals has generated more interest in batch operations, which is the normal manufacturing scheme in the new technology arenas. Advances in modelling, control and measurement techniques will be required to reach high levels of manufacturing productivity. This paper reviews some of the challenges faced in control of unconventional or nontraditional chemical processes. A number of vignettes exemplifying these challenges are presented in the areas of batch chemical processing, materials processing and microelectronics manufacturing.
Lossless Image Compression with BCTW

We present a new lossless image compression algorithm called BCTW, for bitplane context tree weighting, and a corresponding study into lossless image compression using several number representations and various algorithms. BCTW processes the image bitplane by bitplane and uses Context Tree Weighting (CTW) to estimate the probability of each pixel bit being a 1 or 0. The bit is then compressed with an entropy coder, most likely an arithmetic coder. BCTW is a very good lossless less image compressor. In the study, we also look at several number representations (twos-complement, Gray coding, and sign-magnitude) and compare BCTW to MedBzip2 and JPEG-LS. On the Waterloo Bragzone GreySet2 dataset, BCTW outperforms JPEGLS by 13% and MedBzip2 by 5%. We find that representing the pixels in a Gray code does not help. Sign-magnitude helps sometimes, but not in BCTW. The MED transform helps bzip2, but not BCTW.
Wireless passive resonant-circuit sensors for monitoring food quality

The inductor-capacitor (LC) sensor, comprised of a thick- film printed LC resonant circuit the resonant frequency of which can be remotely detected with a loop antenna, has been used for the monitoring of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, salt concentration, and complex permittivity, as well as the detection of bacteria in a liquid medium based upon changes in the complex permittivity due to the bacteria growth. Due to its low unit cost and wireless detection, the LC sensor is potentially suitable for commercial scale monitoring of food quality. This paper includes the operational principles and design criteria of the LC sensor, and illustrates the monitoring of bacteria growth in milk, meat, and beer.
Outlier detection in data envelopment analysis: an analysis of jackknifing

This paper analyzes the resampling technique of jackknifing and its capability of detecting outliers in data envelopment analysis. It is well recognized that measured efficiency is sensitive to outliers; recent research has employed resampling techniques to estimate standard deviations in an attempt to handle outliers. Using jackknifing, each observation other than the decision making unit under analysis is deleted from the sample once and the resulting linear program is solved, leading to a distribution of efficiency estimates. From this distribution, standard deviations and confidence intervals are derived. Two types of outliers can be distinguished conceptually: those belonging to the production possibility set that are efficient, and those that do not belong but appear to due to statistical noise. This paper argues that calculation of the standard deviation is not meaningful because it is not possible to distinguish empirically between the two types of outliers.
Twin study on ocular pressure after topical dexamethasone. 1. Frequency distribution of pressure response.

The nature of the intraocular pressure re­ sponse which follows prolonged topical ap­ plication of glucocorticosteroids has been studied extensively over the past decade. A single-gene hypothesis has been advanced to explain variation in the hypertensive re­ sponse as observed among individuals within selected sample populations." Salient as­ pects of those data supporting monogenic in­ heritance of the corticosteroid response were recently summarized.* It is also postulated that pressure response to topical corticosteroids bears an intimate phenotypic associa­ tion with primary open-angle glaucoma, that primary open-angle glaucoma is itself inher­ ited by means of a recessive single-gene mechanism, and that the three expected genotypic states can be categorized by the level of pressure response."
Design of satellite flexibility experiments

A preliminary study has been completed to begin development of a flight experiment to measure spacecraft control/flexible structure interaction. The work reported consists of two phases: identification of appropriate structural parameters which can be associated with flexibility phenomena, and suggestions for the development of an experiment for a satellite configuration typical of near-future vehicles which are sensitive to such effects. Recommendations are made with respect to the type of data to be collected and instrumentation associated with these data. The approach consists of developing the equations of motion for a vehicle possessing a flexible solar array, then linearizing about some nominal motion of the craft. A set of solutions are assumed for array deflection using a continuous normal mode method and important parameters are exposed. Inflight and ground based measurements are distinguished. Interrelationships between these parameters, measurement techniques, and input requirements are discussed which assure minimization of special vehicle maneuvers and optimization of data to be obtained during the normal flight sequence.
Public expenditures and the unemployment rate in the American states: panel evidence

We reexamine the Unemployment Rate (UR) – government expenditure nexus in a panel of 50 State and Local Governments (SLGs) over the period 1977–2006 to provide new pre-recession empirical evidence that helps put the expectations on the effects of the federal relief to SLGs in a broader context. We found that: (1) per capita real public spending (total and capital, assistance and subsidies, wages and salaries, and social insurance categories) was part of a cointegrating relationship with UR and real per capita state personal income. (2) With the exception of social insurance, other spending variables, when statistically significant, actually had a depressing effect on UR. The magnitude of this effect, however, was generally small. UR was most sensitive to increases in wages and salaries. (3) Long-term causality analysis based on panel error-correction coefficients provided consistent evidence of a causal effect from spending to UR, but less consistent evidence of such effect in the opposite direction. Soci...
An equivalent transformation of multi-objective optimization problems

A new equivalent definition of proper efficiency is presented. With the aid of the new definition of properness, a transformation technique is proved to transform a multi-objective problem to a more convenient one. Some conditions are determined under which the original and the transformed problems have the same Pareto and properly efficient solutions. This transformation could be employed for the sake of convexification and simplification in order to improve the computational efficiency for solving the given problem. Moreover, some existing results about the weighted sum method in the multi-objective optimization literature are generalized using the special case of the proposed transformation scheme.
CAMFAK syndrome: A demyelinating inherited disease similar to Cockayne syndrome

CAMFAK syndrome is an inherited disease characterized by congenital cataracts, microcephaly, failure to thrive, and kyphoscoliosis with onset in early infancy. Its pathogenesis has not been clearly defined. We report on a patient with this syndrome and present evidence that it is a neurologic disease characterized by peripheral and central demyelination similar to that seen in Cockayne syndrome.
Sex, Lies, and the Hillblom Estate: A Decision Analysis

We present three approaches to evaluating a publicly detailed, high-stakes, high-risk decision made by an heir-claimant to the estate of Larry Hillblom. The first two approaches are standard: a decision tree focusing on risk aversion and a multiperiod consumption model that highlights the effects of forgone consumption. In the third approach, we embed several Nash bargaining games into the decision tree developed in the first approach.
Molecular code for cooperativity in hemoglobin

Although tetrameric hemoglobin has been studied extensively as a prototype for understanding mechanisms of allosteric regulation, the functional and structural properties of its eight intermediate ligation forms have remained elusive. Recent experiments on the energetics of cooperativity of these intermediates, along with assignments of their quaternary structures, have revealed that the allosteric mechanism is controlled by a previously unrecognized symmetry feature: quaternary switching from form T to form R occurs whenever heme-site binding creates a tetramer with at least one ligated subunit on each dimeric half-molecule. This "symmetry rule" translates the configurational isomers of heme-site ligation into six observed switchpoints of quaternary transition. Cooperativity arises from both "concerted" quaternary switching and "sequential" modulation of binding within each quaternary form, T and R. Binding affinity is regulated through a hierarchical code of tertiary-quaternary coupling that includes the classical allosteric models as limiting cases.
Subcranial procedures in craniofacial surgery: the Le Fort III osteotomy

Abstract The esthetic stigmata and functional impairments associated with craniofacial deformities have long challenged surgeons in the management of deficiencies of the middle third of the face. By their very nature, craniofacial anomalies are repetitive patterns of deformity that affect the different functional and esthetic subunits of the facial hard and soft tissues. Although numerous procedures exist for the management of the various craniofacial malformations in the middle third of the facial skeleton, only the subcranial Le Fort III osteotomy addresses all of the functional and esthetic components of total midface deficiency, when considering an extracranial approach for surgical correction of the deformity. This article discusses craniofacial dysostosis and total midface deficiency and the techniques and care involved with both.
Vacuum-assisted venous return reduces blood usage

Abstract Objective To determine whether vacuum-assisted venous return has clinical advantages over conventional gravity drainage apart from allowing the use of smaller cannulas and shorter tubing. Methods A total of 150 valve operations were performed at our institution between February and July 1999 using vacuum-assisted venous return with small venous cannulas connected to short tubing. These were compared with (1) 83 valve operations performed between April 1997 and January 1998 using the initial version of vacuum-assisted venous return, and (2) 124 valve operations performed between January and April of 1997 using conventional gravity drainage. Priming volume, hematocrit value, red blood cell usage, and total blood product usage were compared multivariably. These comparisons were covariate and propensity adjusted for dissimilarities between the groups and confirmed by propensity-matched pairs analysis. Results Priming volume was 1.4 ± 0.4 L for small-cannula vacuum-assisted venous return, 1.7 ± 0.4 L for initial vacuum-assisted venous return, and 2.0 ± 0.4 L for gravity drainage ( P P P P = .001); total blood product usage was 19%, 27%, and 39%, respectively ( P = .002). Although ministernotomy also was associated with reduced blood product usage ( P Conclusions Vacuum-assisted venous return results in (1) higher hematocrit values during cardiopulmonary bypass and (2) decreased red cell and total blood product usage.
Learned food aversions: Heterogeneity of animal models of tumor-induced anorexia

Learned food aversions have been implicated in the anorexia which develops in rats with transplantable PW-739 tumors. There appear to be striking differences in growth characteristics and physiological effects of different experimental tumors. The present studies examined the issue of heterogeneity of tumor models, while assessing the generality of the finding that learned food aversions arise in anorexic, tumor-bearing animals. This was done by comparing effects on food intake and diet preferences of two transplantable tumors, the Leydig cell tumor, LTW(m), and the Walker-256 carcinosarcoma. We found that animals with Leydig tumors, like those with PW-739 tumors, developed strong aversions to the specific diet they had eaten after tumor implant. In contrast, animals with Walker-256 tumors did not develop diet aversions. These results support the idea that learned food aversions contribute to anorexia in animals with Leydig but not Walker tumors. They further suggest that learned food aversions in tumor-bearing animals are not a response to illness, in general, but rather that the unconditioned stimulus responsible for these aversions is quite specific, and may ultimately prove identifiable.
Electron injection at the PTCDA/metal interface detected by electron paramagnetic resonance

Abstract Electron paramagnetic resonance absorption was observed for samples prepared by vacuum vapor deposition of thin films of 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic-dianhydride (PTCDA) on metal films of magnesium (Mg), aluminum (Al) and silver (Ag) but not on gold (Au) or PTCDA on quartz. The resonance absorption is seen as a Lorentzian line with g -value of 2.0030 and a linewidth of 0.19 mT. The signal is attributed to PTCDA anions at the metal organic interface. The relative values of the metal work function and the PTCDA electron affinity appear to determine the occurrence of the EPR absorption.
Distribution and morphology of motoneurons innervating different muscle fiber types in an amphibian muscle complex

The distribution and morphology of motoneurons innervating specific types of muscle fibers in the levator scapulae superior (LSS) muscle complex of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) and tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum) were studied by retrograde labelling with cholera toxin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase (CT-HRP). The LSS muscle complex in both of these amphibians has a segregated pattern of muscle-fiber types (tonic; fast oxidative-glycolytic twitch [FOG]; fast glycolytic twitch [FG]) along an anteroposterior axis. The entire motor pool was labelled by injection of CT-HRP into the whole LSS muscle complex. The motoneurons innervating specific fiber types were labelled by injection of CT-HRP into certain muscle regions. The organization of the motoneuron pool of the LSS complex of both species was arranged in two columns—one ventrolateral and one medial. In bullfrogs, the ventrolateral column contains motoneurons innervating FG and tonic fiber types and the medial column contains motoneurons innervating FOG fiber types. In tiger salamanders, the ventrolateral column contains motoneurons innervating FG fiber types and the medial column contains motoneurons innervating FOG and tonic fiber types. The different motoneuron types also have different soma sizes and patterns of dendritic arborization. In both species, FG motoneurons are the largest, whereas FOG motoneurons are intermediate in size and tonic motoneurons are the smallest. In bullfrogs, the main dendrites of FG motoneurons extend into the dorsolateral and the ventrolateral gray matter of the spinal cord, whereas the dendrites of FOG motoneurons extend into the ventral and medial cord. In the tiger salamander, dendrites of FG motoneurons extend into the ventrolateral spinal cord and dendrites of the FOG motoneurons extend more generally into the ventral cord. Dendrites of tonic motoneurons in both amphibians were small and short, and difficult to observe. These results establish that motoneurons innervating different types of muscle fibers in the LSS muscle complex are segregated spatially and display consistent morphological differences. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A comparative evaluation of factors influencing osteoinductivity among scaffolds designed for bone regeneration.

Due to differing compositions, synthetic scaffolds developed for bone regeneration vary widely in efficacy. To quantify the impact of such differences on osteoinductivity, numerous parameters were examined. Absorbable collagen sponge (ACS), three ceramic-based carriers (#1–3) of varying compositions, mineralized allograft chips, and an experimental phosphoserine-rich nanofiber scaffold [S(P) gel] were compared in their ability to promote cell adhesion, proliferation/survival, growth factor binding/release, and osteogenic gene expression. Human preosteoblasts were found to adhere most efficiently to the S(P) gel, and the growth/survival was greatest on the S(P) and ACS scaffolds, with minimal growth seen on the allograft and Ceramic #3. In bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) binding/release assays, ACS demonstrated a burst release pattern, whereas the allograft and the ceramics inefficiently released BMP-2. The S(P) gel showed the most ideal rates of growth factor binding and release. QPCR analyses showed...