cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chapter 1 – Introduction to Controls

Publisher Summary The chapter focuses on how to use controls to improve a working machine or process. Control theory is used for analysis and design of feedback systems, such as those that regulate temperature, fluid flow, motion, force, voltage, pressure, tension, and current. The wide availability of personal computers and workstations is an important advance for control system designers. Many of the classical control methods, such as the root locus method, are graphical rather than analytical. The environment provides time-domain and frequency-domain analysis of analog and digital control systems. Visual ModelQ is an enhancement of the original ModelQ which allows readers to view and build models graphically. The models in Visual ModelQ run continuously, just as real-time controllers do. The measurement equipment runs independently, so one can change parameters and see the effects immediately. The controller incorporates both control laws and power conversion. Control laws, such as proportional-integral-differential (PID) control, are familiar to control engineers.
Large nonlinear phase shift in Epsilon-near-zero materials: the effect of group and phase velocity

Materials with vanishing real part of permittivity, also known as epsilon-near-zero (ENZ), have emerged as a new paradigm to obtain large optical nonlinearities. Transparent conducting oxides such as indium tin oxide (ITO) naturally exhibit an ENZ condition in the near-infrared and close to their plasma frequency. The peculiarity of ENZ materials is their highly dispersive nature explained by Drude model, allowing to obtain reduced group velocity at frequencies where the phase velocity is enhanced. This condition can dramatically increase the phase sensitivity caused by any given changes in material permittivity. To accurately address the NLO mechanism in such materials, we present a generalized formalism for the nonlinear phase shift for a dispersive material, where it includes contributions from both group velocity and phase velocity. We experimentally demonstrate that the nonlinear phase can reach to the values close to π/2 when the probe beam is at ENZ, while the index change in the conventional definition is not enhanced necessarily. In this work, we present nonlinear optical measurements using the nondegenerate Beam Deflection (BD) methodology at normal incident together with cross-phase modulation experiments. BD is a pump-probe method that directly characterizes the ultrafast response of the nonlinear phase-shift, hence nonlinear refraction. We see no polarization dependence proving that bound electronic third-order nonlinearities are negligible compared to the sub-picosecond fast carrier effects. We also present that frequency shift is highly sensitive to the temporal dynamics of the nonlinear phase shift suggesting that short pulses may help to improve the magnitude of frequency shift.
Novel management of diabetes in kidney transplantation.

Purpose of review Posttransplant diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a prevalent complication in kidney transplant recipients, and has been associated with worse short-term and long-term outcomes. Recent findings While hyperglycemia is frequently seen in the early posttransplant period because of surgical stress, infection, and use of high-dose steroids, the diagnosis of PTDM should be established after patients are clinically stable and on stable maintenance immunosuppression. In the early posttransplant period, hyperglycemia is typically treated with insulin, and pilot data have suggested potential benefit of lower vs. higher glycemic targets in this setting. Growing data indicate lifestyle modifications, including dietary interventions, physical activity, and mitigation of obesity, are associated with improved posttransplant outcomes. While there are limited data to support a first-line antidiabetic medication for PTDM, more established pharmacotherapies such as sulfonylureas, meglitinides, and dipetidyl peptidase IV inhibitors are commonly used. Given recent trials showing the benefits of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists upon kidney outcomes in nontransplant patients, further study of these agents specifically in kidney transplant recipients are urgently needed. Summary Increasing evidence supports a multidisciplinary approach, including lifestyle modification, obesity treatment, judicious immunosuppression selection, and careful utilization of novel antidiabetic therapies in PTDM patients.
Challenging sleep homeostasis

In this commentary, I play the Devil's advocate and assume the title of High Contrarian. I intend to be provocative to challenge long-standing ideas about sleep. I blame all on Professor Craig Heller, who taught me to think this way as a graduate student in his laboratory. Scientists should fearlessly jump into the foaming edge of what we know, but also consider how safe are their intellectual harbors. There are many ideas we accept as 'known': that sleep is ubiquitous in the animal kingdom, that it serves vital functions, that it plays an essential role in brain plasticity. All of this could be wrong. As one example, I reexamine the idea that sleep is regulated by a mysterious 'homeostat' that determines sleep need based on prior wake time.
Colonial legacy, private property, and rural development: Evidence from Namibian countryside

Does the legacy of direct colonial rule, through its impact on property rights security, affect rural development in Africa? Although mainstream economic theory links secure property rights to deve...
Observational constraints on low cloud feedback reduce uncertainty of climate sensitivity

Marine low clouds strongly cool the planet. How this cooling effect will respond to climate change is a leading source of uncertainty in climate sensitivity, the planetary warming resulting from CO2 doubling. Here, we observationally constrain this low cloud feedback at a near-global scale. Satellite observations are used to estimate the sensitivity of low clouds to interannual meteorological perturbations. Combined with model predictions of meteorological changes under greenhouse warming, this permits quantification of spatially resolved cloud feedbacks. We predict positive feedbacks from midlatitude low clouds and eastern ocean stratocumulus, nearly unchanged trade cumulus and a near-global marine low cloud feedback of 0.19 ± 0.12 W m−2 K−1 (90% confidence). These constraints imply a moderate climate sensitivity (~3 K). Despite improved midlatitude cloud feedback simulation by several current-generation climate models, their erroneously positive trade cumulus feedbacks produce unrealistically high climate sensitivities. Conversely, models simulating erroneously weak low cloud feedbacks produce unrealistically low climate sensitivities. Marine low clouds cool the planet, but their response to warming is uncertain and dominates the spread in model-based climate sensitivities. Observational constraints suggest smaller cloud feedbacks than previously reported and imply a more moderate climate sensitivity.
Guild, John 1889–1979

John Guild was a British scientist who worked at the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) at Teddington in England. Guild spent the majority of his professional life making outstanding contributions to the development of a wide variety of optical instruments and techniques [1].
Non-PGM membrane electrode assemblies: Optimization for performance

Abstract The performance of non-platinum group metals (non-PGM) iron–nitrogen–carbon (Fe–N–C) based cathode in fuel cell operation conditions was studied. The effect of Nafion to catalyst ratio as well as carbon additives on the activity was studied. It was found that ionomer plays a key role in proton and water transport within the MEA. To compensate intrinsic low electronic conductivity of Fe–N–C materials additional carbons such as Vulcan XC72R, Ketjen Black 600 EC, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were added to MEA inks. X-ray Phototelectron Spectroscopy studied the effect of these carbon additives on chemical composition of catalysts. It was determined that inks with 35 wt% of Nafion ionomer resulted in the optimal performance of the Fe–N–C cathode catalyst in the air.
Chapter 18. New Agents for the Treatment of Inflammation and Arthritis

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews highly potent new non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAI) agents as well as the immunoregulatory agents of potential use in arthritis. Recent clinical reports have established a number of compounds from both immunoregulatory and NSAI classes as being effective in treating inflammatory diseases. Immunoregulatory agents are increasingly being investigated for their effect on immunologically-mediated forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). New compounds in both these classes continue to be discovered in animal models of inflammation. The chapter discusses of compounds that are reported to be potent in animals or man by the oral route, because high doses by other routes are known to produce false positive results because of toxicity or local irritating effects. Four areas of NSAI currently receive particular attention: the effect of NSAI's on arachidonic acid metabolism; highly active oxygen species; inflammatory cell movement; and preferential distribution of acidic NSAI's into inflamed tissues. With the NSAI's availability to control pain and inflammation, drug therapy for arthritis requires agents that will arrest the progressive joint destruction of this disease. Despite the many NSAI agents already available for treating arthritis and inflammation, newer drugs continue to appear. The new drugs are often used to treat patients not adequately controlled by existing agents. Some of the new agents require much lower daily doses than existing drugs to achieve effective control of inflammation. Clinical trials in RA now support the efficacy of one immunoregulatory agent (levamisole), although the mechanism of action of this compound is not yet understood.
17 Hepatitis C and renal disease

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the prevalence and incidence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the clinical features and natural history of hepatitis C, and recommendations for management and therapy in patients with renal disease, patients on chronic dialysis, and patients undergoing renal transplantation. Using second-generation EIA assays, the prevalence of anti-HCV among patients participating in the 1997 National Surveillance of Dialysis Associated Diseases in the United States was 9.3 %. The causes and source of infection in patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis are multiple. Before the introduction of routine screening of blood donors for anti-HCV, blood transfusions were an important risk factor for the acquisition of hepatitis C. Other potential sources of infection include exposure to contaminated equipment and nosocomial routes such as patient-to-patient exposure. The risk of infection appears to correlate with the duration of hemodialysis and the number of transfusions. Interestingly, dialysate and buffers have been shown to be virus free even when used in hepatitis C-infected patients. The impact of hepatitis C infection on morbidity and mortality of patients with end-stage renal disease remains poorly defined. Initial studies have failed to show a significant increase in mortality among HCV-infected hemodialysis or renal transplant patients within the first 5 years following transplantation.
Very-high-speed liquid chromatography

Abstract Instrumental factors influencing very-high-speed liquid chromatography including injection volume, detector flowcell volume, detector response time and total instrumental bandwidth are discussed. Very-high-speed analyses performed using relatively short columns (100mm) of conventional internal diameter (4.6 mm) packed with small particles (3 μm) result in very high performance as determined by the ability to generate over 400 theoretical plates/sec. Minimizing the total instrumental bandwidth by reducing volumes of the injector, connecting tubes and detector flowcell is necessary along with a very rapid detector response time in order to attain this performance. Limitations in performance on peaks having low capacity factors are apparent due to extra-column effects. The relatively high flow-rates which are utilized result in unexpectedly improved chromatographic performance since extra-column effects due to the flow path are not as great at higher flow-rates as originally expected. The largest contribution to extra-column effects appears to arise from the detector flowcell volume and the detector response time.
Editor's Viewpoint

(2012). Editor's Viewpoint. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport: Vol. 83, No. 1, pp. iii-iv.
Cluster Forming Interval Sub-Algebras

Allen‘s interval algebra has recently been under serious theoretical investigation for the purpose of identifying interesting sub-algebras within it. In this paper we have explored two mutually exclusive sub-algebras of Allen‘s interval algebra, which bear some physical significance. One of them is attached to the causal aspect of the temporal information, while the other one is related to simple containment of temporal relations. We are currently developing some algorithms for checking consistency by isolating these subsets from a given temporal constraint network. In this paper we have proposed such an algorithm and have discussed the significance of the availability of these two sub-algebras.
Housing Tenure Choice, Race and the Recommendations of the President’s Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform

In this paper, we estimate the impact of tax policy on tenure choice using probit and housing expenditure regressions based on Public Use Microsample data from the 1990 and 2000 US Census. We find that tax policy has important impacts on tenure choice, and that the impact increased for blacks and hispanics between 1990 and 2000. We find that funding a tax credit with reductions in the mortgage interest deduction would increase home-ownership among minorities, but that the increase would be attenuated by lack of access to funds for down-payments. We also think a political consensus for reducing the mortgage interest deduction is unlikley, so we examined the possibility of giving households an option between a refundable credit and a deduction. Not surprisingly, this would also increase the ownership rate, but the impact would again be attenuated by liquidity constraints.
A Couple’s Marital Disharmony and its Psychological Effects on their Children during the HIV Disclosure Process in Kenya

Limited published data exists on how HIV-positive parents perform disclosure to all their children. A couple’s HIV disclosure experience to all their children is presented. They participated in a larger study conducted to understand the lived experiences of HIV-positive parents and their children during the disclosure process. Each underwent individualized in-depth semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and transferred into NVivo 8 for analysis using the Van Kaam method. Three themes emerged including HIV testing, full disclosure delivery accompanied by marital disharmony, and post-disclosure psychological effects on the family. Marital disharmony and non-involvement of the father caused the mother to fully disclose their illnesses to their four oldest children. All children were affected by disclosure, one had a delayed emotional outburst, and another was still angry and withdrawn years later. HIV-positive parents with poor relationships within the families need intense counseling and support pre, during, and post-disclosure to improve outcomes.
Brainstem Ocular Motility Defects and AIDS

Ocular motility manifestations of focal brainstem dysfunction were the initial clinical features in three patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. These included conjugate gaze palsy with ipsilateral facial paresis, bilateral abducens palsy and a gaze paresis, and homolateral internuclear ophthalmoplegia and abducens nerve paresis. Two patients had focal brainstem lesions as evidenced on neuroimaging. The third showed concurrent infection with Treponema pallidum.
A 20-year experience in coronary artery reoperation

We divided 2518 patients who underwent isolated coronary artery reoperation into four cohorts according to time. There were 436 patients reoperated on from 1967–1978, 439 in 1979–1981, 625 in 1982–1984, and 1018 in 1985–1987. The interval between operative procedures has lengthened from 50 months in the first cohort to 101 months in the most recent series. A review of angiographic indications reveal's that vein graft atherosclerosis is the leading indication for coronary artery reoperation. Despite a changing population of reoperative surgical candidates in terms of diffuse coronary atherosclerosis and interim deterioration of left ventricular function, operative mortality has not increased. In the 1985–1987 cohort, hospital mortality was 2–7%. The perioperative myocardial infarction rate (new Q waves) of 4–0% in the most recent cohort shows a significant trend downward (P = 0·007), ascribed to better myocardial protection. The 54% return to the operating room for postoperative haemorrhage is significantly higher than the rate of bleeding after first surgery, but it has not changed in the past decade. Blood conservation has resulted in average blood usage of approximately two units per patient, but has risen to 2·7 units per patient in the most recent cohort. Other major morbidity is not appreciably different from that of the first operation. Internal thoracic artery patency in a largely symptomatic postreoperative population was 94% (241/256). Vein graft patency in the same time frame was 67% (726/1080). Approximately 50% of patients were angina-free 10 years postoperatively, which is below the percentage found after the first operation. Ten-year survival was 74·6% for the first 1449 hospital survivors and 48% remained event-free. We conclude that myocardial protection and blood conservation highlight recent technical improvements. Vein graft atherosclerosis continues to present a problem and leads to the majority of reoperations. Use of the internal thoracic artery graft should increase in both primary and reoperative coronary surgery. While 5-and 10-year survival is slightly lower than that of primary coronary artery surgery, palliation is generally good. Despite a changing profile of reoperation candidates showing many of the trends of the primary surgical population, the risk related to these complicated procedures is declining.
Herbicidal effects under field conditions of Ailanthus altissima bark extract, which contains ailanthone

Extracts of Ailanthus altissima stem bark were evaluated for herbicidal effects under field conditions in two outdoor trials. Previous investigations had shown A. altissima bark, extracted with methanol, yielded a strongly phytotoxic extract that contained ailanthone as one of the major herbicidal compounds. The first field trial investigated the level of activity and selectivity of the extract. A. altissima bark extract was sprayed post-emergence onto 17 species of weeds and crops at rates of 366, 177, 93, 47, 23, and 0 kg ha−1. These application rates provided herbicidal activity equivalent to 4.5, 2.2, 1.1, 0.6, 0.3, and 0.0 kg of pure ailanthone per hectare, based on the results of a laboratory bioassay of extract and pure ailanthone. Strong herbicidal effects were observed within several days. Even the lowest rate caused mortality and injury in excess of 50% for nine of the 17 species, and a significant reduction in shoot biomass for 13 species. The second field trial tested the ability of bark extract to control weeds under field conditions with horticultural crops (bush bean, cauliflower, sweet corn, tomato). A. altissima bark extract was sprayed post-emergence at rates of 99, 50, 26, 13, and 0 kg ha−1, providing herbicidal activity equivalent to 1.1, 0.6, 0.3, 0.14, and 0.0 kg of pure ailanthone per hectare. Extract treatment provided partial weed control (greatest reduction in weed biomass was 40%), but also caused serious crop injury. Bush bean was the only crop that showed a significant increase in shoot biomass and fruit yield, compared to the non-weeded control. None of the crops, regardless of application rate, showed a level of shoot biomass or fruit yield comparable to the hand-weeded control. The herbicidal effects of A. altissima bark extract declined within the first few weeks after application, supporting previous evidence that ailanthone is rapidly degraded under field conditions.
Addressing STEM Concepts through a Food Safety Activity

ABSTRACT The activity described in this article engages students in learning about proper meat storage procedures by using the Internet. They apply their knowledge practically through creation of a pamphlet to be displayed in their kitchen at home and a follow-up report on their parents’ kitchen procedures; they may also participate in a classic food storage experiment. This activity is well suited for elementary school children in the second through fourth grades and promotes all basic STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) concepts. Kitchen activities require all these concepts for successful and safe outcomes. The examination of food storage devices references engineering, and technology is used for the research and pamphlet creation. The section on bacteria introduces life sciences, and physical sciences come into play through the discussion of heat inducing change in the meats. Math skills are integral to the reference table containing temperatures and times.
YAATCE—yet another approach to teaching computer ethics

Two events have encouraged computer science departments to incorporate ethical issues and professional responsibilities into their curriculum. The first was the formation of the Computer Sciences Accreditation Board (CSAB) and the second was the publication of Computing Curricula 1991. In the CSAB criteria for accrediting programs in computer science [2], is the requirement that social and ethical implications of computing be included in computer science programs. The Computing Curricula 1991 states that "students must understand the basic cultural, social, legal and ethical issues inherent in ... computing" [7]. This article contains a description of one approach to teaching the social, ethical and legal implications of computing.
Quality of life assessment in pediatric oncology : a retrospective review of phase III reports

Abstract Background: although the quality of life of cancer patients has been a topic of increasing interest, the research literature to date has generally noted minimal reporting of these data in adult clinical trials. Purpose: the purpose of this investigation was to examine the frequency with which these measures are reported in pediatric cancer clinical trials. Method: published reports of 70 Phase III clinical trials from the Pediatric Oncology Group and Childrens Cancer Group were reviewed for presentation of quality of life and toxicity data. Results: approximately 3% of these reports included quality of life data, while toxicities were noted for over 75%. Conclusions: quality of life endpoints are not reflected in clinical trial reports. Education as to the potential usefulness of these data, as well as recognition of the barriers that exist to using such measures must be addressed.
Measurement of Optical Clarity by Low-Angle Light Scattering

Light scattering from small particles in liquids and transparent solids may lead to a loss in optical clarity. If the scattering particles are in the micron size range, the scattering is confined to small angles with respect to the direction of the incident light. The resulting phenomenon does not correlate with integrating sphere haze. Examples of this type of optical defect are occasionally observed in plastic sheet or film samples.A photometer is described for the quantitative measurement of this type of light scattering. It measures scattered light photoelectrically at a 10° angle with an angular resolution of 1°. It is suitable for plant control applications as well as research and development. Visual estimates of optical clarity correlate well with instrumental low-angle light scattering.
ω-Theorems for Riemann's Zeta-Function at Harmonic Combinations of Points

Abstract For integer r ≥ 2 there are arbitrarily large T for which [Formula: see text] With s = σ + it, corresponding results hold for σ = c, 1/2 ≤ c < 1, and for 1/ζ(1 + it). A similar result holds for [Formula: see text]
Primary vaginal tuberculosis after vaginal carcinoma

A case of primary vaginal tuberculosis is reported. A 62-year-old woman presented with a slightly eroded, granular vaginal lesion 10 months after radiation therapy for Stage II vaginal squamous cell carcinoma. She had previously undergone a total abdominal hysterectomy and left salpingo-oophorectomy at age 37 for abnormal uterine bleeding. This presentation of genital tract tuberculosis is unusual because of the location of the primary lesion, the age at presentation, the occurrence after radiation therapy, and the possible means of infection. We emphasize the need to maintain a high index of suspicion and to biopsy any suspicious vaginal lesions.
High-resolution ground-based coronagraphy using image-motion compensation.

The first results of a new approach to ground-based stellar coronagraphy are reported. A coronagraph has been equipped with an image-motion compensation system for the stabilization of the telescope field, permitting both improved image resolution and contrast at optical wavelengths. By stopping the telescope aperture D to ~ 4 r0, where r0 is Fried’s parameter, the maximum attainable resolution gain factor of 2.2 was achieved. Gains measured for D/r0 > 14 were below the theoretical value of 1.3 theory and were indicative of centroid anisoplanatism, a small spatial coherence outer scale, or both. These effects are also evidenced by diminished power at low frequencies in the power spectrum of image motion over the full telescope aperture. A comparison of stabilized and unstabilized images shows that this coronagraph may detect circumstellar objects 2 magnitudes fainter than those detectable with a conventional coronagraph.
Atmosphere-ocean interaction in mid-latitude storms

Surface fluxes of heat, latent heat, and momentum, and entrainment fluxes and vertical motion at the top of the boundary layer have been calculated for limited regions of several mid-latitude ocean storms. Results have been combined to describe distributions of boundary layer processes which are characteristic of such storms. Surface heat fluxes have important effects in the region west of cold or occluded fronts and are relatively unimportant within a band of about 200 km width east of fronts. Entrainment in pre-frontal regions is driven largely by vertical shear at the top of the boundary layer, while in post-frontal regions it is driven largely by surface heat flux. Boundary layers are well defined in regions more than roughly 200 km east or west of fronts; but closer to fronts boundary layers are not well defined due to the combined effects of entrainment, condensation, and vertical motion associated with the distribution of surface stress.
Technical advances toward interactive image-guided laparoscopic surgery.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery uses real-time video to display the operative field. Interactive image-guided surgery (IIGS) is the real-time display of surgical instrument location on corresponding computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance images (MRI). We hypothesize that laparoscopic IIGS technologies can be combined to offer guidance for general surgery and, in particular, hepatic procedures. Tumor information determined from CT imaging can be overlayed onto laparoscopic video imaging to allow more precise resection or ablation. Methods: We mapped three-dimensional (3D) physical space to 2D laparoscopic video space using a common mathematical formula. Inherent distortions present in the video images were quantified and then corrected to determine their effect on this 3D to 2D mapping. Results: Errors in mapping 3D physical space to 2D video image space ranged from 0.65 to 2.75 mm. Conclusions: Laparoscopic IIGS allows accurate (<3.0 mm) confirmation of 3D physical space points on video images. This in combination with accurately tracked instruments and an appropriate display may facilitate enhanced image guidance during laparoscopy.
Relationship between abdominal fat and bone mineral density in white and African American adults.

Abstract Several studies have documented relationships between adipose tissue and bone mineral density (BMD); however, the degree to which there are racial differences in this relationship is not known. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and BMD among white and African American adults. The sample included 330 white women, 328 African American women, 307 white men, and 116 African American men 18–74 years of age. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans were used to measure BMD and computed tomography scans were used to measure abdominal VAT and SAT. Linear regression was used to assess the relationships between abdominal adiposity and BMD and to explore possible sex and race differences in the associations. In the total sample as well as in all sex-by-race groups, VAT and SAT were negatively related to BMD, after adjustment for lean body mass (LBM) and several covariates. The VAT model (including covariates) explained 33.3% of the variance in BMD and the SAT model (including covariates) explained 32.7% of the variance in BMD. Being African American, being male, and having high LBM were all associated with higher BMD. Race and sex interactions were not significant, indicating that the relationships were similar across race and sex groups. In conclusion, BMD was inversely related to abdominal VAT and SAT in white and African American adults after adjustment for LBM. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Interactions Between Bone, Adipose Tissue and Metabolism.
Contribution of Predator Identity to the Suppression of Herbivores by a Diverse Predator Assemblage

Studies manipulating predator diversity and measuring the impact on herbivore abundance have found that enhancing predator species richness often increases the strength of prey suppression. This relationship may be due to mechanisms such as complementarity or facilitation, which are considered "true" benefits of diversity because greater prey suppression is an emergent property of the multispecies predator community. Or it may be due to an identity effect, an "apparent" benefit of diversity that results from the greater likelihood of including one particularly voracious predator species as the total number of predator species increases. In separate greenhouse and field experiments, we simultaneously manipulated the species richness and species composition of predators attacking bird cherry-oat aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi) (L.) on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). We found that on average aphid suppression by species-rich predator assemblages was greater than suppression by single-species monocultures. However, the performance of individual predator species varied and the species-rich assemblages did not outperform all single-species compositions, suggesting an identity effect. In particular, single-species compositions of the lady beetle Coleomegilla maculata (DeGeer) exhibited high performance across experiments, and on average predator assemblages that contained a lady beetle predator had lower overall aphid abundance than compositions where lady beetles were absent. Taken together, these results provide evidence for the dominant role of lady beetles, especially C. maculata, in natural pest suppression and suggest that predator species composition and identity are important factors to consider in efforts to conserve this valuable ecosystem service.
Performance-Based Assessment: Improving the Value of Laboratory and Skills Examinations.

Whether in the science or language laboratory, carrying out health care procedures or demonstrating performance arts, faculty can improve skill evaluation through transparency and authenticity in exam construction, format, and grading.
Diversity in Independent Component and Vector Analyses: Identifiability, algorithms, and applications in medical imaging

Starting with a simple generative model and the assumption of statistical independence of the underlying components, independent component analysis (ICA) decomposes a given set of observations by making use of the diversity in the data, typically in terms of statistical properties of the signal. Most of the ICA algorithms introduced to date have considered one of the two types of diversity: non-Gaussianity?i.e., higher-order statistics (HOS)?or, sample dependence. A recent generalization of ICA, independent vector analysis (IVA), generalizes ICA to multiple data sets and adds the use of one more diversity, dependence across multiple data sets for achieving an independent decomposition, jointly across multiple data sets. Finally, both ICA and IVA, when implemented in the complex domain, enjoy the addition of yet another type of diversity, noncircularity of the sources?underlying components. Mutual information rate provides a unifying framework such that all these statistical properties?types of diversity?can be jointly taken into account for achieving the independent decomposition. Most of the ICA methods developed to date can be cast as special cases under this umbrella, as well as the more recently developed IVA methods. In addition, this formulation allows us to make use of maximum likelihood theory to study large sample properties of the estimator, derive the Cram?r?Rao lower bound (CRLB) and determine the conditions for the identifiability of the ICA and IVA models. In this overview article, we first present ICA, and then its generalization to multiple data sets, IVA, both using mutual information rate, present conditions for the identifiability of the given linear mixing model and derive the performance bounds. We address how various methods fall under this umbrella and give examples of performance for a few sample algorithms compared with the performance bound. We then discuss the importance of approaching the performance bound depending on the goal, and use medical image analysis as the motivating example.
On Generalized Steiner Systems and Semi-biplanes

An exhaustive computer search has established the existence of precisely two new homogeneous 3-(20,{4,6},1) generalized Steiner systems whose 6-subsets form a semi-biplane. These designs are described by means of their automorphism groups.
Infants' somatotopic neural responses to seeing human actions: I've got you under my skin.

Human infants rapidly learn new skills and customs via imitation, but the neural linkages between action perception and production are not well understood. Neuroscience studies in adults suggest that a key component of imitation–identifying the corresponding body part used in the acts of self and other–has an organized neural signature. In adults, perceiving someone using a specific body part (e.g., hand vs. foot) is associated with activation of the corresponding area of the sensory and/or motor strip in the observer’s brain–a phenomenon called neural somatotopy. Here we examine whether preverbal infants also exhibit somatotopic neural responses during the observation of others’ actions. 14-month-old infants were randomly assigned to watch an adult reach towards and touch an object using either her hand or her foot. The scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) was recorded and event-related changes in the sensorimotor mu rhythm were analyzed. Mu rhythm desynchronization was greater over hand areas of sensorimotor cortex during observation of hand actions and was greater over the foot area for observation of foot actions. This provides the first evidence that infants’ observation of someone else using a particular body part activates the corresponding areas of sensorimotor cortex. We hypothesize that this somatotopic organization in the developing brain supports imitation and cultural learning. The findings connect developmental cognitive neuroscience, adult neuroscience, action representation, and behavioral imitation.
Growth and crystallinity of electroformed nickel structures

Nickel structures were electroformed from a commercially available nickel sulfamate bath. The plating molds were made of thick photoresist (approximately 20 micrometers) and delineated by a UV lithographic method. For mold cavities with very small aspect ratios (minimum planar dimension/mold thickness), the deposition rate is higher for those with smaller feature sizes than those with larger feature sizes. For mold cavities with large aspect ratios, no such correlation was observed. X-ray and transmission electron microscopy results show that the electroformed nickel is polycrystalline and in columnar form. For current density less than or equal to 8 mA/cm2, the nickel deposits orient preferably with crystallographic direction normal to the substrate surface. For current density greater than or equal to 12 mA/cm+2), the nickel cantilevers tend to curl downward, and the nickel deposits orient preferably with crystallographic direction normal to the substrate surface. There are only minor differences in the relative intensities of the (111), (200) and (220) x-ray peaks of the nickel deposits electroplated on gold, copper and chromium, implying that the effect of the plating base material on the nickel structure is minimal. The relative intensities of the (111), (200) and (220) x-ray peaks vary throughout the thickness of nickel structures. However, the variations are random, and therefore no correlation between the crystallinity and the built-in stress can be established at this point.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Endometrial Glandular Dysplasia: A Newly Defined Precursor Lesion of Uterine Papillary Serous Carcinoma. Part I: Morphologic Features

Dysplastic epithelium frequently bridges the changes between normal epithelium and noninvasive carcinoma. However, such a dysplastic lesion has not been previously described in the development of uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) or between resting endometrium and serous endometrial intraepithelial carcinoma (EIC), which is composed of indisputably malignant noninvasive cancer cells. In this study, we hypothesize that there is a lesion bridging benign endometrium and serous EIC. Based on current understanding of carcinogenesis in general, the lesion should exhibit dysplastic features that are more atypical than "resting endometrium" but fall short of serous EIC. If the putative dysplastic endometrial lesion exists, it should be highly associated with UPSC rather than uterine endometrioid carcinoma (UEC). We examined the morphologic appearance of the endometrium from 32 uteri with UPSC, 16 with serous EIC, and 60 with UEC. The endometrial dysplastic lesions were identified and their pathologic features were characterized. Immunohistochemical staining with p53 and MIB-1 were performed in all sections containing endometrial dysplastic lesions, serous EICs, and benign areas. In addition, 25 postmenopausal endometrial biopsies including 6 benign resting endometria, 8 dysplastic lesions, and 11 serous EICs were also compared for the level of p53 overexpression and cellular proliferative activity. We found that endometrial dysplastic lesions do exist in the endometrial specimens we speculated and examined. We designate it as endometrial glandular dysplasia (EmGD). EmGD was present in 17 (53%) uteri with UPSC compared with 1 (1.7%) uterus removed for UEC (p = 0.001). EmGD was identified in 12 (75%) of 16 serous EIC uteri. Areas of both EmGD and serous EIC were found in 15 (47%) of the 32 UPSC uteri. Transitions from either EmGD to serous EIC or serous EIC to UPSC were present in 8 (25%) of the UPSC cases. No transitions from EmGD to UPSC were identified in any hysterectomy specimen. EmGD was frequently found in endometrial polyps. There was no statistically significant difference between EmGD in a polyp (48%) and EmGD in nonpolypoid endometrium (52%). The majority of EmGDs were multifocal and involved superficial endometrial glands. However, single glandular involvement and endometrial surface epithelial involvement were also seen. Immunohistochemically, EmGD lesions mostly showed intermediate scores/indices of p53 and MIB-1 in comparison with serous EIC and resting endometrium. EmGD is a morphologically distinct entity, which is commonly and specifically associated with uterine tumors with serous differentiation. EmGD may represent the earliest identifiable morphologic change in the development of UPSC. Characteristics of p53 and MIB-1 immunostains of EmGD may be of diagnostic usage in surgical pathology practice. Recognition of EmGD may provide an opportunity to improve the management of UPSC.
A look at contemporary ion chromatography

Abstract The principles and historical development of ion-exchange chromatography are discussed briefly. Modern ion chromatography includes ion-exchange, ion-pair, ion-exclusion and the chromatography of ion—organic complexes. Each is explained briefly. The major detection systems for ion chromatography are outlined: conductivity (suppressed and non-suppressed), direct and indirect spectrophotometry, spectrophotometry with a post-column reactor, electrochemical, and differential refractometry. The question of isocratic vs. gradient elution is examined briefly. Recent studies on the selectivity of ion-exchange resins are presented. Several examples are given of recent separation methods from the author's laboratory. These include the separation of weak acids by ion-exclusion chromatography, the use of additional ion-exchange columns to enhance the detection of carbonic acid by conductivity, and the determination of metal cations by complexation and subsequent chromatographic separation.
The visible Web browser

As an aid to the study of the World-Wide Web, we have developed a software application that allows a user to observe the messages passed between a Web browser and a Web server. The application is based on the Mozilla Web Browser, and displays the HTTP headers sent and received by the browser. The program could be used by students in courses studying the Web, by researchers interested in the behavior of Web servers, and by developers to debug Web-based applications.
Accurately simulating the growth in the size of the HIV infected population in any AIDS epidemic country: Computing the U.S.A. HIV infection curve

A reliable approach to the simulation of the time-dependent growth of the size of a country's HIV population is described in detail and applied to the USA epidemic. The simulation depends on a knowledge of AIDS incidence data and the HIV incubation period distribution but is independent of any model regarding how the disease was spread. Using the Centers for Disease Control's December 31, 1991 update of the reported AIDS incidence data, a cumulative total of 645,445 Americans was calculated to be HIV infected as of January 1, 1991. The HIV infection curves for the USA risk groups were separately computed, and they indicate that the current rates of the spread of the infection in all of the risk groups are small fractions of what they were in the early phase of the epidemic. In fact, the calculated increase in the cumulative number of USA HIV infecteds from January 1, 1990 to January 1, 1991 was only 1.44%. These results suggest that the annual number of AIDS cases to be obtained in the next few years will not be substantially different from what it was in 1991. Since the calculated HIV infection curves for the transfusion and hemophiliac risk groups are currently growing at a particularly low rate, the modelling results confirm the great safety of the nation's blood and blood product supplies.
Predictors of quality of life in women 1 year after myocardial infarction.

In an analysis of 30 African American and Caucasian women, the authors describe changes in the various quality-of-life domains (health, family, socioeconomic, psychosocial, and spiritual) and predictors of quality of life for a group of women more than 1 year post-acute myocardial infarction (MI). Data reported represent three recovery points post-MI (before hospital discharge, 6-weeks post-MI, and 12-months post-MI). Matched pair t tests indicated significant changes in all five domains of quality of life/cardiac, and through a multiple regression analysis 45% of the variance in quality of life could be explained by mood states and social support. The finding that social support and mood states were the only predictors of quality of life for this cohort of women at 1-year post-MI suggests that health care professionals should mobilize and reinforce social support networks and make mental health referrals for the most vulnerable women. Further study should be conducted on the unique needs of African American women, since insufficient numbers were available at 1 year to determine their unique patterns of recovery.
Removal of ocular artifacts from the EEG: a comparison between time-domain regression method and adaptive filtering method using simulated data

We recently proposed an adaptive filtering (AF) method for removing ocular artifacts from EEG recordings. The method employs two parameters: the forgetting factor λ and the filter length M. In this paper, we first show that when λ = M = 1, the adaptive filtering method becomes equivalent to the widely used time-domain regression method. The role of λ (when less than one) is to deal with the possible non-stationary relationship between the reference EOG and the EOG component in the EEG. To demonstrate the role of M, a simulation study is carried out that quantitatively evaluates the accuracy of the adaptive filtering method under different conditions and comparing with the accuracy of the regression method. The results show that when there is a shape difference or a misalignment between the reference EOG and the EOG artifact in the EEG, the adaptive filtering method can be more accurate in recovering the true EEG by using an M larger than one (e.g. M = 2 or 3).
A phenomenological theory of rocket and crossed immunoelectrophoresis

Abstract A phenomenological theory of mass transport for antigen-antibody reactions predicts most of the characteristics features of rocket immunoelectrophoretic patterns. The calculations also have implications for the interpretation of crossed immunoelectrophoretic patterns.
Calculation of unsteady small disturbance transonic flow at arbitrary reduced frequency using an extended integral equation method.

A novel analytical-numerical method for calculating unsteady small disturbance transonic flow over airfoils has been developed. The method uses an extended integral equation technique, based on both the velocity potential and the acceleration potential, to predict unsteady aerodynamic loading on airfoils oscillating in subcritical transonic free stream conditions. The formulation is an extension of the work of Sivaneri and Harris (1980) for steady, non-lifting flows and utilizes the linear theory of Landahl (1961) for decoupling of steady and unsteady components. The analytical-numerical procedure involves several intnegrating schemes and applies to general frequencies of oscillations. The technique is illustrated by computing the transonic flow about parabolic arc airfoils. Specific unsteady results for reduced frequencies based on semi-chord of 0.01, 0.1, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.6 are given. Comparison of results with those obtained by an ADI finite difference scheme is made.