cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Issues on simulation and optimization II: some issues in multivariate stochastic root finding

The stochastic root finding problem (SRFP) involves finding points in a region where a function attains a prespecified target value, using only a consistent estimator of the function. Due to the properties that the SRFP contexts entail, the development of good solutions to SRFPs has proven difficult, at least in the multi-dimensional setting. This paper discusses certain key issues, insights and complexities for SRFPs. Some of these are important in that they point to phenomena that contribute to the difficulties that arise in the development of efficient algorithms for SRFPs. Others are simply observations, sometimes obvious, but important for providing useful insight into algorithm development.
Functional characterization of duplicated Suppressor of Overexpression of Constans 1-like genes in petunia.

Flowering time is strictly controlled by a combination of internal and external signals that match seed set with favorable environmental conditions. In the model plant species Arabidopsis thaliana (Brassicaceae), many of the genes underlying development and evolution of flowering have been discovered. However, much remains unknown about how conserved the flowering gene networks are in plants with different growth habits, gene duplication histories, and distributions. Here we functionally characterize three homologs of the flowering gene SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1) in the short-lived perennial Petunia hybrida (petunia, Solanaceae). Similar to A. thaliana soc1 mutants, co-silencing of duplicated petunia SOC1-like genes results in late flowering. This phenotype is most severe when all three SOC1-like genes are silenced. Furthermore, expression levels of the SOC1-like genes UNSHAVEN (UNS) and FLORAL BINDING PROTEIN 21 (FBP21), but not FBP28, are positively correlated with developmental age. In contrast to A. thaliana, petunia SOC1-like gene expression did not increase with longer photoperiods, and FBP28 transcripts were actually more abundant under short days. Despite evidence of functional redundancy, differential spatio-temporal expression data suggest that SOC1-like genes might fine-tune petunia flowering in response to photoperiod and developmental stage. This likely resulted from modification of SOC1-like gene regulatory elements following recent duplication, and is a possible mechanism to ensure flowering under both inductive and non-inductive photoperiods.
PERSIVAL: personalized summarization over multimedia health-care information

In this demonstration, we present several integrated components of PER SIVAL PErsonalized Retrieval and Summarization of Image, Video And anguage)[1], a system designed to provide personalized access to a distributed digital library of medical literature and consumer health information. The global system architecture of PERSIVAL is best described as a two-stage processing pipeline. The first stage is a retrieval system that matches user queries with relevant multimedia data in the library. The second stage is a visualization system that processes the multimedia data matched by the first stage for display.Our demonstration focuses on the second stage of PERSIVAL's processing pipeline. Given a set of relevant documents for certain predefined queries, our integrated demonstration seeks to give a tailored response for either physicians or patients, featuring textual summaries, as well as relevant medical definitions. To visualize the summaries and definitions, we employ automated constraint-based layout of the user interface that allows for rich interaction between summaries and definitions.PERSIVAL's natural language processing and user interface modules make up the visualization portion of the system and illustrate state-of-the-art digital library technology. Following are the modules presented in our demonstration.
Biliary bile acid profiles of domestic fowl as determined by high performance liquid chromatography and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry

1. The biliary bile acid profiles of domestic chickens (Gallus domesticus), turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo), and ducks (Anas platyrhynchos) were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry (FAB-MS). 2. Chenodeoxycholyltaurine and cholyltaurine were the predominant bile acids in chicken and turkey bile, whereas duck bile contained primarily chenodeoxycholyltaurine and phocaecholyltaurine. 3. Allocholyltaurine was also detected in chicken and turkey bile, but not in duck bile. 4. FAB-MS analyses of individual HPLC peak fractions from chicken and duck bile extracts confirmed the presence of either taurine-conjugated dihydroxy- or trihydroxycholanoates. 5. Direct FAB-MS analyses of avian bile extracts not subjected to HPLC permitted a rapid assessment of the relative proportion of taurine-conjugated dihydroxy- to trihydroxycholanoates.
On scratch deformation of glass fiber reinforced nylon 66

The scratch deformation of glass fiber reinforced nylon 66 exhibits a striking dependence on applied load. The scratch morphology at lower loads is characterized by plastic flow that involves voiding and fibrillation that transforms at higher loads into brittle fracture of glass fibers and detachment from the matrix. Voids, fibrillation, and mechanically induced surface roughness are source of light scattering that consequently produce stress-whitened surface. The degree of scratch damage is directly related to scratch hardness.
An analysis of the human as a predictor model

A hybred sampled data-continuous impulse response of a preview tracker using a fast time model predictor aid is derived. The model can accept transient and nontransient inputs and is suitable for studying a human preview tracker using an internalized or externalized predictor display. The model is shown to behave reasonably in a simple example and its implications for modeling studies are discussed.
Some interesting anomalies in the scattering of electrons from helium

Abstract Elastic s-wave scattering of electrons from helium is examined in a single channel, open-shell calculation. The behavior of the phase shift about the resonance in this system at 73.5 eV as reported by Herzenberg and Lau is examined.
THE INTERNET: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE INFORMATION INDUSTRY AND DATABASE PROVIDERS

There are seven parts to my discussion of the internet and its implications for the information industry, and for data‐base producers in particular:
Transformation of NIH 3T3 cells by enhanced PAR expression.

Abstract Prostate androgen regulated (PAR) is a 1038 bp novel gene located on chromosome 1 in epidermal differentiation complex. The gene is ubiquitously expressed in normal tissues and is overexpressed in most of their malignant counterparts. PAR cellular function is unknown. Here we report the effect of increased PAR expression induced by transfection of PAR cDNA on NIH3T3 cell phenotype. PAR-NIH3T3 transfectants expressing 3- to 4-fold higher PAR levels compared to controls grew faster in tissue cultures, formed colonies in soft agar, and exhibited a shortening of G1 and S phases of cell cycle and formed tumors in SCID mice. Transfection of NIH3T3 cells with increased ectopic PAR expression with a 22 mer oligonucleotide in antisense orientation with PAR mRNA abrogated their ability to form colonies in soft agar. The data presented here along with our previously reported results on DU145 cells transfected with antisense PAR cDNA suggest that PAR gene behaves like a proto-oncogene.
Reagents for photocolorimetric determination of aluminum content

A photocolorimetric method has been proposed for determination of the aluminum content of refractory materials with eriochromocyanin and xylene orange.
Autoradiographic localization of osteogenin binding sites in cartilage and bone during rat embryonic development.

Abstract Osteogenin, a novel bone differentiation factor isolated from bone, has been recently purified and the amino acid sequence determined. Osteogenin in conjunction with a collagenous bone matrix substratum induces cartilage and bone formation in vivo . In order to understand the developmental role of osteogenin during cartilage and bone morphogenesis we examined the binding and distribution of iodinated osteogenin in developing rat embryos. Whole embryo tissue sections were made from 11, 12, 13, 15, 18, and 20 day fetuses. The specific binding of osteogenin at different stages of rat embryonic development was determined by autoradiography. Maximal binding was observed in mesodermal tissues such as cartilage, bone, perichondrium, and periosteum. During Days 11–15, peak binding was localized to perichondrium during limb and vertebral morphogenesis. By Day 18 periosteum exhibited the highest concentration of autoradiographic grains. Osteogenin was also localized in developing membranous bones of the calvarium and other craniofacial bones. Considerably less binding was observed, in decreasing order, in muscle, liver, spleen, skin, brain, heart, kidney, and intestine. The observed maximal binding during skeletal morphogenesis implies a developmental role for osteogenin.
Neonatal protein C: Molecular composition and distribution in normal term infants

Abstract Protein C (PC) is a vitamin K-dependent serine protease which functions as the central regulatory protein with both anticoagulant and profibrinolytic properties. The PC levels in healthy term newborns are approximately one third of adult levels. Severely decreased levels of PC are seen in sick term and preterm infants. These neonates appear to have an increased incidence of thrombosis. Undetectable levels of PC are found in homozygous PC deficient infants with DIC and purpura fulminans symptoms. In this present study we report the composition and distribution of PC in term newborn and compare the results with adult values. Plasma was obtained from placental cord blood of 20 healthy term (38–42 weeks gestation) infants. PC was immunopurified, run on SDS-PAGE, and immuno-blotted. The composition of the PC molecule in neonatal plasma is identical to that seen in adults. Using densitometry to determine the distribution of the PC components, we observed a 2-fold increase in single chain PC in the neonate as compared to the adult. In the neonate, there was an inverse correlation between the level of total PC antigen and the amount of single chain. These findings suggest the possibility that the processing of PC may be developmentally influenced.
The equivalence of Joule dissipation and frictional heating in the collisional ionosphere

[1] We address what is meant by Joule dissipation in the context of the coupled magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere system. We first show that the ionospheric Ohm's law that includes the classical Pedersen and Hall conductivities can be extended to include other terms such as plasma inertia and pressure. Within the ionosphere the Pedersen and Hall conductivities usually dominate. We note, however, that this does not mean that the electric field causes the currents. We next investigate the role of friction in heating the different species within the plasma. The frictional electron-ion collisional heating rate is proportional toj2, where jis the current density, and as such could be considered to be Ohmic in nature. The heating from electron-neutral collisions can be recast to include a term that includesj2, but only part of the electron collisional heating is Ohmic in the sense that it depends on j2. We also show that the Joule dissipation in the neutral frame equals the total amount of frictional heating for all the fluids (electrons, ions, and neutrals) with additional terms to account for the rate at which work is done by pressure gradient forces, and the power used to accelerate the plasma. In general, these additional terms are small within the ionosphere, and most of the Joule dissipation in the neutral frame results in heating, mainly by initially increasing the ion fluid temperature relative to the neutrals, while the neutral atmosphere temperature increases with a much slower rate.
Cervical cancer narratives: invoking ‘God's will’ to re-appropriate reproductive rights in present-day Romania

Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork in contemporary Southern Romania, this paper scrutinises local moralities governing some women's refusal to enrol in free reproductive healthcare initiatives targeting cervical cancer through primary and secondary prevention (human papillomavirus [HPV] vaccination and Papanicolaou [Pap] testing, respectively). Women backed up their rejection of participation in official reproductive care programmes by mentioning ‘God's will’ as the ultimate trigger of cervical cancer. They withheld their own and their daughters' bodies from biomedical intervention and used discursive references to divine logic to imbue their refusal with moral legitimacy. However, ‘God's will’ is not a mere rhetorical device, since it has a correlate in many of these women's embodied reproductive experiences. As this paper argues, religious narratives, far from stripping ordinary citizens of their reproductive choices, constitute the medium through which they display individual agency. In fact, invoking...
Conceptualization of mental illness among Korean-American clergymen and implications for mental health service delivery

This study examines the relationship between conceptualization of mental illness and referral intent among 50 Korean-American clergymen. Subjects are presented vignettes depicting depression, psychotic symptoms with religious delusions, and psychotic symptoms with persecutory delusions. The vignettes are followed by questions assessing problem conceptualization, cause attribution, and referral intent of mental health treatment. Respondents with a psychological conceptualization are significantly more willing to make a referral than are those who hold a religious conceptualization. Implications for effective utilization of the clergy as a mental health resource are discussed.
Burn, freeze, or photo-ablate?: comparative symptom profile in Barrett's dysplasia patients undergoing endoscopic ablation

Background: There are few data available comparing endoscopic ablation methods for Barrett's esophagus with high-grade dysplasia (BE-HGD). Objective: To determine differences in symptoms and complications associated with endoscopic ablation. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: Two tertiary care centers in USA. Patients: Consecutive patients with BE-HGD Interventions: In this pilot study, symptoms profile data were collected for BE-HGD patients among 3 endoscopic ablation methods: porfimer sodium photodynamic therapy, radiofrequency ablation and low-pressure liquid nitrogen spray cryotherapy. Main Outcome Measurements: Symptom profiles and complications from the procedures were assessed 1-8 weeks after treatment. Results: Ten BE-HGD patients were treated with each ablation modality (30 patients total; 25 men, median age: 69 years (range 53-81). All procedures were performed in the clinic setting and none required subsequent hospitalization. The most common symptoms among all therapies were chest pain, dysphagia and odynophagia. More patients (n=8) in the porfimer sodium photodynamic therapy group reported weight loss compared to radio-frequency ablactation (n=2) and cryotherapy (n=0). Four patients in the porfimer sodium photodynamic therapy group developed phototoxicity requiring medical treatment. Strictures, each requiring a single dilation, were found in radiofrequency ablactation (n=1) and porfimer sodium photodynamic therapy (n=2) patients. Limitations: Small sample size, non-randomized study. Conclusions: These three endoscopic therapies are associated with different types and severity of post-ablation symptoms and complications.
SIRE-1, a long interspersed repetitive DNA element from soybean with weak sequence similarity to retrotransposons: initial characterization and partial sequence.

Abstract Gm776 is a 776-bp subregion of a member of an interspersed family of relatively homogeneous repetitive DNA elements from soybean (Glycine max). The fragment was originally amplified from soybean DNA by the polymerase chain reaction using a single 22-nucleotide primer, and consequently terminates in an inverted repeat. The elements defined by Gm776 are at least 10.6 kb in length and constitute a family of 500–800 members per haploid genome. The family has been designated SIRE-1 (soybean interspersed repetitive element 1). Overlapping regions of Gm776 exhibit suggestive DNA sequence similarity to Tal and Tyl, copia-like retrotransposons from Arabidopsis thaliana and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, respectively. However, there are no similarities at the amino acid level, and the regions of similarity are not functionally related.
Observation of gain due to coherence effects in a potassium-helium mixture

We report steady-state gain due to coherence effects in a potassium-helium mixture, for strong pumping near the ${\mathit{D}}_{2}$ line and probing near the ${\mathit{D}}_{1}$ line. The absorption-gain spectra are in good agreement with a four-level Raman-driven, lasing with inversion model, where collisional transfer populates the probed excited state. Using parameters corresponding to the experimental conditions, the model predicts gain without bare-state population inversion by a large margin.
Chemistry of Nuclear Recoil 18F Atoms. VI. Approximate Energetics and Molecular Dynamics in CH3CF3

Energetics and molecular dynamics results are reported from an extensive set of high energy recoil 18F experiments with CH3CF3. Based upon thermochemical evidence alone, substantial fractions of the primary hot F‐for‐H, F‐for‐CH3, and F‐for‐CF3 reaction products are indicated to involve minimum excitation energies of 7.9 ± 0.2, 9.3 ± 0.1, and 3.5 ± 0.2 eV, respectively. The primary F‐for‐F reaction products in CH3CF3 do not exhibit unimolecular decomposition via a carbon—carbon bond scission mode in apparent violation of RRKM theoretical predictions. The primary F‐for‐H products decompose both via β elimination of HF and via carbon—carbon bond scission in apparent accord with theory. More than one kind of microscopic dynamics is involved in the primary hot F‐for‐H and F‐for‐CH3 processes in CH3CF3 and in the primary hot F‐for‐F process in CF4. Direct, concerted, and collusive dynamics are required for the higher energy reaction modes for these processes.
Should Supplemental Estrogens Be Used as Steroid-Sparing Agents in Asthmatic Women?

Objective: To determine if supplemental estrogens should be used as steroid-sparing agents in asthmatic women. Design: Case series. Setting: Ambulatory care, community hospital. Patients: Volunteer sample of three steroid-dependent asthmatic women. Intervention: Addition of conjugated estrogens to existing asthma treatment. Main outcome measure: Ability to decrease oral steroid requirement. Results: The mean age of the women was 55±11 years; two were former smokers (cases 1 and 2) and one was a nonsmoker (case 3). One woman (case 3) was premenopausal and noted worsening of her asthma before and during menses. The other two women (cases 1 and 2) were postmenopausal. All three had been symptomatic from their asthma for 13.2±7.6 years. Each woman was being treated with maximal doses of inhaled albuterol, inhaled steroids, and therapeutic theophylline doses. Despite this aggressive management, all three women required daily supplemental steroids (mean dose, 26.7 ±11.5 mg of prednisone). Case 3 was started on a regimen of norethindrone/ethinyl estradiol 1/35, and cases 2 and 3 were begun on regimens of daily conjugated estrogen, 0.625 mg. Over the next 12 to 24 weeks, the conditions of all three women were symptomatically improved and their steroid therapy was discontinued. In addition, steroid-associated side effects of hypertension, weight gain, osteoporosis, and easy bruising lessened. Conclusion: Although this new observation of the steroid-sparing effect of estrogens remains preliminary, further study may help advance understanding of the mechanisms and treatment of asthma in women.
Cervical dilation as a predictor of pregnancy outcome following emergency cerclage.

Objective: To determine whether cervical dilation at the time of physical examination indicated cerclage placement can predicts latency and gestational age at delivery. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of all women who underwent physical examination indicated cerclage placement from 1996 to 2011 at Duke University Hospital (DUH) was performed. Physical examination indicated cerclage was defined as cerclage placement after 16 weeks in women with a cervical length of less than 2.5 cm and/or cervical dilation greater than or equal to 1 cm at time of procedure. Subjects were divided into two groups depending on cervical dilation at time of procedure (≥2 cm, <2 cm) for comparison. A multivariate linear regression model for the outcome gestational age of delivery was constructed, controlling for confounding variables. Results: A total of 110 women with complete data were available for analysis. Median gestational age at cerclage placement was similar between the two groups (20.3 vs. 20.3 weeks, p = 0.8). W...
Triggering of whistler mode emissions by the band‐limited impulse (BLI) Associated with amplified Vlf signals from Siple Station, Antarctica

At termination of an amplified and saturated (B sat ) Vlf pulse from Siple Station, Antarctica,a band-limited (50-500 Hz range) impulse (BLI) is generated which in turn triggers a narrowband emission, of about the same amplitude, that starts at about 50-150 Hz above the frequency of B sat , called the positive frequency offset (PFO). The BLI creates the PFO by reducing the parallel velocities of existing phase-bunched cyclotron resonant electrons that form the source currents (J⊥) of the stimulated radiation. The PFO is proportional to the magnetic field intensity B BLI of the BLI. Since B BLI ≃ B sat the PFO then becomes a measure of the saturated field B sat . An example for L = 4 and a pitch angle of 60°, gives B sat ≅ 5pT, in good agreement with previous estimates of B sat .
Comments on Vivian Zamel's “Recent Research on Writing Pedagogy”

Vivian Zamel is, without a doubt, a potent force and an acknowledged leader in the area of ESL composition. Her work is always interesting and provocative, and her latest TESOL Quarterly offering (Vol. 21, No. 4, December 1987) is no exception. However, I find some aspects of this piece quite troubling. First, there seems to be little, if any, recognition of the difference between Li and L2 composing in this article. The article's bibliography contains about three times as many references to Li as to L2 writing studies; L1 and L2 studies are mixed throughout the article as though they were equally relevant to L2 composition; and the author seems to offer no caveat about using the findings of L1 writing studies in L2 composition situations. Thus, there seems to be a tacit assumption here that Li and L2 writing are essentially the same phenomenon-that the linguistic, cultural, and experiential differences of L2 writers are of negligible or no concern to ESL composition teachers. This assumption seems counterintuitive and would appear to militate against the experience of most ESL composition teachers and L2 writers, including Raimes (1985), who notes that "all of us who have tried to write something in a second language ... sense that the process of writing in an L2 is startlingly different from writing in our LI" (p. 232). Although there is certainly much to be learned from developments in Li composition theory, research, and practice, it seems wise to interpret these lessons very carefully into L2 writing contexts. Second, this article argues for a view of composition research
Age-related provisioning behaviour in the cooperatively breeding acorn woodpecker: testing the skills and the pay-to-stay hypotheses

Helpers in cooperatively breeding acorn woodpeckers, Melanerpes formicivorus , gain indirect fitness benefits by provisioning related offspring, but may also gain direct fitness benefits by any of several mechanisms. We tested the ‘skills’ hypothesis, which proposes that provisioning behaviour provides helpers with experience that allows them to be more successful when they breed later in life, and the ‘pay-to-stay’ hypothesis, which proposes that provisioning behaviour by helpers is rewarded by dominant breeders, allowing helpers to remain in their natal group longer, thus reaping nepotistic benefits. We found that young helpers provisioned at relatively low rates, which in most cases increased with age, a necessary requirement of the skills hypothesis. Analyses of birds with known feeding histories, however, revealed that helper males that fed young at higher rates had no greater reproductive success later in life than less helpful helper males, contrary to the skills hypothesis. In accord with pay-to-stay, males that fed more as second-year helpers remained in their natal group as helpers significantly longer and were more likely to inherit than were male broodmates that fed less. An analysis controlling for the time that birds remained in their natal groups, however, failed to indicate that prior feeding history played a significant role in these differences, which are more likely to be a consequence of differences in dispersal behaviour. In acorn woodpeckers, as in other species of cooperative breeders in which helpers are close relatives, the primary benefits of provisioning behaviour are indirect via kin selection rather than direct via either the acquisition of skills or payment of rent.
Human coronary endothelial cells convert 14,15-EET to a biologically active chain-shortened epoxide.

Cytochrome P-450 epoxygenase-derived epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) play an important role in the regulation of vascular reactivity and function. Conversion to the corresponding dihydroxyeicosatr...
Replication protein A subunit 3 and the iron efficiency response in soybean

In soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], iron deficiency results in interveinal chlorosis and decreased photosynthetic capacity, leading to stunting and yield loss. In this study, gene expression analyses investigated the role of soybean replication protein A (RPA) subunits during iron stress. Nine RPA homologs were significantly differentially expressed in response to iron stress in the near isogenic lines (NILs) Clark (iron efficient) and Isoclark (iron inefficient). RPA homologs exhibited opposing expression patterns in the two NILs, with RPA expression significantly repressed during iron deficiency in Clark but induced in Isoclark. We used virus induced gene silencing (VIGS) to repress GmRPA3 expression in the iron inefficient line Isoclark and mirror expression in Clark. GmRPA3-silenced plants had improved IDC symptoms and chlorophyll content under iron deficient conditions and also displayed stunted growth regardless of iron availability. RNA-Seq comparing gene expression between GmRPA3-silenced and empty vector plants revealed massive transcriptional reprogramming with differential expression of genes associated with defense, immunity, aging, death, protein modification, protein synthesis, photosynthesis and iron uptake and transport genes. Our findings suggest the iron efficient genotype Clark is able to induce energy controlling pathways, possibly regulated by SnRK1/TOR, to promote nutrient recycling and stress responses in iron deficient conditions.
An analytic solution for two- and three-dimensional wings in ground effect

Abstract : The method of matched asymptotic expansions is applied to the problem of a ram wing of finite span in very close proximity to the ground. The general lifting surface problem is shown to be a direct problem, represented by a source-sink distribution on the upper surface of the wing and wake, with concentrated sources around the leading and side edges plus a separate confined channel flow region under the wing and wake. The two-dimensional flat plate airfoil is examined in detail and results for upper and lower surface pressure distribution and lift coefficient are compared with a numerical solution. A simple analytic solution is obtained for a flat wing with a straight trailing edge which has minimum induced drag. To lowest order, this optimally loaded wing is an elliptical wing with a lift distribution which is linear along the chord. The resultant total spanwise lift distribution is parabolic. An expression for the lift coefficient at small clearance and angle of attack, valid for moderate aspect ratio, is derived. The analytic results are compared with numerical results from lifting surface theory for a wing in ground effect; reasonable agreement is obtained. (Author)
Rat invasion of islands alters fungal community structure, but not wood decomposition rates

Introduced animals can indirectly affect decomposers through trophic cascades and habitat modifications, but whether their effects are strong enough to influence both the structure and function of decomposer communities remains unclear. We conducted an experiment on rat-invaded and rat-free islands off the coast of New Zealand to determine whether introduced rats affected the structure and function of wood-decomposing fungi. Gamma-irradiated branch segments from a single tree were placed on the forest floor on nine rat-invaded and nine rat-free islands, and fungal community structure and wood decomposition rates measured after two years of in situ decomposition. We found significant differences in fungal community structure in the wood between rat-invaded and rat-free islands. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between fungal community structure and wood decomposition rate on rat-free islands but not on rat-invaded islands, because of decreased variability in decomposition rates on invaded islands. Despite these differences between rat-free and rat-invaded islands, mean decomposition rates were indistinguishable between the two sets of islands. These results suggest that there may be a great deal of functional redundancy in fungal communities and that removing rats from islands could reverse the rat-induced changes that we observed in the relationship between the structure and function of decomposer communities.
Adsorption of V on a hematite (0 0 0 1) surface and its oxidation: Monolayer coverage

Abstract The adsorption of submonolayer V on an idealized model hematite (0 0 0 1) surface and subsequent oxidation under atomic O adsorption are studied by density functional theory. The preferred adsorption sites, adsorption energy and configuration changes due to V and O adsorption are investigated. It is found that in most cases V forms threefold bonds with surface O atoms, inducing a large geometry change at the hematite surface and near surface region and a bond stretch between surface Fe and O. The adsorption energy is mainly decided by interplay between adsorbed metal-surface oxygen bonding and adsorbed metal – subsurface metal interaction. The relative energy of subsequent O adsorption and geometry depends on the reformed V/hematite structure. Electronic properties such as projected densities of states and chemical state change upon V adsorption are studied through both periodic slab and embedded cluster localized orbital calculations; both strong vanadium–oxygen and vanadium–iron interactions are found. While V generally donates electrons to a hematite surface, causing nearby Fe to be partially reduced, the Fe and V oxidization state depends very much on the coverage and detailed adsorption configuration. When the V/hematite system is exposed to atomic O, V is further oxidized and surface/near surface Fe is re-oxidized. Our theoretical results are compared with X-ray surface standing wave and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurements. The influence of d-electron correlation on the predicted structures is briefly discussed, making use of the DFT + U scheme.
Another Curriculum Requirement? Quantitative Reasoning In Economics: Some First Steps

In this paper, we describe first steps toward focusing on quantitative reasoning in an intermediate microeconomic theory course. We find student attitudes toward quantitative aspects of economics improve over the duration of the course (as we would hope). Perhaps more importantly, student attitude toward quantitative reasoning improves, in general. This result suggests that economics courses should be considered for inclusion as part of any effort to incorporate quantitative reasoning across the curriculum.
Comparisons of chewing rhythm, craniomandibular morphology, body mass and height between mothers and their biological daughters.

Abstract Objective To study and compare the relationships between mean chewing cycle duration, selected cephalometric variables representing mandibular length, face height, etc., measured in women and in their teenage or young–adult biological daughters. Design Daughters were recruited from local high schools and the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. Selection criteria included healthy females with full dentition, 1st molar occlusion, no active orthodontics, no medical conditions nor medication use that could interfere with normal masticatory motor function. Mothers had to be biologically related to their daughters. All data were obtained in the School of Dentistry. Measurements obtained from lateral cephalograms included: two “jaw length” measures, condylion-gnathion and gonion-gnathion, and four measures of facial profile including lower anterior face height, and angles sella-nasion-A point (SNA), sella-nasion-B point (SNB) and A point-nasion-B point (ANB). Mean cycle duration was calculated from 60 continuous chewing cycles, where a cycle was defined as the time between two successive maximum jaw openings in the vertical dimension. Other variables included subject height and weight. Linear and logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the mother–daughter relationships and to study the relationships between cephalometric variables and chewing cycle duration. Results Height, weight, Co-Gn and Go-Gn were significantly correlated between mother–daughter pairs; however, mean cycle duration was not ( r 2 = 0.015). Mean cycle duration was positively correlated with ANB and height in mothers, but negatively correlated with Co-Gn in daughters. Conclusions Chewing rate is not correlated between mothers and daughters in humans.
Effects of multiple-speaker playbacks on aggressive calling behavior in the treefrog Dendropsophus ebraccatus

In addition to producing signals, males of chorusing species also act as receivers by adjusting properties of their vocalizations in response to those of other nearby individuals. Although it is likely that males are responsive to more than one other individual, most playback studies investigating male response have involved dyads in which vocal responses are measured to stimuli presented from a single speaker. In this study, I explored changes in both the propensity to give aggressive calls and the temporal properties of those calls in response to the playback of multiple aggressive call stimuli in the treefrog Dendropsophus ebraccatus. I found that males were sensitive to both the number of simulated aggressive callers and their specific call characteristics. Males generally gave a highly aggressive response to the first stimulus presented, but their response to the modification of this stimulus by the addition or subtraction of a simulated competitor depended on the degree of aggressiveness of the stimuli. Males tended to decrease their aggressive responses when either a more aggressive call was silenced or a less aggressive call was added and to increase their aggressive responses in the opposite situation. Aggressive calling in this species is clearly affected by complex changes in the social environment and I suggest that future studies explore these issues in other species to improve the understanding of communication interactions.
Quantum noise protected data encryption in a WDM network

We demonstrate fully streaming optical data encryption over a 250-km-long fiber-optic wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) line at OC-12 data rate. Our scheme, based on the fundamental and irreducible quantum noise of laser light, allows for optical amplification and is shown to be compatible with today's high-speed WDM telecommunications infrastructure.
XIST RNA associates with specific regions of the inactive X chromatin.

Microscopy studies have shown thatXIST RNA colocalizes with the inactive X chromosome (Xi). However, the molecular basis for this colocalization is unknown. Here we provide two lines of evidence from chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments that XIST RNA physically associates with the Xi chromatin. First, XIST RNA can be co-precipitated by antiserum against macroH2A, a histone H2A variant enriched in the Xi. Second, XIST RNA can be co-precipitated by antisera that recognize unacetylated, but not acetylated, isoforms of histones H3 and H4. The specificity ofXIST RNA association with hypoacetylated chromatin, together with the previous finding that hypoacetylated histone H4 is enriched at promoters of X-inactivated genes, raises the possibility that XIST RNA may contribute to the hypoacetylation of specific regions of the Xi so as to alter the expression of X-linked genes.
Anterior release of the elbow for extension loss

Background: There are many causes of elbow contracture. When nonoperative techniques fail to increase the arc of motion of the elbow, surgical intervention may be indicated. The purpose of this study was to report the outcomes of surgical correction, predominantly with an anterior release, of elbow flexion contractures. In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of continuous passive motion in the immediate postoperative period. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the outcomes of 106 consecutive patients who had undergone anterior elbow release for the treatment of a flexion contracture between July 1975 and June 2001. Twenty-nine patients were excluded because they had been followed for less than twelve months, leaving a study group of seventy-seven patients. Postoperatively, fifty-four of the seventy-seven patients were treated with continuous passive motion and the other twenty-three patients were treated with extension splinting. The average duration of follow-up was thirty-three months. The average patient age was thirty-four years. The results were evaluated on the basis of both preoperative and postoperative radiographs as well as clinical measurements of elbow motion, all performed by the same examiner using the same large (47-cm-long) goniometer. Results: The mean preoperative extension in the seventy-seven patients was 52°, which decreased to 20° postoperatively. The mean flexion increased from 111° preoperatively to 117° postoperatively, and the mean total arc of motion increased from 59° to 97°. The total arc of motion in the patients treated with continuous passive motion increased 45°, compared with an increase of 26° in those treated with extension splinting. There were eleven complications in ten patients. The majority were traction neuropathies. There were two infections (one superficial and one deep), both of which resolved following treatment. Conclusions: Release of a pathologically thickened anterior elbow capsule through a predominantly anterior approach to correct diminished elbow extension is a safe and effective technique. Furthermore, compared with splinting in extension alone, the utilization of continuous passive motion during the postoperative period increases the total arc of motion. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic study, Level III-2 (retrospective cohort study). See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Cultural Trauma and Ethnic Identity Formation Among Iranian Immigrants in the United States

Inspired mainly by Jeffery Alexander's concept of cultural trauma and Irving Goffman's analysis of stigma, this article examines the impact of the Iranian Revolution and the ensuing hostage crisis in 1979 on the formation of ethnic identity among Iranian immigrants in the United States. These events resulted in the loss of cultural and ethnic pride, the rise of anti-Islamic religious sentiments, and the concealment of religious, national, and ethnic identity among Iranian immigrants in America. The article argues that the continuation of negative images of Iran and the equation of Islam with fundamentalism, extremism, and terrorism by American mainstream media had a central role in the construction of new ethnic identities among Iranians in exile.
Towards efficient SPICE-accurate nonlinear circuit simulation with on-the-fly support-circuit preconditioners

SPICE-accurate simulation of present-day large-scale nonlinear integrated circuit (IC) systems with millions of linear/nonlinear components can be prohibitively expensive, and thus extremely challenging. In this paper, we present a novel support-circuit preconditioning (SCP) technique for tackling large-scale nonlinear circuit simulations by exploiting sparsified graphs of a given circuit network. By extracting support graphs (SGs) from the original linear circuit networks, and combining them with nonlinear devices, support-circuit preconditioner can be efficiently computed using existing matrix solvers, allowing for on-the-fly updates during transient simulations when adopted in Krylov-subspace iterative solvers. Experimental results for a variety of large-scale circuit designs show that the proposed method achieves up to 22X speedups in solving the matrices involved in DC and transient (TR) simulations, and up to 8X reduction in memory usage, when compared with the simulator powered by the state-of-the-art direct solver KLU.
Patterns of body weight in middle-aged and older Americans, by gender and race, 1993-2000.

Objectives: Despite evidence of poor health outcomes associated with excessive weight gain or loss, longitudinal patterns of body weight over the adult life course have not been fully described. This article seeks to address this by examining body weight patterns for middle-aged and older adults.
Image‐based musculoskeletal modeling: Applications, advances, and future opportunities

Computer models of the musculoskeletal system are broadly used to study the mechanisms of musculoskeletal disorders and to simulate surgical treatments. Musculoskeletal models have historically been created based on data derived in anatomical and biomechanical studies of cadaveric specimens. MRI offers an abundance of novel methods for acquisition of data from living subjects and is revolutionizing the field of musculoskeletal modeling. The need to create accurate, individualized models of the musculoskeletal system is driving advances in MRI techniques including static imaging, dynamic imaging, diffusion imaging, body imaging, pulse-sequence design, and coil design. These techniques apply to imaging musculoskeletal anatomy, muscle architecture, joint motions, muscle moment arms, and muscle tissue deformations. Further advancements in image-based musculoskeletal modeling will expand the accuracy and utility of models used to study musculoskeletal and neuromuscular impairments.
Holocene precipitation seasonality captured by a dual hydrogen and oxygen isotope approach at Steel Lake, Minnesota

Abstract Middle-Holocene (8 to 4 ka BP) warmth and aridity are well recorded in sediment archives from midcontinental North America. However, neither the climatic driver nor the seasonal character of precipitation during this period is well understood because of the limitations of available proxy indicators. For example, an important challenge is to distinguish among the interacting effects of evaporation, temperature, or precipitation seasonality in existing δ 18 O records from the region. Here we combine hydrogen isotopes of palmitic acid and oxygen isotopes of carbonate to derive lake-water isotopic values during the Holocene at Steel Lake in north-central Minnesota. In combination, these data enable us to separate variations in evaporation from variations in the isotopic composition of input-waters to lake. Variations in evaporation are used as a proxy for aridity and lake-water input isotopic values are used as a proxy for the isotopic values of meteoric precipitation. Our results suggest that lake-water input isotopic values were more negative during the middle Holocene than at present. To test whether these more negative values are related to temperature or precipitation seasonality, we compare pollen-inferred temperatures and the expected isotopic value of precipitation resulting from these temperatures to the reconstructed precipitation isotopic values. Results suggest that middle Holocene warmth and aridity were associated with increased evaporation rates and decreased summer precipitation. These inferences are consistent with climate simulations that highlight the role of seasonal insolation and sea surface temperatures in driving variations in precipitation seasonality during the Holocene. Results also suggest that changes in Holocene precipitation seasonality may have influenced the expansion of the prairie-forest border in Minnesota as well as regional variations in grassland community composition. This study demonstrates the efficacy of the dual hydrogen and oxygen isotope approach for distinguishing changes in evaporation and precipitation seasonality in the paleolimnological record.
Analysis of delay and delay jitter of voice traffic in the internet

In the future, voice communication is expected to migrate from the public switched telephone network to the Internet. Because of the particular characteristics (low volume and burstiness) and stringent delay and loss requirements of voice traffic, it is important to separate voice traffic from other traffic in the network by providing it with a separate queue. In this study, we conduct a thorough assessment of voice delay in this context. We conclude that priority queuing is the most appropriate scheduling scheme for the handling of voice traffic, while preemption of nonvoice packets is strongly recommended for sub-10 Mbit/s links. We also find that per-connection custom packetization is in most cases futile, i.e. one packet size allows a good compromise between an adequate end-to-end delay and an efficient bandwidth utilization for voice traffic.
Enhanced Collaborative Optimization: A Decomposition-Based Method for Multidisciplinary Design

Astute choices made early in the design process provide the best opportunity for reducing the life cycle cost of a new product. Optimal decisions require reasonably detailed disciplinary analyses, which pose coordination challenges. These types of complex multidisciplinary problems are best addressed through the use of decomposition-based methods, several of which have recently been developed. Two of these methods are collaborative optimization (CO) and analytical target cascading (ATC). CO was conceived in 1994 in response to multidisciplinary design needs in the aerospace industry. Recent progress has led to an updated version, enhanced collaborative optimization (ECO), that is introduced in this paper. ECO addresses many of the computational challenges inherent in CO, yielding significant computational savings and more robust solutions. ATC was formalized in 2000 to address needs in the automotive industry. While ATC was originally developed for object-based decomposition, it is also applicable to multidisciplinary design problems. In this paper, both methods are applied to a set of test cases. The goal is to introduce the ECO methodology by comparing and contrasting it with ATC, a method familiar within the mechanical engineering design community. Comparison of ECO and ATC is not intended to establish the computational superiority of either method. Rather, these two methods are compared as a means of highlighting several promising approaches to the coordination of distributed design problems.Copyright © 2008 by ASME