cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aquatic prey capture in ambystomatid salamanders: Patterns of variation in muscle activity

Functional morphologists commonly study feeding behav- ior in vertebrates by recording electrical activity from head muscles during unrestrained prey capture. Rarely are experiments designed to permit a parti- tioning of variation in muscle electrical activity patterns. Analysis of muscle activity during aquatic prey capture in two morphologically distinct species of salamanders, Ambystoma dumerilii and A. mexicanum, is conducted to assess variation at four levels: between species, among individuals within species, among experiments conducted on different days, and among feedings. The results show that 1) mean correlations among the 11 electromyographic varia- bles measured for each feeding are low and vary considerably among individ- uals, 2) many of the variables show significant differences among experimental days, 3) only one variable, the difference in timing between the depressor mandibulae and sternohyoideus muscles, showed significant variation be- tween species, and 4) seven of the ll variables showed significant variation among individuals within species. Overall, the variation between feedings (trials) was high, and there was some variation between days on which the experiments were conducted. Neither electrode position within the muscle nor satiation contributed to the high trial variance. The results suggest that functional analyses of feeding behavior should include an assessment of vari- ation due to individuals, days, and trials, because the amount of variation at these levels may render differences between species nonsignificant. Research on the functional morphology of vertebrates over the last 15 years has in- creasingly utilized electromyography as a tool to study muscle function. Many investi- gators have measured the durations of mus- cle electrical activity to discover how animals function and to clarify the relationship be- tween form and function in the vertebrate body (e.g., Jenkins and Weijs, '79; Gorniak et al., '82; Gans, '74; Gans et al., '78; Herring, '80; Liem, '73). Electromyography has proved particularly useful in testing hypotheses of muscle function and in comparing neuromus- cular patterns associated with bone move- ment in different vertebrates (e.g., Jenkins and Goslow, '83; Weijs and Dantuma, '75). While much of this research both on feeding mechanisms and on locomotion has empha- sized how a particular species functions, re- searchers have also investigated differences between species in functional design and have based conclusions regarding evolution- ary patterns and processes on differences in muscle activity patterns between species. Liem
Modeling the natural degradation of earthworks

Stratigraphic, topographic, and ground-penetrating radar data obtained from a ca. 1800-year-old embankment and adjacent ditch at the Hopewell Mound Group (Chillicothe, Ohio) are used to validate the archaeological application of a simple finite-differences diffusion model employed frequently to assess geomorphic change in natural landscapes. Although diffusion models have been used to describe the topographic degradation of landforms in a variety of geomorphic terrains, the approach has not been applied to ancient earthworks in an archaeological context. The results of this study indicate that a variety of initial earthwork forms can result in the sinusoidal profile apparent on the current landscape. Using the model results to interpret the field data, we suggest that the initial embankment form was steeper and the adjacent ditch was deeper. As a result of natural degradation processes, the earthwork widened and flattened over time. These results have broad implications for any study aimed at: (1) assessing the function of original earthwork forms, (2) determining the formation processes of complicated stratigraphies or artifact assemblages, (3) estimating the time and labor investment required for construction, or (4) identifying the socio-political structures necessary to build earthworks. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Coronary Recanalization Due to Presumed Thrombosis Following Surgical Ligation of a Large Right Coronary Artery to Right Ventricle Fistula

We report angiographic findings in an infant with congestive heart failure due to a large right coronary artery to right ventricular fistula who underwent surgical ligation. Repeat catheterization 2 years later unexpectedly showed extensive thrombosis of the right coronary artery with multiple recanalized channels supplying the right coronary distribution. Review of the literature showed that this may not be an uncommon finding.
Deeply-etched singlemode GeSi RIB waveguides for silicon-based optoelectronic integration

The fabrication and characterisation of deeply-etched single-mode GeSi rib waveguides, grown on an intrinsic silicon substrate, for monolithic optoelectronic integration are reported. The waveguides exhibit strong singlemode guiding and good confinement with a propagation loss of ∼2.5±1dB/cm at 1.3μm.
Reweaving a fragmented self: a grounded theory of self‐understanding among Chinese women students in the United States of America

A grounded theory was developed to describe the processes of self‐understanding of a group of Chinese women graduate students who were studying in the United States at the time of the research. A basic psychological process, reweaving a fragmented self, was identified from interviews with 20 Chinese women graduate students. Reweaving a fragmented self included three sub‐processes: weaving self, fragmenting self and reweaving self, as occurred across two chronological phases, being women students in their homeland and becoming international women students in a new land. Categories and codes explain and support each of the processes. The implications of this research are theoretical and practical. It contributes to the critical theories of women’s selves in a cultural context by exploring the ways in which these Chinese women graduate students negotiated critical cultural elements in their self‐understanding. It also contributes to American higher education by enhancing educators’ understanding of the diver...
The new-generation, high-energy, 595-nm, long pulse-duration pulsed-dye laser improves the appearance of photodamaged skin.

Background and Objectives: Chronic sun-exposure results in five main changes to exposed skin: telangiectasia, hyperpigmentation, rhytides, enlarged pores, and sagging skin. Various laser and non-laser modalities have been used to improve sun-damaged skin. The pulsed-dye laser (PDL) has an unparalleled safety record and an ideal wavelength for treating the signs of photodamage. In this study, we investigate the ability of the long pulse-duration PDL to improve the appearance of photodamaged skin. Study Design/Materials and Methods: Ten subjects with cutaneous photodamage were treated with the highenergy, long pulse-duration PDL using fluences ranging from 8.0 to 10.0 J/cm 2 , a 10-mm spot, and a 10-millisecond pulse-duration. Five subjects judged to have discrete solar lentigos or ephiledes were also treated to these lesions using a compression handpiece. Improvement was determined by blinded evaluation of photographs taken before and after the final treatment, and by subjects’ selfevaluation 8 weeks following the final treatment. Results: Subjects rated overall improvement as 65%, facial veins as 72% improved, hyperpigmentation 65% improved, enlarged pores 65% improved, and wrinkles 62% improved. Improvement was also determined by 3 physicians rating digital photographs and blinded as to which photos were pre- or post-treatment. They rated wrinkles as improved in 50% of photographs, veins as improved in 82%, diffuse redness as improved in 80%, pigmentary alterations as improved in 61.4%, and pore size as improved in 25%. Conclusions: The high-energy, long pulse-duration PDL improves photodamaged skin using non-purpuric settings. Lasers Surg. Med. 39:157–163, 2007. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Effect of Cognitive, Personality, and Background Factors on the WAIS-III Arithmetic Subtest

In the Wechsler system the Arithmetic subtest has been viewed as a measure of concentration, working memory, or freedom from distractibility. However, a wide range of other influences on Arithmetic performance has been proposed. The current study was intended to examine these to further characterize what is measured by the Arithmetic subtest. Participants were 118 adults referred for neuropsychological assessment. The results indicate a strong association between WAIS-III Arithmetic and the other WMI (Working Memory Index) subtests. Arithmetic also showed a high association with Arithmetic skill and verbal memory. Moderate contributions to Arithmetic performance were found for most other cognitive measures. Measures of anxiety and of background factors, such as perceived difficulty learning Arithmetic, were weakly related to Arithmetic scores. These results suggest that although Arithmetic may be considered a measure of concentration or working memory, many other factors influence it and its specificity a...
Race and Regionalism: The Structure of Local Government and Racial Disparity

How opportunity is distributed among its component racial groups in a metropolitan region is an important question and is likely to become more so as regions become denser economically and socially. The extent to which governmental structure contributes to racial sorting has been debated since the development of public choice theory. To evaluate how various structural, political, and historical factors affect the relative distribution of opportunity between racial groups in urban regions of the United States, the authors apply a cross-sectional approach, comparing regional characteristics at the time of the 2000 census. Their analysis of the correlates and determinants of racial disparities suggests that these factors collectively explain significant amounts of regional variation with respect to residential racial segregation, cost and quality of housing, and income. The number of local governments and fiscal power diffusion explain some racial disparity. Larger size of black population in a region is associated with less segregation, but more economic disparity while the opposite tends to be true for Hispanics.More liberal state policies and political culture occur where metropolitan black-white segregation is higher. Higher central city incomes appear to decrease segregation while higher suburban income increases it.
On the Nature of Capital: Investment, Intangible Assets, and the Pecuniary Magnate

Introductory summary, 104.—Certain effects of investment and the price system, 105.—Intangible assets, their nature, derivation, and basis, 111.—Summary of analysis of assets, 115.—Tangible and intangible assets distinct, but mutually convertible, 116.—Dependence of all assets on industrial production, 122.—Non-capitalizable income from assets, 125.—Place and function of the "Pecuniary Magnate," 126.—"Timeless" gains from the use of (large) capital, 130.—Source of such "timeless" gains, 132.—Consequences for ordinary business men and ordinary profits, 135.
This Practice Is Sick: A Teaching Case

A case history of a family practice illustrates some of the difficulties of providing health care in an era of changing economic realities. Although some of the problems appear obvious and easily solved, the physicians in the practice may well be hesitant to invest more time in its operation, despite recognition that such an investment would pay off.
Phasic bursting activity of rat paraventricular neurones in the absence of synaptic transmission

1. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the phasic bursting activity, characteristic of certain magnocellular neuropeptidergic neurones in rat hypothalamus, is dependent upon chemical synaptic input. 2. Slices of hypothalamus were placed in an in vitro chamber with hippocampal slices. The synaptic response in the CA1 cell layer from Schaffer collateral stimulation was monitored before, during and after synaptic transmission was blocked by superfusion of medium containing high Mg2+ (either 18·7 or 9·3 mM) and low Ca2+ (0·05 mM). This well studied pathway was chosen as an assay of synaptic blockade because hypothalamic circuitry is relatively unknown. 3. The electrical activity of twenty-two phasic bursting neurones in the lateral portion of the paraventricular nucleus (p.v.n.) was recorded. Nineteen of twenty-two phasic p.v.n. neurones were recorded only after synaptic transmission was blocked. The remaining three cells were firing phasically in standard medium when first encountered and continued to display phasic bursting activity for up to 1·25 hr after synaptic blockade. Active cells in nearby hypothalamic areas did not show phasic bursting patterns either before or after synaptic transmission was blocked. 4. The phasic bursting activity of the p.v.n. neurones in this study and that of previously reported p.v.n. cells in vivo were similar in (a) firing rate within bursts (b) burst length and (c) silent period duration. 5. It is concluded that phasic bursting in p.v.n. magnocellular neuropeptidergic cells is not dependent upon synaptically mediated excitation or recurrent inhibition as has been hypothesized earlier. 6. Alternative hypotheses, based upon acute changes in [K+]o, endogenous membrane currents and electrotonic coupling are discussed as possible explanations of phasic bursting in these magnocellular neuropeptidergic cells.
ANEOS extensions for modeling hypervelocity impact

Abstract Several extensions have been implemented into the ANEOS analytical equation of state package [1]. The extensions permit more precise control of the properties of the liquid-vapor dome region of the equation of state. Different algebraic forms for the cold component were examined, including a modified form of the Morse-Coulomb potential currently used in ANEOS, the Lennard-Jones potential, and an analytic EXP-N formulation [2]. Extensions to the interpolation method for the nuclear component between the solid and vapor regions were also performed. In general, these extensions allow for more positive control over the position of the critical point and the shape of the liquid-vapor dome. The critical point and liquid-vapor dome shape can have a significant influence on the results from hypervelocity impact events, since release isentropes often pass near the critical point and directly through the high-pressure regions of the dome. To demonstrate this, several impact calculations from projectiles striking thin shields are performed using CTH [3]. The results show that the form of the equation of state can alter the structure and properties of the resulting debris cloud.
Klamath-Blue Mountain lineament, Oregon

Regional gravity data clearly show a zone of southwest-northeast lineations across Oregon that defines a major crustal lineament. Its existence is supported by geologic and geophysical data. Its correlation with the northwestern boundaries of the Klamath and Blue Mountain provinces suggests that these are continuous beneath the Cascade volcanic arc. The lineament may represent a pre-Tertiary strike-slip continental margin which, from paleomagnetic evidence, later rotated clockwise into its present position.
Carbohydrate Nature of Pantothenic Acid (Williams)

Conclusion1. Rice bran contains a growth-stimulating agent for Escherichia coli, but not for Alcatigenes fecalis. 2. This stimulating agent is probably related to the sugars. 3. I t is not a hexose. 4. The substance is probably identical with the pantothenic acid of Williams.
Time, Idealism, And The Identity Of Indiscernibles

Parmi les arguments developpes par J. L. Borges contre la realite du temps, l'A. examine ceux qui se fondent sur l'idealisme de Berkeley et le principe de l'identite des indiscernables chez Leibniz. En reference au principe du patchwork de D. Lewis, l'A. refute les differentes versions du raisonnement leibnizien en faveur d'une autre structure topologique du temps.
Influence of Additives on Nucleation and Growth of Copper on n-Si(111) from Acidic Sulfate Solutions

Additives are widely used in electrodeposition to control roughness and texture. In this paper we report on the influence of additives on the nucleation and growth of copper on n-Si(111) from acidic sulfate solution with addition of polyethylene glycol. chloride, Janus Green B, and bis(3-sulfopropyl) disulfide. Deposition occurs via Volmer-Weber (island) growth independent of the presence of the additives. For all solutions growth follows progressive nucleation and 3D diffusion-limited growth. The nucleation rate and nucleus density increase exponentially with increasing negative potentials. The nucleus density in the presence of additives is about an order of magnitude lower than for solutions with no additives at any given potential, illustrating that the additives influence the nucleation rate.
Performance of Interval Estimators for the Inverse Hypergeometric Distribution

The inverse hypergeometric distribution is of interest in applications of inverse sampling without replacement from a finite population where a binary observation is made on each sampling unit. Thus, sampling is performed by randomly choosing units sequentially one at a time until a specified number of one of the two types is selected for the sample. Assuming the total number of units in the population is known but the number of each type is not, we consider the problem of estimating this parameter. We use the Delta method to develop approximations for the variance of three parameter estimators. We then propose three large sample confidence intervals for the parameter. Based on these results, we selected a sampling of parameter values for the inverse hypergeometric distribution to empirically investigate performance of these estimators. We evaluate their performance in terms of expected probability of parameter coverage and confidence interval length calculated as means of possible outcomes weighted by th...
Photoemission and Optical Studies of Cu-Ni Alloys. I. Cu-Rich Alloys

Photoemission and optical reflectivity measurements of Cu-rich Cu-Ni alloys are reported. The results for alloys of composition 87% Cu-13% Ni and 77% Cu-23% Ni give conclusive evidence that a virtual bound state rather than a rigid-band model is appropriate for describing the $\mathrm{Ni} d$ states in Cu-Ni alloys. In these alloys, the $\mathrm{Cu} d$ states are found to be little changed in energy position from the $d$ states in pure Cu. From the photoemission data, the Ni virtual bound state is found to be centered 0.95 eV below the Fermi energy, and the half-width at half-maximum of the state, due to $s\ensuremath{-}d$ interactions alone, is found to be 0.42 \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{} 0.05 eV. For the alloy compositions studied, it is also found that interactions among Ni states on different atoms give a significant contribution to the total width of the state. The behavior of alloy reflectivity data and optical parameters, which are deduced by a Kramers-Kr\"onig analysis, is consistent with the alloy electronic structure obtained from the photoemission measurements.
Divergence theorems in path space II: degenerate diffusions

Abstract Let x denote an elliptic diffusion process defined on a smooth compact manifold M . In a previous work, we introduced a class of vector fields on the path space of x and studied the admissibility of this class of vector fields with respect to the law of x . In the present Note, we extend this study to the case of degenerate diffusions. To cite this article: D. Bell, C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 342 (2006).
Quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the HO2 + NO reaction on a global potential energy surface.

We report quasiclassical trajectory calculations of the HO2 + NO reaction using a new full dimensional, singlet potential energy surface (PES) which is a fit to more than 67 000 energies obtained with density functional theory-B3LYP/6-311G(d,p)-calculations. The PES is invariant with respect to permutation of like nuclei and describes all isomers of HOONO, HONO2, saddle points connecting them and the OH + NO2, HO2 + NO channels. Quasiclassical trajectory calculations of cross-sections for the HO2 + NO to form HOONO, HONO2 and OH + NO2 are done using this PES, for reactants in the ground vibrational state and rotational states sampled from a 300 K Boltzmann distribution. Trajectory calculations illustrate the pathway that HO2 + NO takes to the energized HOONO complex, which dissociates to products OH + NO2, reactants HO2 + NO, or isomerizes to HONO2. The association cross sections are used to obtain rate constants for formation of HOONO and HONO2 in the high-pressure limit, and formation of products OH + NO2 in the low-pressure limit.
American Joint Committee on Cancer Clinical Stage as a Selection Criterion for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Thin Melanoma

Background A significant proportion of newly diagnosed melanomas are thin lesions (≤1.00 mm). Because tumor thickness correlates with the risk for nodal metastases, sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy in this subset is controversial. Incorporating other prognostic factors (Clark level and ulceration), we evaluated the 6th edition American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) clinical stage as a simple and widely applicable guideline for offering SLN biopsy for thin melanoma.
The changing management of Wilms' tumor over a 30-year period. 1949-1978.

Seventy-four patients with histologically confirmed diagnoses of Wilms' tumor were treated between 1949 and 1978 at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology and St. Louis Children's Hospital. The results have been divided into two eras of therapy, i.e., before and after 1965, when chemotherapy became a major modality for Wilms' tumor therapy. Analysis at 5 years by era of therapy has shown similar disease-free survival results for Stage I ("prechemotherapy" era 67% versus "chemotherapy" era 75%), whereas the Stage II ("prechemotherapy" era 33% versus "chemotherapy" era 100%) and Stage III ("prechemotherapy" era 0% versus "chemotherapy" era 70%) are significantly different (P less than 0.001). This suggests that chemotherapy has substituted for postoperative irradiation in Stage I patients; whereas in Stage II and III, improved survival occurs as a result of the eradication of subclinical metastatic disease. The patterns of failure by era of treatment are presented and the literature is discussed.
What duration of the QTc interval should disqualify athletes from competitive sports

Vigorous athletic activities are encouraged in junior school, competitive sports are part of the school curriculum during adolescence and early adulthood, and a high national emphasis is placed on elite athletes and their teams to win international championships. Endurance sports are associated with a small yet definite risk of sudden cardiac death among participants, estimated at a rate of 1–2 sudden deaths per 100 000 athletes per year in Europe,1 with an absolute number of ∼300 cardiac-related athletic deaths annually in the USA.2 During the past 25 years, cardiology societies in Europe and the USA have recognized the need for pre-participation cardiac screening in order to identify competitive athletes who are at high risk for exertion-related sudden cardiac death so that athletic-related fatalities can be minimized. In 1982, the Italian Ministry of Health established rules concerning the medical protection of athletic activity.3 In the USA the 16th Bethesda Conference was held in 1984 with a focus on cardiovascular abnormalities in the athlete and recommendations regarding eligibility for competition.4 The 2005 Study Group of Sport Cardiology of the European Society of … Corresponding author. Tel: +1 585 275 5391; fax: +1 585 273 5283. E-mail address: heartajm{at}heart.rochester.edu
Assessment of Abdominal Pain in School-Age Children:

Pediatric abdominal pain can be a difficult condition to accurately assess for the nurse to determine whether the child’s need is for teaching, treating, or transferring. This article describes the process as well as practical tips to be used by the nurse in the school setting. Distinguishing characteristics and findings, including key physical assessments, of some of the most frequent or most important conditions are described. Atypical, but not to be overlooked, causes are also discussed.
Preliminary Incubation Method for Detection of Coliforms in Commercially Processed Milk Samples

Abstract Two surveys of 80 commercially processed milk samples revealed that 10% were positive for coliforms by the violet red bile agar method when tested within 24 h of processing; however, 60% were positive after 10 days storage of the samples at 6.7°C. A preliminary incubation procedure that involved incubating samples for 6 h at 37°C prior to plating on violet red bile agar, and a large plate (150 mm d) method where 10 ml of milk was plated directly on violet red bile agar were developed to detect coliforms. These two methods were compared with the standard violet red bile method and the most probable numbers procedure. Analysis of samples from 48 commercial processing plants after storage for 1, 7, 10, and 14 days at 6.7°C by the violet red bile agar method indicated coliforms in 13, 58, 60, and 75% of the samples, respectively. The large plate, preliminary incubation, and most probable numbers method on 1-day samples indicated coliforms in 58, 75, and 67% of the samples, respectively. All samples that were positive for coliforms after 14-days storage at 6.7°C by the standard violet red bile agar method were positive by the preliminary incubation method after 1 day at 6.7°C.
Using functional independence conditions to optimize the performance of latency-insensitive systems

In latency-insensitive design shell modules are used to encapsulate system components (pearls) in order to interface them with the given latency-insensitive protocol and dynamically control their operations. In particular, a shell stalls a pearl whenever new valid data are not available on its input channels. We study how functional independence conditions (FIC) can be applied to the performance optimization of a latency-insensitive system by avoiding unnecessary stalling of their pearls. We present a novel circuit design of a generic shell template that can exploit FICs. We describe an automatic procedure for the logic synthesis of a FIC-shell instance that is only based on the analysis of the logic structure of its corresponding pearl and does not require any input from the designers. We implemented the proposed technique within the logic synthesis tool ABC and we use it to complete various experiments that demonstrate its performance benefits and limited overhead. In particular, we completed the semi-custom design of a system-on-chip (SoC), an ultra-wideband baseband transmitter, using a state-of-the-art 90nm technology process. To the best of our knowledge this represents the first report on the complete latency-insensitive design of a real-world SoC.
HEADACHE IN SMALL VESSEL DISEASE OF THE BRAIN: A STUDY OF PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS

SYNOPSIS Seventy-two records of patient with systemic lupus erythematosus were reviewed retrospectively. Sixty-one fulfilled the criteria for the disease. Forty-six percent had clinical evidence of central nervous system involvement. The incidence of headache was compared in those with and without central nervous system lupus. No difference in the frequency of headache in the two groups were found and the incidence of hypertension, renal disease and steroid therapy was equally distributed among those with and without headache. A significantly higher incidence of hypertension was found in patients with central nervous system lupus erythematosus. We conclude that headache in systemic lupus erythematosus in the absence of neurologic symptoms or signs is no indication of central nervous system involvement by the process and that small vessel disease of the brain is not a cause of headache.
The Need for Psychodynamic Principles in Outreach to New Combat Veterans and their Families

Although Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has come to be understood in primarily biological terms, the problems of returning combat veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan (and indeed, of their families) are best understood in psychodynamic terms. Their needs would be better met through a public health model that incorporates progressive outreach and engagement of all new veterans rather than a traditional medical model which focuses only on those with a biological disorder. Work with new veterans and their families requires facilitation of their own adaptive processes (psychological, social, and biological). This approach carries with it the potential to reorient and revitalize the theory and practice of psychiatry.
Europa orbiter mission options

In August 2000, an independent assessment of the Europa Orbiter baseline mission was performed to evaluate the planned implementation. As part of this activity, multiple alternative mission concepts were investigated that could meet the full science objectives as well as concepts that could meet a reduced set of science objectives. The results of the study validated the estimated costs of the mission, while recommending a modified mission approach that reduced'the overall risk of the mission.
Automated simultaneous multiple feature classification of MTI data

Los Alamos National Laboratory has developed and demonstrated a highly capable system, GENIE, for the two-class problem of detecting a single feature against a background of non-feature. In addition to the two-class case, however, a commonly encountered remote sensing task is the segmentation of multispectral image data into a larger number of distinct feature classes or land cover types. To this end we have extended our existing system to allow the simultaneous classification of multiple features/classes from multispectral data. The technique builds on previous work and its core continues to utilize a hybrid evolutionary-algorithm-based system capable of searching for image processing pipelines optimized for specific image feature extraction tasks. We describe the improvements made to the GENIE software to allow multiple-feature classification and describe the application of this system to the automatic simultaneous classification of multiple features from MTI image data. We show the application of the multiple-feature classification technique to the problem of classifying lava flows on Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaii, using MTI image data and compare the classification results with standard supervised multiple-feature classification techniques.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Religion, Revolution and the Rise of Modern Nationalism: Reflections on the American Experience

In 1789, two months after the inauguration of George Washington as president of the “first new nation,” the foundering regime of Louis XVI, in the 802d year of Capetian rule in France, was forced to convene the Estates General. As the French crisis deepened, all of Europe was deeply stirred—and in radically diverse ways. One Sunday morning in the spring of 1791 some Tubingen University students, including the future philosophers Hegel and Schelling, were bold enough to celebrate the revolution's progress by erecting a Freedom Tree in a nearby meadow. A more characteristic response came in August of that year when the Hapsburg Emperor Leopold II, whose sister, Marie Antoinette, had recently been made a prisoner in the Tuilleries, joined the King of Prussia in the Declaration of Pillnitz. This threat of foreign intervention, in turn, awakened the French nation and brought the revolution to a new pitch of excitement. Paris soon heard for the first time the thrilling strains of La Marseillaise . While a citizens army marched off against the forces of Reaction, the newly elected delegates to a constitutional convention made their way to Paris. Then on 20 September 1792, the very day on which the Convention proclaimed the Year One of the French Republic, the Prussian march on Paris was gloriously halted at the battle of Valmy in the Argonne near Belgium.
MIMO radar diversity with Neyman-Pearson signal detection in non-Gaussian circumstance with non-orthogonal waveforms

The diversity gain of a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system adopting the Neyman-Pearson (NP) criterion is derived for a signal-present versus signal-absent scalar hypothesis test statistic and for a vector signal-present versus signal-absent hypothesis testing problem. The results are applied to a MIMO radar system with M transmit and N receive antennas, used to detect a target composed of Q random scatterers with possibly non-Gaussian reflection coefficients in the presence of possibly non-Gaussian clutter-plus-noise. It is found that the diversity gain for the MIMO radar system is dependent on the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of the reflection coefficients while invariant to the cdf of the clutter-plus-noise under some reasonable conditions. If the noise-free received waveforms at each receiver span a space of dimension M' ≤ M, the largest possible diversity gain is controlled by min (N M', Q) and the cdf of the magnitude square of a linear transformed version of the reflection coefficient vector. It is shown that properly chosen nonorthogonal waveforms can achieve the same diversity gain as orthogonal waveforms.
Parametric and Parametrically Smoothed Distribution‐Free Proportional Hazard Models with Discrete Data

This paper discusses discrete time proportional hazard models and suggests a new class of flexible hazard functions. Explicitly modeling the discreteness of data is important since standard continuous models are biased; allowing for flexibility in the hazard estimation is desirable since strong parametric restrictions are likely to be similarly misleading. Simulation compare continuous and discrete models when data are generated by grouping and demonstrate that simple approximations recover underlying hazards well and outperform nonparametric maximum likelihood estimates in term of mean squared error.
Blood Lactate Concentrations in Anesthetized Dogs with Intracranial Disease

Background: The importance of blood lactate concentrations in dogs with intracranial disease has not been established, despite frequently observed hyperlactatemia in dogs undergoing general anesthesia for advanced imaging, surgery, or both. Hypothesis: Blood lactate concentrations are elevated in anesthetized dogs with intracranial disease, compared with dogs with intervertebral disc disease (IVDD). Animals: Eighty-five hospitalized dogs undergoing advanced imaging, surgery, or both for primary neurologic disease; 30 with intracranial disease; 55 with IVDD. Methods: Retrospective study. Age, breed, neurologic diagnosis, time from anesthesia induction to measurement of blood lactate, blood lactate concentration under anesthesia, and concurrently measured heart rate, mean arterial pressure, PCV, arterial hemoglobin oxygen saturation, and arterial partial pressure of oxygen were included in a multivariable linear regression analysis. Results: Dogs with meningioma (adjusted mean lactate 2.99 mmol/L, 95% CL 2.21–4.05, P 2.5 mmol/L). Conclusions: Prospective studies are warranted to determine the degree and clinical importance of high blood lactate concentrations in dogs with intracranial disease.
Thermal acclimation changes DNA-binding activity of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) in the goby Gillichthys mirabilis: implications for plasticity in the heat-shock response in natural populations.

SUMMARY The intracellular build-up of thermally damaged proteins following exposure to heat stress results in the synthesis of a family of evolutionarily conserved proteins called heat shock proteins (Hsps) that act as molecular chaperones, protecting the cell against the aggregation of denatured proteins. The transcriptional regulation of heat shock genes by heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) has been extensively studied in model systems, but little research has focused on the role HSF1 plays in Hsp gene expression in eurythermal organisms from broadly fluctuating thermal environments. The threshold temperature for Hsp induction in these organisms shifts with the recent thermal history of the individual but the mechanism by which this plasticity in Hsp induction temperature is achieved is unknown. We examined the effect of thermal acclimation on the heat-activation of HSF1 in the eurythermal teleost Gillichthys mirabilis . After a 5-week acclimation period (at 13, 21 or 28°C) the temperature of HSF1 activation was positively correlated with acclimation temperature. HSF1 activation peaked at 27°C in fish acclimated to 13°C, at 33°C in the 21°C group, and at 36°C in the 28°C group. Concentrations of both HSF1 and Hsp70 in the 28°C group were significantly higher than in the colder acclimated fish. Plasticity in HSF1 activation may be important to the adjustable nature of the heat shock response in eurythermal organisms and the environmental control of Hsp gene expression.
Exploiting Semantic Query Context to Improve Search Ranking

One challenge for relevance ranking in Web search is underspecified queries. For such queries, top-ranked documents may contain information irrelevant to the search goal of the user; some newly-created relevant documents are ranked lower due to their freshness and to the large number of existing documents that match the queries. To improve the relevance ranking for underspecified queries requires better understanding of users' search goals. By analyzing the semantic query context extracted from the query logs, we propose Q-Rank to effectively improve the ranking of search results for a given query. Experiments show that Q-Rank outperforms the current ranking system of a large-scale commercial Web search engine, improving the relevance ranking for 82% of the queries with an average increase of 8.99% in terms of discounted cumulative gains. Because Q-Rank is independent of the underlying ranking algorithm, it can be integrated with existing search engines.
Simulating voltage collapse dynamics for power systems with constant power load models

Electromechanical transients are studied using transient stability simulators with differential-algebraic equation (DAE) models employing phasor network variables. While these simulators can follow the electromechanical transients (e.g., voltage and power swings) due to large disturbances with loads modeled as constant impedance, they may fail to converge under voltage collapse conditions for systems with constant power load models. This non-convergence has been attributed to a voltage collapse during the transient in the literature. This paper aims at addressing this non-convergence issue of the phasor based transient stability simulators using constant power load models. It presents a methodology for examining the voltage collapse trajectories by modeling constant power loads as voltage dependent impedance loads. Simulations on a two bus and a nine bus system for line switching disturbances show that the voltage collapse trajectories can be examined via the proposed voltage dependent impedance load model.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing of Acinetobacter spp. by NCCLS Broth Microdilution and Disk Diffusion Methods

Although both broth microdilution (BMD) and disk diffusion (DD) are listed by NCCLS as acceptable methods for testing Acinetobacter spp. for antimicrobial susceptibility, few studies have compared the results generated by the two methods. We tested 196 isolates of Acinetobacter spp. from nine U.S. hospitals and from the Centers for Disease Control culture collection by using BMD and DD and clinically appropriate antimicrobial agents. Categorical results for amikacin, ciprofloxacin, gatifloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, levofloxacin, meropenem, tobramycin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole were comparable for the two methods: there was only one very major (VM) error, with tobramycin, and only one major (M) error, with meropenem, when DD results were compared with BMD results. However, VM errors were frequent with the β-lactams and β-lactam-β-lactam inhibitor combinations, while M errors were often observed with tetracyclines. For BMD, tests frequently exhibited subtle growth patterns that were difficult to interpret, especially for β-lactams. If subtle growth (i.e., granular, small button, or “starry” growth) was considered positive, error rates between BMD and DD were unacceptably high for ampicillin-sulbactam (VM error, 9.8%; minor [m] error, 16.1%), piperacillin (VM error, 5.7%; m error, 13.5%), piperacillin-tazobactam (VM error, 9.3%; m error, 12.9%), ceftazidime (VM error, 6.2%; m error, 11.4%), cefepime (VM error, 6.2%; m error, 13.0%), cefotaxime (m error, 21.2%), ceftriaxone (m error, 23.3%), tetracycline (M error, 11.4%; m error, 32.1%), and doxycycline (M error, 2.6%). When subtle growth patterns were ignored, the agreement still did not achieve acceptable levels. To determine if the problems with BMD testing occurred in other laboratories, we sent frozen BMD panels containing β-lactam drugs and nine isolates to six labs with experience in performing BMD and DD. Among these laboratories, cefepime MICs ranged from ≤8 to ≥32 μg/ml for four of the nine strains, confirming the problem in interpreting BMD results. Discrepancies between the categorical interpretations of BMD and DD tests were noted primarily with cefepime and piperacillin, for which the BMD results were typically more resistant. Clinical laboratories should be aware of these discrepancies. At present, there are no data to indicate which method provides more clinically relevant information.
The risk of kidney cancer in patients with kidney stones: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background : The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between a history of kidney stones and kidney cancer. Methods : A literature search was performed from inception until June, 2014. Studies that reported odds ratios or hazard ratios comparing the risk of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and transitional cell carcinoma of the upper urinary tract (TCC) in patients with the history of kidney stones versus those without the history of kidney stones were included. Pooled risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using a random-effect, generic inverse variance method. Result : Seven studies were included in our analysis to assess the association between a history of kidney stones and RCC. The pooled RR of RCC in patients with kidney stones was 1.76 (95% CI, 1.24 - 2.49). The subgroup analysis found that the history of kidney stones was associated with increased RCC risk only in males (RR, 1.41 [95% CI, 1.11 - 1.80]), but not in females (RR, 1.13 [95% CI, 0.86-1.49]). Five studies were selected to assess the association between a history of kidney stones and TCC. The pooled RR of TCC in patients with kidney stones was 2.14 (95% CI, 1.35 – 3.40). Conclusion : Our study demonstrates a significant increased risk of RCC and TCC in patients with prior kidney stones. However, the increased risk of RCC was noted only in male patients. This finding suggests that a history of kidney stones is associated with kidney cancer and may impact clinical management and cancer surveillance.
Gastric Cancer: Endoscopic Diagnosis and Staging

Gastric cancer is common and is a cause of severe morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis can improve the chances of cure and prolong survival because prognosis is inversely related to the disease stage. Endoscopy plays an important role in diagnosis. Emerging adjunct technologies such as image-enhanced endoscopy and magnification endoscopy aid in early cancer detection. Endoscopic ultrasonography is an additional useful tool for preoperative staging. Endoscopy for screening, except for high-risk patients, and outside areas of high prevalence, remains controversial.
Adverse effects of ecologically relevant dietary mercury exposure in southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) larvae

Southern leopard frog (Rana sphenocephala) larvae were exposed to experimental diets supplemented with aufwuchs from control and mercury-enriched mesocosms combined in proportions intended to mimic mercury concentrations and speciation in aufwuchs observed from aquatic systems contaminated by atmospheric deposition. Observations on rates of mortality, malformation, and larval growth and development were made for 254 d. Increased incidence of mortality, malformation, and changes in growth and development were observed at concentrations that reflect the highest concentrations expected in the amphibian diet from atmospheric deposition (1,500-3,300 ng Hg/g dry wt). The results of this study are probably more ecologically realistic than results obtained from previous studies of aqueous mercury toxicity and suggest that dietary mercury exposure in habitats contaminated primarily by atmospheric deposition has the potential to cause adverse effects in amphibian larvae.
Optimal calibration of radiometer using Wiener filters

In microwave and millimetric radiometry, hot and cold blackbody targets of known temperature and emissivity are used to calibrate radiometers. The calibration process involves estimating two slowly time-varying system parameters (gain and offset) from noisy observations of these targets. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the application of optimal filters to the calibration of radiometers suitable for terrain mapping. The Wiener filter is found to be suitable. >
SYSTEMATICS AND ECOLOGY OF LYNGBYA SPP. AND ASSOCIATED SPECIES (CYANOPHYTA) IN A NEW ENGLAND SALT MARSH1,2

Field populations of the most abundant filamentous blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) from a northern New England salt marsh were examined for the presence of natural morphological clusters. A continuum in the distribution of average cell sizes and shapes for individual trichomes was evident. However, there was a high frequency of certain cell sizes (six cluster, which were also separated by several qualitatives characters (end cell shape, granule location, and cell color). In clonal cultures the trichomes of these culsters maintained the morphology of the original isolated trichome and thus morphology apperated to be stable. The clusters were either named according to Gietler's (1932.) terminology or assigned numbers if no adequate descriptions were availble: (1) Lyngyya and Phormidium spp., (2) Microcoleus chthonoplastes Thur. (3) Lyngbya sp.1, (4)Lyngbya sp. 2 (5) Lyngbya aestruarii (Mert.) Liebmann, and, (6) Lyngbya aestuarii (mert. Liebmann, and, (6) Lyngbya sp. 3. All goups had maximum asbundance in late summer. Microcoleus chthonoplastes occurred throughtout the; year, while Lyngbya aestuarri and Lynobya sp. 3 occurred throughout the summer and fall. It is concluded that both field and culture information are useful in enhancing our knowledge of blue-green algal systematics.