cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ambient toxicity dynamics: Assessments using Ceriodaphnia dubia and fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) larvae in short‐term tests

Seven-day-static-renewal tests with fathead minnow larvae (Pimephales promelas) and Ceriodaphnia dubia were conducted monthly and results were used to assess spatiotemporal patterns in toxicity at 15 sites in five streams that receive discharges from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). The stream-water samples were also analyzed for pH, conductivity, alkalinity, hardness and total residual chlorine (TRC). Relationships between the ambient toxicity test results and the chemical data were evaluated by (a) examining correlations between the two data sets across all site-test combinations and (b) principal components analyses (PCA). These approaches proved to be more appropriate than procedures typically used to evaluate effluent toxicity (e.g., analysis of variance followed by Dunnett's test or Fisher's exact test). On average, P. promelas growth and C. dubia fecundity differed little from site to site, but survival of the two species varied greatly from test to test at some sites. Mean survival and its site-specific C.V. were inversely related both for C. dubia and P. promelas (r = -0.857 and -0.810, respectively), and the slope of this relationship was greater for C. dubia than it was for P. promelas. Thus, (a) mortality patterns for both test species suggested that episodic events controlled overall patterns in ambient toxicity and (b) the C. dubia test appeared to be more sensitive than the P. promelas test. PCA identified two water quality factors (axis I, associated with hardness–conductivity, and axis II, strongly associated with TRC) that accounted for 60.5 and 17.6%, respectively, of the total variance in the chemical data. Multiple regression analyses of toxicity test response variables in relation to the two PCA factors showed that C. dubia survival was linked to axis II (p = 0.001) but not to axis I (p = 0.10). C. dubia fecundity was linked significantly to both (p = 0.011 and p = 0.019 for axes I and II, respectively). Neither survival nor growth of P. promelas was linked statistically to either axis. Occurrence-frequency distributions for TRC showed that concentrations high enough to kill either species were exceeded, on average, twice monthly at sites where survival of C. dubia and P. promelas tended to be low. Thus, TRC, which enters ORNL streams primarily as drinking water used in once-through cooling systems, was implicated as a toxicant governing the ambient toxicity test outcomes.
Hardware and software architecture of a bimanual mobile manipulator for industrial application

We present our recent work on the Soft- and Hardware-design of a bi-manual mobile manipulation platform that can be used to evaluate planing paradigms in different scenarios, especially for industrial applications. The integration of different hardware parts (platform, arms, hands, head) establishes a testbed for diverse software packages, especially our fast and flexible multilevel planning framework. The architecture of our system covers all levels of sense and control and enables the robot to carry out a wide range of tasks important for adaptive industrial production systems. To maximize usability in future factories, our robot can be programmed in an intuitive process with very little expert knowledge.
Permlyzer: Analyzing permission usage in Android applications

As one of the most popular mobile platforms, the Android system implements an install-time permission mechanism to provide users with an opportunity to deny potential risky permissions requested by an application. In order for both users and application vendors to make informed decisions, we designed and built Permlyzer, a general-purpose framework to automatically analyze the uses of requested permissions in Android applications. Permlyzer leverages the combination of runtime analysis and static examination to perform an accurate and in-depth analysis. The call stack-based analysis in Permlyzer can provide fine-grained information of the permission uses from various aspects include location, cause and purpose. More importantly, Permlyzer can automatically explore the functionality of an application and analyze the permission uses. Our evaluation using 51 malware/spyware families and over 110,000 Android applications demonstrates that Permlyzer can provide detailed permission use analysis and discover the characteristics of the permission uses in both benign and malicious applications.
Fine-structure splittings in 2F states of rubidium via three-step laser spectroscopy

Three-step laser excitation is employed to measure the ${}^{2}{F}_{5/2}{\ensuremath{-}}^{2}{F}_{7/2}$ fine-structure splittings in seven $n{}^{2}F$ manifolds of Rb for $4l~nl~10.$ The use of cycling transitions in the excitation process intensifies the spectra and simplifies signal detection. This sequence of seven measured splittings should serve as a useful test of fine-structure calculations in heavy alkali-metal atoms where complicated, noncentral field treatments of core polarization, configuration mixing, electron correlation, and/or relativistic effects are generally required.
Examination and Measurement of Halo Via Curvilinear Regression: A New Approach to Halo1

Much disagreement and confusion has surrounded the nature of the relationship between halo and performance rating accuracy. Traditionally, the relationship has been assumed to be linear (Cooper, 1981), but Fisicaro (1988) proposed that the relationship between halo and performance rating accuracy is, instead, curvilinear. Using the halo index suggested by Balzer & Sulsky (1992), the results of the present study provided empirical evidence to support Fisicaro's proposal. Future research examining the relationship between halo and accuracy should consider the use of quadratic models, instead of linear ones. For the practitioner, this result implies that low rating dimension intercorrelations (negative halo) may lead to inaccuracy in ratings in much the same way as do high rating dimension intercorrelations (positive halo).
Pedagogical Uses of Technology in Physical Education.

(2011). Pedagogical Uses of Technology in Physical Education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 82, No. 9, pp. 41-49.
Effect of synthetic human pancreatic growth hormone-releasing factors on plasma growth hormone concentrations in lactating cows.

Abstract Two fragments of human pancreatic growth hormone-releasing factor, hpGRF-(1-24)-NH 2 and hpGRF(1-29)-NH 2 , were administered to lactating dairy cows in separate experiments. Each experiment involved a 4×4 Latin square with treatments being intravenous administration of saline (controls) or three doses of releasing factor (500, 1000, and 2000 μ g). Administration of the 24-amino acid fragment increased plasma growth hormone concentration from baseline 3ng/ml to peak 14ng/ml within 10min. Growth hormone concentrations returned to baseline by 60min post treatment. The 29-amino acid fragment resulted in greater responses in both peak concentration (30ng/ml) and persistency (>240min). Relationships between dose of releasing factor and response in growth hormone release (as measured by area under the response curve) were not consistent in most cows. Responses of concentrations of growth hormone in blood plasma that result from intravenous injection of up to 2000 μ g of growth hormone-releasing factor (1-29) would not be sufficient to increase milk yield of cows.
Shatter cones and shocked rocks in southwestern Montana: The Beaverhead impact structure

Shatter cones that point steeply upward are present in abundance over an area >100 km{sup 2} in Belt Supergroup sandstone outcrops in Beaverhead County, southwestern Montana. Crushed sandstone with fragments dispersed in a fluidal textured, cryptocrystalline matrix of similar chemical composition has also been found. Absence of cones in adjacent units of Mississippian and younger are suggests a late Precambrian-early Paleozoic age for the formation of this newly discovered impact structure, only a small part of which is preserved in the complexly faulted terrain.
Tails of RNA polymerase II

Abstract Eukaryotic RNA polymerase II contains two distinct structural domains: a catalytic core consisting of subunits that are homologous to other multisubunit RNA polymerases, and a unique extension of the carboxy-terminus of the largest subunit comprising tandem repeats of the seven amino acid sequence YSPTSPS. This repetitive ‘tail' domain is essential for polymerase function in vivo . Although the nature of this essential function is unknown, actively transcribing RNA polymerase II is known to be multiphosphorylated on this repetitive domain.
HDTV-what's going on?

The economic and signal environment into which high-definition television (HDTV) must fit is described, and the resulting technology requirements are examined. These include advanced signal processing, image processing, communications, and display technology. The two factors dictating these requirements are examined: the need for compatibility with existing National Television Standards Committee (NTSC) broadcasts and home receivers and the finite available broadcast spectrum. The discussion is focused on the video aspects of HDTV, but HDTV is generally expected to include improved audio, probably some form of compressed digital audio requiring a data rate no greater than 500 kb/s per stereo pair. >
Oscillator bias and frequency response in nonlinear zero power kinetics

Abstract Assuming the classical zero power space independent kinetic equations are valid, the fractional change in neutron population is given by: δn n D =G(p)(k ex +k n . The expression G(p) represents the reactor transfer function in real time, and the equivalent reactivity is composed of an input reactivity kex and a nonlinear product kn, which is jointly dependent upon the input reactivity and the fractional change in the neutron density. A reactivity bias has been calculated which to a good approximation will result in a harmonic output. Assuming the sensitivity (δk/in.) of the oscillator to be linear, the stroke offset can be specified as a function of the oscillator frequency, lenght of stroke, sensitivity, and the effective l β
Changes in the amount of core light injection for fluorescent-clad optical fiber due to variations in the fiber refractive index and core radius: experimental results

Experiments were conducted to quantify the amount of light injected from a thin film of fluorescent sources confined at the core and cladding interface of an optical fiber, also referred to as a fluorosensor. Conditions necessary for high injection of fluorescent light, previously predicted by a theoretical model, have now been experimentally verified. The results show that, for side excitation, light injection from the thin-film source into guided modes increases with the fiber diameter and the difference between the core and the cladding refractive indices, ncore − nclad.
A visualization system for CT based pulmonary fissure analysis

ABSTRACT In this study we describe a visualization system of pulmonary fissures depicted on CT images. The purpose is to provide clinicians with an intuitive perception of a patients lung anatomy through an interactive examination of fissures, enhancing their understanding an d accurate diagnosis of lung diseases. This sy stem consists of four key components: (1) region-of-interest segmentation; (2) three-dimensional surface modeling; (3) fissure type classification; and (4) an interactive user interface, by which the extracted fissures are displayed flexibly in different space domains including image space, geometric space, and mixed space using simple toggling on and off operations. In this system, the different visualization modes allow users not only to examine the fissures themselves but also to analyze the relationship between fissures and their surrounding structures. In addition, the users can adjust thresholds interactively to visualize the fissure surface under different scanning and processing conditions. Such a visuali zation tool is expected to facilitate investigation of structures near the fissur es and provide an efficient visual aid for other applications such as treatment planning and assessment of therapeutic efficacy as well as education of medical professionals. Key Words : Computer-aided Detection (CAD), Segmenta tion, Visualization, Pulmonary Fissures.
Intraseasonal Modulation of Synoptic-Scale Disturbances and Tropical Cyclone Genesis in the Eastern North Pacific

AbstractThe influence of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) on synoptic-scale waves, important precursors to tropical cyclones and tropical cyclogenesis, is investigated using a regional model of the eastern North Pacific basin. Cyclogenesis frequency is evaluated with respect to the MJO using a combination of the regional model and the archive best-track data. The statistics of the regional model compare well to the data and suggest that the MJO predominantly deters cyclogenesis during the suppressed phase rather than enhances it during the active phase when compared to neutral conditions. Synoptic-scale variability of cloudiness and eddy kinetic energy and analysis of vortex track statistics show a consistent enhancement of wave strength during the active phases of the MJO supported by both barotropic energetics and tropospheric moisture availability. Vertical wind shear, of critical importance to cyclone development, also exhibits strong variability associated with the phase of the MJO but, contrary t...
Object isolation in FLIR images using Fisher's linear discriminant

Abstract Further computer results are presented on the use of Fisher's linear discriminant for pixel classification in object isolation of infrared images. A new form of theoretical error probability is proposed which compares very favorably with the experimental error probability.
Scattering from Spheroidal Composite Objects

Abstract The exterior scattering problem of electromagnetic waves from spheroidal objects or particles is considered. The particles are assumed to be composed of electrically dissimilar materials. This necessitates the modelling of the particle, for the exterior scattering problem, in terms of an inhomogeneous surface impedance. In this manner, the Leontovich boundary condition and the Moments method are invoked, to provide the solution to the scattering problem.
Polyaryleneimides of meso‐ and dl‐ 1,2,3,4‐butanetetracarboxylic acid dianhydrides

High molecular weight polyarylene amic acids have been prepared by reacting aromatic diamines with equimolar amounts of either meso-or dl-1,2,3,4-butanetetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (TCBA) in organic polar solvents. Heat converted these soluble precursors to insoluble polyimides having good high-temperature physical properties.
Flight system testbed

The Flight System Testbed comprises a group of test sets, including a permanent Jet Propulsion Laboratory testbed to be used for technology infusion (e.g., an advanced lightweight camera at an early stage of development that can be integrated into a virtual spacecraft and tested) and a series of project-specific testbeds. Cost and risk are reduced, problems can be solved prior to costly flight qualification, and advanced technology can be built into the spacecraft design much earlier and with greater confidence. As new technology is accepted, it will be infused into project-specific testbeds, producing an evolving body of knowledge that will be accessible to flight projects.
Effects of Legal BAC Limits on Fatal Crash Involvement: Analyses of 28 States from 1976 through 2002

Abstract Problem Hundreds of laws have been implemented in the United States over the past few decades designed to reduce alcohol-impaired driving and the crashes that often result. One approach has been to lower the legally allowable alcohol concentration for drivers. We examined the effects of changes in legal BAC limit in 28 U.S. states from January, 1976 to December, 2002. Method An interrupted time-series quasi-experimental design was used, incorporating non-alcohol-related crashes as comparisons. Four outcome measures of alcohol-related crash involvement were examined: single-vehicle nighttime, BAC = 0.01–0.07, BAC = 0.08–0.14, and BAC ≥ 0.15. Missing BAC test result data were handled by using multiple imputations. Analyses involved estimation of state-specific ARIMA models, controlling for other factors affecting overall crash rates and other major DUI policy changes. Inverse variance weighting methods were used to pool results across states for the most precise underlying estimate of effect of legal BAC limits. Results Considerable state by state variability in estimated effects was observed, but results from the pooled analyses were clear and consistent. Changes in legal BAC limits significantly affected alcohol-related fatal crash involvement for both the SVN and BAC test result measures, and the laws affected drivers at all drinking levels. Summary An estimated 360 deaths are prevented each year in the United States as a result of the move from a 0.10 to 0.08 legal limit in recent years, and an additional 538 lives could be saved each year if the United States reduced the limit to 0.05, consistent with limits in most countries worldwide. Impact on Industry Given the significant effects of lower legal BAC limits on fatal crash involvement, businesses should support implementation of laws that further reduce the legal BAC limit for all drivers. Furthermore, all companies should set higher standards for employees, such as a zero allowable BAC limit for driving during work time.
Permeability barriers to cytochrome‐c in nerves of adult and immature rats

Nerves in the tongues of adult and immature rats were examined with respect to their permeability to exogenous cytochrome-c (mol wt 12,000) injected into the tongue. The distribution of cytochrome-c was determined in cryostat sections on the basis of the peroxidase activity of this protein. Nerves of 14-day-old rats were permeable to injected cytochrome-c. The larger nerves of older animals showed only localized accumulations of cytochrome-c reaction product both between and within axons adjacent to endoneurial blood vessels. Reaction product was not found, however, in association with blood vessels penetrating nerves of the tongue that were not within the limits of tracer spread. In the smallest nerve branches, thin linear strands of reaction product filled the interstices between the nerve fibers.
The Limits of American Catholic Antifascism: The Case of John A. Ryan

Writing in the midst of World War II, the Italian exiles Gaetano Salvemini and Giorgio La Piana charged that the Catholic church in America had bestowed its blessing upon Benito Mussolini and fascism.1 In discussing this charge the historian John Diggins admitted that “at first glance it does appear that the American clergy had indeed composed a political choir in behalf of Fascism.”2 Diggins portrayed a large number of Catholic clergy led by figures like Cardinal William O'Connell of Boston and Father Charles E. Coughlin who found occasion to praise Mussolini. He outlined the views of the major Catholic periodicals and discovered that only the Paulist-sponsored Catholic World took exception to fascism with any consistency.3 Nonetheless, Diggins partially dismissed the charge of Salvemini and La Piana. He argued that the Catholic church in the United States during the interwar years was not a pro-Fascist monolith and briefly touched on the anti-Fascist endeavors of such individuals as Monsignor Joseph Giarrochi, Father Francis Duffy, and Father James Gillis, C.S.P., the erstwhile editor of the Catholic World. Notably, Diggins accorded particular status among Catholic anti-Fascists to Monsignor John A. Ryan, whom he described as having waged “a relentless assault upon Mussolini's dictatorship and upon the Catholic defense of Fascism” and as being “the theological thorn in the flesh of complacent Catholic apologists for Fascism.”4
Glucocorticoid-induced ketoacidosis in gestational diabetes : Sequela of the acute treatment of preterm labor : A case report

Pregnancy induces complex changes in energy metabolism, manifested clinically by insulin resistance, low fasting blood glucose levels, and proneness to ketosis. It is quite unusual for pregnant women who do not have type I diabetes to progress from ketosis to frank ketoacidosis, although this phenomenon is common in larger mammals. In the case described here, glucocorticoid administration in the setting of a prolonged fast triggered a metabolic cascade leading to ketoacidosis in a pregnant woman without type I diabetes. Other details of this illustrative case serve to synthesize several disparate observations regarding the pathogenesis of pregnancy ketoacidosis. Physicians should be aware of the potential for rapidly developing ketoacidosis with atypical biochemical and clinical features in pregnant women who are treated with high doses of glucocorticoids.
Successful Treatment of Rapid Onset, Symptomatic de novo Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis Following Liver Transplantation: A Case Report

A 45 year old female with a body mass index (BMI) of 24 underwent successful liver transplantation (LT) for alcoholic cirrhosis using a donor liver from an obese woman with microvesicular steatosis (80%) and minimal macrovesicular steatosis (5–10%) on liver biopsy. Ascites and hepatosplenomegaly developed soon after LT with progressive increase of serum alkaline phosphatase to 1340 IU/L while aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT), and total bilirubin remained normal. Imaging showed marked hepatomegaly, extensive fatty infiltration of the liver, and compression of the hepatic veins with narrowing of the intrahepatic inferior vena cava (IVC). Liver biopsy on post-operative day 39 revealed 90–100% macrovesicular steatosis, steatohepatitis, and portal fibrosis. A hepatic venogram showed a 10 cm segment of intrahepatic IVC stenosis that was stented, improving portal venous pressure measurements. However, portal hypertension requiring diuretic therapy and multiple paracenteses remained. By 3 months after LT, her liver had grown to 22 cm, transaminases increased 2–4 times the upper limit of normal with a 2:1 AST to ALT ratio. Liver biopsy at post-LT day 82 showed no change in steatosis and steatohepatitis despite corticosteroid withdrawal and interval periportal and perisinusoidal fibrosis. 12 weeks after LT, the patient was found to have low apolipoprotein B (65 mg/dL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) (<10 mg/dL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL) (9 mg/dL), and total cholesterol (<50 mg/dL) levels. Therapy was started for NASH with high dose (800 IU daily) vitamin E and pioglitazone 15 mg daily, and she received topical vegetable oil and oral essential fatty acid supplements. Liver enzymes normalized after 3 months and her lipid profile improved markedly (HDL 27 mg/dL, total cholesterol 128 mg/dL), with progressive decrease in liver size and resolution of ascites after 5 months of therapy. At 2 years post-LT, the liver enzymes remain normal and lipids have normalized.
Fetal Grafting in Animal Models of Spinal Cord Injury

The pathological sequelae of spinal cord injury (SCI) are complex and generally result in chronic neuronal loss, axonal damage, and demyelination. Although there have been several experimental therapeutic approaches studied to repair the chronically injured spinal cord, one strategy that has shown considerable promise is fetal tissue grafting. Building upon early work with fetal rat allografts, more recent work reviewed herein showed that this approach could promote recovery of function in a phylogenetically higher species, such as adult cats. Additional preclinical studies have demonstrated successful xenografting of human fetal tissue into the adult rat spinal cord and have revealed the influence of lesion conditions and tissue preparation on graft development. These results suggest that fetal tissue grafting may play a role in the repair of chronic human SCI.
An Assessment of Three Portable Peak Flow Meters

Peak flow has become widely used as an independent measure of long function, particularly in asthma, because it can be quickly and easily determined by simple portable instrumentation. Three relatively inexpensive devices, the Armstrong mini-Wright peak flow meter, Vitalograph pulmonary monitor, and HealthScan peak flow meter, were tested for accuracy and reproducibility. Five units of each type were individually connected in series to a pneumotachograph, and 20 measurements (five in each of four flow ranges) were made on each unit at pulsatile flows ranging from 120 to 400 Lpm. The mean percentage of discrepancy (D%) for each instrument of a particular model was calculated at each flow range, and these subsequently averaged to give an inter-instrument percentage of discrepancy at each flow for each model. Intra-instrument variability was also assessed as the mean percentage of discrepancy for all flow rates for each individual instrument While only the Armstrong mini-wright peak flow meter meets flow range criteria established by the American Thoracic Society and American College of Chest Physisians for flow devices, only the HealthScan-Organon peak flow meter meets the established criteria for accuracy and reproducibility.
Multilayers for soft X-ray optics

Normal-incidence figured reflectors for soft X-rays using multilayer coatings have been produced and successfully used in the last several years. Very recently, the first X-ray image of an astronomical object by a multilayer reflector has been obtained. Partially transmitting optics that are possible with current technology and may contribute to the development of short-wavelength lasers and interferometry are reviewed. >
On immorality of terrorism and war

The author first analyzes differences and similarities between war and terrorism and then argues that both are deeply immoral. Their differences are far less significant that their similarities, the main one of which consists in the denial of the view that every human life is equally worthy. This denial opens a way for an inhuman and violent treatment of those (enemies, others) who are not as valuable as we are, which characterizes both terrorism and war. Besides having such unacceptable moral implications with regards to the treatment of other human beings, a further common and troubling implication of terrorism and war consists in the fact that dehumanization of others leads also to a dehumanization of ourselves. .
The influence of cold-torpor and water deprivation on plasma and kidney glycosaminoglycans in emydine turtles.

Abstract 1. 1. Plasma, liver and kidney acid glycosaminoglycan levels were measured in turtles subjected to water deprivation and temperature-conditioning. 2. 2. Dehydration did not alter plasma glycosaminoglycan levels; however, all glycosaminoglycan fractions were significantly higher in animals conditioned at 21°C than in cold-torpid animals. 3. 3. In December, dehydration produced a drop in liver and kidney hyaluronic acid levels in female Chrysemys scripta elegans. In the summer, water deprivation produced a gradual increase in kidney hyaluronic acid. 4. 4. Kidney hyaluronic acid is related to the ability of turtles to conserve water and the relationship may vary during the annual cycle.
Stress-dependent elastic anisotropy of sandstones

Elastic wave velocities in sandstones vary with stress due to the presence of discontinuities such as grain boundaries and microcracks within the rock. In the presence of non-hydrostatic stress fields the elastic wave velocities in sandstones often show significant stress-induced anisotropy. The elastic anisotropy due to any discontinuities within the rock can be written in terms of a second-rank and a fourth-rank tensor which quantify the effect on the elastic wave velocities of the orientation distribution and normal and shear compliances of the discontinuities. This allows elastic wave velocity measurements to be inverted to obtain the components of these tensors. Application of the method to ultrasonic velocity measurements made in a triaxial loading frame shows that a simple theory using only the second-rank tensor allows the P-wave stress-induced anisotropy to be predicted to reasonable accuracy from the S-wave anisotropy and vice versa, thus confirming the correctness of the underlying model. Deviations between the measurements and the predictions of this simplified theory are used to determine the ratio of the normal to shear compliance of the discontinuities. The discontinuities are found to be more compliant in shear than in compression.
Worst-case performance prediction under supply voltage and temperature variation

The power delivery network (PDN) is a major consumer of interconnect resources in deep-submicron designs (i.e., more than 30% of the entire routing area) [18]. Hence, efficient early-stage PDN optimization enables the designers to ensure a desired power-performance envelope. On the other hand as technology scales, gate delays become more sensitive to power supply variation. In addition, emerging 3D designs are more prone to supply voltage and temperature variation due to increased power density. In this paper, we develop accurate inverter cell delay and output slew models under supply voltage and temperature variation. Our models are within 6% of SPICE simulations on average. We use our single-cell delay and output slew models to estimate the delay of a path (i.e., an inverter chain, etc.). We also present a methodology to find the worst-case input configuration (i.e., input slew, output load, cell size, noise magnitude, noise slew, noise offset and temperature) that causes the delay of the given path is maximized. We believe that our models can efficiently drive accurate worst-case performance-driven PDN optimization.
What Do We Know and What Can We Learn from Families Created Through Egg Donation

SINCE THE FIRST CHILD WAS BORN IN 1984 IN AUSTRALIA AS A RESULT of egg donation, one could safely say that egg donation is no longer in its infancy. Oocyte donation has, in fact, become included as...
A unified data model for representing multimedia, timeline, and simulation data

This paper describes a unified data model that represents multimedia, timeline, and simulation data utilizing a single set of related data modeling constructs. A uniform model for multimedia types structures image, sound, video, and long text data in a consistent way, giving multimedia schemas and queries a degree of data independence even for these complex data types. Information that possesses an intrinsic temporal element can all be represented using a construct called a stream. Streams can be aggregated into parallel multistreams, thus providing a structure for viewing multiple sets of time-based information. The unified stream construct permits real-time measurements, numerical simulation data, and visualizations of that data to be aggregated and manipulated using the same set of operators. Prototypes based on the model have been implemented for two medical application domains: thoracic oncology and thermal ablation therapy of brain tumors. Sample schemas, queries, and screenshots from these domains are provided. Finally, a set of examples is included for an accompanying visual query language discussed in detail in another document.
Formal languages and enumeration

Abstract We present a theory of generating functions in countably many non-commuting variables. This generalizes the theory of context free languages. Applications are given to compositions of a number, rooted planar tree, dissected polygons, and the theory of simple random walks.
SINGLE PEAKED FUZZY PREFERENCES IN ONE-DIMENSIONAL MODELS: DOES BLACK'S MEDIAN VOTER THEOREM HOLD?

Black's Median Voter Theorem is among the more useful mathematical tools available to political scientists for predicting choices of political actors based on their preferences over a finite set of alternatives within an institutional or constitutional setting. If the alternatives can be placed on a single-dimensional continuum such that the preferences of all players descend monotonically from their ideal point, then the outcome will be the alternative at the median position. We demonstrate that the Median Voter Theorem holds for fuzzy preferences. Our approach considers the degree to which players prefer options in binary relations.
Adaptive compressed sensing architecture in wireless brain-computer interface

Wireless sensor nodes advance the brain-computer interface (BCI) from laboratory setup to practical applications. Compressed sensing (CS) theory provides a sub-Nyquist sampling paradigm to improve the energy efficiency of electroencephalography (EEG) signal acquisition. However, EEG is a structure-variational signal with time-varying sparsity, which decreases the efficiency of compressed sensing. In this paper, we present a new adaptive CS architecture to tackle the challenge of EEG signal acquisition. Specifically, we design a dynamic knob framework to respond to EEG signal dynamics, and then formulate its design optimization into a dynamic programming problem. We verify our proposed adaptive CS architecture on a publicly available data set. Experimental results show that our adaptive CS can improve signal reconstruction quality by more than 70% under different energy budgets while only consuming 187.88 nJ/event. This indicates that the adaptive CS architecture can effectively adapt to the EEG signal dynamics in the BCI.
Peer victimization among students with specific language impairment, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and typical development.

Purpose The potential contributions of behavioral and verbal liabilities to social risk were examined by comparing peer victimization levels in children with specific language impairment (SLI) to t...
Low-temperature property investigation of the lead indium-niobate-lead nickel-niobate solid solution

Abstract The complex perovskite solid solution (1− x ) Pb(In 1/2 Nb 1/2 )O 3 –( x ) Pb(Ni 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 has been successfully prepared by the Columbite precursor method. The temperature dependencies of the dielectric constant and pyroelectric coefficient were measured between −261 and 200 °C. Relaxor ferroelectric behavior has been noticed in all compositions across the solid solution. The room-temperature electrostrictive coefficient, Q 33 , was 1.83×10 −2 C 2 /m 4 for x =0.10. No room-temperature piezoelectric activity was detected; however, upon cooling to −261 °C the maximum coupling coefficients k p =29%, k t =11%, and k 33 =31% were observed for the composition x =1.00.
Can ‘Downward Causation’ Save Free Will?

Recently, Trenton Merricks has defended a libertarian view of human freedom. He claims that human persons have downward causal control of their constituent parts, and that downward causal control of this sort is sufficient for free will. In this paper I examine Merricks’s defense of free will, and argue that it is unsuccessful. I show that having downward causal control is not sufficient for for free will. In an Appendix I also argue that Merricks’s defense of free will, together with assumptions implicit in his broader ontology, commit him to the implausible conclusion that determinism is incompatible with the existence of human persons.
Liquid-sheath-flow electrospray ionization feasibility study of direct water analysis with the use of high-resolution ion-mobility spectrometry

Ion-mobility spectrometry (IMS) in conjunction with radioactive ionization sources has been employed for field-portable applications for the past two decades. Recently, electrospray ionization (ESI) sources have been shown as a viable ionization source with IMS in- struments, enablingthe analysis of many nonvolatile compounds. Introduction of a liquid-sheath-flow ESI source enabled the direct analysis of water samples. The ESI source was built with relatively simple lightweight components, makingit feasible for use in field applica- tions. A comparison between traditional ESI solvent con- ditions (water plus organic solvent) and the liquid- sheath-flow concept shows the new source to be able to spray water samples directly without prior sample prep- aration. The novel electrospray ionization source was evaluated with two nonfiltered water samples, one from a snow sample and the other obtained from a local stream. In both cases, 1 ppm of Terbutryn (a widely used herbicide) was easily detected. 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Field Analyt Chem Technol 5: 91-96, 2001
Erythrocyte deformation in high-throughput optical stretchers

Optical stretchers can be used to quantify elastic and homeostatic properties of cells. Because they can apply forces to cells without requiring direct contact, they may noninvasively measure mechanical properties related to cell and membrane health. Present-day optical stretchers are, however, limited to measurements on individual stationary cells, limiting throughput. To overcome this limitation and allow study of variations in cell populations, we recently developed and tested a microfluidic chamber that measures optical stretching parameters for erythrocytes under dynamic flowing conditions. The method uses a single linear diode laser bar and permitted measurements at low flow rates and higher throughput. Here, we numerically investigate the feasibility of further increasing the measurement rates of the optical stretcher in parameter domains where hydrodynamic and optical forces are of comparable magnitude. To do this we couple a recently implemented dynamic optical ray-tracing technique with a fluid-structure interaction solver to simulate the deformation of osmotically swollen erythrocytes in fluid flow of variable rate. Our results demonstrate that a detectable steady-state stretch is induced at nominal optical powers and flow rates. In addition, we find that flow rates can be increased significantly with no major effect on net cell stretch showing the feasibility of application of this technique at greatly increased throughputs.
An Integrated Environment for Urban Simulation

This paper presents a strategy for integrating a fully three-dimensional environmental simulation system with an industry-standard computer-aided design system and a traditional two-dimensional geographic information system and databases. The integrated system provides a full package for modeling, exploration, and display of alternative physical environments. The proposed links between the systems are discussed with respect to the efficiency of the simulation process as well as the user interface.
Opercular regulation in the polychaete Hydroides dianthus (verrill, 1873) II Control of opercular regulation †

When the adult functional operculum of the serpulid polychaete Hydroides dianthus is amputated at any level below the secondary cup, the rudimentary operculum develops into a functional one. Concomitantly a new rudimentary operculum regenerates from the stump of the former functional operculum. This reversal of asymmetry is proportional to the degree of injury (e.g., amputation > crushing > ligation > puncture). Amputating the rudimentary operculum does not affect the functional one, but in some cases the regenerating rudimentary operculum may differentiate into a second functional operculum. When distal portions of both opercula are removed, reversal occurs, and if the two opercula are amputated simultaneously at the base, a functional operculum regenerates on the side opposite its original position. If, however, the branchial apparatus is amputated together with both the functional and rudimentary opercula, the latter tends to regenerate on the original side. Thus the opercular regulatory system distinguishes between degrees and types of injury to the functional operculum, and the branchiae may be involved in opercular relationships. If the animal is decerebrated or the supraoesophageal ganglion is bisected, the opercula are still able to reverse normally. No reversal occurs when the external opercular nerves are severed, but in about one-third of the animals reversal occurred after section of the internal nerve. No direct nervous connection is involved in opercular communications, but the internal opercular nerve is implicated in stimulating reversal.
Sulfur oxidation by phototrophic bacteria

II. Patterns of sulfur oxidation by phototrophic bacteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 A. Chlorobiaceae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191 B. Chromat iaceae . .-, . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193 C. Ectothiorhodospiraceae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 D. Rhodospiril laceae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 E. The role of polysulfides in sulfide oxidation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196 F. Sulfide toxicity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Pyopneumopericardium due to an esophagopericardial fistula: treatment with a coated expandable metal stent.

Esophagopericardial fistula is a rare complication of both benign and malignant esophageal diseases and is often associated with extremely high mortality rates.1,2 Self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) are being increasingly used for the palliation of patients with malignant esophageal obstruction as well as the treatment of esophageal perforation and fistula.3-5 Covered metal stents have been developed to prevent tumor ingrowth and other problems associated with bare metal stents. This is an unusual case of esophagopericardial fistula complicating advanced esophageal adenocarcinoma with pyopneumopericardium, in which a coated SEMS was used, with successful short-term palliation. CASE REPORT
Competitive Hebbian learning and the hippocampal place cell system: modeling the interaction of visual and path integration cues.

The hippocampus has long been thought essential for implementing a cognitive map of the environment. However, almost 30 years since place cells were found in rodent hippocampal field CA1, it is still unclear how such an allocentric representation arises from an egocentrically perceived world. By means of a competitive Hebbian learning rule responsible for coding visual and path integration cues, our model is able to explain the diversity of place cell responses observed in a large set of electrophysiological experiments with a single fixed set of parameters. Experiments included changes observed in place fields due to exploration of a new environment, darkness, retrosplenial cortex inactivation, and removal, rotation, and permutation of landmarks. To code for visual cues for each landmark, we defined two perceptual schemas representing landmark bearing and distance information over a linear array of cells. The information conveyed by the perceptual schemas is further processed through a network of adaptive layers which ultimately modulate the resulting activity of our simulated place cells. In path integration terms, our system is able to dynamically remap a bump of activity coding for the displacement of the animal in relation to an environmental anchor. We hypothesize that path integration information is computed in the rodent posterior parietal cortex and conveyed to the hippocampus where, together with visual information, it modulates place cell activity. The resulting network yields a more direct treatment of partial remapping of place fields than other models. In so doing, it makes new predictions regarding the nature of the interaction between visual and path integration cues during new learning and when the system is challenged with environmental changes. Hippocampus 2001;11:216–239. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Three-dimensional ultrasound imaging for diagnosis of urethrovaginal fistula

We present a novel technique for visualization of a urethrovaginal fistula. A 52-year-old patient presented with persistent urinary incontinence, after having three mid-urethral sling procedures performed within the past year. The diagnosis of a urethrovaginal fistula was made by endovaginal 3-D endovaginal ultrasound and confirmed intraoperatively. We have described a novel technique that may benefit patients with urethrovaginal fistulas that are difficult to visualize.
A New Paradigm: Authorizing a Rhetorical Ground in Technology Transfer

This work was based on a case study of a university institute designed to bring university and industry leaders together to promote research and economic development. The article examines how key terms in technology transfer not only justified the institute but also constituted a ground for negotiating interests. Framed by Burke's and Bourdieu's theories of motive and space, the analysis examines the question of who or what authorizes the grounds for success in technology transfer.
An adenoviral vector expressing the glucose transporter protects cultured striatal neurons from 3-nitropropionic acid

Considerable interest has focused on the possibility of using gene transfer techniques to introduce protective genes into neurons around the time of necrotic insults. We have previously used herpes simplex virus amplicon vectors to overexpress the rat brain glucose transporter, Glut-1 (GT), and have shown it to protect against a variety of necrotic insults both in vitro and in vivo, as well as to buffer neurons from the steps thought to mediate necrotic injury. It is critical to show the specificity of the effects of any such transgene overexpression, in order to show that protection arises from the transgene delivered, rather than from the vector delivery system itself. As such, we tested the protective potential of GT overexpression driven, in this case, by an adenoviral vector, against a novel insult, namely exposure of primary striatal cultures to the metabolic poison, 3-nitropropionic acid (3NP). We observed that GT overexpression buffered neurons from neurotoxicity induced by 3NP.
Classroom artifacts: merging the physicality, technology and pedagogy of higher education

Basic research on teaching in the learning spaces on university campuses is rare, and existing literature on the use of technology in higher education tends to focus on integration without regard for the content being taught. In this paper we analyzed eight video cases of university teaching, paying special attention to classroom artifacts (technological or otherwise) and the content-specific contexts of their use. A grounded-theory framework was created which represents a first step toward describing the various artifacts and technologies in higher education classrooms and some pedagogical purposes toward which they are used. A case study is presented in further detail, which illuminates how faculty can use concrete and abstract learning artifacts to convey and construct multiple representations of expert knowledge for students.
Septal self-stimulation and hippocampal activity

Abstract Rats were tested for self-stimulation while hippocampal electrical activity was recorded. Two types of septal stimulation were used, which drove or blocked hippocampal theta rhythm, with current intensity and coulombs held constant. Animals self-stimulated whether stimulation produced theta driving or blocking. There were no differences in self-stimulation threshold, rate of response, or train length preferences. The data supplement earlier experiments in showing that neither of these hippocampal activities play a necessary role in reward.