cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TU-F-18C-09: Mammogram Surveillance Using Texture Analysis for Breast Cancer Patients After Radiation Therapy

Purpose: To study the feasibility of applying cancer risk model established from treated patients to predict the risk of recurrence on follow-up mammography after radiation therapy for both ipsilateral and contralateral breast. Methods: An extensive set of textural feature functions was applied to a set of 196 Mammograms from 50 patients. 56 Mammograms from 28 patients were used as training set, 44 mammograms from 22 patients were used as test set and the rest were used for prediction. Feature functions include Histogram, Gradient, Co-Occurrence Matrix, Run-Length Matrix and Wavelet Energy. An optimum subset of the feature functions was selected by Fisher Coefficient (FO) or Mutual Information (MI) (up to top 10 features) or a method combined FO, MI and Principal Component (FMP) (up to top 30 features). One-Nearest Neighbor (1-NN), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Nonlinear Discriminant Analysis (NDA) were utilized to build a risk model of breast cancer from the training set of mammograms at the time of diagnosis. The risk model was then used to predict the risk of recurrence from mammogram taken one year and three years after RT. Results: FPM with NDA has the best classification power in classifying the training set of the mammogram withmore » lesions versus those without lesions. The model of FPM with NDA achieved a true positive (TP) rate of 82% compared to 45.5% of using FO with 1-NN. The best false positive (FP) rates were 0% and 3.6% in contra-lateral breast of 1-year and 3-years after RT, and 10.9% in ipsi-lateral breast of 3-years after RT. Conclusion: Texture analysis offers high dimension to differentiate breast tissue in mammogram. Using NDA to classify mammogram with lesion from mammogram without lesion, it can achieve rather high TP and low FP in the surveillance of mammogram for patient with conservative surgery combined RT.« less
MEASUREMENTS OF CROSS SECTIONS FOR ELECTRON-IMPACT EXCITATION INTO THE METASTABLE LEVELS OF ARGON AND NUMBER DENSITIES OF METASTABLE ARGON ATOMS

The technique of laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) has been applied to measure the cross sections for electron-impact excitation into the metastable levels of argon atoms as well as the number densities of the argon metastable atoms produced by electron excitation. A monoenergetic electron beam excites the ground-state atoms into the 3[ital p][sup 5]4[ital s] [sup 3][ital P][sub 0],[sup 3][ital P][sub 2] metastable levels (1[ital s][sub 3] and 1[ital s][sub 5] in Paschen's notation) and a pulsed laser pumps the atoms of a metastable level to a level in the 3[ital p][sup 5]4[ital p] configuration (2[ital p] in Paschen's notation). The transient LIF from the 2[ital p] level is shown to be proportional to the apparent cross section of the metastable level and to the metastable number densities so that measurements of LIF enable us to determine both metastable cross sections and number densities. Methods for absolute calibration are described. We obtain both the apparent and direct excitation cross sections for each of the two metastable levels for electron energies from threshold to 200 eV and the results are compared with previous experimental and theoretical works. The pulsed LIF technique is also used to determine the disappearance rates of the metastable atomsmore » after the electron beam is turned off. Two distinct decay modes are found and the observed behaviors are consistent with calculations based on diffusion theory.« less
Numerical simulation of a fuel droplet laden exothermic reacting mixing layer

Numerical simulations are conducted of two-dimensional exothermic reacting mixing layers laden with liquid fuel droplets. An irreversible reaction of the form Fuel þ r Oxidizer !ð 1 þ rÞProducts þ Heat with Arrhenius kinetics is considered where the fuel species consists of both a gaseous fuel stream and liquid fuel droplets. A variety of configurations are simulated including cases for which the droplet species and/or the carrier fuel is either reacting or non-reacting. The droplets are tracked individually in the Lagrangian reference frame while the compressible form of the Navier–Stokes equations together with transport equations for all species govern the gas phase. The simulation parameters study the effects of the fuel composition, reaction stoichiometry, mass loading ratio, droplet Stokes number and the flow forcing amplitude. The simulations reveal that non-reacting carrier fuel configurations fail to achieve robust combustion, suggesting the primary role of carrier gas fuel to the reaction. Local flame extinction is markedly increased for non-reacting fuel droplets due to latent heat effects. In contrast, liquid droplets which contribute fuel to the reaction overcome the associated latent heat effects and show a relatively robust reaction with minimal local extinction. 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
Satisfying Data-Intensive Queries Using GPU Clusters

Data-intensive queries should be run on GPU clusters to increase throughput, and Global Address Spaces (GAS) should be used to support compiler optimizations that can increase total throughput by fully utilizing memory and GPUs across nodes in the cluster.
Neural networks for the recognition of skilled arm and hand movements

In this paper we are focusing on the discrimination and recognition of arm movements described in terms of the evolution of the joint angles during the trajectory of the movement. Considering this as a classification problem, we could use a three layered feedforward network trained by the backpropagation learning algorithm to discriminate between arm movements described in the representation proposed by Marr and Vaina (1982) and Vaina and Bennour (1985). We discuss the contribution of the sampling rate for the value of the joint angles in the input layers, the number of angles necessary for a good recognition of the movement. We introduce a new method for determining the size of the network at input stage, which eliminates the unnecessary data in the training set. The effect of changing the number of frames used to train the network for each movement and the properties of the backpropagation algorithm in this application are discussed. We demonstrate that a description of movements at multiple scales of resolution organized from general to particular is conducive to an efficient learning scheme in the network. The main result obtained is that the discrimination between different arm movements is most efficiently obtained at the appropriate and most meaningful scale of resolution, as predicted by the Marr and Vaina's model.
Rapid determination of salicylate in serum on a centrifugal analyzer

A bichromatic method is described for the determination of salicylate using a micro centrifugal analyzer. Salicylate was quantitated based on its reaction with ferric ion to produce a violet-colored complex. The method provides sample blanking and allows for rapid determination of salicylate levels in serum.
A meta-analysis of empirical studies of weight-based bias in the workplace

Abstract For nearly 30 years researchers have investigated how bodyweight affects evaluative workplace outcomes, such as hiring decisions and performance appraisals. Despite this, no meta-analytic review has been undertaken to quantify the negative impact that bodyweight has on such outcomes. The results of this meta-analytic study suggest that in relation to non-overweight individuals in the workplace, overweight individuals may be disadvantaged across evaluative workplace outcomes ( d = −.52). Further, differences in magnitude of the effects of weight-based bias were found for hiring ( d = −.70) and performance ( d = −.23) outcomes.
Transformations of the Ketubbah ; or, the Gallery of Broken Marriages

Ketubbot (Jewish marriage contracts) exemplify the dynamics of ritual objects in Jewish life from ancient times to the present. Though often characterized in modern publications and museum exhibitions as demonstrating the continuity of traditional practice, their history is characterized less by endurance than by transformation, as a shifting series of purposes are assigned to the ketubbah: legal document, ritual object, collectible, artifact, domestic artwork. Each of these purposes entails its own contestations of the ketubbah’s significance, thereby challenging claims that these objects betoken cultural (and, by implication, demographic) continuity. The contemporary design of ketubbot offer an unprecedented array of aesthetic possibilities, and the practices surrounding their creation and disposition following the wedding (including their fate in cases of divorce) sometimes challenge rabbinic authority, familiar customs, and the conventions of Jewish public culture. These most recent developments in the long trajectory of ketubbot reveal how disjuncture and contestation figure as animating forces in Jewish life.
Overview of the IBM Java just-in-time compiler

We present the design and implementation of several optimizations and techniques included in the latest IBM JavaTM Just-in-Time (JIT) Compiler. We first discuss some of the modifications we have applied to Sun Microsystems' reference implementation of the Java Virtual Machine (JVMTM) Specification to increase the performance, including a change in the object layout. We then describe each of the optimizations, referring to what had to be taken into account because of both the just-in-time nature of the compiler and the requirements of the Java language specification, such as exception checking. We also present code generation techniques targeting Intel architectures, describing the register allocation schemes, exception handling, and code scheduling. Finally we report on the performance of the IBM JIT compiler, showing both the effectiveness of the individual optimizations and the competitive overall performance of the JIT compiler in comparison with a competitor, using industry-standard benchmarking programs. All the techniques presented here are included in the official product (JIT Compiler version 3.0), which has been integrated into the IBM Developer Kit for WindowsTM, Java Technology Edition, Version 1.1.7.
Early Application of Negative Work via Eccentric Ergometry Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Case Report

Study Design Case report. Objectives To present a progressively increasing negative-work exercise program via eccentric ergometry early after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL-R) and to suggest the potential of negative work to amplify the return of quadriceps size and strength. Case Description The patient was a 26-year-old highly active recreational athlete who sustained an ACL tear while skiing in January 2004 and then again while skiing in February 2005. This individual underwent an arthroscopically assisted ACL-R with a double-loop semitendinosus-gracilis autograft initially, then a patellar tendon autograft following his ACL graft rupture. Beginning within 3 weeks after surgery, a progressive negative-work exercise program was initiated using an eccentric ergometer. The patient completed 31 training sessions of 5 to 30 minutes in duration over a 12-week period following the ACL-R and 33 training sessions of the same frequency and duration following the ACL revision. Outcomes Following A...
Early effect of progesterone on GPRx endocytosis in xenopus oocytes

Xenopus oocytes are naturally arrested at prophase of meiosis I for sustained periods of time before resuming meiosis in a process called maturation that prepares the egg for fertilization. GPRx is a G-Protein coupled Receptor (GPCR) expressed in Xenopus oocytes that sustains its meiotic arrest by increasing intracellular levels of cAMP via GaSs? proteins. Progesterone (PG) is the widely used hormone to release Xenopus oocytes meiotic arrest by reducing cAMP levels via its non-classical membrane PG receptor. However and to date the exact mechanism by which PG decreases cAMP levels and releases the meiotic arrest is still unclear. In this study we aimed to determine if PG treatment can promote GPRx desensitization and endocytosis leading to Xenopus oocyte maturation. As previously shown, overexpression of GPRx-GFP in Xenopus oocyte completely blocks PG-induced maturation. We defined GPRx subcellular distribution (~80% at the cell membrane), confirmed its presence in early endosomes and showed that its membrane localization is crucial for its meiotic arrest. Although early data showed a dip in cAMP levels within 15 sec after PG treatment, we found that no less than 30 minutes treatment with PG was needed to fully induce oocyte maturation compared to overnight treatment with PG, and was accompanied with a dip in cAMP levels and a significant shift of endogenous and overexpressed GPRx-GFP distribution from the membrane toward the inside of the oocyte. PG may induce GPRx endocytosis by phosphorylating the Serines/Threonine (S-TSS) domain at GPRx C-terminal end, since mutating these residues in the S-TSS motif completely blocked the effectiveness of PG in inducing GPRx endocytosis. Moreover, dose response experiments using GPRx wt or GPRx S-TSS mutant showed that PG induce maturation more efficiently in the presence of low intermediate concentration of GPRx wt in comparison to GPRx S-TSS mutant. Our data argue that PG releases Xenopus meiotic arrest by inducing GPRx desensitization and endocytosis.
Performance on selected visual and auditory subtests of the Wechsler Memory Scale–Fourth Edition during laboratory-induced pain

Although chronic pain patients commonly report problems with concentration and memory, recent research indicates that induced pain alone causes little or no impairment on several Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) subtests, suggesting that cognitive complaints in chronic pain may be attributable to factors other than pain. The current studies examined potential effects of induced pain on Wechsler Memory Scale-Fourth Edition (WMS-IV) visual working memory index (VWM) subtests (Experiment 1, n = 32) and on the immediate portions of WMS-IV auditory memory (IAM) subtests (Experiment 2, n = 55). In both studies, participants were administered one of two subtests (Symbol Span or Spatial Addition for Experiment 1; Logical Memory or Verbal Paired Associates for Experiment 2) normally and were then administered the alternate subtest while experiencing either cold pressor pain induction or a nonpainful control condition. Results indicate that induced pain in nonclinical volunteers did not impair performance on either VWM or IAM performance, suggesting that pain alone does not account for complaints or deficits in these domains in chronic pain patients. Nonpainful variables such as sleep deprivation or emotional disturbance may be responsible for reported cognitive complaints in chronic pain patients.
Immunosuppression: A cause of porokeratosis?

Two patients are reported in which the development of porokeratosis occurred following chemotherapy for systemic malignancy. Immunosuppression associated with malignancy and chemotherapy may exacerbate or initiate the development of porokeratosis in patients predisposed to alterations of cutaneous growth dynamics.
Control of Behavior by Presentation of an Imprinted Stimulus

When presentation of an imprinted stimulus is contingent upon an arbitrarily chosen response, the rate of emission of this response increases. This control of responding requires a moving imprinted stimulus and does not require a following response by the duck.
The myth is dead: long live the myth

Although the field of computation has been of the most explosively expansive in the history of mankind, still we find certain basic ideas which were valid many years ago are still assumed to be valid today. On the other hand, some apparent truths that were discovered at the beginning of the computer era unfortunately have been lost in antiquity and must be rediscovered, not once but many times. In this paper we do not expect to be definitive but at least to examine some of these myths, the true and the false, and perhaps to find some that should be destroyed and to uncover others to prevent younger workers from having to rediscover what each of us has had to do several times ourselves. To compound our problem we have the fact that the electronic calculator of the programmable variety is now starting to encroach and has already well overlapped the capabilities of the minicomputer. "This new machine is a hybrid. It overlaps both the minicomputer and the programmable desk calculator. The standard machine containing 1000 locations is capable of containing a program of over 2000 steps. In addition, specialized tape units using modern cassettes are available. The basic machine comes equipped with a number sufficient to handle all of your temporary storage needs, will enable you to bring in new programming systems, and it will even have sufficient facilities to permit you to sort blocks of data. As a consequence this machine will meet the needs of office, laboratory, or accounting room! Its size is moderate and will fit on a reasonably large desk. Cost is under $18,000. As a special added feature, its basic instruction set is implemented by using the most modern techniques of microprogramming and, therefore, may be modified in the future as the manufacturer develops new classes of instructions that will be of use to the various customers of this excellent machine. Programming systems that take full advantage of the human oriented decimal arithmetic are already available with it and, furthermore, all registers can handle both numeric and alphanumeric quantities! For further information circle . . ."
Sum frequency generation spectroscopic study of CO/ethylene coadsorption on the Pt(111) surface and CO poisoning of catalytic ethylene hydrogenation

Abstract Surface vibrational sum frequency generation technique has been employed to investigate CO and ethylene coadsorption on the Pt(1 1 1) surfaces at CO or ethylene pressures in the 10 −7 to 400 Torr range. Ethylidyne, which was formed when ethylene adsorbed on the Pt(1 1 1) surfaces at 300 K, was partially displaced by CO and underwent orientational change losing its vibrational resonance features in the presence of high-pressure (>1 Torr) CO at 300 K. In contrast, a monolayer of CO was found to be stable on the Pt(1 1 1) surface in the presence of high-pressure ethylene (up to 35 Torr). In the presence of 3 Torr of CO, catalytic ethylene hydrogenation was poisoned due to the site blocking effect of adsorbed CO. No catalytic reactivity was observed at temperatures lower than the CO desorption temperature (400 K). Above the CO desorption temperature, the reaction turnover rate was observed to be three orders of magnitude less than the same reaction without the presence of high-pressure CO. The activation energy of the CO poisoned ethylene hydrogenation reaction is about 20.5 kcal/mol while the activation energy is 10 kcal/mol in the absence of CO.
Triple-decker: Interfacing atomistic-mesoscopic-continuum flow regimes

Multiscale flow phenomena in microfluidic and biomedical applications require the use of heterogeneous modeling approaches. In this paper we present a hybrid method based on coupling the Molecular Dynamics (MD) method, the Dissipative Particle Dynamics (DPD) method, and the incompressible Navier-Stokes (NS) equations. MD, DPD, and NS are formulated in separate subdomains and are coupled via an overlapping region by communicating state information at the subdomain boundaries. Imposition of boundary conditions in the MD and DPD systems involves particle insertion and deletion, specular wall reflection and body force terms. The latter includes a boundary pressure force in order to minimize near-boundary density fluctuations, and an adaptive shear force which enforces the tangential velocity component of boundary conditions. The triple-decker algorithm is verified for prototype flows, including simple and multi-layer fluids (Couette, Poiseuille, and lid-driven cavity), using highly accurate reference solutions. A zero-thickness interface is also possible if it is aligned with the flow streamlines.
The organizational and cultural context of systems implementation: Case experience from Latin America

Abstract Multinational corporations (MNCs) face a number of potential obstacles in their efforts to implement computer-based information systems in subsidiary companies. Culture may impede implementation efforts because of differences in the way information systems are interpreted and given meaning. Specifically, the meaning of an information system to the MNC's headquarters and systems development group may differ from the meaning it has for the managers and users in the subsidiary. This paper describes one MNC's efforts to implement an automated accounting system in two of its Latin American subsidiaries. Problems experienced in one country led the company to adjust its implementation strategy by involving members of the company's international division in a redesign effort. Subsequent efforts to implement the same system in the second country succeeded easily due to the compatibility between the implementation team's actions and those of the local managers and workers.
Important Aspects concerning the Quantification of Biomolecules by Time-of-Flight Secondary-Ion Mass Spectrometry

Fundamental aspects regarding the use of time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) as a quantitative tool for the analysis of organic compounds are reported. The following factors are discussed: (1) the use of Poisson's law to correct for dead-time in single-ion data collection; (2) practical considerations concerning the analysis of
Phase-Sensitive Amplification in Communications and Signal Processing

Recent progress in low-noise optical amplification and signal processing has raised prospects of practical devices operating below the conventional quantum limit. We review basic principles, practical implementation, and performance of such devices.
An improved method for the determination of leukocyte arylsulfatase A and its application to the diagnosis of metachromatic leukodystrophy in homozygous and heterozygous states.

Abstract An improved method for the determination of arylsulfatase A, based on the ether solubility of 4-nitrocatechol, has been established. The method has been applied to the diagnosis of metachromatic leukodystrophy and can identify the carrier state. The method is also useful in organ surveys for the enzyme.
Enhancing Self-Efficacy to Achieve Competence

A primary goal of cognitive therapy supervision is to help the supervisee achieve greater competence in cognitive therapy. However, helping supervisees achieve competence rests in part on their judgments that they can use the skills they learned to help their clients feel and get better. Bandura referred to these judgments as self-efficacy, which he defined as an individual's perception that he is capable of accomplishing a certain level of performance (Bandura, 1977). Although it is understandable that most supervisees enter supervision with low self-efficacy, it can become an impediment to achieving competence if it persists. In this article, I define self-efficacy and describe four sources of information that influence self-efficacy: performance accomplishments, vicarious experiences, persuasion, and physiological states. I then describe how supervisors can use these sources to enhance the self-efficacy of supervisees to assist them in achieving actual competence.
Increased oxidative protein and DNA damage but decreased stress response in the aged brain following experimental stroke

Aged individuals experience the highest rate of stroke and have less functional recovery, but do not have larger infarcts. We hypothesized that aged individuals experience greater sublethal damage in peri-infarct cortex. Focal cortical stroke was produced in aged and young adult animals. After 30 min, 1, 3 and 5 days brain sections and Western blot were used to analyze markers of apoptotic cell death, oxidative DNA and protein damage, heat shock protein (HSP) 70 induction, total neuronal number and infarct size. Focal stroke produces significantly more oxidative DNA and protein damage and fewer cells with HSP70 induction in peri-infarct cortex of aged animals. There is no difference in infarct size or the number of cells undergoing apoptosis between aged and young adults. Stroke in the aged brain is associated with a greater degree of DNA and protein damage and a reduced stress response in intact, surviving tissue that surrounds the infarct.
What Do Mexican Fruit Flies Learn When They Experience Fruit

Mexican fruitflies learn fruit characteristics that enable them to distinguish familiar fruits from novel fruits. We investigated whether mature Mexican fruit flies learn fruit color, size or odor. We found no evidence that female flies learn fruit color or size after experience with host fruit, including oviposition. However, green fruit and fruit models were more attractive than yellow and red fruit and fruit models regardless of previous experience. Females with grapefruit experience were more attracted to fruit models with extract of either grapefruit peel or pulp, than to models without extract. Females with no experience with grapefruit were not attracted to models treated with grapefruit extract. These results indicate that females learned fruit odor during exposure to grapefruit.
Plasminogen Activator Activity Is Decreased in Rat Gingiva During Diabetes

Diabetes produces extensive alterations of collagen metabolism including enhanced gingival collagenase activity. However, the mechanism for this enhanced enzyme activity is unclear. Collagenase is secreted from cells in a latent form and plasmin has been proposed as an important in vivo activator of procollagenase. Plasmin is converted from its precursor, plasminogen, by the proteolytic action of a serine proteinase, plasminogen activator (PA). The current study was therefore undertaken to determine the effect of diabetes on gingival PA activity in the rat. Since doxycycline is a potent collagenase inhibitor, the effect of doxycycline on gingival PA activity was also investigated. Eighteen male, Sprague-Dawley rats were made diabetic by streptozotocin injection (7 mg/100 g). Control rats (N = 8) were sham-treated. Doxycycline (5 mg/day/rat) was administered to 9 of the 18 diabetic rats by gavage on a daily basis. The other 9 diabetic rats were administered with saline. After 3 weeks, blood and gingival tissue were collected from each rat for the determination of glucose level and gingival PA activity. The tissues were then minced and extracted with 5 mM sodium phosphate containing 1% Triton X-100. PA assay was performed using chromatogenic substrate to determine PA activity in the extracts. Gingival PA activity in the diabetic rats was significantly reduced compared to the control (13.5 +/- 1.6 vs. 36.0 +/- 3.3 microunits/100 micrograms protein, P < 0.01). Doxycycline administration to diabetic rats had no effect on the already reduced gingival PA activity (10.4 +/- 3.5 in doxycycline-treated rats vs. 13.5 +/- 1.6 mu units/100 micrograms protein in untreated diabetic rats). PA activities in gingival tissues from the diabetic, nondiabetic control and doxycycline-treated diabetic groups were also demonstrated on zymographs as lytic bands. Regarding the well-known fact that gingival collagenase activity is enhanced during diabetes, our results did not support the notion that this biochemical alteration is attributed to increased activation of procollagenase by PA.
Psychologists: Are They Logically Fuzzy?

Fuzzy logic as a basis for modeling concepts was rejected by psychologists because of an influential paper published by Osherson and Smith in 1981. While Osherson and Smith were important and influential psychologists, they were not logicians. A critical analysis of their work reveals a series of tired arguments. If, in fact, fuzzy logic can be used to model psychological concepts, can fuzzy logic offer any insight into areas central to the psychology of concepts? In addition, can psychology offer any insight into the methodology of fuzzy logic? Can data from experiments in learning concepts point to more robust methods in fuzzy logic systems?
Us regulatory requirements for blast effects from accidental explosions

Abstract Procedures and criteria acceptable to the USNRC for verifying the adequacy of nuclear power plant structures, systems and components to resist the effects of accidental explosions outside the plant are presented. A method of computing the probability of an accidental explosion is also given. The relative importance of blast generated missiles, wind, overpressure and ground shock is treated. The inherent strength of Nuclear Power Plants to resist blast effects due to imposed design requirements for other extreme environmetal loads, such as tornadoes, is considered. Shortcomings in the previous practice of comparing air blasts with tornadoes are outlined. Load combinations as well as allowable limits under blast effects are treated. Differences between USNRC requirements and those presented in Appendix C to the ACI-349 Code, ‘Code Requirements for Nuclear Safety Related Concrete Structures’, are outlined and evaluated.
Inference of turbulence parameters from a ROMS simulation using the k-ε closure scheme

Abstract Comparisons between high resolution turbulence data from Admiralty Inlet, WA (USA), and a 65-meter horizontal grid resolution simulation using the hydrostatic ocean modelling code, Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS), show that the model’s k- e turbulence closure scheme performs reasonably well. Turbulent dissipation rates and Reynolds stresses agree within a factor of two, on average. Turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) also agrees within a factor of two, but only for motions within the observed inertial sub-range of frequencies (i.e., classic approximately isotropic turbulence). TKE spectra from the observations indicate that there is significant energy at lower frequencies than the inertial sub-range; these scales are not captured by the model closure scheme nor the model grid resolution. To account for scales not present in the model, the inertial sub-range is extrapolated to lower frequencies and then integrated to obtain an inferred, diagnostic total TKE, with improved agreement with the observed total TKE. The realistic behavior of the dissipation rate and Reynolds stress, combined with the adjusted total TKE, imply that ROMS simulations can be used to understand and predict spatial and temporal variations in turbulence. The results are suggested for application to siting tidal current turbines.
Iridium content of basaltic tuffs and enclosing black shales of the Balder formation, North Sea

Abstract The anomalous levels of Ir and the presence of shocked metamorphosed quartz deposited at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary worldwide is strong evidence that a meteorite impact took place during the K/T boundary interval. However, because of observed high Ir contents at Kilauea vents, it is still a major point of contention that the Ir anomaly could have been produced by flood basaltic volcanism. This might especially be true at Stevns Klint, Denmark, where the K/T boundary marl contains pyroclastic labradorite and Mg-smectite thought to have been produced by basaltic volcanism. However, up to now, no study has determined whether or not a depositional Ir anomaly has formed in association with a known major basaltic eruption. Herein, we report the concentrations of Ir, Pt, Au, and Ag in basaltic tuffs and enclosing marine black shales of the widespread Paleocene-Eocene Balder Formation. The tuffs in the Balder Formation represent explosive basaltic volcanism associated with the major volcano/tectonic activity of the opening of the northern North Atlantic Ocean. As such, they are the kind of eruption that could have possibly created a global K/T boundary-type Ir anomaly. Our results show that the tuffs and the shales on a per-weight basis both contain concentrations of Ir (0.1–0.25 ppb) that are higher than the Ir levels recently measured from terrestrial rocks including the Deccan Trap and Columbia River flood basalts, but are comparable to Hawaiian and Reunion Island basalts. Because of its thickness, the absolute amount of Ir expelled during the eruption of the main tuff sequence of the Balder Tuff is sizable. Yet for such an eruption to have produced a global Ir anomaly would mandate it having been one of an extremely high volatile content and it would have to have been erupted over a very short interval of time. Furthermore, such a high proportion of the volatilized Ir would have to have been injected into the stratosphere so that only small enrichments of Ir were formed in the proximal tuffs on a per gram basis.
Effects of an ENSO-related fire on birds of a lowland tropical forest in Sumatra

Comparisons of bird community composition in burned and unburned areas of a lowland tropical rainforest in Sumatra, Indonesia indicated the following during the first 5 years after burning: (1) original burn severity strongly affected bird community composition at both the genus and family levels; (2) bird community composition continued to change progressively away from immediate post-burn composition in medium and severely burned forest as well as adjacent unburned forest; and (3) the degree of impact was both taxon and guild specific, with understory insectivores most detrimentally affected. Although species richness may temporarily increase in burned areas, this study suggests that multiple wildfires will lead to a decline in diversity over a large scale as birds of open fields replace interior forest specialists.
Differential effects of phorbol ester and diacylglycerols on inositol phosphate formation in C62B glioma cells.

Abstract Application of acetylcholine (ACh) to C62B glioma cells results in a rapid release of inositol phosphates. Since this response is transient, we evaluated the possible role of protein kinase C (PKC) in its desensitization. Pretreatment with 100nM phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) significantly inhibited ACh-induced accumulation of [ 3 H]inositol mono-, bis-, and trisphosphates. However, interpretation of this result as proof of PKC involvement was complicated by the failure of 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol, 1,2-didecanoylglycerol, or 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol pretreatments to mimic the phorbol ester effect. Further evidence against PKC involvement was obtained using the PKC inhibitor sphingosine; PDBu inhibition of inositol phosphate formation was not reversed by sphingosine pretreatments at concentrations which blocked ACh-stimulated PKC activation of inositol trisphosphate phosphatase activity. These results suggest that there may be phorbol effects not mediated by PKC.
The importance of universal quantifiers in a hypothetical reasoning task

Subjects were presented belief-contravening problems which required a forced choice between accepting either a general law (a universally quantified statement of the form All A's are B's ) or a particular fact ( This Y is a Z ). The S s consistently rejected the fact in favor of the generality. Laws with the affirmative quantifier ( All ) were accepted more often than those with the negative quantifier ( No ). Generalities expressing class-inclusion ( is a ) were accepted more often than those expressing property assignment ( has a ). Laws with familiar content were accepted more often than those with unfamiliar content. The contexts for the assertions (definitional, empirical, and unspecified) contributed to the acceptability of the generalities by providing S s with an interpretation of the assertions.
“My Older Clients Fall Through Every Crack in the System”: Geriatrics Knowledge of Legal Professionals

With the number of older adult arrestees and prisoners increasing rapidly, legal professionals increasingly provide front-line identification and response to age-related health conditions (including cognitive and physical impairments) that may affect legal outcomes, such as the ability to participate in one's defense or stay safe in jail. The goals of this study were to assess the ability of legal professionals to recognize and respond to age-related conditions that could affect legal outcomes and to identify recommendations to address important knowledge gaps. This was a mixed quantitative-qualitative study. Legal professionals (N = 72) in the criminal justice system were surveyed to describe their demographic characteristics, expertise, and prior aging-related training and to inform the qualitative interview guide. Those surveyed included attorneys (district attorneys (25%), public defenders and legal advocates (58%)), judges (6%), and court-affiliated social workers (11%). In-depth qualitative interviews were then conducted with a subset of 10 legal professionals who worked with older adults at least weekly. Results from the surveys and interviews revealed knowledge deficits in four important areas: age-related health, identification of cognitive impairment, assessment of safety risk, and optimization of services upon release from jail. Four recommendations to close these gaps emerged: educate legal professionals about age-related health, train professionals to identify cognitive and sensory impairment, develop checklists to identify those at risk of poor health or safety, and improve knowledge of and access to transitional services for older adults. These findings suggest that geriatrics knowledge gaps of legal professionals exist that may contribute to adverse medical or legal outcomes for older adults involved in the criminal justice system and that partnerships between healthcare and legal professionals are needed to address these challenges.
Comparison of an impact source and a monochromatic source for modal testing of bridge structures

Modal testing requires imparting energy to a structure over a range of frequencies. This energy can be applied to the structure one frequency at a time using a monochromatic source, or a broadband energy source can apply energy at many frequencies simultaneously. An example of a monochromatic source is a rotating eccentric-mass shaker, and an example of a broadband source is an impact. A 250-kg, instrumented pendulum was developed at Utah State University to apply impulsive forces to bridge structures and measure the applied forcing function. This paper presents the basic design of this device. Data measured on three highway bridge bent structures are presented and the procedures used to analyze this data are presented. The results of testing with an impact source are compared to the results obtained using an 89-kN rotating eccentric-mass shaker. This paper shows that the rotating eccentric-mass shaker provides very high-quality data over a limited frequency range, while the 250-kg impulsive source provides somewhat poorer quality data, but over a much wider frequency band. The impulsive source also requires less testing time, and simpler data analysis than the rotating eccentric-mass shaker.
Quantum Hall effect at finite temperatures.

We point out that the universality and precision of the Hall plateaus of ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{H}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$ in the quantum Hall effect (QHE) can be understood if the conducting component of the two-dimensional electron gas is behaving like a degenerate, intensely magnetized ideal electron gas, whose exact equations of state enforce precisely this behavior. The ideal gas even gives a good description of the QHE behavior outside the plateaus: the spikes of the longitudinal resistivity \ensuremath{\rho} and the various ``slope'' and ``minimum'' relations connect ${\ensuremath{\rho}}_{H}$ and \ensuremath{\rho}, where it might not have been expected. Localization and delocalization of electrons in the QHE occur automatically in the ideal gas as its electrons pass into and out of a thermodynamic particle reservoir. However, renormalization of critical exponents is beyond the scope of this approximation.
Equilibrium of a confined, randomly accelerated, inelastic particle: is there inelastic collapse?

We consider the one-dimensional motion of a particle randomly accelerated by Gaussian white noise on the line segment $0lxl1$. The reflections of the particle from the boundaries at $x=0$ and 1 are inelastic, with velocities just after and before reflection related by ${v}_{f}=\ensuremath{-}r{v}_{i}$. Cornell et al. have predicted that the particle undergoes inelastic collapse for $rl{r}_{c}={e}^{\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\pi}∕\sqrt{3}}=0.163$, coming to rest at the boundary after an infinite number of collisions in a finite time and remaining there. This has been questioned by Florencio et al. and Anton on the basis of simulations. We have solved the Fokker-Planck equation satisfied by the equilibrium distribution function $P(x,v)$ with a combination of exact analytical and numerical methods. Throughout the interval $0lrl1$, $P(x,v)$ remains extended, as opposed to collapsed. There is no transition in which $P(x,v)$ collapses onto the boundaries. However, for $rl{r}_{c}$ the equilibrium boundary collision rate is infinite, as predicted by Cornell et al., and all moments $\overline{{\ensuremath{\mid}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{1pt}}v\ensuremath{\mid}}^{q}}$, $qg0$ of the velocity just after reflection from the boundary vanish.
Association between left ventricular mass index and cardiac function in pediatric dialysis patients

Left ventricular mass index (LVMI) is a surrogate of left ventricular hypertrophy and a predictor of cardiac morbidity and mortality in adults with hypertension. LVMI has not been linked to cardiovascular endpoints in children. The aim of this study was to identify an association between elevated LVMI and echocardiographic markers of systolic and diastolic function. The study was a retrospective review of chronic dialysis patients from June 1995 to December 2009 at a single tertiary care children’s hospital. The upper limit cutoffs for LVMI were set at >38.6 g/m2.7, >51 g/m2.7, and by age and sex-based normative values. Sixty-three patients (mean age 14.1 years, 56% males) were enrolled in the study, with a total of 287 echocardiograms. Post-dialysis hypertension was associated with elevated LVMI in both the >51 g/m2.7 [odds ratio (OR) 2.9, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.5–5.5] and normative (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.5–7.7) models. Elevated LVMI, when defined by the >51 g/m2.7 and normative models, was significantly associated with decreased shortening fraction (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.7–9.8 and OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.3–22.9, respectively) and increased mitral E wave to lateral mitral tissue Doppler e′ wave velocity ratio (E/e′; OR 3.5, 95% CI 1.1–11.2 and OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.0–21.6, respectively). Elevated LVMI is associated with decreased systolic and diastolic cardiac function, justifying its use as a surrogate of hypertensive cardiomyopathy in children undergoing chronic dialysis.
Extracellular matrix, junctional integrity and matrix metalloproteinase interactions

The vascular endothelial solute barrier is formed by the regulated apposition of adherens and tight junctional proteins, and is controlled by several pharmacological and physiological mediators which govern junctional organization. We observe that barrier changes in vitro are associated with (1) the spatial redistribution of surface cadherins and occludin; (2) stabilisation of focal adhesive bonds; and (3) the progressive activation of matrix metalloproteinases. In response to peroxide, histamine and EDTA, endothelial cells sequester VE-cadherin and alter its cytoskeletal binding. At the same time these mediators also enhance focal adhesion to the substratum. Lastly oxidants, cytokines and pharmacological mediators also trigger the activation of matrix metalloproteinases in a cytoskeleton and tyrosine phosphorylation dependent manner to degrade occludin, a tight junction element. These related in vitro phenomena may act cooperatively in inflammation to structurally stabilise cells during permeability, while remodelling cell junctions and substratum. Supported by grants HL47615, DK43785.
Silica-rich glasses in the TiO2Al2O3SiO2 system

Abstract Ternary glasses in the TiO2Al2O3SiO2 system have received only very limited attention, although both Al2O3SiO2 and TiO2SiO2 glasses have been extensively studied and exhibit interesting properties. In this paper, the ternary glass-forming region and physical properties are described. Unusual volume contraction was found for some compositions which allowed strengthening by surface compression.
THEORY OF FINITE NUCLEI

A shell-model potential is defined for calculations on the structure of finite nuclei by the reaction-matrix theory. The rearrangement potential is part of this shell-model potential. The contribution to the rearrangement energy from the short- and long-range parts of the nucleon-nucleon potential is calculated in infinite nuclear matter. The third-order rearrangement term is shown to be predominantly due to the strong short-range part, while the second-order term comes mainly from the long-range part. The dependence of the reaction matrix on the structure of the nuclear medium in which the nucleons interact is investigated. The results from the calculations of rearrangement energies is then of help. Part of the short-range repulsion is proportional to the reaction-matrix potential energies of the interacting nucleons. Another part is a function of the "local" density. The long-range part of the reaction matrix varies somewhat less with the density of an infinite system than does the short-range part. It seems, however, that it would be important to include its dependence on the medium, especially for studying small nuclei or the structure of the surface.
Modeling and querying moving objects

We propose a data model for representing moving objects in database systems. It is called the Moving Objects Spatio-Temporal (MOST) data model. We also propose Future Temporal Logic (FTL) as the query language for the MOST model, and devise an algorithm for processing FTL queries in MOST.
Type I Error Inflation for Detecting DIF in the Presence of Impact

In this brief explication, two challenges for using differential item functioning (DIF) measures when there are large group differences in true proficiency are illustrated. Each of these difficulties may lead to inflated Type I error rates, for very different reasons. One problem is that groups matched on observed score are not necessarily well matched on true proficiency, which may result in the false detection of DIF due to inaccurate matching. The other problem is that a model that does not allow for a nonzero asymptote can produce what seems to be DIF. These issues have been discussed separately in the literature earlier. This article brings them together in a nontechnical form.
Expression of ZER6 in ERα-Positive Breast Cancer

Background ZER6 is a C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor with two isoforms (p52-ZER6 and p71-ZER6), which are differentially repressed by a ligand-dependent interaction with estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα). We sought to determine if ZER6 proteins are expressed in ERα-positive breast cancer cells and if ZER6 is expressed in association with ERα in breast cancers. Methods The expression of ZER6 protein was examined by Western blot and the pattern of ZER6 expression was examined in a panel of ERα-positive and ERα-negative breast cancers using RT-PCR. Results COS-1 cells transfected with expression vectors for p52-ZER6 express a major protein of 52 kDa and a minor protein of 75 kDa, whereas cells transfected with the p71-ZER6 expression vector express a major protein of 77 kDa and a minor protein of 100 kDa. Breast carcinoma cells express ZER6-specific proteins of similar size, and expression of the p52-ZER6 isoform was only detected in the ERα-positive cell lines. In primary breast cancer tissue, 8/16 (50%) of the ERα-positive tumors had high ZER6 expression, whereas only 1/12 (8%) of the ERα-negative tumors had a high ZER6 level of expression. The relative abundance of ZER6 mRNA in the ERα-positive group was statistically greater than the ERα-negative group (188 versus 106, P Conclusions We have confirmed that breast carcinoma cells express ZER6 proteins and identified an association between the level of ZER6 expression and ERα expression in primary breast cancers. These data support a role for the ZER6 transcription factors in regulating the expression of genes in hormone-responsive breast cancer.