cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel analysis space for pointer analysis and its application for bug finding

The size of today's programs continues to grow, as does the number of bugs they contain. Testing alone is rarely able to flush out all bugs, and many lurk in difficult-to-test corner cases. An important alternative is static analysis, in which correctness properties of a program are checked without running it. While it cannot catch all errors, static analysis can catch many subtle problems that testing would miss. We propose a new space of abstractions for pointer analysis-an important component of static analysis for C and similar languages. We identify two main components of any abstraction-how to model statement order and how to model conditionals, then present a new model of programs that enables us to explore different abstractions in this space. Our assign-fetch graph represents reads and writes to memory instead of traditional points-to relations and leads to concise function summaries that can be used in any context. Its flexibility supports many new analysis techniques with different trade-offs between precision and speed. We present the details of our abstraction space, explain where existing algorithms fit, describe a variety of new analysis algorithms based on our assign-fetch graphs, and finally present experimental results that show our flow-aware abstraction for statement ordering both runs faster and produces more precise results than traditional flow-insensitive analysis.
Effect of kainate-induced seizure activity on the polyamine interconversion pathway in juvenile rat brain

The activity of the polyamine interconversion pathway was investigated in the hippocampus and piriform cortex after systemic KA administration in juvenile rats. Pretreatment of 7-day-old rats with the polyamine oxidase inhibitor, MDL 72527, induced a similar accumulation of N-acetylspermidine and N-acetylspermine in control and kainate-treated animals. The results indicate that KA-induced seizure activity has no effect on the polyamine interconversion pathway in developing rat brain.
Optimal filter design for annular imaging.

Filters of the type exp(inθ)sgn Jn(zor) with θ the azimuthal angle and r the radial coordinate in the filter plane, are shown to maximize the energy content in a narrow annular image of radius zo with respect to incident energy. The simplest optimal filter, sgnJo(zor), is well approximated by the binary circular phase grating sgn cos(zor − π/4). The single lobe of the first order image of this filter contains 46% of the incident energy within the half-width 0.4λf/a, centered around the image radius Nλf/(2a), where N ≃ zo/π is the number of filter sections.
Moving averages of solutions of ODEs

Moving averages of the solution of an initial value problem for a system of ordinary differential equations are used to extract the general behavior of the solution without following it in detail. They can be computed directly by solving delay differential equations. Because they vary much less rapidly and are smoother, they are easier to compute.
Positron annihilation method for determining dislocation densities in deformed single crystals of iron

Abstract Several crystals of high-purity iron were deformed to produce dislocation arrays, and the density of dislocations was estimated from changes in the lifetime spectra of the positrons. Interpretation of the spectra is made in terms of trapping and annihilation of positrons in both edge and screw dislocations with the densities of both being determined. The specific trapping rates were determined from concomitant Doppler-broadening and lifetime measurements on cold-rolled specimens. Tensile straining at 200 K produced more screw than edge components. The same specimens were etched and the density of etch pits was determined with the results in good agreement with results of different independent determinations. Room-temperature cold-rolled single crystals were also studied by positron annihilation, and the density of dislocations was determined by TEM. These results are in good agreement with the study of dislocations in cold-rolled iron determined by Keh.
Linking instructional objectives to the design of instructional environments: The Integrative Training Design Matrix

Abstract The purpose of this article is to present a system, referred to as the Integrative Training Design Matrix (ITDM), for streamlining the design of instructional environments in a way that integrates the instructional design elements commonly discussed in the scientific literature. This system expands the use of job-analytic information to better link needs assessment to the design of instructional environments. Specifically, the ITDM shows how determining an instructional objective's standing along four training issues–extensiveness of training, location of training, nature of transfer performance, and learning difficulty–yields a comprehensive plan for designing instructional environments. These plans involve design elements such as trainee-to-trainer ratio, feedback delivery, hands-on practice, modeling, structure of practice, amount of training, meaningfulness, pre- and post-training interventions, and general training methods. The ITDM then shows how organization and person analyses can be targeted to support these design elements.
The Variation with the Temperature of the Thermal Conductivity of Cast Iron

Variation with Temperature of the Thermal Conductivity of Soft Gray Cast Iron, 195\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 542\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} $C$.---The sample used contained 3.5, 2.2 and 0.64 per cent. of C, Si and Mn respectively, and was cast into the form of a cylindrical shell 3 cm. thick, joined with a hemi-spherical bottom. The temperature differences between the liquids inside and outside the shell, which amounted to from 3\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} to 6\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} with an input of from 0.24 to 1.6 kw, were measured with thermo-couples silver-soldered in the ends of brass tubes. Since even though these tubes were pressed against the iron surfaces, the temperatures thus measured differed more or less from the actual temperatures of the surfaces, the absolute values found for the conductivity are too low; but the results indicate that the conductivity at 542\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} is between 2 and 3 times its value at 195\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} C.
Tidal volumes for ventilated infants should be determined with a pneumotachometer placed at the endotracheal tube

Many ventilators measure expired tidal volume (VT) without compensation either for the compliance of the ventilator circuit or for variations in the circuit setup. We hypothesized that the exhaled VT measured with a conventional ventilator at the expiratory valve would differ significantly from the exhaled VT measured with a pneumotachometer placed at the endotracheal tube. To investigate this we studied 98 infants and children requiring conventional ventilation. We used linear regression analysis to compare the VT obtained with the pneumotachometer with the ventilator-measured volume. An additional comparison was made between the pneumotachometer volume and a calculated effective VT. For infant circuits (n = 70), our analysis revealed a poor correlation between the expiratory VT measured with the pneumotachometer and the ventilator-measured volume (r(2) = 0.54). Similarly, the expiratory VT measured with the pneumotachometer did not correlate with the calculated effective volume (r(2) = 0.58). For pediatric circuits (n = 28), there was improved correlation between the expiratory VT measured with the pneumotachometer and both the ventilator-measured volume and the calculated effective VT (r(2) = 0.84 and r(2) = 0.85, respectively). The data demonstrate a significant discrepancy between expiratory VT measured at a ventilator and that measured with a pneumotachometer placed at the endotracheal tube in infants. Correcting for the compliance of the ventilator circuit by calculating the effective VT did not alter this discrepancy. In conventionally ventilated infants, exhaled VT should be determined with a pneumotachometer placed at the airway.
EFFECTS OF SUCROSE, STARCH AND OIL ON THE IN VITRO DETERMINATION OF PROTEIN DIGESTIBILITY USING THE IMMOBILIZED DIGESTIVE ENZYME ASSAY (IDEA) SYSTEM

The effects of various food components on the in vitro digestibility of proteins, measured by the immobilized digestive enzyme assay (IDEA) system, were investigated. The digestibility of unprocessed and processed sodium caseinate and soybean protein was examined. Varying concentrations of sucrose (0, 5, 10 and 20%) or starch (0, 0.5, 1 and 2%) had no significant effects on digestibility of protein. Similarly, the presence of emulsified (1% lecithin) vegetable oil (0, 0.5, 1 and 2%) did not affect digestibility. Therefore, these common ingredients of foods did not affect the extent of hydrolysis of the protein samples under the conditions of the IDEA method, suggesting that this assay is suitable for use with complex foods.
A comparative morphologic study of the cardiac innervation in domestic animals I. The canine

Cardiac nerves arising from the cervical and thoracic sympathetic chain, the vagi, and the recurrent laryngeal nerves of the dog were described. The findings are correlated with the nomenclature of the NA ('66) and proposals of the NAV ('67), and additional suggestions are made when appropriate. Although individual cardiac nerves were followed to specific areas of the heart, additional supplies to these areas were noted from the cardiac plexus. Sympathetic cardiac innervation arose primarily from the vertebral ganglion. Cranial vagal cardiac nerves on the left and caudal vagal cardiac nerves on the right contributed the majority of the parasympathetic cardiac innervation. Right cardiac nerves ramified primarily along the right coronary artery, left descending branch of the left coronary artery, circumflex branch of the left coronary artery on the left surface of the heart, and onto the right atrium. Left heart nerves, in addition to their direct contributions to all but the last area, proceeded along the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery on the caudal and right surfaces of the heart. Right nerves contributed more in the area of the S.A node, while left nerves formed a network in the area of the coronary sinus and A.V. node. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves were followed to each area. It was noted that pulmonary innervation via the cardiac plexus would be disturbed by the technique of cardiac denervation referred to as regional neural ablations.
Carmustine Toxicity Presenting as a Lobar Infiltrate

Carmustine is a chemotherapeutic agent frequently employed in the treatment of malignant brain tumors. The side effect of pulmonary fibrosis occurs in 20 to 30 percent of patients receiving this drug. Herein we report a case of presumed carmustine-induced pulmonary fibrosis occurring with an unusual lobar distribution.
Nitric oxide involvement in reperfusion injury of denervated muscle.

Abstract Purpose To investigate whether inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) improves microcirculation in denervated and reperfused skeletal muscle. Methods The cremaster muscles of 52 rats received iNOS inhibitor 1400W (3 mg/kg) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and underwent either 3 hours of ischemia and 1.5 hours of reperfusion or a sham operation. During reperfusion the vessel diameters were measured by using intravital videomicroscopy and overall muscle blood flow was measured with laser Doppler flowmetry. The expression of NOS messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein was determined by using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Results 1400W treatment significantly increased the mean blood flow of the reperfused muscle compared with controls, and this was associated with significantly less vasospasm in 10 to 20 μm, 21 to 40 μm, and 41 to 70 μm arterioles. The expression of iNOS mRNA and protein in controls increased 23-fold and 6-fold from normal, respectively, but was reduced to only a 2-fold increase in the 1400W-treated muscles. The ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced decrease of endothelial NOS (eNOS) and neuronal NOS (nNOS) expression in controls was not significantly changed after 1400W treatment. Conclusions Our data support a nitric oxide-mediated mechanism in reperfusion injury and show the importance of inhibition of iNOS in reducing reperfusion injury in denervated skeletal muscle. Our results suggest potential benefits via inhibition of iNOS to improve clinical outcomes not only for hand surgeons who work in the microsurgery field, but also for other physicians whose work involves ischemia/reperfusion injury.
Internet use for political mobilization: Voices of participants

The Internet has been used extensively for U.S. presidential election campaigns since the year 2000. In 2004, Internet campaigning grew to be more interactive than in previous years. The question of whether or not the Internet is making a difference in political outcomes has become noteworthy, and research efforts have examined political campaigns via websites, characteristics of the politically active population, and roles of the media. Among various campaign forces, activities organized by the online grassroots activist group MoveOn.org have become prominent. This article reports the voices of people who participated in political activities coordinated by MoveOn during the 2004 presidential election campaigns. The data were collected primarily through interviews. The findings contrast similarities and differences between participants in different levels of participation. Whereas most past studies focused on the macro level, this study is focused on the micro level. The article calls for further development of a theoretical framework for collective action facilitated via online and taking place offline.
A case study in cleanroom software engineering: the IBM COBOL Structuring Facility

The IBM COBOL Structuring Facility program product was developed using cleanroom software engineering technology in a pipeline of increments with very high quality and productivity. In the cleanroom approach, programs are developed under statistical quality control and mathematical verification is used in place of unit debugging. The formal methods of specification, design, functional verification, and testing are described, together with development and management practices required for maintaining intellectual control over the process. >
Predictors of Referral for Psychosocial Services: Recommendations From the Institute of Medicine Report—Cancer Care for the Whole Patient

al 1 compares referral patterns of patients with late-stage colorectal and lung cancer who were enrolled onto a study that assessed psychosocial functioning in patients with late-stage disease. The authors conducted a retrospective analysis to determine what patient-based characteristics predict referral for psychosocial evaluation and services. The study results indicated that younger age, being unmarried, and presence of depressive symptoms significantly predicted referral for additional services. Interestingly though, they found that fewer than 50% of patients who screened positive for depression were actually referred for psychosocial services. The study thus highlights the importance of psychosocial services for patients with cancer, which was recently addressed in the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Cancer Care for the Whole Patient: Meeting Psychosocial Health Needs. 2
IODINE DEFICIENCY-INDUCED GOITER IN CENTRAL NEW JERSEY: A CASE SERIES

ABSTRACT Objective: We report 4 cases of iodine deficiency– induced goiter in minority women living in central New Jersey. Methods: Clinical presentations, laboratory data, thyroid 123I uptake, and thyroid sonograms were obtained from 4 minority women with iodine deficiency–induced goiter. The recent literature on the topic was also reviewed. Results: Four patients were diagnosed with iodine deficiency–induced goiter during a 4-year period in an endocrine clinic in central New Jersey. The diagnosis of iodine deficiency–induced goiter was made if the patient met the following criteria: (1) a diet history that indicated avoidance of iodized salt or seafood; (2) a 24-hour urinary iodine concentration of <100 μg; and (3) a decrease in the size of the goiter determined by ultrasonography of the thyroid after iodine replacement. Thyroid volume was calculated as width × length × height × π/6 cm3. Three of the four patients had an increase in radioactive iodine uptake. Conclusion: Iodine deficiency–induced goiter...
Early prehistoric sedentism and seasonal animal exploitation in the Caribbean lowlands of Colombia

San Jacinto 1 represents a special-purpose settlement that was used by late Archaic foraging groups who logistically moved from base camps to special-purpose camps in order to collect and process subsistence resources at the onset of the dry season in the Caribbean savannas of northern Colombia. Situated in an optimal location for permanent water and seasonal concentrations of dry season subsistence items, the site’s location was part of a logistic strategy in which specific task groups were moved to resources during a short season of availability. Preserved vertebrate and invertebrate faunas at San Jacinto conform to expectations about assemblage ubiquity, richness, and evenness or equitability within the early occupational strata at the site. Specific animals including turtles and fish were pursued, and may have been processed with C3 plants and grasses in ubiquitous earth ovens. Certain local aquatic invertebrates were also procured along with the collection of specific extra-local gastropods. 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Proton MR spectroscopy of tumefactive demyelinating lesions.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Tumefactive demyelinating lesions (TDLs) can simulate intracranial neoplasms in clinical presentation and MR imaging appearance, and surgical biopsy is often performed in suspected tumors. Proton MR spectroscopy has been applied in assessing various intracranial diseases and is increasingly used in diagnosis and clinical management. Our purpose was to determine if multivoxel proton MR spectroscopy can be used to differentiate TDLs and high-grade gliomas. METHODS: Conventional MR images, proton MR spectra, and medical records were retrospectively reviewed in six patients with TDLs diagnosed by means of biopsy or by documented clinical improvement, with or without supporting laboratory testing and follow-up imaging. Proton MR spectra of 10 high-grade gliomas with similar conventional MR imaging appearances were used for comparison. In contrast-enhancing, central, and perilesional areas of each lesion, peak heights of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), and creatine (Cr) were measured and the lactate peak noted. Cho/Cr and NAA/Cr ratios of corresponding regions in TDLs and gliomas were compared. RESULTS: No significant differences in mean Cho/Cr ratios were found in the corresponding contrast-enhancing, central, or perilesional areas of TDLs and gliomas. The mean central-region NAA/Cr ratio in gliomas was significantly lower than that of TDLs, but mean NAA/Cr ratios in other regions were not significantly different. A lactate peak was identified in four of six TDLs and three of 10 gliomas. CONCLUSION: In the cases examined, the NAA/Cr ratio in the central region of TDLs and high-grade gliomas differed significantly. However, overall metabolite profiles of both lesions were similar; this finding emphasizes the need for the cautious interpretation of spectroscopic findings.
Inhibitory control in children with autism spectrum disorder

Impairments in executive abilities such as cognitive flexibility have been identified in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). It remains unclear, however, whether such individuals also experience impairments in another executive ability: inhibitory control. In the present study, we administered three inhibitory tasks to 18 children with ASD, 23 siblings of children with ASD, and 25 typically developing children. After controlling for individual differences in age, overall IQ, and processing speed, children with ASD demonstrated impaired performance on two of the three inhibitory tasks. Results suggest that children with ASD experience circumscribed deficits in some but not all aspects of inhibitory control. More generally, the findings underscore the importance of using multiple measures to assess a putative single cognitive ability.
Imagery with Pseudorandomly Diffused Illumination

Imaging technique with pseudorandomly diffused illumination permitting efficient laser coherent light utilization
A combined enhanced-fluorescence and label-free imaging instrument

Photonic crystals have previously been shown to enhance fluorescence output of surface-bound dyes by two orders of magnitude and to enable sensitive label-free biomolecular detection. In this work we describe the design and characterization of a microscope capable of generating both label-free and enhanced-fluorescence images on engineered photonic crystal surfaces. We demonstrate 328x fluorescence enhancement, 41x signal-to-noise improvements, and a reduction in the detection limit of a protein-conjugated fluorophore by over two orders of magnitude. We also characterize the resolution of enhanced fluorescence and label-free imaging to be submicron and 3 microns, respectively.
Medical immunology: a new journal for a new subspecialty.

This new journal, Medical Immunology, was conceived to fill the large divide between the science of basic immunology and the application of this scientific knowledge to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases of the immune system. Why is there a gap between the basic science of immunology and the application of this science to medicine? The answers to this question are historical in large part, in that the immune system has only become recognized and defined within the last century. Moreover, the rate of accumulation of new information has accelerated markedly, with most of our present understanding acquired only within the past 20 years. Consequently, most of what we know about the immune system has only come into being within the professional lifetimes of the practicing medical community. Because of this recent explosion in knowledge, there simply has not been enough time for the translation to clinical medicine to occur. There is a large community of basic scientists who have been educated in the last few decades and who have contributed to the current state of knowledge in immunology. By comparison, because of "turf" concerns amongst faculties of medical schools, immunology course time in medical schools has been miniscule if covered in the curriculum at all. Consequently, most practitioners have not received much formal education in immunology. My medical colleagues often tell me that the immunological acronyms and jargon are huge and obfuscating, and they have no idea what the immunologists are talking about. There is definitely a gap between the immunologists and the clinicians. Even so, because of the rapid advances that have been made, especially within the last 20 years, we now have a new understanding of how the immune system functions, and we have available to us many new molecules to use as therapeutics. As well, because of advances in molecular genetics, we now have the capacity to engineer new molecules and vaccines at will. Consequently, there is now a tremendous need for clinical research to determine how best to use these new therapeutics, particularly, without toxicity. Because the modern science of immunology has only sprouted within the last 2–3 decades, most of those who contributed to our present view of the immune system are alive and well and still contributing. Therefore, by taking an historical view on this newest "organ system", it is easiest to gain an appreciation of what we now know, by focusing on those who have made a significant impact on medical immunology. As well, such a review should serve to illuminate those areas that promise to be the most fruitful areas for future development.
Covariance estimation for limited training samples

In Gaussian maximum likelihood classification, the mean vector and covariance matrix are usually estimated from training samples. When the training sample size is small compared to dimensionality, the sample estimates, especially the covariance matrix becomes highly variable and consequently, the classifier performs poorly. In particular, if the number of training samples is less than dimensionality, the sample covariance estimate becomes singular so the quadratic classifier cannot be applied. Unfortunately, the problem of limited training samples is prevalent in remote sensing applications. While the recent progress in sensor technology has increased the number of spectral features making possible more classes to be identified, the training data remain expensive and difficult to acquire. In this work, the problem of small training set size on the classification performance is addressed by introducing a covariance estimation method for limited training samples. The proposed approach can be viewed as an intermediate method between linear and quadratic classifiers by selecting an appropriate mixture of covariance matrices. The mixture of covariance matrices is formulated under an empirical Bayesian setting which is advantageous when the training sample size reflects the prior of each class. The experimental results show that the proposed method improves the classification performance when training sample sizes are limited.
The weak shear kinetic phase diagram for nematic polymers

We study the shear problem for nematic polymers as modeled by the molecular kinetic theory of Doi (1981), focusing on the anomalous slow flow regime. We provide the kinetic phase diagram of monodomain (MD) attractors and phase transitions vs normalized nematic concentration (N) and weak normalized shear rate (Peclet number, Pe). We then overlay all rheological features typically reported in experiments: alignment properties, normal stress differences and shear stress. These features play a critical role in the synthesis between theory and experiment for nematic polymers (Larson 1999; Doi and Edwards 1986). MD type is routinely used for rheological shear characterization: cf., flow-aligning 5CB (Mather et al. 1996a), tumbling PBT (Srinivasarao and Berry 1991), and 8CB (Mather et al. 1996b), evidence for a wagging regime (Mewis et al. 1997), out-of-plane kayaking modes (Larson and Ottinger 1991), and evidence for chaotic major director dynamics (Bandyopadhyay et al. 2000). MD transitions correlate with sign changes in normal stresses (Larson and Ottinger 1991; Magda et al. 1991; Kiss and Porter 1978, 1980). Furthermore, structure formation in shear devices appears to be correlated with monodomain precursor dynamics (Tan and Berry 2003; Forest et al. 2002a). In this paper we combine seminal kinetic theory results (Kuzuu and Doi 1983, 1984; Larson 1990; Larson and Ottinger 1991; Faraoni et al. 1999; Grosso et al. 2001), symmetry observations (Forest et al. 2002b), and mesoscopic results on the fate of orientational degeneracy in weak shear (Forest and Wang 2003; Forest et al. 2003a), together with our resolved numerical simulations, to provide the kinetic flow-phase diagram of Doi theory in the weak shear regime, 0<Pe<1, for infinitely thin rods. We report the "birth" of key rheological features at the onset of flow: sign changes and local maxima and minima in normal stress differences (N 1 and N 2 ) associated with MD transitions. These results serve as the basis for continuation of the kinetic phase diagram to Pe>1 ; as the definitive benchmark for any mesoscopic or continuum model; and experimental data can be compared in order to determine accuracy and limitations of the Doi theory in weak shear.
Gaps in Americans' Knowledge About the Bosnian Civil War

This study applies the knowledge gap theory to the American public's knowledge of the Bosnian civil war between September 1992—when the conflict was in its early days—through June 1995. Our goal was to determine if a knowledge gap existed in the case of the Bosnian civil war, and if so, whether it increased or decreased over time. Times Mirror Center polls clearly establish that the better educated knew more about Bosnia from September 1992 through June 1995. But people from all educational levels showed dramatic improvements in knowledge. The so-called knowledge gap declined rather than increased. Our surprising results may be due to the changing context and duration of the conflict. Attention to the Bosnia crisis increased over these 3 years, with people from all backgrounds more motivated to pay attention. In addition, the nightly network news provided frequent coverage of Bosnia. Thus, all segments of the American public learned more about the crisis.
Nonlinear dynamo mode dynamics in reversed field pinches

The nonlinear dynamics of a typical dynamo mode in a reversed field pinch, under the action of the braking torque due to eddy currents excited in a resistive vacuum vessel and the locking torque due to a resonant error-field, is investigated. A simple set of phase evolution equations for the mode is derived: these equations represent an important extension of the well-known equations of Zohm et al. [Europhys. Lett. 11, 745 (1990)] which incorporate a self-consistent calculation of the radial extent of the region of the plasma which corotates with the mode; the width of this region being determined by plasma viscosity. Using these newly developed equations, a comprehensive theory of the influence of a resistive vacuum vessel on error-field locking and unlocking thresholds is developed. Under certain circumstances, a resistive vacuum vessel is found to strongly catalyze locked mode formation. Hopefully, the results obtained in this paper will allow experimentalists to achieve a full understanding of why the...
Preemptive therapy versus universal prophylaxis with ganciclovir for cytomegalovirus in solid organ transplant recipients

Whether preemptive therapy or universal prophylaxis with ganciclovir is the optimal approach against cytomegalovirus (CMV) remains unresolved. Controversy abounds with respect to the efficacy of preemptive therapy, the reliability of preemptive therapy tools, the logistical difficulties in conducting surveillance monitoring for CMV, the cost of prophylaxis, the effect of prophylaxis on indirect sequelae of CMV and epidemiology of CMV, and the potential for emergence of ganciclovir-resistant CMV. Although neither approach is wholly adequate, a discussion of the relative merits and limitations of the 2 approaches may guide the selection of a rational approach toward prevention of CMV infection in organ transplant recipients.
Is introversion a risk factor for suicidal behaviour in depression

Background. Personality is an important determinant of suicidal behaviour. However, it has been studied little in relation to suicidal behaviour in depression.Methods. Depressed patients who had attempted suicide (N=41) were compared with depressed patients who had never attempted suicide (N=56) and normal controls (N=56) for their scores on three personality questionnaires.Results. Introversion was the only personality dimension where the post hoc test showed a different pattern between the two groups of depressed patients in their relation to controls. In particular, only depressed patients who had attempted suicide had significantly lower introversion scores than controls.Conclusion. The personality dimension of introversion may be a risk factor for suicidal behaviour in depression.
Physiological Role of Somatostatin in the Digestive Tract: Gastric Acid Secretion, Intestinal Absorption, and Motility

Somatostatin is found in both endocrine cells and nerve fibres of the gastrointestinal tract and has several inhibitory effects on the digestive tract. Somatostatin is a potent inhibitor of gastrin release; its secretion is regulated predominantly by the cholinergic pathway, which inhibits somatostatin and thus stimulates gastrin release. Gastric acid secretion is inhibited by both the paracrine and circulating peptide (hormonal) effects of somatostatin. Somatostatin secretion is a direct effect of acid on the somatostatin cell, since it is unaffected by the axonal blocker tetrodotoxin. Somatostatin antiserum eliminates the inhibitory effect of somatostatin and thus augments acid secretion. It therefore appears that somatostatin plays a physiological role in regulating gastric acid secretion, and it is possible that a lack of the inhibitory function of somatostatin is an aetiological factor in peptic ulcer disease. Postprandially, a rise in serum somatostatin concentration occurs which is twice as high with protein and fat as it is with carbohydrates. Several studies have shown that somatostatin inhibits nutrient absorption, indicating that somatostatin might be a physiological regulator in the homeostasis of ingested nutrients by modulating the intestinal absorption rate. Experiments have also demonstrated that somatostatin infusion inhibits intestinal motility; the interval between migrating myoelectric complexes is increased, and transit time is increased.
Patterns and predictors of survival in Tsuga canadensis populations infested by the exotic pest Adelges tsugae: 20 years of monitoring

Infestations of the exotic pest, hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA; Adelges tsugae Annand), have resulted in the widespread decline and mortality of eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis (L.) Carriere) throughout much of the eastern United States. As HWA continues to spread across the range of eastern hemlock, forest managers need a better understanding of the projected rates of hemlock mortality and improved quantification of the site and environmental factors that influence this rate. Our main objectives in this study, encompassing 1993–2012, were: (1) to document the long-term patterns of hemlock tree mortality following HWA infestation and (2) to assess the importance of tree, site, and weather factors in influencing mortality patterns in hemlock trees infested with HWA. In addition, to provide forest managers with a means of assessing the risk of tree mortality in infested hemlock stands, we evaluated the use of crown condition rating data to predict hemlock mortality at various time scales. Our results suggest that HWA-induced mortality can be a slower process than has previously been reported. Ten-year survivorship at our study sites ranged from 70% to 94%. From 1993 to 2012, 65% of the studied hemlock trees survived, with survival by site ranging from 39% to 82%. When calculated across all sites, survivorship after ten years of HWA infestation was 73%. Our findings indicate that inaccurate dating of HWA arrival and interaction with weather patterns may contribute to reports of elevated mortality rates. Our analysis found no support for inclusion of tree and site factors in models of hemlock mortality. However, winter temperature and summer drought explained a significant proportion of the variation in reported time to mortality of HWA infested trees. In addition, our analysis suggests that the use of crown condition indices can provide a reliable means of estimating near-term risk of hemlock mortality in HWA infested stands. Models based on foliar transparency and crown dieback were able to predict hemlock mortality with excellent discrimination at one, three, and five years following measurement. These indices can be used to provide information about impending hemlock mortality on a time scale that is relevant to many management decisions.
Climate change, fire management, and ecological services in the southwestern US

The diverse forest types of the southwestern US are inseparable from fire. Across climate zones in California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico, fire suppression has left many forest types out of sync with their historic fire regimes. As a result, high fuel loads place them at risk of severe fire, particularly as fire activity increases due to climate change. A legacy of fire exclusion coupled with a warming climate has led to increasingly large and severe wildfires in many southwest forest types. Climate change projections include an extended fire season length due to earlier snowmelt and a general drying trend due to rising temperatures. This suggests the future will be warmer and drier regardless of changes in precipitation. Hotter, drier conditions are likely to increase forest flammability, at least initially. Changes in climate alone have the potential to alter the distribution of vegetation types within the region, and climate-driven shifts in vegetation distribution are likely to be accelerated when coupled with stand-replacing fire. Regardless of the rate of change, the interaction of climate and fire and their effects on Southwest ecosystems will alter the provisioning of ecosystem services, including carbon storage and biodiversity. Interactions between climate, fire, and vegetation growth provide a source of great uncertainty in projecting future fire activity in the region, as post-fire forest recovery is strongly influenced by climate and subsequent fire frequency. Severe fire can be mitigated with fuels management including prescribed fire, thinning, and wildfire management, but new strategies are needed to ensure the effectiveness of treatments across landscapes. We review the current understanding of the relationship between fire and climate in the Southwest, both historical and projected. We then discuss the potential implications of climate change for fire management and examine the potential effects of climate change and fire on ecosystem services. We conclude with an assessment of the role of fire management in an increasingly flammable Southwest.
Estimated return periods for Hurricane Katrina

[1] Hurricane Katrina is one of the most destructive natural disaster in U.S. history. The infrequency of severe coastal hurricanes implies that empirical probability estimates of the next big one will be unreliable. Here we use an extreme-value model together with interpolated best-track (HURDAT) records to show that a hurricane of Katrina's intensity or stronger can be expected to occur, on average, once every 21 years somewhere along the Gulf coast from Texas through Alabama and once every 14 years somewhere along the entire coast from Texas through Maine. The model predicts a 100-year return level of 83 ms -1 (186 mph) during globally warm years and 75 ms -1 (168 mph) during globally cool years. This difference is consistent with models predicting an increase in hurricane intensity with increasing greenhouse warming.
Complications Associated With Use of Long-Term Central Venous Catheters Among Commercially Insured Women With Breast Cancer

Purpose: Despite some advantages to their use, long-term central venous catheters (CVCs) are associated with complications for patients who require chemotherapy. Understanding of these risks in commercially insured populations is limited. This information can inform medical policies that ensure the appropriate use of venous access devices. This study’s objectives were to assess the extent of variation in use of long-term CVCs in a cohort of commercially insured women with breast cancer, and to assess risks of associated complications. Methods: Retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using health insurance claims between January 2006 and October 2013. The cohort included commercially insured women age 18 years diagnosed with breast cancer who received infusion chemotherapy (N 31,047). We conducted matched and casemix adjusted Cox proportional hazard modeling to assess differences in bloodstream infections and thrombovascular complications between patients using long-term CVCs and those using temporary intravenous catheters. Results: Approximately two thirds of the cohort had a longterm CVC, although rates varied across regions (57% to 75%), health plans (65% to 70%), and insurance coverage (63% to 68%). After propensity score matching, the adjusted hazard ratio for infection was 2.70 (95% CI, 2.31 to 3.16) and thrombovascular complications, 2.61 (95% CI, 2.33 to 2.93) in patients with long-term CVCs compared with those with temporary intravenous catheters. Conclusion: Although long-term CVCs may have benefits, they are associated with increased morbidity. Regional and health plan variation in long-term CVC insertion suggests that some of their use reflects provider- or institution-driven variation in practice. Evidence-based guidelines and tools may help decrease discretionary use of long-term CVCs.
Beach Profile Analysis Around Indian River Inlet, Delaware, U.S.A.

The purpose of this study is to examine the recent shoreline history at Indian River Inlet, Delaware using beach profile data. Indian River Inlet was stabilized in the late 1930's with two parallel rubble mound jetties. The stabilization resulted in considerable modifications to the surrounding beach environment, leading to the construction of a sand bypassing system in 1990. The profiles adjacent to the inlet are first examined with the standard tools, such as shoreline change, volume change, and sand budget. Then, details are given on the use of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) in the coastal field, an explanation of its function, and the differences between the complex and non-complex versions. Results are presented for areas north and south of the inlet in both 2-mode and 3-mode versions of Complex Principal Component Analysis (CPCA). The results illustrate the ability of CPCA to detect moving features within the profile data, including its direction and speed, as bypassed sand is seen moving to the north.
Spatial Dispersion Patterns of Northern and Western Corn Rootworm Adults in Iowa Cornfields

Three adult corn rootworm sampling techniques were employed in 59 Iowa cornfields during August 1976 and 1977. Northern and western corn rootworm beetle counts were analyzed by Green's coefficient, Cx, and Iwao's regression method, m* = a + b m, to determine spatial dispersion patterns. Both indices indicated that most rootworm beetle populations sampled were characterized by aggregated dispersion. Spatial behavior in rootworm beetles tended to be density dependent. Some populations with large mean densities, however, did not differ significantly from randomness.
Relation of mammary tumors to mammotropes. I. Induction of mammary tumors in rats.

Summary1. Mammary carcinomas occurred in 50% to 100% of 64 F/Fu female rats surviving 90 to 96 days after initiation of intragastric instillation of 3-MCA twice weekly in 10 mg doses, and all of 18 W/Fu rats similarly treated, after 72 days of treatment. In castrated F/Fu male rats similarly treated, no mammary carcinomas developed. 2. Squamous carcinomas arising in periauricular sebaceous glands developed in about one half of both male and female F/Fu rats surviving 123 days, and in none of the W/Fu rats. Similarly, squamous carcinomas of skin and oral mucosa occurred in approximately 12% of F/Fu rats of both sexes and none in W/Fu rats. 3. Leukemias, including lymphoma (about 9%) developed in F/Fu rats and none in W/Fu rats. 4. A single dose of 3-MCA or MtH alone failed to produce mammary carcinomas in 8 W/Fu rats, while 6 of 7 rats receiving both, developed mammary carcinomas.
Development of a novel bag-mediated filtration system for environmental recovery of poliovirus

Poliovirus (PV) is on the verge of global eradication. Due to asymptomatic shedding, eradication certification requires environmental and clinical surveillance. Current environmental surveillance methods involve collection and processing of 400-mL to 1-L grab samples by a two-phase separation method, where sample volume limits detection sensitivity. Filtration of larger sample volumes facilitates increased detection sensitivity. This study describes development of a pumpless in-field filtration system for poliovirus recovery from environmental waters. Recovery of PV types 1, 2, and 3 were compared for glass wool, ViroCap, and NanoCeram (PV1 only) filters. Seeded experiments were performed using 10(5) plaque forming units of PV inoculated into 10-L volumes of secondary effluent, surface water, or a 50:50 mixture of each at pH 7.0. Filter eluates were plated onto buffalo green monkey kidney cells for virus enumeration by plaque assay. Across all water types, recovery from glass wool filters for PV1, PV2, and PV3 averaged 17%, 28%, and 6%, respectively. Recovery from ViroCaps for PV1, PV2, and PV3 averaged 44%, 70%, and 81%, respectively. 10-L samples of moderate turbidity water were processed through ViroCap filters in less than 30 minutes using a pumpless, bag-mediated filtration system. Bag-mediated filtration offers a simple, compact, and efficient method for enhanced environmental PV surveillance.
Practice in Open Extracurricular Experiments

This essay summarizes and expatiates the background and the purpose of laboratory opening, the methods of realizing the laboratory opening, the achievements and personal experiences of running open extracurricular experiments.
Part Modeling in the High-quality Simulation System of NC Turning

The disadvantages about physical data treatment of the conventional software for virtual manufacturing during virtual NC turning are proposed, and the real time virtual machining is realized by using the scanning body method. A t the same time, the models of the shape error, surface error and the chip creat ing error of the workpiece are proposed. In the method, the high quality simulat ion of virtual CNC turning is realized, then the disadvantage about lacking of p hysical information of the workpiece and the data of the product in the conventi onal code software is overcome.
The dispersion of pollutants from aircraft

Dispersal of jet aircraft exhaust emissions near airports and of smoke trails in upper atmosphere, assessing pollutant levels near large urban airports
Random Forest Learning

The main objective of this chapter is to introduce you to the random forest supervised learning model. The random forest technique uses the decision tree model for parametrization, but it integrates a sampling technique, a subspace method, and an ensemble approach to optimize the model building. The sampling approach is called the bootstrap, which adopts a random sampling approach with replacement. The subspace method also adopts a random sampling approach, but it helps extract smaller subsets (i.e., subspaces) of features. It also helps build decision trees based on them and select decision trees for the random forest construction. The ensemble approach helps build classifiers based on the so-called bagging approach. The objectives of this chapter include detailed discussions on these approaches. The chapter also discusses the training and testing algorithms that are suitable for the random forest supervised learning. The chapter also presents simple examples and visual aids to better understand the random forest supervised learning technique.
Corrosion of Electrodes at Low Temperatures

The corrosion of electrodes in fuel cells leads to a decrease in performance with time. It may determine the life of the fuel cell. The rate of corrosion depends upon the electrode material, the electrolyte and the temperature. The presence of anions which form complexes with the respective electrocatalyst (for instance Cl− for platinum metals) has to be avoided since complex formation tends to increase the rate of corrosion. In general, corrosion problems become more serious with increasing temperature. While the corrosion of electrocatalysts is discussed in this chapter, the degradation of electrode structures due to mechanical strain or to the disintegration of the bonding material is not dealt with.
Using Heart Rate Variability to Assess Operator Mental Workload in a Command and Control Simulation of Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Unmanned systems will play an increased role in the future beyond military application including but not limited to: search and rescue, border patrol, homeland security, and natural disaster relief...