cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using BCI2000 for HCI-Centered BCI Research

BCI2000 is a general-purpose software suite designed for brain-computer interface (BCI) and related research. BCI2000 has been in development since 2000 and is currently used in close to 500 laboratories around the world. BCI2000 can provide stimulus presentation while simultaneously recording brain signals and subject responses from a number of data acquisition and input devices, respectively. Furthermore, BCI2000 provides a number of services (such as a generic data format that can accommodate any hardware or experimental setup) that can greatly facilitate research. In summary, BCI2000 is ideally suited to support investigations in the area of human-computer interfaces (HCI), in particular those that include recording and processing of brain signals. This chapter provides an overview of the BCI2000 system, and gives examples of its utility for HCI research.
The “when” and “where” of α-synucleinopathies: Insights from REM sleep behavior disorder

Since its identification more than 3 decades ago, REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) has graduated from being a clinical description of a novel and fascinating experiment in nature to become one of the most important early biomarkers for α-synucleinopathies (Parkinson disease [PD], dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, and pure autonomic failure).1 The unique features of RBD as a biomarker are: (1) its ease and accuracy of diagnosis and specificity (at least 80% of individuals with apparently “idiopathic RBD” will develop one of these conditions); and (2) the protracted interval between appearance and onset of the more classic clinical symptoms (often 10–20 or more years).2,3
New experimental initiatives using very highly charged ions from an “electron beam ion trap”

A short review of the experimental program in highly-charged heavy ion physics conducted at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) facility is presented. The heavy-ion research, involving ions up to fully stripped U92+, includes precision x-ray spectroscopy and lifetime studies, electron impact ionization and excitation cross section measurements. The investigations of ion-surface interactions following the impact of high-Z highly charged ions on surfaces are aimed to study the neutralization dynamics effecting the ion and the response of the surface as well. The combination of an EBIT% with a cryogenic Penning Trap (“RETRSP”) allows to conduct experiments with ultra cold (e.g. 10 K) very highly charged ions. These studies of charge exchange processes, Coulomb crystals and measurements of hyperfine transitions using laser spectroscopy are in progress.
Reply to Kalangara and Kuruvilla and Boehm.

We appreciate the comments of Kalangara and Kuruvilla and Boehm.[1 2][1] In our paper, we discussed the topics that Kalangara and Kuruvilla elucidated on. These included switching to a different non-ionic contrast medium and the controversies regarding skin testing and premedication. Kalangara and
Combination PD-1 and PD-L1 Blockade Promotes Durable Neoantigen-Specific T Cell-Mediated Immunity in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Summary Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a lethal cancer resistant to immunotherapy. We create a PDA mouse model and show that neoantigen expression is required for intratumoral T cell accumulation and response to immune checkpoint blockade. By generating a peptide:MHC tetramer, we identify that PDA induces rapid intratumoral, and progressive systemic, tumor-specific T cell exhaustion. Monotherapy PD-1 or PD-L1 blockade enhances systemic T cell expansion and induces objective responses that require systemic T cells. However, tumor escape variants defective in IFNγ-inducible Tap1 and MHC class I cell surface expression ultimately emerge. Combination PD-1 + PD-L1 blockade synergizes therapeutically by increasing intratumoral KLRG1+Lag3−TNFα+ tumor-specific T cells and generating memory T cells capable of expanding to spontaneous tumor recurrence, thereby prolonging animal survival. Our studies support that PD-1 and PD-L1 are relevant immune checkpoints in PDA and identify a combination for clinical testing in those patients with neoantigen-specific T cells.
Mathematics of flocking behavior

Flocking behavior in 3D graphics is seen as an advanced topic seldom addressed in introductory books or courses in computer graphics. Yet writing such programs can be an interesting and very doable project for a first course in computer graphics if enough fundamental information is provided to students, particularly around the mathematics needed to support flocking. Some simple knowledge of vector math and a working understanding of Potential Fields is all that is needed. This knowledge is not beyond the scope of an introductory computer graphics course.
Oxygen Is the High-Energy Molecule Powering Complex Multicellular Life: Fundamental Corrections to Traditional Bioenergetics.

A fundamental re-assessment of the overall energetics of biochemical electron transfer chains and cycles is presented, highlighting the crucial role of the highest-energy molecule involved, O2. The...
Chapter 6 Developmental Perspectives in Brief Treatment of Gay Youth

Abstract This report explores representative dilemmas of gay youth in the transition from late adolescence to young adulthood and shows how brief treatment may facilitate efforts to work toward greater authenticity in sense of self and identity, revise maladaptive relational patterns, and strengthen coping capacities. It presents the case of an 18-year-old male who was seen in supportive psychodynamic treatment for 13 sessions in a university counseling service. Developmental and relational deficits, rooted in a stigmatized identity, perpetuated problems in functioning. The relational functions and supportive elements of the therapeutic process are emphasized in discussion of curative factors. Establishment of the selfobject bond with the therapist strengthened self, facilitated coping, and improved social functioning. The author emphasizes the importance of considering the impact of internalized homophobia and self-alienation in assessment of functioning and establishment of treatment goals.
3D Scan Analysis as a Tool for Comparative Study of Coverall Design

Pesticide protective coveralls (PPCs) are worn by agricultural workers to prevent harmful chemicals from coming into contact with the worker’s skin and clothes. PPCs are one-piece and unisex garments,typically with a hood and zippered front, and must fit a wide range of body types (Keeble, Prevatt &Mellian, 1992). If workers do not have properly fitting PPCs, their safety is at risk because of badly designed and sized coveralls may both restrict movement and expose the worker to contamination through tears (Depa,2016). Three-dimensional (3D) scanning technology enables the creation of digital models and allows for a wider scope of observation to identify fit problems in garments.Therefore, this study explores the use of 3D scanning technology to identify fit problems in PPCs. More specifically, objectives of this study were to (a) test and compare the fit of three coverall designs to see which ones promote comfort and do not restrict movement, and (b) determine sizing and fit problems in coveralls.
Tris(Dimethylamino)Sulfonium Difluorotrimethylsilicate

Tris(dimethylamino)sulfonium difluorotrimethylsilicate product: tris(dimethylamino)sulfonium difluorotrimethylsilicate reactant: N,N-Dimethylaminotrimethylsilane is available from Petrarch Systems, Inc. byproduct: hexamethyl-disiloxane Keywords: halogenation, fluorination; diethyl ether; dimethylaminosulfur trifluoride, substitute for sulfur tetrafluoride; sulfur tetrafluoride, poison; apparatus, for measuring volume of and the addition of sulfur tetrafluoride
Ramsey's contributions to probability and legal theory

Review of Cheryl Misak, Frank Ramsey: A Sheer Excess of Powers (Oxford University Press, 2020).
The 2016 Data Challenge of the American Statistical Association

The Sections on Statistical Graphics and Statistical Computing of the American Statistical Association have a long history of issuing Data Challenges with the first one starting in 1982/1983. The challenge is now an annual event where most of them use data collected and disseminated by the U.S. government. The data set for the 2016 Data Challenge was the Department of Transportation’s General Estimates System. The GES is collected by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration and is a representative sample of police-reported motor vehicle crashes. This editorial introduces the five papers submitted by contestants in the data challenge.
Understanding compositional stability in mixedwood forests of eastern North America

Mixedwood forest composition, or co-dominance of hardwood and softwood species, has been interpreted as both stable and unstable. Through review of existing theory, we propose a conceptual model to...
Resolution and persistence of ovarian cysts using cyst diameter in order to relate findings to the practicing physician

Objectives: Ovarian cysts often resolve but little information on this resolution is available to the practicing physician. The objective of this study was to characterize the resolution of incident ovarian cysts in relation to cyst diameter, structure, age, body habitus, and menopausal status. These characterizations are important for decisions to continue surveillance or intervene surgically. Methods: A total of 2,638 women with incident cysts were selected who had undergone 51,356 TVUS examinations in the University of Kentucky Ovarian Cancer Screening Program. Prevalent cysts were excluded as they would be examined with an undefined course of first appearance when defining resolution time. Other exclusions included women with concurrent ovarian malignancies, cysts with solid components, and cases where surgery interrupted the natural history of measured cysts. In the incident population of women with cysts, both resolving and persisting cysts were evident. The descriptor reported here is cyst diameter in order to relate the findings to physicians discovering these structures by bimanual examination. The variables that were collected were: age, BMI, cyst diameter, cyst structure (loculation/septation), family history of ovarian cancer, and use of hormone replacement therapy. All images were reviewed by a physician. Methods of analysis include t-tests, chi-square, and Cox regression analysis of cyst resolution times. Download : Download high-res image (200KB) Download : Download full-size image Results: Women with a history of more than 1 cyst were included so that 2,465 unilocular and 1,420 septated cysts were available for analysis. Cyst size was normally distributed. Septated cysts (mean±SEM, 3.8±0.03), had a larger diameter than unilocular cysts (3.4±0.03), P Conclusions: Although septated cysts had a larger diameter than unilocular cysts, they resolved faster. Resolution of unilocular cysts was fastest in women 70+ years and most prolonged in women
Prenatal Cannabis Use and Infant Birth Outcomes in the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System.

Objectives To examine the association of prenatal cannabis use and adverse infant outcomes in a nationally representative cohort and consider the impact of concurrent cigarette exposure. Study design We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 32 583 new mothers from the 2017-2019 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System. Cannabis use was evaluated as a binary variable (use or no use) as well as ordinal categories (no, light, moderate, heavy use). We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the relationship between prenatal cannabis exposure and low birthweight (LBW), preterm birth, and small for gestational age. Results Prenatal cannabis use was associated with significantly greater odds of LBW (aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.05-1.54) and small for gestational age (aOR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.09-1.68) but not preterm birth. Compared with nonusers, heavy users (weekly or more) were twice as likely to deliver a LBW infant (aOR, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.46-2.94) or small for gestational age infant (aOR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.38-3.30). When examining combined cannabis and cigarette use, prenatal exposure to both substances increased the likelihood of LBW (aOR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.71-3.01), preterm birth (aOR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.12-2.31), and small for gestational age (aOR, 3.29; 95% CI, 2.39-4.55) compared with no use, and the increased odds were greater than for either substance alone. Conclusions Our results suggest that cannabis use during pregnancy may harm fetal development, and recommendations to improve birth outcomes should address co-use of cannabis and tobacco.
Different settings, different patterns of impacts: Effects of a Pre-K math intervention in a mixed-delivery system

Abstract Publicly funded Pre-K programs operate across a variety of settings, including both public schools and community-based organizations. Yet, there is limited research examining differences in the quality of children's Pre-K experiences across public schools and community-based organizations. Moreover, there is little information about whether interventions that aim to enhance program quality and child outcomes have consistent effects across Pre-K settings. The current study addresses these gaps by leveraging data from a large-scale randomized trial of a Pre-K math intervention called Making Pre-K Count (MPC; N = 69 schools and centers, N = 173 classrooms, N = 1389 Pre-K students). The study assesses variation in classroom quality across public schools and community-based organizations and estimates impacts of MPC separately within each setting. Descriptive findings revealed that public school Pre-K programs in the control group spent more time on math instruction and had higher quality math instruction than Pre-K programs implemented in community-based organizations. Results from exploratory impact analyses showed that in both public schools and community-based organizations, MPC had large positive impacts on the amount of math instruction children received. MPC improved students’ math outcomes, but not language and executive function, at the end of kindergarten within the public school sample only. In contrast, in the community-based organization sample, MPC improved students’ receptive language in Pre-K and executive functioning in kindergarten, but not children's math skills at either time point. Implications for future scaling and implementation are discussed.
(Re)creating family and reinforcing pedagogies of the home: How familial capital manifests for Students of Color pursuing STEM majors

Utilizing Yosso’s concept of familial capital, we analyzed the narratives of 30 Students of Color pursuing STEM majors at five Northeastern United States universities to understand how familial cap...
Image Matching Using the OBIR System with Feature Point Histograms

The main focus of multimedia systems research has been directed towards the design and development of techniques for the management of visual information. Both in images and image sequences, shape and spatial constraints are essential features associated with these objects. This paper presents an image retrieval system called OBIR (Object-Based Image Retrieval). We discuss this and a new histogram-based approach to indexing spatial arrangements of features. Based on some preliminary experiments, we demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of our system.
SU-E-T-625: Potential for Reduced Radiation Induced Toxicity for the Treatment of Inoperable Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Using RapidArc Planning

Purpose: To investigate the feasibility of using RapidArc (RA) treatment planning to reduce irradiation volume of normal lung and other organs at risk (OARs) in the treatment of inoperable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: A retrospective treatment planning and delivery study was performed to compare target coverage and the volumes of the normal lung, spinal cord, heart and esophagus on 4D-CT scan above their dose tolerances delivered by RA vs. IMRT for ten inoperable NSCLC patients (Stage I-IIIB). RA plans consisted of either one-full or two-partial co-planar arcs used to treat 95% of the planning target volume (PTV) with 6MV beam to a prescription of 66Gy in 33 fractions. IMRT plans were generated using 5–7 co-planar fields with 6MV beam. PTV coverage, dose-volume histograms, homogeneity/conformity indices (CI), total number of monitor units(MUs), beam-on time and delivery accuracy were compared between the two treatment plans. Results: Similar target coverage was obtained between the two techniques. RA (CI=1.02) provided more conformal plans without loss of homogeneity compared to IMRT plans (CI=1.12). Compared to IMRT, RA achieved a significant median dose reduction in V10 (3%), V20 (8%), and mean lung dose (3%) on average, respectively. On average, V5 was comparable between the two treatment plans. RA reduced mean esophagus (6%), mean heart (18%), and maximum spinal cord dose (7%), on average, respectively. Total number of MUs and beam-on time were each reduced almost by a factor of 2 when compared to IMRT-patient comfort, reduced intra-fraction-motion and leakage dose. The average IMRT and RA QA pass rate was about 98% for both types of plans for 3%/3mm criterion. Conclusion: Compared to IMRT plans, RA provided not only comparable target coverage, but also improved conformity, treatment time, and significant reduction in irradiation of OARs. This may potentially allow for target dose escalation without increase in normal tissue toxicity.
A fresh look at glacial floods

Over the last 20 years, it has become clear that ice ages are characterized by glacial as well as climatic instability on millennial time scales. In his Perspective, Colman highlights two recent papers investigating the role of glacial meltwater and continental drainage in this instability. The results suggest a fundamental instability feedback between ocean circulation and ice sheet dynamics and provides an explanation for why instability was greatest at times of intermediate ice volume.
The Dark Side of Relationship Pursuit: From Attraction to Obsession and Stalking

Authors William R. Cupach and Brian H. Spitzberg synthesize the expanding multidisciplinary base of knowledge about obsessive relational intrusion (ORI) and stalking, presenting a comprehensive scholarly consideration of these behaviors. Their inclusive approach is reflected in the breadth of research represented, including social, clinical and forensic psychology, psychiatry, counseling, communication, criminal justice, law enforcement, sociology, social work, threat assessment and management, and family studies. The work also draws upon the multidisciplinary scholarship on social and personal relationships.The chapters in this volume:*provide historical and definitional frames for studying unwanted relationship pursuit, and consider the role of such sources as the media, law, and social science research in shaping the contemporary multifaceted and multifarious conceptualizations of stalking;*elaborate the authors' assumption that much unwanted relationship pursuit owes to complications inherent in the processes of constructing and dismantling relationships, examine the factors that conspire to create slippage between two persons' conceptions of their "shared" relationship, and explore the cultural practices associated with relationship dissolution that tend to reinforce persistence in unwanted pursuit;*chart the topography of unwanted pursuit, offering a unique and comprehensive synthesis of relevant research bearing on several issues, and a review of the temporal stages and characteristics of stalking;*consider promising theories and variables for explaining the occurrence of unwanted pursuit; and*discuss the issues pertinent to threat assessment, managing unwanted pursuit and offering a comprehensive typology of victim consequences of pursuit.The volume concludes with thoughts about "correcting courtship." Drawing on the interpersonal competence literature, Cupach and Spitzberg speculate on ways in which enhancing relationship management skills could help diminish the incidence and debilitating consequences of ORI and stalking.With this work, the authors provide a clearer picture of the current state of knowledge about stalking, and in so doing, identify productive paths for scholarly inquiry and ultimately bolster the effectiveness of prevention and intervention efforts. The volume is destined to promote and publicize the multidisciplinary nature of stalking research such that cross-fertilization of interested fields might yield new and better insights. It will be required reading for the cross-disciplinary community of academics and professionals who are committed to understanding and responding to unwanted relationship pursuit and stalking.
Microbial Source Tracking

This chapter uses the term microbial source tracking (MST) to collectively refer to a number of methods developed to specifically determine the sources of fecal contamination and/or fecal indicator bacteria in water, because the chapter focuses on the use of microbial-based assays, rather than analyzing for chemical compounds such as coprostanol or host animal genes (i.e., mitochondrial genes). The chapter outlines the scientific questions and regulatory needs that have led to the burgeoning growth of this area of environmental microbiology. A section discusses some of the new tools and approaches that can be used to examine environmental samples and how they can be used in tracking sources of fecal pollution. Nucleic acid microarrays can be used to screen for the presence of DNA or RNA (i.e., expression arrays) obtained from pure cultures or from complex microbial communities. The power of multilocus sequence typing (MLST) in combination with metagenomic sequencing data was illustrated in recent application in which the presence of Burkholderia-like bacteria was confirmed by comparing typing data with metagenomic sequences from the Sargasso Sea. A promising technology in source tracking and in microbial ecology in general, is called hierarchical oligonucleotide primer extension. This fingerprint technique uses combinations of hierarchical primers to target different bacteria within a phylogenetic group.
Fluid-structure interaction: applications in nonlinear aeroelasticity

Nonlinear aeroelasticity is discussed firstly from the signal processing point of view. The method of phase-space reconstruction is described and an example using wind tunnel data of an unmanned flight vehicle is presented to demonstrate the occurrence of limit-cycle oscillations. Two-dimensional numerical simulation of an airfoil containing a freeplay structural nonlinearity is carried out to show the bifurcation process that eventually leads to chaotic motion.
Reverse genetics approaches to combat pathogenic arenaviruses

Several arenaviruses cause hemorrhagic fever (HF) in humans, and evidence indicates that the worldwide-distributed prototypic arenavirus lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) is a neglected human pathogen of clinical significance. Moreover, arenaviruses pose a biodefense threat. No licensed anti-arenavirus vaccines are available, and current anti-arenavirus therapy is limited to the use of ribavirin, which is only partially effective and is associated with anemia and other side effects. Therefore, it is important to develop effective vaccines and better antiviral drugs to combat the dual threats of naturally occurring and intentionally introduced arenavirus infections. The development of arenavirus reverse genetic systems is allowing investigators to conduct a detailed molecular characterization of the viral cis-acting signals and trans-acting factors that control each of the steps of the arenavirus life cycle, including RNA synthesis, packaging and budding. Knowledge derived from these studies is uncovering potential novel targets for therapeutic intervention, as well as facilitating the establishment of assays to identify and characterize candidate antiviral drugs capable of interfering with specific steps of the virus life cycle. Likewise, the ability to generate predetermined specific mutations within the arenavirus genome and analyze their phenotypic expression would significantly contribute to the elucidation of arenavirus-host interactions, including the basis of their ability to cause severe HF. This, in turn, could lead to the development of novel, potent and safe arenavirus vaccines.
Effects of Filipin on the Structure and Biological Activity of Enveloped Viruses

Abstract The interaction of the polyene antibiotic filipin with membrane-bound cholesterol in vesicular stomatitis (VS), influenza, and Rauscher leukemia virions was studied. Exposure of virions to filipin resulted in a series of depressions and ridges in the envelope of VS virions, with a periodicity of 15 to 20 nm perpendicular to the long axis of the particle; similar morphological alterations were observed in negatively stained preparations, in thin-sectioned virions, and in protease-treated virions that lack surface glycoproteins. This morphological effect was specific for filipin, since the envelopes of VS virions that had been treated with another polyene antibiotic, amphotericin B, exhibited markedly different morphology. Morphological alterations induced by filipin in influenza and Rauscher leukemia virions differed from those seen in VS virions. The infectivity of filipin-treated VS virions was reduced up to 500-fold, whereas influenza virions were resistant to filipin treatment. Incorporation of filipin into the virions was demonstrated, and no release of either lipids or proteins from virions was detected after filipin treatment. A stoichiometry of approximately 1 mol of bound filipin per mol of cholesterol was found in both intact and protease-treated VS virions. The equilibrium dissociation constant for filipin-cholesterol interaction was approximately 74-fold larger in intact than in protease-treated VS virions. The initial rate of association of filipin with cholesterol in intact virions was slower than that in protease-treated particles. The fluidity of lipids in VS viral membranes, as probed by a stearic acid derivative spin label, was markedly reduced when either intact or protease-treated virions were treated with filipin.
Suicide Prevention in the Elderly (Age 65–99)

Suicide rates by age are highest among older adults. Subpopulations of elderly adults at high risk are identified, including White males, the target of a Healthy People 2000 Objective. Several specific programs are described and a range of measures to prevent suicide in late life are suggested. These measures include primary prevention steps related to education and information dissemination, and secondary prevention involving early identification and assessment of the depressed and suicidal as well as improved referral efforts.
The Crisis of New Labor and Alinsky’s Legacy Revisiting the Role of the Organic Grassroots Leaders in Building Powerful Organizations and Movements

Scholars attribute contemporary union failure to structural factors, such as the legal decision allowing striking workers to be permanently replaced, and to globalization. This article examines the...
The role of preoperative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in patients with high‐risk melanoma

Background Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning is commonly used for the preoperative staging of patients with at least intermediate thickness (>1 mm) melanomas. Its role in staging at initial diagnosis for clinically asymptomatic patients is not yet established. Methods We examined records of all patients receiving an operation for at least an intermediate thickness melanoma from June 2005 to June 2011. Results of preoperative PET/CT scans were evaluated in asymptomatic patients with a negative physical exam. Outcome measures included changes in clinical management, as well as incidence of true- and false-positives. Results PET/CT scans were performed for 149 patients with at least an intermediate thickness melanoma. Positive scans were identified in 28% (41/149) of patients. An invasive procedure to further aid in diagnosis was performed in 44% (18), yet only 6 (15%) patients were diagnosed with metastatic cancer (85% false positive rate). Each of these patients had regional disease subsequently diagnosed by a sentinel lymph node biopsy. No distant metastatic disease was identified. Conclusions Preoperative PET/CT in asymptomatic patients is of limited benefit in staging asymptomatic melanoma patients with at least an intermediate thickness melanoma and may lead to unnecessary invasive procedures. J. Surg. Oncol 2014; 109:726–729. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Response To Letter To The Editor Regarding Article “Repolarization Parameters Are Associated With Mortality In Chagas Disease Patients In The United States”

We thank Dr. Baranchuk and colleagues for their thoughtful and insightful comments regarding our manuscript. While the primary focus of the manuscript was repolarization abnormalities we regretfully did not cite the authors important work on ECG fragmentation. Unfortunately, the authors’ abstract 1,2 was not noted in our initial literature search. The authors subsequently reported their data in manuscript form 3 in January of 2014. This should serve as a reminder to consider a repeat literature review after an initial manuscript is submitted, as failing to do so can lead to an incomplete review when new data becomes available in the interim.
A Unifying Concept of Water Purification Kinetics

This paper is, in a sense, a search for meaningful measurements of those internal and external forces or factors that shape the progress of water purification both in nature and in treatment works. Progress is related to time or distance.Internal factors are expressed in terms of (I) a fundamental reaction rate of a specific impurity exposed to a specific treatment process, (2) temperature itself or temperature-dependent properties of the water undergoing treatment, (3) longitudinal variation in treatment response, and (4) longitudinal change in the concentration of the impurity.External factors are measured in terms of (I) extent of contact surface relative to the volume of water treated or, for packed treatment columns or fixed contact media, relative to the volume of the contact media, and (2) contact opportunity in terms of the induced mobility of the contact surfaces or their sweep through the treatment unit as a product of time and velocity gradient. Structural longitudinal changes in relative contact surface and operational longitudinal changes in contact opportunity as well as relative contact surface require that these measurements be stated as functions to be evaluated specifically for each purification unit and its method of operation. Longitudinal change in interfacial activity itself is made part of the measurement of treatment response.
Microstructured semiconductor lasers for high-speed information processing

The technology to generate laser light from semiconductor microstructures is developing rapidly. New techniques for epitaxial growth and surface processing allow great flexibility in laser architecture. Highly efficient lasers with submicrometre dimensions, operating indepen-dently or packed together in dense two-dimensional arrays, will soon be used for transmitting, storing and manipulating information with unprecedented speed.
Ecosystem-level patterns of primary productivity and herbivory in terrestrial habitats

ECOSYSTEMS are structurally organized as food webs within which energy is transmitted between trophic levels and dissipated into the environment. Energy flow between two trophic levels is given by the amount of production at the lower level and by the proportion of production that is consumed, assimilated and res-pired at the higher level. Considerable evidence indicates that food-web structure varies predictably in different habitats1–5, but much less is known about quantitative relationships among food web fluxes. Many of the energetic properties of herbivores in African game parks are associated with rainfall and, by inference, with net primary productivity6,7. Respiratory costs per unit produc-tion at the consumer trophic level are higher for homeotherms than for heterotherms8. Plant secondary chemicals affect herbivore dietary choices9,10 and the allocation of plant resources to those chemicals varies with resource availability11. How these phenomena are translated into ecosystem fluxes is unknown. We present evidence that herbivore biomass, consumption and produc-tivity are closely correlated with plant productivity, suggesting that the latter is a principal integrator and indicator of functional processes in food webs.
Grouper: an expert system for redistricting

The process of “redistricting” involves the division of a land surface into two or more pieces. In a political setting, the districts thus formed serve as groups of voters that elect the same public officials. Other types of redistricting problems include the formation of school board districts, water management districts, or transportation districts.This paper provides a brief overview of the redistricting problem and then describes a PC-based expert system currently being developed that will assist in the process.
Independent Assessment of Incremental Complexity in NWS Multisensor Precipitation Estimator Algorithms

AbstractThis paper presents a comprehensive intercomparison analysis of different radar-based multisensor precipitation products generated operationally by the National Weather Service (NWS) Multisensor Precipitation Estimator (MPE) algorithm from the Weather Surveillance Radar–1988 Doppler version and concurrent rain gauge data. The analysis provides close insight into different effects of the increasing degree of complexitzy in the MPE algorithms. First, a gauge-only product produced by the MPE algorithm was assessed. Then six MPE products were analyzed: a radar-only product, a mean-field bias-adjusted product, a local bias-adjusted product, two products that are based on merging the bias-adjusted products with gauge observations, and a final product that includes human intervention by NWS forecasters. Data from a dense, carefully maintained experimental rain gauge cluster are used as an independent surface reference. A number of summary and conditional statistics are applied to the product intercompari...
Lipid Composition of Bovine Spermatozoa and Seminal Plasma

Summary Total lipid content of bovine spermatozoa and seminal plasma averaged 12.0 and 1.35%, respectively. Lipids separated by thin-layer chromatography and analyzed gravimetrically, averaged for spermatozoa (%): phospholipids 73.3, cholesterol 14.5, diglycerides 6.5, triglycerides 3.1, and wax esters 2.6. Similar values for seminal plasma were: phospholipids 68.6, cholesterol 20.2, diglycerides 4.0, triglycerides 4.0, and wax esters, 3.2.
NVR Building Products Co. - truss cutting and building optimization

NVRpsilas homebuilding facility in Thurmont, MD realized that there is too much time wasted in double handling of the truss pieces as they move from the cutting departments to the framing departments. The Cybersaw cuts pieces of wood for the truss from longest to shortest which are sent to a catcher who loads them onto a cart. The catcher then rolls the cart to the framers, and the framers sort the pieces onto two or three carts representing the left side of the truss, the right side of the truss, and sometimes the middle. This resorting by the framers can take up to 45 minutes of non-value added time. After implementation of the solution, the team is anticipating a reduction in the amount of material handling by the framers. This reduction will decrease the framers setup time and increase their efficiency and will also provide ergonomic benefits. These ergonomic benefits include a reduction in the amount of times the operators bend down to pick up the pieces of lumber, less heavy lifting, and less traveling. Compared to the current process, the two final design alternatives are a new cart design and a new cutting scheme.
The NG2 antigen, a putative lineage marker: immunofluorescent localization in primary cultures of rat brain.

The distribution of the NG2 antigen was studied at the cellular level in primary cultures of rat brain. By performing immunofluorescent double-labeling experiments with the anti-NG2 serum and other cell-specific markers such as tetanus toxin (neurons), anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (astrocytes), and anti-galactocerebroside (oligodendrocytes), we attempted to ascertain the class of cell that expressed NG2. In cultures prepared from the whole brain of 15-day-old rat embryos the NG2 marker was not found on cells that expressed galactocerebroside or glial fibrillary acidic protein, but was found on a subpopulation of process-bearing tetanus-toxin-binding cells. In cultures prepared from the cerebrum or cerebellum of older animals, either 19-day embryos or 4-day postnatal pups, the NG2 marker was once again found on a subpopulation of tetanus-toxin-binding cells. In addition, NG2 was found on some of the process-bearing cells having the glial fibrillary acidic protein. Thus, as found previously with clonal cell lines, some cells that express NG2 have properties associated with neurons and some have properties associated with glia. That these apparently different types of cells share the NG2 antigen may be a clue that they share a common origin or lineage.
Modeling Heat Transfer Effects During Free-Form Fabrication: Multi-Dimensional Effects

Laser Powder Deposition (LPD) for additive fabrication is a relatively new technology that is currently being qualified for use in the manufacturing industry. Although this technology has significant advantages over conventional manufacturing processes, such as the reduced need for post-production part machining, the resulting component material properties (strength, ductility, etc.) are affected by process operating parameters such as laser power, head (manipulator) speed, and powder flow rate. Set points for these parameters are often based upon trial and error with process control requiring the oversight of a system operator. Additionally, thermal stresses that build up in the part and the substrate can lead to warping and separation of the part from the substrate. Although this latter effect has been investigated, no robust process control has been identified that will solve the problem. Therefore, to assure component part quality and to minimize residual stresses and attendant deformation, an intelligent laser deposition path planning control algorithm needs to be developed. Such control requires knowledge of the part thermal history. The process, however, is not amenable to direct experimental measurement, which has led to the need to develop accurate and reliable thermal models. Preliminary multi-dimensional results from one such model, discussed herein, show the need for process control and how such a model is central to developing an intelligent laser powder deposition path planning strategy.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
A unique mushroom body substructure common to basal cockroaches and to termites

The mushroom bodies of the cockroach Periplaneta americana are made up of intrinsic neurons (class I and class II Kenyon cells) with dendrites in a dorsal calyx and axons that bifurcate into medial and vertical lobes. Here, we describe a substructure of the cockroach mushroom bodies composed of a previously unrecognized class of Kenyon cells with distinct morphologies. The embryonically produced class III Kenyon cells form a separate accessory calyx below the calyx proper. The medial branches of class III Kenyon cell axons form the previously described "gamma bulb," whereas the vertical branches leave the vertical lobe to form a toroidal "lobelet" around the posterior surface. Taking advantage of the morphologically and immunochemically distinct nature of the lobelet, we have attempted to determine the distribution of this unique structure in other insects of the taxon Dictyoptera (cockroaches, mantises, and termites). Our data indicate that the lobelet is present only in basal cockroaches and in termites, supporting existing theories of a close phylogenetic relationship between these groups. Higher termites possess a duplicated lobe structure due to immense elaboration of the processes of class III Kenyon cells. The degree of complexity in the mushroom body lobes of termites agrees with current taxonomic arrangements of the Isoptera based on non-neural morphological and DNA sequence analyses. It thus appears that the evolution of the Dictyoptera has been accompanied by increasing complexity of the mushroom bodies, achieved in part through the further specialization and elaboration of a subset of Kenyon cells.
Poverty and Aggression Management among Native Americans

Summary.-For 12 areas of the Indian Health Service analysis of data, available from the US Department of Health and Human Services, yielded a nonsignilicant Pearson correlation of -.I3 between estimates of poverty and Field's concept of outward aggression and a nearly significant r of .48 with general aggression (suicide rate plus homicide rate). These findings raise for study questions about social disintegration and aggression among Native Americans. Field (1963) has suggested that subtracting the suicide rate from the homicide rate provides a measure of "aggression directed outward versus inward" for a population. Adding the two rates provides a measure of "general aggressiveness." Using suicide and homicide rates obtained from the US Department of Health and Human Services, outward and general aggression scores were created for d 12 Indian Health Service areas: Aberdeen, Alaska, Albuquerque, Bemidji, Billings, California, Nashville, Navajo, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Portland, and Tucson. The 1979-1981 suicide and homicide rates from which these scores were obtained have been published by Young (1990). According to anomie theory, suicide and homicide rates among Native Americans can be explained in terms of cultural di~inte~racion (Young, 1988). Since poverty is one economic variable that may be related to cultural disintegration, it was hypothesized that US Indian Health Service areas with relatively high (or low) rates of poverty should have relatively high (or low) outward and general aggression scores. Contrary to expectation, however, poverty was not related to either of these aggression measures. A nonsignificant Pearson product-moment correlation of -.I3 (one-tailed p> .05) was found for poverty and aggression directed outward rather than inward. The Pearson correlation coefficient for poverty and general aggression only approached statistical significance (r = .48, one-tailed p = .06). Although the correlation between poverty and general aggression approached significance, it is interesting to note that, while the Navajo service area had the highest poverty rate, it also had one of the lowest scores for general aggression. This might indicate, as Kunitz, Levy, Odoroff, and Bollinger (1971) have suggested, that aggression and other social pathologies
Transition to Retirement: Gender Differences.

The present investigation consisted of two studies which attempted: 1) to assess the replicability of the investigation by Wapner and Hornstein [1] and Hornstein and Wapner [2, 3] that uncovered four distinct modes of experiencing the transition to retirement, and 2) to advance that work by focusing on gender differences. The preliminary study, based on analyses of twenty-four case studies reported by Wapner and Hornstein suggested it would be profitable to study gender differences in a more systematic manner [1]. Toward this end, the major study involved construction of four appropriate instruments which were administered to ninety-four (48 women, 46 men) recent retirees. The four retirement categories (I. Transition to Old Age; II. New Beginning; III. Continuation; IV. Imposed Disruption) described in those investigations was replicated. Moreover, striking gender differences emerged. Theoretical and practical implications of the study were explored.
Representation of interwoven surfaces in 2 1/2 D drawing

The state-of-the-art in computer drawing programs is based on a number of concepts that are over two decades old. One such concept is the use of layers for ordering the surfaces in a drawing from top to bottom. Unfortunately, the use of layers unnecessarily imposes a partial ordering on the depths of the surfaces and prevents the user from creating a large class of potential drawings, e.g., of Celtic knots and interwoven surfaces. In this paper we describe a novel approach which only requires local depth ordering of segments of the boundaries of surfaces in a drawing rather than a global depth relation between entire surfaces. Our program provides an intuitive user interface which allows a novice to create complex drawings of interwoven surfaces that would be difficult and time-consuming to create with standard drawing programs.
Estrogen induces phosphorylation of cyclic AMP response element binding (pCREB) in primary hippocampal cells in a time-dependent manner.

Using hippocampal primary cell cultures at 14 days in vitro (div), we have investigated actions of 17-β estradiol (E; 10 nM) on the phosphorylation of CREB and on signaling pathways that regulate CREB phosphorylation. After demonstrating that 14 div is optimal for these studies, we examined the time course of E induction of CREB phosphorylation (pCREB) at serine residue 133. The induction of pCREB occurs as early as 1 h following E treatment, presumably via a mechanism involving an E-stimulated signal transduction system, which is sustained for at least 24 h but inhibited by 48 h. The early activity may represent an initial signal required for events leading to phosphorylation of CREB while the sustained signal may lead to CREB-mediated gene expression for cell survival and synapse formation. Furthermore, we examined the pathways for E action preceding pCREB induction by blocking three major kinases (protein kinase; mitogen activated protein kinase, MAPK; and calcium-calmodulin kinase II, CaMKII) upstream of pCREB. We found that E stimulates each pathway at 24 h and that phosphorylation of CREB is dependent on both MAPK and CaMK activities, but less dependent on the Akt pathway. Because CREB has been linked to E induction of excitatory spine synapses, we used a spine marker, spinophilin, to establish E effects on spine formation. Spinophilin expression was up-regulated in response to E and this effect was blocked by an inhibitor of (CaMKII). These studies demonstrate the central role played by CaMKII pathway in the actions of E on both transcriptional regulation and structural reorganization in neurons.
CO2 Sequestration by Aqueous Red Mud Carbonation at Ambient Pressure and Temperature

An analysis of carbonation was carried out with the aqueous fresh red mud suspension at a liquid-to-solid ratio of 10 kg/kg, as well as in the leached-hydrated matrixes and leachates isolated from this red mud suspension after three successive leachings, to evaluate their intrinsic carbonation potential at ambient conditions (temperature of 20 ± 1 °C and atmospheric pressure). The carbonation assays were performed at 20 °C using a CO2 concentration of 15.00 vol% at a flow rate of 5 mL/min. The red mud matrix has a great leaching capacity of Na−(hydr)oxide, which is the principal hydroxide that seems to be implicated in the carbonation of leachates that have half-carbonation capacity of red mud. Moreover, the carbonation of the red mud suspension also involves a portlandite-containing matrix. The carbonation of the red mud suspension and leachates implicates a complete neutralization of their content in Ca− and Na−(hydr)oxides. Although the leached hydrated-matrixes seem to be partially carbonated, it pres...