cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical field compositions for simulations of near-percolation thermal transport in particulate materials

Abstract In this paper, we simulate heat transport in complex three-dimensional particulate microstructures using a computational procedure based on the formalism of hierarchical partition of unity field compositions (HPFC) recently developed by the authors. The computational procedure is based on constructing complex behavioral fields through Boolean compositions of primitive fields. It is demonstrated that the Boolean compositions efficiently model topological changes caused by the modification/rearrangement of the second phases in the heterogeneous material microstructure. The developed method is applied to evaluate the effective thermal conductivity of two particulate systems, namely, alumina particles in silicone oil and aluminum particles in silicone oil. Three-dimensional simulations of thirty random arrangements of the heterogeneous microstructure at a fixed 58% volume fraction were carried out so as to enable comparisons with experiments (15 measurements of each particle–matrix combination) conducted at an identical volume loading. The microstructures are systematically (and statistically) characterized using matrix-nearest surface exclusion probability functions. The agreement between the experiments and the simulations (mean values were within 10% of each other) validated the near-percolation transport mechanism in these practical material systems. The simulations also underscore the importance of capturing complex three-dimensional (random) particle arrangements and inter-particle interactions. It is demonstrated that these complex three-dimensional microstructural effects may explain experimental results that are sometimes ascribed to an imperfect interface and a non-verifiable interfacial resistance.
Substrate specificity and tissue localization of acetylserotonin methyltransferase in eyes of trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Abstract 1. 1. Acetylserotonin methyltransferase (ASMT) activity in nine parts of the eyes of trout was measured and was highly localized to the retina and its pigment epithelium. 2. 2. Incubations of retina with thirteen hydroxyindole congeners of N-acetylsserotonin demonstrated relative levels of methylation of six additional substrates. 3. 3. Similarity is noted between the ASMT activities of trout retina and pineal tissue of certain mammalian species.
Protein synthesis during germination of pollen: Studies on polyribosome formation

Abstract The activation of the pollen grain of Tradescantia paludosa during germination is accompanied immediately by the initiation of protein synthesis. About 38 % of the ribosomes in ungerminated pollen grains are in polysomes. During germination there is a very rapid formation of additional polysomes beginning within as short a period as 2 min. A fraction of the ribosomes in the ungerminated pollen grain appears to be prepackaged with messenger RNA (mRNA), defined by the sensitivity of polysomes to dissociation by mild ribonuclease treatment.
Insecticide solvents: interference with insecticidal action

Several commercial solvent mixtures commonly used as insecticide carriers in spray formulations increase by more than threefold the microsomal N-demethylation of p-chloro N-methylaniline in midgut preparations of southern army-worm (Spodoptera eridania) larvae exposed orally to the test solvents. Under laboratory conditions, the same solvent mixtures exhibit a protective action against the in vivo toxicity of the insecticide carbaryl to the larvae. The data are discussed with respect to possible solvent-insecticide interactions occurring under field conditions and, more broadly, to potential toxicological hazards of these solvents to humans.
Enhancing remote sensing education with GeoBrain cyberinfrastructure

Modern geoscience and remote sensing (RS) are increasingly data-intensive. Cyberinfrastructure (CI) plays an essential role in data-intensive geoscience and RS research and education. GeoBrain is one of NASA's significant investments in CI for facilitating data-intensive Earth science (ES) and RS research and education. The GeoBrain CI, which makes large data and computing resources interoperable and sharable over the Web by adopting and developing the latest Web service, geospatial interoperability and related information technologies, provides an innovative approach to data-intensive geospatial computing. This paper addresses the GeoBrain solution to major issues in data-intensive ES/RS education and illustrates how use of GeoBrain could greatly enhance ES/RS education.
New perspectives on the origin and evolution of new world domesticated plants: Summary

It is quite apparent from the papers given at this symposium that molecular biology is now making great contributions to our understanding of the origin and evolution of crop plants. I should point out, however, that the more traditional approaches still have something to offer as was exemplified by Newstrom's paper on the chayote. I do not intend to examine all of the papers in any great detail; rather I prefer to see how some of them relate to two more general topics-(l1) the diffusion of crops between Middle America and South America and (2) the beginnings of domestication in eastern North America. In 1965 I reviewed all of the major crops of the Americas (Heiser 1965) and additional information was incorporated in later papers (Pickersgill and Heiser 1977; Heiser 1979). Although studies in the last two decades have given us a much better understanding of the early history of some of the plants, most of what I wrote in 1965 still holds. Surprisingly few of the crops of Mexico reached South America in prehistoric times and even fewer had penetrated Mexico from South America, particularly so if we accept an independent domestication of some crops in the two areas, such as species of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L. and P. lunatus L.) which I suggested in 1965. Evidence for such has been presented here by Gepts. For some crops it was difficult to determine if their movement from one area to the other occurred in the preor post-historical period, and this is still true for some of them. Maize (Zea mays L.) is nearly always central to any discussion of prehistoric American agriculture, so it is most appropriate that I begin with it. In 1965, although it was clear that maize had one origin in Middle America, the question of a separate origin in South America was still maintained as a possibility. Bonavia and Grobman (1 9 89) still hold to a separate South American origin of maize, but I think that it is clearly one of the few Middle American plants to have reached South America from Middle America in prehistoric times. As Doebley has told us in this symposium, maize is derived from teosinte and moreover, as a result of his studies, we can now be fairly certain as to which of the teosintes gave rise to it. Some people, however, are still proposing that a wild maize was the progenitor (see Goodman 1987). Recently Lathrap (1987) has stated that among the "proto-crops" that flowed from tropical South America north were cotton and cacao. He cites Pickersgill and Heiser (1977) for cotton but, as they point out, there is no evidence for an interchange of the cultivated cottons (Gossypium hirsutum L. and G. barbadense L.) between Mexico and Peru in prehistoric times. For cacao he cites Marcos (1 9 73). However, I would still maintain my 19 65 assignment of the domestication of cacao to Middle America. My principal sources at the time were Sauer (1 9 51) and Cuatrecasas (1 964). The extensive and most valuable review of the early literature by Patiiio (1 9 63) also supports this position. Although wild Theobroma
Clostridial gas gangrene complicating leukemia.

We present a case of overwhelming clostridial infection complicating acute lymphoblastic leukemia with dramatic CT findings.
A 10- rather than 9-bp duplication associated with insertion of Tn5 in Escherichia coli K-12.

Abstract The composite transposable element Tn5, which is made up of two inverted IS50 elements surrounding genes encoding drug resistance, generally generates 9-bp duplications at the site of insertion. In our studies of three Tn5 insertion mutants at one location in the Escherichia coli chromosome, we have observed that one contains a duplication of 10 bp, while the other two have the usual 9-bp duplication. Three other insertion elements, IS1 IS4, and IS186, give variablesized target site sequence duplications. We observed a similarity of amino acid sequence in a small region of the putative transposases among IS4, IS186, and Tn5 suggesting a conservation of function in this group of transposases.
The education of Mr. X

The term acquisitions as used in this paper refers for the most part to the procuring of materials-their verification, order, receipt, payment, and so on-rather than to their selection. Naturally, it’s not possible to keep these two functions 100% separate. Since the use of case studies has achieved a certain vogue in some library schools, consideration will be given to the case history of one student’s exposure to acquisitions as it was taught at his library school. The study is offered in the expectation that the experiences of this student may have some wider application-that is, that others may have had similar experiences. The student’s name, aptly enough, is Mr. X. Unfortunately, the case study must begin on a negative note by noting that attending library school was one of the most exquisitely boring experiences poor Mr. X ever endured, His courses, it seemed to him, were not only insufferably boring, but, in general, anti-intellectual. Such was the level of most of the course work that his greatest joy during his tenure at library school was to disappear at break-time-those ten minutes in the middle of the two hour classes when students could go out into the hall, smoke, slap their faces with cold water, and complain about the curriculum. Mr. X frequently, after having performed these three acts, would then retrieve his Winchell, and leave-not waiting for the elevator, but hurling himself down five flights of curving stairs-emerging on the ground floor somewhat dizzy, but with a wonderful sense of release. No matter to him that the enormous tuition took up most of his paycheck at the time; cutting class provided him with no sense of guilt at all. Naturally, years later, when Mr. X was himself teaching, he would always be acutely aware of those students who did not return from their break. When he had begun library school, Mr. X, like many of his confreres, had no preconceived ideas of what he wanted to do after graduation: he was aware that there were such things as reference librarians who got to answer devilishly tricky research questions eight hours a day. He may have known what technical services were, or anyway that they existed; surely he knew that books had to be bought and cataloged.
Field Driven Stiffness Control of Legged Robotic Structures Using Dielectric Elastomers

Dielectric elastomers are known for their electro-mechanically coupled constitutive behavior which has demonstrated the potential for developing a number of novel adaptive structures. Despite the advances in understanding these materials using nonlinear field theory and experimental characterization, several questions remain regarding how to effectively integrate these materials in adaptive robotic structures. Here, a new design is proposed to integrate these materials into legged robotic structures that can achieve relatively large and rapid stiffness changes for enhanced mobility and agility of a field demonstrated hexapod robot. A set of resonance test are performed to quantify changes in effective stiffness as a function of the applied electric field. The results are incorporated into a bi-layer beam model to estimate changes in the effective stiffness of a robotic C-shaped leg. The results show promise for developing adaptive robotics legs for multi-terrain mobility.© 2011 ASME
Variability in the Slope Water and its relation to the Gulf Stream path

[1] Sea Surface Temperature (SST) and Sea Surface Height (SSH) data for 1993–2007 for the North Atlantic are combined with hydrographic data at 69W to investigate the relation between the Gulf Stream (GS) position and the Slope Water properties. SST anomalies north of the GS are correlated with changes in its path. The lag of this correlation is such that positive temperature anomalies precede northward shifts of the GS, and suggests that SST anomalies move westward with speeds of several cm/s. EOF analysis of the SST and SSH fields shows that cooling and strengthening of the SW flow are in phase over the Slope Water, which is mirrored in the vertical structure of these fields at 69W, indicating larger transports in the Deep Western Boundary Current lead to southward shifts of the mean GS path. This relation between the Slope Water and the GS path provides some predictability for the latter.
Prescriptive persuasion and open-ended social awareness: expanding the design space of mobile health

Most mobile technology systems designed to encourage healthy decisions focus on prescriptive persuasion, telling the user either implicitly or explicitly what to do, as the primary means of improving health. However, other technically and socially viable options exist. Drawing on both relevant social theory and previous CSCW research, this paper suggests that open-ended social awareness, making users aware of both others' and their own decisions, may also serve as an effective central design principle for mobile health. To explore this approach, this paper presents analysis of qualitative data from two studies of such a system. Results suggest that open-endedness allowed users flexibility and freedom in defining what counts as health, and that the social aspects compounded both the positive and the occasionally negative impacts of this openness. The paper concludes with implications for the design and evaluation of research on mobile health technology, as well as suggestions for how future work can further explore the design space of mobile health beyond prescriptive persuasion.
Monitoring the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty

The first nuclear bomb was detonated in 1945, thus ushering in the nuclear age. A few political leaders quickly saw a need to limit nuclear weapons through international cooperation and the first proposals to do so were made later that same year. The issue of nuclear testing, however, was not formally addressed until 1958 when the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union, initiated talks intended to establish a total ban on that testing (a Comprehensive Test-Ban Treaty or CTBT). Those talks ended unsuccessfully, ostensibly because the participants could not agree on the issue of on-site verification.
Circadian dependent effect of epidermal growth factor, insulin and glucagon on hepatic pyruvate kinase and malic enzyme of mice.

The influence of epidermal growth factor (EGF), 0.75 μg g−1; insulin, 1.5 μg g−1; glucagon, 1.25 ygg−1 and their combinations on the activities of hepatic pyruvate kinase (PK) and malic enzymes (ME) was monitored. Male CD2F1 mice were treated toward the end of the light or dark periods, 9 or 23 /tours after /ights on (9 or 23 HALO), and subgroups of six mice were killed at 4,8 or 12 hr post-treatment. PK and ME activities from control mice were well characterized by cosine curves. The PK activity was maximal when ME activity was minimal at the transition from light to dark (9 HALO plus 4 hr) and PK was at a minimum when ME was highest (23 HALO plus 4 hr). Both enzymes were influenced by at least one peptide hormone, and the effects were strongly circadian -stage dependent. The only effect attributed to EGF was an increase of PK activity (23%) 12 hr after injection at 23 HALO. PK activity was increased by insulin (23%) at 23 HALO (4 hr after injection), but not at 9 HALO, and decreased (17%) by glucagon 12...
Analysis of four recruitment methods for obtaining normative data through a Web-based questionnaire: a pilot study

Background Quality normative data requires a diverse sample of participants and plays an important role in the appropriate use of health outcomes. Using social media and other online resources for survey recruitment is a tempting prospect, but the effectiveness of these methods in collecting a diverse sample is unknown. The purpose of this study is to pilot test four methods of recruitment to determine their ability to produce a sample representative of the general US population.
Development of Thermodynamic, Geometric, and Economic Models for Use in the Optimal Synthesis/Design of a PEM Fuel Cell Cogeneration System for Multi-Unit Residential Applications

Thermodynamic, geometric, and economic models are developed for a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system for use in cogeneration applications in multi-unit residential buildings. The models describe the operation and cost of the fuel processing sub-system and the fuel cell stack sub-system. The thermodynamic model reflects the operation of the chemical reactors, heat exchangers, mixers, compressors, expanders, and stack that comprise the PEMFC system. Geometric models describe the performance of a system component based on its size (e.g., heat exchanger surface area), and, thus, relate the performance at off-design conditions to the component sizes chosen at the design condition. Economic models are based on data from the literature and address the cost of system components including the fuel processor, the fuel cell materials, the stack assembly cost, the fuel cost, etc. As demonstrated in a forthcoming paper, these models can be used in conjunction with optimization techniques based on decomposition to determine the optimal synthesis and design of a fuel cell system. Results obtained using the models show that a PEMFC cogeneration system is most economical for a relatively large cluster of residences (i.e. 50) and for manufacturing volumes in excess of 1500 units per year. The analysis also determines the various system performance parameters including an electrical efficiency of 39% and a cogeneration efficiency of 72% at the synthesis/design point.
Crystal structure of μ-chloro-chloro-di-π-allyl (cyclohexanone oxime) dipalladium

Abstract The crystal structure of μ-chloro-chloro-di-π-allyl(cyclohexanone oxime)dipalladium, [Pd(π-C 3 H 5 )Cl] 2 C 6 H 10 NOH, has been determined from three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data collected on a single crystal diffractometer with Mo- K α radiation. The crystals belong to the triclinic space group P 1 ( C 1 i ), with cell parameters: a = 8.004±0.01 A, b = 14.47±0.01 A, c = 7.88±0.02 A, α = 95.1±0.1°, β = 90.3±0.2°, and − = 113.1±0.1°. The unit cell contains two molecules of the complex. The complex has a binuclear structure of the two palladium atoms, one coordinates to a π-allyl group and two chlorine atoms in a square-planar configuration. The other palladium atom coordinates to one chlorine atom, a π-allyl group and the nitrogen atom of the oxime, also with a square-planar geometry. The structure may be derived from that of bis(π-allylpalladium chloride) by rupture of the bond between the palladium and one of the bridge chlorine atoms, coordination of the nitrogen of the oxime to the palladium and formation by the terminal chlorine atom of a hydrogen bond with the hydroxyl group of the oxime. The orientation of the π-allyl groups with respect to the palladium atoms is similar to those found in other π-allyl complexes.
Design of the ARES Mars Airplane and Mission Architecture

Significant technology advances have enabled planetary aircraft to be considered as viable science platforms. Such systems fill a unique planetary science measurement gap, that of regional-scale, near-surface observation, while providing a fresh perspective for potential discovery. Recent efforts have produced mature mission and flight system concepts, ready for flight project implementation. This paper summarizes the development of a Mars airplane mission architecture that balances science, implementation risk and cost. Airplane mission performance, flight system design and technology maturation are described. The design, analysis and testing completed demonstrates the readiness of this science platform for use in a Mars flight project.
Synthesis and characterization of graft copolymers of poly(vinyl chloride) with styrene and (meth)acrylates by atom transfer radical polymerization

Graft copolymers of poly(vinyl chloride) with styrene and (meth)acrylates were prepared by atom transfer radical polymerization. Poly(vinyl chloride) containing small amount of pendent chloroacetate units was used as a macroinitiator. The formation of the graft copolymer was confirmed with size exclusion chromatography (SEC), 1H NMR and IR spectroscopy. The graft copolymers with increasing incorporation of butyl acrylate result in an increase of molecular weight. One glass transition temperature (Tg) was observed for all copolymers. Tg of the copolymer with butyl acrylate decreases with increasing content of butyl acrylate.
The age at which young deaf children receive cochlear implants and their vocabulary and speech-production growth: is there an added value for early implantation?

Objective:The age at which a child receives a cochlear implant seems to be one of the more important predictors of his or her speech and language outcomes. However, understanding the association between age at implantation and child outcomes is complex because a child’s age, length of device use, an
Heparin Safety in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Are We Learning From Mistakes of Others?

Current publicity detailing life-threatening heparin errors in neonatal intensive care units have brought attention to the incidence of medication errors in neonatal population as well as contributing factors specifically associated with these errors. With much attention given to labeling of product, internal system deficiencies, and role responsibility of nurse(s) administering the heparin solution, little attention has been given to rationale regarding evidence, or lack thereof, for use of heparin, especially as a flush solution for locked vascular access devices. A brief discussion of use, risks, and precautions with heparin and a common low-molecular-weight heparin, enoxaparin, is presented. In addition, the article includes an analysis and summary of research findings comparing efficacy of heparinized solutions vs normal saline in the neonatal and infant population for maintenance of peripheral intermittent intravenous devices.
MORPHOLOGICAL AND BIOCHEMICAL STUDIES OF ISOLATED MITOCHONDRIA FROM FETAL, NEONATAL, AND ADULT LIVER AND FROM NEOPLASTIC TISSUES

A combined morphological and biochemical investigation of mitochondria from developing and rapidly growing tissues ( tumors, fetal, and very early neonatal rat liver) revealed mitochondria which were deficient in respiratory control, showed no valinomycin induced K+ accumulation or spontaneous Ca++ uptake, and were unable to undergo a swelling-contraction cycle. Electron microscopic examination of fetal and neonatal livers and a mammary tumor revealed mitochondria which differed from controls with respect to matrix density and ability to undergo reversible structural changes. The importance of isolation and assay media in interpretation of results is emphasized.
The SEEDs of Two Gastrointestinal Diseases: SocioEconomic, Environmental, and Demographic Factors Related to Cryptosporidiosis and Giardiasis in Massachusetts

Objectives We assessed associations between community-level socioeconomic, demographic, and environmental characteristics, and the presence of two potentially waterborne infectious diseases, cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis, as reported to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
MODAFINIL FOR TREATMENT OF FATIGUE IN POST-POLIO SYNDROME: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

I read with interest the article by Vasconcelos et al. on the use of modafinil for the treatment of fatigue in post-polio syndrome.1 Like many clinicians caring for patients with post-polio syndrome, the overall negative results and expanding list of past failures are disappointing. Poliomyelitis has recently been identified as a cause of muscle weakness in patients with West Nile virus (WNV) infection, and a syndrome of acute asymmetric flaccid paralysis (AFP) has been described in numerous patients.2 This acute asymmetric flaccid paralysis resembles that of the anterior horn cell poliomyelitis seen in polio victims and is often associated with disabling fatigue and frequently hinders physical therapy and rehabilitation efforts. I am unaware of any reported medication trials in patients with WNV-AFP for symptomatic relief of disabling fatigue. In the summer of 2003, WNV invaded Southern California and then dispersed to every county in the state.3,4 Shortly thereafter, in my community, we started seeing our first cases of WNV-induced neurologic complaints, including monoplegic patients. Following workup on the medical floors including serologies, CSF analysis, and electrodiagnostic studies, they …
Anger, Stress and Blood Pressure in Overweight Children

Among adults, trait anger, patterns of anger expression, and stress have been associated with blood pressure (BP). Less apparent is the effect of these variables on BP in overweight and obese children. To characterize the relationships between these psychological variables and BP, the authors conducted a secondary analysis of data from 73 overweight and obese 9- to 11-year-old children. Findings indicate a positive correlation between trait anger and systolic BP (SBP). Regression results indicate that the overall model significantly predicted SBP by explaining 15.4% of the variance and that trait anger was a significant predictor of SBP.
Management of Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy

Non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NA-AION) is a major cause of seriously impaired vision among the middle-aged and elderly population; in addition, contrary to popular belief, it also occurs in young persons, though less commonly. Nevertheless, almost all publications on NA-AION contain the ­following two statements:
EQUIPMENT, TECHNIQUE, QUALITY ASSURANCE, AND ACCREDITATION FOR IMAGING-GUIDED BREAST BIOPSY PROCEDURES

Needle biopsy diagnosis of breast lesions can be performed using fine needle aspiration or large core needle biopsy techniques. Imaging guidance using mammographic stereotactic devices or sonography can accurately guide biopsy probes into suspicious lesions. Choice of the biopsy probe in any individual patient will depend upon equipment availability, lesion characteristics, breast configuration, and cost considerations. Quality control and quality assurance programs should be instituted to maintain a high level of patient care. Facilities performing these biopsies can obtain accreditation to attest to the quality of their biopsy program.
Genetic contributions to influenza virus attenuation in the rat brain

Influenza is generally regarded as an infection of the respiratory tract; however, neurological involvement is a well-recognized, although uncommon, complication of influenza A virus infection. The authors previously described the development of a rat model for studying influenza virus infection of the central nervous system (CNS). This model was used here to study the role of virus genes in virus replication and spread in brain. In the present work, an infectious cDNA clone of the neurotoxic WSN strain of influenza virus (rWSN) was altered by site-directed mutagenesis at five loci that corresponded to changes previously shown to confer temperature sensitivity and attenuation of the A/Ann Arbor/6/60 strain (PB1Δ391, PB1Δ581, and PB1Δ661; PB2Δ265, and NPΔ34). Whereas rWSN and its mutated derivative (mu-rWSN) replicated equally well in MDCK cells at 37°C (the body temperature of rats), rWSN grew to higher titers and infection was more widespread compared to mu-rWSN in rat brain. These results demonstrate that the five mutations that confer attenuation of the A/Ann Arbor/6/60 influenza virus strain for the respiratory system also confer attenuation for the central nervous system. Further in vivo and in vitro examination of these five mutations, both individually and in combination, will likely provide important information on the role of specific virus genes in virulence and pathogenesis.
Behavioral mechanisms in HIV epidemiology and prevention: past present and future roles.

In the 1980s, behavioral variations across geographically and socially defined populations were the central focus of AIDS research, and behavior change was seen as the primary means of controlling HIV epidemics. Today, biological mechanisms--especially other sexually transmitted infections, antiretroviral therapy, and male circumcision--predominate in HIV epidemiology and prevention. We describe several reasons for this shift in emphasis. Although the shift is understandable, we argue for a sustained focus on behavioral mechanisms in HIV research in order to realize the theoretical promise of interventions targeting the biological aspects of HIV risk. We also provide evidence to suggest that large reductions in HIV prevalence may be accomplished by small changes in behavior. Moreover, we contend that behavioral mechanisms will find their proper place in HIV epidemiology and prevention only when investigators adopt a conceptual model that treats prevalence as a determinant as well as an outcome of behavior and that explicitly recognizes the dynamic interdependence between behavior and other epidemiological and demographic parameters.
Lethal midline granuloma of the face.

Summary 1.The disease known as lethal midline granuloma is a recognisable clinical entity and familiarity with it is necessary to those interested in reparative surgery 2.Four new cases are reported. 3.The clinical course of the disease is reviewed. The pathological findings are discussed. 4.Treatment by adequate surgical debridement, supportive measures, and possibly cortisone has offered encouraging results in altering the prognosis.
Behavioral, thermal and neurochemical effects of acute and chronic 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("Ecstasy") self-administration.

3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is a popular methamphetamine derivative associated with young adults and all-night dance parties. However, the enduring effects of MDMA at voluntary intake levels have not been extensively investigated. In this study, MDMA-influenced behaviors and core temperatures were assessed over the course of 20 daily MDMA self-administration sessions in rats. In vivo microdialysis techniques were used in a subsequent MDMA challenge test session to determine extracellular nucleus accumbens dopamine (NAcc DA) and serotonin (5-HT) levels in MDMA-experienced and naive animals before and after a self-administered MDMA injection (3.0 mg/kg, i.v.). During self-administration sessions, gradual and significant increases in MDMA intake and MDMA-stimulated locomotor activity were observed across sessions. Core temperature significantly decreased during initial MDMA sessions, but was unaltered by the last 10 sessions. In the MDMA challenge test, MDMA-naive rats showed significantly higher NAcc 5-HT responses compared to MDMA-experienced rats, though MDMA experience did not affect the magnitude of NAcc DA response. The overall findings suggest that changes in MDMA-induced responses over the course of increasing levels of drug exposure may reflect the development of tolerance to a number of MDMA effects.
Predictors of infection from dog bite wounds: which patients may benefit from prophylactic antibiotics?

Objectives To determine a current infection rate of dog bite wounds and predictors of wounds at risk for infection that may benefit from prophylactic antibiotics. Methods A prospective multicentre observational study was conducted over 4.5 years. At the time of treatment Emergency Physicians completed a structured data form evaluating patient, wound and treatment characteristics of patients with dog bite wounds. Patients were followed up at 30 days to assess for infection. Predictor variables were analysed with univariate analysis, using either χ 2 , parametric or nonparametric methods where appropriate. Significant variables and those with important interactions on univariate analysis were considered in a logistic regression (LR) analysis. Results 495 patients with dog bites were enrolled and 345 had complete follow-up. Eighteen patients (5.2%, 95% CI 3.1% to 8.1%) had bites that became infected. On univariate analysis, only puncture wounds were found to be significantly associated with infection RR 2.8 (95% CI 1.2 to 6.9). However, location and wound closure met criteria for entry into the model having important interactions; facial wounds had a higher risk of infection than anticipated but were also more likely to be closed (p Conclusions Puncture wounds or wounds closed during treatment are dog bite wounds at a high risk of infection and should be considered for treatment with prophylactic antibiotics.
Synchronicity in predictive modelling: a new view of data assimilation

Abstract. The problem of data assimilation can be viewed as one of synchronizing two dynamical systems, one representing "truth" and the other representing "model", with a unidirectional flow of information between the two. Synchronization of truth and model defines a general view of data assimilation, as machine perception, that is reminiscent of the Jung-Pauli notion of synchronicity between matter and mind. The dynamical systems paradigm of the synchronization of a pair of loosely coupled chaotic systems is expected to be useful because quasi-2D geophysical fluid models have been shown to synchronize when only medium-scale modes are coupled. The synchronization approach is equivalent to standard approaches based on least-squares optimization, including Kalman filtering, except in highly non-linear regions of state space where observational noise links regimes with qualitatively different dynamics. The synchronization approach is used to calculate covariance inflation factors from parameters describing the bimodality of a one-dimensional system. The factors agree in overall magnitude with those used in operational practice on an ad hoc basis. The calculation is robust against the introduction of stochastic model error arising from unresolved scales.
The information gathering strategies of software maintainers

In examining software maintenance processes for improvement opportunities, an obvious choice is information flow. Obtaining accurate, up-to-date, and useful information about a system being maintained is a major task. It is also a difficult task because the sources of this information are often limited, inaccessible, or unknown. Clearly this impacts maintenance productivity-simply because of the time it takes to find and use the appropriate information sources-as well as the quality of system changes, which depends on the quality of the system information available. This paper describes the results of a survey study that aims to discover the information gathering strategies that software maintainers employ. The survey was completed by 45 software professionals in two different organizations with varying degrees of experience in maintenance. Their responses, on the surface, simply show that maintainers overwhelmingly rely on source code, which is not surprising. However, a deeper analysis of the responses show that other sources of information, in particular human sources, some types of CASE support, and lessons learned recorded from previous projects are at least as valuable than source code under some conditions. The results of this ongoing survey study are meant to determine a set of hypotheses about information gathering strategies, which will then be empirically evaluated in future studies.
Formal versus Informal Incentive Structures and Legislator Behavior: Evidence from Costa Rica

This study investigates why legislators perform constituency service in a political system where such behavior would not be predicted because of a formal electoral structure that prohibits its reelection and chooses legislators through proportional representation. Research about constituency service in the U.S. Congress has found that it is the formal structure of the U.S. electoral system that induces this behavior. Members of Congress can be reelected and they perceive their own actions, not those of their party, as the primary determinant of whether they will win their reelection bid. In Costa Rica, however, parties have been able to capitalize on the limitations placed on legislator reelection and use it to their advantage for inducing representatives to engage in constituency service, a behavior desired by the parties. Because legislators cannot be reelected, if they want to pursue a further career in politics they must curry the favor of their party, which can help them get coveted appointive positi...
IMMUNOMODULATORY EFFECTS UPON IN VITRO EXPOSURE OF CALIFORNIA SEA LION AND SOUTHERN SEA OTTER PERIPHERAL BLOOD LEUKOCYTES TO DOMOIC ACID

During red tide bloom events, the marine diatom Pseudo-nitzschia produces the toxin domoic acid (DA), which has been associated with stranding and mortality events involving California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) and southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris). In addition to these well-documented DA-induced neurotoxic events, there is increasing concern that DA may exert chronic effects, such as immunomodulation, which may potentially increase an individual's susceptibility to a number of opportunistic infections following nonlethal exposure. We investigated the effects of DA on innate (phagocytosis and respiratory burst) and adaptive (mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation) immune functions with the use of peripheral blood leukocytes collected from healthy California sea lions and southern sea otters upon in vitro exposure to 0 (unexposed control), 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0, 10, and 100 microM DA. Domoic acid did not significantly modulate phagocytosis or respiratory burst in either species. For California sea lions, DA significantly increased ConA-induced T-lymphocyte proliferation upon exposure to DA concentrations ranging from 0.0001 to 10 microM, resulting in a nonlinear dose-response curve. There was no effect on lymphocyte proliferation at the highest concentration of DA tested. No effects on lymphocyte proliferation were observed in southern sea otters. Importantly, the in vitro DA concentrations affecting T-cell proliferation were within or below the range of DA in serum measured in free-ranging California sea lions following natural exposure, suggesting a risk for immunomodulation in free-ranging animals. Understanding the risk for immunomodulation upon DA exposure will contribute in the health assessment and management of California sea lions and southern sea otters, as well as guide veterinarians and wildlife rehabilitators in caring for and treating afflicted animals.
A mathematical modeling approach to size invariant Greek character recognition

A new approach to the automatic machine recognition of Greek characters of any size and font is presented. Unlike most of the traditional methods, which are based on syntactic schemes, this method utilizes the topological characteristics of the characters to achieve recognition. Each character is individually modeled to a standard geometrical shape, and the least mean square method is used to form the best fit. Sample characters like alpha, beta, gamma, omega, theta, omicron, and rho have been successfully modeled with standard geometrical shapes, such as circles, lemniscates, cardioids, ellipses, and lines. An alternate approach to the automatic and reliable recognition of handwritten and printed Greek characters is also discussed. >
Deregulation of the Electric Power Industry: The Earnings, Risk, and Return Effects

This study tests whether recent reforms of the electric power industry reverse the predicted effects of regulation on profits, risk, and return for electric utilities. The analysis also considers potential variation in the effects of the reforms across utility sizes. The empirical predictions are derived from theories of economic regulation which argue that regulation reduces earnings variability and risk, and enhances share value by buffering the regulated firms against the profit effects of cost and demand shocks and by shifting the burden of inefficiencies to consumers. These views motivate an opposite argument that reductions of regulation would reverse the predicted effects of regulation. The results reveal (1) a reversal of the buffering effects of regulation, (2) the existence of subsidies attributable to regulation, and (3) a redistribution of shareholder wealth during the reforms. The electric utility industry has undergone several reforms designed to lower entry barriers in the electricity markets, increase reliance on market-based output prices, and allow customers a choice of power suppliers. These reforms represent a major shift towards open competition in the industry, modifying the traditional regulatory regime that protected utilities from the profit effects of cost and demand shocks. The shift towards open competition in the industry has generated debate among utility experts and policymakers on the economic merits of the reforms and the effects of the reforms on the financial integrity of traditional utilities. This study analyzes the effects of the reforms on profits, risk, and return for the utilities. The analysis is particularly relevant as legislatures debate the effects of the reforms on traditional utilities and the propriety of further reforms. The first aspect of the study analyzes the effect of the reforms on earnings variability. The analysis relies on the premise that reductions in entry barriers and increased reliance on market-based output prices expose utility profits to the effects of cost and demand shocks that, in turn, lead to increased earnings variability. Such an analysis has import because an increase in earnings variability has predictive as well as valuation implications. In particular, an increase in earnings variability reduces the ability of earnings to predict future cash flows and, in that sense, diminishes the valuation relevance of earnings.
Development of competence in the Bacillus subtilis transformation system.

Competence in Bacillus subtilis, assayed by the ability of cells to be transformed with bacterial deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or transfected by phage DNA, has been shown to occur in a single semisynthetic medium with peak activity occurring 3 hr after the cessation of logarithmic growth. No step-down conditions or culture manipulations were necessary for routine transfection of 1% of the population. The results demonstrate that bacteriophage DNA is a valid assay for studying the development of competence in B. subtilis. Predictions of workers using transforming bacterial DNA, who have suggested that competence in B. subtilis is associated with a specific phase of growth, are substantiated. The peak of competence is not affected by marked differences in the rate of growth during the logarithmic phase. The effect on development of competence by this procedure of some components (including casein hydrolysate, tryptophan, and histidine) which were routinely included in the transformation medium by other investigators has been determined by use of infectious phage DNA as an assay. We have demonstrated that tryptophan, as well as histidine, increases the transformation frequency—even in strains which do not have auxotrophic demands for these components. Glutamic acid and alanine depress optimal levels of transfection.
One-dimensional topological chains with Majorana fermions in two-dimensional nontopological optical lattices

The recent experimental realization of one-dimensional (1D) equal Rashba-Dresselhaus spin-orbit coupling (ERD-SOC) for cold atoms provides a disorder-free and highly controllable platform for the implementation and observation of Majorana fermions (MFs), analogous to the broadly studied solid-state nanowire-superconductor heterostructures. However, the corresponding 1D chains of cold atoms possess strong quantum fluctuation, which may destroy the superfluids and MFs. In this paper, we show that such 1D topological chains with MFs may be on demand generated in a two- or three-dimensional nontopological optical lattice with 1D ERD-SOC by modifying local potentials on target locations using experimentally already implemented atomic gas microscopes or patterned (e.g., double- or triple-well) optical lattices. All ingredients in our scheme have been experimentally realized, and the combination of them may pave the way for the experimental observation of MFs in a clean system.
The acticoat glove : An effective dressing for the completely burnt hand How we do it

Abstract The choice of the silver impregnated Acticoat™ dressing (Smith & Nephew, UK) for burns is well documented due to its recognised sustained bactericidal activity, reduction of inflammation and ability to promote healing. Its use in the burnt hand, however, is a compromise between adequate dressing cover of this injury and the ability to splint and perform hand therapy on the injured limb. Trying to wrap individual fingers, maintaining web spaces and keep a relatively light dressing for the hand therapists is often difficult and time consuming. We introduce a simple, effective method of creating a custom made acticoat glove which provides a thin, light dressing covering the hands allowing full mobilisation of the wrist and finger joints.
See No Evil, Say No Evil: Description Generation from Densely Labeled Images

This paper studies generation of descriptive sentences from densely annotated images. Previous work studied generation from automatically detected visual information but produced a limited class of sentences, hindered by currently unreliable recognition of activities and attributes. Instead, we collect human annotations of objects, parts, attributes and activities in images. These annotations allow us to build a significantly more comprehensive model of language generation and allow us to study what visual information is required to generate human-like descriptions. Experiments demonstrate high quality output and that activity annotations and relative spatial location of objects contribute most to producing high quality sentences.
A Clinical Trial for the FDA's Clinical Trial Process

The FDA is tasked with opposing goals which demand tradeoffs - the time and cost of clinical trials to assure safety and efficacy while also encouraging speedy drug advances and affordability. On top of that, there is no feedback mechanism to inform the FDA of the effectiveness of their tradeoff decisions. Dual Tracking is a proposed public policy field experiment that would provide needed feedback information. The proposal is rooted in the right of informed patients to choose among FDA-approved or new, experimental drugs still in clinical trials. All new drugs would continue along the FDA's clinical testing track. On a new track independent of the FDA (but only after successful FDA Phase I safety evaluations), drug development firms would have the option to legally contract with individual patients and their doctors to sell them a not-yet-FDA-approved drug. The contract would require on-going Internet reporting in a specified format of all drug-related experiences. The results of the Dual Tracking process compared to the FDA's process would constitute the critical information now missing.