cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Study of the Physics and Chemistry of L134N

We have carried out a comprehensive and self-consistent study of the physical and chemical state of the core of the dark cloud L134N (L183), whose molecular abundances provide a standard against which chemical models may be compared. We used observations of the NH3(1, 1) and (2, 2) rotation-inversion transitions to estimate the kinetic temperature, which was found to be consistent with 10 K and not varying with position. Densities were determined from multitransition statistical equilibrium calculations for HC3N, N2H+, and CS. The average density toward all lines of sight was 2 × 104 cm-3. As found by previous studies, the emission from various molecular species peaks in different positions: SO and SO2 peak west of the central position, which is the location of the strongest emission from (e.g.) N2H+ and CH3OH, with a second peak occurring for NH3 and HC3N to the north of the center. The most striking abundance variations occur in a north-south cut through the core center for HC3N, C2H, CS, SO, and SO2. A north to south decrease in the abundance of HC3N and CS and a dramatic change in the CS/SO ratio, which has been shown to be a sensitive tracer of chemical evolutionary state, suggests that the north is at a younger evolutionary state than the south. Despite the "youth" of the N position, the CS/SO ratio suggests that it is still as "old" as or older than the most evolved region in TMC-1 (the northwest end of the ridge).
Validity of the BCS model Hamiltonian in the limit of small sizes

Finite-size effects when the electronic level spacings become comparable to the bulk superconducting gap can suppress pairing correlations in small metallic particles. We examine an alternative mechanism for finite-size suppression of superconductivity: the role of the nonpair portion of the interaction, which could become important in small systems. We show that the crossover size at which the nonpair contribution becomes significant is typically already within the regime wherein finite level spacing suppresses the pairing correlations; however, the nonpair terms could become relevant in certain weak-coupled superconductors.
Rate of Visual Field Loss in Retinitis Pigmentosa

Purpose: The authors quantitate the rate of visual field loss in patients with retinitis pigmentosa as it relates to different clinical field phenotypes. Patients and Methods: Goldmann visual fields were obtained with target V 4e in 77 patients and with target II 4e in 71 patients who had either isolated or various genetic types of retinitis pigmentosa and who met certain entrance criteria. The visual fields were categorized into five distinct clinical field phenotypes on the basis of their pattern of field loss. Mixed-model methods for the analysis of longitudinal data were used to model the natural logarithm of the visual field area as a function of patient age and clinical field phenotype. The average half-life (time over which half, of the remaining field area would be lost) of the visual field area for each phenotype was computed from the results of this analysis. Visual field data were not analyzed for patients with a normal clinical field phenotype (type 1). Results: Independent of the field phenotype, average half-life values were 7.3 years for target V 4e and 6.8 years for target II 4e , which were not statistically different ( P = 0.16). Visual fields with partial or complete midperipheral ring scotomas (type 2) and those with only a residual central field (type 4) had a half-life of 9.5 and 9.4 years, respectively, for target V 4e , and 8.9 and 8.0 years, respectively, for target II 4e . Patients with partial peripheral restriction (type 5) lost visual fields with a half-life of 9.5 years for target V 4e and 7.3 years for target II 4e . None of these differences in the half-lives between the different phenotypes were statistically significant for either targets V 4e or II 4e . Fields with a residual central area and remaining temporal and/or-nasal- islands (type 3) had a half-life of 4.8 years for target V 4e and 6.0 years for target II 4e . The differences in half-lives between type 3 and each of the other field phenotypes were statistically significant for the V 4e target, but not for the II 4e target. Conclusions: The results of this study can be useful for counseling patients with retinitis pigmentosa and various visual field phenotypes as to their potential rate of visual field loss.
Effect of gas impurity and ion bombardment on stresses in sputter-deposited thin films: A molecular-dynamics approach

Intrinsic stresses in sputter‐deposited thin films are studied via a two‐dimensional molecular‐dynamics model. Two‐body potential functions, periodic boundary conditions, and a generalized Langevin equation are applied to determine the microstructure of the film. The intrinsic stresses are then calculated using a stress method. 12 layers of substrate atoms are arranged in the (111) plane at the beginning of the film growth simulation. The molecular‐dynamics simulations using the constant pressure and constant temperature ensemble are first carried out to obtain the zero stress state of the substrate. A thin film of Ni atoms is deposited in the presence of a background of argon and energetic ions in order to obtain a reasonable representation of the film structure. After the deposition process is completed, the film and the substrate are allowed to contract or expand in accordance with the elastic energies. It is found that the microstructure and intrinsic stresses of the film depend upon the incident energy of incoming particles, the ion bombardment, and the amount of trapped gas impurity. The model strongly suggests that the argon impurities trapped into the deposited film are the primary cause of the state of compressive stress. It also shows that in sputter‐deposited films the magnitude of the compressive stress depends more strongly on the film structure than on the quantity of the argon gas trapped in the film. A tight packing of film atoms around argon atoms is likely to lead to higher compressive stresses in the film.
A novel class of cell surface glycolipids of mammalian cells. Free glycosyl phosphatidylinositols

Glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI) lipids function as anchors of membrane proteins, and free GPI units serve as intermediates along the path of GPI-anchor biosynthesis. By using in vivo cell surface biotinylation, we show that free GPIs: 1) can exit the rough endoplasmic reticulum and are present on the surface of a murine EL-4 T-lymphoma and a human carcinoma cell (HeLa), 2) arrive at the cell surface in a time and temperature-dependent fashion, and 3) are built on a base-labile glycerol backbone, unlike GPI anchors of surface proteins of the same cells. The free GPIs described in this study may serve as a source of hormone-sensitive phosphoinositol glycans. The absence of free GPIs from the cell surface may also account for the growth advantage of blood cells in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.
Using of the millimeter wave dielectrometer for study of liquid helium dynamic characteristics

The WGM method was used in designed cryogenic dielectrometer for measurement of dielectric parameters of cryogenic liquids with small losses within the frequency range of 50-150 GHz and temperatures 0.8-300 K. The change of resonant characteristics of high-Q DDR, placed into He 4 at temperature lower the lambda-transition (a superfluid state) is detected
Preventing heart failure: a critique of strategies.

Heart failure has a profound effect on the quality and duration of life in afflicted individuals, and its management consumes a considerable proportion of health care resources in the United States. It remains the leading cause of hospitalization for the Medicare population, so hospital costs are staggering. 1 Because the incidence of heart failure rises exponentially with age, 2 the financial burden of the disease falls predominantly on government-financed health care through Medicare. The availability of heart transplants and newer electrical and mechanical support devices and procedures are further contributing to the escalating health care costs. Growing evidence suggests that most heart failure is either preventable or delayable. Abnormalities of left ventricular structure or function often can be detected years before symptoms become apparent, 3 and therapy instituted during that asymptomatic interval appears to be effective in delaying the onset of symptoms. 4 The magnitude of potential prevention or delay in the development of symptomatic heart failure with the use of established contemporary therapy has not been assessed. The assumption is that the earlier the detection of abnormalities likely to progress, the more effective might be the therapeutic intervention. Despite the growing burden of heart failure management on health care, heart failure remains a primary cause of only 7% of overall cardiovascular deaths in the United
Yes! Sex Matters: Sex, the Brain and Blood Pressure

The role of the brain in hypertension between the sexes is known to be important especially with regards to the effects of circulating sex hormones. A number of different brain regions important for regulation of sympathetic outflow and blood pressure express estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ). Estradiol, acting predominantly via the ERα, inhibits angiotensin II activation of the area postrema and subfornical organ neurons and inhibits reactive oxygen generation that is required for the development of Angiotensin II-induced neurogenic hypertension. Estradiol activation of ERβ within the paraventricular nucleus and the rostral ventral lateral medulla inhibits these neurons and inhibits angiotensin II, or aldosterone induced increases in sympathetic outflow and hypertension. Understanding the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying ERα and ERβ actions within key brain regions regulating blood pressure will be essential for the development of “next generation” selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMS) that can be used clinically for the treatment of neurogenic hypertension.
Estimation metrics and optimal regularization in a Tikhonov digital filter for the inverse heat conduction problem

Abstract Tikhonov regularization for the inverse heat conduction problem (IHCP) is considered a “whole domain” or “batch” method, meaning that observations are needed over the entire time domain of interest, and that calculations must be performed all-at-once in a batch. This paper examines the structure of the Tikhonov regularization problem and concludes that the method can be interpreted as a sequential filter formulation for continuous processing of data. Several general observations regarding features of the filter formulation are noted. Two error norms are discussed: one regarding temperature and one regarding heat flux. It is shown that these metrics can be split into two parts: one dependent on the heat flux history (bias error) and one dependent on the measurement noise (random error). Two examples demonstrate that the optimal selection of the regularization parameter to minimize the heat flux error yields results similar to the classical Morozov principle defined through temperature error, and that the results are relatively insensitive to the precise selection of the parameter.
Application of Meshless Integral Method to Metal Forming

In this paper, the meshless integral method based on the regularized boundary integral equation [1] is applied to analyze the metal forming processes characteristic with large deformation. Using Green-Naghdi’s theory, the updated Lagrangian governing integral equation is obtained from the weak form of elastoplasticity over a local sub-domain. The meshless function approximation is implemented by using the moving least-squares approximation. In Green-Naghdi’s theory, the Green-Lagrange strain is decomposed into the elastic part and plastic part and a J2 elastoplastic constitutive relation is used to relate the Green-Lagrange strain to the second Piola-Kirchhoff stress. The essential boundary conditions are imposed by a generalized collocation method and the natural boundary conditions are incorporated into the system governing equation and require no special handling. The solution algorithm for large deformation analysis is discussed in detail. Numerical examples show that this method is accurate and robust.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Getting the skinny on thick filament regulation in cardiac muscle biology and disease

Thin (actin) filament accessory proteins are thought to be the regulatory force for muscle contraction in cardiac muscle; however, compelling new evidence suggests that thick (myosin) filament regulatory proteins are emerging as having independent and important roles in regulating cardiac muscle contraction. Key to these new findings is a growing body of evidence that point to an influential and, more recently, direct role for ventricular myosin light chain-2 (MLC2v) phosphorylation in regulating cardiac muscle contraction, function, and disease. This includes the discovery and characterization of a cardiac-specific myosin light chain kinase capable of phosphorylating MLC2v as well as a myosin phosphatase that dephosphorylates MLC2v in the heart, which provides added mechanistic insights on MLC2v regulation within cardiac muscle. Here, we review evidence for an emerging and critical role for MLC2v phosphorylation in regulating cardiac myosin cycling kinetics, function, and disease, based on recent studies performed in genetic mouse models and humans. We further provide new perspectives on future avenues for targeting these pathways as therapies in alleviating cardiac disease.
Bicycle riding performance

Psychomotor and experimental correlates of bicycle riding performance are determined. The performance measures are selected with an emphasis on safety rather than endurance or stunt riding abilities. The nonriding predictive measures are collected from tests measuring a subject's perceptual-motor and physical abilities, and responses to a questionnaire containing items on experience, self-rating of skill, automobile driving experience, and accident history. The results indicate that the physical proficiency factors of equilibrium, trunk strength, and dynamic flexibility, and the questionnaire items on experience and self-rating of skill are significantly correlated with a general measure of skill. Braking performance is significantly correlated with reaction time and self-rating of cautiousness. Recommendations are made for future research and for the improvement of bicycle braking systems.
10.6 μm damage threshold measurements on sub-one-hundred-ps pyroelectric detectors

Abstract Sub-one-hundred-ps response time pyroelectric detectors are being developed at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) to be compatible with the 5-GHz oscilloscope direct-access mode of operation without damage. Strontium barium niobate, lithium tantalate lanthanum-doped lead zirconate, and lithium niobate are being evaluated for use in the edge and co-planar configurations. Devices designed at LASL are compared with commercially available detectors. Test results of a less than 15-ps risetime, 31-ps fall time 50/50 SBN pyroelectric detector are reported. Measurements to date of the damage threshold at 10.6 μm of the above materials in bulk, with various surface treatments, and in devices using 100-ps to 100-μs pulses are also reported.
Robotic manufacturing of near-net-shape components utilizing stereo imaging and reconfigurable tooling

A process is described to acquire geometrical data of the target object and to utilize it to rapidly create a near-net-shape component with flexible tooling system. The topological data acquisition of the object is made possible using a robot-assisted stereo-imaging technique. Stereo-image data is translated into CAD data, and subsequently the geometric data constitutes the basis for the path planning for the tooling process. A novel, rapidly reconfigurable tooling system and tool forming technology is employed by which a six-axis robotic arm is used to shape a discretized vacuum surface. Pre-heated thermoplastic sheets are formed over the shaped vacuum tool to generate near-net-shape parts. The parts may be trimmed and used as the final component or they may be used as molds for subsequent fabrication of composite components. We demonstrate the process first in the context of an abstract reference part. One of the many applications envisaged using this process is the manufacture of custom-made braces, masks, and guards for use in healthcare products. A patient intervention can have their features acquired using stereo imaging and have corrective measures incorporated into the product prior to manufacturing. Since the geometrical data acquisition process does not require physical contact, the method can be used for patients having epidermal or skeletal damage. Furthermore, employing the rapidly reconfigurable tooling technology will significantly reduce the process cycle time and permit complete customization, benefiting the patient with a quicker and more effective administration of medical assistance. The healthcare context of the proposed integrated process is demonstrated with the manufacture of an orthopedic component with personalized fit.
Phase III Trial Comparing Concurrent Biochemotherapy With Cisplatin, Vinblastine, Dacarbazine, Interleukin-2, and Interferon Alfa-2b With Cisplatin, Vinblastine, and Dacarbazine Alone in Patients With Metastatic Malignant Melanoma (E3695): A Trial Coordinated by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

Purpose Phase II trials with biochemotherapy (BCT) have shown encouraging response rates in metastatic melanoma, and meta-analyses and one phase III trial have suggested a survival benefit. In an effort to determine the relative efficacy of BCT compared with chemotherapy alone, a phase III trial was performed within the United States Intergroup. Patients and Methods Patients were randomly assigned to receive cisplatin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (CVD) either alone or concurrent with interleukin-2 and interferon alfa-2b (BCT). Treatment cycles were repeated at 21-day intervals for a maximum of four cycles. Tumor response was assessed after cycles 2 and 4, then every 3 months. Results Four hundred fifteen patients were enrolled, and 395 patients (CVD, n = 195; BCT, n = 200) were deemed eligible and assessable. The two study arms were well balanced for stratification factors and other prognostic factors. Response rate was 19.5% for BCT and 13.8% for CVD (P = .140). Median progression-free survival was sign...
The Birth of the "Hispanic" Generation: Attitudes of Mexican-American Political Elites toward the Hispanic Label

The late 1970s witnessed the popularization of the term "Hispanic" to refer to Mexican-Americans and other ethnic groups of Latin American origin in the United States (Gomez, 1986). Although empirical studies are scarce, few would challenge the assertion that the label has become the preferred one in Madison Avenue boardrooms, Capitol Hill press conferences, and newsrooms across the nation. Between 1982 and 1984, advertisers increased their spending on what they call "the Hispanic market" by 72 percent; they invented targeted strategies such as the development of special products (such as Mattel's "Hispanic Barbie Doll," introduced in 1981) and specialized campaigns (such as Coors's multimillion-dollar "Decade of the Hispanic" campaign). The national print media also began using the Hispanic label in the 1980s.' "Hispanics" first appeared as a subject heading in the Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature in 1981, and the term's popularity has exploded since then. In the print media and elsewhere, Hispanic is used to designate both specific national-origin groups (that is, as a replacement for "Chicano" or "Mexican-American") and all of the groups of Latin American origin in the United States. The switch from Chicano to Hispanic by many out-group spokespersons, publications, and institutions has led commentators to argue that the Hispanic label was imposed by external forces seeking an alternative to the more radical Chicano label (Acufia, 1981; Del Olmo, 1985).2 These critics are correct in pointing to the major role in the term's popularization played by the state through the Bureau of the Census and other federal record-keeping and counting mechanisms.3 The census first used the term in 1980. According to Edward Fernandez, who headed the Census
Mechanisms of corneal drug penetration I: In vivo and in vitro kinetics

Corneal penetration studies were conducted in unanesthetized albino rabbits using various organic compounds representing both polar and nonpolar species. Very low molecular weight compounds demonstrate rapid uptake into the aqueous humor despite the lipid-like barrier imposed by the corneal epithelium. Evidence that these compounds may have access to a diffusional channel for corneal transport is presented. In vitro permeability studies were also conducted in an effort to quantitate the corneal diffusion of compounds covering a range of molecular weights and partition coefficients; the results corresponded well with the results of in vivo experiments. Calculations of energies of activation, taken from Arrhenius plots, indicate that the diffusion of drug across the cornea may be by two different mechanisms that depend on the physical-chemical characteristics of the perfusant. One mechanism appears similar to drug movement in an aqueous environment and is characterized by an activation energy similar to that for diffusion in water. The other relates to the expected partitioning of a compound across cellular membranes represented by a relatively high activation energy for diffusion. For hyrdophilic compounds, the epithelium appears to be rate limiting to drug movement, whereas for hydrophobic compounds, the stroma is rate limiting. In the presence of calcium-chelating agents, glycerol demonstrated an increase in corneal penetration in vivo. This effect appears to be reversible at specific concentrations of chelator. In contrast, divalent cations reduced corneal penetration of glycerol. The known calcium chelator EDTA was shown to penetrate the cornea, conjunctiva, and iris/ciliary body from a topically applied dose. The implications of this observation pertain to toxicity effects when EDTA is incorporated into ocular drug products for stability purposes, or novel stratagems for improving ocular bioavailability of topically applied drugs are employed. The addition of calcium-chelating agents to in vivo mounted corneas demonstrated increases in permeability of the cornea to glycerol which were directly related to the concentration of chelating agent used. These results paralleled the findings of similar in vivo studies. The results of these studies are consistent with a currently proposed 'pore' model for the penetration of drugs through the cornea which demonstrates both a partition coefficient and molecular weight dependency on the permeability of the cornea to transported compounds.
Galvanomagnetic Effects in Heavily Doped p -Type Germanium

The Hall effect and magnetoresistance in heavily doped $p$-type germanium have been measured. The samples had gallium impurity concentrations between ${10}^{18}$ and ${10}^{19}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. The measurements were made at 77, 20.4, 4.2, and 1.4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K, with magnetic fields ranging up to 30 kG. The results are compared with the predictions of simple transport theory applied to carriers in the unperturbed valence band of germanium. The data at 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K can be adequately described on the basis of this model. At very low temperatures, however, the data are in disagreement with the predictions of the model. The magnetoresistance effects, in particular, are anomalous; the transverse component shows a linear dependence on magnetic field, and a longitudinal magnetoresistance is observed.
Cheese acceptance and dairy product consumption in an older population.

This study examined the acceptability of cheese products in a population of older adults in relation to their consumption of dairy products. The majority of the subjects liked hard cheeses (Cheddar, Provolone and Swiss) more than soft, ripened cheeses (Brie and blue cheese), and showed no significant difference in preference between regular and lowfat or fat-free processed cheese. A positive correlation was found between hedonic ratings and frequency of consumption across the five cheeses evaluated in the study. Almost one-half of the participants considered cheese to be a high calorie, high fat and high cholesterol food. This study suggests that lowfat or fat-free cheese products in the form of mild, hard or processed cheeses could successfully be incorporated in the diet of older adults to implement current dietary guidelines for fat and calcium consumption
THE SYMMETRIC FOOTRULE

Spearman's footrule, a well-known measure of rank correlation, cannot be standardized satisfactorily because it is not symmetric under reversal of one variate. We propose a symmetrized version, derive some of its properties, and provide tables for small samples.
Two new species of Hechtia (Bromeliaceae, Pitcairnioideae) from western Mexico.

Hechtia glauca andHechtia iltisii are described as new and illustrated. Among the Bromeliaceae H. glauca is unusual in its glabrous, glaucous leaf surfaces. Inflorescence and floral dimorphisms are discussed forH. glauca andH. iltisii. A key to species ofHechtia from Novo-Galiciana and adjacent parts of Michoacan is included.
Fourier transform Raman spectroscopy of nitrogen at high pressures

Abstract : Rovibrational and rotational Raman spectra of nitrogen gas at 300 K over the pressure range 3 MPa to 24 MPa (500 to 3,500 psi) have been measured using a Fourier transform (FT) spectrometer employing 1,064 nm laser radiation as the scattering source. It is shown that the pressure-induced narrowing and peak shift of the Raman spectrum of N2 observed In these experiments agrees within experimental error with data obtained by other investigators using different techniques. jg
DHA diet reduces AD pathology in young APPswe/PS1ΔE9 transgenic mice: Possible gender effects

Epidemiological and clinical trial findings suggest that consumption of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) lowers the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We examined the effects of short-term (3 months) DHA enriched diet on plaque deposition and synaptic defects in forebrain of young APPswe/PS1 Delta E9 transgenic (tg) and non-transgenic (ntg) mice. Gas chromatography revealed a significant increase in DHA concomitant with a decrease of arachidonic acid in both brain and liver in mice fed with DHA. Female tg mice consumed relatively more food daily than ntg female mice, independent of diet. Plaque load was significantly reduced in the cortex, ventral hippocampus and striatum of female APPswe/PS1 Delta E9 tg mice on DHA diet compared to female tg mice on control diet. Immunoblot quantitation of the APOE receptor, LR11, which is involved in APP trafficking and A beta production, were unchanged in mice on DHA or control diets. Moreover drebrin levels were significantly increased in the hippocampus of tg mice on the DHA diet. Finally, in vitro DHA treatment prevented amyloid toxicity in cell cultures. Our findings support the concept that increased DHA consumption may play and important role in reducing brain insults in female AD patients.
Reduction of children's sport performance anxiety through social support and stress-reduction training for coaches

Abstract A field experiment was conducted to assess the efficacy of a social-support and stress-reduction program intended to influence factors that affect performance anxiety in child athletes. Baseball coaches in an experimental condition received preseason training in which behavioral guidelines for reducing anxiety were presented and modeled. A no-treatment control group did not receive the coach training. Children (N = 152) who played for the two groups of coaches were interviewed and administered sport-specific trait anxiety scales pre- and postseason. A manipulation check demonstrated that trained coaches differed from controls in player-perceived behaviors in accordance with the goals of the intervention. They were also evaluated more positively by their players, their players reported having more fun, and their teams exhibited a higher level of attraction among players despite the fact that they did not differ from controls in won—lost records. Consistent with theory-based predictions, the intervention program significantly reduced children's trait anxiety over the course of the season.
Short-term oral atrazine exposure alters the plasma metabolome of male C57BL/6 mice and disrupts α-linolenate, tryptophan, tyrosine and other major metabolic pathways.

Abstract Overexposure to the commonly used herbicide atrazine (ATR) affects several organ systems, including the brain. Previously, we demonstrated that short-term oral ATR exposure causes behavioral deficits and dopaminergic and serotonergic dysfunction in the brains of mice. Using adult male C57BL/6 mice, the present study aimed to investigate effects of a 10-day oral ATR exposure (0, 5, 25, 125, or 250 mg/kg) on the mouse plasma metabolome and to determine metabolic pathways affected by ATR that may be reflective of ATR’s effects on the brain and useful to identify peripheral biomarkers of neurotoxicity. Four hours after the last dosing on day 10, plasma was collected and analyzed with high-performance, dual chromatography-Fourier-transform mass spectrometry that was followed by biostatistical and bioinformatic analyses. ATR exposure (≥5 mg/kg) significantly altered plasma metabolite profile and resulted in a dose-dependent increase in the number of metabolites with ion intensities significantly different from the control group. Pathway analyses revealed that ATR exposure strongly correlated with and disrupted multiple metabolic pathways. Tyrosine, tryptophan, linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid metabolic pathways were among the affected pathways, with α-linolenic acid metabolism being affected to the greatest extent. Observed effects of ATR on plasma tyrosine and tryptophan metabolism may be reflective of the previously reported perturbations of brain dopamine and serotonin homeostasis, respectively. ATR-caused alterations in the plasma profile of α-linolenic acid metabolism are a potential novel and sensitive plasma biomarker of ATR effect and plasma metabolomics could be used to better assess the risks, including to the brain, associated with ATR overexposure.
A visual analytic framework for data fusion in investigative intelligence

Intelligence analysis depends on data fusion systems to provide capabilities of detecting and tracking important objects, events, and their relationships in connection to an analytical situation. However, automated data fusion technologies are not mature enough to offer reliable and trustworthy information for situation awareness. Given the trend of increasing sophistication of data fusion algorithms and loss of transparency in data fusion process, analysts are left out of the data fusion process cycle with little to no control and confidence on the data fusion outcome. Following the recent rethinking of data fusion as human-centered process, this paper proposes a conceptual framework towards developing alternative data fusion architecture. This idea is inspired by the recent advances in our understanding of human cognitive systems, the science of visual analytics, and the latest thinking about human-centered data fusion. Our conceptual framework is supported by an analysis of the limitation of existing fully automated data fusion systems where the effectiveness of important algorithmic decisions depend on the availability of expert knowledge or the knowledge of the analyst’s mental state in an investigation. The success of this effort will result in next generation data fusion systems that can be better trusted while maintaining high throughput.
A Parallelized Coupled Navier-Stokes/Vortex-Panel Solver

A Navier-Stokes solver, CFX V5.6, is coupled with an in-house developed Vortex-Panel method for the numerical analysis of wind turbines. The Navier-Stokes zone is confined to the near-field around one wind turbine blade, the Vortex-Panel method models the entire vortex sheet of a two-bladed rotor and accounts for the far-field. This coupling methodology reduces both numerical diffusion and computational cost. The parallelized coupled solver (PCS) is applied to the NREL Phase VI rotor configuration under no-yaw conditions. Fully turbulent flow is assumed using the k-e and k-ω turbulence models. Results obtained are very encouraging for fully attached flow. For separated and partially stalled flow, results are in good agreement with experimental data. Discrepancies observed between the turbulence models are attributed to different prediction of the onset of separation. This is revealed by two-dimensional (2D) results of the S809 airfoil.
Interactions between ORG9426 and other non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents in rats in vivo.

In this study, combined neuromuscular blocking effects of ORG9426 with other non-depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agents were investigated. About 20% steady state neuromuscular block was established by a continuous infusion of one of 6 neuromuscular blocking agents (ORG9426, vecuronium, pancuronium, pipecuronium, d-tubocurarine and metocurine). Then 1/7 of the ED50 of ORG9426 or one of other neuromuscular blocking agents was administered in a single injection, and the increase in the neuromuscular block was observed. The combined neuromuscular blocking effect of ORG9426 and d-tubocurarine or ORG9426 and metocurine was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than that of each corresponding control (the combination of same neuromuscular blocking agent). The effect of d-tubocurarine was also potentiated by vecuronium, pancuronium and pipecuronium. These potentiations were not observed between ORG9426 and pancuronium, pipecuronium or vecuronium. Possible mechanisms of these synergistic interactions were discussed.
Role of extracellular calcium in chrysotile asbestos stimulation of alveolar macrophages.

Abstract The purpose of these studies was to determine whether extracellular calcium and calcium channels can influence chrysotile asbestos-stimulated production of superoxide anion by guinea pig alveolar macrophages. Increasing the extracellular calcium concentration from 0.0 to 10.0 m m markedly enhanced the ability of noncytotoxic levels of chrysotile (25 μg/ml) to stimulate macrophage production of superoxide anion at 37°C. The primary effect of increasing extracellular calcium was to prolong superoxide anion production. In parallel with these calcium-dependent effects on superoxide anion production, chrysotile also caused an elevation of cytosolic calcium (measured using Fura-2) which increased with increasing extracellular calcium concentrations. A number of organic calcium channel antagonists were tested for their ability to block chrysotile-stimulated superoxide anion production by cells in medium containing physiological levels of calcium. The relative order of potency of these antagonists was verapamil ⪢ nimopidine ≈ diltiazem ≈ nifedipine > segontin. In parallel with its effects on superoxide anion production, verapamil also partially blocked the observed chrysotile-stimulated elevation of cytosolic calcium. Taken together, these results suggest that chrysotile can open calcium channels on the macrophage surface, allowing extracellular calcium to enter and contribute to the elevation of cytosolic calcium levels. This elevation of cytosolic calcium in turn serves to prolong chrysotile-stimulated superoxide anion production.
LABOR MILITANCY AMONG FARM WORKERS AND THE STRATEGY OF PROTEST: 1900-1979

Despite nearly continuous poverty, farm workers in California during the past century organized unions and initiated strikes over control issues as well as wages. The control emphases contradicts the expectations of the dominant paradigm in labor relations, as well as Marxian perspectives which view control or qualitative issues as being concentrated among segments of the working class in advanced industrial sectors. It is proposed that the logic of the farm workers'situation in agriculture accounts for the continuity and pervasiveness of their control strikes. Because of the impermanence of wage gains alone, farm workers have had to seek control as a prerequisite to other changes in their conditions of life and work.
Risk-sensitive adaptive tactics: Models and evidence from subsistence studies in biology and anthropology

Risk-sensitive analysis of subsistence adaptations is warranted when (i) outcomes are to some degree unpredictable and (ii) they have nonlinear consequences for fitness and/or utility. Both conditions are likely to be common among peoples studied by ecologicll anthropologists and archaeologists. We develop a general conceptual model of risk. We then review and summarize the extensive empirical literatures from biology and anthropology for methodological insights and for their comparative potential. Risk-sensitive adaptive tactics are diverse and they are taxonomically widespread. However, the anthropological literature rarely makes use of formal models of risk-sensitive adaptation, while the biological literature lacks naturalistic observations of risk-sensitive behavior. Both anthropology and biology could benefit from greater interdisciplinary exchange.
Pore structure analysis by oxygen adsorption. II. Analysis of five silica gels

Abstract Complete pore structure analyses were performed for five silica gels by oxygen adsorption at two temperatures: 77 and 90 K. In previous work, the pore structures of the same silica gels were analyzed by nitrogen and water vapor adsorption. The methods of analysis for all three adsorbates were the “corrected modelless” method and the “MP-method,” or micropore analysis method, developed by Brunauer and his coworkers. The entire pore systems of all five silica gels were accessible to all three adsorbates. The two criteria of correct analysis, i.e., the agreement between cumulative pore surface and BET surface, and the agreement between cumulative pore volume and the volume adsorbed at p s , were very well satisfied. Oxygen gave the same pore structure results at both temperatures. The pore volume distribution curves of nitrogen, oxygen at 77, and oxygen at 90 K were the same within experimental error for both the micropores and wide pores. The results gave strong confirmation of both methods of analysis. Furthermore, the micropore analysis results confirmed not only the method of analysis but also the correctness of the surface of micropores obtained by the BET equation.
Climate-driven processes of hillslope weathering

Climate controls erosion and weathering on soil-mantled landscapes through diverse processes that have remained diffi cult to disentangle due to their complex interactions. We quantify denudation, soil and saprolite weathering, and soil transport near the base and crest of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada to examine how large differences in climate affect these processes. Depth profi les of fallout radionuclides and fi eld observations show relative differences in erosion and weathering processes at these two climatically diverse sites, and our data suggest fundamentally different patterns of soil production and transport mechanisms: biotically driven soil transport at low elevation, and surface erosion driven by overland fl ow at high elevation. Soil production rates from cosmogenic 10 Be decrease from 31.3 to 13.6 m/Ma with increasing soil depth at low elevation, but show uncertain depth dependence at the high elevation site. Our data also show a positive correlation between physical erosion and saprolite weathering at both sites. Highly weathered saprolites are overlain by weakly weathered and rapidly eroding soils, while chemically less depleted saprolites are overlain by slowly eroding, more weathered soils. Our data are among the fi rst to quantify the critical role of saprolite weathering in the evolution of actively eroding upland landscapes, and our results provide quantitative constraints on how different climates can shape hillslopes by driving processes of erosion and weathering.
On two discrete-time system stability concepts and supermartingales

Abstract A random discrete-time system { x n }, n = 0, 1, 2, … is called stochastically stable if for every ϵ > 0 there exists a λ > 0 such that the probability P [(sup n ∥ x n ∥) > ϵ ] ϵ whenever P [∥ x 0 ∥ > λ ] λ . A system is shown stochastically stable if some local Lyapunov function V (·) satisfies the supermartingale definition on { V ( x n )} in a neighborhood of the origin; earlier proofs of stochastic stability require additional restrictions. A criterion for x n → 0 almost surely is developed. It consists of a global inequality on { U ( x n )} stronger than the supermartingale defining inequality, but applied to a U (·) that need not be a Lyapunov function. The existence of such a U (·) is exhibited for a stochastically unstable nontrivial stochastic system. This indicates that our criterion for x n → 0 is “tight,” and that the two stability concepts studied are substantially distinct.
Estrogen-mediated structural and functional synaptic plasticity in the female rat hippocampus

Light and electron microscopic studies have shown that ovarian steroids regulate the density and number of excitatory synaptic inputs to hippocampal pyramidal cells in the adult female rat; elevated levels of estradiol are associated with a higher density of dendritic spine synapses on CA1 pyramidal cells. Electrophysiological analyses indicate that these hormone-induced synapses increase hippocampal excitability as well as the potential for synaptic plasticity. Importantly, correlation of dendritic spine density and sensitivity to synaptic input of individual CA1 pyramidal cells from estradiol-treated and control animals suggests that synapses induced by estradiol may be a specialized subpopulation that contains primarily the NMDA subtype of glutamate receptor. The apparent NMDA receptor specificity of these synapses may be key to understanding their functional significance. Currently, the behavioral consequences of additional spine synapses are unknown. Numerous studies have aimed at correlating hormone-induced changes in hippocampal connectivity with differences in hippocampus-dependent spatial learning ability in mazes, but the results of these efforts have been equivocal. Anatomical, electrophysiological, and behavioral studies of estradiol-mediated hippocampal plasticity are reviewed. In conclusion, it is suggested that standard behavioral tests of hippocampal function are not sufficient to reveal the behavioral consequences of hormone-induced hippocampal plasticity. Rather, understanding the behavioral consequences of estradiol and progesterone effects on hippocampal connectivity may require analysis of the hippocampus' cognitive and spatial information processing functions in relation to alternative biologically relevant behaviors. A (nonexclusive) proposal that hormone-induced hippocampal plasticity may facilitate appropriate prepartum/maternal behavior is discussed.
Phase II study evaluating oral triamcinolone in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Abstract Objectives To assess the effect of triamcinolone administration on the serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and the time to progression in patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC). Methods Patients with AIPC were prospectively treated with oral triamcinolone 4 mg twice daily, and their serum PSA and cortisol levels were measured monthly. Patients with greater than 25% increases in serum PSA from baseline were considered to have progressive disease and were removed from the study. Those patients who had a decrease in serum PSA levels or stable disease continued in the study until disease progression. Bone scans were obtained every 12 weeks and at progression. Results Twenty-four patients with AIPC were treated from November 2002 to June 2004. A partial response with a more than 50% decrease in serum PSA level was seen in 29%. Another 21% achieved stable disease. No statistically significant difference was found in the time to progression in the partial responders and patients with stable disease. The median time to progression in both groups was 7.5 months. Treatment was well tolerated without any grade 3 or 4 toxicity. Conclusions Oral triamcinolone was well tolerated by patients with AIPC, with 50% of the patients exhibiting a good response to therapy in terms of serum PSA level and time to progression.
Untreated patients with pulmonary embolism. Outcome, clinical, and laboratory assessment.

Purpose The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the clinical characteristics of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) among patients with PE who did not receive treatment to assess how the natural course of untreated PE relates to its severity. Methods Data are from the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED). Among patients with PE diagnosed either by pulmonary angiography or at autopsy, 376 received treatment and 24 escaped treatment in the hospital and were not prescribed anticoagulant therapy at the time of hospital discharge. Among these untreated patients, however, four received anticoagulant therapy during the first 3 months of follow-up. We report the 3-month course of PE in the remaining 20 untreated patients. Results Among untreated patients, 1 of 20 (5.0%) died from the effects of the original PE and possibly some contribution from recurrent PE. Nonfatal recurrent PE occurred in 1 of 20 (5.0%). All untreated patients, 20 of 20 (100%), had less than three mismatched segmental perfusion defects compared with 227 of 376 (60%) treated patients (p Conclusion Mild untreated PE carries a lower immediate mortality and lower mortality from recurrent PE than overt PE described in prior decades.
The use of time-expanded speech in the identification of part-word repetitions of stutterers

Abstract The purpose of this investigation was to explore the possibility of using time-expanded speech to aid clinicians in the identification of one-, two-, and three-unit repetitions of stutterers. Tape-recorded samples of nine stutterers (five adults and four children) were time-expanded to 0%, 150%, and 200% of original time. Thirty graduate student clinicians listened individually to the speech samples under the three listening conditions. The three conditions were presented in a counterbalanced order. Clinicians were asked to indicate each occurrence of one-, two-, or three-unit part-word repetitions on a response sheet. Results indicated that time expansion of the stutterers' speech by 150% or 200% of the original time resulted in significantly (P