cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SBDC: Smart Building Data Center for Iot, Edge, and 5G

Internet of Things (IoT) targets smart devices and applications to better assist the supported domains with intelligent technologies to increase the utilization of resources and users. Smart buildings constitute one such domain, where millions of devices generate terabytes of data demanding ultrahigh-speed computation and communication power for monitoring and analytical purposes. Latency in computation and communication is thus paramount. To meet such demand, this paper proposes a new architecture called Smart Building Data-Center (SBDC), an edge cloudlet node, furnishing high computing power and storage generated for vast IoT data in the building. In addition, this datacenter integrates a Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) of the Fifth Generation (5G) for all 5G wireless devices used in the building. Each SBDC is further connected to nearby smart buildings, cloud datacenters, and other networks in a Smart City. This paper describes the design, architecture, and network connectivity of the proposed system.
Impostor Phenomenon and Skills Confidence among Scholarly Communications Librarians in the United States

This survey-based study sought to measure the experience of impostor phenomenon among library personnel supporting scholarly communications in academic libraries in the United States. Additionally, the survey sought to assess confidence levels in key, professionally defined competencies and the factors most significantly affecting those confidence levels. Results indicated that, on average, scholarly communications librarians experience impostor phenomenon more frequently and intensely than academic librarians more broadly. The length of time spent working in libraries was negatively correlated with levels of impostor phenomenon, as were hours spent in specialized continuing education activities and number of research publications. Implications for improving training and mentoring opportunities to decrease impostor phenomenon are discussed.
Obesity and overall mortality: findings from the Jackson Heart Study.

Background Overall mortality has been reported to be lower among individuals classified as overweight/obese when compared with their normal weight counterparts ("obesity paradox") when obesity classification is based on the body mass index (BMI). One possible reason for this apparent paradox is that BMI is not a reliable measure of obesity-related risk as it does not differentiate fat mass from lean muscle mass or fat mass phenotypes. Waist circumference (WC), as a measure of central adiposity, may be a better indicator of obesity-related risk. We examined the association of overall mortality with BMI and with WC measures, including WC, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR). Methods Data from 3976 African American participants (551 deaths) in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) were analyzed. Cox regression models were used to perform survival analysis. Obesity measures were analyzed as dichotomous (obese/non-obese) and continuous variables. Baseline covariates included age, sex and smoking status. Results Comparing obese to non-obese participants, adjusted hazard ratios (95% CI) for overall mortality were 1.14 (0.96, 1.35), 1.30 (1.07, 1.59), 1.02 (0.73, 1.41) and 1.45 (1.18, 1.79) when using BMI, WC, WHtR and WHR, respectively. For BMI, WC and WHtR, a J-shaped relationship was observed with overall mortality. For WHR, a monotonic increasing relationship was observed with overall mortality. Conclusions In the JHS, we found that obesity as defined by WC and WHR was associated with an increased risk of overall and CVD mortality, while obesity defined by BMI was associated only with an increased risk of CVD mortality. WHR was the only obesity measure that showed a monotonic increasing relationship with overall and CVD mortality.
Algorithm Ethics: Interrogating Incentives in the Age of Uber

In January 2020, a controversial new statute, Assembly Bill 5 (AB5), went into effect in California. The new law targeted Uber, Lyft, and other so-called “gig economy” companies that rely heavily o...
Artificial Intelligence in Computerized Adaptive Testing

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly used to provide customized and efficient e-learning, job search, and career development assistance to students and workers. Both students and jobseekers encounter assessments several times throughout their career and during job searches. Organizations now employ computerized adaptive testing (CAT), a computer-administered assessment that serves questions based upon the ability of a test taker. CAT aims to provide personalized assessments to test takers to accurately estimate their proficiency with respect to a latent trait (e.g., general intelligence and personality characteristic) that is not directly observable. There are several challenges in CAT, such as estimating the latent traits of an individual, generating questions, and question selection. Furthermore, these challenges become more complex as the number of latent trait dimensions being measured increases or if item responses are categorical rather than binary (e.g., using a 1 to 5 scale versus true or false). Traditional approaches employ psychometric and statistical models to make estimations. However, many approaches using machine learning, deep learning, and other AI techniques have emerged to provide better performance. In this paper, we provide a technique-oriented review of AI applications in CAT, and highlight the advantages, limitations, and future challenges in this problem area. We also reconcile different terms and notations used across psychometrics and AI to assist future research and development.
Self-similar Reynolds-averaged mechanical–scalar turbulence models for Rayleigh–Taylor, Richtmyer–Meshkov, and Kelvin–Helmholtz instability-induced mixing in the small Atwood number limit

Analytical self-similar solutions to two-, three-, and four-equation Reynolds-averaged mechanical–scalar turbulence models describing incompressible turbulent Rayleigh–Taylor, Richtmyer–Meshkov, and Kelvin–Helmholtz instability-induced mixing in planar geometry are derived in the small Atwood number (Boussinesq) limit. The models are based on the turbulent kinetic energy K and its dissipation rate e, together with the scalar (heavy-fluid mass fraction) variance S and its dissipation rate χ modeled either differentially or algebraically. The models allow for a simultaneous description of mechanical and scalar mixing, i.e., mixing layer growth and molecular mixing, respectively. Mixing layer growth parameters and other physical observables relevant to each instability are obtained explicitly as functions of the model coefficients. The turbulent fields are also expressed in terms of the model coefficients, with their temporal power-law scalings obtained by requiring that the self-similar equations are explicitly time-independent. The model calibration methodology is described and discussed. Expressions for a subset of the various physical observables are used to calibrate each of the two-, three-, and four-equation models, such that the self-similar solutions are consistent with experimental and numerical simulation data corresponding to these values of the observables and to specific canonical Rayleigh–Taylor, Richtmyer–Meshkov, and Kelvin–Helmholtz turbulent flows. A calibrated four-equation model is then used to reconstruct the mean and turbulent fields, and late-time turbulent equation budgets for each instability-induced flow across the mixing layer. The reference solutions derived here can provide systematic calibrations and better understanding of mechanical–scalar turbulence models and their predictions for instability-induced turbulent mixing in the very large Reynolds number limit.
Co-Creating Equality

When a creative work has many co-creators, not all of whom contributed equally, how should they split ownership? In the absence of a contract, copyright law has long adopted an all-or-nothing answer to this question: if you are deemed to be a “co-author” you get an equal split; otherwise you get nothing. Because the privileges of co-authorship are so great, courts have erected an onerous barrier to qualifying as a “co-author”: you must have had “control” over the whole collaborative work. This barrier has been criticized both for being arbitrary and for unfairly resulting in lesser contributors going unrecognized and uncompensated. But removing this barrier—in the context of the longstanding rule granting co-authors an automatic equal split—risks unfairly diluting majority contributors. So in deciding whether to remove the barrier, we have to balance the perceived unfairness of minority contributors going uncompensated against the perceived unfairness of majority contributors being diluted. In this article I will show that this question of perceived fairness can be answered empirically. To determine creators’ revealed preferences for how to treat lesser contributing collaborators, I assemble two datasets. Both datasets are in the core copyright domain where the default co-authorship rules are most relevant: co-songwriting. First, I construct a dataset of the songwriting contribution levels, writing credits, and copyright registrations of every band that has a certified Gold Record and writes their own songs. This is over 1000 music groups. Second, by cross-correlating data released by the principal performance rights organizations in response to recent antitrust probes, I estimate royalty splits between the co-writers of over 1.2 million songs. The studies in this article are the largest and most comprehensive investigation into joint authorship to date that accounts for parties’ contributions. My primary finding is that the typical behavior of creators is to credit everyone involved in writing as a co-author, even the lesser contributors. A secondary finding is that co-authors who were lesser contributors typically share equally in songwriting royalties. Main contributors thus choose to share much more with lesser contributors than they would be compelled to under current law in the absence of a contract. This revealed preference suggests that we can adopt a more inclusive legal criterion for co-authorship—and in particular remove the arbitrary and exclusionary barrier that to be a co-author one must have control over the entire work—and that we can do so without violating creators’ own sense of fairness.
Comparing the Risks of Social Security with and Without Individual Accounts

The introduction of individual accounts as part of Social Security reform has received a great deal of attention in the United States and the rest of the world. There have been arguments for or against converting the existing unfunded defined-benefit Social Security system into a two-tier program with both defined-benefit and funded individual-account segments. One of the arguments against introducing the second tier of individual accounts is the risks that their stock and bond investments would impose on Social Security participants — particularly low income and wealth households that do not otherwise participate in financial markets. The basic idea is that partial privatization would substitute risky individual accounts for safe defined-benefit plans. The purpose of this article is to evaluate the merits of that argument within the context of stylized two-tier plans.
Introduction to the Symposium Papers

The genesis of this symposium was the biological, chemical, and soil evidence presented as part of court proceedings involving a private plane crash near Ruidoso, New Mexico in December, 1989 (Brunk, this series). The plaintiffs claimed that a flaw in the engine design allowed debris to enter and accumulate in a fuel component causing it to malfunction. This biological material included trichomes (plant hairs; Bates, Anderson, and Lee), pollen, (Lewis; A. Graham), and insects (Rozen and Eickwort). Chemical analyses aided in identifying an amorphous substance associated with the trichomes, pollen, and insect remains (Liddell). The evi- dence from soil analyses proved important in addressing another contention by the plaintiffs that soil, in addition to biological matter, was part of the engine contaminants that caused the crash (Daugherty). Although biological evidence in the form of DNA “fingerprinting” is well known, a significant part of the evidence presented here derived from a broad array of other organic materi- als, which although less widely used, proved central in deciding the outcome of the case.
CARBON MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR EXISTING U.S. GENERATION CAPACITY: A VINTAGE-BASED APPROACH

This paper examines the existing stock of fossil-fired power generation capacity in the United States within the context of climate change. At present, there are over 1,337 fossil-fired power generating units of at least 100 MW in capacity, that began operating between the early 1940's and today. Together these units provide some 453 GW of electric power, and simply retiring this stock early or repowering with advanced technology as a means of addressing their greenhouse gas emissions will not be a realistic option for them all. Considering a conservative 40-year operating life, there are over 667 fossil-fired power plants, representing a capacity of over 291 GW, that have a minimum of a decade's worth of productive life remaining. This paper draws upon specialized tools developed by Battelle to analyze the characteristics of this subset of U.S. power generation assets and explore the relationships between plant type, location, emissions, and vintage. It examines the economics of retrofit capture technologies and the proximity of these existing power plants to geologic reservoirs with promise for long-term storage of CO2. The costs for retrofitting these plants and disposing of their CO2 into nearby geologic reservoirs are presented.
The deleterious effects of methamphetamine use on initial presentation and clinical outcomes in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Object The objective of this study was to retrospectively look at methamphetamine (MA) use in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) to determine if MA use affects clinical presentation and outcomes after aneurysmal SAH. Methods A retrospective review of patients admitted to the Oregon Health & Science University neurosurgical service with aneurysmal SAH during the past 6 years was undertaken. Variables analyzed included MA use, age, sex, cigarette use, Hunt and Hess grade, Fisher grade, admission blood pressure, aneurysm characteristics, occurrence of vasospasm, hospital length of stay (LOS), cerebral infarction, aneurysm treatment, and Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) score. Data differences between MA users and nonusers were statistically analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. A separate comparison with randomly selected age-matched nonuser controls was also performed. Results Twenty-eight (7%) of 374 patients with aneurysmal SAH were identified as MA users. Methamphetamin...
Protecting Privacy in Health Research: The Limits of Individual Choice

Introduction.1766 I. The Critique of Choice.1771 A. Inaccessibility.1771 B. Inadequate to Motivate Action.1772 C. The Absence of Choice.1772 D. The Illusion of Choice.1773 E. Inadequate Privacy Protection.1773 F. False Dichotomy.1775 G. Burden on the Individual.1775 H. The Cost of Providing Choice.1776 I. Government Access to Personal Data Unaffected.1776 J. Choice As a Disservice to Individuals.1777 II. Health Research and Its Regulation.1778 A. The Role of Personal Data in Health Research.1778 1. Information-Based Health Research.1778 2. Personalized Medicine and Genetic Analysis.1779 3. Data-Based Health Research.1781 B. Autonomy and Informed Consent.1783 C. The Common Rule.1784 III. The Privacy Rule.1786 A. Basic Requirements.1786
Mad King George: The Impace of Personal and Political Stress on Mental and Physical Health

Both historians and psychiatrists have tried to explain the recurrent attacks of mental and physical illness experienced by King George III of Great Britain. Although the porphyria hypothesis is widely accepted, this diagnosis assumes that the king’s breakdowns were not precipitated by extreme stress. This assumption was tested using single-case historiometric methods. Biographical data were compiled to form two extensive chronologies of the monarch’s life, one for stressful events and the other for pathological symptoms. From this information 22 independent judges reliably assessed fluctuations in stress (total, personal, and political) and health (total, physical, and mental) across 624 consecutive months between 1760 and 1811. The cross-correlations were then calculated for the raw, first-differenced, and prewhitened time series. A consistent tendency appeared for the king’s health to deteriorate after increases in stress, most frequently with a 9-month delay. The current study demonstrates the utility of applying quantitative techniques to a psychobiographical debate hitherto examined solely by qualitative approaches.
Intestinal Exsorption of Oleic Acid: Influence of Aging, Bile, pH and Ethanol

The transfer of oleic acid from the circulation into the intestinal lumen perfusate (exsorption) was investigated in vivo in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Following intravenous infusion of oleic acid, its appearance in the intestinal perfusate was assessed over a 3-hour period. The relationship between exsorption rate and the amount of infused oleic acid delineated a linear plot. Oleic acid exsorption rate increased as the taurocholate concentration was raised to 10 mM in the intestinal perfusate. In contrast, oleic acid exsorption rate decreased following decrease in the intestinal perfusate pH, or increase in the intestinal perfusate's concentrations of oleic, butyric and octanoic acids or following the additions of increasing concentrations of ethanol to the intestinal perfusate. Increase in the age of the animals from 3 to 21 months resulted in a decrease of oleic acid exsorption. These data indicate that exsorption of oleic acid into the intestinal perfusate is not simply a process of "leakiness" of the intestinal epithelium. Rather, exsorption of this fatty acid is modified by factors that change the characteristics of the perfusate or modify the characteristics of the intestinal epithelium or the unstirred water layer at the luminal surface of the small intestine.
The influence of socio‐economic factors on the perceived importance of buying a garment made in the USA

Since the early 1980s, many studies have assessed consumers’ preferences for domestic versus imported apparel; a few have addressed the influence of socio‐economic factors on preference. This study provides a profile of the ethnocentric consumer, one who prefers their own goods over goods made in other cultures, by using an array of socio‐economic factors, including an eight‐category occupation variable and a “greatest generation” age variable, regressed on consumers’ perception of the importance of buying a garment made in the USA. Data were obtained from a convenience sample of rodeo attendees. Results from binary logistic regression reveal that younger, college‐educated respondents and those employed in service occupations are less likely to perceive buying US‐produced apparel as important than other groups.
Torture as intensive repression in Latin America: the psychology of its methods and practice.

The practice of torture in Latin America is fundamentally an activity of the state and part of a larger program of repression. In this article, the author analyzes, in general, the psychology of the methods and practice of torture, and, in particular, the psychological defenses likely activated by the torturer when confronting the victim. The contradictions in the relationship of torturer to tortured are seen in the light of larger social contradictions within the scheme of domination.
The protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid increases axonal neurofilaments and neurite caliber, and decreases axonal microtubules in NB2a/d1 cells.

When cells were treated with dbcAMP for 3 days to induce the outgrowth of axonal neurites, the addition of the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (0A; 5 nM) for the last 24 hr markedly increased neurofilament subunit immunoreactivity including phosphate-dependent NF-H epitopes in axonal neurites, increased axonal neurite caliber by approximately 30 %, but did not increase neurite contour length. Ultrastructural analysis demonstrated a >2-fold increase in neurofilaments and indicated that neurofilaments were phosphorylated to a similar extent in the presence and absence of OA. Vimentin immunoreactivity, which undergoes down-regulation during dbcAMP-mediated differentiation, was not increased by OA. OA did not induce the precocious appearance of delayed phosphate-dependent neurofilament epitopes suggesting that it did not induce the activation of additional neurofilament kinases. NF-H subunits from cytoskeletons of OA-treated cells were less susceptible to degradation by an endogenous calcium-dependent protease, providing a possible mechanism for neuro filament accumulation during OA treatment. By contrast, OA decreased axonal neurite microtubules, and eliminated stabilized (acetylated) axonal microtubules. OA treatment at earlier times prevented and reversed neurite outgrowth. Despite increased deposition of phosphorylated neurofilaments, OA did not hasten the development of colchicine resistance to neurites, suggesting that stabilization of the axonal cytoskeletal lattice requires neurofilament-microtubule interaction. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Multimodal search in collections of images and text

This paper presents a data model for images immersed in the world wide web and that derive their meaning from visual similarity, from the connection with the text of the pages that contain them, and from the link structure of the web. I will model images on the web as a graph whose nodes are either text documents or im- ages, and whose edges are links, labeled with measures of rel- evance of one document towards the other. The paper presents briefly the features used to characterize the text and the visual as- pect of the images, and then goes on to present a data algebra suitable to navigate and query the database. © 2002 SPIE and IS&T.
The nonmartial origins of the "martial races": ethnicity and military service in ex-British colonies

Did colonial rule "construct" the "martial races" or do these groups have an innate cultural disposition toward military service? Despite the centrality of this question for evaluating different military manpower recruitment strategies in postcolonial settings, no study has subjected these hypotheses to systematic empirical testing. This article fills this gap using an original data set on the colonial status of 181 ethnic groups across twenty-nine ex-British colonies to examine the origins of colonial "martialness." The empirical analysis provides robust evidence in support of the constructivist argument. Language: en
Interactions of oligonucleotide analogs containing methylphosphonate internucleotide linkages and 2′-O-methylribonucleosides

Abstract The interactions of oligonucleotide analogs, 12-mers, which contain deoxyribo- or 2'-O-methylribose sugars and methylphosphonate internucleotide linkages with complementary 12-mer DNA and RNA targets and the effect of chirality of the methylphosphonate linkage on oligomer-target interactions was studied. Oligomers containing a single Rp or Sp methylphosphonate linkage (type 1) or oligomers containing a single phosphodiester linkage at the 5'-end followed by 10 contiguous methylphosphonate linkages of random chirality (type 2) were prepared. The deoxyribo- and 2'-O-methylribo- type 1 12-mers formed stable duplexes with both the RNA and DNA as determined by UV melting experiments. The melting temperatures, Tms, of the 2'-O-methylribo-12-mer/RNA duplexes (49-53 degrees C) were higher than those of the deoxyribo-12mer/RNA duplexes (31-36 degrees C). The Tms of the duplexes formed by the Rp isomers of these oligomers were approximately 3-5 degrees C higher than those formed by the corresponding Sp isomers. The deoxyribo type 2 12-mer formed a stable duplex, Tm 34 degrees C, with the DNA target and a much less stable duplex with the RNA target, Tm < 5 degrees C. In contrast, the 2'-O-methylribo type 2 12-mer formed a stable duplex with the RNA target, Tm 20 degrees C, and a duplex of lower stability with the DNA target, Tm < 5 degrees C. These results show that the previously observed greater stability of oligo-2'-O-methylribonucleotide/RNA duplexes versus oligodeoxyribonucleotide/RNA duplexes extends to oligomers containing methylphosphonate linkages and that the configuration of the methylphosphonate linkage strongly influences the stability of the duplexes.
Mathematical validation of a biological model for unlinking replication catenanes by recombination

The price for simplicity of the linear genetic code is the inevitably large size of genomes and the attendant DNA entanglements. Circular chromosomes, or closed circular chromosome domains, are prone to knotting and catenation by a variety of DNA transactions. Knots in DNA pose road blocks to replication and transcription and increase the frequency of genetic rearrangements (1). Topoisomerases, enzymes that remove obstructive DNA crossings, play a crucial role in the duplication, decoding, and dissemination of biological information. An intriguing problem is how proteins that are much smaller than the large DNA molecules on which they act manage to resolve topological exigencies rather than exacerbate them. In their recent work, Shimokawa et al. address a particular aspect of this problem (2).
Studies on the reaction between human growth hormone and oleic acid using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Abstract Through the work of U. J. Lewis and E. V. Cheever (1967, Endocrinoloyg 81 , 1338–1348) and U. J. Lewis, E. V. Cheever, and B. K. Seavey (1968, J. Biol. Chem. 243 , 260–267) it has been known for a number of years that human growth hormone (hGH), and many other proteins, reacts with unsaturated fatty acids to give rise to species with enhanced electrophoretic mobility. In view of the possible importance of this reaction in the genesis of charge isomeric protein artifacts, and for the understanding of hGH as a system of multiple isomers with distinct, and in some cases enhanced, specific activities, the nature of this reaction was investigated further. It was found that (1) the positions of oleic acid and growth hormone on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) are coincident, indicating that the reaction leads to binding of the fatty acid to the protein: (2) the increment in molecular net charge on growth hormone is proportional to the molar ratio between the reactants, oleic acid and hGH; (3) the binding is noncovalent since it reverses under conditions of isoelectric focusing; (4) the reaction product has a molecular size indistinguishable from that of the reactant, hGH, by the criteria of “quantitative” PAGE (however, the reaction product exhibits an elevated negative molecular net charge in PAGE at pH 10.2); (5) the apparent isoelectric points of the hormone and its reaction products with oleic acid are indistinguishable in isoelectric focusing; (6) the interaction does not seem to involve the carboxyl charges on oleic acid since it is independent of ionic strength; (7) a noncovalent hydrophobic interaction with the protein is indicated since the range of electrophoretic mobilities exhibited by the hGH-oleic acid complex is smaller in the presence of benzyl alcohol in the gel than that exhibited by controls in it absence; (8) the reaction does not seem to involve free radical derivatives of the unsaturated fatty acid since it is not altered when the polyacrylamide gel is in a nonoxidative state; (9) the effect of the reaction with oleic acid on the tryptophan spectrum reflects only nonspecific interaction of the hormone-concomitant tryptophan perturbation.
Inversion versus Retention of Configuration for Nucleophilic Substitution at Vinylic Carbon

A high-level computational study using CCSD, CCSD(T), and G2(+) levels of theory has shown that unactivated vinyl substrates such as vinyl chloride would afford gas phase, single-step halide exchange by a pure in-plane σ-approach of the nucleophile to the backside of the C−Cl σ bond. Geometry optimization by CCSD/6-31+G* and CCSD(T)/6-31+G* confirms the earlier findings of Glukhovtsev, Pross, and Radom that the SN2 reaction of Cl- with unactivated vinyl chloride in the gas phase occurs by a σ attack. Complexation of vinyl chloride with Na+ does not alter this in-plane σ preference. However, moderately activated dihaloethylenes such as 1-chloro-1-fluoroethylene undergo gas-phase SN2 attack by the accepted π-route where the nucleophile approaches perpendicular to the plane of the CC. In the latter case a single-step π pathway is preferred for the Cl- + H2CCFCl reaction. This is the first definitive example at a high level of theory where a single-step π nucleophilic vinylic substitution is preferred over a ...
Rapid adjustment of antihypertensive drugs produces a durable improvement in blood pressure

Antihypertensive drugs are often initiated and adjusted over a period of weeks to months. It is not clear whether the time and inconvenience of this approach is necessary. We studied whether or not drug adjustment over several days in the context of a physician-nurse team could produce a durable blood pressure benefit according to home blood pressure measurements. Sixty-eight patients (aged 65 +/- 1 years, 47% men) were referred for management of hypertension. Indications for referral were new hypertension (13%), known/controlled hypertension (30%), or known/uncontrolled hypertension (57%). Patients had one to three brief nurse visits/day and were provided with an accurate semiautomated device for self-blood pressure (BP) measurement. Sixty patients provided follow-up data. Group 1 (n = 16) required no change in their preexisting drug regimen during clinic visits, whereas group 2 (n = 44) had drug therapy initiated or adjusted over 4 +/- 1 days. Patients were evaluated at baseline, at dismissal from the clinic, and at latest follow-up (mailed-in report of 42 readings taken over 7 days at 1- to 3-month intervals). Mean follow-up was 11 +/- 0.5 months. Mean BP at baseline, dismissal, and latest follow-up for group 1 were 132 +/- 4/73 +/- 2, 130 +/- 6/70 +/- 2, and 125 +/- 3/73 +/- 3 mm Hg (P = not significant). Mean BP for group 2 at the same intervals were 150 +/- 4/80 +/- 2, 139 +/- 3 (P < .01 v baseline)/75 +/- 2, 133 +/- 2 (P < .01 v baseline and < .05 v dismissal)/74 +/- 1 (P < .01 v baseline). The BP control rate (blood pressures less than 140/90 mm Hg) was 75% in group 2. Drug number/dose remained the same or lower in 87% and 91% of patients during follow-up in groups 1 and 2, respectively. These results suggest that a clinically significant lowering of blood pressure can often be achieved over several days and maintained for up to 1 year. Increased use of rapid drug titration, a physician-nurse team approach, and self-BP measurement at prescribed intervals have the potential to improve BP control rates and reduce the expense and inconvenience associated with the treatment of hypertension.
Distinctions in chronic active hepatitis based on circulating hepatitis-associated antigen.

Abstract Thirty cases of chronic active hepatitis in a general hospital population were screened for circulating hepatitis-associated antigen (H.A.A.), antinuclear antibodies (A.N.A.), and the L.E.-cell phenomenon. On the basis of these tests, the patients could be divided into three groups: group I (seven) were positive for H.A.A.; group II (nine) had either A.N.A. or L.E. cells; and group III (fourteen) were negative for all three tests. There was no overlap between groups I and II in that no patient positive for H.A.A. demonstrated antinuclear antibodies or L.E. cells. It was noteworthy that six group-I patients had a history compatible with parenteral transmission of hepatitis virus (shared needles or exposure to blood products) and five had an abrupt rather than insidious onset to their illness. In contrast, group-II patients had no such exposure history, and their illness tended to have an insidious onset. Whether the separation of chronic active hepatitis patients in this manner has significance in regard to course, prognosis, or therapy remains to be determined.
Symplectic orthogonality spaces

Abstract Let E be a finite dimensional vector space over the Galois field GF(2). Let lin(E) denote the set of one-dimensional subspaces of E. Let Φ be the symplectic inner product on E. Consider the elements of lin(E) as vertices of a graph, two vertices being connected exactly when they are distinct and orthogonal with respect to Φ. This graph is characterized abstractly.
Facilitator influence in facilitated communication

The use of facilitated communication with individuals with autism has generated considerable controversy over the past several years. Only recently has research begun appearing which examines the procedure using reasonable scientific controls to establish the validity of this form of communication. The present study assessed the validity of facilitated communication and evaluated the effects of facilitator influence with seven individuals with autism and mental retardation. Three individuals showed clear evidence of facilitator influence, another three showed no such influence, and one subject performed at chance levels. A follow-up session with the three subjects who showed no facilitator influence demonstrated that they also showed no unexpected language competence compared to their measured IQ and to assessment under standard conditions. Results are discussed in terms of significance for facilitated communication in general and in terms of the utility of the methodology as a means of demonstrating language competence or facilitator influence.
Mid-infrared filters using conducting elements /

This paper presents measured data on mid-infrared filters using conducting elements based on a simple first-order design philosophy. To the best of our knowledge, the filter center frequencies are at least a factor of 10 higher than any previously reported. The use of conducting elements adds an additional degree of freedom, which may be exploited to obtain filter characteristics superior to simple multilayer dielectric filters.
Molecular profiling of proteolytic and lectin transcripts in Homalodisca vitripennis (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) feeding on sunflower and cowpea.

Homalodisca vitripennis Germar 1821 (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) [Takiya et al. (2006) Ann Entomol Soc Am 99:648–655; syn. H. coagulata (Say)] salivary gland and gut EST libraries were used to isolate cDNA fragments of the gene transcripts encoding for cathepsin L, asparaginyl endopeptidase, cathepsin B, metalloendopeptidase, cathepsin D, multicatalytic endopeptidase, and a sugar-binding C-type lectin. Transcript levels were evaluated in immature and adult H. vitripennis feeding on sunflower (Helianthus annuus) or cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). Northern blot hybridization results showed that expression of most of the transcripts were similar for all developmental stages and feeding on the two diets examined. However, the expression of the transcript for asparaginyl endopeptidase was less expressed in sunflower-fed adult females compared to sunflower-fed immatures. Also, the expression of the C-type lectin transcript was up-regulated in adults compared to immatures when fed on either diet. Documenting both the presence and variation of transcript expression involved in putative digestive proteolysis in this xylem-feeding leafhopper is noteworthy and aids efforts to design specific diet formulations for mass production of hosts and parasitoids to be used as effective biological control measures. Arch. Insect Biochem. Physiol. 66:76–88, 2007. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Effects of caspase-1 knockout on chronic neural recording quality and longevity: Insight into cellular and molecular mechanisms of the reactive tissue response

Chronic implantation of microelectrodes into the cortex has been shown to lead to inflammatory gliosis and neuronal loss in the microenvironment immediately surrounding the probe, a hypothesized cause of neural recording failure. Caspase-1 (aka Interleukin 1β converting enzyme) is known to play a key role in both inflammation and programmed cell death, particularly in stroke and neurodegenerative diseases. Caspase-1 knockout (KO) mice are resistant to apoptosis and these mice have preserved neurologic function by reducing ischemia-induced brain injury in stroke models. Local ischemic injury can occur following neural probe insertion and thus in this study we investigated the hypothesis that caspase-1 KO mice would have less ischemic injury surrounding the neural probe. In this study, caspase-1 KO mice were implanted with chronic single shank 3 mm Michigan probes into V1m cortex. Electrophysiology recording showed significantly improved single-unit recording performance (yield and signal to noise ratio) of caspase-1 KO mice compared to wild type C57B6 (WT) mice over the course of up to 6 months for the majority of the depth. The higher yield is supported by the improved neuronal survival in the caspase-1 KO mice. Impedance fluctuates over time but appears to be steadier in the caspase-1 KO especially at longer time points, suggesting milder glia scarring. These findings show that caspase-1 is a promising target for pharmacologic interventions.
The impact of kindergarten learning-related skills on academic trajectories at the end of elementary school

Abstract Recent research indicates that children's learning-related skills (including self-regulation and social competence) contribute to early school success. The present study investigated the relation of kindergarten learning-related skills to reading and math trajectories in 538 children between kindergarten and sixth grade, and examined how children with poor learning-related skills fared throughout elementary school on reading and math. Latent growth curves indicated that learning-related skills had a unique effect on children's reading and math scores between kindergarten and sixth grade and predicted growth in reading and math between kindergarten and second grade. In addition, children with poor learning-related skills performed lower than their higher-rated peers on measures of reading and mathematics between kindergarten and sixth grade, with the gap widening between kindergarten and second grade. Between third and sixth grade, this gap persisted but did not widen. Discussion focuses on the importance of early learning-related skills as a component in children's academic trajectories throughout elementary school and the need for early intervention focusing on children's self-regulation and social competence.
Effects of chromium supplementation on fasting insulin levels and lipid parameters in healthy, non-obese young subjects

Trivalent chromium is an essential trace element for normal carbohydrate metabolism and insulin sensitivity. Because of this biological activity, chromium supplementation has been studied as a potential therapy of insulin resistant states and dyslipidemias, and has been promoted as a health aid to the general population. To determine if there is a risk of subclinical chromium deficiency in young, otherwise healthy adults, we evaluated the effect of chromium supplementation, versus placebo, on insulin levels and serum lipids in a double-blind, randomized trial in 26 young adults (mean age 36 years). Fasting levels of glucose, immunoreactive insulin (IRI), and lipids (total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglycerides) were measured before and after 90 days of daily supplementation with a chromium (III)-nicotinate preparation, containing 220 μg elemental chromium, or placebo. There were no statistically significant differences in the percentage change of fasting glucose, IRI or lipids between the chromium (n = 15) and placebo (n = 11) groups after 90 days of supplementation. However, those individuals within the chromium group with initial fasting IRI levels greater than 35 pmol/l had a significant decrease in IRI level after supplementation (P < 0.03) despite no significant changes in serum lipids. These subjects may benefit from chromium supplementation by improving insulin sensitivity and cardiovascular risk over time.
Privatization in rent-seeking societies

Abstract Four Latin American countries have devoted particular attention, though not equal action, to privatization policies, the implementation of which has shed considerable light on the dynamics of rent-seeking societies. The fact that democratization, in some form, is also underway in each of the four has intensified the interplay of forces that shape the implementation of privatization programs. The experiences of Mexico and Chile, in particular, demonstrate how important it may be to “privatize” the private sector by reforming macroeconomic policies and opening the economy to external competition before, or at least concurrently with, tackling the privatization of the public sector. The obstructive force of rent-seeking behavior is shown most clearly in the Argentine case, while the Brazilian experience is useful, along with that of Mexico, as a reminder that rent-seeking dynamics are not necessarily incompatible with structural transformation and high rates of growth.
Transfer of X-rays through a spherically symmetric gas cloud

Approximate solutions are presented for the transfer of radiation through spherically symmetric gas clouds surrounding a point source of X-rays. The approach is similar to that of Tarter and Salpeter (1969) except that heating by Compton scattering and the Auger effect is included. The temperature and ionization structure are sensitive to the source spectrum, and the solutions are not unique if soft X-rays are deficient. The emergent spectrum is rich in optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray emission lines. The radiation force due to photoelectric absorption of X-rays may exceed the force due to Compton scattering by a factor of order 10 for the radiation fields and densities likely to be encountered in galactic binary X-ray sources.
Presbyopia, accommodation, and the mature catenary.

Abstract Objective To demonstrate a plausible explanation of aging changes and to reduce the controversy relative to accommodation by using a mechanical model of the catenary theory of lens change. Mechanical modeling A mechanical model was used to simulate a human lens in both the accommodated and unaccommodated state to demonstrate changes in the mechanism of accommodation with age. Methods Fluid-filled latex balloons were supported by a plastic wrap hammock to form a catenary that models the human lens. Increasing volumes were used to simulate that of the aging lens, and variations in curvature were measured. Main outcome measures The degree of curvature of a simulated anterior lens surface was measured and compared with mathematical modeling of its optical surface based on the catenary hydraulic suspension theory. Results The measurements showed that accommodative loss and other features such as mass displacement, reproducible lens surfaces, and zonule support are consistent with the catenary theory of accommodation and an increasing lens volume with age. Conclusions The catenary theory of accommodation provides a basis for evaluating age changes of the human lens. Variable results with surgical procedures for presbyopia are also predictable with the model. These results can be used to provide a basis for intraocular lens design.
Structural geometry of Raplee Ridge monocline and thrust fault imaged using inverse Boundary Element Modeling and ALSM data

Abstract We model the Raplee Ridge monocline in southwest Utah, where Airborne Laser Swath Mapping (ALSM) topographic data define the geometry of exposed marker layers within this fold. The spatial extent of five surfaces were mapped using the ALSM data, elevations were extracted from the topography, and points on these surfaces were used to infer the underlying fault geometry and remote strain conditions. First, we compare elevations extracted from the ALSM data to the publicly available National Elevation Dataset 10-m DEM (Digital Elevation Model; NED-10) and 30-m DEM (NED-30). While the spatial resolution of the NED datasets was too coarse to locate the surfaces accurately, the elevations extracted at points spaced ∼50 m apart from each mapped surface yield similar values to the ALSM data. Next, we used a Boundary Element Model (BEM) to infer the geometry of the underlying fault and the remote strain tensor that is most consistent with the deformation recorded by strata exposed within the fold. Using a Bayesian sampling method, we assess the uncertainties within, and covariation between, the fault geometric parameters and remote strain tensor inferred using the model. We apply these methods to the Raplee Ridge monocline, and find that the resolution and precision of the ALSM data are unnecessary for inferring the fault geometry and remote strain tensor using our approach. However, the ALSM data were necessary for the mapping of the spatial distribution of surface outcrops. Our models considered two scenarios: one in which fault geometry and remote strains were inferred using a single deformed stratum, and another in which all mapped strata were used in the inversion. Modeled elevations match those observed to within a root-mean-squared error of 16–18 m, and show little bias with position along the fold. Both single- and multilayer inversions image a fault that is broadly constrained to be ∼4.5–14 km in down-dip height, 13–30 km in along-strike width, with a tip-line 2.0–9.5 km below the surface at the time of deformation. Poisson's ratio was not well resolved by the inversion. The idealized elastic model is oversimplified when considering the complicated layered nature of this fold, however, it provides a good fit to the observations. Thus, comparable surface displacements may be produced with a variety of rheological models, so independent constraints on factors such as the fault geometry may be required to ascertain the appropriate rheology of the fold.
Multiscale Gradients-Based Color Filter Array Interpolation

Single sensor digital cameras use color filter arrays to capture a subset of the color data at each pixel coordinate. Demosaicing or color filter array (CFA) interpolation is the process of estimating the missing color samples to reconstruct a full color image. In this paper, we propose a demosaicing method that uses multiscale color gradients to adaptively combine color difference estimates from different directions. The proposed solution does not require any thresholds since it does not make any hard decisions, and it is noniterative. Although most suitable for the Bayer CFA pattern, the method can be extended to other mosaic patterns. To demonstrate this, we describe its application to the Lukac CFA pattern. Experimental results show that it outperforms other available demosaicing methods by a clear margin in terms of CPSNR and S-CIELAB measures for both mosaic patterns.
Autonomic involvement in Wilson's disease: a study of sympathetic skin response and RR interval variation

Autonomic nervous system involvement in Wilson's disease (WD) was studied in 25 patients by sympathetic skin response (SSR) and RR interval variation (RRIV). The control group consisted of age-matched healthy subjects. Palmar SSRs were obtained by central activation from median nerve stimulation and by activation of sympathetic trunk from magnetic stimulation of the neck. Electric SSRs were prolonged in 11 patients and absent in 2; magnetic SSRs were delayed in 4 and absent in 1; and the sympathetic central conduction time was prolonged in 3. The mean latencies and mean central conduction of the SSRs were all significantly prolonged in WD when compared to the control group. On the other hand, parasympathetic function was abnormal in 3 patients only during forced deep breathing, and as a group only mean D% was significantly reduced. The present findings suggest that autonomic dysfunction may occur in WD, and that sympathetic function is predominantly affected, mainly due to central involvement.