cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hypersensitivity pneumonitis and antigen identification – An alternate approach

Abstract Objectives Identification of the causal antigen for patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) is challenging in a standard clinical setting. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine whether it was possible to evaluate the home/workplace of patients, and identify the causal antigen. Methods Using a case-control study design we compared the presence of antibody to antigen collected in the environment of individuals with HP and controls consisting of family members/co-workers. Based on patient interviews, homes/workplaces were evaluated and suspected sources of antigen collected for use in immunoassays. Results Nineteen individuals with HP participated with 15 classified as having fibrotic disease. Up to 54 bulk samples were collected from each patient's environment, with multiple isolates (antigens) cultured from each. Of the seven individuals who tested positive to one or more environmental samples, three had a positive response to more than 1 antigen from the environmental sample (range 1–9). Twelve individuals tested positive to antigen(s) on a standard panel, with only one overlapping with the antigen from the home/workplace sample. A significant association existed between results of interviews/site evaluations, and ability to collect antigen eliciting a positive response (p Conclusion Antigen identification was successful for patients with ‘active’ disease. Antigens for which patients test positive on standard panels may not be present in their environment. One benefit to patient-centered testing is the ability to develop recommendations specific to their environment. As most individuals tested positive for >1 antigen, further investigation is warranted to determine the actual antigen responsible for disease.
Lowering the B1 threshold for improved BEAR B1 mapping

Purpose Accurate measurement of the nonuniform transmit radiofrequency field is necessary for magnetic resonance imaging applications. The radiofrequency field excitation amplitude (B1) is often obtained by acquiring a B1 map. We modify the B1 estimation using adiabatic refocusing (BEAR) method to extend its range to lower B1 magnitudes. Theory and Methods The BEAR method is a phase-based B1 mapping method, wherein hyperbolic secant pulses induce a phase sensitivity to B1. The measurable B1 range is limited due to the adiabatic threshold of the pulses. We redesign the method to use flattened hyperbolic secant pulses, which have lower adiabatic thresholds. We optimize the flattened hyperbolic secant parameters to minimize phase sensitivity to frequency variations. Results We validate the performance of the new method via simulation and in vivo at 3T, and show that for , accurate B1 maps can be acquired using reduced nominal peak B1 values. Conclusion The adiabatic threshold for the BEAR method is reduced with flattened hyperbolic secant pulses, which are optimized for accurate phase-to-B1 mapping over a frequency range, and allow for lower nominal B1 values. At 3T, the nominal B1 is decreased by 52% and the sensitivity to B1 is increased by a factor of 3.8. This can improve the method's applicability for measurement of low B1. Magn Reson Med, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Coordinate Functions of Space Filling Curves

Given a continuous function X(t) mapping [0, 1] continuously onto [0, 1], several properties are given which this function must fulfill if there is to be another continuous function Y (t) so that (X(t), Y (t)) takes the unit interval onto the unit square. Many of the references to the literature on space-filling curves can be found in [1] where the nondifferentiability and dimension of preimages and graphs of the historical mappings are given. Here, by coordinate functions will be meant continuous functions X(t) and Y (t) which are assumed to take [0, 1] onto [0, 1] so that F (t) = (X(t), Y (t)) takes [0, 1] onto the unit square. Presented here are some properties of such X and Y which will perhaps suggest a characterization. The problem of finding a characterization should involve showing how to construct a function X (t) given Y (t) satisfying certain properties so that the pair form a space-filling curve. It is convenient to consider Y (t) as given and visualize X(t) as ‘sliding’ the x-coordinate in such a way that all the points in the square are covered by (X(t), Y (t)). With this in mind one can first observe the well known fact that for each y ∈ [0, 1], one has Y −1(y) uncountable. Otherwise, it would not be possible for (X(t), Y (t)) to cover the line segment Iy = {(x, y) : x ∈ [0, 1]}. Since Y (t) is continuous, each Y −1(y) is a closed set and consists of at most countably many line segments along with a (possibly empty) nowhere dense perfect set and an at most countable set of points. However, it is not possible to have the line segments cover Y −1(y) by themselves. In fact, a coordinate function for a space-filling curve must have a nowhere dense perfect set in each Y −1(y) which is mapped by F onto Iy = {(x, y) : x ∈ [0.1]}. This will follow from Theorem 1.
Association of heat shock induced resistance to disease with increased accumulation of insoluble extensin and ethylene synthesis

Abstract Cucumber seedlings ( Cucumis sativus L. cv Marketer), heat-shocked for 40 s at 50 °C, acquire disease resistance to the fungal pathogen Cladosporium cucumerinum E11. and Arth. The resistance develops 15 to 21 h after heat shock treatment and is associated with stimulated ethylene production and changes in the plant cell wall. There was a two-fold increase in the production of ethylene and in its precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid by 6 h after the heat shock. Heat shock also enhanced the accumulation of insoluble extensin, a hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein found in cell walls of seedlings. A heat shock treatment of seedlings 24 h before inoculation with C. cucumerinum resulted in a doubling of extensin content at 72 h after the inoculation. Cell walls from heat shocked seedlings were up to 55% more resistant to degradation by enzymes from C. cucumerinum than were cell walls from unshocked seedlings, but increased lignin depositions did not appear responsible. The accumulation of extensin after heat shock and its crosslinking by peroxidase is discussed as a possible mechanism of induced resistance to C. cucumerinum .
Human Resource Conservation in Crude-Oil Recovery

Human resource conservation is capable of being achieved along with energy resource conservation. The Crude-Oil Recovery Process (CORP) uses a single inerting/cleaning agent in a waterless, self-contained, closed-loop, remote-controlled and superport compatible system that eliminates human in-tank “mucking”. By using vaporous agent for inerting during discharge/refill operations, system safety is significantly increased. The same agent, in its liquid state, is used as an effective cleaning agent. CORP eliminates expensive and hazardous gas-freeing procedures and facilitates recovery of otherwise-lost agent and energy resources, while reducing air and water pollution, and improving human safety, morale, and growth potential.
A unified systolic design technique based on integral matrix theory

A systematic mapping procedure for systolic arrays is considered. Integral matrix theory provides the basic concepts used to define projection and scheduling vectors. Unimodular matrices are defined which describe projection, timing, and bases for the processor space and the isochronous hyperplanes. The same mathematical tools furnish the rigorous definition of the partitioning block structure, as well as the cluster set. Folding and design constraints can also be included, and are briefly considered. The possible application of a systolic design for low power requirements is also discussed. >
Fuzzy Logic and Data Mining in Disaster Mitigation

Disaster mitigation and management is one of the most challenging examples of decision making under uncertain, missing, and sketchy, information. Even in the extreme cases where the nature of the disaster is known, preparedness plans are in place, and analysis, evaluation, and simulations of the disaster management procedures have been performed, the amount and magnitude of “surprises” that accompany the real disaster pose an enormous demand. In the more severe cases, where the entire disaster is an unpredicted event, the disaster management and response system might fast run into a chaotic state. Hence, the key for improving disaster preparedness and mitigation capabilities is employing sound techniques for data collection, information processing, and decision making under uncertainty. Fuzzy logic based techniques are some of the most promising approaches for disaster mitigation. The advantage of the fuzzy-based approach is that it enables keeping account on events with perceived low possibility of occurrence via low fuzzy membership/truth-values and updating these values as information is accumulated or changed. Several fuzzy logic based algorithms can be deployed in the data collection, accumulation, and retention stage, in the information processing phase, and in the decision making process. In this chapter a comprehensive assessment of fuzzy techniques for disaster mitigation is presented. The use of fuzzy logic as a possible tool for disaster management is investigated and the strengths and weaknesses of several fuzzy techniques are evaluated. In addition to classical fuzzy techniques, the use of incremental fuzzy clustering in the context of complex and high order fuzzy logic system is evaluated.
COMPLETE SOIL PROFILE INVERSION BY TREE UPROOTING

Treethrow pits and mounds in sandy Spodosols were examined to determine their internal soil horizonation. Treethrow mounds were found to contain either (1) nearly intact, yet inverted soil profiles above otherwise undisturbed soil horizon sequences, or (2) more typical mixed and random horizonation. Soil profile inversion, emphasized here for the first time, is initiated by treethrow on steep slopes which produces overhanging root plates. Subsequent fire burns the trunk, eliminating all support and allowing the plate to overturn. Charcoal within buried A horizons of mounds supports this hypothesis. On gentle slopes, soil slumps off a more vertically-inclined root mass, resulting in a haphazard arrangement of horizons. This arrangement occurs regardless of the presence or absence of fire, and results in the typical contorted horizonation often reported for treethrow mounds. [Key words: Spodosols, treethrow, pedoturbation, fire, Michigan.]
Micromechanics of cellularized biopolymer networks

Collagen gels are widely used in experiments on cell mechanics because they mimic the extracellular matrix in physiological conditions. Collagen gels are often characterized by their bulk rheology; however, variations in the collagen fiber microstructure and cell adhesion forces cause the mechanical properties to be inhomogeneous at the cellular scale. We study the mechanics of type I collagen on the scale of tens to hundreds of microns by using holographic optical tweezers to apply pN forces to microparticles embedded in the collagen fiber network. We find that in response to optical forces, particle displacements are inhomogeneous, anisotropic, and asymmetric. Gels prepared at 21 °C and 37 °C show qualitative difference in their micromechanical characteristics. We also demonstrate that contracting cells remodel the micromechanics of their surrounding extracellular matrix in a strain- and distance-dependent manner. To further understand the micromechanics of cellularized extracellular matrix, we have constructed a computational model which reproduces the main experiment findings.
Organic Polymer Biocompatibility and Toxicology

Adverse effects of organic polymers used for plasma extenders, tissue adhesives, bone cements, contraceptive devices, prostheses, artificial organs, food packaging, cooking, and laboratory ware are appraised. Parenteral polymer disintegration involves hydrolytic, redox, and degradation reactions. Accumulative toxicity of plasticizers, antioxidants, and monomers liberated from plastic containers warrants investigation. Main problems with heart-assist devices are clotting and blood destruction; with plasma extenders, thesaurismotic reactions; with acrylic bone glues, transitory hypotension; with artificial kidneys, loss of metabolic essentials; with silicone heart valves, uptake of lipids; with silicone chin implants, bone resorption; and with liquid silicone mammary amplification, lumpy breasts and mastitis. A polymer fume fever is linked with pyrolysis of polytetrafluoroethylene. Human solid-state carcinogenesis constitutes a calculated risk with polymer implants. In rodents, all solid polymers tested produced cancer; chemical carcinogenesis was induced by a polyvinyl chloride copolymer, vinyl chloride, polycaprolactam, liquid silicone, and some brands of polytetrafluoroethylene.
Can we improve maternal outcome for high-risk obstetric patients?

Despite advances in medical, obstetric and anesthetic care, the maternal mortality rate in the US and UK has remained relatively static over the past few decades. 1–3 One explanation for the minimal progress being made to reduce maternal mortality in the developed world is the increasing number of high-risk patients becoming pregnant. This has been associated with advancing maternal age, obesity and increasing numbers of those with significant co-morbidity surviving to childbearing age. The management of high-risk obstetric patients provides one of the most challenging aspects of clinical practice in obstetric anesthesia. The variable presentation and wide spectrum of obstetric-related complications often necessitate anesthetic intervention in an acute setting. High-risk patients may be referred for anesthetic assessment at any time during the antenatal or peripartum periods, and the late timing of referral can lead to inadequate investigation and treatment before delivery. Meanwhile, anesthetic interventions have become increasingly likely with the exponential increase in labor epidural and cesarean delivery rates in the US. 4 Careful clinical decision-making and management may reduce the likelihood of these high-risk patients developing life-threatening conditions and severe maternal morbidity or mortality. The importance of early identification and management of these cases is emphasized in the Confidential Enquiries into Maternal and Child Health (CEMACH) in the UK. 3 This peer
Parametric mapping of [18F]FPCIT binding in early stage Parkinson's disease: A PET study

We have shown that fluorinated N-3-fluoropropyl-2-beta-carboxymethoxy-3-beta-(4-iodophenyl) nortropane ([18F]FPCIT) and PET offer a valuable means of quantifying regional abnormality in dopamine transporter (DAT) imaging associated with Parkinson's disease (PD). The objective of this study was to delineate the topographic distribution of DAT binding in early stage idiopathic PD using statistical parametric analysis of [18F]FPCIT PET data. We performed dynamic PET studies in 15 hemi-parkinsonian (Hoehn & Yahr I) patients and 10 age-matched normal volunteers over 100 min and calculated images of [18F]FPCIT binding ratios on a pixel-by-pixel basis. Statistical parametric mapping (SPM) was then used to localize binding reductions in PD and to compute the absolute change relative to normal. [18F]FPCIT binding decreased significantly in the contralateral posterior putamen of the PD group (P < 0.001, corrected). A significant reduction was also seen in the ipsilateral putamen, which was smaller in extent but localized more posteriorly. A quantitative comparison of DAT binding in the two clusters showed that the onset of motor symptoms in PD was associated with an approximate 70% loss relative to the normal mean in the contralateral posterior putamen. These results suggest that SPM analysis of [18F]FPCIT PET data can be used to quantify and map abnormalities in DAT activity within the human striatum. This method provides a useful tool to track the onset and progression of PD at its earliest stages. Synapse 45:125–133, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Interference cancellation using an array feed design for radio telescopes

Radio frequency interference (RFI) is a growing problem for radio astronomers. We investigate the use of a phased array feed in order to allow for RFI mitigation with a single reflector. Our primary goal in the design of an array feed is to optimize the array for RFI cancellation while also achieving high sensitivity and beam steering capability. The phased array feed should also produce a higher sensitivity as compared to a single standard waveguide feed. Other design goals include gain stability and low beam shape distortion for steered beams.
A determinantal inequality for correlation matrices

Abstract Correlations are a source of continuing discoveries. A new inequality is obtained that provides easily computed bounds for the determinant of a correlation matrix.
Two heads are better than one.

A new design for bispecific antibodies enables efficient production of stable molecules with good pharmacodynamic properties.
Does EMDR reduce post-traumatic stress disorder symptomatology in combat veterans?

Prior meta-analyses have suggested that eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) may be effective in alleviating the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR is now being recommended as a treatment for military combat veterans who suffer from PTSD. We provide a review of published outcome studies that appeared in print from 1987 – April, 2008 which examined the specific effects of EMDR on PTSD among military combat veterans. Studies were identified through electronic bibliographic databases, web sites, and manual searches of article reference lists. A total of six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and three quasi-experimental studies met our inclusionary criteria and are reviewed. The evidence supporting the use of EMDR to treat combat veterans suffering from PTSD is sparse and equivocal, and does not rise to the threshold of labeling the therapy as an empirically supported treatment. It is premature to incorporate EMDR into routine care for veterans to alleviate combat-related PTSD. EMDR needs a considerably stronger evidentiary foundation which includes large-scale RCTs involving credible placebo controlled treatment conditions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A model for the development and delivery of craniofacial health care systems in developing countries.

Abstract A model for developing and delivering health care systems for treating individuals with craniofacial deformities in developing countries requires defining processes that are manageable within the contexts of governments, hospitals, health care environments, and local communities. The model presented in this article is based on 6 principles that have been defined and refined by working in 10 countries since 1975. The 6 principles are designed to enhance quality of life and issues of equity within society for patients with facial deformity. The model also promotes the importance of professional equity within multidisciplinary health care teams.
The Impact of Service Sector Growth on Intersectoral Linkages in the United States

This article examines the impact of service sector growth on intersectoral linkages in the US economy since the 1940s. Input-output tables are used to determine direct and total back-ward linkages for a six-sector aggregation of the economy. The results show that the service sector ranks fifth in terms of the size of these linkage indicators. An added feature is the construction of economy-wide indexes of sectoral interdependence which are weighted averages of each sector's linkage effect, with the weights determined as each sector's share of national income. The main finding is that the combined effect of service sector growth and a pattern of low linkage effects associated with the service sector has led to a reduction in the degree of overall intersectoral linkage in the US economy over time. A major implication is that the pace of economic growth may be considerably lower in the future as a rising share of expenditures is accounted for by service-producing activities.
Stable isotopes in yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) fossils reveal environmental stability in the late Quaternary of the Colorado Rocky Mountains

High elevation plant and animal communities are considered extremely sensitive to environmental change. We investigated an exceptional fossil record of yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaviventris) specimens that was recovered from Cement Creek Cave (elev. 2860 m) and ranged in age from radiocarbon background circa 49.8 cal ka BP to ~ 1 cal ka BP. We coupled isotopic and radiocarbon measurements (δ18O, δD, δ15N, δ13C, and 14C) of bone collagen from individually-AMS dated specimens of marmots to assess ecological responses by this species to environmental change over time in a high elevation basin in the Rocky Mountains of southwestern Colorado, USA. We find little change in all four isotope ratios over time, demonstrating considerable environmental stability during periods when the marmots were present. The stable ecology and the apparent persistence of the small mammal community in the cave fauna throughout the late Quaternary are in marked contrast to the changes that occurred in the large mammal community, including local extirpation and extinction, at the end of the Pleistocene.
A closed analytic form for the time maximum disturbance isochrones of second-order linear systems☆

It is shown that each time maximum disturbance isochrone (boundary of reachable set) for second-order linear systems with the most stressful bounded disturbance has a closed analytic form. Further it is shown that these isochrones can be constructed by purely geometric methods.
Protein assembly directed by synthetic molecular recognition motifs

Tris-functionalized cyanuric acid (TCA) and melamine (TM) selectively recognize each other in aqueous solution with 1 : 1 stoichiometry. We have coupled biotin to TCA and TM to allow pseudo-tetrahedral display of TCA and TM on streptavidin through biotin–ligand binding. Synthetic cyanuric acid/melamine recognition is found to drive selective protein–protein assembly.
Investigation of methyl pyridinium-2-aldoxime salts.

Methyl pyridinium-2-aldoxime iodide (2-PAM iodide) has been reported to be effective in preventing and overcoming the toxic effects in animals poisoned with organic phosphorus compounds that are inhibitors of the cholinesterase enzymes. In order to obtain greater water solubility of the oxime and to eliminate undesirable side effects due to the iodide ion, various salts were prepared. The iodide ion was replaced by inorganic and organic ions: chloride, nitrate, dihydrogen phosphate, hydrogen sulfate, acetate, lactate, fumarate, and tartrate. Methods of preparation and physical contents of the salts are presented. The water solubility of the majority of these salts was many times greater than that of the iodide. The rate at which the various salts reactivate inhibited cholinesterase and the acute toxicity to mice are of the same order as that of 2-PAM iodide. On the basis of stability, physical properties, and pharmacological action, the 2-PAM chloride salt should be the one of choice.
Dome Induced Image Motion

"Local seeing" effects degrade image quality with conventional impaired performance of mirror alignment systems. Essential to the design of advanced technology telescopes such as the National New Technology Telescope (NNTT) is a knowledge of these dome-induced image motion effects. Characterization of the turbulent, small scale thermal disturbances had been achieved with differential microthermal sensors able to detect millidegree centigrade thermal gradients with a bandwidth of 100 Hertz. Image degradation associated with dome microthermal activity is shown for sub-arcsecond images. Thermal spectra prepared with Fourier transforms from 0.02 to 65 Hertz show increases in thermal activity as the dome is opened. Relative motion of star pairs as a function of field separation is studied using a CID camera system. Light intensity profiles and centroids are recorded along an axis passing through the two separated stars. The relative motion for the binary star γ Andromeda is presented as image motion correlation spectra from .03 to 15 Hertz.
Generalized Sequential Probability Ratio Test for Separate Families of Hypotheses

In this paper, we consider the problem of testing two separate families of hypotheses via a generalization of the sequential probability ratio test. In particular, the generalized likelihood ratio statistic is considered and the stopping rule is the first boundary crossing of the generalized likelihood ratio statistic. We show that this sequential test is asymptotically optimal in the sense that it achieves asymptotically the shortest expected sample size as the maximal type I and type II error probabilities tend to zero.
Analysis of diffusion-induced bubble growth in viscoelastic liquids

Abstract Transport models of diffusion-induced bubble growth in viscoelastic liquids are developed and evaluated. A rigorous model is formulated that can be used to describe bubble growth or collapse in a non-linear viscoelastic fluid, and takes into account convective and diffusive mass transport as well as surface tension and inertial effects. Predictions for bubble growth dynamics demonstrating the importance of fluid elasticity are presented. These predictions indicate that for diffusion-induced bubble growth in viscoelastic liquids, the lower bound for growth rate is given by growth in a Newtonian fluid and the upper bound by diffusion-controlled growth. The influence of non-linear fluid rheology on bubble growth dynamics is examined and found to be relatively minor in comparison to fluid elasticity. It is shown how previously published models employing various approximations can be derived from the rigorous model. Comparisons of predicted bubble growth dynamics from the rigorous and approximate models are used to establish the ranges of applicability for two commonly-used approximations. These comparisons indicate that models using a thin boundary layer approximation have a rather limited range of applicability. An analysis of published experimental bubble growth data is also carried out using appropriate transport models.
The Last Big Man: Development and Men's Discontents in the Papua New Guinea Highlands

Big Men achieve that status by making good things happen for others as well as for themselves. In the minds of many Papua New Guineans development promises a direct route to becoming Super Big Men and Women. Mostly, however, it produces inequality and conflict. This is striking in places peripheral to major developments and in situations where not everyone benefits (e.g. compensation to ‘local landowners' - narrowly defined by mining companies - and lucrative urban employment - enjoyed only by the few, mostly male elite). Uneven development pits men and women, parents and children, and whole communities against one another as those less fortunate fail to match the generosities or competition of more prosperous exchange partners. In this article, I look at development through the eyes of one self-proclaimed ‘last Big Man’. As a youth, Ruge participated in male initiation and worked for the colonial outsiders, hoping to manipulate both old and new systems. He married several wives in the tradition of past Gende leaders but chose one because she had been to school, knew the ways of Europeans and had a keen business sense. In spite of what looked like the right moves and a sincere concern for his followers, Ruge could not prevent his society from being ravaged by inequality or help a growing number of bachelors afford expensive brideprices as more and more village girls married wealthy strangers from other parts of Papua New Guinea. In the end, a clan brother killed Ruge in an argument over land, making Ruge a victim to capitalist development's indifference to local traditions of family, reputation, and leadership.
Plasma-Assisted Combustion in a Coaxial Re-Entrant Microwave Cavity

Summary form only given. Potential advantages of combining electrical energy with combustion include a faster process, higher intensities, leaner combustion, pollutant reduction, improved fuel efficiency, more reliable ignition and combustion across a wider range of pressures, temperatures and stoichiometries. Recently we developed an experimental system that enabled the repeatable, controlled coupling of microwave energy into a premixed flame. In this experimental system microwave energy was coupled into a flame that was located inside tunable microwave cavity applicator. We describe an improved experimental microwave plasma-assisted combustion employing a new, more efficient, and compact microwave applicator. The applicator consists of a tunable system, re-entrant coaxial cavity that has been modified to allow a combustion flame to be located inside the applicator. This newly modified system has the potential to greatly reduce the system size and because of the improved microwave focus; to improve the microwave flame coupling efficiency. The re-entrant applicator employs a 2.54 cm diameter cylindrical coaxial cavity with a hollow 1.11 cm diameter center conductor. The flame is placed in the vicinity of the cavity applicator "gap region" at the end of a 5 mm diameter gas feed tube that has been placed axially within the center conductor. Microwave power at 2.45 GHz is coupled into the re-entrant cavity via a coaxial coupling loop antenna at power levels of 3-30 Watts. The flame is ignited at atmospheric pressure and the feed gas flows through a nozzle hole of 200-400 mum diameter located at the end of the center conductor. This flame applicator system is experimentally evaluated with a variety of feed gas mixtures including argon with nitrogen, methane and oxygen, and other hydrocarbon gases. Diagnostic measurements performed include (1) fuel lean extinction/flammability limits (2) discharge luminosity and power densities (3) discharge volume and size (4) spatial gas temperature distribution measured by optical emission spectroscopy and (5) atomic radical species produced by the plasma-assisted combustion mode. These measurements are made versus absorbed microwave power, gas flow rate, and gas mixture composition. Experimental results indicate that the applicator system can be reduced by a factor of ten with an associated order of magnitude improvement in microwave/flame coupling efficiency.
The Effect of Patronizing Behavior and Control on Men and Women’s Performance in Stereotypically Masculine Domains

The purpose of the present research was to examine whether contextual cues related to control contribute to gender differences in math performance that emerge from patronizing behavior. Specifically, in two experiments, men and women received patronizing behavior (i.e., praise paired with a devalued position that did not provide an opportunity for monetary rewards) from a male leader in a stereotypically masculine domain. In this context, we manipulated contextual control cues and measured math performance. In Experiment 1, 113 undergraduates (60 women, 53 men) from a Midwestern University in the United States received the patronizing behavior and all position assignments were made either at the outset (no control) or multiple times (ambiguous control) from one patronizing leader. In Experiment 2, 132 undergraduates (53 women, 79 men) from a U.S. Midwestern University received patronizing behavior and position assignments were made by one leader (ambiguous control) or multiple leaders (enhanced control). Consistent with Hypothesis 1, women had lower performance expectations than men, but no reliable gender differences emerged for desire to succeed. Consistent with Hypothesis 2, gender differences in math performance only emerged in the ambiguous control conditions in Experiment 1 and Experiment 2 with men performing better than women. Finally, consistent with Hypothesis 3, women performed better in the enhanced control (vs. ambiguous control), despite receiving patronizing behavior. Implications for research on patronizing behavior, subtle sexism, and stereotype threat, as well as directions for future research are discussed.
Influence of Hypoxia/lschemia on Cerebrovascular Responses to Oxytocin in Piglets

We examined the effects of hypoxic/ischemic stress on cerebral arteriolar responses to oxytocin in anesthetized piglets. Pial arteriolar diameters were measured using a cranial window and intravital microscopy. First, we evaluated arteriolar responses to topical application of oxytocin during normoxic conditions. We then determined whether 5–10 min of arterial hypoxia, ischemia, or asphyxia alters oxytocin-induced responses. Arterial hypoxia was produced by inhalation of 7.5% O2-92.5% N2 for 10 min. Ischemia was achieved by increasing intracranial pressure for 10 min. Asphyxia was achieved by turning off the ventilator for 5 min. During normoxic conditions, oxytocin dilated pial arterioles by 9 ± 1% at 10-8 and by 16 ± 1% at 10–6 mol/l (n = 47, p –8 (8 ± 2%) but it was reduced at 10–6 mol/l (7 ± 2%; p –8 mol/l, whereas 10-6 mol/l resulted in a mild vasoconstriction (-4 ± 3 to -6 ± 4%, n = 6 and 8). Topically applied superoxide dismutase did not preserve arteriolar responses to oxytocin after asphyxia although the arterioles did not constrict to 10–6 mol/l oxytocin (n = 5). Dilatation of cerebral arterioles in response to oxytocin was reversed to constriction by Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (15 mg/kg, i.v.; n = 5) and by endothelial impairment by intra-arterial infusion of phorbol ester (10–5 mol/l; n = 5). We conclude that the absence of pial arteriolar dilation to oxytocin after ischemia and asphyxia indicates endothelial dysfunction which may be involved in the pathology of perinatal brain injury.
Spontaneous recovery as a function of fixed ratio

Twenty-four rats were run in a replication and extension of Mowrer & Jones’ (1945) and Boren’s (1961) studies of the relation between fixed ratio acquisition and extinction. Greater resistance to extinction and greater spontaneous recovery were obtained for higher fixed ratios.
Clinical Decision Support for Colon and Rectal Surgery: An Overview

Clinical decision support (CDS) has been shown to improve clinical processes, promote patient safety, and reduce costs in healthcare settings, and it is now a requirement for clinicians as part of the Meaningful Use Regulation. However, most evidence for CDS has been evaluated primarily in internal medicine care settings, and colon and rectal surgery (CRS) has unique needs with CDS that are not frequently described in the literature. The authors reviewed published literature in informatics and medical journals, combined with expert opinion to define CDS, describe the evidence for CDS, outline the implementation process for CDS, and present applications of CDS in CRS.CDS functionalities such as order sets, documentation templates, and order facilitation aids are most often described in the literature and most likely to be beneficial in CRS. Further research is necessary to identify and better evaluate additional CDS systems in the setting of CRS.
Resolution of different conformers of methoxy-trans-stilbenes via rotational coherence spectroscopy

Abstract The excitation spectra of 4-methoxy- t -stilbene (MoS) and 4-methoxy,4′-methyl- t -stilbene (MoMeS) both exhibit two electronic origin transitions, separated by 260–280 cm −1 . This suggests the presence of two structural forms, as predicted by semi-empirical quantum mechanical calculations. The two forms should be ‘syn’ and ‘anti’, where the methoxy group is coplanar with the mean plane of the aromatic molecule. Rotational coherence spectroscopy has identified the syn and anti rotamers of the two species, establishing in both cases that the syn form has the longer-wavelength absorption.
Study of Nonstrange Mesons Produced in K − p Interactions at 3.9 and 4.6 GeV/ c

An investigation is presented on the production and decay properties of pseudoscalar, vector, and tensor mesons produced in association with $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$, ${\ensuremath{\Sigma}}^{0}$, and ${Y}^{*}(1385)$ from ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}p$ interactions at 3.9 and 4.6 GeV/c. The data have been compared with SU(3) and quark-model predictions. New measurements of the mass, width, and branching ratios of the $\ensuremath{\varphi}(1019)$, ${f}^{\ensuremath{'}}(1519)$, and ${Y}^{*}(1385)$ resonances are given. Our analysis of the ${\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ meson favors the ${J}^{\mathrm{PC}}={0}^{\ensuremath{-}+}$ classification. The properties of this well-known meson are compared with those of our previously proposed $M(953)$ meson. An important aspect of this study is that we have placed particular emphasis on taking the background into account when we extracted resonance quantities such as the density-matrix elements.
Examining the robustness of a theophylline cocrystal during grinding with additives

The robustness of theophylline-p-hydroxybenzoic acid cocrystal (TP·pHBA) while grinding with additives in the solid state was evaluated through a series of solvent-drop grinding experiments with coformers containing various functional groups. Powder X-ray diffraction was used to qualitatively analyse the powders after grinding and identify the species present. The TP·pHBA cocrystal was found to be robust in the presence of benzoic acid (BA), p-nitrobenzoic acid (pNBA), p-(N,N-dimethylamino)benzoic acid (dMABA), m-hydroxybenzoic acid (mHBA), p-nitrophenol (pNP), hydroquinone (HDQ) and benzamide (BZA), but it disintegrates in the presence of salicylic acid (SA), 3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (dNBA), acetamide (ACA) and melamine (MLM).
Political Tone: How Leaders Talk and Why. By Roderick P. Hart, Jay P. Childers, and Colene J. Lind. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. 280 pp.

Political Tone: How Leaders Talk and Why. By Roderick P. Hart, Jay P. Childers, and Colene J. Lind. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013. 280 pp. For a concept as ubiquitous as tone, there is surprisingly little research as it relates to politics. Political Tone fills that void, examining how politicians craft their rhetoric under a variety of different circumstances, why they pick the tone they do, and postulating about the effects of tone on public perceptions. One of the major contributions of this work is the establishment of myriad "dictionaries" (p. 14) for studying political rhetoric. The authors use the opening part of the book to describe their automated coding method: DICTION. This method deploys user-established dictionaries to code text on any number of dimensions and has been used in research on political rhetoric for many years. The construction of these dictionaries has been explained in greater detail elsewhere. However, Political Tone devotes little time on such explanations, meaning that readers without some background in the area might feel lost in this portion of the book. Nonetheless, DICTION offers an improvement over the status quo as it allows the authors to draw on a wide swath of theoretical literature to establish "Democratic" and "Republican" tones. Too often research uses what the authors describe as an "atheoretical" (p. 62) approach in which scholars either use reference texts to establish how partisans speak or adopt some of the machine-learning approaches that use a list of words derived from the texts themselves. These lists often fail under close examination by including words that have no theoretical expectation of partisan valence. In this respect, Political Tone provides an important service to the study of political rhetoric by drawing a road map that future scholars would be wise to follow. Chapter 3 builds these dictionaries, and then uses them to explore the use of partisan tone over time and to compare different presidential candidates. The latter portion of the book shows how the authors are able to apply their approach. Chapter 6, for example, explores the tonal variation President Bill Clinton employed through the impeachment scandal. It shows how in his more impulsive moments, he abandoned his usual measured style--one that was focused on the community--and instead shifted his rhetoric inward to focus on the trials he was facing. The authors do an excellent job of showing how Clinton's rhetorical style changed through different speeches. In doing so, they offer insight into how rhetorical construction helped him not only survive a scandal that could very well have ended his career but remain the most popular politician in the country through the 2000 election. Chapter 7 offers another good example of the authors' approach in its analysis of the rhetoric of George W. Bush and his use of hortatory tone. …
Vertex Maps for Trees: Algebra and Periods of Periodic Orbits

Let $T$ be a tree with $n$ vertices. Let $f: T \rightarrow T$ be continuous and suppose that the $n$ vertices form a periodic orbit under $f$. The combinatorial information that comes from possible permutations of the vertices gives rise to an irreducible representation of $S_n$. Using the algebraic information it is shown that $f$ must have periodic orbits of certain periods. Finally, a family of maps is defined which shows that the result about periods is best possible if $n=2^k+2^l$ for $k, l \geq 0$.
Application of quantitative transmitted interference microscopy to study changes in non-germinating and germinated fungal spores

Spores of Colletotrichum circinans , suspended in water, were incubated in light under shimmed coverslips. Quantitative transmitted light interference microscopy was used to measure changes occurring in total or component dry mass and area of non-germination and germinating spores, germ-tubes and appressoria. Measurements were made at 6,12,18, and 24 h (T-6 to T-24) and compared to time-zero (T-0). Total area of non-germinating spores decreased, but total dry mass remained constant. Nuclei in non-germinating spores lost dry mass, while decreasing in area, and were rarely found by T-24. Nuclei in germinated spores increased in dry mass and area from T-6 to T-24, and decreases in spore case cytoplasmic area were accompanied by vacuole formation. Composite area and dry mass of germinated spores, with a germ tube and appressorium, increased. As appressorial cytoplasmic dry mass and area increased, appressorial nuclear area remained unchanged but nuclear dry mass increased.
Development and application of long-PCR for the assay of full-length animal mitochondrial DNA.

Keywords: polymerase chain reaction; molecular evolution; DNA amplification; restriction fragment length polymorphisms
Efficient point-to-subspace query in ℓ 1 with application to robust face recognition

Motivated by vision tasks such as robust face and object recognition, we consider the following general problem: given a collection of low-dimensional linear subspaces in a high-dimensional ambient (image) space, and a query point (image), efficiently determine the nearest subspace to the query in l1 distance. We show in theory this problem can be solved with a simple two-stage algorithm: (1) random Cauchy projection of query and subspaces into low-dimensional spaces followed by efficient distance evaluation (l1 regression); (2) getting back to the high-dimensional space with very few candidates and performing exhaustive search. We present preliminary experiments on robust face recognition to corroborate our theory.
Influence of Adult Mesenchymal Stem Cells on In Vitro Vascular Formation

The effective delivery of bioactive molecules to wound sites hasten repair. Cellular therapies provide a means for the targeted delivery of a complex, multiple arrays of bioactive factors to wound sites. Thus, the identification of ideal therapeutic populations is an essential aspect of this approach. In vitro assays can provide an important first step toward this goal by selecting populations that are likely suitable for more expensive and time-consuming in vivo assays. In this study, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) were integrated into a three-dimensional coculture system that supports the development and stabilization of vascular tube-like structures. The presence of a limited number of BM-MSCs resulted in their coalignment with vascular structures, and it further resulted in increased tubule numbers and complexity. Thus, these studies suggest that BM-MSCs functionally interacted with and were attracted to in vitro formed vascular structures. Further, these cells also provided sufficient bioactive factors and matrix molecules to support the formation of tubular arrays and the stabilization of these arrays. This in vitro system provides a means for assessing the function of BM-MSCs in aspects of the angiogenic component of wound repair.
Applications of separated fringe packets to binary star studies with the CHARA Array (Preliminary Thesis Report)

The use of high-resolution techniques for detecting binary and multiple star systems, such as speckle interferometry, and extensive spectroscopic survey efforts have led to the discovery of stellar systems over a broad range of orbital periods. However, there remains a gap between these two techniques, wherein neither is sensitive to detection of companions. Thus, it is possible that some nearby stars may have companions that have been overlooked. Using the longest baselines of the CHARA Array (~275-330 m), we are examining 158 nearby F and G dwarfs previously included in speckle interferometry and radial velocity surveys. Included in this sample are previously unresolved double- and single-lined spectroscopic binaries that show separated fringe packets measured on two nearly perpendicular baselines to determine true position angle and angular separation. Specifically, we are exploring the spectroscopic sample of Duquennoy and Mayor and include selected systems from the CHARA Catalog of Orbital Elements of Spectroscopic Binaries that have predicted separations that fall in this gap. In addition to the search for new companions, we will attempt to use astrometric data to determine orbital inclination in conjunction with previously determined spectroscopic orbits for accurate mass determination. We intend to utilize the Array to more fully explore the undersampled regime of approximately 5-50 mas to characterize the completeness of the multiplicity in the stellar neighborhood.