cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Personal thermal comfort models with wearable sensors

Abstract A personal comfort model is an approach to thermal comfort modeling, for thermal environmental design and control, that predicts an individual's thermal comfort response, instead of the average response of a large population. We developed personal thermal comfort models using lab grade wearable in normal daily activities. We collected physiological signals (e.g., skin temperature, heart rate) of 14 subjects (6 female and 8 male adults) and environmental parameters (e.g., air temperature, relative humidity) for 2–4 weeks (at least 20 h per day). Then we trained 14 models for each subject with different machine-learning algorithms to predict their thermal preference. The results show that the median prediction power could be up to 24%/78%/0.79 (Cohen's kappa/accuracy/AUC) with all features considered. The median prediction power reaches 21%/71%/0.7 after 200 subjective votes. We explored the importance of different features on the prediction performance by considering all subjects in one dataset. When all features included for the entire dataset, personal comfort models can generate the highest performance of 35%/76%/0.80 by the most predictive algorithm. Personal comfort models display the highest prediction power when occupants' thermal sensations is outside thermal neutrality. Skin temperature measured at the ankle is more predictive than measured at the wrist. We suggest that Cohen's kappa or AUC should be employed to assess the performance of personal thermal comfort models for imbalanced datasets due to the capacity to exclude random success.
Understanding the natural history of papillary thyroid cancer: Case series.

Background Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) incidence continues to rise. We describe the natural history of untreated PTC patients. Methods Retrospective case series of 31 untreated PTC patients. Results We identified 31 untreated patients from the Kaiser Permanente Cancer Registry with PTC from 1973 to 2010. Patients were categorized as low risk (n = 16), high risk (n = 12), or low risk but medically contraindicated for surgery (n = 3). At diagnosis, 7 (58.3%) in the high-risk group had cervical lymph node metastases and 5 (41.7%) had distant metastases, compared to none in the low-risk group. Among the latter, three (18.8%) patients developed tumor growth >3 mm and one (6.3%) developed regional lymph node metastases without distant metastases. The 10-year overall survival was 71% and 35% for the low-risk and high-risk groups, respectively. Conclusions Patients with low-risk untreated PTC were less likely to develop new regional or distant metastases and had better overall survival than patients with high-risk untreated PTC. Level of evidence 4.
Evaluation of Performance and Tunability of a Co-Flow Inertial Microfluidic Device

Microfluidics has gained a lot of attention for biological sample separation and purification methods over recent years. From many active and passive microfluidic techniques, inertial microfluidics offers a simple and efficient method to demonstrate various biological applications. One prevalent limitation of this method is its lack of tunability for different applications once the microfluidic devices are fabricated. In this work, we develop and characterize a co-flow inertial microfluidic device that is tunable in multiple ways for adaptation to different application requirements. In particular, flow rate, flow rate ratio and output resistance ratio are systematically evaluated for flexibility of the cutoff size of the device and modification of the separation performance post-fabrication. Typically, a mixture of single size particles is used to determine cutoff sizes for the outlets, yet this fails to provide accurate prediction for efficiency and purity for a more complex biological sample. Thus, we use particles with continuous size distribution (2–32 μm) for separation demonstration under conditions of various flow rates, flow rate ratios and resistance ratios. We also use A549 cancer cell line with continuous size distribution (12–27 μm) as an added demonstration. Our results indicate inertial microfluidic devices possess the tunability that offers multiple ways to improve device performance for adaptation to different applications even after the devices are prototyped.
Which strategies to manage problem foods were related to weight loss in a randomized clinical trial

Individuals managing their weight are often faced with problem foods that are difficult to resist eating. In the context of a weight-loss intervention, we characterized the most commonly reported problem foods and the behavioral strategies used to manage them, and examined which strategies were related to weight loss. Women with overweight and obesity (N = 186) participated in a one-year randomized trial of three interventions (NCT01474759): standard advice to eat less food, choosing portions based on energy density, and using pre-portioned foods. At Months 0, 6, and 12 of the trial, participants listed the foods they found most problematic and reported the frequency of using eight behavioral strategies to control intake of these foods, including three practices for avoiding exposure to problem foods and three for consuming them but limiting intake. The responses showed that 82% of the top three problem foods were in the categories of sweet baked items, salty snacks, starchy side dishes, chocolate and candy, and ice cream. After one year, women who reported more frequently using the strategy of limiting portions of problem foods had a greater rate of weight loss (kg/week), regardless of their intervention group (p < 0.0001). Among women who limited portions of problem foods less frequently, those using pre-portioned foods had greater initial weight loss compared to the other two groups, but then regained weight at a greater rate (p < 0.0001). The three avoidance strategies for problem foods were reported to be frequently used but were not found to be related to weight loss. These results suggest that adopting and maintaining strategies to manage portions of problem foods, rather than avoiding exposure to them, can be a more useful approach for weight loss.
The Use of Wayfinding Apps by Deafblind Travelers in an Urban Environment: Insights From Focus Groups

This brief report explores qualitative themes from focus groups with 9 individuals who are Deafblind regarding their use of wayfinding apps to support orientation and mobility in an urban environment. Culturally responsive approaches to the design of the focus groups integrated the partnership with Deafblind communication facilitators and ProTactile approaches to solicit naturalistic inquiry on the experiences and preferences of Deafblind travelers. Thematic emergences suggest that participants benefit from various wayfinding apps for orientation and mobility in a densely populated city but they long for greater functionality, consistency of access, and recognition of the unique travel demands faced by Deafblind travelers.
Abstract 15061: Essential Hypertension is Linked to Acetylation of Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase and Deacetylation Mimetic Mutation of Lysine 68 to Arginine Protects From Oxidative Stress and Hypertension

Almost one-half of adults have hypertension, and blood pressure is poorly controlled in a third of patients despite use of multiple drugs, likely due to mechanisms contributing to blood pressure el...
The effect of porewater ionic composition on arsenate adsorption to clay minerals.

Abstract Adsorption of arsenate on clay minerals can control the partitioning and mobility of arsenic and subsequent contamination of groundwater. While the effect of ionic strength on arsenic adsorption to phyllosilicate minerals has been evaluated for various clay minerals, the specific ionic composition of the surrounding porewater can play a critical role in promoting adsorption (or desorption) of arsenate (HxAsO4x-4). We conducted a series of adsorption isotherms to evaluate the adsorption of arsenate to various phyllosilicates in the presence of monovalent (K+), divalent (Mg2+, Ca2+), and trivalent (La3+) cations while maintaining constant ionic strength and pH. Adsorption isotherms were combined with surface complexation modeling to examine retention processes of arsenate as a function of ionic composition in the surrounding solution. The higher charge density of greater valent cations results in stronger outer-sphere bridging complexes between negatively charged phyllosilicate mineral surfaces and negatively charged arsenate oxyanions. Higher valent cations thus enhance the propensity for arsenate adsorption on phyllosilicate minerals. We further deciphered surface complexation processes by conducting adsorption isotherms on various clay minerals including smectite, illite, and pyrophyllite to evaluate the role of interlayer, permanent charge, and terminal edge sites. We conclude that arsenate is most likely retained largely on the planar surface where structural negative charge emanates allowing cation bridging complexes to develop. Our findings illustrate that clay mineralogy of soils and sediments can combine with porewater ionic composition (and specifically the proportion of divalent cations) to describe arsenic transport, particularly in iron- or aluminum-oxide poor systems.
An Optimum Cold end Configuration for Helium Liquefaction Cycles

Commercial helium refrigeration/liquefaction systems are based on the same throttling Joule-Thomson expansion process used by Linde to liquefy air in 18951: the expansion of a precooled high pressure gas to form liquid at the low pressure. The unusually low triple point of helium precludes the simple counterflow heat exchange method of precooling the gas. Claude and later Collins contributed to the development of efficient liquefiers by adding work producing expanders as the precooling for Linde’s basic cycle. This allows the flexibility of choosing the temperature levels (or mass cross-flow), as well as the heat exchange AT, to optimize the cycle performance.
Histogenesis and Morphogenesis of the Central Nervous System

Evidence of temporal and spatial regularities in the origin of neurons and glia was extremely difficult to obtain before the advent of the technique of autoradiography following the administration of tritiated thymidine. Information about the time of origin of neurons in the developing nervous system is now obtained with relative ease by injecting pregnant mammals with tritiated thymidine (1–5 µCi per gram body weight) intravenously or into the amniotic fluid, killing the fetuses at various intervals after the injection, and examining their brains autoradiographically.
A Case of Structural Interference across Sensory Modalities in Second-Language Learning

Victor, a biologically normal child of normal hearing and good intelligence, had almost no exposure to spoken language until he was three years old; his only language until that time was the sign language which he learned from his deaf-mute parents. Three structural features of sign language are described, and evidence is presented that Victor structured his sentences in those ways when his speech development began. It is argued that the presence of structural interference from sign language in Victor's speech suggests that the manner of functioning of our innate capacity to acquire speech may differ depending on the nature of prior linguistic experience.
Topological orders and edge excitations in fractional quantum hall states

Fractional quantum Hall (FQH) liquids contain extremely rich internal structures which represent a completely new kind of ordering. We discuss the characterization and classification of the new orders, generally called topological orders. We also discuss edge excitations in FQH liquids which provide us with a practical way to measure topological order in experiments.
Boron neutron capture therapy for glioblastoma multiforme using p-boronophenylalanine and epithermal neutrons: trial design and early clinical results.

A Phase I/II clinical trial of boron neutroncapture therapy (BNCT) for glioblastoma multiforme is underwayusing the amino acid analog p-boronophenylalanine (BPA) andthe epithermal neutron beam at the Brookhaven MedicalResearch Reactor. Biodistribution studies were carried out in18 patients at the time of craniotomy usingan i.v. infusion of BPA, solubilized as afructose complex (BPA-F). There were no toxic effectsrelated to the BPA-F administration at doses of130, 170, 210, or 250 mg BPA/kg bodyweight. The tumor/blood, brain/blood and scalp/blood boron concentrationratios were approximately 3.5:1, 1:1 and 1.5:1, respectively.Ten patients have received BNCT following 2-hr infusionsof 250 mg BPA/kg body weight. The averageboron concentration in the blood during the irradiationwas 13.0 ± 1.5 μg 10B/g. The prescribedmaximum dose to normal brain (1 cm3 volume)was 10.5 photon-equivalent Gy (Gy-Eq). Estimated maximum andminimum doses (mean ± sd, n=10)to the tumor volume were 52.6 ± 4.9Gy-Eq (range: 64.4–47.6) and 25.2 ± 4.2 Gy-Eq(range: 32.3–20.0), respectively). The estimated minimum dose tothe target volume (tumor + 2 cm margin)was 12.3 ± 2.7 Gy-Eq (range: 16.2–7.8). Therewere no adverse effects on normal brain. Thescalp showed mild erythema, followed by epilation inthe 8 cm diameter field. Four patients developedrecurrent tumor, apparently in the lower dose (deeper)regions of the target volume, at post-BNCT intervalsof 7, 5, 3.5 and 3 months, respectively.The remaining patients have had less than 4months of post-BNCT follow-up. BNCT, at this startingdose level, appears safe. Plans are underway tobegin the dose escalation phase of this protocol.
Intracellular manipulation of disulfide bond formation in rotavirus proteins during assembly.

Abstract Rotavirus undergoes a unique mode of assembly in the rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) of infected cells. Luminal RER proteins undergo significant cotranslational and posttranslational modifications, including disulfide bond formation. Addition of a reducing agent (dithiothreitol [DTT]) to rotavirus-infected cells did not significantly inhibit translation or disrupt established disulfide bonds in rotavirus proteins but prevented the formation of new disulfide bonds and infectious viral progeny. In DTT-treated, rotavirus-infected cells, all vp4, vp6, and ns28 epitopes but no vp7 epitopes were detected by immunohistochemical staining with a panel of monoclonal antibodies. When oxidizing conditions were reestablished in DTT-treated cells, intramolecular disulfide bonds in vp7 were rapidly and correctly established with the restoration of antigenicity, although prolonged DTT treatment led to the accumulation of permanently misfolded vp7. Electron microscopy revealed that cytosolic assembly of single-shelled particles and budding into the ER was not affected by DTT treatment but that outer capsid assembly was blocked, leading to the accumulation of single-shelled and enveloped intermediate subviral particles in the RER lumen.
Differences in the level of motive importance based on trip outcome, experience level and group type.

This study investigated whether there are differences in the levels of motive importance based on trip success and group membership. Success was defined as reaching the summit of Mt. McKinley. Grou...
The Spanish Atlantic World in the Eighteenth Century: Alberoni and Colonial Innovation

While Alberoni’s ambitious attempts to regain control over Spain’s ports contributed to the outbreak of the disastrous War of the Quadruple Alliance (1718–1720), he also promoted other serious reforms within the Spanish Atlantic world. The Italian knew that Spain controlled an Atlantic empire, and any attempts to renovate the metropolis and restore Spanish prestige and power in Europe must rely on tax revenues and trade from the Indies. Interest groups in Spain and the Americas, however, stood ready to oppose changes that might undermine their own partisan interests. The wealth of the Indies also drew the attention of Spain’s rivals, who wanted unrestricted access to American markets, and they were even prepared to go to war to control the wealth of the Spanish Indies. A serious reform of Spain’s transatlantic trade would have consequences felt throughout the Atlantic world. Fraud, unregistered cargoes, and corrupt local officials in the Indies had always plagued Spain’s transatlantic trade to some degree, but in the years following the War of Succession, contraband trade controlled by English, French, and Dutch traders escalated to alarming levels. This illicit commerce led to disappointing commercial profits for Spanish and colonial merchants and to diminished tax returns on trade fairs in Veracruz and Portobelo. Moreover, from their foreign bases in the Caribbean, Spain’s enemies preyed on the Flotas and Galeones returning to Spain. Within this context, the concessions at Utrecht to the British – Europe’s emerging commercial leader in the early eighteenth century – were potentially even more damaging. In short, widespread contraband in the Pacific and the Caribbean threatened the very commercial lifeline of the monarchy. It is no small wonder that the ambitious Alberoni made reform on both sides of the Atlantic a major priority.
Membership questions for timed and hybrid automata

Timed and hybrid automata are extensions of finite state machines for formal modeling of embedded systems with both discrete and continuous components. Reachability problems for these automata are well studied and have been implemented in verification tools. For the purpose of effective error reporting and testing, we consider the membership problems for such automata. We consider different types of membership problems depending on whether the path (i.e. edge sequence), or the trace (i.e. event sequence), or the timed trace (i.e. timestamped event sequence), is specified. We give comprehensive results regarding the complexity of these membership questions for different types of automata, such as timed automata and linear hybrid automata, with and without /spl epsiv/ transitions. In particular we give an efficient O(n/spl middot/m/sup 2/) algorithm for generating timestamps corresponding to a path of length n in a timed automaton with m clocks. This algorithm is implemented in the verifier COSPAN to improve its diagnostic feedback during timing verification. Second, we show that for automata without /spl epsiv/ transitions, the membership question is NP complete for different types of automata whether or not the timestamps are specified along with the trace. Third, we show that for automata with /spl epsiv/ transitions, the membership question is as hard as the reachability question even for timed traces: it is PSPACE complete for timed automata, and undecidable for slight generalizations.
Authority and Managing Innovation: A Typology of Product Development Teams and Communities

Understanding the conditions under which organizational groups operate is basic for successfully managing innovation. The goal of this article is to provide a typology for distinguishing different forms of communities and teams that promote innovation. Existing typologies are incomplete because they neither look at procedural and institutional authority simultaneously, nor include all kinds of groups used for progressing innovation. This article pays particular attention to two key variables that impact productivity, namely the relationship of groups to institutional and procedural authority. Four groups, autonomous and functional teams and communities of practice and epistemic communities, are linked to the two dimensions. Accordingly, the article provides a conceptual framework for understanding how various groups function and manage themselves in subtle, different ways. By choosing various innovation groups for different purposes, firms can respond to change and create a competitive advantage. Intervention strategies that help to achieve successful innovation outcomes of groups are discussed. Finally, the article suggests further research areas.
ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY FOLLOWING SURGERY FOR CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE: ROLE OF URINE BIOMARKERS, RENAL PERFUSION PRESSURE, AND SOMATIC OXYGEN SATURATION

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common following cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), and may result in increased morbidity and mortality. Definitions of AKI that rely solely on serum creatinine are inaccurate markers of early renal injury. We investigated the role of urine biomarkers and indices of renal
The encoding and recognition of probabilistic information in a decision task

Abstract A recognition test was used to explore people's encoding of quantitative probabilistic information. Information was presented as part of a decision task in which subjects had to predict future outcomes. Either before or after the decision task they were shown additional information, and asked whether it had been seen earlier. Experiment I showed that subjects were more confident that they had seen new items if those items were near the middle of the distribution of old items. This was true even if only a recognition test was used, without the decision task. In addition, discriminability of old from new items was better for extreme values, the minimum and maximum of the old items. This increased discriminability did not occur for the recognition only condition. Experiment 2 was a partial replication of Experiment I, but also showed that subjects' recognition judgments were determined by the skewness and variance of the information. The results were taken to imply the existence of a task-independent prototype abstraction process and a task-dependent process of learning extreme values.
A Computer Aided Method for the Rheological Characterization and Classification of Solid Food Materials

Selected solid food materials were characterized by a modified general Maxwell model in which the elements have predetermined and fixed relaxation times but their number continuously changes with the strain. The fit criterion for the model was its consistency with results obtained in independent tests (e.g. relaxation data at different strains). The properties of the model and the computer programs for the determination of its parameters were tested and evaluated by simulated stress-strain and stress-relaxation curves and by varying the assigned values of the relaxation times.
Captopril and teprotide as discriminators of angiotensin-converting enzyme activity in brain tissue.

Abstract Titrations of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE; E.C. 3.4.15.1) present in human serum, as well as in homogenates prepared from post-mortem human caudate or mouse (C57BL1/6J whole brain tissue, were performed with the selective ACE inhibitors, captopril (SQ 14225) and teprotide (SQ 20881). ACE activity present in human serum was more sensitive to inhibition by either inhibitor than the activity present in the brain homogenates. The inhibition curves for the titration of the human serum activity by both inhibitors were sigmoidal while the inhibition curves for the ACE activity present in the brain homogenates were more complex. These results suggest that the brain homogenates contained: (1) at least two species of enzyme activity with properties similar to ACE but with differing affinities for the inhibitors, or (2) substances without ACE activity that are capable of competing with ACE for the binding of the inhibitors. Therefore, measurements of captopril or teprotide-sensitive peptidase activity as well as inhibitor-binding activity may not always reflect ACE concentrations in brain tissue.
Acoustic Accident Detection System

In this research we considered the development of a system for automatically detecting and reporting traffic accidents at intersections. A system with these properties would be a great benefit in determining the cause of accidents and could also be useful in determining features of the intersection that relate to safety. A complete system would automatically detect and record traffic conditions associated with accidents such as time of the accident, video of the accident, and the traffic light signal controller parameters. In this project, the basic research required to develop the system has been considered. This involves developing methods for processing acoustic signals and recognizing accident events from the background traffic events. A database consisting of sounds from vehicle crashes, car braking sounds, construction sounds, and traffic sounds was created. We compute the Mel Frequency Cepstral Coefficients as a feature vector for input to the classification system. A neural network is used to clas...
Efficient sensor placement for ocean measurements using low-dimensional concepts

Using simulation results from three different regional ocean models (HOPS, ROMS and FVCOM) we show that only a few spatio-temporal POD (proper orthogonal decomposition) modes are sufficient to describe the most energetic ocean dynamics. In particular, we demonstrate that the simulated ocean dynamics in New Jersey coast, Massachusetts Bay and Gulf of Maine is energetically equivalent to the wake dynamics behind a cylinder at low Reynolds number. Moreover, the extrema of the POD spatial modes are very good locations for sensor placement and accurate field reconstruction. We employ a modified POD theory to incorporate a limited number of measurements in reconstructing the velocity and temperature fields, and we study systematically the corresponding reconstruction errors as a function of the sensor location, number of sensors, and number of POD modes. This new approach is quite accurate in short-term simulation, and hence it has the potential of accelerating the use of real-time adaptive sampling in data assimilation for ocean forecasting.
Extremum seeking for wind and solar energy applications

Invented in 1922, extremum seeking (ES) is one of the oldest feedback methods. However, its purpose is not regulation but optimization. For this reason, applications of ES have often come from energy systems. The first noted publication on ES in the West is Draper and Li's application to spark timing optimization in internal combustion engines [1]. In the ensuing decades, ES has been applied to gas turbines and even nuclear fusion reactors. Renewable energy applications have brought a new focus on the capabilities of ES algorithms. In this article we present applications of ES in two types of energy conversion systems for renewable energy sources: wind and solar energy. In both areas the goal is maximum power point tracking (MPPT), i.e., the extraction of the maximum feasible energy from the system under uncertainty and in the absence of a priori modeling knowledge about the systems. For the wind energy conversion system (WECS) we perform MPPT by tuning the set point for the turbine speed using scalar ES. For the photovoltaic (PV) array system, we perform MPPT by tuning the duty cycles of the DC/DC converters employed in the system using multivariable ES. For the photovoltaic system we provide experimental results.
Decontaminating tissue cultures infected with pleuropneumonia-like organisms.

THE contamination of tissue culture cell lines by pleuropneumortia-like organisms has become an increasingly important problem1–4. The contamination itself is insidious and cannot be detected ordinarily by gross changes in the appearance of the media macroscopically or microscopically. The tissue culture cells themselves, when observed microscopically, may or may not exhibit slight cytopathology as evidenced by intracytoplasmic granularity. Properly stained preparations may reveal intracytoplasmic particles, presumably the contaminating pleuropneumonia-like organisms5–7.
Floral Initiation of Xanthium in Response to Application of an Extract from a Day-Neutral Plant

A PROCEDURE for the preparation of a floral initiating extract from the leaf tissues of Xanthium strumarium has been described in an earlier report1. In general, the procedure involves the rapid freezing in liquid nitrogen of fresh leaf material obtained from flowering Xanthium plants. The frozen tissue is lyophilized at temperatures below 0° C. In recent work the continuous extraction procedure has been modified and extraction of the dry leaf material is now accomplished by several washings with cold (0–10° C.) absolute methanol. The methanol is removed at a low temperature by evaporation at reduced pressure in a Rinco apparatus. The residue is diluted with 1.5–5 times its weight of lanolin and the mixture applied as a coating to the under surface of the leaves of vegetative Xanthium test plants. All treated plants and their corresponding controls are maintained until dissection on strict long-day conditions. Three weeks after treatment the plants are dissected and the extent and degree of flowering is recorded according to a standard procedure2.
Automated Classroom Response Systems: Implications for Sexuality Education and Research

Abstract Since the time of Kinsey, sexuality education courses in colleges across the country have drawn large numbers of co-eds to their rosters. As educators move beyond discussions about the facts of anatomy, physiology, and biology, they increasingly look to technological advances to further the art of teaching. Taking a conversational approach to sexuality education, the author discusses a new technology, Automated Classroom Response Systems (ACRS), which can be used to stimulate conversations on sensitive and controversial topics in large (100+) classrooms. A review of implementation strategies and technical considerations of ACRS technology follows. A final note on the potential for sexuality research with large survey samples concludes the essay.
Functional development of cardiac sympathetic nerves in newborn dogs: Evidence for asymmetrical development

The functional development of cardiac sympathetic nerves was investigated in 52 puppies, 1 to 6 weeks of age. The effect of nerve stimulation on refractory period shortening at eight epicardial sites was used as criterion. Zero or minimal effect was observed at the first week of life for all the nerves tested, then a sharp increase of effect was observed at the second week, while at the third week, an unexpected decrease was observed for all nerves. At the fourth week, the effect increased again and remained high for the subsequent weeks. Thus functional sympathetic innervation of the heart is not complete at birth, but continues to develop throughout the first 6 weeks of life, following an irregular pattern of progression. The nonuniform maturation of cardiac nerves coupled with the localised distribution of the nerves may provide a basis for regional sympathetic imbalance and subsequent arrhythmiogenesis in early life.
Motivations for Television Shopping: Clothing Purchase Frequency and Personal Characteristics

The overall purpose of the research was to determine if motivations for shopping from television shopping channels differ as a function of clothing purchase frequency or shopper personal characteristics. A national random sample of 6,000 television shoppers was purchased from a market research firm. Surveys were mailed and 1,598 usable questionnaires were returned. MANCOVA and ANCOVA revealed that age, education, and sex of respondent were all related to motivations for shopping from television. Education was negatively related to television shopping motivations. Older shoppers and women had higher motivation scores than younger shoppers and men, respectively. After adjusting for shopper personal characteristics, analyses revealed that frequent clothing shoppers had higher motivations for shopping from television than either infrequent clothing shoppers or nonclothing shoppers. Infrequent clothing shoppers also had higher motivation scores than nonclothing shoppers.
Rhetoric and poetic: A new critique

(1962). Rhetoric and poetic: A new critique. The Southern Speech Journal: Vol. 28, No. 2, pp. 131-141.
A Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in the Bax Gene Promoter Affects Transcription and Influences Retinal Ganglion Cell Death

Pro-apoptotic Bax is essential for RGC (retinal ganglion cell) death. Gene dosage experiments in mice, yielding a single wild-type Bax allele, indicated that genetic background was able to influence the cell death phenotype. DBA/2JBax+/− mice exhibited complete resistance to nerve damage after 2 weeks (similar to Bax−/− mice), but 129B6Bax+/− mice exhibited significant cell loss (similar to wild-type mice). The different cell death phenotype was associated with the level of Bax expression, where 129B6 neurons had twice the level of endogenous Bax mRNA and protein as DBA/2J neurons. Sequence analysis of the Bax promoters between these strains revealed a single nucleotide polymorphism (T129B6 to CDBA/2J) at position −515. A 1.5- to 2.5-fold increase in transcriptional activity was observed from the 129B6 promoter in transient transfection assays in a variety of cell types, including RGC5 cells derived from rat RGCs. Since this polymorphism occurred in a p53 half-site, we investigated the requirement of p53 for the differential transcriptional activity. Differential transcriptional activity from either 129B6 or DBA/2J Bax promoters were unaffected in p53−/− cells, and addition of exogenous p53 had no further effect on this difference, thus a role for p53 was excluded. Competitive electrophoretic mobility-shift assays identified two DNA–protein complexes that interacted with the polymorphic region. Those forming Complex 1 bound with higher affinity to the 129B6 polymorphic site, suggesting that these proteins probably comprised a transcriptional activator complex. These studies implicated quantitative expression of the Bax gene as playing a possible role in neuronal susceptibility to damaging stimuli.
The individual ergodic theorem forp-sequences

Let (Ω,f,P) be a probability space and letT be a measure-preserving weak mixing transformation. We define a large class of sequences of integers calledp-sequences, such that iff∈L1 there exists a set Ω′⊂Ω of probability one and for ω∈Ω′ we have \(\mathop {\lim }\limits_{n \to \infty } \frac{1}{n}\sum\limits_{f = 1}^n {f\left( {T^k ,\omega } \right)} = \int_\Omega {f\left( \omega \right)} \mu \left( {d\omega } \right)\) for everyp-sequence {kn}.
Detection of daptomycin-nonsusceptible strains using the Neo-Sensitab™ prediffusion method

Two prediffusion methods with daptomycin (DAP) Neo-Sensitabs were evaluated against a challenge set of 30 Staphylococcus aureus isolates and 30 enterococci. DAP Neo-Sensitabs were prediffused for either 8 or 20 h on Mueller-Hinton agar. Inhibition zones were plotted versus Etest MIC values determined on the same prediffused agar. A generalization to the genus level of the manufacturer's suggested Neo-Sensitabs breakpoints for staphylococci and enterococci was used to interpret the results. DAP-susceptible and DAP-nonsusceptible enterococci, Enterococcus faecium in particular, were not reliably discriminated using a 20-h prediffusion method and the manufacturer's suggested breakpoints. Further development of this testing methodology, such as changing the format to a susceptibility screen followed by a confirmatory MIC, is needed to accurately categorize the DAP susceptibility of enterococcal isolates. Prediffusion for either 8 or 20 h with DAP Neo-Sensitabs discriminated between susceptible and nonsusceptible S. aureus with minimal errors. Both prediffusion methods also detected changes in MIC values between isogenic pairs of susceptible and nonsusceptible S. aureus. These results suggest that a multisite evaluation of either prediffusion method with DAP Neo-Sensitabs against a larger collection of S. aureus is warranted.
Long-term characterization of residential runoff and assessing potential surrogates of fecal indicator organisms.

Abstract Investigations into the microbiological impacts of urban runoff on receiving water bodies, especially during storm conditions, have yielded general paradigms that influence runoff abatement and control management strategies. To determine whether these trends are present in other runoff sources, the physical, chemical, and microbiological components of residential runoff from eight neighborhoods in Northern and Southern California were characterized over the course of five years. Sampling occurred regularly and during storm events, resulting in 833 data sets. Analysis of runoff data assisted in characterizing residential runoff, elucidating differences between dry and storm conditions, and identifying surrogates capable of assessing microbiological quality. Results indicate that although microbial loading increases during storm events similar to urban runoff, annual microbial loading in these study sites principally occurs during dry conditions (24% storm, 76% dry). Generated artificial neural network and multiple linear regression models assessed surrogate performance by accurately predicting Escherichia coli concentrations from validation data sets (R2 = 0.74 and 0.77, respectively), but required input from other fecal indicator organism (FIO) variables to maintain performance (R2 = 0.27 and 0.18, respectively, without FIO). This long-term analysis of residential runoff highlights characteristics distinct from urban runoff and establishes necessary variables for determining microbiological quality, thus better informing future management strategies.
Linking Students and Classes: Strategies for Improving Learning and Thinking.

Research in cognitive and social psychology is beginning to suggest strategies which will allow us to improve students’ learning and thinking skills. Classroom studies using four teaching strategies based on research in these areas will be described. The four techniques are: using modified cooperative learning groups within classes; linking upper‐ and lower‐level classes for metacognitive instruction; using short‐term, coached cooperative learning groups; and using student mentors. A common factor in the four techniques is that students think aloud in groups as they solve problems or discuss controversial issues. Modified cooperative learning groups were successful in upper‐level courses. Thinking and learning skills improved in these classes. However, in lower‐level courses, particularly those which contained underprepared students, more guidance (modeling, coaching and structure) was needed than was available within most peer cooperative groups. Modeling and coaching were provided by linking students fr...
The Profitability of Alternative Cropping Systems: A Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT The results of studies of the profitability of alternative cropping systems (Organic, Reduced Input, Ridge Till, and No-Till) relative to that of conventional systems are compared and analyzed across time, location, study type, and crop type. The information collected allowed 673 separate production cost and profitability comparisons to be made; this included 206 direct comparisons of Organic to Conventional, 195 comparisons of Reduced Input to Conventional, 74 comparisons of Ridge Till to Conventional, and 198 comparisons of No-Till to Conventional. Study type (farm vs. research experiment station) plays a major role in the economic comparison of all alternative cropping systems. Time period also seemed to play a role, as Reduced Input and Organic production systems compare less favorably with their Conventional counterparts in recent (1986–1999) studies relative to studies conducted prior to 1985. The largest determinant was found to be the crop type, as some crops, such as eggplant, seemed to ...
Robust Penalty Method for Structural Synthesis

The Sequential Unconstrained Minimization Technique (SUMT) offers an easy way of solving nonlinearly constrained problems. However, this algorithm frequently suffers from the need to minimize an ill-conditioned penalty function. An ill-conditioned minimization problem can be solved very effectively by posing the problem as one of integrating a system of stiff differential equations utilizing concepts from singular perturbation theory. This paper evaluates the robustness and the reliability of such a singular perturbation based SUMT algorithm on two different problems of structural optimization of widely separated scales. The report concludes that whereas conventional SUMT can be bogged down by frequent ill-conditioning, especially in large scale problems, the singular perturbation SUMT has no such difficulty in converging to very accurate solutions.
Iterative Restoration Of Tomosynthetic Slices

Tomosynthetic reconstructions suffer from the disadvantage that blurred images of object detail lying outside the plane of interest are superimposed over the desired image of structures in the tomosynthetic plane. It is proposed to selectively reduce these undesired superimpositions by a constrained iterative restoration method. Sufficient conditions are derived ensuring the convergence of the iterations to the exact solution in the absence of noise and constraints. Although in practice the restoration process must be left incomplete because of noise and quantization artifacts, the experimental results demonstrate that for reasons of stability these convergence conditions must be satisfied.
Open Heavy Flavor Production in PHENIX

Abstract Heavy flavor production can be investigated in PHENIX via the pT spectra of single electrons. While the total charm yield measured from the Au+Au collisions taken by PHENIX in 2002 scales with the number of binary collisions, single electron pT spectra suggest a strong suppression of the heavy flavor yield at high pT. We present an analysis of the centrality dependence of the electron spectra from heavy quark decays obtained from the high statistics data sample of Au+Au collisions at s NN = 200 GeV taken in 2004.
Is Increased Continuity of Care Associated with Decreased Er Utilization Rates in Children? † 622

Is Increased Continuity of Care Associated with Decreased Er Utilization Rates in Children? † 622
Evaluating the relationship between change in performance on training tasks and on untrained outcomes.

Training interventions for older adults are designed to remediate performance on trained tasks and to generalize, or transfer, to untrained tasks. Evidence for transfer is typically based on the trained group showing greater improvement than controls on untrained tasks, or on a correlation between gains in training and in transfer tasks. However, this ignores potential correlational relationships between trained and untrained tasks that exist before training. By accounting for crossed (trained and untrained) and lagged (pretraining and posttraining) and cross-lagged relationships between trained and untrained scores in structural equation models, the training-transfer gain relationship can be independently estimated. Transfer is confirmed if only the trained but not control participants’ gain correlation is significant. Modeling data from the Improvement in Memory with Plasticity-based Adaptive Cognitive Training (IMPACT) study (Smith, et al., 2009), transfer from speeded auditory discrimination and syllable span to list and text memory and to working memory was demonstrated in 487 adults aged 65-93. Evaluation of age, sex, and education on pretest scores and on change did not alter this. The overlap of the training with transfer measures was also investigated to evaluate the hypothesis that performance gains in a nonverbal speeded auditory discrimination task may be associated with gains on fewer tasks than gains in a verbal working memory task. Gains in speeded processing were associated with gains on one list memory measure. Syllable span gains were associated with improvement in difficult list recall, story recall, and working memory factor scores. Findings confirmed that more overlap with task demands was associated with gains to more of the tasks assessed, suggesting that transfer effects are related to task overlap in multimodal training.
Interpretation of Micro-structures in Carbonaceous Meteorites

IN our recent article1, a size distribution histogram of 303 randomly selected type 1 and 2 organized elements was presented and the results were interpreted as possibly indicating a biogenical origin for these elements. Prof. Mueller in his note reiterates his older argument in favour of an abiogenical origin of these structures and suggests that the particles arose through the solidification of fine sprays and were ejected by gases from the interior of the parent body of the meteorite. He refers to his histogram, which, according to him, is practically identical to the one we presented. Several points, however, speak against the acceptability of the identity of the histograms. Since one of us (G. Claus) was a participant at the first International Meeting in Organic Geochemistry in Milan, 1962 (Prof. Mueller2 mentions our presence in his paper, p. 118), naturally we are well aware of Prof. Mueller's results; however, even at that Meeting, during the discussion, it was pointed out that a basic misunderstanding exists over the identification of what Prof. Mueller calls glass particles or olivine crystals and what we call type 1 or 2 organized elements. In his histogram (loc. cit., p. 114), the curve indicated as glass and homologized with the organized elements is clearly not identical with the histogram we presented. Indeed, the organized elements are never ‘transparent globules’, as stated by Mueller, and are definitely not composed of glass. This has been demonstrated by the electron microprobe (Nagy et al.3); most of, and probably all, the type 1 and 2 organized elements are structures which possibly contain limonite. It is possible that Prof. Mueller may have missed this article and, similarly, the subsequent work on the properties of the organized elements, for example, that of Urey4 in which it is stated that after acid treatment of the meteorite an acid-insoluble residue is obtained which is composed primarily of spherical bodies. The large number and size of these bodies show good correlation with the numbers and shapes of organized elements in native meteorite preparations. Mueller does not make any allusion to this finding; furthermore, he does not take into account the work of Nagy et al.5 concerning the ultra-micro ultra-violet absorption spectra derived from single organized elements, which indicate the possible presence of proteinaceous and nucleic acid-like substances in them. Clearly these data definitely contradict his assumption about the glassy nature of the organized elements. It seems that we are dealing with a quite different group of particles from that which Prof. Mueller counted.
The Relationship Between Premenstrual Distress and Anxiety Sensitivity: The Mediating Role of Rumination

Given that premenstrual distress is reported by large numbers of women, research has focused on the identification of biological and psychological factors that influence its severity. Previous research suggests that women who are high in anxiety sensitivity also report greater levels of premenstrual distress and negative affect. According to the menstrual reactivity hypothesis, women who have a tendency to self-focus and catastrophize about physical sensations are more likely to report greater levels of premenstrual distress. Cognitive schemas surrounding the menstrual cycle develop that are influenced by gender roles, cultural stereotypes, and expectations about bodily sensations. Another cognitive process, rumination, may also be linked to increased reports of premenstrual distress. Conceptually, the constructs of anxiety sensitivity and rumination share the tendency to self-focus on internal states. The goal of this study was to investigate how these two constructs relate to the prediction of premenstrual distress in a large sample of healthy undergraduate women (N = 478). Using mediational modeling, support was found for a mediational model; women who reported high levels of rumination and anxiety sensitivity reported the greatest premenstrual distress. These results are discussed within the framework of the menstrual reactivity hypothesis, a diathesis-stress model of premenstrual distress.