cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feasibility and Preliminary Validation of an Online Version of the Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification Method

Abstract Objective To test the feasibility and validity of an online version of an established interview designed to determine a lifetime history of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design Cross-sectional. Setting General community. Participants A volunteer sample of individuals (N= 265) from the general population across the United States. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure(s) Online version of the Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification Method, Rivermead Postconcussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ), Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Cognitive Concerns Scale. Results The measure was completed by 89.4% of the sample with most participants completing the measure in Conclusions The online administration of the Ohio State University Traumatic Brain Injury Identification Method appears to be feasible in the general population. Preliminary validity was demonstrated for the indices of worst TBI severity and time since most recent TBI.
Local Origins: Context, Group Identity, and Politics of Place:

In-group identity is particularly important in understanding political behavior among minority populations living in the United States. Despite its importance, we know relativity little about what ...
Millimeter wave overmoded relativistic backward wave oscillator

A millimeter wave relativistic backward wave oscillator (RBWO) is proposed to provide megawatts of power with Gaussian output. An overmoded rectangular slow wave structure (SWS) with a relativistic hollow electron beam was used to increase the interaction impedance and to avoid RF breakdown. The rectangular SWS can be fabricated more easily than a sinusoidal one. The RBWO consisting of an axisymmetric SWS generates more than 90 MW of power at 78 GHz. A mode selection technique was utilized to a select higher order mode as the operating mode. A corrugated waveguide mode converter can be used to convert the operating TM 03 output mode into a Gaussian output mode.
Comparison of gastroesophageal scintigraphy at 5-sec and 60-sec frame acquisition

1399 Objectives Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) scintigraphy is a non-invasive and sensitive method for detecting GER in symptomatic children. Although the method was introduced in early 1970s, up to date there is no single universally accepted protocol for this study. We compared 5-sec framing acquisition during GER scintigraphy to 60-sec framing acquisition to determine the difference of the detection rate of gastroesophageal reflux between the two methods. Methods GER scintigraphy scans of 30 children (2 months - 20 years old, mean 49 months) were analyzed concurrently using 5-sec and 60-sec acquisition frames. Reflux episodes were graded as low if activity was detected in the distal half of the esophagus and high if activity was detected in its upper half or oral cavity. For comparison purpose, detected GER in any number of 5-sec frames corresponding to one 60-sec frame was counted as one episode (i.e. any number of GER positive events in frames 1-12 on 5-sec frames counted as one episode, subsequently matched to frame 1 for 60-sec acquisition). Results A total number of 526 episodes of GER to the upper esophagus were counted using 5-sec acquisition technique. Only 94 of these episodes were labeled as being high level GER on 60-sec acquisition reconstructed images. To the lower esophagus, a total of 1,093 GER episodes were detected using 5-sec acquisition technique and only 718 episodes using 60-sec acquisition frames (these also included the high level GER on 5-sec frames counted as low level on 60-sec frames). The results are summarised in Figure 1. The difference was statistically significant for both high and low level GER (p value Conclusions The 5-sec frame acquisition technique is a more sensitive technique for detecting both high and low level GER compared to 60-sec frame acquisition. In addition, it provides a more accurate evaluation of degree and duration of GER
HEARING AND LATERAL LINE | Acoustic Behavior

Fishes hear and produce a variety of sounds that allow them to interpret their environment as well as communicate with their conspecifics. Some sounds are incidental sounds made while swimming and feeding. Other sounds are signals associated with feeding, predator avoidance, territory defense, reproduction, and echolocation. Of these sounds, one of the most pervasive is when males make advertisement sounds to communicate their readiness to spawn, as found especially in the families Sciaenidae, Gadidae, and Batrachoididae. Sounds may provide information to the listener on the behaviors, sex, or size of the fish, allowing scientists to use sound to better understand the fish behavior.
Risk, Reliability, Safety, and Testing Case Study

This chapter provides the reader with a case study that illustrates how software risk and reliability analysis can be used to reduce the risk of software failure and improve the overall reliability of the software product. You will learn how sequential testing is used as a process to achieve risk, reliability, and safety goals.
Discovering translational biomarkers in neurodevelopmental disorders.

Investment in drug development for neurodevelopmental disorders has suffered from recent failures in clinical trials that were based on promising preclinical findings. Here, we discuss development and validation of translational biomarkers of neurodevelopmental disorders that can enable more informative clinical experiments and translational success in these diseases. Investment in drug development for neurodevelopmental disorders has suffered from recent failures in clinical trials that were based on promising preclinical findings. Here, we discuss development and validation of translational biomarkers of neurodevelopmental disorders that can enable more informative clinical experiments and translational success in these diseases.
CD44 splice isoform switching determines breast cancer stem cell state

Although changes in alternative splicing have been observed in cancer, their functional contributions still remain largely unclear. Here we report that splice isoforms of the cancer stem cell (CSC) marker CD44 exhibit strikingly opposite functions in breast cancer. Bioinformatic annotation in patient breast cancer in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database reveals that the CD44 standard splice isoform (CD44s) positively associates with the CSC gene signatures, whereas the CD44 variant splice isoforms (CD44v) exhibit an inverse association. We show that CD44s is the predominant isoform expressed in breast CSCs. Elimination of the CD44s isoform impairs CSC traits. Conversely, manipulating the splicing regulator ESRP1 to shift alternative splicing from CD44v to CD44s leads to an induction of CSC properties. We further demonstrate that CD44s activates the PDGFRβ/Stat3 cascade to promote CSC traits. These results reveal CD44 isoform specificity in CSC and non-CSC states and suggest that alternative splicing provides functional gene versatility that is essential for distinct cancer cell states and thus cancer phenotypes.
Transition state clustering

Demonstration trajectories collected from a supervisor in teleoperation are widely used for robot learning, and temporally segmenting the trajectories into shorter, less-variable segments can improve the efficiency and reliability of learning algorithms. Trajectory segmentation algorithms can be sensitive to noise, spurious motions, and temporal variation. We present a new unsupervised segmentation algorithm, transition state clustering TSC, which leverages repeated demonstrations of a task by clustering segment endpoints across demonstrations. TSC complements any motion-based segmentation algorithm by identifying candidate transitions, clustering them by kinematic similarity, and then correlating the kinematic clusters with available sensory and temporal features. TSC uses a hierarchical Dirichlet process Gaussian mixture model to avoid selecting the number of segments a priori. We present simulated results to suggest that TSC significantly reduces the number of false-positive segments in dynamical systems observed with noise as compared with seven probabilistic and non-probabilistic segmentation algorithms. We additionally compare algorithms that use piecewise linear segment models, and find that TSC recovers segments of a generated piecewise linear trajectory with greater accuracy in the presence of process and observation noise. At the maximum noise level, TSC recovers the ground truth 49% more accurately than alternatives. Furthermore, TSC runs 100× faster than the next most accurate alternative autoregressive models, which require expensive Markov chain Monte Carlo MCMC-based inference. We also evaluated TSC on 67 recordings of surgical needle passing and suturing. We supplemented the kinematic recordings with manually annotated visual features that denote grasp and penetration conditions. On this dataset, TSC finds 83% of needle passing transitions and 73% of the suturing transitions annotated by human experts.
Whom should we credit for the discovery of isotopes

Whom should we credit for the discovery of isotopes? The first suggestion of an idea, the first experimental proof, or the development of a new method that clearly reveals the isotopes? Stromholm and Svedberg, Fajans and Soddy interpreted patterns of radioactive decay, which became confirmed theory on the solid basis of the very accurate atomic weight determinations by Richards and his coworkers. The mass spectrograph measurements by Aston provided major extension of the concept of isotopes to much of the rest of the periodic table. Thus, Stromholm and Svedberg, Fajans and Soddy (and others) provided an idea, which Richards proved, and Aston made generally useful. Richards should be listed along with Fajans, Soddy, and Aston for fundamental contributions to establishing isotopes as part of the modern language of science. As much credit should be given to the experimental proof as to the suggestion or naming of the concept.
γ-Secretase Catalyzes Sequential Cleavages of the AβPP Transmembrane Domain

The biogenesis of the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) is a central issue in Alzheimer's disease (AD) research. Aβ is produced by β- and γ-secretases from the amyloid-β protein precursor (AβPP). These proteases are targets for the development of therapeutic compounds to downregulate Aβ production. γ-secretase has received more attention 1) because it generates the C-terminus of Aβ, which is important in the pathogenesis of AD because the longer Aβ species are more amyloidogenic, and 2) because it cleaves AβPP within its transmembrane domain. In the understanding the mechanism of γ-secretase cleavage, three major cleavage sites have been identified, namely, γ-cleavage site at Aβ40/42, ζ-cleavage site at Aβ46, and e-cleavage site at Aβ49. Moreover, the novel finding that some of the known γ-secretase inhibitors inhibit the formation of secreted Aβ40 and Aβ42, but cause an intracellular accumulation of long Aβ46, provided information extremely important for the development of strategies aimed at the design of γ-secretase inhibitors to prevent and treat AD. In addition, it has been established that the C-terminus of Aβ is generated by a series of sequential cleavages: first, e-cleavage, followed by ζ-cleavage and finally by γ-cleavage, commencing from the membrane boundary to the middle of the AβPP membrane domain.
Contextual Lensing of Universal Sentence Representations.

What makes a universal sentence encoder universal? The notion of a generic encoder of text appears to be at odds with the inherent contextualization and non-permanence of language use in a dynamic world. However, mapping sentences into generic fixed-length vectors for downstream similarity and retrieval tasks has been fruitful, particularly for multilingual applications. How do we manage this dilemma? In this work we propose Contextual Lensing, a methodology for inducing context-oriented universal sentence vectors. We break the construction of universal sentence vectors into a core, variable length, sentence matrix representation equipped with an adaptable `lens' from which fixed-length vectors can be induced as a function of the lens context. We show that it is possible to focus notions of language similarity into a small number of lens parameters given a core universal matrix representation. For example, we demonstrate the ability to encode translation similarity of sentences across several languages into a single weight matrix, even when the core encoder has not seen parallel data.
The H-2 Program and Immigration Reform in the United States

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) of 1952 authorized a nonimmigrant visa category, known as H-2, for foreign agricultural and nonagricultural workers to come to the United States and perform temporary services. To protect against disruptions in the farm labor supply, many growers are turning to the H-2A program to import foreign guest workers. This 5-page fact sheet written by Berdikul Qushim, Zhengfei Guan, and Fritz M. Roka and published by the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department explains the H-2A program and briefly discusses immigration reform. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe1029
The effects of vertical position in the intertidal zone on the δ18O and δ13C composition of Mytilus californianus shell carbonate

Abstract Stable oxygen (δ18O) isotopic measurements of marine shell carbonate are useful proxies for reconstructing past marine conditions on time scales that are relevant for archaeological interpretations. This includes long-term changes in sea surface temperature (SST) and estimates of the season of harvest of shells, with implications for site seasonality and mobility. As these studies are applied with more frequency, it becomes important to look at relevant details of the ecology of the species that is being tested. We conduct an experimental study on Mytilus californianus (California mussel) shells from a piling on the pier at Bechers Bay on Santa Rosa Island, California to assess the effects of vertical position in the water column on shell length, δ18O, and stable carbon (δ13C) isotopic measurements. Shell length has the most substantial relationship of the three. It increases with depth and therefore time spent submerged, up to a maximum point. This difference can be as much as 45%. δ18O has a statistically significant negative trend with depth, which can result in an offset of 1.8 °C in extreme cases. δ13C does not have a clear pattern with depth. This study indicates that while stable isotopic measurements of California mussel shells can still be used in paleoenvironmental reconstructions, it is necessary to be aware of additional error sources in estimates of annual SST ranges and ideally, interpretations of season of harvest of an individual shell should be made independently from other shells.
Supplementation of Screw-Rod C1-C2 Fixation With Posterior Arch Femoral Head Allograft Strut.

Background Numerous C1-C2 fixation techniques exist for the treatment of atlantoaxial instability. Limitations of screw-rod and sublaminar wiring techniques include C2 nerve root sacrifice and dural injury, respectively. We present a novel technique that utilizes a femoral head allograft cut with a keyhole that rests posteriorly on the arches of C1 and C2 and straddles the C2 spinous process, secured by sutures. Objective To offer increased fusion across C1-C2 without the passage of sublaminar wiring or interarticular arthrodesis. Methods A total of 6 patients with atlantoaxial instability underwent C1-C2 fixation using our method from 2015 to 2016. After placement of a C1-C2 screw/rod construct, a cadaveric frozen femoral head allograft was cut into a half-dome with a keyhole and placed over the already decorticated dorsal C1 arch and C2 spinous process. Notches were created in the graft and sutures were placed in the notches and around the rods to secure it firmly in place. Results The femoral head's shape allowed for creation of a graft that provides excellent surface area for fusion across C1-C2. There were no intraoperative complications, including dural tears. Postoperatively, no patients had sensorimotor deficits, pain, or occipital neuralgia. 5 patients demonstrated clinical resolution of symptoms by 3 mo and radiographic (computed tomography) evidence of fusion at 1 yr. One patient had good follow-up at 1 mo but died due to complications of Alzheimer disease. Conclusion The posterior arch femoral head allograft strut technique with securing sutures is a viable option for supplementing screw-rod fixation in the treatment of complex atlantoaxial instability.
The delta-specific opioid glycopeptide bbi-11008: Cns penetration and behavioral analysis in a preclinical model of levodopa-induced dyskinesia

In previous work we evaluated an opioid glycopeptide with mixed μ/δ-opioid receptor agonism that was a congener of leu-enkephalin, MMP-2200. The glycopeptide analogue showed penetration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) after systemic administration to rats, as well as profound central effects in models of Parkinson's disease (PD) and levodopa (L-DOPA)-induced dyskinesia (LID). In the present study, we tested the glycopeptide BBI-11008 with selective δ-opioid receptor agonism, an analogue of deltorphin, a peptide secreted from the skin of frogs (genus Phyllomedusa). We tested BBI-11008 for BBB-penetration after intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection and evaluated effects in LID rats. BBI-11008 (10 mg/kg) demonstrated good CNS-penetrance as shown by microdialysis and mass spectrometric analysis, with peak concentration levels of 150 pM in the striatum. While BBI-11008 at both 10 and 20 mg/kg produced no effect on levodopa-induced limb, axial and oral (LAO) abnormal involuntary movements (AIMs), it reduced the levodopa-induced locomotor AIMs by 50% after systemic injection. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist MK-801 reduced levodopa-induced LAO AIMs, but worsened PD symptoms in this model. Co-administration of MMP-2200 had been shown prior to block the MK-801-induced pro-Parkinsonian activity. Interestingly, BBI-11008 was not able to block the pro-Parkinsonian effect of MK-801 in the LID model, further indicating that a balance of mu- and delta-opioid agonism is required for this modulation. In summary, this study illustrates another example of meaningful BBB-penetration of a glycopeptide analogue of a peptide to achieve a central behavioral effect, providing additional evidence for the glycosylation technique as a method to harness therapeutic potential of peptides.
"Viver no limite": meninas e meninos afro-colombianos em tempos de guerra: um estudo etnográfico na fronteira entre Colômbia e Equador

In recent years, the escalation of violence in Colombia by armed groups and drug cartels has affected Afro-Colombian girls and boys, modifying their knowledge and routine. In this article I analyze the representations of girls and boys in times of war. I stress and the importance of drawing in ethnographic work to broaden the understanding of the traumatic experience of forced displacement, spatial confinement and violence experienced by Afro-Colombian children on the border between Colombia and Ecuador. I argue that knowing the representations that girls and boys make of their spaces, daily lives and trajectories, would allow us to attend to the complexity of their testimonies about the war and, therefore, the meanings that underlie their lives in the present and future.
Morphogenic fields: A coming of age.

Abstract Morphogenesis, the coming-into-being of living organisms, was first described in the 4th century BC by Aristotle, progenitor of biology and embryology. Over the centuries it has been the subject of innumerable commentaries by philosophers, theologians and scientists but no consensus has ever been reached as to its causes. In the late 19th century, along with the emergence of cellular and molecular biology, embryology underwent a renaissance and became a topic of great interest and research. Early on the discipline divided into two opposing factions, those who attempted to explain fetal development on the basis of cellular and molecular mechanisms, and those who invoked the presence of organizing fields. The morphogenic field was first articulated in the early decades of the 20th century by multiple researchers independently of each other. The field became an extremely useful conceptual tool by which to explain a wide range of developmental phenomena. While embryology and genetics originally formed a unified discipline, during the 1930s and 1940s geneticists became progressively skeptical of the field notion. The discovery of the DNA structure by Watson and Crick in the early 1950s decisively settled matters and thereafter the two disciplines pursued different lines of inquiry. After World War II embryology and the field concept went into a decades-long decline. By the 1980s an increasing number of scientists began to critically reexamine the morphogenic field concept and it underwent a second renaissance. In this paper I examine the development and evolution of the field concept, both experimentally and conceptually, and highlight the failure of genetic mechanisms to explain morphogenesis. I provide three instances from the medical literature of developmental phenomena which are only explainable on the basis of morphogenic field dynamics and argue that the field concept must be readmitted into mainstream scientific discourse.
Cancer Survivorship in Women 65 Years and Older

Cancer survivors are defined as any person with a history of cancer, from the time of diagnosis through the remainder of life. The number of cancer survivors in the United States exceeds 16 million. Most survivors will live 5 or more years after diagnosis, many with chronic needs related to cancer diagnosis as well as a higher rate of comorbid chronic health conditions. Common long-term adverse effects of cancer and cancer treatment including pain, neuropathy, and depressionare likely to be encountered and treated by non oncology providers . Common preventative health interventions such as screening for other cancers and counseling regarding healthy diet, exercise, reducing alcohol, and tobacco cessation can reduce the risk of cancer recurrence, death, and all-cause mortality in cancer survivors.
Weight Discrimination Experienced Prior to Enrolling in a Behavioral Obesity Intervention is Associated with Treatment Response Among Black and White Adults in the Southeastern U.S

The current study evaluated the associations between history of weight discrimination and race on pre-treatment depressive symptoms, treatment session attendance, and weight loss among Black and White adults enrolled in a 16-week obesity intervention. Participants (N = 271; mean BMI = 35.7 kg/m2; 59% Black; 92% women) reported prior experiences of weight discrimination and completed the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D) Scale at baseline. Weekly attendance at group sessions was recorded, and weight was measured at baseline and post-treatment. All models adjusted for baseline BMI, age, and sex. Participants with a history of weight discrimination scored 2.4 points higher on the CES-D (B = 2.432, p = .012) and lost 2% less weight relative to those without weight discrimination (B = 0.023, p = .002). Race modified the association between weight discrimination and treatment session attendance, such that Black individuals attended fewer sessions if they had prior experience of weight discrimination, but prior weight discrimination was not significantly associated with treatment attendance among White individuals. Weight discrimination is associated with pre-treatment depressive symptoms and may hinder weight loss regardless of race. Black individuals may attend fewer weight loss treatment sessions if they have prior experience of weight discrimination.
Enchanted Calvinism: Labor Migration, Afflicting Spirits, and Christian Therapy in the Presbyterian Church of Ghana

Enchanted Calvinism's central proposition is that Ghanaian Presbyterian communities, both past and present, have become more enchanted--more attuned to spiritual explanations of and remedies for suffering--as they have become integrated into capitalist modes of production. The author draws on a Weberian concept of religious enchantment to analyze the phenomena of spiritual affliction and spiritual healing within the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, particularly under the conditions of labor migration: first, in the early twentieth century during the cocoa boom in Ghana and, second, at the turn of the twenty-first century in their migration from Ghana to North America. Relying on extensive archival research, oral interviews, and participant-observation conducted in North America, Europe, and West Africa, this study demonstrates that the more these Ghanaian Calvinists became dependent on capitalist modes of production, the more enchanted their lives and, subsequently, their church became, although in different ways within these two migrations. One striking pattern that has emerged among Ghanaian Presbyterian labor migrants in North America, for example, is a radical shift in gendered healing practices, where women have become prominent healers while a significant number of men have become spirit-possessed. Adam Mohr is Senior Writing Fellow in Anthropology in the Critical Writing Program at the University of Pennsylvania.
Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the In Vivo Metabolism of Monocarbon Fragment Precursors to CO 2

In the previous study, we have demonstrated that in vivo oxidation of the No. 2 carbon atom of the imidazole ring of histidine to CO2 was inhibited following ionizing radiation [1]. This result postulated that ionizing radiation might interfere with monocarbon fragment transport by an in vivo inactivation of tetrahydrofolic acid or the enzymatic processes responsible for its production. The present study is a further evaluation of this finding. The rate of 14CO2 excretion in the breath of rats given 14C-labeled formate, glycine, serine, and methionine was studied in rats prior to, and subsequent to, exposure of various doses of X-irradiation.
Glycopeptides of vaccinia virus: I. Preliminary characterization and hexosamine content

Abstract When vaccinia virus, strain WR, was propagated in HeLa S3 cells in the presence of d -glucosamine-14C, the progeny virus, after purification, was found to be labeled. The specific activity of highly purified virus was 2.42 cpm/μg of viral protein. Such virus preparations were solubilized in SDS, urea and 2-mercaptoethanol and subjected to gel electrophoretic analysis. The major d -glucosamine-14C labeled moiety migrated in the gel with VSP-6, a peptide complex present on the surface of the virus, possibly in the outer membrane. Controlled degradation of labeled virus with Nonidet-P40 and 2-mercaptoethanol produced viral cores which after purification retained 6% of the radioactivity of the whole virus. Although label was associated with VSP-4 and VSP-5, the exact nature of the labeled peptide present in the core could not be determined. Acid hydrolysis of glucosamine-14C-labeled virions followed by column and paper chromatographic analysis showed that 90–94% of the d -glucosamine-14C label could be recovered as glucosamine. Ninhydrin degradation of the hexosamine fraction showed that 10% or less was in the form of galactosamine. Under the conditions employed no sialic acid residues were detected. Glucosamine could also be detected in hydrolyzates of cores prepared from glucosamine-14C-labeled virus. Because of the small amounts of radioactivity associated with purified cores, further characterization of the hexosamines present was not undertaken. When pronase digests of glucosamine-14C-labeled virus was analyzed by chromatography on Sephadex G-50 columns, two major fractions were resolved. These have not been fully characterized but may offer suitable material for carrying out detailed analysis of the carbohydrate portion of the glycoprotein. The incorporation of glucosamine-14C into TCA-insoluble material at various times after infection was determined. Incorporation closely paralleled total protein synthesis in infected cells suggesting that the glycopeptide is synthesized both early and late during the infection cycle.
Reassessing the Role of International Criminal Law: Rebuilding National Courts through Transnational Networks

The international community has long debated its role in redressing grave atrocities like war crimes and crimes against humanity. This Article suggests that this debate has focused too much on trials in international and hybrid courts as the primary conduit for international contributions to justice in post-conflict states. It proposes that the international community should look instead to national courts as the primary venue for such trials and to transnational networks as an effective mechanism for international involvement. Key characteristics of this model include: (1) reliance on transnational networks to convey international criminal law and international resources into national settings; (2) hybrid international-national processes in which international actors play a supporting, rather than a controlling, role; and (3) integration of international support for atrocity trials into broader efforts to rebuild national judicial systems.
Determination of laminar flame speeds from nozzle-generated counterflow flames

The accuracy of the counterflow, twin-flame technique for the determination of laminar flame speeds was examined analytically and numerically. The analysis was conducted by using multiple-expansion, high activation energy asymptotics while the numerical simulation incorporated detailed chemistry and transport. In both approaches the solutions were obtained in a finite domain and with plug flow boundary conditions in order to better simulate the actual experiments. Results show that linear extrapolation of the minimum velocity to zero stretch over-estimates the true laminar flame speed. This over-estimate, however, can be reduced by using smaller ratios of the flame thickness to the nozzle separation distance. Numerical results indicate that for typical paraffin/air mixtures, nozzle separation distances of the order of 14 to 22 mm yield laminar flame speeds accurate to within the uncertainty range of the experiment. The results obtained herein thus provide further support for the viability of the counterflow technique, when the influence of the nozzle separation distance is properly accounted for. An alternate technique for the determination of laminar flame speeds, based on the variation of flow velocity at a constant temperature near the upstream boundary of the flame with stretch, suggest that the over-estimation by linear extrapolating to zero stretch is smaller compared to the minimum velocity approach.
Optimum Airport Capacity Utilization under Congestion Management: A Case Study of New York LaGuardia Airport

In the United States, most airports do not place any limitations on airline schedules. At a few major airports, the current scheduling restrictions (mostly administrative measures) have not been sufficiently strict to avoid consistent delays and have raised debates about both the efficiency and the fairness of the allocations. With a forecast of 1.1 billion yearly air travelers within the US by 2015, airport expansion and technology enhancement alone are not enough to cope with the competition-driven scheduling practices of the airline industry. The policy legacy needs to change to be consistent with airport capacities. Flights on US airlines arrived late more often in the first four months of 2007 than in any other year since the government began tracking delays, and flight cancellations increased 91% over 2006. With a forecast of 1.1 billion yearly air travelers within the US by 2015, airport expansion and technology enhancement alone are not enough to cope with the competition-driven scheduling practices of the airline industry. Our research studies how flight schedules might change if airlines were required to restrict their schedules to runway capacity. To obtain these schedules, we model a profit-seeking, single benevolent airline whose goal is to maintain current competitive prices and service as many current passengers as possible, while remaining profitable. Our case study demonstrates that at Instrument Meteorological Conditions (IMC) runway rates, the market can find profitable flight schedules that reduce substantially the average flight delay to less than 6 minutes while simultaneously satisfying virtually all of the current demand with average prices remaining unchanged. This is accomplished through significant upgauging to high-demand markets.
Physiological and behavioral concomitants of mild stress: The effects of accuracy of temporal information

Abstract Sixty human subjects were exposed to a mild auditory stress after a fixed anticipatory period during which they performed a reaction time task. Suspense subjects were correctly informed of the time of onset of stress; Surprise subjects were told to expect the stress 10 min. later than it actually occurred. Subjects were provided with elapsed time information either automatically or on demand. Suspence subjects showed larger anticipatory electrodermal responses and smaller responses to stress than Surprise subjects but the two groups did not differ in their ratings of the unpleasantness of the stress. Female subjects showed greater anticipatory responses and consistently slower reaction times than males. The data are discussed in terms of explanations of the negative preception effect.
The C-TERMINUS of AtGRIP is crucial for its self-association and for targeting to Golgi stacks in Arabidopsis.

Background In animals and fungi, dimerization is crucial for targeting GRIP domain proteins to the Golgi apparatus. Only one gene in the Arabidopsis genome, AtGRIP, codes for a GRIP domain protein. It remains unclear whether AtGRIP has properties similar to those of GRIP domain proteins.
An empirical investigation of some effects of sparseness in contingency tables

Abstract A simulation study investigates some effects of having ‘sparse’ categorical data, for which the ratio of the sample size to the number of cells is relatively small. In this study, the true cell proportions satisfy the uniform association model for ordinal variables. Conclusions include the following: (1) For direct testing of the model, the distribution of the Pearson goodness-of-fit statistic is closer to the asymptotic chi-squared distribution than is the distribution of the likelihood-ratio statistic. (2) For comparing two unsaturated loglinear models (such as in testing independence under the assumption that a particular model holds), it is usually preferable to compare likelihood-ratio statistics rather than Pearson statistics. (3) A beneficial aspect of sparseness is that the power of certain single-degree-of-freedom test statistics tends to increase as the table becomes more sparse, for a fixed sample size. (4) The common practice of adding constants to empty cells can cause havoc with the distribution of the Pearson statistic.
Determination of interfacial strain distribution in quantum-wire structures by synchrotron x-ray scattering

High-resolution grating x-ray diffraction from a periodic quantum-wire structure is shown to be highly sensitive to strain-field variations near a surface or an interface. Information on two types of strain gradients can be obtained: a longitudinal gradient, which can produce asymmetric diffraction profiles, and a transverse gradient, which can generate additional diffuse intensity streaks in reciprocal space. These effects are demonstrated in a synchrotron x-ray experiment on an ${\mathrm{In}}_{0.2}$${\mathrm{Ga}}_{0.8}$As/GaAs quantum-wire array. Kinematical diffraction theory is used to describe the diffraction patterns and is found to agree very well with the experimental results.
Applied physics: To catch a photon

Astronomers crave a detector sensitive enough to detect a single photon and determine its energy. A new single-pixel device can do this, and could also be built up into a large array suitable for a telescope.
Managed health care plans in Southern United States municipalities: empirical evidence on choice of plan.

This study examines factors that influence choice of Southern municipal government health care plans in the United States. Using survey data, this article specifically examines the managed care offerings of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) and Point of Service (POS) plans. Some of the more interesting empirical results indicate that HMO plans are associated more with employee satisfaction; PPO plans are associated with cost containment; and POS plans are more likely to provide health care benefits to part-time employees. Empirical evidence also indicates that employee satisfaction is increased when there is a greater choice of managed care plans available to municipal governments. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Probing the conformation of physisorbed molecules at the atomic scale using STM manipulation.

We use scanning tunneling microscope (STM) manipulation and density functional theory calculation to investigate the structural properties of individual sexiphenyl molecules physisorbed on a Ag(111) surface at 6 K. The molecule−surface atomic registry is precisely determined by using atomic markers and a sexiphenyl functionalized tip. The calculations confirm the alternating twist of the sexiphenyl π-rings on Ag(111). The π-ring torsional angle, 11.4°, is directly determined from the geometry of STM manipulation. This innovative experiment opens up a novel application of STM manipulation to probe the properties of “physisorbed” species on surfaces at the atomic level.
A new action for topoisomerase inhibitors

Abstract Topoisomerases are known to aid DNA replication by breaking and resealing supercoiled DNA. Consequently, cells exposed to topoisomerase inhibitors before or during the S (DNA synthetic) phase of the cell cycle undergo abnormal DNA replication and become irreversibly blocked in the G2 (pre-mitosis) phase. We report that following a 4-h exposure to topoisomerase II inhibitors, murine erythroleukemic cells (MELC) do not form mitotic figures but exhibit a time-dependent progression into G2 (4N DNA) and >G2 (up to 8N DNA) stages of the cell cycle. Following exposure to the topoisomerase I inhibitor camptothecin, recovering MELC also exhibit >G2 polyploidy, but to a considerably lesser degree: mitotic figures are present and a subpopulation of cells resumes cycling. However, both topo I and topo II inhibitors induce maximal percentages of >G2 cells when synchronized MELC are in the G2/M phase at the time of exposure. This suggests that, in addition to their S-phase action, topoisomerase inhibitors can interfere with chromosome condensation during G2 and, in so doing, induce polyploidy.
Differential willingness to undergo smallpox vaccination among African-American and white individuals

OBJECTIVE: To examine potential disparities in willingness to be vaccinated against smallpox among different U.S. racial/ethnic groups.
High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Diuretic-Antihypertensive Combination Products. II. Polythiazide and Reserpine

Abstract A high performance liquid chromatographic method for the simultaneous determination of polythiazide and reserpine in tablets is described. Polythiazide, reserpine, and vanillin (an excipient) are separated isocratically on an octadecylsilane column using a methanol-water-acetic acid (55:44:1) mobile phase. The column effluent was monitored by ultraviolet ab-sorbance at 254 nm. Recoveries from synthetic formulations were 100.2 ± 1.7% for polythiazide and 98.7 ± 1.1% for reserpine.
Electronic and computer-generated patient questionnaires in standard care.

Patient-derived measures of disease activity have been proven to be reliable, valid, sensitive to change, and less susceptible to placebo effects in the assessment of many rheumatic diseases. Traditionally, paper forms have been used to capture this information but with advances in technology and a growing number of computer users, computerized versions have been developed. The computerized patient-derived questionnaires have been shown to be valid and reliable in many studies. Despite a concern for the usability and acceptability among inexperienced computer users and certain subgroups, such as older persons, a majority of patients queried preferred the electronic versions and found them easy to use. In addition, these computerized versions offer several advantages over the paper format, including improved data capture with less ambiguity, less long-term cost, immediate scoring and availability of the results, and – most importantly – the ability for more frequent disease activity, efficacy, and safety assessments.
Small gas-phase dianions of Zn3O42−, Zn4O52−, CuZn2O42−, Si2GeO62−, Ti2O52− and Ti3O72−

We have searched for new species of small oxygen-containing gas-phase dianions produced in a secondary ion mass spectrometer by Cs+ ion bombardment of solid samples with simultaneous exposure of their surfaces to O2 gas. The targets were a pure zinc metal foil, a copper-contaminated zinc-based coin, two silicon–germanium samples (Si1−xGex (with x = 6.5% or 27%)) and a piece of titanium metal. The novel dianions Zn3O42−, Zn4O52−, CuZn2O42−, Si2GeO62−, Ti2O52− and Ti3O72− have been observed at half-integer m/z values in the negative ion mass spectra. The heptamer dianions Zn3O42− and Ti2O52− have been unambiguously identified by their isotopic abundances. Their flight times through the mass spectrometer are ∼20 μs and ∼17 μs, respectively. The geometrical structures of the two heptamer dianions Ti2O52−, and Zn3O42− are investigated using ab initio methods, and the identified isomers are compared to those of the novel Ge2O52− and the known Si2O52− and Be3O42− dianions.
New twist on orphan receptor GPR88 function

Ligands for G protein–coupled receptor 88 (GPR88) have not yet been found. A new study finds that GPR88 is important in the physiology of dorsal striatal projection neurons, as well as in behaviors involving this brain region.
The structure of La2CuO4 and LaSrVO4

We have examined the structure of La2CuO4 at room temperature and found it to be an orthorhombic distortion of the K2NiF4 structure (a = 5.363 A, b = 5.409 A, c = 13.17 A). Refinement of position parameters, based on powder X-ray diffraction data, shows the copper to have two long Cu-0 distances (2.40 A) and four short distances (1.90 A). The orthorhombic unit cell becomes tetragonal at 260°C without any significant change in Cu O distances. The magnetic susceptibility of La2CuO4 is less than 10−6 emu/g from room temperature to 4.2°K and in fields to 17 kOe. We have prepared LaSrV04 by reaction of component oxides in vacuum at 1000°C. The new compound has a tetragonal K2NiF4 structure with a = 3.869 A and c = 12.652 A. Optimization of position parameters gave two longer V O distances (2.09 A) and four shorter (1.94 A).
Cognitive hierarchy modelling of lab, field and neural data

Cognitive hierarchy and level-k models assume players use steps of reasoning iteratively. Precision comes from making (and testing) various assumptions about the step distribution, beliefs of players at each step, and responsiveness to expected payoff. I describe several empirical examples of these models applied to lab experiments and two field settings. In addition, eyetracking and some neural evidence are supportive of the concept of limits of iterated thinking and suggest some interesting research directions.
Effect of timing jitter on performance of MTI filters

The effect of transmitting timing jitter and sampling jitter on a multipulse clutter cancellation system is analyzed, and explicit expressions are obtained for the net increase in the residue clutter power due to timing jitter. The increase in mean-square error is found to be proportional to the jitter variance, with the two jitters contributing almost equally. The system analyzed can have either a recursive or nonrecursive MTI filter, and the latter includes the familiar two- and three-pulse canceller as special cases. The increase in residue clutter power for a three-pulse canceller is about 4.8 dB worse than that for a two-pulse canceller. >
A method to improve the accuracy of ultrasound geometrical measurements of boundaries in soft tissue

The geometric distortion due to the neglect of refraction in existing ultrasound scanners is demonstrated. An iterative technique to correct for refraction errors in B-mode ultrasound, denoted Second Order Refraction Transposition (SORT), is presented. In vitro experiments were performed that confirm the calculated results.
Collective 1+ states in rare earth and actinide nuclei

Abstract A shell-model description of the structure of low-energy states of heavy deformed nuclei is used to predict the number and strengths of 1 + states that couple to the ground state via a strong M1 transition. Results are given for the magnetic moments of 2 g + states of various Gd, Er, U, and Pu isotopes and also the M1 transition strengths 1 + → 0 g + , 1 + → 2 g + , and 1 + → 2 γ + for several rare earth and actinide nuclei.
A variable-temperature surrogate mother for studying attachment in infant monkeys

A variable temperature surrogate mother for use with infant monkeys is described. The apparatus is designed to facilitate manipulation of the infant-surrogate attachment bond. Data showing significant behavioral changes in ventral contact and locomotion as a function of depressed surrogate temperature are presented. The value of this technique in the production of psyehopathology is indicated by a dramatic and progressive increase in disturbance behaviors during a 9-week test period. Implications for the use of a variable temperature surrogate in studying animal models of psyehopathology are noted.
Effect of the initial concentration of emulsifying agents on the ultracentrifugal stability of oil-in-water emulsions

The rate of loss of oil from 50% Nujol-50% water emulsions stabilized with varying concentrations of Tween 20 or Triton X-100, and from 50% olive oil-50% water emulsions stabilized with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), was determined by ultracentrifugation at 39,460 rpm. In all cases the ultracentrifugal stability increased with increasing initial concentration of emulsifier, although, unlike the behavior of Nujol-water-SDS emulsions, the rate of separation of oil decreased with time. The quantity of olive oil separated after a given time of centrifugation decreased linearly with increasing concentration of SDS, reaching zero at a concentration of SDS somewhat below the critical micelle concentration, and at adsorption of SDS corresponding to only about half the saturation capacity. The ultracentrifugal stability of Nujol emulsions with Tween 20 or Triton X-100 continued to increase slowly with increasing concentration of emulsifier, even at concentrations far greater than the critical micelle concentration.
Persistent Wage Dispersion and Involuntary Unemployment

It is costly for firms' offers to workers to be turned down both because firms must make additional offers and making offers is costly and because capital is underused or unused. Provided that workers apply to at least two firms for jobs, there will be wage dispersion in equilibrium, and some workers will randomly fail to receive any wage offers. Firms in the same industry with access to the same technology may nevertheless choose different levels of capital intensity. Firms using capital-intensive technologies will pay higher wages.