cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cultural Assessment for Sustainable Kiosk Projects

Kiosk/telecenter projects, which provide access to information technologies and related services, have become an important vehicle for delivering the benefits of ICTs to the developing world. As more of these projects are implemented, there is a real need to evaluate their long-term impacts. Assessments, however, are often restricted to economic and technical factors which, though important, by themselves privilege objects and models over people and situated use. Beginning with the premise that successful and sustainable kiosk projects are those that adapt to local contexts and cultures, this paper presents a holistic model for assessment that centers on cultural factors. We argue that understanding cultural factors allows kiosk projects to respond to local histories, needs, and values in a way that ultimately enhances the long-term viability of change. After discussing some challenges that many kiosks currently face with respect to a holistic, culture-centered assessment, we present a brief review of models for `rapid' ethnography which are drawn from applied anthropology. Finally, we propose a focused and practical framework for holistic analysis to inform program development.
Preparation and stability of hyaluronic acid.

Abstract The Roseman electrodeposition method provided a convenient method for the preparation of hyaluronic acid. Five repetitions of the process were required, and yields of about 20% were obtained. The products obtained from bovine synovial fluid appeared to be free of protein and to be only slightly degraded relative to that in the original synovial fluid. The best materials had an intrinsic viscosity in 0.2 M phosphate buffer of about 50. The preparation was somewhat improved if the solutions contained 5–10% ethanol or were saturated with toluene. Merthiolate produced degradation of purified hyaluronic acid. Degradation of hyaluronic acid on lyophilization or storage could be made very slight by lyophilization of salt-free (dialyzed) gels and storage of gels or dry products at −10°. Solutions containing 20% ethanol could be kept for long times at room temperature without change of viscosity.
Model of a microwave beam coupling to CO2 laser plasma

Abstract We have designed a transmission line model of the microwave coupling mechanism for a microwave pumped CO2 laser. The model is a total loss ridge waveguide transmission line having nonuniform impedance. The laser plasma is modeled as a frequency-dependent lossy dielectric and acts as a distributed resistance in the length of the microwave cavity. The coupling structure of the microwaves is designed not to be resonant at the microwave source frequency of 2.45 GHz at 1 kW and propagating the total microwave field energy to be absorbed without internal reflection. An exact solution to this general transmission line propagation constant for a shunt resistance along length of the guide is found. The measurements and predictions of the parameters of the plasma conductivity as a function of the attenuation constant agree closely.
Sublingual versus subcutaneous buprenorphine in opiate abusers

To compare the pharmacologic profiles of sublingually and subcutaneously administered buprenorphine, 10 healthy male subjects with histories of opiate abuse were given sublingually administered buprenorphine (1, 2, and 4 mg), subcutaneously administered buprenorphine (1 and 2 mg), and placebo in a double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled study. All active buprenorphine dosages produced a significant degree of miosis but no significant changes in body temperature, blood pressure, or respiratory or heart rate. Buprenorphine produced varying degrees of euphoria related to dose and route of administration but little dysphoria and sedation, as assessed by subscales of the Addiction Research Center Inventory. Subject “liking” for buprenorphine was reported by both observers and subjects. The relative potency of sublingually to subcutaneously administered buprenorphine was calculated for both physiologic and behavioral parameters and found to be approximately two thirds. The results indicated that both sublingual and subcutaneous buprenorphine have a similar profile of effects in opiate abusers. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1989) 45, 513–519; doi:10.1038/clpt.1989.66
Pesticide Residues in Imported, Organic, and “Suspect” Fruits and Vegetables

Consumers are frequently urged to avoid imported foods as well as specific fruits and vegetables due to health concerns from pesticide residues and are often encouraged to choose organic fruits and vegetables rather than conventional forms. Studies have demonstrated that while organic fruits and vegetables have lower levels of pesticide residues than do conventional fruits and vegetables, pesticide residues are still frequently detected on organic fruits and vegetables; typical dietary consumer exposure to pesticide residues from conventional fruits and vegetables does not appear to be of health significance. Similarly, research does not demonstrate that imported fruits and vegetables pose greater risks from pesticide residues than do domestic fruits and vegetables or that specific fruits and vegetables singled out as being the most highly contaminated by pesticides should be avoided in their conventional forms.
Molecular characterization of biomass burning aerosols using high-resolution mass spectrometry.

Chemical characterization of atmospheric aerosols presents a serious analytical challenge because of the complexity of particulate matter analyte composed of a large number of compounds with a wide range of molecular structures, physico-chemical properties, and reactivity. In this study the chemical composition of the organic constituents of biomass burning aerosol (BBA) samples is characterized by high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI/MS). Accurate mass measurement combined with Kendrick analysis allows assignment of the elemental composition for hundreds of compounds in the range of m/z values of 50−1000. ESI/MS spectra of different BBA samples contain a variety of distinct, sample specific, characteristic peaks that can be used as unique markers for different types of biofuels. Our results indicate that a significant number of high-MW organic compounds in BBA samples are highly oxidized polar species that can be efficiently detected using ESI/MS but are difficult to observe usi...
Linear differential systems with infinitely many boundary points

The article extends results previously known for boundary value problems involving only a finite number of boundary points to those which involve an infinite number of (possibly dense) boundary points. Specifically, the system $$Ly = y' + Py,\sum\limits_1^\infty {A_i } y(t_i ) = 0,0 \leqslant t_i \leqslant {\text{1,}}i = 1,...,\infty $$ , is discussed in the Hilbert space L2(0, 1). Suitable conditions for inverting the operator L are found, and the Green's function is exhibited. It is shown to have the standard properties as well as some which are new, when considered as a function of its second variable It is further shown to be the limit a.e. of Green's function for problems involving only a finite number of boundary points, as those points increase in number. Finally it is shown that L−1 is compact. By using the Green's function the domain of L is shown to be dense in L2(0, 1). and the adjoint L* and its domain are found. L is also shown to be closed. Lastly, by using some theorems concerning entire functions, the eigenvalues of L are shown to lie in a vertical strip with infinity as their only limit point. This in turn implies that if L−1 fails to exist, a slight perturbation in P will result in an invertible L, and the assumption made earlier concerning the existence of the Green's function is reasonable.
Behavioural effects of attitudes toward constraint in CASE: the impact of development task and project phase

This paper examines the effects of systems development task and phase upon individuals’ attitudes and behaviour while using computer-aided systems engineering (CASE) tools. A previous empirical study of developers in several countries is revisited. Findings indicate that the mediating effects of task and phase upon the relationship among constraints, attitudes and behaviour are weak. They thereby support earlier research, which claims significance between attitudes and behaviour, by eliminating the potentially mediating effects of task and phase. Findings also indicate that CASE tool users associate implementation, integration and maintenance in terms of tasks and constraints, suggesting a reassessment of traditional life cycle models.
Gtx, an oligodendrocyte-specific homeodomain protein, has repressor activity.

Myelin, a multilamellar membrane structure that facilitates nerve conduction, is synthesized in the central nervous system (CNS) by oligodendrocytes. Gtx, a member of the homeodomain family of transcriptional factors, is a candidate regulator of myelin gene expression, because it is uniquely expressed in myelinating oligodendrocytes in postnatal rodent brain. To analyze the regulatory activity of Gtx, we first identified the optimal Gtx-binding sequence using an in vitro DNA-binding assay. This sequence, (A/T)TTAATGA, contains a TAAT core and is similar, but not identical, to that of other homeodomain protein binding sites. When coexpressed in cultured cells along with a minimal promoter containing five tandem repeats of this optimal Gtx-binding sequence, Gtx demonstrated repressor activity, which was also present when Gtx was tethered to DNA by way of the strong GAL4 DNA-binding domain. Truncations of the GAL4–Gtx fusion identified a portable repressor domain within a relatively proline/alanine-rich region N-terminal to the Gtx homeodomain. Cotransfection of a Gtx expression vector into a variety of cell lines, including oligodendrocytes, along with constructs containing portions of the PLP, MBP, or Gtx promoters fused to a reporter gene, however, did not modulate transcription from any of these promoter constructs. These data support the notion that the oligodendrocyte-specific homeodomain protein Gtx can act as a transcriptional repressor. In addition, they suggest that interaction of Gtx with other, as yet undefined, transcriptional regulators modifies Gtx activity in oligodendrocytes. J. Neurosci. Res. 61:376–387, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Heat of hydrolysis of some phosphate compounds.

Abstract The enzymatic hydrolysis of various phosphate compounds was carried out in an isothermic calorimeter. The following heats of reaction were found (average values): p -nitrophenyl phosphate, 4500 cal./mole; sodium pyrophosphate, 9000 cal./mole; POP bond of diphosphopyridine nucleotide, 13,000 cal./mole.
Dislocation-mediated melting: the one-component plasma limit.

The melting parameter ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{m}$ of a classical one-component plasma is estimated using a relation between the melting temperature, density, shear modulus, and a crystal coordination number that follows from our model of dislocation-mediated melting. We obtain ${\ensuremath{\Gamma}}_{m}=172\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}35,$ in good agreement with the results of numerous Monte Carlo calculations.
Food quality and the heterogeneous spatial distribution of meiofauna

Several different experimental approaches were used to examine recruitment of benthic meiofauna to patches of selected species of algae. In one approach algal-coated, baited slides were incubated in a salt marsh littoral benthos. The second approach employed patches of algae arrayed equidistantly around an inoculum of meiofauna in a petri dish. Meiofauna were shown to be selectively recruited to patches of some species of algae but not to others. The evidence obtained supports a hypothesis that selective recruitment of meiofauna can be one mechanism which establishes the spatial heterogeneity so often observed in natural collections of meiofauna.
A Novel Assay for Comparing Affinity Constants of Ligands with Small Differences in Affinity: Application to Low-Density Lipoproteins

Analysis of the relevant mass action equations predicts that a dual-label approach can be used to compare quantitatively the equilibrium association constants of different ligands that bind to the same receptor. Indicator-dilution analysis predicts that the only source of error in such an approach will be that attributable to measurement of the label (e.g., gamma counting). Such an approach was designed and validated with respect to low-density lipoproteins (LDL). It was found that LDL with differences in affinity for the LDL receptor of as little as 10% could be readily distinguished, even in a large screening setting. Assessment of the affinities of LDL isolated from 100 subjects with a variety of lipoprotein disorders indicated that marked defects in the ability of LDL to bind to their receptor are not common. Furthermore, in these subjects a direct relationship was observed between the plasma LDL cholesterol concentration and the affinity of the circulating LDL for the LDL receptor, suggesting that in general LDL receptor number, rather than LDL affinity, plays the more important role in determining plasma LDL concentrations.
Random Sampling from a Truncated Multivariate Normal Distribution

Abstract This note critiques a procedure suggested by Ahmad and Abd-El-Hakim for drawing random samples from a truncated bivariate normal distribution. An alternative methodology using the Gibbs sampler is described. The techniques can be used for sampling from a truncated multivariate normal distribution. The GAUSS code is included as an appendix.
Reduced outward K+ conductances generate depolarizing after–potentials in rat supraoptic nucleus neurones

1. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings were obtained from sixty-five rat supraoptic nucleus (SON) neurones in brain slices to investigate ionic mechanisms underlying depolarizing after-potentials (DAPs). When cells were voltage clamped around -58 mV, slow inward currents mediating DAPs (IDAP), evoked by three brief depolarizing pulses, had a peak of 17 +/- 1 pA (mean +/- S.E.M.) and lasted for 2.8 +/- 0.1 s. 2. No significant differences in the amplitude and duration were observed when one to three preceding depolarizing pulses were applied, although there was a tendency for twin pulses to evoke larger IDAP than a single pulse. The IDAP was absent when membrane potentials were more negative than -70 mV. In the range -70 to -50 mV, IDAP amplitudes and durations increased as the membrane became more depolarized, with an activation threshold of -65.7 +/- 0.7 mV. 3. IDAP with normal amplitude and duration could be evoked during the decay of a preceding IDAP. As frequencies of depolarizing pulses rose from 2 to 20 Hz, the times to peak IDAP amplitude were reduced but the amplitudes and durations did not change. 4. A consistent reduction in membrane conductance during the IDAP was observed in all SON neurones tested, and averaged 34.6 +/- 3.3%. Small hyperpolarizing pulses used to measure membrane conductances appeared not to disturb major ionic mechanisms underlying IDAP, since the slope and duration of IDAP with and without test pulses were similar. 5. The IDAP had an averaged reversal potential of -87.4 +/- 1.6 mV, which was close to the K+ equilibrium potential. An elevation in [K+]o reduced or abolished the IDAP, and shifted its reversal potential toward more positive levels. Perifusion of slices with 7.5-10 mM TEA, a K+ channel blocker, reversibly suppressed the IDAP. 6. Both Na+ and Ca2+ currents failed to induce an IDAP-like current during perifusion of slices with media containing high [K+]o or TEA. However, the IDAP was abolished by replacing external Ca2+ with Co2+, or replacing 82% of external Na+ with choline or Li+. Perifusion of slices with media containing 1-2 microM TTX also reduced IDAP by 55.5 +/- 9.0%. 7. These results suggest that the generation of DAPs in SON neurones mainly involves a reduction in outward K+ current(s), which probably has little or no inactivation and can be inhibited by [Ca2+]i transients, due to Ca2+ influx during action potentials and Ca2+ release from internal stores. Na+ influx might provide a permissive influence for Ca(2+)-induced reduction of K+ conductances and/or help to raise [Ca2+]i via reverse-mode Ca(2+)-Na+ exchange. Other conductances, making minor contributions to the IDAP, may also be involved.
Order review/release: research issues and perspectives

SUMMARY This paper examines the order review/release (ORR) function and its impact on the operation of the shop floor. A source of disagreement between practitioners and researchers, ORR is an important element of any shop floor control system. This paper attempts to provide a better understanding of this element by presenting a framework for ORR. This framework not only identifies the important dimensions of ORR but also new dimensions for research. The paper also explores the relationship between ORR and job dispatching through a simple computer simulation model. The results indicate that the ORR, while reducing time spent in queue on the shop floor, does not always reduce the total time spent in the system.
An Assessment Framework for Professional Development Schools: Going Beyond the Leap of Faith

After reviewing the challenges of careful documentation of professional development school (PDS) impacts, the author proposes an integrated conceptual map that uses multiple measures and sources of...
Interest mining from user tweets

We build a system to extract user interests from Twitter messages. Specifically, we extract interest candidates using linguistic patterns and rank them using four different keyphrase ranking techniques: TFIDF, TextRank, LDA-TextRank, and Relevance-Interestingness-Rank (RI-Rank). We also explore the complementary relation between TFIDF and TextRank in ranking interest candidates. Top ranked interests are evaluated with user feedback gathered from an online survey. The results show that TFIDF and TextRank are both suitable for extracting user interests from tweets. Moreover, the combination of TFIDF and TextRank consistently yields the highest user positive feedback.
The Use of Emotional Imagery and Language in Egg Donation Web Sites

This research study sought to explore the use of emotional imagery and language on popular web sites that target egg donors. The research process included (1) systematic selection of Internet sites most accessible to consumers and (2) a standardized description of each Internet site. From September 1, 2010 to October 1, 2010, the three-member research team gathered and analyzed the content of 19 web sites. Overall, the majority of egg donation web sites utilized emotional imagery and language in their appeals to egg donors. The most common emotional language used was “gift” or “gift of life,” mentioned 16 times on a total of nine web sites. Moreover, three themes emerged pertaining to this emotional language: (1) making dreams come true for reproductively challenged women, (2) giving the gift of life, and (3) life-changing journey for the egg donor. Implications for social work practice, policy, and research are discussed.
Comparison of Single- and Dual-Coil Active Pectoral Defibrillation Lead Systems

Abstract Objectives. The purpose of this study was to compare defibrillation thresholds with lead systems consisting of an active left pectoral electrode and either single or dual transvenous coils. Background. Lead systems that include an active pectoral pulse generator reduce defibrillation thresholds and permit transvenous defibrillation in nearly all patients. A further improvement in defibrillation efficacy is desirable to allow for smaller pulse generators with a reduced maximal output. Methods. This prospective study was performed in 50 consecutive patients. Each patient was evaluated with two lead configurations with the order of testing randomized. Shocks were delivered between the right ventricular coil and either an active can alone (single coil) or an active can with the proximal atrial coil (dual coil). The right ventricular coil was the cathode for the first phase of the biphasic defibrillation waveform. Results. Delivered energy at the defibrillation threshold was 10.1 ± 5.0 J for the single-coil configuration and 8.7 ± 4.0 J for the dual-coil configuration (p Conclusions. A dual-coil, active pectoral lead system reduces defibrillation energy requirements compared with a single-coil, unipolar configuration.
Protocols for More Effective Induction of Tetraploid Rainbow Trout

Abstract Practical use of tetraploids in culture of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to make triploid production fish depends on (1) the effectiveness of the induction process and (2) the ability of tetraploids to reproduce and yield viable offspring. Investigations were undertaken to develop a protocol for the induction of tetraploidy to compensate for differences in time to first cleavage (i.e., first cleavage interval [FCI]). Small aliquots of eggs (∼500) from individual females were immediately fertilized and evaluated for FCI. The remaining eggs were stored at 4°C for less than 24 h and were subjected to varying hydrostatic pressures at different initiation times and durations of treatment based on FCI. The most successful protocol involved treatment at 9,000 lb/in2(633 kg/cm2) for 8 min starting at 62–65% of the FCI for two strains, while the results for the third strain were less clear and need further investigation. Observed population-level changes FCI over one generation of culture in our facil...
Recognition of familiar faces by newborns

Newborns, ranging from 12 to 36 hours of age, produced significantly more sucking responses in order to see an image of their mothers' faces as opposed to an image of strangers' faces using a preferential operant sucking procedure.
Interactive Value Model Trading for Resilient Systems Decisions

The Interactive Model-Centric Systems Engineering research effort is interested in developing knowledge necessary to leverage the increasing involvement of computational models in system design. A key activity in such model-centric environments is the selection and usage of models to generate data for decision making. Extending work from prior demonstrations, this paper presents a case study where insights are gained via usage and comparison of multiple models. The results highlight the need to explore how model choice and trade-off can impact the attractiveness of alternative systems. Sixteen tradespaces of cost-benefit data are generated via combined pairwise usage of four alternative evaluative models (performance and cost calculations) and four alternative value models (calculating the “goodness” of different levels of performance and cost). These tradespaces are used to determine attractive Pareto efficient Space Tug vehicles, as well as insights that are less sensitive to model choice. No best model is shown, but rather different models provide insights into different aspects of the system evaluation and valuation activity. Two categories of insights are highlighted: patterns in the structure of the decision problem (i.e., how “value” is defined and what systems might be feasible) and artifacts of the models themselves (i.e., how to mitigate against misleading results due to model abstractions).
Distribution and magnitude of type I error of model‐based multipoint lod scores: implications for multipoint mod scores

The multipoint lod score and mod score methods have been advocated for their superior power in detecting linkage. However, little has been done to determine the distribution of multipoint lod scores or to examine the properties of mod scores. In this paper we study the distribution of multipoint lod scores both analytically and by simulation. We also study by simulation the distribution of maximum multipoint lod scores when maximized over different penetrance models. The multipoint lod score is approximately normally distributed with mean and variance that depend on marker informativity, marker density, specified genetic model, number of pedigrees, pedigree structure, and pattern of affection status. When the multipoint lod scores are maximized over a set of assumed penetrances models, an excess of false positive indications of linkage appear under dominant analysis models with low penetrances and under recessive analysis models with high penetrances. Therefore, caution should be taken in interpreting results when employing multipoint lod score and mod score approaches, in particular when inferring the level of linkage significance and the mode of inheritance of a trait.
Amphetamine causes dopamine depletion and cell death in the mouse olfactory bulb.

Amphetamine is a neurotoxic psychostimulant that causes dopamine depletion and neuronal death in the rodent striatum. In the present study, we sought to determine if toxic doses of the drug can also induce pathological changes in the mouse olfactory bulb. We found that injections of amphetamine (10 mg/kg × 4, given 2 h apart) caused significant decreases in dopamine levels in that structure. This dose of the drug also induced substantial increases in the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyribonucleotide triphosphate (dNTP) nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells in the olfactory bulb indicative of elevated DNA fragmentation. These results show that the toxic effects of amphetamine involve the olfactory bulb in addition to the striatum. These observations need to be taken into consideration when discussing the clinical course of amphetamine addiction.
Physics-Based Scalable Modeling of GaAs HBTs

While physics-based scalable models are commonplace in the Si industry, there has been little work on applying these techniques to III-V HBTs. The diversification of performance requirements for various handset standards presents an excellent opportunity for GaAs to adopt and even improve upon this modeling methodology. In this work we will present the implementation and application of physics-based scalable models to materials from a GaAs HBT manufacturing line. The application of this methodology has greatly reduced the time, effort, and expense of generating HBT models for multiple material structures using a given technology generation.
Plasmalogen-Derived Lysolipid Induces a Depolarizing Cation Current in Rabbit Ventricular Myocytes

Abstract—Plasmalogen rather than diacyl phospholipids are the preferred substrate for the cardiac phospholipase A2 (PLA2) isoform activated during ischemia. The diacyl metabolite, lysophosphatidylcholine, is arrhythmogenic, but the effects of the plasmalogen metabolite, lysoplasmenylcholine (LPLC), are essentially unknown. We found that 2.5 and 5 μmol/L LPLC induced spontaneous contractions of intact isolated rabbit ventricular myocytes (median times, 27.4 and 16.4 minutes, respectively) significantly faster than lysophosphatidylcholine (>60 and 37.8 minutes, respectively). Whole-cell recordings revealed that LPLC depolarized the resting membrane potential from –83.5±0.2 to –21.5±1.0 mV. Depolarization was due to a guanidinium toxin–insensitive Na+ influx. The LPLC-induced current reversed at –18.5±0.9 mV and was shifted 26.7±4.2 mV negative by a 10-fold reduction of bath Na+ (Na+/K+ permeability ratio, ≈ 0.12±0.06). In contrast, block of Ca2+ channels with Cd2+ and reducing bath Cl– failed to affect the ...
Quality control data for low blood lead concentrations by three methods used in clinical studies.

During several clinical studies of blood lead (BPb) concentrations from environmental exposure, quality control data for three different methods of BPb analysis were complied. Anodic stripping v01tammetry by a commercial method (cASV), a modified method (mASV), and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometry (GFAA) were compared for precision at low BPb concentrations (<25 ~gldL) analyses. Both duplicate and interasssy precision, as well as direct determinations of Intrsssssy precision, were less for GFAA. The mASV Incorporated calibration with lower BPb standards than used in the commercial protocol. This appeared to correct nonlinearity in response at lower BPb and reduced the bias between ASV and GFAA at BPb concentrations typical of environmental exposure levels.
Role of the Helicobacter pylori Sensor Kinase ArsS in Protein Trafficking and Acid Acclimation

Helicobacter pylori survives and grows at low pHs via acid acclimation mechanisms that enable periplasmic pH homeostasis. Important components include a cytoplasmic urease; a pH-gated urea channel, UreI; and periplasmic α-carbonic anhydrase. To allow the rapid adjustment of periplasmic pH, acid acclimation components are recruited to the inner membrane in acid. The ArsRS two-component system, in an acid-responsive manner, controls the transcription of the urease gene cluster and α-carbonic anhydrase. The aim of this study is to determine the role of ArsS in protein trafficking as a component of acid acclimation. H. pylori wild-type and ΔarsS bacteria were incubated at acidic and neutral pHs. Intact bacteria, purified membranes, and total protein were analyzed by Western blotting and urease activity measurements. The total urease activity level was decreased in the ΔarsS strain, but the acid activation of UreI was unaffected. A 30-min acid exposure increased the level and activity of urease proteins at the membrane in the wild type but not in the ΔarsS strain. The urease levels and activity of the ΔarsS strain after a 90-min acid exposure were similar to those of the wild type. ArsS, in addition to its role in urease gene transcription, is also involved in the recruitment of urease proteins to the inner membrane to augment acid acclimation during acute acid exposure. Urease membrane recruitment following prolonged acid exposure in the absence of ArsS was similar to that of the wild type, suggesting a compensatory mechanism, possibly regulated by FlgS, underscoring the importance of urease membrane recruitment and activation in periplasmic pH homeostasis.
Maximum posterior probability estimators of map accuracy

Assessing the accuracy of land cover maps is often prohibitively expensive because of the difficulty of collecting a statistically valid probability sample from the classified map. Even when post-classification sampling is undertaken, cost and accessibility constraints may result in imprecise estimates of map accuracy. If the map is constructed via supervised classification, then the training sample provides a potential alternative source of data for accuracy assessment. Yet unless the training sample is collected by probability sampling, the estimates are, at best, of uncertain quality, and may be substantially biased. This article discusses a new approach to map accuracy assessment based on maximum posterior probability estimators. Maximum posterior probability estimators are resistant to bias induced by non-representative sampling, and so are intended for situations in which the training sample is collected without using a statistical sampling design. The maximum posterior probability approach may also be used to increase the precision of estimates obtained from a post-classification sample. In addition to discussing maximum posterior probability estimators, this article reports on a simulation study comparing three approaches to estimating map accuracy: 1) post-classification sampling, 2) resampling the training sample via cross-validation, and 3) maximum posterior probability estimation. The simulation study showed substantial reductions in bias and improvements in precision in comparisons of maximum posterior probability and cross-validation estimators when the training sample was not representative of the map. In addition, combining an ordinary post-classification estimator and the maximum posterior probability estimator produced an estimator that was at least, and usually more precise than the ordinary post-classification estimator.
TRANSPORT LEGACY OF THE OLYMPIC GAMES, 1992–2012

ABSTRACT:Legacy planning in preparation for the Olympic Games has significantly grown in importance for host cities and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because of wasteful investments for...
Longitudinal Relationships Between Alzheimer Disease Progression and Psychosis, Depressed Mood, and Agitation/Aggression

Objectives Behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) are prevalent in Alzheimer disease (AD) and are related to poor outcomes such as nursing home placement. No study has examined the impact of individual BPSD on dependence, a clinically important feature that reflects changing patient needs and their effect on caregivers. The current study characterized independent cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between three BPSD (psychosis, depressed mood, and agitation/aggression), cognition, and dependence to better understand the interplay between these symptoms over time. Design The Predictors Study measured changes in BPSD, cognition, and dependence every 6 months in patients with AD. Cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between individual BPSD, cognition, and dependence over 6 years were characterized by using multivariate latent growth curve modeling. This approach characterizes independent changes in multiple outcome measures over time. Setting Four memory clinics in the United States and Europe. Participants A total of 517 patients with probable AD. Measurements Columbia University Scale for Psychopathology, modified Mini–Mental State Examination, and Dependence Scale. Results Both psychosis and depressed mood at study entry were associated with worse subsequent cognitive decline. Independent of cognitive decline, initial psychosis was associated with worse subsequent increases in dependence. Rates of increase in agitation/aggression separately correlated with rates of declines in both cognition and independence. Conclusions Although purely observational, our findings support the poor prognosis associated with psychosis and depression in AD. Results also show that agitation/aggression tracks declines in cognition and independence independently over time. Targeted intervention for individual BPSD, particularly psychosis, could have broad effects not only on patient well-being but also on care costs and family burden.
Use of a computerized decision aid for developmental surveillance and screening: a randomized clinical trial

Importance Developmental delays and disabilities are common in children. Research has indicated that intervention during the early years of a child's life has a positive effect on cognitive development, social skills and behavior, and subsequent school performance. Objective To determine whether a computerized clinical decision support system is an effective approach to improve standardized developmental surveillance and screening (DSS) within primary care practices. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cluster randomized clinical trial performed in 4 pediatric clinics from June 1, 2010, through December 31, 2012, children younger than 66 months seen for primary care were studied. Interventions We compared surveillance and screening practices after adding a DSS module to an existing computer decision support system. Main Outcomes and Measures The rates at which children were screened for developmental delay. Results Medical records were reviewed for 360 children (180 each in the intervention and control groups) to compare rates of developmental screening at the 9-, 18-, or 30-month well-child care visits. The DSS module led to a significant increase in the percentage of patients screened with a standardized screening tool (85.0% vs 24.4%,P Conclusions and Relevance Using a computerized clinical decision support system to automate the screening of children for developmental delay significantly increased the numbers of children screened at 9, 18, and 30 months of age. It also significantly improved surveillance at other visits. Moreover, it increased the number of children who ultimately were diagnosed as having developmental delay and who were referred for timely services at an earlier age. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier:NCT01351077
A bandwidth-aware memory-subsystem resource management using non-invasive resource profilers for large CMP systems

By integrating multiple cores in a single chip, Chip Multiprocessors (CMP) provide an attractive approach to improve both system throughput and efficiency. This integration allows the sharing of on-chip resources which may lead to destructive interference between the executing workloads. Memorysubsystem is an important shared resource that contributes significantly to the overall throughput and power consumption. In order to prevent destructive interference, the cache capacity and memory bandwidth requirements of the last level cache have to be controlled. While previously proposed schemes focus on resource sharing within a chip, we explore additional possibilities both inside and outside a single chip. We propose a dynamic memory-subsystem resource management scheme that considers both cache capacity and memory bandwidth contention in large multi-chip CMP systems. Our approach uses low overhead, non-invasive resource profilers that are based on Mattson's stack distance algorithm to project each core's resource requirements and guide our cache partitioning algorithms. Our bandwidth-aware algorithm seeks for throughput optimizations among multiple chips by migrating workloads from the most resource-overcommitted chips to the ones with more available resources. Use of bandwidth as a criterion results in an overall 18% reduction in memory bandwidth along with a 7.9% reduction in miss rate, compared to existing resource management schemes. Using a cycle-accurate full system simulator, our approach achieved an average improvement of 8.5% on throughput.
Five-year survival after surgical treatment for kidney cancer: a population-based competing risk analysis.

BACKGROUND. Kidney cancer’s rising incidence is largely attributable to the increased detection of small renal masses. Although surgery rates have paralleled this incidence trend, mortality continues to rise, calling into question the necessity of surgery for all patients with renal masses. Using a population-based cohort, a competing risk analysis was performed to estimate patient survival after surgery for kidney cancer, as a function of patient age and tumor size at diagnosis. METHODS. With data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program (1983–2002), a cohort was assembled of 26,618 patients with surgically treated, local-regional kidney cancer. Patients were sorted into 20 age-tumor size categories and the numbers of patients that were alive, dead from kidney cancer, and dead from other causes were tabulated. Poisson regression models were fitted to obtain estimates of cancer-specific and competing-cause mortality. RESULTS. Age-specific kidney cancer mortality was stable across all size strata but varied inversely with tumor size. Patients with the smallest tumors enjoyed the lowest cancer-specific mortality (5% for masses � 4 cm). Competing-cause mortality rose with increasing patient age. The estimated 5-year competing-cause mortality for elderly subjects (� 70 years) was 28.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 25.9%–30.8%), irrespective of tumor size. CONCLUSIONS. Despite surgical therapy, competing-cause mortality for patients with renal masses rises with increasing patient age. After 5 years, one-third of elderly patients (� 70 years) will die from other causes, suggesting the need for prospective studies to evaluate the role of active surveillance as an initial therapeutic approach for some small renal masses. Cancer 2007;109:1763–8. � 2007 American Cancer Society.
A statistical meta-analysis of the wellbeing literature

This study employs an empirical meta-analysis to examine the livability factors of wellbeing and assess each precursor's relative significance. The effect size results of individual studies of existing academic work are pooled by the use of a variety of statistical techniques to determine a meta-effect that yields statistically more significant conclusions and is a more powerful measure in that it has the ability to identify results closer to the true outcomes. The meta- analysis in this paper covers 164 studies and 560 observations published prior to September 2013. After articulating definitions of the central concepts and tenets of the scholarly research on wellbeing, the analysis continues with a literature review identifying recurring factors of wellbeing and the associated correlation. To address the variation in the type of analysis that underlies each study, all studies are converted to an effect size using Fischer's z and then analyzed under the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model. The results largely confirm the findings in the literature but also reveal some surprises and suggest avenues for future research. The meta- analysis finds empirical support for the dimensions of living standard, health, freedom, personal and community relationships, peace, and security as significant livability factors of wellbeing.
E-cadherin mediates adhesion and suppresses cell motility via distinct mechanisms

Expression of the calcium-dependent adhesion molecule E-cadherin suppresses the invasion of cells in vitro, but the mechanism of this effect is unknown. To investigate this mechanism, we analyzed the effects of expressing E-cadherin in mouse L-cells and rat astrocyte-like WC5 cells. Increased cellular adhesion mediated by E-cadherin reduced invasion in WC5 cells and in some L-cells, but not in others. In all cases, suppression of invasion was correlated with decreased cell movement as assessed in an in vitro wound-filling assay and a transwell motility assay. To define the relationship between adhesion mediated by E-cadherin and suppression of motility, we analyzed the effects of deleting different regions of the E-cadherin cytoplasmic domain. E-cadherin lacking the entire cytoplasmic domain did not mediate calcium-dependent adhesion and did not reduce cell motility when expressed in WC5 cells. E-cadherin lacking a portion of the catenin-binding domain did not associate with the cytoskeleton and did not promote adhesion, yet still suppressed the motility of WC5 cells. In addition, E-cadherin that retains an intact catenin-binding domain, but lacks a juxtamembrane portion of the cytoplasmic domain, mediated effective adhesion, but did not suppress motility. These results indicate E-cadherin mediates adhesion and suppresses cell motility via distinct of E-cadherin plays a key role in suppressing motility.
Surface-energy dependent spreading of lipid monolayers and bilayers.

Spontaneous spreading of phospholipids following hydration by water is directly compared on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces using planar, composite substrates exhibiting binary patterns of surface energies. The use of patterned substrates—in conjunction with real-time, quantitative applications of imaging ellipsometry and epifluorescence microscopy—affords a side-by-side comparison of spreading kinetics and equilibrium morphologies following the hydration of a single parent-lipid source. We find that for fluid phospholipids (T > Tm), substantially contiguous bimolecular and mono-molecular lipid layers spread away from a source on hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces, respectively. For bilayers and monolayers, the advancing lipid sheets exhibit square-root-of-time dependent kinetics reflecting a balance between a spreading force and a resistive drag. Furthermore, monolayers advance at only a slightly faster rate (by a factor of 1.7 ± 0.2) than bilayers despite a substantially higher available spreading energy. This apparently counter-intuitive observation can be reconciled in terms of a corresponding rise in the competing drag energy—consistent with the differences in slip-planes associated with mono- and bilayer spreading.
Enhancement of visible light photocatalytic activity of tantalum oxynitride and tantalum nitride by coupling with bismuth oxide; an example of composite photocatalysis

Composite photocatalysts comprised of two semiconducting oxides, with suitable band gaps and band positions, have been reported as an effective approach to enhance photocatalytic activity in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Here, we report the synthesis, characterization, and photocatalytic evaluations of semiconducting composites made by combing bismuth oxide with either tantalum oxynitride or tantalum nitride. Visible light active composites were synthesized using solution chemistry synthesis method. The composites were characterized by powder X- ray diffraction (PXRD), diffuse reflectance UV-Vis spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL). Their photocatalytic activities were evaluated for generation of hydrogen from an aqueous methanol solution under visible light irradiation (λ≥ 420 nm). The as-prepared composite catalysts are found to have longer photogenerated charge-carrier life time, resulting in enhanced photocatalytic activities.
In Search of Israel’s Insider Status: A Reevaluation of Israel’s Origins

In an effort to better understand Israel’s origins, scholarship has proposed several models for its emergence in the land, many of which call into question the idea of a pan-Israelite exodus from Egypt. In spite of their differences, these models adhere to a common set of presuppositions and ultimately conclude that Israel consisted of a group of geographical, economic, and/or political outsiders. Drawing on several theoretical insights regarding the nature of social power and the makeup of ancient states in my analysis of the Amarna letters, I propose another alternative. The polities and populations of the Late Bronze Age Levant were more diverse and fluid than is generally recognized. Social power was widely distributed and often negotiated among a range of political players in an “egalitarian” manner. Because of this, political entities and alliances took a number of forms, including those that consisted of populations that were defined by settled centers and those that were not. This reconstruction highlights several points of continuity between the Levantine landscape of the Late Bronze Age and the constituents of early Israel as they are depicted in some of the core passages in the Bible, suggesting that early Israel included a contingent of geographical, economic, and political insiders.
Prenatal diagnosis in 3,000 women for chromosome, X-linked, and metabolic disorders

In 3,000 women referred for prenatal diagnosis, 110(3.7%) abnormal fetuses were detected and 85 therapeutic terminations were performed. These were five main reasons for referral. Among the 2,227 women referred because of maternal age 35 years and older, there were 51 (2.3%) who had aneuploid fetuses. In the 297 women referred because of a previous child with Down syndrome, 3 aneuploid fetuses (1.0%) were detected. Of the 55 couples where one spouse was a carrier of a balanced chromosome rearrangement, 6 chromosomally abnormal fetuses were found (10.9%) (all the offspring of maternal carriers). In the latter group, five of the six heterozygotes with abnormal findings were carriers of tdic (13;21) translocations. In the 82 cases with a history of X-linked disorders, there were 40 males (49%). Thirty-five women were referred because of inborn errors of metabolism: 10 affected fetuses were found (28%). There was a greater proportion of sex-chromosome aneuploids as compared to trisomy 21 fetuses in the 35 to 39 year maternal age group. This was reversed in the group of women 40 years old and older. Of the 25 abnormal fetuses not terminated, 6 were sex chromosome aneuploids and 10 involved X-linked conditions where the progeny could be further prenatally monitored (eg, X-linked hydrocephalus) or treated (eg, hemophilia). In the remaining 9 the parents expressed divers reasons for their choice. Repeat amniocentesis was required in 2.9% of cases. One case of maternal cell contamination and one case of unconfirmed mosaicism were the only diagnostic errors found in the study. In the last 1,000 specimens referred, the average time necessary for a karyotypic result was 15.6 +/- 5.6 days after amniocentesis.