cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cerebral dysgeneses associated with chromosomal disorders

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the brain abnormalities reported in chromosomal disorders commonly seen in a pediatric neurology practice, as well as in a few rare disorders of special interest. The clinical features, including the brain abnormalities, seen in chromosomal disorders are often nonspecific. Within many syndromes, a broad spectrum of central nervous system abnormalities may be seen, but certain patterns of brain malformation are seen with greater frequency. This is because of the fact that common genes are affected in specific syndromes and it is the disturbance of normal gene expression that ultimately results in the observed malformations. Advances in neuroimaging, along with new techniques being developed in the fields of gene expression and proteomics, promise to revolutionize the understanding of the mechanisms responsible for brain malformations. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can already be done not only in very young infants but also in fetuses. This can help in learning not only what is abnormal about the brains of children with chromosomal abnormalities, but also when the changes are first noted.
FOREIGN AID AND DOMESTIC SAVINGS: THE CROWDING OUT EFFECT

The paper examines the relationship between foreign aid and savings using annual data for 119 countries. Regressions for each country are run separately in order to find which countries have a positive aid-saving experience. The explanatory variables chosen are thought to be exogenous to current economic policy. Countries are placed into five categories according to the strength of the aid-saving relationship. Few countries show evidence of substantial crowding out. Consequently, aid is found to be clearly beneficial to saving and, hence, investment for the preponderance of these countries.
Parallel Functional Reactive Programming

In this paper, we demonstrate how Functional Reactive Programming (FRP), a framework for the description of interactive systems, can be extended to encompass parallel systems. FRP is based on Haskell, a purely functional programming language, and incorporates the concepts of time variation and reactivity. Parallel FRP serves as a declarative system model that may be transformed into a parallel implementation using the standard program transformation techniques of functional programming. The semantics of parallel FRP include non-determinism, enhancing opportunities to introduce parallelism. We demonstrate a variety of program transformations based on parallel FRP and show how a FRP model may be transformed into explicitly parallel code. Parallel FRP is implemented using the Linda programming system to handle the underlying parallelism. As an example of parallel FRP, we show how a specification for a web-based online auctioning system can be transformed into a parallel implementation.
Relationship Advice Columns from Two Popular Magazines: Implications for Therapy with Women, Men and Heterosexual Couples.

ABSTRACT The relationship advice columns for two popular magazines (one targeted to female and the other to male readers) were discussed within the conceptual frameworks of centerfold syndrome and appearance obsession. Centerfold syndrome is a theory that describes the way men view women and sexuality. The female counterpart is appearance obsession which theorizes that women are motivated to meet unrealistic beauty standards as a primary avenue toward relationships. The media's role in promulgating centerfold syndrome and appearance obsession, and its consequences, are examined. Therapeutic implications for relationship counseling with women, men and couples are outlined.
Of Rafts and Lipid Chain Lengths

Plasma membranes are believed to be highly heterogeneous, and to contain coexisting liquid-ordered domains (known as rafts), which are enriched in cholesterol and sphingomyelin, and liquid-disordered domains. Similar heterogeneities exist in synthetic membrane systems. Previous studies of asymmetric lipid bilayers have demonstrated that the presence of domains in one (outer) leaflet of the bilayer can induce domain formation in the other (inner) leaflet, a phenomenon known as interleaflet coupling (1–3).
Quinone Methides in Lignification

JOHN RALPH, PAUL F. SCHATZ, FACHUANG LU, HOON KIM, TAKUYA AKIYAMA, AND STEPHEN F. NELSEN Department of Biochemistry and Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA Department of Biological Systems Engineering, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA Dairy Forage Research Center, USDA-Agricultural Research Service, Madison, WI, USA RIKEN Plant Science Center, Suehiro, Tsurumi, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
Central nervous control of energy and glucose balance: focus on the central melanocortin system

Studies have suggested that manipulations of the central melanocortin circuitry by pharmacological agents produce robust effects on the regulation of body weight and glucose homeostasis. In this review, we discuss recent findings from genetic mouse models that have further established the physiological relevance of this circuitry in the context of glucose and energy balance. In addition, we will discuss distinct neuronal populations that respond to central melanocortins to regulate food intake, energy expenditure, insulin sensitivity, and insulin secretion, respectively. Finally, multiple hormonal and neural cues (e.g., leptin, estrogen, and serotonin) that use the melanocortin systems to regulate energy and glucose homeostasis will be reviewed. These findings suggest that targeting the specific branches of melanocortin circuits may be potential avenues to combat the current obesity and diabetes epidemics.
Bench-to-bedside review: microvascular and airspace linkage in ventilator-induced lung injury.

Experimental and clinical evidence point strongly toward the potential for microvascular stresses to influence the severity and expression of ventilator associated lung injury. Intense microvascular stresses not only influence edema but predispose to structural failure of the gas–blood barrier, possibly with adverse consequences for the lung and for extrapulmonary organs. Taking measures to lower vascular stress may offer a logical, but as yet unproven, extension of a lung-protective strategy for life support in ARDS.
EM Analysis of Protein Structure

Proteins carry out most cellular processes in the context of dynamic multiprotein assemblies. Although mapping the large number of protein interactions found within cells is progressing rapidly, we still lack knowledge about how proteins assemble into macromolecular machines to perform their functions. Electron microscopy can be used to determine the shape and structures of biological molecules that are difficult to study by more traditional structural approaches, such as X-ray crystallography and NMR analysis. However, since biological molecules are composed mainly of low electron scattering atoms and contain large amounts of water, it is necessary to use special preparation techniques to protect the structural integrity of biological specimens in the vacuum of the electron microscope and improve the amount of contrast created by the sample. Negative staining, rotary shadowing and cryo-EM are all powerful techniques that are useful for examining the structures and molecular organization of biological complexes by EM. Key concepts: Negative staining is a valuable approach to characterizing the structural homogeneity of a sample. Negative staining can be used to quantify major conformational shifts of proteins and complexes in response to the addition of inhibitors, activators or ligands. Rotary shadowing provides information about the surface topology of a specimen. Cryo-EM preserves specimens in a near-native environment and is used to generate high-resolution 3D structures of large macromolecular complexes. Keywords: vitrification; negative stain; metal shadowing; single-particle EM; structural biology
Modeling spatial relationships between multimodal transportation infrastructure and traffic safety outcomes in urban environments

The interest in multimodal transportation improvements in urban areas is increasing in cities across the U.S. Improved access to multimodal transportation attracts new users, but can possibly increase their exposure to risk from crashes, particularly in areas where the “safety in numbers” phenomenon does not exist. The relationship between access to multimodal transportation and safety in urban environment is complex, as non-motorized user vulnerability becomes a predominant risk factor when they are involved in a crash, even at lower vehicle speeds. This paper aims to evaluate the relationship between multimodal transportation infrastructure, expressed through the presence of multimodal facilities and user exposure, and traffic safety outcomes. Using Chicago as a case study, a comprehensive dataset is developed that significantly contributes to the existing literature by including socio-economic, land use, road network, travel demand, and crash data. Area-wide analysis on the census tract level provides a broader perspective about safety issues that multimodal users encounter in cities. Negative-binomial regression models with fixed and random effects are estimated to account for data overdispersion and spatial effects. Total vehicle-only crashes, total crashes with non-motorized users, and fatal vehicle-only crashes are modeled. The results show strong association between the variables related to multimodal transportation availability and usage, and both motorized and non-motorized crashes. Although simplified in terms of some spatial correlation assumptions, demonstrated methods prove to be a beneficial and computationally efficient tool for estimating and easily interpreting modeled relationships. Further research efforts to address the limitations of the presented approach are proposed.
Determination of surface dose rate from a 90Sr ophthalmic applicator.

Surface dose rates from two {sup 90}Sr ophthalmic applicators were measured using thin thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD) chips. The TLD's were calibrated against the {sup 90}Sr source itself. The calibration technique is described. The results were compared to those obtained by three other techniques. The calibration in terms of roentgen equivalent betas per second provided by the manufacturer was found to be {similar to}30% lower when compared to our measured dose rates. The surface dose rates obtained with the TLD's calibrated against 6-MV x rays were 18% higher. One of the two sources was sent to both the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Amersham International for calibration. NIST and Amersham use extrapolation chambers as a Bragg--Gray cavity to determine the surface dose rate. NIST results gave values higher than ours by {similar to}5%. The Amersham results were {similar to}35% lower than ours.
Light emitting diodes prepared from terbium-immobilized polyurea chelates

Abstract This article describes the synthesis and application of poly(1,4‐phenylene‐2,6‐pyridylurea) (MCPU) as a charge transporting and rare earth metal chelating host matrix for organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs). The chelation between MCPU and Terbium (Tb3+) (the rare earth metal used in this study), is facile in nature and persists in thin films obtained by spin coating onto various substrates. Multiple polymer chelating moieties at each Tb ion site may derive from MCPU repeat units from a single polymer chain or two polymer chains, and their respective structures are proposed. The emissive properties of these films in the presence and absence of Terbium (Tb3+) were characterized by steady state UV‐VIS absorption spectroscopy and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The PL emission from Tb(MCPU) films indicate contribution from both the host MCPU and the Tb ions. The incorporation of these films in OLEDs employing different device architectures yields electroluminescence spectra, which show the cha...
The problem of traumatic spondylolysis

Abstract The literature concerning the etiology of spondylolisthesis is reviewed from 1851 to the present. Perusal of this material did not yield a logical reason for considering the defect in the neural arch, which is the precursor of spondylolisthesis, as congenital in origin. The literature concerning traumatic spondylolysis has also been reviewed and reported cases cited. Three additional cases are reported. From the evidence presented thus far we are forced to conclude that “congenital spondylolysis” is an entity which has yet to be demonstrated, and that its acceptance as an entity is a perpetuation of early, erroneous observation
Meaning making in CSCL: conditions and preconditions for cognitive processes by groups

Meaning making is central to the interactions that take place in CSCL settings. The collaborative construction of shared meaning is a complex process that has not previously been analyzed in detail despite the fact that it is often acknowledged as being the distinguishing element in CSCL. Here, a three-minute excerpt from a discussion among three students is considered in some detail. The students are reflecting on their analysis of mathematical patterns in a synchronous online environment with text chat and a shared whiteboard. Several interaction methods and group cognitive processes are identified. The analysis suggests a number of conditions and preconditions of such interaction. These are necessary for achieving the potential of CSCL as the accomplishment of high-order cognitive tasks by small groups of learners. An understanding of the conditions and preconditions of the small-group meaning-making process may aid in the design and analysis of CSCL activities, as well as in the development of a theory of group cognition.
Transient Pseudomonas Bacteremia in a Heroin Addict: Resemblance to Right-Sided Endocarditis

INTRAVENOUS drug abuse has been associated with an increased risk ofPseudomonas aeruginosaendocarditis.1-3This infection has been particularly noteworthy for the frequency of right-sided (usually tricuspid valve) heart infections and a high incidence of pleuritic chest pain.3We report the case of a drug addict in whom a clinical syndrome resembling right-sidedPseudomonasendocarditis developed, which was eventually shown to be only a limited episode ofPseudomonassepticemia. Report of a Case A 21-year-old heroin addict came to the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in April 1976, complaining of pleuritic chest pain associated with mild hemoptysis. Pulmonary scintigraphy and pulmonary angiography showed pulmonary embolism. Catheterization of the right side of the heart showed mild pulmonary hypertension. Blood cultures including those from the right atrium and right ventricle were negative. Despite intravenous heparin sodium therapy, the patient remained intermittently febrile, and she experienced another episode of pleuritic chest pain
High throughput data redundancy removal algorithm with scalable performance

The ever growing need to process and analyze massive amounts of data from diverse sources such as telecom call data records, telescope imagery, web pages, stock markets, medical records and other domains has triggered worldwide research in data intensive computing. A key requirement here involves removing redundancy from data, as this enhances the compute efficiency for downstream data processing. These application domains have an intense need for high throughput data deduplication for huge volumes of data flowing at the rate of 1 GB/s or more. In this paper, we present the design of a novel parallel data redundancy removal algorithm. We also present a queueing theoretic analysis to optimize the throughput of our parallel algorithm on multi-core architectures. For 500M records, our parallel algorithm can perform complete deduplication in 255s, on 16 core Intel Xeon 5570 architecture. This gives a throughput of around 2M records/s. For 2048 byte records, we achieve a throughput of 0.81 GB/s. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest throughput for data redundancy removal on such massive datasets. We also demonstrate strong and weak scalability of our algorithm for both multi-core Power6 and Intel Xeon 5570 architectures.
The effect of geriatric evaluation and management on Medicare reimbursement in a large public hospital: a randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To study the effect of a geriatric evaluation and management program on health care charges and Medicare reimbursement. Design: Prospective randomized controlled trial during a 1-year study period. Setting: Large medical school-affiliated public hospital in an urban community. Subjects: Patients at least 70 years old admitted to the medicine service were screened and randomized into two groups of 100 patients each. Intervention: Patients randomized to the experimental group underwent initial comprehensive geriatric evaluation and once discharged from the hospital were enrolled in a geriatric care management and treatment program. The control group received usual care only. The major intervention of this study was in outpatient long-term care. Main Outcome Measure: Total charges for services billed to Medicare Part A and Part B and total Medicare reimbursement. The Medicare charge and reimbursement data were obtained by use of the Medicare Automated Data Retrieval System, a linked Medicare Part A and Part B utilization file. Results: Total charges and reimbursement were greater for the control group but not significantly so. Subset analysis revealed significantly greater inpatient charges (P < 0.03) and Medicare reimbursement (P < 0.005) for the control patients and a greater likelihood of utilization of home health care services in the experimental group (P < 0.01). Conclusion: A geriatric evaluation and management program appeared to shift utilization and Medicare expenditures from inpatient services to home health care services. There was no evidence that the experimental program resulted in increased expenditures for Medicare. In selected populations, geriatric evaluation and management programs may contribute to cost containment. J Am Geriatr Soc 40: 989–995, 1992
Cocaine self-administration behavior in inbred mouse lines segregating different capacities for inhibitory control.

Rationale Various dimensions of impulsivity have been linked to substance abuse and dependence, both as consequences of, and as predisposing factors to addiction. With respect to the latter, they may be quantitative indicators of liability for substance use disorders (SUD) and aid in determining underlying genetic influences. We have previously determined that inhibitory control over impulsive responding, as measured by a reversal learning task, is heritable and under substantial genetic control, however their role as explaining variables for aspects of SUD have not been well explored.
Nonlinear motion of a symmetric missile acted on by a double valued static moment.

The static moment of a symmetric missile is usually assumed to be single-valued although double-valued moments can occur. For example, lee side separation can occur at an angle of attack that is greater than that for reattachment and the moment for angles between these values can be multivalued. If a mathematically simple double-valued static moment consisting of two linear segments and two jump points is assumed (Fig. 1), an exact solution for planar motion and zero aerodynamic damping can be obtained. The effects of nonplanar motions and both linear and nonlinear damping moments are studied by the use of a quasilinear analysis. First regions in an "amplitude plane" are determined for which the multivalued moment is brought into play as well as regions for which the motion is only affected by the single-valued linear segments of the static moment curve. Next, quasilinear approximations are derived for frequencies and damping rates of the motion caused by this multivalued static moment coupled with one linear and two cubic damping moments. The accuracy of these approximations is determined by comparison with the exact solution for planar motion with no aerodynamic damping and is found to be better than 1% for most cases. The character of the planar singularity for linear damping is investigated and found to be a stable limit cycle.
Modified van der Waals Equation for the Prediction of Multicomponent Isotherms

A modified two-dimensional van der Waals equation model was proposed for the prediction of multicomponent gas-solid adsorption isotherms from corresponding single-component adsorption equilibrium data. The model was used to predict adsorption isotherms of CO-CO2 mixtures and CO2-N2 mixtures on Cu(I)-NaY zeolite. Experimental adsorption equilibrium data of the two systems were compared with results calculated from the model and three other models in the literature: the ideal adsorbed solution model, the vacancy solution theory of adsorption using the Flory-Huggins activity coefficient equation, and the two-dimensional van der Waals equation. The results indicated that the modified van der Waals equation predicted the experimental results better than the three other models for the two systems studied, especially for the CO-CO2 system, which involved chemical reaction during adsorption and exhibited azeotropic behavior. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.
Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Increases the Ligand Sensitivity of CNG Channels: Evidence for Sequential Subunit Modification

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of over 20 cell-surface and secreted, Zn2+- and Ca2+-dependent endopeptidases. Two closely related gelatinase MMPs, −9 and −2, have been implicated in both normal retinal processes and in several retinal diseases. MMPs are classically associated with tissue remodeling, but have been shown to influence ion channel function—either indirectly (e.g., through modification of the pericellular environment) or directly (e.g., by proteolysis of channel subunits). Because MMPs have been localized within the interphotoreceptor matrix, we hypothesized that MMP catalytic activity can influence the function of photoreceptor cyclic nucleotide-gated (CNG) channels. Cone and rod CNG channels were individually expressed in Xenopus oocytes and examined via patch-clamp recording in the inside-out configuration. Extracellular exposure to MMP-9 or −2 produced a profound increase in the efficacy of cAMP and the apparent cGMP affinity for both homomeric (CNGA3, K1/2,GMP, mean ± S.E.M: MMP960min = 0.62 μM ± 0.21; control60min = 12.6 μM ± 1.7) and heteromeric (CNGA3+CNGB3, K1/2,GMP: MMP980min = 2.2 μM ± 0.6; control80min = 16.4 μM ± 1.2) channel compositions. The gating changes required MMP-catalytic activity, exhibited complex state-dependence and were attenuated by N-glycosylation in the pore turret of CNGA subunits. Furthermore, MMP exposure resulted in decreased abundance of the full length CNGA3 subunit on immunoblots, and a concomitant increase in putative degradation products, consistent with proteolysis of core-channel subunits. Analyses of cGMP dose-response curves and current fluctuations suggest that MMPs generate channel subpopulations by sequentially modifying individual CNG channel subunits, where the apparent affinity for cGMP is governed by the total number of modified subunits (from 0 to 4). Together, these results provide evidence that MMPs can incrementally regulate the ligand sensitivity of CNG channels by proteolytic modification of CNGA subunits.
Nonrobustness in F tests: 2. Further extensions of Bradley’s study

In further extensions of Bradley’s work on the effects of violations of assumptions in analysis of variance, random samples of k=3 and 4 and n=8 were drawn from 16 population combinations. The obtained values were subjected to four statistical procedures: the trimmed-means Ft test, the Kruskal-Wallis H test, Welch’s W test, and the Brown-Forsythe F* test. The FT test performed more poorly (had greater discrepancies between empirical ps and nominal as) than the regular F test. The F* test was the best procedure, but, like the F test, it had excessive ps with population combinations that had a starting L-shaped population and heterogeneous variances. It was concluded that none of the four statistical procedures wholly resolved the problems posed by Bradley’s results.
Teaching ethics of psychopharmacology research in psychiatric residency training programs

American psychiatric residency training programs are now required to teach principles of research ethics. This task is especially pressing in light of evolving guidelines pertaining to human subjects, including psychiatric patients, especially when psychopharmacology is involved. Residents need to understand principles of research ethics and implications of roles of psychiatrists as investigators and clinicians. We consider major contemporary ethical issues in clinical psychiatric research, with an emphasis on psychopharmacology, and implications of addressing them within residency training programs. We reviewed recent literature on ethical issues in clinical research and on medical education in bioethics. This report considers: (1) an overview of current training; (2) perceived needs and rationales for training in research ethics, (3) recommended educational content and methods; (4) issues that require further study (including demonstration of acquired knowledge, practice issues, and the treatment versus-investigation misconception); and (5) conclusions. Recommended components of residency training programs include basic ethical principles; scientific merit and research design; assessment of risks and benefits; selection and informed consent of patient-subjects; and integrity of the clinical investigator, including definition of roles, conflicts-of-interest, and accountability. Evaluation of educational effectiveness for both trainees and faculty is a recommended component of such programs. We recommend that psychiatric training include education about ethical aspects of clinical research, with a particular emphasis on psychopharmacology. These activities can efficiently be incorporated into teaching of other aspects of bioethics, research methods, and psychopharmacology. Such education early in professional development should help to clarify roles of clinicians and investigators, improve the planning, conduct and reporting of research, and facilitate career development of much-needed clinical investigators in psychiatry.
Increasing lifetimes of fiber-optic sensor arrays for chemical warfare detection

We are exploring the ability of cross reactive sensor arrays to monitor the presence of chemical warfare agents. The sensing platform developed in our lab uses a variety of fluorescent microbead sensors, either 3 or 5 microns in diameter. The sensors have a wide range of surface functionalities and are coated with fluorescent dyes that change their emission properties upon interaction with analyte vapors. Every time the sensors are interrogated with light they photobleach which leads to signal loss and a decreased array lifetime. In order to monitor for long periods of time, a strategy has been developed that extends the array lifetime. Here, we implement a method to increase the lifetime of an array by up to 10-fold, as we incrementally expose small sections of the array at a time. We divide the array into sections by moving an optical slit across the face of the fiber.
Cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinases from normal and SV40-transformed 3T3 cells.

THE apparent molecular mechanism by which cyclic AMP regulates eukaryotic physiology is through the activation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase enzymes1. Two cytosolic protein kinase isozymes, called types I and II2, have been described in mammalian tissues. They differ in their charge2, dissociability by salt2, capacity to undergo an autophosphorylation reaction3 and in their antigenic properties4. Evidence suggests that cyclic AMP regulates cell division. Intracellular levels of cyclic AMP are higher in normal than in transformed cells5,6, and exogenous addition of cyclic AMP analogues to the culture medium inhibits the growth of transformed cells7. Cyclic AMP levels8, protein kinase specific activity9, and the relative amounts of types I and II isozymes10 vary during the cell cycle. A genetic lesion in lymphoma cells making them insensitive to cyclic AMP may be due to a defective protein kinase enzyme11. We report here that cytosol from SV40-transformed 3T3 cells contains a type I protein kinase not found in BALB 3T3 cytosol. Chromatographic separation of these enzymes indicates that this isozymic difference is the result of an additional protein kinase regulatory subunit in SV3T3 cytosol.
Circulating leptin levels and risk of colorectal cancer and adenoma: a case-control study and meta-analysis.

Purpose Equivocal results regarding the role of leptin in colorectal cancer (CRC) and adenoma (CRA) have been reported. A case–control study investigating the association of leptin with CRC risk and clinicopathological characteristics along with meta-analysis of published data on both CRC and CRA were conducted.
Convective Initiation in an Idealized Cloud Model Using an Updraft Nudging Technique

AbstractPrevious cloud modeling studies have noted difficulty in producing strong, sustained deep convection in environments with convective inhibition and/or midlevel dryness when the thermal bubble technique is used to initiate convection. This difficulty is also demonstrated herein, using 113 supercell proximity soundings—most of which contain capping inversions and some amount of convective inhibition. Instead, by using an updraft nudging initiation technique, substantially more supercells result and for a longer period. Additionally, the number of supercell-producing cases is maximized when updraft nudging is applied for only the first 15 min of cloud time near the top of the boundary layer instead of longer/shorter periods or when nudging is applied near the surface.
Dynamic Characteristics of TEHD Tilt Pad Journal Bearing Simulation Including Multiple Mode Pad Flexibility Model

An approach for incorporating the heat transfer and elastic deformation effects into dynamic coefficient calculation is presented. A global analysis method is used, which finds the equilibrium pad till angles at each eccentricity position and includes cross-film variable viscosity, heat transfer effects in the lubricant, elastic deformation, heat conduction effects in the pads, and elastic deformation effect in the pivots. Deflection modes are used to approximate deformation of the top surface of the pads. The dynamic coefficients of a single pad are calculated at the equilibrium state of the bearing, based on numerical perturbation with respect to the bearing degrees of freedom. These include journal position, pad rotation, pivot deformation, and modal coordinates. The stiffness and damping coefficients are calculated and show very good agreement with experimental and numerical results from the existing literature
On-line estimation of vehicle motion and power model parameters for skid-steer robot energy use prediction

This paper presents a method of estimating skid-steer robot power usage using on-line estimation of terrain and kinematic parameters. For vehicles operating at low speeds on hard, flat surfaces, kinematic models utilizing the instantaneous centers of rotation (ICRs) of the tracks or wheels of a skid-steer vehicle have been shown to provide accurate motion and power use estimation. Previous work has relied on post-process optimization to learn necessary ICR location and terrain information for motion and power modeling. The work presented here utilizes an extended Kalman filter for learning ICR locations and the recursive least squares algorithm for learning terrain-related power model parameters. The algorithms have been implemented on a wheeled skid-steer vehicle, and field test results show good estimation of motion and power usage using no prior terrain information and only knowledge of vehicle geometry and mass distribution, intermittent GPS and heading, and odometry information from the slipping tires/treads.
Tunnelling reveals forbidden transitions

Inelastic electron tunnelling spectroscopy provides unique information about vibrational and electronic transitions that are forbidden to photon-induced processes
Innocence Commissions: Due Process Remedies and Protection for the Innocent

Currently the American criminal justice system has no institutional mechanism to evaluate the conviction of an innocent person. An innocence commission would fill this gap. The commission would automatically review any acknowledged case of wrongful conviction, whether the conviction was reversed on post-conviction DNA tests, or through development of new evidence of innocence. Upon review of these cases, the commission would recommend remedies to prevent such miscarriages of justice from happening again. This paper commences with a review of the primary areas of wrongful conviction, followed by recommendations made with respect to the substantive components constituting innocence commissions. To empirically demonstrate the fiscal soundness of creating an innocence commission, data was gathered pertaining to the state of Arizona. Statements from criminal justice professionals and politicians in support of innocence commissions conclude our discussion.
Neural Network Controlled Visual Saccades

The paper to be presented will discuss research on a computer vision system controlled by a neural network capable of learning through classical (Pavlovian) conditioning. Through the use of unconditional stimuli (reward and punishment) the system will develop scan patterns of eye saccades necessary to differentiate and recognize members of an input set. By foveating only those portions of the input image that the system has found to be necessary for recognition the drawback of computational explosion as the size of the input image grows is avoided. The model incorporates many features found in animal vision systems, and is governed by understandable and modifiable behavior patterns similar to those reported by Pavlov in his classic study. These behavioral patterns are a result of a neuronal model, used in the network, explicitly designed to reproduce this behavior.
Mortality and the national economy. A review, and the experience of England and Wales, 1936--76.

Abstract The long-term upward trend in real percaput incomes is associated with better health, but the smoothed curve disguises cyclic fluctuations, recessions followed by periods of rapid economic growth, which may be stressful to certain groups in the workforce and, by extension, to their families. Especially vulnerable in recessions are those in industries whose goods or services are not essential, the less skilled who are the first to lose their jobs and the last to get their jobs back when the economy improves, and those who find that over one turn in the business cycle their skills are no longer needed. For these groups, most often to be found in the lower socioeconomic classes, this lack of economic security is stressful: social and family structures break down and habits that are harmful to health are adopted. Acutely, if the effect manifests as a psychopathological event (e.g., suicide), or after a time lag of a few years or even one or more turns of the business cycle for chronic diseases, economic recessions and subsequent periods of rapid economic growth are associated with a deceleration in the normally declining curve of mortality against time. This model, tested previously on U.S. data, has now been confirmed on data for England and Wales.
The Relationship of Sex and Academic Performance to Quality of Recommendations for Graduate School

To determine the relationship of sex and academic performance to recommendations to graduate school, 410 letters of recommendation were examined by two raters who were blind to the sex of the appli...
Single molecule studies of DNA mismatch repair

DNA mismatch repair, which involves is a widely conserved set of proteins, is essential to limit genetic drift in all organisms. The same system of proteins plays key roles in many cancer related cellular transactions in humans. Although the basic process has been reconstituted in vitro using purified components, many fundamental aspects of DNA mismatch repair remain hidden due in part to the complexity and transient nature of the interactions between the mismatch repair proteins and DNA substrates. Single molecule methods offer the capability to uncover these transient but complex interactions and allow novel insights into mechanisms that underlie DNA mismatch repair. In this review, we discuss applications of single molecule methodology including electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, particle tracking, FRET, and optical trapping to studies of DNA mismatch repair. These studies have led to formulation of mechanistic models of how proteins identify single base mismatches in the vast background of matched DNA and signal for their repair.
Fluvio-deltaic sedimentation: A generalized Stefan problem

We present a model of sedimentation in a subsiding fluvio-deltaic basin with steady sediment supply and unsteady base level. We demonstrate that mass transfer in a fluvio-deltaic basin is analogous to heat transfer in a generalized Stefan problem, where the basin's shoreline represents the phase front. We obtain a numerical solution to the governing equations for sediment transport and deposition in this system via an extension of a deforming-grid technique from the phase-change literature. Through modification of the heat-balance integral method, we also develop a semi-analytical solution, which agrees well with the numerical solution. We construct a space of dimensionless groups for the basin and perform a systematic exploration of this space to illustrate the influence of each group on the shoreline trajectory. Our model results suggest that all subsiding fluvio-deltaic basins exhibit a standard autoretreat shoreline trajectory in which a brief period of shoreline advance is followed by an extended period of shoreline retreat. Base-level cycling produces a shoreline response that varies relative to the autoretreat signal. Contrary to previous studies, we fail to observe either a strong phase shift between shoreline and base level or a pronounced attenuation of the amplitude of shoreline response as the frequency of base-level cycling decreases. However, the amplitude of shoreline response to base-level cycling is a function of the basin's age.
Light scattering from gold nanorods: tracking material deformation

We demonstrate the use of optical patterns, produced by resonant Rayleigh scattering from gold nanorods, as markers by which local deformations can be measured using image correlation techniques. While the use of optical data, in this case from dark-field microscopy, to generate deformational field information (displacements and strains) is not new, the use of the light scattered from gold nanorods as the correlated pattern is new, and has the potential to enable smaller scale measurements even over large deformations. We find excellent agreement between the measured and theoretical deformation and strain fields for two sample polymers with gold nanorod markers. The gold nanorod surface can be modified to make biocompatible nanomaterials, which will be useful for examining mechanical effects in biological tissue.
A general theory of taylor dispersion phenomena. VI. Langevin methods

Abstract Langevin techniques are employed to establish the stochastic trajectory of a Brownian tracer particle moving within the global/local hyperspace whose coordinates geometrically characterize the space of events of generalized Taylor dispersion theory. This dynamical approach contrasts with prior kinematical (i.e., Fokker-Planck) analyses employed in this series, corresponding to the use of a convective-diffusion equation describing the temporal evolution of a probability density. Expressions derived for the mean velocity vector Ū∗, and dispersivity dyadic D∗ of the Brownian particle are shown to be identical to those derived by the kinematical arguments utilized in prior contributions. Eigenfunction techniques are introduced, and subsequently employed to further confirm, through detailed analyses of several illustrative examples, equality of the alternative kinematical and dynamical schemes. Reconciliation of the different-appearing dynamical and kinematical formulas obtained for the Taylor dispersion dyadic results in a new integral representation of the B-vector field. A simple physical interpretation of this kinematical field is thereby suggested, which sheds new light on its fundamental role in dispersion phenomena.
Anxiety as a Context for Understanding Associations Between Hypochondriasis, Obsessive-Compulsive, and Panic Attack Symptoms

In the context of the integrative model of anxiety and depression, we examined whether the essential problem of hypochondriasis is one of anxiety. When analyzed, data from a large nonclinical sample corresponded to the integrative model's characterization of anxiety as composed of both broad, shared and specific, unique symptom factors. The unique hypochondriasis, obsessive-compulsive, and panic attack symptom factors all had correlational patterns expected of anxiety with the shared, broad factors of negative emotionality and positive emotionality. A confirmatory factor analysis showed a higher-order, bifactor model was the best fit to our data; the shared and the unique hypochondriasis and anxiety symptom factors both contributed substantial variance. This study provides refinements to an empirically based taxonomy and clarifies what hypochondriasis is and, importantly, what it is not.
Time series analysis of fertility and female labor market behavior.

Cointegration methods are employed to investigate relations among total fertility, female wages, labor force participation, educational attainment, and male relative cohort size. Two long run relations among the series are found, and these are identified as a fertility and a labor supply equation. All covariates enter into these relations with significant coefficients and theoretically plausible signs. Innovation analysis shows that both fertility and female labor force participation respond to changes in relative cohort size in directions consistent with the Easterlin hypothesis. Female labor force participation responds significantly to fertility shocks, but reverse effects are insignificant.
Modeling multicomponent equilibria from binary equilibrium data for reacting systems

Abstract Although direct phase equilibria measurements of reacting systems are difficult to obtain generally, the thermodynamic behavior of a reacting system such as that found in a reactive distillation processes can be constructed indirectly from measurements involving the phase equilibria of nonreacting pairs of compounds involved in the reaction in combination with an activity coefficient model. The binary data are used to regress binary interaction parameters for the chosen activity coefficient model. The ternary phase equilibria are estimated from the model. This work will describe the application of this method to the reactive system water/3-pentenoic acid/methyl-3-pentenoate. Vapor-liquid and liquid-liquid equilibrium measurements for the binary components were used to fit NRTL and UNIQUAC parameters. These activity coefficient models were then used to show how the composition-phase behavior can be constructed for the ternary system from the binary information only.
Increased drug sensitivity in the drug discrimination procedure afforded by drug versus drug training

Rats were trained to discriminate norfenfluramine (NF) 1.4 mg/kg from its vehicle or amphetamine (AMPH) 0.8 mg/kg or pentobarbital (PB) 6.0 mg/kg in order to determine the role that drug combination training plays in the rate of learning and sensitivity to lower drug doses. The results suggest that drug versus drug training can increase the rate of drug discrimination learning for some drugs that are learned slowly when trained in a drug versus vehicle training procedure, whereas drug versus drug training does not increase the rate of learning for other drugs that are learned rapidly. Drug versus drug training does, however, appear to increase the level of stimulus control of the training drug for all drugs examined in this study.
Genome Manipulation through Site-Specific Recombination

Abstract Several DNA site-specific recombination systems have been shown to function in higher eukaryotic cells. These two-component systems consist of a single-polypeptide recombinase and a short recognition sequence of less than 35 bp. Strategic placement of the recognition sites into the plant genome has permitted the deletion, inversion, integration, and translocation of host and introduced DNA fragments. Recombinase-based strategies afford precise and predictable engineering of the plant genome.
Recycling wood pulping chemicals by molten salt electrolysis: cyclic voltammetry of mixtures containing Na2CO3 and Na2SO4

We are investigating a novel electrochemical pathway for efficient recycling of inorganic chemicals from the kraft pulping process. To analyse this process, cyclic voltammetry was conducted on molten salts containing sodium carbonate, or sodium carbonate and sodium sulfate on gold and nickel/nickel oxide electrodes. Pure sodium carbonate at 860 °C was determined to exhibit oxidation to carbon dioxide and oxygen. Electrochemical reduction proceeded to both sodium metal and to sodium oxide and either carbon or carbon monoxide. A mixture with a 2.36:1 molar ratio of sodium carbonate to sodium sulfate at 860 °C was investigated where the anode again displayed carbonate oxidation. The cathode reactions are the reduction of sulfate ions to form sulfide and oxide ions and carbonate reduction to oxide ions and carbon monoxide. Separated cell operation to avoid oxide ion oxidation appears necessary according to the cyclic voltammetry. Nickel oxide was found to be a stable anode material in a sodium carbonate molten salt. This paper, based on cyclic voltammetry results of oxide ion production, is the first step towards a technical electrolysis process for recausticizing of molten smelt for the kraft pulping process.
Nuclear shape, growth and integrity in the closed mitosis of fission yeast depend on the Ran-GTPase system, the spindle pole body and the endoplasmic reticulum

The double lipid bilayer of the nuclear envelope (NE) remains intact during closed mitosis. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the intranuclear mitotic spindle has envelope-embedded spindle pole bodies (SPB) at its ends. As the spindle elongates and the nucleus divides symmetrically, nuclear volume remains constant but nuclear area rapidly increases by 26%. When Ran-GTPase function is compromised in S. pombe, nuclear division is strikingly asymmetrical and the newly synthesized SPB is preferentially associated with the smaller nucleus, indicative of a Ran-dependent SPB defect that interferes with symmetrical nuclear division. A second defect, which specifically influences the NE, results in breakage of the NE upon spindle elongation. This defect, but not asymmetric nuclear division, is partially rescued by slowing spindle elongation, stimulating endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proliferation or changing conformation of the ER membrane. We propose that redistribution of lipid within the ER-NE network is crucial for mitosis-specific NE changes in both open and closed mitosis.