cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate warming increases soil erosion, carbon and nitrogen loss with biofuel feedstock harvest in tallgrass prairie

Anthropogenic soil erosion severely affects land ecosystems by reducing plant productivity and stimulating horizontal carbon and nitrogen movement at the surface. Climate warming may accelerate soil erosion by altering soil temperature, moisture, and vegetation coverage. However, no experiments have been carried out to quantify soil erosion with warming. In a long-term field experiment, we explored how annual clipping for biofuel feedstock production and warming caused soil erosion and accompanying carbon and nitrogen losses in tallgrass prairie in Oklahoma, USA. We measured relative changes in soil surface elevation between clipped and unclipped plots with or without experimental warming. Our results show that average relative erosion depth caused by clipping was 1.65 ± 0.09 and 0.54 ± 0.08 mm yr ―1 , respectively, in warmed and control plots from November 21, 1999 to April 21, 2009. The soil erosion rate was 2148 ± 121 g m ―2 yr ―1 in the warmed plots and 693 ± 113 g m ―2 yr ―1 in the control plots. Soil organic carbon was lost at a rate of 69.6 ± 5.6 g m ―2 yr ―1 in the warmed plots and 22.5 ± 2.7 g m ―2 yr ―1 in the control plots. Total nitrogen was lost at a rate of 4.6 ± 0.4 g m ―2 yr ―1 in the warmed plots and 1.4 ± 0.1 g m ―2 yr ―2 in the control plots. The amount of carbon and nitrogen loss caused by clipping is equivalent to or even larger than changes caused by global change factors such as warming and rising atmospheric CO 2 concentration. In addition, soil erosion rates were significantly correlated with clipping-induced changes in soil moisture. Our results suggest that clipping for biofuel harvest results in significant soil erosion and accompanying losses of soil carbon and nitrogen, which is aggravated by warming.
Formant AM-FM for speaker identification

The performance of systems for speaker identification (SID) can be quite good with clean speech, though much lower with degraded speech. Thus it is useful to search for new features for SID, particularly features that are robust over a degraded channel. This paper investigates features that are based on amplitude and frequency modulations of speech formants. Such modulations are measured using a high-resolution energy operator and related algorithms for recovering amplitude and frequency from an AM-FM signal. When these features are added to traditional features using an existing SID system with a telephone speech database, SID performance improved by as much as 15%. Energy onset time measurements that yielded improved SID performance are also discussed. >
Study of Bandgap Profiling Control on Photovoltaic Performance in the Three Stacked Amorphous Solar Cells

A series of systematic experiments has been made on a bandgap profiling control using a-SiGe and a-SiC cells to clarify the cause for the improvement of the photovoltaic performance by the bandgap profiling in the photovoltaic active layer. It has been shown from the analysis that the most important contribution to the cell performance is an optimization of the ambipolar carrier collection by the bandgap profiling. On the basis of the results, an efficiency of 10.1% was obtained at the promising a-SiC/a-Si/ a-SiGe multi-bandgap stacked cell by the bandgap profiling.
Mapping Cognitive Function

Cognitive functions are fundamental to being human. Although tremendous progress has been made in the science of cognition using neuroimaging, the clinical applications of neuroimaging are just beginning to be realized. This article focuses on selected technologies, analysis techniques, and applications that have, or will soon have, direct clinical impact. The authors discuss how cognition can be imaged using MR imaging, functional MR imaging, positron emission tomography, magnetoencephalography and electroencephalography, and MR imaging diffusion tensor imaging. A unifying theme of this article is the concept that a more complete understanding of cognition only comes through integration of multimodal structural and functional imaging technologies.
To Live Until You Die

Oncology nurses are expected to be knowledgeable in dealing with palliative care and end-of-life issues. However, patients with advanced cancer often are not offered palliative care until they are approaching the very end of their lives. Oncology nurses need to step up as patient advocates. They need to educate patients, families, physicians, and the public that aggressive cancer care can coexist with aggressive palliative care. This article discusses how to introduce palliative care much earlier in the cancer experience. Oncology nurses can become empowered and then help other nurses to improve quality of life for their patients with advanced cancer as they approach the end of their lives.
Acoustic target classification using distributed sensor arrays

Target classification using distributed sensor arrays remains a challenging problem due to the non-stationarity of target signatures, large geographical area coverage of sensor arrays, and the requirements of time-critical and reliable information delivery. In this paper, we develop an algorithm to derive effective and stable features from both the frequency and the time-frequency domains of the acoustic signals. A modified data fusion algorithm for distributed sensor arrays is also developed in order to integrate the classification results from different sensors and provide fault-tolerance. By using data fusion, the accuracy of the classification can be increased by as many as 50%.
Synthesis and Characterization of Magnetic FePt/Au Core/Shell Nanoparticles

We report a two-step chemical solution process for synthesis of FePt/Au core/shell nanoparticles. First, FePt nanoparticles were synthesized using a typical polyol process. The as-synthesized FePt nanoparticles were then used as seed materials and were coated with gold shells by reduction of the gold precursors. The coated nanoparticles have been characterized using various structural and morphological measurements to confirm the FePt/Au core/shell morphology. The as-synthesized FePt/Au nanoparticles were found to be superparamagnetic and became ferromagnetic after annealing at 400 °C. The surface modification of FePt/Au core/shell nanoparticles from hydrophobic to hydrophilic was achieved through ligand exchange to make them water dispersible for potential biomedical applications.
SU‐E‐J‐92: Multi‐Atlas Based Prostate Segmentation Guided by Partial Active Shape Model for CT Image with Gold Markers

Purpose: The gold markers implanted in prostate, which are used for IGRT, yield strong streak artifacts in planning CT image, which often causes a failure of automatic prostate segmentation. Our aim is to develop a novel method to utilize the partial active shape model to enable an automatic prostate segmentation on the CT image with strong streak metal artifacts. Methods: In the training stage, a groupwise surface correspondence was established via B‐spline deformable registration of binary structures. A joint active shape model was built for prostate, bladder and rectum together from 30 training CT images. In the segmentation stage, the gold markers on both atlas and target images were automatically detected. A mask was created to cover the region of gold markers and streak artifacts. By running the active shape model, the initial contours (from contours of atlas) was deformed to obtain the best fit with the edges of three pelvic organs in the target image, however the cost function is determined by matching only the parts of contours outside the mask based on gradient. The parts of contour inside the mask were purely estimated by the shape statistics. The segmentation was refined by a local profile based adjustment. Such segmentation was done 30 times using different training image as patient‐specific atlas, and the final Result was determined by a weighted majority voting algorithm. Results: The performance of the proposed method was evaluated for on independent dataset containing 5 CT images. The mean DSC overlap for prostate, bladder and rectum were 77.1%, 71.2% and 66.7%, respectively. The mean MAD for prostate, bladder and rectum were 3.1mm, 4.8mm and 4.6mm, respectively. Conclusion: The partial active shape model can very well estimate the contour passing the region of gold markers and streak artifacts from the rest part of contour and shape statistics.
Avoiding pitfalls in shallow seismic reflection surveys

Acquiring shallow reflection data requires the use of high frequencies, preferably accompanied by broad bandwidths. Problems that sometimes arise with this type of seismic information include spatial aliasing of ground roll, erroneous interpretation of processed airwaves and air‐coupled waves as reflected seismic waves, misinterpretation of refractions as reflections on stacked common‐midpoint (CMP) sections, and emergence of processing artifacts. Processing and interpreting near‐surface reflection data correctly often requires more than a simple scaling‐down of the methods used in oil and gas exploration or crustal studies. For example, even under favorable conditions, separating shallow reflections from shallow refractions during processing may prove difficult, if not impossible. Artifacts emanating from inadequate velocity analysis and inaccurate static corrections during processing are at least as troublesome when they emerge on shallow reflection sections as they are on sections typical of petroleum ...
Sex differences in recipients' reactions to aid

The purpose of this study was to determine whether males and females differentially respond to the receipt of aid as a function of their similarity to the donor and their own chronic level of self-esteem. Female and male adults received either help from a fictitious partner or no aid. All subjects were given information that they had been paired with a partner who had an inferior, similar, or superior level of task-relevant experience. Females paired with a partner of equal experience reported greater decrements in situational self-esteem than did males. Furthermore, females who received help reported a higher level of satisfaction with the help, and in all but one of the similarity conditions, females expressed a greater need for help than did males. When self-esteem was considered, high self-esteem females paired with persons with similar experience exhibited greater decrements in mood than did other high self-esteem females; males did not differ across conditions. Implications of the obtained sex differences were discussed in relation to sex differences in help-seeking behavior and sex role stereotypes.
Influence of clenbuterol treatment during six weeks of chronic right ventricular pressure overload as studied with pressure-volume analysis.

Abstract Objectives: Chronic pressure overload cardiac hypertrophy produces ventricular dysfunction. There is evidence that clenbuterol, a β 2 -adrenoceptor agonist, produces cardiac hypertrophy with preserved function in rodents. We sought to determine the cardiac hypertrophic effects of clenbuterol on the thin-walled ventricles of large animals undergoing chronic pressure overload by means of pulmonary artery banding. Methods: Right ventricular pressure-volume loops were obtained in open-chest sheep before and after 6½ weeks of pulmonary artery banding by using micromanometer conductance catheters. Animals were randomly assigned to treatment with either saline solution (n = 7) or clenbuterol (n = 8). Treatment was started immediately after pulmonary artery banding. Results: Acute pulmonary artery banding increased the right ventricular systolic pressure equally in both groups (saline group, 23.9 ± 3.3 to 48.1 ± 9.7 mm Hg; clenbuterol group, 24.3 ± 2.8 to 48.6 ± 10.7 mm Hg [mean ± standard deviation]). Six weeks of treatment produced no significant differences in the body weight, heart weight, heart/body weight ratio, right ventricular wall thickness, heart rate, and stroke volume between the groups. However, the slope of the end-systolic pressure-volume relation and the slope of the first derivative of the right ventricular developed pressure/end-diastolic volume relation were significantly increased when compared with baseline values in clenbuterol-treated animals but not in saline-treated animals. Conclusion: Clenbuterol treatment during pulmonary artery banding improves systolic function of the chronically pressure-overloaded right ventricle. This has important implications for the use of pharmacologic agents in modulating cardiac adaptation.
Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder Complicating Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation in a Patient With Dyskeratosis Congenita

Dyskeratosis congenita (DC) is a rare inherited disorder characterized by bone marrow failure and cancer predisposition. We present a case of a 28-year-old woman with DC who was admitted for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) for aplastic anemia and who developed acute myeloid leukemia with complex genetic karyotype abnormalities including the MLL (11q23) gene, 1q25, and chromosome 8. After transplantation, a monomorphic Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) negative posttransplant-associated lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was discovered involving the liver, omental tissue, and peritoneal fluid samples showing additional MLL (11q23) gene abnormalities by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Despite treatment, the patient died of complications associated with transplantation and invasive fungal infection. This case represents the first bona fide documented case of EBV-negative monomorphic PTLD host derived, with MLL gene abnormalities in a patient with DC, and shows another...
Exploring the Binding Diversity of Intrinsically Disordered Proteins

Intrinsically disorder proteins often perform their functions through the binding of a short, loosely structured region from one protein onto the binding site of a protein partner. These short binding regions go by various names including eukaryotic linear motifs (ELMs), short linear motifs (SLiMs) and molecular recognition features (MoRFs). All of these represent a class of disordered protein that executes molecular recognition and binding functions typically via a disorder-to-order structural transition. Previous studies from our group showed 2 distinct examples of hub proteins, a disordered hub example (p53) and an ordered hub example (14-3-3), performing one-to-many signaling and many-to-one signaling, respectively. In the former, a single disordered region binds to multiple structured partners. In the latter, many distinct disordered regions bind to a single structured partner. Both alternatives use the MoRF mechanism described above. In this study, we tried to expand our previous work to find more examples and to determine whether the prevalence of the MoRF mechanism is common or rare through analyzing protein complexes deposited in PDB that consist of short nonglobular fragments bound to large globular partners. After examining and clustering the various MoRFs, we found 298 disordered hub examples and 246 ordered hub examples. Further experiments are providing detailed information about how intrinsic disorder facilitates binding to diverse partners. Exploring these examples is yielding a much clearer picture of the conformational changes that occur upon binding and showing that, in general, flexibility allows both subtle and complex structural variation thereby enabling different sequences to fit into the same binding site and the same sequence to morph into differently shaped binding sites. These results indicate that the observations made previously on the single examples of many-to-one and one-to-many signaling generalize to many hundreds of other well characterized protein-protein interactions.
Examining Cross-Source Engagement With Cancer-Related Information and Its Impact on Doctor–Patient Relations

Patients may bring unreliable information to the physician, complicating the physician–patient relationship, or outside information seeking may complement physician information provision, reinforcing patients' responsibility for their health. The current descriptive evidence base is weak and focuses primarily on the Internet's effects on physician–patient relations. This study describes how cancer patients bring information to their physicians from a range of sources and are referred by physicians to these sources; the study also examines explanations for these behaviors. Patients with breast, prostate, and colon cancer diagnosed in 2005 (N = 1,594) were randomly drawn from the Pennsylvania Cancer Registry; participants returned mail surveys in Fall 2006 (response rate = 64%). There is evidence that both bringing information to physicians and being referred to other sources reflects patients' engagement with health information, preference for control in medical decision making, and seeking and scanning fo...
Changing hospital work environments: An example of a burn unit

A liaison psychiatrist invited to help a burn unit staff explore problems affecting morale and patient care employed a four-step procedure: (1) assess the work environment systematically; (2) give the staff feedback from this assessment; (3) help the staff plan and institute changes; and (4) reassess. To assess the work environment, the staff completed the Work Environment Scale (WES), a 90-item, true/false questionnaire that measures ten dimensions of the actual and preferred work environment. At the second of 12 bi-weekly meetings, the psychiatrist presented the unit's WES profile and began helping the staff explore and resolve problems. Reassessment six months later revealed statistically significant changes on several pertinent WES scales and reduced discrepancies between actual and preferred work environments on nine of the ten scales. The findings indicate that systemmatic assessment and feedback procedures may help liaison programs improve the quality of hospital work environments and thereby enhance staff performance and morale.
Herpes Zoster Ophthalmicus Mimicking Carotid Artery Dissection: A Case Report

Herpes zoster is a common viral illness presenting with vesicular eruptions which are usually preceded by pain, erythema, and tenderness in a dermatomal distribution. The ophthalmic division of the trigeminal nerve is commonly involved (herpes zoster ophthalmicus). Early diagnosis before eruption of vesicles can be difficult and symptoms may be confused with other neurologic disorders. We present a patient with herpes zoster ophthalmicus who presented with face and neck pain associated with visual symptoms mimicking carotid artery dissection. Atypical presentation and benefits of early antiviral treatment are discussed.
Causal fractal compression of video sequences using matching pursuit

In this article, a new video coding system is proposed which takes advantage of both intrascale and interscale similarities present in video sequences. Each block in every frame is approximated with a linear combination of members of an adaptive library of blocks constructed for that block. This library is made up of some fixed blocks (e.g., DCT basis blocks) and some adaptive blocks. The adaptive library blocks are blocks of the same size or larger blocks that are shrunk, taken from the previous frame. For each block in every frame, a rate-distortion optimized fully orthogonal matching pursuit algorithm is used to determine how many and which ones of the members of the library constructed for that block should be selected and linearly combined to approximate the block most efficiently in terms of bit rate and rms error. Simulation results on sample gray-scale video sequence “Miss America” suggests that this method has promising coding performance in terms of PSNR and bit rate,especially compared to other published fractal-based video compression methods. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Imaging Syst Technol, 9, 305–319, 1998
The Polaroid Technique: Spontaneous Dialogues from the Unconscious

Over the pastt two years we have been exploring the use of Polaroid photography as a new way to enhance the effectiveness of our art psychotherapy contacts with adolescent students of Henry Street School (Wolf, 1975) . After many months of various innovative approaches, we have, using Polaroid photos, devised a systematic approach which we feel stimulates significant `movement' in these psychotherapeutic relationships and opens the way to substantial emotional growth especially with students who had been previously resistant to treatment . This paper will describe our innovative techniques, outline the theoretical foundation for the methods employed and offer examples of their practical application both as a short-term and ongoing treatment modality,
Recent advances in forced-flow, thermal-gradient CVI for refractory composites

Chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) is simply chemical vapor deposition (CVD) on the internal surfaces of a porous preform and has been used to produce a variety of developmental and application materials. The greatest use of CVI is to infiltrate continuous-filament preforms taking advantage of the relatively low-stress CVD process. In CVI, reactants are introduced in the porous preform via either diffusion or forced convection and the CVD precursors deposit the appropriate phase(s). As infiltration proceeds, the deposit on the internal surfaces becomes thicker. Thus, after some length of time, the growing surfaces meet bonding the preform and fill much of the free volume with deposited matrix. The forced-flow/thermal-gradient technique (FCVI) developed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory overcomes the problems of slow diffusion and restricted permeability, and has demonstrated a capability to produce thick-walled, simple-shaped, SiC-matrix components in times of the order of hours. A model has been developed for the process that predicts flow, thermal and density profiles as a function of time. The results have been compared with an initial set of experiments and indicate qualitative agreement. It is expected that improved property relationships, such as permeability and thermal conductivity as a function of density, will allow the model to closely represent the FCVI process and be useful in fabrication and product optimization.
Cole, Byron, and the Course of Empire

(1968). Cole, Byron, and the Course of Empire. The Art Bulletin: Vol. 50, No. 4, pp. 375-379.
INFRARED RADIATION FROM THE ATMOSPHERE RESULTING FROM HIGH ALTITUDE EXPLOSION X-RAYS

Calculations of infrared radiation resulting from the upper atmosphere being excited by a very high aititude nuclear explosion are presented. The mechanism considered is that of x-ray absorption to form a layer of hot air leading to the formation of NO molecules and the subsequent radiation of the fundamental at 5.4 mu and the 1st overtone at 2.7 mu . (Air Pollution Con. Assoc., Vol. 4, No. 12, May 1963)
Chrysotile asbestos in kidney cortex of chronically gavaged rats.

Using the transmission electron microscope, asbestos fibers have been assessed in kidney cortex of four groups of rats previously exposed to intermediate range feeding grade chrysotile asbestos. Newborn rats, from mothers gavaged with asbestos during pregnancy, were gavaged twice a week at the dose level of 50 mg/kg beginning at age day 7 until their natural death or sacrifice. Four groups of rats consisted of ages ranging from 0–200, 200–400, 400–600 and 600–800 days. Of the 20 rats comprising the four test groups, 17 were positive, average fibers recovery being 5.34 × 103/mg dry weight. Average fiber level in control tissues was 0.23 × 103/mg dry weight. Fiber recovery in tissues from control animals was shown to be significantly lower (P < 0.005) than that from test tissues. Test groups showed highly significant differences (P < 0.005) from each other in the fiber levels. Dose-response relationship was not significant (0.05 < P < 0.1). The length distribution and the alterations in morphology of the recovered fibers are described. This study is consistent with the passage of chrysotile asbestos across the gastrointestinal wall.
Mutual fund advisers fees and executive compensation

The case of Jones v. Harris (2008a) that is currently before the Supreme Court poses issues with regard to mutual fund managers' fees and expense (Advisory Fees). However, the case may signal the direction courts will take in reviewing management compensation of large corporations as well. Advisory Fees pose a number of fundamental issues that appear in many fiduciary relationships. First, why do the fees and compensation of fiduciaries raise unique problems? Second, what are the solutions to the fee problem? Third, what is the role of the courts in the determination of Advisory Fees? Fourth, what are the tests that the courts or the boards of the mutual funds should apply in determining Advisory Fees? Fifth, how did the Seventh Circuit decision in Jones v. Harris determine these questions? Sixth, what are the implications of Jones v. Harris? In conclusion, by analyzing these questions we might uncover guidelines to the issues with regard to corporate executive compensation as well.
Improving the detectability of a brief tone in noise using forward and backward masker fringes: monotic and dichotic presentations.

A brief tonal signal simultaneously masked by a brief noise burst became easier to hear when the masker duration was increased. The signal was a 1000‐Hz tone, 4 ms in duration; the masker was a wideband noise having a spectral notch 1400 Hz wide centered at 1000 Hz. Compared to performance with a 22‐ms burst masker, average detection threshold across five subjects improved by 15 dB when a 150‐ms masker ‘‘fringe’’ preceded the signal (forward fringe), and by 9 dB when the masker fringe followed the signal (backward fringe). Little improvement was observed in either condition when the fringe was presented to the ear contralateral to the signal/burst complex. However, when the fringe was presented to both ears and the signal/burst complex to just one ear, the forward fringe was about as helpful as when the stimuli were presented monotically, but the benefit of the backward fringe was substantially reduced. The backward‐fringe advantage was restored by reducing the level, or delaying the onset, of the contralateral component of the fringe. The results suggest that the forward‐fringe advantage is a robust phenomenon that is largely insensitive to input to the contralateral ear. In contrast, the backward‐fringe advantage appears to be a fragile effect that can be affected by inputs from both ears.
Application of a nonlinear frequency domain wave-current interaction model to shallow water recurrence effects in random waves

Abstract The effect of ambient currents on nearshore nonlinear wave–wave energy transfer in random waves is studied with the use of a nonlinear frequency domain wave–current interaction model. We focus on the phenomenon of wave recurrence as a classical nonlinear phenomenon whose characteristics are well established for systems truncated to small numbers of frequency modes. The model used for this study is first extended to enhance accuracy; comparisons of permanent form solutions to analytical forms confirm the model accuracy. Application of the model to a highly truncated system confirmed the model’s consistency with published results for both positive (following) and negative (adverse) currents. Propagation of random wave spectra over a flat bottom was performed with the model, with the intent of determining the prevalence of recurrence between the spectral peak and its harmonics. For spectra of moderate Ursell number, it was found that positive currents extended the length scale of recurrence relative to the case with no currents; conversely, negative currents reduced the recurrence lengths. However, beyond a propagation distance of ≈40 wavelengths of the spectral peak, recurrence becomes almost completely damped as the spectra becomes broad and the spectral energies equilibrate. For spectra of high Ursell number, in contrast, recurrence is almost immediately damped, suggesting that the nonlinearity is sufficient to allow immediate spectral broadening and equilibration and overwhelming any preferential interactions among the spectral peak and its harmonics, regardless of current magnitude or direction.
Global $\widetilde{SL(2,R)}$ representations of the Schrödinger equation with singular potential

We study the representation theory of the solution space of the one-dimensional Schrodinger equation with singular potential V λ (x) = λx −2 as a representation of \(\widetilde{SL(2,\mathbb{R})}\). The subspace of solutions for which the action globalizes is constructed via nonstandard induction outside the semisimple category. By studying the subspace of K-finite vectors in this space, a distinguished family of potentials, parametrized by the triangular numbers is shown to generate a global representation of \(\widetilde{SL(2,\mathbb{R})}\) ⋉ H 3, where H 3 is the three-dimensional Heisenberg group.
Uniaxial and triaxial mechanical experiments on rock salt samples from three Gulf Coast Domes

Seventeen quasi-static experiments on rock salt from three gulf coast domes are presented. The experiments were run at a constant loading rate in compression and extension, over pressures ranging from 0.1 to 13.8 MPa and temperatures ranging from 22 to 100°C. Minor variations in sample grain sizes and composition did not appear to have a distinct effect on strength and behavior trends. Specimen strength was directly related to the least principal stress and inversely related to temperature; furthermore, pressure and temperature increases resulted in larger axial strains to failure (ductility). While strengths in extension and compression were similar, ultimate strains were substantially higher in compression than in extension.
Development of a GOES-R Advanced Baseline Imager Solar Channel Radiance Simulator for Ice Clouds

AbstractThis paper describes the development of an ice cloud radiance simulator for the anticipated Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R (GOES-R) Advanced Baseline Imager (ABI) solar channels. The simulator is based on the discrete ordinates radiative transfer (DISORT) model. A set of correlated k-distribution (CKD) models is developed for the ABI solar channels to account for atmospheric trace gas absorption. The CKD models are based on the ABI spectral response functions and also consider when multiple gases have overlapping absorption. The related errors of the transmittance profile are estimated on the basis of the exact line-by-line results, and it is found that errors in transmittance are less than 0.2% for all but one of the ABI solar channels. The exception is for the 1.378-μm channel, centered near a strong water vapor absorption band, for which the errors are less than 2%. For ice clouds, the band-averaged bulk-scattering properties for each ABI [and corresponding Moderate Resolut...
Discussion on “Sequential Estimation for Time Series Models” by T. N. Sriram and Ross Iaci

Abstract Professors T. N. Sriram and Ross Iaci have considered the problem of sequential estimation of the autoregressive parameter β in an AR(1) model and construction of sequential confidence region for a parameter vector θ in a TAR(1) model. Using extensive simulations, the authors have attempted to resolve the theoretical conjuncture that a fully sequential stopping time can have a negative regret. Their work opens up new directions for further research and establishes the need for second-order expansions for the regret. In this discussion, I briefly address some issues related to the simulation studies for an AR(1) model.
BINOCULAR RESOLUTION AND PERCEPTION OF RACE IN THE UNITED STATES

The broad conclusion that ‘group memberships play a part in the resolution of binocular conflict’ is extended by this study beyond the single geographic entity and the specific ethnic groups with respect to which it was derived. The variant forms in which the resolutions of binocular conflict was manifested, and the failure to provide an ‘explanation’ of the descriptive results by introducing certain conceptually associated variables, are taken as suggesting the need for an experimental design in which relevant social situational variables complement those with specifically ‘individual’ reference.
From Public to Private Global Environmental Governance: Lessons from the Montreal Protocol's Stalled Methyl Bromide Phase-Out

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, a multilateral environmental agreement, has successfully eliminated the use of most ozone-depleting chlorofluoro-carbons. As a result, a number of observers have pointed to the possibility of transferring successes—and even linking regulations—between the Montreal Protocol and Kyoto Protocol, the international but stalled climate-change agreement. We argue that there is need for caution on this issue. The Montreal and Kyoto protocols are the outcomes of vastly different political contexts, from public civil society approaches to what we call ‘the private turn’: the current loss of faith in state sovereignty, the rejection of multilateralism, and an embrace of private knowledge about economic damage over public knowledge about the protection of citizens and natural resources. From this broader perspective we show that the differences between the Montreal and Kyoto protocols are therefore more than ‘command-and-control’ versus ‘market-based’ ...
Children's recognition of cartoon voices.

We examined developmental changes in talker recognition skills by assessing 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children's recognition of 20 cartoon characters' voices. For each participant, the character set w...
Is solid state lighting ready for the incandescent lamp phase-out?

To encourage energy-efficient light sources, many governments around the globe have introduced legislation to phase out the incandescent lamp for general illumination. The United States enacted the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 that introduced minimum efficiency standards for lighting that will eliminate some incandescent lamps in the range of 40 W to 100 W by 2014. This begs the question: Is solid-state lighting ready to handle the incandescent phaseout? There is no doubt today that LED technology has advanced to a stage where it can cater to many lighting applications, including A-lamp replacements up to 60 W. However, several challenges must still be addressed before white LED based A-lamp replacements are adopted broadly in the general lighting market. The LED lighting community is actively seeking answers to many of the technical and market challenges. This paper discusses the current state of LED lighting technology, where it is in terms of performance, the challenges to be overcome, and the considerations needed if LED lighting is to succeed in the market for incandescent replacement lamps.
Ferric iron complexes of dopamine and 5,6-dihydroxyindole with nta, edda, and edta as ancillary ligands

Abstract Coordination of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) and the metal-binding component of neuromelanin 5,6-dihydroxyindole (DHI) with ferric iron has been studied in aqueous solution in the presence of ancillary ligands containing amine nitrogen and carboxylate oxygen donor sites. With nitrilotriacetic acid (nta) and ethylenediamine diacetic acid (edda) coligands, coordination of the catecholate ligands DA and DHI is observed to be complete at physiological pH. The resulting complexes of DA have the characteristic two-component electronic spectrum observed characteristically for L 4 Fe(Cat) complexes. The spectrum obtained with DHI consists of a single broad absorption in the visible region. Both DA and DHI are able to coordinate with Fe 3+ in the presence of edta, displacing carboxylate oxygen donors at pH values just above physiological pH. These results demonstrate the strong affinity of DA and DHI for Fe 3+ , pointing to in vivo complex formation in neuronal mixtures at physiological pH.
Outflow and Infall in Star-forming Region L1221

We have mapped the 3.3 mm continuum, CO, HCO+, N2H+, and CS emission around a nearby Class I source, IRAS 22266+6845, in the L1221 cometary dark cloud. L1221 is a complicated star-forming region. It hosts three infrared sources: a close binary consisting of an east source and a west source around the IRAS source position and a southeast source ~45'' to the southeast (T. Bourke 2004, private communication). The east source is identified as the IRAS source. Continuum emission is seen around the east and southeast sources, probably tracing the dust around them. No continuum emission is seen toward the west source, probably indicating that there is not much dust there. An east-west molecular outflow is seen in CO, HCO+, and CS originated from around the binary. It is bipolar with an east lobe and a west lobe, both appearing as a wide-opening outflow shell originated from around the binary. It is likely powered by the east source, which shows a southeast extension along the outflow axis in the K' image. A ringlike envelope is seen in N2H+ around the binary surrounding the outflow waist. It is tilted with the major axis perpendicular to the outflow axis. The kinematics is well reproduced by a thin-disk model with both infall and rotation, and a column density peak in a ring. The ringlike envelope is not rotationally supported, as the rotation velocity is smaller than the infall velocity.
Telomerase and the Aging Cell: Implications for Human Health

Recent research has shown that inserting a gene for the protein component of telomerase into senescent human cells reextends their telomeres to lengths typical of young cells, and the cells then display all the other identifiable characteristics of young, healthy cells. This advance not only suggests that telomeres are the central timing mechanism for cellular aging, but also demonstrates that such a mechanism can be reset, extending the replicative life span of such cells and resulting in markers of gene expression typical of "younger" (ie, early passage) cells without the hallmarks of malignant transformation. It is now possible to explore the fundamental cellular mechanisms underlying human aging, clarifying the role played by replicative senescence. By implication, we may soon be able to determine the extent to which the major causes of death and disability in aging populations in developed countries-cancer, atherosclerosis, osteoarthritis, macular degeneration, and Alzheimer dementia--are attributable to such fundamental mechanisms. If they are amenable to prevention or treatment by alteration of cellular senescence, the clinical implications have few historic precedents.
Employee Testing: An Ethical Perspective

This paper deals with the conflict between the desire of an employer to test employees for honesty and chemical dependency, and the right of the employee to privacy. Not only is the physical privacy of the employee infringed upon, but the psychic privacy of the individual as well. It is the conclusion of the paper that such an invasion of privacy is not justified without serious and compelling reason, and not the mere chance that testing will reveal problems among some percentage of the tested persons.
Panhypopituitarism: case report correlating clinical and pathologic findings.

Introduction CORRELATION of physiologic abnormalities and anatomic changes in panhypopituitarism is difficult. Although many cases of this disease have been reported, there have been few in which currently available methods of evaluating endocrine function were accompanied by autopsy findings. This report describes fairly extensive physiologic studies in a female with panhypopituitarism and the subsequent autopsy findings. Case Report First admission: J. S. (Evans Memorial Hospital #320,431), a 46-year-old Italian female entered on July 31, 1946, in semi-stupor. The history as obtained from a relative revealed that since extraction of an abscessed tooth three months previously, she had been bedridden and incontinent of urine. A productive cough and a fever developed one day prior to admission. The patient was married at the age of 21 and divorced at 36. She had never been pregnant. Menarche was at 11; periods had been irregular for several years and had ceased, as far as could be determined, one year prio...
Planetary magnetic fields: A comparative view

Abstract The sums of the squares of the non-axial (m ≠ 0) spherical-harmonic expansion coefficients (g n m , h n m ) yield a readily interpretable exponential spectrum when normalized so as to reflect the global energy content per degree of freedom and plotted against n for each magnetized planet. Indeed, the resulting spectra for Earth, Jupiter, and Uranus suggest an equipartition of magnetic energy among the available degrees of freedom and yield reasonable values for the nominal core radii r c (= 0.432 R E , 0.756 R J , 0.464 R U ), which can be interpreted as the mean values of r within the respective fluid cores. Results for Saturn are indeterminate because the most reliable field models are axisymmetric. Results for Mercury are ambiguous because spatial coverage during the Mariner-10 encounters was too limited. Results for Neptune await encounter by Voyager 2. The implications of magnetic-energy equipartition for dynamo theory are unclear but presumably significant, since equipartition seems to suggest the importance of the α-effect (turbulent-eddy formation) for the symmetry-breaking required by Cowling's Theorem in the context of an α-ω dynamo. It seems significant, moreover, that the equatorial projection of the dipole moment belongs to the same exponential spectrum as the analogous projections of the quadrupole and higher moments. If (as seems probable) the spectrum persists during a magnetic reversal (characterized by the condition g 1 0 = 0), then the dipole moment at the time of polarity transition would be perpendicular to the planetary rotation axis and about 20% as strong as the time-averaged moment, which is inclined ∼10° to the rotation axis. Observation of a 58.6° inclination for Uranus' magnetic axis suggests that |g 1 0 | is abnormally small at the present epoch (i.e., that Uranus is in the process of undergoing a magnetic reversal). A more usual (∼10°) inclination typical of Earth and Jupiter at times not near polarity transitions would correspond to a dipole moment μ ∼ 1 G-R U 3 and an offset ∼ 0.07 R U for Uranus and (by implication, according to Blackett's Law and similar considerations) a dipole moment μ ∼ 1 G-R N 3 for Neptune.
Filamin is essential in actin cytoskeletal assembly mediated by p21-activated kinase 1

The serine/threonine kinase p21-activated kinase 1 (Pak1) controls the actin cytoskeletal and ruffle formation through mechanisms that are independent of GTPase activity. Here we identify filamin FLNa as a Pak1-interacting protein through a yeast two-hybrid screen using the amino terminus of Pak1 as a bait. FLNa is stimulated by physiological signalling molecules to undergo phosphorylation by Pak1 and to interact and colocalize with endogenous Pak1 in membrane ruffles. The ruffle-forming activity of Pak1 is functional in FLNa-expressing cells but not in FLNa-deficient cells. In FLNa, the Pak1-binding site involves tandem repeat 23 in the carboxyl terminus and phosphorylation takes place on serine 2152. The FLNa-binding site in Pak1 is localized between amino acids 52 and 132 in the conserved Cdc42/Rac-interacting (CRIB) domain; accordingly, FLNa binding to the CRIB domain stimulates Pak1 kinase activity. Our results indicate that FLNa may be essential for Pak1-induced cytoskeletal reorganization and that the two-way regulatory interaction between Pak1 and FLNa may contribute to the local stimulation of Pak1 activity and its targets in cytoskeletal structures.
Combined forced and natural convection heat transfer in a deep lid-driven cavity flow

Abstract In this study, we describe the combined forced and natural convection (also known as mixed-convection) heat transfer process within a recirculating flow in an insulated lid-driven cavity of rectangular cross section (150 mm × 450 mm) and depth varying between 150 mm and 600 mm. The forced convection is induced by a moving lid, which shears the surface layer of the fluid in the cavity, thereby setting up a recirculating flow, while the natural convection flow is induced by heating the lower boundary and cooling the upper one. By appropriately varying the lid speed, the vertical temperature differential, and the depth, we obtained Gr Re 2 ratios for these flows from 0.1 to 1000. Flow visualization using liquid crystals and heat flux measurements at specific locations over the lower boundary provided an insight into the nature of the heat transfer process under different flow and temperature conditions. The mean heat flux values over the entire lower boundary were analyzed to produce Nusselt number and Stanton number correlations which should be useful for design applications.
FOUNDATION: A program to retrieve all possible structures containing a user-defined minimum number of matching query elements from three-dimensional databases

A program is described that searches three-dimensional, structural databases, given a user-defined query, in order to retrieve all structures that contain any combination of a user-specified minimum number of matching elements. Queries consist of three-dimensional coordinates of atoms and/or bonds. Numerous query constraints are described which allow the investigator to define the chemical nature of the desired structures as well as the environment within which these structures must reside. They include: (1) Bonded vs. isolated atom distinction; (2) Atom type designation; (3) Definition of subsets with occupancy specification (>, =, < X atoms); (4) RMS-fit; (5) Active site volume accessibility of atoms linking query elements; (6) Number, atom type, and cyclic structure constraints for atoms linking pharmacophoric elements; (7) Automatic error boundary adjustment-ad infinitum constraint.
Mechanism by which MLO-A5 Late Osteoblasts/Early Osteocytes Mineralize in Culture: Similarities with Mineralization of Lamellar Bone

The mechanisms whereby bone mineralizes are unclear. To study this process, we used a cell line, MLO-A5, which has highly elevated expression of markers of the late osteoblast such as alkaline phosphatase, bone sialoprotein, parathyroid hormone type 1 receptor, and osteocalcin and will mineralize in sheets, not nodules. In culture, markers of osteocytes and dendricity increase with time, features of differentiation from a late osteoblast to an early osteocyte. Mineral formation was examined using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and atomic force microscopy. At 3-4 days of culture, spheres of approximately 20-50 nm containing calcium and phosphorus were observed budding from and associated with developing cellular projections. By 5-6 days, these calcified spheres were associated with collagen fibrils, where over time they continued to enlarge and to engulf the collagen network. Coalescence of these mineralized spheres and collagen-mediated mineralization were responsible for the mineralization of the matrix. Similar calcified spheres were observed in cultured fetal rat calvarial cells and in murine lamellar bone. We propose that osteoid-osteocytes generate spherical structures that calcify during the budding process and are fully mineralized on their developing cellular processes. As the cellular process narrows in diameter, these mineralized structures become associated with and initiate collagen-mediated mineralization.