cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictability Loss in an Intermediate ENSO Model due to Initial Error and Atmospheric Noise

Abstract The seasonal and interannual predictability of ENSO variability in a version of the Zebiak–Cane coupled model is examined in a perturbation experiment. Instead of assuming that the model is “perfect,” it is assumed that a set of optimal initial conditions exists for the model. These states, obtained through a nonlinear minimization of the misfit between model trajectories and the observations, initiate model forecasts that correlate well with the observations. Realistic estimates of the observational error magnitudes and covariance structures of sea surface temperatures, zonal wind stress, and thermocline depth are used to generate ensembles of perturbations around these optimal initial states, and the error growth is examined. The error growth in response to subseasonal stochastic wind forcing is presented for comparison. In general, from 1975 to 2002, the large-scale uncertainty in initial conditions leads to larger error growth than continuous stochastic forcing of the zonal wind stress fields...
Attitude Sophistication and Effective Teaching in Economics

Little attention has been given to the measurement of changes in attitudes and beliefs resulting from instruction in economics. This deficiency is met by Mann and Fusfeld who relate attitude changes to growth in students' knowledge (cognition) and to characteristics of both students and instructors. The findings from this research suggest a conflict among the goals of instruction. They also imply greater persistence of changes in attitude than of changes in knowledge.
Certain curves over Q (t) of genus 2, 3, 4

Examples are presented of curves over Q (t) of genus 2, 3, 4 with the property that each curve possesses no global point over Q (t), yet the Jacobian variety splits as a product of elliptic curves each of positive Q (t)-rank.
Etiology of asthma exacerbations

Asthma exacerbations are common, and the major morbidity, mortality, and health care costs associated with asthma are related to exacerbations. The majority are related to viral infection, and although progress has been made in identifying the mechanisms of virus-induced asthma exacerbations, there is still much to be learned. Allergen exposure causes some exacerbations and can participate in virus-induced exacerbations, as can other environmental exposures. A role for atypical bacterial infection in exacerbations is also increasingly recognized. Exacerbations are characterized by airway inflammation, which can differ in type depending on whether it is primarily infective or allergic in origin. An increased understanding of the inflammatory pathways might lead to identification of targets for the development of novel prevention or treatment strategies.
Precision and stability of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements.

This study was performed to determine the precision and stability of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) measurements, to compare bone mineral density (BMD) of subjects measured by DEXA and radionuclide dual-photon absorptiometry (DPA), and to evaluate different absorber materials for use with an external standard. Short-term precision (% coefficient of variation, CV) was determined in 6 subjects scanned six times each with repositioning, initially and 9 months later. Mean CV was 1.04% for spine and 2.13% for femoral neck BMD; for whole-body measurements in 5 subjects, mean CV was 0.64% for BMD, 2.2% for fat, and 1.05% for lean body mass. Precision of aluminum phantom measurements made over a 9-month period was 0.89% with the phantom in 15.2 cm, 0.88% in 20.3 cm, and 1.42% in 27.9 cm of water. In 51 subjects, BMD by DEXA and DPA was correlated for the spine (r=0.98,P=0.000) and femoral neck (r=0.91,P=0.000). Spine BMD was 4.5% lower and femoral neck BMD 3.1% higher by DEXA than by DPA. An aluminum phantom was scanned repeatedly, in both water and in an oil/water (30∶70) mixture at thicknesses ranging from 15.2 through 27.9 cm. Phantom BMD was lower at 15.2 cm than at higher thicknesses of both water and oil/water (P=0.05, ANOVA). The phantom was scanned repeatedly in 15.2, 20.3, and 27.9 cm of water over a 9 month period. In 15.2 and 20.3 cm of water, phantom BMD did not vary significantly whereas in 27.9 cm of water (equivalent to a human over 30 cm thick), phantom BMD increased 2.3% (P=0.01) over the 9 months.
Reliability Modeling of Protective Systems

Electric power systems are comprised of a very large number of interconnected components that are designed for the sole purpose of generating and delivering electrical energy to consumers. Usually, the consumers are free to accept or-reject the available electrical energy at will, suggesting a probabilistic rather than deterministic demand pattern. The system is operated by humans and by automatic control apparatus, both having some probability of failure to perform their function. Moreover, the system physical components are subject to failure in some random way, with each failure often requiring corrective action. Since the system is geographically extensive, it is subject to a large number of natural and man-made hazards. Examples are lightning induced faults and physically damaged components that result from natural or man-made causes. For the purpose of this discussion we classify all of the above as disturbances. Some of these disturbances, such as short circuits, cause severe upsets in system operation and must be somehow removed or isolated. This is the role of the 'protective systems,' which are installed throughout the power system, to detect and remove hazardous disturbances, which we usually call faults.
EXAMINING THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN POSTTRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER SYMPTOMS, POSITIVE SMOKING OUTCOME EXPECTANCIES, AND CIGARETTE SMOKING IN PEOPLE WITH SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS: A MULTIPLE MEDIATOR MODEL

Cigarette smoking is highly prevalent in people with substance use disorders (SUDs) and is associated with significant physical health problems. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also highly associated with both SUDs and cigarette smoking and may serve as a barrier to smoking cessation efforts. In addition, people with PTSD are more likely to hold positive smoking outcome expectancies (i.e., beliefs that smoking cigarettes results in positive outcomes); these beliefs may contribute to cigarette smoking in people with SUDs experiencing PTSD symptoms. The present study examined the relationship between PTSD symptoms and typical daily cigarette smoking/cigarette dependence symptoms in a sample of 227 trauma-exposed current smokers with SUDs (59.9% male, 89.4% Caucasian) seeking detoxification treatment services. Additionally, the indirect effects of multiple types of positive smoking outcome expectancies on these relationships were examined. Participants completed questionnaires assessing PTSD symptoms, positive smoking outcome expectancies, cigarette consumption, and cigarette dependence symptoms. Results indicated that PTSD symptoms were not directly related to cigarette consumption or cigarette dependence symptoms. However, negative affect reduction outcome expectancies were shown to have a significant indirect effect between PTSD symptoms and cigarette consumption, while negative affect reduction, boredom reduction, and taste-sensorimotor manipulation outcome expectancies were all found to have significant indirect effects between PTSD symptoms and cigarette dependence symptoms. The indirect effect involving negative affect reduction outcome expectancies was statistically larger than that of taste sensorimotor manipulation outcome expectancies, while negative affect reduction and boredom reduction outcome expectancies were comparable in magnitude. These results suggest that expectancies that smoking can manage negative affective experiences are related to cigarette smoking in people with SUDs experiencing PTSD symptoms and suggest that effective smoking cessation treatments should take into account these expectancies.
Use of nondisabled subjects in AAC research: Confessions of a research infidel

Research within augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) frequently involves the use of augmentative systems users as subjects. This article will make an argument for using nondisabled communicators as subjects in AAC research.
The Food Budget of English Workers: A Reply to Komlos.

John Komlos thinks my suggestion that dietary expenditures may have constituted no more than 50 to 60 percent of the household budget of early modern English workers is premature and quite possibly wrong. The source of my error, according to Komlos, is that I forgot that people did not work on Sundays, holidays, when ill, and so forth. He then calculates how adding those non-pay days shrinks their annual budget and causes a greater percentage to be spent on food than shows up in the wage assessments. Consequently, he concludes, the "common wisdom" that food took a 75 percent share seems reasonable.1 First of all, the "common wisdom" for early modern England is not 75 percent, it is 80 percent. This is the weight used in the two principal cost-of-living indices covering the period.2 Second, Komlos interprets "laboring classes" as laborers only. That was not what was meant. I was using "laboring classes" in the sense that working class is used in the nineteenth century, to include not just laborers but also semiskilled and skilled manual occupations. That is why wage-assessment data appear for both laborers and carpenters. The 50 to 60 percent figure applies to this entire group, with laborers making up the bulk of the membership but the more skilled and better-paid artisans also being included. I avoided the term working class because it is not normally employed to refer to these groups by early modern historians. Third, I did not forget about Sundays, holidays, sick days, and so on. How, then, did I arrive at the 50 to 60 percent estimate? Obviously, any percentage for the early modern period is somewhat fictive because of household production of services and goods including food. But all household surveys share this problem to some extent. For the early modern period the assumption is that enough households produced such minimal amounts of food for home consumption that one can make an estimate from the recorded expenditures. Komlos assumes that I took the 50 to 60 percent figure straight from the wage assessments in Table 2. But Table 2 shows from 1420 to 1780 a range of 43 to 51 percent for the lower end of the laboring classes-laborers-and 32 to 48 percent range for more skilled workers-in this case carpenters; it was not 50 to 60 percent. As has been pointed out by others writing on wage assessments and as I have certainly always recognized, these daily rates cannot be totaled and treated like a salary that is to cover non-working days. Workers who wanted to be covered for expenses all year were forced to contract all of their labor on an annual basis and usually had to live in the employer's household. Employers took no responsibility for those paid on a daily basis. They left them to the parish poor rates. After noting the discrepancy between the daily rates and
Attitudes and perceptions toward smoking: smokers' views of themselves and other smokers.

Abstract A sample of American smokers completed a questionnaire regarding their motivations for and opinions about smoking. The subjects also indicated their perceptions of how other smokers feel about the same issues. The results indicated that the subjects perceived psychological addiction as the primary reason for their own smoking. The subjects perceived differences between their own motivations and opinions and those of the other smokers'. The subjects were likely to be more critical of their own smoking. The longer the subjects had been smoking, and the more cigarettes they smoked, the more likely they were to say that smoking is psychologically and physically addictive and that quitting would be difficult.
A Network Coding Based Energy Efficient Data Backup in Survivability-Heterogeneous Sensor Networks

Sensor nodes deployed outdoors are subject to environmental detriments and often need to cache data for an extended period of time. This paper introduces sensor nodes which are robust to environmental damages, and proposes to utilize Network Coding to back up data in the robust sensors for future data retrieval in an energy efficient way. Our goal is to help regular sensors select robust sensors to back up their data with low energy consumption, such that when needed, all the data can be retrieved by querying only a subset of robust sensors. We formally formulate this backup problem, theoretically prove its NP-Completeness, discover two novel theoretical guidelines for problem solving, and propose two algorithms accordingly to tackle this NP-C problem. The guidelines are based on random linear network coding and provide lower bounds of the number of robust sensors that each regular sensor should choose for data backup, such that the required fault tolerance is provided. A centralized algorithm and a distributed algorithm are developed based on the guidelines such that regular sensors can back up their data efficiently. Both analysis and simulation show our algorithms are effective in achieving fault tolerance, low energy consumption, and high retrieval efficiency.
AMPLITUDE BOUNDS IN THE LADDER GRAPH APPROXIMATION

We consider forward scattering in the ladder approximation for a trilinear scalar interaction. The corresponding Bethe-Salpeter integral equation for the absorptive part of the amplitude is of the Volterra type; and the kernel and inhomogeneous term are both positive. We exploit these special features in order to set upper bounds on the absorptive amplitude for arbitrary values of the coupling constant $g$. Two different techniques are described. For large scattering energies the bounds obtained imply corresponding bounds on the value of the leading Regge pole $\ensuremath{\alpha}(0)$. In the limit of weak coupling our upper bound on $\ensuremath{\alpha}(0)$ is linear in ${g}^{2}$ and in fact coincides exactly with the known weak-coupling result. In the limit of strong coupling our upper bound varies as the square root of ${g}^{2}$. The correctness of this feature is discussed on the analogy with the Schr\"odinger problem of binding in a potential field.
Sampling Poultry Carcasses and Parts to Determine Bacterial Levels

Abstract The method used to determine the microbiological quality of fresh poultry is extremely important. Some sampling methods are suitable for estimating general populations of bacteria without destroying product integrity, while other methods are appropriate for detecting the presence of pathogens that may be on the carcass in low numbers. This paper describes in detail the commonly used methods for sampling fresh poultry and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of each method.
Influence of reactant characteristics on the microstructures of combustion-synthesized titanium carbide

The influence of reactant characteristics on morphological development through the stages of combustion synthesis was investigated using a titanium-carbon system. The effect of the characteristics of a variety of carbons (carbon blacks, graphites, and cokes) and a variety of titanium powders on the density and microstructure of combusted and uncombusted sample compacts was studied. The size of the titanium particles had a relatively small influence on the density of the final (TiC) product but had a significant effect on its microstructure. The structure of the carbon blacks (as judged by the n-dibutyl phthalate absorption number, DBP) had a direct influence on the density of the uncombusted and combusted samples: low-structure carbon blacks resulted in higher densities for both cases. Products made with natural graphites had higher densities than those made with synthetic graphites. The surface area of carbon and graphite reactant powders had less influence on the density of the product than on its network morphology. Cored structures in TiC products made from certain carbon and graphite powders were observed and are explained in terms of their ash (oxide) content.
Effects of predator visibility on prey encounter: a case study on aerial web weaving spiders

Perhaps the most important factor affecting predator-prey interactions is their encounter probability. Predators must either locate sites where prey are active or attract prey to them, and prey must be able to recognize potential predators and flee before capture. In this study we manipulate and describe three components of the foraging system of predatory, web-weaving spiders, the presence of viscid droplets, silk brightness (achromatic surface reflectance), and visibility of the orb pattern, to determine their effect on insect attraction, recognition, and web avoidance. We found that webs with viscid droplets were more visible to prey at close range, but at greater distances the sparkling droplets lured insects to the web area and hence increased insect capture probability. Although the size of viscid droplets and silk brightness are closely correlated (Table 2, Fig. 3), the relationships among droplet size, spider size, and the visual environments in which webs are found are more complicated (Fig. 2, Tables 2, 3). In environments with predictable light exposure, droplet size and hence silk visibility correlate with spider size, and spiders that forage at night produce relatively more visible silks then spiders that forage during the day (Table 3, Fig. 4). In habitats in which light levels are not predictable, silk surface reflectance and spider size are not closely correlated, suggesting that the complexity of the light environment, as well as the visual and foraging behaviors of insects found there, has played an important role in the evolution of spider-insect interactions.
Crescentic glomerulonephritis and dense deposit disease in a woman with breast carcinoma on immunosuppressive chemotherapy

The authors describe an unusual case of acute renal failure in a 50-year-old woman with a history of breast carcinoma. The breast carcinoma was treated with 4 cycles of chemotherapy. After chemotherapy, she felt fatigued and noticed decreased urine output. Her serum creatinine level had risen from 0.8 to 10.1 mg/dL (71 to 893 μmol/L). Renal biopsy was done that showed a severe crescentic glomerulonephritis secondary to dense deposit disease. This case is extremely unusual in that: (1) Dense deposit disease developed in a 50-year-old woman, whereas it is primarily a disease of children and young adults, and (2) the patient was being treated with immunosuppressive chemotherapy for breast carcinoma when dense deposit disease developed, thus posing a therapeutic dilemma.
Distributed UAV formation control using differential game approach

Abstract This paper considers a formation control problem for a multiple-UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) system where each UAV is able to exchange information with other UAVs according to a fixed information graph. In this paper, each UAV tries to minimize its own performance index which is chosen independently based on its local information. Because of the UAVs' different objectives, the formation control problem is formulated and solved as a differential game problem. Realizing the incapability of the classical Nash strategy approach in dealing with the distributed information, we propose a novel open-loop Nash strategy design approach for each UAV to implement in a fully distributed manner through estimating its terminal state. An illustrative example of a five-UAV formation control problem is solved under different scenarios.
The use of standard scores in diagnosing learning disabilities: A critique

This paper examines the limitations of standard scores of achievement tests commonly used in diagnosing learning disabilities. The consideration of these limitations is an important factor in attempting to decide whether a marked discrepancy exists between ability and achievemen, a requirement for the diagnosis of learning disabilities under Public Law 94–142. The phrase “standard score scale” is ambiguous because it can refer to both status score scales and developmental score scales. Unfortunately, many school psychologists seem unaware of the distinction between these two types of standard scores and the ramifications of this distinction. Many standardized achievement tests commonly used in the assessment of learning disabilities use status standard scores despite their severe limitations (noncomparability across grade levels and subjects, and failure to reflect changes in variability across grade levels). While developmental standard scores are to be preferred over status standard scores in diagnosing learning disabled children, their value is significantly lowered because they require greater growth for below-average students than for average or above-average students. Moreover, developmental scores are nonequal interval and they assume that subject matter is normally distributed within age or grade groups. Although we recommend the use of developmental standard scores over status standard scores, we urge that they be interpreted cautiously.
Territorial scale modeling for best value sensor or comm siting

Many of the current efforts in the sphere of homeland security, and national defense involve the use of fixed sites to provide sensor coverage, RF communications coverage, or RF relay coverage for terrestrial areas and/or airspace volumes. For terrestrial infrastructure, it is more cost effective to utilize existing towers/buildings for sensor/antenna sites, rather than to build new ones. If a mission system integrator (MSI) is teamed with one or more large tower providers or telecommunications companies, then often the MSI will have many more potential sites to choose from than the absolute number of sites required for coverage. Raytheon has extended the automated design for affordability and planning toolkit (ADAPTtrade) to this class of problem. The ADAPTtrade approach is based on a cost as an independent variable (CAIV) analysis, leverages automatic and integrated execution of consituent models, applies genetic optimization algorithms, and for problems with tens of thousands of candidate sites, can be shown to converge at a significantly lower cost solution than may be arrived at by hand optimization, or other automated optimization techniques.
Determining thickness independently from optical constants using ultrafast spectral interferometry

We show that the application of ultrafast techniques, specially femtosecond lasers, allow simultaneous measurements of material thickness and optical constants from transmission measurements using a frequency interferometer.
Sintaxe da segunda língua

The present work claims that what studies have taken to be L2 syntax can be attributed to L1 influence at the SM interface, to morpho(phono)logy and phonology and a reanalysis of the phenomena is needed.
The Microcirculation in Inflammation

Publisher Summary This chapter is concerned with the microcirculation in inflammation, which is modulated and influenced by platelet–leukocyte interactions (see above) and by the coagulation system. Thrombin, the main product of the coagulation cascade, activates vascular endothelial cells, mononuclear leukocytes and platelets through the protease-activated receptors. All tissues with a microcirculation can participate in an inflammatory response. Aulus Celsus introduced four of the five cardinal symptoms of inflammation, rubor, tumor, calor, dolor, or redness, swelling, heat, and pain. All four prominently involve the microcirculation: redness and heat reflect vasodilation; dolor is caused by the stimulation of nociceptors in the inflamed tissue, which can be amplified by swelling caused by microvascular leakage. Microcirculation consists of arterioles, capillaries, and venules. Arterioles have a smooth muscle cell-containing wall and, with few exceptions, show a divergent branching pattern, meaning that blood flows from one arteriole into two branches at each bifurcation. Postcapillary venules have no smooth muscle and are instead lined by pericytes. Venules collect blood from capillaries, which start from a divergent bifurcation and end at a confluent junction. The most important function of the microcirculation during the inflammatory response is to ensure rapid and abundant delivery of leukocytes to the inflamed tissue site. Depending on the type of inflammatory stimulus, these include neutrophils, monocytes, lymphocytes, eosinophils, and basophils. Endothelial cells control the localization of the inflammatory response as well as leukocyte and plasma protein access to tissues. At sites of inflammation, endothelial cells upregulate many inflammatory adhesion molecules, cytokines, and chemokines.
A Highly Active and Negatively Charged Streptococcus pyogenes Lysin with a Rare d-Alanyl-l-Alanine Endopeptidase Activity Protects Mice against Streptococcal Bacteremia

Bacteriophage endolysins have shown great efficacy in killing Gram-positive bacteria. PlyC, a group C streptococcal phage lysin, represents the most efficient lysin characterized to date, with a remarkably high specificity against different streptococcal species, including the important pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes. However, PlyC is a unique lysin, in terms of both its high activity and structure (two distinct subunits). We sought to discover and characterize a phage lysin active against S. pyogenes with an endolysin architecture distinct from that of PlyC to determine if it relies on the same mechanism of action as PlyC. In this study, we identified and characterized an endolysin, termed PlyPy (phage lysin from S. pyogenes), from a prophage infecting S. pyogenes. By in silico analysis, PlyPy was found to have a molecular mass of 27.8 kDa and a pI of 4.16. It was active against a majority of group A streptococci and displayed high levels of activity as well as binding specificity against group B and C streptococci, while it was less efficient against other streptococcal species. PlyPy showed the highest activity at neutral pH in the presence of calcium and NaCl. Surprisingly, its activity was not affected by the presence of the group A-specific carbohydrate, while the activity of PlyC was partly inhibited. Additionally, PlyPy was active in vivo and could rescue mice from systemic bacteremia. Finally, we developed a novel method to determine the peptidoglycan bond cleaved by lysins and concluded that PlyPy exhibits a rare d-alanyl-l-alanine endopeptidase activity. PlyPy thus represents the first lysin characterized from Streptococcus pyogenes and has a mechanism of action distinct from that of PlyC.
Electrical and fluidic C4 interconnections for inter-layer liquid cooling of 3D ICs

Heat removal technologies are among the most critical needs for 3D integration of high-performance microprocessors. As high performance chips are projected to dissipate more than 100W/cm2 and require more than 100A of supply current, integrating high performance chips in a 3D stack greatly exacerbates challenges in power delivery and cooling of chips within the stack. This paper reports the configuration of a 3D integration platform that can support the power delivery, signaling, and heat removal requirements for 3D architectures with integrated high-performance processors in the 3D stack. The researchers demonstrate the use of wafer-level batch fabrication to develop advanced electrical and fluidic three-dimensional interconnect networks in a 3D stack. The on-chip integrated microchannel heat sinks enable cooling of >100W/cm2 of each high power density chip. A key element in this platform is the ability to assemble chips with electrical and fluidic I/Os and seal fluidic interconnections at each strata interface. Three assembly and fluidic sealing techniques are discussed. Fabrication, assembly, and experimental results of the novel fluidic sealing technologies that enable the microfluidic network in the inter-layer liquid cooling 3D integration platform are also reported.
Health, Disability, and Marital Quality Is the Association Different for Younger Versus Older Cohorts?

An analysis of declines in health and the onset of disability and their links to marital quality using longitudinal data revealed that decreases in health were associated with declines in marital quality but that the onset of disability was linked to enhanced marital quality. Self-reports of declines in health had modest effects on marital quality, whereas reports that individuals' spouses experienced declines in health were related to more extensive damage to marital quality. This was especially true when wives were reporting health declines in their husbands. Husbands' reports of wives' disability were linked to increases in marital quality. When reporting on husbands' disabilities, wives did not report increases in marital quality. As hypothesized, stage in the life course did moderate the associations observed. Specifically, health decrements were associated with greater changes in marital quality among the young and middle aged than among an older cohort.
Upper esophageal responses to intraluminal distention in man.

This investigation determined the site(s) of elicitation and origin of secondary peristalsis in the human esophagus and characterized the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) and proximal esophageal body responses accompanying intraluminal distention. In 7 normal persons, an intraluminal transducer probe manometrically recorded the UES and 5- and 10-cm levels of the esophageal body. A second probe with a balloon attached 2 cm above the proximal strain gauge was located so that the balloon was 3 and 4 cm below the UES and 4 distentions were done. The balloon probe was moved in 2-cm increments (four distensions at each site) until lower esophageal sphincter pressures were recorded. No secondary peristalsis occurred after distention in the proximal 6 cm. The incidence of secondary peristalsis increased as the distention site moved distally. Sixty-nine per cent of secondary peristaltic waves originated in the esophageal body proximal to the distention site. The UES pressure significantly increased over resting pressure (augmentation) during 63% of distentions. The esophagus proximal to the balloon and below the UES usually responded to distention with augmentation. Augmentation of the UES and proximal esophageal body in response to esophageal intraluminal distention and the resultant initiation of secondary peristalsis above the distention site comprise a highly integrated pressure barrier to esophagopharyngeal reflux.
Chemically enhanced bacteriorhodopsin thin film spatial light modulator

An optically addressed spatial light modulator based on a thin film of chemically enhanced bacteriorhodopsin is demonstrated. Incoherent-to-coherent light conversion is achieved by exploitation of both the large shift in absorption maxima accompanying the bR → M phototransformation and the extended M-intermediate lifetime resulting from the chemical enhancement of the protein at high pH. The device exhibits a linear dynamic range of 120:1 at 514 nm and a resolution of ~100 line pairs/mm.
Acute Coronary Syndrome ST-Segment Monitoring

Scenario: This is an electrocardiogram (ECG) rhythm strip of lead II from a 67-year-old male who was admitted to the cardiac intensive care unit with an acute onset of chest pain after painting his home. He is being evaluated for acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The patient has a history of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) from alcohol and drug abuse. However, he says he has not used drugs or alcohol in more than 10 years. His initial cardiac troponin (cTnl) was 0.05 ng/mL (reference point for ACS > 0.04 ng/mL). The nurse activated the ST-segment monitoring software on the bedside electrocardiographic monitor, but is frustrated because of multiple alarms due to ST-segment changes. A regular feature of the American Journal of Critical Care, the ECG Puzzler addresses electrocardiogram (ECG) interpretation for clinical practice. To send an eLetter or to contribute to an online discussion about this article, visit www.ajcconline.org and click “Respond to This Article” on either the full-text or PDF view of the article. We welcome letters regarding this feature.
Exposure to lead induces hypoxia—like responses in bullfrog larvae (Rana catesbeiana)

Amphibians collected around mining sites, areas with extensive automobile traffic, and shooting ranges have been documented to contain high levels of lead. Lead-exposed amphibians might respond as if in hypoxic conditions because exposure is known to decrease hemoglobin levels, damage erythrocytes, and alter respiratory surfaces. Therefore, we exposed bullfrog larvae to either 0 or 780 μg/L Pb and either 3.50 or 7.85 mg/L oxygen for 7 d and monitored activity, trips to the surface, and buccal ventilation rates. Activity was significantly decreased in larvae exposed to low oxygen, Pb, or both compared to activity of larvae in high oxygen with no Pb. Larvae exposed to both Pb and low oxygen displayed higher buccal ventilation rates than larvae exposed to either treatment separately. Lead-exposed larvae surfaced significantly more often than unexposed larvae even under high-oxygen conditions. Lead-exposed larvae decreased in mass during the exposure period, whereas unexposed larvae increased in mass. Lead exposure could decrease survival of larvae in the field not only because of physiological problems due to decreased oxygen uptake but also because of greater predation pressure due to increased presence at the surface and reduced growth rates.
Almost Isometric Mesh Parameterization through Abstract Domains

In this paper, we propose a robust, automatic technique to build a global hi-quality parameterization of a two-manifold triangular mesh. An adaptively chosen 2D domain of the parameterization is built as part of the process. The produced parameterization exhibits very low isometric distortion, because it is globally optimized to preserve both areas and angles. The domain is a collection of equilateral triangular 2D regions enriched with explicit adjacency relationships (it is abstract in the sense that no 3D embedding is necessary). It is tailored to minimize isometric distortion, resulting in excellent parameterization qualities, even when meshes with complex shape and topology are mapped into domains composed of a small number of large continuous regions. Moreover, this domain is, in turn, remapped into a collection of 2D square regions, unlocking many advantages found in quad-based domains (e.g., ease of packing). The technique is tested on a variety of cases, including challenging ones, and compares very favorably with known approaches. An open-source implementation is made available.
Tone and Broadband Noise Separation from Acoustic Data of a Scale-Model Counter-Rotating Open Rotor

Renewed interest in contra-rotating open rotor technology for aircraft propulsion application has prompted the development of advanced diagnostic tools for better design and improved acoustical performance. In particular, the determination of tonal and broadband components of open rotor acoustic spectra is essential for properly assessing the noise control parameters and also for validating the open rotor noise simulation codes. The technique of phase averaging has been employed to separate the tone and broadband components from a single rotor, but this method does not work for the two-shaft contra-rotating open rotor. A new signal processing technique was recently developed to process the contra-rotating open rotor acoustic data. The technique was first tested using acoustic data taken of a hobby aircraft open rotor propeller, and reported previously. The intent of the present work is to verify and validate the applicability of the new technique to a realistic one-fifth scale open rotor model which has 12 forward and 10 aft contra-rotating blades operating at realistic forward flight Mach numbers and tip speeds. The results and discussions of that study are presented in this paper.
Longitudinal evaluation of milk type consumed and weight status in preschoolers

Objective To evaluate relationships between type of milk consumed and weight status among preschool children. Design Longitudinal cohort study. Setting The Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort, a representative sample of US children. Participants 10 700 US children examined at age 2 and 4 years. Main outcome measures Body mass index (BMI) z score and overweight/obese status as a function of milk type intake. Results The majority of children drank whole or 2% milk (87% at 2 years, 79.3% at 4 years). Across racial/ethnic and socio-economic status subgroups, 1%/skim milk drinkers had higher BMI z scores than 2%/whole milk drinkers. In multivariable analyses, increasing fat content in the type of milk consumed was inversely associated with BMI z score (p Conclusions Consumption of 1%/skim milk is more common among overweight/obese preschoolers, potentially reflecting the choice of parents to give overweight/obese children low-fat milk to drink. Nevertheless, 1%/skim milk does not appear to restrain body weight gain between 2 and 4 years of age in this age range, emphasising a need for weight-targeted recommendations with a stronger evidence base.
Bio-Inspired Adaptive Integrated Information Processing

Biological brains are dramatically more effective in dealing with real-world adaptive information processes and decisions than most advanced computers. Advanced computers can utilize the discipline of classical signal processing whereby providing theoretical mathematical and statistical approaches for information processing, and with the vision of bio-inspired adaptive processing are evolving into neuromorphic integrated sensory processing systems. Numerous MISO (multi-input, single output) sensory applications demand reliable and effective information processing which, at an initial stage may be addressed by solving the key problems of advanced computing platforms, which are: i-massive parallelism; ii-low power consumption of massively large systems; iii-intelligent systems that learn from observations and perform better on the next run; iv-integrated systems for embedded feasibility; and v-systems that adapt to the environment. Thus, our Adaptive Integrated Information Processing (AIIP) approaches, presented in this paper. Two AIIP systems are presented: Neural networks with synaptic plasticity, as our Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs), with up to one million inputs, for chemical sensing and detection; and Adaptive Recurrent Dynamic Neural Networks (ARDNNs) for defect tracking, reliable system deployment, and prognosis for telecommunication and similar applications. Further-our presented AIIP systems may provide a viable solution to offering powerful modulation schemes and transmission rates far beyond current possible communications systems.
ELF3 Modulates Resetting of the Circadian Clock in Arabidopsis

The Arabidopsis early flowering 3 ( elf3 ) mutation causes arrhythmic circadian output in continuous light, but there is some evidence of clock function in darkness. Here, we show conclusively that normal circadian function occurs with no alteration of period length in elf3 mutants in dark conditions and that the light-dependent arrhythmia observed in elf3 mutants is pleiotropic on multiple outputs normally expressed at different times of day. Plants overexpressing ELF3 have an increased period length in both constant blue and red light; furthermore, etiolated ELF3-overexpressing seedlings exhibit a decreased acute CAB2 response after a red light pulse, whereas the null mutant is hypersensitive to acute induction. This finding suggests that ELF3 negatively regulates light input to both the clock and its outputs. To determine whether ELF3’s action is phase dependent, we examined clock resetting by using light pulses and constructed phase response curves. Absence of ELF3 activity causes a significant alteration of the phase response curve during the subjective night, and constitutive overexpression of ELF3 results in decreased sensitivity to the resetting stimulus, suggesting that ELF3 antagonizes light input to the clock during the night. The phase of ELF3 function correlates with its peak expression levels in the subjective night. ELF3 action, therefore, represents a mechanism by which the oscillator modulates light resetting.
City of order: crime and society in Halifax, 1918–35

Professor Boudreau presents a complex picture of society in the Canadian city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, in the era between the two world wars, 1918–1935. Halifax was going through the throes of adap...
Analysis of fully polarimetric W-band ISAR imagery on seven-scale model main battle tanks for use in target recognition

Fully polarimetric high-resolution W-band target signature data has been collected on 7 high fidelity 1/16th scale model main battle tanks. Data has been collected at several different elevation angles and target poses. Additionally, targets have been measured both on 1/16th scale simulated ground terrain and in free-space. ISAR images were formed from this data for use in several different target identification algorithms. These algorithms include using the data in both linear and circular polarization. The results of the inter-comparisons of the data using different algorithms are presented. Where possible the data has been compared with existing W-band Full-scale field measurements. The data is taken using a 1.55THz compact range designed to model W-band. The 1.55THz transceiver uses two high- stability optically pumped far-infrared lasers, microwave/laser Schottky diode side-band generation for frequency sweep, and a pair of Schottky diode receivers for coherent integration.
Student Perceptions of Success in Computer Science Senior Capstone Projects (Abstract Only)

We are studying how students navigate the school to work transition in the context of the CS senior capstone project course. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with eleven of the seventy-two seniors completing their capstone project in the CS department at our institution. The interview instrument explores how students prioritized candidate projects during project selection, student perceptions of external evaluation, and self-evaluation of the success of their project experience. We used the concept of legitimate peripheral participation (LPP) as a theoretical lens to inform the coding and interpretation of the qualitative data. LPP is a situated learning theory that highlights the importance of embedding learners within a community of practice. This embedding supports participants' development of their professional identities, and engages them in the use of tools and practices authentic to the community. Through analysis of the interview transcripts, we identified the following themes: 1) shift in authority from classroom to project sponsor, 2) the capstone experience serving as a knowledge integration forum, and 3) sufficient project scope to support a sense of ownership and transformative agency. These findings are consistent with a shift in identity from school-oriented to work-oriented, and highlight how the course lends legitimacy to the project work performed by the students. This poster represents preliminary research efforts into the questions of student identity formation within CS, and its impact on long term retention in the computer science discipline.
Tetrahedra with Integer Edges and Integer Volume

(1992). Tetrahedra with Integer Edges and Integer Volume. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 65, No. 2, pp. 104-111.
Finite element anaylsis of the anatomy of acupuncture points

Acupuncture is a centuries-old traditional therapy that is used to treat a litany of diseases and conditions. Acupuncture is performed by inserting fine needles into specific locations defined in ancient times — acupressure is similarly applied at these points by tissue palpation without needle insertion. Manipulating these acupuncture points is believed to regulate the flow of energy or ‘qi’ through acupuncture meridians to produce specific, far-reaching results. Though no scientific correlate to ‘qi’ has been identified, acupuncture has indeed been demonstrated to be clinically effective for nausea [1] and osteoarthritic pain [2], and suggested for addiction, stroke rehabilitation, headache, menstrual cramps, tennis elbow, fibromyalgia, myofascial pain, low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and asthma [1]. Despite this evidence, no scientific basis for the location of acupuncture points has been found.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
On Where We Differ: Sites Versus Grounds of Justice, and Some Other Reflections on Michael Blake’s Justice and Foreign Policy

Blake’s book conveys a straightforward directive: the foreign policy of liberal states should be guided and constrained by the goal of helping other states to become liberal democracies as well. This much is what we owe to people in other countries—this much but nothing more. The primary addressees are wealthier democracies, whose foreign policy ought to be guided by the idea of equality of all human beings. My approach in On Global Justice bears important similarities to Blake’s, but with those similarities also come equally important differences. The purpose of this piece is to bring out these similarities and differences and in the process articulate some objections to Blake.
COMPONENTS OF VARIANCE OF ODONTOMETRIC TRAITS IN A WILD-DERIVED POPULATION OF PEROMYSCUS LEUCOPUS.

The modern synthetic theory of evolution has been developed from observations and concepts derived from a wide variety of sources. Many lines of evidence have contributed to the verification of the basic fact of evolutionary change, but the most cogent direct evidence comes from the field of paleontology. Dental traits in particular have been of special importance to students of evolution and paleontology. Since teeth possess a relatively good fossil record, they have provided much-needed information about long-term evolutionary change, particularly in the mammals. In addition, the dentition of mammals is generally highly correlated with type of food and feeding habits, and is therefore, of particular significance to students of functional anatomy and systematics. Studies of the morphological variation of dental characters have been conducted for many decades by systematists but rarely have these investigations been concerned with ascertaining the primary causes of variation. An enhanced understanding of the causal components should provide a more adequate basis for interpreting variation in the teeth of both fossil and recent mammals and should serve to reduce the "inferential leap" now necessary from softpart neontology to hard-part paleontology. Variation in the majority of taxonomic traits is of the continuous type. Such traits may be described in terms of the several components contributing to their total phenotypic variance. Estimation of the magnitude of the variance components may be obtained from breeding experiments and