cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extending the User Action Notation for Research in Individual Differences

Software user interfaces that provide users with more than one device, such as a mouse and keyboard, for interactively performing tasks, are now commonplace. Concerns about how to represent individual differences in patterns of use and acquisition of skill in such interfaces led the authors to develop modifications to the standard format of the User Action Notation (UAN) that substantially augment the notation's expressive power. These extensions allow the reader of an interface specification to make meaningful comparisons between functionally equivalent interaction techniques and task performance strategies in interfaces supporting multiple input devices. Furthermore, they offer researchers a new methodology for analyzing the behavioral aspects of user interfaces. These modifications are documented and their benefits discussed.
Similarity of ideology and party preference among large American corporations: A study of political action committee contributions

This study examines the extent to which large corporations contribute to political candidates of similar ideology and party affiliation. Using a sample of 1596 dyads created by relations among 57 large U.S. manufacturing firms, four variables were found to be associated with similarity of ideological contributions, party contributions, or both: corporate headquarters location in the same state, market constraint relations between the industries in which the firms operate, the presence of director interlocks with the same financial institutions, and the extent to which the firms' primary operations were in highly concentrated industries. Members of the same industries, however, were no more likely to support candidates with similar ideologies or party affiliations than were firms in different industries. Moreover, the positive effect of geographical proximity appeared to be a result of firms' tendencies to contribute to candidates from their own state rather than a result of a geographically based ideological split within the business community.
Jensen's Inequality for General Location Parameter

Abstract A wide class of location parameters is shown to satisfy Jensen's inequality. When the expectation EX exists and l is a convex function, Jensen's inequality states that El(x) ≥ l(EX). It is shown that for μ, a properly defined location parameter, μ(l(x)) μ l(μ(x)).
The effect of climate on acoustic signals: Does atmospheric sound absorption matter for bird song and bat echolocation?

The divergence of signals along ecological gradients may lead to speciation. The current research tests the hypothesis that variation in sound absorption selects for divergence in acoustic signals along climatic gradients, which has implications for understanding not only diversification, but also how organisms may respond to climate change. Because sound absorption varies with temperature, humidity, and the frequency of sound, individuals or species may vary signal structure with changes in climate over space or time. In particular, signals of lower frequency, narrower bandwidth, and longer duration should be more detectable in environments with high sound absorption. Using both North American wood warblers (Parulidae) and bats of the American Southwest, this work found evidence of associations between signal structure and sound absorption. Warbler species with higher mean absorption across their range were more likely to have narrow bandwidth songs. Bat species found in higher absorption habitats were more likely to have lower frequency echolocation calls. In addition, bat species changed echolocation call structure across seasons, using longer duration, lower frequency calls in the higher absorption rainy season. These results suggest that signals may diverge along climatic gradients due to variation in sound absorption, although the effects of absorption are modest.
SoNEA: Sensing Online Novelty Using Event Archives

Event detection and consequently novelty detection on time series data has recently attracted increasing attention from the computing community. In this paper, we describe a system that can detect novel events in wireless sensor networks termed SoNEA (Sensing online Novelty using Event Archives). This system is able to receive and process sensory data from sensor networks and dynamically detect novel events using intelligent novelty detection techniques. The detection is based on clustering techniques combined with cognitively motivated habituation theory. A novel scheme to predict missing values of sensor readings is also proposed based on this system. The results of the experiments exhibiting the performance of the proposed solution in detecting novel events and missing value predication are reported.
Communicative ethics, the public sphere and communication media

The normative assumptions and likely practical consequences of Jurgen Habermas ‘s communicative ethics and related conception of the public sphere have been the topic of much critical discussion. After reviewing some of the general features of Habermas's moral theory, I take up criticisms directed at his conception of the self or moral agency, his assumptions about the generalizability of human interests, and the supposed utopianism of his theory. In each case I argue that more charitable and attractive readings of his position are possible and desirable. I conclude with some general remarks about the potential role of mass communication media within his normative account of the public sphere.
An Integrated Serotonin and Octopamine Neuronal Circuit Directs the Release of an Endocrine Signal to Control C. elegans Body Fat

Summary Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is an ancient and conserved neuromodulator of energy balance. Despite its importance, the neural circuits and molecular mechanisms underlying 5-HT-mediated control of body fat remain poorly understood. Here, we decipher the serotonergic neural circuit for body fat loss in C. elegans and show that the effects of 5-HT require signaling from octopamine, the invertebrate analog of adrenaline, to sustain body fat loss. Our results provide a potential molecular explanation for the long-observed potent effects of combined serotonergic and adrenergic weight loss drugs. In metabolic tissues, we find that the conserved regulatory adipocyte triglyceride lipase ATGL-1 drives serotonergic fat loss. We show that the serotonergic chloride channel MOD-1 relays a long-range endocrine signal from C. elegans body cavity neurons to control distal ATGL-1 function, via the nuclear receptor NHR-76. Our findings establish a conserved neuroendocrine axis operated by neural serotonergic and adrenergic-like signaling to regulate body fat.
Nitrogen utilization by Typha latifolia L. as affected by temperature and rate of nitrogen application

Abstract Greenhouse and growth chamber studies were conducted to evaluate growth and N utilization by Typha latifolia L. in flooded organic soil under varying temperatures and rates of N additions. Elevation of temperature from 10 to 25°C increased shoot biomass yields by 275%. Root biomass yields were lowest at 10°C and increased linearly as a function of temperature. Shoot/root ratios were low (0.72–0.82) at lower temperatures (10–15°C) and ratios increased by about three times at higher temperatures (20–30°C). Biomass yields were increased by addition of N fertilizers, while the shoot/root ratios were directly related to plant-available N present in the soil. Fertilizer 15 N uptake (expressed as % of applied N) by the whole plant was 5.3% at 10°C, 37.5% at 20°C and at 30°C decreased to 20.8%. Fertilizer N accumulation in shoots was 2.1–29.8% of applied N, while roots accumulated 3.2–7.7%. Under greenhouse conditions, N uptake by T. latifolia was found to increase with increased rate of N application. Fertilizer N uptake by both shoots and roots was in the range of 61–77%. Plants cultured in growth chambers were affected by low light conditions resulting in poor growth and low fertilizer 15 N uptake, as compared to plants grown under greenhouse conditions. Added fertilizer N was the major source of N during the early part of the growing season, while soil organic N was the major and perhaps the sole source of N during the latter part of the growing season.
Vortex- and wake-induced vibrations of a tandem arrangement of two flexible circular cylinders with far wake interference

The dynamic response of two flexible cylinders in tandem arrangement partially immersed in a uniform flow is analysed. The centre-to-centre separations, larger than 4 and up to 8 diameters, were chosen to fall in the regime in which two separate wakes exist behind each one of the models. For the cases presented here, it has been confirmed that the main excitation mechanism is wake-induced vibration (WIV). The rear cylinder shows large amplitudes of response, at reduced velocities over the expected ones at lock-in when a cylinder is undergoing VIV being isolated. This type of response has been also observed by other researchers in experiments with flexibly mounted cylinders in the wake of stationary ones, we also provide data here, for cases with the front cylinder being stationary.
TEMPORAL DISPARITY AS A MEASURE OF CHANGE

A measure of disparity proposed previously has additional useful features. A method of transforming lines of equal disparity into straight, parallel, proportionately spaced lines is described. The measure is additive and can be used to measure temporal change in the ratios of a group having a particular property. The annual rate of change is properly measured by the average annual difference in the logits of the ratios. A semi-logit graph transforms logistic growth curves into straight lines. Its use is illustrated.
Association of antidepressant and atypical antipsychotic use with cardiovascular events and mortality in a veteran population.

tudy Objectives To determine the patterns of antidepressant and atypical antipsychotic use in a veteran population with depression, and to determine if an association exists between specific antidepressant classes and atypical antipsychotics and the occurrence of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. Design Retrospective, cross-sectional study. Setting Primary care clinic at a Veterans Affairs hospital. Patients A total of 1136 patients diagnosed with depression who were receiving antidepressant monotherapy (664 patients) or no antidepressant therapy (472 patients [controls]) between June 2009 and December 2010. Measurements and Main Results Data on patient demographics, disease diagnoses, laboratory data, and drug therapy profiles were collected through medical record review. Of the 1136 patients, the mean patient age was 61 years, 90% were men, and 77% were smokers. Mean body mass index was 30.4 kg/m2, blood pressure 126/73 mm Hg, hemoglobin A1c 6%, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level 106.7 mg/dl, and Framingham score 17. Patients receiving antidepressant monotherapy were grouped according to antidepressant class; selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) were most common. Concomitant use of atypical antipsychotics was more common with the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (venlafaxine), SSRI, and serotonin receptor antagonist (trazodone) classes (p=0.0067). After adjusting for demographics, concomitant drugs, and comorbidities, SSRI use was significantly associated with lower all-cause mortality (odds ratio [OR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.19–0.71, p=0.0028). Notably, noradrenergic and specific serotonergic antidepressant (mirtazapine) use was significantly associated with higher prevalence of heart failure (OR 3.26, 95% CI 1.029–10.38, p=0.0445). Use of atypical antipsychotics was significantly associated with a higher prevalence of cerebrovascular events (OR 2.23, 95% CI 1.29–3.83, p=0.0036) and all-cause mortality (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.03–4.1, p=0.04). Conclusion Our results favor treatment of depression with SSRIs among patients at increased cardiovascular risk due to the potential mortality benefit of this class of drugs. Atypical antipsychotics should be used with caution in the elderly population. Mirtazapine use in patients with heart failure and depression deserves further investigation.
Predicting other people's action goals with low-level motor information

In support for the direct-matching hypothesis, Ambrosini et al. (2011) recently reported that goal-directed saccades during action observation were modulated by manipulations of basic motor information. This finding indicates that motor programs, activated by low-level visual descriptions of others' actions, are involved in predicting other people's action goals. Here, I put this result into a broader context, review alternative interpretations, and suggest strategies for future studies.
The Atrioventricular Conduction System in Two Cases of Tricuspid Atresia

The morphology of the atrioventricular (A-V) conduction system was studied by serial histologic section in two cases of tricuspid atresia type IB (without transposition of the great arteries, with subpulmonary stenosis). The A-V node was adjacent to the central fibrous body, and its location was indicated by a "dimple" in the floor of the right atrium. The left bundle branches originated unusually close to the nodal-bundle junction. The right bundle branch was markedly elongated in its course to the right septal endocardium. It was situated along the inferior aspect of the channel-like ventricular septal defect as it traversed the septum. The early origin of the left bundle branches and the markedly elongated course of the right bundle branch were such that, theoretically, abnormal spread of the activation wave might result.
Carotid Ultrasonographic Findings in Intracranial Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion

Five cases of unilateral intracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) occlusion received both carotid angiographic and ultrasonographic studies. The Doppler examination showed that the resistive index (RI) of the common carotid artery (CCA) and ICA was higher but the peak systolic velocity was lower on the diseased side as compared with the normal side. Absence of the diastolic phase was found in the CCA flow in 2 cases and in the ICA flow in 3 cases on the diseased side. The mean CCA flow volume on the diseased side (271±82 mL/min) was half or less than that on the normal side (680±86 mL/min) (P < 0.01). The flow volume of the diseased ICA (49±20 mL/min) was markedly lower than that of the normal side (344±49 mL/min) (P < 0.01) and was also less than that of the ipsilateral external carotid artery (ECA) (129±43 mL/min). The Doppler ophthalmic artery flow all showed a forward direction.The authors propose that the following extracranial carotid ultrasono graphic findings may be helpful in the prediction of ...
Optoelectronic Neural Networks Based On Holographically Interconnected Image Processors

We describe an optoelectronic resonator associative memory system which utilizes holographic interconnects. Image processing techniques are used to implement nonlinearities and feedback. We show using numerical models that both power law and sigmoidal nonlinearities improve the storage capacity. Our experimental results lead us to be optimistic that this hybrid optical/electronic approach can be extended to adaptive neural network models.
Growth performance, survival and body composition of southern flounder Paralichthys lethostigma larvae fed different formulated microdiets

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of micro-bound diets (MBD) on southern flounder larvae. In experiment 1, four MBDs were formulated with different protein sources as follows: MBD 1: herring meal, MBD 2: menhaden meal, MBD 3: menhaden and squid meal; MBD 4: menhaden, squid and herring meal. In experiment 2, four MBDs were formulated as follows: MBD 5: menhaden, squid and herring meal; MBD 6: menhaden, squid, herring and attractants; MBD 7: menhaden, squid, herring and casein, and MBD 8: menhaden, squid, herring, casein and attractants. In experiment 3, three groups were maintained as follows: Group 1: live feed; Group 2: co-fed with MBD 6; and Group 3: MBD 6. In experiment 1 on 35 dph, survival and body weight (BW) of the fish fed MBD 4 was significantly higher than the MBDs 1 and 2. In experiment 2 on 34 dph, fish fed MBD 6 had significantly higher BW than the commercial microdiets. In experiment 3 on 21 dph, fish receiving only MBD had significantly lower survival than the other groups. Growth, survival and larval fatty acid composition suggested that co-feeding MBD 6, a mixture of marine protein sources plus attractants was more effective than the other MBDs.
Babesia bovis Immunity: In Vitro and in Vivo Evidence for IL-10 Regulation of IFN-γ and iNOSa

IL-10 has been shown to have profound immunoregulatory attributes and in the bovine appears to downregulate both Th1- and Th2-like responses. Using RT-PCR, we demonstrate IL-10 in vitro down-regulation of mRNA expression of iNOS, the cytokines involved in nitric oxide signal transduction initiation (IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha), and other mononuclear phagocyte associate cytokines. In addition, using RT-PCR with peripheral blood leukocytes and spleen leukocytes, the Griess reaction, and a killing assay, we provide evidence for the importance of iNOS in a successful immune response to B. bovis infection and for high and persistent IL-10 mRNA expression when the immune response is unsuccessful. We also provide evidence that antibody developed early after an initial infection appears to lack protective attributes (neutralizing and opsonic). Together, the data suggests that IL-10 and IFN-gamma are critical molecules involved in the response to this intraerythrocytic protozoan infection.
Universal newborn hearing screening : Should we leap before we look?

Across the nation pediatricians are being importuned, and indeed propelled, to implement universal newborn hearing screening, despite a total lack of information concerning ultimate costs and, particularly, risks. Without question, early detection of severe sensorineural hearing loss is a laudable goal, to be pursued devoutly. However, I would contend again, as Fred Bess and I argued in a commentary in Pediatrics 5 years ago,1 that universal newborn hearing screening in our present state of knowledge is not necessarily the only, or the best, or the most cost-effective way to achieve that goal, and more importantly, that the benefits of universal newborn hearing screening may be outweighed by its risks. The nagging question of ultimate costs and risks that Bess and I posed in that commentary remains unanswered, and in fact, virtually unaddressed. Advocacy for screening on a national scale gained momentum after the 1993 publication of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Consensus Statement that arose out of a Consensus Development Conference convened jointly by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and the NIH Office of Medical Applications of Research, and cosponsored by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The NIH Consensus Statement recommended that all infants be screened for hearing impairment within the first 3 months of life, and preferably before discharge from the hospital newborn nursery.2 Bess's and my commentary disputing the wisdom of that recommendation provoked a flurry of mainly dissenting, and in some cases, indignant letters to the editor, mainly from members of the audiology community ( Pediatrics 1994;94:948–959). These provided us with the opportunity, in our responses, to explain and expand on our position in greater detail.3 Together, the letters and our replies provide a comprehensive and still …
Kinetics of Reactions of Cl Atoms with Ethane, Chloroethane, and 1,1-Dichloroethane

Reactions of Cl atoms with ethane (1), chloroethane (2), and 1,1-dichloroethane (3) were studied experimentally with the discharge flow/resonance fluorescence technique over wide ranges of temperatures and at pressures between 2.3 and 9.2 Torr. Results of earlier investigations of the reactions of Cl atoms with ethane and chloroethanes are analyzed and compared with the results of the current work. The rate constants of the reaction of Cl atoms with ethane obtained in the current study (k1 = (4.91 × 10-12)T0.47 exp(−82 K/T) cm3 molecule-1 s-1, 299−1002 K) agree with the results of earlier determinations. Combination of the temperature dependence of k1 obtained in the current work with the existing (mostly at lower temperatures) literature data results in the expression k1 = (7.23 × 10-13)T0.70 exp(+117 K/T) cm3 molecule-1 s-1 (203−1400 K). Rate constants of the reactions of Cl atoms with chloroethane and 1,1-dichloroethane demonstrate different temperature dependences in the low-temperature (room temperat...
TU-C-213A-01: Adapting Traditional Clinical Medical Physics to Digital Radiography

Development of standards for performance verification of digital radiographic systems has been outpaced by commercialization of the technology. Practitioners, operators, vendors, and medical physicists are uncertain as to how to configure, calibrate, and verify systems for the best diagnostic quality images at the lowest practical radiation exposure to the patient. Several manufacturers have fielded commercial systems for performance verification, but long term data indicating trends and action limits is rare. Sources of definitive information on practical clinical methods are also scarce in the scientific literature. This has led to the current situation where clinical imaging operations are routinely conducted using systems that are not optimized. This workshop will discuss four important aspects of traditional medical physics practice that are modified when dealing with DR systems. These processes are of primary importance to medical physicists, because they affect both the quality of DR images and the ionizing radiation dose to patients. First, we consider how to perform an inspection on a radiographic unit using CR or DR. Second, we discuss how to set up the AEC for CR or DR exams. Third, we address how to verify the exposure indicator for CR and DR. Finally, we discuss available phantoms and their characteristics and limitations when used with DR. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand how some conventional tests should be modified for a digital radiographic system that is integrated into an electronic image management system. 2. Identify key references and standards that can be useful in testing of DR. 3. Appreciate opportunities for improvement of testing of DR systems.
Religious Group Membership, Locus of Control, and Dogmatism

As predicted, members of two religious groups (Ns = 40 and 29) scored more internal on Rotter's just world, predictable world, and difficult world subscales and more external on the politically responsive world subscale than 122 college students. A measure of dogmatism also correlated moderately with scores on the just and difficult world subscales.
Characterization and Cryoprotection of Invasive Silver Carp (Hypophthalmicthys molitrix) Protein Hydrolysates

ABSTRACTSilver carp (Hypophthalmicthys molitrix) is regarded as an invasive, underutilized freshwater fish causing environmental and economic complications along the U.S. Mississippi River System. In this study, silver carp protein hydrolysates (FPH) were obtained from 30, 60, 90, 120, and 240 min hydrolysis with Protamex®. Amino acid composition showed polar amino acids, including Asp and Glu, and freed hydrophobic residues in FPH-90 and FPH-240. Protein surface hydrophobicity of FPH increased with increasing degree of hydrolysis. Cryoprotection was evaluated using a muscle (mince) food system with 6% FPH (w/w) from each hydrolysis time condition, an untreated mince (CTRL), and 8% (w/w) 1:1 sucrose-sorbitol (SUSO), respectively. After six freeze-thaw cycles (D7), all FPH treatments had lower (p < 0.05) expressible moisture, indicating strong water-holding capacity by the FPH. FPH formulations also imparted antifreeze activity equal to or better than SUSO, with the FPH-90 exhibiting higher (p < 0.05) prop...
A fast localized algorithm for scheduling sensors

Given n sensors and m targets, a monitoring schedule is a partition of the sensor set such that each subset of the partition can monitor all the targets. Monitoring schedules are used for maximizing the time all the targets are monitored when there is no possibility of replacing the batteries of the sensors. Each subset of the partition is used for one unit of time, and thus the goal is to maximize the number of subsets in the partition. We make the assumption that any two sensors for which there is a target both can monitor can communicate in one hop. The Monitoring Schedule problem is closely related to the domatic number in graphs and from previous work one can obtain a logarithmic approximation with one round of communication. We consider the special case when the targets are on a curve (such as a road) and each sensor can monitor an interval of the curve. For this case an optimum schedule can be computed in centralized manner. However, in the worst case a localized algorithm requires a linear number of communication rounds to compute a solution which is better than a 2-approximation. We present a ([email protected])-approximate randomized localized algorithm with polylogarithmic number of communication rounds.
Do comorbid anxiety disorders impact treatment planning for outpatients with major depressive disorder

Research indicates that depressed patients with comorbid anxiety disorders have a poorer long-term course of illness, are less responsive to treatment, and may experience greater deficits in psychosocial functioning, when compared with depressed patients without comorbid anxiety disorders. The objective of this study was to examine, through use of a large, well-characterized clinical database, how clinicians may modify treatment recommendations in depressed outpatients when anxiety disorders are present. A group of 346 case records, derived from the Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services (MIDAS) project at Rhode Island Hospital, were examined to determine what treatment recommendations were made immediately after diagnosis. Psychopharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatments were classified to capture differences in recommendations between groups. Demographic and clinical characteristics were compared for patients with (n=248) and without (n=98) comorbid anxiety disorders. Utilizing logistic regression models, we found patients with anxiety disorders had a greater number of psychopharmacological therapies included as part of their initial treatment plan, but no differences were found in initial psychotherapeutic interventions. Our results indicate that practitioners are making unique recommendations based on comorbid anxiety diagnoses, but outcome studies are now needed to determine the most effective treatment methods for this patient population.
The Alcoholic Cardiomyopathies – Genuine and Pseudo

Two types of genuine alcoholic cardiomyopathies can produce congestive heart failure, an acute fulminate hyperkinetic type with high cardiac output and a hypokinetic type with a low cardiac output, both of which respond to thiamine. When the chronic alcoholic develops a dilated cardiomyopathy with congestive heart failure without a history of significant malnutrition, then they do not respond to thiamine. This may be explained by a study in which mice given a myotropic virus plus alcohol developed more frequent and severe viral cardiomyopathies than those not fed alcohol. This suggests that a chronic dilated cardiomyopathy in an alcoholic may not be the direct result of the alcohol but secondary to a viral myocarditis. This suggests that the preferred terminology for a dilated cardiomyopathy in an alcoholic who does not respond to thiamine and good nutrition should simply be a dilated cardiomyopathy in an alcoholic. We should assume that the cardiomyopathy is possibly of viral etiology.
Temporal changes in cellular energy following burn injury

Availability of ADP is a predominant influence on respiratory control. Associated with severe burn injury is an increase in energy expenditure. The purpose of this study was to determine the temporal changes in ATP, ADP, NAD, and NADH following severe burn and thereby assess any related alterations in respiratory control and energy deficit. During isoflurane anesthesia and following intraperitoneal injection of saline, 32 mice were flame burned at 40% body surface area. Twelve mice served as controls. At 12, 24, 72, and 168 h post-burn, groups of mice underwent celiotomy with determination of hepatic surface blood flow using laser Doppler and oxygen saturation using pulse oximetry. Biopsies of liver were then frozen in liquid nitrogen for subsequent quantification of ATP, ADP, AMP, NAD, and NADH by HPLC. Mortality was 12.5% at 72 h post-burn and 25% at 1 week. Oxygen saturation and hepatic surface blood flow remained similar to control values throughout the week after burn. ATP, ADP, and energy charge decreased progressively following burn reaching a significant decrease from unburned controls at 72 h. Availability of NADH remained statistically similar to unburned controls throughout the week after burn. These results demonstrate that despite maintenance of baseline oxygen delivery, there was a nadir in ATP and ADP availability and energy charge in the liver at 72 h after burn. This finding supports the concept of a limitation in phosphorylation after injury. Availability of NADH remained at or above pre-burn concentrations suggesting that the rate of fuel oxidation was not a limiting factor for ongoing oxidative phosphorylation for energy.
1,300-million-year-old rocks in the Appalachians

Studies using radiometric age determinations on Precambrian rocks in the Appalachians have located rocks that are more than 1,000 m.y. old. A Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron study of granitic gneiss in the Manhattan Prong of southeastern New York shows that this rock is at least 1,350 m.y. old. Rb-Sr data also show that this granitic gneiss developed strontium isotopic homogenization over outcrop-sized volumes (10 m in diam) at about 1,100 m.y. ago.
Generalized Jordan chains and two bifurcation theorems of Krasnoselskii

Abstract : Given two Banach spaces X and Y over K = R or C and a parameterized family A (mu) an element of L(X, Y) with mu an element of K, partial and algebraic multiplicities of any value mu sub 0 an element of K such that A (mu sub 0) if Fredholm with index zero are defined by the means of generalized Jordan chains. These notions are developed in close connection with bifurcation problems and we show that partial and algebraic multiplicities are not affected by Lyapunov-Schmidt reduction. Properties of invariance under equivalence are also established. These general results are used to give a proof of Magnus' generalization of the classical bifurcation theorem by Krasnoselskii through a somewhat more natural approach than his. But the convincing evidence of the usefulness of the notions developed here has to be found in a new and wide extension of the Boehme-Marino-Rabinowitz theorem on bifurcation for gradient operators, the ancestor of which is also due to Krasnoselskii.
Dimensional stability concerns in the manufacture of graphite/epoxy beam-steering mirrors

A lightweight graphite/epoxy sandwich mirror design has been developed with an aim toward reducing the traditional sources of dimensional instability throughout the mirror structure. The mirror manufacturing process attempts to neutralize the hygroscopic behavior of the epoxy matrix and also minimize the tendency for micro-cracking at the fiber-matrix interface. The process was used to fabricate several mirrors as part of a program to develop a spacebased laser radar beam steering flat for use at 10. 6 rim. The mirror construction consists of two facesheets of ulira-high modulus (UHM) graphite/epoxy prepreg bonded to a triangular-cell core of UHM graphite/epoxy ribs. Aluminum cladding is utilized on each facesheet surface to: a) prevent mairix dimensional changes due to hygroscopic effects such as moisture absorption and outgassing b) tailor the in-plane laminate coefficient of thermal expansion (CTh) yielding a facesheet with near-zero CTh and c) provide a surface suitable for diamond-turning. The core is also clad with a moisture barrier which additionally tailors the CTE to match the facesheets. This paper describes the design analysis fabrication and testing of graphite/epoxy mirrors from the viewpoint of enhancing dimensional stability. Testing and evaluation of mirrors ranging in size from 14 cm square to 65cm in diameter were performed. The evolution of the fabrication process is described in detail. Surface figure data after temperature cycling are presented for several mirrors illustrating the ability to achieve and maintain figures© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Cohenite in Meteorites: A Proposed Origin

Cohenite [(Fe, Ni)(3)C] is found almost exclusively in meteorites containing from 6 to 8 percent nickel (by weight). On the basis of iron-nickel-carbon phase diagrams at 1 atmosphere and of kinetic data, the occurrence of cohenite within this narrow composition range as a low-pressure metastable phase and the nonoccurrence of cohenite in meteorites outside the range 6 to 8 percent nickel can be explained. Cohenite formed in meteorites containing less than 6 to 8 percent nickel decomposed to metal and graphite during cooling; it cannot form in meteorites containing more than about 8 percent. The presence of cohenite in meteorites cannot be used as an indicator of pressure of formation. However, the absence of cohenite in meteorites containing the assemblage, metal plus graphite, requires low pressures during cooling.
The effect of technology advancements on the comparative advantages of electric versus chemical propulsion for a large cargo orbit transfer vehicle

Techniques for sizing electrically or chemically propelled orbit transfer vehicles and analyzing fleet requirements are used in a comparative analysis of the two concepts for various levels of traffic to geosynchronous orbit. The vehicle masses, fuel requirements, and fleet sizes are determined and translated into launch vehicle payload requirements. Technology projections beyond normal growth are made and their effect on the comparative advantages of the concepts is determined. A preliminary cost analysis indicates that although electric propulsion greatly reduces launch vehicle requirements substantial improvements in the cost and reusability of power systems must occur to make an electrically propelled vehicle competitive.
Physics underlying the performance of back-surface-field solar cells

A description of the physics of back-surface-field (BSF) solar cells is presented, in which several key approximations, valid for effective BSF cells, have been used to express the results of the analysis in ways that make them useful in understanding the performance of high-efficiency BSF cells. A silicon p+-n-n+BSF solar cell, developed in conjunction with the theoretical treatment, provides experimental support for the theory. Measured current-voltage characteristics, together with the analysis, are used to describe the important physical mechanisms that control the performance of the BSF solar cell. For example, the analysis enables the determinations of the carrier lifetimes in the base region and of the effective surface recombination velocity at the low-high junction.
Wavelet-based asphalt concrete texture grading and classification

In this Paper, we introduce a new method for evaluation, quality control, and automatic grading of texture images representing different textural classes of Asphalt Concrete (AC). Also, we present a new asphalt concrete texture grading, wavelet transform, fractal, and Support Vector Machine (SVM) based automatic classification and recognition system. Experimental results were simulated using different cross-validation techniques and achieved an average classification accuracy of 91.4.0 % in a set of 150 images belonging to five different texture grades.
Nitric oxide and superoxide in rat mesangial cells: modulation by C-reactive protein

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) has been linked to cardiovascular and renal disease. We evaluated the effects of CRP on the production of nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide by rat mesangial cells (RMC) and the impact on cell function. Methods and Results: RMC were incubated with cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-1β, and LPS) and CRP (10–100 μg/ml) for 24–72 h. Exposure to CRP resulted in a time- and dose-dependent reduction in NO accumulation (p<0.05). Although inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression was unaltered after 48 h, CRP stimulated expression of HSP90. Steady state abundance of iNOS mRNA increased nearly threefold after a 24-h exposure to CRP. Incubation with 100 μg/ml CRP for 60–120 min resulted in a 272% increase in superoxide production that was prevented by diphenyleneiodium chloride but not L-NAME (p<0.0001). Conclusion: CRP enhances superoxide release in RMC, which in turn inactivates NO and reduces net production. The functional relevance of these CRP-induced changes is supported by increased expression of HSP90 in RMC exposed to the mediator. These findings suggest that systemic inflammation, which contributes to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, may play a role in the progression of kidney disease.
Stability of string vacua: (I). A new picture of the renormalization group

Ordinary second-quantized field theories are rearranged to look like first-quantized strings expanded around an unstable classical vacuum. The β function of the field theory becomes the tadpole amplitude of the string, the anomalous dimensions become the string mass matrix. This map should be useful in both directions: it gives a new picture of renormalization, and it shows how to do spontaneous symmetry breaking for strings. Dynamical symmetry breaking, where string loop divergences cancel against those of the 2D field theory, is also conceivable.
14N(7Li,p)20F: Ex=4.5-9.0 MeV.

Angular distributions and angle-integrated (\ensuremath{\theta}=0\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}\char21{}90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}) cross sections are presented for 48 levels (or groups of levels) in the excitation-energy range 4.5\char21{}8.5 MeV in the reaction $^{14}\mathrm{N}$${(}^{7}$Li,p${)}^{20}$F, at a bombarding energy of E${(\mathrm{}}^{7}$Li) = 16.0 MeV. Many levels are candidates for having high J. Measured cross sections, together with previous information, enable unique ${J}^{\ensuremath{\pi}}$ assignments in a few cases for low-J states.
Persistence of Neuropsychological Testing Deficits in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background: The significant variability across studies of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in rates of progression to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and reversion to normal cognition may b
Optimal monetary policy with an interest-equalization tax in a two-country macroeconomic model

This paper examines the coordination of monetary policy and an interest-equalization tax stabilizer within a two-country macroeconomic model. Within this two-country framework, which allows for wage indexation and includes an imported intermediate good, monetary policy is shown to be severely constrained by the uncovered interest parity condition implied by perfect capital mobility. Introduction of an interest-equalization tax stabilizer into the model significantly enhances policy makers' ability to stabilize output (or price) in the two countries.
Contextual content analysis

This article suggests one way to systematically code textual data for research. The approach utilizes computer content analysis to examine patterns of emphasized ideas in text as well as the social context or underlying perspective reflected in the text. A conceptual dictionary is used to organize word meanings. An extensive profile of word meanings is used to characterize and discriminate social contexts. Social contexts are analyzed in relation to four reference dimensions (traditional, practical, emotional and analytic) which are used in the social science literature. The approach is illustrated with five widely varying texts, analyzed with selected comparative data. This approach has been useful in many social science investigations to system-atically score open-ended textual information. Scores can be incorporated into quantitative analysis with other data, used as a guide to qualitative studies, and to help integrate strengths of quantitative and qualitative approaches to research.
Medication Adherence Is Associated with Having a Caregiver Among Cardiac Patients

Background Medication non-adherence is a significant contributor to suboptimal control of blood pressure and lipids.
Asymptotic Interaction Energy between Pairs of Point Defects in Cubic Metals

We have calculated the asymptotic interaction energies between pairs of interstitial Cu atoms in Cu and between pairs of vacancies in Al, Na, and K. These calculations were performed using the asymptotic equations of the method of lattice statics. The exact method of lattice statics is based on the Fourier transformation of the direct-space equilibrium equations for a "supercell" of the lattice containing one defect surrounded by a large number of host atoms. The asymptotic interaction energies were compared with the corresponding results obtained from the exact method of lattice statics. This comparison indicates that elasticity theory cannot be used to obtain strain-field interaction energies for defects nearer than at least 26 or 27 neighbors from each other, and is probably not truly valid until much larger interdefect separations are considered. This result places a heavy restriction on the use of elasticity theory in practical defectinteraction calculations.
Fe-Mn oxide coatings in stream sediment geochemical surveys

Abstract Downstream dispersion curves for certain trace metals were obtained from two mineralized areas in the southeastern United States. Fe-Mn oxide coating on lithic fragments and quartz pebbles, as well as the minus 80-mesh fraction of the coexisting stream sediment were analyzed for a variety of metals. In Lincoln County, Georgia, 8 sample sets were collected along a stream draining the Magruder mine, a polymetallic sulfide deposit (Zn-Cu-Pb-Ag-Au) in metavolcanic rocks. Five sample sets were collected along Joe Mill Creek in Grainger County, Tennessee, downstream from a zone of zinc mineralization in carbonate rocks (Mississippi Valley-type). In addition, 5 sample sets were collected from an unmineralized area near Athens, Georgia. The results indicate the following: (1) the anomaly/background ratio for zinc and copper is markedly higher in the Fe-Mn oxide coatings in the mineralized drainages; (2) in drainages containing lead mineralization, the anomaly/background ratio is markedly higher in the minus 80-mesh fraction for lead which is not concentrated in the coatings; and (3) the ratios Zn/Mn and Cu/Mn, as well as Zn/Co and Cu/Co, in the Fe-Mn oxide coatings enhance downstream detectability of mineralization. There are several potential advantages of using coatings versus the conventional minus 80-mesh fraction in stream sediment geochemical surveys. Because soluble metal is brought into the stream mainly in groundwater, deeper anomaly sources may be detectable from the oxide coatings than from clastic fractions of alluvium where much of the metal is derived from surficial erosion. Variability due to sampling may also be reduced, providing better discrimination of anomalies. In areas of glacial or alluvial cover, coating surveys may be particularly applicable.
Reconciling Medical Expenditure Estimates from the MEPS and NHEA, 2007

Objective Provide a comparison of health care expenditure estimates for 2007 from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) and the National Health Expenditure Accounts (NHEA). Reconciling these estimates serves two important purposes. First, it is an important quality assurance exercise for improving and ensuring the integrity of each source's estimates. Second, the reconciliation provides a consistent baseline of health expenditure data for policy simulations. Our results assist researchers to adjust MEPS to be consistent with the NHEA so that the projected costs as well as budgetary and tax implications of any policy change are consistent with national health spending estimates. Data sources The Medical Expenditure Panel Survey produced by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, and the National Health Center for Health Statistics and the National Health Expenditures produced by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service's Office of the Actuary. Results In this study, we focus on the personal health care (PHC) sector, which includes the goods and services rendered to treat or prevent a specific disease or condition in an individual. The official 2007 NHEA estimate for PHC spending is $1,915 billion and the MEPS estimate is $1,126 billion. Adjusting the NHEA estimates for differences in underlying populations, covered services, and other measurement concepts reduces the NHEA estimate for 2007 to $1,366 billion. As a result, MEPS is $240 billion, or 17.6 percent, less than the adjusted NHEA total.
Plate‐mantle coupling and continental flooding

The flooding records of continents have been computed in dynamically self-consistent models of plates and convection. Platforms flood following rapid translation of continental plates as may occur following supercontinent breakup. In these models, continental flooding is primarily controlled by deep mantle sources and continental hypsometry is strongly influenced by dynamic topography. Some models, especially bottom heated ones, predict more extensive flooding than has been observed during the Phanerozoic. However, the computed flooding can be made consistent with the observations if: the viscosity of the upper regions of the convecting system are significantly reduced compared to the deep regions, the fluid is driven predominantly by internal heating, or the convection is confined to a depth appreciably less than the width of the non-subducting plate.
ACCELERATED PROSTACYCLIN DEGRADATION IN THROMBOTIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA

Abstract Plasma prostacyclin (PGI 2 ) degradation rate was measured in a 39-year-old man with chronic thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). His disease responded to plasma exchange, or plasma infusion alone, given at 3-4 week intervals. Plasmapheresis with albumin replacement had an adverse effect. PGI 2 degradation rate was measured by incubation of exogenous PGI 2 with plasma at 37°C and recording of PGI 2 activity after one, five, and fifteen min incubation by measurement of inhibition of platelet aggregation. The PGI 2 degradation rate of the patient was significantly higher than that of normal subjects. The degradation rate improved after each plasma treatment and correlated well with clinical improvement. Moreover, the degradation rate of PGI 2 could be corrected in vitro by the addition of normal plasma. When the patient's plasma was incubated with aortic rings, PGI 2 activity was reduced but the level of its inactive end product, 6-keto-PGF 1α , was normal. These findings indicate that our patient had normal PGI 2 stimulating activity but had an abnormal rate of PGI 2 degradation. Accelerated PGI 2 degradation which leads to PGI 2 deficiency may be important in the pathogenesis of microvascular thrombosis.