cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of difunctional initiator via the Peterson reaction

This paper presents an improved method to prepare divinylphenyl compounds which are a useful class of precursors in preparing difunctional organolithium initiators. In the past, most of the divinylphenyl compounds reported were prepared from reactions of phosphorus-substituted carbanions with aldehydes and ketones (Wittig reaction). The phosphorus by-product of the Witting reaction was difficult to be completely removed from the final products. In this paper, we apply the Peterson reaction (silane substituted carbanions) to the synthesis of divinylphenyl compounds. This reaction appears to be operationally simpler and cleaner than the Wittig reaction since the by-product of silane is easily removed by silica Gel chromatography. The syn-elimination of β-hydroxylsilane is complete and clean under NaH condition with no detectable isomers in the final product. The reaction of the divinylphenyl compound with S-butylithium forms a difunctional organolithium initiator which is used to prepare triblock copolymers with the desirable microstructure in each block.
Final-state magnetic dichroism in Fe 3s photoemission.

Magnetic dichroism measurements using unpolarized Mg${\mathit{K}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\alpha}}}$ radiation are reported for Fe 3s and 2s x-ray photoemission from ferromagnetic Fe. The Fe 3s level displays a small magnetic dichroism, whereas any dichroism present in the Fe 2s level is too small to be reliably detected. Since the Fe 3s level does not experience an initial-state spin-orbit interaction, these results reveal the existence of a final-state magnetic dichroism in photoemission. Two possible sources of the dichroism are discussed. The first explanation invokes a combination of the Fano effect and core-valence exchange to introduce magnetic dichroism into the 3s photoemission. An alternative explanation explores the possibility that configuration interaction in the 3s hole state introduces 3${\mathit{p}}^{4}$ hole character into the 3s photoemission, with Fe 3p spin-orbit coupling providing the dichroic behavior. Further theoretical and experimental work is needed to definitively assign the origin of the observed magnetic dichroism in Fe 3s photoemission. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Feature-based opinion mining and ranking

The proliferation of blogs and social networks presents a new set of challenges and opportunities in the way information is searched and retrieved. Even though facts still play a very important role when information is sought on a topic, opinions have become increasingly important as well. Opinions expressed in blogs and social networks are playing an important role influencing everything from the products people buy to the presidential candidate they support. Thus, there is a need for a new type of search engine which will not only retrieve facts, but will also enable the retrieval of opinions. Such a search engine can be used in a number of diverse applications like product reviews to aggregating opinions on a political candidate or issue. Enterprises can also use such an engine to determine how users perceive their products and how they stand with respect to competition. This paper presents an algorithm which not only analyzes the overall sentiment of a document/review, but also identifies the semantic orientation of specific components of the review that lead to a particular sentiment. The algorithm is integrated in an opinion search engine which presents results to a query along with their overall tone and a summary of sentiments of the most important features.
Integrating World Wide Web technology into undergraduate education

The rapid emergence of the World Wide Web (WWW) and its associated tools has provided educators with an opportunity to incorporate this technology into their courses. We need to create interactive multimedia instructional materials that can be delivered, via this high speed network, directly to students. We need to give our students the opportunity to create their own WWW documents and to use the resources of the WWW for collaborative learning. In this paper I will discuss how the use of HTML and the WWW can be integrated into undergraduate courses. I will not discuss searching the Web for external material but will focus on the following: ● How HTML documents can be used for in-class presentation and as the primary or supplementary text in the course ● How student assignments and examinations can be submitted
High-Fidelity, Low-Cost, Automated Method to Assess Laparoscopic Skills Objectively

Background We sought to define the extent to which a motion analysis-based assessment system constructed with simple equipment could measure technical skill objectively and quantitatively. Methods An “off-the-shelf” digital video system was used to capture the hand and instrument movement of surgical trainees (beginner level = PGY-1, intermediate level = PGY-3, and advanced level = PGY-5/fellows) while they performed a peg transfer exercise. The video data were passed through a custom computer vision algorithm that analyzed incoming pixels to measure movement smoothness objectively. Results The beginner-level group had the poorest performance, whereas those in the advanced group generated the highest scores. Intermediate-level trainees scored significantly (p Conclusions A computer vision-based analysis of surgical movements provides an objective basis for technical expertise-level analysis with construct validity. The technology to capture the data is simple, low cost, and readily available, and it obviates the need for expert human assessment in this setting.
Bipedal stance exercise and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and its synergistic effect in increasing bone mass and in lowering the PGE2 dose required to prevent ovariectomized-induced cancellous bone loss in aged rats

Abstract Previous reports have shown that bone loss was partially prevented by bipedal stance “exercise” following ovariectomy (ovx), and it was well documented that prostaglandin E2 (PGE 2 ) had an anabolic effect on the rat skeleton. The aim of this study was to determine whether lower doses of PGE 2 could prevent ovx-induced cancellous bone loss with the combination of bipedal stance exercise. Seventy-eight 10-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were either ovariectomized or sham-operated on day 0 and then treated with PGE 2 (0, 0.3, or 1 mg/kg per day) and/or housed in normal height cages (NC, 28 cm) or raised cages (RC, 33 cm) for 8 weeks. Bone histomorphometry was performed on the double-fluorescent-labeled proximal tibial metaphysis. In sham rats, 1 mg/kg PGE 2 + RC had synergistic effects in increasing trabecular bone area, width, and number by stimulating mineral apposition rate and bone formation rate. As expected, ovx induced cancellous bone loss, accompanied by elevated activation frequency. Without RC, PGE 2 monotherapy prevented ovx-induced bone loss at the 1 mg/kg per day dose, whereas this prevention effect was observed at the 0.3 mg/kg per day dose when combined with RC. Similar to their effects in sham rats, PGE 2 and RC had synergistic effects in augmenting cancellous bone mass and architecture and maintaining the elevated bone formation but depressing bone resorption and activation frequency. We conclude that bipedal stance exercise lowers the PGE 2 dose required to prevent ovx-induced cancellous bone loss in the proximal tibial metaphysis in aged rats.
Four-level atomic interferometer driven by shaped ultrafast laser pulses

We analyze the behavior of a four-state, two-path atomic interferometer driven by shaped ultrafast laser pulses. The laser pulses interact with atomic rubidium, exciting the atoms to the $5D$ state via two intermediate resonances (the $5{P}_{1/2}$ and $5{P}_{3/2}$). The relative phase of the two paths can be modified by applying a varying spectral phase at the wavelength corresponding to one of the resonant transitions for each pathway. We trace out the behavior of the system from the simplest case of weak-field excitation with resonant fields to strong-field excitation with a broadband source. Our measurements and analysis reveal that while interference is observed for all field strengths and spectral widths, the character of the interference changes substantially.
Approximate controllability and its well-posedness for the semilinear reaction-diffusion equation with internal lumped controls

We consider the one dimensional semilinear reaction-diffusion equation, governed in Ω = (0,1) by controls, supported on any subinterval of (0, 1) , which are the functions of time only. Using an asymptotic approach that we have previously introduced in [9], we show that such a system is approximately controllable at any time in both L 2 (0,1)( and C 0 [0,1], provided the nonlinear term f = f(x,t, u) grows at infinity no faster than certain power of log |u| . The latter depends on the regularity and structure of f (x, t, u) in x and t and the choice of the space for controllability. We also show that our results are well-posed in terms of the “actual steering” of the system at hand, even in the case when it admits non-unique solutions.
Lack of impact of early antibiotic therapy for streptococcal pharyngitis on recurrence rates.

To determine whether recurrence rates for group A β -hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) pharyngitis are related to the time of initiation of antibiotic therapy, we randomly assigned 113 patients with GABHS pharyngitis either to a group that began a 10-day course of penicillin V at the time of diagnosis or to a group that began the same antibiotic regimen after a delay of 48 hours. Follow-up throat culture specimens were obtained 4 days, 2 months, and 4 months after the completion of antibiotic therapy, as well as during any interim episodes of acute pharyngitis. Serotyping of all GABHS isolates was performed to distinguish between recurrences with homologous serotypes and new acquisitions with heterologous serotypes. There was no significant difference between the two treatment groups in age, gender, duration of illness before enroliment in the study, initial clinical presentation, or compliance. Of the 50 patients in the immediatetreatment group, 6 (12%) had homologous serotypes of GABHS isolated on one of the follow-up throat cultures. Of the 63 patients in the delayed-treatment group, 9 (14%) had homologous serotypes of GABHS isolated on one of the follow-up throat cultures. These data indicate that a 48-hour delay in the initiation of penicillin therapy for GABHS pharyngitis does not reduce the recurrence rate.
Polarization-selective switching of extraordinary optical transmission though a metasurface

We report on a plasmonic metasurface that exhibits polarization-selective switching of extraordinary optical transmission at different spectral bands. Polarization-selective switching of EOT was experimentally demonstrated.
Is continence enough

The ideal of virtue demands not only right choice and right behavior but also right desire in the emotions. Homosexual desire, then, even if it does not result in overt homosexual behavior, is contrary to virtue, and the completion of virtue demands right desire. If a homosexual has no plan to marry, then right desire implies only the removal of homosexual desire and not the revival of heterosexual desire at which reorientation therapy aims. On the other hands, if a homosexual is married or plans to marry, then right desire includes heterosexual desire for one’s spouse. If homosexual desire is viewed as an emotional disorder, and not merely as a moral defect, then it may require reorientation therapy to bring about heterosexual desire. The pursuit of virtue, then, may recommend reorientation therapy, but even this recommendation is fairly limited, since reorientation therapy may be burdensome and may not be that effective. In conclusion, married homosexuals or homosexuals planning to marry may have a limi...
Cutaneous melanoma: Prognosis and treatment results worldwide

This first metanalysis of melanoma from treatment centers worldwide consisted of 15,798 patients with localized melanoma (stages I and II) and 2,116 stage II melanoma patients with nodal metastases. Comparisons of dominant prognostic variables showed consistent results from center to center, despite the heterogeneity of the patient population. Six of eight centers that performed a multivariate analysis ranked ulceration among the first three most dominant prognostic factors. Men had a higher proportion of ulcerated lesions than did women. There was a positive correlation between ulceration and thickness. Patients with melanoma of the scalp had a worse prognosis than did those with lesions of the face and neck; those with melanomas on the hands had a significantly worse prognosis than did those with lesions on the arms or legs. In this study, women had a statistically significant survival advantage over men. Their melanomas arose in more favorable sites, were thinner, and less ulcerative and had a lower stage of disease at presentation. Stage III melanomas were more common in males, thicker, and more ulcerated and had a nodular growth pattern. Patients with clinically occult nodal metastases detected by pathological examination and those with a single metastatic node fared the best. Five of six centers identified the number of metastatic nodes to be the most significant prognostic factor. Distant metastases (stage IV were analysed at only two centers, which found that the number and site of metastases appeared to be the dominant prognostic features of stage IV melanoma. When all factors were analyzed in a Cox regression analysis, the dominant factors for stage IV melanoma patients were (1) the number of metastatic sites, and (2) the remission duration. There were no histologic criteria of the primary melanomas that predicted the patient's clinical course once distant metastases had developed.
Motivating effects of cooperative exergame play for overweight and obese adolescents.

Background: Exergames (i.e., video games that require gross motor activity) may provide intrinsically motivating experiences that engage youth in sustained physical activity. Method: Thirty-one low-income 15- to 19-year-old overweight and obese African American adolescents were randomly assigned to a competitive exergame (n = 17) or a cooperative exergame (n = 14) condition. Participants played a preassigned Wii Active exergame routine that took between 30 and 60 min each school day, and sessions occurred during lunch time or an after-school program over a 6 month period. Participation was voluntary, so students decided whether to come or not on a given day. Cooperative exergame players worked together with a peer to expend calories and earn points, while competitive exergame players competed individually against a peer to expend calories and earn points. Motivation was measured through surveys and interviews at the end of the intervention, and energy expenditure was measured by accelerometry during game play. Results: Compared with the competitive group, the cooperative players were significantly more intrinsically motivated to play (p = .034, partial eta-squared = 0.366) and more psychologically attracted to the design of the exergame (p = .034, partial eta-squared = 0.320). Intrinsic motivation was significantly positively correlated with energy expenditure during game play: individuals who were motivated by control/choice had higher energy expenditure (p = .026), and those who were more goal motivated (p = .004) and more immersed in game play (p = .024) had lower energy expenditure during game play. Conclusions: Cooperative exergame play produced higher intrinsic motivation to play the exergame than competitive exergame play did. Intrinsic motivation that came from a desire for control/choice was related to higher energy expenditure during game play. Cooperative exergame play holds promise as a method for engaging overweight and obese youth in physical activity.
Characterization and 3-D modeling of Ni60Ti SMA for actuation of a variable geometry jet engine chevron

This work describes the thermomechanical characterization and FEA modeling of commercial jet engine chevrons incorporating active Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) beam components. The reduction of community noise at airports generated during aircraft take-off has become a major research goal. Serrated aerodynamic devices along the trailing edge of a jet engine primary and secondary exhaust nozzle, known as chevrons, have been shown to greatly reduce jet noise by encouraging advantageous mixing of the streams. To achieve the noise reduction, the secondary exhaust nozzle chevrons are typically immersed into the fan flow which results in drag, or thrust losses during cruise. SMA materials have been applied to this problem of jet engine noise. Active chevrons, utilizing SMA components, have been developed and tested to create maximum deflection during takeoff and landing while minimizing deflection into the flow during the remainder of flight, increasing efficiency. Boeing has flight tested one Variable Geometry Chevron (VGC) system which includes active SMA beams encased in a composite structure with a complex 3-D configuration. The SMA beams, when activated, induce the necessary bending forces on the chevron structure to deflect it into the fan flow and reduce noise. The SMA composition chosen for the fabrication of these beams is a Ni60Ti40 (wt%) alloy. In order to calibrate the material parameters of the constitutive SMA model, various thermomechanical experiments are performed on trained (stabilized) standard SMA tensile specimens. Primary among these tests are thermal cycles at various constant stress levels. Material properties for the shape memory alloy components are derived from this tensile experimentation. Using this data, a 3-D FEA implementation of a phenomenological SMA model is calibrated and used to analyze the response of the chevron. The primary focus of this work is the full 3-D modeling of the active chevron system behavior by considering the SMA beams as fastened to the elastic chevron structure. Experimental and numerical results are compared. Discussion is focused on actuation properties such as tip deflection and chevron bending profile. The model proves to be an accurate tool for predicting the mechanical response of such a system subject to defined thermal inputs.
Gaucher disease: Chemotactic factors and immunological cell invasion in a mouse model

Gaucher disease results from mutations in GBA1 that cause functional disruption of the encoded lysosomal enzyme, acid β-glucosidase. The consequent excess accumulation of glucosylceramide and glucosylsphingosine in lysosomes is central to the disease pathogenesis with classical involvement of macrophage (Mфs) lineage cells of visceral organs, bone, or brain. Several studies have implicated the increased secretion of chemokines and infiltration of a variety of immunological cells into tissues of Gaucher disease patients. Trafficking of immunological cells to the sites of inflammation requires the presence of chemokines. Although increases of different immunological cells and several chemokines are present in Gaucher disease, the specific chemoattractants that cause the increased influx of immunological cells are not fully defined. Here, increased levels of I-309, MCP-5, CXCL-2, CXCL-9, CXCL-10, CXCL-11, CXCL-13, and their corresponding leukocytes, i.e., MOs (monocytes), Mфs, dendritic cells (DCs), polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs), and T, and B cells were identified in the circulation of mice with Gba1 mutations (D409V/null). Sera from D409V/null mice contained chemoattractants for a variety of immunological cells as shown by ex vivo chemotaxis studies and by flow cytometry. Enhanced chemotaxis towards 9V/null sera was found for 9V/null lung-, spleen-, liver-, and bone marrow-derived Mфs (CD11b(+) F480(+)), PMNs (Gr1(high) CD11b(+)), DCs (CD11c(+) CD11b(+)), T lymphocytes (CD3(+) TCRB(+)), and B lymphocytes (B220(+) CD19(+)). These data support these chemotactic factors as causative to increased tissue infiltration of leukocytes in Gaucher disease.
Electron energy-loss spectroscopy in irradiation-sensitive rutile-GeO2

Abstract This report suggests that an electron energy-loss spectroscopy technique under low beam intensity is useful for beam-sensitive materials. High quality ‘damage-free’ Ge M 45 edge near-edge structure can be obtained using this method in rutile-GeO 2 , which is susceptible to high-energy electron beam damage. Both experimental and theoretical results indicate that the Ge M 45 edge ELNES can be used to distinguish fourfold and sixfold coordinated Ge.
Obscured object detection via Bayesian target modeling techniques

Underground objects are by nature often severely obscured although the general character of the intervening random media may be reasonably understood. The task of detecting these underground objects also implies that their exact location and or orientation is not known. To partially counter these difficulties, one may; however, be given a model of the target of interest, e.g. a particular tank type, a water pipe, etc. To set up a quality framework for solution of the above problem, this paper utilizes the paradigm of Bayesian decision theory that promises minimum error detection given that certain probability density functions can be found. Within this framework, mathematical techniques are shown to handle the uncertainties of target location and orientation, many of the random obscuration problems, and how to make best use of the target model. The approach taken can also be applied to other synergistic cases such as seeing through obscuring vegetation.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Weight-Based Discrimination in the Workplace: Is Legal Protection Necessary?

Legal protection against weight-based discrimination in the workplace exists in the U.S. However, it is quite limited and its application across jurisdictions is inconsistent. The purpose of this paper is to examine whether such protection is needed—in other words, whether significant weight-based discrimination exists in the workplace, and, if it does, to what extent the legal system should intervene to prevent such discrimination.
Mutagenicity of the racemic mixtures of butadiene monoepoxide and butadiene diepoxide at the Hprt locus of T-lymphocytes following inhalation exposures of female mice and rats.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if Hprt mutant frequency (M f ) data from rodents exposed directly to individual epoxy metabolites of 1,3-butadiene (BD) can be used to identify the relative significance of each intermediate in the mutagenicity of BD in mice vs. rats. To this end, the relative contributions of the racemic mixtures of BD monoepoxide (BDO) and BD diepoxide (BDO 2 ) to BD-induced mutagenicity was investigated by exposing mice and rats to selected concentrations of BDO and BDO 2 (i.e., 2.5 and 4.0 ppm, respectively) and comparing the mutagenic potency of each intermediate to that of BD (at 62.5 ppm) when comparable blood levels of metabolites are achieved (in the mouse). Female B6C3F1 mice and F344 rats (4–5 weeks old) were exposed to rac -BDO (0, 2.5, or 25 ppm) or (±)-BDO 2 (0, 2, 4 ppm) by inhalation for 4 weeks (6 h/day, 5 days/week), and then groups of control and exposed animals ( n =3–12/group) were necropsied at multiple time points post-exposure for measuring Hprt M f s in splenic lymphocytes (via the T-cell cloning assay) and estimating mutagenic potencies (represented by the difference in the areas under the mutant T-cell `manifestation' curves of treated vs. control animals). The resulting M f data, along with the extant metabolism data, suggest that at lower BD exposures (≤62.5 ppm) (±)-BDO 2 is a major contributor to the mutagenicity of BD in mice, whereas other metabolites and stereochemical configurations are responsible for mutations in BD-exposed rats and for the incremental mutagenic effects at higher BD exposures in mice. These studies indicate that additional work is needed to determine more definitively the relative contributions of these and other metabolites and stereochemical forms to BD-induced mutagenicity. Also, the novel approach of measuring mutagenic potencies as the change in Hprt M f s over time in T-cells of exposed vs. control animals, as used in this study, can be valuable for predicting the potential role of these intermediates in each species.
Multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock energies and transition probabilities for transitions in Ne II

Abstract Multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock energies, lifetimes, and transition probabilities for transitions between 2 p 4 ( P 3 ) 3 d and 2 p 4 ( P 3 ) 4 f levels of Ne II are reported from calculations that included the effect of core-polarization. Transition energies are in excellent agreement with observed values. For many transitions the length and velocity gauge results agree within a fraction of a percent. Transition probabilities are compared with experimental values and the Coulomb approximation.
Fecundity of Atlantic Menhaden, Brevoortia tyrannus

Since the 1950’s the population structure of the Atlantic menhaden,Brevoortia tyrannus, has undergone dramatic changes. High rates of fishery exploitation during the 1960’s resulted in a drastic decline in the breadth of the age structure and numbers of spawning aged fish. The stock recovered under continued exploitation during the 1970’s in spite of these unfavorable conditions. Hence, the length and age at first spawning, the seasons and areas of spawning, and the potential number of ova produced as a function of length were reexamined during the 1978, 1979, and 1981 fishing seasons. No changes were detected in the reproductive biology of Atlantic menhaden. The size at first spawning, areas, and season of spawning were similar to results of previous studies. The minimum fork length of potential spawners was 180 mm. Few age-1 fish were mature but most females were mature at age-2. Analysis of the ovaries collected along the coast indicated some spawning occurred in the spring, a limited amount occurred in the summer, and most spawning occurred during the fall and winter. There was high intra-and interyear variability in the relationship between length and potential number of ova produced, and regression coefficients encompassed values from two previous studies, each based on a single fishing year. Data from this and the previous studies were combined and equally weighted to generate a representative predictive equation for the potential number of ova spawned as a function of length: eggs = 2563e0.0150(FL).
The Influence of Molting on Yolk Cholesterol Level

Abstract Twenty birds from each of four lines were force molted while similar numbers were maintained as nonmolted controls. Egg yolk cholesterol values were obtained for all birds pre and post molting. While molted birds in two lines yielded higher cholesterol values than nonmolted controls, differences were not significant. Similar response patterns of nonmolted controls indicate that increases in cholesterol level were not a direct effect of molting.
Gender Differences in Formal On‐the‐Job Training: Incidence, Duration, and Intensity

This paper explores whether there is a gender gap in the incidence, duration, intensity, and number of events of on-the-job training. Overall, women appear to receive a higher incidence of on-the-job training whereas men receive on-the-job training of longer duration. Including measures intended to capture the extent of labor force attachment and expected tenure fails to reduce the gender gap in the duration of on-the-job training. Therefore, the gender gap in the duration of on-the-job training must be attributed to differences in unobserved worker characteristics that differ by gender or discrimination.
Direct observation of community-based ambulatory encounters involving medical students

Context. —The current shift of predoctoral medical education from inpatient tertiary settings to community-based, ambulatory practice has raised questions about the effect of the medical student on the process of patient care. Objective. —To determine how the presence of a medical student during the ambulatory medical encounter affects the use of clinical time and patient satisfaction. Design. —Cross-sectional, multimethod study using direct observation of ambulatory care by research-trained nurses. Setting. —A total of 16 community-based family practice offices accepting family practice clerkship students. Patients. —A total of 452 outpatient visits with and without student involvement. Main Outcome Measures. —Clinical time use as measured by the Davis Observation Code; patient satisfaction was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study 9-item visit rating scale. Results. —When students were involved, physicians spent more time discussing visit expectations ( P =.03) and less time in history taking ( P =.007), providing assessment ( P =.01 ), and answering questions ( P =.04). Despite these differences, patients were equally satisfied with explanations received, and there was no change in the rank order of the 5 most commonly observed physician behaviors. There was no difference in time spent in treatment planning, physical examination, health education, or social chatting. The physician spent equal time with the patient with (10.3 minutes) and without (9.9 minutes, P =.6) student involvement. There was no decrease in patient satisfaction when students were involved. Physicians were more likely to discuss another family member's problems when a student was present ( P =.001). Students were directed to care for minority patients at a disproportionate rate ( P =.001), controlling for confounding variables. Conclusions. —Medical student involvement alters the content but not the duration of the ambulatory medical encounter. Application of validated measures indicate that students did not impair patient satisfaction or hinder the physicians' ability to ensure that patient expectations for the visit were met.
Discussion: “Maternal death in the 21st century: causes, prevention, and relationship to cesarean delivery” by Clark et al

In the roundtable that follows, clinicians discuss a study that is published in this issue of the Journal in light of its methods, relevance to practice, and implications for future research. Article discussed: Clark SL, Belfort MA, Dildy GA, Herbst MA, Meyers JA, Hankins GDV. Maternal death in the 21st century: causes, prevention, and relationship to cesarean delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2008;199:36.e1-36.e5.
Efficient image retrieval with multiple distance measures

There is a growing need for the ability to query image databases based on image content rather than strict keyword search. Most current image database systems that perform query by content require a distance computation for each image in the database. Distance computations can be time consuming, limiting the usability of such systems. There is thus a need for indexing systems and algorithms that can eliminate candidate images without performing distance calculations. As user needs may change from session to session, there is also a need for run-time creation of distance measures. In this paper, we introduce FIDS, or `Flexible Image Database System.' FIDS allows the user to query the database based on user-defined polynomial combinations of predefined distance measures. Using an indexing scheme and algorithms based on the triangle inequality, FIDS can return matches to the query image without directly comparing the query images to much of the database. FIDS is currently being tested on a database of eighteen hundred images.
Optically excited XeF* excimer laser in liquid argon.

Stimulated emission on the B → X band of the XeF* molecule in the liquid phase at 404 nm was observed following transverse optical pumping at 351 nm. The energy of this emission was measured to be ~70 μJ, and the pulse had a FWHM of ~5 nsec. The stimulated-emission spectrum showed considerable narrowing compared with the spontaneous-emission spectrum. The temporal behavior of the 404-nm pulse was investigated, and gain saturation of the lasing medium was observed.
Conceptual Tempo and Resolution of Social Conflict by Children

Of 55 boys between 7 and 12 yr. old, 12 most reflective (on the Impulsivity score or conceptual tempo) chose an assertive alternative on the Social Reasoning Inventory more often than the 14 most impulsive boys. The observation replicates prior work but suggests conceptual tempo as a construct has unclear relevance to social reasoning.
Seeing What's Out of Sight: Wireless Capsule Endoscopy's Unique Ability to Visualize and Accurately Assess the Severity of Gastrointestinal Graft-versus-Host-Disease

Abstract Early recognition of gastrointestinal graft-versus-host disease (GI GVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (alloHSCT) is vital to initiation of therapy. However, the most common location, the small bowel (SB), is difficult to access with upper and lower endoscopy (UGE/LGE). Wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) is a noninvasive technology allowing complete SB evaluation. The capsule location can also be tracked to identify motility derangements. From August 2006 to July 2007, 11 alloHSCT patients with GI symptoms underwent WCE, and visual grading was performed. UGE and LGE with biopsies were done when clinically indicated. All patients had evidence of probable acute GVHD (aGVHD) on WCE. WCE revealed lesions of greater severity than those seen by UGE or LGE in most patients. WCE demonstrated that 45% of patients had delayed gastric transit time. WCE is an excellent, noninvasive method for assessing GI GVHD, with the ability to more accurately assess the severity of GVHD, evaluate clinical symptoms, and follow response to treatment.
Critical currents: just how critical are they?

Large scale superconductivity is trying to do something novel and risky, that is to break out of present important markets served by the low temperature superconductors (LTS) Nb-Ti and Nb/sub 3/Sn, where superconductivity has little competition, to new markets served by high temperature superconductors (HTS) where superconductivity competes head to head with copper and iron, The controlling technical parameter for this breakout is high current density (J/sub c/), when achieved in a useful conductor form at favorable cost, The development of attractive HTS conductors has much to learn from the experience acquired in developing LTS conductors, especially as Nb/sub 3/Sn is now undergoing significant new attempts to push its performance/cost envelope. Nb47-49 wt.%Ti is the work horse conductor for more than 90% of all superconducting magnets. It is a very well developed material for which it is well understood how to make the material homogeneous on all scales except the nanoscale, where it can be made heterogeneous on scales of 1-5 nm so as to provide very strong flux pinning without paying any fabrication penalty, Nb/sub 3/Sn is longitudinally homogeneous but radially quite inhomogeneous, because the diffusion process needed to form the brittle phase cannot be allowed to go to completion without growing the /spl sim/100 nm grain size that is responsible for strong flux pinning. By contrast, flux pinning in HTS conductors is poorly understood because they are heterogeneous on many length scales, causing current to percolate inhomogeneously through the filaments past many barriers, of which high angle grain boundaries are an important example. The present generation of HTS conductors are made from approximately uniaxially aligned BSCCO-2223. They are demonstrating that significant prototype motors, power cables, fault current limiters etc, can be made, but conductor costs are currently too high, partly because the current density is compromised by their high percolation inefficiency. Better in-field current densities are available with biaxially-aligned YBCO, which has higher percolation efficiency and stronger flux pinning. This paper reviews the present state of high-Jc conductor development, focusing on the complex interplay between physics, fabrication and materials issues. A full version of the paper was not available at conference publication time, but it will appear in a future issue of IEEE Transactions on Applied Superconductivity. An accessible version of the talk is available at http:www.asc.wisc.edu/.
Long-term behavioral and biochemical effects of 6-hydroxydopamine injections in rat caudate-putamen

Abstract Unilateral injections of 6-hydroxydopamine into the rat striatum result in amphetamine-induced circling behavior. This rotational behavior was associated with an almost complete disappearance of desmethylimipramine-insensitive [3H]mazindol binding sites—which represent dopamine uptake sites—in the ipsilateral caudate-putamen (CPu), the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc), and in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). There were significant increases in [3H]spiperone-labeled dopamine (DA) D2 receptors in specific subdivisions of the ipsilateral CPu, with the dorsolateral (DL) and ventrolateral (VL) regions showing significant increases in DA D2 receptors. There were nonsignificant increases in the dorsomedial (DM) aspects of the ipsilateral CPu whereas there were no changes in the ventromedial (VM) aspects of that structure. In contrast, there were no significant changes in [3H]SCH 23390-labeled DA D1 receptors in any of the subdivisions of the CPu ipsilateral to the 6-OHDA-induced lesions. These results provide evidence that intrastriatal injections of 6-OHDA result in biochemical changes in rat brain which are almost identical to those observed after 6-OHDA-induced lesions of the substantia nigra. These long-term biochemical effects caused by intrastriatal 6-OHDA injections provide further support for the idea that the nigral DA cell loss observed in the brains of parkinsonian patients could be secondary to retrograde changes due to oxyradicals generated during the metabolism of catecholamines within the caudate-putamen.
Chip-scale integrated driver for electrostatic DM control

A CMOS electronics driver chip to control a deformable MEMS mirror has been developed. With the advances in CMOS technology, it has become possible to design and fabricate electronics operable at higher voltages than those in traditional integrated circuits. Since MEMS structures require relatively high operating voltages to achieve electrostatic force, these high voltage CMOS processes offer promise for miniaturization of the corresponding drivers. Using the capability of low voltage logic together with high voltage output stages, a compact driver chip has been designed and fabricated. The chip was developed and fabricated though a high voltage CMOS process. The driver is digitally controlled through address and data input bits, and through a smart low-voltage to high-voltage transition output stage, voltages of up to 300V are output to each mirror electrode. A compact design allows the control of 144 channels through a single chip with 8-bit resolution at 100Hz refresh rate. The low-voltage stage consists of address logic together with latch stages to store the data, which in turn is converted to a high voltage signal through a current mode, binary weighted scheme. This technique combines the digital-to-analogue conversion stage and a high-voltage amplifier stage, thus saving on substrate area. Using this method, the 144 channel high-voltage driver was fabricated on a single chip less than 3.5cm 2 in area. In this paper, design, fabrication and testing of these drivers are reported.
Ambivalence, information, and electoral choice

Conventional wisdom views voter choice in House elections as preordained by party identification, incumbency, and perceptions of national conditions. In an analysis of voter behavior in House elections between 1990 and 2000, we find instead that voters are quite heterogeneous. Voters who hold ambivalent partisan attitudes, who typically constitute 30% of the electorate, reduce their reliance on party identification; this effect is entirely independent of the strength of identification. Individuals holding ambivalent partisan attitudes that both lack political knowledge and are presented with little campaign stimulus are more likely to engage in economic voting. Individuals holding ambivalent partisan attitudes that either are knowledgeable about politics or are presented with stimulating campaigns are more likely to engage in ideological voting. Thus, campaign competition and national partisan competition each play a role in assuring that ordinary voters may participate meaningfully in the political process.
A new topology for single phase UPS systems

A power converter topology suitable for online single-phase uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems is presented. The converter uses only four switches, five if a low-voltage battery and resonant link operation are required, to realize very desirable features. These include independent control of the input and output currents a common neutral connection, line conditioning, sinusoidal input currents independent of load current, and battery charge/discharge regulation. Detailed simulation results and experimental results are included. >
Improving processor availability in the MPI implementation for the ASCI/Red supercomputer

This paper describes how a portable benchmark suite that measures the ability of an MPI implementation to overlap computation and communication can be used to discover and diagnose performance problems. We describe the approach of the benchmark suite and discuss a performance problem that we uncovered with the MPI implementation on the ASCI/Red supercomputer. A slight modification to the MPI implementation has resulted in a significant gain in CPU availability and bandwidth with a slight degradation in latency performance. We present a detailed analysis of these results and discuss how the benchmark suite has enabled us to tailor the MPI implementation to optimize for all three measurements.
A Global Revision of Scleropodium (Brachytheciaceae, Bryophyta)

Abstract Scleropodium is a moss genus of six currently recognized species with a native range including western North America, western Europe, the Mediterranean Basin, and Macaronesia. Informed by a recent molecular phylogenetic study of the genus, descriptions, illustrations, range maps, and a key are presented. Notes on morphological characters, ecology, and distribution are provided based on field observations and examination of herbarium specimens. Excluded taxa and synonyms are discussed, including earlier reports from Korea (S. brachyphyllum and S. coreense), Tasmania (S. australe), North America (S. colpophyllum), Europe (Brachythecium appleyardiae) and the Canary Islands (S. touretii var. teneriffae). A lectotype is designated for S. cespitans and a neotype is designated for S. touretii. Two new combinations, Eurhynchium brachyphyllum and Oxyrrhynchium coreense, are proposed. Scleropodium julaceum is reported for the first time from Canada and S. cespitans is reported for the first time from Mexico.
The Influence of Socioeconomic Status and Ethnicity on Adolescents' Exposure to Stressful Life Events

Objective: To test the relations between resource-based and prestige-based measures of socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, and life events that varied in valence, dependency on adolescent behavior, and duration. Method: Six measures of SES were administered to the parents of 148 black and white adolescents, who completed a measure of five mutually exclusive categories of life events. Results: As predicted, our results suggest that having few assets and being black were independently related to life events exposure. Correlations between socioeconomic indices were not so high as to suggest redundancy, and different SES indicators were of importance in predicting exposure to different types of life events.
Distribution of excited species in plasmas by monochromatic imaging

Spatial maps of individual argon atomic emissions are measured in the GEC (gaseous electronic conference) reference reactor by monochromatic imaging. The plasma discharge is viewed through a grating monochromator, and the images are recorded with an intensified charge-coupled device (CCD) array detector. Each atomic emission has a unique spatial profile that is related to the spatial energy distribution in the plasma.
Embodiment, Collective Memory and Time:

Although there are exceptions, most researchers on collective memory have neglected the idea that collective mnemonics involve embodied aspects and practices. And though the corpus of Collective Memory Studies (CMS) has helped us better understand how social groups relate to time, especially to the past, it has taken little notice of how embodied social actors collectively relate to time. In contrast, expanding upon the French School and the French sociological tradition, I argue for an approach that, on the one hand, connects mental schemata to bodily schemata to social frameworks. And on the other hand, I speak of how embodied social actors collectively relate to common pasts and presents; and of how embodiment can thus provide a structure of possibilities for individuals and groups, as well as shared compasses and orientations that help people move toward certain futures while foreclosing others.
Time resolved studies of 1.27 micron luminescence from singlet oxygen generated in homogeneous and microheterogeneous fluids.

-The luminescence at 1.27 μm from the 31δg transition of the oxygen molecule has been detected from a variety of liquid systems. A Q-switched laser delivering pulses of 532 nm light was the excitation source, a germanium photodiode was the detector and substituted porphyrins were used as photosensitizers. Protio- and deutero- forms of several solvents were studied and the singlet oxygen lifetimes determined directly agreed well with published values. Tδ in D2O was found to be 55 μs and, by extrapolation from a series of H2O - D2O mixtures, a value of 3.3 μs was obtained for Tδ in H2O. The technique was shown to be useful in measuring Tδ values in several microheterogeneous systems such as surfactant micelles, vesicles and human serum albumin.
A Service Conundrum: Can Outstanding Service Be Too Good?

Neither service employees nor customers generally focus on what makes a service transaction exceptional, if the results of an exploratory study can be generalized. Indeed, a study of a full-service...
Regulation of RelA subcellular localization by a putative nuclear export signal and p50

Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) represents a family of dimeric DNA binding proteins, the pleotropic form of which is a heterodimer composed of RelA and p50 subunits. The biological activity of NF-κB is controlled through its subcellular localization. Inactive NF-κB is sequestered in the cytoplasm by physical interaction with an inhibitor, IκBα. Signal-mediated IκBα degradation triggers the release and subsequent nuclear translocation of NF-κB. It remains unknown whether the NF-κB shuttling between the cytoplasm and nucleus is subjected to additional steps of regulation. In this study, we demonstrated that the RelA subunit of NF-κB exhibits strong cytoplasmic localization activity even in the absence of IκBα inhibition. The cytoplasmic distribution of RelA is largely mediated by a leucine-rich sequence homologous to the recently characterized nuclear export signal (NES). This putative NES is both required and sufficient to mediate cytoplasmic localization of RelA as well as that of heterologous proteins. Furthermore, the cytoplasmic distribution of RelA is sensitive to a nuclear export inhibitor, leptomycin B, suggesting that RelA undergoes continuous nuclear export. Interestingly, expression of p50 prevents the cytoplasmic expression of RelA, leading to the nuclear accumulation of both RelA and p50. Together, these results suggest that the nuclear and cytoplasmic shuttling of RelA is regulated by both an intrinsic NES-like sequence and the p50 subunit of NF-κB.