cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mouse strains differ under a simple schedule of operant learning.

Abstract Recent advances in understanding the composition of the human and mouse genomes have paved the way to a more detailed understanding of the influence of genes on behavior, particularly learning and memory. One problem with many learning paradigms is the great length of training time required to generate a stable baseline. Our goal for the current studies was to develop a method of rapidly assessing learning and to use it to compare various strains of mice. The acquisition of a simple nose-poke was determined in operant chambers with two nose-poke holes illuminated: a single nose poke in one hole resulted in the presentation of 0.01 ml evaporated milk; responses in the other hole did not result in dipper presentation. All mice of the B6JxImJ F1, C57BL/6J, 129X1/SvJ and C3H/HeJ mice emitted 50 or more correct operant responses, whereas fewer than 50% of 129X1/SvJ and 75–90% of mice of Balb/cByJ, DBA/2J and the outbred CD-1 mice emitted 50 or more correct operant responses. On average, C57BL/6J emitted 50 operative responses in less than 30 min, whereas DBA/2J mice required nearly 1 h to complete 50 operative responses. Other strains performed at intermediate levels. There was no apparent relationship between operant activity and locomotor activity that may have influenced response acquisition. These findings are consistent with those reported using other learning paradigms and provide a rapid method of learning assessment.
A radical clock reaction in the photochemistry of an acylpyrazine

Abstract Radical clock measurements using the cyclopropyl-substituted acylpyrazine 7 indicate that for the collapse of biradical 9 to 10, k ≥ 2.8 × 108 s−1.
Monastery to marketplace: a paradigm shift

Library design and planning has undergone a significant change since the beginning of the 1990s. Library spaces and services have been reconfigured to satisfy the demands of an increasingly diverse array of customers, no longer simply the traditional academic researcher. These trends, along with flexible design elements to allow for technology upgrades, has produced a paradigm shift in our understanding of the form and function of library facilities. Moving away from the traditional “repository” conception of library as storage centers for materials, the new facilities are more complex, enhanced interactive and research environments many of whose spaces can assume a multitude of functions. This article surveys the paradigm shift, and presents new developments – especially the incorporation of a “learning cafe” within library facilities.
Formalizing Ethics Training in Anthropology: An Extension of Methods Education

: Shirley Fiske and Niel Tashima are contributing editors of “Anthropology Works,” the AAA Committee on Practicing, Applied and Public Interest Anthropology column in Anthropology News.
I-[(5-Bromo-2-pyridyl)azo]-2-naphthol as a possible new chromogenic reagent

Abstract The heterocyclic azo compound, 1-[(5-bromo-2-pyridyl)azo]-2-naphthol (5-Br-β-PAN), forms various coloured metal chelates, wliich can be extracted with different organic solvents. Most of the reacting metals form reddish chelates, except for cobalt-(III) and palladium(II) (green), and vanadium(V) (olive). Chelate stability is greatly affected by pH. The molar absorptivities are usually considerably greater than those of the β-PAN chelates. A correct choice of pH, solvent and masking reagents allows 5-Br-β-PAN to be made reasonably selective.
Positive and negative regulation of Src-family membrane kinases by CD45

Abstract CD45 is a protein tyrosine phosphatase that functions to regulate Src-family kinases. However, in some instances CD45 is a positive regulator of kinase activity whereas in others, it is a negative regulator. Here, Matthew Thomas and Eric Brown discuss this paradox and suggest a mechanism by which CD45 can be both a positive and negative regulator of kinase activity simultaneously.
EFFECT OF LIGHT AND MEDIA UPON GROWTH AND MELANIN FORMATION IN CLADOSPORIUM MANSONI.

Cladosporium mansoni (ATC #762) was shown to grow best on trehalose although a number of other carbohydrates are good carbon sources. On the other hand, starch, lactose and inulin support growth poorly, or not at all. In certain media light induces the formation of abundant mycelium whose cells are of average size; in the dark, little or no mycelium is formed and many “giant” cells appear. The pigment ofC. mansoni was extracted and shown to have properties in common with those of melanins of other fungi. Extracellular granules, resembling melanin, appear in a defined medium containing dextrine and ammonium nitrate. A comparison between the response ofCladosporium mansoni andAureobasidium pullulans to light and carbon sources shows several points of divergence.
The Relation of Intelligence and Task Difficulty to Appreciation of Humor

Summary Three predictions were generated from Suls' model of the appreciation of verbal humor: (a) intelligence is positively related to comprehension of humor; (b) difficulty of comprehension is positively related to appreciation; (c) intelligence and task difficulty interact in humor appreciation. One hundred sixty-five male college students (IQ estimated from the Vocabulary subtest of the WAIS) viewed cartoons in each of two conditions: (a) Ss rated captioned cartoons for funniness; (b) Ss selected one of four captions and rated the combination for funniness. IQ was found to be positively related to comprehension. Both positive and negative relationships between appreciation and task difficulty were found depending upon how task difficulty was defined. There was no significant interaction between intelligence and difficulty level. Complexity was positively related to appreciation, while difficulty of processing was negatively related to appreciation.
The 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 receptor is phosphorylated in response to 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 and 22-oxacalcitriol in rat osteoblasts, and by casein kinase II, in vitro

We analyzed the endogenous nuclear 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) receptor (VDR) in rat osteosarcoma (ROS 17/2.8) cells and present biochemical evidence that it is a phosphoprotein. When ROS 17/2.8 cells are labeled metabolically with [35S]methionine, treatment with 10(-8) M 1,25(OH)2D3 elicits a decrease in the electrophoretic mobility of immunoprecipitated VDR in denaturing polyacrylamide gels, a property characteristic of phosphorylated proteins. Similar labeling of cells with [32P]orthophosphate results in a rapid (< or = 30 min), 1,25(OH)2D3-dependent incorporation of 32P into a 54-kDa VDR species that comigrates with the slower migrating receptor species extracted from [35S]methionine-labeled ROS 17/2.8 cells that have been exposed to 1,25(OH)2D3. Alkaline phosphatase treatment of immunoprecipitated VDR from 1,25(OH)2D3-treated cells converts the form of the VDR with reduced mobility to the faster migrating species present in 1,25(OH)2D3-deficient cells. Incubation of ROS 17/2.8 cells with the non-hypercalcemic 1,25(OH)2D3 analog, 22-oxacalcitriol (OCT), produces a level of VDR phosphorylation similar to that elicited by 1,25(OH)2D3 treatment. Transient transfection of osteosarcoma cells with a reporter vector containing a vitamin D responsive element derived from the rat osteocalcin gene yields equivalent transcriptional activation in the presence of either 1,25(OH)2D3 or OCT. Further experiments performed at various 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations to assess the relationship between receptor phosphorylation and transcriptional activity in intact cells showed a positive correlation between these two parameters, indicating that the 1,25(OH)2D3 hormone stimulates VDR phosphorylation and transcriptional activation in parallel. Finally, highly purified casein kinase II (CK-II) phosphorylates the VDR in a 1,25(OH)2D3-independent, in vitro reaction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Jesuit Science After Galileo: The Cosmology of Gabriele Beati

Abstract Gabriele Beati (1607–1673) taught mathematics at the Collegio Romano when in 1662 he published an introduction to astronomy, the Sphaera triplex. This little work contains an interesting cosmic section which is analyzed here as representing a fusion of Jesuit traditions in cosmology achieved by Giovanni Battista Riccioli (1598–1671). The cosmic section enumerates three heavens, depicts fluid planetary heavens, and expresses hexameral biblical idiom. Woodcut and engraved variants of the cosmic section offer a glimpse of Jesuit freedom to experiment with various cosmological systems (Capellan, Tychonic and semi-Tychonic). Analysis of this cosmic section suggests several conclusions for the interpretation of visual representations, science and biblical interpretation, the Scientific Revolution and Jesuit science after Galileo.
OBSERVATIONS ON THE WASSERMANN REACTION : A COMPARISON OF THE NEW SYSTEM OF NOGUCHI WITH THAT USING CHOLESTEROLIZED ANTIGEN ACCORDING TO MCINTOSH AND FILDES.

The Wassermann reaction carried out according to the method of McIntosh and Fildes, with cholesterolized antigen and with certain allowances for the presence of native anti-sheep amboceptor; leads to about the same result as when it is done according to the recent proposal of Noguchi, with the native human complement and acetone-insoluble lipoids as antigen. The differences are such as to suggest that from the point of view of diagnosis the Noguchi method is the more conservative but that there is definite advantage in using two metnods as distinct in origin of materials as these, partly for the purpose of control and partly in the hope of acquiring new information of importance. As a measure of control of treatment the cholesterol antigen appears to us to be the more valuable. The Wassermann reaction alone, by whatever method it may be done, can only be used in the diagnosis of syphilis in conjunction with presumption based on other grounds. That it fails to appear in a considerable percentage of syphilitics is well known. That the reaction is positive in other conditions is not so generally recognized. Fresh instances of this in certain febrile cases are here recorded.
The Return-Stages Valuation Model and the Expectations within a Firm's P/B and P/E Ratios

The return-stages model can quantify the expectations facing a firm from its price-to-book (P/B) and price-to-earnings (P/E) ratios. We illustrate two implications of the model. First, a firm's P/B and P/E ratios can predict the future cash flow pattern earned by a firm. Second, the operating performance consistent with a given stock return differs across four groups of firms: Growth Firms, Mature Firms, Turnaround Firms, and Declining Firms. Our results imply that a firm's stock return depends, in part, on how its operating performance compares to the expectations defined by its P/B and P/E ratios.
Crystal Engineering in [(12C4)(2)Na][Cd(SCN)(3)]: First Example of an Anionic Cadmium Thiocyanate Coordination Solid with a Sandwich [(12C4)(2)Na](+) Cation as Spacer/Controller, Resulting in a Hexagonal Arrangement of Antiparallel Zigzag [Cd(SCN)(3)(-)](infinity) Chains.

This paper reports the synthesis, characterization, and structure of [(12C4)(2)Na][Cd(SCN)(3)] (3). The title compound 3 represents the first example of an anionic cadmium thiocyanate coordination solid in which a sandwich [(12C4)(2)Na](+) monocation serves as the spacer/controller, giving rise to a hexagonal array of antiparallel infinite zigzag [Cd(SCN)(3)(-)](infinity) chains with the cations occupying the triangular channels. The title compound 3 crystallizes in a monoclinic unit cell of P2(1)/n space group symmetry with lattice parameters of 13.204(2) A, 10.692(2) A, 21.036(1) A, 95.520(8) degrees, and Z = 4. A detailed comparison of the title structure (3) with that of [(18C6)(2)Na(2)(H(2)O)(2)](1/2)[Cd(SCN)(3)] (1) and [(18C6)K][Cd(SCN)(3)] (2) revealed that the arrangement and the alignment of the infinite anionic [Cd(SCN)(3)(-)](infinity) zigzag chains are dictated by the dimensions and symmetry, respectively, of the cations. The infinite anionic [Cd(SCN)(3)(-)](infinity) chains in 1 and 2 form an approximate tetragonal array, creating square channels which are filled with the dimeric [(18C6)(2)Na(2)(H(2)O)(2)](2+) (in 1) or with two monomeric [(18C6)K](+) (in 2) cations while the infinite anionic [Cd(SCN)(3)(-)](infinity) chains in 3 adopt an approximate hexagonal arrangement with the triangular channels filled by the smaller [(12C4)(2)Na](+) cations (the dimension effect). The relative alignment (either parallel or antiparallel) of the anionic chains is dictated by the symmetry or approximate symmetry of the cations. Thus, both the dimeric cation in 1 and the sandwich cation in 3 give rise to antiparallel alignment of the anionic [Cd(SCN)(3)(-)](infinity) chains with the centrosymmetric space group P2(1)/n whereas the disklike cation in 2 gives rise to parallel alignment of [Cd(SCN)(3)(-)](infinity) chains with noncentrosymmetric space group Cmc2(1) (the symmetry effect).
Clinical experience with a porcine aortic valve xenograft for mitral valve replacement.

Abstract Between March, 1971, and July, 1973, 103 patients underwent mitral valve replacement with a glutaraldehyde-preserved porcine aortic valve mounted on a flexible polypropylene, Dacron-covered stent. Overall operative survival was 95.1%. Actuarial analysis of late postoperative results indicates 92% survival through 2 years, with functional improvement in nearly all patients. The rate of systemic thromboembolism has been approximately 1.7% per patient-year without anticoagulants. No valve failure has occurred. We conclude that this xenograft prosthesis provides a technically and functionally satisfactory valve substitute, the durability of which appears to significantly exceed that of previously available tissue valves for mitral replacement.
Real-time prediction of respiratory motion based on local regression methods

Recent developments in modulation techniques enable conformal delivery of radiation doses to small, localized target volumes. One of the challenges in using these techniques is real-time tracking and predicting target motion, which is necessary to accommodate system latencies. For image-guided-radiotherapy systems, it is also desirable to minimize sampling rates to reduce imaging dose. This study focuses on predicting respiratory motion, which can significantly affect lung tumours. Predicting respiratory motion in real-time is challenging, due to the complexity of breathing patterns and the many sources of variability. We propose a prediction method based on local regression. There are three major ingredients of this approach: (1) forming an augmented state space to capture system dynamics, (2) local regression in the augmented space to train the predictor from previous observation data using semi-periodicity of respiratory motion, (3) local weighting adjustment to incorporate fading temporal correlations. To evaluate prediction accuracy, we computed the root mean square error between predicted tumor motion and its observed location for ten patients. For comparison, we also investigated commonly used predictive methods, namely linear prediction, neural networks and Kalman filtering to the same data. The proposed method reduced the prediction error for all imaging rates and latency lengths, particularly for long prediction lengths.
The capture efficiency of coated voids

Abstract Segregation of impurities and alloying elements to voids produces a shell of different composition which significantly affects the mechanical interaction with point defects. This interaction determines the capture efficiency for interstitials and vacancies, and contains several contributions. Two contributions, namely the change of the relaxation energy of the point defect, and the interaction with coherency strains, have not previously been considered. The former arises when composition affects the local shear modulus, and the latter, when it causes a change in lattice parameter. Both contributions are added to two considered in previous works, the image interaction and the stress-induced interaction. The total mechanical interaction is evaluated for voids coated with a shell of material with properties different from those of the matrix, and an expression is derived for the capture efficiency. It is found that shells with a shear modulus only a few per cent larger than in the matrix make voids strongly biased against interstitials. This strong effect is due mainly to the change in relaxation energy rather than to the image interaction. Therefore, shells with diffuse or sharp interfaces are equally effective. However, shells with lower shear modulus are ineffective unless they possess a larger lattice parameter.
IDENTIFICATION OF A NEW REACTION INTERMEDIATE IN THE OXIDATION OF METHYLAMINE DEHYDROGENASE BY AMICYANIN

The two-electron oxidation of tryptophan tryptophylquinone (TTQ) in substrate-reduced methylamine dehydrogenase (MADH) by amicyanin is known to proceed via an N-semiquinone intermediate in which the substrate-derived amino group remains covalently attached to TTQ [Bishop, G. R., and Davidson, V. L. (1996) Biochemistry 35, 8948−8954]. A new method for the stoichiometric formation of the N-semiquinone in vitro has allowed the study of the oxidation of the N-semiquinone by amicyanin in greater detail than was previously possible. Conversion of N-semiquinone TTQ to the quinone requires two biochemical events, electron transfer to amicyanin and release of ammonia from TTQ. Using rapid-scanning stopped-flow spectroscopy, it is shown that this occurs by a sequential mechanism in which oxidation to an imine (N-quinone) precedes hydrolysis by water and ammonia release. Under certain reaction conditions, the N-quinone intermediate accumulates prior to the relatively slow hydrolysis step. Correlation of these transi...
Queuing with distortion-control for multimedia content

There are numerous contexts in which systems need to buffer multimedia signal content. If such a buffer overflows, signal data are lost in an uncontrolled manner, which can lead to large end-to-end distortions. However, if the queued signals are distortion-tolerant, overflows can be avoided, and significant performance gains realized, by reducing the fidelity of the signals in a gradual, controlled, manner. Based on ideas of successive-approximation source coding, we design an adaptive-buffering algorithm to minimize end-to-end distortion. This algorithm performs nearly as well as a performance bound on all possible algorithms. Perhaps most importantly, the algorithm's performance remains robust across a wide range of (unpredictable) utilization rates (input rate/output rate).
Nonionic cosurfactants in AOT reversed micelles: effect on percolation, size, and solubilization site

The effect of nonionic cosurfactants on AOT reversed micellar interface and micelle/micelle interactions was studied. The change on the percolating temperature induced by these cosurfactants was de...
Least-Squares Approximate Solution of Overdetermined Sylvester Equations

We address the problem of computing a low-rank estimate Y of the solution X of the Lyapunov equation A X + X A' + Q = 0 without computing the matrix X itself. This problem has applications in both the reduced-order modeling and the control of large dimensional systems as well as in a hybrid algorithm for the rapid numerical solution of the Lyapunov equation via the alternating direction implicit method. While no known methods for low-rank approximate solution provide the two-norm optimal rank k estimate Xk of the exact solution X of the Lyapunov equation, our iterative algorithms provide an effective method for estimating the matrix Xk by minimizing the error ||A Y + Y A' + Q||F.
The primary structure of rat ribosomal protein L23.

Abstract The amino acid sequence of the rat 60S ribosomal subunit protein L23 was deduced from the sequence of nucleotides in two recombinant cDNAs. Ribosomal protein L23 has 140 amino acids and a molecular weight of 14,856. Hybridization of the cDNA to digests of nuclear DNA suggests that there are 7–9 copies of the L23 gene. The mRNA for the protein is about 600 nucleotides in length. Rat L23 is homologous to Saccharomyces cerevisiae L17a and related to Escherichia coli L14 and other members of the prokaryotic L14 family.
Pure 'natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery' for transvaginal nephrectomy in the porcine model.

OBJECTIVES To determine the technical feasibility and reproducibility of pure natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) transvaginal nephrectomy using NOTES-specific instrumentation, with no transabdominal assistance. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five female farm pigs (mean weight 45 kg) had a right NOTES nephrectomy, using a single-channel gastroscope in the first three pigs and a dual-channel gastroscope in the remaining two. The peritoneal cavity was accessed through the posterior fornix of the vagina. Dissection was started at the lower pole of the kidney, and the ureter was retracted laterally and followed towards the hilum. An XL articulated 60 cm endo-GIA stapler (US Surgical, Norwalk, CO, USA), inserted transvaginally via a separate vaginal incision, was used for tissue retraction and renal hilar transection. The kidney was freed, entrapped in an impermeable sac, and extracted intact transvaginally. RESULTS All five procedures were successful with no addition of a transabdominal laparoscopic port or open conversion. The total operative duration decreased from 200 min in the first pig to 60 min in the last (mean 113 min); the mean blood loss was <50 mL, the mean kidney length was 13.9 cm and the weight was 142 g. There were no intraoperative complications; at autopsy, there was no pelvic or bowel injury. CONCLUSIONS Pure NOTES transvaginal nephrectomy is feasible in the porcine model. It has the potential of a less morbid approach, providing truly scar-less surgery. Further development of instrumentation is necessary.
Benefits of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women.

Purpose: To provide an overview of current research regarding hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and to assist healthcare providers to better educate patients about potential benefits of this therapy. Data sources: A systematic review of healthcare literature was conducted with 602 articles selected from CINAHL, Medscape, Pubmed, and Medline databases. Keywords directing the search included hormone replacement therapy, benefits of hormone replacement therapy and trends, hormone replacement therapy and osteoporosis, hormone replacement, and menopause symptoms. Conclusions: According to the literature, HRT can assist women with postmenopausal symptoms. In addition, research shows that HRT can help some postmenopausal women with selected comorbid conditions such as osteoporosis, type II diabetes, certain cardiovascular pathologies, and colorectal cancer. The decision as to who should use any form of HRT needs to be based on the individual woman’s needs, quality of life, and potential risks versus benefits. Implications for practice: HRT has been a benefit to many women in the treatment of postmenopausal symptoms. Recent studies have shown that HRT, whether it is combined estrogen and progestin therapy, or estrogen-only therapy, can help postmenopausal women with osteoporosis and some selected comorbid conditions. Recent research indicates that some women are dying from comorbid conditions rather than breast cancer. Although the research regarding HRT in some areas may be limited, further research adds to existing knowledge and offers new ideas and possibilities in the treatment of postmenopausal symptoms and selected comorbid conditions. Certainly HRT can improve quality of life and possibly longevity for selected women. Ongoing research is needed to further validate such benefits, as well as to further explore the risks and benefits of long-term HRT. Increased knowledge about HRT will help healthcare providers better educate patients about the potential benefits of HRT, while providing documentation about who should take selected types of HRT or whether alternative treatment is preferred.
Estimating the Viability of Ovenbird and Kentucky Warbler Populations in Forest Fragments

Breeding habitats for birds in deciduous forests of the eastern and central United States are becoming increasingly fragmented by human activities. Avian communities in small, isolated forest tracts are generally subsets of the communities present in larger forests (Blake & Karr 1987; Hayden et al. 1985); species that are intolerant of habitat area reduction are frequently termed "area-sensitive." Severe declines in songbird populations, particularly those of forest-interior-breeding neotropical migrants, have been linked to the destruction and fragmentation of natural habitats (Lynch & Whigham 1978; Robbins 1979; Whitcomb et al. 1981). Detailed studies of the dynamics and constitution of small populations in relict habitats are needed (Lande 1988). Data on the presence of species over a range of patch sizes of suitable habitat have been analyzed to estimate the minimum patch size at which an area-sensitive species commonly occurs (Blake 1983; Diamond 1978; Galli et al. 1976), which is known as its "minimum area" requirement (Robbins 1979). However, tract sizes corresponding with incidence-curve inflection points (Diamond 1978) or areas of minimum occurrence (Blake 1983; Galli et al. 1976) may fall in the range of marginal rather than preferred habitats for area-sensitive species. Forest fragments may represent marginal habitat for
On the theory of loss of coherency by spherical precipitates

Abstract Abstract An expression is derived for the equilibrium misfit of a spherical precipitate as a function of precipitate size. An expression is given for the critical precipitate radius beyond which it is energetically favourable for loss of coherency to occur. The effect of an externally applied stress on the above expressions is also considered. Experimental observations are compared with the theory and fair agreement is found.
Effect of charge interactions on the carboxylate vibrational stretching frequency in c-type cytochromes investigated by continuum electrostatic calculations and FTIR spectroscopy.

Abstract The FTIR spectra of the asymmetric carboxylate absorption region of three c -type cytochromes—namely horse heart, yeast and bonito cytochromes c —as well as continuum electrostatic calculations performed on their respective protein matrices, show that these combined methods can target specific protein regions and yield pertinent protein charge information that correlates with the observed spectral data. Deconvolution of the IR carboxylate stretch frequency region (1525–1675 cm −1 ) in the three cytochromes yield different ν oco a distributions. In the case of the bonito cytochrome c carboxylates, two ν oco a populations are clearly distinguishable in the deconvoluted spectra—which is not the case for the more complex ν oco a deconvolutions of the other two cytochromes. The frequency distributions of the calculated potentials are consistent with the experimental observations and we conclude that the IR carboxylate absorption in proteins can be modified by the electrostatic environment.
Apophyseal arthritis limits lumbar motion in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis patients who develop progressive spinal flexion may assume this posture to alleviate the pain of apophyseal arthritis. To examine this relationship, we scored injury to L4-L5 and L5-S1 apophyseal joints, as assessed by computed tomography, in 10 men with early ankylosing spondylitis. Both by the modified Schober test and by radiography of the lateral spine, impaired spinal motion correlated highly with evidence of apophyseal injury.
A modification of the U. S. P. method of assay for belladonna extract

A new technique for the assay of extracted material is proposed which substitutes the use of sintered glass funnels for the Soxhlet apparatus in removing the alkaloids from the extract. This procedure is proposed as it was found that the thimbles used in the assay were adsorbing substances which reacted positively to Valser's Reagent.
Stereoscopic depth perception survives significant interocular luminance differences

— The effects of interocular luminance differences on stereoscopic depth perception has been investigated. The stimuli were stereoscopic square-shaped targets created from disparity embedded in a dynamic random-dot stereogram, which eliminated other cues to depth perception. The results revealed that stereoscopic depth perception survived significant interocular differences in luminance levels, even up to differences of 60%, provided that display luminance was approximately 0.63 cd/m2 or higher. In terms of design criteria, developers of stereo displays can use a fairly large range of interocular luminance levels and still induce good stereo depth perception.
Shaping the New World Order: America's Post-Gulf War Agenda in the Middle East:

In the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War, the U.S. postwar agenda entails some predictable elements of the Gulf area's changed political landscape. While pressure on the United States to address the problems which distributed the status-quo ante will be undeniably high, a drastic departure from conventional policy postures does not seem in the offing. In addition, the revival of Pax Americana is likely to bring along new difficulties at a time when the United States is in a state of relative economic decline. New security arrangements are certain to develop and a new balance of power will determine the configuration of the forces in the area. The far-reaching implications of the Persian Gulf crisis should be understood in the context of a "new world order," an order which looms at this juncture only partially novel and visible.
AI in Accounting, Finance and Management

This paper summarizes the contributions to the International Journal of Intelligent Systems in Accounting, Finance and Management over its first four years. A taxonomy of papers by functional area and methodology is developed. Rankings of contributions by author, institution and country are summarized.
Some methodological issues with the analysis of preference-based EQ-5D index score

The EQ-5D index is widely used to assess the preference-based health status. In this paper, we examine the analytical issues of regression models for the US preference-based EQ-5D index score. We propose a two-part approach to model the special features of the EQ-5D index. The first part is a logistic model for the probability of reaching the maximum score 1.0. The second part is a model for the rest of the scores that are less than 1.0, which can be a least squares regression with robust standard errors for the conditional mean, or a quantile regression for conditional quantiles such as the median. We show that the two-part model has some desirable features that are not available in the previously published regression methods for the EQ-5D index. We illustrate the proposed approach with data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. The proposed method may be used for other utility or health related quality of life scores of similar features.
Parallel Plate Viscometry for Glass at High Viscosity

A simple formula is provided to estimate viscosity of glass using parallel plate viscometry well above 108 Pa·s, which is the upper limit of the recommended range. The formula is based on computational studies that account for viscoelastic material behavior and frictional slip that justify using linear interpolation to estimate viscosity between established upper and lower bounds. The formula accounts for variations in friction coefficient and cylinder aspect ratio for viscosity from 107 to 1011 Pa·s.
Language recognition with discriminative keyword selection

One commonly used approach for language recognition is to convert the input speech into a sequence of tokens such as words or phones and then to use these token sequences to determine the target language. The language classification is typically performed by extracting N-gram statistics from the token sequences and then using an N-gram language model or support vector machine (SVM) to perform the classification. One problem with these approaches is that the number of N-grams grows exponentially as the order N is increased. This is especially problematic for an SVM classifier as each utterance is represented as a distinct N-gram vector. In this paper we propose a novel approach for modeling higher order N-grams using an SVM via an alternating filter-wrapper feature selection method. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique on the NIST 2007 language recognition task.
An Observational Study of Delivered and Received Aggression, Gender, and Social-Psychological Adjustment in Preschool: ''This White Crayon Doesn't Work ...''.

Abstract A semi-structured observational study investigated gender differences in delivered and received relational, physical, verbal, and nonverbal aggression in a young preschool sample (N=60). Findings revealed that gender differences in subtypes of aggression may be apparent as early as 3 years of age. Specifically, girls were found to deliver and receive more relational aggression than males, whereas boys tended, although not significantly, to deliver and significantly received more physical aggression than females. Relational and physical subtypes of delivered and received aggression were differentially associated with preschoolers’ social-psychological adjustment.
Use of and Attitudes About Alternative and Complementary Therapies Among Outpatients and Physicians at a Municipal Hospital

Objectives: To survey outpatients and physicians about their use of, knowledge of, and interest in alternative therapies. Design: Anonymous self-administered survey. Settings/location: Outpatient c...
A Thermal Conductivity Approach for Measuring Hydrogen in Engine Exhaust

Thermal conductivity detection has long been used in gas chromatography to detect hydrogen and other diatomic gases in a gas sample. Thermal conductivity instruments that are not coupled to gas chromatographs are useful for detecting hydrogen in binary gas mixtures, but suffer from significant cross-interference from other gas species that are separated when the detector is used with a gas chromatograph. This study reports a method for using a commercially-available thermal conductivity instrument to detect and quantify hydrogen in a diesel exhaust stream. The instrument time response of approximately 40 seconds is sufficient for steady-state applications. Cross-interference from relevant gas species are quantified and discussed. Measurement uncertainty associated with the corrections for the various species is estimated and practical implications for use of the instrument and method are discussed.
Direct correlation of collagen matrix deformation with focal adhesion dynamics in living corneal fibroblasts

The purpose of this study was to develop and apply a new model for investigating how the organization and movement of cell-matrix adhesion sites correlate with force generation by corneal fibroblasts on a fibrillar collagen extracellular matrix. Primary cultures of rabbit corneal fibroblasts were transfected using a vector encoding GFP-zyxin to allow visualization of adhesion sites. Cells were plated at low density on top of 100 μm thick fibrillar collagen lattices embedded with 2 μm diameter red fluorescent beads. Time-lapse imaging was performed at one minute intervals for up to 3 hours. At each time interval, GFP-zyxin, bead and DIC images were acquired in rapid succession using filter wheels. Cells were treated with cytochalasin D and/or Triton X-100 at the end of each experiment. The movements of adhesions and nearby matrix landmarks were measured and correlated from the time-lapse digital images, and the size, intensity and orientation of the adhesions were quantified. GFP-zyxin was detected in adhesions of transfected corneal fibroblasts as confirmed using vinculin counterstaining. Time-lapse imaging revealed extensions and retractions of cell processes and displacements of the fiduciary beads that were similar to control cells. Extending processes exhibited the most complex behavior, with new adhesions continuously forming at the leading edge while existing adhesions moved backward in a retrograde fashion. This process generated tractional forces as indicated by pulling in of the extracellular matrix in front of the cell. Interestingly, during extension, adhesions along the ventral surface of the cell body generally moved toward those at the tip, resulting in contractile-like shortening and matrix compression at the base of lamellipodia. Overall, a high correlation was found between both the magnitude (R=0.87, P <0.001) and direction (R=0.98, P <0.001) of the adhesions and nearby matrix displacements. Cytochalasin D induced rapid and reversible disassembly of adhesions, cell elongation and matrix relaxation, including decompression at the base of the lamellipodia. This new experimental model allows direct, dynamic assessment of cell-matrix interactions on a fibrillar collagen matrix. Our results are consistent with the previously described `frontal towing9 model of cell motility and demonstrate for the first time that this mechanism is employed by cells interacting with a fibrillar extracellular matrix.
Generation of Size-selected Fibers for a Nose-only Inhalation Toxicity Study

A fiber length classifier based on dielectrophoretic separation of fibers was used develop a generator to evaluate the contribution of fiber length to the induction of lung disease. The fibers used in these experiments were glass fibers. They were prepared using a compression grinding technique and dry mixed with glass beads. The mixture was fed slowly into a new type of generator that used a high energy fluidization combined with a small dead volume to efficiently generate a stable aerosol with a concentration as high as 200 mg/m3. The fibrous aerosol was selected in such a way as to only allow fibers shorter than a selected length to pass through the fiber length classifier. Exposure of the rats to this aerosol could be compared with exposure to the distribution without classification that included the long fibers. Previous work has indicated that fibers longer than the macrophage diameter (~13 µm for rats) would cause a significant increase in toxicity. After passing through the classifier, a glass fiber concentration as high as 70 mg/m3 at 10 l/min may be available for exposure of the rats.
Folate supplementation and methotrexate treatment in rheumatoid arthritis: a review

Objectives The folate antagonist methotrexate (MTX) has become established as the most commonly used disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but is commonly discontinued due to adverse effects. Adverse effects are thought to be mediated via folate antagonism. In this paper we summarize the current data on the use of folates as a supplement to MTX use in RA for the prevention of adverse effects and as a potential modulator of cardiovascular risk, and propose guidelines for standard practice. Methods A Medline search was performed using the search terms "methotrexate", "folic acid", "folinic acid", "folate" and "homocysteine". Literature relevant to the use of folates as a supplement to MTX in the treatment of RA was reviewed and other papers referred to as references were explored. Results The use of supplemental folates, including folic and folinic acid, in RA patients treated with MTX has been shown to improve continuation rates by reducing the incidence of liver function test abnormalities and gastrointestinal intolerance. Folate supplements do not appear to significantly reduce the effectiveness of MTX in the treatment of RA. Furthermore, supplemental folic acid offsets the elevation in plasma homocysteine associated with the use of MTX. This may in turn reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, which is over-represented amongst patients with RA, and for which hyperhomocysteinaemia is now recognized as an independent risk factor. Conclusions We propose that folic acid supplements be prescribed routinely to all patients receiving MTX for the treatment of RA. We recommend a pragmatic dosing schedule of 5 mg of oral folic acid given on the morning following the day of MTX administration.
Micromachining for optical and optoelectronic systems

Micromachining technology opens up many new opportunities for optical and optoelectronic systems. It offers unprecedented capabilities in extending the functionality of optical devices and the miniaturization of optical systems. Movable structures, microactuators, and microoptical elements can be monolithically integrated on the same substrate using batch processing technologies. In this paper, we review the recent advances in this fast-emerging field. The basic bulk- and surface-micromachining technologies applicable to optical systems are reviewed. The free-space microoptical bench and the concept of optical prealignment are introduced. Examples of micromachined optical devices are described, including optical switches with low loss and high contract ratio, low-cost modulators, micromechanical scanners, and the XYZ micropositioners with large travel distance and fine positioning accuracy. Monolithically integrated systems such as single-chip optical disk pickup heads and a femtosecond autocorrelator have also been demonstrated.
CSF biomarker and PIB-PET–derived beta-amyloid signature predicts metabolic, grey matter and cognitive changes in nondemented subjects

Beta-amyloid (Ab) is a histopathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease dementia, but high levels of Ab in the brain can also be found in a substantial proportion of nondemented subjects. Here we investigated which 2-year rate of brain and cognitive changes are present in nondemented subjects with high and low Ab levels, as assessed with cerebrospinal fluid and molecular positron emission tomography (PET)--based biomarkers of Ab. In subjects with mild cognitive impairment, increased brain Ab levels were associated with significantly faster cognitive decline, progression of gray matter atrophy within temporal and parietal brain regions, and a trend for a faster decline in parietal Fludeoxyglucose (FDG)PET metabolism. Changes in gray matter and FDG-PET mediated the association between Ab and cognitive decline. In contrast, elderly cognitively healthy controls (HC) with high Ab levels showed only a faster medial temporal lobe and precuneus volume decline compared with HC with low Ab. In conclusion, the current results suggest not only that both functional and volumetric brain changes are associated with high Ab years before the onset of dementia but also that HC with substantial Ab levels show higher Ab pathology resistance, lack other pathologies that condition neurotoxic effects of Ab, or accumulated Ab for a shorter time period.
Nonlinear Parameter Estimation Using Spreadsheet Software

Many fundamental processes in the natural and physical sciences exhibit substantial nonlinear relations among the component variables. Instructing students on how to identify parameters in models for such relations based on measured data, and providing a means to illustrate the impacts of specific components on the behavior of nonlinear relationships, is therefore a critical element of university science training. Commercially available spreadsheet software programs offer convenient and effective means for performing nonlinear parameter estimation. Among the advantages of the spreadsheet approach to nonlinear optimization and parameter estimation are its relative ease of use, general applicability, demonstration or reinforcement of least-squares principles, and the ability to interactively alter selected parameter values and immediately view the results via embedded graphics. In this paper we provide a brief discussion of nonlinear least-squares optimization, demonstrate its application within the context of some commercial spreadsheet software packages, and illustrate some of the capabilities of this approach using examples from our respective upper division Soil Physics lecture/laboratory courses. Our experiences indicate that students learn spreadsheet techniques more readily than often specialized mathematical or statistical programs, and that they provide a valuable tool in their future endeavors.
Adoption of technology-mediated learning in the U.S.

Technology-mediated learning (TML) has been a growing trend among higher education institutions in the U.S., especially after the inception of e-commerce. In this paper, we develop an analytical framework that focuses on the relationship between the extent of TML adoption and students' return from a higher education degree. This framework is used to derive hypotheses about how adoption levels should vary based on the institutional and student characteristics of a university. Using an extensive data set for the 2000-2001 academic year, our empirical work supports hypotheses concerning the importance of the quality and location of institutions as well as students' time value on the TML adoption decision. Specifically, we find that TML is used more in lower-ranked universities, in states with high population densities, and at the graduate than the undergraduate level. These results provide insights on the kind of institutions and program offerings that stand to gain the most from adopting TML.
Blood pressure and all-cause mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Background The recommended goal for blood pressure (BP) control has recently been adjusted for people with diabetes, but the optimal BP control range for the diabetic population is still uncertain. Methods We performed a prospective cohort study of 35,261 patients with type 2 diabetes. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate the association of BP with all-cause mortality. Results During a mean follow-up period of 8.7years, 4199 deaths were identified. The multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios of all-cause mortality associated with different levels of systolic/diastolic BP ( Conclusions The current study found a U-shaped association between BP at baseline and during follow-up and the risk of all-cause mortality among patients with type 2 diabetes.
Childhood and adolescent risk and protective factors for violence in adulthood

Abstract Purpose We use data from a community sample followed from ages 8 to 48. We focus on the main and risk-buffering effects of childhood and adolescent protective factors for predicting adulthood violence (official records and self reports). Method Males (N = 436) from the Columbia County Longitudinal Study participated. The youth, their parents, and peers were first interviewed when the youth were age 8; the youth were later interviewed at ages 19, 30, and 48. Results Risk factors for adulthood violence included higher aggression and lower family socioeconomic status at ages 8 and 19. Protective factors included anxiety about behaving aggressively (ages 8 and 19), popularity (ages 8 and 19), family church attendance (age 8), lower negative family interactions (age 8), and higher educational aspirations (age 19). For youth with at least one risk factor, the sum of adolescent—but not childhood–protective factors reduced the likelihood of adulthood violence. The most critical adolescent risk-buffering protective factors were anxiety about behaving aggressively and educational aspirations. Conclusions Aggression and low family SES, even by age 8, place youth at risk for adulthood violence. Interventions to strengthen critical protective factors must continue into late adolescence to reduce the likelihood of adulthood violence among at-risk youth.