cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Availability and Readability of Non-English Patient Education Materials for Radiotherapy in the United States.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S) Accessible, patient-centered educational resources improve health literacy and patient outcomes. Readability standards help create educational resources that are effective and comprehensible for most patients. However, many United States (US) professional societies fail to meet these standards. Language access is also an important consideration in treating an increasingly diverse and multilingual patient population. This study assesses the availability and readability of radiotherapy patient education resources, available in non-English languages, from three major US professional societies. We hypothesized that there would be limited available non-English resources, and that these resources would fail to meet recommended national readability levels. MATERIALS/METHODS Patient education resources in non-English languages were collected from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and a collaboration between the American College of Radiology and Radiological Society of North America (ACR/RSNA). Number of English resources were tabulated. The text from each non-English resource was extracted and analyzed using 4 previously validated Spanish readability indices that provide grade level equivalents: Gilliam-Pena-Mountain (GPM), Lasbarhetsindex (Lix), Rate Index (Rix), and Spanish Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SOL). One-sided t-test was used for comparisons to national standards. Fisher's exact test was used to assess for differences in proportions. RESULTS Of 51 identified English resources, 35 (69%) had a Spanish counterpart. English materials from ACR/RSNA were more likely than ACS and ASTRO materials to have a provided Spanish counterpart (100% vs 75% vs 24%, respectively; P < 0.01) There were no resources available in other languages. Mean readability levels for all resources in Spanish ranged from 10.0 to 12.0 grade levels, depending on the index, and were at a high school level: ACS (GPM, Lix, Rix, SOL) 9.0, 11.0, 11.2, 10.5; ASTRO 10.0, 11.0, 10.3, 9.6; and ACR/RSNA 10.0, 12.0, 11.8, 11.2. Using the most permissive scores for each resource, ACS had the only resources at or below the 8th grade level (50%, P < 0.01). The most permissive mean scores of all organizations significantly exceeded 6th grade levels (P < 0.01) and only ACS did not exceed an 8th grade level (P = 0.05). CONCLUSION Limited resources are available in non-English languages for patients undergoing radiotherapy in the US. Spanish was the only language with available translations. Available Spanish resources did not meet readability standards from the American Medical Association (6th grade) and National Institutes of Health (8th grade). These findings demonstrate a paucity of non-English language resources, and the need to improve readability levels in Spanish radiotherapy patient education resources.
Artifact detection in the PO2 and PCO2 time series monitoring data from preterm infants.

Background. Artifacts in clinical intensive care monitoring lead to false alarms and complicate later data analysis. Artifacts must be identified and processed to obtain clear information. In this paper, we present a method for detecting artifacts in PCO2 and PO2 physiological monitoring data from preterm infants. Patients and data. Monitored PO2 and PCO2 data (1 value per minute) from 10 preterm infants requiring intensive care were used for these experiments. A domain expert was used to review and confirm the detected artifact. Methods.Three different classes of artifact detectors (i.e., limit-based detectors, deviation-based detectors, and correlation-based detectors) were designed and used. Each identified artifacts from a different perspective. Integrating the individual detectors, we developed a parametric artifact detector, called ArtiDetect. By an exhaustive search in the space of ArtiDetect instances, we successfully discovered an optimal instance, denoted as ArtiDetector. Results. The sensitivity and specificity of ArtiDetector for PO2 artifacts is 95.0% (SD = 4.5%) and 94.2% (SD = 4.5%), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of ArtiDetector for PCO2 artifacts is 97.2% (SD = 3.6%) and 94.1% (SD = 4.2%), respectively. Moreover, 97.0% and 98.0% of the artifactual episodes in the PO2 and PCO2 channels respectively are confirmed by ArtiDetector. Conclusions. Based on the judgement of the expert, our detection method detects most PO2 and PCO2 artifacts and artifactual episodes in the 10 randomly selected preterm infants. The method makes little use of domain knowledge, and can be easily extended to detect artifacts in other monitoring channels.
Origin and relationships of the myco-heterotrophic liverwort Cryptothallus mirabilis Malmb. (Metzgeriales, Marchantiophyta)

Heterotrophic life histories have evolved independently numerous times in the angiosperms. In non-vascular embryophytes, heterotrophy is known only in the genus Cryptothallus. Cryptothallus mirabilis obtains photosynthates indirectly from a host tree via a basidiomycete that is simultaneously ectomycorrhizal on the host, a strategy known as myco-heterotrophism. This simple thalloid liverwort was initially described as an albino variant of Aneura pinguis, and the literature varies on whether it should be considered as such, as a distinct species of Aneura, or as a separate genus. Here, the relationships of C. mirabilis within the family Aneuraceae are reconstructed using DNA sequence data from the chloroplast (rps4, rps14, atpB-rbcL spacer, trnG), mitochondrial (trnS), and nuclear (26S and ITS) genomes. Several allopatric populations of C. mirabilis and of both sympatric species of Aneura (i.e. A. pinguis and A. maxima) were included. Cryptothallus mirabilis is resolved as having a single origin from within Aneura, and hence the myco-heterotrophic liverwort should be considered as a distinct species of Aneura, rather than an autonomous genus. The fungal symbiont of the photosynthetic A. pinguis is of the same genus, Tulasnella, as that of C. mirabilis, suggesting that the heterotrophic life strategy might have evolved from a pre-existing symbiosis. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 156, 1–12.
Electrocardiographic responses to atrial pacing and multistage treadmill exercise testing. Correlation with coronary arteriography.

Atrial pacing was compared with multistage treadmill exercise testing in 50 patients undergoing diagnostic cardiac catheterization to determine the diagnostic sensitivity of atrial pacing. Coronary artery disease was considered significant if luminal narrowing greater than 75 percent was present. Twenty-one subjects (Group I) had no significant coronary artery disease with vessel narrowing of less than 50 percent. Twelve (Group II) had single vessel disease and 17 (Group III) had disease of two or more vessels. The mean maximal heart rate during atrial pacing was 140/min and during exercise testing was 131/min. A positive atrial pacing test result was obtained in 5 percent of patients in Group I, 17 percent of patients in Group II and 24 percent of patients in Group III. A positive multistage treadmill exercise test result was obtained in 10 percent of patients in Group I, 67 percent of patients in Group II and 94 percent of patients in Group III. These differences are statistically significant (P < 0.001). The sensitivity of atrial pacing was 20 percent compared with 83 percent for multistage treadmill exercise testing. The specificity of atrial pacing was 95 percent compared with 90 percent for multistage treadmill exercise testing. Thus, atrial pacing is an insensitive test in the diagnosis of ischemic heart disease and does not improve the diagnostic value of multistage treadmill exercise testing.
Aortic valve replacement with the Starr-Edwards ball-valve prosthesis. Indications and results.

Abstract The results of aortic valve replacement with the Starr-Edwards prosthesis are reviewed in 86 patients. The total early and late mortality rate was 24 per cent. This fell to 13 per cent in 1964, and can be expected to decline further. Nearly all survivors are greatly improved by surgery. Detailed follow-up of 6 months to 3 years is available in 50 patients. All but one had symptoms prior to operation, and hemodynamic study preoperatively demonstrated gross abnormalities in most. Sixty-six per cent became asymptomatic, whereas mild limitation to exercise persisted in another 40 per cent. Angina pectoris disappeared in 32 of 34 instances. Sixty-eight per cent had a normal or only slightly enlarged heart after operation. Electrocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy disappeared in 58 per cent. Postoperative hemodynamic studies usually demonstrated some mild residual hemodynamic abnormality, probably attributable to irreversible myocardial damage resulting from long-standing left ventricular hypertrophy and/or dilatation. Postoperative complications included regurgitation around the prosthesis, which was rarely of hemodynamic consequence, bacterial endocarditis (rare), traumatic hemolytic anemia (rare), and systemic arterial embolization. Thromboembolism remains the major unsolved problem of aortic valve replacement, and anticoagulant drugs have not been proved to be of value in preventing this. Indications for aortic valve replacement are discussed in terms of the current mortality rate and incidence of complications, the proved clinical and hemodynamic benefits, and the natural history of the various types of aortic lesions. All symptomatic patients with aortic stenosis, and all Class III or IV patients with aortic regurgitation are candidates for surgery. In addition, surgery is recommended in relatively asymptomatic patients with aortic stenosis who have a transvalvular peak systolic gradient of more than 70 mm. Hg, and in those with aortic regurgitation if there is gross cardiac enlargement, angina pectoris, or abnormal left heart dynamics. The possibility of underestimating the hemodynamic severity of a mixed aortic valve lesion was discussed.
Integrating multiple visual cues for robust real-time 3D face tracking

3D face tracking is an important component for many computer vision applications. Most state-of-the-art tracking algorithms can be characterized as being either intensity- or feature-based. The intensity-based tracker relies on the brightness constraint while the feature-based tracker utilizes 2D local feature correspondences. In this paper, we propose a hybrid tracker for robust 3D face tracking. Instead of relying on single source of information, the hybrid tracker integrates feature correspondence and brightness constraints within a nonlinear optimization framework. The proposed method can track the 3D face pose reliably in real-time. We have conducted a series of evaluations to compare the performance of the proposed tracker with other state-of-the-art trackers. The experiments consist of synthetic sequences with simulation of different environmental factors, real sequences with estimated ground truth, and sequences from a real-world HCI application. The proposed tracker is shown to be superior in both accuracy and robustness.
Small Businesses Ignore Strategic Planning at Their Peril

Most aspects of strategic planning are well known and widely documented. Virtually all large organizations use a formal strategic planning process. While the benefits from effective strategic planning are evident to most businesses, small business owners/managers often plan poorly. Many contend that the daily demand of running their businesses reduces their time available for effective strategic planning. Since strategic planning drives the allocation of resources (time and personnel), it is practiced in every organization – large and small. The strategic planning decisions (allocations) may be well thought-out based on a detailed plan or they may be haphazard. But without exception, strategic decisions are made and implemented by all organizations.This paper has four sections: First, it very briefly summarizes strategic planning principles; second, it describes the theoretical benefits of strategic planning for all organizations; third, it reports on two cases that describe strategic planning practices in small businesses – one success and one failure; and, finally, it provides recommendations for the practical application of strategic planning principles for small businesses.
Inclination-induced polarization of scattered millimetre radiation from protoplanetary discs: the case of HL Tau

Spatially resolved polarized millimeter/submillimeter emission has been observed in the disk of HL Tau and two other young stellar objects. It is usually interpreted as coming from magnetically aligned grains, but can also be produced by dust scattering, as demonstrated explicitly by Kataoka et al. for face-on disks. We extend their work by including the polarization induced by disk inclination with respect to the line of sight. Using a physically motivated, semi-analytic model, we show that the polarization fraction of the scattered light increases with the inclination angle $i$, reaching $1/3$ for edge-on disks. The inclination-induced polarization can easily dominate that intrinsic to the disk in the face-on view. It provides a natural explanation for the two main features of the polarization pattern observed in the tilted disk of HL Tau ($i \sim 45^\circ$): the polarized intensity concentrating in a region elongated more or less along the major axis, and polarization in this region roughly parallel to the minor axis. This broad agreement provides support to dust scattering as a viable mechanism for producing, at least in part, polarized millimeter radiation. In order to produce polarization at the observed level ($\sim 1\%$), the scattering grains must have grown to a maximum size of tens of microns. However, such grains may be too small to produce the opacity spectral index of $\beta \lesssim 1$ observed in HL Tau and other sources; another population of larger, millimeter/centimeter-sized, grains may be needed to explain the bulk of the unpolarized continuum emission.
From Genetic Association to Genetic Switch

Human genetic studies have led to the identification of a transcriptional regulator that could serve as a therapeutic target for adult hemoglobin disorders.
Type I keratin 16 forms relatively unstable tetrameric assembly subunits with various type II keratin partners: Biochemical basis and functional implications

Type II keratin 6 (K6) and type I keratins 16 and 17 (K16 and K17) are intermediate-filament (IF) proteins that are induced in wound-edge keratinocytes as early as 4-6 h after injury to skin, either human or mouse. This induction occurs at the expense of the keratin proteins that are normally expressed in differentiating epidermal keratinocytes. Correlated with these changes in protein expression, keratinocytes-for 24 h following injuryundergo major cytoarchitectural alterations that affect their shape, intracellular organization, surface morphology, and adhesion properties. We recently proposed that the intrinsic properties of K16 are compatible with a direct role in "keratinocyte activation" at the wound edge (Paladini et al., 1996). Unlike K14, a related type I keratin that is constitutively expressed in epidermis, we found that K16 forms unstable heterotetramer subunits that polymerize into shorter filaments when paired with a variety of type II keratin partners (e.g., K5, K6b, K8). Such properties are of particular interest because it has been shown in a number of studies that the tetramer subunit predominates in the soluble pool of IF subunits in epithelial and nonepithelial cell lines in culture. The tetramer-forming properties of K16 may thus influence its dynamic parti-
Hospitalization and mortality of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To describe hospitalization and mortality outcomes of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the general population. METHODS: Hospitalizations of patients with SLE (n = 76,961) were identified from the US Nationwide Inpatient Sample, spanning 5 years from 1998 to 2002. Correlates of mortality were analyzed using logistic regression, while those of hospitalization charges were studied using median regressions. RESULTS: Overall, 11% of all hospitalizations were for SLE and/or lupus flare. There were 2454 (3.1%) hospitalizations that ended in death. Half of all deaths occurred within 7 days after admission. There were 3 peaks in mortality risk after admission, the first on Day 6, the second Day 33, the third Day 57. Patients in higher income strata and those with private insurance had better mortality outcomes than the rest. Hospitalization charges were expensive, at about US $10,000 per incident. Hospital charges were driven primarily by length of stay and number of medical procedures. CONCLUSION: Hospitalizations for SLE are expensive, and 1 in 30 hospitalizations culminates in death. There appears to be a trimodal pattern in the time risk of death following admission. Patients with higher socioeconomic status and those with private insurance were less likely to die in hospital.
Spatial color variations in the volcanic plume at Loki, on Io

Multicolor Voyager 1 photographs of the Loki volcanic plume, on Io, have been analyzed to determine the nature and quantity of the scattering material within the plume. This work indicates that there are two particle populations. The first population consists of particles with radius of 0.001-0.01 microns, while the second population, which is concentrated near the source, comprises particles with radius greater than 1 micron. The population of smaller particles includes most of the particulate mass in the plume. This work increases the previously estimated particulate mass (Johnson et al., 1979) and suggests that the SO2 gas spectroscopically identified by Pearl et al. (1979) may represent transient flow from the volcano instead of an atmosphere in stable equilibrium with the local surface.
From Cabot to Cartier: The Early Exploration of Eastern North America, 1497–1543

Abstract Initial European responses to the Columbian discovery included an exploratory process that, in the space of a half-century, delineated the basic geographical features of North America's Atlantic coast. This exploratory process was conditioned by pre-Columbian European “geosophy’ or images of lands in the western Atlantic and by the desire to locate a water route to Asia. The first European explorers to make contact with North America did so far to the north of the area contacted by Columbus, and their voyages would almost certainly have taken place regardless of the success or failure of Columbus. John Cabot and the Corte-Real brothers explored the Labrador-Newfoundland region as early as 1497, searching for a sea-level strait through what they believed was an island archipelago off Asia's eastern shores. Subsequent explorations by Giovanni da Verrazzano and Jacques Cartier added to the growing store of geographical information and developing geographical images about North America. Verrazzano's ...
On a conjecture of Quillen at the prime 3

Abstract We show that H ∗ (GL n ( Z [ 1 3 , 1 3 ], F 3 ) is a free H ∗ (BGL n ( C top ), F 3 ) -module for n=2, but not for n≥27 , proving a conjecture of Quillen at the prime 3 for n=2 and disproving the same conjecture for n≥27 .
Accurate and efficient evaluation of Schur and Jack functions

We present new algorithms for computing the values of the Schur s λ (x 1 ,x 2 ,...,x n ) and Jack J α λ (x 1 ,x 2 ,...,x n ) functions in floating point arithmetic. These algorithms deliver guaranteed high relative accuracy for positive data (x i , a > 0) and run in time that is only linear in n.
New Evidence of Relaxation in High-β Plasmas Driven by Rotating Magnetic Fields

New evidence of relaxation in high-β plasmas has appeared in the steady-state field reversed configuration sustained by rotating magnetic fields, as signified by the self-generation of a significant toroidal field, with spontaneous transition to a higher confinement state. Detailed internal magnetic measurements reveal that the transition occurs at the onset of low-frequency drift modes. The final relaxed state exhibits the following key properties: (1) a near-force-free state in the core region, (2) a large q ∼ 1 along with significant magnetic shear near the magnetic axis, and (3) significantly improved confinement.
What Explains China's Rising Urbanisation in the Reform Era?

China has been transforming from a rural to an urban economy over the past century, especially since 1978 when economic reforms were initiated and rapid economic growth began. This paper attempts t...
Hypoxia tolerance of juvenile weakfish (Cynoscion regalis): Laboratory assessment of growth and behavioral avoidance responses

Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the growth rate and avoidance behavior of juvenile weakfish (Cynoscion regalis) exposed to hypoxia (dissolved oxygen (DO) below saturation). Growth rates were measured under constant (2.0, 3.5, 5.0 and 7.0 mg O 2 L -1 ) and diel-cycling (2.0-11.0 mg O 2 L -1 ) DO conditions at three temperatures (20, 25, and 30 °C) over 7 days. Two-way DO choice trials were conducted over the same temperature range to 1) determine the DO level at which juvenile weakfish exhibit hypoxia avoidance and 2) examine whether temperature influences hypoxia avoidance behavior. There was no significant effect of constant hypoxia, or diel-cycling hypoxia, on growth rates of weakfish at any temperature. In the DO choice trials, weakfish avoided 1 mg O 2 L -1 but showed no preference for DO when the low choice was ≥2 mg O 2 L -1 . Temperature had no significant effect on growth or avoidance responses of juvenile weakfish. Lack of mortality during seven days exposure to hypoxia as low as 2 mg O 2 L -1 , moderate to high growth rates, and lack of hypoxia avoidance of DO concentrations as low as 2 mg O 2 L -1 indicates that juvenile weakfish are physiologically capable of tolerating levels of hypoxia commonly encountered in estuarine nurseries during summer months. There was no indication that hypoxia avoidance occurs at a DO level higher than that which negatively impacts growth rate in juvenile weakfish.
Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status in Relation to Preterm Birth in a U.S. Cohort of Black Women

This study examines the association between neighborhood socioeconomic status (SES) and preterm birth among U.S. Black women. A composite variable for neighborhood SES, derived from 7 U.S. Census Bureau indicators, was assessed in relation to self-reported preterm birth (505 spontaneous and 452 medically indicated) among 6,390 women in the Black Women’s Health Study who delivered singleton births during 1995–2003. The odds ratio (OR) for preterm birth, comparing the lowest (most deprived) to the highest (least deprived) quartiles of neighborhood SES, was 0.98 (95 % CI, 0.80, 1.20) after adjustment for individual-level characteristics. Low neighborhood SES was not associated with spontaneous or medically indicated preterm birth overall or within strata of maternal age, education, or geographic region. The only significant finding was higher odds of medically indicated preterm birth associated with low neighborhood SES among unmarried women. Low neighborhood SES was not materially associated with preterm birth in this study of U.S. Black women.
Ultrastructure of cell surface coat (glycocalyx) in rat urinary bladder epithelium

Earlier statements to the contrary, the present study demonstrates the presence of a cell surface coat (glycocalyx) on the luminal plasma membrane of the super ficial transitional epithelial cells lining the urinary bladder of male Buffalo rats. This coat was demonstrated with ruthenium red, an electron dense stain, which revealed a surface layer, 60–80 A thick, separated from the outer leaflet of the plasma membrane by an electron lucent layer, approximately 30 A thick. The structure of the glycocalyx was not affected by 12 weeks of treatment with dibutylnitrosamine, a known bladder carcinogen.
Formation of fibrous crystals in flowing blends of polyethylene melts

Flow induced crystallization of high density polyethylene has been studied in a two-phase flow system using low density polyethylene as the carrier phase. Extensional stresses were generated under slow flow conditions by either of two methods: one involving flow past a stationary seed, the other involving a droplet deformation and bursting mechanism. In both cases, oriented, fibrillar crystallization of the high density phase was observed optically and correlated with calculations indicating the presence of flow-induced extensional gradients. Morphological, thermal, and birefringence data indicate that the crystalline fibers produced are oriented and superheatable, and consist of a multifibrillar substructure. For fibers produced by the droplet bursting process a semi-quantitative agreement was found between fiber melting point and birefringence based on a simplified analysis for the bursting induced extensional flow. These results demonstrate that two-phase flows of crystallizable systems are a convenient means for studying the phenomenon of flow induced crystallization in polymer melts.
Trichromatic opponent color classification

Stimuli varying in intensity and chromaticity, presented on numerous backgrounds, were classified into red/green, blue/yellow and white/black opponent color categories. These measurements revealed the shapes of the boundaries that separate opponent colors in three-dimensional color space. Opponent color classification boundaries were generally not planar, but their shapes could be summarized by a piecewise linear model in which increment and decrement color signals are combined with different weights at two stages to produce opponent color sensations. The effect of background light on classification was largely explained by separate gain changes in increment and decrement cone signals.
UDP-glucose dehydrogenase from the chick embryo: tissue-specific forms of the enzyme.

Abstract Tissues of the chick embryo contain two principal forms of UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.22). These forms can be demonstrated by starch gel electrophoresis of partially purified samples of the enzyme. The more acidic form has been found only in the liver. The more basic form occurs in several other tissues, including the eye. The existence of the two forms has been confirmed by analyzing enzyme prepared from mixtures of eye and liver, by the technique of isoelectric focusing. The two forms also differ with respect to their inhibition by the feed-back inhibitor, UDP-xylose.
REVERSE RECOVERY OF POWER pn JUNCTION DIODES

A quasi-steady state approximation is used to derive expressions for the waveforms of minority carrier charge stored in p+nn+ power junction diodes driven by large-signal sinusoidal and ramp voltages. These waveforms are derived by solving a diode charge-control differential equation. Using the charge waveforms, the storage time is determined and the diode current and voltage waveforms are predicted. It is shown that three frequency ranges can be distinguished: (1) low-frequency range in which the reverse recovery is negligible, (2) mid-frequency range in which the reverse recovery is detrimental, but the diode is still of practical value, and (3) high-frequency range where the diode does not exhibit its rectifying properties. A simple method for measuring the minority carrier lifetime is proposed. Experimental results are given for an MR826 fast-recovery pn junction diode and a 31DQ06 Schottky diode for operating frequencies of up to 10 MHz. The theoretical and experimental results were in good agreement.
Managerial Role Motivation and Role-related Ethical Orientation in Hong Kong

Is there a relationship between the psychological construct of hierarchic managerial role motivation and the moral construct of role-related ethical orientation? In this study we examine this question using responses from a sample of 147 business students in Hong Kong. Managerial role motivation or motivation to manage is defined as an internal force that leads select individuals to pursue, enjoy, and succeed in management positions in relatively large hierarchical organizations. As hypothesized, respondents with higher levels of managerial role motivation demonstrated greater managerial role-related ethical orientation as compared with their less managerially motivated counterparts. Similarly, respondents with higher levels of respect for authority figures, competitive games, competitive situations, assertive role, imposing wishes, and a liking for routine administrative functions possessed greater ethical orientations. The research significance, limitations and future field applications are discussed.
Environmental context change affects memory for performed actions

The current study investigated the effect of environmental context change between the study and test on the recall of action phrases that either were performed during encoding (subject-performed tasks, SPTs) or were verbally encoded (verbal tasks, VTs). Both SPTs and VTs showed the same magnitude of impaired recall when the study and test contexts mismatched. Furthermore, changing the context between the two study lists reduced cross-list intrusion errors compared to encoding the lists in the same context. Both SPTs and VTs benefited from studying the lists in different contexts as evidenced by reduced intrusions. Taken together, the results suggest that SPTs are integrated with their context because they suffered when context changed between the study and test, and they also benefited when they were performed in two environments versus the same environment.
Sketch models to forecast commuter and light rail ridership : Update to TCRP report 16

Ridership potential is among the most valuable attributes to understand about a proposed light or commuter rail line during early stages of project development, yet few nationally relevant sketch-level tools exist for feasibility analyses. Research was done to develop a nationally applicable, sketch-level ridership forecasting tool for light rail and commuter rail. The study collected current ridership, demographic, and transportation system data from 17 U.S. regions, including 58 commuter rail corridors, 22 light rail corridors, and 1,218 stations, and it tested 163 possible explanatory variables. The effort yielded two multivariable regression equations that show close relationships between actual and predicted values, with adjusted R-squared values of 0.97 for commuter rail and 0.92 for light rail. The models also validate well to existing rail systems in six regions and successfully predict actual line ridership with adjusted R-squared values of 0.84 for commuter rail and 0.47 for light rail. The new models improve on previous tools by introducing sensitivity to reverse-commute trips and special transportation hubs or ports and by introducing transportation-system variables to measure the impacts of faster operating speeds, lower fares, or shorter midday headways. The models require readily available data and use simple form, making the tool technically accessible to a large number of transportation planners. An apples-to-apples comparison with similar sketch models developed nearly a decade ago in TCRP Report 16 shows that the new tools perform consistently better, explaining between 31% and 213% more variation in observed rail boardings among the same validation data sets.
Studies in observational paired-associate learning: Informational, social, and individual difference variables

Abstract Four experiments examined the relative importance of informational (proportion of correct responses and kinds of errors emitted by a model), social (model competency, sex of model, video vs. audio taped model), and individual difference (sex of subject, grade) variables in observational paired-associate learning. In Experiments I–III, vicarious subjects received cycles of study-model-test trials, while direct subjects were given the same sequences with intervening test or stimulus familiarization trials. In Experiment IV, vicarious subjects received cycles of study-test-model-test trials, while direct subjects received the cycles with a test trial replacing the model trial. No confirmation was provided on test and model trials. Whereas the effects attributable to social and individual difference variables were generally negligible, mere accuracy of the model's responses repeatedly covaried with performance on the last test trial of each cycle. Conditional analyses established that (1) vicarious facilitation is comparable across cycles and localized in items responded to incorrectly on immediately preceding test trials, and (2) observers learn fewer incorrect than correct model responses. Vicarious groups performed at reliably higher levels than direct subjects on model correct but not incorrect items. The results strongly suggest a close correspondence between direct and vicarious verbal learning principles and mechanisms.
Whale immunoglobulins. II. Heavy chain structure.

Abstract 1. 1. Immunoglobulins (7S) were purified from the plasmas of three species of whales, hump-backed, fin-backed and Sei. 2. 2. Heavy polypeptide chains were characterized and compared to human γ chains. 3. 3. Amino acid composition and peptide map comparisons indicated much homology between the whale 7S Ig heavy chain and hyman γ. 4. 4. The CHO-peptide from whale heavy chains was identical to that of man and other mammals characterized. 5. 5. Therefore, the whale 7S Ig heavy chain is typically γ and probably is involved in the same secondary biological functions as the γ chains of terrestrial mammals.
Therapeutic efficacy of a 177Lu-labeled DOTA conjugated α -melanocyte -stimulating hormone peptide in a murine melanoma-bearing mouse model

The aim of this study was to examine the therapeutic efficacy of 177Lu-DOTA-Re(Arg11)CCMSH in the B16/F1 murine melanoma-bearing mouse model. Methods: 177Lu-DOTA-Re(Arg11)CCMSH was prepared in 0.5 M NH4OAc at a pH of 5.4. Two (2) treatment groups of 10 melanoma-bearing C57 mice were administrated with 2 × 18.5 MBq and 1 × 37.0 MBq of 177Lu-DOTA-Re(Arg11)CCMSH through the tail vein, respectively. One (1) group of 10 melanoma-bearing C57 mice was injected with saline placebos as untreated melanoma-bearing controls. Results: In contrast to the untreated melanomabearing control group, 177Lu-DOTA-Re(Arg11)CCMSH administration yielded rapid and lasting ther-apeutic effects in the treatment groups. 177Lu-DOTA-Re(Arg11)CCMSH treatment decreased the tumor growth rate and significantly (p < 0.05) prolonged the survival time of melanoma-bearing C57 mice. Treatment with 2 × 18.5 MBq or 1 × 37.0 MBq of 177Lu-DOTA-Re(Arg11)CCMSH significantly extended the mean survival of tumor-bearing mice from 13.3 to 15.1 and 16.2 d...
Reaction of molten Al and of Al-20 wt. % U with water vapour

An investigation has been made of the reaction between Al at 800–1400°C in 100 per cent or argon-diluted water vapour, and between Al-20 wt.-% U alloy at 930–1400° in 100 per cent water vapour, the total gas-phase pressure being 1 atm. Metal samples were heated and suspended in the vapour stream by the electromagnetic levitation technique, and the concentration of hydrogen liberated by reaction recorded continuously. Provided the oxide layer did not break down, oxidation was parabolic for a short interval after attainment of the working temperature but then the rate decreased more steeply; later, depending on conditions of temperature and vapour pressure, the oxidation rate became approximately constant or it fluctuated giving two types of pulse. However, if the temperature exceeded a critical value-1050° with pure argon up to ca. 1700° with 100 per cent water vapour—the rate remained at a high level owing to partial or complete oxide layer breakdown. The results are discussed in terms of hydrogen dissolving into the metal, formation of amorphous followed by crystalline oxide, oxide cracking, suboxide formation, and oxide disruption by hydrogen pockets.
Hydrodynamic and sedimentary responses to two contrasting winter storms on the inner shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Results are presented from the deployment of three bottom-mounted instrumentation systems in water depths of 6–9 m on the sandy inner shelf of Louisiana, USA. The 61-day deployment included nine cold front passages that were associated with large increases in wind speed. Two of the most energetic cold front passages were characterized by distinct meteorological, hydrodynamic, bottom boundary layer, and sedimentary responses and may potentially be treated as end-member types on a continuum of regional cold front passages. Arctic surges (AC storms) have a very weak pre-frontal phase followed by a fairly powerful post-frontal phase, when northeasterly winds dominate. Migrating cyclones (MC storms) are dominated by a strong low-pressure cell and have fairly strong southerly winds prior to the frontal passage, followed by strong northwesterly winds. On the basis of measurements taken during this study, AC storms are expected to have a lower average significant wave height than MC storms and are dominated by short-period southerly waves subsequent to the frontal passage. Currents are weak and northerly during the pre-frontal phase, but become very strong and southwesterly following the passage. Sediment transport rate during AS storms was not as high as during MC storms, and the mean and overall direction tended to be southwesterly to westerly, with low-frequency flows producing easterly transport, and wind-wave flows producing southeasterly transport. MC storms had the most energetic waves of any storm type, with peaks in significant wave height occurring during both the pre- and post-frontal phases. The wave field during MC storms tended to be more complex than during AS storms, with an energetic, northerly swell band gradually giving way to a southerly sea band as the post-frontal phase progressed. Currents during MC storms were moderate and northerly during the pre-frontal phase, but became much stronger and southeasterly during the post-frontal phase. Shear velocity was high during both the pre- and post-frontal phases of the storm, although sediment transport was highest following the frontal passage. Mean and overall sediment transport was directed southeasterly during MC storms, with low-frequency and wind-wave flows producing northerly transport. In summary, the data sets presented here are unique and offer insight into the morphosedimentary dynamics of mid-latitude, micro-tidal coasts during extratropical storms.
Do subplate neurons comprise a transient population of cells in developing neocortex of rats

Studies were undertaken to determine whether neurons of the subplate layer represent a transient or stable population of cells in developing neocortex of rat. The first set of studies sought to determine the fraction of subplate neurons that is lost during early postnatal development. The optical dissector method was used to analyze fluorescently stained material in animals the age of postnatal day 0 (P0) to P40. These results demonstrate a reduction of slightly less than half of the total number of subplate neurons from P0 to P40. Counts of labeled cells in littermates at varied ages after [(3)H]thymidine or BRDU treatment on gestational day 14 (G14 - birthdate of occipital subplate neurons) or G18 (birthdate of layers III-IV neurons) demonstrate loss of approximately 50% of neurons in the subplate layer between P0 and P40, somewhat greater than the loss of neurons from cortical layers III-IV. The second set of studies investigated whether subplate neurons display cellular atrophy during postnatal development. Analysis of subplate neurons injected intracellularly with Lucifer yellow in fixed slice preparations indicates no reduction in soma size, number of dendrites, or extent of dendritic fields of subplate neurons taken from animals age P0 to P60. The third set of studies investigated whether functional markers of subplate neurons are reduced during postnatal development. Analysis of tissue stained histochemically for cytochrome oxidase or acetylcholinesterase, or stained immunocytochemically for GABA, somatostatin, or neuropeptide Y, demonstrate a remarkable loss of expression of staining patterns from late gestational ages to P20. These data demonstrate that, although subplate neurons seem not to be a transient population of cells in the usual sense of being eliminated by cell death or structural atrophy, the loss of histochemical and immunocytochemical markers indicates that they may be a functionally transient population of cells.
Effect of recombinant human interleukin 2 in experimental murine coccidioidomycosis

The therapeutic effect of recombinant human interleukin 2 (rH IL-2) was assessed in experimental murine coccidioidomycosis by daily IV injection for 30 days of doses ranging decimally from 2.5 X 10(1) to 2.5 X 10(5) units. The treatment with rH IL-2 had neither adverse nor salutary effects.
Astrocytes Modulate Distribution and Neuronal Signaling of Leptin in the Hypothalamus of Obese Avy Mice

We tested the hypothesis that astrocytic activity modulates neuronal uptake and signaling of leptin in the adult-onset obese agouti viable yellow (Avy) mouse. In the immunohistochemical study, Avy mice were pretreated with the astrocyte metabolic inhibitor fluorocitrate or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) vehicle intracerebroventricularly (icv) followed 1 h later by Alexa568-leptin. Confocal microscopy showed that fluorocitrate pretreatment reduced astrocytic uptake of Alexa568-leptin 30 min after icv while increasing neuronal uptake in the arcuate nucleus and dorsomedial hypothalamus. Fluorocitrate also induced mild astrogliosis and moderately increased pSTAT3 immunopositive neurons in response to Alexa568-leptin in the dorsomedial hypothalamus. In the Western blotting study, Avy mice were pretreated with either PBS or fluorocitrate, and received PBS or leptin 1 h later followed by determination of pSTAT3 and GFAP expression an additional 30 min afterward. The results show that fluorocitrate induced a mild pSTAT3 activation but attenuated leptin-induced pSTAT3 activation and decreased GFAP expression independently of leptin treatment. We conclude that inhibition of astrocytic activity resulted in enhanced neuronal leptin uptake and signaling. This suggests opposite roles of astrocytes and neurons in leptin’s actions in the Avy mouse with adult-onset obesity.
Catalytically grown carbon filaments from a smelter aerosol

Aerosol particles consisting of complex intergrowths of carbon, copper and zinc occur in the plume downwind of a copper smelter. Using scanning and transmission electron microscopy we analyse their chemical and structural properties, and demonstrate how such an analysis can be used to fingerprint the source of atmospheric pollutants. The chemical and structural characteristics provide unique and highly specific information about their origin and catalytic growth mechanism.
The location of spin probes in two phase mixed lipid systems.

Abstract We observed electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of either a cholestane or a stearic acid spin probe in liposomes formed of egg, yeast or dipalmitoyllecithins individually or in mixtures and found: 1. (1) The “liquid lines” often observed with the stearic acid probe and liposomes originate with the probe free in solution. 2. (2) The lipid-water partition coefficient of the stearic acid probe increases with increasing fluidity of the lipid. In Mixed systems this causes the probe concentration to be higher in the more fluid component and leads to overestimation of the fluidity of the system. 3. (3) The lipid-water equilibrium of the stearic acid probe is rapid. This prevents removal of the free probe from the system by dialysis or washing and ensures that movement of the probe to the more fluid environment upon phase separation in the lipid will be rapid. 4. (4) Even with fluid lipids “liquid lines” can appear in the ESR spectra at high dilutions or high spin probe: lipid ratios. 5. (5) The cholestane spin probe produces spectra wit no “liquid lines”, which in most cases represent the fluid and crystalline phases of mixed systems in proportion to their relative concentrations.
Sensing three-dimensional index-of-refraction variations by means of optical wavefront sensor measurements and tomographic reconstruction

Light waves propagating through a region of inhomogeneous index of refraction are aberrated. Turbulent air flows cause such inhomogeneities to arise from density fluctuations within the flow, which affect the index of refraction of air. Here we describe a technique for measuring the 3-D structure of the index-of-refraction distribution in a turbulent air flow using optical wavefront sensor measurements and tomographic signal reconstruction. Use of wavefront sensor measurements offers higherspeed measurement than previously used holographic methods, while providing high-fidelity reconstructions. We discuss Hartmann sensor measurements and wavefront reconstruction. Sampling requirements are also addressed, including the effects of a limited number of projections and wavefront subaperture size. Theory, simulation, and experimental results are presented.
Local solvability of partial differential operators on the Heisenberg group

In this article the following class of partial differential operators is examined for local solvability: Let P(X, Y) be a homogeneous polynomial of degree n ≥ 2 in the non-commuting variables X and Y. Suppose that the complex polynomial P(iz, 1) has distinct roots and that P(z, 0) = zn. The operators which we investigate are of the form P(X, Y) where X = δx and Y = δy + xδw for variables (x, y, w) ∈ ℝ3. We find that the operators P (X, Y) are locally solvable if and only if the kernels of the ordinary differential operators P(iδx, ± x)* contain no Schwartz-class functions other than the zero function. The proof of this theorem involves the construction of a parametrix along with invariance properties of Heisenberg group operators and the application of Sobolev-space inequalities by Hormander as necessary conditions for local solvability.
Age-based transition periods and the outcome of mental health treatment.

Abstract Do people ever get too old to change? Studies of the influence of the age of adult patients on the outcome of mental health treatment have led to inconsistent results. Design characteristics of such studies have limited our understanding of the relationship between age and outcome. Over 300 male veterans undergoing brief inpatient psychiatric treatment were categorized according to their age-based, adult developmental period (Levinson, Darrow, Klein, Levinson, & McKee, 1978). Improvement during treatment was found to be significantly related to the patient's developmental stage (r = .25, p