cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Copula-Based Method for Addressing Endogeneity in Models of Severity of Traffic Crash Injuries: Application to Two-Vehicle Crashes

An emerging copula-based methodology is used to address endogeneity in models of crash injury severity. Specifically, two important sources of endogeneity are addressed: (a) endogeneity due to correlations between the injury severity of the two drivers involved in two-vehicle crashes and (b) endogeneity of collision type and injury severity outcomes. Two sets of copula-based joint model systems are formulated and estimated by using data on two-vehicle crashes from the 2007 Generalized Estimates System: a copula-based joint ordered logit-ordered logit model of injury severities of the two drivers involved in two-vehicle crashes and a copula-based joint multinomial logit-ordered logit model of collision type and injury severity outcomes of two-vehicle crashes. The model estimation results and elasticity estimates underscore the importance of accommodating endogeneity in models of crash injury severity. The results shed new light on the determinants of injury severity in two-vehicle accidents.
Social anxiety and emotional suppression: the mediating role of beliefs.

There is mounting evidence to suggest that social anxiety is associated with the suppression of emotional expression. The current study examined self-reported emotional suppression and beliefs about expressing emotions among undergraduate students (n = 95). Socially anxious undergraduates reported greater use of emotional suppression compared to their non-socially anxious peers. They also reported greater ambivalence about emotional expression, more difficulties in emotional responding, more fears of emotional experiences, and more negative beliefs about emotional expression. Believing that emotional expression must be kept in control and is a sign of weakness partially mediated the association between social anxiety and emotional suppression.
COMPARATIVE PATTERNS OF NET PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN AN ASSEMBLAGE OF MOSSES WITH CONTRASTING MICRODISTRIBUTIONS

Effects of plant water content, previous desiccation, photon flux density, and temperature on rate ofnet photosynthesis were measured in the common species in the assemblage ofdesiccationtolerant mosses that dominates the flora on granitic boulders at a semiarid site in the inland chaparral of San Diego County, California. Species differed significantly in their responses to water content, desiccation, and light. Species previously found to occur in microsites of lower water availability attained maximum net photosynthesis at lower water contents and showed greater ability to recover from prolonged desiccation. Species found in microsites of lower light availability had higher rates of net photosynthesis at low photon flux density. Results suggest that differences in potential rates of net photosynthesis partly determine relative ability of these species to colonize xeric or dark microsites, but that other factors also determine microdistribution.
A finite element method for animating large viscoplastic flow

We present an extension to Lagrangian finite element methods to allow for large plastic deformations of solid materials. These behaviors are seen in such everyday materials as shampoo, dough, and clay as well as in fantastic gooey and blobby creatures in special effects scenes. To account for plastic deformation, we explicitly update the linear basis functions defined over the finite elements during each simulation step. When these updates cause the basis functions to become ill-conditioned, we remesh the simulation domain to produce a new high-quality finite-element mesh, taking care to preserve the original boundary. We also introduce an enhanced plasticity model that preserves volume and includes creep and work hardening/softening. We demonstrate our approach with simulations of synthetic objects that squish, dent, and flow. To validate our methods, we compare simulation results to videos of real materials.
Input-Dependent Wave Attenuation in a Critically-Balanced Model of Cortex

A number of studies have suggested that many properties of brain activity can be understood in terms of critical systems. However it is still not known how the long-range susceptibilities characteristic of criticality arise in the living brain from its local connectivity structures. Here we prove that a dynamically critically-poised model of cortex acquires an infinitely-long ranged susceptibility in the absence of input. When an input is presented, the susceptibility attenuates exponentially as a function of distance, with an increasing spatial attenuation constant (i.e., decreasing range) the larger the input. This is in direct agreement with recent results that show that waves of local field potential activity evoked by single spikes in primary visual cortex of cat and macaque attenuate with a characteristic length that also increases with decreasing contrast of the visual stimulus. A susceptibility that changes spatial range with input strength can be thought to implement an input-dependent spatial integration: when the input is large, no additional evidence is needed in addition to the local input; when the input is weak, evidence needs to be integrated over a larger spatial domain to achieve a decision. Such input-strength-dependent strategies have been demonstrated in visual processing. Our results suggest that input-strength dependent spatial integration may be a natural feature of a critically-balanced cortical network.
Genetic analysis of sensitivity to ethanol-induced depression of motor activity and impairment of swimming in rats

The relation between a phenotype used for the selective breeding of rats (sensitivity to the locomotor depressant effect of ethanol) and a correlated response to selection (differential sensitivity to ethanol-induced impairment of swimming) was explored by genetic analysis. Phenotypic correlations were determined in the selected lines and in a genetically segregating F2 population derived from them, using a dose of 1.5 g ethanol/kg, i.p. Correlations which were significant in the parental lines were not significant in the F2 population. The notion of phenotypic independence of these effects was further suggested by the finding that they were strongly correlated with different orthogonal principal factors derived from the F2 correlation matrix and by the lack of significant canonical correlations between linear combinations of various response indices. These results indicate that different depressant effects produced by a fixed ethanol dose may be genetically independent.
Distribution and morphometric quantitation of pancreatic endocrine cell types in the frog, rana pipiens

Cells reactive to anti-anglerfish insulin, anti-porcine glucagon, anti-synthetic somatostatin, and anti-bovine pancreatic polypeptide were identified in adult Rana pipiens male pancreases using peroxidase anti-peroxidase immunohistochemistry. Insulin positive cells are columnar shaped and arranged in cords. Glucagon positive and somatostatin positive cells are located around the core of insulin positive cells. Isolated cells and clusters of cells of only one cell type are also found. Adjacent sections stained with anti-glucagon and anti-bovine pancreatic polypeptide showed that glucagon positivity and pancreatic polypeptide positivity are found in the same cells. Comparison of double stained adjacent sections confirmed the presence of these two antigens in the same cells, and further showed the occasional presence of cells which are positive to only glucagon or pancreatic polypeptide. Staining of rat pancreas with these two antisera showed that glucagon and pancreatic polypeptide are present in two distinct cell populations. Morphometric quantitation of immunohistochemically stained sections of Rana pipiens pancreases showed that about 2% of the pancreas is endocrine tissue. Of this, 43% is comprised of insulin positive cells, and 43% is occupied by glucagon-pancreatic polypeptide positive cells. Somatostatin positive cell occupy about 14% of the total islet volume. The presence of glucagon and pancreatic polypeptide in the same cell population in the frog, but in different cell populations in mammals, may reflect special functional adaptation in this species, or a close relation of these two hormones and their cells of production during evolution.
Promoting Advanced Writing Skills in an Upper‐Level Engineering Class

This paper summarizes the design and evaluation of an instructional approach aimed at improving the writing skills of a group of undergraduate engineering students. We sought to determine whether student performance in difficult writing skills such as argumentation and synthesis could be improved by integrating a single writing exercise into an upper level engineering course. In designing the exercise, we relied heavily on recommendations for best practices from the learning science community, specifically those codified in the National Academy text How People Learn [1]. We found reliable improvement in student performance in many of the areas targeted, demonstrating that the approach taken was effective. Since we modified the exercise a few times before meeting our objectives for student learning, we could compare the effectiveness of different implementations of our approach. Our success and failures provide guidance for others seeking to improve the competence of engineering undergraduates in writing.
Effects of adenosine and adenosine analogues on glycogen metabolism in isolated rat hepatocytes

Adenosine and adenosine analogues were incubated with isolated rat hepatocytes. Adenosine and 5'-deoxy-5'-chloroadenosine stimulated glucose release, glycogen loss, and the conversion of glycogen phosphorylase b to a. The effect was of short duration for adenosine, but of long duration for 5'-deoxy-5'-chloroadenosine. The effects on glucose release and phosphorylase were blocked by theophylline, an R-receptor blocking agent, but not by nitrobenzylthioinosine or dipyridamol which are nucleoside transport inhibitors. A dose-dependent rise in cyclic AMP concentration was observed in hepatocytes 1 min after adding adenosine. It is concluded that adenosine exerts these effects in liver by activating adenylcyclase. Adenosine may be involved in the short-term regulation of hepatic glycogen phosphorylase.
Hemispheric specialization of linguistic pitch patterns.

Pitch is used to signal different aspects of language such as speaker identity, intonation, emphatic stress, and word identity (as signaled by lexical tones). This article reviews research studies investigating hemispheric specialization of these pitch patterns in the context of two competing hypotheses. The functional hypothesis states that pitch patterns are lateralized to different hemispheres of the brain depending on their functions. Those pitch patterns that carry a greater linguistic load (e.g., lexical tones) are lateralized to the left hemisphere, while those that carry a less linguistic load (e.g., intonation patterns signaling affective moods) are lateralized to the right hemisphere. The alternative hypothesis, the acoustic hypothesis, states that all pitch patterns, regardless of their functions, are lateralized to one hemisphere (the right hemisphere in particular). Although most researchers support the functional hypothesis, a comprehensive review, which includes lesion, dichotic-listening, and functional imaging studies of different types of pitch patterns, does not support this view. Moreover, little evidence exists for the alternative hypothesis. Possible methodological problems of these studies, alternative hypotheses, and considerations for future research are noted.
Gradiometry for polarized seismic waves

[1] Wave gradiometry for a generic point source wave model in cylindrical coordinates is developed to utilize the horizontal components of seismic wavefields. Attributes of P-SV and SH waves such as horizontal slowness and its change, the change in geometrical spreading, the change in radiation pattern, azimuth of propagation, and wave polarization can be determined by measuring the horizontal strains and rotations of the wavefield along with three components of displacement. Gradiometer cells composed of an array of three-component seismographs can be used to provide estimates of the wave gradients. Alternatively, a single three-component seismograph collocated with an areal strainmeter (for P-SV waves) or a rotation sensor (for SH waves) can be used to estimate wave polarization and the slowness/amplitude behavior of one aspect of the wavefield. Wave gradients are computed for the 1 April 2007 Solomon Island earthquake using data from the ANZA Seismic Network in southern California and show excellent consistency among stations of the network. Azimuth and slowness of various long-period teleseismic waves are recovered using gradiometry analysis. The consistency of strains computed from the broadband array suggests that they may be used to calibrate Plate Boundary Observatory tensor strainmeters in the region.
The measurement of a market orientation and its impact on business performance

Abstract “Market orientation” is conceptualized as consisting of two components (“customer and competitor orientations”), each involving a four-stage process (acquisition of information, organization-wide sharing of information, a shared interpretation of market information, and utilization of market information), and reliable and valid measurement scales are developed. The impact of customer and competitor orientation on business performance is investigated based on multiple-informant data from two US industries. The results suggest that while customer and competitor orientation each have a positive and significant impact on overall market orientation, only customer orientation has a positive and significant effect on business performance. From a managerial perspective, the measurement scales can be used to assess a firm's level of market orientation and identify “bottlenecks” in intraorganizational information flows.
Experimental demonstration of phase determination in neutron reflectometry by variation of the surrounding media

Abstract We have recently shown that it is possible to unambiguously determine the real part of the complex reflection coefficient for a thin film structure by measuring the neutron specular reflectivities for the film in contact with two different backing or two different fronting media, thus simplifying the reference methodology of phase determination and making it more practical. Here we demonstrate the technique in two different experiments. In the first, one backing medium is air, the other, heavy water. In the second, sapphire and silicon serve as two different fronting (incident) media. In addition, we show how the two possible branches of the imaginary part of the reflection coefficient inferred by the real part, while not required for inverting the data to find the film structure, can be a sensitive diagnostic for indicating whether the film of interest is inhomogeneous on a transverse scale comparable to the neutron coherence length. This is especially important in avoiding misinterpretation of data which result from the incoherent average of reflectivities from large-scale heterogeneities.
Measurements of the sensitivities and drift of Digiquartz pressure sensors

Abstract Laboratory measurements of the hysteresis, temperature and voltage sensitivity, and drift of Digiquartz pressure sensors with full-scale ranges of 280 dbar and higher are reported. In typical applications of the sensors in moored and profiling instruments, the dominant errors arise from the temperature dependence and drift of the sensors. Calibration procedures and parameterizations to correct for temperature and drift errors are described. The sensors are shown to be a factor of 10 lower in drift than the best existing strain gauges.
PRECOCIOUS INDUCTION OF RAT JEJUNAL SUCRASE BY TRIIDO THYRONINE (T 3 ): IN FETUSES BY ADMINISTRATION TO THE PREGNANT MOTHER AND IN SUCKLINGS BY ADMINISTRATION TO THE LACTATING MOTHER

Daily application of T3 (20 μg/100 g body wt) to female rats in the last (third) week of pregnancy elicits a precocious appearance of sucrase activity in fetal jejunum. Similarly, administration of T3 in much higher doses (1.25 mg/100 g body wt) from day 11 to 15 postnatally evokes a precocious appearance of jejunal sucrase activity in sucklings. T3 administration to lactating mothers is followed by decrease of TSH and T4 levels in sera of sucklings and by an increase in the T3 levels in the sera and milk of lactating mothers as well as in sera of sucklings. These experiments thus show: (a)sucrase activity is already inducible in fetuses, (b)T3 administration in very high doses to pregnant rats might be transferred to the fetus to the extent of still effective doses, (c)milk may function as an endocrine link between the mother's hormonal and metabolic systems and those of the sucklings. Supported by NIH Research Grant AM 14531)
Viability of embryos of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus exposed to combinations of cadmium and salinity at selected temperatures

Developing eggs of the winter flounder Pseudopleuronectes americanus (Walbaum) were exposed to 9 combinations of cadmium and salinity at 5° and 10°C. Overall mean times to 50% hatch ranged from 7.7 days at 10°C to 17.9 days at 5°C. Mean percentages of total hatches ranged from 50 to 100% for all treatment combinations. Response-surface analyses indicate percentages of viable hatches were generally lowest at 10% S and highest in the 25 to 30% S range. Regression analyses of viable hatch data show that at both temperatures cadmium significantly influenced viable hatch in all experiments. Viable hatch was also significantly influenced by the linear and quadratic effect of salinity in both tests at 5°C and in 2 of 3 tests at 10°C. The interaction between cadmium and salinity also significantly affected viable hatch at 10°C.
Partial Oxidation of Methane on Ni-MgO Catalysts Supported on Metal Foams

The catalytic partial oxidation of methane on Ni−MgO solid solutions supported on metal foams has been studied at temperatures from 600 to 800 °C, 1 atm, 3000−19 000 mL/g−h, CH4/O2 = 2/1. The catalysts were prepared in two ways: (a) oxidized foams were dipped directly into a citrate/ethylene glycol solution containing nitrate precursors and (b) oxidized foams were primed with a bohemite primer and washcoated with Ni−MgO powders, derived from the above solution, in an acidic solution. Results show that the foam-supported catalysts reach near-equilibrium conversions of methane and H2/CO selectivities at the indicated space velocities. Rates of carbon deposition differ greatly among the catalysts, varying from 0.24 mg C/g cat h for the dipped foams to 7.0 mg C/g cat h for the powder-coated foams. Both of these rates are much lower than for the calcined, unsupported powder (57 mg C/g cat h). The results suggest that exposed Cr on all of the foam samples interact with the Ni−MgO catalyst to kinetically limit ...
Transdermal delivery of levonorgestrel. VII. In vivo studies

Abstract This paper describes the results of transdermal experiments performed in vivo using devices designed for delivery of levonorgestrel. To help evaluate the performance of the transdermal devices on rabbits, a constant infusion experiment was performed using osmotic pumps. Reservoir-type transdermal devices were prepared and tested on rabbits for their ability to deliver 30 to 35 μg/d of levonorgestrel. Ethyl acetate and ethanol (0.7:0.3) or neat ethyl acetate were used as permeation enhancers. The results indicated that for rabbits, a rate-limiting membrane was required to control the delivery of enhancer(s) to the skin so that constant plasma levels could be maintained. The devices induced mild erythema and very mild edema over the 24-hour exposure period. The potential use of such a transdermal delivery system in humans is discussed.
Infrared absorption and structure of chlorophosphate glasses

Abstract The infrared absorption spectra of glasses in the NaPO3ZnCl2 system were studied in the range of 4000−350 cm−1. The results were interpreted using a local mode approach based on existing frequency charts. A continuous structural breakdown of the glass structure occurs upon addition of ZnCl2 to the NaPO3 polymer, with a consequent decrease in its chain length. The actual structure of the chlorophosphate glasses is discussed on the basis of possible anionic groups present. There is evidence for the occurrence of mixed oxychloride coordination shells. The density and glass transition temperature of the glasses were also determined.
Role of beta-1,3-glucanase in postmeiotic microspore release.

Abstract Stage-specific extracts of Lilium anthers undergoing meiosis exhibited sharp peaks of both endolytic and exolytic β-1,3-glucanase activity at the time of in situ callose breakdown. The endo- and exo-β-1,3-glucanase activities, attributable to different enzymes, were found to have molecular weights of 32,000 and 62,000, respectively. The majority of exoglucanase activity was found in the outer somatic layers of the anther, whereas the majority of endoglucanase activity was located in the immediate surroundings of the meiocytes. The action of both glucanase activities on callose wall removal was monitored. It was shown that endo-β-1,3-glucanase, but not exoglucanase, was able to effect callose wall removal. To the extent that detection of glucanase activity in extracts reflects its activity in vivo , the endoglucanase enzyme may be considered as the immediate agent of callose wall breakdown and, hence, as a critical regulator in the initiation of the development of the gametophyte stage.
Prostate Biopsy in Response to a Change in Nadir Prostate Specific Antigen of 0.4 ng/ml after Treatment with 5α-Reductase Inhibitors Markedly Enhances the Detection Rate of Prostate Cancer

Purpose: We examined the effect of 5α-reductase inhibitor therapy on prostate cancer detection in men with persistently increased or fluctuating prostate specific antigen and prior negative prostate cancer biopsy.Materials and Methods: A total of 276 men with prostate specific antigen greater than 4 ng/ml (208) or a prostate specific antigen velocity change of 0.75 ng/ml (68) and a normal digital rectal examination who had previously undergone biopsy a minimum of 2 times with prostate cancer not detected were given 5 mg finasteride (154) or dutasteride (122) daily. In phase 1, 97 patients had prostate specific antigen measured at 6 and 12 months with repeat transrectal ultrasonography and biopsy (12 cores) performed at 1 year. In phase 2, 179 patients underwent biopsy triggered by a change in nadir prostate specific antigen of more than 0.4 ng/ml.Results: In phase 1 at 1 year prostate specific antigen had decreased by 2.4 ng/ml (−46.7%), and prostate volume had decreased 7.1 ml (−17.9%). Prostate cancer w...
Grandparents of Children with Autism: A Review with Recommendations for Education, Practice, and Policy

One in 166 grandparents will become grandparent to a child with autism. A review of empirical studies suggests that these grandparents experience significant role confusion. They provide the autistic child's parents—who are more likely to be depressed, single, or divorced—with both burden (e.g., conflict regarding behavioral symptoms) and emotional and instrumental support (e.g., childcare; financial assistance; advocacy). Unique stressors of autism upon families include social isolation and financial burden. Custodial grandparents face additional stressors. Opportunities for education, practice, and policy that are designed to help grandparents redefine their role, share in the diagnosis and treatment of autism, and obtain social support are advanced.
Managing the quality process: lessons from a Baldrige award winner A conversation with John W. Wallace, chief executive officer of the Wallace Company

Executive Overview The Wallace Company is a distributor of pipe, valves, and fittings for the oil, chemical, and petrochemical industries. During an industry downturn in the mid 1980s, Wallace embarked upon an all-encompassing quality improvement program. In the Fall of 1990, Wallace received the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. This article examines the Wallace experiences in implementing a quality improvement program and winning the Baldrige Award. Extensive interviews with John Wallace, the chief executive officer, and other key individuals with the Wallace Company provide insights into both the positive and negative aspects of their experiences. The Wallace Company example reveals several of the trade-offs associated with a quality improvement program, the critical features of a successful program, and the possible pitfalls of quality programs. In addition, some of the issues surrounding the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award are discussed.
Supporting the Narrative Development of Young Children

This article presents the developmental continuum of children’s storytelling skills and provides examples at each of five levels: labeling, listing, connecting, sequencing and narrating. The authors connect these developing narrative skills to communication, literacy and cognition. Strategies to facilitate development from one level to another are described.
Experimental Evaluation of "Go Grrrls" Preventive Intervention for Early Adolescent Girls

This article is an evaluation of a preventive intervention developed for early adolescent girls. The 12-session curriculum was designed to address developmental tasks considered critical for the healthy psychosocial development of early adolescent girls in contemporary society. The program content included the following units: being a girl in today’s society, establishing a positive self image, establishing independence, making and keeping friends, learning to obtain help and find access to resources, and planning for the future. A total of 118 participants were recruited from middle schools and randomly assigned to a treatment (N = 59 )o r control group (N = 59) condition. The effects of the intervention were assessed using eight different measures such as body image, self efficacy, and attitude toward attractiveness. Results revealed significant improvement in the treatment group and significant differences between the treatment and control group on the key outcome measures. The study suggests that a “universal” prevention program can produce meaningful effects. Editors’ Strategic Implications: This paper details a strategy that shows promise. The author builds an argument for a developmentally appropriate prevention program that is broadly focused on positive development for early adolescent girls. Using an ethnically diverse sample and an experimental, pre-post design, short-term changes in some domains (e.g., self efficacy, body image) emerged for the experimental group. This prevention program awaits comparisons with other health promotion programs for girls and further validation with psychometrically established measures, larger samples across sites, and tests of longer-term impact on behavior and functioning.
Reconstructions of the Knee Following Combined Injury to the Posterior Cruciate Ligament and the Posterior Lateral Structures

The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) provides primary restraint to posterior tibial translation (1). Knee injuries involving only the PCL usually result in minimal disability, and are commonly treated non-surgically (2). However, combined injuries of the PCL and the posterior lateral structures (PLS) in the knee can result in considerable abnormal posterior laxity and posterolateral rotary instability leading to rapid cartilage degeneration (3). There is consensus that, in most cases, knees with this combined injury require surgical reconstruction.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Angular Correlation of Gamma Rays from Fe*56

The gamma rays emitted in the decay of Co 66 were studied by gamma-gamma angular correlation measurements. The results of these experiments permitted the discussion of the energy levels of the daughter nucleus. Fe 56 . The gamma-gamma coincidence experiment showed the presence of 2.03-Mev. gamma ray decaying to the second excited level. One part of the decay scheme was confirmed by positron-gamma coincidence experiment. The first and the second excited levels were assigned to be 2+ and 4+ respectively from the special consideration on the angular correlation data. The spins of the other levels were discussed also.
Steroidogenic factor-1 contains a carboxy-terminal transcriptional activation domain that interacts with steroid receptor coactivator-1.

The orphan nuclear receptor, steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1), plays an important role in the development of the adrenal gland and in sexual differentiation. SF-1 regulates the transcription of variety of genes, including several steroidogenic enzymes, Mullerian inhibiting substance, and gonadotropin genes. In this report, we sought to identify domains in SF-1 that are required for transactivation and to determine whether SF-1 interacts with a subset of known coactivators. Natural variants of the FTZ-F1 locus include embryonal long terminal repeat-binding protein (ELP)-1, ELP-2, and SF-1, which share the DNA-binding domain. Analyses of the transcriptional activity of these variants revealed that the activity of ELP-2 and SF-1 was much greater than ELP-1, which contains a distinct carboxy terminus. Further studies were performed using GAL4-SF-1 fusion proteins that were constructed by replacement of the zinc finger region and FTZ-F1 box of SF-1 with the DNA-binding domain of GAL4. Elimination of the putative ...
Estimating Derivatives Via Poisson's Equation

Let x(j) be the expected reward accumulated up to hitting an absorbing set in a Markov chain, starting from state j. Suppose the transition probabilities and the one-step reward function depend on a parameter, and denote by y(j) the derivative of x(j) with respect to that parameter. We estimate y(0) starting from the respective Poisson equations that x = [x(0),x(l),…] and y = [y(0),y(l),…] satisfy. Relative to a likelihood-ratio-method (LRM) estimator, our estimator generally has (much) smaller variance; in a certain sense, it is a conditional expectation of that estimator given x. Unlike LRM, however, we have to estimate certain components of x. Our method has broader scope than LRM: we can estimate sensitivity to opening arcs.
Shakespeare and Happiness

This article addresses the idea of happiness in Shakespeare in light of new developments in psychology and moral philosophy. Shakespeare scholarship has been well served by these two critical discourses, both of which are instrumentally concerned with the subject of happiness. The recent spate of research on happiness within and across the two fields, as evidenced by the revival of classical virtue ethics and by the advent of new fields such as positive psychology, attests to the enduring relevance of the topic. Moreover, it provides a grand opportunity for scholars to reconsider what happiness means for Shakespeare, both as a psychological condition and as a philosophical ideal. This article suggests direction for further inquiry into the subject of Shakespeare and happiness by examining two plays: Richard III and Troilus and Cressida. Together, the plays showcase not only the depth of Shakespeare’s concern with happiness, but also the tragic potential that underlies a world where diverse notions of happiness compete for our interest.
A Monte Carlo simulation of radiation trapping in electrodeless gas discharge lamps

Radiation trapping and transport are important to the power balance of low pressure non-equilibrium plasma lighting sources. This is particularly the case for radio frequency inductively coupled lamps having complex geometries and where control of radiation trapping is an important design consideration. To investigate these issues, a Monte Carlo radiation transport simulation was developed and integrated into a two-dimensional plasma dynamics model. Investigations were performed on the 254 nm (6 3 P1–6 1 S0) and 185 nm (6 1 P1–6 1 S0) resonance radiation transitions from Hg in Ar/Hg electrodeless discharges. We found that analytically computed radiation trapping factors are less accurate when there is a non-uniform density of absorbers and emitters, as may occur in low pressure lamps, in our case due primarily to cataphoresis. For typical lamp conditions (hundreds of mTorr fill pressure of argon with the vapour pressure of Hg, a few megahertz driving frequency), the electromagnetic skin depth is much larger than the size of the vessel. Therefore, the frequency of excitation does not appreciably affect the distribution of absorbers and emitters, and so has little effect on radiation trapping. Studies were performed on industrially available lamp geometries. We found that the shape of the plasma cavity influences trapping factors, primarily due to the consequences of transport of Hg ions on the distribution of radiators.
The principle of superposition in human prehension

The experimental evidence supports the validity of the principle of superposition for multi-finger prehension in humans. Forces and moments of individual digits are defined by two independent commands: “Grasp the object stronger/weaker to prevent slipping” and “Maintain the rotational equilibrium of the object”. The effects of the two commands are summed up.
Building a cyberwar lab: lessons learned: teaching cybersecurity principles to undergraduates

With funding from NSF the Department has set up a stand alone lab for students to learn penetration testing techniques(attack), to harden their networks against these attacks (defense) , and also to gather enough evidence to through careful logging and audit controls to convict a hacker (convict). Linux RedHat 7.1 was used and all the machines were set up as standalone servers in three different subdomains, with 2 perimeter routers and 2 firewalls to allow experimentation with various configurations. In all over 50 software tools were downloaded and tested. Students were screened and asked to sign a disclaimer. They should also have been required to have networking experience. An initial mistake was to run a very minimal server with no services and practically no users. This was not realistic. It made it quick to rebuild systems but much harder to attack.The attacks need to be carefully planned and structured in a specific sequence one at a time, otherwise it becomes very difficult to follow what is going on.
Automated analysis of coronary arterial morphology in cineangiograms: geometric and physiologic validation in humans

A method of coronary border identification is discussed that is based on graph searching principles and is applicable to the broad spectrum of angiographic image quality observed clinically. Cine frames from clinical coronary angiograms were optically magnified, digitized, and graded for image quality. Minimal lumen diameters, referenced to catheter size, were derived from automatically identified coronary borders and compared to those defined using quantitative coronary arteriography and to observer-traced borders. computer-derived minimal lumen diameters were also compared to intracoronary measurements of coronary vasodilator reserve, a measure of the functional significance of a coronary obstruction. To test the robustness of the present border detection method, computer-derived coronary borders were compared to independent standards separately for good and poor angiographic images. The accuracy of computer-identified borders was similar in the two cases. >
Fructose Enhanced Reduction of Bacterial Growth on Nanorough Surfaces

Biofilms are a major source of medical device-associated infections, due to their persistent growth and antibiotic resistance. Recent studies have shown that engineering surface nanoroughness has great potential to create antibacterial surfaces. In addition, stimulation of bacterial metabolism increases the efficacy of antibacterial agents to eradicate biofilms. In this study, we combined the antibacterial effects of nanorough topographies with metabolic stimulation (i.e., fructose metabolites) to further decrease bacterial growth on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) surfaces, without using antibiotics. We showed for the first time that the presence of fructose on nanorough PVC surfaces decreased planktonic bacteria growth and biofilm formation after 24 hours. Most importantly, a 60% decrease was observed on nanorough PVC surfaces soaked in a 10 mM fructose solution compared to conventional PVC surfaces. In this manner, this study demonstrated that bacteria growth can be significantly decreased through the combined use of fructose and nanorough surfaces and thus should be further studied for a wide range of antibacterial applications.
Scaling of response scale adverbs among black-American adults.

Although some attention has been given to the scale characteristics of modifying adverbs in Likert scales, the existing work has been concerned primarily with majority group members. Toward the goal of identifying valid labels for use on Likert scales with black-American respondents, 105 black-American adults scaled each of 27 adverbs (e.g., very, most) on four different adjectives (e.g., important). Four criteria for a set of ideal adverbs were identified for univalent scales. No set of four adverbs, however, met the criteria. Differences in the mean ratings of eight of the adverbs were found by sex group and across the four adjectives modified. The adverbs were not scored at the extremes of the continuum, despite our asking the respondents to rate the adverbs used to define the end points of the continuum. High variances were found across all adverbs. Further research must address the respondents' perceptual frame in the use of such scales.
Progressive Retinal Toxicity in Neonatal Rats Treated with D, L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate (D,L-AP3):

D,L-2-amino-3-phosphonopropionate (D,L-AP3) has complex pharmacologic activity at central nervous system metabotropic glutamate receptors important in excitatory neurotransmission and development. Previous studies have described retinal and optic nerve atrophy in adult rats after postnatal treatment with D,L-AP3. Using neonatal male Sprague-Dawley rats, the present studies examined normal postnatal retinal development (n = 20) and the progression of retinal toxicity induced by D,L-AP3 (n = 30). Retinal development was examined by light microscopy on postnatal days (PNDs) 5, 9, 12, 16, and 22. Between PNDs 5 and 16, the retina underwent considerable postnatal differentiation. A prominent neuroblastic layer evident on PND 5 differentiated into outer retinal layers by PND 16. To examine the effects of D,L-AP3, neonatal rats were treated intraperitoneally with sterile water or 400 mg/kg/day D,L-AP3 on PNDs 3-6. On PNDs 5, 7, 10, 15, and 20, retinas were examined by light and electron microscopy. On PNDs 5 and 7, cells with swollen, pale cytoplasm were evident in the more differentiated inner nuclear layer and in the middle of the developing neuroblastic layer. Retinal toxicity rapidly progressed after treatment, because developing outer retinal layers had cytoplasmic swelling, nuclear pyknosis, and necrosis on PND 10. By PNDs 15 and 20, retinal dystrophy was severe and involved primarily outer layers. This study showed that early postnatal treatment with D,L-AP3 initiates rapidly progressing retinal toxicity, thus implicating metabotropic glutamate receptors in the postnatal retinal development of rats.
The Hercules CAD task management system

The authors introduce a novel information model for CAD task management, called the task schema, that unifies many of the requisite features for data, process, and methodology management into a single, concise representation. The task schema based approach has been implemented in the Hercules task management system. Unlike previous approaches to task management, in which tasks are defined on demand, or serve as the end representations in and of themselves, Hercules uses a graphical interface to derive tasks from the task schema. Both the task schema and the internal representation of tasks in Hercules have a formal basis in established methods from graph theory and database design. >
Partitioning the variables for alternating optimization of real-valued scalar fields

Summary form only given, as follows. Let x be a real-valued scalar field, partitioned into t subsets of non-overlapping variables X/sub i/ (i=1, ..., t). Alternating optimization (AO) is an iterative procedure for minimizing (or maximizing) the function f(x)= f(X/sub 1/, X/sub 2/, ..., X/sub t/) jointly over all variables by alternating restricted minimizations (or maximizations) over the individual subsets of variables X/sub 1/, ..., X/sub t/. AO is the basis for the c-means clustering algorithm (t=2), many forms of vector quantization (t = 2, 3 and 4) and the expectation maximization algorithm (t=4) for normal mixture decomposition. First we review where and how AO fits into the overall optimization landscape. Then we state (without proofs) two new theorems that give very general local and global convergence and rate-of-convergence results which hold for all partitionings of x. Finally, we discuss the important problem of choosing a "best" partitioning of the input variables for the AO approach. We show that the number of possible AO iteration schemes is larger than the number of standard partitions of the input variables. Two numerical examples are given to illustrate that the selection of the t subsets of x has an important effect on the rate of convergence of the corresponding AO algorithm to a solution.
Transmitter optimization and performance gain for multiple-input single-output systems with finite-rate direction feedback

Consider finite-rate channel-direction feedback in a system with multiple transmit but single receive antennas. We investigate how the transmitter should be optimized for symbol error rate with finite-rate feedback, and how the symbol error rate and outage probability improve as a function of the number of feedback bits. It is found that when the number of feedback directions is equal to or larger than the number of transmit antennas, transmit beamforming is optimal. Otherwise, the antennas should be divided into two groups, where antenna selection is used in the first group to choose the strongest channel, and equal power allocation is used in the second group. At high signal to noise ratio (SNR), the optimal power allocation between these two antenna groups is proportional to the number of antennas in each group. Based on high SNR analysis, we quantify the power gain of each feedback bit. It is shown that the incremental gain increases initially and diminishes when the number of feedback bits surpasses the logarithm (base 2) of the number of transmit antennas.
Lessons Learned from Glycemia Control Studies

Hyperglycemia occurs in patients with diabetes and in nondiabetic patients during acute illness. Epidemiologic and observational studies have demonstrated that hyperglycemia is associated with significant adverse outcomes. Nevertheless, studies evaluating the benefits of normalizing glycemia have produced inconsistent results. For instance, intensive control of hyperglycemia had been shown to provide microvascular benefit in type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients, but its macrovascular benefits had only been clearly demonstrated in type 1 diabetic patients. Moreover, although initial studies in critically ill patients showed decreased morbidity and mortality with tight glycemic control, subsequent studies yielded conflicting results. A series of recent studies provide further insight and show that intensive glycemic control in type 2 diabetic patients does provide macrovascular benefit but is associated with increased risk of hypoglycemia. In the critically ill patient, tight glycemic control could be detrimental; thus, a less aggressive glycemic target of 140 to 180 mg/dL is preferred.
Vorticity, phase stiffness and the cuprate phase diagram

Abstract We review results obtained from vortex-Nernst experiments in cuprates. Evidence for a loss of phase coherence at the Meissner transition Tc0 is derived from vortex-like excitations that persist to high temperature T. Below Tc0, the Nersnt signal provides a determination of the upper critical field Hc2 vs. doping x. Implications for the cuprate phase diagram are discussed.
Language subsetting via reflection and overloading

Guy L. Steele Jr., in the paper “Growing a Language,” makes a strong argument for languages that can be easily extended. Just as importantly, one should be able to shrink a language as well. Two important areas wherein one might wish to restrict language features are education and coding under style guidelines. There are a number of ways to implement restrictions, many of which depend upon reparsing the source code. An alternative approach exists if the language in question has a rich enough set of features for reflection and overloading. If so, these features can be used to detect violations, both dynamically and statically. The latter methodology has the advantage that restrictions are implemented in the very language that is being restricted and do not depend upon parsing source code. This paper explores using overloading and reflection to enforce restrictions in such a way that enforcement is turned on simply by including a library. An example library is developed that is suitable for students taking an introductory programming course.
Vector hysteresis modeling for anisotropic recording media

Numerically efficient Preisach-based vector hysteresis models for ellipsoidally magnetizable media are presented. Both models are based on orthogonal coupled scalar models and take into consideration the variation in particle switching fields and interaction; however, the coupling mechanism is different in the two models. The rules determining the magnetization state corresponding to the vector applied field are discussed. The basic rotational remanence properties of the models are compatible with observed vector phenomena.
Robust two-dimensional weighted and unweighted phase unwrapping that uses fast transforms and iterative methods

Two-dimensional (2D) phase unwrapping continues to find applications in a wide variety of scientific and engineering areas including optical and microwave interferometry, adaptive optics, compensated imaging, and synthetic-aperture-radar phase correction, and image processing. We have developed a robust method (not based on any path-following scheme) for unwrapping 2D phase principal values (in a least-squares sense) by using fast cosine transforms. If the 2D phase values are associated with a 2D weighting, the fast transforms can still be used in iterative methods for solving the weighted unwrapping problem. Weighted unwrapping can be used to isolate inconsistent regions (i.e., phase shear) in an elegant fashion.
Information and Communication Technology Sequences and Message Repetition in Interpersonal Interaction

This study examines the impact of using different sequences of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to deliver repeated messages in the context of an interpersonal influence attempt. Supporting portions of ICT succession theory (Stephens, 2007), the findings suggest that, compared to using the same ICT, using complementary ICTs to deliver a repeated message increases perceptions of information effectiveness and behavioral intentions. A path model was tested to further explore the influence of complementary ICT use. The results suggest that the use of complementary ICTs functions by mitigating perceptions of overload and, in turn, increasing perceived information effectiveness, attitudes, and behavioral intentions.