cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Drug Court Participation and Time to Failure: an Examination of Recidivism Across Program Outcome

Drug courts were developed to offer substance abuse treatment along with intensive supervision in an effort to better attend to the needs of these offenders, lessen commitments to prison, and reduce costs to the criminal justice system. Despite the reported success of drug courts, reductions in recidivism appear to be reserved for those who complete the program. Those who fail the program are remanded back to the court for traditional sentencing that may negate any participation benefit. Scholars have long considered the role the criminal justice system has played in the desistance of criminal activity. Much of the research has focused on the outcomes of postconviction sanctioning, finding little support for incarceration has as a deterrent agent. Moreover, the stigma of a criminal conviction, alone, has been shown to exacerbate criminal offending. We used a sample of 733 drug court participants to compare reoffending patterns between sentencing outcomes (dismissal, failed-probation, failed incarcerated). We used survival analysis to compare criminal abstinence in drug court participants across three potential program outcomes – case dismissal, probation, and imprisonment. The current findings demonstrate differences in recidivism between convicted and non-convicted past participants, but see mostly null effects when isolating the analysis between custodial and non-custodial sentences.
Do the Means Matter? Defense Attorneys’ Perceptions of Procedural Transgressions by Police and Their Implication on Police Legitimacy

Through interviews (n = 40) and surveys (n = 140) with separate samples of U.S. defense attorneys practicing criminal law in a Northeastern state, we utilize a mixed-methods approach to explore pol...
The expression of opsins in the human skin and its implications for photobiomodulation: A Systematic Review.

Background Skin is the organ most extensively exposed to light of a broad range of wavelengths. Several studies have reported that skin expresses photoreceptive molecules called opsins. However, the identity and functional role of opsins in the human skin remain elusive. We aim to summarize current scientific evidence on the types of opsins expressed in the skin and their biological functions. Methods A primary literature search was conducted using PubMed to identify articles on dermal opsins found in nonhuman animals and humans. Results Twenty-two articles, representing, however, a non-exhaustive selection of the scientific papers published in this specific field, met the inclusion criteria. In nonhuman animals, opsins and opsin-like structures have been detected in the skin of fruit fly, zebrafish, frog, octopus, sea urchin, hogfish, and mouse, and they mediate skin color change, light avoidance, shadow reflex, and circadian photoentrainment. In humans, opsins are present in various skin cell types, including keratinocytes, melanocytes, dermal fibroblasts, and hair follicle cells. They have been shown to mediate wound healing, melanogenesis, hair growth, and skin photoaging. Conclusion Dermal opsins have been identified across many nonhuman animals and humans. Current evidence suggests that opsins have biological significance beyond light reception. In nonhuman animals, opsins are involved in behaviors that are critical for survival. In humans, opsins are involved in various functions of the skin although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Future investigation on elucidating the mechanism of dermal opsins will be crucial to expand the therapeutic benefits of photobiomodulation for various skin disorders.
Are driver’s licenses issued within 3 years of cancer diagnosis a valid source of BMI data?

Overweight and obesity are risk factors for several cancers; however, population-based cancer registries do not routinely collect data on body mass index (BMI). This study evaluated the utility of supplementing cancer registry data with BMI data derived from driver’s license records. We linked self-reported height and weight data from driver’s license records to directly measured values, obtained via medical record abstraction, in a sample of 712 adult Iowa residents with cancer diagnosed during 2007–2012. Matched BMI values were subjected to a comprehensive evaluation of quantitative and categorical measures of agreement between data sources. Driver’s license issue dates preceded diagnosis dates in 60.7% of cases, with time lags ranging from 3.0 years pre-diagnosis to 2.9 years post-diagnosis. Statistical analysis of agreement between continuous BMI values and ordinal BMI categories yielded an overall intraclass correlation estimate of 0.79 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.77, 0.82) and an overall weighted kappa estimate of 0.63 (95% CI 0.59, 0.68), respectively. Subgroup analyses indicated reduced reliability among obesity-related cancers, particularly multiple myeloma, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Neither measurement order nor time lag significantly affected agreement between BMI values. These findings suggest that self-reported driver’s license data provide a reasonable approximation of BMI, but are less precise than interview- and questionnaire-based methods. Furthermore, the degree of bias is seemingly unaffected by measurement order and time lag, but appears to become more pronounced as BMI itself increases.
Applying Person-Centered Activities for Dementia Caregivers and Activity Professionals: A Review of Creative Engagement from a Social Work Perspective.

is very easy to read and full of practical activities that can be applied for people living with dementia. This book is written for activity directors, families, professional caregivers, and dement...
Targeting subjective engagement in experimental therapeutics for digital mental health interventions.

Abstract Engagement is a multifaceted construct and a likely mechanism by which digital interventions achieve clinical improvements. To date, clinical research on digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) has overwhelmingly defined engagement and assessed its association with clinical outcomes through the objective/behavioral metrics of use of or interactions with a DMHI, such as number of log-ins or time spent using the technology. However, engagement also entails users' subjective experience. Research is largely lacking that tests the relationship between subjective metrics of engagement and clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study is to present a proof-of-concept exploratory evaluation of the association between subjective engagement measures of a mobile DMHI with changes in depression and anxiety. Adult primary care patients (N = 146) who screened positive for depression or anxiety were randomized to receive a DMHI, IntelliCare, immediately or following an 8-week waitlist. Subjective engagement was measured via the Usefulness, Satisfaction, and Ease of Use (USE) Questionnaire. Across both conditions, results showed that individuals who perceived a mobile intervention as more useful, easy to use and learn, and satisfying had greater improvements in depression and anxiety over eight weeks. Findings support our proposed experimental therapeutics framework that hypothesizes objective/behavioral and subjective engagement metrics as mechanisms that lead to changes in clinical outcomes, as well as support directing intervention design efforts for DMHIs to target the user experience.
Let’s Play! Exploring the Impact of Summer Day Camp Participation on the Physical and Psychosocial Experiences of Diverse Urban Youth

This exploratory study examined the effect of participation in a 6-week physical activity-based summer day camp (Camp PAL) that incorporates life skills promoted in the Teaching Personal & Social Responsibility model (TPSR) on physical activity and psychosocial outcomes of diverse urban youth. Specifically, we assessed children’s daily physical activity levels, self-perceptions of competence in their social life, physical appearance, and global self-worth, and personal and interpersonal developmental skills. In addition, observational data were collected to assess the fidelity of the Camp PAL program in delivering elements of the TPSR model. The results showed that participation in the Camp PAL program helped children achieve substantial daily physical activity levels—which frequently decrease during the summer months when children are not participating in school physical education, especially for marginalized youth. The results also showed that all campers felt their program participation benefited them in terms of their social lives, physical appearance, and global self-worth as well as their development of personal/social, goal setting, and initiative skills. Campers of color reported benefitting the most in a number of these psychosocial domains. Observational data analysis supported the effectiveness of the camp program in delivering elements of the TPSR model. The results provide initial evidence that summer camp programs, like Camp PAL, may help diverse populations of urban children maintain adequate daily physical activity levels while simultaneously promoting their broader social welfare.
“A Solidarity-Type World”: Need-Based Helping among Ranchers in the Southwestern United States

To better understand risk management and mutual aid among American ranchers, we interviewed and mailed a survey to ranchers in Hidalgo County, New Mexico, and Cochise County, Arizona, focusing on two questions: (1) When do ranchers expect repayment for the help they provide others? (2) What determines ranchers’ degrees of involvement in networks of mutual aid, which they refer to as “neighboring”? When needs arise due to unpredictable events, such as injuries, most ranchers reported not expecting to be paid back for the help they provide. When help is provided for something that follows a known schedule or that can be scheduled, such as branding, most ranchers did expect something in return for the help they provide. This pattern makes sense in light of computational modeling that shows that transfers to those in need without expectations of repayment pool risk more effectively than transfers that create debt. Ranchers reported helping other ranchers more often when they belonged to more religious and civic organizations, when they owned larger ranches, when they relied less on ranch vs. other income, and when they had more relatives in the area. Operators of midsize ranches reported helping other ranchers more frequently than did those on smaller and larger ranches. None of our independent variables predicted how many times ranchers reported receiving help from other ranchers. Although ranch culture in the American West is often characterized by an ethic of individualism and independence, our study suggests that this ethic stands alongside an ethic of mutual aid during times of need.
“Living with solitude”: narrative of a female college student from rural China

Drawing on a broader study that focused on understanding rural college students for equity and personal growth in higher education, this paper presents Ying’s story of learning and living as a fema...
Investigation of three-scalar subgrid-scale mixing in turbulent coaxial jets

Three-scalar subgrid-scale (SGS) mixing in turbulent coaxial jets is investigated experimentally. The flow consists of a centre jet, an annulus and a co-flow. The SGS mixing process and its dependence on the velocity and length scale ratios of the annulus flow to the centre jet are investigated. For small SGS scalar variance the scalars are well mixed and the initial three-scalar mixing configuration is lost. For large SGS variance, the scalars are highly segregated with a bimodal scalar filtered joint density function (f.j.d.f.) at a range of radial locations. Two competing factors, the SGS variance and the scalar length scale, play an important role for the bimodal f.j.d.f. For the higher velocity ratio cases, the peak value of the SGS variance is higher, thereby resulting in stronger bimodality. For the lower velocity ratio cases, the wider mean SGS variance profiles and the smaller scalar length scale cause bimodal f.j.d.f.s over a wider range of physical locations. The scalar dissipation rate structures have similarities to those of mixture fraction and temperature in turbulent non-premixed/partially premixed flames. The observed SGS mixing characteristics present a challenging test for SGS mixing models as well as provides an understanding of the physics for developing improved models. The results also provide a basis for investigating multiscalar SGS mixing in turbulent reactive flows.
Ethical considerations in pediatric solid organ transplantation.

Abstract Solid organ transplantation is now an accepted therapeutic modality for children and teenagers suffering from a wide variety of complex medical conditions. Unfortunately, patients continue to die while on the organ waiting list as there remains an imbalance between the number of recipients listed for transplantation and the number of donors available. The organ allocation process continues to generate ethical questions and debates. In this publication, we discuss some of the most frequently reported ethical matters in the field of pediatric solid organ transplantation.
Loving the Chronically Ill Child: A Pediatrician’s Perspective

The doctor-patient relationship has historically been viewed as the most important aspect of the practice of medicine. Indeed, in the preantibiotic era, medical training and practice often had little else to offer. The enormous scientific advances of this century, especially in the last three decades, however, have shifted that focus substantially. Likewise, there are few who would deny that the relationship is seriously threatened and needs our attention.
Power SiC MOSFET model with simplified description of linear and saturation operating regions

The goal of this work is to develop a physics-based SiC MOSFET model with a simplified description of linear and saturation operation mechanism in the channel and JFET region. Finite element simulations show that most of the increased voltage drop at saturation occurs at the end of the channel and in the JFET region close to the channel, which is the region where the current spreads out from the channel. A simplified model is proposed to simply describe the mechanism of current saturation of power SiC MOSFET using a nonlinear voltage source at the end of the channel. The model is validated both statically and under resistive and inductive switching conditions for SiC MOSFET.
Columbia‘s VoD and Multimedia Research Testbed withHeterogeneous Network Support

This paper reports our progress in developing an advanced video-on-demand (VoD) testbed, which will be used to accommodate various multimedia research and applications such as Electronic News on Demand, Columbia‘s Video Course Network, and Digital Libraries. The testbed supports delivery of MPEG-2 audio/video stored as transport streams over various types of networks, e.g., ATM, Ethernet, and wireless. Both software and hardware video encoders/decoders are used in the testbed. A real-time video pump and a distributed application control protocol (MPEG-2‘s DSM-CC) have been incorporated. Hardware decoders and set-tops are being used to test wide-area video interoperability. Our VoD testbed also provides an advanced platform for implementing proof-of-concept prototypes of related research. Our current research focus covers video transmission with heterogeneous quality-of-service (QoS) provision, variable bitrate (VBR) traffic modeling, VBR server scheduling, video over Internet, and video transmission over IP-ATM hybrid networks. An important aim is to enhance interoperability. Accommodation of practical multimedia applications and interoperability testing with external VoD systems has also been undertaken.
SEISMIC DESIGN OF HIGHWAY BRIDGES IN THE UNITED STATES

There has been a tendency in most parts of the United States to view earthquakes as primarily a California problem. However, more than 70,000,000 people are subject to moderate or major earthquake risk. The paper presents preliminary criteria for the seismic design of highway bridges. The work was performed by Applied Technology Council under contract with the Federal Highway Administration. The criteria have been developed by a Project Engineering Panel which was assembled by ATC and consists of university researchers, private practice consultants, and state highway representatives. A number of redesigns will be performed to determine the viability and economic impact of the preliminary criteria. The results of these designs will be incorporated as appropriate and the final provisions will be completed in mid-1980.
Increased uptake of thymidine in the activation of sea urchin eggs: II. Cooperativity with phosphorylation, involvement of the cortex, and Partial Localization of the kinases

Summary Uptake and phosphorylation of exogenously supplied thymidine are stimulated in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus eggs after fertilization. Before fertilization, the rate of uptake is low and less than 10% of the thymidine entering the egg is phosphorylated. After fertilization, the rate of uptake increases over 50-fold and greater than 90% of the thymidine is immediately phosphorylated. These results imply that there is close cooperativity between fertilization-induced uptake and phosphorylation of thymidine. To gain insight into the structural basis of this apparent cooperativity and to provide a partial localization of the kinases, uptake and phosphorylation were measured in centrifuged eggs, and in centrifuged nucleate and anucleate merogons. Electron micrographs show that in these cells, the inner cytoplasmic contents are stratified according to density and displaced within the egg, whereas the outer cortical region of the cytoplasm remains intact. Uptake and phosphorylation of thymidine are fully stimulated in these eggs and merogons after fertilization, suggesting that both processes are mediated by an intact egg cortex. In support of this suggestion, we report that controlled disruption of the egg cortex prior to fertilization by treatment with cytochalasin B (CB) significantly reduces the rates of uptake and phosphorylation after fertilization. The full stimulation of phosphorylation in nucleate and anucleate merogons eliminates any localization of the catalyzing enzymes (thymidine kinase and thymidylate kinase) in the maternal nucleus and other inner cytoplasmic contents differentially segregated by centrifugation.
On the critical total power for asymptotic k-connectivity in wireless networks

In this paper, we investigate the minimum total power (termed as critical total power) required to ensure asymptotic k-connectivity in heterogeneous wireless networks where nodes may transmit using different levels of power. We show that under the assumption that wireless nodes form a homogeneous Poisson point process with density /spl lambda/ on a unit square region [0, 1]/sup 2/ and the Toroidal model [M.D. Penrose, 1997], the critical total power required for maintaining k-connectivity is /spl theta/((/spl Gamma/(e/2+k))/((k-1)l)/spl lambda//sup 1-e/2/) with probability approaching one as /spl lambda/ goes to infinity, where e is the path loss exponent. Compared with the results that all nodes use a common critical transmission power for maintaining k-connectivity [M.D. Penrose, 1999], [P.-J. Wan and C. Yi, 2004], we show that the critical total power can be reduced by an order of (log /spl lambda/)e/2 by allowing nodes to optimally choose different levels of transmission power. This result is not subject to any specific power/topology control algorithm, but rather a fundamental property in wireless networks.
Electronic states of Rh4

Abstract Low-lying electronic states of Rh 4 with different geometries are considered using the complete active space multiconfiguration self consistent field method (CASSCF) followed by large scale multi-reference singles + doubles configuration interaction (MRSDCI) computations that included up to 2.1 million configurations. Two nearly degenerate electronic states, namely, 1 A 1 (T d ) with a tetrahedron, 1 A 1g (D 4h ) with a rhombus geometries were found as candidates for the ground state of Rh 4 , although the tetrahedral geometry is favored. The ionization potential and dissociation energies are computed.
On the mechanism of polymerization retardation by hydroquinone

The retardation of methyl methacrylate polymerization by hydroquinone, 1,4-napthalenediol, and benzoquinone was studied by an accurate dilatometric method. The degree of retardation was found to be very small for the phenols in the absence of air and very sensitive to the presence of impurities. Kinetic analysis of the experimental results indicates that the intermediate radicals formed in the reaction between the chain radicals and the phenols disappear from solution principally by reinitiating polymerization. Comparison with results obtained for retardation by benzoquinone indicates that semiquinone radicals are probably not formed in the initial reaction of the phenols with the chain radicals. It is suggested that the intermediate radicals produced in phenolic retardation are addition complexes between the phenols and the chain radicals which may involve hydrogen bridging. The breakdown of these complexes then causes reinitiation of polymerization.
Liquid chromatographic resolution of enantiomers containing single aromatic rings with β-cyclodextrin-bonded phases

Abstract Racemic compounds containing two or more ring moieties are thought to be of optimal size for complexation and resolution on β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) bonded-phase liquid chromatographic columns. There are few reports on the separation of racemates containing one or no rings. Here, seventeen single-ring-containing racemates are resolved via β-CD complexation: (±)-1-phenyl- ethyl propionate; (±)-α-methylbenzyl acetate, (±)-2-chloro-2-phenylacetic acid, (±)-ethyl- 3-phenylglycidate, d , l -3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-α-propylacetamide; (±)-2-methoxy-α-methylbenzyl alcohol, d , l -2-phenylpropionaldehyde, d , l -α-amino-3-thiopheneacetic acid, (±)-mandelic acid, (±)-mandelic acid methyl ester, (±)-O-acetylmandelic acid, (±)-ephedrine; d , l -phenyl- alanineamide, d , l -tyrosine, d , l -tyrosine methyl ester, 3-hydroxy- d , l -kynurenine and N -(3,5- dinitrobenzoyl)- d , l -leucine. These compounds can be separated on β-CD media, and have certain common structural properties that enhance chiral recognition. The factors that permit the resolution of single-ring-containing racemates on β-CD columns are discussed.
Automated fiber optic moisture sensor system

An Automated Fiber Optic Moisture Sensor System (AFOMSS) being developed for use in the food processing industry at Stevens uses an IBM AT compatible computer the PC 63 10 to control optical components and acquire process and display temperatureand humidity data. This information maybe used to controlfoodprocessing operations. Automated moisture sensor system operation has been validated using a Mitsubishi HS-4 electronic moisture sensor and fiber optic moisture sensors provided by the Rutgers Fiber Optic Materials Research Program (FOMRP). Real time measurements using a CoCl2-coated porous fiber optic sensor were found to be within 3 of the calibration data.© (1991) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The structure and heat of formation of the CH3OCH2O radical

Abstract The geometry and vibrational frequencies for CH 3 OCH 2 O radical have been predicted using second-order Moller–Plesset perturbation theory. The heat of formation of CH 3 OCH 2 O is predicted to be −30.0±4 kcal mol −1 .
The Catalytic and GAF Domains of the Rod cGMP Phosphodiesterase (PDE6) Heterodimer Are Regulated by Distinct Regions of Its Inhibitory γ Subunit

Abstract The central effector of visual transduction in retinal rod photoreceptors, cGMP phosphodiesterase (PDE6), is a catalytic heterodimer (αβ) to which low molecular weight inhibitory γ subunits bind to form the nonactivated PDE holoenzyme (αβγ2). Although it is known that γ binds tightly to αβ, the binding affinity for each γ subunit to αβ, the domains on γ that interact with αβ, and the allosteric interactions between γ and the regulatory and catalytic regions on αβ are not well understood. We show here that the γ subunit binds to two distinct sites on the catalytic αβ dimer (K D 1 < 1 pm, K D 2 = 3 pm) when the regulatory GAF domains of bovine rod PDE6 are occupied by cGMP. Binding heterogeneity of γ to αβ is absent when cAMP occupies the noncatalytic sites. Two major domains on γ can interact independently with αβ with the N-terminal half of γ binding with 50-fold greater affinity than its C-terminal, inhibitory region. The N-terminal half of γ is responsible for the positive cooperativity between γ and cGMP binding sites on αβ but has no effect on catalytic activity. Using synthetic peptides, we identified regions of the amino acid sequence of γ that bind to αβ, restore high affinity cGMP binding to low affinity noncatalytic sites, and retard cGMP exchange with both noncatalytic sites. Subunit heterogeneity, multiple sites of γ interaction with αβ, and positive cooperativity of γ with the GAF domains are all likely to contribute to precisely controlling the activation and inactivation kinetics of PDE6 during visual transduction in rod photoreceptors.
Hormonal and Metabolic Defects in a Prader-Willi Syndrome Mouse Model with Neonatal Failure to Thrive

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) has a biphasic clinical phenotype with failure to thrive in the neonatal period followed by hyperphagia and severe obesity commencing in childhood among other endocrinological and neurobehavioral abnormalities. The syndrome results from loss of function of several clustered, paternally expressed genes in chromosome 15q11-q13. PWS is assumed to result from a hypothalamic defect, but the pathophysiological basis of the disorder is unknown. We hypothesize that a fetal developmental abnormality in PWS leads to the neonatal phenotype, whereas the adult phenotype results from a failure in compensatory mechanisms. To address this hypothesis and better characterize the neonatal failure to thrive phenotype during postnatal life, we studied a transgenic deletion PWS (TgPWS) mouse model that shares similarities with the first stage of the human syndrome. TgPWS mice have fetal and neonatal growth retardation associated with profoundly reduced insulin and glucagon levels. Consistent with growth retardation, TgPWS mice have deregulated liver expression of IGF system components, as revealed by quantitative gene expression studies. Lethality in TgPWS mice appears to result from severe hypoglycemia after postnatal d 2 after depletion of liver glycogen stores. Consistent with hypoglycemia, TgPWS mice appear to have increased fat oxidation. Ghrelin levels increase in TgPWS reciprocally with the falling glucose levels, suggesting that the rise in ghrelin reported in PWS patients may be secondary to a perceived energy deficiency. Together, the data reveal defects in endocrine pancreatic function as well as glucose and hepatic energy metabolism that may underlie the neonatal phenotype of PWS.
X-ray powder diffraction data for solid solutions and double salts occurring in granular compound fertilisers

X-ray powder diffraction data are given for a range of solid solutions and double salts based on the ions NH4+, K+, Ca2+, SO42−, NO3−, Cl−, H2PO4−. Methods for their preparation, and limits of composition, are given, and the formation of such complexes in granular compound fertilisers is discussed.
The Soviet-American Grain Agreement and the National Interest

In the 1970s the Soviet Union became a major importer of grain, giving rise to fears that it could extract an undue share of the gains from East-West trade through the monopsonistic power of its state-trading organs and by keeping its buying intentions secret. Offer curves depicting Soviet trade are constructed using two alternative characterizations of Soviet trade decision making. We show that the grain agreement between the two countries negates most of the bargaining advantage attributed to the Soviet trade monopoly and may open the Soviet Union to exploitation by the United States.
Genetic etiology of the common liability to drug dependence: evidence of common and specific mechanisms for DSM-IV dependence symptoms.

Background We investigated the etiological nature of comorbid alcohol, tobacco, and cannabis DSM-IV dependence symptoms in late adolescence and young adulthood while accounting for gender differences in the magnitude of genetic and environmental influences.
Olfactory bulb recovery following reversible deafferentation with repeated detergent application in the adult zebrafish

Abstract The neuroplasticity and regenerative properties of the olfactory system make it a useful model for studying the ability of the nervous system to recover from damage. We have developed a novel method for examining the effects of long-term deafferentation and regeneration of the olfactory organ and resulting influence on the olfactory bulb in adult zebrafish. To test the hypothesis that repeated damage to the olfactory epithelium causes reduced olfactory bulb afferent input and cessation of treatment allows recovery, we chronically ablated the olfactory organ every 2–3 days for 3 weeks with the detergent Triton X-100 while another group was allowed 3 weeks of recovery following treatment. Animals receiving chronic treatment showed severe morphological disruption of the olfactory organ, although small pockets of epithelium remained. These pockets were labeled by anti-calretinin, indicating the presence of mature olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Following a recovery period, the epithelium was more extensive and neuronal labeling increased, with three different morphologies of sensory neurons observed. Repeated peripheral exposure to Triton X-100 also affected the olfactory bulb. Bulb volumes and anti-tyrosine hydroxylase-like immunoreactivity, which is an indicator of afferent activity, were diminished in the olfactory bulb of the chronically treated group compared to the control side. In the recovery group, there was little difference in bulb volume or antibody staining. These results suggest that repeated, long-term nasal irrigation with Triton X-100 eliminates a substantial number of mature OSNs and reduces afferent input to the olfactory bulb. It also appears that these effects are reversible and regeneration will occur in both the peripheral olfactory organ and the olfactory bulb when given time to recover following cessation of treatment. We report here a new method that allows observation not only of the effects of deafferentation on the olfactory bulb but also the effects of reinnervation.
Convergence properties of multidimensional stack filters

Stack filters are generalizations of median filters; a stack filter is a composition of local minimum and maximum operators. A major question in the study of these filters is whether a particular stack filter will make any signal of finite extent converge to an invariant signal--i.e. whether it will "filter out all the noise." Here, we consider the class of stack filters that reduce to symmetric threshold functions for binary inputs. We show that, if we surround an n-dimensional signal with an arbitrary fixed boundary, then any n-dimensional stack filter from the class will make the signal converge to an invariant signal, or a cycle of period 2, in a finite number of iterations. If we make the stack filter recursive, it will always filter the signal to an invariant signal, no matter how the filter moves over the signal. Our results follow from similar theorems on the convergence of neural networks. Many known useful filters are governed by our results. They include all 1-dimensional ranked-order filters with symmetric windows, and all 2-dimensional ranked-order filters with windows that are invariant under a 180° rotation.
Software as Protest: the Unexpected Resiliency of U.S. Based DeCSS Posting and Linking

This research tracked web sites posting or linking to software known as "DeCSS" over a 26-month period coinciding with a U.S. lawsuit which found posting and linking to the DeCSS software to be illegal. Results showed a decrease in the number of web pages posting the DeCSS software, and a decrease in the number of web pages linking to DeCSS. Seven web sites retained their DeCSS posting for the entire 26-month study period. An increasing number of sites posted non-executable forms of DeCSS, and results show a large percentage of web sites contained political speech. The persistence of DeCSS linking and posting was surprising given the prohibition on linking and posting within the United States and given the obsolescence of DeCSS as a DVD decrypter. We suggest that DeCSS linking and posting persists primarily as a political symbol of protest.
Day residue and screen memory in Freud's dream of the botanical monograph.

Freud's theory of dream construction allowed the censorship to intervene only when a repressed infantile wish emerged from the unconscious. In his (1899) paper on screen memories, however, he proposed a mechanism for the defensive displacement of current events as they are sorted for introduction into permanent memory. I suggest that Freud was actually describing the conflictual process through which the day residue of the dream is formed. Day residue and screen memory are closely related as elements of the dreamer's present and past experience displaced from his more central instinctual concerns. Freud's dream of the botanical monograph clearly illustrates this relation. Substituted day residues were matched in the dream with relatively innocuous memories of past events of similar cognitive and affective significance. By retracing the substitutions, one can see how a current conflict over Fliess's role in the writing of the dream book recapitulated a series of Freud's earlier conflicts concerning his fat...
AF/AFRL perspective on RF photonics

The integration of radio frequency (RF) photonic components into Air Force receiver and transmitter systems has become more prevalent over the past decade as the requirement for improvements to cost-size-weight and power (CSWAP) are realistic technology challenges to defense systems. Examples of such hybrid architectures forge a novel trade space where performance becomes relevant to the proof-of-concept subsystem and the eventual prototype defense system demonstration. [1, 2, 3] Where photonics technology has made significant strides in military/aerospace systems is in the implementation of an RF fiber link to capture octaves of bandwidth with minimal transmission loss, and in precision reference oscillators which provide pico-second accuracy for wide bandwidth sampling and complex waveform synthesis. This paper will first describe the challenges of characterizing signals within a dense RF spectrum related to key receiver and transmitter parameters such as spur-free dynamic range and instantaneous dynamic range and then provide examples of the enabling photonics technologies and how they can be inserted into a receiver and/or waveform synthesis architecture. Comparison to trends of relevant commercially available electronic components to these RF photonic places perspective on where photonics can make an impact to future defense systems.
Observations of Fire–Atmosphere Interactions and Near-Surface Heat Transport on a Slope

A simple field experiment was conducted to measure and quantify fire–atmosphere interactions during a grass fire spreading up a hill under a moderate cross-slope wind. The observed fire intensity measured by passive radiometers and calculated sensible heat fluxes ranged between 90 and 120 kW m $$^{-2}$$ . Observations from this experiment showed that convective heat generated from the fire front was transported downwind in the lowest 2 m and the highest plume temperatures remained in this shallow layer, suggesting the fire spread was driven primarily by the advection of near-ignition temperature gases, rather than by radiation of the tilted flame. Fire-induced circulations were present with upslope flows occurring during the fire-front passage helping to transport heat up the slope and perpendicular to the fire front. A decrease in atmospheric pressure of 0.4 hPa occurred at the fire front and coincided with a strong updraft core of nearly 8 m s $$^{-1}$$ . These observations provide evidence that, even under moderately windy conditions, the pressure minimum in the fire remains rather close to the combustion zone and plume. The turbulence associated with the fire front was characterized by isotropic behaviour at 12.0 m above the ground, while less isotropic conditions were found closer to the ground due to higher horizontal variances associated with fire-induced flow at the fire front. From analysis of the turbulence kinetic energy budget terms, it was found that buoyancy production, rather than shear generation, had a larger contribution to the generation of turbulence kinetic energy, even during a highly sheared and moderate ambient wind.
Spatial distinguishability of photons produced by spontaneous parametric down-conversion with a focused pump

It is known that photons produced by spontaneous parametric down-conversion can be coupled into optical fibers more efficiently by focusing the pump field. We find that focusing the pump in type-II down-conversion causes photons of ordinary and extraordinary polarization to acquire very different angular spreads, which amounts to spatial information that distinguishes between the polarization states. Numerical studies predict that the photons collected by a detector or quantum channel will be of predominantly one polarization and that the degree of polarization entanglement will be lessened in some cases.
Fluorescence studies of the photosynthetic induction period

Abstract The fluorescence intensity of green leaves at the beginning of an irradiation period is lower than at the subsequent steady state of illumination. This is interpreted in terms of the adsorption in the dark of plant metabolites at an active chlorophyll surface and of their photochemical reduction in the first few seconds of strong irradiation. The fluorescence spectrum of green leaves and of green algae at the maximum of the induction outburst shows a differential increase of the 680-mμ band as compared with the 780-mμ band. This is interpreted as evidence for the blocking of energy transfer to the exposed chlorophyll molecule of the photosynthetic unit as a result of photooxidation of the emptied photosynthetic apparatus. When the illumination intensity striking a nourished aerated leaf is reduced from a steady high level to a lower level, the fluorescence intensity at first decreases to a minimum and then rises to a new steady-state value. If the leaf is illuminated at high light during CO 2 deficiency, the fluorescence at first drops to an intermediate level, and then more slowly to the new steady-state value. These results are interpreted in terms of a temporary inequality in the rates of execution of the two photochemical steps of photosynthesis.
Seeing like a citizen, acting like a state: Exemplary events in unified Yemen

This chapter uses a discussion of three recent events in Yemen to dramatize the relationship between state power and the experience of citizenship in the aftermath of national unification in 1990.1 The first event is a “direct,” purportedly competitive presidential election on September 23, 1999, the first since unification and unprecedented in the histories of the former countries of North and South Yemen. The second is the celebration of the tenth anniversary of national unification on May 22, 2000, including the extraordinary preparations leading up to the event. The third is the public sensation following the arrest and prosecution of a man touted as Yemen’s first bona fide “serial killer,” which occurred during the lead-up to the decennial celebration.
An investigation of content representation using text grammars

We extend prior work on a model for natural language text representation and retrieval using a linguistic device called text grammar. We demonstrate the value of this approach in accessing relevant items from a collection of empirical abstracts in a medical domain. The advantage, when compared to traditional keyword retrieval, is that this approach is a significant move towards knowledge representation and retrieval. Text representation in this model includes keywords and their conceptual roles in the text. In particular, it involves extracting TOPIC predicates representing the research issue addressed and DESIGN predicates representing important methodological features of the empirical study. Preliminary experimentation shows that keywords exhibit a variety of text-grammar roles in a text database. Second, as intuitively expected, retrieval using TOPIC predicates identifies a smaller subset of texts than Boolean retrieval does. These empirical results along with the theoretical work indicate that the representation and retrieval strategies proposed have a significant potential. Finally, EMPIRICIST, a prototype system is described. In it the text representation predicates are implemented as a network while retrieval is through constrained-spreading activation strategies.
A 3-Month-Old Female with an Inguinal Mass

Abstract Background: Inguinal masses are a common finding among infants. The differential diagnosis of these masses in infants is broad, with inguinal hernia being the most common diagnosis in both males and females. However, the evaluation and management of males vs. females with inguinal masses is somewhat different due to the greater potential for gonad involvement in males. Objectives: The pathophysiology and management of inguinal hernias is discussed with a specific focus on inguinal hernias in females. Case Report: We present a case of a 3-month-old girl with an inguinal hernia and a mass, found to be an incarcerated ovary. Conclusions: Inguinal masses in infancy are common, with inguinal hernia being the most common cause by far. A female infant with suspected inguinal hernia should be thoroughly evaluated to determine whether ovarian content is present.
Comparative study of the antioxidant effect of ardisin and epigallocatechin gallate in rat hepatocytes exposed to benomyl and 1-nitropyrene.

The objective of this study was to compare the antioxidant effect of ardisin and epigallocatechin 3-O-gallate (EGCG) in hepatocytes exposed to either benomyl or 1-nitropyrene (1-NP). Rat hepatocytes were incubated in a serum-free medium with non-cytotoxic concentrations of either ardisin (0.27 μg/ml) or EGCG (3 μg/ml), and with either benomyl (35 μg/ml) or 1-NP (0.25 μg/ml). The level of malondialdehyde (MDA) as a marker of lipid peroxidation was determined, as well as the content of glutathione (GSH) and the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR). In comparison to the control, the concentration of GSH improved 282% (P<0.05) and 260% (P<0.05) after the cells were pre-incubated with ardisin or EGCG and then exposed to benomyl, respectively. The activity of GPx decreased 55% with ardisin (P<0.05) and 51% with EGCG (P<0.05), and MDA decreased 7% and 23% (P<0.05) with the same treatments. The concentration of GSH also improved when the cells were incubated with either EGCG (49%, P<0.05) or ardisin (83%, P<0.05) simultaneously with 1-NP, relative to 1-NP alone. Moreover, ardisin decreased MDA formation by 65% (p<0.05), and enhanced the activity of GR by 137% (P<0.05). These results suggest that ardisin is a better suppressor of lipid peroxidation induced by benomyl and 1-NP than EGCG. It is concluded that ardisin and EGCG are potent antioxidants that can afford protection against free radical mediated diseases.
Eigenstructures of Spatial Design Matrices

In estimating the variogram of a spatial stochastic process, we use a spatial design matrix. This matrix is the key to Matheron's variogram estimator. We show how the structure of the matrix for any dimension is based on the one-dimensional spatial design matrix, and we compute explicit eigenvalues and eigenvectors for all dimensions. This design matrix involves Kronecker products of second order finite difference matrices, with cosine eigenvectors and eigenvalues. Using the eigenvalues of the spatial design matrix, the statistics of Matheron's variogram estimator are determined. Finally, a small simulation study is performed.
Fine-needle aspiration of epithelioid sarcoma

The cytologic appearance of epithelioid sarcoma in fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) has not been extensively described. The authors report the cytologic findings in one case that metastasized to a lymph node. The cells are characterized by irregular nuclei, nuclear folds, macronucleoli, and a high nucleus-cytoplasm ratio. The cells vary in shape and occur singly and in clusters where intercellular spaces are uncommon. The findings allow the diagnosis of malignancy but are nonspecific. History, immunocytochemistry, and tissue cores are helpful in the differential diagnosis.
Cardiac mechanics are impaired during fatiguing exercise and cold pressor test in healthy older adults.

We sought to determine how the aging left ventricle (LV) responds to sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation. Three separate echocardiographic experiments were conducted in 11 healthy young (26...
Communication of brain network core connections altered in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia but possibly preserved in early-onset Alzheimer's disease

Diffusion imaging and brain connectivity analyses can assess white matter deterioration in the brain, revealing the underlying patterns of how brain structure declines. Fiber tractography methods can infer neural pathways and connectivity patterns, yielding sensitive mathematical metrics of network integrity. Here, we analyzed 1.5-Tesla wholebrain diffusion-weighted images from 64 participants – 15 patients with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), 19 with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (EOAD), and 30 healthy elderly controls. Using whole-brain tractography, we reconstructed structural brain connectivity networks to map connections between cortical regions. We evaluated the brain’s networks focusing on the most highly central and connected regions, also known as hubs, in each diagnostic group – specifically the “high-cost” structural backbone used in global and regional communication. The high-cost backbone of the brain, predicted by fiber density and minimally short pathways between brain regions, accounted for 81-92% of the overall brain communication metric in all diagnostic groups. Furthermore, we found that the set of pathways interconnecting high-cost and high-capacity regions of the brain’s communication network are globally and regionally altered in bvFTD, compared to healthy participants; however, the overall organization of the high-cost and high-capacity networks were relatively preserved in EOAD participants, relative to controls. Disruption of the major central hubs that transfer information between brain regions may impair neural communication and functional integrity in characteristic ways typical of each subtype of dementia.
Efficient and accurate clustering for large-scale genetic mapping

High-throughput “next generation” genome sequencing technologies are producing a flood of inexpensive genetic information that is invaluable to genomics research. Sequences of millions of genetic markers are being produced, providing genomics researchers with the opportunity to construct highresolution genetic maps for many complicated genomes. However, the current generation of genetic mapping tools were designed for the small data setting, and are now limited by the prohibitively slow clustering algorithms they employ in the genetic marker-clustering stage. In this work, we present a new approach to genetic mapping based on a fast clustering algorithm that exploits the geometry of the data. Our theoretical and empirical analysis shows that the algorithm can correctly recover linkage groups. Using synthetic and real-world data, including the grand-challenge wheat genome, we demonstrate that our approach can quickly process orders of magnitude more genetic markers than existing tools while retaining — and in some cases even improving — the quality of genetic marker clusters.