cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Heterozygous Tropomodulin 3 mice have improved lung vascularization after chronic hypoxia.

The molecular mechanisms leading to high altitude pulmonary hypertension (HAPH) remains poorly understood. We previously analyzed the whole genome sequence of Kyrgyz highland population and identified eight genomic intervals having a potential role in HAPH. Tropomodulin 3 gene (TMOD3) which encodes a protein that binds and caps the pointed ends of actin filaments and inhibits cell migration, was one of the top candidates. Here we systematically sought additional evidence to validate the functional role of TMOD3. In-silico analysis reveals that some of the SNPs in HAPH associated genomic intervals were positioned in a regulatory region that could result in alternative splicing of TMOD3. In order to functionally validate the role of TMOD3 in HAPH, we exposed Tmod3-/+ mice to 4 weeks of constant hypoxia, i.e. 10% O2 and analyzed both functional (hemodynamic measurements) and structural (angiography) parameters related to HAPH. The hemodynamic measurements, such as right ventricular systolic pressure, a surrogate measure for pulmonary arterial systolic pressure, and right ventricular contractility (RV- ± dP/dt), increases with hypoxia did not separate between Tmod3-/+ and control mice. Remarkably, there was a significant increase in the number of lung vascular branches and total length of pulmonary vascular branches (p < 0.001) in Tmod3-/+ after 4 weeks of constant hypoxia as compared to controls. Notably, the Tmod3-/+ endothelial cells migration was also significantly higher than that from the wild-type littermates. Our results indicate that, under chronic hypoxia, lower levels of Tmod3 play an important role in the maintenance or neo-vascularization of pulmonary arteries.
hERG Assay, QT Liability, and Sudden Cardiac Death

Since the late 1990s, several blockbuster, noncardiac drugs including terfenadine (Seldane) (1,2), cisapride (Propulsid) (3,4), and grepafloxacin (Raxar) (5) have been associated with prolongation of the QT interval of the electrocardiogram (ECG), polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, torsades de pointes (TdP), and sudden cardiac death. Regulatory agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) responded initially with severe labeling restrictions, but ultimately these drugs were withdrawn from the marketplace. Not surprisingly, sudden cardiac death owing to noncardiac drugs has become a major safety issue for the pharmaceutical industry and the agencies that regulate it. TdP is linked to defective repolarization and prolongation of the QT interval of the ECG. At the cellular level, the duration of the cardiac action potential duration (APD) is prolonged. The major membrane currents and channels that are involved are shown in Fig. 1 along with the action potential they generate (6).
Molecular Biology of Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma

Kidney cancer is one of the ten most common cancers in the developed world [1]. Several histological variants of kidney cancer are recognized by pathologists including clear cell renal carcinoma, papillary (chromophil) renal carcinoma, chromophobic renal carcinoma, and oncocytoma [2]. The identification and study of rare families that are predisposed to kidney cancer led to the identifications of genes that, when mutated in the germline, confer an increased risk of the different histological variants of kidney cancer [3, 4]. For example, germline VHL mutations are linked to an increased risk of clear cell renal carcinoma, which is the most common form of kidney cancer. This chapter describes the molecular biology of clear cell renal carcinoma with an emphasis on the role of VHL in disease pathogenesis.
Cultural Attribution Fallacy

Cultural attribution fallacy occurs when researchers make cultural interpretations about differences found between countries without empirical justification. The most widely used cultural interpretation involves the cultural dimension Individualism-Collectivism (IC). For example, if a researcher assumes, without linking differences to IC, that two countries differ on a psychological process because one country is an individualistic culture and the other is a collectivistic culture, the researcher is making a cultural attribution fallacy. This tendency is problematic because although the observed differences may well have occurred because of differences in IC, it may also be the case that the differences occurred because of other factors. Keywords: cross-cultural psychology; methodology
Duration of Capital Market Exclusion: An Empirical Investigation

We document the time countries are excluded from international capital markets after resolving a default and examine why some countries are able to regain access to international capital markets immediately after resolving a default, whereas other countries are punished for longer periods. We develop a methodology to determine when market access occurs after default settlement, distinguishing between partial and full access. Our main findings from examining the duration of exclusion from international capital markets between 1980-2005 by sovereign defaulters are: i) countries regain partial market access after 5.7 years on average (median of 3.0 years) while it takes 8.4 years on average (median of 7.0 years) to regain full market access; ii) partial market access depends mostly on external financial markets conditions; iii) full market access depends primarily on long term market expectations and the size of the losses inflicted to creditors; iv) the occurrence of a natural disaster reduces the period of exclusion for both partial and full access; and v) there are regional differences, with African and Middle Eastern defaulters taking substantially longer to regain market access than other regions.
Stability Analysis of a Multivariable Model-Based Predictive Controller

A stability analysis technique for the multivariable Forward Modeling Controller, a model-based predictive digital controller, is presented. The technique is based upon the determination of the transmission zeros of the controller transfer function matrix. The stability analysis allows the determination of maximum controller performance for both square and non-square systems.
Correlates of depressive symptoms among alcohol-using methadone maintained adults.

Background: Alcohol-using clients are considered at great risk for hepatitis and ongoing liver damage. This study explores the correlates of depression among a sample of methadone maintained treatment (MMT) adults in the Los Angeles area, and is part of a larger study on hepatitis health promotion among MMT clients who use alcohol. Objectives: We sought to determine correlates of depressive symptoms among moderate and heavy alcohol-using adults enrolled in methadone maintenance. Methods: A cross-sectional correlation study was conducted of baseline data from a randomized control trial of adults (N= 189) receiving MMT in Los Angeles. Depressive symptoms were measured with the 10-item short-form CES-D. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that pain and social support were key correlates of depressive symptoms. More pain was associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms (p= .001), while more social support was related to lower depressive symptom severity (p= .001). Having been in sufficiently poor health that a blood transfusion, clotting factors, or an organ transplant was necessary was associated with greater depressive symptomatology, as was having injected drugs in the past month (p= .024). Conclusions: The findings from this investigation can aid clinicians in selecting clients to monitor for early signs of depression and encourage early treatment for opioid users with comorbidities. Scientific Significance: The use of an interdisciplinary team to care for MMT clients, routinely screen for depressive symptoms, and emphasize adequate pain control is indicated. (Am J Addict 2012;21:S49–S55)
Animal models of inflammatory bowel disease

Experience in IBD animal modeling has shown us that an ideal animal model cannot be achieved, as the human disease is chronic, unrelenting with multiple remissions and relapses. Despite this shortcoming, the number of animal models of inflammation that relatively mimic IBD either naturally, spontaneously or phenotypically through experimental physical, immunological or genetic manipulations has significantly increased. Many of these models have helped us dissect and substantially advance our understandings of the pathogenesis of IBD, at the same time as providing an unprecedented opportunity for identifying targets for therapeutic intervention and prevention strategies. Since so many experimental animal models are now available, investigators must take into consideration the species, strains, substrains, the microenvironment in which they live and the mediators involved in each of these models, for application to preclinical testing to manipulate the immune system or to develop vaccines or gene therapy.
Emphasizing Intraindividual Variability in the Study of Development Over the Life Span

Research on human development has leaned heavily on extensions of experimental and differential psychology which, in large measure, entail the analysis of variability found at the group level. We explore issues and implications of more directly promoting the individual as the proper unit of analysis for the study of behavioral development which, in turn, allows us to focus on intraindividual variability as a primary source of information. From this perspective, research emphases turn toward the application of alternative measurement and modeling approaches that feature data arising from a time series orientation, broadly defined, a multivariate perspective, and similarities as much or more than differences across individuals. Various implications of these emphases for developmental research are examined in detail. Keywords: variation; intraindividual variability; ergodicity; idiographic filters; multivariate measurement; prediction; generalizability
Fuzzy nonradial DEA measures of technical efficiency

When measuring technical efficiency, the notion of a radial distance measure may be replaced with the concept of a nonradial distance measure. Also, the assumption of crisp production plans may be substituted with the weaker assumption of fuzzy production plans. This paper merges these concepts and evaluates the efficiency performance of a newspaper preprint insertion production line.
The DOE-OES-EML Quality Assurance Program

Contractor laboratories handling radioactive materials for the US Department of Energy (DOE) are required to monitor the environmental exposure and publish annual reports for the Division of Operational and Environmental Safety (OES). In order to determine the validity of the data contained in these reports the Environmental Measurements Laboratory (EML) was requested to develop, coordinate, and conduct an Environmental Quality Assurance Program (QAP). There are four major phases to the DOE-OES-EML Quality Assurance Program: sample collection and preparation, sample analyses at EML, quarterly sample distribution, and reporting the data returned by the participants. The various phases of the QAP and the data reported during the first year of the program are discussed.
A framework for service differentiation and optimization in multi-hop wireless networks

In resource-constrained networks such as multi-hop wireless networks (MHWNs), service differentiation algorithms designed to address end users' interests (e.g. user satisfaction, QoS, etc.) should also consider efficient utilization of the scarce network resources in order to maximize the network's interests (e.g. revenue). For this very reason, service differentiation in MHWNs is quite different from the wired network scenario. We propose a service differentiation tool called the "Investment Function", which essentially captures the network's cumulative resource investment in a given packet at a given time. This investment value can be used by the network algorithm to implement specific service differentiation principles. As proof-of-concept, we use the investment function to improve fairness among simultaneous flows that traverse varying number of hops in a MHWN (multihop flow fairness). However, to attain the optimal value of a specific service differentiation objective, optimal service differentiation and investment function parameters may need to be computed. The optimal parameters can be computed by casting the service differentiation problem as a network flow problem in MHWNs, with the goal of optimizing the service differentiation objective. The capacity constraints for these problems require knowledge of the adjacent-node interference values, and constructing these constraints could be very expensive based on the transmission scheduling scheme used. As a result, even formulating the optimization problem may take unacceptable computational effort or memory or both. Under optimal scheduling, the adjacent node interference values (and thus the capacity constraints) are not only very expensive to compute, but also cannot be expressed in polynomial form. Therefore, existing optimization techniques cannot be directly applied to solve optimization problems in MHWNs. To develop an efficient optimization framework, we first model the MHWN as a Unit Disk Graph (UDG). The optimal transmission schedule in the MHWN is related to the chromatic number of the UDG, which is very expensive to compute. However, the clique number, which is a lower bound on the chromatic number, can be computed in polynomial time in UDGs. Through an empirical study, we obtain tighter bounds on the ratio of the chromatic number to clique number in UDGs, which enables us to leverage existing polynomial time clique-discovery algorithms to compute very close approximations to the chromatic number value. This approximation not only allows us to quickly formulate the capacity constraints in polynomial form, but also allows us to significantly deviate from the traditional approach of discovering all or most of the constraints a priori instead, we can discover the constraints as needed. We have integrated this approach of constraint-discovery into an active-set optimization algorithm (Gradient Projection method) to solve network flow problems in multi-hop wireless networks. Our results show significant memory and computational savings when compared to existing methods.
Golden hamster myoid cells during active and inactive states of spermatogenesis: Correlation of testosterone levels with structure

Myoid cells were examined quantitatively in adult golden hamsters with ac- tive spermatogenesis and compared with ham- sters in which the testes were regressed due to a modification in the light-dark cycle. A detailed morphometric study was undertaken utilizing an- imals previously examined. The cell-surface area and volumes of most organelles were not signifi- cantly different in animals which were gonadally active as compared with regressed animals. A slight, but significant, increase in nuclear volume (31%) and a slight, but significant, decrease (28%) in cell volume were recorded for regressed ani- mals. The total volume of pinocytotic vesicles was increased dramatically (approximately threefold) in active animals in comparison with inactive an- imals (P<O.Ol), indicating that an increase in non- specific transport across the myoid cell is associ- ated with spermatogenic activity. Intravascularly injected horseradish peroxidase was capable of entering pinocytotic vesicles in both active and inactive animals. Plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) as well as plasma and testicular testosterone levels were weakly (r = 0.64,0.68, and 0.65, respec- tively), but significantly (P<0.05), correlated with cell size. Plasma and testicular testosterone were correlated with the total volume of pinocytotic vesicles (r = 0.74 and 0.68, respectively). The data indicate that although the rat myoid cell possesses receptors for testosterone, there are few struc- tural manifestations of the hamster myoid cell that correlate well with testosterone levels. Thus, the hamster myoid cell differs from two other hor- mone-responsive somatic cells in the testis, the Sertoli cell and the Leydig cell, that show dra- matic structural alterations with changes in go- nadal activity and striking correlations of struc- tural features with functional measures. These findings were unexpected in view of the in vitro findings that point to a major role for the myoid cell in controlling seminiferous tubule function.
Concrete: A three phase material

Abstract Traditionally, mortar and concrete have been considered as two phase materials composed of aggregate particles dispersed in a cement paste matrix. It is well known that with normal concrete mixtures the transition zone between coarse aggregate and cement paste has a significant effect on the strength, but little is known on how it affects the elastic modulus. In this study of the transition zone, the influence on the elastic behavior of concrete was investigated. By using the Hashin-Shtrikman bounds for composite materials, it is shown that concrete and mortar cannot be considered as two phase materials. This indicates that a third phase, the transition zone should be included.
MRI findings in pediatric patients with scurvy

In modern times scurvy is a rarely encountered disease caused by ascorbic acid (vitamin C) deficiency. However, sporadic cases of scurvy persist, particularly within the pediatric population. Recent individual case reports highlight an increased incidence of scurvy among patients with autism or developmental delay, with isolated case reports detailing the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of scurvy in these pediatric populations. We present the MRI findings of scurvy in four patients with autism or developmental delay, and review the literature on MRI findings in pediatric patients with scurvy. Despite its rarity, the radiologist must consider scurvy in a pediatric patient with a restricted diet presenting with arthralgia or myalgia.
Matrix-mineral relationships in the scallop hinge ligament

The scallop hinge ligament has a large central noncalcified core flanked by two thin calcified zones. In the calcified zones the aragonite (CaCO 3 ) crystals are organized into prismatic units similar to those in totally calcified ligaments of other bivalve species. The individual crystals are surrounded by highly osmiophilic sheaths, which are part of a continuous highly branched framework readily distinguishable from the matrix elastomer. The noncalcified region is also composed of structurally distinct organic phases, the matrix elastomer and a continuous highly branched nonmineralized sheet framework which together are organized into structural units resembling the prisms in the calcified zone. It is proposed that the sheet framework is responsible for the nucleation and orientation of the mineral phase, and that a precursor-product relationship exists between the mineralized and nonmineralized frameworks.
Report of the Working Party Group for Patient Selection and Preparation

Captopril renography is a valuable test in the diagnosis of patients with renal artery stenosis. We examined the criteria for selecting patients for this procedure and the best methods for preparing the patient for renography.
Three dimensional myoarchitecture of the human tongue determined in vivo by diffusion tensor imaging with tractography

Purpose To study the anatomical relationships involving the intrinsic and extrinsic myofiber populations of the human tongue employing diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with tractography. Materials and Methods Images of the human tongue in vivo were obtained using a twice-refocused spin echo DTI pulse sequence at 1.5T, isotropic 3 × 3 × 3 mm3 voxels, b-value 500 seconds/mm2, and 90 different diffusion sensitizing gradient directions. Multivoxel tracts were generated along the vectors, corresponding to the directions of maximal diffusion in each voxel. The data was visualized using custom fiber tracking software and images compared with known anatomy. Results DTI tractography depicts the complete three-dimensional (3D) myoarchitecture of the human tongue, specifically demonstrating the geometric relationships between the intrinsic and extrinsic myofiber populations. These results define the manner in which key extrinsic fiber populations merge with the longitudinally-, transversely-, and vertically-aligned intrinsic fibers. Conclusion The current results display for the first time the use of DTI tractography in vivo to visualize the complete structural anatomy of the human tongue and allow us to consider fundamental structure-function relationships. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Nipple-Sparing mastectomy: Critical assessment of 51 procedures and implications for selection criteria

Background Retrospective studies have shown that occult nipple–areolar complex (NAC) involvement in breast cancer is low, occurring in 6–10% of women undergoing skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM). The cosmetic result and high patient satisfaction of nipple-sparing mastectomy (NSM) has prompted further evaluation of the oncologic safety of this procedure.
Chemical origins of the Mars ultraviolet dayglow

Airglow optical emissions from planetary atmospheres provide remotely observable signatures of atmospheric composition, energy deposition processes, and the resulting chemical reactions. We may one day be able to detect airglow emissions from extrasolar planets. Reliable interpretation requires quantitative understanding of the energy sources and chemical mechanisms that produce them. The ultraviolet dayglow observations by the Mariner 6 and 7 (1969) and Mariner 9 (1971–72) motivated numerous modeling studies and laboratory experiments. The most obvious source reaction is photodissociation and photoionization of ambient CO2, which is known in the laboratory to produce the four strong dayglow emitting states: hν + CO2 → O(1S), CO(a3Π), CO+2(A2Πu & B2Σ+u) If this simplest of models were sufficient, then the high altitude dayglow emissions would all share the same scale height, which would be that of CO2. The few Mariner dayglow observations provide weak statistics. Addition of 4 months of Mars Express dayglow data, and including radio occultation and mass spectrometry data from other missions, have made the analyses and conclusions more robust. The CO(a3Π) and CO+2(B2Σ+u) dayglow altitude profiles are consistent with the first source reaction. In contrast, the O(1S) dayglow scale heights are much larger and are consistent with a second source reaction: O+2 + e− → O(1S) Both sets of scale heights change with respect to solar activity roughly as suggested by modeling studies.
Output, emissions, and technology: Some thoughts

Abstract The principal goal of this article is to identify the implications of a binding emission constraint on a firm’s optimal capital–labor ratio and to determine whether it is appropriate to write a firm’s production function as an increasing function of its emissions alone. I find that even though a firm’s supply curve may be written as a positive function of its emissions, it is not appropriate to write the production technology as an increasing function of only its emissions, except under special circumstances.
Application of Nonparametric Statistical Tests in Hydrogeology

Appropriate nonparametric or distribution free statistical techniques are useful tools when data do not satisfy the conditions required by parametric statistical tests, and may be applied to a variety of hydrogeological problems. Two nonparametric tests, Krusk-Wallis One-Way Analysis of Variance and Mann-Whitney U Test, were used to test the significance of observed differences in well yields with respect to variation in controlling hydrogeologic factors. This paper presents the steps involved in performing these two tests with one example for each and suggests other applications to water-related problems. To avoid computational errors and save time, a computer program was written for calculating the statistics used in these tests.
Quantitative assessment of ventricular function in sickle cell disease: Effect of long-term erythrocytapheresis

Background Previous studies on cardiac function in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) demonstrated abnormalities of systolic and diastolic function including elevated left ventricular myocardial performance index (LVMPI) on chronic transfusion protocols. LVMPI has been validated as a useful and easy non-invasive measure of overall cardiac function. Up to now, there are no reported studies on cardiac function in patients with SCD maintained on long-term erythrocytapheresis (LTE). Procedures We recorded LVMPI in 22 patients with SCD aged 3–20 years and we compared the results between non-transfused patients (NT-SCD) and patients on LTE (T-SCD). Results Males with SCD had higher mean LVMPI than females (P = 0.04). There were significant differences among T-SCD, severe NT-SCD, and mild NT-SCD patients with respect to hemoglobin (Hb) levels (P = .003) and TR velocity (P = .03). T-SCD patients showed elevated LVMPI compared to NT-SCD patients with severe and mild disease (P = 0.002). Pair-wise comparisons demonstrated that T-SCD patients had LVMPI that was significantly higher than NT-SCD (mild) patients (P = 0.01). Conclusions Our study demonstrates that patients SCD on LTE have cardiac dysfunction based on elevated LVMPI. This may be a reflection of the global severity of disease. Our findings merit further investigation with serial monitoring of LVMPI on a larger number of patients with SCD. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Management of cancer of the maxillary sinus

Cancer of the maxillary sinus is a relative rare malignancy. It occurs most frequently in the 50 to 70 year age group and is more frequent in males. Histologically, the majority of the tumors are of the squamous cell type. Diagnosis is rarely, if ever, made when it is still limited to the antral cavity. Cervical node metastases are found infrequently at the time of diagnosis. The most widely accepted treatment at the present time is radical surgery as the primary mode of therapy alone or in combination with radiation therapy. Five year survival figures are in the 20 to 30% range, indicating improvement, but yet falling considerably below the survival figures for cancer of other sites in the head and neck region.
THE RISE OF SIBLING JEALOUSY IN THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

Until the 1920s adults demonstrated little awareness of jealousy among young children. Neither experts, nor prescriptive advice-givers, nor parents evinced explicit concern. A rising tide of attention developed from about 1925 onward, as childrearing manuals routinely delivered dire and lengthy warnings about sibling rivalry and parents began to note the issue as one of their most pressing worries. The problem was defined both as a challenge in families with young children, where physical injury as well as lasting unpleasantness might result from uncurbed jealousy, and as a problem for the adult personality if jealousy were allowed to fester. Various strategies were recommended to minimize tension and to reassure of love; jealousy of a sibling was to be accepted but talked out, subtly labeled as childish. The reasons for this substantial shift in the rules about jealousy include changing family size, which heightened actual sibling rivalry over previous levels; expert reassessments of early childhood; and a growing desire to produce smooth, conflict-free personalities as part of a more managerial, service-oriented economy. While the intensity of concern about sibling rivalry abated slightly by the 1960s, the basic rules remained in place; the new tone constituted an internalization of the earlier rules and tactics. Finally, the impact of the new structures on sibling jealousy can be traced in several areas: a real change in emotional relations among siblings, as children bonded together less; new emotional tensions in family life that could alter wider parental perceptions of children; a growing desire among adults to shun jealousy as a childish emotion though often an inability fully to do so. The change in the 20th-century pattern of jealousy deserves serious attention as part of the new complexities and repressive requirements of American emotional life.
Can suicide be prevented

A new report from the US surgeon general lacks specificity and focus Thirty years ago, my youngest sister, then 27 years old, jumped off a roof in New York and fell to her death. That anniversary and a new report from the US surgeon general have got me thinking about suicide prevention. Suicide is a big public health problem. It is the 10th leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for about one million deaths a year.1 In the United States there were over 38 000 suicides in 2011.2 Men are 3-4 times as likely as women to kill themselves, though women attempt suicide much more often. Risk factors for suicide have long been known. Psychiatric disorders are present in around 90% of people who kill themselves, and more than half of those who die by suicide meet criteria for a current depressive disorder. Other leading mental disorders associated with suicide include substance misuse, schizophrenia, and personality disorders. The problem, of course, is that while the vast majority of people who kill themselves have a mental disorder, only …
A study of the thermally induced carbonization of phenolformaldehyde by combined ion beam and surface specific analyses

Abstract Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), Raman microprobe spectroscopy and electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) have been used to study thermally induced structural changes in phenolformaldehyde resin. Resin samples were heat treated in an inert gas environment at temperatures ranging from 200 to 2500°C. Results obtained from RBS spectra showed that the content of oxygen and other gaseous products of carbonization is reduced at higher heat treatment temperatures (HTT), which is in agreement with ESCA results. Raman microprobe spectroscopy clearly indicates that a key step in the carbonization process occurs between 500 and 575°C. The concentration ratios of various constituents to carbon were used as a complementary tool to the results obtained by ESCA to clarify the processes of thermally induced purification.
Seasonal and spatial variance of seed bank species composition in an oligotrophic wet meadow

Abstract Seasonal and small-scale spatial variation of the seed bank in an oligotrophic wet meadow ( Molinion ) was assessed by two methods: (1) direct determination of seeds extracted from soil samples (6 cm in diameter, 10 cm depth) and (2) germination of seeds according to Ter Heerdt et al. [1996. An improved method for seed bank analysis: seedling emergence after removing the soil by sieving. Funct. Ecol. 10, 144–151]. Samples were taken three times during the year (July and November 2001, March 2002) from three distinct microhabitats (moss layer, gaps, Molinia caerulea tussocks). Using the extraction method, more seeds were found in the upper 0–3 cm soil layer than in the deeper 3–7 cm layer, significant differences in the number of seeds were found among microhabitats (with the lowest seed bank densities in Molinia tussocks). The highest number of seeds was found in the spring census, but the test was not significant ( P
Automatic multiperspective images

Multiperspective images generated from a collection of photographs or a videostream can be used to effectively summarize long, roughly planar scenes such as city streets. The final image will span a larger field of view than any single input image. However, common projections used to make these images, including cross-slits and pushbroom projections, may suffer from depth-related distortions in non-planar scenes. In this paper, we use an aspect-ratio distortion metric to compare these images to standard perspective projections. By minimizing this error metric we can automatically define the picture surface and viewpoints of a multiperspective image that reduces distortion artifacts. This optimization requires only a coarse estimate of scene geometry which can be provided as a depth map or a 2D spatial importance map defining interesting parts of the scene. These maps can be automatically constructed in most cases, allowing rapid generation of images of very long scenes.
A Radial Velocity Search for p-Mode Pulsations in η Bootis

The subgiant η Boo (G5 IV) has been reported to show p-mode pulsations, as evidenced by variations in the equivalent width of its hydrogen Balmer lines (reported by Kjeldsen et al.). In an attempt to confirm this report, we observed η Boo's radial velocity with the AFOE spectrograph for a total of 22 hours spread over seven successive nights in 1995 March. We find no evidence for the presence of excess power at the frequencies reported by Kjeldsen et al.; our upper limit corresponds to typical mode amplitudes of 0.5 m s-1, about 3 times smaller than the velocity amplitudes they inferred. Signals with amplitudes larger than 0.5 m s-1 may be present at other frequencies within the 0-1000 μHz range, but evidence for such signals is scanty, and typical mode amplitudes greater than 1.5 m s-1 are clearly inconsistent with our observations.
Improvisation: An Analytic Tool for Examining Teacher-Child Interactions in the Early Childhood Classroom.

Abstract This article explores the use of improvisation (improv) as a lens for viewing and describing teacher–child interactions. The author describes the relationship between the principles of improv and the characteristics of responsive teaching, and how improv can be used as a lens for seeing relational activity. The author hypothesizes that improv would provide a valuable tool for understanding and describing what is happening between teachers and children. An in-depth case study was conducted of an experienced early childhood teacher in a play-based classroom. Analysis was done using both the codes derived from the teacher–child interaction literature and improv theory. Improv analysis offered a nuanced picture of what early childhood teachers are doing in practice. The findings revealed that using improv provides a lens for seeing teacher–child interactions as an ensemble activity and what the teacher is doing in terms of its usefulness to the activity. While this study focused on a single teacher in one classroom, the findings demonstrate the potential of an improv lens for developing and deepening our understanding of early childhood teaching.
Breaking the Segregation Cycle: Examining Students' Precollege Racial Environments and College Diversity Experiences

This study explored how students' precollege racial environments shaped their diversity experiences in college, and it tested whether diverse college experiences interrupt the cyclical effects of precollege segregation. Using longitudinal survey data collected at nine public universities, the study concluded that students' precollege racial experiences show significant and lasting effects on frequency of positive cross-racial interactions in the early college years. The results also demonstrate that diverse college settings as well as students' college diversity experiences can mediate the lingering effects of precollege segregation by promoting greater positive interactions across race in the early college years.
Classification accuracy of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory–III modifier indices in the detection of malingering in traumatic brain injury

The present study used criterion groups validation to determine the ability of the Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory-III (MCMI-III) modifier indices to detect malingering in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Patients with TBI who met criteria for malingered neurocognitive dysfunction (MND) were compared to those who showed no indications of malingering. Data were collected from 108 TBI patients referred for neuropsychological evaluation. Base rate (BR) scores were used for MCMI-III modifier indices: Disclosure, Desirability, and Debasement. Malingering classification was based on the Slick, Sherman, and Iverson (1999) criteria for MND. TBI patients were placed in one of three groups: MND (n = 55), not-MND (n = 26), or Indeterminate (n = 26).The not-MND group had lower modifier index scores than the MND group. At scores associated with a 4% false-positive (FP) error rate, sensitivity was 47% for Disclosure, 51% for Desirability, and 55% for Debasement. Examination of joint classification analysis demonstrated 54% sensitivity at cutoffs associated with 0% FP error rate. Results suggested that scores from all MCMI-III modifier indices are useful for identifying intentional symptom exaggeration in TBI. Debasement was the most sensitive of the three indices. Clinical implications are discussed.
Evolution of Neuromodulation

Neuromodulation, as defined as the use of electrical stimulation by implanted stimulators to treat various neurological conditions, has developed gradually from long experience with electrical stimulation of the nervous system. Indications are still evolving, and the field is advancing at an ever increasing rate.
WICKED WATER PROBLEMS: SOCIOLOGY AND LOCAL WATER ORGANIZATIONS IN ADDRESSING WATER RESOURCES POLICY

Water policy problems are wicked, not in an ethically deplorable sense, but in the sense that they present us with especially difficult challenges of becoming more effective in our interdisciplinary collaboration, of integrating two very different types of knowledge, of working across several socio-political units of analysis simultaneously, and of better organizing water as a common property resource. Sociology, as a discipline, does not have a particularly rich history of successful interdisciplinary collaboration on water resources research and teaching, but it potentially has a most useful contribution to make by focusing on the analysis of local common property resource organizations that operate in the interface between individual resource users and State-Federal entities. These organizations (e.g., water user associations, mutual companies, irrigation districts, acequias, conservancy districts) have been the orphans of water policy discourse but their operations are critical to undertaking more effective 21st century social analysis, research work, and action programs. Sociologists who work to better comprehend the operations of, and constraints upon, these organizations build a sociology that can better collaborate with other water-related disciplines in addressing the challenges posed by the wickedness of our water problems. (KEY TERMS: water organization; sociology of water resources; interdisciplinary collaboration; water policy; common property resource; social and political.)
New aliphatic poly(ester-carbonates) based on 5-methyl-5-allyloxycarbonyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one

The synthesis, characterization, and ring-opening polymerization of a new cyclic carbonate monomer containing an allyl ester moiety, 5-methyl-5-allyloxycarbonyl-1,3-dioxan-2-one (MAC), was performed for the first time. MAC was synthesized in five steps in good yield beginning from the starting material, 2,2-bis(hydroxymethyl)propionic acid. Subsequent polymerization and copolymerizations of the new cyclic carbonate with rac-lactide (rac-LA) and ϵ-caprolactone (CL) were attempted. Rac-LA copolymerized well with MAC, but CL copolymerizations produced insoluble products. Oligomeric macroinitiators of MAC and rac-LA were synthesized from stannous ethoxide, and both macroinitiators were used for the controlled ring-opening polymerization of rac-LA. The polymerization kinetics were examined by monitoring the disappearance of the characteristic CO ring stretch of the monomer at 1240 cm−1 with real-time in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Postpolymerization oxidation reactions were conducted to epoxidize the unsaturated bonds of the MAC-functionalized polymers. Epoxide-containing polymers may allow further organic transformations with various nucleophiles, such as amines, alcohols, and carboxylic acids. NMR was used for microstructure identification of the polymers, and size exclusion chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize the new functionalized poly(ester-carbonates). © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 41: 1978–1991, 2003
Acquisition of barpressing in rats following experience with response-independent food

In a three-group experiment, one group of rats (response-contingent) learned to contact a food cup for Noyes food pellets delivered according to a fixed-ratio schedule of reinforcement. Subjects in another group received a response-independent pellet each time its yoked counterpart earned one. A third (control) group received the same amount of food as the other two groups each day, but the pellets were delivered in mass. Following this training, the rats were placed in a novel experimental chamber in which all responses on a bar were reinforced with the presentation of food pellets. The results showed the response-independent animals to be slower in acquiring the barpress response than the naive control subjects, and the response-contingent subjects to be the fastest.
Signature of Quantum Hall Effect Skyrmions in Tunneling: A Theoretical Study

We present a theoretical study of the $I$- $V$ tunneling characteristic between two parallel two-dimensional electron gases in a perpendicular magnetic field when both are near filling factor $\ensuremath{\nu}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1$. Finite-size calculations of the single-layer spectral functions in the spherical geometry and analytical expressions for the disk geometry in the thermodynamic limit show that the current in the presence of Skyrmions reflects in a direct way their underlying structure. It is also shown that fingerprints of the electron-electron interaction pseudopotentials are present in such a current.
An Analysis of the Freudian Slip and Errors in Speech Communication

The Freudian slip is a common, yet little understood, phenomenon of speech communication. Though we can usually identify a slip easily, most of us are unfamiliar with how, why, and where the slip occurs. In all of his writings Freud never addressed himself to the Freduian slip per se. It is the Freudian account of id drive, however, that allows us to establish a working definition of the Freudian slip and investigate the differences between the slip and errors in speech. The central purpose of this article is to attempt to formulate a theory of the Freudian slip and speech errors in the context of the information theory model.
Amniotic fluid analysis in a fetus with laryngeal atresia

Complete laryngeal atresia is a rare congenital malformation that is known to cause hypertrophy of the fetal lung in utero. A fetus with laryngeal atresia was found to have markedly immature amniotic fluid lung maturity studies at term. Inappropriately low amniotic fluid lung maturity studies may be an important clue to the diagnosis of this condition.
Flap thickness in eyes with ectasia after laser in situ keratomileusis.

Purpose To measure central flap thickness in eyes with ectasia after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and to compare these values with estimated anticipated flap thickness based on mean published values for each device used for flap creation. Setting Emory Vision at Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Design Retrospective comparative case series, using published data for controls. Methods Confocal microscopic analysis was performed using the Confoscan 3 device to measure central flap thickness in eyes with ectasia after LASIK. Pre-LASIK records were evaluated for information, including basic patient demographics, preoperative corneal topographies, estimated anticipated flap thickness based on the mean average thickness values, and residual stromal bed (RSB) thickness calculations using measured and estimated flap thicknesses. Results Fifty eyes of 29 patients were evaluated. The mean measured flap thickness was 138 μm ± 26 (SD) (range 90 to 220 μm). There were no significant differences between measured and estimated flap thicknesses (138 μm versus 135 μm; P =.5) or RSB thickness (329 μm versus 332 μm; P =.7), nor were there differences in flap thickness between eyes developing ectasia with normal corneal topographies and eyes with abnormal corneal topographies. One eye had a measured flap resulting in an unintended RSB thickness less than 250 μm; this eye also had abnormal topography. Conclusions Measured central flap thickness was not thicker than estimated in most eyes developing ectasia after LASIK. Thus, excessively thick flaps do not appear to be a major contributing factor to the pathogenesis of ectasia after LASIK. Financial Disclosure No author has a financial or proprietary interest in any material or method mentioned.
Length of Gestation in Mice Under a 21-Hour Day

Experiments were conducted to determine whether gestation length in mice was determined by the number of daylight/darkness cycles or by an absolute length of time. C57BL strain mice were bred and raised under a 10 1/2-hour light (L):10 1/2-hour dark (D) cycle. Inurement to the cycle was demonstrated by measuring running activity. The animals were 1st bred (Period 1) under the 10 1/2 L:10 1/2 D cycle (21 pregnancies) then for about 3 weeks (Period 2) under a 12 L:12 D cycle (10 pregnancies) followed again (Period 3) by breeding under the 10 1/2 L:10 1/2 D cycle (9 pregnancies). The mode of gestation lengths was 20 days for Period 1 (range: 19-20 days) 20 days for Period 2 (range: 20-21 days) and 21 days for Period 3 (range: 20-22 days). In terms of absolute time the gestation length remained approximately constant in mice inured to a shortened light-dark cycle.
A new element design for an axis-independent, tunable, negative-permeability artificial meta-material

A new meta-material element that can realize axis-independent negative permeability is proposed and analyzed. The element is constructed as an intuitive 3D analog of the well-known flat split-ring structure (SRR). Unlike the SRR, the proposed element exhibits negative permeability for three preferred coordinate axes, and therefore enables meta-material applications such as focusing and efficient radiation from electrically small structures in multiple directions within the same structure. In addition, it is shown that the addition of lumped-circuit components to the element enables both tunability and functionality at very small sizes, far from the intrinsic resonance of the structure itself. The designed element is then simulated rigorously using a previously reported integral-equation technique that includes the ability to model linear and nonlinear tuning elements attached to the meta-material elements. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 44: 530–533, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20687
Decidability of epimorphisms of dimension groups and certain modules

We give an algorithm for deciding the existence of epimorphisms of finitely additively generated Z [ t ] modules and dimension groups. This shows that the existence of eventual right resolving shift factor maps for mixing finite type shifts is decidable.
Block-scaling of value-iteration for discounted Markov renewal programming

The functional equations of infinite horizon discounted Markov renewal programming arev*=Tv* whereT is a monotone contraction operator. This paper shows how to accelerate convergence of the value-iteration schemev (n+1)=Tv (n) by a block-scaling step whereby all states in a given group have theirv () scaled by a common scale factor. A similar method exists when the relative valuesv* i −v*1 are computed iteratively. In both cases, the block scaling factors are solution to a set of functional equations which has similar structure to a discounted Markov renewal program, and can itself be solved by successive approximation, policy iteration, or linear programming.