cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A framework for understanding file format conversions

This paper addresses the workshop question: "Can data generated from the infancy of the digital age be ingestible by software today?" We have prototyped a set of e-services that serve as a framework for understanding content preservation, automation and computational requirements on preservation of electronic records. The framework consists of e-services for (a) finding file format conversion software, (b) executing file format conversions using available software, and (c) evaluating information loss across conversions. While the target audience for the technology is the US National Archives, these basic e-services are of interest to any manager of electronic records and to all citizens trying to keep their files current with the rapidly changing information technology. The novelty of the framework is in organizing the information about file format conversions, providing services about file format conversion paths, in prototyping a general architecture for reusing existing third-party software with import/export capabilities, and in evaluating information loss due to file format conversions. The impact of these e-services is in the widely accessible conversion software registry (CSR), conversion engine (Polyglot) and comparison engine (Versus) which can increase the productivity of the digital preservation community and other users of digital files.
Efficient batch processing of proximity queries by optimized probing

Many location-based applications are enabled by handling numerous moving queries over mobile objects. Efficient processing of such queries mainly relies on effective probing, i.e., polling the objects to obtain their current locations (required for processing the queries). With effective probing, one can monitor the current location of the objects with sufficient accuracy for the existing queries, by striking a balance between communication cost of probing and accuracy of the knowledge about current location of the objects. In this paper, we focus on location-based applications that reduce to processing a large set of proximity monitoring queries simultaneously, where each query continuously monitors if a pair of objects are within a certain predefined distance. Accordingly, we propose an effective object probing solution for efficient processing of proximity monitoring queries. In particular, with our proposed solution for the first time we formulate optimal probing as a batch processing problem and propose a method to prioritize probing the objects such that the total number of probes required to answer all queries is minimized. Our extensive experiments demonstrate the efficiency of our proposed solution for a wide range of applications involving up to hundreds of millions of queries.
Reducing high risk behaviors among street living youth: Outcomes of an integrated prevention intervention

Abstract Research efforts to reduce human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk behavior among street living youth have shown disappointing outcomes, with few studies reporting reduced risk behaviors. The current study tested the impact of an integrated HIV prevention intervention, and predictors of change, for youth (N = 270) between ages 14 and 20 years receiving substance use treatment through a drop-in center. Condom use, HIV knowledge, number of sexual partners and behaviors associated with an overall HIV risk index were assessed at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months post-baseline. Findings suggest that HIV prevention integrated with substance use treatment is associated with increased condom use and reduced sex partners. However, the effects on condom use were short lived and dissipated by 12 months post-baseline. Higher treatment attendance and baseline substance use predicted increased condom use. Although no significant change was observed in the overall HIV risk index, increases in depressive symptoms were associated with increases in the index score, as well as more sexual partners. Future research should determine whether successful intervention requires reinforcement of risk reduction behaviors while youth remain homeless.
A Review: Radiographic Iodinated Contrast Media-Induced Thyroid Dysfunction

Context: Thyroid hormone production is dependent on adequate iodine intake. Excess iodine is generally well-tolerated, but thyroid dysfunction can occur in susceptible individuals after excess iodine exposure. Radiological iodinated contrast media represent an increasingly common source of excess iodine. Objective: This review will discuss the thyroidal response after acute exposure to excess iodine; contrast iodine-induced thyroid dysfunction; risks of iodine-induced thyroid dysfunction in vulnerable populations, such as the fetus, neonate, and patients with impaired renal function; and recommendations for the assessment and treatment of contrast iodine-induced thyroid dysfunction. Methods: Data for this review were identified by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, and references from relevant articles from 1948 to 2014. Conclusions: With the increase in the use of computed tomography scans in the United States, there is increasing risk of contrast-induced thyroid dysfunction. Patients at risk of developin...
Semicrystalline polyimides based on controlled molecular weight phthalimide end-capped 1,3-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene and 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride : Synthesis, crystallization, melting, and thermal stability

The synthesis of controlled molecular weight semicrystalline polyimides based on 1,3-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene (TPER diamine) and 3,3‘,4,4‘-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA), end capped w...
The General Electric professorship at Union College, 1903-41

The General Electric Company and Union College profited from an extremely close relationship during the first half of 20th century. For 38 years, from 1903-41, two prominent General Electric engineers headed the Electrical Engineering Department at Union College in Schenectady, New York, USA, headquarters of GE. C.P. Steinmetz, Chief Consulting Engineer for GE, served both the company and Union from 1903 to 1913. E.J. Berg, Steinmetz's protege at GE, headed the department from 1913-41. GE engineers not only controlled the chair of electrical engineering at Union College, but the company helped fund the department and supplied engineers as part-time instructors. A historical review of this 38-year relationship is given. >
Even more with the Lemke complementarity algorithm

This note presents a new termination result for the Lemke linear complementarity algorithm that unifies two previous results. Special cases include linear complementarity problems satisfying the Evers condition, and those whoseM matrix is copositive-plus.
CALCIUM ACTIVATION OF MITOCHONDRIAL GLYCEROL PHOSPHATE DEHYDROGENASE RESTUDIED

Abstract cDNAs which encode the rat testis and pancreatic islet mitochondrial glycerol phosphate dehydrogenase (mGPD) (EC 1.1.99.5), the key enzyme of the glycerol phosphate shuttle, were recently cloned and sequenced and found to contain calmodulin-like calcium-binding sequences, thus explaining the widely observed calcium activation of the enzyme from many tissues of higher eukaryotes. mGPD activity and protein, as judged from Western analysis, appear to be most abundant in testis and pancreatic islets in the rat. mGPD is known to be located within the inner mitochondrial membrane. At a physiologic concentration of glycerol phosphate (75 μ M ), half maximal activity of Triton X-100-solubilized testis mGPD was seen in the presence of 0.1–0.25 μ M free calcium. Calcium (10 −6 –10 −5 M ) lowered the K m of mGPD from 2.5 m M glycerol phosphate (islet mGPD) and 3.2 m M glycerol phosphate (testis mGPD) to 0.4 m M glycerol phosphate. Calcium activation of mGPD from both testis and islets was not prevented by calmodulin inhibitors, which is consistent with mGPD possessing regions that can mediate its own activation by calcium. 45 Calcium overlay experiments, in which proteins were separated by SDS–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, blotted onto nitrocellulose membranes, and probed with 45 Ca, showed that mGPD is a major calcium-binding protein in testis mitochondrial membranes. A hydropathy plot suggested that the mature mGPD protein has three transmembrane helices. The first membrane-spanning region coincides with the FAD site and thus this site is placed within the membrane. The hydropathy analysis indicated that the calcium-binding region and the putative glycerol phosphate-binding site lie outside the membrane exposed to the cytosolic environment. This is consistent with earlier biochemical evidence which indicated that these sites are situated outside the membrane (M. Klingenberg, Eur. J. Biochem. 13, 247–252, 1970). This suggests that cytosolic calcium can regulate mGPD activity. Since simultaneous oscillations in electrical activity, cytosolic calcium, glycolysis, and insulin release occur in the pancreatic beta cell, mGPD activity might also fluctuate and allow the glycerol phosphate shuttle to participate in glycolytic oscillations.
The sequence of lobar emptying in man1

In this study N2 concentrations throughout expiration are measured in upper and lower lobe bronchi and the main stem bronchus. Flow from each lobe has been calculated from these values in normal man, and in patients with diffuse airway obstruction or pulmonary fibrosis. Following a breath of oxygen, lower lobe has a higher apparent ventilation to volume ratio than upper lobe in normal supine man. In patients with obstructive airway disease or diffuse lower lobe fibrosis the upper lobe is apparently better ventilated than lower lobe and shows greater differences in ventilation within the upper lobe. Well ventilated intralobar and intrasegmental units empty early and poorly ventilated units empty late in expiration. However the poorly ventilated lobe empties first and the better ventilated lobe later in the breath. This sequence of interlobar emptying minimizes the slope of the alveolar nitrogen plateau as seen at mouth level. The intralobar sequence of emptying can be altered by varying expiratory flow rates and by cardiac action.
Smoking increases the incidence of tooth loss and smoking cessation reduces it.

Article Title and Bibliographic Information Tobacco use and incidence of tooth loss among US male health professionals Dietrich T, Maserejian NN, Joshipura KJ, Krall EA, Garcia RI. J Dent Res 2007;86(4):373-7 Strength of Recommendation Grade B Purpose/Question The authors evaluated the associations between the use of various tobacco products (cigarettes, pipes, cigars, or chewing tobacco) and the incidence of tooth loss. The study also investigated the association between cessation of cigarette smoking and the incidence of tooth loss. Source of Funding Government Type of Study/Design Prospective Cohort Study
Attraction to old nest cues during nest selection by the solitary bee Megachile rotundata (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

SummaryThe alfalfa leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata F. (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), is an important pollinator for the commercial production of alfalfa seed. Poor nest establishment is, however, an ongoing problem for bee managers. Megachile rotundata are solitary yet gregarious bees that nest in pre-existing cavities and are attracted to previously used nests. Nest cells contain several components that may serve as cues for nesting females. In the current study, we sought to: 1. determine if there is a preference for cells that previously held male or female conspecific bees; 2. verify attraction to conspecific whole nest cells; and 3. determine which individual nest components of a cell are attractive to nesting females. In a series of cage and open field experiments, M. rotundata females were allowed to initiate nests in blocks containing whole cells or individual cell components from old nests. Statistical analyses of results verified the attraction to conspecific nest cells, with no preference fo...
Adaptive sensor array algorithm for structural health monitoring of helmet

The adaptive neural network is a standard technique used in nonlinear system estimation and learning applications for dynamic models. In this paper, we introduced an adaptive sensor fusion algorithm for a helmet structure health monitoring system. The helmet structure health monitoring system is used to study the effects of ballistic/blast events on the helmet and human skull. Installed inside the helmet system, there is an optical fiber pressure sensors array. After implementing the adaptive estimation algorithm into helmet system, a dynamic model for the sensor array has been developed. The dynamic response characteristics of the sensor network are estimated from the pressure data by applying an adaptive control algorithm using artificial neural network. With the estimated parameters and position data from the dynamic model, the pressure distribution of the whole helmet can be calculated following the Bazier Surface interpolation method. The distribution pattern inside the helmet will be very helpful for improving helmet design to provide better protection to soldiers from head injuries.
Personal values and ethical fashion consumption

Purpose – The role of personal values in consumer behavior is well documented; however, in the context of fashion consumption, the role of personal values’ influence on consumers’ ethical behavior has not been studied. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to seek to explore whether consumers’ personal values predict consumers’ behavioral intentions to engage in ethical fashion consumption. Design/methodology/approach – The present study employed the Fritzsche model, which states that an individual's personal values are related to his/her intentions to engage in ethical behavior. The present study examined the causal relationship between the personal values and behavioral intentions to engage in ethical fashion consumption. Data collected from the US national sample were subjected to structural equation modeling. Findings – The proposed model explained 42 percent of variance in consumer's behavioral intentions toward ethical fashion consumption. Furthermore, a significant negative relationship betwee...
Liver diseases of pregnancy particular to the third trimester

Abstract Liver disease is a complication of pregnancy that, when it occurs, demands that one be vigilant in seeking the diagnosis for rapid and definitive treatment for the optimal outcome of both mother and fetus. Patients who present with liver abnormalities in the third trimester of pregnancy should be carefully evaluated. The differential diagnosis includes diseases that present specifically in the second or third trimester, such as acute fatty liver of pregnancy, preeclampsia or its Hemolysis, Elevated Liver function tests, Low Platelets (HELLP) syndrome variant, and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy; diseases that can present at any gestational age, such as viral hepatitis, drug-induced hepatotoxicity, and cholestatic disease; and rare or uncommon diseases, such as Budd Chiari syndrome, autoimmune hepatitis, and the thrombotic microangiopathiopathies, namely, hemolytic-uremic syndrome or thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura. Anyone presenting with a vague constellation of symptoms in latter pregnancy should be investigated further for symptoms or signs of serious liver disease.
Understanding the Dynamics of Community Engagement of Corporations in Communities: The Iterative Relationship Between Dialogue Processes and Local Protest at the Tintaya Copper Mine in Peru

Corporate social responsibility refers to businesses' efforts to improve their social and environmental performance. Generally, corporations implement universal standards and codes of conduct or publish reports on their activities. However, in controversial instances, such as environmental conflicts between corporations and communities, some companies have engaged communities and NGOs through deliberative processes. Despite the goal of achieving consensus among stakeholders, dialogues do not always resolve conflicts. This article examines the dialogue processes between the company BHP Billiton and communities around the Tintaya Mine (Peru) in order to understand why residents resisted deliberative spaces created to address their concerns. Through interviews and focus groups with protesters, I show that resistance was not intended to undermine deliberation, unlike what democracy theorists have previously asserted, but rather, to foster openness and understanding among the corporation and residents. Finding...
Numerical simulations of large-amplitude internal solitary waves

A numerical model based on the incompressible two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations in the Boussinesq approximation is used to study mode-2 internal solitary waves propagating on a pycnocline between two deep layers of different densities. Numerical experiments on the collapse of an initially mixed region reveal a train of solitary waves with the largest leading wave enclosing an intrusional ‘bulge’. The waves gradually decay as they propagate along the horizontal direction, with a corresponding reduction in the size of the bulge. When the normalized wave amplitude, a, falls below the critical value ac=1.18, the wave is no longer able to transport mixed fluid as it propagates away from the mixed region, and a sharp-nosed intrusion is left behind. The wave structure is studied using a Lagrangian particle tracking scheme which shows that for small amplitudes the bulges have a well-defined elliptic shape. At larger amplitudes, the bulge entrains and mixes fluid from the outside while instabilities develop in the rear part of the bulge. Results are obtained for different wave amplitudes ranging from small-amplitude ‘regular’ waves with a=0.7 to highly nonlinear unstable waves with a=3.8. The dependence of the wave speed and wavelength on amplitude is measured and compared with available experimental data and theoretical predictions. Consistent with experiments, the wave speed increases almost linearly with amplitude at small values of a. As a becomes large, the wave speed increases with amplitude at a smaller rate, which gradually approaches the asymptotic limit for a two-fluid model. Results show that in the parameter range considered the wave amplitude decreases linearly with time at a rate inversely proportional to the Reynolds number. Numerical experiments are also conducted on the head-on collision of solitary waves. The simulations indicate that the waves experience a negative phase shift during the collision, in accordance with experimental observations. Computations are used to determine the dependence of the phase shift on the wave amplitude.
Beta-Blocker Selectivity in Heart Failure (HF) Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Insights from HF-A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training (HF-ACTION)

effect of AZA use in HTX recipients who are heterozygotes for TPMT variants on clinical outcomes is unknown. Aim: To investigate the relationship between genetic variation in TPMT, TPMT activity, active metabolite levels, and AZA efficacy and safety in HTX recipients. Methods: Genotyping for TPMT variants (TPMT *2 G238C, *3B G460A, and *3C A719G) was performed on 101 patients treated with AZA who underwent orthotopic HTX. Erythrocyte TPMT enzyme activity was measured in 94 of these patients and was considered normal (15.1-26.4 U/mL), intermediate (6.3-15.0 U/mL) and reduced (!6.3 U/mL). AZA metabolite level (6TGN) was measured in a subset of 23 recipients. All clinical and demographic data was abstracted by retrospective chart review. Results: There were 10 patients who were heterozygous for TPMT variants and 91 who were wild-type (WT). Heterozygotes have lower TPMT activity level as compared to WT (14.1 6 4.35 vs. 21 6 4.47, p!0.001). There was a moderate inverse correlation between TPMT activity and 6-TGN levels (p50.07). The mean AZA dose at baseline was similar in the two groups (1406 53 mg vs. 166 6 45 mg, p50.074) but 6 months after HTX, AZA dose was lower in heterozygotes as compared to WT (35 6 66 mg vs. 99 6 82 mg, p50.025). The reason for lower mean AZA dose in heterozygotes was due to a high discontinuation rate as compared to WT (8/10 vs. 31/91, p!0.05). The most common reason for discontinuation in both groups was rejection. There was no significant difference in incidence and time to onset of leukopenia between the two groups. Conclusions: TPMT variant heterozygotes have lower TPMT activity levels compared to WT. Carriers of TPMT variants do not have increased risk for leukopenia with AZA therapy, but are more likely to discontinue the drug due to development of rejection. Based on our results, HTX recipients with TPMT heterozygosity do not need AZA dose adjustment to prevent leukopenia. These patients should be monitored closely for rejection, similar to WT HTX recipients.
Quantitative changes in the cervical neural foramen resulting from axial traction: in vivo imaging study

Abstract Background context Cervical traction has a long history as a method of conservative treatment for cervical spine diseases. However, information on quantitative changes in the cervical neural foramen resulting from axial traction in vivo is lacking. Purpose To quantitatively evaluate the changes in the neural foramen of the cervical spine during axial traction in vivo. Study design A prospective radiographic analysis of the cervical neural foramen of adult volunteers. Patient sample Fifteen healthy volunteers (10 men, 5 women) without any history of cervical spine disease. Outcome measures The changes in cervical cross-sectional foraminal areas and heights were measured. Methods Cervical magnetic resonance (MR) images of the volunteers were taken at the neutral position and were reconstructed in the oblique plane perpendicular to the long axis of each neural foramen from the C2–3 to the C6–7 level. The changes in the neural foraminal dimensions at incremental axial traction forces (0, 5, 10, and 15 kg) were analyzed. Results After each 5-kg incremental increase in traction weight, there was a significant (p value less than .05) increase in area and height of the intervertebral foramen compared with the position in which no weight was applied. There was an average increase of 5.81%, 16.56%, and 18.9% in the foraminal area and an average increase of 3.75%, 8.67%, and 10.43% in foraminal height compared with the position with no weight at traction of 5, 10, and 15 kg, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference for the increase in foraminal area and height from 10 to 15 kg of traction (p value greater than .05). Conclusions There was a significant increase in intervertebral foraminal area and height after each 5-kg increment in traction weight compared with the position in which no weight was applied. From 10 to 15 kg of traction, there was no significant change in the foraminal area and height.
A Simple ERP Method for Quantitative Analysis of Cognitive Workload in Myoelectric Prosthesis Control and Human-Machine Interaction

Common goals in the development of human-machine interface (HMI) technology are to reduce cognitive workload and increase function. However, objective and quantitative outcome measures assessing cognitive workload have not been standardized for HMI research. The present study examines the efficacy of a simple event-related potential (ERP) measure of cortical effort during myoelectric control of a virtual limb for use as an outcome tool. Participants trained and tested on two methods of control, direct control (DC) and pattern recognition control (PRC), while electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was recorded. Eighteen healthy participants with intact limbs were tested using DC and PRC under three conditions: passive viewing, easy, and hard. Novel auditory probes were presented at random intervals during testing, and significant task-difficulty effects were observed in the P200, P300, and a late positive potential (LPP), supporting the efficacy of ERPs as a cognitive workload measure in HMI tasks. LPP amplitude distinguished DC from PRC in the hard condition with higher amplitude in PRC, consistent with lower cognitive workload in PRC relative to DC for complex movements. Participants completed trials faster in the easy condition using DC relative to PRC, but completed trials more slowly using DC relative to PRC in the hard condition. The results provide promising support for ERPs as an outcome measure for cognitive workload in HMI research such as prosthetics, exoskeletons, and other assistive devices, and can be used to evaluate and guide new technologies for more intuitive HMI control.
Thorium Determination in Glasses using Fission Track Technique

WE have applied the fission track technique to the determination of thorium in glasses. Neutron-induced fission occurs for thorium and uranium, the isotopes 232Th, 235U and 238U fissioning with fast neutrons, and 235U with thermal neutrons. Two irradiations are performed. The first irradiation is with predominantly thermal neutrons for determination of the uranium content (comparing to a standard and knowing the isotopic ratio of uranium) and the second irradiation is with predominantly fast neutrons which gives the uranium and thorium contents combined. The ‘track excess’ from the second irradiation, when the unknown is again compared to a uranium standard, is attributed to thorium fission.
Flat-Rate Taxes, Government Spending on Education, and Growth

Abstract We address three questions in this paper. First, what is the impact on growth of changes in flat-rate taxes when government spending on education affects private decisions to accumulate human capital? Second, are the growth effects negligible when we simultaneously change taxes and government spending on education? Third, what are the implications for time allocated to learning when we change taxes and spending? For an economy calibrated to the U.S. data along the lines of Lucas (R. E. Lucas, Jr.,Oxford Econ. Pap.42(1990), 293–316), we find that the growth effects of changes in capital income tax rates are negligible despite the distortionary government spending; simultaneous changes in taxes and spending on education have modest effects on growth; and the learning time is unresponsive to changes in taxes. While the first two results are consistent with the U.S. data, the third one is not: during the 20th century, the learning time has increased dramatically along with taxes.Journal of Economic LiteratureClassification Numbers: O10, E62.
Sensitivity analysis of object space geometry for TLS-aided navigation

In GPS-impeded environments, due to cumulative error characteristics of inertial sensors, a GPS/IMU system is unable to maintain high navigation accuracy during extended GPS outages. In particular, vegetated and urban environments present unique challenges in applications where high absolute and/or relative navigation accuracy is required. To remedy this deficiency, a method that integrates 3D laser ranging to deployable spherical targets with an inertial system to enable centimeter-level navigation accuracy of a mobile unit under heavy canopy is discussed here. This paper is focused on the requirements for geometry and spatial distribution of the spherical targets and their impact on the achievable navigation accuracy. The sensitivity analysis is performed based on simulations as well as the actual field test data.
Improved quantification of cellular cytotoxicity reactions: determination of kinetic parameters for natural cytotoxicity by a distribution-free procedure.

Abstract A distribution-free statistical procedure for estimating kinetic parameters for cellular cytotoxicity reactions is described. Estimates of cytotoxic activity obtained using this procedure are considerably more precise than percent cytotoxicity values, lytic unit values, and V max values determined by least-squares analysis of the same sets of experimental data. Application of this procedure to the study of natural cytotoxicity allows for precise quantitative comparisons of the lytic activity of different lymphocyte preparations for a given target cell line, of a single lymphocyte preparation for different target cell lines, or of a given lymphocyte and target cell combination under different experimental conditions. This procedure, which does not involve a more complex experimental protocol than other methods, should also allow for more accurate assessment of the relative cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes obtained from patient populations.
Total retrieval time and hypermnesia: Investigating the benefits of multiple recall tests

Hypermnesia is an increase in recall over repeated tests. A core issue is the role of repeated testing, per se, versus total retrieval time. Prior research implies an equivalence between multiple recall tests and a single test of equal total duration, but theoretical analyses indicate otherwise. Three experiments investigated this issue using various study materials (unrelated word lists, related word lists, and a short story). In the first experimental session, the study phase was followed by a series of short recall tests or by a single, long test of equal total duration. Two days later, participants took a final recall test. The multiple and single test conditions produced equivalent performance in the first session, but the multiple test group exhibited less forgetting and fewer item losses in the final test. In a fourth experiment, using a brief delay (15 min) between the recall sessions, the multiple recall condition produced greater hypermnesia as well as fewer item losses. In addition, final recall was significantly higher in the multiple than in the single test condition in three of the four experiments. Thus, single and repeated recall tests of equal total duration are not functionally equivalent, but rather produce differences observable in subsequent recall tests.
269 IMPAIRED PERFORMANCE AND “PARADOXICAL” HYPERACTIVITY DURING PHENOBARBITAL ADMINISTRATION TO DEVELOPING RAT PUPS WITH EXPERIMENTAL MINIMAL BRAIN DYSFUNCTION(MBD)

Top of pageAbstract Phenobarbital may produce significant behavioral alterations and cognitive deficits in children and impaired brain growth in developing animals. We have investigated the long term consequences of phenobarbital administration on activity levels and cognitive performance in normal developing rat pups and littermates receiving intracisternal injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) at 5 days of age. In normal rat pups, phenobarbital reduced activity levels at 26 days of age (p 0.05). Body weight was significantly reduced in 6-OHDA rat pups from day 8 but there were never significant differences between phenobarbital and control animals. Brain dopamine concentrations in 6-OHDA animals averaged 35.5% of littermate controls and did not differ between phenobarbital and control animals. These findings support the notion that phenobarbital administration may adversely affect activity and cognitive performance in the developing mammalian brain and suggest caution in the routine use of this agent.
Precomputing interactive dynamic deformable scenes

We present an approach for precomputing data-driven models of interactive physically based deformable scenes. The method permits real-time hardware synthesis of nonlinear deformation dynamics, including self-contact and global illumination effects, and supports real-time user interaction. We use data-driven tabulation of the system's deterministic state space dynamics, and model reduction to build efficient low-rank parameterizations of the deformed shapes. To support runtime interaction, we also tabulate impulse response functions for a palette of external excitations. Although our approach simulates particular systems under very particular interaction conditions, it has several advantages. First, parameterizing all possible scene deformations enables us to precompute novel reduced coparameterizations of global scene illumination for low-frequency lighting conditions. Second, because the deformation dynamics are precomputed and parameterized as a whole, collisions are resolved within the scene during precomputation so that runtime self-collision handling is implicit. Optionally, the data-driven models can be synthesized on programmable graphics hardware, leaving only the low-dimensional state space dynamics and appearance data models to be computed by the main CPU.
Nonionic surfactant sorption onto the bacterial cell surface: a multi-interaction isotherm.

The adsorption of linear polyoxyethylene (POE) alcohol surfactants of the form CxEy onto the surface of a Sphingomonas sp. has been examined. For this study, the alkyl chain length (x) was fixed at 12 and the POE chain length (y) was varied, with y = 4, 7, 9, 10, and 23 ethylene oxide units. Langmuirian isotherms were observed for C12E4 and C12E23, and more complex isotherms were observed for the three intermediate POE chain length surfactants, with C12E7 and C12E9 exhibiting strong S-shaped isotherms. All isotherms showed plateaus near the critical micelle concentration (CMC) with the plateau decreasing with increasing POE chain length. A simple multi-interaction isotherm is proposed that models the sorption isotherm as the sum of two interactions. The first interaction describes monolayer adsorption, whereas the second interaction describes lateral interactions between sorbed surfactant molecules and the formation of surface aggregates. Varying ratios of these two interactions as a function of POE chain...
An experimental C compiler for the Cray 2 computer

A language derived from C with the additional keywords 'cache' and 'vector' is described. The compiler, based on pcc, can compile itself. The post-processing optimizer exists. An example of generated code is discussed.
Concurrent features of cutaneous lupus erythematosus and pemphigus erythematosus following myasthenia gravis and thymoma

A case that exhibits the pathologic features of cutaneous lupus erythematosus and the immunopathologic characteristics of pemphigus erythematosus following myasthenia gravis and thymoma is presented, and the literature pertaining to these disease associations is reviewed. The findings in this case were analyzed with respect to the accepted diagnostic criteria for lupus erythematosus, pemphigus, and pemphigus erythematosus. The pathogenic mechanisms that lead to acantholysis in pemphigus are examined in an attempt to explain why acantholysis did not occur in this case.
How ‘Professional’ Are the Professions? A Review Article

Three unusual and exceptional recent works on the history of professions indicate the increasing sophisticated handling of an awkward subject. Undoubtedly the authors would, or in some instances, do disagree among themselves on emphases, categories, analytical methods, and evidence. However, their combined efforts, as well as recent work by others, add appreciably to our understanding of professional behavior in differing historical contexts and perhaps even clarify-excessive claims should be avoided-central issues in the sociology and historiography of the subject. The subject of professions is exceedingly complicated. There are far too many vocations by that designation, many national variations on common themes, and plentiful examples of professions that share only a few common traits. The subtopic of professional organization, an important part of the story, leads to the difficult problem of how to distinguish between leaders and rank and file. Gender and ethnic considerations add another level of complexity. The task of generalizing about social structures and systems can be defeating, and there is an additional special problem. The professions make, and have generally made, moral claims on our attention, and it is tempting to dismiss them. It is true that other segments of the occupational structure are known to employ altruistic language. Business executives, especially those in large-scale enterprises, prefer to speak publicly about contributions to the general good than about the simple calculus of profit. Organized labor admits that the betterment of workers in wages, working conditions, collective bargaining is its object, but labor leaders will also speak about justice, fairness or even democracy in the workplace. In other words, simple selfinterest, even where supported by the market rationale of liberal economists
WITS - a standard protocol for the water and environment industry

The PowerPoint presentation is about the selection of a standard protocol for the water and environment industry, namely, the Water Industry Telemetry Standards (WITS) group. A technical and economic evaluation of standard protocol options is described. It was concluded that DNP 3.0 will be adopted, that IEC61850 standards will be observed and monitored, and that the current opportunity for collective action will be exploited. (19 pages)
Cognitive Vulnerability to Depressive Symptoms in College Students: A Comparison of Traditional, Weakest-Link, and Flexibility Operationalizations

Cognitive vulnerability is a key construct in the hopelessness theory’s etiological chain (Abramson, Metalsky, and Alloy, 1989 Psychological Review,96, 358–372). Researchers have proposed three operationalizations of this cognitive vulnerability construct: traditional, weakest-link, and flexibility. A five-week longitudinal study was conducted to test whether the weakest-link and flexibility approaches exhibit incremental validity over the empirically supported traditional approach. Results showed that the weakest-link approach has extensive overlap with the traditional operationalization (correlation was .93), and does not exhibit incremental validity in a college sample. In contrast, the flexibility approach appears to represent a unique vulnerability construct. However, the flexibility construct did not account for unique variance in the prediction of depressive symptoms beyond that explained by the traditional operationalization. The implications of the results for conceptualizing and operationalizing cognitive vulnerability are discussed.
Some quantitative aspects of shock therapy in psychoses

A quantitative analysis of the immediate results of insulin and electric shock therapy given a series of patients with schizophrenic reactions leads to a definition of minimum standards of adequacy of treatment and suggests that the immediate outcome in adequately treated patients depends on the duration of the illness. The experimental results are rationalized by a formal theory which postulates a slow development of the illness, improvement to some extent after each treatment, and a slow relapse.
AN INDIRECT APPROACH TO THE EVALUATION OF PRODUCER PERFORMANCE

In this paper we suggest a somewhat new analytical approach to producer performance evaluation. The suggested approach is ‘somewhat’ new in that it synthesizes existing analytical techniques from three areas, and uses them to look at performance evaluation in a new way. The approach is particularly relevant to public sector or service sector contexts in which the performance of alternative providers of a public service is to be evaluated. In these contexts any of the following conditions may hold: (1) the standard profit maximizing, cost minimizing or revenue maximizing paradigms are inappropriate; (2) prices of some services being provided, or of some resources being consumed, are either nonexistent or unobserved; (3) observed prices are not exogenous, due to monopoly or monopsony power. Examples abound. It is frequently argued that the provision of medical, legal, educational, transportation, employment and many other services, by public or private agencies, is driven by goals other than the maximization of profit. Moreover these and many other services, such as police and fire protection, do not always have market prices with which to value them. In addition, the lack of competition in the provision of many such services, and thus in the employment of specialized resources used in their provision, makes it dangerous to use existing but distorted market prices to compare the performance of providers on the basis of revenue or cost, much less profit.
Characterization of Structural and Surface Properties of Nanocrystalline TiO2−CeO2 Mixed Oxides by XRD, XPS, TPR, and TPD

This work focuses on characterizing the structural and surface properties of TiXCe1-XO2 (TiO2−CeO2) mixed oxides using XRD, XPS, BET, H2-TPR, and NH3-TPD techniques. The TiXCe1-XO2 mixed oxides synthesized by the urea coprecipitation method showed unimodal nanoporous structure with pore sizes increasing from 3.7 nm for X = 0.9 to 5.3 nm for X = 0.1. Concomitant with their higher surface area and pore volume, the mixed oxides were nanocrystalline, about 4.0 nm in crystallite size when X = 0.9, and 4.8−5.4 nm when X = 0.1− 0.3, which are significantly smaller than TiO2 and CeO2 single oxides prepared by the same method (8.1 to 8.4 nm). A dominant anatase phase was detected by XRD when X was 0.9 or higher while a cubic fluorite phase was dominant when X was 0.3 or lower. Lattice parameters were changed by incorporating Ce into TiO2, and Ti into CeO2, respectively. This change indicates distortion of structure and was attributed to reduction of Ti4+ to Ti3+, and Ce4+ to Ce3+. XPS (Ce 3d, Ti 2p, O 1s) and H2-T...
Thermodynamics of High Temperature Plasmas

In this work we discuss how and to what extent the thermodynamic concepts and the thermodynamic formalism can be extended to the description of high temperature states of the plasma not necessarily associated with a Boltzmann distribution and with thermal equilibrium.The discussion is based on the “magnetic or electrostatic entropy concept”, an interpretative and predictive tool based on probability and information, defined in a suitably coarse-grained possibility space of all current density or of all electric charge density distributions under testable constraints, and whose variation properties are proven to be related under certain conditions to the equilibrium and the stability of the system. In the case of magnetic equilibrium the potentiality of the magnetic entropy concept is illustrated by comparing the predictions of the current density and pressure profiles with the observations in different tokamak machines and different tokamak regimes, as well as by showing how the equilibrium and the stability in devices as different as the reversed field pinch or the magnetic well are described by the variation properties of the same entropy functional applied to the different situations. In fact it emerges that the maximum of the entropy can be seen in these different cases as an optimization constraint for the minimum of the magnetic energy. The application of the entropy concept to the electrostatic processes shows in particular that the so-called reactive instabilities (non-dissipative, non-resonant instabilities with a marginal point) admit a neighboring state with higher entropy and are therefore of special relevance from the point of view of the physical evolution of the system. In this case the thermodynamic formalism allows the introduction of the concept of “thermodynamic fluctuations” of the macroscopic charge density and provides a method for the calculation of the “thermodynamic” fluctuation levels both on the stable as well as on the linearly unstable side of the marginal point. The paper discusses the relation between the variations of the entropy functional defined on statistical grounds and the motion of the underlying system of particles. It is found that the vanishing of the first variation of the entropy is connected, under certain assumptions, with the Hamilton’s principle, while the second variation is not directly related to the dynamics but is an expression of the fact that the entropy is a predictive tool based on probability and information.
Abstract 5068: Differential regulation of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1) expression in primary stromal fibroblast cells by androgen sensitive and resistant prostate cancer cells.

Background: The tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) regulates matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) activities and is involved in cancer invasion and metastasis. TIMP-1 level is significantly elevated in prostate cancer patient blood and the elevated plasma TIMP-1 level predicts decreased survival of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. Methods and findings: In this study, we examined serum TIMP-1 levels in 114 prostate cancer patient samples by ELISA and found mCRPC patients have significantly higher serum TIMP-1 (mean value of 373.5 ng/ml) than patients with recurrent hormone-sensitive disease (mean value of 304.8 ng/ml) (p Conclusion: Our studies have demonstrated that androgen resistance is associated with TIMP-1 overproduction in prostate cancer and suggested that we can potentially inhibit TIMP-1 overexpression in prostate cancer patients with MEK and NF-kB inhibitors. Citation Format: Yixuan Gong, Lan He, Matthew Galsky, William Oh. Differential regulation of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP-1) expression in primary stromal fibroblast cells by androgen sensitive and resistant prostate cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5068. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-5068 Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 because the presenter was unable to attend.
Economic burden and co‐morbidities of atrial fibrillation in a privately insured population

Objective: This study assesses the direct (medical and drugs) and indirect (work loss) annual costs associated with Atrial Fibrillation (AFIB) in a privately insured population.Background: AFIB is ...
Differences in Atmospheric Persistent Organic Pollutant Concentrations at Two Locations in Chicago

For years, the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) at Chicago has served as the only urban sampling site for the Integrated Atmospheric Deposition Network. Atmospheric concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in the vapor phase have been measured at this site every 12 days since 1993. These data have been used as representative urban regional concentrations, but these measurements may not be characteristic of the entire urban region. Thus, a second site at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), which is closer to the downtown area than the IIT site, was operated from February through October 2002 to evaluate the possible urban source-influenced concentrations of these compounds. The average PCB concentrations at UIC are higher than that at IIT by a factor of ∼2; the PCB concentrations range from 670–4,600 pg/m3 at UIC and 310–3,000 pg/m3 at IIT. The pesticide and PAH concentrations at these two sites are in general agreement except for higher aldrin concentrations in some samples at IIT.
A direct radioimmunoassay of corticosterone in rat serum.

A direct radioimmunoassay of cortico-sterone is described requiring as little as 1–2 μl of rat serum. After methanol inactivation of CBG, serum was assayed with a relatively specific antibody raised against corticosterone-21-hemisuccinate. While this antibody has a significant cross-reaction with cortisol, prior purification is not necessary since cortisol is not produced in the rat (Endocrinology 96: 796, 1975)
Resonances in 36Ar via the 24Mg(12C, α)32S reaction

Abstract Measurements of the 24Mg(12C, α)32S reaction at θlab = 5° between Elab = 27.5 and 35.5 MeV show resonance structure in the excitation functions for the ground and first excited states. Ground state angular distributions at five incident energies can be fit by P2J (cos θ) functions with J-values ranging from 10 to 14, which are consistent with the entrance channel grazing angular momenta. The data are discussed within the contexts of (1) Ericson fluctuations and (2) a rotational-like band of resonances.
Considerations in the use of RF Transformer Ferrites

The results of an investigation into the effect of numerous ferrite core materials and sizes on the performance of push-pull RF amplifier circuitry is presented. Power gain, return losses, power gain stability with temperature, power output capability and core temperature under RF overload conditions are examined as a function of various core characteristics.