cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On Bayesian image reconstruction from projections: uniform and nonuniform a priori source information

A method that incorporates a priori uniform or nonuniform source distribution probabilistic information and data fluctuations of a Poisson nature is presented. The source distributions are modeled in terms of a priori source probability density functions. Maximum a posteriori probability solutions, as determined by a system of equations, are given. Interactive Bayesian imaging algorithms for the solutions are derived using an expectation maximization technique. Comparisons of the a priori uniform and nonuniform Bayesian algorithms to the maximum-likelihood algorithm are carried out using computer-generated noise-free and Poisson randomized projections. Improvement in image reconstruction from projections with the Bayesian algorithm is demonstrated. Superior results are obtained using the a priori nonuniform source distribution. >
Risk behaviour and optimum advertising with a stochastic dynamic sales response

A stochastic (diffusion) sales response model to advertising is postulated. Optimum advertising policies are then found by solving a stochastic control problem with reflecting boundaries. Analytical results are obtained and interpreted to yield insights regarding a firm's risk behaviour and its optimal advertising policy.
Model observers for signal-known-statistically tasks (SKS)

Model observers have been successfully applied to predict human visual detection performance for tasks in which the signal is known a priori and does not vary from trial to trial (signal known exactly task). Although well understood, the signal known exactly task does not reflect aspects of real-life tasks where the signal might vary and the observer does not have full knowledge of the signal parameters. In this paper, we investigate performance in two tasks: a signal known to observers but with variable size and shape and compare it to a task where the signal is variable and not known to the observer (signal known statistically). The tasks are investigated in the context of 2-component noise (power law and white noise). We present a number of candidate multitemplate models for signal known statistically tasks that are natural extensions of the signal known exactly existing models. Human observer results show that although human performance in the signal known exactly but variable is in general better than the signal known exactly task, the differences in performance are not large and smaller than that of the ideal observer and other suboptimal models (e.g. non-prewhitening matched filter with an eye filter). For the ranges of size and shape uncertainty studied in this paper, our results suggest that the signal known exactly but variable task could be used as a first approximation to performance in the signal known statistically tasks. Therefore, the computationally simpler signal known exactly but variable task might be used in these circumstances as a figure of merit to evaluate and optimize performance in the more realistic signal known statistically tasks.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Teacher Quality and Attrition.

Abstract The argument that instructors with marketable skills are likely to exit the teaching profession leads many to believe that public schools are populated by teachers of mediocre talent. Yet, teachers with skills attractive to non-education employment may not be the best individuals in the classroom. A two-stage regression technique first estimates a teacher's impact on their students conditional upon prior academic achievement and then uses this quality measure to explain teacher attrition. This paper finds that higher-quality female teachers are less likely to leave the profession. Teacher quality does not impact attrition of male teachers.
Multiple location SAR/ISAR image fusion for enhanced characterization of targets

The main focus of this paper is the development of fusion strategies for multiple location synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images. The techniques being developed are to be used in conjunction with super-resolution and target identification strategies for non-cooperative target recognition (NCTR). Multiple location processing has the ability to provide improved image quality as well as target detection and classification capabilities since the different aspects or "looks" can provide additional clues about the shape, dimensions, and special features of a target. Many traditional SAR/ISAR processing techniques seek to maximize the instantaneous SNR for a signal in the presence of additive noise. Unfortunately, these techniques do not directly address the recreation of an image with minimum mean squared error between the reconstructed SAR image and the reflectivity map of the actual scene. This paper examines techniques capable of improving the probability of object detection within an image generated via spatial fusion. The strategies focus on image level fusion of the SAR/ISAR data. Canonical SAR/ISAR data is used to validate and compare the fusion results. Preliminary results using DARPA's MSTAR database are also presented.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Automated generation of monitors for pattern contracts

While the informal style used to describe design patterns has proven valuable, it is also imprecise. To ensure that patterns are applied correctly, we must also have precise pattern characterizations, and tools for determining whether the appropriate implementation requirements are satisfied. To address this problem, we first present a specification language that captures pattern requirements precisely, as well as the ways in which patterns are specialized for use. Second, we present a tool that generates a set of aspect-oriented monitors for a system based on the specifications of the patterns used in its design. The generated aspects are used to monitor the system at runtime to determine whether the appropriate implementation requirements are satisfied.
Mercury accumulation in caged Corbicula : rate of uptake and seasonal variation

The uptake and seasonal fluctuations of total mercury were followed in caged and uncaged Asiatic clams, Corbicula fluminea, over a 1-year period in South River, Virginia. Mercury was rapidly accumulated in clams transplanted from a nominally uncontaminated site into cages on the contaminated South River, reaching 0.99 μg g − 1 dry mass within the first month. Resident clams moved to cages had higher mercury contents after the first month (2.04 μg g − 1 dry mass) and at all subsequent times in the study. Large monthly fluctuations in mercury were noted for both resident caged and transplant caged clams with a notable peak occurring in early spring (4.31 μg g − 1 dry mass in resident caged clams). Tissue mass of caged clams steadily increased through the winter and early spring. Adjustment of mercury concentrations for tissue mass changes indicated that the changes in mercury contents were primarily due to uptake/release rather than changes in tissue mass (concentration/dilution). The present study demonstrates the utility of using caged Corbicula as mercury biomonitors and illustrates the importance of accounting for large, short-term changes of mercury content in Corbicula when designing long-term biomonitoring studies.
Advance Letters as a Means of Improving Respondent Cooperation in Random Digit Dial Studies A Multistate Experiment

Advance letters can potentially reduce the degree of nonresponse in random digit dial (RDD) surveys; however, they can also have a heterogeneous impact on subgroups, disproportionately raising participation rates among certain segments of the population and thereby having a detrimental effect on nonresponse bias. This is, in part, because advance letters can only be used in RDD surveys with the subset of respondents for whom an address can be identified. It may also be related to who in a household sees the letter. We assess whether the use of advance letters can improve the level of participation in the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) without introducing other potential data biases. The data reported here corroborate previous findings, in terms of the positive impact that advance letters can have on overall response rates (approximately a 6-percentage-point gain). Moreover, the advance letters were cost-efficient in that the cost of obtaining a fixed number of completed surveys using advance letters was lower than the cost without letters. However, the positive impact of the advance letter on reducing nonresponse may have been offset to some extent in that the advance letter may have biased the sample of those who completed the interview toward older, white respondents and those of higher socioeconomic status, and away from younger, nonwhite individuals and persons with lower education and income levels. This latter group was underrepresented in the final sample and also less like to remember having received a letter.
The fate of unrepaired minor technical defects detected by intraoperative ultrasonography during carotid endarterectomy

This report describes the natural history of unrepaired minor technical defects detected by intraoperative B-mode ultrasonography during carotid endarterectomy. Intraoperative ultrasonography was used to assess the technical adequacy of 80 carotid endarterectomies. Sixty-two arteries were normal on intraoperative ultrasound examination, whereas the remaining 18 arteries had a total of 21 minor residual technical defects. The 21 minor defects consisted of four internal carotid artery lesions, nine common carotid artery lesions, and eight external carotid artery lesions, 19 had 1 to 3 mm intimal flaps, and two had small stenoses. Sixteen of the 19 intimal flaps resolved before the first postoperative ultrasound study. These arteries had normal examination results, which indicated that these intimal flaps had healed. The two stenoses detected intraoperatively could not be detected by postoperative carotid duplex scanning at 1 month follow-up. No statistically significant relationship was found between the presence of a minor residual defect on intraoperative ultrasonography and the subsequent development of recurrent stenosis or occlusion in any of the arteries assessed. These data suggest that certain minor technical defects in the carotid artery that were detected by intraoperative ultrasonography are benign and may not require repeat exploration of the carotid artery for repair.
Kinetics of the reactions of naphthalene, 2‐methylnaphthalene, and 2,3‐dimethylnaphthalene with OH radicals and with O3 at 295 ± 1 K

The kinetics of the gas-phase reactions of naphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, and 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene with O3 and with OH radicals have been studied at 295 ± 1 K in one atmosphere of air. Upper limit rate constants for the O3 reactions of <3 × 10−19, <4 × 10−19, and <4 × 10−19 cm3 molecule−1 s−1 were obtained for naphthalene, 2-methylnaphthalene, and 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene, respectively. For the OH radical reactions, rate constants of (in units of 10−11 cm3 molecule−1 s−1) 2.59 ± 0.24, 5.23 ± 0.42, and 7.68 ± 0.48 were determined for naphthalene, 2±methylnaphthalene, and 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene, respectively. These data show that under atmospheric conditions these naphthalenes will react mainly with the OH radical, with life-times due to this reaction ranging from ca. 11 h for naphthalene to ca. 4 h for 2,3-dimethylnaphthalene.
What are ``all the colors of the rainbow''?

Both folklore and theory imply that naturally occurring rainbows display a wide range of nearly pure colors. However, digital image analysis of color slides shows that the natural rainbow's colors are not especially pure and that the bow's background causes much of this desaturation.
ANALYSIS OF NO-DIFFERENCE FINDINGS IN EVALUATION RESEARCH

Conclusions of no difference are becoming increasingly important in evaluation research. We delineate three major uses of no-difference findings and analyze their meanings. (1) No-difference findings in randomized experiments can be interpreted as support for conclusions of the absence of a meaningful treatment effect, but only if the proper analytic methods are used. (2) Statistically based conclusions in quasi-experiments do not allow causal statements about the treatment impact but do provide a metric to judge the size of the resulting difference. (3) Using no-difference findings to conclude equivalence on control variables is inefficient and potentially misleading. The final section of the article presents alternative methods by which conclusions of no difference may be supported when applicable. These methods include the use of arbitrarily high alpha levels, interval estimation, and power analysis.
Affective consciousness in animals: perspectives on dimensional and primary process emotion approaches.

Behaviourists have long neglected experiential states in animals because of inadequate experimental approaches. As [Tinbergen (1951)][1] highlighted in his classic Study of Instinct (1951, p. 4): ‘Because subjective phenomena cannot be observed objectively in animals, it is idle to claim or deny
Efficient Transfer of a Tumor Antigen-Reactive TCR to Human Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes Confers Anti-Tumor Reactivity

The tumor-associated-Ag MART-1 is expressed by most human melanomas. The genes encoding an αβ TCR from a MART-1-specific, HLA-A2-restricted, human T cell clone have been efficiently transferred and expressed in human PBL. These retrovirally transduced PBL cultures were MART-1 peptide reactive, and most cultures recognized HLA-A2 + melanoma lines. Limiting dilution clones were generated from three bulk transduced PBL cultures to investigate the function of individual clones within the transduced cultures. Twenty-nine of 29 CD8 + clones specifically secreted IFN-γ in response to T2 cells pulsed with MART-1 (27–35) peptide, and 23 of 29 specifically secreted IFN-γ in response to HLA-A2 + melanoma lines. Additionally, 23 of 29 CD8 + clones lysed T2 cells pulsed with the MART-1 (27–35) peptide and 15 of 29 lysed the HLA-A2 + melanoma line 888. CD4 + clones specifically secreted IFN-γ in response to T2 cells pulsed with the MART-1 (27–35) peptide. TCR gene transfer to patient PBL can produce CTL with anti-tumor reactivity in vitro and could potentially offer a treatment for patients with metastatic melanoma. This approach could also be applied to the treatment of other tumors and viral infections. Additionally, TCR gene transfer offers unique opportunities to study the fate of adoptively transferred T cells in vivo.
The accessibility of substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States for persons with disabilities

This study assessed the accessibility of a nationally representative sample of substance abuse treatment facilities in the United States for persons with disabilities (PWDs). A stratified random sample of 159 substance abuse treatment facilities in 40 states completed a survey regarding physical accessibility and the provision of services that could enhance the ability to serve individuals with disabilities. Most responding facilities self-reported a variety of barriers to physical accessibility, as well as the lack of services and physical accommodations for persons with sensory limitations. Such widespread inaccessibility may be a factor that promotes the low representation of PWDs in the treatment population.
Compact slot-based chipless RFID tag

We present a fully printable, planar, orientation independent, single layer, chipless RFID tag. The tag consists of a circular patch with multiple discretized circular slot resonators nested in it. This design reduces the total size of the tag since the discrete circular slot resonators resonate at a lower frequency than perfect circular resonators for the same diameter. Reader's complexity is reduced as the tag is polarization independent, improving the tags readability from different angles with respect to the reader antenna. Its single layer characteristics make this tag a potential candidate for conductive ink printing. The frequency band is within 6 to 14 GHz.
Concurrent binding and modifications of AUF1 and HuR mediate the pH-responsive stabilization of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase mRNA in kidney cells

Onset of metabolic acidosis leads to a pronounced increase in renal expression of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK). This response, which is mediated in part by stabilization of PEPCK mRNA,...
Use of meconium in perinatal epidemiology: potential benefits and pitfalls.

Abstract Purpose Meconium is a biomarker matrix that can be used to assess cumulative exposures in epidemiologic studies of prenatal risk factors. Depending on when meconium is collected, different exposure windows during pregnancy can be measured. However, little guidance exists regarding the extent to which timing of meconium collection will influence resulting effect estimates. Methods We performed a simulation study of prenatal tobacco smoke exposure (assessed from meconium nicotine) and birth weight. We discuss four typical meconium collection methods capturing different exposure windows and assess the biases induced by these methods. Results In simulations assuming that exposure to tobacco smoke only during late gestation was of etiologic relevance to birth weight, use of a meconium collection method that captured exposure windows other than late gestation resulted in biased estimates of the true nicotine–birth weight association. Conclusions Using meconium collection methods that do not reflect an exposure window of etiologic relevance can lead to biased results and erroneous conclusions regarding the nature of prenatal exposure–outcome associations. Understanding how prenatal exposure patterns vary across the pregnancy and exposure windows of etiologic relevance is essential in determining when and how to collect meconium for use in biomarker studies of prenatal exposure.
Moving Objects Detection and Segmentation In Dynamic Video Backgrounds

Moving objects often contain the most important information in surveillance videos. The detection and segmentation of moving objects are the basis for object recognition and intrusion analysis. Gaussian mixture model (GMM) is an effective way to extract moving objects from a video background. However, the conventional mixture Gaussian method suffers from false motion detection in complex backgrounds and slow convergence. A novel approach, which integrates an adaptive Gaussian mixture model with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier, is proposed to detect and segment moving objects in dynamic backgrounds for video surveillance. Each pixel in an image sequence is sorted as a background pixel or a foreground pixel by applying mixture Gaussian method. A block-based SVM classifier is further employed to check each foreground pixel, and it classifies the foreground pixel as a motion pixel or a non-motion pixel. All motion pixels are grouped into moving objects. By utilizing both spatial and temporal information, this integrated method is robust to complex environments. Experimental results show this approach significantly decreases the false motion detection and improves segmentation quality of moving objects.
Coding of Naturalistic Stimuli by Auditory Midbrain Neurons

It is known that humans can make finer discriminations between familiar sounds (e.g. syllables) than between unfamiliar ones (e.g. different noise segments). Here we show that a corresponding enhancement is present in early auditory processing stages. Based on previous work which demonstrated that natural sounds had robust statistical properties that could be quantified, we hypothesize that the auditory system exploits those properties to construct efficient neural codes. To test this hypothesis, we measure the information rate carried by auditory spike trains on narrow-band stimuli whose amplitude modulation has naturalistic characteristics, and compare it to the information rate on stimuli with nonnaturalistic modulation. We find that naturalistic inputs significantly enhance the rate of transmitted information, indicating that auditiory neural responses are matched to characteristics of natural auditory scenes.
Delay constrained multiuser scheduling schemes based on upper-layer performance

Different from conventional multiuser scheduling schemes targeting on optimizing the physical layer performance criteria such as Shannon capacity and error probability, in this paper we propose a family of new scheduling methods that take the packet throughput in upper-layer protocols into considerations. This new performance metric appears to be an elegant combination of spectral efficiency and channel reliability, which are two usually competitive performance indicators for practical transmitters and receivers. Our results show that regarding the packet throughput, the proposed schedulers may result in great performance advantage over conventional schemes, especially at low to intermediate SNR. Furthermore, the amount of system delay for each user is investigated together with packet throughput for scheduling algorithm designs. A novel scheduler, considering both system performance and user delays, is then proposed, and the corresponding delay-throughput tradeoff curve is drawn, which actually provides a useful and flexible platform to evaluate any scheduling schemes, if both factors are under concern
Unusual Life Style of Giant Chlorella Viruses

▪ Abstract Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus (PBCV-1) is the prototype of a family of large, icosahedral, plaque-forming, dsDNA viruses that replicate in certain unicellular, eukaryotic chlorella-like green algae. Its 330-kb genome contains ∼373 protein-encoding genes and 11 tRNA genes. The predicted gene products of ∼50% of these genes resemble proteins of known function, including many that are unexpected for a virus, e.g., ornithine decarboxylase, hyaluronan synthase, GDP-D-mannose 4,6 dehydratase, and a potassium ion channel protein. In addition to their large genome size, the chlorella viruses have other features that distinguish them from most viruses. These features include: (a) The viruses encode multiple DNA methyltransferases and DNA site-specific endonucleases. (b) The viruses encode at least some, if not all, of the enzymes required to glycosylate their proteins. (c) PBCV-1 has at least three types of introns, a self-splicing intron in a transcription factor-like gene, a spliceosomal process...
Synthetic image generation of chemical plumes for hyperspectral applications

Remote sensing of factory stack plumes may provide unique information on the constituents of the plume. Potential information on the chemical composition of the factory products may be gathered from ther- mal emission/absorption in the infrared. We have developed a new model for generating synthetic images of plumes as viewed from a hy- perspectral sensor using DIRSIG, a radiometrically based ray-tracing code. Existing plume models that describe the characteristics of the plume (constituents, concentration, and temperature) are used for input into DIRSIG. Ray-tracing is done for the scene that accounts for radi- ance from the plume, atmosphere and background, as well as any trans- missive effects. Observations are made on the interaction between the plume and its background and possible effects for remote sensing. Im- ages of gas plumes using a hyperspectral sensor are illustrated. Several sensitivity studies are done to demonstrate the effects of changes in plume characteristics on the resulting image. Inverse algorithms that de- termine the plume effluent concentration are tested on the plume im- ages. A validation is done on the gas plume model using experimental data collected on a SF6 plume. Results show the integrated plume model to be in good agreement with the actual data from five to one hundred meters from the stack exit. The validity and limitations of these models are discussed as a result of these tests. © 2000 Society of Photo-Optical Instru- mentation Engineers. (S0091-3286(00)01804-3)
Effect of Sugar Esters on the Textural Properties of Nonfat Low Calorie Yogurt

Abstract The influence of sugar esters (.05%) of various hydrophilic-lipophilic balances on the textural properties of nonfat low calorie yogurts was assessed over 14-d storage at 4°C. Aspartame was used (200 ppm) to sweeten a skim milk-based yogurt that was stabilized with starch (.5%). The total solids content was 12.68% by weight. Sugar esters improved the overall quality of the yogurt. Yogurts with sugar esters, mainly the stearates with a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance range of 5 to 9, had better body, texture, and mouthfeel compared with yogurts without sugar esters, which were rated as coarse and grainy. The nonfat low calorie yogurts sweetened with aspartame had 101.4 (i.e., 50%) fewer calories per 226.8-g (8-oz) serving than regular yogurt containing 3.25% fat and 4% sucrose.
Variables associated with the platelet count 6 weeks after autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation.

Variables associated with the platelet count 6 weeks after autologous peripheral blood progenitor cell transplantation
Remembering Visual Motion: Neural Correlates of Associative Plasticity and Motion Recall in Cortical Area MT

SUMMARY The pictorial content of visual memories recalled by association is embodied by neuronal activity at the highest processing stages of primate visual cortex. This activity is elicited by top-down signals from the frontal lobe and recapitulates the bottom-up pattern normally obtained by the recalled stimulus. To explore the generality and mechanisms of this phenomenon, we recorded motion-sensitive neurons at an early stage of cortical processing. After monkeys learned to associate directions of motion with static shapes, these neurons exhibited unprecedented selectivity for the shapes. This emergent shape selectivity reflects activation of neurons representing the motion stimuli recalled by association, and it suggests that recall-related activity may be a general feature of neurons in visual cortex.
Cartagena Protocol: A New Trade Barrier?

Delineating the implementation details of the 2003 Cartagena Biosafety Protocol for living modified organisms involves weighing risks, costs, benefits, and politics - a difficult balancing act. Intrinsic market and technical complexities in the global agricultural commodity system raise the spectacle of significant disruptions and compliance costs. Moreover, there has been little tangible evidence of any actual risks associated with such organisms currently on the market. Thus, there is a high option value in adopting a "wait and see" approach.
Adversarial classification

Essentially all data mining algorithms assume that the data-generating process is independent of the data miner's activities. However, in many domains, including spam detection, intrusion detection, fraud detection, surveillance and counter-terrorism, this is far from the case: the data is actively manipulated by an adversary seeking to make the classifier produce false negatives. In these domains, the performance of a classifier can degrade rapidly after it is deployed, as the adversary learns to defeat it. Currently the only solution to this is repeated, manual, ad hoc reconstruction of the classifier. In this paper we develop a formal framework and algorithms for this problem. We view classification as a game between the classifier and the adversary, and produce a classifier that is optimal given the adversary's optimal strategy. Experiments in a spam detection domain show that this approach can greatly outperform a classifier learned in the standard way, and (within the parameters of the problem) automatically adapt the classifier to the adversary's evolving manipulations.
Adaptive Context-sensitive Analysis for JavaScript

Context sensitivity is a technique to improve program analysis precision by distinguishing between function calls. A specific context-sensitive analysis is usually designed to accommodate the programming paradigm of a particular programming language. JavaScript features both the object-oriented and functional programming paradigms. Our empirical study suggests that there is no single context-sensitive analysis that always produces precise results for JavaScript applications. This observation motivated us to design an adaptive analysis, selecting a context-sensitive analysis from multiple choices for each function. Our two-staged adaptive context-sensitive analysis first extracts function characteristics from an inexpensive points-to analysis and then chooses a specialized context-sensitive analysis per function based on the heuristics. The experimental results show that our adaptive analysis achieved more precise results than any single context-sensitive analysis for several JavaScript programs in the benchmarks.
Vegetable protein intake is associated with lower gallbladder disease risk: Findings from the Women's Health Initiative prospective cohort.

Abstract Objective This study aimed to measure associations between gallbladder disease and protein intake patterns, separated by quantity and type (vegetable vs. animal), among postmenopausal women. Methods Analyses were based on 130,859 postmenopausal women enrolled from 1993 to 1998 at 40 U.S. clinical centers in the Women's Health Initiative clinical trials and observational study. Women were excluded if they reported a history of gallbladder disease prior to baseline. Cox proportional hazards regression models, adjusted for gallbladder disease risk factors, were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for associations between energy-adjusted protein intake and gallbladder disease. Results In this study sample, 8.1% of postmenopausal women self-reported incident gallbladder disease. In multivariate analysis, women in the highest quintile of energy-adjusted vegetable protein intake (> 24.0 g/d) had a lower risk of gallbladder disease (HR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.81–0.93) as compared to women in the lowest quintile ( Conclusions Vegetable protein intake is inversely associated with gallbladder disease risk in our sample of postmenopausal women. In addition to weight management, healthcare providers could emphasize vegetable protein as an additional dietary modality to promote lower risk for gallbladder disease.
Low- and High-Field Galvanomagnetic Properties of p-Type Bi 2 Te 3

Nine of the twelve low-field galvanomagnetic coefficients of a $p$-type sample of ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$ ${\mathrm{Te}}_{3}$ having a carrier concentration of 6.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{18}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ were measured at 4.2, 77, and 300\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K. These results are combined with the Fermi-surface effective-mass tensor $\ensuremath{\alpha}$ obtained previously by de Haas-van Alphen experiments on the same sample to yield the relaxation time $\ensuremath{\tau}$ and its anisotropy. Reasonable success is obtained with the assumption of a single populated set of valence-band ellipsoids and a tensor form of $\ensuremath{\tau}$. It is shown that either the tensor $\ensuremath{\tau}$ or the product $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\tau}$ for an ellipsoid is nonsymmetrical although $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\tau}$ for the crystal, as required by reciprocity, is symmetrical. Hall coefficients and longitudinal and transverse magnetoresistances for several orientations were also measured at 4.2 and 77\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in fields up to 160 kG. High-field saturation values of the longitudinal magnetoresistance were in reasonably good agreement with the results predicted from the mass and low-field-relaxation-time anisotropies. The saturation of the high-field Hall coefficient under both classical ($\frac{\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{c}}{\mathrm{kT}}$) and quantum-mechanical ($\ensuremath{\hbar}{\ensuremath{\omega}}_{c}g\mathrm{kT}$) conditions also agrees with the low-field findings and indicates, further, the absence of carriers from a second populated valence band for this sample.
Strings of Strongly Composite Integers and Invisible Lattice Points

Many of us are familiar with the result that there are arbitrarily large gaps between successive primes. The proof runs as follows: For any positive integer w, consider the sequence of n consecutive numbers (? + 1)! + 2, (n 41)! 43,..., (n 4 1)! 4 (n 4-1). Since j\(n 4 1)! 4y for each j = 2,..., n 4 1, we have constructed a string of n composite numbers. But is this sequence the best one we can construct? In our sequence above, some of the numbers may be just barely composite, i.e., a product of two distinct primes or the square of a prime. Also, the construction does not preclude the possibility of another string of n composites made up of smaller positive integers. Recently I discovered a construction that generates arbitrarily long strings of strongly composite numbers; that is, each number has at least a prescribed number of prime divisors. Furthermore, if the primes are specified, the method ensures that the numbers generated are as small as possible. Let us state the result formally:
Outcomes of sympathectomy and vascular bypass for digital ischaemia in connective tissue disorders

All patients (36 hands) with connective tissue disorders who underwent periarterial sympathectomy of the hand alone or in conjunction with vascular bypass at our institution between 1995–2013 were reviewed. The durable resolution of ulcers was significantly higher in patients treated by periarterial sympathectomy and bypass than in patients treated by periarterial sympathectomy alone. Although there were more digital amputations in patients treated by periarterial sympathectomy alone, the difference was not statistically significant. Vascular bypass in conjunction with sympathectomy may be better than sympathectomy alone in patients with digital ischaemia related to connective tissue disorders.Level of evidence: IV
Sonographic Appearance of the Median Nerve Following Revision Carpal Tunnel Surgery

The main objective of this pictorial essay is to illustrate the sonographic appearance of the postoperative carpal tunnel and median nerve. Carpal tunnel surgical treatment failures have been shown to occur in up to 19% of a large series requiring re-exploration. Surgical management options for recurrent carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) include revision release, neurolysis, vein wrapping, and fat grafting procedures. While several descriptions of median nerve entrapment in CTS exist in the ultrasound literature, little is written regarding its postoperative appearance. We report the sonographic changes in the appearance of the median nerve and postoperative carpal tunnel.
Lipoprotein lipase activity in the bovine corpus luteum during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy

Lipolytic activity measured at pH 8.6 in bovine corpora lutea exhibited classical properties of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in terms of serum and heparin stimulation and NaCl inhibition. LPL activity was measured in 23 corpora lutea collected at different stages of the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. The LPL activity in cyclic corpora lutea (mumole FA released/hr/100 mg acetone powder) was low at Days 4-8 of the estrous cycle (3.1 +/- 1.5: mean +/- SE) and at Days 19-20 (1.6 +/- 0.6). However, high activity of the enzyme was found at Days 12-15 of the cycle (11.8 +/- 1.8); these concentrations were significantly (P less than 0.01) elevated over those found at Days 4-8 and 19-20. The enzyme activity began to decline at Days 16-18 of the estrous cycle (5.1 +/- 1.7). Low enzyme activity was found in the corpora lutea removed from two cows at Day 22 of pregnancy. Progesterone concentrations were measured in 16 of the 23 corpora lutea and a good correlation (r = 0.75, P less than 0.01) was found between lipoprotein lipase and progesterone concentrations of the tissue. The data suggest that LPL may be involved in controlling the transfer of fatty acids, including arachidonic, from plasma lipoproteins to luteal tissue.
Etiological analysis on a Vibrio cholerae strain of Inaba serotype isolated fiestly from environmental water in Hangzhou

To survey the presence of Vibrio cholearae in the environmental water in Hangzhou,75 water samples taken from the Great Canal near Hangzhou during May to September in 2006 to isolate and identify V. cholerae based on the National Standard method,and the virulence genes ctxA and tcpA of V.cholerae isolates were detected by PCR. The susceptibility of the V. cholerae isolates to 14 commonly used antibiotics was determined by KB paper disc method. It was found that,from 75 water sample taken from the Great Canal near Hangzhou,a strain of V .cholerae(No 06-19)was proved to be V. cholerae Inaba serogroup O1. The phage-biotype of this strain belonged to 6K,referring to the non-spidemic strain and the detection of the virulence genes ctxA and tcpA by PCR assay showed negative results. This isolated strain was sensitive to 11 antibiotics from 14 antibiotics used with different degrees of susceptibilities,but resistant to tetracycline,chloramycin and streptomycin.From this observation,it is clear that although the isolated strain of V. cholerae belongs to the non-epidemic strain,however,owing to the fact that the non-epidemic strain of V. cholerae can cause sporadic cases of diarrhea and the close correlation between the water body and the daily life of residents in Hangzhou,reinforcements of sueveillance of V. cholerae in Great Canal and management of the contamination sources are still necessaey.
Malabsorption following gastrectomy and ileal resection.

Its true incidence is uncertain, but malabsorption is clearly related to the type of surgery performed, the length of time a patient is followed postoperatively, and the sensitivity of the methods used to investigate it.
Ramipril did not reduce incident diabetes in patients with impaired glycemic control.

Source Citation Bosch J, Yusuf S, Gerstein HC, et al. Effect of ramipril on the incidence of diabetes.N Engl J Med. 2006;355:1-12. 16980380
Effect of radiation therapy on detectable serum prostate specific antigen levels following radical prostatectomy: early versus delayed treatment

Radiation therapy may be beneficial after radical prostatectomy in some patients with pathological stage C prostate cancer and in those with detectable postoperative prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels. A total of 64 men underwent postoperative radiation therapy following radical prostatectomy for pathological stage C disease (27), a detectable serum PSA level (11) or both conditions (26). Of the 27 men treated prophylactically for pathological stage C disease 18 (67%) had no evidence of recurrence after radiation within the first 6 months postoperatively (median followup 40 months, range 17 to 97). Of 22 men treated for delayed PSA elevation 15 (68%) currently are disease-free (median followup 27.5 months, range 15 to 47). Of 15 men treated within the first 6 months after radical prostatectomy for persistently detectable PSA levels 8 (53%) had an initial decrease in PSA to undetectable levels but only 5 (33%) had a durable complete response (median followup 36 months, range 8 to 56). We conclude that patients with pathological stage C disease who are most likely to benefit from postoperative radiation therapy are those with initially undetectable postoperative PSA levels. We observed no striking difference in treatment outcome between early and delayed adjuvant radiation therapy.
Surgical management of invasive carcinoma of the cervix in pregnancy

Of 34 patients with invasive cervical cancer complicated by pregnancy, 28 of 29 patients with Stage Ib lesions treated by radical abdominal hysterectomy are alive and one patient with Stage IV disease treated by anterior exenteration is dead. Metastatic nodes were demonstrated in 10.4 per cent of Stage Ib patients. There were no fistulas or major complications. Uterine size and obvious pelvic hyperemia did not present technical difficulty or prevent adequate hemostasis. Because of infrequency of ovarian metastasis, ovarian conservation in this age group is recommended. Radical abdominal hysterectomy is an optimum and safe modality for treatment of Stage Ib cervical cancer complicated by pregnancy.
Measurement of Penetration Depths of Plutonium and Americium in Sediment from the Ocean Floor

The clay-like sediment covering the ocean floor constitutes the last barrier that shields the biosphere from contamination by radionuclides stemming from the nuclear wastes of a subseabed repository. In the event of a failure of the engineered barriers, the mobility of the released radionuclides in the sediment determines the rate and the extent of entry into the water of the ocean. In this article, we present the initial results of measurements designed to determine the mobility of transuranium elements in sediment from the ocean floor. Our data indicate very low migration rates and imply strong chemisorptive interaction with the sediment.
The Parametric Inverse Problem in Transient Scattering

Scattering problems in many areas of applied physics are governed by the wave equation. In the most usual situation, we are given the incident wave (input) and the scatterer(s) and attempt, through analytical, experimental, or numerical methods, to produce the scattered waves (output). Such procedures can be carried out in either the frequency domain or the time domain and are categorized under the general heading of “forward problems.” In a less usual, but no less important situation, we are given the incident wave (input) and the scattered waves (output) and attempt to find the scatterer(s) that produced the output. In this case, we call the procedures “inverse” problems.
Simultaneous inversion of multiple microseismic data for event locations and velocity model with Bayesian inference

ABSTRACTWe have applied Bayesian inference for simultaneous inversion of multiple microseismic data to obtain event locations along with the subsurface velocity model. The traditional method of using a predetermined velocity model for event location may be subject to large uncertainties, particularly if the prior velocity model is poor. Our study indicated that microseismic data can help to construct the velocity model, which is usually a major source of uncertainty in microseismic event locations. The simultaneous inversion eliminates the requirement for an accurate predetermined velocity model in microseismic event location estimation. We estimate the posterior probability density of the velocity model and microseismic event locations with the maximum a posteriori estimation, and the posterior covariance approximation under the Gaussian assumption. This provides an efficient and effective way to quantify the uncertainty of the microseismic location estimation and capture the correlation between the velo...
Provocation and target gender as moderators of the relationship between acute alcohol use and female perpetrated aggression.

Abstract Acute alcohol use appears to exert a small but significant effect on female perpetrated aggression in the laboratory but there has been no effort to evaluate comprehensively the situational moderators of this relationship. This preliminary review was intended to explore the moderating effects of provocation and target gender on alcohol-related aggression among females in this understudied area of research. Moderator analyses were conducted on 14 studies. Despite limitations imposed by the sparsity of laboratory based research on alcohol-related aggression among females, initial results suggest that alcohol may exert stronger effects over female aggression following high (d = 0.25, k = 8, p
The Flash-Lag, Fröhlich and Related Motion Illusions Are Natural Consequences of Discrete Sampling in the Visual System.

The Frohlich effect and flash-lag effect, in which moving objects appear advanced along their trajectories compared to their actual positions, have defied a simple and consistent explanation. Here, we show that these illusions can be understood as a natural consequence of temporal compression in the human visual system. Discrete sampling at some stage of sensory perception has long been considered, and if it were true, it would necessarily lead to these illusions of motion. We show that the discrete perception hypothesis, with a single free parameter, the perceptual moment or sampling rate, can quantitatively explain all of the scenarios of the Frohlich and flash-lag effect. We interpret discrete perception as the implementation of data compression in the brain, and our conscious perception as the reconstruction of the compressed input.
AFFINITY TECHNIQUES IN THE ISOLATION OF SPECIFIC POLYSOMES AND mRNA: PURIFICATION OF RAT ALBUMIN mRNA

ABSTRACT Rat liver albumin mRNA has been purified to homogeneity by means of polysome immu-noprecipitation and poly(U)-Sepharose affinity chromatography. Albumin-synthesizing polysomes could be identified by the binding of 125I-labeled albumin antibody to rat liver polysomes. The binding is highly specific and occurs through an immunological recognition of the nascent peptide chains on individual ribosome monomers. Addition of an anti-antibody to the polysome-antibody complex allowed isolation of a specific albumin polysome immunoprecipitate. The immunoprecipitate was dissolved in detergent and the polysomal RNA was separated from protein by sucrose gradient sedimentation. Albumin mRNA was then separated from ribosomal RNA by affinity chromatography through the binding of the polyadenylate 3′-terminus of the mRNA to poly(U)-Sepharose. The isolated albumin mRNA migrated as a pure species during gel electrophoresis and sucrose gradient sedimentation. The total translation product in an mRNA-dependent cell-free protein-synthesizing system derived from wheat germ, upon addition of the purified mRNA, was identified as authentic albumin by means of gel electrophoresis and tryptic peptide chromatography. A complementary DNA to the albumin mRNA was prepared and its hybridization kinetics were examined.
Value in triangulation: a comparison of two approaches for combining qualitative and quantitative methods

This paper raises and pursues the question of why research utilizing mixed, quantitative and qualitative methods has been so strongly advocated, yet so little achieved. Following an overview of a range of solutions to the call for “ethodological pluralism,” a conceptual framework for understanding the process and outcomes of mixed method research is advanced, and several research studies are used to illustrate the framework. The conceptual framework is based on two dimensions suggested by prior research. Specifically, the framework analyzes various outcomes that emerge from the research — such as different types of contradictions (Robey 1995) and also whether the two methods were employed sequentially or independently. The paper analyzes the relationship between these two dimensions of the framework, offering some possible reasons why mixed-methods studies in which the two methods are employed independently appear to lead to different outcomes.
Cardiac and Renal Effects of Sodium-Glucose Co-Transporter 2 Inhibitors in Diabetes: JACC State-of-the-Art Review

Abstract Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have an increased risk for the development of cardiac and other vascular events, heart failure (HF), and decline in renal function. After several large cardiovascular outcome trials with mostly neutral results, 2 studies of the sodium–glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is), empagliflozin and canagliflozin, reported favorable effects on the primary endpoint, a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, and cardiovascular death. In addition, reductions of hospitalizations for HF were observed; in the case of empagliflozin, reductions in both cardiovascular mortality and total mortality occurred. These findings prompted several analyses to elucidate the mechanisms of action of SGLT2is and have initiated several large clinical trials in patients with HF without type 2 diabetes mellitus. This review summarizes known and possible mechanisms that contribute to these salutary effects of SGLT2is. Also discussed is the interplay between cardiac and renal function, as well as safety issues associated with this class of drugs.