cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some Results on Biased Linear Estimation Applied to Variance Component Estimation

Shortcomings of commonly used estimators of variance components have been noted often in previous work. Hodges and Lehmann [2] noted that the sample variance is dominated by a simple multiple of itself. Klotz, Milton and Zacks [3] demonstrated that the customarily-used estimator of the among-groups variance component in the balanced, random, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) ‘model may be dominated by various estimators. Harville [1] established similar results for the two-way mixed ANOVA model. Olsen, Seely and Birkes [6] established conditions for admissibility in the class of unbiased invariant quadratic estimators in models with two variance components and noted that some standard estimators are not admissible in this class (see also Seely [7]). LaMotte [4] identified biased invariant quadratic estimators which dominate the ANOVA estimator of the among groups variance component in the unbalanced one-way random ANOVA model.
Studies on Pepsin Mutagenesis and Recombinant Rhizopuspepsinogen

During the past fifteen years, many chemical and three-dimensional structures of aspartic proteases have been determined. It is now clear that, in spite of some diverse substrate specificities, these enzymes are alike in many ways, including their folding patterns, active center structures, and mechanisms of zymogen activation. Because the catalytic apparatuses of these enzymes are nearly identical, it is obvious that this group of enzymes shares a common catalytic mechanism. Although a number of catalytic mechanisms have been proposed for the aspartic proteases after consideration of kinetic and structural results (Fruton, 1976; James et al, 1977; Davies, 1990), a consensus on the mechanism has not emerged. One of the reasons for the uncertainty is that static structural information suggests, but does not provide, direct evidence for a mechanism of catalysis. On the other hand, kinetic experiments suggest reaction schemes but do not pinpoint structural components which are operational. It seems clear that additional experimental information is necessary to link structural information to reaction schemes.
Walk Prediction in Directed Networks

In this paper we consider the problem of directed and walk-specific spread of information in complex social networks. Traditional models tend to explain “explosive” information spreading on social media (e.g., Twitter) – a broadcast or epidemiological kind of model with a focus on the sequence of newly “infected” nodes generated from a source node to multiple targets. However, the process of (single-track) information flow, wherein there is a node-by-node (and not necessarily a newly visited node) trajectory of information transfer is also a common phenomenon. A key example of interest is the sequence of physician visits of a given patient (a referral sequence) in a physician network, wherein the patient is a carrier of information about treatment or disease. With this motivation in mind, we present a Bayesian Personalized Ranking (BPR) model to predict the next node on a walk of a given network navigator using features derived from network analysis. This problem is related to but different from the well-studied problem of link prediction. We apply our model to data from several years of U.S. patient referrals. We present experiments showing that the adoption of network-based features in the BPR framework improves hit-rate and mean percentile rank for next-node prediction.
A genomic assessment of movement and gene flow around the South Florida vicariance zone in the migratory coastal blacknose shark, Carcharhinus acronotus

South Florida has been identified as a genetic break for multiple mobile marine taxa but the mechanisms that impede gene flow largely remain unknown. To understand how South Florida functions as a barrier for blacknose shark, a highly migratory species that has genetically diverged Atlantic and Gulf populations, patterns of genetic variation were assessed in 212 individuals sampled from the Atlantic, eastern Gulf, and Florida Keys at 2213 nuclear-encoded SNP-containing loci. Results support divergence between the Gulf and Atlantic (FST ~ 0.002, P < 0.05), and 51 individuals caught in the Keys were assigned to the Gulf, as compared to only two individuals that assigned to the Atlantic, indicating that Florida Keys is largely composed of Gulf individuals. Further, two to three migrants were identified, all of which were Gulf individuals captured in the Atlantic. The results indicate that South Florida does not prevent individual movement between the Gulf and Atlantic and that the Keys may be a seasonal mixing zone. However, the Gulf and Atlantic remain genetically independent, suggesting that region-specific reproductive behavior/compatibility, or aspects of movement ecology, such as swimming energetics or temperature-driven interannual variability in migratory range, may maintain divergence rather than a physical barrier in South Florida.
Heat therapy reduces sympathetic activity and improves cardiovascular risk profile in women who are obese with polycystic ovary syndrome

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects up to 15% of women and is associated with increased risk of obesity and cardiovascular disease. Repeated passive heat exposure [termed “heat therapy” (HT)] ...
Principal diagnoses in psychiatric outpatients with borderline personality disorder: Implications for screening recommendations.

BACKGROUND In the Rhode Island Methods to Improve Diagnostic Assessment and Services project, we examined how often borderline personality disorder (BPD) is the principal diagnosis in patients presenting for outpatient psychiatric treatment. To inform clinicians when it is most productive to screen for BPD, we examined the prevalence of BPD in psychiatric outpatients with different principal diagnoses. METHODS In this study, 3,674 psychiatric outpatients were evaluated with a semi-structured diagnostic interview for DSM-IV BPD. RESULTS Slightly ≥10% of the sample was diagnosed with BPD (n = 390, 10.6%). For 80 (20.5%) patients with BPD, the chief concern was related to a feature of BPD; therefore, BPD was designated as a comorbid diagnosis. The highest rate of BPD as a principal diagnosis was found among patients with bipolar disorder. The rate of BPD in patients with principal diagnoses of adjustment disorder, dysthymic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder was significantly lower than in patients without these principal diagnoses. CONCLUSIONS For the majority of psychiatric outpatients with BPD, the principal diagnosis for which they seek treatment is not BPD but, rather, a mood or anxiety disorder. This highlights the importance of screening for BPD.
Metrics and Chern Forms

In this first chapter we establish the language of metrics on invertible sheaves, which is equivalent with the language of Neron functions or Neron divisors. Classically, over the complex numbers, given a divisor on a complex non-singular variety, one looks for a real-valued function g which has a logarithmic singularity on the divisor, and satisfies some PDE condition on . Such conditions can to some extent be expressed algebraically over any complete, algebraically closed valued field, thus giving rise to Neron functions. We shall give a description of the analytic conditions precisely on Riemann surfaces, specializing Griffiths-Harris to the case of dimension 1, in the language of metrics.
Cognitive processes underlying spoken word recognition during soft speech.

Abstract In two eye-tracking experiments using the Visual World Paradigm, we examined how listeners recognize words when faced with speech at lower intensities (40, 50, and 65 dBA). After hearing the target word, participants (n = 32) clicked the corresponding picture from a display of four images – a target (e.g., money), a cohort competitor (e.g., mother), a rhyme competitor (e.g., honey) and an unrelated item (e.g., whistle) – while their eye-movements were tracked. For slightly soft speech (50 dBA), listeners demonstrated an increase in cohort activation, whereas for rhyme competitors, activation started later and was sustained longer in processing. For very soft speech (40 dBA), listeners waited until later in processing to activate potential words, as illustrated by a decrease in activation for cohorts, and an increase in activation for rhymes. Further, the extent to which words were considered depended on word length (mono- vs. bi-syllabic words), and speech-extrinsic factors such as the surrounding listening environment. These results advance current theories of spoken word recognition by considering a range of speech levels more typical of everyday listening environments. From an applied perspective, these results motivate models of how individuals who are hard of hearing approach the task of recognizing spoken words.
A Social Support Theory of Desistance

Following Cullen’s spirit when setting forth his version of social support theory, this article shows the value of social support as an organizing concept for life-course theory. Specifically, this article describes four different pathways through which social support matters for desistance. First, social support is a constitutive part of adults’ social bonds that operate as resources that make change possible in individuals’ lives. Second, social support can promote and help sustain a cognitive transformation that encourages desistance. Third, socially supportive interventions are better equipped to promote desistance, whereas punishment-oriented interventions (those lacking and undermining social supports) are criminogenic. Finally, social support can help former inmates navigate the many stressors they encounter upon release and contribute to sustaining their desistance. This article reaffirms the value of social support as a fundamental factor in the desistance process. A social support theory of desistance could help integrate much of the criminological research on desistance. Furthermore, putting social support at the center of the discussion of the desistance process would help consolidate a policy agenda that not only reaffirms rehabilitation but also promotes a broader set of policies aimed at constructing a more fair and supportive society. In doing so, it will move the debate away from individuals and make governmental institutions and society as a whole acknowledge their responsibility in the crime problem and their role in promoting desistance.
Learning Continuous Facial Actions from Speech for Real-time Animation

Speech conveys not only the verbal communication, but also emotions, manifested as facial expressions of the speaker. In this work, we present deep learning frameworks that directly infer facial expressions from just speech signals. Specifically, the time-varying contextual non-linear mapping between audio stream and micro facial movements is realized by our proposed recurrent neural networks to drive a 3D blendshape face model in real-time. Our models not only activate appropriate facial action units (AUs), defined as 3D expression blendshapes in the FaceWarehouse database, to depict different utterance generating actions in the form of lip movements, but also, without any assumption, automatically estimate emotional intensity of the speaker and reproduces her ever-changing affective states by adjusting strength of related facial unit activations. In the baseline models, conventional handcrafted acoustic features are utilized to predict facial actions. Furthermore, we show that it is more advantageous to learn meaningful acoustic feature representation from speech spectrograms with convolutional nets, which subsequently improves the accuracy of facial action synthesis. Experiments on diverse audiovisual corpora of different actors across a wide range of facial actions and emotional states show promising results of our approaches. Being speaker- independent, our generalized models are readily applicable to various tasks in human-machine interaction and animation.
The Management of Erythrodermic Psoriasis Complicated by Cyclosporine.

We present a 64-year-old woman with past medical history of psoriasis and alcoholic liver cirrhosis who presented with a diffuse, erythematous, and scaly rash. Pertinent medications included topical triamcinolone 0.1% cream. She was started on oral prednisone 40 milligrams (mg) and oral cyclosporine 150 mg daily and was continued on topical triamcinolone. After the administration of two doses of this regimen, the serum creatinine increased to 1.76 mg/dL, and serum potassium increased to 6.7 mEq/L. The serum creatinine continued to uptrend to 2.42 mg/dL, and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) decreased to 20 mL/min. The patient was emergently hemodialyzed. The patient was placed on an extended steroid taper, alleviating the psoriatic rash. However, the patient needed to be placed on a steroid-sparing regimen. Because of its rarity and ensuing complications, erythrodermic psoriasis must be identified and managed promptly. Cyclosporine is currently the first-line treatment. However, initiation of this therapy in our patient resulted in an acute kidney injury (AKI). Even though a steroid taper assisted in alleviating erythroderma, a steroid-sparing regimen needed to be started. This led to the consideration of alternate methods of therapy for further management of erythrodermic psoriasis with renal impairment.
Polarized neutron reflectometry study of depth dependent magnetization variation in Co thin film due to strain transfer from PMN-PT substrate

We studied the depth dependent magnetization profile of the magnetostrictive Co thin film layer in a (PbMg0.33Nb0.67)1-x:(PbTiO3)x (PMN-PT) (011)/Ta/Co/Ta structure under both zero and nonzero applied electric field using polarized neutron reflectometry. Application of an electric field across the PMN-PT substrate generates a strain, which rotates the magnetization of the Co layer consistent with the Villari effect. At low magnetic fields (near remanence and coercive field conditions), we find that the depth dependent magnetization profile is non-uniform, under both zero and nonzero applied electric fields. These variations are attributable to the depth dependent strain profile in the Co film, as determined by finite element analysis simulations.
Human-monkey chimeras: Monkey see, monkey do.

Recently in Cell, Tan et al. (2021) report the successful generation of human-monkey chimeras in vitro, providing an opportunity for new insights into the biology of human stem cells and early human development in an embryonic environment that is evolutionary closer to human than previously studied rodent and domestic species.
Artificial Intelligence in Support of Customer Proximity in Banking 5.0

This chapter deals with customer proximity. It underlines the importance of interactions with the customers and assures a best customer journey. Customers are changing their ways of conceiving relationships with financial institutions. Financial institutions should not remain static in their positions. They should look forward and try to delight their customers and predict their competitors’ actions. There are many competitors based on the five forces model of Porter. Financial institutions should understand why and how their customers are changing and how they can use it to find more effective approaches, improve their interactions, and build trust-based relationships, especially online proximity. Financial institutions should understand who their profitable customers are. Customer relationships management system (CRM) can help in many ways, such as analyzing data associated with customers’ costs and revenues, customer behavior related to products and services, finding profitable customers, and those with potential. This chapter examines artificial intelligence-supported customer relationship applications. The chapter suggests using the Universal Design (UD) method to improve the proximity with all the customers.
Characterization of Ru/Q10 catalysts containing Zr or Mn and their activity for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

Abstract Catalyst characterization and activity of Zr or Mn containing Ru/Q10 were investigated for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis in a stirred slurry tank reactor. The addition of Zr or Mn in Ru/Q10 enhanced CO conversion, C 5 + selectivity and space time yield at 503 K, 5.0 MPa and 1800 h − 1 , and the catalyst activity was highly stable during the reaction. The addition of Zr or Mn can inhibit the oxidation of Ru species and it can maintain the active reduced Ru atoms on the catalyst surface. Ru/Q10 showed lower activity compared to Zr or Mn containing catalysts and it was deactivated due to the oxidation of active and reduced Ru species. Catalyst characterization results of BET, BJH, XRD, TPR, H 2 chemisorption, TEM, EDS and XPS were studied, and it suggests that a small amount of Zr or Mn addition can increase the surface atomic concentration of Ru due to the inhibition of the oxidation of the Ru species. ZrO 2 in Ru/Zr/Q10 and MnO in Ru/Mn/Q10 were formed on the catalyst surface, and it can be related to the maintenance of the Ru species in a reduced state, resulting to enhanced catalyst activity and stability.
Analysis of Dosimetry from the H. B. Robinson Unit 2 Pressure Vessel Benchmark Using RAPTOR-M 3 G and ALPAN

The dosimetry from the H. B. Robinson Unit 2 Pressure Vessel Benchmark is analyzed with a suite of Westinghouse-developed codes and data libraries. The radiation transport from the reactor core to the surveillance capsule and ex-vessel locations is performed by RAPTOR-M3G, a parallel deterministic radiation transport code that calculates high-resolution neutron flux information in three dimensions. The cross-section library used in this analysis is the ALPAN library, an Evaluated Nuclear Data File (ENDF)/B-VII.0-based library designed for reactor dosimetry and fluence analysis applications. Dosimetry is evaluated with the industry-standard SNLRML reactor dosimetry cross-section data library.
The Biological Model

“It’s a curious sensation, isn’t it? Really thrilling … but why? You know, I get the feeling—or rather I see it—as if the ball is made of elastic, as if it’s expanding into an ellipse … shall we say trying to free itself?”
In Le Bardo There Is a Head of Jupiter as Tall as a Woman

I think this issue of IR is going to be fun, don't you? All my friends are busy with their pieces. But you, Kent, I didn't expect you. I know you still don't believe me about that ancient unpleasantness at the Fontainebleau, but the story hasn't changed: Errin did come along at the last minute as the babysitter; my wife did happen to be out shopping that day; the kids were at a movie in the hotel; you saw the bellhop before I did; we were only sun bathing (everyone got used to her going around like that at the TV station, I didn't even notice any more ). I finally settled out of court with the hotel, by the way, you might be glad to hear that. Errin, predictable as ever, went on to Japan from Wichita; no word in the past three years.
Silicon Carbide/Silica Molecular Composites

Ultrafine silicon carbide (SiC) is molecularly dispersed in a silica glass matrix to produce a SiC/SiO/sub 2/ composite. This was done by mixing a polysilane (SiC precursor) with a silica sol derived from tetramethoxysilane followed by cogellation and in-situ crosslinking of polysilane and by pyrolysis in an inert atmosphere. Despite a sluggish densification rate, as conpared with the blank SiO/sub 2/ matrix, a 3 x increase in hardness and about 2 x fracture toughness after pyrolysis at 800 C is shown. 9 references.
Effects of study area size on geographic characterizations of health events: prostate cancer incidence in Southern New England, USA, 1994-1998.

We consider how representations of geographic variation in prostate cancer incidence across Southern New England, USA may be affected by selection of study area and/or properties of the statistical analysis. A spatial scan statistic was used to monitor geographic variation among 35,167 incident prostate cancer cases diagnosed in Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island from 1994 to 1998, in relation to the 1990 populations of men 20+ years of age living in that region. Results from the combined-states analysis were compared to those from single-states. Impact of scanning procedures set to examine up to 50% or no more than10% of at-risk populations also was evaluated. With scanning set to 50%, 5 locations in the combined-states analysis were identified with markedly distinct incidence rates. Fewer than expected cases were estimated for nearly all Connecticut, Rhode Island and West Central Massachusetts, whereas census tracts on and around Cape Cod, and areas of Southwestern Connecticut and adjacent to greater Boston were estimated to have yielded more than expected incidence. Results of single-state analyses exhibited several discrepancies from the combined-states analysis. More conservative scanning found many more locations with varying incidence, but discrepancies between the combined- and single-state analysis were fewer. It is important to acknowledge the conditional nature of spatial analyses and carefully consider whether a true cluster of events is identified or artifact stemming from selection of study area size and/or scanning properties.
Recent Advances in the Direct Process

1 Introduction 2 The Effect of Promoters on the Direct Process 3 The Effect of Silicon, Catalyst and Promoter Morphology on the MCS Reaction 4 Surface Fundamentals and Mechanistic Studies of the MCS Reaction 5 Silicon Direct Process Reactions with Reagents Other than MeCl 6 Recovery and Use of by-Products from the MCS Reaction 7 Acknowledgments Keywords: effect of promoters on direct process; ‘Direct Process’ for alkyl chlorosilane synthesis; promoter effect on direct process; phosphorus effect on MCS reaction; copper catalyst preparation effect on MCS reaction; silicon direct process reactions with reagents; Si–CH3 bond formation; MCS reaction and solid waste product recycling
Radiographic evaluation of nasal septal deviation from computed tomography correlates poorly with physical exam findings.

Background Performance of septoplasty is dependent on objective evidence of nasal septal deviation. Although physical examination including anterior rhinoscopy and endoscopic examination is the gold standard for evaluation of septal deviation, third-party payors’ reviews of septoplasty claims are often made on computed tomography (CT) findings. However, the correlation between radiographic evaluation of septal deviation with physical examination findings is unknown. Methods Retrospective, blinded, independent evaluation of septal deviation in 39 consecutive patients from physical examination, including anterior rhinoscopy and endoscopic examination, by an otolaryngologist and radiographic evaluation of sinus CT scan by a neuroradiologist. Four distinct septal locations (nasal valve, cartilaginous, inferior/maxillary crest and osseous septum) were evaluated on a 4-point scale representing (1) 0% to 25%, (2) >25% to 50%, (3) >50% to 75%, and (4) >75% obstruction. Correlation between physical examination and radiographic evaluations was made by Pearson's correlation and quantitative agreement assessed by Krippendorf's alpha. Results Statistically significant correlation was detected between physical examination including nasal endoscopy and radiographic assessment of septal deviation only at the osseous septum (p = 0.007, r = 0.425) with low quantitative agreement (α = 0.290). No significant correlation was detected at the cartilaginous septum (p = 0.286, r = 0.175), inferior septum (p = 0.117, r = 0.255), or nasal valve (p = 0.174, r = 0.222). Quantitative agreement at the nasal valve suggested a bias in CT to underestimate physical exam findings (α = −0.490). Conclusion CT is a poor substitute for physical examination, the gold standard, in assessment of septal deviation. Clinical decisions about pursuit of septoplasty or third-party payors’ decisions to approve septoplasty should not be made on radiographic evidence.
Sequentialization of Parallel Logic Programs with Mode Analysis

The family of concurrent logic programming languages has proved to be a great asset to programmers seeking to quickly construct efficient programs for highly parallel shared-memory machines. If these languages are to be implemented efficiently for other architectures, however, language-specific compile-time analysis techniques must be improved. This work describes a technique and implementation of “sequentialization” (compile-time ordering of body goals) based on automatic “mode analysis” (identification of input and output parameters) for a large subset of concurrent logic programs: feedback-free, fully-moded, flat-guarded programs. We present preliminary performance results from an FGHC-to-C compiler, utilizing these techniques, which produces very fast code.
Public Choice and Socialism

The idea of constructing a rational economic order through state control dominated 20th century public policy. The theory of socialism swept the intellectual world by grabbing the higher moral ground, and in the policy realm, socialism exerted its influence by creating political revolutions in Russia, China, and throughout the underdeveloped world. Less obvious, but no less important, was socialism’s influence on the policies of non-socialist countries. The great “liberal” democracies all moved in the socialist direction in terms of public policy throughout the 20th century. The rise of the democratic welfare state in the UK and US and the explosion of the government’s regulatory role in these economies are all manifestations of the socialist victory in the world of ideas.
A continuous-time bandpass filter implemented in subthreshold CMOS with large-signal stability

Continuous-time bandpass filters implemented in subthreshold CMOS have limited operating range. When processing real acoustic stimuli, input signals exceeding this range may be encountered. We compare the design of a second-order bandpass filter based on three transconductors to that of one based on four transconductors. We show that the four transconductor design does not tend toward oscillations in response to large input signals.
Unique perspectives of women and their partners using the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile Scale.

yu m., mcelory j.a., bullock l.f.c. & everett k.d. (2011) Unique perspectives of women and their partners using the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile Scale. Journal of Advanced Nursing 67(8), 1767–1778. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a study to examine the underlying factors of the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile as a composite measure of stress, support from partner, support from others and self-esteem; and compares factor structures between pregnant women and men. Background. In order to promote positive pregnancy outcomes, addressing unique differences in psychosocial factors between women and men is important. There is very little information or data directly collected from both groups. Methods. As part of a larger smoking cessation study during pregnancy, a sample of 66 low-income couples (n = 132) living in rural Missouri – the Midwestern region of the United States of America – was selected between 2006 and 2008. Principal component analysis was used to evaluate the factor structure of the composite measure. Results. Similarities and unique differences in the Prenatal Psychosocial Profile subscales between the two groups were found. For the stress subscale, ‘problems related to family’, ‘the current pregnancy’ and ‘feeling generally overloaded’ loaded as financial stressors for men but as emotional stressors for women. For the partner support subscale, women perceived they were receiving more tangible support from their partners whereas men perceived receiving more emotional support. The support from others subscale was similar for both partners. The self-worth factor explained more of the variance in self-esteem among pregnant women, while the self-criticism factor explained more of the variance among men. Conclusion. Assessment of psychosocial well-being in both women and men during pregnancy, especially careful assessment of stressors of pregnancy should be part of nursing practice.
Subcutaneous adipose tissue insulin resistance is associated with visceral adiposity in postmenopausal women.

Objective Whole body and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) insulin resistance association with regional fat mass (FM) was determined. Methods Postmenopausal women (mean ± SD; age 56 ± 4 years, n = 25) who were overweight or obese (BMI 29.9 ± 5.1 kg/m2) were studied. Whole body and regional FM were measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computed tomography (CT). Women were studied during basal and insulin-stimulated (3-stage euglycemic clamp) conditions. Whole-body lipolysis was assessed by [2H5]-glycerol rate of appearance and abdominal and femoral SAT lipolysis by interstitial glycerol (microdialysis). Results Whole body insulin resistance in skeletal muscle (insulin-stimulated glucose disposal) and adipose tissue (insulin-suppressed lipolysis) were independently related to trunk FM (r = −0.336 and 0.484, respectively), but not leg FM (r = −0.142 and −0.148, respectively). Local antilipolytic insulin resistance in abdominal, but not femoral, SAT was positively related to trunk FM (r = 0.552) and visceral FM (r = 0.511) but not related to leg FM (r = −0.289). Whole body and abdominal, but not femoral, adipose tissue insulin sensitivity were strongly related to skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity (r = −0.727 and −0.674, respectively). Conclusions The association of SAT insulin sensitivity (lipolysis) with adiposity and skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity was specific to the abdominal region.
Goal Setting and Performance Feedback

Goal setting and performance feedback are two of the most used and most studied performance-enhancing strategies in sport. Both strategies have roots outside of sport with the seminal work for goal setting being conducted in organizational management in work settings and for performance feedback in both organizational management and education. Goal setting and performance feedback have been used extensively in sports settings –long before researchers started attending to their effects, and probably as long ago as individuals wanted to improve their performance. Today goal setting and performance feedback are well known to coaches and researchers alike as effective tools for performance improvement.
Differences in temporal aspects of food acquisition between rats and two strains of mice in a closed operant economy.

Rats and mice were studied for changes in meal-taking structure in a closed operant food economy, in which the consummatory or unit prices for food were increased. In experiment 1, as food price in...
Urban-Rural Influences in U.S. Environmental and Economic Development Policy*

Abstract Despite the fact that rural communities have the most to gain and lose in matters involving economic development and environmental preservation, they often are given the least voice in the political processes that create policies in these areas. Agendas are set, policies formulated and implemented by policy-makers, administrators, and practitioners in urban areas. These outside policies may not be consistent with how rural communities view the tradeoffs between the environment and the economy. We call for decentralization of economic and environmental policy. It is understood, however, that such an approach may involve risk. What if rural-based policy-makers and practitioners are, for instance, aggressively antienvironmental and pro-economic growth? Using results from a national sample of rural development officials, this study examines the environmental and economic development attitudes of development officials based on a population continuum. The findings suggest that rural-based development officials often have a greater appreciation of rural environmental quality of life features compared to their urban counterparts. The implications of the findings are detailed and suggestions for future research are provided.
Analysis of a tuberculin testing program using a health status index

Abstract A function status index and a health status index are defined and a county-wide tuberculin testing program is analyzed to illustrate their uses in health planning. Each member of a target population belongs to one of several levels of function, from well-being (SA), valued 1.0, to through various levels of dysfunction (SB, SC…), through death (SK), valued 0.0, and the utility numbers thus assigned between 0 and 1 are called function weights. The distribution of the population cohort among the various levels over time corresponds to a stochastic process where group prognoses make up the transition probability matrices. Using a set of function weights, the function status of a person or population can be computed for each point over time, with and without a program. Output, the expected difference between the two function-histories with or without the program, is measured in function-time units that are independent of disease form, permitting comparisons among health programs for different diseases. The output measure can be used in cost-effectiveness, mathematical programming and other optimization models, as well as in other areas of health services research.
Physiological alterations of rat extensor digitorum longus motor nerve terminals as a result of surgical denervation.

Abstract The sequence of presynaptic degeneration changes which occur as a result of denervation of rat extensor digitorum longus muscle was studied. Reduction of endplate potential quantal content was the first neuromuscular alteration. Subsequently, endplate potentials disappeared although spontaneous transmitter release continued, at a higher frequency than in control muscles. During repetitive stimulation of the nerve, partial conduction block of the nerve terminal occurred at stimulation frequencies as low as 1 s . Few terminals were able to respond at frequencies greater than 5 s . Transmitter release was quantal; however, responses at synapses with a quantal content between one and five did not fit a Poisson distribution. The hypothesis is presented that, as the nerve terminal progressively degenerates after nerve transection, a few sites of transmitter release often persist for several hours, and these sites have a probability of release equal to or higher than normal.
Classification and diagnosis of headache disorders

Abstract Headache is a common medical condition often associated with high personal and socioeconomic burdens. Before 1988, there were no internationally accepted means by which to identify, classify, and study the hundreds of different headache syndromes presenting to the medical community for evaluation. With the introduction of the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) in 1988, a system for headache classification became available that has standardized headache diagnosis for use in research and clinical practice. The second edition of the ICHD (ICHD-II) was published in 2004 and has introduced important revisions to the classification schema based on our growing understanding of the many headache types found in the general population and their pathogenesis. General principles related to the clinical evaluation and diagnostic classification of headache disorders using the ICHD-II are reviewed in this article.
Slavic, European, or Asiatic? F. H. Duchinski on the Origins of the Russian People

AbstractThe emergence of Russia as a dominant force in Europe from the early nineteenth century onward was characterized by growing tensions between Russians and Poles as seen in the recurring Russian suppression of Polish uprisings. F. H. Duchinski (1817–93) who, like other Polish intellectuals, tried to uncover the root causes of these political tensions, concluded that Russians were neither Slavic nor European, but Asians, and it was this fact alone, he believed, that accounted for the continuing Russian hostility toward the Poles.
Differential response to zinc-induced apoptosis in benign prostate hyperplasia and prostate cancer cells.

Zinc concentrations in the prostate are uniquely high but are dramatically decreased with prostate cancer. Studies have suggested that increasing zinc in the prostate may be a potential therapeutic strategy. The goal of this study was to evaluate the antiproliferative effects of zinc in prostate cancer cells (PC-3) and noncancerous benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) cells (BPH-1) and to define possible mechanisms. PC-3 and BPH-1 cells were treated with zinc (0–250 μM) for 24 and 48 h, and cell growth and viability were examined. Apoptosis was assessed by phosphatidylserine externalization, caspase activation and protein expression of B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X protein (BAX):Bcl-2. BPH-1 cells were more sensitive to the antiproliferative effects of zinc compared to PC-3. The response to zinc in PC-3 and BPH-1 cells differed as evidenced by opposing effects on Bcl-2:BAX expression. Additionally, different effects on the nuclear expression and activity of the p65 subunit of nuclear factor kappa B were observed in response to zinc between the two cell types. The differential response to zinc in PC-3 and BPH-1 cells suggests that zinc may serve an important role in regulating cell growth and apoptosis in prostate cancer and hyperplasia cells.
Optical correlation using bitonal magnitude-only spatial light modulators

An optical correlator based on VanderLugt filtering has been constructed using a bitonal spatial light modulator for the transfer function of the matched filter. Because the spatial light modulator can reproduce bitonal magnitude signals only, the filter is introduced as a Lohmann cellular hologram. The traditional additive random phase may not be used, and thus filter functions constructed from uncompensated cellular holograms are inherently lowpass in nature. In the system reported here, improved performance results from an approximation of the ideal reference spectrum and by using error-diffused quantization.
Risk and resilience assessment of bridges under mainshock and aftershocks incorporating uncertainties

Abstract The non-functionality of bridges after the occurrence of a sudden hazard can significantly impact highway transportation systems and affect the recovery process. Seismic risk assessment is particularly important for the rapid decision making process associated with structures under mainshock and aftershock sequences. In this paper, a framework for probabilistic seismic performance assessment of highway bridges subjected to mainshock and aftershocks is presented. The seismic ground motion intensity, seismic vulnerability analysis of bridges, and consequences evaluation under mainshock and aftershock sequences are considered herein along with their associated uncertainties. The recovery functions associated with different damage states are integrated within the proposed functionality assessment procedure. Additionally, the probabilistic direct loss, indirect loss, and resilience of bridges under seismic hazard are investigated. The assessment of probabilistic risk and resilience of highway bridges under mainshock and aftershock sequences can aid in implementing risk mitigation strategies and equip decision makers with a better understanding of structural performance under seismic hazard.
Observations of plasma waves within regions of perpendicular ion acceleration

The acceleration of ionospheric ions transverse to the geomagnetic field by factors of 1000 is believed to be caused by plasma waves. The authors made simultaneous measurements of electric fields and energetic ions within regions of perpendicular ion acceleration from the sounding rocket MARIE. Perpendicular ion acceleration was correlated with plasma waves near and above the lower hybrid frequency. Ions were detected up to energies of 300 eV and the broadband lower hybrid waves reached an amplitude of 10-30 mV/m (RMS) over the frequency band 4-16 kHz. Although electric field amplitudes near the O(+) cyclotron frequency reached a maximum value of 10 mV/m (RMS), there was no spectral evidence of electrostatic ion cyclotron waves associated with ion acceleration. There was spectral evidence of H(+) Bernstein modes near the lower hybrid frequency.
Cervical length after multifetal pregnancy reduction in remaining twin gestations.

Abstract Objective: Multifetal pregnancy reduction is associated with an increased risk of prematurity. Because cervical length correlates with preterm delivery risk, we sought to determine whether multifetal pregnancy reduction twin gestations are associated with shorter cervical lengths compared with non–multifetal pregnancy reduction twins. Study Design: We compared an historic cohort of patients who underwent multifetal pregnancy reduction to twins (n = 35) to a control group of twin gestations without multifetal pregnancy reduction (n = 83) from July 1996 to January 2000. Both groups of patients were treated with identical protocols. Cervical lengths across gestation and pregnancy outcomes were compared. Results: Study and control groups did not differ significantly in mean maternal age (37.8 ± 4.9 years vs 35.5 ± 6.2 years; P =.06), median parity (0 [range, 0-1] vs 0 [range, 0-2]; P =.56), or mean gestational age at delivery (36.2 ± 2.6 weeks vs 35.8 ± 3.8 weeks; P =.50). The proportion delivering before 35 weeks of gestation was not significantly different (14.3% vs 30.1%; P =.10) nor was delivery before 32 weeks of gestation (8.6% vs 8.4%; P =.98). Cervical length did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. At 14 to 19 weeks the median was 3.9 cm (range, 2.4-6.0 cm) in the multifetal pregnancy reduction group versus 3.7 cm (range, 3.1-4.7 cm) in the control subjects ( P =.15); at 20 to 25 weeks, the medians were 3.2 cm (range, 2.2-5.4 cm) and 3.7 cm (range, 1.5-5.7 cm), respectively ( P =.43); and at 26 to 31 weeks the medians were 3.5 cm (range, 1.2-5.9 cm) versus 3.8 cm (range, 1.2-5.3 cm), respectively ( P =.56). Conclusion: Cervical length across gestation in twin pregnancies is not affected by multifetal pregnancy reduction, despite the likely inflammatory response expected to accompany this procedure. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2001;185:1113-7.)
Fast Intra-Prediction Model Selection for H.264 Codec

We investigate the encoding speed improvement for H.264 with a special focus on fast intra-prediction mode selection in this work. It is possible to adopt the rate-distortion (RD) optimized mode in H.264 to maximize the coding gain at the cost of a very high computational complexity. To reduce the complexity associated with the intra-prediction mode selection, we propose a two-step fast algorithm. In the first step, we make a course-level decision to split all possible candidate modes into two groups: the group to be examined further and the group to be ignored. The sizes of these two groups are adaptively determined based on the block activities. Then, in the second step, we focus on the group of interest, and consider an RD model for final decision-making. It is demonstrated by experiment results that the proposed scheme performs 5 to 7 time faster than the current H.264 encoder (JM5.0c) with little degradation in the coding gain.
REVIVING GERMAN-JEWISH COMEDY: DANI LEVY'S FAMILY FARCE GO FOR ZUCKER!

Dani Levy's film Go for Zucker! (2004) won a myriad of prizes in 2005 and was touted as the first Jewish comedy to be produced in Germany since the rise of National Socialism. Critics and scholars who have analysed Levy's popular film tend to focus on its presentation of Jewish characters as something other than victims of the Shoah and on its comic engagement with persistent social and cultural divisions between East and West Germans in post-reunification Germany. What these otherwise valid approaches ignore, however, is an additional historical and cultural layer of interpretation, one that more aptly fulfils Levy's goal of paying homage to pre-Shoah forms of self-deprecating German-Jewish humour. Such examples of the Jewish comedic tradition reach even further back in time than the early twentieth-century films of Ernst Lubitsch and the Hollywood films of Billy Wilder to include turn-of-the-century Jargon theatre and the metropolitan revue show, forms of popular entertainment that thrived in Imperial B...
The QMESH mesh generation package (abstract)

A package of five programs centering around the highly flexible, powerful, two-dimensional mesh generation program, QMESH, is presented. Together, the five programs provide a tool for generation, bandwidth minimization and display of meshes with Q4 or Q8 elements. The package's primary purpose is generation of input for finite element analysis programs.
An ancient conserved gene expressed in the human inner ear: identification, expression analysis, and chromosomal mapping of human and mouse antiquitin (ATQ1).

Abstract We constructed and screened a human fetal cochlear cDNA library to identify genes involved in hearing and deafness. From this library we isolated a cDNA corresponding to the highly conserved ancient gene antiquitin (ATQ1). The plant homolog ofATQ1is thought to be involved in regulating turgor pressure, a function that also would be essential for cells of the mammalian cochlea. Northern blots of 13 human fetal tissues show antiquitin to be highly expressed in cochlea, ovary, eye, heart, and kidney. Using RT-PCR of rat cochlear hair cell-specific cDNA libraries, we detect antiquitin expression in outer hair cells, but not in inner or vestibular type 1 hair cells, suggesting that antiquitin is not expressed ubiquitously in the cochlea. HumanATQ1was mapped to human chromosome region 5q31 using fluorescencein situhybridization, and mouseATQ1was mapped to mouse chromosome 18 by single-strand conformation polymorphism mapping of interspecific backcross progeny DNAs. Four human antiquitin-like sequences, possibly pseudogenes, were also identified and mapped.
Integrated Traffic-Driving-Networking Simulator for the Design of Connected Vehicle Applications: Eco-Signal Case Study

This article first develops an integrated traffic-driving-networking simulator (ITDNS) intended for the design and evaluation of cyber transportation systems (CTS) and connected vehicle (CV) applications. The ITDNS allows a human driver to control a subject vehicle, in a virtual environment, that is capable of communicating with other vehicles and the infrastructure with CTS messages. The challenges associated with the integration of the three simulators, and how those challenges were overcome, are discussed. As an application example, an eco-signal system, which recommends the approach speed for vehicles approaching the intersection so as to minimize fuel consumption and emissions, was implemented in the ITDNS. Test drivers were then asked to virtually drive through a signalized corridor twice, one time with the eco-signal system in place and another without the system. Thanks to the human-in-the-loop component of ITDNS, the research was able to evaluate the likely benefits of the eco-signal system, whil...