cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dexamethasone suppression test in schizophrenia: Relationship to symptomatology, ventricular enlargement, and outcome

To relieve confusion about the clinical correlates and prognostic implications of the dexamethasone suppression test (DST) in schizophrenia, we conducted a DST in 44 schizophrenic inpatients at drug-free baseline and approximately 4 weeks after neuroleptic treatment. Patients were rated on positive, negative, and depressive symptoms at both times. A head computed tomography (CT) scan was performed and measures of ventricle-brain ratio (VBR) obtained. Clinical improvement was monitored at four weeks, and longer-term outcome assessed at 1 year. Seventeen of the 44 patients were DST nonsuppressors at baseline, and five of these remained nonsuppressors at 4 weeks posttreatment. Postdexamethasone plasma cortisol levels were correlated with negative symptoms at baseline ( r = 0.45; p
Holographic radius test plates

We evaluate a method for testing the radius of a spherical surface with a hologram that consists of a pair of nested Fresnel zone lenses. The hologram is positioned in the collimated test beam of a Fizeau interferometer. The inner zone lens generates a focus at the test part surface, whereas the wavefront of the first diffraction order of the outer zone lens is confocal with the test part. When the test part radius is equal to the nominal radius, the fringes in both zone lens areas are nulled at the same distance of the test sphere from the zone lens. The radius error of the spherical surface can be calculated from the test sphere displacement between interferometer null positions for the inner and outer zone lenses, or from the defocus term of the outer (confocal) lens at the position of zero defocus of the inner (cat’s-eye) zone lens. The primary benefits of the nested zone lens method are its ease of use, and that it enables radius measurements of spherical surfaces with large radii. We describe the radius measurement of a precise convex sphere with a nominal radius of 80mm.
The cytology of the gametes and fertilization of Allomyces macrogynus.

The gametes and the process of fertilization were examined by light and electron microscopy in the lower eukaryote Allomyces macrogynus. Differences in gamete morphology included the overall larger size and the presence of a larger nuclear apparatus, along with the association of a side-body complex and many more mitochondria in the female gamete. In this species of Allomyces, fertilization was initiated by contact and fusion of specialized regions of the gamete plasma membranes resulting in a binucleate fusion cell surrounded by plasma membrane contributed by both partners. Following plasmogamy, nuclear fusion was initiated by multiple nuclear membrane contacts between adjacent outer membranes. Following inner membrane fusion, small nucleoplasmic bridges were observed which presumably fused with one another and resulted in a single bridge which widened, forming the mature diploid nucleus. After karyogamy, fusion of the nuclear caps did not always occur and zygotes with and without fused caps were observed. Coalescence of the nucleoli completed the events of fertilization, forming a zygote with a single nuclear apparatus (sometimes with two caps) and two flagella. These observations are discussed in relation to fertilization mechanisms and compared to fertilization in other organisms.
Sexually dimorphic intracellular responses after cocaine-induced conditioned place preference expression.

Abstract Sex differences in cocaine’s mechanisms of action and behavioral effects have been widely reported. However, little is known about how sex influences intracellular signaling cascades involved with drug–environment associations. We investigated whether ERK/CREB intracellular responses in the mesocorticolimbic circuitry underlying cocaine environmental associations are sexually dimorphic. We used a standard 4 day conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm using 20 mg/kg cocaine—a dose that induced CPP in male and female Fischer rats. In the nucleus accumbens (NAc) following CPP expression, cocaine treated animals showed increased phosphorylated ERK (pERK), phosphorylated CREB (pCREB) and ΔFosB protein levels. In the hippocampus (HIP) and caudate putamen (CPu), pERK and FosB/ΔFosB levels were also increased, respectively. Cocaine females had a larger change in HIP pERK and CPu ΔFosB levels than cocaine males; partly due to lower protein levels in saline female rats when compared to saline males. Prefrontal cortex (PfC) pCREB levels increased in cocaine males, but not females, whereas PfC pERK levels were increased in cocaine females, but not males. CPP scores were positively correlated to NAc pERK, HIP pERK and CPu FosB protein levels, suggesting that similar to males, the ERK/CREB intracellular pathway in mesocorticolimbic regions undergoes cocaine induced neuroplasticity in female rats. However, there seem to be intrinsic (basal) sexual dimorphisms in this pathway that may contribute to responses expressed after cocaine-CPP. Taken together, our results suggest that cellular responses associated with the expression of learned drug–environment associations may play an important role in sex differences in cocaine addiction and relapse.
Data Quality and the Comparative Method: The Case of Primate Group Size

The comparative method is frequently employed to study primate behavior and evolution. The method is used to infer adaptations, and considerable improvements have been made with respect to its implementation. Despite these advances, scant attention has been given to the nature of the data that are used in comparative analyses. This creates a potential problem as data are often compiled from studies conducted by multiple researchers, whose methods may differ, resulting in variation in data quality. In this article, we investigate the quality of data employed in studies of primate group size. Several issues concerning data quality arise when assembling data on group size. For example, data quality may be compromised if group sizes are estimated from censuses, unhabituated groups, or groups with unrecognized individuals. To mitigate these and other data quality issues, we gathered data from the literature on 23 monkeys and apes using well-defined and biologically relevant criteria for inclusion. We compare our results with those of eight published compilations of group size. Most studies did not provide details regarding the criteria for including data. We found that our group size values were uncorrelated or weakly correlated with those from three other studies and differed in a consistent fashion from those of one other study. Because conclusions derived from comparative analyses are only as accurate as the data that they use, future studies should provide details regarding data collection to ensure their reliability.
Functional elements of the Arabidopsis Adh promoter include the G-box.

The alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh) gene of Arabidopsis is expressed constitutively in immature seedlings and cells in suspension, and may be induced by hypoxic stress only in roots of mature plants. Deletions and G-box mutations of the Adh promoter were assayed in Arabidopsis protoplasts by PEG-mediated transient expression. Sequence domains necessary for full gene activity are confined to the 384 bp immediately 5′ to the transcription start site, and deletion to −177 results in >90% reduction in promoter activity. Site-specific mutations of G-box bases result in >60% reduction in activity and disrupt G-box factor binding in vitro.
The neurotoxicity of homodimaprit (SKF‐91488): Sites of action assessed by the [14C]2‐deoxyglucose technique

Homodimaprit (SKF-91488) when injected into the lateral ventricle of the rat resulted in a delayed behavioral syndrome characterized by motor incoordination, hyperexcitability, and aggressive behavior, which occurred 18 hr after injection and ultimately caused death 24–72 hr after injection. In order to determine where the neural effects were occurring, the [14C]2-deoxyglucose technique was utilized to identify possible sites of brain neural activation. Histological examination revealed that homodimaprit produced periventricular lesions at 18 hr. Autoradiographic analysis demonstrated increased ipsilateral activation in the nucleus accumbens, lateral septal nucleus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, caudato-putamen, and the rostral half of the dorsal hippocampus. Bilateral activation was observed in the medial preoptico-hypothalamus, midline thalamic nuclei including the mediodorsal nucleus, and the periventricular central gray. These findings suggest that the delayed behavioral effects of homodimaprit are probably the result of the activation of these specific areas of the brain and the resulting periventricular lesions. The mechanism by which homodimaprit produces these effects, however, remains unknown.
Testing for a unit root in the volatility of asset returns

It is now well established that the volatility of asset returns is time varying and highly persistent. One leading model that is used to represent these features of the data is the stochastic volatility model. The researcher may test for non-stationarity of the volatility process by testing for a unit root in the log-squared time series. This strategy for inference has many advantages, but is not followed in practice because these unit root tests are known to have very poor size properties. In this paper I show that new tests that are robust to negative MA roots allow a reliable test for a unit root in the volatility process to be conducted. In applying these tests to exchange rate and stock returns, strong rejections of non-stationarity in volatility are obtained. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The excretion of NH4+ and its ouabain sensitivity in aquatic annelids and molluscs

Ammonia is excreted against a molecular gradient in several species of annelids and molluscs. Ammonia excretion is also inhibited by exposure to ouabain in concentrations that do not affect circulation or ventilation. These results indicate that ammonia crosses the excretory epithelium in the ionized form, and that the process is linked to the activity of the Na+ + K+ ATPases.
The Very Idea of a University

In 1852 John Henry Cardinal Newman gave a series of nine lectures which was designed to justify the establishing of the University of Dublin as a Catholic University. The title of that series of lectures was, of course, The Idea of a University 1 and it was Newman’s goal to describe the unique, essential role of the university and then to demonstrate the place of the university within a Catholic society. In my view Newman’s division of his problem into these two aspects yields a paradigm for anyone who would discuss the contemporary university. For this reason I have chosen to title this philosophical sketch of the university with a variation on Newman’s title.
High-Q HF microelectromechanical filters

IC-compatible microelectromechanical intermediate frequency filters using integrated resonators with Q's in the thousands to achieve filter Q's in the hundreds have been demonstrated using a polysilicon surface micromachining technology. These filters are composed of two clamped-clamped beam micromechanical resonators coupled by a soft flexural-mode mechanical spring. The center frequency of a given filter is determined by the resonance frequency of the constituent resonators, while the bandwidth is determined by the coupling spring dimensions and its location between the resonators. Quarter-wavelength coupling is required on this microscale to alleviate mass loading effects caused by similar resonator and coupler dimensions. Despite constraints arising from quarter-wavelength design, a range of percent bandwidths is still attainable by taking advantage of low-velocity spring attachment locations. A complete design procedure is presented in which electromechanical analogies are used to model the mechanical device via equivalent electrical circuits. Filter center frequencies around 8 MHz with Q's from 40 to 450 (i.e., percent bandwidths from 0.23 to 2.5%), associated insertion losses less than 2 dB, and spurious-free dynamic ranges around 78 dB are demonstrated using low-velocity designs with input and output termination resistances of the order of 12 k/spl Omega/.
Negative affectivity: moderator or confound in emotional dissonance-outcome relationships?

Abstract This study was an examination of the impact of negative affectivity on relationships between emotional dissonance, job satisfaction, and emotional exhaustion. Negative affectivity is the predisposition to view life in negative terms. Emotional dissonance originates from the conflict between expressed and experienced emotions. In organizations that require the expression of positive emotions, high negative affectivity individuals may experience conflict between expressed, positive emotions and felt, negative emotions. A moderator effect exists when high negative affectivity individuals experience greater job dissatisfaction and emotional exhaustion. Alternatively, negative affectivity may exert a confounding effect through its relationship to both emotional dissonance and its outcomes. Empirical tests showed that negative affectivity moderated the emotional dissonance-job satisfaction relationship and confounded the emotional dissonance—emotional exhaustion relationship.
Managed fuelwood harvesting for energy, income and conservation: An opportunity for Bhutan

Fuelwood is the primary energy source for most Bhutanese and comprises 70% of national energy consumption. Nevertheless, forest cover and fuelwood supplies have increased in recent decades. The Government of Bhutan is committed to renewable energy develop- ment, reduced fossil fuel use, and sustainable forest management, but has not developed its wood biomass potential. We suggest that promoting research and policies to increase managed fuelwood harvesting could help meet national energy independence, rural in- come and employment, forest management and biodiversity conservation objectives. Managed fuelwood harvesting will require site-specific assessments of resource avail- ability, local needs and market demands, and rigorous monitoring and enforcement.
The interaction of hydrazine with polycrystalline iridium foil

Abstract During the room temperature decomposition of hydrazine on a polycrystalline iridium foil, a number of surface adsorbates are formed. Temperature programmed desorption spectroscopy reveals that these adspecies include several distinct states of hydrogen and of nitrogen adatoms, in addition to a surface free radical that leads to ammonia by reaction with hydrogen adatoms. The relative population densities of the surface species change with increasing exposure to hydrazine. The initially high catalytic activity of the surface is affected by the surface density of nitrogen adatoms in the strongly bound β-state.
Protein Profile of Tax-associated Complexes

Infection with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) results in adult T-cell leukemia and HTLV-1associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis. Tax, a 40-kDa protein, regulates viral and cellular transcription, host signal transduction, the cell cycle, and apoptosis. Tax has been shown to modulate cellular CREB and NFB pathways; however, to date, its role in binding to various host cellular proteins involved in tumorigenesis has not been fully described. In this study, we describe the Tax-associated proteins and their functions in cells using several approaches. Tax eluted from a sizing column mostly at an apparent molecular mass of 1800 kDa. Following Tax immunoprecipitation, washes with high salt buffer, two-dimensional gel separation, and mass spectrometric analysis, a total of 32 proteins was identified. Many of these proteins belong to the signal transduction and cytoskeleton pathways and transcription/chromatin remodeling. A few of these proteins, including TXBP151, have been shown previously to bind to Tax. The interaction of Tax with small GTPase-cytoskeleton proteins, such as ras GAP 1m , Rac1, Cdc42, RhoA, and gelsolin, indicates how Tax may regulate migration, invasion, and adhesion in T-cell cancers. Finally, the physical and functional association of Tax with the chromatin remodeling SWI/SNF complex was assessed using in vitro chromatin remodeling assays, chromatin remodeling factor BRG1 mutant cells, and RNA interference experiments. Collectively, Tax is able to bind and regulate many cellular proteins that regulate transcription and cytoskeletal related pathways, which might explain the pleiotropic effects of Tax leading to T-cell transformation and leukemia in HTLV1-infected patients.
Programming DNA Tube Circumferences

Synthesizing molecular tubes with monodisperse, programmable circumferences is an important goal shared by nanotechnology, materials science, and supermolecular chemistry. We program molecular tube circumferences by specifying the complementarity relationships between modular domains in a 42-base single-stranded DNA motif. Single-step annealing results in the self-assembly of long tubes displaying monodisperse circumferences of 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, or 20 DNA helices.
K(+) inward rectifier currents in reactive astrocytes from adult rat brain.

We characterized inward rectifier (K(IR)) currents in reactive astrocytes activated by CNS injury. We used primary cultures of reactive astrocytes obtained from gelatin sponge implants in adult rat brains, a system that yielded highly purified, homogeneous cultures with >95% of cells positive for GFAP, vimentin, and S-100beta. Ionic channels were studied in 1-21-day-old primary cultures using a nystatin-perforated patch clamp technique. Fast Na(+) currents were identified in 80% of cells expressing K(IR) currents. In contrast to previous reports on mammalian astrocytes, the current-voltage curve showed no appreciable current between E(k) and -50 mV, reflecting strong rectification by K(IR) channels. The magnitude of K(IR) current at -130 mV (I(-)(130)) did not change significantly during 21 days in culture (123 cells), suggesting constitutive expression of K(IR) channels. The fraction of K(IR)-negative cells was not affected by serum-starvation for 16-24 h. In cells with I(-)(130) >/= -30 pA, the membrane potential was invariably near E(k) and depolarized appreciably on addition of Ba(2+), but in cells with I(-)(130) < -30 pA, resting potentials ranged from -40 mV to -90 mV. We conclude that most adult reactive astrocytes constitutively express K(IR) channel(s) that exhibit strong rectification not previously observed in mammalian astrocytes.
Polymerization of acrylonitrile by electron transfer initiation

The homogeneous polymerization of acrylonitrile by electron transfer initiators is investigated. In a rigorously purified system at low temperatures it is demonstrated that “living” polyacrylonitrile is formed, and that its molecular weight can be predetermined. The number-average molecular weight of “living” polyacrylonitrile is approximately given by 2M/I, where M represents grams of monomer and I is the number of moles of the initiator. For polyacrylonitrile prepared by homogeneous anionic polymerization with an electron-transfer initiator, it is found that the viscosity average molecular weight calculated by using the conventional values of K and α in the Mark-Houwink equation is considerably smaller than the osmotic number-average molecular weight. This clearly indicates a structural difference between the free-radical and anionic polyacrylonitrile; the anionic polyacrylonitrile appears to have a highly branched structure formed by a chain transfer process to the polymer.
Protecting Vulnerable Subjects in Clinical Research: Children, Pregnant Women, Prisoners, and Employees

The federal government has established guidelines and regulations for the protection of vulnerable research subjects, especially children, pregnant women, cognitively impaired persons, and prisoners. In addition, students, residents, and employees are recognized as special research populations. Clinical investigators need to be aware of and use these federal guidelines appropriately. This article provides practical guidance for respiratory therapists who conduct research with these patient populations and solutions to the barriers investigators commonly encounter when studying these patient populations.
Location and mechanism of the Little Skull Mountain earthquake as constrained by satellite radar interferometry and seismic waveform modeling

We use interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) and broadband seismic waveform data to estimate source parameters of the 29 June 1992, M_s 5.4 Little Skull Mountain (LSM) earthquake. This event occurred within a geodetic network designed to measure the strain rate across the region around Yucca Mountain. The LSM earthquake complicates interpretation of the existing GPS and trilateration data, as the earthquake magnitude is sufficiently small that seismic data do not tightly constrain the epicenter but large enough to potentially affect the geodetic observations. We model the InSAR data using a finite dislocation in a layered elastic space. We also invert regional seismic waveforms both alone and jointly with the InSAR data. Because of limitations in the existing data set, InSAR data alone cannot determine the area of the fault plane independent of magnitude of slip nor the location of the fault plane independent of the earthquake mechanism. Our seismic waveform data tightly constrain the mechanism of the earthquake but not the location. Together, the two complementary data types can be used to determine the mechanism and location but cannot distinguish between the two potential conjugate fault planes. Our preferred model has a moment of ∼3.2 × 10^(17) N m (M_w 5.6) and predicts a line length change between the Wahomie and Mile geodetic benchmarks of ∼5 mm.
Hallucinogen persisting perception disorder: what do we know after 50 years?

'Flashbacks' following use of hallucinogenic drugs have been reported for decades; they are recognized in DSM-IV as 'Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder (Flashbacks)', or HPPD. We located and analyzed 20 quantitative studies between 1955 and 2001 examining this phenomenon. However, many of these studies were performed before operational criteria for HPPD were published in DSM-III-R, so they are difficult to interpret in the light of current diagnostic criteria. Overall, current knowledge of HPPD remains very limited. In particular (1) the term 'flashbacks' is defined in so many ways that it is essentially valueless; (2) most studies provide too little information to judge how many cases could meet DSM-IV criteria for HPPD; and consequently (3) information about risk factors for HPPD, possible etiologic mechanisms, and potential treatment modalities must be interpreted with great caution. At present, HPPD appears to be a genuine but uncommon disorder, sometimes persisting for months or years after hallucinogen use and causing substantial morbidity. It is reported most commonly after illicit LSD use, but less commonly with LSD administered in research or treatment settings, or with use of other types of hallucinogens. There are case reports, but no randomized controlled trials, of successful treatment with neuroleptics, anticonvulsants, benzodiazepines, and clonidine. Although it may be difficult to collect large samples of HPPD cases, further studies are critically needed to augment the meager data presently available regarding the prevalence, etiology, and treatment of HPPD.
Cocktails and other librations-the 88-inch cyclotron radiation effects facility

The 88-inch cyclotron at the E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory has unique capabilities of advantage for radiation effects testing (RET) and detector calibrations for space applications. The ability to deliver from protons (low linear energy transfer (LET) and high range) to bismuth (LET=100 MeV/mg/cm/sup 2/), and most ions in between, makes the cyclotron facility a versatile cosmic ray factory on Earth. In addition, the availability of "cocktail" beams of several ion species allows the luxury of testing parts over a range of LET values with one tuneup, saving time and money.
The Effect of Transconjunctival Blepharoplasty on Margin Reflex Distance 2.

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of lower eyelid transconjunctival blepharoplasty (TCB) on lower eyelid position. Transconjunctival blepharoplasty was performed alone in 15 lower eyelids without simultaneous canthoplasty or upper eyelid procedure. In this study, blepharoplasty was performed by the transconjunctival approach without removal of skin. Four eyes received TCB plus Erbium laser, two patients received TCB plus trichloroacetic acid peel (TCA), and three patients received TCB plus fat transposition. Pre-operative and post-operative margin reflex distance 1 (MRD 1) and margin reflex distance 2 (MRD 2) were compared, with MRD 1 acting as the control. Average time to post-operative photo was 4.6 months (1–10 months). The changes in MRD 2 and MRD 1 were compared pre- and post-operatively, and the difference reached significance by one-tailed comparison (P < 0.05). In 11/15 eyes (73 %), MRD 2 decreased post-operatively. In 6/7 eyes (86 %), lower lid scleral show was eliminated post-operatively. There were no cases of lid retraction noted. Transconjunctival blepharoplasty (± skin resurfacing) did not induce lid retraction but elevated the lower lid in majority of patients. Elevation of the lower lid can reduce or eliminate scleral show inferiorly, providing further cosmetic advantage. The presumed mechanism of lower lid height elevation is partial recession of the lower lid retractors during the surgical approach to the fat pockets. This journal requires that the authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Comparison of methods for evaluating acute and chronic toxicity in marine sediments.

Sublethal test methods are being used with increasing frequency to measure sediment toxicity, but little is known about the relative sensitivity of these tests compared to the more commonly used acute tests. The present study was conducted to compare the sensitivity of several acute and sublethal methods and to investigate their correlations with sediment chemistry and benthic community condition. Six sublethal methods (amphipod: Leptocheirus plumulosus survival, growth, and reproduction; polychaete: Neanthes arenaceodentata survival and growth; benthic copepod: Amphiascus tenuiremis life cycle; seed clam: Mercenaria mercenaria growth; oyster: Crassostrea virginica lysosome destabilization; and sediment–water interface testing with mussel embryos, Mytilus galloprovincialis) and two acute methods (amphipod survival with Eohaustorius estuarius and L. plumulosus) were used to test split sediment samples from stations in California. The test with Amphiascus proved to be the most sensitive sublethal test and the most sensitive overall, identifying 90% of the stations as toxic. The Leptocheirus 10-d test was the most sensitive of the acute tests, identifying 60% of the stations as toxic. In general, the sublethal tests were not more sensitive to sediments than the acute tests, with the sublethal tests finding an average of 35% of the stations to be toxic while the acute found 44%. Of the sublethal tests, only the Amphiascus endpoints and Neanthes growth significantly (p ≤ 0.05) correlated with sediment chemical concentrations. Poor correspondence occurred between the toxicity endpoints and the indicators of benthic community condition. Differences in test characteristics such as mode of exposure, species-specific contaminant sensitivity, changes in contaminant bioavailability, and influence of noncontaminant stressors on the benthos may have been responsible for variation in response among the tests and low correspondence with benthic community condition. The influence of these factors cannot be easily predicted, underscoring the need to use multiple toxicity methods, in combination with other lines of evidence, to provide an accurate and confident assessment of sediment toxicity.
A Question of Plagiarism: The ‘Harrison Chapters’ in Sir Thomas Smith's De Republica Anglorum

The De republica Anglorum was written by Sir Thomas Smith during his embassy to France in the years 1562-5. He dates the book in the last chapter: 'I have declared summarily as it were in a chart or mappe ... the forme and manner of the government of Englande.. . as Englande standeth and is governed at this day the xxviii of March Anno I565.' In April I565 he wrote to his friend Walter Haddon that the work, divided into three books, was 'unfinished'; 'they still lie among the rough scrawls of my notebooks; when they have been fully written out and given to the world in book form, I shall send them to you'. There were, he continues, 'gaps and a few points not filled in, because I brought with me not a single book and had no men of law to consult. Accordingly I have written only as much as was supplied by my memory, for the time being, of matters I had seen or read. Those parts that are imperfect I shall be able to complete at my leisure when I have returned home. " Despite these good intentions the book was not published until I 583, six years after Sir Thomas's death and eighteen years after it had been written. During that time it had circulated in manuscript; the publisher in his preface commented ruefully that the text had suffered from the 'errors and rashnes of Scribes, appearing in the contrarietie and corruption of coppies, happening both by the length of time sithens the first making, dS also by the often transcripting'. One reader in particular was ready to point out more than errors. Four years later, in I587, William Harrison published the second edition of his Descriptionz of England, which had first appeared in Holinshed's Chronicles in I577. In this second edition Harrison adds a chapter on parliament, borrowing freely from the relevant chapter in the De republica Angloruim and stating pointedly that he was describing parliamentary procedures 'as Sir Thomas Smith doth deliver and set them down, whose only direction I use, and almost word for word, in this chapter, requiting him with the like borrowage as he hath used toward me in his discourse of the sundry degrees of estates in the commonwvealth of England,
Shape from textured and shaded surface

A novel 3-D shape model is developed to describe a 3-D surface image by considering the scene image as the superposition of a smooth shaded image and a random texture image. The modified reflectance map function is applied to describe the deterministic part, and the orthographically projected fractional differencing periodic model is chosen to describe the random texture, because of its ability to represent the coarseness of the surface and the texture pattern, which is nonisotropically distributed due to the 3-D rotation, at the same time. For estimating the surface orientation parameters, a hybrid method which uses both the least-squares and the maximum-likelihood estimates is applied directly to the given intensity values of the image. These techniques are illustrated by synthetic examples. >
Night moves: A qualitative investigation of street-level sex work

The subculture of street-level sex work including the social environment, drug use and abuse, and violence was examined. Personal interviews were conducted with 43 women involved in streetwalking prostitution. Data were analyzed using Phenomenological Descriptive Analysis (Colaizzi, 1978). Several participants reported developing emotional relationships and having children with clients, former clients, or pimps; some participants were married to men who pimped them. Supportive relationships with other streetwalkers were largely nonexistent; streetwalking constitutes a solitary business for most. The majority reported drug addiction, although less than half entered prostitution to support an already established drug habit. Financial need propelled many into the streets. Victimization and subjection to multiple forms of abuse were commonly reported but did not constitute justification for leaving the streets. Implications of this investigation are discussed.
Predictors of Activity Level 2 Years After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR) A Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) ACLR Cohort Study

ObjectiveThe study was conducted to quantify activity level 2 years after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and identify explanatory variables measured at baseline (demographics, concomitant meniscal/articular cartilage injuries and their treatment) associated with activity level at short-term follow-up (2 years).Study DesignCohort study; Level of evidence, 2.MethodsIn 2002, the Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcomes Network (MOON) consortium began enrolling patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at 6 recruitment sites. The current study reports 2-year follow-up of patients enrolled in 2002. Participants completed a series of validated, patient-oriented questionnaires that included activity level assessment. Measurement of intra-articular pathology, techniques of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, and secondary procedures were recorded at baseline by participating surgeons. Multivariable proportional odds ordinal logistic regression was used to assess predictors of activit...
Comprehensive genotyping of the USA national maize inbred seed bank

Genotyping by sequencing, a new low-cost, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to genotype 2,815 maize inbred accessions, preserved mostly at the National Plant Germplasm System in the USA. The collection includes inbred lines from breeding programs all over the world. The method produced 681,257 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers distributed across the entire genome, with the ability to detect rare alleles at high confidence levels. More than half of the SNPs in the collection are rare. Although most rare alleles have been incorporated into public temperate breeding programs, only a modest amount of the available diversity is present in the commercial germplasm. Analysis of genetic distances shows population stratification, including a small number of large clusters centered on key lines. Nevertheless, an average fixation index of 0.06 indicates moderate differentiation between the three major maize subpopulations. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decays very rapidly, but the extent of LD is highly dependent on the particular group of germplasm and region of the genome. The utility of these data for performing genome-wide association studies was tested with two simply inherited traits and one complex trait. We identified trait associations at SNPs very close to known candidate genes for kernel color, sweet corn, and flowering time; however, results suggest that more SNPs are needed to better explore the genetic architecture of complex traits. The genotypic information described here allows this publicly available panel to be exploited by researchers facing the challenges of sustainable agriculture through better knowledge of the nature of genetic diversity.
Regime‐switching models and multiple causal factors in forecasting wind speed

This study evaluates two types of models for wind speed forecasting. The first is models with multiple causal factors, such as offsite readings of wind speed and meteorological variables. These can be estimated using either regressions or neural networks. The second is state transition and the closely related class of regime-switching transition models. These are attractive in that they can be used to predict outlying fluctuations or large ramp events. The regime-switching model uses a persistence forecast during periods of high wind speed, and regressions for low and intermediate speeds. These techniques are tested on three databases. Two main criteria are used to evaluate the outcomes, the number of high and low states than can be predicted correctly and the mean absolute percent error of the forecast. Neural nets are found to predict the state transitions somewhat better than logistic regressions, although the regressions do not do badly. Three methods all achieve about the same degree of forecast accuracy: multivariate regressions, state transition and regime-switching models. If the states could be predicted perfectly, the regime-switching model would improve forecast accuracy by an additional 2.5 to 3 percentage points. Analysis of the density functions of wind speed and the forecasting models finds that the regime-switching method more closely approximates the distribution of the actual data. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Risk factors for sexual aggression in young men: an expansion of the confluence model

There are many explanations for high rates of sexual aggression, with no one theory dominating the field. This study extends past research by evaluating an expanded version of the confluence model with a community sample. One-hour audio computer-assisted self-interviews were completed by 470 young single men. Using structural equation analyses, delinquency, hostile masculinity, impersonal sex, and misperception of women's sexual cues were positively and directly associated with the number of sexually aggressive acts committed. There were also indirect effects of childhood victimization, personality traits associated with subclinical levels of psychopathy, and alcohol consumption. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of the confluence model, as well as the importance of broadening this theory to include additional constructs.
Atmospheric Temperature Climate Data Records from Satellite Microwave Sounders

This chapter reviews the simultaneous nadir overpass (SNO) method to remove time-varying inter-satellite biases at the swath level for developing a well-inter-calibrated Level-1c radiance fundamental climate data record (FCDR) from the microwave sounding unit (MSU) and advanced MSU observations onboard historical NOAA polar-orbiting satellite series. The SNO method has effectively minimized scene temperature-dependent radiance biases and solar heating-related instrument temperature variability in the radiances, resulting in global mean inter-satellite biases of only 0.05–0.1 K. Twenty years of the SNO-calibrated Level-1c radiances had been assimilated into the NCEP Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) and NASA Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis, yielding much consistent bias correction patterns across different satellites compared to those using prelaunch-calibrated radiances.
The Perils of Pregnancy Ferguson v. City of Charleston

The United States Supreme Court, in its decision Ferguson v. City of Charleston,ruled that to conduct drug tests on pregnant women in public hospitals and to share that information with the police without obtaining a search warrant amounted to a violation of the women's constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment. Set within the political context of public policy designed to monitor the activities of pregnant women and the ongoing incidence of prosecutions for ‘foetal abuse’,this note shows how the Supreme Court’s decision, while on the one hand vindicating the rights of pregnant women to be free from unlawful searches upon their person, does not definitively determine the important question of the extent to which the state may regulate women’s behaviour during pregnancy.
Radiative Heat Transfer Between Two Closely-Spaced Plates

*Enhanced radiative heat transfer by proximity effect has been confirmed both theoretically and experimentally since the early 1970’s. The proximity effect indicates that heat transfer increases rapidly with spacing much smaller than dominated wavelength. This topic was recently investigated on dielectric materials for a thermophotovoltaic application, in which photovoltaic efficiency may be enhanced through proximity effect. We report a numerical result on the radiative heat transfer between a pair of parallel electrodes in a new thermotunneling application, in which the spacing between the electrodes is in the nanometers range. Two electron models along with optical data were used for the calculation. Although the calculation is mainly for absorptive materials, review for homogeneous media is also included. The motivation of our work is to compute the heat loss through thermal radiation as part of energy budget in a thermotunneling, direct thermal to electric conversion (DTEC) device. This device may offer a much higher theoretical efficiency than thermoelectric devices since it has a vacuum gap so thermal backflow and Joule loss are minimal in the gap. We have found that the radiative heat loss is greater than Planck blackbody radiation by one to two orders of magnitude.
Enantioselective Synthesis of Biaryl Compounds via Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Coupling Using a Palladium Complex of 7′-Butoxy-7-(diphenylphosphino)-8,8′-biquinolyl: Investigation of a New Chiral Ligand Architecture

7,7′-Dihydroxy-8,8′-biquinolyl was converted to the title phosphine in four-steps via Mitsunobu monoetherification, trifylation, phosphination, and phosphine oxide reduction (63% overall yield). Enantiomerically pure phosphine was combined with Pd2dba3 and investigated for the synthesis of axially chiral biaryl compounds from Ar1Br and Ar2B(OH)2 in the presence of K3PO4 in toluene solvent (6 examples, 4–97% yield, 4–74% ee). The analogous carbocyclic ligand 2-(diphenylphosphino)-2′-methoxy-1,1′-binaphthyl (MOP) was studied for comparative purposes and found to be effective for the synthesis of hindered 2,2′-disubstituted 1,1′-binaphthyls (78–83% yield, 20–38% ee).
A Modular View of the Signaling System Regulating Chemotaxis

Chemotaxis of eukaryotic cells is a highly complex phenomenon, requiring the coordinated action of various processes: gradient sensing and amplification, polarization, and motility. To cope with this complexity, we advocate a modular view of the system. Here, we show how this approach leads to a computational model that accounts for many of the observed behaviors of chemotaxing cells. The principal component of the model is a module describing a signal transduction excitable network (STEN). It integrates information from the internal and external cues and signals to the actin cytoskeleton. The external chemoattractant signal is processed through a local-excitation, global-inhibition (LEGI) module that allows for the sensing of gradients as well as adaptation to spatially uniform stimuli. A polarity (POL) generates an intrinsic signal that enables the cell to migrate persistently. Finally, the cytoskeletal, oscillatory network (CON) describes observed small amplitude oscillations of the actin cytoskeleton. We carry out simulations describing the activity of these various modules. Finally, we couple these simulations to a mechanical description of the cell using the level set formalism to test the model’s ability to recreate changes in morphology induced by the signaling network.
Video “Reading” and Multimodality: A Study of ESL/Literacy Pupils’ Interpretation of Cinderella from Their Socio-historical Perspective

The purpose of this study was to investigate how Hispanic ESL/literacy learners used their socio-historical experiences and multimodal resources to mediate interpretation and representation of Cinderella. Eighteen third-grade pupils “read” the video and re-created their understandings in pictures and sentences. The findings suggest that (a) Cinderella should be studied in ESL/literacy curricula as an object of social knowledge and critical analysis, (b) ESL/literacy teachers can use the self-reflective approach to facilitate a critical interpretation of popular cultural texts, and (c) reconceptualizing elementary ESL/literacy classrooms as semiotic spaces allows pupils to interpret videos with a wide range of multimodal resources, and in the process, become consumers and producers of systems of communications.
CVQFN package development

DR-QFN / MR-QFN, is a conventional leadframe based QFN package in Dual-row / Multi-Row design, which provides QFN package configuration with higher IO up to ~100 counts. At present, TI (Texas Instrument) has been providing polyimide tape type substrate with Ball Grid Array package named as MicroStar Junior BGA™(u*JrBGA™) for 100 more IO counts requisition. By applying the concept of Cu trace routing in polyimide tape substrate of u*JrBGAA™™ instead of the ordinary QFN leadframe and then filling with solder resist (SR), an advanced multi-row QFN package is then reborn to support for more IO pin counts in QFN configuration. And package total thickness could be thinning down to 0.4mm. This advanced multi-row QFN package is named as Cu via QFN (CVQFN). Apart from the standard etching process for leadframe (Cu trace) routing, the leadframe (Copper Trace) for CVQFN adopts the plating process. Solder resist filling process is another employed process to sustain the 75 um thin leadframe (Cu trace) for the rest assembly process. Affirmatively, the goal is achieved to compete with current Dual-row / Multi-Row QFN (DRQFN/MRQFN) by offering the same thermal dissipation, package outline and foot print pattern. It also provides ultra thin package solution. Package reliability, Assembly manufacturability, and SMT BLR are discussed in this report. This report also describes this CVQFN can get rid of the mold flash issue existed in conventional MR-QFN/DR-QFN.
Neuropsychological Intervention and Treatment Approaches for Childhood and Adolescent Disorders

Information about the child's neuropsychological, cognitive, academic, and psychosocial status forms the basis for designing integrated intervention and treatment plans for children and adolescents with brain-related disorders. Efforts to develop models of neuropsychological intervention have been expanding in recent years. In an effort to provide a framework for linking assessment to interventions, the Multistage Neuropsychological Assessment-Intervention Model is presented. Specific techniques for designing intervention programs addressing academic, psychosocial, and executive function (EF) deficits associated with various childhood and adolescent disorders are summarized.