cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does the neuronal noise in cortex help generalization

Abstract One remarkable feature of neuronal activity in the mammalian cortex is the high level of variability in response to repeated stimuli. First, we used an open dataset, the Allen Brain Observatory, to quantify the distribution of responses to repeated presentations of natural movies. We find that even for their preferred moment in the movie clip, neurons have high variability which cannot be well captured by Gaussian or Poisson distributions. A large fraction of responses are better fit by log-normal or Gaussian mixture models with two components. These distributions are similar to activity distributions during training of deep neural networks using dropout. This poses the interesting hypothesis: is the role of cortical noise to help in generalization during learning? Second, to ensure the robustness of our results we analyzed electrophysiological recordings in the same areas of mouse visual cortex, again using repeated natural movie presentations and found similar response distributions. To make sure that the trial-by-trial variations we observe are not due exclusively to the result of changes in state, we constructed a population coupling model, where each neuron’s activity is coupled to a low-dimension version of the activity of all other simultaneously recorded neurons. The population coupling model can capture global, brain-wide activity fluctuations that are state-dependent. The residuals from this model also show non-Gaussian noise distributions. Third, we ask a more specific question: is the noise in the cortex more likely to move the representation of the stimulus in-class versus out-of-class? To address this question, we analyzed the responses of neurons across trials from multiple sections of different movie clips. We observe that the noise in the cortex better aligns to in-class variations. We argue that a useful noise for learning generalizations is to move from representations of different exemplars in-class, similar to cortical noise.
The Governance of Solar Geoengineering: Managing Climate Change in the Anthropocene

Climate change is among the world's most important problems, and solutions based on emission cuts or adapting to new climates remain elusive. One set of proposals receiving increasing attention among scientists and policymakers is 'solar geoengineering', (also known as solar radiation modification) which would reflect a small portion of incoming sunlight to reduce climate change. Evidence indicates that this could be effective, inexpensive, and technically feasible, but it poses environmental risks and social challenges. Governance will thus be crucial. In The Governance of Solar Geoengineering, Jesse L. Reynolds draws on law, political science, and economics to show how solar geoengineering is, could, and should be governed. The book considers states' incentives and behavior, international and national law, intellectual property, compensation for possible harm, and non-state governance. It also recommends how solar geoengineering could be responsibly researched, developed, and - if appropriate - used in ways that would improve human well-being and ensure sustainability.
Is sarcopenia a better predictor of complications than body mass index? Sarcopenia and surgical outcomes in patients with rectal cancer

Aim Sarcopenia, or a reduction of lean muscle mass, is associated with poorer outcomes in cancer patients. Few previous studies have examined this potentially correctable risk factor in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. Method Skeletal muscle mass index was measured retrospectively on initial staging CT scans of patients undergoing chemoradiation followed by radical resection for rectal cancer for the period 2007-2013. Patients were categorized as sarcopenic or nonsarcopenic and differences in terms of demographics, pre-, peri- and postoperative outcomes were examined. Results Forty-seven patients were included; their mean age was 59.3 (36-82) years and 61.7% were men. We considered that 55.2% of men and 44.4% of women were sarcopenic; the overall prevalence of sarcopenia was 51.1%. Age, preoperative haemoglobin and albumin were significantly related to sarcopenia. Body mass index (BMI) and obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2 ) were not associated with sarcopenia. Blood transfusions were more frequent in sarcopenic patients (P = 0.001). Although readmissions and length of stay were not increased, overall postoperative complications were significantly higher in sarcopenic patients (P = 0.03). Neither BMI nor obesity was associated with postoperative complications. Conclusion Sarcopenia was present in over 50% of patients with locally advanced rectal cancer at diagnosis. It was associated with a higher incidence of both blood transfusion and postoperative complications. BMI did not correlate with these negative outcomes. Sarcopenia may be a better predictor of surgical outcomes than BMI or obesity.
Adherence to Guideline Recommendations in Patients with Thyroid Nodules.

Introduction Thyroid nodules are common and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy is the standard of care for work-up to exclude thyroid cancer. In this study, we examined the discrepancy between daily practice and recommended diagnostic approach for management of thyroid nodules, based on history taking, laboratory, and imaging studies. Methods This was a retrospective chart review of 199 patients who had ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration (UGFNA) performed at a Midwest academic medical center from January 2010 to December 2011. The quality measures were selected based on recommended clinical practice guidelines, including family history, history of neck radiation, neck symptoms, TSH test, and thyroid ultrasound. Results The majority of patients were Caucasian females. Family history of thyroid cancer and childhood neck radiation exposure were documented in 79 subjects (40%) and 76 subjects (38%), respectively. Neck symptoms were documented in most subjects, including dysphonia (56.8%), dysphagia (69.9%), and dyspnea (41.2%). Most subjects had a TSH measured and an ultrasound performed prior to biopsy (75% and 86%, respectively). Conclusions It appears there is a gap between current patient care and clinical practice guidelines for management of thyroid nodules. Clinical history and ultrasound features for risk stratification of UGFNA were lacking, which could reflect physicians' unfamiliarity with the guidelines. As thyroid nodules are common, enhancing knowledge of the current guidelines could improve appropriate work-up. Further studies are needed to identify factors associated with the poor compliance with clinical guidelines in management of thyroid nodules.
The Association of Religion and Spirituality with Postpartum Mental Health in Women with Childhood Maltreatment Histories

Although the associations between religion and spirituality and mental health and trauma have been studied extensively across various populations, relatively few studies have focused on the postpartum period. This study aimed to shed light on specific domains of religiosity and spirituality that may be resiliency factors for positive postpartum adjustment defined as low depression and high quality of life in mothers oversampled for childhood trauma histories. We examined several religion and spirituality variables among 108 women at 6 months postpartum as well as prospective relations from religion and spirituality to postpartum depression and quality of life at 12 and 15 months postpartum. We found that the personal aspects of self-forgiveness and forgiveness for others were most relevant as resiliency factors predicting lower postpartum depression and better quality of life even when controlling for other risks (trauma and demographics). Surprisingly, no other religion and spirituality domain had associations with postpartum depression or quality of life, with the exception of a significant negative association for organizational religiousness with quality of life at 12 months postpartum. Our findings suggest that forgiveness, especially to self and to others, in women who have been physically and mentally hurt as children may be associated with mental wellness and quality of life in the late postpartum period. Further, our results point to the need to study specific religion and spirituality aspects in the context of specific populations and conditions instead of generally studying religion and spirituality as a common marker for coping.
Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Salvage Therapy: Definitions and Context.

High-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer is marked by frequent disease recurrences and risk of stage progression, contributing to high surveillance, treatment-related costs, and patient anxiety. Although the mainstay of high-risk non-muscle invasive bladder cancer clinical management remains transurethral resection followed by intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), patients who develop BCG-unresponsive disease have few salvage options outside of a radical cystectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. This article provides a historical context relevant to the development of the BCG-unresponsive definition, an overview of current clinical trial expectations, and an introduction to this issue of Urologic Clinics.
The Galactic Dark Matter: Predictions and Observations

After two decades of efforts to identify the enigmatic dark matter that comprises the dominant form of matter in our galaxy, the mass range for viable candidates appears to have been reduced by more than 50orders of magnitude. Positive results have thus far been confined to the range: 10-7 M⊙ to 1.0 M⊙, with apparent clustering within the ranges 10-5 M⊙ to 10-3 M⊙ and 0.08 M⊙ to 0.5 M⊙. Positive and negative results are compared with specific predictions of cosmological models.
Hybrid Precoding for mmWave V2X Doubly-Selective Multiuser MIMO Systems.

Millimeter wave (mmWave) is a practical solution to provide high data rate for the vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communications. This enables the future autonomous vehicles to exchange big data with the base stations (BSs) such as the velocity and the location to improve the awareness of the advanced driving assistance system (ADAS). In this context, we consider a single-cell multiuser doubly-selective system wherein the BS simultaneously serves multiple vehicles. To accomplish this requirement, the BS is implemented in hybrid architecture to support multiple spatial streams while the vehicles have analog-only structures. In this work, we develop a low-complexity hybrid precoding algorithm wherein the design of the hybrid precoder at the BS and the analog combiner at the vehicles require small training and feedback overhead. We propose a two-stage hybrid precoding algorithm wherein the first stage designs the analog beamformers as in single user scenario while the second stage designs the multiuser digital precoder at the BS. In the second stage, we derive closed-form digital precoders such as Maximum Ratio Transmission (MRT), Zero-Forcing (ZF) and Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) as a first variant while we propose iterative digital precoder as a second variant. The design of the digital precoders for the two variants requires the limited feedback sent from the vehicles to BS. We refer to the random vector quantization (RVQ) and the beamsteering codebooks to quantize the feedbacks for variants I and II, respectively, since the perfect feedback requires long overhead and large training. We evaluate the rate loss incurred by the quantization of the digital and analog codebooks against the perfect channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT).
The limits of convergence: the roles of phylogeny and dietary ecology in shaping non-avian amniote crania.

Cranial morphology is remarkably varied in living amniotes and the diversity of shapes is thought to correspond with feeding ecology, a relationship repeatedly demonstrated at smaller phylogenetic ...
Hymens in newborn female infants.

Few physicians are comfortable testifying in courts of law. Fewer still are comfortable when the subject at hand involves sexual abuse and when there is often a paucity of physical or laboratory findings. Yet, with increasing public awareness, the number of cases of child sexual abuse involving the criminal justice system is dramatically increasing, with a concomitant need for expert witness testimony. When sexual abuse is alledged, a physician may be asked to assess a child9s genitalia and anus for signs of past sexual activity. In girls, this entails looking for changes in the hymen, such as tears or scarring, estimating the diameter of the introitus, and looking for dilation of the hymenal ring.1
Global directions for reforming health systems and expanding insurance. What is suitable for the Arab Gulf countries

ABSTRACT Most countries are exploring and implementing reforms of their health care systems. The Arab countries in the Gulf are no exception after establishing modern governmental health care systems accessible to all and free of charge. Current problems of the Arab systems include financial, managerial and quality issues. The private sector in these countries has no defined national role and is gowing abruptly and unplanned. The paper presents the major global health reform directions, analyzing the current activities in the Arab Gulf countries and proposing certain practical relevant approaches for health reform, and expansion of insurance in these activites.
Psychosocial constructs and postintervention changes in physical activity and dietary outcomes in a lifestyle intervention, HUB City Steps, 2010.

INTRODUCTION Although modifications to dietary and physical activity (PA) behavior can reduce blood pressure, racial disparities in prevalence and control of hypertension persist. Psychosocial constructs (PSCs) of self-regulation, processes of change, and social support are associated with initiation and maintenance of PA in African Americans; which PSCs best predict lifestyle behavior changes is unclear. This study's objective was to examine relationships among PSC changes and postintervention changes in PA and dietary outcomes in a community-based, multicomponent lifestyle intervention. METHODS This study was a noncontrolled, pre/post experimental intervention conducted in a midsized, Southern US city in 2010. Primarily African American adults (n = 269) participated in a 6-month intervention consisting of motivational enhancement, social support, pedometer diary self-monitoring, and 5 education sessions. Outcome measures included pedometer-determined steps per day, fitness, dietary intake, and PSC measures. Generalized linear mixed models were used to test for postintervention changes in behavioral outcomes, identify predictors of PSC changes, and determine if PSC changes predicted changes in PA and diet. RESULTS Postintervention changes were apparent for 10 of 24 PSCs (P < .05). Processes of change components, including helping relationships, reinforcement management, and consciousness raising, were significant predictors of fitness change (P < .05). CONCLUSION This article is among the first to address how measures of several theoretical frameworks of behavior change influence changes in PA and dietary outcomes in a multicomponent, community-based, lifestyle intervention conducted with African American adults. Findings reported identify PSC factors on which health behavior interventions can focus.
Quality control for plant metabolomics: reporting MSI‐compliant studies

The Metabolomics Standards Initiative (MSI) has recently released documents describing minimum parameters for reporting metabolomics experiments, in order to validate metabolomic studies and to facilitate data exchange. The reporting parameters encompassed by MSI include the biological study design, sample preparation, data acquisition, data processing, data analysis and interpretation relative to the biological hypotheses being evaluated. Herein we exemplify how such metadata can be reported by using a small case study - the metabolite profiling by GC-TOF mass spectrometry of Arabidopsis thaliana leaves from a knockout allele of the gene At1g08510 in the Wassilewskija ecotype. Pitfalls in quality control are highlighted that can invalidate results even if MSI reporting standards are fulfilled, including reliable compound identification and integration of unknown metabolites. Standardized data processing methods are proposed for consistent data storage and dissemination via databases.
Layout optimized non-uniform series-parallel inductors for high inductance density and quality factor

High resistivity, silicon-on-insulator CMOS technologies allow the usage of lower metals to build miniaturized 3D inductors due to reduced substrate losses. Compact and layout optimized 3D series stacked inductor structures with high quality factor (Q) and increased current handling capability are proposed in this paper. The bottom-most spiral in the series stack is realized using multiple via connected layers to simultaneously increase Q and current handling capability. Increased width and reduced spacing at the bottom metals is shown to be useful for improved inductor performance. Measurements show significant improvements in inductance density, quality factor and current handling using the proposed inductors.
Cost advantages of oral drug therapy for managing cytomegalovirus disease

Cost advantages of the oral route of drug therapy administration over the intravenous route for managing cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease are described. The overall costs usually are lower for the oral route of administration than for the intravenous route, although the cost to the patient depends on insurance coverage. Other advantages of the oral route include greater safety and convenience, which may improve patient adherence and quality of life. In patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the use of oral ganciclovir instead of intravenous ganciclovir to treat the maintenance phase of CMV retinitis reduced the incidence of neutropenia and sepsis, outpatient and inpatient resource use, and costs. Oral therapy also improved patient quality of life. A cost-effectiveness model for liver transplant recipients found that CMV prophylaxis is warranted for all patients, ganciclovir is preferred over CMV immune globulin i.v. and oral acyclovir for prophylaxis, and the oral route of administration is more cost-effective than the intravenous route for ganciclovir. Valganciclovir, the oral prodrug of ganciclovir, was not included in this model. Oral maintenance therapy is usually cost-effective, safer, and more convenient than intravenous therapy in the management of CMV.
A multi-multicast sharing technique for large-scale video information systems

Despite the amelioration in communication technologies, the server network I/O bottleneck remains a severe obstacle in video-on-demand applications. All bandwidth-sharing techniques, proposed to overcome this, assume videos to be requested in their entirety. In this paper, we extend the video-on-demand delivery problem so that it allows users to request parts of video and be able to receive them at that instant. Specifically, we propose an efficient technique called multicast jumping (MJ) that provides many desirable properties such as: (1) the demand on the server bandwidth is significantly alleviated; (2) true and scaleable video on demand is achieved; (3) not only for streaming video segments on demand, but the technique also works for on-demand videos in their entirety.
Automation of dormant pruning in specialty crop production: An adaptive framework for automatic reconstruction and modeling of apple trees

Dormant pruning is one of the most costly and labor-intensive operations in specialty crop production. During winter, a large crew of trained seasonal workers has to carefully remove the branches from hundreds of trees using a set of pre-defined rules. The goal of automatic pruning is to reduce this dependence on a large workforce that is currently needed for the job. Automatically applying the pruning “rules” entails construction of 3D models of the trees in their dormant condition (that is, without foliage) and accurate estimation of the pruning points on the branches. This paper investigates the use of Skeleton-based Geometric (SbG) features in a 3D reconstruction scheme. The results obtained demonstrate the effectiveness of the SbG features for automatic reconstruction using only two views — the front and the back. Our results show that our proposed scheme locates the pruning points on the tree branches with an accuracy of 96.0%. The algorithm that locates the pruning points is based on a new adaptive circle-based-layer-aware modeling scheme for the trunks and the primary branches “PBs” of the trees. Its three main steps are detection, segmentation, and modeling. Localization of the pruning points on the tree branches is a part of the modeling step. Both qualitative and quantitative evaluation are performed on a new challenging apple-trees dataset that is collected for the purpose of evaluating our approach.
The Control of Spikelet Meristem Identity by the branched silkless1 Gene in Maize

Most of the world's food supply is derived from cereal grains that are borne in a unique structure called the spikelet, the fundamental unit of inflorescence architecture in all grasses. branched silkless1 (bd1) is a maize mutation that alters the identity of the spikelet meristem, causing indeterminate branches to form in place of spikelets. We show that bd1 encodes a putative ERF transcription factor that is conserved in different grasses and is expressed in a distinct domain of the spikelet meristem. Its expression pattern suggests that signaling pathways regulate meristem identity from lateral domains of the spikelet meristem.
Three-dimensional geometry of metamorphic fluid flow during Barrovian regional metamorphism from an inversion of combined petrologic and stable isotopic data

Inverse calculations reveal the three-dimensional geometry of time-integrated fluid flux over a 120 km2 area during peak Barrovian regional metamorphism in southeastern Vermont. Prograde changes in whole-rock CO2, 18O, and 13C and calculated fluid compositions at the peak of metamorphism were inverted assuming tracer mass balance to obtain the time-integrated fluid flux in three dimensions. Peak metamorphic fluid flow was spatially nonuniform with flux magnitudes ranging from ∼0 to 3·105 mol fluid/cm2 rock and flux directions ranging from vertical (upward and downward) to horizontal. Averaged over the entire study area, the magnitude of the time-integrated metamorphic fluid flux vector is ∼3.4·104 mol fluid/cm2 rock. The average flux vector trends 45° to the southwest and points upward at 36° from the present horizontal, parallel to formation boundaries on a regional scale. Fluids in the terrain carried ∼3·103 mol CO2/cm2 rock toward Earth's surface during the peak of metamorphism. Results suggest that local cross-layer transport processes are secondary to terrain-scale metamorphic fluid flow in driving prograde decarbonation reactions. Regional structure exerts a first-order control on the gross geometry of peak metamorphic fluid flow.
Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty Reverses Vasoconstriction of Stenotic Coronary Arteries in Hypertensive Patients

To the Editor: We read with interest the study by Frielingsdorf et al1 in which exercise-induced dilation (measured by biplane angiography) of “normal” coronary arteries was impaired in hypertensive compared with normotensive patients. The vasodilator response in normal arteries during exercise is dependent on flow-sensitive release of nitric oxide from the endothelium.2 However, attributing an impaired dilator response in hypertensives to deficient release of endothelium-derived vasodilators (“endothelial dysfunction”) dismisses the alternative potential …
Effect of wedging on the flow characteristics past tilting disc aortic valve prosthesis

Abstract To evaluate the efficacy of implanting a tilting disc aortic valve prosthesis in an angulated (wedged) supra-annular position, an in vitro experimental study was performed. The aortic valve prosthesis was mounted in an axi-symmetric valve chamber in a wedged position and incorporated in a mock circulatory system. Measurements were obtained on the transvalvular pressure gradient, percent regurgitation as well as velocity profiles and turbulent normal stresses distal to the valve. Our results showed that there was no significant reduction in the pressure gradient in mounting a larger sized valve in the wedged supra-annular position. On the other hand, the percent regurgitation increased with increase in heart rate and wedge angle. The valve failed to function properly above 110 beats min−1 at any wedge angle with the normal flow rate. The velocity profiles also showed significant changes with an increase in the turbulent normal stress with increase in wedge angle. Hence our study suggests that implanting the tilting disc prosthesis in a wedged supra-annular position in the aorta is not advisable.
Performance analysis of random demodulators with M-sequences and Kasami sequences

The theory of compressive sensing has recently been utilized to develop sub-Nyquist communication receivers that can reconstruct the input signal using sub-Nyquist sampling rates. Such samples are acquired randomly by projecting the input signal on random signals. Practically, these random signals can be generated by digital pseudo random signal generators, and the properties of these signals highly affect the reconstruction quality of the receiver. In this paper, we study the performance of the random demodulator, a compressive sampling based receiver, with two types of random sequences that are practical to implement: M-sequences generated by means of a linear feedback shift register, and Kasami sequences. We show that a random demodulator with a Kasami sequence generally outperforms that with an M-sequence in terms of minimum sampling rate and minimum sparsity levels for successful reconstruction.
Serum Antibody Responses to Bovine Retinal S-Antigen and Rod Outer Segments in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy before and after Argon Laser Photocoagulation

Abstract Using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the serum antibody titers to bovine retinal S-antigen and rod outer segments in preand post-argon laser treated diabetic retinopathy patients were compared to each other and to the titers of age- and sex-matched normal controls. The increase in anti-S titer following the initial laser treatment gave a P P values of
Modeling of oxidation and its effect on crack growth in titanium alloys

The effect of oxidation on the crack growth resistance of titanium alloys is investigated in this work. The oxidation process is modeled by modifying the Fickian diffusion problem in order to account for the chemical reaction (phase change) in the material. Two different variants of a fixed grid finite element method for numerical simulation of oxidation are used. The first approach taken is to locate the oxidation front and split the domain into metal and oxide subdomains. The second approach is based on reformulating the diffusion equations in both the oxide and metal, resulting in a single non-linear equation for the whole domain. After the oxidation process is modeled, the mechanical analysis is performed. In the finite element formulation of the mechanical problem, the influence of oxidation is introduced by the change of the elastic constants and the oxidation-induced eigenstrain. The applicability of both the oxidation and mechanical models is tested by simulating oxidation of a pre-cracked Ti-15-3 compact tension specimen which is then subjected to monotonic loading.
Catapults of yore.

In her Essay “The sinews of war: ancient catapults” (6 Feb., p. 771), S. Cuomo examines the associations set up in antiquity between researchers and the leaders of warlike states to improve weaponry. The catapults she uses as an example can also provide insight into the methods used by ancient engineers, which are recognizable in engineering practices of today ([1][1]). Torsion catapults ([2][2]–[5][3]) were modular. All the dimensions of a family of catapults were proportional to one parameter, the diameter of the hole for the torsion spring. We can express the rules of the Greeks in our more compact notation, D = 1.1 W 1/3, in which D is the diameter of the spring hole, in dactyls, and W is the weight of the shot, in drachmae. The invention of this scaling law was a major accomplishment. It predicts that the stress in each component is invariant no matter how large the catapult. One can therefore use the same materials—sinew, wood, iron—for any size machine, and all catapults in the same family would have had the same range. Although they may look primitive, catapults are similar to three-stage rockets, in that the stages must be precisely timed to contribute their energy most effectively to the acceleration of the missile, leaving no residual kinetic energy in the arms, which would cause the projectile to crash into the stanchions. Modern simulations show that the ancient engineers achieved optimal designs, with any deviation from the canon resulting in degraded performance. Achieving these optimal solutions would have required that the Greeks have a significant engineering test program ([1][1]). The Greeks chose the multiplier within the scaling law to be 1.1. At this value, a trade-off between the range of the catapult and the destructive energy at impact is set to favor high-impact energy rather than maximum range. Hence, the ancient engineers made explicit choices in the design of their machines to meet the demands of their sponsors. Their catapults were optimized to wage aggressive war by battering down defensive fortifications from a relatively short distance, rather than to attack unprotected besieging troops from a great range. 1. 1.[↵][4]1. W. G. Vincenti , What Engineers Know and How They Know It (Johns Hopkins Univ. Press, Baltimore, MD, 1990). 2. 2.[↵][5]1. E. W. Marsden , Ed. Heron, Belopoeica (Artillery), in Greek and Roman Artillery: Technical Treatises (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 1971), pp. 17-60 translated. 3. 3.1. E. W. Marsden , Greek and Roman Artillery: Technical Treatises (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 1971). 4. 4.1. E. W. Marsden , Greek and Roman Artillery: Historical Development (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 1971). 5. 5.[↵][6]1. E. W. Marsden , Ed. Philon, Belopoeica (Artillery), in Greek and Roman Artillery: Technical Treatises (Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, 1971), pp. 105-184 translated. [1]: #ref-1 [2]: #ref-2 [3]: #ref-5 [4]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1. in text" [5]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2. in text" [6]: #xref-ref-5-1 "View reference 5. in text"
Crystal structures and dielectric properties of ordered double perovskites containing Mg2+ and Ta5+

The ordered double perovskites ALaMgTaO6 (A=Ba, Sr, Ca) and La2Mg(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O6 have been prepared and characterized. Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction analyses show that all four compounds exhibit a rock-salt type ordering of the B-site cations (Mg2+/Ta5+) and a random distribution of A-site cations (A2+/La3+). The space group symmetries are determined to be Fm{bar 3}m for BaLaMgTaO6, and P21/n for SrLaMgTaO6, CaLaMgTaO6, and La2Mg(Mg1/3Ta2/3)O6. Diffuse-reflectance spectroscopy shows these ordered perovskites have optical band gaps in the range of 4.6-4.8 eV. These values are roughly 1 eV wider than the ternary perovskite oxides of Ta5+ such as KTaO3, due to narrowing of the conduction bandwidth which results from Mg2+/Ta5+ ordering. These compounds are insulators with dielectric permittivities of =18-23, dielectric losses of tan d=0.004-0.007, and small temperature coefficients of capacitance <100 ppm/K over the temperature range 20-150 C. BaLaMgTaO6 is of particular interest because it possesses a near-zero temperature dependence of capacitance.
The Use of Student-Performed Developmental Exercises in the Classroom.

Using this technique, undergraduate volunteers test children 3 to 10 years old on a standardized set of developmental exercises. The sessions may be videotaped and shown later in class, or performed "live" in the classroom. The exercises promote understanding of developmental concepts; students consider them a worthwhile teaching tool.
Measuring the Masses of Supermassive Black Holes

Supermassive black holes reside at the centers of most, if not all, massive galaxies: the difference between active and quiescent galaxies is due to differences in mass accretion rate and radiative efficiency rather than whether or not they have nuclear black holes. In this contribution, methods for measuring the masses of supermassive black holes are discussed, with emphasis on reverberation mapping which is most generally applicable to accreting supermassive black holes and, in particular, to distant quasars where time resolution can be used as a surrogate for angular resolution. Indirect methods based on scaling relationships from reverberation mapping studies are also discussed, along with their current limitations.
Quantum entanglement and quantum teleportation

One of the most surprising consequences of quantum mechanics is the entanglement of two or more distance particles. The “ghost” interference and the “ghost” image experiments demonstrated the astonishing nonlocal behavior of an entangled photon pair. Even though we still have questions in regard to fundamental issues of the entangled quantum systems, quantum entanglement has started to play important roles in quantum information and quantum computation. Quantum teleportation is one of the hot topics. We have demonstrated a quantum teleportation experiment recently. The experimental results proved the working principle of irreversibly teleporting an unknown arbitrary quantum state from one system to another distant system by disassembling into and then later reconstructing from purely classical information and nonclassical EPR correlations. The distinct feature of this experiment is that the complete set of Bell states can be distinguished in the Bell state measurement. Teleportation of a quantum state can thus occur with certainty in principle.
Adiabatic shear banding in a bimetallic body

Thermomechanical deformations of a body made of two different materials and under-going simple shearing deformations are studied with the objectives of finding out when and where adiabatic shear bands will initiate and how they will subsequently grow. Each material is modeled as strain and strain-rate hardening but thermally softening. A shear band is presumed to have formed if the introduction of a temperature perturbation centered around the common interface between the two materials results in an eventual localization of the deformation into a region of width considerably smaller than the width of the initial temperature bump. For a fixed set of material properties the effect of the applied overall strain-rate, and for a fixed applied strain-rate the effect of varying the shear modulus, thermal conductivity, and the coefficient of thermal softening of one material relative to the other have been examined. It is found that a shear band forms in the material that softens more rapidly.
Kinetic differential determination of 2-ketohexoses by their reaction with cysteine-H2SO4

Abstract 2-Ketohexoses can be distinguished from each other by their reaction with cysteine-H 2 SO 4 . Sorbose gives a distinctive absorption spectrum, whereas fructose, psicose, and tagatose can be distinguished from each other by their differential rates of absorbance increase at 412 nm.
Lumpectomy margins, reexcision, and local recurrence of breast cancer.

Abstract Background: The diagnosis of breast cancer is often made by excisional biopsy without margin assessment for mammographic findings or palpable masses. Many patients treated with breast conservation undergo reexcision to obtain clear margins although the relationship between clear margins and local recurrence remains controversial. Methods: Patients undergoing breast conservation and adjuvant radiation therapy with complete follow-up over 5 years were studied. Factors associated with obtaining clear histopathologic margins and undergoing reexcision to obtain clear margins were studied in relation to the risk of local recurrence. Results: Clear biopsy margins were associated with diagnosis by fine-needle aspiration cytology (fine-needle aspiration 42%, spot localization 11%, excisional biopsy 10%; P P P P P = 0.003). Patients undergoing reexcision were significantly more likely to be diagnosed by spot localization, have nonnegative excisional biopsy margins, be younger, and have smaller tumors than patients not undergoing reexcision. Local recurrence was not significantly related to margin status (8% with clear margins, 7% with positive margins, 19% with close margins, and 11% with unknown margins) or reexcision (10% local recurrence rate for patients with negative final margins after reexcision and 12% with positive, close or unknown first margin without reexcision). Estrogen receptor status was the only variable related to local recurrence in Cox proportional hazards model ( P = 0.009). Estrogen receptor negative patients with nonnegative margins experienced a 20% rate of local recurrence compared with 10% for estrogen receptor negative patients with negative margins and 7% for estrogen receptor positive patients regardless of margin status ( P = 0.021). Conclusions: Clear excision margins are facilitated by preoperative diagnosis by fine-needle cytology. For patients with nonnegative margins, reexcision was more commonly performed in young patients with small tumors diagnosed by spot localization biopsy. The relationship of local recurrence to margins and reexcision was not statistically significant. Estrogen receptor negative tumors with nonnegative margins had a significantly higher rate of local recurrence than estrogen receptor negative tumors with clear margins and estrogen receptor positive tumors regardless of margin status.
Ultrathin transmission visible spectrum filters with wide viewing angle

We report high angular tolerant transmission visible spectrum filters exploiting strong resonance behaviors in an ultrathin semiconductor layer between two metals. The angle robust property remains over a wide incident angular range up to ±70°.
Aristotelian Causal Analysis and Creativity in Copywriting Toward a Rapprochement Between Rhetoric and Advertising

Advertising may be the most pervasive form of modern rhetoric, yet the discipline is virtually absent in rhetorical studies. This article advocates a mutually beneficial rapprochement between the disciplines—both in academe and the workplace. Rhetoric, for example, could help address an enduring lacuna in advertising theory. Persuasive communicators since Aristotle have maintained that rhetoric begins with invention, the generation of compelling ideas. Studies of advertising creativity hold that invention begins with the gathering of facts to fuel an association of disparate ideas at the heart of creativity. However, studies of the fact-gathering heuristic in advertising fail to identify a systematic approach for product analysis. In hopes of advancing a rapprochement between rhetoric and advertising, this article demonstrates that Aristotelian causal analysis, long associated with rhetorical invention, can provide a systematic heuristic for product analysis. Rhetoricians can help advertisers strengthen a...
Cellular redistribution of PKCalpha, rhoA, and ROKalpha following smooth muscle agonist stimulation.

Efficient receptor-coupled activation of smooth muscle requires discrete coordination of many signal transducing events from the plasma membrane to the myofilaments. Recruitment of key factors to the plasma membrane is thought to be crucial for transduction of extracellular signals leading to contractility. We investigated, therefore, for the first time in intact differentiated smooth muscle cells, the distributions of three molecules important for receptor-coupled excitation: protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha), rhoA, and rho kinase (ROK). We also directly confirmed, by single cell force measurements, carbachol-induced [Ca(2+)](i) sensitization of contractility. Laser scanning confocal immunofluorescent microscopy of central smooth muscle cell sections determined that, at rest, PKCalpha, rhoA, and ROKalpha were distributed predominantly throughout the cytosol. Muscarinic stimulation resulted in significant redistribution of each protein to the cell membrane. By digital image analysis, peripheral:cytosolic distributions of PKCalpha, rhoA, and ROKalpha were calculated as, respectively, 1.05 +/- 0.03 (8), 1.09 +/- 0.03 (5), and 1.26 +/- 0.04 (12) at rest, increasing significantly following stimulation to 2.09 +/- 0.22 (6), 2.02 +/- 0.12 (8), and 1.93 +/- 0.05 (10). It is proposed that this receptor-coupled recruitment to the cell periphery of the downstream signaling molecules PKCalpha, rhoA, and ROKalpha contributes to the efficacy of agonist-induced contractile activation of smooth muscle.
Integrated Teaching and Learning: A Developmental Perspective

A concepts-based integrated approach to teaching helps children see connections between various disciplines. A systematic approach to developing an integrated curriculum involves determining the cu...
Archaeological Investigations at a Wisconsin Petroglyph Site

Preliminary test excavations at the Hensler Petroglyph Site in East Central Wisconsin, U.S.A. have disclosed the remains of aboriginal engravings below Aeolian sediments dated to ca. 15,000 years B.P. The stratified deposits lying adjacent to an engraved panel, containing 35 pecked images, have yielded animal-like cobbles, some covered with red ochre, apparently picked for some esoteric use. The site itself has unusual natural shapes in the rock formation, along with acoustical properties, lightning strikes, a magnetic anomaly, and geographic prominence. Collectively these factors are thought to have attracted the ancient rock artists to the site.
Inferences concerning the amorphous regions in polyethylene of different morphologies

Using a liquid nitrogen quenching method for the measurement of the ppm of hydrogen dissolved in polythylene (PE) at atmospheric pressure, solubility data were obtained for the following types of samples of linear PE: bulk, single crystalline and extended chain. For samples of equal amorphous volume fraction, the hydrogen is about 10-fold more soluble in single crystalline PE than in bulk. The solubility in extended chain samples becomes more abnormal, the higher the crystallinity. No hydrogen dissolves in a perfect C20 H42 crystal. The excessive solubility in the single crystalline samples is interpreted in terms of more sorption sites in the folded part of the chains in the amorphous surface layers than in bulk PE. As the heat of sorption changes from endothermic to slightly exothermic in passing from the bulk to the single crystalline or extended chain samples, the sorption sites must pre-exist in the latter two types.
Sexual attitudes of psychogenic and organic impotence.

Abstract Thirty organically impotent men were contrasted with 21 psychogenically impotent men and 17 normal controls. Distinctions among sexual attitudes, sexual behaviors, and sexual interests were evaluated on the Sex Form. Results suggest that impotent men can be reliably distinguished from non-impotent men on the basis of their use of activity rather than fantasy in coping with life's problems and their interest in receiving treatment for their condition. Separate comparisons between the control group and the two impotent groups further suggest that both can be reliably distinguished from normals. It is more difficult, however, to distinguish between organically and psychogenically impotent men on the basis of sexual interests, attitudes, and behavior. The findings suggest, however, that impotent men generally and psychogenically impotent men in particular tend to be individuals who have relatively low sexual drive, diminished sexual knowledge, and who are prone to active ways of coping with stress. T...
Plasticity in life-history traits of the bark beetle Ips calligraphus as influenced by phloem thickness.

Reproduction and development of Ips calligraphus (Germar) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) occur primarily in the phloem (inner bark) tissue of its pine hosts. In slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelm. var. elliottii), phloem thickness can vary widely from tree to tree. We compared adult residence time and fecundity and progeny development time, body size, and sex ratio of this beetle when reared in slash pine bolts and bark slabs with phloem thicker or thinner than average adult body width. Most studies were conducted at 20°, 25°, and 30° C. Residence time of parent males and females decreased with increasing temperature but it was not affected by phloem thickness. Residence time of parent males was about 2 days shorter than that of parent females at each temperature. Reproductive fitness was greater in thick phloem at all temperatures as measured by faster larval development, earlier emergence of progeny (F1) adults, and emergence of more progeny adults per parent female. Progeny survival was similar between phloem those from thick phloem, and their sex ratio was female biased (1:2 vs 1:1, male:female). When allowed to inhabit thick phloem, the progeny (F2) of adults from thin phloem were just as large and of similar sex ratio (1:1) as were progeny of F1 adults from thick phloem. The high degree of plasticity in the life-history traits of this beetle may enable it to successfully colonize pines that vary widely in phloem thickness.
Treatment of the Middle East in American High School Textbooks

(1975). Treatment of the Middle East in American High School Textbooks. Journal of Palestine Studies: Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 46-58.
Identification of Mutant Adeno-Associated Virus Rep Proteins Which Are Dominant-Negative for DNA Helicase Activity

Adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV) Rep proteins have been postulated to play a role in unwinding the 145-bp inverted terminal repeats during AAV DNA replication. Previous studies showed that AAV Rep78 and Rep68 could unwind a DNA partial duplex of 26 bp. In this work it is demonstrated that nuclear extracts of human 293 cells containing wild-type Rep68 can unwind partial DNA duplexes up to 160 bp long. Mutant Rep proteins with either a histidine substituted for lysine 340 or a deletion of methionine 225 had no detectable helicase activity and inhibited the helicase activity of wild-type Rep68 protein. This observation is consistent with the model that the functional form of the Rep proteins is a multimer.
Photochemical oxidant pollution and vegetation: effects of mixtures of gases, fog and particles.

Photochemical 'smog' contains mixtures of gases (e.g. ozone, nitrogen dioxide), and dry particles (e.g. nitrates). Intermittent fog in the same geographical area can be acidic with high concentrations of nitric acid. Results from recent field studies in the Los Angeles Basin have emphasized the relative toxicity of these components of photochemical air pollution. Studies have focused on gaseous+fog or gaseous+dry particulate effects on conifers, gaseous+fog effects on crops, and the effects of trace pollutants produced during generation of ozone on crops. Data from these studies indicate that direct alterations in growth and physiological responses were observed only with gaseous pollutants (primarily ozone), or repeated applications of highly acidic fogs (pH peroxyacetyl nitrate > ozone > nitrogen dioxide > sulfur dioxide > nitrate ion > ammonium ion > sulfate ion. However, nitric oxide concentrations are higher in charcoal-filtered chambers than in ambient air. The studies point out the importance of considering other components of photochemical pollution in addition to ozone, especially when investigating subtle, long-term effects on vegetation.
Repulsive core and interaction energy in proton-proton scattering

Abstract Interaction energy between two protons is computed from high energy elastic cross sections at 60° and 90°, using an optical model. The repulsive core becomes important for separation less than ∼ 0.3 fm. Exponential dependence of high energy cross sections is shown to predict repulsive forces at small separation.