cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feeding, growth, and behavior of the thecate heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oblea rotunda

Laboratory experiments were performed to determine the growth and grazing capabilities of Oblea rotunda, a pallium-feeding dinoflagellate. Although Oblea can feed and grow on a wide range of phytoplankton species, the highest observed growth rates (- 1 doubling d- *) were supported by the large diatom Ditylum brightwellii. Functional and numerical response curves, obtained with the green alga Dunaliella tertiolecta and D. brightwellii as foods, were typical in form of those obtained previously for other planktonic protozoans. Ditylum, however, consistently supported higher rates of growth and grazing than Dunaliella. Gross growth efficiencies for Oblea were relatively high. A chemosensory response to phytoplankton exudates was observed during motion analysis of swimming behavior; no response to mechanical cues was evident. Long-term behavioral responses to different phytoplankton species or concentrations were not observed. The wide range of food species available to Oblea suggests that size- or taxon-based paramcterizations of such grazers in food-web models may be inadequate to describe actual grazing interactions. Heterotrophic dinoflagellates are a morphologically and functionally diverse group of protozoans. Because their distribution is widespread, their abundance significant, and their range of food species large, they may be important members of planktonic food webs (e.g. Beers et al. 1975; Smetacek 198 1; Lessard 1991). Although heterotrophic dinoflagellates have received the attention of taxonomists for over a century, little is known regarding the distribution of feeding modes among the various species. We know even less about potential rates of feeding and growth in these organisms. Dinoflagellate feeding mechanisms are varied (Gaines and Elbrachter 1987; Elbrachter 199 1); they include engulfing food cells, sucking out cell contents with an extensible peduncle (myzocytosis), and digesting food cells externally by means of a membranous veil (pallium feeding). Pallium feeding has been described by Jacobson and Anderson (1986) and appears to typify a substantial proportion of thecate het
The Accuracy of Thermistors in the Measurement of Upper Air Temperatures

Abstract Preliminary results are presented of laboratory studies of the heat balance in rocketsonde semiconductor thermometers. The so-called dissipation constant of rocketsonde thermistors is a marked function of altitude above about 45 km. At high altitudes also, the temperature rise in the thermistor due to solar radiation is strongly dependent upon the radiation absorbed by the lead wires as well as by the beam proper. Speed of response is found to be dependent upon the convective heat transfer of the leads as well as of the thermistor bead.
Business Law 360 Degrees Bridging the Gap between Theory and Practice

Critical thinking and analytical skills are gaining increased recognition as essential contributors to the educational and professional success of today’s business students. Paradoxically, researchers have paid selective attention to the development of critical thinking skills within courses on business law, a subject popularly associated with critical thinking. Although limited scholarship has focused on the use of case briefs and mock trial exercises to enhance student critical thinking skills in business law courses, these pedagogical exercises are insufficient for the needs of today’s modern business students. Specifically, case briefs and mock trial exercises may fail to address legal issues germane to the business profession. In instances where such exercises do focus directly on business issues, these methods still fall short by placing undue emphasis on the procedural aspects of litigation, leaving students without a proper examination of the issue’s larger role within business practice. To ensure today’s business graduates are able to effectively tackle diverse and complex legal issues, business law courses must persistently employ new pedagogical approaches to develop comprehensive critical thinking skills. This article will describe one such approach, the Business Law 360° Memorandum, which builds upon and reinforces the need for business students to practically apply analytical and critical thinking skills to legal-business issues that currently beset the business community.
Characterization of hematite dissolution affected by oxalate coating, kinetics and pH

Abstract Iron-complexes on the surface of minerals may play an important role in Fe dissolution in acidic cloud water containing certain organic ligands, and dissolved Fe serves as a critical nutrient in biogeochemical cycles in certain aquatic systems. As the first step to explore this issue, laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of oxalate on the dissolution of hematite, with leaching of Fe from oxalate-coated hematite in comparison with pure hematite in oxalate solution. The dissolution of oxalate-coated hematite was measured as a function of dissolution time, loading amount of oxalate and pH. The amount of oxalate adsorbed on hematite at pH 2.4 is greater than that at pH 5, while the amount of adsorption increases with increasing oxalate equilibrium concentration in solution. Adsorption of oxalate on hematite follows the Freundlich adsorption model. The amount of Fe dissolved at pH 2.4 is much more than that at pH 5. In low concentration oxalate solution, the amount of Fe dissolution from hematite is independent of oxalate loading on the surface of hematite. In high concentration oxalate solution, however, a relatively high oxalate loading on the hematite surface releases more Fe relative to low oxalate adsorption density on the surface of hematite when the system reaches equilibrium, suggesting that the high content of Fe(III)–oxalate complexation promotes Fe dissolution. Ferric ion dissolution and adsorbed oxalate leaching in solution as a function of pH are two co-existing processes, and pH ∼2.5 is a critical turning point relating the two processes that occur simultaneously. The fitting of the experimental data from this work to a model indicates that Fe–(oxalate)+ and Fe – ( oxalate ) 2 - are predominant species in solution in the pH range of 1.5–4.5 during oxalate-coated hematite dissolution in background electrolyte.
Hypnotic Relaxation Therapy for Reduction of Hot Flashes in Postmenopausal Women: Examination of Cortisol as a Potential Mediator

AbstractHypnotic relaxation therapy (HRT) has been shown to reduce hot flashes in postmenopausal women and breast cancer survivors. While the biological mechanism by which HRT reduces hot flashes is unknown, it has been speculated that reduction of stress mediates the intervention’s effectiveness. The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of HRT on a known biomarker of stress (cortisol) and changes in cortisol as a mediator. Sixty-two postmenopausal women received hypnotic relaxation therapy for hot flashes and completed measures of hot flashes in addition to providing cortisol samples at baseline and endpoint. HRT resulted in significantly decreased early evening salivary cortisol concentrations. However, changes in salivary cortisol concentrations did not mediate the effects of HRT.
Nuclear Superiority or the Balance of Resolve? Explaining Nuclear Crisis Outcomes

What determines the outcome of nuclear crises? Scholars have long debated whether nuclear superiority or the balance of resolve shapes the probability of victory in nuclear brinkmanship settings, but have not clearly articulated the possible mechanisms linking superiority to victory, nor have they systematically analyzed the entire universe of empirical cases. Using a new dataset on fifty-six nuclear crises that includes information on nuclear arsenal size and the balance of resolve, this article analyzes the determinants of victory in nuclear crises. I first describe two analytically distinct mechanisms by which nuclear superiority may improve a state’s prospects for victory in nuclear crises. I then show that states that enjoy nuclear superiority over their opponents are more likely to win nuclear crises. This relationship holds even after controlling for conventional military capabilities. Explanations that conceive of nuclear conflict as a competition in risk taking, and that therefore emphasize the balance of resolve, do not find support in the data. This article presents a new explanation of the advantages of nuclear superiority and the first comprehensive empirical examination of nuclear crisis outcomes.
Evaluation of breed-dependent differences in the innate immune responses of Holstein and Jersey cows to Staphylococcus aureus intramammary infection

Mastitis is one of the most prevalent diseases of cattle. Various studies have reported breed-dependent differences in the risk for developing this disease. Among two major breeds, Jersey cows have been identified as having a lower prevalence of mastitis than Holstein cows. It is well established that the nature of the initial innate immune response to infection influences the ability of the host to clear harmful bacterial pathogens. Whether differences in the innate immune response to intramammary infections explain, in part, the differential prevalence of mastitis in Holstein and Jersey cows remains unknown. The objective of the current study was to evaluate several parameters of the innate immune response of Holstein and Jersey cows to intramammary infection with Staphylococcus aureus, a common mastitis-inducing pathogen. To control for non-breed related factors that could influence these parameters, all cows were of the same parity, in similar stages of milk production, housed and managed under identical conditions, and experimentally infected and sampled in parallel. The following parameters of the innate immune response were evaluated: acute phase protein synthesis of serum amyloid A and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein; total and differential circulating white blood cell counts; milk somatic cell counts; mammary vascular permeability; milk N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAGase) activity; and production of the cytokines, interferon (IFN)-gamma, interleukin (IL)-12, tumour growth factor(TGF)-alpha, and TGF-beta 1. The temporal response of all of these parameters following infection was similar between Holstein and Jersey cows. Further, with the exception of changes in circulating neutrophils and NAGase activity, the overall magnitude of these parameters were also comparable. Together, these data demonstrate that the innate immune response of Holstein and Jersey cows to Staph. aureus intramammary infection remains highly conserved despite previously reported differences in mastitis prevalence, as well as genotypic and phenotypic traits, that exist between the two breeds.
Overview: The Heuristic Need for Subgroups of the Schizophrenic Syndrome

This article is an editor's introduction to the theme of an issue of the Schizophrenia Bulletin devoted to subgroups of the schizophrenic syndrome. The issue includes articles on subtyping from various points of view: neurological, genetic, biochemical, and descriptive. It is hoped that the wide range of findings being applied in ongoing classificatory efforts will produce subgroups with etiologic, prognostic, and treatment validity. The schizophrenic syndrome has tremendous human, scientific, economic, and social importance. There is the increasing belief that "schizophrenia" is a group of disorders, as Bleuler indicated, not just one disease. If that is true, what are the disorders which make up the group? How can each be identified, and what are the implications of the subtypes for etiology, prognosis, treatment, and research?
Escaping Oil’s Stranglehold: When Do States Invest in Energy Security?

Modern economies and militaries are fundamentally dependent on oil, but the study of energy security has fallen out of favor in the field of international relations. We develop and test a theory of when and how states invest in energy security. We argue that states implement policies to improve their energy security when they perceive a risk of a militarized dispute and international oil markets are dominated by a small number of Middle Eastern producers. Empirically, we show that industrialized countries with reasons to worry about their security have significantly increased their public investment in energy research and development in response to an increase in the Middle East’s share of the world oil supply.
Use of a 1-dimensional heat flow model to calculate circuit board thermal resistance for use in the MQUAD(R) package thermal model

An analytical 1D heat flow model for the area of a circuit board outside the package footprint is described. The model is capable of dealing with infinite and finite boards. Thermal profiles predicted by this agree well with measured values for a range of circuit boards. The thermal resistance calculated by the 1D model also agrees well with values resulting from finite element models of the circuit boards. The 1D thermal resistance is used in the lumped parameter thermal model for the MQUAD(R)* package. /spl theta//sub ja/ predictions from this model are close to observed values for packages mounted on a range of circuit boards.
The Relationship of Ethnicity, Socioeconomic Factors, and Overweight in U.S. Adolescents

GORDON-LARSEN, PENNY, LINDA S. ADAIR, AND BARRY M. POPKIN. The relationship of ethnicity, socioeconomic factors, and overweight in U.S. Adolescents Obes Res. 2003;11:121–129. Objective: To examine the extent to which race/ethnic differences in income and education account for sex-specific disparities in overweight prevalence in white, African American, Hispanic, and Asian U.S. teens. Research Methods and Procedures: We used nationally representative data collected from 13,113 U.S. adolescents enrolled in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Logistic regression models were used to examine the relationship of family income and parental education to overweight prevalence (body mass index 85th percentile of age and sex-specific cutoff points from the 2000 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/ National Center for Health Statistics growth charts). In addition, we used coefficients from our logistic regression models to project the effects on overweight prevalence of equalizing the socioeconomic status (SES) differences between race/ethnic groups. Results: Keeping adolescents in their same environments and changing only family income and parental education had a limited effect on the disparities in overweight prevalence. Ethnicity–SES– overweight differences were greater among females than males. Given that overweight prevalence decreased with increasing SES among white females and remained elevated and even increased among higher SES African-American females, African-American/white disparity in overweight prevalence increased at the highest SES. Conversely, disparity was lessened at the highest SES for white, Hispanic, and Asian females. Among males, disparity was lowest at the average SES level. Discussion: One cannot automatically assume that the benefits of increased SES found among white adults will transfer to other gender–age– ethnic groups. Our findings suggest that efforts to reduce overweight disparities between ethnic groups must look beyond income and education and focus on other factors, such as environmental, contextual, biological, and sociocultural factors.
Pseudodyskinesis of the Inferior Left Ventricular Wall: Recognizing an Echocardiographic Mimic of Myocardial Infarction

Introduction: Dyskinesis is diagnosed by outward systolic bulging, but a similar inferior wall (IW) motion is sometimes observed in patients without infarction. Such diastolic flattening of the IW is followed by systolic rounding and outward bulging, consistent with extrinsic diastolic compression that is overcome by systolic contraction. Hypothesis: Pseudodyskinesis (PD) (paradoxical IW motion) is associated with preserved systolic wall thickening and does not reflect ischemic dysfunction. Methods: We compared 100 consecutive patients having a pattern of PD on transthoracic echocardiography with control groups of 50 patients with documented inferior myocardial infarction and 50 healthy individuals. Percent systolic thickening of the inferior, anterior, septal, and lateral left ventricular (LV) walls was measured in a midventricular short-axis view, and LV cross-sectional shape was evaluated by the ratio of two perpendicular diameters. Diaphragmatic position was evaluated on chest radiograph. Results: Systolic IW thickening was not significantly different in PD from that of normal (58.2 6.2% vs 53.0 4.6%) and of non-IW in the same patients (50.4 6.8%). The LV was circular (diameter ratio 1.0) in systole and diastole in healthy individuals; in PD, it was noncircular in diastole consistent with IW compression (P < .01), and circular in systole; in inferior myocardial infarction, it was circular in diastole and noncircular in systole (P < .01) consistent with decreased IW contraction. The left hemidiaphragm was more elevated in PD (78% vs 8.5%, P < .01). Conclusions: In PD, the IW thickens normally to produce a circular LV cavity in systole. This motion, consistent with extrinsic compression, is important to distinguish from inferior myocardial infarction. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 2007;20:1374-1379.)
Enhancing work outcomes of employees with autism spectrum disorder through leadership: Leadership for employees with autism spectrum disorder:

The focus of this study was to identify leader behaviors that elicit successful engagement of employees with autism spectrum disorder, a population that is powerfully emerging into the workplace. The ultimate goal was to improve the quality of life of employees with autism spectrum disorder by facilitating an environment leading to their success. Through a series of interviews with 54 employees with autism spectrum disorder, results indicated that leadership has a great effect on employee attitudes and performance, and that the notion of leadership preferences is quite complex culminating in several important behaviors rather than one superior leadership theory. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
Patterns of object relations and reality testing deficits in schizophrenia: clusters and their symptom and personality correlates.

Bell Object Relations Reality Testing Inventory (BORRTI) profile scores were used to cluster 222 outpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. An eight-cluster solution was subjected to replication analysis, and six clusters were found valid and replicable. These clusters were sorted into three pairs that were interpreted as follows: Residually Impaired consisted of Sealed-Over Recovery and Integrated Recovery; Socially Withdrawn consisted of Socially Withdrawn and Socially Withdrawn-Autistic; and Psychotically Egocentric consisted of Psychotically Egocentric and Psychotically Egocentric-Severe. Clusters were compared on Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale ratings and on subscales from the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. MANOVAs indicated significant differences among clusters. These differences provided further interpretations of cluster membership. Implications for the use of BORRTI profiles for treatment and rehabilitation planning are discussed.
Intensive smoking cessation counseling versus minimal counseling among hospitalized smokers treated with transdermal nicotine replacement: a randomized trial

Abstract Purpose To determine whether an intensive cognitive-behavioral intervention begun during hospitalization when combined with transdermal nicotine replacement therapy is more effective than a minimal counseling intervention combined with transdermal nicotine replacement therapy in helping inpatients to quit smoking. Methods A total of 223 patients who smoked were enrolled in a hospital-based randomized smoking cessation trial at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center. One hundred and seven participants (48%) received intensive counseling and outpatient telephone follow-up; 116 participants (52%) received minimal counseling. All study participants received 2 months of transdermal nicotine replacement therapy. We determined 6-month quit rates by self-report and measured saliva cotinine levels or obtained proxy reports to confirm self-reported smoking cessation at 12 months. Analyses adjusted for baseline differences in the distribution of coronary disease. Results At 6 months, 35% (36/103) of the intensive intervention group reported quitting, compared with 21% (23/109) of the comparison group (relative risk [RR] = 1.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1 to 2.7). At 12 months, the self-reported quit rate was 33% (33/99) in the intensive intervention group versus 20% (21/103) in the comparison group (RR = 1.7; 95% CI: 1.1 to 2.7). Based on biochemical or proxy confirmation, 29% (30/102) in the intensive intervention group versus 20% (21/107) in the comparison group quit smoking at 12 months (RR = 1.6; 95% CI: 0.96 to 2.5). Conclusion Hospital-initiated smoking cessation interventions that include transdermal nicotine replacement therapy can improve long-term quit rates.
Analyzing and Visualizing Single-Trial Event-Related Potentials

Event-related potentials (ERPs), are portions of electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings that are both time- and phase-locked to experimental events. ERPs are usually averaged to increase their signal/noise ratio relative to non-phase locked EEG activity, regardless of the fact that response activity in single epochs may vary widely in time course and scalp distribution. This study applies a linear decomposition tool, Independent Component Analysis (ICA) [1], to multichannel single-trial EEG records to derive spatial filters that decompose single-trial EEG epochs into a sum of temporally independent and spatially fixed components arising from distinct or overlapping brain or extra-brain networks. Our results on normal and autistic subjects show that ICA can separate artifactual, stimulus-locked, response-locked, and. nonevent related background EEG activities into separate components, allowing (1) removal of pervasive artifacts of all types from single-trial EEG records, and (2) identification of both stimulus- and response-locked EEG components. Second, this study proposes a new visualization tool, the 'ERP image', for investigating variability in latencies and amplitudes of event-evoked responses in spontaneous EEG or MEG records. We show that sorting single-trial ERP epochs in order of reaction time and plotting the potentials in 2-D clearly reveals underlying patterns of response variability linked to performance. These analysis and visualization tools appear broadly applicable to electrophyiological research on both normal and clinical populations.
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 plays a pro-life role in experimental brain stem death via MAPK signal-interacting kinase at rostral ventrolateral medulla

As the origin of a life-and-death signal detected from systemic arterial pressure, which sequentially increases (pro-life) and decreases (pro-death) to reflect progressive dysfunction of central cardiovascular regulation during the advancement towards brain stem death in critically ill patients, the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) is a suitable neural substrate for mechanistic delineation of this fatal phenomenon. The present study assessed the hypothesis that extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) that is important for cell survival and is activated specifically by MAPK kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2), plays a pro-life role in RVLM during brain stem death. We further delineated the participation of MAPK signal-interacting kinase (MNK), a novel substrate of ERK in this process. An experimental model of brain stem death that employed microinjection of the organophosphate insecticide mevinphos (Mev; 10 nmol) bilaterally into RVLM of Sprague-Dawley rats was used, in conjunction with cardiovascular, pharmacological and biochemical evaluations. Results from ELISA showed that whereas the total ERK1/2 was not affected, augmented phosphorylation of ERK1/2 at Thr202 and Tyr204 in RVLM occurred preferentially during the pro-life phase of experimental brain stem death. Furthermore, pretreatment by microinjection into the bilateral RVLM of a specific ERK2 inhibitor, ERK activation inhibitor peptide II (1 nmol); a specific MEK1/2 inhibitor, U0126 (5 pmol); or a specific MNK1/2 inhibitor, CGP57380 (5 pmol) exacerbated the hypotension and blunted the augmented life-and-death signals exhibited during the pro-life phase. Those pretreatments also blocked the upregulated nitric oxide synthase I (NOS I)/protein kinase G (PKG) signaling, the pro-life cascade that sustains central cardiovascular regulatory functions during experimental brain stem death. Our results demonstrated that activation of MEK1/2, ERK1/2 and MNK1/2 in RVLM plays a preferential pro-life role by sustaining the central cardiovascular regulatory machinery during brain stem death via upregulation of NOS I/PKG signaling cascade in RVLM.
Exergy and Irreversible Entropy Production Thermodynamic Concepts for Control Design: Nonlinear Systems

This paper develops a novel control system design methodology that uniquely combines: concepts from thermodynamic exergy and entropy; Hamiltonian systems; Lyapunov?s direct method and Lyapunov optimal analysis; electric AC power concepts; and power flow analysis. Relationships are derived between exergy/entropy and Lyapunov optimal functions for Hamiltonian systems. The methodology is demonstrated with two fundamental numerical simulation examples: 1) a Duffing oscillator/Coulomb friction nonlinear model that employs PID regulator control and 2) a van der Pol nonlinear oscillator system. The control system performances and/or appropriately identified terms are partitioned and evaluated based on exergy generation and exergy dissipation terms. This novel nonlinear control methodology results in both necessary and sufficient conditions for stability of nonlinear systems.
Designing and implementing Multibeam Smart Antennas for high bandwidth UAV communications using FPGAs

Requirements for high bandwidth UAV communications are often necessary in order to move large amounts of mission information to/from Users in real-time. The focus of this paper is antenna beamforming for point-to-point, high bandwidth UAV communications in order to optimize transmit and receive power and support high data throughput communications. Specifically, this paper looks at the design and implementation of Multibeam Smart Antennas to implement antenna beamforming in an aerospace communications environment. The Smart Antenna is contrasted against Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) based beamforming in order to quantify the increase in both computational load and FPGA resources required for multibeam adaptive signal processing in the Smart Antenna. The paper begins with an overall discussion of Smart Antenna design and general beamforming issues in high bandwidth communications. Important design considerations such as processing complexity in a constrained Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) environment are discussed. The focus of the paper is with respect to design and implementation of digital beamforming wideband communications waveforms using FPGAs. A Multibeam Time Delay element is introduced based on Lagrange Interpolation. Design data for Multibeam Smart Antennas in FPGAs is provided in the paper as well as reference circuits for implementation. Finally, an example Multibeam Smart Antenna design is provided based on a Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA. The Multibeam Smart Antenna example design illustrates the concepts discussed in the paper and provides design insight into Multibeam Smart Antenna implementation from the point of view of implementation complexity, required hardware, and overall system performance gain.
Initial investigation of the blood-brain barrier in MS lesions at 7 tesla

Background: We previously described two dynamics of contrast enhancement in scans of active multiple sclerosis lesions: Medium-sized, early lesions enhance centrifugally, whereas larger, slightly older lesions enhance centripetally. Due to technical limitations, our previous study did not characterize lesions 4 mm enhanced centripetally (initial peripheral enhancement gradually filled the lesion). A leukocortical lesion initially showed enhancement in its white matter portion, which gradually spread into the cortex. Seventy-three percent of lesions were clearly perivenular. Conclusion: Most active lesions are perivenular, and the smallest lesions enhance centrifugally. This supports the idea that lesions grow outward from a central vein.
In Vitro Activity of Nemonoxacin, a Novel Nonfluorinated Quinolone Antibiotic, against Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

The in vitro activities of nemonoxacin, levofloxacin, azithromycin, and doxycycline were tested against 10 isolates each of Chlamydia trachomatis and Chlamydia pneumoniae. The MICs at which 90% of the isolates of both C. trachomatis and C. pneumoniae were inhibited (MIC90s) were 0.06 μg/ml (range, 0.03 to 0.13 μg/ml). The minimal bactericidal concentrations at which 90% of the isolates were killed by nemonoxacin (MBC90s) were 0.06 μg/ml for C. trachomatis (range, 0.03 to 0.125 μg/ml) and 0.25 for C. pneumoniae (range, 0.015 to 0.5 μg/ml).
A partitioned neural network approach for vowel classification using smoothed time/frequency features

A novel pattern classification technique and a new feature extraction method are described and tested for vowel classification. The pattern classification technique partitions an N-way classification task into N*(N-1)/2 two-way classification tasks. Each two-way classification task is performed using a neural network classifier that is trained to discriminate the two members of one pair of categories. Multiple two way classification decisions are then combined to form an N-way decision. Some of the advantages of the new classification approach include the partitioning of the task allowing independent feature and classifier optimization for each pair of categories, lowered sensitivity of classification performance on network parameters, a reduction in the amount of training data required, and potential for superior performance relative to a single large network. The features described in this paper, closely related to the cepstral coefficients and delta cepstra commonly used in speech analysis, are developed using a unified mathematical framework which allows arbitrary nonlinear frequency, amplitude, and time scales to compactly represent the spectral/temporal characteristics of speech. This classification approach, combined with a feature ranking algorithm which selected the 35 most discriminative spectral/temporal features for each vowel pair, resulted in 71.5% accuracy for classification of 16 vowels extracted from the TIMIT database. These results, significantly higher than other published results for the same task, illustrate the potential for the methods presented in this paper.
NK1-receptor activation prevents hydrocarbon-induced lung injury in mice

Recent evidence suggests that neurokinin (NK)-receptor activation may have a protective role in maintaining lung integrity when challenged by airborne toxicants such as sulfur dioxide, ozone, acrolein, or hydrocarbons. To investigate the effect of NK1-receptor activation on hydrocarbon-induced lung injury, B6.A.D. (Ahr d/Nats) mice received subchronic exposures to JP-8 jet fuel (JP-8). Lung injury was assessed by the analysis of pulmonary physiology, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and morphology. Hydrocarbon exposure to target JP-8 concentrations of 50 mg/m3, with saline treatment, was characterized by enhanced respiratory permeability to 99mTc-labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid, alveolar macrophage toxicity, and bronchiolar epithelial damage. Mice administered [Sar9,Met(O2)11]substance P, an NK1-receptor agonist, after each JP-8 exposure had the appearance of normal pulmonary values and tissue morphology. In contrast, endogenous NK1-receptor antagonism by CP-96345 administration exacerbated JP-8-enhanced permeability, alveolar macrophage toxicity, and bronchiolar epithelial injury. These data indicate that NK1-receptor activation may have a protective role in preventing the development of hydrocarbon-induced lung injury, possibly through the modulation of bronchiolar epithelial function.
Abstract #4441: c-Myc/SIRT1 feedback loop: A novel regulation of c-Myc induced cellular transformation

AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO The protein deacetylase SIRT1 has been implicated in a variety of cellular functions, including development, cellular stress response, and metabolism. Increasing evidence suggests that similar to the roles of its counterpart in low organisms (Sir2), SIRT1 may regulate life span regulation in higher organisms. During our investigation of SIRT1 regulation, we found that c-Myc could bind to SIRT1 promoter and induce SIRT1 expression. On the other hand, we found that SIRT1 interacts with c-Myc and deacetylates c-Myc, resulting in decreased c-Myc stability. As a consequence, c-Myc\#8217;s transformational capability becomes compromised in the presence of SIRT1. Overall, our studies identify a c-Myc-SIRT1 feedback loop in the regulation of c-Myc activity and cellular transformation, supporting a role of SIRT1 in tumor suppression. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 4441.
Determinants of 1950-1970 change in illegitimacy rates in developed populations.

Investigation of normative and sociodemographic factors as they relate to documented variations in illegitimacy trends in various developed countries between the years 1950 and 1970. Normative models link illegitimacy rates to factors such as difference in population norms and stigmatization in regard to nonmarital sex and pregnancy; community and family stability; and changes in economic growth and the status of women. Socioedemographic models focus on sexual activity birth control and the probability that marriage will legitimize out of wedlock pregnancies. These factors can be conceptualized along another dimension according to the directness of their impact on the rate of illegitimate births: background factors (both normative and sociodemographic) are directly related to intermediate factors such as incidence and prevalence of nonmarital coitus; effectiveness of birth control practices; and legitimization of out of wedlock conceptions; which themselves directly influence the rate of illegitimacy. Generally of the background factors normative ones are more directly related than the sociodemographic ones to intermediate causes and hence to illegitimacy rates. Several methodological improvements were instituted in this study notably the inclusion of age specific groups for comparative study. The study found that normative and sociodemographic models are supported. In general national differences in illegitimacy are related not only to the normative order but also to changes in social economic and demographic variables between 1950 and 1970. Suggestion is also made that the theoretical base of the study of fertility should be broadened to include measures of change in illegitimacy along with traditionally used measures of marital fertility.
Proximal arm kinematics affect grip force-load force coordination

During object manipulation, grip force is coordinated with load force, which is primarily determined by object kinematics. Proximal arm kinematics may affect grip force control, as proximal segment motion could affect control of distal hand muscles via biomechanical and/or neural pathways. The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of proximal kinematics on grip force modulation during object manipulation. Fifteen subjects performed three vertical lifting tasks that involved distinct proximal kinematics (elbow/shoulder), but resulted in similar end-point (hand) trajectories. While temporal coordination of grip and load forces remained similar across the tasks, proximal kinematics significantly affected the grip force-to-load force ratio (P = 0.042), intrinsic finger muscle activation (P = 0.045), and flexor-extensor ratio (P < 0.001). Biomechanical coupling between extrinsic hand muscles and the elbow joint cannot fully explain the observed changes, as task-related changes in intrinsic hand muscle activation were greater than in extrinsic hand muscles. Rather, between-task variation in grip force (highest during task 3) appears to contrast to that in shoulder joint velocity/acceleration (lowest during task 3). These results suggest that complex neural coupling between the distal and proximal upper extremity musculature may affect grip force control during movements, also indicated by task-related changes in intermuscular coherence of muscle pairs, including intrinsic finger muscles. Furthermore, examination of the fingertip force showed that the human motor system may attempt to reduce variability in task-relevant motor output (grip force-to-load force ratio), while allowing larger fluctuations in output less relevant to task goal (shear force-to-grip force ratio).
When Is “Rank” Additive?

(1998). When Is “Rank” Additive? The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 145-147.
A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY INVESTIGATING THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN LIPOPROTEIN(A) CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATION, HIGH DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL CONCENTRATION, AND TRIGLYCERIDES: THE VERY LARGE DATABASE OF LIPIDS - 22 (VLDL-22) STUDY

We hypothesized significant correlations existed between triglycerides (TG), Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)), and HDL based on in-vitro studies that have suggested a shared metabolic pathway. We examined cholesterol profiles from 1,350,908 individuals from the Very Large Database of Lipids. Spearman's rank
Social Comparisons of Learning Disabled and Nonexceptional Adolescents

36 learning disabled high school subjects rated themselves lower on academic, psychomotor, and verbal performance on a social comparisons task than a control group of 53 nonexceptional peers. Learning disabled students tended to see themselves as less able in most areas involving school achievement but not in areas involving extracurricular activities.
Frequency Reconstruction and Scalability of Periodic Flows Using POD

*† This article deals with some issues regarding the Proper Orthogonal Decomposition (POD) method application on periodic flows. The first issue is to study the frequency content of the POD temporal modes. The second issue is the reconstruction of frequency and amplitude maps from the flow variables data set as a function of the number of POD modes. In this study, the data sets used are extracted from the numerical solutions of flow over a triangular bluff body. Several cases with different inlet conditions have been solved. The effect of extracting the mean value of the POD has been studied. Three different approaches to developing a new solution from existing numerical solutions have been investigated. Two of these ideas relate to using the POD modes, while the third is based on linear interpolation. A general POD solution has been obtained to represent the flow trends over a triangular bluff body. Error maps has been drawn to investigate the distribution of the errors between the numerical solution and the scaled one. It is found that extracting the mean value from the data set of the periodic flow variables shifts the modes just one step. The energetic modes that are needed to accurately construct the frequency and amplitudes maps may be higher than that required reconstructing the flow variable itself. Using either 15 POD modes (data reduction is 84%) or linear interpolation prove to give good results (maximum error is less than 5%). The scalability based on the general POD solution gives a maximum error of about 10%.
ORIGINALITY AND REPEATED PRESENTATION OF SOUND STIMULI IN INTELLECTUALLY SUPERIOR ADOLESCENTS

Summary.-This study investigated the effects of repeated presentation of sound stimuli on verbal originality. 104 gifted adolescents were administered Thinking Creatively with Sounds and Words. Analysis indicated significant increases in originality for presentations. sounds, words, and their interactions. Results suggest even those who are high in verbal originality can profit from a warm-up experience and that study of interactions of stimulus by presentation may be valuable. Past research on the effects of repeated presentation of stimuli using Thinking Creativity with Sounds and Words (4) has indicated a progressive increase in the production of original verbal images relative to both presentations and sounds (1, 2, 3). This study was designed to determine if a similar pattern exists for intellectually superior adolescents who are high in originality as measured by Thinking Creatively (4). Adolescents (45 boys, 59 girls) from gifted classes in Northeast Mississippi with a mean WISC-R IQ of 130 and a mean age of 13 yr. were administered Sounds and Images (Sl) and Onomatopoeia and Images (01) (Form I B) the two components of Thinking Creatively. Mean originality scores of this sample for Sl were 34 (SD = 6.1; standard score of 78) and 43 (SD = 15.7) for 01 (standard score of 62). Originality means and standard deviations were computed for presentations and sounds and tested for significance in a 3 X 4 factorial analysis of variance for SI and 4 x 5 factorial analysis of variance for 01 with p at .Ol. Originality means for the three presentations of SI increased progressively (M,1 = 10.4, M,? = 11.6, Mp3 =
Hippocampal Mechanisms for the Segmentation of Space by Goals and Boundaries

In memory, the continuous flow of experience is punctuated at meaningful boundaries between one episode and the next. When salient events are separated by increasing amounts of space or time, memory systems can accommodate in two ways. One option is to increase the amount of neural resources devoted to longer event segments. The other is to maintain the same neural resources with sacrificed spatiotemporal resolution. Here we review how the spatial coding system is affected by the segmentation of space by goals and boundaries. We argue that the resolution of the place code is dictated by the amount of space encoded within periods of theta. Thus, the theta cycle is viewed as a ‘neural word’ that segregates segments of space and its cognitive equivalents (memory, planning). In support of this conclusion, we report that, as rats traverse a linear track, the beginning of a journey is represented at the falling phase of theta whereas the journey’s end is represented on the ascending phase. The current location is represented in the temporal context of the past and future event boundaries. These results are discussed in relation to the changes in physiology observed across the longitudinal axis of the hippocampus, with a special consideration for how sequence information could be integrated by downstream ‘reader’ neurons.
Increased 30-Day Emergency Department Revisits Among Homeless Patients with Mental Health Conditions.

Author(s): Lam, MPH, Chun Nok; Arora, MD, Sanjay; Menchine, MD, MPH, Michael | Abstract: Introduction: Patients with mental health conditions frequently use emergency medical services. Many suffer from substance use and homelessness. If they use the emergency department (ED) as their primary source of care, potentially preventable frequent ED revisits and hospital readmissions can worsen an already crowded healthcare system. However, the magnitude to which homelessness affects health service utilization among patients with mental health conditions remains unclear in the medical community. This study assessed the impact of homelessness on 30-day ED revisits and hospital readmissions among patients presenting with mental health conditions in an urban, safety-net hospital.Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of administrative data on all adult ED visits in 2012 in an urban safety-net hospital. Patient demographics, mental health status, homelessness, insurance coverage, level of acuity, and ED disposition per ED visit were analyzed using multilevel modeling to control for multiple visits nested within patients. We performed multivariate logistic regressions to evaluate if homelessness moderated the likelihood of mental health patients’ 30-day ED revisits and hospital readmissions.Results: Study included 139,414 adult ED visits from 92,307 unique patients (43.5±15.1 years, 51.3% male, 68.2% Hispanic/Latino). Nearly 8% of patients presented with mental health conditions, while 4.6% were homeless at any time during the study period. Among patients with mental health conditions, being homeless contributed to an additional 28.0% increase in likelihood (4.28 to 5.48 odds) of 30-day ED revisits and 38.2% increase in likelihood (2.04 to 2.82 odds) of hospital readmission, compared to non-homeless, non-mental health (NHNM) patients as the base category. Adjusted predicted probabilities showed that homeless patients presenting with mental health conditions have a 31.1% chance of returning to the ED within 30-day post discharge and a 3.7% chance of hospital readmission, compared to non-homeless patients presenting with mental health conditions (25.2%, 2.6%) and NHNM (7.7%, 1.5%).Conclusion: Homeless patients presenting with mental health conditions were more likely to return to the ED within 30 days and to be readmitted to the hospital. Interventions providing housing might improve their overall care management and have the potential to reduce ED revisits and hospital readmissions. [West JEmerg Med. 2016;17(5)607-612.]
Active Disturbance Rejection Control for Voltage Stabilization in Open-Cathode Fuel Cells through Temperature Regulation

Abstract Temperature regulation is an important control challenge in open-cathode fuel cell systems. In this paper, a feedback controller, combined with a novel output-injection observer, is designed and implemented for fuel cell stack temperature control. The first functionality of the observer is to smooth the noisy temperature measurements. To this end, the observer gain is calculated based on Kalman filter theory which, in turn, results in a robust temperature estimation despite temperature model uncertainties and measurement noise. Furthermore, the observer is capable of estimating the output voltage model uncertainties. It is shown that temperature control not only ensures the fuel cell temperature reference is properly tracked, but, along with the uncertainty estimator, can also be used to stabilize the output voltage. Voltage regulation is of great importance for open-cathode fuel cells, which typically suffer from gradual voltage decay over time due to their dead-end anode operation. Moreover, voltage control ensures predictable and fixed fuel cell output voltages for given current values, even in the presence of disturbances. The observer stability is proved using Lyapunov theory, and the observer's effectiveness in combination with the controller is validated experimentally. The results show promising controller performances in regulating fuel cell temperature and voltage in the presence of model uncertainties and disturbances.