cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A nonlinear correlation algorithm for estimating the motion of multiple objects in an image sequence

A nonlinear correlation algorithm is presented for estimating the motion of objects from a pair of images. The algorithm presented requires no a priori information on the number, size, or shape of the moving objects, and does not require feature extraction or segmentation of either image. The algorithm directly yields information on the number of moving objects, the motion of the objects, and the size of the objects. Additional processing to yield the centroid of the objects (in either frame) is also presented.
Impulsivity is an Independent Predictor of 15-Year Mortality Risk among Individuals Seeking Help for Alcohol-Related Problems

Background: Although past research has found impulsivity to be a significant predictor of mortality, no studies have tested this association in samples of individuals with alcohol-related problems or examined moderation of this effect via socio-contextual processes. The current study addressed these issues in a mixed-gender sample of individuals seeking help for alcohol-related problems. Methods: Using Cox proportional hazard models, variables measured at baseline and Year 1 of a 16-year prospective study were used to predict the probability of death from Years 1 to 16 (i.e., 15-year mortality risk). There were 628 participants at baseline (47.1% women); 515 and 405 participated in the follow-up assessments at Years 1 and 16, respectively. Among Year 1 participants, 93 individuals were known to have died between Years 1 and 16. Results: After controlling for age, gender, and marital status, higher impulsivity at baseline was associated with an increased risk of mortality from Years 1 to 16; however, this association was accounted for by the severity of alcohol use at baseline. In contrast, higher impulsivity at Year 1 was associated with an increased risk of mortality from Years 1 to 16, and remained significant when accounting for the severity of alcohol use, as well as physical health problems, emotional discharge coping, and interpersonal stress and support at Year 1. In addition, the association between Year 1 impulsivity and 15-year mortality risk was moderated by interpersonal support at Year 1, such that individuals high on impulsivity had a lower mortality risk when peer/friend support was high than when it was low. Conclusions: The findings highlight impulsivity as a robust and independent predictor of mortality and suggest the need to consider interactions between personality traits and socio-contextual processes in the prediction of health-related outcomes for individuals with alcohol use disorders.
CHILD CUSTODY MEDIATION AND SPOUSE ABUSE

This article discusses domestic violence, providing information and a review of literature regarding this phenomena. The article then goes on to describe a protocol developed by the Orange County (California) mediation and investigative unit that provides protection to the alleged victim of violence through the use of assessment interviews, co-mediation with a male-female mediation team, and the development of postparenting arrangements that provide for protection and security. The article also reviews a sample of 100 domestic violence cases handled in Orange County during 1991. Data from this research suggest that mediators using the protocols described in this article are able to guide the more serious, high-risk cases into more protective outcomes and that mediation can provide a very important adjunct to the trial court process.
Première évaluation en France du rapport efficacité–coût de la compresse de lidocaïne 5 % dans le traitement de la douleur neuropathique localisée

Resume La prise en charge des douleurs neuropathiques localisees est souvent un defi en pratique clinique. Objectifs L’objectif de cette etude retrospective etait d’evaluer le rapport benefice/cout de la compresse de lidocaine 5 % dans la prise en charge de la douleur neuropathique localisee. Resultats Quatorze patients ont ete inclus dans cette etude retrospective. Il s’agissait majoritairement de femmes (78,5 %), âgees en moyenne de 57,9 ans et souffrant d’une douleur d’intensite severe (8,2 sur une echelle numerique en 11 points) secondaire a une douleur neuropathique localisee post-chirurgicale (50 %) ou post-traumatique (22 %). Les patients prenaient en moyenne 2,4 traitements antalgiques systemiques. Il s’agissait d’antiepileptiques (77 %), d’antidepresseurs (50 %) et de paliers 1 (43 %), 2 (36 %) ou 3 (28 %) pour un cout global moyen de 5,0 € par jour. Les patients ont utilise en moyenne 1,1 compresse de lidocaine 5 % par jour et l’intensite moyenne de la douleur est passee de severe a legere (intensite moyenne : 2,2). Cette diminution s’est accompagnee d’une reduction importante de toutes les classes de traitements antalgiques systemiques. Ainsi les patients ne prenaient plus en moyenne que 0,8 traitements antalgiques systemiques et ce pour un cout moyen de 2,4 € par jour. En consequence la prescription de la compresse de lidocaine 5 % a entraine un surcout moyen de 0,5 € par jour et par patient. Conclusion Sur notre petit echantillon, la compresse de lidocaine 5 % a demontre un rapport benefice/cout favorable. Elle a egalement demontre son efficacite dans la prise en charge de la douleur neuropathique localisee chez ces 14 patients souffrant d’une douleur d’intensite severe et ce pour un faible surcout.
A bayesian scoring technique for mining predictive and non-spurious rules

Rule mining is an important class of data mining methods for discovering interesting patterns in data. The success of a rule mining method heavily depends on the evaluation function that is used to assess the quality of the rules. In this work, we propose a new rule evaluation score - the Predictive and Non-Spurious Rules (PNSR) score. This score relies on Bayesian inference to evaluate the quality of the rules and considers the structure of the rules to filter out spurious rules. We present an efficient algorithm for finding rules with high PNSR scores. The experiments demonstrate that our method is able to cover and explain the data with a much smaller rule set than existing methods.
Memory allocation constructs to complement NUMA memory management

Nonuniform memory access time (referred to as NUMA) is an important feature in the design of large scale shared memory multiprocessors. However, one implication of the NUMA architecture is that locality of the data is crucial to performance. In the absence of any system support, the programmer is forced to explicitly manage these locality issues, significantly increasing the development time for parallel applications. The authors have enhanced the uniform system programming environment of BBN to allow a programmer to easily separate data structures based on expected reference patterns instead of requiring an understanding of the NUMA memory architecture as the basis for allocation decisions. An operating system providing dynamic page placement can exploit the more homogeneous allocation of data structures to virtual pages. >
TCP/IP Suite

The Internet and the World Wide Web are based on TCP/IP. The term ”TCP/IP” refers to not only the TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and IP (Internet Protocol), but also includes other protocols, applications, and even the network medium. These protocols include UDP, ARP, and ICMP. These applications include telnet, FTP, Secure Shell, NFS, Web browsers and servers, and the many items collectively called the Web services. This chapter is an encyclopedic survey of these topics starting from the seven-layer OSI model to recent developments that improve security and privacy such as IPv6, improvements in the implementations of the protocol stack, and firewalls. Keywords: ARP (address resolution protocol); FTP (file transfer protocol); IP (Internet Protocol); IPv6; OSI reference model; UDP (user datagram protocol)
The Conditional Level of the F—Test

Abstract Suppose that in regression problems the simultaneous confidence intervals of the S-method are used only when a preliminary F-test rejects the null hypothesis that the regression parameters are zero. (Some of Scheffe's work emphasizes this usage [12, p. 87; 13, p. 66].) The probability of coverage should then be conditioned on the rejection. That for sufficiently large critical values and at least two degrees of freedom for error the conditional probability of simultaneous coverage is always smaller than the unconditional probability is established in this article. Also included are Monte Carlo studies of the discrepancy and interpretation.
Nesting ecology and reproductive rate of the red-winged blackbird in tidal marshes of the upper Chesapeake Bay region

The nesting ecology and reproductive rate of the polygynous red-winged blackbird,Agelaius phoeniceus, were studied in the tidal marshes of Maryland during the period of 1958 through 1961. Sixteen nesting colonies were located in six major marsh communities of the Eastern Shore and were visited approximately twice a week from late April to mid-August. The average clutch size for 537 clutches was 3.3, eggs, with a range of 2 to 5 eggs. The ratio of terriotiral males to nesting females was 1:1.9. There was direct evidence of double broods by four females. The average number of young produced was 4.2 per breeding female or 8.1 per breeding male. Nesting success for the total of 675 active nests was 57%, with a range from 38% to 69% in the colonies. Robust plants that held constant form throughout the nesting season supported 95% of the nests, and the success of these nests was 58%; in contrast, non-robust plants supported only 5% of the nests, and success of this group of nests was only 26%. Nesting success varied with height from ground: 45% for nests less than 2 feet from the ground, 55% for those 2 to 4 feet, and 62% for those more than 4 feet. Histories of 749 nests were summarized by stages: 749 newly built, 675 with eggs, 424 with nestlings, and 388 with fledging young.
Experience with antegrade bihemispheric cerebral perfusion in aortic arch operations

Abstract Background . Various techniques have been used for cerebral protection in aortic arch operations. Antegrade cerebral perfusion has lost its popularity to hypothermic circulatory arrest to overcome the so-called cluttered operative field. Hypothermic circulatory arrest has its own problems of coagulopathy, time constraints, and prolongation of cardiopulmonary bypass time. Methods . Since June 1986 we have used antegrade bihemispheric cerebral perfusion with moderate hypothermia in 20 patients with aortic arch disease. Twelve patients had aneurysm, 7 had dissection, and 1 had traumatic tear. Five patients had had previous sternotomy for ascending aortic replacement. In addition to arch reconstruction, 7 patients had aortic valve replacement or repair, 2 patients had Bentall procedure, and 3 had selective innominate reconstruction. The mean cerebral perfusion time was 51 ± 29 minutes. In 7 patients the cerebral perfusion time was between 60 and 120 minutes. Results . There was no in-hospital or 30-day mortality. The blood product requirements were significantly less with moderate hypothermia. One patient suffered cerebrovascular accident (5%). None of the 7 patients with cerebral perfusion times of 60 to 120 minutes had any neurologic deficits. These results are superior to those reported for hypothermic circulatory arrest with or without retrograde cerebral perfusion. Conclusions . Antegrade bihemispheric cerebral perfusion is an optimal adjunct for cerebral protection during aortic arch operations.
Biodegradable fixation for craniomaxillofacial surgery: a 10-year experience involving 761 operations and 745 patients

Patient acceptance, safety, and efficacy of poly-l/dl-lactic acid (PLLDL) bone plates and screws in craniomaxillofacial surgery are reported in this article. Included in the sample are 745 patients who underwent 761 separate operations, including more than 1400 surgical procedures (orthognathic surgery (685), bone graft reconstruction (37), trauma (191) and transcranial surgery (20)). The success (no breakage or inflammation requiring additional operating room treatment) was 94%. Failure occurred because of breakage (14) or exuberant inflammation (31). All breakage occurred at mandibular sites and the majority of inflammatory failure occurred in the maxilla or orbit (29), with only two in the mandible. Failures were evenly distributed between the two major vendors. PLLDL 70/30 bone plates and screws may be used successfully in a variety of craniomaxillofacial surgical applications. The advantages include the gradual transference of physiological forces to the healing bone, the reduced need for a second operation to remove the material and its potential to serve as a vehicle to deliver bone-healing proteins to fracture/osteotomy sites. Bone healing was noted at all sites, even where exuberant inflammation required a second surgical intervention.
Silicon Nitride Wear Mechanisms: Rolling and Sliding Contact

Experimental investigation of lubricated rolling and sliding contact for three types of Si3N4 against nodular cast iron reveal that additives to the Si3N4 and processing methods affect wear rates and wear modes. The friction coefficient is governed by the contact type rather than by the material type. In rolling contact tests, grain pullout of Si3N4 caused a higher wear rate than submicron chipping. In sliding tests, tungsten carbide particles added in the Si3N4 matrix inhibit the wear by 50 percent. Schematic drawings of these wear processes are presented representing the wear modes in a stepwise manner.
New Polydiacetylenes Incorporating Mesogenic Side-Chains

The categorization of existing polydiacetylene structures according to the nature of the polymer side-chain interactions is presented. Opportunities for generating new diacetylene molecular architectures based on creating mesogenic side-chains then becomes evident. Carrying through on this concept, the synthesis of four new symmetric diacetylene monomers based on the N-benzylideneaniline and cyanobiphenyl mesogens is reported. 1,6- Bis[N-(4-oxybenzylidene) 4-octylaniline] 2,4-hexadiyne(1-0BOA) contains a methylene oxide spacer between the mesogen and the diacetylene core and shows smectic liquid crystalline textures over a broad temperature range. Monomers containing a tetrametylene-oxide spacer do not show liquid crystallinity as monomers but are intended to result in liquid crystalline polymer.
Spouse-assisted coping skills training in the management of knee pain in osteoarthritis: long-term followup results.

Objective To evaluate the long-term effects of a spouse-assisted coping skills intervention in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knees, and to evaluate how pre- to posttreatment changes in marital adjustment and self-efficacy relate to long-term improvements in pain, psychological disability, physical disability, pain coping, and pain behavior. Methods A followup study was conducted with 88 OA patients who had been randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment conditions: 1) spouse-assisted coping skills training (spouse-assisted CST), 2) a conventional CST intervention with no spouse involvement, and 3) an arthritis education–spousal support (AE-SS) control condition. To evaluate long-term outcome, comprehensive measures of self-efficacy, marital adjustment, pain, psychological disability, physical disability, pain coping, and pain behavior were collected from these individuals at 6 and 12 months posttreatment. Results Data analysis revealed that, at 6-month followup, patients in the spouse-assisted CST condition scored higher on measures of coping and self-efficacy than those in the AE-SS control group. At 6-month followup, patients who received CST without spouse involvement showed a significantly higher frequency of coping attempts and reported higher levels of marital adjustment than those in the AE-SS control group. At 12-month followup, patients in the spouse-assisted CST condition had significantly higher overall self-efficacy than those in the AE-SS control condition. In addition, patients in both the spouse-assisted CST and CST only conditions tended to show improvements in physical disability at the 12-month followup. Individual differences in outcome were noted at the 12-month followup. Patients in the spouse-assisted CST condition who reported initial (pre- to posttreatment) increases in marital adjustment had lower levels of psychological disability, physical disability, and pain behavior at 12-month followup. However, for patients in the conventional CST and AE-SS control conditions, increases in marital adjustment occurring over the initial phase of treatment were related to increases in pain and decreases in scores on the Pain Control in Rational Thinking factor of the Coping Strategies Questionnaire. Finally, patients in the spouse-assisted CST condition who showed pre- to posttreatment increases in self-efficacy were more likely to show decreases in pain, psychological disability, and physical disability at 12-month followup. Conclusions These findings suggest that spouse-assisted CST can enhance self-efficacy and improve the coping abilities of OA patients in the long term. Individual differences in the long-term outcome of spouse-assisted CST were noted, with some patients (those showing increases in marital satisfaction and self-efficacy) showing much better outcomes than others.
Reconstruction structure at Ga2Se3/GaAs epitaxial interface

Abstract A highly developed reconstruction structure was found at the Ga 2 Se 3 /GaAs epitaxial interface by transmission electron microscope observations. The atomic structure of the reconstruction was derived by the analysis of electron diffraction patterns and high resolution transmission electron microscope images. The structure, which is described as an ordered arrangement of structural vacancies on the Ga sublattice, suggests that the reconstruction results from the valence mismatch at the Ga 2 Se 3 /GaAs interface.
The Kinky Propulsion of Spiroplasma

Bacteria have evolved many different means of generating movement. In this issue of Cell, Shaevitz et al. (2005) describe the swimming movement of a helical bacterium called Spiroplasma. They discover that Spiroplasma propels itself by generating two temporally distinct kinks that travel the length of the bacterium. These results point to the existence of a contractile apparatus that drives cell movement.
Sciatica with motor loss and hemi-cauda equina syndrome due to varicella-zoster virus meningoradiculitis.

Joint Bone Spine - In Press.Proof corrected by the author Available online since vendredi 1 mars 2013
Cuisine: A descriptive factor for foods

Cuisine, the culinary/cultural identity of foods, is one of the descriptive facets (characteristics) included in the International Interface Standard for food databases. The interface was developed to help standardize food descriptive terms and facilitate computerized retrieval and exchange of information from food-related databases. The terms of the cuisine facet may help identify and characterize some foods in databases and allow for specific retrievals of information from those databases. A hierarchy of cuisine terms (i.e., broader and narrower terms) was developed on the basis of information collected from professional and lay literature. The usual (common) name of each cuisine, specific features of the cuisine, and examples of dishes (and their ingredients) that are associated with the cuisine were collected. In addition, the interface factor "Geographic Region or Area" was reviewed to ensure that the culinary practices of major inhabited land masses were included in the cuisine hierarchy. Eight broad groups of cuisine origin were identified; 153 cuisines (including broader and narrower terms) are currently included in the hierarchy.
Complexation of metals with hydantoins

Abstract This study characterized metal complexation reactions with 5,5-dimethylhydantoin. This compound is formed in certain coal gasification processes during gas quenching and tar separation. In such processes it can be the principal organic constituent in gas liquor following solvent extraction and gas stripping. 5, 5-Dimethylhydantoin is not biodegraded readily, and it has been demonstrated that this compound may be increased to the range of 0.1 mol 1 −1 through reuse of treated gas liquor as makeup water for evaporative cooling. The hydantoin may complex with various metals and thereby affect the equilibrium chemistry and speciation of calcium and heavy metals in gas liquors and in wastewater reuse systems. Stability constants were determined for 5, 5-dimethylhydantoin and metals by potentiometric titration, polarography, and specific ion electrode techniques. The hydantoin behaves as a weak acid (p K a ∼ 9.1), and it complexes with metals as an anion. For transition series metals the overall concentration stability constants were in the range: log β1 = 2.4–4.5, log β2 = 4.2–9.3 and log β3 = 5.2–11. Calcium showed log β1 ∼ 1.8. In general, the most utilitarian of the experimental data reduction techniques was a nonlinear parameter optimization program (FITEQL). The results of the study are useful for incorporation with chemical equilibrium models for evaluation of the speciation and the reactions of metals in hydantoinladen wastewaters, particularly certain coal gas liquors.
Current practice patterns in urologic management of upper-tract transitional-cell carcinoma.

Purpose: To determine the current practice patterns in the management of upper-tract transitional-cell carcinoma (TCC) among a large group of urologists. Materials and Methods: A survey was sent to 220 practicing members of the Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) and the Endourological Society (ES) and members of the American Urological Association who did not belong to either society. The survey consisted of 16 focused questions pertaining to the surveillance and management of upper-tract TCC. The responses were used to create a database, which was then analyzed to determine practice trends. Results: Eighty-four of the urologists responded, for a response rate of 38%. Fourteen responses were excluded because of multiple answers to a given question, so 70 were included in the final analysis. Eighty percent of the respondents were in academic practice. A CT urogram was the favored initial procedure for diagnosis of upper-tract TCC and an intravenous urogram was the next commonest choice (53% and 40%, respec...
Corn Earworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Idaho: Corn Kernel Compensation for Larval Damage

Compensation by the corn plant, Zea mays (L.), after damage by the corn earworm, Heliothis zea (Boddie), was investigated by artificially infesting ears with 1st-instar larvae at and shortly after silking in 1980 and 1981. At maturity the cm2 of damage for each ear was measured, and the kernels from each were counted and weighed. Mean kernel weight for damaged ears was greater than that for undamaged controls. Regression of mean kernel weight on cm2 of damage was positive and highly significant. Different results for 1981 as compared with 1980 were ascribed to different field temperatures during the experiment each year.
Transonic crack growth along a bimaterial interface: An investigation of the asymptotic structure of near-tip fields

Abstract Transonic interfacial crack growth in bimaterial systems is analysed, and the asymptotic field around the moving crack tip is obtained by the straightforward approach of analytic continuation. The power of singularity is less than 1/2 for anti-plane shear deformation. For in-plane deformation, the power of singularity can be real or complex, depending on the speed of the crack tip. Across the Rayleigh wave speed, the real part of the power has a jump of −1/2, and the imaginary part approaches infinity. The stresses are singular, not only around the crack tip, but also on an entire ray moving with the crack tip. These observations are illustrated by examples using PMMA/steel and Al/Al 2 O 3 bimaterial systems.
The Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale: Independent of Psychopathology?

200 Ss were administered the Marlowe-Crowne social desirability scale (M-C SD) and a modified form of the MMPI, in order to evaluate the contention that the M-C SD is statistically independent of MMPI indices of psychopathology. Significant negative correlations were obtained between the M-C SD and 8 of the 10 MMPI indices of psychopathology employed.
Chronic imipramine but not bupropion increases arachidonic acid signaling in rat brain: is this related to ‘switching’ in bipolar disorder?

Agents effective against mania in bipolar disorder are reported to decrease turnover of arachidonic acid (AA) in phospholipids and expression of calcium-dependent AA-selective cytosolic phospholipase A(2) (cPLA(2)) in rat brain. In contrast, fluoxetine, an antidepressant that is reported to switch bipolar depressed patients to mania, increases cPLA(2) expression and AA turnover in rat brain. We therefore hypothesized that antidepressants that increase switching to mania generally increase cPLA(2) and AA turnover in brain. To test this hypothesis, adult male CDF-344 rats were administered imipramine and bupropion, with reported high and low switching rates, respectively, at daily doses of 10 and 30 mg kg(-1) i.p., respectively, or i.p. saline (control) for 21 days. Frontal cortex expression of different PLA(2) enzymes and AA turnover rates in brain when the rats were unanesthetized were measured. Compared with chronic saline, chronic imipramine but not bupropion significantly increased cortex cPLA(2) mRNA activity, protein and phosphorylation, expression of the cPLA(2) transcription factor, activator protein-2alpha (AP-2alpha) and AA turnover in phospholipids. Protein levels of secretory phospholipase A(2), calcium-independent phospholipase A(2), cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and COX-2 were unchanged, and prostaglandin E(2) was unaffected. These results, taken with prior data on chronic fluoxetine in rats, suggest that antidepressants that increase the switching tendency of bipolar depressed patients to mania do so by increasing AA recycling and metabolism in brain. Mania in bipolar disorder thus may involve upregulated brain AA metabolism.
Spectra, Structure, Ligand Exchange, and Decomposition of a Tungsten(II) Ether Complex.

Facile displacement of the ether ligand from complex 1 provides a convenient route to the reactive cation [WTp'(CO)(PhC≡CMe)]+ (Tp'=hydridotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate). In the absence of suitable ligands, 1 decomposes in dichloromethane and reacts with the solvent to form the metallacycle 2 [Eq. (a)].
Photonic entanglement-assisted quantum low-density parity-check encoders and decoders

I propose encoder and decoder architectures for entanglement-assisted (EA) quantum low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes suitable for all-optical implementation. I show that two basic gates needed for EA quantum error correction, namely, controlled-NOT (CNOT) and Hadamard gates can be implemented based on Mach-Zehnder interferometer. In addition, I show that EA quantum LDPC codes from balanced incomplete block designs of unitary index require only one entanglement qubit to be shared between source and destination.
Molecular-Scale Processes Involving Nanoparticulate Minerals in Biogeochemical Systems

Mineral particles with diameters on the scale of nanometers (nanoparticles) are important constituents of natural environments. The small size of such particles has a host of consequences for biogeochemical systems, which we will review in this chapter. We begin by briefly reviewing what is known about how and when nanoparticles form and the ways in which nanoparticles impact natural processes. Nanoparticles form via a variety of inorganic and biological pathways and may be introduced into the environment as a consequence of human activity. They are widespread in the environment (Banfield and Navrotsky 2001; Penn et al. 2001; Kennedy et al. 2003a,b; van der Zee et al. 2003), although few quantitative studies of their abundance are available. While all crystals begin as very small particles, an important subset retain small size at the Earth’s surface over relatively long time scales, because the combination of low temperature and low solubility inhibits growth. As a consequence, nanoparticles have the potential for a long lifetime in the environment, and widespread transport under certain circumstances. Processes that result in the removal of nanoparticles from an environment include dissolution, settling from air, transport in solution, and crystal growth. Particle aggregation may be an important component of these processes because it will promote settling, limit dispersal via solution transport, and can lead to aggregation-based crystal growth. The presence of nanoparticles can profoundly influence biological systems. Because they are frequently formed in environments that are populated by microorganisms, nanoparticles often adhere to cell surfaces or cell-associated polymers (see Fig. 1⇓ for examples). These coatings can have important consequences for metabolic activity, for example, by restricting communication between the cell and its surroundings. They may also provide protection from predators, inhibit desiccation, screen cells from ultraviolet radiation, and alter the cell buoyancy (e.g., …
Mass Differences of Σ+, Σ- and Σ0 Hyperons

It is shown that there is a possibility to interpret the observed mass differences of SIGMA /sup +/, SIGMA /sup -/,and SIGMA /sup 0/ hyperons in terms of electromagnetic seif-energies, if the SIGMA hyperons are assumed to be Dirac particles with anomalous magnetic moments of a few nuclear magnetons.
Executive control of cognitive agents using a biologically inspired model architecture of the prefrontal cortex

Abstract Prefrontal cortex (PFC) is implicated in executive control, herein defined as the ability to map external inputs and internal goals toward actions that solve problems or elicit rewards. In this work, we present a computational model of PFC and accompanying brain systems (e.g., limbic, motor control, and sensory areas) based on a review of structure and function. The current design leverages previous models, but organizes them in novel ways to provide transparent and efficient computation. We propose this model provides a biologically plausible architecture that learns from and uses multimodal spatio-temporal working memories to develop and refine reward-eliciting behaviors. It addresses several anatomical and physiological constraints consistent with neurophysiology. The functional aspects of the model are illustrated using two example studies: the “Egg Hunt” and “Widget Factory” scenario. These examples illustrate the flexibility of the proposed model to assist cognitive agents to become adaptive during their interaction with their non-stationary environments.
Steroids. V. Conjugated steroid nitriles via phosphonates (1,2).

Abstract Steroid ketones were found to react with diethyl cyanomethylphosphonate in the presence of dimsyl anion and dimethyl sulfoxide at room temperature forming conjugated nitriles. Ketones at positions 2,4,6,7,12, and 15 readily afforded unsaturated nitriles. The yield of Δ 4 -3-cyano-methylene steroids from Δ 4 -3-ketosteroids was high under these conditions. The sterically hindered ketone from lanosterol also could be converted to an unsaturated nitrile. Ketones at positions 1 and 11 were found to be unreactive even when dimsyl anion and dimethyl sulfoxide were used. 16-Ketoprogesterone did not react, probably because it is a β -diketone.
Estimating Sensible Heat Flux from the Oklahoma Mesonet

Abstract The challenges of using the Oklahoma Mesonet for calculations of sensible heat flux are discussed. The mesonet is an integrated network of 115 remote and automated meteorological stations across Oklahoma that provides the spatial density to observe synoptic and mesoscale features. Temperature and wind speed are measured at two levels at 48 mesonet sites, from which heat flux may be estimated using a gradient approach. A series of field experiments was conducted that quantified the problems and limitations of estimating heat fluxes from the mesonet sites. Four specific problems were identified, and solutions to these limitations are discussed. These problems include 1) differences in instrumentation, 2) an apparent “offset” between thermistors, 3) radiative heating error, and 4) fetch limitations. As an independent verification, mesonet flux values were compared directly with eddy correlation estimates.
Relationships among individualism–collectivism, gender, and ingroup/outgroup status, and responses to conflict: a study in China and the United States

Responses to conflict were studied in samples of college students from a highly collectivistic society (China, n = 207) and a highly individualistic society (United States n = 209). As predicted, the collectivistic society reported more conflict-reducing behaviors and less verbal or physical aggression. However, the effect of individualism/collectivism was moderated by both the ingroup/outgroup status of the target and gender of the participant. Chinese and US women did not differ on any measure. However, of the four groups, Chinese men reported the most conflict-reducing behaviors and the least physical aggression, whereas US men reported the fewest conflict-reducing behaviors and the greatest physical aggression. As predicted, conflict-reducing behaviors were more common in the ingroup condition and both verbal and physical aggression was more common in the outgroup condition. However, the latter were moderated by gender of the participant. US men reported greater physical aggression than any other group. Neither gender nor society had any effect on the level of indirect aggression. There were no gender or individualism/collectivism effects on indirect aggression. Observed gender effects were attributed to differences in how collectivistic and individualistic societies conceptualize masculinity. The effect sizes associated with the ingroup/outgroup condition were consistently and substantially larger than effect sizes associated with individualism/collectivism or gender.
The Use of Three Factor Prothrombin Complex Concentrate to Reverse Warfarin Treated Mechanical Circulatory Device Patients Immediately Prior to Heart Transplant

s S55 Conclusion: There is a poor correlation between C0 and AUC for TAC in our lung transplant population. Therefore C0 may not accurately reflect true drug exposure. In patients with deteriorating renal function whilst on TAC, we recommend performing an area under the curve analysis. C4 may be a better predictor of tacrolimus exposure. Further studies are needed to determine the target AUC levels and single point surrogate ranges for lung transplant recipients.
Sources and cycling of selenium in the western and equatorial Atlantic Ocean

The concentration and chemical speciation of selenium were determined at six vertical profile stations along a 11,000-km-long horizontal transect from 34°S to 8°N in the western Atlantic. The depth profiles of total dissolved selenium, selenite (SeIV), and selenate (VI) all showed surface-water depletion and deep-water enrichment characteristic of the nutrient-like behavior of selenium that has been observed in other ocean basins. In North Atlantic Deep Water, the Se(IV)/Se(VI) ratios were generally similar to those found in the eastern Atlantic and North Pacific (0.7), but waters originating in the higher latitudes of the southern hemisphere, Antarctic Intermediate (AAIW) and Bottom Water, and Upper Circumpolar Deep Water (UCDW), were enriched in selenate and had correspondingly low Se(IV)/Se(VI) ratios (ca. 0.4). In contrast to these inorganic selenium species, organic selenide had maxima in the surface waters of the oligotrophic stations and undetectable concentrations in the mid- and deep waters. One exception to this pattern was found at the southernmost station (33°S) where a secondary organic selenide maximum was found in the AAIW and UCDW (700–1900 m). This observation can be explained by considering the 10-year residence time of organic selenide in the water column and the relatively young age (<3 yr) of these subducted surface waters. In the surface transect, total dissolved selenium showed only minor variations with oceanic regime (0.55–0.83 nM) except in the offshore plume of the Amazon River, where concentrations dropped as low as 0.19 nM. Organic selenide was the predominant form of dissolved selenium in surface waters (50±11%), followed by selenate (36±13%) and then selenite (14±6%). Cross-flow ultra filtration experiments indicated that surface water dissolved organic selenide is in a<1-kD fraction and thus truly dissolved. Selenate had higher concentrations in the southern hemisphere (0.24 nM) than in the north (0.17 nM), but the highest value (0.37 nM) was found in the area of weak equatorial upwelling. In contrast, selenite was quite low in the southern hemisphere (0.06 nM) and had its highest concentrations in the equatorial region and under the Intertropical Convergence Zone (0.11 nM). The higher selenite concentrations corresponded to surface waters, which had elevated aluminum levels due to the input of North African dust. While selenium is not enriched in mineral aerosols themselves, air masses from Europe can be entrained in those leaving North Africa, enriching selenium as a consequence. The estimate of atmospheric deposition of selenium to the equatorial Atlantic is ca. 10×106 mol yr−1, while relatively low selenium concentrations in the Amazon River (0.48 nM) only deliver ca. 2×106 mol yr−1. Atmospheric selenium inputs dominate fluxes to the equatorial Atlantic, but these and Amazonian inputs profoundly affect the distribution and speciation of selenium in this region.
Fabrication of near-net-shape Al2O3-fiber-reinforced Ni3Al composites by combustion synthesis

In this paper, a one-step, combustion synthesis-based process for fabricating Al2O3 fiber-reinforced Ni3Al is described. The process uses relatively low temperatures and pressures, and can be used to prepare relatively large, dense, near-net-shape articles that possess either simple or relatively complicated shapes. This process can be used to incorporate continuous, aligned fibers into the Ni3Al matrix material in such a way that the fibers are not damaged either mechanically (due to relatively small loads applied during the process) or chemically (due to the very short time at which the sample remains at elevated tempertures during the process). (Chopped fibers, as well as equiaxed particles or whiskers, could also be similarly incorporated using this process.) This combustion synthesis process is a relatively simple one-requiring only relatively low temperatures and pressures, as well as relatively low-cost starting materials-which suggests that its scale-up beyond the laboratory scale would be particularly straightforward.
America 2000 and Reform in Science Education: Where Does EE Fit?

(1992). America 2000 and Reform in Science Education: Where Does EE Fit? The Journal of Environmental Education: Vol. 23, No. 2, pp. 4-9.
Effect of Hole-Hole Scattering on the Mobility of p-Type Germanium

A quantitative comparison between theory and experiment is presented for the effect of hole-hole scattering on the mobility in both uncompensated and heavily compensated $p$-type germanium. In the former case, excellent agreement is obtained for impurity concentrations ${N}_{\mathrm{I}}\ensuremath{\le}{10}^{16}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$. An appreciable discrepancy is noted for compensated samples which is attributed to the use of the Born-approximation scattering cross section which gives equal weight to scattering of holes by ionized donors and acceptors.
Health Impact of Influenza in the United States

Influenza infection is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this investigation was to describe the health effects of influenza in the US. Although a number of different data sources have been used to provide estimates of the health impact of influenza in the US, estimates provided in this article are primarily based upon the experiences reported in community-based studies performed in Houston, Texas, and Tecumseh, Michigan. Estimates of the annual average are provided for the following: (1) infection rate; (2) number of influenza-associated respiratory illnesses; (3) number of ill days with influenza; (4) number of bed and activity restriction days due to influenza illness; (5) physician visits; (6) hospitalisations and days hospitalised; and (7) mortality. Large differences were found between estimates from Houston and Tecumseh, and possible explanations for these are provided. However, all estimates find that influenza is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in the US.
The Supreme Court and Morality Policy Adoption in the American States: The Impact of Constitutional Context

Morality policy studies are generally constructed around the theoretical perspective of democratic responsiveness, whereby factors such as religious affiliation of citizens, public opinion, and par...
Underground economy of android application plagiarism

As Android became the most popular mobile operating system, malicious activities targeting Android and its applications are rising rapidly. While technical approaches may mitigate the attacks with varying effectiveness, understanding the economic incentives of the criminals may shed light on the most effective defense. In this talk, I will focus on application plagiarism on Android markets. First, I will describe the unique characteristics of android applications, the fundamental differences between plagiarism of Android applications and that of non-mobile software, and the relationship between plagiarism and mobile advertising. Next, I will illustrate the challenges in measuring the scale, severity, and impact of Android application plagiarism. To achieve this, we need not only detect plagiarism among the large number of applications on different Android markets but also measure their usage and impact on advertising on a large, live network. I will describe how we correlated plagiarized applications detected through static analysis to their advertising traffic captured on a live network. I will characterize properties of the cloned applications, including their distribution across different markets, application categories, and advertising libraries. To examine how plagiarized applications affect the original developers, I will estimate on the advertising revenue and user base that plagiarized applications have siphoned from the original developers. Finally, I will discuss defenses against application plagiarism.
Exploiting Future Settlements: A Signaling Model of Most-Favored-Nation Clauses in Settlement Bargaining

"Most-favored-nation" (hereafter, MFN) clauses have been used in analyses of international trade, durable goods monopoly pricing, and franchise contracting to address a repeat player's time-inconsistency problem. Recent work by Spier (forthcoming and 2002) has extended this perspective to the settlements of litigation by (for example) one defendant with a collection of plaintiffs. We examine a different motivation for the use of MFNs in settlement bargaining. We argue that a non-repeat player can use an MFN to extend her reach into subsequent bargaining games. That is, an early-bargaining plaintiff can use an MFN to modify the subsequent bargaining game between the defendant and a later-bargaining plaintiff in a manner that improves the early plaintiff's payoff. Moreover, we will identify two routes through which this improvement is achieved. The obvious route is that, if the MFN is triggered by the later settlement, the early plaintiff receives an additional payment. The less obvious route is that the early plaintiff's incentives for information-revelation can be enhanced by the potential for a future payment, so that the defendant can resort to trial on a less-frequent basis. Using a signaling model, we find that the repeat player (the defendant) is indifferent about the MFN, while the later plaintiff is always worse off when an MFN constrains her settlement bargaining with the defendant. Although MFNs can never provide a Pareto improvement in this model, we demonstrate that plausible circumstances exist under which total surplus is increased by an MFN.
Three-dimensional echocardiographic planimetry of maximal regurgitant orifice area in myxomatous mitral regurgitation: intraoperative comparison with proximal flow convergence

OBJECTIVES: We sought to validate direct planimetry of mitral regurgitant orifice area from three-dimensional echocardiographic reconstructions. BACKGROUND: Regurgitant orifice area (ROA) is an important measure of the severity of mitral regurgitation (MR) that up to now has been calculated from hemodynamic data rather than measured directly. We hypothesized that improved spatial resolution of the mitral valve (MV) with three-dimensional (3D) echo might allow accurate planimetry of ROA. METHODS: We reconstructed the MV using 3D echo with 3 degrees rotational acquisitions (TomTec) using a transesophageal (TEE) multiplane probe in 15 patients undergoing MV repair (age 59 +/- 11 years). One observer reconstructed the prolapsing mitral leaflet in a left atrial plane parallel to the ROA and planimetered the two-dimensional (2D) projection of the maximal ROA. A second observer, blinded to the results of the first, calculated maximal ROA using the proximal convergence method defined as maximal flow rate (2pi(r2)va, where r is the radius of a color alias contour with velocity va) divided by regurgitant peak velocity (obtained by continuous wave [CW] Doppler) and corrected as necessary for proximal flow constraint. RESULTS: Maximal ROA was 0.79 +/- 0.39 (mean +/- SD) cm2 by 3D and 0.86 +/- 0.42 cm2 by proximal convergence (p = NS). Maximal ROA by 3D echo (y) was highly correlated with the corresponding flow measurement (x) (y = 0.87x + 0.03, r = 0.95, p < 0.001) with close agreement seen (AROA (y - x) = 0.07 +/- 0.12 cm2). CONCLUSIONS: 3D echo imaging of the MV allows direct visualization and planimetry of the ROA in patients with severe MR with good agreement to flow-based proximal convergence measurements.