cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
APPROXIMATE BESSEL-GAUSS PULSE GENERATED FROM A DISK SOURCE MOVING MORE SLOWLY THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT

Assuming a disk source distribution moving in a straight line along the z axis at some velocity slower than the speed of light, an approximate Bessel–Gauss pulse solution to the inhomogeneous wave equation has been determined. This approximate pulse propagates in a specific region of space–time and is a long-time duration or steady-state solution of the inhomogeneous wave equation. The localization properties of this approximate waveform depend on the normalized speed of the source distribution. For source speeds close to the speed of light, the waveform is highly localized. As the source speed decreases, the scalar wave becomes less localized along the direction of propagation.
Metal transfer during vacuum consumable arc remelting

An investigation was conducted to determine how metal is transferred during vacuum consumable arc remelting. The transfer mode was found to be dependent on arc length for the electrode sizes (0.10 to 0.20 m diam) and electrical parameters studied (1.9 to 3 kA and 25 V). At short arc lengths ≤0.03 m, metal transfer was found to occur when liquid metal spikes hanging from the cathode form a low resistance bridge (drop short) by touching the anode and then subsequently rupture. The formation and rupture of these molten metal bridges was confirmed with electrical resistance measurements. During the bridge lifetime (0.0003 to 0.020 s) the arc was extinguished and all of the electrical power was directed through the molten bridge. At long arc lengths (>0.1 m) the spikes separate before touching the anode. Experimental observations concerning the coalescence of molten material at the cathode tip were made and they were found to be in agreement with theories on liquid instabilities. A review of pertinent literature concerning vacuum arcs was conducted and this along with general information on vacuum consumable arc re-melting are included as background information.
New treatment modalities in osteoporosis.

ABSTRACT Objective To describe recently discovered agents for the management of osteoporosis. Methods A literature review (PubMed search) was conducted to identify agents at various stages of development for osteoporosis treatment. Agents under study or review for approval were included. Results In menopause, bone remodeling is increased, and agents that suppress bone resorption can stabilize bone mass. In contrast, agents that target the osteoblast can increase bone formation and bone mass. Novel antiresorptive agents can target the formation or the activity of osteoclasts. They include denosumab, an antibody to receptor activated nuclear factor kB; new selective estrogen receptor modulators, such as bazedoxifene; and cathepsin K inhibitors, such as odanacatib. Src kinase inhibitors are in the early phases of development. Parathyroid hormone is the only approved anabolic agent for the treatment of osteoporosis. Novel anabolic therapies for osteoporosis may include the use of factors with anabolic properties for bone or the neutralization of growth factor antagonists. Recent discoveries have demonstrated that the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway has a central role in osteoblastic cell differentiation. Antibodies to Wnt antagonists, such as sclerostin, are under development as new therapeutic approaches for osteoporosis. Anabolic therapies have the potential to enhance bone mass, but their long-term safety must be proven. Conclusions New developments in the treatment of osteoporosis include novel antiresorptive and anabolic agents. Their success will depend on their long-term effectiveness and safety profile. (Endocr Pract. 2010;16:855-863)
Fighting fire with fire: estimating the efficacy of wildfire mitigation programs using propensity scores

This paper examines the effect wildfire mitigation has on broad-scale wildfire behavior. Each year, hundreds of million of dollars are spent on fire suppression and fuels management applications, yet little is known, quantitatively, of the returns to these programs in terms of their impact on wildfire extent and intensity. This is especially true when considering that wildfire management influences and reacts to several, often times confounding factors, including socioeconomic characteristics, values at risk, heterogeneous landscapes, and climate. Due to the endogenous nature of suppression effort and fuels management intensity and placement with wildfire behavior, traditional regression models may prove inadequate. Instead, I examine the applicability of propensity score matching (PSM) techniques in modeling wildfire. This research makes several significant contributions including: (1) applying techniques developed in labor economics and in epidemiology to evaluate the effects of natural resource policies on landscapes, rather than on individuals; (2) providing a better understanding of the relationship between wildfire mitigation strategies and their influence on broad-scale wildfire patterns; (3) quantifying the returns to suppression and fuels management on wildfire behavior.
Accurate, robust, and real-time estimation of finger pose with a motion capture system

Finger exoskeletons, haptic devices, and augmented reality applications demand an accurate, robust, and fast estimation of finger pose. We present a novel finger pose estimation method using a motion capture system. The method combines system identification and state estimation in a unified framework. The system identification stage investigates the accurate model of a finger, and the state estimation stage tracks the finger pose with the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) algorithm based on the model obtained in the system identification stage. The algorithm is validated by simulation and experiment. The experimental results show that the method can robustly estimate the finger pose at a high frequency (greater than 1 Khz) in presence of measurement noise, occlusion of markers, and fast movement.
α-Synuclein and Parkin Contribute to the Assembly of Ubiquitin Lysine 63-linked Multiubiquitin Chains

Mutations in α-synuclein, Parkin, and UCH-L1 cause heritable forms of Parkinson disease. Unlike α-synuclein, for which no precise biochemical function has been elucidated, Parkin functions as a ubiquitin E3 ligase, and UCH-L1 is a deubiquitinating enzyme. The E3 ligase activity of Parkin in Parkinson disease is poorly understood and is further obscured by the fact that multiubiquitin chains can be formed through distinct types of linkages that regulate diverse cellular processes. For instance, ubiquitin lysine 48-linked multiubiquitin chains target substrates to the proteasome, whereas ubiquitin lysine 63-linked chains control ribosome function, protein sorting and trafficking, and endocytosis of membrane proteins. It is notable in this regard that ubiquitin lysine 63-linked chains promote the degradation of membrane proteins by the lysosome. Because both Parkin and α-synuclein can regulate the activity of the dopamine transporter, we investigated whether they influenced ubiquitin lysine 63-linked chain assembly. These studies revealed novel biochemical activities for both Parkin and α-synuclein. We determined that Parkin functions with UbcH13/Uev1a, a dimeric ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, to assemble ubiquitin lysine 63-linked chains. Our results and the results of others indicate that Parkin can promote both lysine 48- and lysine 63-linked ubiquitin chains. α-Synuclein also stimulated the assembly of lysine 63-linked ubiquitin chains. Because UCH-L1, a ubiquitin hydrolase, was recently reported to form lysine 63-linked conjugates, it is evident that three proteins that are genetically linked to Parkinson disease can contribute to lysine 63 multiubiquitin chain formation.
Attitudes on Residential Integration: Perceived Status Differences, Mere In-Group Preference, or Racial Prejudice?

Les AA. examinent les attitudes manifestees aux Etats-Unis sur le plan de l'integration residentielle. Ils estiment que les mecanismes de perception interviennent dans les processus d'integration et de segregation. Ils presentent un certain nombre de donnees collectees a Los Angeles en 1992 concernant ce type d'attitude. Ils s'efforcent d'evaluer le role de certains facteurs socio-economiques, celui de l'ethnocentrisme. Ils tentent, de meme, de savoir si une attitude hostile manifestee a l'encontre d'un groupe determine les vues sur l'integration residentielle. Ils estiment que ce dernier facteur est le plus significatif en cette affaire
Radial basis function regularization for linear inverse problems with random noise

In this paper, we study the statistical properties of the method of regularization with radial basis functions in the context of linear inverse problems. Radial basis function regularization is widely used in machine learning because of its demonstrated effectiveness in numerous applications and computational advantages. From a statistical viewpoint, one of the main advantages of radial basis function regularization in general and Gaussian radial basis function regularization in particular is their ability to adapt to varying degrees of smoothness in a direct problem. We show here that similar approaches for inverse problems not only share such adaptivity to the smoothness of the signal but also can accommodate different degrees of ill-posedness. These results render further theoretical support to the superior performance observed empirically for radial basis function regularization.
An exact parallel algorithm for scheduling when production costs depend on consecutive system states

Abstract An exact parallel algorithm is presented for determining schedules when costs depend on consecutive jobs passed through a production system and there is a benefit associated with each job. Optimal schedules are found for the cases when the production goals are to: (i) maximize benefits minus costs; (ii) minimize costs; (iii) maximize benefits while keeping costs below a prescribed level; or (iv) minimize costs while attaining some level of benefits. Determining optimal schedules with any of the four production goals is shown to be equivalent to the prize collecting traveling salesman problem. The algorithm uses a branch and bound approach based on lower bounds derived from a modified assignment problem, branching rules that partition the search space, and an upper bounding procedure based on subtour patching. The algorithm is implemented on a shared-memory multiprocessor and computational results are presented for problems ranging in size from 50 to 200 jobs (cities).
Plasmid Analysis in Molecular Epidemiology: A Summary and Future Directions

Plasmid analysis is a useful method for epidemiologic typing of a variety of organisms. In outbreaks, plasmid profiling is a rapid, convenient way to follow the spread of the epidemic strain and may be more specific than other typing methods. Restriction endonuclease profiling of plasmids has led to an understanding of how the transmission of specific resistance plasmids among many species can contribute to endemic antibiotic resistance. Finally, it is now possible to detect the spread of specific genes among a variety of plasmids. In the future, increased emphasis will be placed on methods for monitoring the spread of specific resistance mechanisms, and research topics will include the spread of specific genes, both on chromosomal and on extrachromosomal DNA; the spread of strains with mutations affecting outer membrane proteins; and changes in the expression of specific chromosomal beta-lactamases. Restriction endonuclease digestion of chromosomal DNA, profiling of outer membrane proteins, and monoclonal antibody subtyping will also be used increasingly to monitor the spread of specific strains.
Effect of Dietary Protein and Fat on the Plasma Cholesterol and Packed Cell Volume of Chickens Exposed to Different Environmental Temperatures

Abstract The effect of different levels of dietary protein and poultry fat on plasma cholesterol in White Plymouth Rock chickens was studied at three different environmental temperatures (8°, 19° and 30° C.). An inverse relationship between dietary protein and plasma cholesterol existed when poultry fat was added. Environmental temperature significantly influenced the plasma cholesterol level. Birds at 30° C. had a lower cholesterol level than similar groups at 8° or 19° C. Increases in protein levels of diet from 22 percent to 25 percent did not affect the packed cell volume (pcv) significantly. Adding 5 percent poultry fat to the diet resulted in a significant increase in the pcv. However, no additional increase occurred with the increase of poultry fat added from 5 percent to 10 percent. The blood of birds maintained in hot environmental temperature (30° C.) was found to have significantly higher water content than those of the other two groups.
Generalized simulator for vapor phase epitaxy on patterned substrates

A generalized computer simulation technique for predicting the shapes of epitaxial layers grown on patterned substrates is described. Both selective epitaxy and nonplanar substrate epitaxy can be simulated. Simulations are possible for any material system provided the epitaxial growth rate as a function of crystallographic orientation is known. In this paper we compare simulations with experimental results for GaAs low pressure organometallic vapor phase epitaxy, and for GaAs chloride vapor phase epitaxy.
THE KNOWLEDGE EXPLOSION -(OR THE EXCITING ERA)†

(1966). The Knowledge Explosion ‐(Or The Exciting Era)* Clinical and Experimental Optometry: Vol. 49, No. 9, pp. 258-266.
A Fast Decoupled State Estimator for Systems Measured by PMUs

Given the rapid increase in the number of phasor measurement units (PMU) installed in substations in recent years, it is not unrealistic to assume that most transmission systems will be fully observable by only PMU measurements in the not so distant future. Such a scenario will enable faster and numerically easier state estimation solution which will be non-iterative due to the linearity of the PMU measurement equations. However, as will be shown in this paper, the benefits do not end there and a closer look at these equations reveals further possibilities of simplification and therefore improved performance of state estimators that use only PMU measurements. Specifically, the paper formulates an alternative decoupled solution, which reduces the size of the state estimation problem, increases computational performance yet maintains high solution accuracy. Both state estimation as well as bad data processing can be efficiently carried out within the developed decoupled formulation.
Isospin conservation and the independence hypothesis in the decay of 49V, 52Cr and 55Mn

Abstract Energy spectra and angular distributions of protons and α-particles emitted in the decay of 49V, 52Cr and 55Mn produced by 14 MeV protons and 12–16 MeV α-particles were measured between 30° and 150°. The evaporation cross sections of the (p, p'), (p, α), (α, p) and (α, α') reactions were used to deduce the isospin mixing fractions, μ, between the T⪢ and T p exit channels permitted a test of the independence hypothesis and the latter was verified for 49V and 55Mn.
Single instruction computer architecture and its application in image processing

A single processing computer system using only half-adder circuits is described. In addition, it is shown that only a single hard-wired instruction is needed in the control unit to obtain a complete instruction set for this general purpose computer. Such a system has several advantages. First it is intrinsically a RISC machine--in fact the 'ultimate RISC' machine. Second, because only a single type of logic element is employed the entire computer system can be easily realized on a single, highly integrated chip. Finally, due to the homogeneous nature of the computer's logic elements, the computer has possible implementations as an optical or chemical machine. This in turn suggests possible paradigms for neural computing and artificial intelligence. After showing how we can implement a full-adder, min, max and other operations using the half-adder, we use an array of such full-adders to implement the dilation operation for two black and white images. Next we implement the erosion operation of two black and white images using a relative complement function and the properties of erosion and dilation. This approach was inspired by papers by van der Poel in which a single instruction is used to furnish a complete set of general purpose instructions and by Bohm- Jacopini where it is shown that any problem can be solved using a Turing machine with one entry and one exit.
Feasibility Of An Instrument For 15 Micrometer Mesoscale Geosynchronous Inversion

The success of vertical inversion measurements and processes from low altitude satellites has led us to speculate on the possibilities and returns of performing inversion from synchronous altitudes. We postu3ated the question as to whether one could accomplish temperature and composition inversion with a lateral resolution of about one mile square over a total field of about one hundred miles, and repeat this measurement about every hour. This would provide a continual picture of the temperature, water vapor and ozone content for specific mesoscale analysis. It would give a representation of "thermal winds" on a meaningful meteorological time scale.© (1974) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Imaging of brain metastases

Imaging plays a key role in the diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) metastasis. Imaging is used to detect metastases in patients with known malignancies and new neurological signs or symptoms, as well as to screen for CNS involvement in patients with known cancer. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the key imaging modalities used in the diagnosis of brain metastases. In difficult cases, such as newly diagnosed solitary enhancing brain lesions in patients without known malignancy, advanced imaging techniques including proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), contrast enhanced magnetic resonance perfusion (MRP), diffusion weighted imaging (DWI), and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) may aid in arriving at the correct diagnosis. This image-rich review discusses the imaging evaluation of patients with suspected intracranial involvement and malignancy, describes typical imaging findings of parenchymal brain metastasis on CT and MRI, and provides clues to specific histological diagnoses such as the presence of hemorrhage. Additionally, the role of advanced imaging techniques is reviewed, specifically in the context of differentiating metastasis from high-grade glioma and other solitary enhancing brain lesions. Extra-axial CNS involvement by metastases, including pachymeningeal and leptomeningeal metastases is also briefly reviewed.
Modeling of the muscle/tendon excursions and moment arms in the thumb using the commercial software anybody

A biomechanical model of a thumb would be useful for exploring the mechanical loadings in the musculoskeletal system, which cannot be measured in vivo. The purpose of the current study is to develop a practical kinematic thumb model using the commercial software Anybody (Anybody Technology, Aalborg, Denmark), which includes real CT-scans of the bony sections and realistic tendon/muscle attachments on the bones. The thumb model consists of a trapezium, a metacarpal bone, a proximal and a distal phalanx. These four bony sections are linked via three joints, i.e., IP (interphalangeal), MP (metacarpophalangeal) and CMC (carpometacarpal) joints. Nine muscles were included in the proposed model. The theoretically calculated moment arms of the tendons are compared with the corresponding experimental data by Smutz et al. [1998. Mechanical advantage of the thumb muscles. J. Biomech. 31(6), 565-570]. The predicted muscle moment arms of the majority of the muscle/tendon units agree well with the experimental data in the entire range of motion. Close to the end of the motion range, the predicted moment arms of several muscles (i.e., ADPt and ADPo (transverse and oblique heads of the adductor pollicis, respectively) muscles for CMC abduction/adduction and ADPt and FPB (flexor pollicis brevis) muscle for MP extension/flexion) deviate from the experimental data. The predicted moment potentials for all muscles are consistent with the experimental data. The findings thus suggest that, in a biomechanical model of the thumb, the mechanical functions of muscle-tendon units with small physiological cross-sectional areas (PCSAs) can be well represented using single strings, while those with large PCSAs (flat-wide attachments, e.g., ADPt and ADPo) can be represented by the averaged excursions of two strings. Our results show that the tendons with large PCSAs can be well represented biomechanically using the proposed approach in the major range of motion.
Kilowatts, Kilovars, and System Investments

WHAT portion of the total system investment can one equitably allocate to the system kilovar requirements? Or, looking at it in a little different way, what portion of the system kilowatt capacity is used by kilovars ? The answer to these questions obviously depends upon the method of supplying the kilovars. It is indicated in this analysis that supplying the kilovar requirements of a system in general may be divorced from supplying the kilowatt requirements and that the two factors may be dealt with as independent commodities. This approach shows that maximum usage of system capacity is made in producing kilowatts.
Accountability, Impression Management, and Goal Setting in the Performance Evaluation Process

Theoretical perspectives from accountability, impression management, goal setting, and performance evaluation suggest that accountability conditions may influence whether goals are used for impression management or performance-directed purposes. Goal theory and research suggest that goals typically are performance-directed, resulting in elevated performance under certain conditions. Alternatively, impression management theory might imply that goals may not always be performance-directed, and the goal-performance relationship may be decoupled in such cases. Accountability is proposed as influencing this relationship in addition to main effects on how people approach tasks. Two studies tested notions of how accountability influences task approaches and goal uses: a laboratory experiment with university students, and a field study of telemarketers. Convergence of results indicates that participants approached tasks and set goals differently according to accountability conditions. Furthermore, the goal-perfor...
A TRNSYS/GROCS Simulation of a Horizontal Coil Ground-Coupled Heat Pump

The ground-coupled heat pump system in TECH House I at the University of Tennessee has been modelled using TRNSYS/GROCS and the results have been compared with actual performance data for both the 1982-1983 heating season and the 1983 cooling season. Hourly measurements of various ground temperatures, conditioned space temperatures, power requirements and heat transferred to or from the ground and the conditioned space were made. Results indicate that the model prediction is within 5 percent of the measured seasonal performance factor for both the summer and winter season. Parametric studies were undertaken to examine the effect of ground coil length, soil thermal conductivity, and the heat pump performance rating on the overall seasonal performance of the system. Overall performance is shown to increase with improved performance and increased soil thermal conductivity while the coil length shows an optimum value due to the increase of pumping power with length.
A current reader's response to the article of 50 years ago by Karpman, B. (1949): "The principles and methods of objective psychotherapy".

The first aim is to describe the psychotherapy of 1949 in the light of today's psychotherapies. The old psychotherapy is suited to treating severely ill patients. It does not use free association, but rather is focused on current problems. It uses dreams, yet it also uses homework and bibliotherapy. The second aim is to critique the treatment. Consistent with its era, it does not make use of medications, and there is an absence of references to psychotherapy research, which was then just starting. The treatment relies over-heavily on the authority of the therapist. A third aim is to describe the changes in our field in the past 50 years and examine the predictions for the future. Although the treatment is called objective psychotherapy, it does not make use of the most up-to-date means of measuring accuracy of interpretations, such as the Core Conflictual Relationship Theme (CCRT) method and other methods like it. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Psychol 56: 889–896, 2000.
A method for selection of significant terms in the assumed solution in a Rayleigh-Ritz analysis

Abstract A method is presented which can reduce significantly the size of eigenvalue problems necessary for accurate Rayleigh-Ritz solutions in vibration and buckling problems. Instead of carrying more and more terms in the assumed solution, this method selects terms which are most significant to the eigenvalues of interest. Only the significant terms are used in the eigenvalue problem that is to be solved. The significant terms are chosen by using a Taylor's series approximation of the eigenvalues. The Taylor's series is discussed, the method is explained, and examples of applications of the method are shown which indicate its effectiveness.
White By Definition: Social Classification in Creole Louisiana

"An unusual and powerful study."--Eric R. Wolf, Herbert H. Lehman College, CUNY "A profound study of the nebulous Creoles. . . . Dominguez's use of original sources . . . is scholarship at its best. . . . Her study is fascinating, thought-provoking, controversial, and without a doubt, one of the most objective analyses of Creole Louisiana. Her emphasis on social stratification and her excellent integration of ethnic and racial classification of Creoles with legal and social dynamics and individual choice of ethnic identity elucidates strikingly the continuing controversy of who and what is a Louisiana Creole."--Journal of American Ethnic History "Dominguez's most important contribution lies in her conceptualization of the problem of identity. She treats ethnic identity as something that can change over time, warning us against imposing current meanings on the past and requiring us to consider evidence of how terms were actually used in the past. . . . It is hard to imagine a frame of reference more ideally suited to historical analysis."--Louisiana History "A valuable interdisciplinary examination of the processes of racial definition in Louisiana's history. Her study combines the anthropologist's sensitivity to language and self definition within a community with a skillful exploitation of historical sources."--Law and Society "I highly recommend this book to all persons interested in social stratification."--Alvin L. Bertrand, Contemporary Sociology "A vivid and insightful reading of the historical circumstances that have shaped definitions of Creoles within Louisiana law and society."--Journal of Southern History "A provocative, often brilliant book. It offers fresh perspectives on fundamental questions and deserves a wide readership among American social historians."--Journal of American History
Quantification of Efficiency Gains for Dilute IC Engines due to Increases of the Ratio of Specific Heats

Recent engine developments have demonstrated significant thermal efficiency gains for IC engines employing lean mixtures and high levels of exhaust gas recirculation (EGR). These efficiency gains have often been attributed to reduced heat losses and increases of the ratio of specific heats. No previous publication, however, has provided the quantitative contributions from these two items. This lack of information, therefore, motivated the current work. An automotive engine was selected for this study, and a thermodynamic engine cycle simulation was used for the evaluation. Engine conditions included a range of loads and speeds. For each engine condition, three cases were considered. These cases varied the equivalence ratio from stoichiometric to 0.7, and varied the EGR from zero to 45%. Depending on the engine conditions, the net indicated thermal efficiency increased between 4.2% and 8.9% (absolute) for the engine with the lean mixture (ϕ = 0.7) and EGR (45%). The lower gas temperatures and lean mixtures resulted in reduced heat losses and increases of the ratio of specific heats. For all conditions examined, the majority of the thermal efficiency gains were due to the increases of the ratio of specific heats. The contributions from the increases of the ratio of specific heats toward the efficiency gains ranged between about 46% and 82% for the conditions examined. The rest of the gains were from the reduced heat losses.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Crystalline Infrared Fibers

Since the development of the first polycrystalline infrared (IR) fiber waveguides by Hughes Research Laboratories, there has been an increasing effort to improve losses in waveguides fabricated from IR transmissive crystalline materials. The current fiber losses of 400 dB/km for KRS-5 (thallium bromoidide) fiber are three orders of magnitude above the intrinsic limit for this material at 10 pm and far above the ultimate projected loss near 10-3 dB/km for this and many other IR crystalline solids. Therefore, applications of present IR fibers in IR sensor systems are limited to lengths less than 2 to 3 m while future long-distance communication links await the development of the ultimate low-loss potential of these materials.© (1981) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Lost in Translation? Item Validity in Bilingual Political Surveys

The dramatic increase in the U.S. Latino population in recent decades has spurred an equally dramatic rise in bilingual survey instruments used by scholars to gauge the political attitudes of this growing ethnic group. A key assumption behind these instruments is that English-language items tap the same political constructs as their Spanish-language analogs. This paper reports evidence which suggests that bilingual survey items may not always be comparable across linguistic groups. Using a variety of public opinion polls, I develop and test a series of multi-group measurement models showing that—net of measurement error—English- and Spanish-language survey items are not functionally equivalent. The paper discusses the implications of these findings for the development of future bilingual surveys, both in the United States and beyond, as well as the use of extant surveys for applied analyses of Latino political attitudes.
Primary isolated urethral amyloidosis

We report an unusual case of primary amyloidosis isolated to the urethra in a patient with tender, periurethral masses and obstructive voiding symptoms. When not secondary to other phenomena, amyloidosis most commonly affects the skin, respiratory, and urinary tracts. Isolated amyloidosis of the urethra should be in the differential diagnosis of a patient with irregular strictures of the penile urethra, a clinical presentation consistent with urethral carcinoma, and no evidence of systemic disease.
Efficient MR-based screening method for Alzheimer's disease

AD is a neurode generative disease that involves both neurochemistry and functional alterations in the CNS in addition to the morphological changes. To better characterize the disease and to assess the feasibility of achieving the early detection, a streamlined MR protocol was developed for studying the AD patient in terms of morphology, neurochemistry and brain functional activities. The protocol consists of a set of high resolution morphological imaging scans (coronal T2-weighted and FLAIR imaging acquisitions), a MR proton spectroscopy acquisition and a memory functional MRI studies. The overall study time is about 45 min, which is tolerable for AD patient. To collect the brain metabolic information, we used a PRESS sequence (TE equals 31 msec). During memory study, a 5 min long rapid dynamical whole brain imaging using single shot gradient-echo EPI acquisition was performed during a single memory task, which consisted of a 45 sec visual presentation of three geometrical figures. Six subjects from each normal and AD group were studied. The multidimensional data sets obtained contain sufficient information for volumetric measurement of hippocampus and entorhinal cortex, brain metabolite quantification, and assessment for the short- term memory function. Preliminary results suggests that the scheme can help to further classify various memory dementias into different categories.
Using test case reduction and prioritization to improve symbolic execution

Scaling symbolic execution to large programs or programs with complex inputs remains difficult due to path explosion and complex constraints, as well as external method calls. Additionally, creating an effective test structure with symbolic inputs can be difficult. A popular symbolic execution strategy in practice is to perform symbolic execution not “from scratch” but based on existing test cases. This paper proposes that the effectiveness of this approach to symbolic execution can be enhanced by (1) reducing the size of seed test cases and (2) prioritizing seed test cases to maximize exploration efficiency. The proposed test case reduction strategy is based on a recently introduced generalization of delta debugging, and our prioritization techniques include novel methods that, for this purpose, can outperform some traditional regression testing algorithms. We show that applying these methods can significantly improve the effectiveness of symbolic execution based on existing test cases.
The dissipation of inhomogeneous magnetic fields and the problem of coronae. I - Dislocation and flattening of flux tubes. II - The dynamics of dislocated flux

Attention is given to the dynamical dissipation arising in a magnetic field extending up through a tenuous atmosphere when an elemental flux tube in the field (1) is displaced from its equilibrium position and/or (2) is inflated by an internal fluid pressure different from the external fluid pressure. It is pointed out that as a consequence the tension in the lines of force of the ambient field flattens the dislocated tube so that the thickness of the tube decreases without limit and that the local field gradients increase rapidly with the passage of time until destroyed by one or more dissipative effects. The magnetic energy of a dislocated flux tube is therefore soon converted into thermal energy no matter how low the molecule resistivity of the fluid. Some formal illustrations of local conditions along a misaligned flux tube are presented, showing the simultaneous onset of diffusion, fluid motion, and hydromagnetic wave propagation. The examples demonstrate that the total effect is complicated and subject only to estimation, rather than formal calculation, at the present time.
Adaptation of a color-opponent mechanism increases parafoveal sensitivity to luminance flicker.

Abstract Sensitivity to 25 Hz luminance flicker is enhanced as the intensity of a background is increased. This effect is due, in part, to light adaptation of cones. Preliminary studies suggested that, in theparafovea, the enhancement of flicker sensitivity is due to the adaptation of a color-opponent mechanism rather than a single cone mechanism or achromatic mechanism. In the present study, action spectra and field additivity experiments demonstrated that the enhancing effect was opponent in nature. The field sensitivity function had a notch at 570 nm; fields on either side of the notch acted subadditively. This suggests that, in the parafovea, the sensitivity of an achromatic flicker mechanism is influenced by the adaptation of a chromatic mechanism.
The Early Years of Holland's Research: Some Personal Reflections

Abstract This article provides a personal account of some of John Holland's theoretical, empirical and developmental work during the period 1954 through 1963. It shows that fun as well as creativity characterized aspects of the development of the Vocational Preference Inventory, the Environmental Assessment Technique, and two large-scale longitudinal research enterprises.
New Security Architectures Based on Emerging Disk Functionality

Advances in hard disk technologies can help manage the complexity of operating system security and enforce security policies. The SwitchBlade architecture provides isolation for multiple OSs running on a machine by confining them into segments that users can only access using a physical token.
Galilean invariance and Green functions for bound systems

Abstract It is shown that Galilean invariance leads to a natural definition of invariant Green functions for bound systems. The spectral representation and differential equation for the single-particle Green function are given.
Tropical Vine Growth and the Effects on Forest Succession: A Review of the Ecology and Management of Tropical Climbing Plants

The climbing habit has evolved independently in many plant taxa, offering vines the ability to compete with non-climbing vegetation for resources such as light, nutrients, and water. This review examines the structural and functional characteristics that allow climbing plants to (1) achieve widespread dispersal, (2) transport large amounts of water throughout vessels, (3) maintain high photosynthesis levels through a large leaf area to biomass ratio, (4) achieve rapid vertical and horizontal expansion by fast growth rates and various climbing mechanisms and (5) survive and recover from disturbances. Due to the competitive effects of vines on trees, management of vine growth is used to preserve tropical timber plantations, combat invasive weeds, and promote rainforest recovery. In order to sustainably manage the vines into the future, it is necessary to understand the mechanisms by which they can alter tropical forest succession and the impacts of various management techniques.
Stem Cells and Their Potential in Cell-Based Cardiac Therapies

Stem cells are potential agents for the treatment of myocardial infarcts among other heart diseases. Over the past decade, the scientific community has extensively used a wide variety of cells and examined their capacity to both regenerate the infarcted myocardium and improve functionally the diseased hearts. Some of the cells used include skeletal myoblasts, bone marrow-derived cells, adult cardiac resident stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells, and both mouse and human embryonic stem cells (Nat Biotechnol 2005;23:845-856). The reported cardiogenic capacity of the utilitized stem cells is assayed both in vitro through the use of differentiation paradigms and in vivo through transplantation into a variety of animal models of cardiac disease. The purpose of this review article is to summarize recent stem cell applications in cell-based cardiac therapies and their outcomes.
Biochemical basis for the in vitro pro-oxidant action of carbon tetrachloride.

Abstract The occurrence of TPNH-linked liver microsomal lipid peroxidation has been confirmed in the present study. Cytochrome c and ferricyanide were effective inhibitors in vitro of malonaldehyde production in hepatic microsomes and microsome-supernatant fractions, but only when added at the beginning of the incubation. Although malonaldehyde formation ceased when EDTA was added to a microsome-supernatant preparation undergoing vigorous lipid peroxidation, cytochrome c or ferricyanide, when added at a similar time, did not affect the further course of lipid peroxidation. A pro-oxidant action of carbon tetrachloride which required TPNH as a cofactor was demonstrated in washed liver microsome preparations. Addition of carbon tetrachloride produced an increase in malonaldehyde formation in this system. When a TPNH-generating system was added to the microsome-supernatant fraction of rat liver, malonaldehyde production was depressed, and in this supplemented microsome-supernatant system carbon tetrachloride exhibited a marked pro-oxidant action. Addition of reduced glutathione to a microsome-supernatant system supplemented with a TPNH-generating system resulted in a further suppression of spontaneous lipid peroxidation, and in this system a maximal pro-oxidant effect of added carbon tetrachloride was observed. Benzene and heptane did not exhibit pro-oxidant actions in hepatic microsome-supernatant fractions supplemented with TPNH. The role of the microsomal electron transport system in the necrogenic action of carbon tetrachloride is briefly discussed. Alteratons of this system may explain why certain substances protect the liver from carbon tetrachloride-induced damage as well as why other materials potentiate the effects of the haloalkane.
Formalization of properties of recursively defined functions

This paper is concerned with the relationship between the convergence, correctness and equivalence of recursively defined functions and the satisfiability (or unsatisfiability) of certain first-order formulas.
Elastic and inelastic scattering of electrons by Na

Utilising a crossed-electron-beam-metal-atom-beam scattering technique differential excitation cross sections at 10, 20, 40 and 54.4 eV incident energies and at scattering angles ranging from 10 to 120 degrees have been measured for the following transitions: (i) elastic scattering, and (ii) excitation from ground state (32S) to (a) 32P, (b) 42S, (c) 32D+42P and (d) 42D+42F+52P+52S states in Na. Comparisons with recent theoretical and experimental results have been made. Using previous theoretical and experimental results as guides the present differential cross sections have been extrapolated between angular regions of 0-10 degrees and 120-180 degrees . Integral and momentum cross sections have been computed from these cross sections.
Television News Coverage of the Police: An Exploratory Study from a Small Town Locale

Perceptions of and about the police have many sources, not the least of which is television. Given the fact that Americans are more likely to encounter television police rather than real police, researchers have examined how the police are depicted on television. For the most part, however, research has focused on entertainment crime and police programs. The present project, an exploratory study of television news stories about the police and policing, offers a supplementary focus. The sample consists of a 5-week content analysis of national, big city, and small town newscasts drawn from a rural cable television system. Findings suggest noteworthy differences between big city and small town television news coverage of the police, albeit limitations of the methodology.
Estimation and Testing in a Two-Sample Generalized Odds-Rate Model

Abstract The generalized odds ratio for a survival variable T is defined as Λ T (t | c) = c -1[1 - Sc (t)]/Sc (t) for c > 0 and -log S(t) for c = 0, where S(t) = Pr(T > t). This ratio coincides with the integrated hazard for c = 0 and the odds ratio for c = 1. When the distribution of T depends on a covariate vector, we assume that conditionally on the covariates, log Λ T (t | c) is linear in the covariates. This model is a generalization of the proportional hazard model (PHM), which has an interpretation both as a PHM with random nuisance effects (Clayton and Cuzick 1986) and as a proportional odds-rate model with the odds rate defined from the response times of series systems. Harrington and Fleming (1982) and Bickel (1986a) considered rank tests for this semiparametric model, Clayton and Cuzick (1986) considered estimation. We use the odds-rate representation to define a class of estimates of the proportionality parameter in the two-sample case. We show that the estimates are consistent and asymptotica...
THE PASSAGE OF ENERGETIC CHARGED PARTICLES THROUGH INTERPLANETARY SPACE

Abstract The passage of cosmic ray particles and energetic solar particles through interplanetary space is illustrated with a number of idealized examples. The formal examples are worked out from the condition that energetic particles in interplanetary space random walk in the irregularities in the large-scale interplanetary magnetic field. The irregularities move with approximately the velocity of the solar wind. The classical probability distribution is describable by a Fokker-Planck equation. A general expression for the particle diffusion coefficient kij is worked out, including both scattering in magnetic irregularities and systematic pressure drifts. Magnetometer data from Explorer XVIII is presented to show the close average adherence of the quiet-day interplanetary magnetic field to the theoretical spiral angle, and to show the tendency for particles to move more freely along the field than across, k∥ >k⊥. The observed fields show that the diffusion coefficient is of the order of 1021–1022 cm2/sec, as had been estimated from earlier cosmic ray studies. A middle value of 3 × 1021 cm2/sec suggests a cosmic ray density gradient of about 10 per cent per a.u. across the orbit of Earth. Direct observations of the interplanetary magnetic field afford the possibility for quantitative estimate of Kij as a function of particle energy. The first example to be considered is isotropic diffusion in a spherical region r The converse problem of energetic solar particles is illustrated. The solar particles may typically lose half their initial energy before escaping into interstellar space. The outward motion of the wind displaces their probability distribution outward so that ultimately the maximum solar particle intensity may lie beyond the orbit of Earth. The outward motion of the wind steepens the decline of the solar particle intensity. The steady-state cosmic ray intensity is calculated throughout the spherical region r There is no direct observational information on Kij beyond the orbit of Earth, where the intensity reduction takes place. Indirect information is available, however. There is the fact that the intensity of energetic solar particles at Earth often decays as t−g with g = 1·5–2·0. It is shown that in order for this to follow, it is necessary that |Kij| ∞ rs with s = 0·0–0·5 if kij is isotropic, and s = 2·0–2·5 if k∥ ⪢ k⊥. That is to say, if Kij should continue to be as anisotropic beyond Earth as it is observed to be near Earth, then the diffusion must increase rapidly with distance from the Sun. These qualitative features should be easily detectable with particle, field, and plasma observations beyond the orbit of Earth.
The semantics of space: integrating linguistic typology and cognitive neuroscience

In the cognitive neuroscience literature on the distinction between categorical and coordinate spatial relations, it has often been observed that categorical spatial relations are referred to linguistically by words like English prepositions, many of which specify binary oppositions-e.g., above/below, left/right, on/off, in/out. However, the actual semantic content of English prepositions, and of comparable word classes in other languages, has not been carefully considered. This paper has three aims. The first and most important aim is to inform cognitive neuroscientists interested in spatial representation about relevant research on the kinds of categorical spatial relations that are encoded in the 6000+ languages of the world. Emphasis is placed on cross-linguistic similarities and differences involving deictic relations, topological relations, and projective relations, the last of which are organized around three distinct frames of reference--intrinsic, relative, and absolute. The second aim is to review what is currently known about the neuroanatomical correlates of linguistically encoded categorical spatial relations, with special focus on the left supramarginal and angular gyri, and to suggest ways in which cross-linguistic data can help guide future research in this area of inquiry. The third aim is to explore the interface between language and other mental systems, specifically by summarizing studies which suggest that although linguistic and perceptual/cognitive representations of space are at least partially distinct, language nevertheless has the power to bring about not only modifications of perceptual sensitivities but also adjustments of cognitive styles.