cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serum S100B: a potential biomarker for suicidality in adolescents?

Background: Studies have shown that patients suffering from depression or schizophrenia often have immunological alterations that can be detected in the blood. Others reported a possible link between inflammation, a microgliosis and the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in suicidal patients. Serum S100B is a marker of BBB function commonly used to study cerebrovascular wall function. Methods: We measured levels of S100B in serum of 40 adolescents with acute psychosis, 24 adolescents with mood disorders and 20 healthy controls. Patients were diagnosed according to DSM-IV TR criteria. We evaluated suicidal ideation using the suicidality subscale of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale for Children (BPRS-C). Results: Serum S100B levels were significantly higher (p,0.05) and correlated to severity of suicidal ideation in patients with psychosis or mood disorders, independent of psychiatric diagnosis. Patients with a BPRS-C suicidality subscores of 1–4 (low suicidality) had mean serum S100B values +/2 SEM of 0.152+/20.020 ng/mL (n=34) compared to those with BPRS-C suicidality subscores of 5–7 (high suicidality) with a mean of 0.354+/20.044 ng/mL (n=30). This difference was statistically significant (p,0.05). Conclusion: Our data support the use of S100B as an adjunctive biomarker to assess suicidal risk in patients with mood disorders or schizophrenia.
Toward the synthesis of taxol and its analogs: Incorporation of non-aromatic C-rings in the pinene pathway

Abstract An approach to the taxane skeleton based on the elaboration of the terpene pinene is described. In this approach, the pinene oxidation product verbenone (2) was converted in 5 steps into the allylic alcohol 4, a compound containing a non-aromatic taxane C-ring precursor. The dianionic cyclization of 4 to yield the tetracycles 5a and 5b is described along with the elaboration of these compounds to the taxane tricycle 6. An efficient samarium diiodide-mediated reduction involving tricycle 6 yields an advanced taxane precursor with an sp3 center at the C8 position.
Upper Ocean Thermal Response to Strong Autumnal Forcing of the Northeast Pacific

Abstract CASID free-drifting thermistor chain buoys that utilized Service ARGOS positioning and data collection were deployed in the northeast Pacific Ocean in the vicinity of OWS-P in late autumn in both 1980 and 1981 as part of the Storm Transfer and Response Experiment (STREX). It is argued that because of the large drag on their 120–125 m lines, CASID buoy drift is tightly coupled to currents. The response function of buoy motion and line shape to a two-dimensional current profile is determined, and an inversion technique is developed to infer relative flow past the buoy. In the mixed layer 6 cm s−1 errors in the inferred horizontal flow are acceptable, because advective temperature changes in the drifting CASID frame of reference are small. They are not acceptable in the thermocline where advection is large. These advective effects are removed from observed subinertial thermal evolution and the result compared to the effects of vertical heat redistribution processes and of surface heat flux, estimate...
On measuring social friend interest similarities in recommender systems

Social recommender system has become an emerging research topic due to the prevalence of online social networking services during the past few years. In this paper, aiming at providing fundamental support to the research of social recommendation problem, we conduct an in-depth analysis on the correlations between social friend relations and user interest similarities. When evaluating interest similarities without distinguishing different friends a user has, we surprisingly observe that social friend relations generally cannot represent user interest similarities. A user's average similarity on all his/her friends is even correlated with the average similarity on some other randomly selected users. However, when measuring interest similarities using a finer granularity, we find that the similarities between a user and his/her friends are actually controlled by the network structure in the friend network. Factors that affect the interest similarities include subgraph topology, connected components, number of co-friends, etc. We believe our analysis provides substantial impact for social recommendation research and will benefit ongoing research in both recommender systems and other social applications.
Spatial beam shaping of ultrashort laser pulses: theory and experiment

We studied the spatial intensity profile of an ultrashort laser pulse passing through a laser beam shaping system, which uses diffractive optical elements to reshape a Gaussian beam profile into a flat-topped distribution. Both dispersion and nonlinear self-phase modulation are included in the theoretical model. Our calculation shows that this system works well for ultrashort pulses (approximately 100 fs) when the pulse peak intensity is less than 5 x 10(11) W/cm2. Experimental results are presented for 136 fs pulses at 800 nm wavelength from a Ti:sapphire laser with a 6 nJ pulse energy. We also studied the effects of lateral misalignment, beam-size deviation, and defocusing on the energy fluence profile.
SCREENING THYROXINE LEVEL AND DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOME IN VERY LOW BIRTHWEIGHT(VLBW) INFANTS. 546

Studies estimate that marked hypothyroxinemia (thyroxine [T4] <6.5μg/dl) is present in 25% of all prematures and 50% of babies born at <30 weeks gestation. The effects of hypothyroxinemia on neonatal status and developmental outcome in VLBW infants are unknown. We hypothesized that the T4 obtained as part of the routine newborn screen would correlate with developmental outcome scores in VLBW infants. We retrospectively collected the T4 screen for 185 infants with BW <1250 gm admitted to the NICU from 1/1/88 to 12/31/89. The mean T4 was 5.9±3.4 μg/dl; the mean BW was 980±180 gm. Correlation analyses were completed to evaluate the relationship of screening T4 with neonatal risk factors and with the Bayley Mental Developmental Index (MDI) and Psychomotor Developmental Index (PDI) scores at 7, 12 and 24 months. Pearson Correlation Coefficients:Table ↑ Screening T4 correlated with ↑ Apgar scores, ↑ birth weight, ↑ gestational age and inversely with days hospitalized. There was no relationship with days of mechanical ventilation or oxygen. Screening T4 correlated with the 7 month MDI, but did not show a significant correlation with 7 month PDI, nor with developmental outcome scores at 12 or 24 months. We conclude that T4 screen correlates with parameters of neonatal illness severity in VLBW infants. These preliminary data suggest that although screening T4 may impact on Bayley MDI at 7 months, the effects of T4 level on developmental outcome diminish by 12 to 24 months of age. In summary, neonatal hypothyroxinemia is a measure of illness severity in VLBW infants and appears to affect developmental performance at 7 months of age.
The use of fractals in visualizing iterative techniques from numerical analysis (abstract)

With the advent of inexpensive and yet powerful personal computers with good graphics capability, we can now use sophisticated computer graphics as both an educational and research tool in mathematics. In this project we are interested in applying these Mathematical Visualization techniques to specific areas of the mathematics curriculum and research. Our initial focus is on comparing different numerical analysis methods; specifically to compare different techniques for determining the root of a single unknown in a single equation. Since many numerical analysis methods require an initial guess to a solution and then perform iterative computations to converge to a root of the equation, the goal is to compare the rates of convergence for the different techniques for the same type of equation. The four methods we are using are as follows: Halley's, Secant, Newton's, and Aitkens's method.We can compare the different methods by computing the same map of initial starting points versus the rate of convergence. We take a region of space, which contains the roots, and then for each point in the region, we use that point as the initial guess, determine the number of iterations, N, to convergence (if any) and then assign a color value to this N, thereby generating a fractal image. This way the different methods can be visually compared. Since the number of iterations needed for convergence is not necessarily directly related to the computer time required, e.g. one method may require a large number of very rapid iterations while a second method might require fewer but more expensive iterations, we also generate images which have been adjusted for the expected cost of each iteration.
Features of the Histogram Monte Carlo Method

Previously developed methods that determine properties of a system over a range of thermodynamic points, using information accumulated at a single point, are summarized, as is an extension called the multiple histogram method. These strategies are applied to Monte Carlo calculations of melting for N2 adlayers on graphite. The results are used to show the utility of the multiple histogram method and the inadequacy of the single point method for this application to a physical system.
The Ultra Low Frequency Force Ballistocardiograph in Acute Cardiomyopathy

In this study, ultra low frequency force ballistocardiograms were recorded throughout the course of various types of acute cardiomyopathy. Conditions studied included rheumatic carditis, lupus myocarditis, sarcoid carditis, viral myocarditis, acute glomerulonephritis, idiopathic myocarditis, and familial fibrous disease of the myocardium. The instrument used was characterized by an unusually light platform and a very high performance accelerometer. In 14 of the 15 cases studied, tracings were abnormal initially; the recorded force pattern subsequently manifested progressive change which appeared to parallel the clinical course of the disease. Changes included appearance of abnormal forces in early ventricular systole, progressive change in amplitude of acceleration and deceleration forces, appearance of abnormal high frequency components in various portions of the complex, and appearance of abnormal footward forces in late systole. The alterations thus recorded appear to offer a useful means of diagnosing and following the course of such disease entities. In some cases, this type of recording appears to provide information not available through any other conventional means.
Deep brain stimulation for psychiatric disorders.

Medications, psychotherapy, and other treatments are effective for many patients with psychiatric disorders. However, with currently available interventions, a substantial number of patients experience incomplete resolution of symptoms, and relapse rates are high. In the search for better treatments, increasing interest has focused on focal neuromodulation. This focus has been driven by improved neuroanatomical models of mood, thought, and behavior regulation, as well as by more advanced strategies for directly and focally altering neural activity. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is one of the most invasive focal neuromodulation techniques available; data have supported its safety and efficacy in a number of movement disorders. Investigators have produced preliminary data on the safety and efficacy of DBS for several psychiatric disorders, as well. In this review, we describe the development and justification for testing DBS for various psychiatric disorders, carefully consider the available clinical data, a...
Text Modeling for Real-Time Document Categorization

We report on experiments in adapting document categorization techniques to provide for implementation in high-speed hardware. Because resources are scarce, it is important to have a small set of robust and maximally informative variables over which learning can occur. We generate variables using information-theoretic clustering. The resulting performance is on par with general-purpose computing implementations which are able to take advantage of large amounts of time and memory. We conclude that custom high-speed hardware for document categorization can be made very accurate. We also believe that some of the strengths of information-theoretic data analysis techniques are brought out
The Early Screening Project for Young Children with Behavior Problems

Behavioral problems among preschool-age children have become a priority for early childhood educators. Factors such as the exponential rise in childcare utilization and increasing poverty and incidences of child abuse have made the establishment of procedures for the early identification and remediation of problem behaviors among preschool children imperative. Screening is an initial step in identifying those who exhibit a certain disorder, problem, or disability. The goal of the current research was to study the effectiveness of a functional screening and identification system for behavior problems among preschool children ages 3 to 5 years. This research focused on the development of the Early Screening Project (ESP), a multiple-gated screening system adapted from the Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders. Data were collected over 32 months, from September 1991 through June 1994. Participants were 2,853 children, ages 3 to 6 years, enrolled in typical and special education preschool and kindergart...
Polyamine- and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-I-Mediated Proliferation of Porcine Uterine Endometrial Cells: A Potential Role for Spermidine/Spermine N1-Acetyltransferase During Peri-Implantation

Insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and the polyamine catabolic enzyme spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) are progesterone-regulated genes with maximal expression at peri-implantation in the porcine uterine endometrium. However, while IGF-I stimulates cell proliferation, SSAT, by acetylating the naturally occurring polyamines (PA) spermine (SPM) and spermidine (SPD), typically functions as a cell growth inhibitor. The present study examined the functional relationships of IGF-I, SSAT, and PA in the control of endometrial cell proliferation. Northern blot analysis indicated that SSAT mRNA levels change with distinct pregnancy stages, in contrast to those for the PA biosynthetic enzyme ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). Primary cultures of luminal and glandular epithelial (LE, GE) and stromal (ST) cells isolated from Day 12 pregnant pig endometrium had IGF-I mRNA levels for ST . LE . GE cells. The mRNA levels for SSAT and ODC were transiently diminished by IGF-I treatment, but only in GE cells. By contrast, SPM and SPD increased SSAT mRNA levels in GE and ST cells, but increased ODC mRNA levels only in GE cells. IGF-I, putrescine (PUT), and SPM individually increased cellular DNA synthesis as measured by tritiated thymidine incorporation in GE and ST cells, while SPD had an effect only in ST cells. IGF-I enhanced the proliferative effect of each PA in GE cells, but only of SPD in ST cells. The mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor, PD98059, inhibited the induction by SPM of GE cell DNA synthesis but not that of IGF-I. Wortmannin, a phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase inhibitor had no effect on either IGF-I or SPM induction of GE cell DNA synthesis. The relative concentrations of SPM, SPD, and PUT in uterine luminal fluids differed, with the levels for each PA higher at pregnancy Day 12 than at 11.5. These results suggest that IGF-I and PA act through distinct signaling pathways to mediate cell-type-specific growth of early pregnancy pig uterine endometrium. Further, SSAT, through its control of intracellular PA levels, likely plays a modulatory role in the establishment of an optimal uterine environment for successful embryo attachment. embryo, growth factors, implantation, signal transduction, uterus
Solution structure and small angle scattering analysis of TraI (381-569).

TraI, the F plasmid-encoded nickase, is a 1756 amino acid protein essential for conjugative transfer of plasmid DNA from one bacterium to another. While crystal structures of N- and C-terminal domains of F TraI have been determined, central domains of the protein are structurally unexplored. The central region (between residues 306 and 1520) is known to both bind single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and unwind DNA through a highly processive helicase activity. Here, we show that the ssDNA binding site is located between residues 381 and 858, and we also present the high-resolution solution structure of the N-terminus of this region (residues 381 to 569). This fragment folds into a four-strand parallel β sheet surrounded by α helices, and resembles the structure of the N-terminus of helicases such as RecD and RecQ despite little sequence similarity. The structure supports the model that F TraI resulted from duplication of a RecD-like domain and subsequent specialization of domains into the more N-terminal ssDNA binding domain and the more C-terminal domain containing helicase motifs. In addition, we provide evidence that the nickase and ssDNA binding domains of TraI are held close together by an 80-residue linker sequence that connects the two domains. These results suggest a possible physical explanation for the apparent negative cooperativity between the nickase and ssDNA binding domain.
Sensitivity Analyses for Ecological Regression

In many ecological regression studies investigating associations between environmental exposures and health outcomes, the observed relative risks are in the range 1.0-2.0. The interpretation of such small relative risks is difficult due to a variety of biases--some of which are unique to ecological data, since they arise from within-area variability in exposures/confounders. The potential for residual spatial dependence, due to unmeasured confounders and/or data anomalies with spatial structure, must also be considered, though it often will be of secondary importance when compared to the likely effects of unmeasured confounding and within-area variability in exposures/confounders. Methods for addressing sensitivity to these issues are described, along with an approach for assessing the implications of spatial dependence. An ecological study of the association between myocardial infarction and magnesium is critically reevaluated to determine potential sources of bias. It is argued that the sophistication of the statistical analysis should not outweigh the quality of the data, and that finessing models for spatial dependence will often not be merited in the context of ecological regression.
Evaluation of a Smart Algorithm for Commercial Vehicle Driver Drowsiness Detection

Drowsiness is a safety hazard in commercial vehicle driving. The conditions to which truck drivers are exposed put them at higher risk as compared to passenger car drivers. Unobtrusive drowsiness detection methods can avoid catastrophic crashes by warning or assisting the drivers. This paper describes an experimental analysis of commercially licensed drivers who were subjected to drowsiness conditions in a truck driving simulator and evaluates the performance of a neural network based algorithm which monitors only the drivers' steering input. Correlations are found between the change in steering and the state of drowsiness. The results show steering signals differences can be used effectively for detection.
The cerebellum: a neural system for the study of reinforcement learning.

In its strictest application, the term “reinforcement learning” refers to a computational approach to learning in which an agent (often a machine) interacts with a mutable environment to maximize reward through trial and error. The approach borrows essentials from several fields, most notably Computer Science, Behavioral Neuroscience, and Psychology. At the most basic level, a neural system capable of mediating reinforcement learning must be able to acquire sensory information about the external environment and internal milieu (either directly or through connectivities with other brain regions), must be able to select a behavior to be executed, and must be capable of providing evaluative feedback about the success of that behavior. Given that Psychology informs us that reinforcers, both positive and negative, are stimuli or consequences that increase the probability that the immediately antecedent behavior will be repeated and that reinforcer strength or viability is modulated by the organism’s past experience with the reinforcer, its affect, and even the state of its muscles (e.g., eyes open or closed); it is the case that any neural system that supports reinforcement learning must also be sensitive to these same considerations. Once learning is established, such a neural system must finally be able to maintain continued response expression and prevent response drift. In this report, we examine both historical and recent evidence that the cerebellum satisfies all of these requirements. While we report evidence from a variety of learning paradigms, the majority of our discussion will focus on classical conditioning of the rabbit eye blink response as an ideal model system for the study of reinforcement and reinforcement learning.
Original Articles: Bladder Cancer: A Randomized Study of Intravesical Mitomycin C, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Tice and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin RIVM Treatment in pTa-pT1 Papillary Carcinoma and Carcinoma in Situ of the Bladder

ABSTRACTResults of a randomized prospective study are reported in which mitomycin C, Tice bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and RIVM-BCG were compared in 437 patients with primary or recurrent pTa and pT1 bladder tumors, including carcinoma in situ. The followup (or time in study) varied from 2 to 81 months (mean 36 months). After complete transurethral resection of all visible tumors the patients were treated with 30 mg. mitomycin C once a week for 4 consecutive weeks and thereafter every month for a total of 6 months, and 5 x 108 colony-forming units Tice BCG or RIVM-BCG once a week for 6 consecutive weeks. For papillary tumors mitomycin C and RIVM-BCG treatments were equally effective (p = 0.53), and mitomycin C was more effective than Tice BCG therapy (p = 0.01).
Electric microfield distributions in plasmas.

Electric microfields in plasma taken as system of charged particles moving in uniform neutralizing background, using approximations and Monte Carlo study
Cerebral Revascularization for Difficult Skull Base Tumors: A Contemporary Series of 18 Patients

Objective Cerebral revascularization has been used in treating difficult skull base tumors when the preservation of the involved native arteries is deemed challenging, and the patients are at risk of developing vascular complications. We aimed to evaluate a recent series of patients who needed high flow cerebral bypasses as part of the surgical treatment strategies for their difficult skull base tumors; to assess current indications and the results of such treatments. Methods A prospectively collected consecutive series of patients were studied. These patients received high flow cerebral bypasses in conjunction with surgical resections of the skull base tumors during a 9-year period. Results A total of 20 high flow bypasses on 18 patients were performed, as part of the treatment plan for skull base tumors. The mean age was 41 years. Four patients had preoperative transient ischemic attack symptoms, three of which had progressed to acute strokes preoperatively. Thirteen patients (72.2%) had gross total resection. There were no acute perioperative stroke or graft occlusions. The mean follow-up was 47 months (2–104 months). One patient developed asymptomatic graft stenosis 8 months after surgery, which was surgically corrected. Fifteen patients had achieved good clinical outcomes (modified Rankin scale, ≤2) at the latest follow-up; one patient died postoperatively and two died of their disease. Conclusions High flow bypass for cerebral revascularization is a good surgical option for treating certain difficult skull base tumors. High rate of graft patency and low risk of perioperative stroke can be achieved in experienced hands with concurrent high rate of gross total resection of the tumor and good clinical outcome of the patients.
Early Screening for Cardiovascular Abnormalities With Preparticipation Echocardiography Utility of Focused Physician-Operated Echocardiography in Preparticipation Screening of Athletes

Objectives We have developed the Early Screening for Cardiovascular Abnormalities With Preparticipation Echocardiography protocol to improve false-positive rates, reduce referrals, and broaden the spectrum of disease that can be captured through preparticipation screening of athletes. This study documents the first application of this protocol and uses case analysis to discuss the potential utility of portable sonography in screening. Methods Sixty-five male collegiate athletes, aged 18 to 25 years, were prospectively enrolled. Each athlete was screened with a history and physical examination, electrocardiography (ECG), and focused echocardiography performed by a noncardiologist sports medicine physician. The history and physical examination were based on the 12-element American Heart Association recommendations; 2010 European Society of Cardiology criteria were used to screen ECGs. Focused physician-operated echocardiography was performed to assess for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and aortic root dilatation. Athletes screening positive were referred to a cardiologist. Results Most of the athletes (n = 59) did not screen positive by any screening modality. Three athletes screened positive on ECG but had normal focused echocardiographic findings. Three athletes screened positive by history and physical examination but had normal ECG and focused echocardiographic findings. All athletes screening positive were referred to a cardiologist and eventually cleared for sports participation. No athlete screened positive by focused echocardiography alone. Focused echocardiography was able to reduce the referral rate for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy by 33% and obtained measurements statistically similar to those of formal echocardiography. Conclusions This study provides evidence that focused physician-operated echocardiography can improve false-positive rates and broaden the spectrum of disease that is detectable through preparticipation screening of athletes.
Generalized Tensor-Based Morphometry of HIV/AIDS Using Multivariate Statistics on Deformation Tensors

This paper investigates the performance of a new multivariate method for tensor-based morphometry (TBM). Statistics on Riemannian manifolds are developed that exploit the full information in deformation tensor fields. In TBM, multiple brain images are warped to a common neuroanatomical template via 3-D nonlinear registration; the resulting deformation fields are analyzed statistically to identify group differences in anatomy. Rather than study the Jacobian determinant (volume expansion factor) of these deformations, as is common, we retain the full deformation tensors and apply a manifold version of Hotelling's test to them, in a Log-Euclidean domain. In 2-D and 3-D magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 26 HIV/AIDS patients and 14 matched healthy subjects, we compared multivariate tensor analysis versus univariate tests of simpler tensor-derived indices: the Jacobian determinant, the trace, geodesic anisotropy, and eigenvalues of the deformation tensor, and the angle of rotation of its eigenvectors. We detected consistent, but more extensive patterns of structural abnormalities, with multivariate tests on the full tensor manifold. Their improved power was established by analyzing cumulative-value plots using false discovery rate (FDR) methods, appropriately controlling for false positives. This increased detection sensitivity may empower drug trials and large-scale studies of disease that use tensor-based morphometry.
Directed metal (oxo) aliphatic C-H hydroxylations: overriding substrate bias.

The first general strategy for a directing effect on metal (oxo)-promoted C–H hydroxylations is described. Carboxylic acid moieties on the substrate overcome unfavorable electronic, steric, and stereoelectronic biases in C–H hydroxylations catalyzed by the non-heme iron complex Fe(PDP). In a demonstration of the power of this directing effect, C–H oxidation is diverted away from an electronically favored C-1 H abstraction/rearrangement pathway in the paclitaxel framework to enable installation of C-2 oxidation in the naturally occurring oxidation state and stereoconfiguration.
Wideband image suppression in low-IF receivers

This paper presents the analysis of a wideband low-IF receiver topology based on a quad-IF receiver followed by a Hartley image suppression structure. An equivalent MIMO LTI model is developed. Based on the new equivalent model an architecture to suppress the image leakage caused by the analog mismatch in the I and Q signal paths is proposed. The model-based image suppression is validated through simulation and shown to provide better performance than existing solutions.
The prognostic significance of margin width for extremity and trunk sarcoma.

Background and Objectives To evaluate the significance of resection margin for soft tissue sarcoma (STS), we determined local recurrence-free interval (LRFI), distant metastases-free interval (DMFI), and overall survival (OS) for primary extremity and truncal STS with clear margins (≥10 mm), close margins (1–9 mm), and positive margins (0 mm). Methods Patients were evaluated via review of charts and tumor specimens. Results Among 111 patients, tumors were predominantly high grade (86%), ≥5 cm (76%), and deep (81%). A minority of patients received adjuvant radiation (38%) and/or adjuvant chemotherapy (34%). Margin width was ≥10 mm (48%), 1–9 mm (40%), or 0 mm (12%). Margins ≥10 mm were less common for large (P = 0.009) or deep (P = 0.02) tumors. By multivariate analysis, independent factors for LRFI were tumor size (P = 0.04) and margin width (P = 0.03). Independent factors related to DMFI were tumor grade (P = 0.002), size (P = 0.007), and patient age (P = 0.02). Independent factors relating to OS were tumor grade (P = 0.001), size (P = 0.004), and depth (P = 0.03). Conclusions Margins ≥10 mm independently predicted longer LRFI and are optimal for extremity STS resection. Adjuvant radiotherapy should be considered for all STS resected with margins <10 mm, and margin width should be considered when reporting and interpreting LR outcomes for these patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2004;85:68–76. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
LISTENERS' REACTIONS TO MISARTICULATION: A METHODOLOGICAL INVESTIGATION '

5zrmmary.-It has been shown that listeners react negatively to speakers with abnormal articulation. There is no evidence indicating whether the actual placement of the occurrence of a misarriculation in a passage influences listeners' reactions. Subjects in this study heard a 98-word recording of a speaker feigning a misarticulation of /I/. One group of 20 subjects heard the misarriculation within the first five words of the recording. A second group heard the misarticulation within the last five words of the recording. All subjects rated the speaker on 13 bipolar scales, representing three dimensions of judgment. Findings indicate that che recorded samples were not rated ddferend?. This placement of the token error did not influence subjects' judgments of the speaker. Burroughs and Small (1990, 1991) found that listeners react negatively to an adult speaker with abnormal articulation. The initial study (Burroughs & Small, 1990) was designed so misarticulation of either /V, /r/, or /s/ occurred on approximately 10% of the words in a 98-word paragraph. Listeners rated misarticulating speakers lower on dimensions of evaluation, potency, and activity. In a follow-up study Burroughs and Small (1991) found that listeners reacted with similar negativity when misarticulation occurred only once within the paragraph. Listeners rated the speaker with only one misarticulation lower on the dimension of evaluation but as equal to a normal speaker on dimensions of potency and activity. Following the study, it was unclear whether the actual placement of the occurrence of the misarticulation within the passage was an important variable in determining the outcome of the ratings. Burroughs and Small (1991) had placed the single error within the first five words of the passage. As such, listeners might have ready formed their impression of the speaker given the occurrence of the one misarticulation. The absence of error throughout the remaining 93 words would then not have played a significant role in their judgments. The current study examined whether an error within the final five words would generate ratings different from those observed when the error occurred in the initial five words. The findings would be informative in indicating at what point during listening the rater may form a negative judgment.
Modification of gas flow by charged particles

The effect of micron-diameter charged particles on gas flow characteristics in an uniform electric field is experimentally investigated in rectangular electrostatic precipitator duct at 0.8 m/s and flow Reynolds number of 2600. Particles are uniformly distributed in the flow at 10/sup -5/ kg/m/sup 3/. Hot film measurements of streamwise gas flow characteristics, including mean velocity, turbulence intensity, and energy spectra, of a particle-free flow are compared to those of the gas-particle flow. Effects of uncharged particles and charged particles subject to no electric field and 5.5 kV/cm are evaluated. Results show that at these concentrations, charged particles do not modify the gas flow. Comparison of test conditions to particle concentrations at the exit of industrial electrostatic precipitators indicates that charged particle induced turbulence is also negligible in these devices. Efforts to reduce electrically generated turbulence in precipitators should continue to focus on control or the ionic body force acting on the gas. >
Belief-System and Ideology Formation in the Lebanese Katâ'ib Party

One of the primary reasons for Lebanon's political viability over nearly three decades of independence in a volatile political environment has been the relative success of well-organized, intensely nationalistic Lebanese groups in mobilizing effective support for the system. The most significant such organization is the Lebanese Katâ'ib Party (LKP), which has exceeded others in its membership support, structural stability, ideological commitment, and coercive powers to influence government policy.
Sultone-Assisted Inactivation of α-Chymotrypsin by Hydroxylamine

Abstract Sultone and phenylmethanesulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) form sulfonyl-enzymes with serine proteases in a similar fashion. However, the sultone-derived sulfonyl-enzyme is readily hydrolyzed to regenerate active enzyme, while that derived from PMSF is not. Thus, sultone is regarded as a substrate rather than an inhibitor of serine proteases. It has been assumed that the sulfonyl-enzyme derived from sultone is an analog of an acyl-enzyme in a normal reaction. Therefore, this sulfonyl-enzyme is presumably hydrolyzed by a mechanism similar to that of deacylation in the normal enzymatic reaction. We found that in the presence of a nucleophile such as hydroxylamine, sultone induced inactivation of α-chymotrypsin in a time-dependent manner. This inactivation was not seen when α-chymotrypsin was incubated with sultone or hydroxylamine alone. The inactivation presumably results from attack of hydroxylamine at the β-carbon of serine in the sulfonyl-enzyme. If so, the sulfonyl-enzyme is probably hydrolyzed by a mechanism similar to that of tosylate solvolysis rather than the previously assumed mechanism of acyl-enzyme hydrolysis. 1 H-NMR and kinetic approaches were used to determine the p K a value (≅6.7) of the active-site histidine in the sulfonyl-enzyme complex. This information together with previously reported pH dependence of sulfonyl-enzyme formation suggests that the o -hydroxyl group on the aromatic ring of the sulfonyl-chymotrypsin is in the phenol form rather than the phenolate form. This o -hydroxyl group probably functions as a general acid to facilitate hydrolysis of the sulfonyl-enzyme. In the absence of this o -hydroxyl group, such as in the case of PMSF-derived sulfonyl-enzyme, hydrolysis of the sulfonyl-enzyme will be significantly slower due to the lack of the general acid catalysis.
Swan-ganz catheter: misconceptions, pitfalls, and incomplete user knowledge—an identified trilogy in need of correction☆

Over the past 24 months, a significant number ~of provocative editorials and articles have appeared either supporting the continued use of the Swan-Ganz catheter (Baxter Healthcare, Corp.) or declaring that a moratorium should be placed on its use.I-9 After reading these reports, we believe that too much has been asked of the pulmonary artery (PA) catheter. The historical development of the catheter demonstrates that it reached the bedside too quickly, without adequate laboratory or clinical research studies.lO-I 7 Furthermore, during those years, no practice guidelines for PA catheter use were agreed on; therefore, misconceptions associated with its use perpetuated. Compounding this was the growing body of evidence suggesting that catheter users lacked fundamental knowledge concerning PA catheter management and troubleshooting. 58 We believe, over the period of the PA catheter's lifetime, assessment of the catheter's capabilities were not fairly performed. Misconceptions were not considered as variables during the studies, nor was the impact of incomplete user knowledge regarding PA catheter insertion, management, and interpretation of data. The catheter's design and function--as well as its normal limitations, which may vary from patient to patient (ie, position of patient, position of catheter in thorax, ventilation
Three-body reaction rate in spin-polarized atomic hydrogen

Abstract An order-of-magnitude estimate of the three-body reaction of spin-polarized atomic hydrogen is obtained by expressing this rate as a product of the gas-kinetic reaction rate and the probability of a spin-flip transition. The former is estimated from experimental results on atomic hydrogen and the latter by using a Landau-Zener type approach. We find k3 (H↑) ≈ 5 × 10−40 cm6 atom−2 s−1, which would lead to a density of 1018 atoms cm−3 for times of the order of 103 s.
Assessment of error in air quality models using dynamic time warping

An estimate of the error between the mean concentration of a released pollutant simulated by an atmospheric dispersion model and the values measured at the ground is obtained using Dynamic Time Warping (DTW). The error measure is relevant to the application with iterative source detection algorithms based on forward numerical transport and dispersion simulations. The new proposed measure is compared with two established error functions commonly used in the literature.A sensitivity study of the error measure to wind direction was performed using real world data from the Prairie Grass field experiment. Whereas both standard measures found smallest error only with a few degrees of wind direction, DTW found the smallest error with a much larger range of wind directions, often as high as 20 degrees.
Obstacle avoiding real-time trajectory generation and control of omnidirectional vehicles

In this paper, a computationally effective trajectory generation algorithm of omnidirectional mobile robots is proposed. The algorithm plans a reference path based on Bezier curves, which meet obstacle avoidance criteria. Then the algorithm solves the problem of motion planning for the robot to track the path in a short travel time while satisfying dynamic constraints and robustness to noise. Accelerations of the robot are computed such that they satisfy the time optimal condition for each sample time interval. The numerical simulation demonstrates the improvement of trajectory generation in terms of travel time, satisfaction of dynamic constraints and smooth motion control compared to previous research.
Photofrin II photosensitization is mutagenic at the tk locus in mouse L5178Y cells.

— Photosensitization mediated by Photofrin II (PFII) was found to be mutagenic at the heterozygous thymidine kinase (tk) locus in mouse L5178Y lymphoma strains LY-S1 and LY-R16 but not in strain LY-R83 which is hemizygous at the tk locus. After treatments yielding 37% survival, the mutagenicity of photosensitization with PFII in strain LY-S1 was similar to that of other mutagenic agents including x-radiation, ethyl methanesulfonate, and photosensitization with chloroaluminum phthalocyanine (AIPcCI). Although both strain LY-S1 and strain LY-R16 were mutagenized by photosensitization with PFII, only strain LY-S1 was mutagenized by photosensitization with AIPcCI. The non-mutability of strain LY-R83 following photodynamic treatment with either sensitizer may be because of the poor recovery of mutants with intergenic mutations in this TK+/0 hemizygous strain, whereas the non-mutability of strain LY-R16 subjected to photodynamic treatment with AIPcCI may be because LY-R16 cells sustaining mutagenic damage do not survive for reasons other than the loss of an essential gene.
Evaluation of Training Methods Required for Military Women's Accurate Use of a Self-Diagnosis and Self-Treatment Kit for Vaginal and Urinary Symptoms

ABSTRACT Most military women are reluctant to attend sick call for urinary and vaginal symptoms during deployment; therefore, alternative self-care options are needed. We evaluated the type and intensity of training required for women to make accurate self-diagnosis and self-treatment decisions with the Women in the Military Self-Diagnosis (WMSD) Kit. The Kit contains commercially available diagnostic devices and the investigator-developed WMSD Decision-Making Guide. A randomized, two-factor, controlled trial design was used to compare accuracy rates among six experimental training conditions, ranging from simplest (videotape) to intensive (videotape + psychomotor skill training + cognitive rehearsal training). Standardized noninfectious specimens were used to measure diagnostic accuracy. The volunteer participants included Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine women (N = 265) aged 18 to 58 years. There were no differences in accuracy rates among the six levels of training intensity, thus predeployment traini...
Learning in Chronically Protein-Deprived Rats

I am going to describe findings which are somewhat at variance with the findings that others have presented. Cowley and Griesel (1959, 1963) reported differences in the learning ability of protein-deprived and adequately nourished rats. In a number of the presentations made today it has been pointed out that motivational differences, motor differences, and attentional differences can all affect learning without necessarily reflecting any differences in learning ability per se. In fact, it was rather elegantly demonstrated that when proper attention is paid to such factors, it is extremely difficult to find differences in learning ability between well nourished and poorly nourished animals. However, it should be noted that Cowley and Griesel’s studies differed from those reported today not just with respect to the nature of the findings but with regard to the nature of the animals studied as well. That is, the animals which Cowley and Griesel found to be most deficient in learning were protein-deprived animals born to and reared by animals which had themselves been protein-deprived.
Evaluating a Dynamic Time Warping Based Scoring Algorithm for Facial Expressions in ASL Animations

Advancing the automatic synthesis of linguistically accurate and natural-looking American Sign Language (ASL) animations from an easy-to-update script would increase information accessibility for many people who are deaf by facilitating more ASL content to websites and media. We are investigating the production of ASL grammatical facial expressions and head movements coordinated with the manual signs that are crucial for the interpretation of signed sentences. It would be useful for researchers to have an automatic scoring algorithm that could be used to rate the similarity of two animation sequences of ASL facial movements (or an animation sequence and a motioncapture recording of a human signer). We present a novel, sign-language specific similarity scoring algorithm, based on Dynamic Time Warping (DTW), for facial expression performances and the results of a user-study in which the predictions of this algorithm were compared to the judgments of ASL signers. We found that our algorithm had significant correlations with participants’ comprehension scores for the animations and the degree to which they reported noticing specific facial expressions.
Impact of Socioeconomic Status and Ethnicity on Melanoma Presentation and Recurrence in Caucasian Patients

Objectives: The impact of ethnicity and the socioeconomic status (SES) among Caucasians is not well studied. Here, we examine the impact of income on melanoma presentation and prognosis within a Caucasian cohort, accounting for ethnicity, as some reports suggest increased melanoma incidence in Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) BRCA mutation carriers. Methods: We studied prospectively enrolled primary melanoma patients at New York University. SES data were estimated using United States' Census Bureau data and patient zip codes. We evaluated associations between ethnicity, SES, and baseline characteristics using the χ2 test and multivariate logistic regression. We compared survival distributions using Kaplan-Meier curves, log-rank tests, and Cox proportional hazard ratios. Results: Of the 1,339 enrolled patients, AJ represented 32% (n = 423). Apart from AJ being older at presentation (p Conclusion: Data suggest that disparities in melanoma presentation in Caucasians stratify according to income independent of ethnic background.
Molecular Genetics of β-N-Acetylhexosaminidase α Subunit Mutations

Tay-Sachs disease is the prototype of human sphingolipidoses. Since the description of the disease a century ago, many other disorders have been added to the list. Generally, investigations of genetic sphingolipidoses have progressed through several distinct stages; clinicopathological descriptions, identification of the chemical nature of affected lipids, identification of the underlying enzymatic defects, and most recently characterization of the diseases on the level of nucleic acids. In Tay- Sachs disease, the second stage arrived when Klenk discovered the new class of lipids, gangliosides, in brains of patients [1], although the exact structure of GM2-ganglioside (Tay-Sachs ganglioside) was not established for thirty more years [2,3]. The primary genetic defect was traced to deficient activity of N-acetyl β-hexosaminidase A (hexosaminidase A) in 1969 [4,5]. Studies on the subunit structure of hexosaminidase A and B clarified that hexosaminidase A is a heterodimer consisting of the a and β subunits and that the genetic defect in Tay-Sachs disease resides in the a subunit. Detailed enzymological studies began to show heterogenous nature of the a mutation. For example, a patient with a juvenile form of the disease was shown to have a partial defect of hexosaminidase A with a disproportionate loss of activity toward the natural substrate, GM2-ganglioside [6-8]. By that time, both hexosaminidase isozymes were purified and immunological investigations with antibodies further indicated complex heterogeneity of the so-called Tay-Sachs disease. The classical Tay-Sachs disease prevalent among the Ashkenazi Jewish population and some other severe infantile forms were shown to lack immunologically reactive hexosaminidase a protein, while some variant forms proved to produce immunoloigically detectable but catalytically defective enzyme protein [9]. It became clear that these phenotypic complexities can only be understood definitively when abnormalities in the hexosaminidase a subunit are clarified on the level of the nucleic acids.
Intellectual Humility and Forgiveness of Religious Conflict

Intellectual humility (IH) involves an accurate view of one's intellectual strengths and weaknesses as well as the ability to negotiate different ideas in an interpersonally respectful manner. The ...