cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serotonergic pre-treatments block in vitro serotonergic phase shifts of the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus circadian clock

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) contains a circadian clock that maintains its time-generating and phase-modulating capacities in vitro. Previous studies report clear differences in the ability of serotonergic stimuli to phase-shift the SCN clock when applied directly to the SCN either in vivo or in vitro: while mice and rat circadian clocks are readily phase-shifted by serotonin (5-HT) or 5-HT agonists applied in vitro, hamster and mice circadian clocks respond inconsistently to 5-HT agonists injected directly into the SCN in vivo. Here we have investigated one possible explanation for these differences: that the SCN isolated in vitro experiences reduced endogenous 5-HT signaling, which increases clock sensitivity to subsequent 5-HT stimulation. For these experiments we treated mouse SCN brain slices with low concentrations of compounds that increase serotonin signaling: 5-HT, a 5-HT agonist (8-OH-DPAT), the 5-HT precursor, l-tryptophan, or the 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor, fluoxetine. Pretreatment with each of these substances completely blocked subsequent phase-shifts induced by mid-subjective day treatment with either 5-HT or 8-OH-DPAT, while they did not block phase-shifts induced by the adenylate cyclase activator, forskolin. Time-course data on l-tryptophan-induced inhibition are consistent with this treatment inducing receptor internalization, while timing of the recovery from inhibition is consistent with receptor reinsertion. Together these data support the hypothesis that SCN clock sensitivity to serotonergic phase modulation is affected by the amount of prior serotonin signaling present in the SCN, and that this signaling alters the density of surface 5-HT receptors on SCN clock neurons.
Pulmonary capillary density in rats given monocrotaline. A cast corrosion study.

A mechanism for monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in experimental animals may be the loss of small blood vessels, but when pulmonary arteries have been studied, the results have been controversial. In this report, the density of the entire lung microvasculature as measured by gray-scale analysis of scanning electron microscopic images of corrosion casts is reported. In the first experiment, monocrotaline, 60 mg/kg, was injected intraperitoneally into Sprague-Dawley rats. After 16 days, the pulmonary vascular tree was cast with methylmethacrylate. The vascular density index of the casts at a magnification ×100 on the alveolar surface was 0.40 for the monocrotaline-treated animals and 0.48 for the saline-treated control animals (p < 0.01). On the pleural surface, it was 0.51 for the monocrotaline animals and 0.67 for the saline animals (p < 0.001). A second experiment found no significant difference in vascular density index between different doses of monocrotaline. Light and scanning electron mi...
Direct imaging of the extremely large host galaxy and gas cloud surrounding the quasar 3C275.1

Direct CCD images of the field of the quasar 3C275.1 have been obtained using v, r, and redshifted forbidden O II filters to study the ionized gas cloud surrounding the quasar and to determine the gross characteristics of the quasar host galaxy. The images show an elliptical substrate containing several bright knots and indicate that the host galaxy is extremely large and luminous. The host galaxy's luminosity, dimensions, and position at the cluster center suggest that it may be a cD or 'proto-cD'. The nebulosity may be accreting matter from a 'cooling flow' of the intracluster medium. Alternatively, the quasar and the surrounding galaxy and gas cloud may be the result of repeated galaxy collisions.
Analysis of ferromagnetic resonance response of square arrays of permalloy nanodots

Abstract We present a detailed comparison between the results of ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) measurements on a square array of permalloy nanodots and a numerical simulation based on the eigenvalues of the linearized Landau–Lifshitz equation. Of particular importance is the implementation of a recently developed technique for numerically calculating the absorption spectrum from the associated eigenvectors as a function of the orientation, frequency, and position dependence of the applied RF field. The method is also used to predict results of some possible future experiments.
The Camp David Agreement and the Palestine Problem

(1979). The Camp David Agreement and the Palestine Problem. Journal of Palestine Studies: Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 3-40.
Arab-American immigrant elders' views about social support

Arab immigrants are a significant cultural presence in the United States of America and in this study's locale, the Detroit Metropolitan Area, yet their situations and experiences have rarely been examined. Six focus group interviews were conducted with both English-speaking and Arabic-speaking immigrants aged 60 years and older, to explore their descriptions of their ageing experiences with particular reference to expected and received social support. Tensions between cultural ideals and pragmatic realities were found about three topics: nursing home placements, expectations of children for care-giving, and state-sponsored support. Nursing homes were both feared and, in a form that met their cultural needs, seen as places that should be built. On children's support, there was a clear preference for independence and a simultaneous appreciation of children's help while wishing not to burden them. The informants saw state-sponsored support as providing material resources that could support independence, and as a source of discrimination because of their national origins. The Arab-American elders' narratives revealed diverse attitudes and experiences. By documenting the ways in which they made sense of their situations, initial assertions of cultural ideals were seen to be modified by more realistic expressions of support expectations, and an understanding was reached of the support strategies that they utilised to alleviate the demands and stresses on both the older immigrants and their families.
The extent of barrett's esophagus depends on the status of the lower esophageal sphincter and the degree of esophageal acid exposure

Abstract Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess whether the extent of intestinal metaplasia is related to the severity of the gastroesophageal reflux disease. Methods: A total of 556 consecutive patients with symptoms suggestive of foregut disease had upper gastrointestinal endoscopy with extensive biopsies from the gastroesophageal junction and the esophagus. All patients had esophageal motility and 24-hour pH monitoring. In 411 patients, cardiac-type mucosa was identified; in 147 patients, the cardiac-type mucosa showed intestinal metaplasia. They were divided into 3 groups based on the extent of intestinal metaplasia commonly seen clinically: long segments (>3 cm), short segments ( Results: The presence of intestinal metaplasia in cardiac-type mucosa was associated with the hallmarks of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The extent of intestinal metaplasia correlated strongly with the degree of esophageal acid exposure (r = 0.711; P P P = .002). Patients with a long segment of intestinal metaplasia (>3 cm) had longer duration of symptoms (16 years) than those patients with a segment of intestinal metaplasia less than 3 cm (10 years; P = .048) or those patients with intestinal metaplasia limited to the gastroesophageal junction (10 years; P = .01). Conclusion: The extent of intestinal metaplasia, that is, Barrett's esophagus, is related to the status of the lower esophageal sphincter and the degree of esophageal acid exposure. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:572-80)
Peak stability derived from phase history in synthetic aperture radar

The stability of bright peaks over the complex phase history of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery is examined using a 'sub-aperture imaging' approach. The additional information obtained about the peaks can be applied to the following areas: improved peak matching in the automatic target recognition (ATR) problem; false-alarm determination; and identification of imaging artifacts, such as the sidelobes of bright peaks. To estimate peak-stability information, the complex phase history of the SAR image is broken up into a series of overlapping cross-range windows from which the peak information is extracted. The change in the peak characteristics from one window to the next is correlated to produce information related to the change in the amplitude of the peak over the entire aperture and also to estimate small motions of the peak over the aperture. These changes in peak characteristics are due to various phenomena as the synthetic aperture is swept out: scatterers interfere with each other, scatterer sources are created and destroyed, and aspect- dependent scatterers are interrogated differently with angle. This stability analysis has been incorporated into the online MSTAR system's Feature Extraction module. The products produced for the MSTAR system will be described. Applications of this method to the ATR problem will be discussed.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Incompressible planar surfaces in 3-manifolds

Abstract Let M be an orientable 3-manifold and T a torus component of ∂ M . We show that the boundary-slopes of incompressible, boundary-incompressible planar surfaces ( P ,∂ P )⊂( M , T ) are pairwise within distance 4; in particular, there are at most six such boundary-slopes. A corollary is that, for any knot K in S 3 , at most six Dehn surgeries on K can yield a reducible 3-manifold.
Activated PKA and PKC, but not CaMKIIα, are required for AMPA/Kainate-mediated pain behavior in the thermal stimulus model

Abstract Secondary mechanical allodynia resulting from a thermal stimulus (52.5 °C for 45 s) is blocked by intrathecal (i.t.) pretreatment with calcium-permeable AMPA/KA receptor antagonists, but not NMDA receptor antagonists. Spinal sensitization is presumed to underlie thermal stimulus-evoked secondary mechanical allodynia. We investigated whether this spinal sensitization involves activation and phosphorylation of calcium-dependent protein kinases (PKA, PKC and CaMKIIα), and examined if the noxious stimulus increases phosphorylated AMPA GLUR1 (pGLUR1 Ser-845 and pGLUR1 Ser-831). Secondary mechanical allodynia after thermal stimulation was not altered by i.t. pretreatment with control vehicles (saline or 5% DMSO). Comparable allodynia was observed after pretreatment with a selective CaMKIIα inhibitor (17 and 34 nmol KN-93). In marked contrast, pretreatment with either a PKA (10 nmol H89) or PKC (30 nmol chelerythrine) inhibitor blocked allodynia. Western immunoblot analyses supported behavioral findings and revealed a thermal stimulus-evoked increase in spinal phosphorylated PKA and PKC, but not CaMKIIα. There was no increase in any of the total protein kinases. Although thermal stimulation did not change either pGLUR1 Ser-845 or pGLUR1 Ser-831, it was associated with an increase in cytosolic total GLUR1. Pretreatment with a selective calcium-permeable AMPA/KA receptor antagonist (5 nmol joro spider toxin), but not an NMDA receptor antagonist (25 nmol d -2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate, AP-5), blocked thermal stimulus-evoked increases in phosphorylated PKA and PKC, in addition to increased cytosolic GLUR1. These findings indicate that spinal sensitization in the thermal stimulus model does not involve CaMKIIα activation or AMPA GLUR1 receptor phosphorylation, and differs from that occurring in NMDAr-dependent pain states.
PLS pattern matching in design of experiment, batch process data

Abstract A new process monitoring metric, the modified PLS similarity factor ( S PLS γ ), is proposed and used to analyze industrial process data. The S PLS γ metric is capable of quantifying the degree of similarity between two PLS models. Conveniently, it is bound between zero (completely dissimilar models) and one (identical models). The S PLS γ metric is an improvement upon the existing PLS similarity factor, S PLS γ , because it weighs the weighting vectors (of each model) by the amounts of variance captured in their corresponding latent variables. This feature places more emphasis on the latent variables that capture most of the variance present in the PLS models. The S PLS γ metric was used to analyze industrial pilot plant cell culture process data. The similarities (or dissimilarities) between batches were rapidly identified for batches that were conducted during a design of experiment study. Additionally, the physical variables contributing to these similarities (or dissimilarities) were diagnosed.
Learning Metrics for Shape Classification and Discrimination

We propose a family of shape metrics that generalize the classical Procrustes distance by attributing weights to general linear combinations of landmarks. We develop an algorithm to learn a metric that is optimally suited to a given shape classification problem. Shape discrimination experiments are carried out with phantom data, as well as landmark data representing the shape of the wing of different species of fruit flies.
Diffusion of He interstitials in grain boundaries in α-Fe

Abstract Helium diffusion in metals is a complex process due to its very low solubility in solids and its ability to be trapped by vacancy type defects or impurities. The preferential positions and predominant migration mechanisms of He atoms depend on temperature, as well as the presence of other intrinsic or irradiation induced defects that can act as traps for He. This work presents results of a systematic molecular dynamics study of the diffusion mechanisms of He atoms in grain boundaries in α-Fe. Two grain boundaries, Σ11〈1 1 0〉 {3 2 3} and Σ3〈1 1 0〉 {1 1 2}, were used for the current investigations. The low-temperature (about 0 K) equilibrium structures of these grain boundaries were determined using standard molecular dynamics relaxation techniques, with a flexible border condition. The migration of He atoms were followed for 1–14 ns, at temperatures between 600 and 1200 K. The diffusion coefficient of He atoms using the mean square displacements of He atoms, and the effective migration energies were determined. We found that He atoms diffuse rapidly in the Σ11 grain boundary, where the binding energy of a He atom to the boundary is high. He migration is primarily one-dimensional along specific directions, but a few directional changes were observed at higher temperatures. In the Σ3 grain boundary, where the He binding energy is low, He atoms migrate one-dimensionally at low temperature, two-dimensionally at intermediate temperature and three-dimensionally at higher temperature. The different activation energies and diffusion mechanisms in these two representative grain boundaries suggests that the atomic structures of the grain boundaries play an important role in the diffusivity of He.
Ultrasonic measurement of forced diameter variations in an elastic tube

This paper presents an ultrasonic measurement technique to determine an elasticity parameter, called the apparent compliance, in a thin-walled tube. The apparent compliance is obtained by ultrasound pulse-echo measurement of the diameter variation in response to an externally applied time-varying pressure function. Specifically, the diameter variation is obtained by tracking the time shift of the echoes from the front and back walls of the tube using a correlation technique. This technique is named the Forced Vibration Method (FVM). This approach to compliance measurement is distinctly different from compliance measurements using the blood function as excitation function, but is closely related to the elastic imaging concept. Two experimental models, termed the rigid wall model and the leg-like model, have been developed. These models allow the amplitude and frequency of the pressure function as well as the dimensions and properties of the tube to be varied. Results for the diameter variations vs. location along the tube and frequency of external pressure function are presented for both models.
Signal Transduction at a Protein Synapse

Contraction of the bacteriophage T4 tail in the act of host cell penetration represents a massive structural change powered by conformational free energy. A paper in this issue of Cell by Leiman et al. (2004) compares cryo-electron microscopic reconstructions of the initial and final states and reveals that the basic underlying mechanism is concerted rigid-body movements of the constituent protein subunits, akin to the tumbling of gears in a lock.
Analyzing and Attempting to Overcome Prospective Teachers' Difficulties during Problem-Solving Instruction.

This article analyzes the experiences of prospective secondary mathematics teachers during a teaching methods course, offered prior to their student teaching, but involving actual teaching and reflexive analysis of this teaching. The study focuses on the pedagogical difficulties that arose during their teaching, in which prospective teachers lacked pedagogical content knowledge and skills. It also analyzes the experience of the course itself, which was aimed at scaffolding the work of prospective teachers on developing their pedagogical content knowledge and skills.
Density-functional theory study of the effects of atomic impurity on the band edges of monoclinic WO 3

The effects of impurities in room-temperature monoclinic ${\text{WO}}_{3}$ were studied by using the local density approximation to density-functional theory. Our main focus is on nitrogen impurity in ${\text{WO}}_{3}$, where both substitutional and interstitial cases were considered. We have also considered transition-metal atom impurities and some codoping approaches in ${\text{WO}}_{3}$. We find that, in general, band gap reduction was a common result due to the formation of impurity bands in the band gap. Also, the changes of band-edge positions, valence-band maxima and conduction-band minima, were found to depend on the electronic properties of the foreign atom and their concentration. Our results therefore provide guidance for making ${\text{WO}}_{3}$ a suitable candidate for photoelectrodes for hydrogen generation by water splitting.
Neural Network Test and Nonparametric Kernel Test for Neglected Nonlinearity in Regression Models

This article considers two conditional moment tests for neglected nonlinearity in regression models and examines their finite sample performance. The two tests are the nonparametric kernel test by Li and Wang (1998) and Zheng (1996) and the neural network test of White (1989). The article examines an asymptotic test, a naive bootstrap test, and a wild bootstrap test for weakly dependent time series and independent data.
Starchy Pollen in Commelinoid Monocots

Abstract The Commelinoid monocots are a monophyletic group comprising the Arecales, Commelinales, Poales and Zingiberales, plus the unplaced family Dasypogonaceae. Pollen from 149 taxa was examined qualitatively for starch as the primary storage product. Starchy pollen was found in 134 taxa (90% of the sample) of Commelinoid monocots. Starchy pollen thus appears be a characteristic feature of the Commelinoid monocots. Starchy pollen can be easily observed with minimal preparation, making it a demonstrable character useful in the classroom or teaching laboratory. Furthermore, starchy pollen grains were found to be significantly larger in diameter than non-starchy grains, confirming previous hypotheses regarding pollen size and starch.
ADJOINT STATE FINITE ELEMENT ESTIMATION OF AQUIFER PARAMETERS UNDER STEADY-STATE AND TRANSIENT CONDITIONS

The inverse problem of groundwater hydrology has been recognized as being notoriously difficult to solve. In this paper, a method is presented that overcomes many deficiencies of previous approaches. The method consists of minimizing a statistically-based functional that includes head measurements as well as prior information about the parameters. An adjoint state is computed by solving a partial differential equation that is coupled to the flow equation through the functional to be minimized. This enables one to compute the gradient of the functional with respect to model parameters directly, without the need to compute a sensitivity (or Jacobian) matrix. The latter matrix is required only once for postoptimal sensitivity analysis after the inverse problem has been solved. Any gradient algorithm such as Fletcher-Reeves, Davidon-Fletcher-Powell, or Broyden can then be used. In this paper, the adjoint-state algorithm of Neuman (1980b) is extended to include uncertainty in storage coefficient, sink/source terms, boundary conditions, and initial conditions. The equations are discretized using the finite element method with the added advantage that, since the homogeneous parts of the flow and adjoint-state equations are identical, their solutions are similar. This makes the method both effective and computationally efficient. A case study involving the Colorado River is included.
Wnt Proteins Promote Bone Regeneration

The Wnt signaling pathway plays a central role in bone development and homeostasis. In most cases, Wnt ligands promote bone growth, which has led to speculation that Wnt factors could be used to stimulate bone healing. We gained insights into the mechanism by which Wnt signaling regulates adult bone repair through the use of the mouse strain Axin2(LacZ/LacZ) in which the cellular response to Wnt is increased. We found that bone healing after injury is accelerated in Axin2(LacZ/LacZ) mice, a consequence of more robust proliferation and earlier differentiation of skeletal stem and progenitor cells. In parallel, we devised a biochemical strategy to increase the duration and strength of Wnt signaling at the sites of skeletal injury. Purified Wnt3a was packaged in liposomal vesicles and delivered to skeletal defects, where it stimulated the proliferation of skeletal progenitor cells and accelerated their differentiation into osteoblasts, cells responsible for bone growth. The end result was faster bone regeneration. Because Wnt signaling is conserved in mammalian tissue repair, this protein-based approach may have widespread applications in regenerative medicine.
The Land Was Ours: African American Beaches from Jim Crow to the Sunbelt South. By Andrew W. Kahrl. (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2012. Pp. ix, 376. $39.95.)

While most studies of the twentieth century's “long civil rights movement” examine developments in rural and urban settings, the author of this study explores new terrain in this fascinating work. ...
Ciphertext-Policy Attribute-Based Encryption

In several distributed systems a user should only be able to access data if a user posses a certain set of credentials or attributes. Currently, the only method for enforcing such policies is to employ a trusted server to store the data and mediate access control. However, if any server storing the data is compromised, then the confidentiality of the data will be compromised. In this paper we present a system for realizing complex access control on encrypted data that we call ciphertext-policy attribute-based encryption. By using our techniques encrypted data can be kept confidential even if the storage server is untrusted; moreover, our methods are secure against collusion attacks. Previous attribute-based encryption systems used attributes to describe the encrypted data and built policies into user's keys; while in our system attributes are used to describe a user's credentials, and a party encrypting data determines a policy for who can decrypt. Thus, our methods are conceptually closer to traditional access control methods such as role-based access control (RBAC). In addition, we provide an implementation of our system and give performance measurements.
CHARACTERISTICS THAT PREDICT RISK OF BREAST CANCER BEFORE AND AFTER THE MENOPAUSE

In a case-control study of 1868 breast cancer patients and 3391 control patients we searched for characteristics that predicted risk of breast cancer diagnosed before and after menopause. Common to increased risk of this disease in both periods of womanhood were: early menarche and late menopause; delayed marriage and first childbirth; more nulliparity or reduced gravidity and parity; reduced frequency of abortions; shorter overall child-bearing interval; more advanced education, higher socioeconomic status, and more contraceptive usage; and familial tendencies toward the disease. Breast cancer patients diagnosed before menopause were leaner than controls at age 20 and at time of diagnosis, but breast cancer risk in the postmenopausal period was related to increased weight-for-height at diagnosis and greater weight-for-height at diagnosis and greater weight gain since age 20. Postmenopausal breast cancer patients had a longer interval between first and second childbirths. Frequency and duration of the gravid state, inversely related to breast cancer risk, were largely dependent on contraceptive practices rather than unexplained infertility per se. Whether the breast cancer reaches diagnosis before or after menopause, the bulk of evidence examined here supports the view that it has a common cause and is subject to modifying influences over the long period of cancer latency.
Effects of Dexmedetomidine on Contractility, Relaxation, and Intracellular Calcium Transients of Isolated Ventricular Myocardium

The effects of the highly selective alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist dexmedetomidine on contractility, relaxation, and the intracellular Ca2+ transients of isolated ventricular myocardium were studied in isolated right ventricular papillary muscles obtained from reserpinized ferrets. Dexmedetomidine (10(-10)-10(-5) M) did not alter amplitude and time variables of isometric, isotonic and zero-load-clamped twitches, except for a slight increase in maximal isotonic relaxation rate at 10(-5) M. Dexmedetomidine (10(-8)-10(-5) M) caused no changes in the intracellular Ca2+ transient detected with aequorin. These results suggest that dexmedetomidine has no intrinsic myocardial contractile effects.
Death resulting from overzealous total parenteral nutrition: the refeeding syndrome revisited.

Commentary is provided on the pivotal paper by Weinsier and Krumdieck from 1981 describing 2 patients who developed profound and fatal refeeding syndrome following initiation of aggressive total parenteral nutrition. This classic description was among the first to describe the overwhelming cardiovascular and pulmonary manifestations that can accompany parenteral refeeding with carbohydrate in chronically malnourished patients. The syndrome has also been described with oral and enteral nutrition. One of the hallmarks of the syndrome is hypophosphatemia. Since 1981, dosing schemes for addressing hypophosphatemia have been refined. Other manifestations of the syndrome include other electrolyte abnormalities such as hypokalemia and hypomagnesemia, hyperglycemia, fluid and sodium retention, and neurologic and hematologic complications. Case reports of refeeding syndrome continue to be published, particularly in the anorexia nervosa population. Stressed, critically ill patients may be at risk of refeeding follo...
Cluster Analysis as a Basis for Purposive Sampling of Projects in Case Study Evaluations

Articles should deal with topics applicable to the broad field of evaluation. Implications for practicing evaluators should be clearly identified. Examples of contributions include, but are not limited to, reviews of new developments. in evaluation, and descriptions of current evaluation efforts, research problems, or techniques. Manuscripts should include appropriate references and not exceed 10 double-spaced typewritten pages.
Revisional bariatric surgery: who, what, where, and when?

Abstract Background Revisional bariatric surgery (RBS) outcomes have been poorly characterized. We compared the RBS and primary bariatric surgery (PBS) outcomes at the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in the United States. Methods A total of 72 RBS cases from 2000 to 2007 were reviewed and grouped by indication: failure of weight loss, gastrojejunal complications, or other. The RBS patients were compared with the 856 PBS patients who underwent Roux-en- Y gastric bypass. The mean follow-up time was 12.6 ± 1.2 months for the RBS group and 16 ± 0.5 months for the PBS group. Weight loss was analyzed as the kilograms lost and patients with ≥50% excess body weight loss (EBWL). Outcomes included mortality, leaks, surgical site infections, and length of stay. Results The weight loss was 23 ± 2.8 kg after RBS and 41.3 ± 0.7 kg after PBS ( P Conclusion The results of our study have shown that weight loss after RBS varies with the surgical indication and is affected by age >50 years. Although the RBS patients had decreased weight loss and increased complications compared with the PBS patients, ≥50% EBWL was achieved by a significant number of RBS patients.
The relationship between the Dimensions of Change Instrument and retention in therapeutic community treatment: the moderating influence of time in treatment.

Objectives: The Dimensions of Change Instrument (DCI) (1) assesses aspects of the therapeutic community treatment process. More positive scores on two of the eight dimensions of treatment process assessed at the beginning of treatment, Clarity and Safety, and Resident Support, Sharing and Enthusiasm predict retention in treatment at 30, 90, 180, and 270 days as well as overall length of stay. This study explored whether these process subscales assessed at different phases predicted retention at the next phase, and of treatment. Methods: Five-hundred nineteen individuals, aged 18 to 62, undergoing therapeutic community treatment completed the DCI at baseline, one, three, six, and nine months of the therapeutic community treatment. Results: DCI scale scores at each stage of treatment predicted dropout in the subsequent period. In the early stages of treatment, higher scores predicted a higher probability of retention in the subsequent stage of treatment. In later stages, lower DCI scores predicted a higher ...
Region-of-interest imaging in cone beam computerized tomography

Imaging a sectional region within an object with a detector just big enough to cover the sectional region-of-interest is analyzed. We show that with some suitable choice of scanning configuration and with an innovative method of data combination, all the Radon data can be obtained accurately. The algorithm is mathematically exact, and requires no iterations and no additional measurements. The method can be applied to inspect portions of large industrial objects in industrial imaging, as well as to image portions of human bodies in medical diagnosis.
Novel condensation of Au-centered trigonal prisms in rare-earth-metal-rich tellurides: Er7Au2Te2 and Lu7Au2Te2

A new monoclinic structure occurs for Er7Au2Te2 according to X-ray diffraction analysis of single crystals grown at 1200 °C: C2/m, Z = 4, a = 17.8310(9) A, b = 3.9819(5) A, c = 16.9089(9) A, β = 104.361(4)°. The isostructural Lu7Au2Te2 also exists according to X-ray powder pattern means, a = 17.536(4) A, b = 3.9719(4) A, c = 16.695(2) A, β = 104.33(1)°. The structure contains zigzag chains of condensed, Au-centered tricapped trigonal prisms (TCTP) of Er along c that also share basal faces along b to generate puckered sheets. Further bi-face-capping Er atoms between these generate the three dimensional network along a, with tellurium in cavities outlined by augmented trigonal prismatic Er polyhedra. Bonding analysis via LMTO-DFT methods reveal very significant Er–Au bonding interactions, as quantified by their energy-weighted Hamilton overlap populations (–ICOHP), ∼49% of the total for all interactions. These and similar Er–Te contributions sharply contrast with the small Er–Er population, only ∼14% of the total in spite of the high proportion of Er–Er contacts. The strong polar bonding of Er to the electronegative Au and Te leaves Er relatively oxidized, with many of its 5d states falling above the Fermi level and empty. The contradiction with customary representations of structures that highlight rare-earth metal clusters is manifest. The large Er–Au Hamilton overlap population is in accord with the strong bonding between early and late transition metals first noted by Brewer in 1973. The relationship of this structure to the more distorted orthorhombic (Imm2) structure type of neighboring Dy7Ir2Te2 is considered.
Generalizing recognition strategies

Most knowledge-directed vision systems are tailored to recognize a fixed set of objects within a known context. Generally, the programmer or knowledge engineer who constructs them begins with an intuitive notion of how each object might be recognized, a notion which is refined by trial-and-error. Eventually the programmer finds a combination of features (e.g., color, shape, or context) and methods (e.g., geometric model matching, minimum-distance classification, or generalized Hough transforms) that allow each object to be reliably identified within the domain. Unfortunately, human engineering is not cost-effective for many real-world applications. Moreover, there is no way to ensure the validity of hand-crafted systems: their performance (in terms of accuracy and reliability) is unknown, as is their efficiency in comparison to other strategies. Worst of all, when the domain is changed, the systems often have to be rebuilt from scratch. The schema learning system (SLS) automates the construction of knowledge-directed recognition strategies. Starting with a set of potential actions called `knowledge sources,' SLS builds a strategy capable of recognizing the first training instance. With each successive training image, SLS generalizes the strategy (if necessary) to account for any new examples, while keeping the strategy as efficient as possible. The final result is a strategy capable of recognizing every instance in a training set at a minimal cost.
A Call Level Adaptive Bandwidth Allocation Scheme Based on Lyapunov Control Theory

In this paper, we propose an adaptive capacity allocation scheme at the call level for a blocked call cleared loss system. The scheme aims to maintain the connection blocking probability around a specified target value by dynamically adjusting the allocated capacity. Based on a fluid flow model of the loss system, Lyapunov Stability theory is used to derive an adaptive capacity adjustment scheme which guarantees overall system stability around the target call blocking probability. Numerical results are given which show that the Lyapunov control based scheme is robust to load variations and performs better than existing schemes in the literature.
Min-max optimal universal prediction with side information

We consider the problem of sequential prediction of arbitrary real-valued sequences with side information. We first construct a universal algorithm that asymptotically achieves the performance of the best side-information dependent constant predictor uniformly for all data and side-information sequences. We then extend these results to linear predictors of some fixed order. We derive matching upper and lower bounds, and show that the algorithms are not only universal but they are also optimal such that no sequential algorithm can give better performance for all sequences.
Makhoul's conjecture for p = 2

The IEEE Signal Processing Society (2000) offered a prize of $1000 for proving or disproving Makhoul's conjecture, which says that, given a causal all-pass digital signal x/sub n/ of order p, with nonzero x/sub 0/, the location of the peak of x/sub n/ always lies between n = 0 and n = 2p-1. The case of p = 1 is trivial, and no further progress had been made in 25 years until Lertniphonphun, Rajagopal, and Wenzel gave counter examples for large p. In this paper, Makhoul's conjecture is proven for p = 2. It is also shown that the conjecture fails dramatically in the case of complex coefficients.
United States Navy operational oceanographic nowcast/forecast system

The Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command operates a system of meteorological and oceanographic models for continuous, realtime nowcast/forecast support to United States Department of Defense forces, particularly for Navy/Marine Corps safety of navigation, exploitation of oceanic fronts, and nearshore tactical employment of ships, aircraft and personnel for mine warfare, strike warfare, amphibious landings and special forces operations. The models assimilate conventional and satellite data to support widespread geographical areas with a range of horizontal and vertical resolutions and water column depths. Two supercomputer centers provide necessary computational power to operate this system. This paper focuses on the oceanographic models, which include: thermohaline nowcast, thermodynamic mixed-layer forecast, dynamic circulation, spectral ocean wave, tide/tidal current and sea-ice composition/drift models. This paper describes each model type, current coupling efforts, and plans to couple the oceanographic system with an atmospheric system. >
Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging cross-sectional area for the measurement of hamstring autograft diameter for reconstruction of the adolescent anterior cruciate ligament.

Purpose We conducted this study to determine if preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cross-sectional area measurements would correlate with intraoperative graft size in hamstring anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions. Methods We retrospectively reviewed ACL reconstructions performed by a single surgeon using a quadruple-looped hamstring allograft. Preoperative MRI axial images were used to determine the combined cross-sectional area of the semitendinosis and gracilis tendons. These cross-sectional areas were correlated to the intraoperative graft size. Results We found a strong correlation between the MRI cross-sectional areas and graft size. If the combined cross-sectional areas were ≥18mm 2 , there was an 88% probability of obtaining a graft of sufficient size at the time of surgery. Conclusions We conclude that our technique is a reliable option to assist the surgeon with preoperative determination of graft size. This is valuable to the orthopaedist to more accurately discuss graft options with the patient and improve preoperative preparation with respect to graft choice. Level of Evidence: Level II, development of diagnostic criteria on the basis of consecutive patients with universally applied gold standard.
Cloacal exstrophy: a unified management plan.

Abstract Background/Purpose: The belief that patients with cloacal exstrophy have a short and therefore useless colon is all too common. Frequently, the colon is used for urinary or vaginal reconstruction, and the possibility of a pull-through is lost. In the authors' experience, the use of a unified management plan allowed most patients to undergo pull-through and avoid a permanent stoma. Methods: Twenty-five patients were treated for cloacal exstrophy in the authors' institution from 1985 through 1999. In all patients, bladder closure, omphalocele repair, and creation of a colostomy were performed at birth. All available colon, no matter how small, was incorporated into the fecal stream. After at least 1 year, patients were assessed for the ability to form solid stool through their stoma. Normal colonic length, capacity to form solid stool, or success with a bowel management regimen through the stoma were considered indications for pull-through. Genitourinary reconstruction was contingent on the colorectal plan. Results: Colonic length ranged from normal in 12 patients, 40 to 70 cm in 3 patients, 10 to 30 cm in 4 patients, and less than 10 cm in 2 patients. All 25 patients underwent pull-through. Three are totally continent, 4 are continent with occasional soiling, 11 remain clean with a bowel management regimen, and 4 are too young to assess. One patient was clean, but now refuses bowel management. Two early patients, both with less than 10 cm of colon, now have ileostomies. Conclusions: During neonatal repair, a colostomy should be formed incorporating all pieces of colon, no matter how small. With time, most patients will be able to form solid stool, and a pull-through should be undertaken if that ability exists. Decisions regarding genitourinary reconstruction should be made only after the gastrointestinal plan is established to achieve the optimal use of available bowel. J Pediatr Surg 35:932-937. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Child work and labour among orphaned and abandoned children in five low and middle income countries

The care and protection of the estimated 143,000,000 orphaned and abandoned children (OAC) worldwide is of great importance to global policy makers and child service providers in low and middle income countries (LMICs), yet little is known about rates of child labour among OAC, what child and caregiver characteristics predict child engagement in work and labour, or when such work infers with schooling. This study examines rates and correlates of child labour among OAC and associations of child labour with schooling in a cohort of OAC in 5 LMICs. The Positive Outcomes for Orphans (POFO) study employed a two-stage random sampling survey methodology to identify 1480 single and double orphans and children abandoned by both parents ages 6-12 living in family settings in five LMICs: Cambodia, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, and Tanzania. Regression models examined child and caregiver associations with: any work versus no work; and with working <21, 21-27, and 28+ hours during the past week, and child labour (UNICEF definition). The majority of OAC (60.7%) engaged in work during the past week, and of those who worked, 17.8% (10.5% of the total sample) worked 28 or more hours. More than one-fifth (21.9%; 13% of the total sample) met UNICEF's child labour definition. Female OAC and those in good health had increased odds of working. OAC living in rural areas, lower household wealth and caregivers not earning an income were associated with increased child labour. Child labour, but not working fewer than 28 hours per week, was associated with decreased school attendance. One in seven OAC in this study were reported to be engaged in child labour. Policy makers and social service providers need to pay close attention to the demands being placed on female OAC, particularly in rural areas and poor households with limited income sources. Programs to promote OAC school attendance may need to focus on the needs of families as well as the OAC.
Understanding the annual cycle in global steric height

[1] Steric variability in the ocean includes diabatic changes in the surface layer due to air-sea buoyancy fluxes and adiabatic changes due to advection, which are dominant in the subsurface ocean. Here the annual signal in subsurface steric height (η′below 200 db) is computed on a global scale using temperature and salinity profiles from Argo floats. The zonal average of Δη′ over a season (e.g., ηMarch′−ηDecember′) is compared to the wind-forced vertical advection contribution (Δηw′) both in the global ocean and in different basins. The results show agreement that extends beyond the tropics. The estimate of Δηw′ is based on the Ekman pumping and assumes that the seasonal vertical velocity is constant over the depth range of interest. This assumption is consistent with annual isopycnal displacements inferred from Argo profiles. The contribution of horizontal advection to Δη′is significant in some regions and consistent with differences between Δη′ and Δηw′.
Exploring similarity measures for biometric databases

Currently biometric system performance is evaluated in terms of its FAR and FRR. The accuracy expressed in such a manner depends on the characteristics of the dataset on which the system has been tested. Using different datasets for system evaluation makes a true comparison of such systems difficult, more so in cases where the systems are designed to work on different biometrics, such as fingerprint and signature. We propose a similarity metric, calculated for a pair of fingerprint templates, which will quantize the “confusion” of a fingerprint matcher in evaluating them. We show how such a metric, can be calculated for an entire biometric database, to give us the amount of difficulty a matcher has, when evaluating fingerprints from that database. This similarity metric can be calculated in linear time, making it suitable for large datasets.
Processes affecting extinction risk in the laboratory and in nature

A fascinating laboratory experiment by Hufbauer et al. (1) manipulates genetic diversity and population size of flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum) in the face of a change in the resource base offered in experimental microcosms. The experiment finds that extinction risk is offset to a comparable degree by adding a few genetically diverse individuals or by more substantially elevating population size with individuals drawn from the same source pool as the experimental population, leading the authors to argue that conservation of at-risk populations is most efficiently achieved by enhancing genetic diversity. This conclusion is in stark contrast, however, to that of a previously published 12-generation field experiment with an intertidal kelp (Postelsia palmeaformis; the sea palm), which followed extinction risk in free-living populations after independently manipulating population size and genetic diversity, and found overwhelming effects of demographic processes relative to genetic diversity (2). In light of the divergent conclusions and the important implications of these experiments for biodiversity conservation, an essential question is why these differences may have arisen.
Comparison of Expected Crash and Injury Reduction from Production Forward Collision and Lane Departure Warning Systems

Objectives: The U.S. New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) now tests for forward collision warning (FCW) and lane departure warning (LDW). The design of these warnings differs greatly between vehicles and can result in different real-world field performance in preventing or mitigating the effects of collisions. The objective of this study was to compare the expected number of crashes and injured drivers that could be prevented if all vehicles in the fleet were equipped with the FCW and LDW systems tested under the U.S. NCAP.Methods: To predict the potential crashes and serious injury that could be prevented, our approach was to computationally model the U.S. crash population. The models simulated all rear-end and single-vehicle road departure collisions that occurred in a nationally representative crash database (NASS-CDS). A sample of 478 single-vehicle crashes from NASS-CDS 2012 was the basis for 24,822 simulations for LDW. A sample of 1,042 rear-end collisions from NASS-CDS years 1997–2013 was the basis fo...
Dynamic user association and energy control in cellular networks with renewable resources

In recent years, there has been a growing interest in equipping base-stations with renewable resources and batteries, with an aim to reduce the energy-related operational cost for cellular networks. To fully leverage the cost-saving potential of such base-stations, the design of joint resource-allocation and energy-control algorithms that take both the traffic-level dynamics and energy-level dynamics into account is called for. In this work, we propose a joint user-association and energy-control algorithm, where the induced operational cost can be made arbitrarily close to optimality at the expense of increased battery capacity in each base-station. The key to this algorithm is that it tries to match the traffic-profile with the energy-profile of the network, which leads to an efficient utilization of the renewable resources across the network. Simulation results show that a significant reduction in energy cost can be achieved by using our algorithm, even at a relatively small battery capacity.