cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative stability and growth requirements of S. aureus and faecal indicator bacteria in seawater.

The fate (stability, multiplication) of S. aureus , E. coli and E. faecalis was determined in three classes of recreational waters (seawater, estuarine, stream) supplemented with nutrients in the form of sewage and peptone. In the absence of sunlight (24±2 °C), all bacteria in all water samples did not multiply and were slowly (days) inactivated. When 50% sewage was added to all water samples, E. coli and E. faecalis multiplied but S. aureus did not. When peptone (0.05%, 0.5%) was the added nutrient, the three bacteria multiplied. In the presence of sunlight (15–27 °C), S. aureus was inactivated rapidly (hours) in all water samples. These results show that when their nutritional requirements are met, S. aureus , E. coli and E. faecalis can multiply in the high salinity conditions of seawater. However, under environmental conditions, sunlight is an effective natural bactericidal agent.
Modeling Streamflow from Artificially Drained Agricultural Watersheds in Illinois

ABSTRACT: Evaluation of the applicability and validity of hydrologic simulation models for various cropping systems in different hydrogeologic and soil conditions is needed for a range of spatial scales. We calibrated and tested the ADAPT model for simulating streamflow from 552 to 1,985 km2 watersheds in central Illinois, where more than 79 percent of the land is used for maize-soybean production and tile drainage is common. Model calibration was performed with a seven year period (1987 through1993) of measured streamflow from one of the watersheds, and model testing was done using independent weather and measured streamflow data from the two neighboring watersheds for the same seven year period. Simulations of annual streamflow were accurate with a coefficient of determination and Willmott's index of agreement of 0.98 and 0.99, respectively. For simulation of monthly streamflow, Willmott's index of agreement ranged from 0.93 to 0.95. For simulation of daily streamflow, Willmott's index of agreement ranged from 0.84 to 0.85. The daily simulations challenged the temporal and spatial resolution of our measured precipitation data. Discrepancies between simulated and measured data may result from the model's inability to effectively address frozen soils and snowmelt runoff processes and in accurately representing evapotranspiration.
Guidance and control scheme for under-actuated marine surface vessels

A guidance and control approach is proposed in the present work for autonomous under-actuated marine surface vessels. The dynamic model considers the six rigid body degrees of freedom of the ship and one degree-of-freedom for the rudder dynamics. The formulation accounts for the effects of coriolis and centripetal accelerations, retardation forces, wave excitations forces, linear damping forces, nonlinear restoring forces, wind and current loads. The guidance scheme is based on the concepts of the variable radius line-of-sight (LOS) and the acceptance radius. It can handle large cross-track error while aiding the controller to quickly converge the ship to its desired trajectory. The control strategy consists of a two-layer controller, which is designed based on the sliding mode methodology. The simulation results demonstrate the robust performance of the integrated guidance and control system in spite of significant modeling uncertainties and environmental disturbances.
Myotonic Disorders in Childhood: Diagnosis and Treatment

The recent discoveries that mutations in the genes for the skeletal muscle sodium and chloride channels are responsible, respectively, for paramyotonia/hyperkalemic periodic paralysis and for myotonia congenita of Thomsen have made the classification, diagnosis, and treatment of these disorders much easier. The discovery that myotonic dystrophy results from an unstable [CTG]n trinucleotide expansion has permitted the accurate diagnosis of both symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals, and has led to major advances in preventive treatment, including prenatal and genetic counseling. Diseases that resemble the inherited myotonic disorders are now easier to identify, and as a result of genetic testing a new clinical disorder that is similar to but distinct from myotonic dystrophy has emerged. This new disorder, proximal myotonic myopathy, does not appear to be linked to the genes for the sodium or chloride channels, and has cataracts, myotonia, weakness, and no abnormal expansion of the [CTG]n repeat in the g...
Affective valence and memory in depression: Dissociation of recall and fragment completion.

Depressed (n = 16) and nondepressed (n = 16) subjects' memory for affectively valenced words was assessed by an explicit test (free recall) and an implicit test (word fragment completion). Under free-recall instructions, depressed subjects recalled significantly more negatively valenced than positively valenced words, whereas the opposite pattern was observed in nondepressed control subjects. These results replicate those previously reported in the literature. The differential effect of word valence was absent, however, when memory was tested implicitly: Depressed and nondepressed subjects exhibited equivalent priming of positive and negative words. These data are discussed in terms of Williams, Watts, MacLeod, and Mathews's (1988) model of depression.
Analysis of melting by natural convection in an enclosure

This paper reports theoretical solutions for the quasi-steady and time-dependent regimes of melting in the presence of natural convection in an enclosed phase-change material heated from the side. The first part consists of developing two boundary layer solutions for the flows near the heated wall and the solid-liquid interface, and then matching these solutions with a unique solution for the core of the liquid region. The second part of the paper outlines an analysis for the earlier, time-dependent regime, when the liquid counterflow through the slender gap convects heat in the vertical direction. This two-part analysis shows that the liquid superheat (Stefan number, Ste) has a sizeable effect on the flow and temperature fields. As Ste increases, the average melting rate decreases and the overall heat transfer rate into the enclosure increases.
In-vivo multi-spectral confocal microscopy

A multi-spectral confocal microendoscope (MCME) for in-vivo imaging has been developed. The MCME employs a flexible fiber-optic catheter coupled to a slit-scan confocal microscope with an imaging spectrometer. The catheter consists of a fiber-optic imaging bundle linked to a miniature objective and focus assembly. The focus mechanism allows for imaging to a maximum tissue depth of 200 microns. The 3mm diameter catheter may be used on its own or routed though the instrument channel of a commercial endoscope. The confocal nature of the system provides optical sectioning with 3 micron lateral resolution and 30 micron axial resolution. The system incorporates two laser sources and is therefore capable of simultaneous acquisition of spectra from multiple dyes using dual excitation. The prism based multi-spectral detection assembly is typically configured to collect 30 spectral samples over the visible range. The spectral sampling rate varies from 4nm/pixel at 490nm to 8nm/pixel at 660nm and the minimum resolvable wavelength difference varies from 8nm to 16nm over the same spectral range. Each of these characteristics are primarily dictated by the dispersion characteristics of the prism. The MCME is designed to examine cellular structures during optical biopsy and to exploit the diagnostic information contained within the spectral domain. The primary applications for the system include diagnosis of disease in the gastro-intestinal tract and female reproductive system. In-vitro, and ex-vivo multi-spectral results are presented.
A simple method using photocurrent and power transmission for measuring the absorption coefficient in electroabsorption modulators

A simple method of measuring the absorption coefficient in an electroabsorption modulator is important to both material characterization and device optimization. A variation of the photocurrent-optical-transmission method proposed by T.H. Wood (1986) for the absolute measurement of the absorption coefficient in both waveguide and planar modulators, is presented and illustrated with experimental data. The method given in this work is more accurate, does not require a guess of the absorption coefficient, and is not sensitive to the assumed form of the internal quantum efficiency. A method is also given for the measurement of the optical filling factor in waveguides. >
Review article: how valuable are proton-pump inhibitors in establishing a diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease?

Summary Diagnostic studies for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (endoscopy, pH testing) have significant limitations. A short trial of acid suppression with a proton-pump inhibitor is often used in clinical practice as a diagnostic test for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. If there is a significant improvement in symptoms, the patient is considered to have gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. Several studies have evaluated the administration of proton-pump inhibitors as a diagnostic test for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease. A recent meta-analysis found that response to a proton-pump inhibitor had limited value as a diagnostic test. Likelihood ratios for a positive test ranged from 0.45 to 1.86. The positive predictive value of the test ranged from 0.17 to 0.90 and the negative predictive value from 0.17 to 1, depending on the gold standard against which comparisons were made. These results may be explained by the inadequacy of the gold standard against which the proton-pump inhibitor test is compared or by the inability of acid suppression to differentiate between gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease or dyspepsia. Although a trial of acid suppression may have pragmatic value in clinical practice, the proton-pump inhibitor test is not an accurate test for the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.
Relationship of backwash ileitis to ileal pouchitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis.

To assess whether the presence of backwash ileitis predisposed to the subsequent development of ileal pouchitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis, 131 patients who had the operation were studied. Fifteen patients had nonspecific inflammation in the terminal ileum noted at the time of the operation, while 20 patients subsequently developed pouchitis. No correlation between the two conditions was found. Pouchitis developed in two of 15 patients (13 percent) with backwash ileitis and in 18 of 116 patients (16 percent) without the ileitis (P>0.05). Among the 20 patients (16 percent) without the ileitis (P>0.05). Among the 20 patients with pouchitis only two (10 percent) had had previous backwash ileitis. It is concluded that the presence of backwash ileitis does not predispose to later development of pouchitis, and so does not contraindicate use of the inflammed terminal ileum for construction of the ileal pouch and anastomosis.
Seeking “super hyacinths”;

Abstract Three ecotypes, based on size, of water hyacinth, Eichhorina crassipes (Mart.) Solms, a serious, persistent aquatic weed, were used to evaluate its possible utilization as sewage treatment plant and as a fuel precursor. Rates of removal of nitrogen and phosphorus for normal water hyacinths have been reported in the past to be 3.4 and 0.43 kg/ha/day, respectively. Metal content of the plant is reported for iron, copper, cobalt, potassium, magnesium and calcium and the metal distribution between pseudolamina, petioles, and roots has been shown to be negatively correlated with ‐log Ksp for the metal carbonate for small and medium‐sized plants but not correlated for the super‐hyacinths. The concentration of iron appears to be correlated with plant ecotype which occur in the environment at different dissolved oxygen concentrations. The use of the super‐hyacinth, as opposed to the normal‐sized plant, is discussed as a future fuel source by means of anaerobic digestion.
Characterization of a new low molecular weight RNA in HeLa cell ribosomes.

Abstract When isolated at low temperatures the larger rRNA molecule from a number of different animal cells (HeLa cells, Chinese hamster fibroblast and chick embryo fibroblasts) is a complex between a large molecule (nominally 28 s) and a small molecule (nominally 7 s) about 130 nucleotides long. The newly recognized small molecule can be released by treatments designed to break hydrogen bonds (brief exposure to elevated temperature, 5 m -urea, and dimethylsulfoxide) without phosphodiester breakage. Evidence is presented that 7 s RNA derives from the same polynucleotide precursor as does its accompanying 28s molecule, in contrast to the previously described 5 s rRNA.
2014 Thomas Willis Award Lecture: sex, stroke, and innovation.

Innovation is a form of purposeful discovery behavior that exploits the unexpected, utilizes imagination, and provides one avenue of new solutions to complex human health needs. It is through this lens that two examples are described in which innovative approaches have been used to dissect the complexities of stroke pathophysiology. The first example focuses on one of the most fundamental genetic factors relevant to the brain and ischemic injury: biological sex. Much might be gained by understanding the details of sex-specific pathobiology, if the field is to develop therapies that work well in patients of both sexes. The second example surrounds brain-spleen cell cycling after stroke which is fundamental to our evolving understanding that stroke is a systemic disease, rather than solely a lesion of the brain. While much work remains, it is now apparent that brain-spleen cell cycling is temporally specific, varies in intensity, and involves cell players that are of much wider lineages than originally believed. In the future, it is likely that innovation will need to turn to “big data”, particularly if our field is to tackle the daunting questions that most greatly matter to unraveling brain injury. The huge availability and growth rate of biomedical data, handled in a shared but coherent environment, offers an opportunity to further vitalize stroke research.
Biogeochemical processes governing exposure and uptake of organic pollutant compounds in aquatic organisms.

This paper reviews current knowledge of biogeochemical cycles of pollutant organic chemicals in aquatic ecosystems with a focus on coastal ecosystems. There is a bias toward discussing chemical and geochemical aspects of biogeochemical cycles and an emphasis on hydrophobic organic compounds such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, polychlorinated biphenyls, and chlorinated organic compounds used as pesticides. The complexity of mixtures of pollutant organic compounds, their various modes of entering ecosystems, and their physical chemical forms are discussed. Important factors that influence bioavailability and disposition (e.g., organism-water partitioning, uptake via food, food web transfer) are reviewed. These factors include solubilities of chemicals; partitioning of chemicals between solid surfaces, colloids, and soluble phases; variables rates of sorption, desorption; and physiological status of organism. It appears that more emphasis on considering food as a source of uptake and bioaccumulation is important in benthic and epibenthic ecosystems when sediment-associated pollutants are a significant source of input to an aquatic ecosystem. Progress with mathematical models for exposure and uptake of contaminant chemicals is discussed briefly.
Schedule-induced polydipsia in the mouse

Abstract Four mice were given a food pellet every 150 sec for 3 hr. All animals developed polydipsia. When the scheduled feeding was discontinued, water intake decreased. Polydipsia redeveloped following the reintroduction of the schedule immediately or after nine days of ad lib feeding. High negative correlations existed between water intake and body weight in all animals.
Molecular Cytogenetic Evidence for a Common Breakpoint in the Largest Inverted Duplications of Chromosome 15

Chromosomes from 20 patients were used to delineate the breakpoints of inverted duplications of chromosome 15 (inv dup[15]) that include the Prader-Willi syndrome/Angelman syndrome (PWS/AS) chromosomal region (15q11-q13). YAC and cosmid clones from 15q11-q14 were used for FISH analysis, to detect the presence or absence of material on each inv dup(15). We describe two types of inv dup(15): those that break between D15S12 and D15S24, near the distal boundary of the PWS/AS chromosomal region, and those that share a breakpoint immediately proximal to D15S1010. Among the latter group, no breakpoint heterogeneity could be detected with the available probes, and one YAC (810f11) showed a reduced signal on each inv dup(15), compared with that on normal chromosomes 15. The lack of breakpoint heterogeneity may be the result of a U-type exchange involving particular sequences on either homologous chromosomes or sister chromatids. Parent-of-origin studies revealed that, in all the cases analyzed, the inv dup(15) was maternal in origin.
A hot wire device for cutting tissue culture flasks.

A small hot wire device for cutting plastic culture ware can be constructed of steel rod, brass screws, nichrome wire and acrylic plastic sheeting and tubing. The nichrome wire is heated using a variable power transformer. Four sequential cuts are made in the culture flask bottom and the bottom separated from the remainder of the flask. Cultures can be stained, air-dried and cover slips affixed with PVP or epoxy resin. This method of cutting culture ware avoids the formation of small bits of polystyrene generated by rotating discs or saws.
Blobs and color vision.

Two main topics will thread their way through this paper: The structure of the monkey striate cortex, including its inputs and outputs, and the physiological basis of color vision. When Margaret Livingstone and I began this work four years ago we did not set out to study color, but the structures in the cortex that we have been looking at turn out to be strongly involved in that sense. The work to be described here was done entirely in macaque and squirrel monkeys.
Static and Dynamic Visual Fields in Human Space Perception

Human space perception is discussed in the context of the environmental geometry around a moving eye. It is shown that the interpretive scaling of visual angle is a key factor in size, distance, and motion estimation. The analysis of the velocity-vector pattern indicates that, contrary to the motion-parallax cue to distance suggested by Helmholtz, the pattern would not reveal distance, particularly on a curved trajectory. It is pointed out that the angular acceleration of an environmental point, seen by a moving eye, increases as the square of velocity. The consequences of this interesting relationship for the perception of speed are indicated. The pattern of the angular-acceleration field does not appear to resemble any familiar pattern of visual experience. Evidence is therefore provided that acceleration is not directly sensed.
Irradiated Boll Weevils: Pheromone Production Determined by GLC Analysis

The production of pheromone by Anthonomus grandis Boheman when treated with 10,000 rad of $sup 60$Co gamma irradiation compared favorably with that of control weevils for 5 days; however, feeding (determined by frass collection) was reduced from day one. No direct correlation was found between production of pheromone and elimination of frass. (auth)
Folate deprivation increases tau phosphorylation by homocysteine-induced calcium influx and by inhibition of phosphatase activity: Alleviation by S-adenosyl methionine

Several recent studies have indicated that increased levels of homocysteine (HC), including that resulting from deficiency in folate, increases tau phosphorylation. Some studies indicate that this is accomplished via HC-dependent activation of NMDA channels and resultant activation of calcium-dependent kinase pathways, while others suggest that the increase in tau phosphorylation is derived via HC-dependent inhibition of methylation of phosphatases and resultant inhibition of phosphatase activity. We demonstrate herein in SH-SY-5Y human neuroblastoma that both of these phenomena contribute to the increase in phospho-tau immunoreactivity following folate deprivation, and that supplementation with S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) prevents both the increase in kinase activity and the decrease in phosphatase activity. These findings demonstrate that the divergent neuropathological consequences of folate deprivation includes multiple pathways that converge upon tau phosphorylation, and further support the notion that dietary supplementation with SAM may reduce or delay neurodegeneration.
Fluid balance and weaning outcomes

To examine the relationship of fluid balance and weaning outcomes. We prospectively collected demographic, physiological, daily fluid balance (measured inputs minus outputs), and weaning data from 87 mechanically ventilated patients. We examined 87 patients, a median age of 66 years, APACHE II of 22, and performed 205 breathing trials (BT); 38 patients (44%) were successfully extubated after their first BT with minimal or no pressure support. Positive fluid balance (inputs>outputs) in the 24, 48, and 72 h and cumulatively (from hospital admission) prior to weaning were significantly greater in weaning failures than successes. Both univariate and multivariate analyses, adjusted for duration of mechanical ventilation and presence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, showed negative cumulative fluid balance 24 h prior to BTs (OR=2.9) and cumulative fluid balance (OR=3.4) to be independently associated with first-day weaning success. Similar relationships were demonstrated when all weaning attempts were analyzed. Negative fluid balance was as predictive of weaning outcomes as f/Vt (likelihood of success was 1.7 for patients with negative fluid balance 24 h prior to weaning and 1.2 for those with f/Vt<100 min−1 l−1). Although administration of diuretics was associated with more negative fluid balance, it was not independently associated with weaning outcomes. These data suggest that fluid balance, a potentially modifiable factor, is associated with weaning outcomes. A randomized study is required to determine whether diuresis to treat positive fluid balance expedites liberation from mechanical ventilation.
Fatigue crack growth in fiber-reinforced metal-matrix composites

Abstract Fatigue crack growth in fiber-reinforced metal-matrix composites is modeled based on a crack tip shielding analysis. The fiber/matrix interface is assumed to be weak, allowing interfacial debonding and sliding to occur readily during matrix cracking. The presence of intact fibers in the wake of the matrix crack shields the crack tip from the applied stresses and reduces the stress intensity factors and the matrix crack growth rate. Two regimes of fatigue cracking have been simulated. The first is the case where the applied load is low, so that all the fibers between the original notch tip and the current crack tip remain intact. The crack growth rate decreases markedly with crack extension, and approaches a “steady-state”. The second regime occurs if the fibers fail when the stress on them reaches a unique fiber strength. The fiber breakage reduces the shielding contribution, resulting in a significant acceleration in the crack growth rate. It is suggested that a criterion based on the onset of fiber failure may be used for a conservative lifetime prediction. The results of the calculations have been summarized in calibrated functions which represent the crack tip stress intensity factor and the applied load for fiber failure.
Target Acquisition With UAVs: Vigilance Displays and Advanced Cuing Interfaces

Vigilance and threat detection are critical human factors considerations in the control of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Utilizing a vigilance task in which threat detections (critical signals) led observers to perform a subsequent manual target acquisition task, this study provides information that might have important implications for both of these considerations in the design of future UAV systems. A sensory display format resulted in more threat detections, fewer false alarms, and faster target acquisition times and imposed a lighter workload than did a cognitive display format. Additionally, advanced visual, spatial-audio, and haptic cuing interfaces enhanced acquisition performance over no cuing in the target acquisition phase of the task, and they did so to a similar degree. Thus, in terms of potential applications, this research suggests that a sensory format may be the best display format for threat detection by future UAV operators, that advanced cuing interfaces may prove useful in future UAV systems, and that these interfaces are functionally interchangeable.
The mitochondrial and ribosomal DNA components of oocytes of Urechis caupo.

Summary Oocytes of Urechis caupo contain 10 μμg DNA ( Schwartz, 1969 ). The oocytes' 4 chromosome sets account for 4 μμg DNA, and the remaining 6 μμg were shown to be mitochondrial DNA. All the DNA from isolated mitochondria of Urechis oocytes and 60% of the whole oocyte DNA reassociate rapidly after denaturation, share some sequence homologies with chick mitochondrial DNA, and contain circular molecules. The contour length of these circular molecules is 5.85 μ. Mitochondrial DNA of Urechis is closely similar in physical structure and size to mitochondrial DNA of Xenopus laevis and other vertebrates. The DNA coding for ribosomal RNA (ribosomal DNA) is amplified in Urechis oocytes. Ribosomal DNA of Urechis was measured by hybridization with Xenopus ribosomal RNA, which is homologous to about 60% of the ribosomal sequences in Urechis . The concentration of ribosomal DNA in the nuclear component of oocyte DNA is about 6 times higher than in sperm DNA. The oocyte therefore contains about 24 haploid equivalents of ribosomal DNA, which are localized presumably in its single large nucleolus.
Response of pilot U scintillator to heavy ions

Abstract The light output response of Pilot U scintillator for stopped charged particles has been measured for 4He, 6Li, 12C, 16O, 20Ne and 40Ar ions incident at various energies up to 20 MeV/nucleon. From these we derived a systematic description of the variation of the scintillation parameters with the charge and energy of the projectile. The suitability of such a detector for the focal plane of a heavy ion magnetic spectrometer is discussed.
Local therapy for cutaneous and systemic lupus erythematosus: practical and theoretical considerations.

Local therapeutic measures should be maximized in the management of lupus erythematosus (LE), particularly for patients with forms of LE-specific skin disease such as SCLE and CCLE. Local therapy consists of sun protection and locally-applied pharmacologic agents, eg topical/intralesional corticosteroids. Patients should be advised to avoid direct sun exposure, wear lightweight tightly woven clothing and broad-brimmed hats, and use broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreens. There are several modalities that enhance permeability of local therapeutics through the stratum corneum that could be applied to topical therapy of cutaneous LE, eg polar solvent, liposomal encapsulation, ethosomal system, iontophoresis, electroporation and sonophoresis. As novel and more effective modalities to deliver pharmacologic agents across the stratum corneum become available, therapeutics that have been experimental and untested thus far may become part of the local armamentarium in the near future. In addition, physical/con...
Factors affecting low temperature survival of mammalian oocytes

Abstract The ability to cryopreserve mammalian oocytes effectively would greatly increase their availability for a broad range of reproductive technologies. Oocytes have been frozen using both equilibrium and non-equilibrium approaches originally developed for mammalian cleavage-stage embryos, but rates of fertilization and development are typically much lower than with unfrozen oocytes. Production of live young from frozen oocytes of domestic animals has not been reported. Sensitivity of cytoskeletal elements, the meiotic spindle and other components of the cortical ooplasm to chilling and cryoprotective agents may contribute to the limited success in oocyte cryopreservation. Oocytes are also subject to physical events during freezing which influence cell survival. Estimates of biophysical parameters which influence the osmotic and cryobiological responses of oocytes are becoming available and may be useful for developing freezing protocols.
Sound transmission through water-air interfaces : new insights into an old problem

A water–air interface is usually an almost perfect reflector of acoustic waves. It was found recently that the interface becomes anomalously transparent and the power flux in the wave transmitted into air increases dramatically when a compact underwater sound source approaches the interface within a fraction of wavelength. The phenomenon is robust with respect to the roughness of the interface and to the variation of air and water parameters and may have significant geophysical and biological implications. This review article discusses the properties of the interface and the physical mechanisms leading to the anomalous transparency.
Contact and Anxiety as Predictors of Bias Toward the Homeless1

We examined contact and anxiety as predictors of attitudes toward the homeless and attributions for homelessness. Study 1 presents data on undergraduates' attitudes, Study 2 reports on student and nonstudent data from an Internet survey, and Study 3 examined attitudes of individuals who have been homeless at one time. Structural equation modeling and path analyses indicated that data fit our conceptual model well and that contact quality consistently predicted more positive attitudes and situational attributions for homelessness. However, contact quantity did not reliably predict attitudes or attributions, and the mediating role of anxiety was inconsistent across studies. We contrast results with findings regarding attitudes toward other types of out-groups and suggest reasons for why our findings differ.
The influence of cue redundancy upon the human inference process for tasks of varying degrees of predictability

Abstract Nine groups of ten subjects each performed in a 200 trial typical multiple-cue learning situation. The groups were defined in terms of three levels of cue redundancy between the two cues ( r ij = .00, .40, .80) and three levels of total system predictability ( R e = .50, .70, .90). While both absolute and relative achievement was found to be significantly and directly related to r ij and R e , the effects of r ij were much greater at high R e levels. This interaction was attributed primarily to subject's increasing inability to match the total ecology at low R e levels as cue redundancy increased. Subject consistency also varied directly with r ij and R e , while subject's ability to develop proportional strategies varied only as a function of r ij . The obtained importance of cue redundancy as a variable in multiple cue inference tasks thus strongly supports Brunswik's argument for “representativeness” in probabilistic inference research.
O(n)-Time and O(log n)-Space Image Component Labeling with Local Operations on SIMD Mesh Connected Computers

A new parallel algorithm for image component labeling with local operators on SIMD mesh connected computers is presented, providing a positive answer to the open question posed by several researchers whether there exists an O(n)-time and O(log n)-space local labeling algorithm on SIMD mesh connected computers. The algorithm uses a pipeline mechanism with stack-like data structures to achieve the lower bound of O(n) in time complexity and O(log n) in space complexity. Furthermore, the algorithm has very small multiplicative constants in its complexities.
EFFECTS OF BACKGROUND MUSIC ON ANXIETY, SATISFACTION WITH COMMUNICATION, AND PRODUCTIVITY

Previous research on music's influences has often been nonconclusive, partly because subjective measures have been used for testing opposite conditions such as sedative versus stimulative music or happy versus sad music. Here, background music's influence upon 104 conversants was explored by manipulating the presence of music, and when present, by the more objectively assessed structural elements of mode and speed. Conversations taking place in the presence of background music were rated as more satisfying. Major mode music elicited higher ratings of satisfaction with communication than minor mode. Modality and speed interacted, illustrating the importance of not confounding music's structural elements when testing opposite conditions in studies of the effects of music. While background music did not affect productivity relative to no music, those hearing background music achieved greater productivity when music was in the major mode.
Study protocol for a comparative effectiveness trial of two parent training programs in a fee-for-service mental health clinic: can we improve mental health services to low-income families?

Background Untreated behavioral and mental health problems beginning in early childhood are costly problems affecting the long-term health and wellbeing of children, their families, and society. Although parent training (PT) programs have been demonstrated to be a cost-effective intervention modality for treating childhood behavior problems, they have been less effective for children from low-income and underserved racial and ethnic populations. The purpose of this randomized trial is to compare the effectiveness, cost, and social validity of two manualized evidence-based PT programs that were developed and tested on different populations and employ different delivery models: (1) The Chicago Parent Program (CPP), a group-based program developed in collaboration with a community advisory board of African-American and Latino parents; and (2) Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), an individualized parent-child coaching model considered to be ‘the gold standard’ for parents of children with externalizing behavior problems.
Relationships Between Maternal Smoking, Placental Pathology, and Fetal Growth

Placental and feto-neonatal characteristics were compared between 199 smokers and 231 non-smokers. Controlling for such maternal confounders as maternal age, gestational age, race, socioeconomic status drug and/or ethanol abuse, and lack of prenatal care, maternal smoking was strongly related to decreased birth weight (mean difference 415 grams), length, head circumference, and elevated cord hematocrit, indicating early and late components of the growth-inhibiting effects of smoking. These relationships persisted when growth measures were adjusted for effects of placental weight, presence of placental infarction, or other specific placental lesions.
Phylogenomic Approach to the Evolutionary Dynamics of Gene Duplication in Birds

New genes are thought to arise primarily through a process of gene duplication. Genes that are homologous as a result of divergence across lineages via speciation are said to be orthologous , whereas genes that are homologous as a result of gene duplication are paralogous (Li, 2006). Paralogous genes that are functionally redundant and selectively nearly neutral can result in one copy being mutated into a functionless sequence called a pseudogene, or they can be deleted altogether. On the other hand, some duplicated genes can be beneficial from their time of origin because of dosage effects (Kondrashov et al., 2002) and may ultimately be important for speciation. In Passeriformes (perching birds) this may be the case for growth hormone (GH) paralogs, which have undergone differential selection since their divergence (Yuri et al., 2008). In a process called subfunctionalization , each paralog adopts partial function of their ancestral gene (Nowak et al., 1997; Lynch and Force, 2000). Changes in gene expression immediately following duplication as a result of
An efficient and fair probabilistic scheduling protocol for multiple-channel lightwave networks

The authors study an efficient and fair access scheme by which a number of parallel channels can be shared among a number of nodes. The network consists of N nodes and W parallel channels. All the channels are slotted and synchronized and the slot length equals the packet transmission time. Since high-speed interfaces are expensive and since optical signal strength reduces with the number of taps, only a small number of transmitters and receivers are used. Specifically, each node is equipped with a tunable transmitter which can be tuned to any of the W channels, a fixed receiver which can receive from a preassigned channel, and a tunable sensor. A probabilistic scheduling strategy is employed to allocate the total bandwidth of W parallel channels among all the nodes in an efficient and fair manner. Analytical models are developed to obtain the probabilistic scheduling parameters for various fairness criteria. >
Effectiveness of tuberculosis chemotherapy correlates with resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection in animal models

Objectives: It is widely believed that persistent Mycobacterium tuberculosis inhabits necrotic lung granulomas in humans and that the microenvironmental conditions encountered therein render the bacilli phenotypically tolerant to antibiotics, accounting for the long duration required for successful treatment of tuberculosis (TB). To validate this belief, we directly compared the activity of rifampicin/isoniazid/pyrazinamide (RHZ) against chronic TB infection in guinea pigs, which exhibit caseous granulomas histologically resembling human caseous foci, and in mice, which lack necrotic granulomas. Methods: Guinea pigs and mice were aerosol-infected with M. tuberculosis CDC1551 and twice weekly treatment with RHZ was started 4 weeks later. Culture-positive relapse was assessed in subgroups of guinea pigs after 3 months and 4 months of treatment. Results: All guinea pig lungs exhibited histological evidence of granulomas with central caseation, while mouse lungs exhibited cellular lesions at the initiation of antibiotic treatment. Guinea pig lungs became culturenegative after 2 months of RHZ given twice weekly at human-equivalent doses. Relapse rates in guinea pigs were 0% (0/10) both after 3 months and 4 months of treatment. In contrast, all mouse lungs remained culture-positive after 4 months of equivalent RHZ exposures. Conclusions: Caseous necrosis does not reduce the sterilizing activity of the standard antituberculosis regimen of RHZ. Our findings have important implications for the use of alternative animal models in testing novel TB drug regimens and for modelling M. tuberculosis persistence.
Scream of Death: Responses of Female Columbian Ground Squirrels to Anti-Infanticide Pup Distress Calls

ABSTRACT Parents sometimes discriminate offspring from non-offspring while responding to vocalizations, ensuring that parental care is directed towards their progeny exclusively. This discrimination may result from differences in acoustic characteristics across individuals. However, recognition capabilities specific to individuals may not occur when parents differentiate offspring via location because litters are segregated spatially. Offspring discrimination is important during “distress calls” emitted by young-of-the-year for imminent danger because mothers that respond to non-offspring reduce the time available for protecting their litter, and failure to respond may result in offspring mortality. Columbian ground squirrel (Spermophilus columbianus) pups sometimes emit a scream-like distress call near their mothers when attacked by marauding conspecifics. With field observations of infanticide and playback experiments that manipulated the identity and location of the caller, I examined whether a locatio...
Relation of systolic, diastolic, and pulse pressures and aortic distensibility with atrial fibrillation (from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis).

Previous research suggests that elevated pulse pressure (PP) is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF) independently of mean arterial pressure (MAP). PP may serve as an indirect measure of aortic stiffness (reduced distensibility), but whether directly measured aortic distensibility is related to risk for AF has not yet been studied. This analysis included 6,630 participants aged 45 to 84 years from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. At baseline, blood pressure and other relevant covariates were measured using standardized protocols. Magnetic resonance imaging–based aortic distensibility was measured in 3,441 participants. Incident AF was identified from hospitalization discharge codes and Medicare claims. Multivariate Cox models were used to estimate the association of blood pressure components and aortic distensibility with AF risk. During a mean follow-up of 7.8 years, 307 AF events (137 among those with aortic distensibility measurements) were identified. In multivariate-adjusted models simultaneously including MAP and PP, each 1-SD increase in PP was associated with a 29% increased risk of AF (95% confidence interval 5% to 59%, p = 0.02), with MAP not being associated with increased AF risk. Overall, aortic distensibility was not consistently associated with AF risk: after removing outliers, each 1-SD increase in aortic distensibility was associated with a 9% increased risk of AF (95% confidence interval −22% to 51%, p = 0.63). In conclusion, in this large community-based cohort, we found that PP, but not MAP or aortic distensibility, was a significant risk factor for AF, emphasizing the importance of PP when assessing the risk for developing AF. Our results cast doubt on the clinical utility of aortic distensibility as a predictor for the development of AF.
Detecting load unbalance and shaft misalignment using stator current in inverter-driven induction motors

This paper examines the effect of changing the input frequency of the induction motor with an adjustable speed drive on the detection of mechanical fault conditions, such as load unbalance and shaft misalignment. The mechanical force resulting from these fault conditions is highly dependent on the rotational speed of the motor. When the motor is run at low speeds, the mechanical fault produces less force, resulting in smaller frequency harmonics in the stator current. Nevertheless, results show that the fault signatures are evident in the stator current spectrum even when the drive input frequency is very low. In addition, the drive frequency harmonics do not affect the fault detection, since the frequency components of interest are much lower than the drive frequencies. It is shown that the tested fault conditions are detected in an induction motor running at a rotational speed of as low as 150 rpm. Mechanical fault conditions are detected using a simple, low-cost algorithm that utilizes a single phase of the stator current The employed algorithm could be easily incorporated into the drive at no additional cost.
The Intergenerational Propagation of Wealth Inequality

This paper highlights the crucial role of demographic assumptions in models of the intergenerational transmission of wealth inequality. Specifically, we show that Alan Blinder's surprising predictions that bequest and mating practices can sustain but cannot cause wealth inequality are extremely fragile. We show that these predictions depend on a common and apparently minor demographic assumption: fixed sex ratios in family composition. We implement the Blinder model as an agent-based simulation and show that without this demographic assumption such familial institutions are causative for wealth inequality, even in the long run.
Backpacking: Deployment of Heterogeneous Radios in High Data Rate Sensor Networks

The early success of wireless sensor networks has led to a new generation of increasingly sophisticated sensor network applications, such as HP's CeNSE. These applications demand high network throughput that easily exceeds the capability of low-power 802.15.4 radios that are most commonly used in today's sensor nodes. To address this issue, this paper investigates an energy-efficient approach to supplementing an 802.15.4 based sensor network with high bandwidth, high power, longer range radios such as 802.11. Exploiting a key observation that the high bandwidth radio achieves low energy consumption per transmitted bit of data due to its inherent transmission efficiency, we propose a hybrid network architecture that utilizes an optimal density of dual-radio (802.15.4 and 802.11) nodes to augment a sensor network having only 802.15.4 radios. We present a cross-layer mathematical model to calculate this optimal density, which strikes a balance between the low energy per bit of the high-bandwidth radio and the low sleep power of 802.15.4 radio. Experimental results obtained using a wireless testbed reveal that our architecture improves the average energy per bit, the time elapsed before half of the nodes drain their battery, and the end-to-end delay by 62%, 106%, and 73% respectively, compared to a network that uses only 802.15.4 radios.
Generating realistic impressions for file-system benchmarking

The performance of file systems and related software depends on characteristics of the underlying file-system image (i.e., file-system metadata and file contents). Unfortunately, rather than benchmarking with realistic file-system images, most system designers and evaluators rely on ad hoc assumptions and (often inaccurate) rules of thumb. Furthermore, the lack of standardization and reproducibility makes file-system benchmarking ineffective. To remedy these problems, we develop Impressions, a framework to generate statistically accurate file-system images with realistic metadata and content. Impressions is flexible, supporting user-specified constraints on various file-system parameters using a number of statistical techniques to generate consistent images. In this article, we present the design, implementation, and evaluation of Impressions and demonstrate its utility using desktop search as a case study. We believe Impressions will prove to be useful to system developers and users alike.
PLATCOM: a platform for computational comparative genomics on the Web

The exponential accumulation of genomic sequence data demands systematic analysis of genetic information and requires use of various computational approaches to handle such huge sets of genomic data. Comparative genomics, with such organized data and diverse computational techniques, has become useful not only for finding common features in different genomes, but also for understanding evolutionary process and mechanism among multiple genomes. We have developed high performance data mining tools of our own. With the databases and sequence analysis tools genomes can be compared. There are currently six modules: genome plot, conserved gene neighbourhood navigation, metabolic pathways, comparative sequence clustering analysis, putative gene fusion events detection, and multiple genome alignment. A set of genomes selected by users is submitted with parameter settings via Web interface.
Uptake of dissolved organic matter by ephyrae of two species of scyphomedusae

Ephyrae of Aurelia labiata given dissolved organic matter (DOM) in seawater had higher carbon content than starved ephyrae. DOM-fed ephyrae of Chrysaora colorata did not have significantly higher carbon content than starved ephyrae, although the mean trend was higher. DOM-fed ephyrae of A. labiata developed aberrant morphologies similar to starved ephyrae, and neither starved nor DOM-fed ephyrae of either species developed into medusae. In addition to higher carbon content, there was evidence for DOM utilization by A. labiata shown through uptake of and increased ammonium production after exposure to a fluorescently labeled lysine polymer.