cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dispatching and loitering policies for unmanned aerial vehicles under dynamically arriving multiple priority targets

AbstractThe dynamic nature and growing size of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems demands quick methods for effective task allocation, routing and positioning of UAVs in reaction to and in anticipation of arriving targets. The importance of targets, along with the timeliness of completing their tasks determines how effective a system is performing. Through simulation, this paper examines a system with multiple UAVs assigned to respond to fixed-location, multiple-priority targets. Dispatching rules and loitering strategies are implemented to insure rapid service for high-priority targets and effective management of medium-priority levels. The design of a study is discussed, for multiple dispatching rules and loitering strategy combinations under varying conditions of: region size, on-scene service rate, arrival rate, and target priority. The decision policy with the think-ahead and distance-based dispatching rules created the greatest benefit, when implemented with the loitering policy based on arrival ...
Tandem Friedel-Crafts annulation to novel perylene analogues

Novel dialkyloxy- and dihydroxyoctahydroperylenes are regioselectively available via a new tandem Friedel-Crafts alkylation of tetrahydronaphthalene precursors followed by oxidative aromatization. Heating of 5-alkyloxy-1-tetralol with p-toluenesulfonic acid in sulfolane gave the corresponding octahydroperylenes in moderate yields. Studies with Lewis acids and tetralin-1,5-diol in acetonitrile at room temperature provided the 4,10-dihydroxy analogue cleanly, albeit in reduced yields. Examples of these new series of perylene analogues were partially oxidized to the corresponding contiguously aromatic, anthracene core products or fully aromatized to 3,9-dialkyloxyperylenes in good yields.
Chiral metallacyclophanes: self-assembly, characterization, and application in asymmetric catalysis.

A family of chiral metallacyclophanes has been readily assembled based on robust Pt-acetylide linkage and characterized by a variety of spectroscopic techniques and X-ray crystallography. The steric congestion around the chiral dihydroxy groups in rigid metallacyclophane 4 prevents their reactions with Ti(OiPr)4 to form active catalysts for enantioselective diethylzinc additions to aromatic aldehydes. In contrast, chiral dihydroxy groups in more flexible unclosed metallacyclophane 5 are effective ligands for enantioselective catalytic diethylzinc additions to aromatic aldehydes.
Language About People with Disabilities

A decade of rehabilitation literature (a) calls attention to imprecise, stereotypical, and devaluing language that is often used to discuss people with disabilities and (b) offers more appropriate alternatives. Because professional counselors sometimes commit these language abuses, and counselors of all specialities can expect to see some clients who have disabilities, this article seeks to bring these issues to the attention of the counseling profession at large.
Coprinus cinereus rad50 Mutants Reveal an Essential Structural Role for Rad50 in Axial Element and Synaptonemal Complex Formation, Homolog Pairing and Meiotic Recombination

The Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) complex is required for eukaryotic DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair and meiotic recombination. We cloned the Coprinus cinereus rad50 gene and showed that it corresponds to the complementation group previously named rad12, identified mutations in 15 rad50 alleles, and mapped two of the mutations onto molecular models of Rad50 structure. We found that C. cinereus rad50 and mre11 mutants arrest in meiosis and that this arrest is Spo11 dependent. In addition, some rad50 alleles form inducible, Spo11-dependent Rad51 foci and therefore must be forming meiotic DSBs. Thus, we think it likely that arrest in both mre11-1 and the collection of rad50 mutants is the result of unrepaired or improperly processed DSBs in the genome and that Rad50 and Mre11 are dispensable in C. cinereus for DSB formation, but required for appropriate DSB processing. We found that the ability of rad50 mutant strains to form Rad51 foci correlates with their ability to promote synaptonemal complex formation and with levels of stable meiotic pairing and that partial pairing, recombination initiation, and synapsis occur in the absence of wild-type Rad50 catalytic domains. Examination of single- and double-mutant strains showed that a spo11 mutation that prevents DSB formation enhances axial element (AE) formation for rad50-4, an allele predicted to encode a protein with intact hook region and hook-proximal coiled coils, but not for rad50-1, an allele predicted to encode a severely truncated protein, or for rad50-5, which encodes a protein whose hook-proximal coiled-coil region is disrupted. Therefore, Rad50 has an essential structural role in the formation of AEs, separate from the DSB-processing activity of the MRN complex.
Familial Factors in Delinquency: A Developmental Perspective:

This paper presents a developmental perspective on the role of the family-and, in particular, the role of parental neglect-in the onset of juvenile delinquency. It is argued that the family's role ...
Histopathology of Oral Endosteal Metallic Implants in Dogs

Four weeks after implantation of oral endosteal metallic implants, acute inflammatory responses of the gingiva were observed. By eight weeks, the inflammation was transitional to chronic. Bony degeneration was noted eight months after implantation. No epithelial or fibrous connective tissue adherence or attachment to the blades was evident.
Long-Term Methamphetamine Administration in the Vervet Monkey Models Aspects of a Human Exposure: Brain Neurotoxicity and Behavioral Profiles

Methamphetamine (METH)-associated alterations in the human striatal dopamine (DA) system have been identified with positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and post-mortem studies but have not been well correlated with behavioral changes or cumulative METH intake. Animal studies that model some aspects of human long-term METH abuse can establish dose-dependency profiles of both behavioral changes and potential brain neurotoxicities for identifying consequences of particular cumulative exposures. Based on parameters from human and our monkey pharmacokinetic studies, we modeled a prevalent human METH exposure of daily multiple doses in socially housed vervet monkeys. METH doses were escalated over 33 weeks, with final dosages resulting in estimated peak plasma METH concentrations of 1-3 microM, a range measured in human abusers. With larger METH doses, progressive increases in abnormal behavior and decreases in social behavior were observed on 'injection' days. Anxiety increased on 'no injection' days while aggression decreased throughout the study. Thereafter, during 3 weeks abstinence, differences in baseline vs post-METH behaviors were not observed. Post-mortem analysis of METH brains showed 20% lower striatal DA content while autoradiography studies of precommissural striatum showed 35% lower [3H]WIN35428 binding to the DA transporter. No statistically significant changes were detected for [3H]dihydrotetrabenazine binding to the vesicular monoamine transporter (METH-lower by 10%) or for [3H]SCH 23390 and [3H]raclopride binding to DA D1 and D2 receptors, respectively. Collectively, this long-term, escalating dose METH exposure modeling a human abuse pattern, not associated with high-dose binges, resulted in dose-dependent behavioral effects and caused persistent changes in presynaptic striatal DA system integrity.
Influence-based community partition for social networks

Community partition is of great importance in sociology, biology and computer science. Due to the exponentially increasing amount of social network applications, a fast and accurate method is necessary for community partition in social networks. In view of this, we investigate the social community partition problem from the perspective of influence propagation, which is one of the most important features of social communication. We formulate social community partition as a combinatorial optimization problem that aims at partitioning a social network into K disjoint communities such that the sum of influence propagation within each community is maximized. When K=2 we develop an optimal algorithm that has a provable performance guarantee for a class of influence propagation models. For general K, we prove that it is -hard to find a maximum partition for social networks in the well-known linear threshold and independent cascade models. To get near-optimal solutions, we develop a greedy algorithm based on the optimal algorithm. We also develop a heuristic algorithm with a low computational complexity for large social networks. To evaluate the practical efficiency of our algorithms, we do a simulation study based on real world scenarios. The experiments are conducted on three real-world social networks, and the experimental results show that more accurate partitions according to influence propagation can be obtained using our algorithms rather than using some classic community partition algorithms. In this study, we investigate the community partition problem in social networks. It is formulated as an optimization problem and investigated both theoretically and practically. The results can be applied to find communities in social networks and are also useful for the influence propagation problem in social networks.
The use of pulse processing techniques to improve the performance of Cd/sub 1-x/Zn/sub x/Te gamma-ray spectrometers

Cd/sub 1-x/Zn/sub x/Te (CZT) has recently shown great promise for use as a room temperature gamma-ray detector material. The availability of large volume (>1 cm/sup 3/) high resistivity CZT crystals has allowed the demonstration of detectors much larger than can be built with the similar material CdTe. However, CZT-like many other room-temperature materials-suffers from the poor transport properties of holes. The poor hole drift properties of CZT cause the characteristic "hole tailing" in gamma-ray pulse height spectra. We have applied pulse processing methods to reduce the hole tailing effects and improve the energy resolution of CZT detectors. We have used two signal processing methods to reduce hole tailing in CZT detectors: digital rise-time compensation and dual time-constant sampling. We discuss the implementation of these techniques, demonstrate results obtained in the laboratory, and compare the performance obtained with other detector systems.
A physics-driven neural networks-based simulation system (phynness) for multimodal interactive virtual environments involving nonlinear deformable objects

While an update rate of 30 Hz is considered adequate for real-time graphics, a much higher update rate of about 1 kHz is necessary for haptics. Physics-based modeling of deformable objects, especially when large nonlinear deformations and complex nonlinear material properties are involved, at these very high rates is one of the most challenging tasks in the development of real-time simulation systems. While some specialized solutions exist, there is no general solution for arbitrary nonlinearities. In this work we present PhyNNeSS-a Physics-driven Neural Networks-based Simulation System-to address this long-standing technical challenge. The first step is an offline precomputation step in which a database is generated by applying carefully prescribed displacements to each node of the finite element models of the deformable objects. In the next step, the data is condensed into a set of coefficients describing neurons of a Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN). During real-time computation, these neural networks are used to reconstruct the deformation fields as well as the interaction forces. We present realistic simulation examples from interactive surgical simulation with real-time force feedback. As an example, we have developed a deformable human stomach model and a Penrose drain model used in the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery (FLS) training tool box. A unique computational modeling system has been developed that is capable of simulating the response of nonlinear deformable objects in real time. The method distinguishes itself from previous efforts in that a systematic physics-based precomputational step allows training of neural networks which may be used in real-time simulations. We show, through careful error analysis, that the scheme is scalable, with the accuracy being controlled by the number of neurons used in the simulation. PhyNNeSS has been integrated into SoFMIS (Software Framework for Multimodal Interactive Simulation) for general use.
Mg II h and k emission from luminous M stars

Mg II h and k emission lines of the M2 giant beta Peg and the M5 supergiant alpha Her were detected in Copernicus observations. In the alpha Her profiles, similar to alpha Ori and alpha Sco profiles, the k line is asymmetric and the h line is symmetric. The possibility that the k line asymmetry is produced by overlying absorption is discussed. In beta Peg, both h and k lines are asymmetric, and line formation in an expanding chromosphere is indicated. The observations are in accord with one formulation of the Wilson-Bappu relation but deviate from another form of the Wilson-Bappu relation.
Interactions of vortex-induced vibrations of a circular cylinder and a steady approach flow at a Reynolds number of 13,000

The interactions of vortex-induced vibrations of a circular cylinder and a steady approach flow at a Reynolds number of 13,000 have been studied by numerical solutions of the stream-function/vorticity formulation of the two-dimensional incompressible Navier-Stokes equations with a large eddy simulation for the turbulence in the wake. The calculated results are in good agreement with available experimental data. It is shown that lock-on occurs between 0.82fso and 1.31fso, where fso is the vortex shedding frequency of a fixed circular cylinder, and can induce cylinder vibrations with a maximum amplitude of 0.31 × diameter of the cylinder. Material damping not only reduces the amplitude of vibration and the amplification factors on drag and lift coefficients, but also shifts the natural frequencies at which the maximum amplitude and maximum amplification occur to larger values.
Resident case coverage in the era of the 80-hour workweek.

Objectives The purpose of our study was to evaluate resident case coverage before and after the implementation of duty-hour restrictions and discuss its potential impact on surgical attendings. Design We reviewed cases before (6/2002 to 6/2003) and after (6/2008 to 6/2009) the implementation of duty-hour restrictions, retrospectively. Setting Academic-affiliated community surgical residency program. Participants Full-time academic faculty and surgical residents. Results Of 5253 cases performed in the year before the 80-hour workweek, 4466 (85%) were covered by residents and 787 (15%) were uncovered. Of the 6123 cases performed after the 80-hour workweek restrictions, 3694 (60%) were covered by residents and 2429 (40%) were uncovered. Despite an increase in operations and faculty, significantly fewer cases were covered by residents when comparing the time-restricted and non–time-restricted periods (85% vs 60%, p Conclusions The number of surgical cases without resident participation has increased significantly in the 80-hour workweek. Departments should reevaluate faculty expectations relative to time management, compensation, and nonclinical responsibilities.
Surface-structure analysis of Au overlayers on Si by impact-collision ion-scattering spectroscopy: sqrt 3 x sqrt 3 and 6 x 6 Si(111)/Au.

Amounts of Au equivalent to about 0.8 monolayer and 1.1 monolayers have been deposited onto Si(111) surfaces, and after annealing to 700 \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C the atomic structures of the adatom-induced reconstructions (\ensuremath{\surd}3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\ensuremath{\surd}3 and 6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}6, respectively) have been studied using primarily impact-collision ion-scattering spectroscopy (ICISS). The ion-scattering results were quantitatively analyzed by comparing them to the results of computer simulations for various structural models. The scattered-ion angular distributions clearly show that the Au atoms are not embedded in the Si surface, and the underlying Si atoms are not displaced markedly from their bulk positions. Two types of Au adatoms are found on both surfaces: those that are located 2.0\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.2 A\r{} above the outermost Si plane at threefold hollow sites and are arranged in a honeycomb network, and those that reside in the centers of the honeycomb hexagons 0.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 \AA{} below the honeycomb plane. A model is proposed that is consistent with both the ICISS and low-energy electron-diffraction results: The \ensuremath{\surd}3i\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\ensuremath{\surd}3 surface is essentially an incomplete 6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}6 structure with little ordering of the empty honeycomb and centered-hexagon units, whereas the 6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}6 surface is predominantly covered by centered hexagons with the empty honeycomb units ordered in a regular array.
Observations of a fluidized bed using capacitance imaging

Abstract The Morgantown Energy Technology Center has developed a unique method for imaging voidage distributions within fluidized beds. This system allow high-speed three-dimensional imaging of the voidage distribution in a bed to be recorded. From these imaging data a variety of visualizations can be constructed and quantitative information extracted. Five materials with differing particles shapes and sizes were fluidized and imaged in a 15.24 cm diameter bed over a range of superficial velocities. The imaging revealed a variety of bubble sizes and shapes depending on the material and velocity. Bubble properties including a frontal diameter, length, velocity and spacing were determined. A correlation of bubble rise velocity developed from an earlier study was modified to include the bubble length as the primary dimension defining the bubble. The imaging also revealed detailed voidage distributions around bubbles and slugs. These images show round-nose bubbles and slugs for the fine materials examined. With the coarser materials, a very blunt slug was common. The technique has the potential to substantially improve design and scale-up of fluidized beds and other gas-solid systems by providing a detailed understanding of voidage distributions in these systems.
Binding of the estradiol-receptor complex to reconstituted nucleoacidic protein from calf uterus.

Non-histone protein-DNA complexes with acceptor activity for estradiol-receptor complexes were reconstituted from fractionated calf uterine chromatin. Acceptor activity had tissue specificity with target tissue binding exceeding non-target tissue binding. The binding of estradiol-receptor complexes to acceptor sites was dependent on intact non-histone protein-DNA complexes, reconstituted select non-histone proteins, and protein equivalent: DNA reconstitution ratios. [3H]Estradiol-receptor complexes were bound to reconstituted non-histone protein-DNA complexes (i.e., nucleoacidic protein) with a high affinity and with a limited number of binding sites. Fractionation of uterine chromatin non-histone proteins identified two major sets of non-histone proteins which had acceptor activity when reconstituted with DNA. Thus, it seems possible to reconstitute nucleoacidic protein fractions with specific acceptor activity for the calf uterine estrogen receptor.
Cadmium-113 NMR spin-lattice relaxation and exchange kinetics in concanavalin A: A double saturation transfer experiment

Abstract The field dependence of the 113Cd relaxation rate in cadmium-substituted Concanavalin A was investigated at three magnetic field strengths, 2.3, 4.7, and 9.4 T. Because of the anomalously large relaxation rate observed for the resonance corresponding to free cadmium in the system and our prior knowledge that cadmium is undergoing chemical exchange in this system, a detailed analysis was undertaken of the relaxation data obtained at 9.4 T to investigate the relative importance of chemical exchange dynamics upon the observed relaxation time constants. The differential equations for the resulting restricted three-site exchange network can be solved in closed form by employing a double saturation transfer experiment in conjunction with a saturation-recovery T1 experiment. The analysis of these data demonstrate that chemical exchange processes contribute 14, 75, and 20% to the observed relaxation time constants for the 113Cd resonances for the S1 site, free cadmium and the S2 site respectively. If the possibility of exchange contributions to the NOE were ignored, then the observed field dependence of T1 could not be discussed in terms of conventional single correlation time theories of relaxation. In this case the data could be discussed in terms of correlation times involving overall motion of the protein coupled with correlation times describing “internal motions.” These internal motions may be the result of the formation of “abortive” complexes with exogenous ligands for those metalloproteins where the metal can be readily removed from the protein. However, for Con A, it is shown that the weak field dependence observed for the heteronuclear NOE is not due to internal motions, but rather to exchange processes.
Water addition to practical combustion systems—Concepts and applications

The use of water as an ancillary combustion control technique has recently received renewed interest. This paper historically reviews the applications of water addition to practical combustion systems and discusses in detail the fundamental aspects of combustion which are affected. Combustion properties of water-in-fuel emulsions are elaborated upon, and several potentially favorable applications which require additional research are identified.
Copper inclusion and migration from the back contact in CdTe solar cells

Abstract Metallic back contacts to CdS/CdTe solar cells will in general form Schottky barriers. Better performance is achieved with the inclusion of Cu in the back contact. This study uses current–voltage, capacitance–voltage, and laser beam induced current measurements to analyze as-deposited CdS/CdTe solar cells prepared with varying back-contact Cu amounts and to evaluate changes in cell performance following elevated-temperature stress. A simple model is proposed to explain both the observed differences in device behavior as copper is added or removed from the contact region, and how copper movement depends on electrical bias.
Photodissociation of Mg+–(CH3OH)N complexes: evidence for the onset of solvation

Mg+–(CH3OH)N complexes are produced in a molecular beam with a pulsed nozzle laser vaporization source and studied with mass-selected photodissociation spectroscopy. Resonance-enhanced photodissociation for Mg+–CH3OH produces a structured spectrum near 350 nm. Broad bands are assigned to vibronic structure in the 2A″ and 2A′ excited states near the region predicted by theory. Larger clusters for 1<N<6 exhibit efficient dissociation at 350 nm, proceeding via the elimination of solvent and the excited state photoinduced reaction to MgOH+–(CH3OH)M<N products. Clusters beyond N=5 have no efficient photodissociation, indicating the loss of the Mg+ chromophore. Clusters in this size range bind water effectively while smaller ones do not, indicating stronger electrostatic interactions in the cluster. These observations imply that intracluster solvation to species of the form Mg2+,OH−(CH3OH)NCH3 or Mg2+,OCH3−(CH3OH)NH has taken place.
Laser Plasma Interactions in Hohlraums

Lasers plasma instabilities are an important constraint in x-ray driven inertial confinement fusion. In hohlraums irradiated with 1.06 {mu}m light on the Shiva laser, plasma instabilities were extremely deleterious, driving the program to the use of shorter wavelength light. Excellent coupling has been achieved in hohlraums driven with 0.35 {mu}m light on the Nova laser. Considerable attention is being given to the scaling of this excellent coupling to the larger hohlraums for an ignition target. Various instability control mechanisms such as large plasma wave damping and laser beam incoherence are discussed, as well as scaling experiments to check the instability levels.
Permeance of Cs+ and Rb+ through the inwardly rectifying K+ channel in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.

Inward currents carried by external Cs, Rb, NH4 and K through theIK1 channel were studied using a whole-cell voltage clamp technique. Cs, NH4, and Rb currents could be recorded negative to −40 mV following depolarizing prepulses (≥0 mV and 200–1000 msec in duration). The current activation displayed an instantaneous component followed by a monoexponential increase (τα) to a peak amplitude. Subsequent inactivation was fit by a single exponential, τiα. With hyperpolarization, τα and τiα decreasede-fold per 36 and 25 mV, respectively. In Ca-free external solutions (pipette [Mg]≈0.3mm), inactivation was absent, consistent with the hypothesis that inactivation represents time- and voltage-dependent block of Cs, NH4, and Rb currents by external Ca. The inactivation and degree of steady-state block was greatest when Cs was the charge carrier, followed by NH4, and then Rb. K currents, however, did not inactivate in the presence of Ca. Na and Li did not carry any significant current within the resolution of our recordings. Comparison ofpeak inward current ratios (Ix/IK) as an index of permeability revealed a higher permeance of Cs (0.15), NH4 (0.30), and Rb (0.51) relative to K (1.0) than that obtained by comparing thesteady-state current ratios (Cs∶NH4∶Rb∶K≈0.01∶0.06∶0.21∶1.0). At any given potential, τα was smaller the more permeant the cation. In the absence of depolarizing prepulses, the amplitude of τα was reduced. Divalent-free solutions did not significantly affect activatio in the presence of 0.3mm pipette [Mg]. When pipette [Mg] was buffered to ≈50 μm, however, removal of external Ca and Mg lead to a four- to fivefold increase in Cs currents and loss of both time-dependent activation and inactivation (reversible upon repletion of external Ca).
Physical work causes suppression of ovarian function in women

The suppression of reproductive function is known to occur in women engaging in activities that require high energetic expenses, such as sport participation and subsistence work. It is still unclear, however, if reproductive suppression is a response to high levels of energy expenditure, or only to the resulting state of negative energy balance. To our knowledge, this study provides the first evidence that work–related energy expenditure alone, without associated negative energy balance, can lead to the suppression of reproductive function in women. We document suppression of ovarian function expressed as lowered salivary progesterone levels in women from an agricultural community who work hard, but remain in neutral energy balance. We propose two alternative evolutionary explanations (the ‘pre–emptive ovarian suppression’ hypothesis and the ‘constrained down–regulation’ hypothesis) for the observed results.
Long-term effects of birth weight and breastfeeding duration on inflammation in early adulthood

Chronicinflammationisapotentiallyimportantphysiologicalmechanismlinking early life environmentsandhealthinadulthood. Elevatedconcentrations of C-reactiveprotein(CRP)—akeybiomarkerofinflammation—predictincreased cardiovascularand metabolicdisease risk inadulthood,but the developmental factors that shape the regulation of inflammation are not known. We investigated birth weight and breastfeeding duration in infancy as predictors of CRP in young adulthood in a large representative cohort study (n ¼ 6951). Birth weight was significantly associated with CRP in young adulthood, with a negative association for birth weights 2.8 kg and higher. Compared with individuals not breastfed, CRP concentrations were 20.1%, 26.7%, 29.6% and 29.8% lower among individuals breastfed for less than three months, three to six months, 6–12 months and greater than 12 months, respectively. In sibling comparison models, higher birth weight was associated with lower CRP for birth weights above 2.5 kg, and breastfeeding greater than or equal
Gender and Reinforcing Associations between Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Body Mass over the Life Course

Using the 1957–1993 data from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study, we explore reciprocal associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and body mass in the 1939 birth cohort of non-Hispanic white me...
Neighborhood Walking Among Overweight and Obese Adults: Age Variations in Barriers and Motivators

Walking is a popular form of physical activity that can bring many public health benefits. It can be even more beneficial to those who are currently obese or overweight. However, many barriers discourage people from walking, ranging from lack of motivation to unsafe neighborhood environments, and such barriers vary with age. This study addresses barriers and motivators to walking among overweight and obese adults, and examines their age variations. Particular emphasis was given to modifiable environmental factors as the priority intervention targets. A survey of 161 overweight and obese adults recruited from a large integrated healthcare system in central Texas provided data on walking, demographics, motivators and barriers. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were conducted. The respondents had a mean age of 48.4 (20–86), and were predominantly female (80.8 %), non-Hispanic White (86.0 %), and obese (mean BMI = 32.5). Popular environmental barriers to walking were: bad weather, inadequate lighting, no shade, unattended dogs, disconnected sidewalks, poor walking surfaces, no interesting places to walk nearby, and no benches (74.5–38.5 %). Even and smooth walking surfaces and benches were more frequently reported by older adults as motivators. Proximity to recreational facilities was a stronger motivator for younger adults. Two safety related barriers, fear of injury (older adults) and traffic safety concerns (younger adults), also showed significant age differences. Overweight and obese adults experience substantial environmental barriers to walking, but many of them are modifiable. Observed age variations suggest that future interventions may be more effective if tailored to address age-specific barriers.
Numerical modeling of magnetic moments for UXO applications

The surface magnetic anomaly observed in UXO clearance is mainly dipolar and, consequently, the dipole is the only magnetic moment regularly recovered in UXO applications. The dipole moment contains information about intensity of magnetization but lacks information about shape. In contrast, higher-order moments, such as quadrupole and octupole, encode asymmetry properties of the magnetization distribution within the buried targets. In order to improve our understanding of magnetization distribution within UXO and non-UXO objects and its potential utility in UXO clearance, we present a 3D numerical modeling study for highly susceptible metallic objects. The basis for the modeling is the solution of a nonlinear integral equation describing magnetization within isolated objects. A solution for magnetization distribution then allows us to compute magnetic moments of the object, analyze their relationships, and provide a depiction of the surface anomaly produced by different moments within the object. Our modeling results show significant high-order moments for more asymmetric objects situated at depths typical of UXO burial, and suggest that the increased relative contribution to magnetic gradient data from these higher-order moments may provide a practical tool for improved UXO discrimination.
Magnetic field measurements near RF induction heaters.

We discuss initial magnetic field strength measurements made around radiofrequency (RF) induction heaters. These measurements were made with a monitor developed for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) by the National Bureau of Standards (NBS). The monitor has a dynamic range of .01 to 10,000 A2/m2, a frequency range of 300 kHz to 100 MHz, an isotropic response (+/- .3 dB) with three mutally orthogonal loop antennas that have the ability to measure and display each of three orthogonal magnetic field components, a high probe burnout protection level of 20,000 A2/m2, and an accuracy of +/- 1.0 dB at 13 calibration frequencies. The portable survey monitor was used to measure the magnetic field strengths in the vicinity of 16 RF induction heaters. Typically these induction heaters are operated continuously for several hours. The maximum field strengths (without duty factor correction) ranged from 15 to 4,500 A2/m2 and were measured 5 to 51 cm from the loop applicators of the induction heaters. At locations commonly occupied by workers (ie, approximately 30 to 76 cm from heaters), the fields ranged from .01 to 300 A2/m2 (without duty factor correction).
The convergence of parallel multiblock multigrid methods

Abstract In this paper possibilities to obtain a satisfactory multigrid convergence when a domain is partitioned into blocks are discussed. First, standard parallel multigrid with alternating line Gauss-Seidel as smoother is investigated for the Euler equations in a partitioned domain. When the domain is partitioned into blocks the smoother updates lines per block. A possibility to regain the single block multigrid convergence for many block splittings for this problem is given. For singular perturbed problems with strongly coupled unknowns in one direction only this method will not be satisfactory. Therefore, the research for nonstandard multigrid methods that are based on point smoothers and are robust is sketched. Another flexible nonstandard multigrid method, called MG-S, is introduced. Because the method is equivalent with standard multigrid with a lower dimensional multigrid smoother the behaviour of the method is quite clear. Finally, the nonstandard multigrid method is tested for two-dimensional model equations, the rotated anisotropic diffusion equation and the convection diffusion equation.
Induction of labor with oxytocin increases cesarean section rate as compared with oxytocin for augmentation of spontaneous labor in nulliparous parturients controlled for lumbar epidural analgesia.

Abstract Study Objectives: To study labor outcomes in parturients receiving oxytocin for augmentation or induction of labor, in the presence of labor epidural analgesia. Design: Retrospective study of data from a continuous quality improvement database. Setting: Tertiary-care hospital with more than 8000 deliveries per annum. Measurements and Main Results: Of the 1671 healthy nulliparous women with singleton pregnancies and who requested labor epidural analgesia at our institution, 675 patients received oxytocin during elective induction of labor, whereas 996 patients received oxytocin for augmentation of spontaneous labor. Measured variables were cervical dilatation at time of epidural analgesia request, epidural insertion to 10-cm time, duration of stage 2 of labor, normal spontaneous vaginal delivery rate, cesarean section rate, operative vaginal delivery rate, and baby weight. Women admitted for induction of labor requested epidural analgesia sooner than those who had their labor augmented (p (p = 0.008). Conclusion: Patients who have their labor induced request analgesia sooner and are at a higher risk of cesarean section than are patients who go into labor spontaneously. Any study that purports to assess the effects of epidural analgesia in labor should distinguish between induced and augmented/spontaneous labor.
Gel point behavior of colloidal unimolecular polymer (CUP) particles

The gel point of a colloidal unimolecular polymer (CUP) aqueous suspension was determined. The zero-shear viscosities of suspensions were measured by capillary viscometer and cone-and-plate rheometer. The relative viscosities were fit to the Krieger-Dougherty equation $$ {\upeta}_{\mathrm{r}}={\left[1-\frac{\phi }{\phi_{\max }}\right]}^{-\left[\upeta \right]{\phi}_{\max }} $$ to determine the maximum packing volume fraction ϕmax. The gel point was found to be much lower than the anticipated random close packing (~0.63) or hexagonal packing (~0.74). The gel point was attributed to the effect of surface water, and subsequently the thickness and density of water layer were calculated. The CUP results were compared with the rheological behavior of commercial waterborne suspension with particle size 25 and 77 nm. The packing volume fraction of colloids with different particle sizes was predicted considering the effect of surface water.
Some Comments on the Mechanism of Fission

A correlation of spontaneous fission rates with Z and A is made to show that these rates depend on the nuclear type. Some suggestions as to the mechanisms are given and it is also shown how these relate to the mechanism of slow neutron and photo fission.
Clearance of bacteria injected into the hemolymph of the ridgeback prawn, Sicyonia ingentis (Crustacea: Decapoda): Role of hematopoietic tissue.

In an earlier investigation, radiolabelled bacteria injected into the hemolymph of the shrimp Sicyonia ingentis were cleared rapidly from circulation. Most of the bacteria were localized in the gills, followed by other organs including the heart, abdominal musculature, and hematopoietic nodules (HPN). We determined the organ-specific effectiveness of bacterial clearance and found the HPN to be the most effective on a per gram basis. Light and electron microscopy were used to determine the mechanism of clearance in the HPN. The HPN are readily permeable to individual bacteria, which then are recognized and phagocytosed exclusively by small granule hemocytes. Within the first hour, the bacteria are degraded, leaving only whorls of membrane in the phagocytic vacuoles. Subsequently, the hemocytes that ingested bacteria lyse, as has been observed in vitro. These observations support earlier suggestions that hemocytes in the HPN are functionally mature and held in reserve until they are released into circulation. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Automatic building and supervised discrimination learning of appearance models of 3-D objects

Mechanisms for automatically building and refining appearance models (AMs) of 3-D objects are presented. AMs encode allowed ranges of values of target characteristics called attributes. Allowed values for each attribute of arbitrarily defined parts of a modeled object are determined by statistical analysis of an example set of known targets. Once models are built, the system learns which attributes are discriminating (important to making a correct identification) from mistakes made on a set of training data. In discrimination learning, a weight associated with an attribute is increased or decreased whenever a test for an attribute denies or supports an incorrect object identification, respectively. A consistently decreasing weight eventually results in the essential elimination of the associated attribute from the AM. We illustrate and evaluate this approach in the context of our work in automatic target recognition (ATR).© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A novel method for biodosimetry.

Accurate methods for measuring the biological effects of radiation are critical for estimating an individual’s health risk from radiation exposure. We investigated the feasibility of using radiation-induced mutations in repetitive DNA sequences to measure genetic damage caused by radiation exposure. Most repetitive sequences are in non-coding regions of the genome and alterations in these loci are usually not deleterious. Thus, mutations in non-coding repetitive sequences might accumulate, providing a stable molecular record of DNA damage caused by all past exposures. To test this hypothesis, we screened repetitive DNA sequences to identify the loci most sensitive to radiation-induced mutations and then investigated whether these mutations were stable in vivo over time and after multiple exposures. Microsatellite repeat markers were identified that exhibited a linear dose response up to 1 Gy of 1 GeV/nucleon 56Fe ions and 137Cs gamma rays in mouse and human cells. Short tandem repeats on the Y chromosome and mononucleotide repeats on autosomal chromosomes exhibited significant increases in mutations at ≥ 0.5 Gy of 56Fe ions with frequencies averaging 4.3–10.3 × 10−3 mutations/locus/Gy/cell, high enough for direct detection of mutations in irradiated cells. A significant increase in radiation-induced mutations in extended mononucleotide repeats was detectible in vivo in mouse blood and cheek samples 10 and 26 weeks after radiation exposure and these mutations were additive over multiple exposures. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a novel method for biodosimetry that is applicable to humans and other species. This new approach should complement existing methods of biodosimetry and might be useful for measuring radiation exposure in circumstances that are not amenable to current methods.
Fearful and Associated Responses of White Leghorn Hens: Effects of Cage Environments and Genetic Stocks

Abstract Three measures of fearfulness were evaluated for hens of four genetic stocks after they had been kept in single-, 4-, and 6-bird cages for 26 or more weeks. Twelve hens of each stock and cage-environment combination were used (a total of 144 birds). Two tests involved latency of hungry hens to feed when confronted with fear-stimulating objects and one test was for latency to recover from induced tonic immobility. Results for the genetic stocks were inconsistent; strains identified as more fearful by a particular criterion were in some cases less fearful by another or did not differ. Hens kept in single-bird cages were either less fearful or showed a nonsignificant tendency, suggesting less fearfulness by all three criteria. Hens kept in 4-bird cages were typically similar in fearfulness to those in 6-bird cages. Fear-related responses were not clearly associated with plasma corticosteroids, body weights, mortality, or number of eggs laid. However, feather loss (in one test) was associated with escape and avoidance behavior of groups; stepwise increases in fearfulness with increasing group size were associated with similar increases in loss of feathers.
Real-time probabilistic classification of fire and smoke using thermal imagery for intelligent firefighting robot

Abstract A real-time probabilistic classification method was developed for identifying fire, smoke, their thermal reflections, and other objects in infrared images. This algorithm was formulated for use on a robot that will autonomously locate fires inside of a structure where the fire is outside the robot field of view. Thermal images were used to extract features due to the fact that long wavelength infrared is capable of imaging through zero visibility environments. For an autonomous navigation under fire environments, robots need to be able to differentiate between desired characteristics, such as fire and smoke, and those that may lead the robot in the incorrect direction, such as thermal reflections and other hot objects. The probabilistic classification method in this paper provides a robust, real-time algorithm that uses thermal images to classify fire and smoke with high accuracy. The algorithm is based on four statistical texture features identified through this work to characterize and classify the candidates. Based on classification of candidates from large-scale test data, the classification performance error was measured to be 6.8% based on validation using the test dataset not included in the original training dataset. In addition, the precision, recall, F-measure, and G-measure were 93.5–99.9% for classifying fire and smoke using the test dataset.
Intracavitary photodynamic therapy for malignant pleural mesothelioma.

A total of 31 patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma disease, limited to one hemithorax, were entered into a phase II study of surgery and intracavitary photodynamic therapy. Photofrinr, 2 mg/kg, was injected intravenously, and 48 hours later the patient was taken to the operating room. Bulk tumor was excised by a pleurop-neumonectomy or pleurectomy. The patient then received 20–25 J/cm2 of 630 nm light energy from an argon dye laser. The overall estimated median survival of patients of all stages was 12 months. Survival of stage III and stage IV patients was 8 months. The median survival of 9 patients with stage I and II disease was 21 months. We plan to continue this clinical trial; however, entry will be limited to patients with stage I and II disease. The light dose for photodynamic therapy will be carefully increased to find the maximal tolerated dose. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Simulations of Multi-protein Complexes: Structure, Binding Affinity, and Dynamics of Vps27/hse1 Bound to Membrane-tethered Ubiquitin

Protein-protein interactions play an essential role in many cellular functions. While biophysical and structural characterizations have traditionally focused on strong binary complexes, the biological importance of weakly bound multi-protein complexes is increasingly recognized. Such complexes typically contain various proteins, with different folded domains held together in part by flexible linkers. Further increasing the complexity, many multi-protein complexes assemble at or near membranes. We develop coarse-grained models and effective energy functions for simulating such large multi-protein complexes with low to intermediate binding affinities (Kd > 1 μM). The models are validated against structure and binding-affinity data for a broad range of binary protein complexes. Using replica exchange Monte Carlo simulation techniques, we apply our model to study the assembly, energetics, and dynamics of the complex between Vps27/Hse1 and membrane-tethered ubiquitin. The yeast Vps27/Hse1 complex and the homologous mammalian Hrs/STAM complex deliver ubiquitinated transmembrane proteins to the ESCRT endosomal protein-sorting pathway that is important in many biological processes. Vps27 and Hse1 contain several folded domains and flexible linkers. We find that the membrane-tethered ubiquitin binds preferentially to the UIM domains of Vps27. However, the simulations also show that ubiquitin interacts with other domains. The observed multiple specific and non-specific ubiquitin-Vps27 interactions greatly enhance the overall binding affinity. In the complex, the structure of Vps27/Hse1 is highly dynamic and flexible, reflecting the ability of Vps27/Hse1 to bind to a diverse set of ubiquitinated protein targets. The models developed here can easily incorporate additional experimental information (e.g., from fluorescence, scattering, electron microscopy), and hold promise for simulations of other large multi-protein complexes.
Rheoencephalographic and Other Studies of Betahistine in Humans. III. Improved Methods of Diagnosis and Selection in Arteriosclerotic Dementia

Thirty-six institutionalized geriatric patients with particularly severe and longstanding dementia were selected by chart review and were studied neurologically. Criteria for clinical diagnosis are derived, and it is shown that arteriosclerosis had caused or contributed to their dementias in 33 patients (91.7%) and probably did so in two others (97.2%). Arteriosclerotic dementia may not be rare and may be much more prevalent than may now be considered the case. As 23 patients (63.9%) showed evidence of carotid and/or vertebrobasilar involvement, large-vessel disease also may be more prevalent in geriatric dementia than is now thought and should be considered in all such patients. The results further confirm that careful review of ward records without reference to psychiatric diagnoses of etiology is a simple, rapid, and reliable method of screening a large institutionalized population for possible arteriosclerotic dementia. The selectees should then be surveyed appropriately to confirm the presence of the disease. Since a careful review of the complete hospital records and a thorough neurologic examination proved sufficient, more definitive but more dangerous invasive diagnostic procedures may not be necessary for clinical pharmacologic and similar investigations.