cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Very Long Baseline Neutrino Oscillations, The BNL VLBNO Concept

A wide energy-band neutrino beam sent over a very long baseline to a massive detector can break the degeneracies in the neutrino oscillation parameters. It can measure the disappearance parameters with precision and determine the mass hierarchy. If θ 13 is large enough the CP violating phase can be measured with neutrino running alone and anti-neutrino running can confirm CPV and improve the parameter measurements. Brookhaven National Laboratory is pursuing such an experiment.
Post-processing rainfall in a high-resolution simulation of the 1994 Piedmont flood

In November 1994, a catastrophic flooding event occurred in the Piedmont region in Northwestern Italy over a period of about 3 days. The large time and spatial scales associated with this event prompted a number of reanalysis studies to assess the forecast skill of the models. This paper investigates another forecasting technique using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model coupled with post-processing techniques: the analog ensemble (AnEn) and the convolutional neural network (CNN). The complex topography found in this region presents a challenge for numerical weather prediction (NWP) models especially for events such as these, where the orography is crucial in determining the distribution and amount of precipitation. By applying these post-processing techniques to WRF model output, significant improvements were observed in the accumulated precipitation fields during the flooding event in both techniques, although improvements using the CNN were at the expense of underestimating the highest precipitation.
Charging ahead on the transition to electric vehicles with standard 120 V wall outlets

Abstract Electrification of transportation is needed soon and at significant scale to meet climate goals, but electric vehicle adoption has been slow and there has been little systematic analysis to show that today’s electric vehicles meet the needs of drivers. We apply detailed physics-based models of electric vehicles with data on how drivers use their cars on a daily basis. We show that the energy storage limits of today’s electric vehicles are outweighed by their high efficiency and the fact that driving in the United States seldom exceeds 100 km of daily travel. When accounting for these factors, we show that the normal daily travel of 85–89% of drivers in the United States can be satisfied with electric vehicles charging with standard 120 V wall outlets at home only. Further, we show that 77–79% of drivers on their normal daily driving will have over 60 km of buffer range for unexpected trips. We quantify the sensitivities to terrain, high ancillary power draw, and battery degradation and show that an extreme case with all trips on a 3% uphill grade still shows the daily travel of 70% of drivers being satisfied with electric vehicles. These findings show that today’s electric vehicles can satisfy the daily driving needs of a significant majority of drivers using only 120 V wall outlets that are already the standard across the United States.
The binding of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate to mammalian and avian fatty acid synthetases. Number of binding sites and the effect of reagents and conditions on the binding of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate to enzyme.

Abstract The binding of NADPH to pigeon and rat liver fatty acid synthetases has been examined by the techniques of fluorescence enhancement, fluorescence polarization, and equilibrium dialysis. Pigeon and rat liver fatty acid synthetases increase the fluorescent yield from NADPH 4.6- and 3.8-fold, respectively. Fluorescent yield appears to be independent of the buffer concentration and the amount of coenzyme bound to enzyme. The number of binding sites on each synthetase is independent of the protein concentration. The pigeon liver enzyme binds 2 moles of NADPH per mole of enzyme in 0.2 m phosphate and 3 moles of coenzyme at lower buffer concentrations. The binding affinity for NADPH is independent of the quantity of coenzyme bound; however, binding of coenzyme is competitive with charged species supplied by the buffer. The Kd value in 0.2 m phosphate is 8 µm, and in 0.1 m phosphate it is 3.5 µm. The rat enzyme binds maximally 4 moles of NADPH per mole of enzyme in 0.2 m and in lower buffer concentrations. This enzyme has either two pairs of binding sites or it exhibits negative cooperativity. The affinity of binding of NADPH to each of these pairs of sites is dependent upon the buffer concentration. The dissociation constant for the stronger pair of binding sites is 1 µm in 0.2 m phosphate and less than 1 µm at lower buffer concentrations. Neither the binding of NADPH to protein nor enzyme activity for fatty acid synthesis requires phosphate. Fatty acid synthesis proceeds most rapidly at ionic strengths higher than those yielding the strongest NADPH binding. The binding affinity of the pigeon liver enzyme for NADPH is not changed by the binding of either acetate or malonate (from their respective CoA esters) to protein, thereby indicating a separate binding site for NADPH. It is not affected either by a pH change in the region where the rate of fatty acid synthesis changes rapidly. It is also not changed appreciably by dissociation (with Tris-glycine buffer) of the enzyme complex into half-molecular weight units, a condition that completely eliminates fatty acid synthesis. The binding capacity of the enzyme for NADPH is destroyed by extensive sulfhydryl oxidation and by alkylation with iodoacetamide. It is suggested that the binding of NADPH to enzyme is primarily electrostatic and that it is dependent on one or more sulfhydryl groups. It is not, however, dependent on the noncovalent binding forces responsible for maintaining the integrity of the enzyme complex.
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width in Pediatric Microcytic Anemias

The RBC distribution width has been reported to be of value in the discrimination of iron deficiency anemia from other microcytic anemias, but studies in pediatric populations are lacking. A population of 734 normal children was studied to establish age-appropriate normal values for RBC distribution width. The RBC distribution width of 47 patients with microcytic anemia was then evaluated. RBC distribution width was elevated in 19 of 22 patients with iron deficiency but was also increased in six of 14 patients with thalassemia trait and two of 11 patients with anemia secondary to inflammatory disease. The resulting discrimination was better than that obtained by using Mentzer's index or the discriminant function in the patients studied. The RBC distribution width, albeit a less then perfect tool, can be of value in evaluating pediatric patients with microcytic anemia.
Optical networking at IBM

The role of optics, usually fiber optics, in high performance networks at IBM Research runs the gamut from pure transmission to dynamic WDM routing. While the use of fiber optics in transmission has been well established for some time, the use of optics in more complex functions has been inhibited by the disparity in complexity between what optics can do and what electronics does in existing networks today. This paper describes a few projects which address the interfaces between optics and electronics, and between traditionally device issues and traditionally networking issues in the use of wavelength-division multiplexing.
Burst-mode femtosecond ablation in copper and lexan

We present the results of a comparative study of 850-nm femtosecond ablation using single and eight-pulse 30-ns duration bursts with 4-mJ integrated energy. Five-fold increase in the copper ablation rate in ambient air was seen.
Post-mortem three-dimensional reconstruction of the entire coronary arterial circulation using electron-beam computed tomography.

A 50-year-old man died suddenly while exercising on a treadmill at a local health club. He had no known previous cardiac history. During autopsy, a radio-opaque silicone compound was injected into the coronary arteries. The explanted heart was then imaged by electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT) using 3-mm slices. A complete 3D reconstruction was then obtained …
On the in situ probe method for measuring the permittivity of materials at microwave frequencies

A technique to be used for determining in-vivo dielectric properties of materials at microwave frequencies is examined. The technique involves the use of an open-ended coaxial line as a sensor and models the coaxial aperture on the basis of a quasi-static analysis. This theory is discussed along with a correction method to account for system imperfections. With the proper choice of calibration standards and the use of the formulated admittance model, the complex permittivities of various unknowns can be determined over a wide range of frequencies. Experimental results are compared with data available in the literature. The technique limitations are also presented. >
A Bayesian Partitioning Model for the Detection of Multilocus Effects in Case-Control Studies.

Background: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have identified hundreds of genetic variants associated with complex diseases, but these variants appear to ex
Correlates of self-efficacy beliefs among patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in Zagreb, Yugoslavia

Abstract Cross-cultural application of a measure of diabetic self-efficacy, the Diabetes Self-Efficacy Scale (DSES), was carried out in a sample of 147 patients with noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) attending an outpatient clinic in Zagreb, Yugoslavia. A survey questionnaire covered the following demographic characteristics, depressive symptoms, self-and physician-rated adherence to the diabetic regimen, and diabetes self-efficacy (DSES). Disease-related factors, assessed by chart review, included disease duration, the presence of complications, and level of HbA1c. Correlational analyses revealed that, as hypothesized, behavioral and psychological factors were more strongly associated with self-efficacy beliefs than were disease-related factors. Higher DSES scores were associated with male gender, younger age, higher education, higher self-rated adherence, and lower depressive symptoms. Correlations between level of HbAl c and DSES scores and between HbAlc and adherence ratings were very weak. Findings are discussed in relation to previous studies on diabetes self-efficacy (all conducted in the United States) and as they relate to clinical practice.
Solid-State 13C NMR Characterization of Carbon-Modified TiO2

13C-modified TiO2 was prepared to facilitate study of the dopant atoms and trace their chemical fate throughout the process. In the preannealed material, NMR showed strong evidence of many Ti−O−C bonds. After annealing, surface-bound coke is a major component. NMR also showed that a washing step before annealing led to the generation of orthocarbonate (C(OR)4) centers, observed at 126 ppm, which are located deep inside the TiO2 particles. Both NMR and XPS confirmed the presence of small amounts of regular sp2-hybridized carbonate species in all briefly annealed samples, while annealing for longer times led to a reduction removal of the COn centers. Quantitative NMR also shows the degree of carbon loss that accompanies annealing. Some variation in the chemical degradation of quinoline is noted among the catalysts, but coke-containing TiO2 catalysts are not qualitatively better catalysts for use with visible light with this substrate.
Backscatter enhancement: Random continuum and particles

The phenomenon of enhancement of backscatter from an inhomogeneous penetrable medium, i.e., the apparent increase up to a factor of 2 or so of the scattered electromagnetic flux when the scattering angle is changed from π − δθ to π (for fairly small δθ), is treated in a unified manner for large-scale refractive-index fluctuations and for particle scatterers. The analysis indicates that the particle effect is due to strong incoherent multiple scattering from particle to particle, whereas the random-continuum effect is due to a propagation coherence before and after a single large-angle scattering. A correlation between forward and backward modes in previously discussed two-flux theories is shown to fit in the framework of backscatter enhancement.
Brain stem gliomas of children a clinicopathological study

To determine the risks and benefits of biopsying brain stem gliomas of children, the authors analyzed the clinical and histopathological features of 27 children with biopsied brain stem gliomas and compared them to 26 children with brain stem gliomas that were not biopsied. In both groups, cranial nerve palsies at the time of diagnosis were associated with increased mortality. There was no operative mortality and low operative morbidity associated with biopsies, and 35% of the biopsied children survived 5 years or longer. Children with exophytic tumors and those who received more than 4000 rad survived significantly longer. When the histologic features of pleomorphism, nuclear hyperchromatism, and mitoses were present, they occurred uniformly throughout each biopsy, regardless of the sample size. Mitoses in the biopsy specimen were associated with significantly increased mortality. The authors conclude that the risk of biopsying brain stem gliomas in children is low, and that the benefit is the identification of those children who should be treated more intensively because of their poor prognosis.
Oxidative Stress Induces Protein and DNA Radical Formation in Follicular Dendritic Cells of the Germinal Center and Modulates Its Cell Death Patterns in Late Sepsis

Profound depletion of follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) is a hallmark of sepsis-like syndrome, but the exact causes for the ensuing cell death are unknown. The cell death-driven depletion contributes to immunoparalysis and is responsible for most of the morbidity and mortality in sepsis. Here we have utilized immuno-spin trapping, a method for detection of free radical formation, to detect oxidative stress-induced protein and DNA radical adducts in FDCs isolated from the spleen of septic mice and human tonsil-derived HK cells, a subtype of germinal center FDCs, to study their role in FDC depletion. At 24 h post-LPS administration, protein radical formation and oxidation was significantly elevated in vivo and in HK cells as shown by ELISA and confocal microscopy. The xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol and the iron chelator desferrioxamine significantly decreased the formation of protein radicals, suggesting the role of xanthine oxidase and Fenton-like chemistry in radical formation. Protein and DNA radical formation correlated mostly with apoptotic features at 24 h and necrotic morphology of all the cell types studied at 48 h with concomitant inhibition of caspase-3. The cytotoxity of FDCs resulted in decreased CD45R/CD138+ve plasma cell numbers, indicating a possible defect in B cell differentiation. In one such mechanism, radical formation initiated by xanthine oxidase formed protein and DNA radicals which may lead to cell death of germinal center FDCs.
The role of ECM proteins and protein fragments in guiding cell behavior in regenerative medicine.

The promise of biomaterials design for regenerative medicine tissue engineering is predicated on the fundamental ability to direct or guide specific and highly coordinated cellular behaviors that culminate in the creation of physiologically functional tissues and organs. To date, our efforts have focused primarily on the grafting and presentation of short synthetic peptides with just cause. Short peptides are capable of high levels of control, can be manufactured relatively easily in a highly reproducible manner under GMP guidelines and are readily modified to enable their integration with numerous current and emerging chemistries for biomaterials grafting. However, while extracellular matrix (ECM)-derived peptides have demonstrated their initial purpose of promoting cell adhesion, their general lack of specificity and significantly decreased receptor binding affinities have proven detrimental in attempts to regulate highly specific and integrated processes necessary for tissue regeneration. Unlike adhesion peptides, the natural ECM displays a complex interplay with cells by supporting environmentally sensitive and cell dependent integrin specificity and binding affinity. Furthermore, the adhesion ligands on ECM proteins display a finely tuned and evolutionarily directed spatial periodicity, of which is dynamically controlled through both mechanical and chemical modifications. These and other emerging concepts from matrix biology require our attention if biomaterials design is to fulfill its promise. Here, we are charged with debating the statement ‘The use of short synthetic adhesion peptides, like RGD, is the best approach in the design of biomaterials that guide cell behavior for regenerative medicine tissue engineering’. In this Leading Opinion Paper I will focus on aspects of natural ECM proteins and protein fragments that have proven difficult, if not impossible to date, to recapitulate in peptide-based systems. While this represents an argument against the use of peptides per se, it might also be viewed as outlining the challenges and opportunities for the biomaterials field.
A natural history of botanical therapeutics

Plants have been used as a source of medicine throughout history and continue to serve as the basis for many pharmaceuticals used today. Although the modern pharmaceutical industry was born from botanical medicine, synthetic approaches to drug discovery have become standard. However, this modern approach has led to a decline in new drug development in recent years and a growing market for botanical therapeutics that are currently available as dietary supplements, drugs, or botanical drugs. Most botanical therapeutics are derived from medicinal plants that have been cultivated for increased yields of bioactive components. The phytochemical composition of many plants has changed over time, with domestication of agricultural crops resulting in the enhanced content of some bioactive compounds and diminished content of others. Plants continue to serve as a valuable source of therapeutic compounds because of their vast biosynthetic capacity. A primary advantage of botanicals is their complex composition consisting of collections of related compounds having multiple activities that interact for a greater total activity.
Crystallization of petroleum carbon on metal surface

This article investigates the crystal structure of a carbonaceous substance in contact with a metal. The interdiffusion of carbon and metal (e.g., selective transfer of carbon is observed) causes the adhesive deposition of solid carbonaceous matter on the metal surfaces of reactors during the processing of heavy petroleum resids. Embrittlement cracking and seats of intercrystallite corrosion result from the diffusional saturation of the metal with carbon. The results of experiments using a petroleum pitch indicate that if the cooling rate is not faster than the crystallization rate, then the adhesive strength of the pitch is greater.
A Goal Attainment Pain Management Program for Older Adults with Arthritis

The purpose of this study was to test a pain management intervention that integrates goal setting with older adults (age > or =65) living independently in residential settings. This preliminary testing of the Goal Attainment Pain Management Program (GAPMAP) included a sample of 17 adults (mean age 79.29 years) with self-reported pain related to arthritis. Specific study aims were to: 1) explore the use of individual goal setting; 2) determine participants' levels of goal attainment; 3) determine whether changes occurred in the pain management methods used and found to be helpful by GAPMAP participants; and 4) determine whether changes occurred in selected pain-related variables (i.e., experience of living with persistent pain, the expected outcomes of pain management, pain management barriers, and global ratings of perceived pain intensity and success of pain management). Because of the small sample size, both parametric (t test) and nonparametric (Wilcoxon signed rank test) analyses were used to examine differences from pretest to posttest. Results showed that older individuals could successfully participate in setting and attaining individual goals. Thirteen of the 17 participants (76%) met their goals at the expected level or above. Two management methods (exercise and using a heated pool, tub, or shower) were used significantly more often after the intervention, and two methods (exercise and distraction) were identified as significantly more helpful. Two pain-related variables (experience of living with persistent pain and expected outcomes of pain management) revealed significant change, and all of those tested showed overall improvement.
Ventilatory frequency of mouse and hamster during microwave-induced heat exposure

Abstract Ventilatory frequency was recorded in unrestrained mice and hamsters using microwave radiation. The microwave exposure system was also used to impart varying heat loads to the rodents at ambient temperatures of 10, 20 and 30°C. The absorbed heat load occrued from microwave exposure was measured as the time-averaged rate of energy absorption per unit body weight or specific absorption rate (SAR, W/kg). In both species there was an inverse relationship between ambient temperature (Ta) and threshold SAR to invoke an increase in ventilatory frequency. However, the threshold SAR's for mice were 270 to 450% higher than for hamsters depending on Ta. Above threshold SAR the increase in ventilatory frequency per unit elevation in SAR increased directly with Ta in mice but not with hamsters. On the basis of rate of absorbed energy normalized to body weight ( i.e. , W/kg), mice can tolerate much more heat from microwave exposure than hamsters. The differences in sensitivity to microwave exposure in the mouse and hamster are probably attributable to species-specific characteristics, and especially differences in body mass and, consequently, passive heat loss.
Do all daughter cells enter the “indeterminate” (“A”) state of the cell cycle? Analysis of stathmokinetic experiments on L1210 cells

The results of ten different stathmokinetic experiments on L1210 cells are analyzed to determine whether all the postmitotic cells enter the exponential AG1 compartment of the cell cycle characterized by exponentially distributed transit times. The analysis is based on a mathematical model coherent with the generalized A-B-transition hypothesis. An original fitting procedure is introduced to estimate the fraction of cells entering AG1 as well as other parameters of the cell cycle. Results of the analysis suggest that either all or nearly all postmitotic cells enter G1A. The results are discussed with respect to the validity of the A-B-transition hypothesis of the "probabilistic" model of the cell cycle. Some systematically occurring discrepancies that do not conform with generally accepted cell cycle models are apparent from the analysis of this data.
Humans in space

Many successful space missions over the past 40 years have highlighted the advantages and necessity of humans in the exploration of space. But as space travel becomes ever more feasible in the twenty-first century, the health and safety of future space explorers will be paramount. In particular, understanding the risks posed by exposure to radiation and extended weightlessness will be crucial if humans are to travel far from Earth.
Information retrieval and the perpetual innovation economy

The main objective of this article is to show the increasing relevance of the knowledge production capability of information storage and retrieval systems in the context of ‘perpetual innovation’, otherwise known as the ‘information’ economy. The knowledge production potential of information retrieval systems is only barely recognised in the information science community. Traditionally, information professionals and retrieval systems devised by them are conceived merely as guardians and facilitators of knowledge. This prevents information professionals playing a key role in an innovation based economy. In a perpetual innovation economy, information/knowledge embedded in commodities becomes the main source of profit. However, the peculiar character of information/knowledge means that privately owned knowledge tends to flow back into the public domain. This peculiarity necessitates continuous production of new knowledge applied to products and production techniques. Creative acts are not individualistic but collective/collaborative processes. Emerging collaborative systems on computer networks, such as the Internet, make it possible to devise work environments that are conducive to the development and cultivation of collective practices. Informational retrieval systems designers and practitioners may find it useful to study such systems to develop retrieval mechanisms that enhance creativity and facilitate knowledge production as well as knowledge transfer. It is hoped that by putting information retrieval in the context of the perpetual innovation economy, the knowledge production potential of information retrieval systems becomes more widely acknowledged and accepted among information practitioners.
MODELING SOCIETY AS A ZERO-SUM GAME: AN EMPIRICAL DEMONSTRATION '

Summary.-An analysis of the military and educational expenditures of 2 sets of 10 countries from G. T. Kurian was conducted to assess the validity of modeling societies as zero-sum games. Analysis indicated a tendency for the economic systems of many societies to allocate national resources in favor of one interest at the expense of another.
In vitro studies on sulphate reduction and acidification in sediments of shallow soft water lakes

SUMMARY. 1. The sulphate reduction capacity of six shallow soft water sediments, differing in pH and organic matter content, was studied under controlled pH adjustments ranging from pH 3 to pH 8. 2. In the acid sediments, relatively rich in organic matter, the sulphate reduction capacity reached values of 0.09-0.12 μmol g−1 d−1. In the circumneutral mineral sediments the values ranged between 0.04 and 0.08 μmol g−1 d−1. 3. The latter group of sediments was very sensitive to the effects of experimental acidification as sulphate reduction was almost fully inhibited when pH decreased from 7 to 5. In the acid sediments inhibition occurred at lower pH values, in the range pH 5 to pH 3. 4. Sulphate reduction governed the production of free sulphides, whereas putrefaction processes were only of minor importance. It is suggested that in acid sediments, relatively rich in organic matter, the sulphate reducing bacterial population is less sensitive to acidification than in circumneutral mineral sediments. 5. The presence of organic matter appeared to be important in counteracting the inhibiting effects of acidification on sulphate reduction. This is important for the in situ sulphate reduction in sediments of soft waters which become enriched with organic matter during the long-term process of acidification.
The effect of oxygen pressure and carbon burn-off on the product ratio of the carbon-oxygen reaction

Abstract The reaction of Graphon with O2 has been studied at 625°C in a static system, using initial O2 pressures between 25 and 750 mTorr. and samples pre-oxidized to varying degrees of burn-off between 0 and 20 per cent. The reaction temperature was low enough for secondary reactions to be neglected. A mass spectrometer was used to monitor the partial pressures of O2, CO and CO2. During a reaction, after a brief induction period corresponding to the formation of stable complex on the carbon surface, the incremental product ratio CO CO 2 became constant. This product ratio increased with initial carbon burn-off and decreased with initial O2 pressure. Stable complex formation increased with initial carbon burn-off and initial oxygen pressure. It is suggested that for a particular burn-off the product ratio is a function of both the amount of stable complex on the surface and the relative extent to which CO and CO2-generating sites are deactivated by stable complex formation.
The hydroxypyridinium crosslinks of skeletal collagens: their measurement, properties and a proposed pathway of formation

Abstract A method is described for quantifying both reducible and mature crosslinking amino acids of collagen. The main crosslinking residue in cartilage, dentine and mature bone was the 3-hydroxypyridinium compound identified by Fujimoto et al. (1–3). Adult articular cartilage contained about one residue per collagen molecule, over forty times the content of the reducible crosslinks. We propose that hydroxypyridinium residues are formed by spontaneous interaction of two residues of hydroxylysino-5-ketonorleucine. This reaction explains the disappearance of reducible crosslinks at maturity and provides a novel mechanism for lateral crosslinking within and between fibrils which may account for some of the unique physical properties of hard tissue collagens.
A problem for moral luck

The present paper poses a new problem for moral luck. Defenders of moral luck uncritically rely on a broader theory of luck known as the control theory or the lack of control theory. However, there are are two other analyses of luck in the literature that dominate discussion in epistemology, namely the probability and modal theories. However, moral luck is nonexistent under the probability and modal accounts, but the control theory cannot explain epistemic luck. While some have posited that “luck” is ambiguous, so that one theory of luck is operative with epistemic luck and a different theory works for moral luck, there are both semantic and philosophical reasons to reject luck ambiguity. Defenders of moral luck must engage with the broader literature on luck and either provide a comprehensive defense of the control theory or concede that moral luck is not a genuine thing in its own right.
The Dialectics of Belief and Practice: Religious Process as Praxis

Contrary to the view that beliefs drive religious behavior, we argue that enacted practices in their details are essential to the faith experience. In keeping with C. Wright Mills (1940) argument that rules cannot be followed, and Emile Durkheim's much neglected argument (1912) that beliefs provide only retrospective accounts of social action, not recipes for its enactment, we find that religious process, as a prospective matter, must be carefully orchestrated in empirically recognizable ways in order to create and sustain belief. They must prospectively exhibit expected local order details, as practices, in order to be accepted in a particular religious context. This paper describes general beliefs and the local order details of several practices involved in Assemblies of God religious services. Cases sanctioned as inappropriate are also analyzed as evidence that practices must be recognizable in their details in order to work as expressions of belief in particular religious contexts.
Time to Positivity of a Rapid Bedside Assay for Cardiac-Specific Troponin T Predicts Prognosis in Acute Coronary Syndromes: A Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 11A Substudy

Abstract Objectives. We sought to determine whether the rapid bedside assay for troponin T identified patients at risk for a more complicated hospital stay and a higher rate of adverse clinical events. Background. In patients with an acute coronary syndrome, the amount of cardiac-specific troponin T released bears a stoichiometric relation to the extent of myocardial damage. Methods. In 597 patients with unstable angina or non–Q wave myocardial infarction participating in the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 11A substudy, a rapid bedside assay and simultaneous quantitative serum measurement for troponin T were obtained at enrollment. Results. The composite end point of the sum of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction or recurrent ischemia through day 14 occurred in 33.6% of patients with a positive assay compared with only 22.5% of patients with a negative assay (p = 0.01). Those patients in whom the rapid assay became positive in ≤10 min had the highest mortality rate of 4.2% through day 14 compared with 1.1% in those patients who had either a late-appearing positive assay (>10 min) or a negative assay. The duration of hospital stay in the 116 patients (19%) with a positive rapid assay at enrollment was a median of 5 days compared with only 3 days in the 481 patients (81%) with a negative rapid assay at enrollment (p = 0.002). Conclusions. A positive rapid assay for troponin T at presentation identifies those patients at risk for higher rates of adverse clinical events and longer, more complicated hospital stays. Stratification of patients by time to development of a positive rapid assay identifies those patients at highest mortality risk.
Observations of stars with the Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope

The Hopkins Ultraviolet Telescope (HUT) was flown aboard the space shuttle Columbia as part of the Astron-1 mission during December 1990. During the nine-day flight, HUT carried out 3 A resolution spectrophotometry of a wide variety of astronomical objects, including a number of stellar targets, in the 912-1860 A range of the far ultraviolet. A few nearby stars were observed in the 415-912 A range of the extreme ultraviolet as well. For nearly all of these targets, the spectra obtained by HUT are the first ever obtained in the spectroscopically rich region between Lyman-alpha (1216 A) and the Lyman limit (912 A). Here, we present highlights of the results obtained by HUT in a variety of areas of stellar astronomy.
Monitoring Wetland Change Using Inter-Annual Landsat Time-Series Data

Successful conservation and management of wetlands requires up-to-date and accurate information on wetland location, size, condition, functionality, type, services provided, stressors and net change in extent. Most change detection studies utilize two date images to provide information on wetland dynamics. Comparison of infrequent imagery might not sufficiently capture natural variability in wetlands. Use of longer time series of images might increase our ability to characterize the temporal variability of wetland and detect changes with greater accuracy. We used inter-annual time series of Landsat data from 1985 to 2009 to map changes in wetland ecosystems in northern Virginia. Z-scores calculated on tasseled cap images were used to develop temporal profile for wetlands delineated by the National Wetland Inventory. A change threshold was derived based on the Chi-square distribution of the Z-scores. The accuracy of a change/no change map produced was 89 % with a kappa value of 0.79. Assessment of the change map showed that the method was able to detect complete wetland loss together with other subtle changes resulting from development, harvesting, thinning and farming practices. With additional research on attributing the change events, the method may provide more detailed information on status and the trends of wetland loss and functioning.
Riboflavin Photosensitized Oxidation of 2,4-Dichlorophenol: Assessment of Possible Chlorinated Dioxin Formation

Dimeric products are formed by riboflavin-sensitized photooxidation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. The products of this reaction were examined to determine whether chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins could be formed from chlorophenols in water by the action of light of wavelengths greater than 280 nanometers. Dimers are formed by union of phenoxy radicals through carbon-carbon or carbon-oxygen bonds. 4,6-Dichloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) phenol was obtained in greater quantity than other dimers. Products were characterized by combined gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. Chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins which could result from ring closure of a 2-phenoxyphenol derivative were not detected in the products of photolysis. The failure to detect chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins may result from the rapid photolytic breakdown of the lower chlorinated dibenzop-dioxins. Under environmental conditions, dioxins are unlikely products of the lower chlorinated phenols or phenoxyalkanoic acids.
Computer Simulation and the Philosophy of Science

There are a variety of topics in the philosophy of science that need to be rethought, in varying degrees, after one pays careful attention to the ways in which computer simulations are used in the sciences. There are a number of conceptual issues internal to the practice of computer simulation that can benefit from the attention of philosophers. This essay surveys some of the recent literature on simulation from the perspective of the philosophy of science and argues that philosophers have a lot to learn by paying closer attention to the practice of simulation.
Proton and Cd adsorption onto natural bacterial consortia: Testing universal adsorption behavior

Bacterial surface adsorption can control metal distributions in some natural systems, yet it is unclear whether natural bacterial consortia differ in their adsorption behaviors. In this study, we conduct potentiometric titration and metal adsorption experiments to measure proton and Cd adsorption onto a range of bacterial consortia. We model the experimental data using a surface complexation approach to determine thermodynamic stability constants. Our results indicate that these consortia adsorb similar extents of protons and Cd and that the adsorption onto all of the consortia can be modeled using a single set of stability constants. Consortia of bacteria cultured from natural environments also adsorb metals to lesser extents than individual strains of laboratory-cultivated species. This study suggests that a wide range of bacterial species exhibit similar adsorption behaviors, potentially simplifying the task of modeling the distribution and speciation of metals in bacteria-bearing natural systems. Current models for bacteria-metal adsorption that rely on pure strains of laboratory-cultivated species likely overpredict the amount of bacteria-metal adsorption in natural systems.
Decision feedback equalization with sparsity driven thresholding

For single-carrier systems with frequency domain equalization, decision feedback equalization (DFE) performs better than linear equalization, and has a lower complexity and computational costs than optimum equalizers. The main challenge in DFE is the feedback symbol selection rule. In this paper, we give a theoretical framework for a simple, sparsity based thresholding algorithm. We feedback multiple symbols in each iteration, so the algorithm converges fast and has a low computational cost. The algorithm is applicable in several existing wireless communication systems (SC-FDMA, MC-CDMA, MIMO-OFDM). Numerical results illustrate significant performance improvement in terms of bit error rate compared to the MMSE solution.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in critically ill patients.

The rapidly changing physiology of critically ill patients causes variations in the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and pharmacodynamic effect of drugs used to treat these patients. Alterations in fluid status, cardiac, renal and hepatic function, and circulating serum proteins necessitate increased attention to drug selection and dosage modification. Cardiac failure results in decreased absorption, metabolism, and excretion of drugs while renal failure results in parent drug and metabolite accumulation, increases in unbound drug, and changes in distribution volume. The changes in hepatic blood flow and protein binding, and decreases in hepatocellular mass and enzyme function that occur in hepatic failure may alter the clearance of several drugs. Serum drug concentrations are helpful in defining the pharmacokinetics and ultimately the pharmacodynamic effect of the drugs used in critically ill patients. The serum drug concentrations must be interpreted in association with their pharmacodynamic effect and the clinical situation. Adjusting drug therapy based on pharmacokinetic principles is discussed in detail with specific suggestions for dosage modifications in renal and hepatic failure.
MARKET REACTION TO NYSE LISTINGS: TESTS OF THE MARKETABILITY GAINS HYPOTHESIS

This study examines the market reaction to listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The marketability gains hypothesis states that investors expect liquidity gains for the less liquid over-the-counter (OTC) stocks but not for their liquid counterparts after their listing on the NYSE. The hypothesis is supported even after accounting for other firm-specific news releases. Stocks with low liquidity on the OTC exhibit a positive reaction, whereas stocks with high liquidity show a non-positive market reaction around the announcement of the listing application. The findings imply that the two different marketplaces, NYSE and OTC, are suitable for stocks with different liquidity characteristics.
Monochloramine loss in the presence of humic acid.

Free chlorine has been used extensively as a primary and secondary disinfectant for potable water. Where it is difficult to maintain a free chlorine residual or when disinfection by-products (DBPs) are of concern, monochloramine has been used to provide a stable disinfectant residual in distributions systems. Reactions of disinfectants, free chlorine or monochloramine, with natural organic matter (NOM) consequently result in the formation of DBPs such as trihalomethanes and haloacetic acids. However, few studies have focused on the fate and kinetics of monochloramine loss in the presence of reactive constituents such as NOM. Monochloramine is inherently unstable and decays even without reactive constituents present via a mechanism known as autodecomposition. Therefore, to predict monochloramine concentrations in the presence of NOM is clearly associated with the ability to adequately model autodecomposition. This study presents the results of a semi-mechanistic model capable of predicting the loss of monochloramine in the presence of humic material in the pH range of 6.55–8.33. The model accounts for both fast and a slow monochloramine demand to explain the loss of monochloramine over the pH range of this study. The formation of dichloroacetic acid was also predicted due to the ability of the model to differentiate monochloramine reaction pathways in the presence NOM. The results shown here demonstrate the ability of a semi-mechanistic model to predict monochloramine residuals and DBP formation in the presence of humic material.
Imaging advocacy in New Jersey: evolving expectations in the 21st century.

During the past 3 decades, radiology has witnessed the maturation of ultrasound, CT, and interventional radiology, as well as the development of MRI, single-photon emission CT, PET, and many new and innovative interventional radiologic therapies, which have collectively revolutionized the practice of medicine [1]. This in turn has created an insatiable demand for imaging and a $100 billion industry. Unfortunately, it has also made medical imaging a target for competing nonradiologic specialties, organized medicine, insurance companies, and our even own state and federal governments. During the “golden age of advocacy,” radiology won 3 major political victories despite these opposing forces, which continue to marshal opposition whenever it is expedient to do so:
Dynamic Renner effect in collisions of C+ with H2

Abstract The dynamic Renner effect is shown to permit formation of CH + 2 in its first excited ( 2 B 1 ) state from low energy collisions of C + + H 2 . The consequences for C + + H 2 . The consequences for C + + H 2 radiative association are discussed.
Esophageal varices in Felty's syndrome: A case report and review of the literature.

A case of upper gastrointestinal tract hemorrhage secondary to esophageal varices in a patient with Felty's syndrome prompted a review of the pathogenesis and treatment of this condition. Six previously reported cases of this association were found. The clinical picture is that of long-standing rheumatoid arthritis with severe articular and extraarticular manifestations including splenomegaly, depression of the blood elements, mild liver function abnormalities, portal hypertension without cirrhosis or portal vein obstruction, an elevated splenic blood flow, and a reduction in portal hypertension by simple splenectomy. The presence of portal hypertension with varices may be another indication for splenectomy in patients with Felty's syndrome.
Some traffic features at freeway bottlenecks

Abstract Observations from two freeway bottlenecks in and near Toronto, Canada indicate that the average rate vehicles discharge from a queue can be 10% lower than the flow measured prior to the queue's formation. Absent any influences from downstream, the queue discharge flows exhibited nearly stationary patterns that alternated between higher and lower rates. These alternating flow patterns were especially evident at one of the two sites, although the feature occurred at both sites during periods that immediately followed the onset of upstream queueing; i.e. a queue's formation was always accompanied by a relatively low discharge rate followed later by a temporary surge in the discharge flow. When plotted cumulatively over time, however, the counts of discharging vehicles generally did not deviate by more than about 50 vehicles from a trend line of constant slope. Thus, the discharge flows are described as being `nearly' constant; i.e. they varied (slightly) about a fixed rate. At each site, this average discharge rate exhibited little deviation from day to day. The present findings came by visually comparing transformed curves of cumulative vehicle arrival number vs time and cumulative occupancy vs time measured at neighboring loop detectors. This treatment of the data provided clear presentations of some important traffic features and this facilitated a detailed study of bottleneck flows.
Evaluation of sampling schemes for estimating instantaneous whole-tree photosynthesis in Populus clones: a modeling approach

We evaluated several sampling schemes for estimating instantaneous whole-tree photosynthesis of 1-year-old Populus clones. Growth of two clones was simulated under varying weather conditions and leaf orientation scenarios providing photosynthetic data on a leaf-by-leaf basis throughout the growing season. Simple random sampling, stratified random sampling and a series of physiologically based sampling schemes were evaluated using either whole-leaf photosynthesis or photosynthetic rate (i.e., photosynthesis per unit leaf area) as the sampling attribute. Ratio and regression estimators with leaf area as an auxiliary variable were also studied. On the basis of their bias and accuracy in estimating instantaneous whole-tree photosynthesis (mg CO(2)), the physiologically based sampling schemes were superior for all combinations of clone type, weather condition and leaf orientation. Aspects of extending the sampling process to estimate daily and seasonal photosynthesis are also elaborated.
Genetic programming applied to Othello: introducing students to machine learning research

In this paper we describe and analyze a three week assignment that was given in a Machine Learning course at Columbia University. The assignment presented students with an introduction to machine learning research. The assignment required students to apply Genetic Programming to evolve algorithms that play the board game Othello. The students were provided with an implemented experimental approach as a starting point. The students were required to perform their own experimental modifications corresponding to research issues in machine learning. The results of student experiments were good both in terms of research and in terms of student learning. All relevant code, documentation and information about GPOthello is available at the following url: http://www.cs.columbia.edu/~evs/ml/othello.html.