cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring subjective probabilities by the magnitude production method

Abstract The magnitude production method was employed to determine how subjective probability estimates are formulated. Subjects assessed the subjective probabilities of different uncertain events by providing two responses: a verbal numerical estimate and a corresponding exerted force on a handgrip. The subjects' responses were related by an ogival function. This function differed significantly from a power function that is frequently found in magnitude production studies and that was also obtained for the control group in the present study. Further implications of the ways people estimate subjective probabilities and the possible utilization of psychophysical methods for the study of subjective probability are discussed.
Reaction kinetics of dicyclohexylmethane‐4,4′‐diisocyanate with 1‐ and 2‐butanol: A model study for polyurethane formation

Reactions of dicyclohexylmethane-4,4′-diisocyanate (H12MDI) with 1- or 2-butanol in N,N-dimethylformamide using dibutyltin dilaurate (DBTDL), stannous octoate (SnOct), or triethylamine (TEA) as catalyst were conducted in stirred reactors at 40°C. Reactor contents were circulated through an external loop containing a temperature-controlled FTIR transmission cell; reaction progress was monitored by observing decrease in height of the isocyanate peak at 2266 cm−1. Catalyzed reactions were second order as indicated by linear 1/[NCO] plots; uncatalyzed reactions yielded nonlinear plots. In all cases, the reaction with a primary alcohol was faster than that with a secondary alcohol. DBTDL dramatically increased the reaction rate with both primary and secondary alcohols. For [DBTDL] = 5.3 × 10−5 mol/L (300 ppm Sn) the second-order rate constant, k, was 5.9 × 10−4 (primary OH) and 1.8 × 10−4 L/(mol s) (secondary OH); for both alcohols, this represents an increase in initial reaction rate on the order of 2 × 101 when compared with the uncatalyzed reactions. The second-order rate constant was observed to increase linearly with DBTDL concentration in the range 100–700 ppm Sn. SnOct and TEA showed little to no catalytic activity with the primary alcohol and only a slight increase in reaction rate with the secondary alcohol. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
On the construction of a vector current with a time component obeying the algebra of currents (I)

Abstract We propose to study the connection between current algebra and rigorous quantum field theory by constructing, in a model field theory, an isovector-vector current whose time components obey the algebra proposed by Gell-Mann. We hope to obtain an appropriate model theory by generalizing the λφ4 theory of Glimm and Jaffe to include isospin. The construction will require the formation of bounded functions of spatially smeared currents operating on Fock space. In this paper we show that such bounded functions can be formed by showing that the smeared currents are essentially self-adjoint on an appropriate domain.
Solid-state voltammetry in a three-electrode electrochemical cell-on-a-chip with a microlithographically defined microelectrode

Microlithographic procedures are employed to fabricate electrochemical microcells with three coplanar gold-film electrodes (working, auxiliary, and reference) resting on a silicon water. The working electrode can be a 11 /times/ 516 or 11 /times/ 256 ..mu..m microband or a 11 /times/ 11 ..mu..microsquare, and the cell solution of a film of an ionically conducting polymer such as lithium triflate dissolved in poly(ethylene oxide). The cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry of electroactive species dissolved in these cell media are reported, and the chronoamperometric data are compared to theoretical current-time curves calculated for band microelectrodes. Cyclic voltammetry in an aqueous droplet on the microsquare gives pseudo-steady-state-waves, the limiting currents of which quantitatively agree with those for microdisk electrodes of equivalent area. The microlithographically defined microcells can be produced in quantity and can be considered disposable electroanalytical devices, which can be advantageous for routine electroanalytical applications involving electrode-poisoning reaction systems.
Structural analysis of some sodium and alumina rich high-level nuclear waste glasses

Sodium- and aluminum-rich high-level nuclear waste glasses are prone to nepheline (NaAlSiO4) crystallization. Since nepheline removes three moles of glass-forming oxides (Al2O3 and SiO2) per mole of Na2O, the formation of this phase can result in severe deterioration of the chemical durability in a given glass. The present study aims to investigate the relationships between the molecular-level structure and the crystallization behavior of sodium alumino-borosilicate-based simulated high-level nuclear waste glasses with infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction, respectively. The molecular structure of most of the investigated glasses comprise a mixture of Q2 and Q3 (Si) units while aluminum and boron are predominantly present in tetrahedral and trigonal coordination, respectively. The increasing boron content has been shown to suppress the nepheline formation in the glasses. The structural influence of various glass components on nepheline crystallization is discussed.
Vascular and cardiac functional and structural screening to identify risk of future morbid events: preliminary observations.

Abstract Risk factors have served to identify patients in need of antihypertensive and lipid-lowering therapy. Because of their limited sensitivity and specificity, we developed a screening program using noninvasive testing and a scoring system aimed at detecting functional and structural cardiovascular abnormalities in asymptomatic individuals. Ten cardiovascular tests were performed in 1 hour by a single technologist. Tests were scored as normal (0), borderline abnormal (1), or abnormal (2). Total disease score (DS) could range from 0 (all tests normal) to 20 (all tests abnormal). Scores of 0–2 were classified as normal, 3–5 as early disease, and 6+ as advanced disease. Morbid events during follow-up of 6 months to 8 years were determined from mailed questionnaires. Framingham risk scores (FRS) were calculated using published algorithms. Thirty-five morbid events (1 of 169 in the “normal” group, 8 of 214 in the “early disease” group, and 26 of 230 in the “advanced disease” group) occurred during the follow-up period among the 613 individuals who completed the questionnaire. Risk for morbid events was highly significantly different between the Kaplan-Meier curves based on disease detection (log rank 21.75, P ≤ .0001). FRS were significantly different but less discriminating, with five morbid events in the 227 subjects with FRS 13 (log rank 9.80, P = .0074). The area under receiver operating characteristic curve for DS (0.74) surpassed that of FRS (0.66) and was not improved when both were included in the model. Neither blood pressure levels nor low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels provided adequate discrimination. Identifying early disease in asymptomatic individuals provides a better guide to the need for preventive therapy than traditional risk factor assessment.
EcoGene: a genome sequence database for Escherichia coli K-12

The EcoGene database provides a set of gene and protein sequences derived from the genome sequence of Escherichia coli K-12. EcoGene is a source of re-annotated sequences for the SWISS-PROT and Colibri databases. EcoGene is used for genetic and physical map compilations in collaboration with the Coli Genetic Stock Center. The EcoGene12 release includes 4293 genes. EcoGene12 differs from the GenBank annotation of the complete genome sequence in several ways, including (i) the revision of 706 predicted or confirmed gene start sites, (ii) the correction or hypothetical reconstruction of 61 frame-shifts caused by either sequence error or mutation, (iii) the reconstruction of 14 protein sequences interrupted by the insertion of IS elements, and (iv) pre-dictions that 92 genes are partially deleted gene fragments. A literature survey identified 717 proteins whose N-terminal amino acids have been verified by sequencing. 12 446 cross-references to 6835 literature citations and abstracts are provided. EcoGene is accessible at a new website: http://bmb.med.miami. edu/EcoGene/EcoWeb . Users can search and retrieve individual EcoGene GenePages or they can download large datasets for incorporation into database management systems, facilitating various genome-scale computational and functional analyses.
From Archival Management to Archival Enterprise to the Information Domain: David Gracy and the Development of Archival Education at the University of Texas

David B. Gracy II is very well known for his advocacy for archives and the study of archives, an enthusiasm that he has been communicating to students from the 1970s through the first decade of the twenty-first century. He has been involved during his career with most initiatives having to do with furthering archival education through both continuing education for working archivists and, at the University of Texas at Austin (UT), crafting a full program of postgraduate archival and preservation education. In this article I discuss the development of a discourse about and cadre for archival education in the United States, counterpointed by developments at UT from the perspective of Gracy's career as it intersected with the social worlds of state, local, and national archives and archivists; national postsecondary education for archivists; and the national professional association of archivists.
Noninvasive quantitative assessment of diabetic wounds with diffuse photon density wave technology

Quantitative non-invasive assessment of the wound healing process in chronic wounds may assist in selection and monitoring of expensive treatments. The Diffuse Photon Density Wave (DPDW) methodology at near infrared wavelengths can be used to non-invasively measure the optical absorption and reduced scattering coefficients of tissue at depths of several millimeters. Changes in the optical properties of tissue at near-infrared wavelengths (685nm-950nm) are caused by changes in blood volume, oxygenation, and tissue hydration. A four-wavelength DPDW system with a single source position and four detectors was used to monitor the optical properties of wounds in healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Optical data obtained after inflicting full-thickness wounds on the dorsal region of diabetic and control rats indicate that DPDW technology can be used to monitor wound healing and differentiate the rate of impaired vs. normal wound healing. The concentrations of oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin and water were calculated from the optical absorption coefficients. Changes in hemoglobin concentration may indicate increased vascularization throughout the wound healing process, while changes in water content may reflect inflammation following tissue injury. These physiological changes are supported by qualitative immunohistochemical analysis of wound biopsies.
Treatment of recurrent, multiloculated, obstructive hydrocephalus with suprahepatic peritoneal catheter placement

Abstract The suprahepatic space represents a potential reservoir for cerebrospinal fluid absorption and becomes critical when extensive abdominal adhesions prevent passage of a peritoneal shunt catheter toward the pelvis. We present a patient with refractory hydrocephalus in which a multishunt system with drainage into the suprahepatic space was ultimately successful in decompressing the patient’s trapped ventricular spaces.
NEAR-INFRARED (JHK) PHOTOMETRY OF 131 NORTHERN GALACTIC CLASSICAL CEPHEIDS

Near-infrared photometric measurements for 131 Northern Galactic Cepheids are presented. The Cepheid light curves are sampled with an average of 22 measurements per star fully covering the phase of each Cepheid. The J, H, and K light curves for each Cepheid were uniformly interpolated to find the intensity mean magnitudes within each band. The results are consistent within ±1% for 26 stars in common with previous studies. This paper is the first in a projected series of two papers which will provide additional fundamental data for Cepheids in the Galaxy, namely, NIR photometry and line-of-sight extinction. In the course of this project, 93 additional variables were fortuitously observed within the Cepheid program fields, 82 of which have previously not been identified.
Characterization of insulin binding to isolated swine adipocytes

The objectives of this study were to determine if binding sites for insulin were present on isolated swine adipocytes and to characterize insulin receptors in terms of kinetics and specificity if they existed. The binding of purified porcine [125I]iodoinsulin to isolated adipocytes at 30 C was rapid, achieving a steady state within 45 min that was maintained for 2 h. Specific binding of [125I]iodoinsulin tracer was 2.5–3.0% for 2 × 105 cells/ml after 2 h. Competition for binding was observed with half-maximal displacement of [125I]iodoinsulin at insulin concentrations of 4.2 × 10-10 M. Porcine proinsulin was 16-fold less potent that insulin in displacing [125I]iodoinsulin from receptor sites. Glucagon did not cause displacement of [125I]iodoinsulin. Scatchard analysis of the data from competitive binding studies indicated the presence of two classes of binding sites. The Ka was approximately 4.5 × 109 M-1 for high affinity sites and approximately 2.1 × 10-8 M-1 for low affinity sites. These findings indic...
Nitrogen Doping in Low-Temperature Halo-Carbon Homoepitaxial Growth of SiC

In this work, nitrogen doping was investigated during the low-temperature halo-carbon epitaxial growth of 4H-SiC on Si- and C-faces. The dependencies of nitrogen incorporation on nitrogen flow rate, Si/C ratio, growth rate, and temperature were investigated. It was established that the efficiency of nitrogen incorporation for the C-face growth at 1300 °C is higher than that for the Si-face for a wide range of the growth conditions. Seeming deviation of the Si/C ratio dependence from the “site-competition” trend confirmed the critical role of the silicon vapor condensation during the low-temperature epitaxy. Opposite trends for the nitrogen doping dependence on the growth rate were observed on the Si- and C-faces. Finally, a complex temperature dependence of the nitrogen doping in the temperature range from 1300 to 1450 0C was observed.
Health risk factors and mental health among US women with and without chronic physical disabilities by whether women are currently pregnant.

Growing numbers of reproductive-age US women with chronic physical disabilities (CPD) raise questions about their pregnancy experiences. Little is known about the health risks of women with versus without CPD by current pregnancy status. We analyzed cross-sectional, nationally-representative National Health Interview Survey data from 2006 to 2011, which includes 47,629 civilian, noninstitutionalized women ages 18–49. NHIS asks about specified movement difficulties, current pregnancy, and various health and health risk indicators, including tobacco use and body mass index (BMI). We used responses from eight movement difficulty and other questions to identify women with mobility difficulties caused by chronic physical health conditions. Across all women regardless of CPD, women reporting current pregnancy are significantly less likely to currently smoke tobacco and report certain mental health problems. Among currently pregnant women only, women with CPD are more likely to smoke cigarettes every day (12.2 %) versus 6.3 % for pregnant women without CPD (p ≤ 0.001). Among currently pregnant women, 17.7 % of women with CPD have BMIs in the non-overweight range, compared with 40.1 % of women without CPD (p ≤ 0.0001). Currently pregnant women with CPD are significantly more likely to report having any mental health problems, 66.6 % compared with 29.7 % among women without CPD (p ≤ 0.0001). For all women, currently pregnant women appear to have fewer health risks and mental health concerns than nonpregnant women. Among pregnant women, women with CPD have higher rates than other women of health risk factors that could affect maternal and infant outcomes.
A Situational Approach for Assessing and Teaching Acculturation

This article introduces a situational approach for assessing and teaching acculturation that captures how a person’s level of competence and authenticity in a foreign cultural setting varies across the various situations the person encounters. Whereas previous research, such as the U-curve and Berry’s dual identification model, portrays cultural adaptation at a broad, general level, the current approach provides a more nuanced perspective on acculturation by taking into account situational variability as well as variability in experienced competence and authenticity. The benefits of the framework for cross-cultural training and education are illustrated within the context of foreign MBA students in the United States.
Acute expansion of an asymptomatic posterior communicating artery aneurysm resulting in oculomotor nerve palsy

Acute expansion of an intracranial aneurysm is an extremely rare event. In this report, we describe the unusual radiographic documentation of acute expansion of a posterior communicating artery (PCOM) aneurysm from 4 to 8 mm, resulting in complete oculomotor nerve palsy. A 40-year-old man was admitted to our institution with a 3-week history of persistent occipital headaches but was otherwise neurologically intact. CT angiography demonstrated a 4 mm left PCOM aneurysm. Digital subtraction angiography performed several hours following presentation demonstrated an expansion in aneurysm size to 8 mm with new-onset complete oculomotor nerve palsy. The aneurysm was successfully obliterated by clip ligation. Although growth in aneurysm size is often a progressive phenomenon, acute expansions of aneurysms can occur.
Clothing, its evolution and development by the inhabitants of the Artic.

(1968). Clothing, Its Evolution and Development By the Inhabitants of the Artie. Archives of Environmental Health: An International Journal: Vol. 17, No. 4, pp. 586-591.
Tidal and seasonal dynamics of a muddy inner shelf environment, Gulf of Papua

[1] Subaqueous delta clinoforms are accretionary features created on the continental shelf where there is a large supply of sediment. Sediment is transported across the shallow topset region and accumulates rapidly in the deeper foreset region. In the Gulf of Papua, Papua New Guinea, the absence of cyclonic storms makes tidal currents and seasonal variation of wind direction primary controls on the timing and magnitude of across-shelf sediment transport. To investigate processes that disperse sediment across the topset of the Fly River clinoform, anchor stations were occupied during spring and neap tidal cycles of the trade wind season, the monsoon season, and the transition period. During the energetic trade wind season, surface waves coupled to strong spring tide currents generated peaks in suspended-sediment concentration (>100 g L−1 at some locations). However, seabed erosion and deposition over tidal timescales could not be discerned, indicating that sediment was being advected across the outer topset. Although seaward gravity flows occur with significant spatial heterogeneity, they are important for carrying sediment to the foreset region because the near-bed circulation generally has a landward net flow. Seaward transport is restricted to the energetic trade wind season. During the quiescent monsoon season, 4–11 cm of erosion occurs on parts of the outer topset as fluvial sediment is temporarily deposited closer to shore. Seasonal patterns in sediment dispersal are likely impacted by El Nino–Southern Oscillation, and consideration of El Nino conditions of 2002–2003 are reflected in the interpretation of observations.
Quantum Gravity Extension of the Inflationary Scenario

Since the standard inflationary paradigm is based on quantum field theory on classical space-times, it excludes the Planck era. Using techniques from loop quantum gravity, the paradigm is extended to a self-consistent theory from the Planck scale to the onset of slow roll inflation, covering some 11 orders of magnitude in energy density and curvature. This preinflationary dynamics also opens a small window for novel effects, e.g., a source for non-Gaussianities, which could extend the reach of cosmological observations to the deep Planck regime of the early Universe.
Dynamic fracture growth and interaction in one dimension

Abstract The present study considers concepts relating fracture energy and fracture dynamics. Analyses of Mott are expanded to explicitly account for energy dissipation during the fracture process. Expressions are obtained for the nominal fragment size, fracture time, and dynamic fracture strain. It is shown that communication between growing fractures is relatively slow. Numerical analysis is used to examine the interaction of ductile fractures and the conditions that may lead to arrest or completion of growing fractures.
Anisotropic superconducting and normal state properties of the electron-doped Ln2-xCexCuO4-y single crystals (Ln = Nd and Sm)

Abstract Although previous resistive measurements of the superconducting transition under applied magnetic field on a Sm1.85Ce0.15CuO4-y single crystal did not show much dissipation effects, magnetic relaxation data on another superconducting single crystal yield a small flux pinning energy, of the order of 20 meV at T = 6 K when H⌈c, similar to hole-doped superconductors. In the electron-doped compounds, the normal-state resistivity, which exhibits substantial anisotropy, does not follow a linear temperature dependence, but rather a T2 law up to about 200 K, consistent with Fermi-liquid theory for electron-electron scattering. In superconducting Nd2-xCexCuO4-y single crystals, both in-plane and out-of- plane resistivities exhibit metallic behavior with T2 dependence.
Distortion of the arterial pulse

Abstract A simple model of the arterial system is formulated and solved. It is a linear model without viscosity, in which the arteries have elastic walls and are exponentially tapered. Blood flows out of the walls continuously. The solution is found analytically and numerically for various sets of parameters and reproduces the main qualitative features of actual blood flow, including the growth and steepening of the pressure pulse, the presence of the dicrotic wave, and the increasing proportionality of the pressure and flow waveforms.
Sensory and motor systems.

Rachel Wilson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and an Early Career Scientist of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Wilson’s lab studies neural computations involved in early stages of sensory processing, with a focus on the olfactory and auditory systems of Drosophila. Her research aims to understand the cellular, synaptic, and circuit mechanisms that implement these computations, as well as the adaptive functions of these computations.
Carbamazepine-induced neurotoxicity and its prevention by NMDA in cultured cerebellar granule cells

Long-term neurotoxicity of carbamazepine was studied in cultured cerebellar granule cells. Treatment of cells with carbamazepine for 3 days induced a dose-dependent neurotoxicity detected by a loss of [3H]ouabain binding to Na+,K(+)-ATPase, and [3H]N-methyl scopolamine binding to muscarinic cholinergic receptors as well as by direct morphologic examination. NMDA protected against carbamazepine-induced toxicity and this protection was blocked by 2-amino-5-phosphono-valerate (APV). The neurotoxicity induced by carbamazepine may be involved in the teratogenic and adverse effects of overdose associated with the treatment of manic-depressive illness and seizures.
Inefficiencies and vulnerabilities of telephone-based communication between U. S. poison control centers and emergency departments

Context. Poison control centers (PCCs) and emergency departments (EDs) rely upon telephone communication to collaborate. PCCs and EDs each create electronic records for the same patient during the course of collaboration, but those electronic records are not shared. Objective. The purpose of this study was to describe the current, telephone based process of PCC–ED communication as the basis for potential process improvement. Materials and methods. This study was conducted at one PCC and two tertiary care EDs. We developed workflow diagrams to depict clinician descriptions of the current process, descriptions obtained through interviews of key informants. We also analyzed transcripts of phone calls between emergency departments and the poison control center, corresponding to a random sample of 120 PCC cases occurring January 1–December 31, 2011. Results. Collaboration between the ED and PCC takes place during multiple telephone calls, and the process is unsupported by shared documentation. The process occu...
Introduction to Milestones in Photobiology

Electromagnetic radiation, encompassing UV, visible, and infrared radiation, has a major impact on human health. Sunlight, the major environmental agent to which humans are exposed, is responsible for the energy required to sustain life and stimulates the generation of vitamin D3 from the precursor 7-dehydrocholesterol. Sun exposure has been used for millennia as a therapeutic agent to treat dermatological and nondermatological disease. In addition, the advent of artificial nonlaser and laser light sources has further expanded the scope of diseases amenable to phototherapy beyond what natural sunlight can do. This form of radiant energy can also have nefarious effects. Acutely, it can trigger an erythema response in the skin (sunburn), and chronic exposure can cause photoaging of the skin, non-melanoma skin cancer (squamous cell and basal cell carcinoma), and melanoma. Investigation into the biological effects of nonionizing electromagnetic radiation on the skin has identified hitherto unsuspected actions of this form of radiant energy. For example, UVR is now known to influence immunological process, which may help explain its role in skin cancer, the pathogenesis of photosensitivity diseases, and its actions as a therapeutic agent. Infrared radiation, the cutaneous health effects of which had largely been thought to be limited to causing the rare condition ‘erythema ab igne’, now is recognized as a contributor to photoaging of the skin and may have a role as a therapeutic agent. Not surprisingly, because the skin bears the major burden of its impact, the consequences of UVR, visible light, and infrared radiation have been of particular interest to scientists who conduct research on the skin. Many of the ground-breaking observations with respect to cancer biology, the use of lasers, photoaging, and photoimmunology, to name a few, are derived from studies in the skin. The new knowledge generated from research in this area has led to a greater understanding of the biological effects of UVR on the skin and in disease pathogenesis and to improved therapeutic modalities. The Milestones in Photobiology presented here provide a brief overview of where we are and the prospects of photobiology for the future.
Recent advances in fragile X: a model for autism and neurodegeneration.

Purpose of reviewThis review will describe recent developments in the neurobiology of fragile X syndrome (FXS), the association between FXS and autism, and involvement in premutation carriers.Recent findingsMetabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5)-coupled pathways are dysregulated in individuals w
Relationship between premenopausal dietary intake and postmenopausal subclinical atherosclerosis.

Abstract Objectives This study examines the association of premenopausal dietary intake with postmenopausal subclinical atherosclerosis. Design A prospective population-based cohort of 401 premenopausal women from the Healthy Women Study. Baseline premenopausal dietary intake was determined with the use of single 24-h recall. Coronary and aortic calcium scores were measured by electron beam computed tomography 8 years after menopause, and carotid plaque index was measured by carotid ultrasound scan 5 years after menopause. Results Prevalence of coronary, aortic, and carotid subclinical atherosclerosis were 47.3%, 75.4%, and 52.1%, respectively. In unadjusted analysis, the relative risks (RR) of saturated fat intake for coronary calcification in second, third and highest quartile groups compared to the lowest were 1.82 (95% confidence interval, 1.00–3.30), 1.49 (0.82–2.70), and 1.99 (1.09–3.62), while those of carbohydrate intake were 0.48 (95% confidence interval, 0.26–0.88), 0.47(0.26–0.86), and 0.35 (0.19–0.64), respectively. None of the dietary components were significantly associated with aortic calcification or carotid plaque. Conclusion The association between premenopausal dietary intake and postmenopausal subclinical atherosclerosis supports the recommended premenopausal dietary intervention for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
Challenges of reliability testing in Qatar: Patient willingness for participation by mail or in person in a novel research instrument in Doha, Qatar.

Background: Novel survey instrument development requires reliability testing, but limited information informs the preferred approach in Qatar. The testing of survey characteristics of the Multi-Cultural Assessment Inventory-Qatar (MAI-Q), a novel multicultural assessment tool in Arabic, English, Hindi and Urdu, provided the opportunity to investigate survey distribution procedures. Objective: To determine willingness to participate, and response rates during survey reliability testing by mail and in person. Methodology: To examine participation preferences and rates, patients were recruited through HMC and six primary health centers. When recruited, subjects could choose to take the MAI-Q a second time for the reliability testing in person or by mail. Subjects were either scheduled for follow-up in-person, or were sent the survey in a prepaid, preaddressed envelope. Results: Among 387 subjects who initially took the survey, 177 (46%) declined taking the survey a second time for reliability testing. Of 210 subjects who agreed to take the survey a second time for reliability testing, 145/210 (69%) chose mail, and 65/210 (31%) were offered and chose in person follow-up. Actual follow-up to complete reliability testing was only 29/145 (21%) by post but 40/65 (63%) in person. Conclusion: These findings reveal challenges researchers face when developing and distributing surveys in Qatar. Nearly half of subjects initially recruited were not willing to participate in follow-up testing. Among those agreeing to follow-up testing, the majority chose mail, but only a fifth of them returned instruments. The majority of subjects who chose in person follow up completed testing. These data inform researchers about the tough choices for developing and conducting surveys in Qatar.
Clinical chorioamnionitis and the prognosis for very low birth weight infants

Abstract Objective: To determine the effects of clinical chorioamnionitis on neonatal morbidity and mortality in very low birth weight infants. Methods: This was an observational cohort analysis of all singleton live-born infants weighing 500–1500 g at 24 weeks’ or greater gestational age and born between 1988 and 1996 at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas, Texas. Chorioamnionitis was diagnosed on the basis of maternal fever of 38C with supporting clinical evidence, which included fetal tachycardia, uterine tenderness, and/or malodorous infant, and the absence of another source of infection. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to adjust for outcomes of interest. Results: Ninety-five of 1367 very low birth weight infants (7%) were exposed to chorioamnionitis. Neonatal sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, seizure in the first 24 hours of life, intraventricular hemorrhage (grade 3 or 4), and periventricular leukomalacia were all significantly increased with chorioamnionitis, after adjusting for preterm ruptured membranes, pregnancy-associated hypertension, cesarean birth, gestational age, and birth weight. The odds ratios for intraventricular hemorrhage, periventricular leukomalacia, and seizures in the first 24 hours were 2.8 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.6, 4.8), 3.4 (95% CI 1.6, 7.3), and 2.9 (95% CI 1.2, 6.8), respectively. Conclusion: Our results suggest a link between clinical chorioamnionitis and several indices of neonatal morbidity in the very low birth weight infant. Chorioamnionitis appears to make the very low birth weight infant particularly vulnerable to neurologic damage.
Antibody-Forming Cells in Five Organs of Hyperimmunized Guinea Pigs

SummaryThe simultaneous cellular antibody response to two antigens was studied in guinea pigs made hyperimmune to a glutaraldehyde-treated antigen mixture of egg albumin and human gamma globulin. In such animals varying numbers of antibody-forming cells could be detected in the lungs, liver, kidneys, and adrenal glands. The lungs and liver appeared to be major sites of antibody synthesis. If these cells are the progeny of potential antibody-forming cells stimulated in situ or if these cells were stimulated in lymphoid organs and filtered from the circulation is not known.
Equation of state of shock compressed liquid deuterium

Shock compression experiments carried out at Livermore using liquid deuterium have measured the Hugoniot and shock temperature to pressures up to 3.2 Mbar. In the region between 4000 K to 10,000 K the prediction of small or negative values of (dP/dT) v suggests that the molecular fluid dissociates into a mixture containing a significant fraction of string-like matter. In the temperature range from 20,000 to 50,000 K the fluid may be treated as a nearly degenerate liquid metal, Above 50,000 K electronic excitation becomes significant and the fluid must be treated as a a dense plasma. There appears to be no experimental evidence in favor of a first order phase transition in the fluid.
The Benefits of Including Engaged Residents and Professionals in Low-Income Neighborhood Redevelopment Planning Processes

A qualitative case study of two urban neighborhood-planning processes contributes to knowledge regarding citizen participation in the context of public housing redevelopment. The data were collected and triangulated from multiple sources including participant observation, field notes, artifacts, and 24 hours of semistructured interview data (n = 26). Data provided context for understanding engaged residents’ and professionals’ experience of participation in a Resident Advisory Council (RAC) and influence during neighborhood redevelopment planning. Study participants reported the benefits of inclusion in the RAC community planning process including: (a) being engaged by attending meetings and dialoging, (b) maintaining and building relationships, and (c) maintaining organizing pressure and fighting back.
Optimal Strategies for Sports Betting Pools

Every fall, millions of Americans enter betting pools to pick winners of the weekly NFL football games. In the spring, NCAA tournament basketball pools are even more popular. In both cases, teams that are popularly perceived as “favorites” gain a disproportionate share of entries. In large pools there can be a significant advantage to picking upsets that differentiate your picks from the crowd. In this paper, we present a model of betting pools that incorporates pool participant behavior. We use the model to derive strategies that maximize the expected return on a bet in both football pools and tournament-style pools. These strategies significantly outperform strategies based on maximizing score or number of correct picks---often by orders of magnitude.
Estimation of cyclic polyspectra

The authors review the definitions of and relations between cyclic cumulants, cyclic moments, and cyclic polyspectra, and consider nonparametric estimation of both cyclic cumulants and cyclic polyspectra. It is shown that cyclic polyspectra can be estimated consistently by first measuring the cyclic cumulant, multiplying it by a tapering window, and then Fourier transforming it. Measurement of cyclic polyspectra directly in the frequency domain is shown to be relatively difficult due to the fact that infinite-strength spectral functions containing Dirac delta functions must be estimated and combined to obtain estimates of finite-strength spectral functions in which all Dirac deltas cancel each other. Examples are provided to illustrate the theory. >
DLMS: ten years of AI for vehicle assembly process planning

Since its presentation at the inaugural 1989 IAAI Conference (O'Brien et al. 1989), Ford's Direct Labor Management System (DLMS) has evolved from a prototype being tested at a single assembly plant to a fully-deployed application that is being utilized at Ford's assembly plants throughout the world. DLMS is Ford's automated solution to managing the automobile manufacturing process system at our vehicle assembly plants. This paper will describe our experiences and the lessons that have been learned in building and adapting an AI system to the rapidly-evolving world of automotive vehicle assembly process planning. We will cover issues such as knowledge base development and maintenance, knowledge representation, porting the system to different platforms and keeping the system viable and upto-date through various organizational and business practice changes. We will also discuss how DLMS has become an integral part of Ford's assembly process planning business.
Simulation of a distributed target recognition system with variable operating conditions

This paper details a simulation tool for assessing the effect of variable operating conditions on an automatic target recognition system. The simulation tool helped to assess the impact of variable operating conditions and hardware capability on the performance of distributed target recognition systems. Its user interface allowed for real-time monitoring of the best object classification, its associated likelihood value, and the time required to make the classification. Testing revealed that the available network bandwidth and the number of processing nodes used to compute most greatly influenced system performance, followed closely by the level of resolution of the target model images
Insulin Stimulation of Protein Synthesis in Rat Skeletal Muscle Following Resistance Exercise Is Maintained With Advancing Age

This study examined whether or not insulin elevates rates of protein synthesis in muscle following four days of resistance exercise in young (4-mo), middle-aged (12-mo), and old (32-mo) rats. Thirty-six male Fischer 344/BN F1 rats (n = 12 in each group) performed an operantly conditioned activity which required full extension of the hindlimbs with weights over the scapula (ACUTE; n = 6 for each age group) or with no additional weight (nonexercised; NONEX; n = 6 for each age group). Acutely exercised animals engaged in four distinct exercise sessions with each session separated by 48 h. Rates of protein synthesis were assessed in soleus, gastrocnemius (GAST), and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles 16 h after the last exercise bout using a bilateral hindlimb perfusion to measure the incorporation of tritiated phenylalanine (F) into muscle protein. One limb of the bilateral hindlimb preparation received a medium that contained rat insulin at a physiological concentration (6.25 ng.ml-1), while the other limb did not. Rates of protein synthesis in soleus with insulin supplementation were significantly higher within all age groups following resistance exercise vs ACUTE without insulin and NONEX with or without insulin (p .05). These data suggest that following resistance exercise, insulin increased rates of protein synthesis in both soleus and GAST regardless of age, and it appeared that this insulin-mediated elevation may have occurred at the level of translation.
Multigrid inversion algorithms with applications to optical diffusion tomography

In this paper, we propose a general framework for nonlinear multigrid inversion applicable to any inverse problem in which the forward model can be naturally represented at differing resolutions. In multigrid inversion, the problem is adjusted at each resolution by using the solutions at both finer and coarser resolutions. To do this, we formulate a consistent set of cost functional across resolutions. At each resolution, both the forward and inverse problems are discretized at the lower resolution; thus reducing computation. Simulation results for the problem of optical diffusion tomography indicate that multigrid inversion can dramatically reduce computation in this application.
Self-configuring communication middleware model for multiple network interfaces

Communication middleware such as MuniCluster provides high-level communication mechanisms for networked applications through hiding the low-level communication details from the applications. The MuniCluster model provides mechanisms to enhance the network performance properties through message separations and parallel transfer. However, the configurations of such its services require various measurements and setups to efficiently utilize the availability of the multiple network interfaces. In this paper we introduce and evaluate a self-configuring model that allows applications to transparently utilize the existence of multiple network interfaces and networks. Here we present enhancements to the MuniCluster model by adding the self-configuration mechanism. Using network resource discovery and deciding on how to efficiently utilize the multiple networks, the model enhances overall communications performance. The proposed techniques deal with the heterogeneity of interfaces and networks to enhance communication performance transparent form the applications.
Neuraxial analgesia effects on labour progression: facts, fallacies, uncertainties and the future

Approximately 60% of women who labour in the USA receive some form of neuraxial analgesia, but concerns have been raised regarding whether it negatively impacts the labour and delivery process. In this review, we attempt to clarify what has been established as truths, falsities and uncertainties regarding the effects of this form of pain relief on labour progression, negative and/or positive. Additionally, although the term 'epidural' has become synonymous with neuraxial analgesia, we discuss two other techniques, combined spinal-epidural and continuous spinal analgesia, that are gaining popularity, as well as their effects on labour progression.
Voltage-sensitive ion channels, acidic lipids and Hodgkin-Huxley equations: New ideas 55 years later

Forty-five years ago, in 1963, Alan Hodgkin, Andrew Huxley, and Sir John Eccles were awarded the Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for “their discoveries concerning mechanisms involved in excitation and inhibition in the peripheral and central portions of the nerve cell membrane”. They proved that transport of potassium and sodium ions through nerve membranes is possible due to the presence of ion selective channels that control biological electrical signaling, and that the frequency of ion transport through the channels can be as high as 10 8 s −1 . This review gives a short description of the Hodgkin–Huxley model (HH-model) and presents a summary of recent structural and biochemical data regarding the voltage sensitivity of the channels, which do not support a traditional point of view that the channel is a protein structure formed by separate ionic pore and voltage sensor. A new molecular mechanism of voltage gating is suggested. The mechanism is based on the possibility of channel formation with acidic lipids at the protein/lipid interface for both K
General solutions of the narrow strip (and slot) integral equations

Analytic solutions of the integral equations for the current induced on a narrow conducting strip are obtained by two methods. One method follows from an expansion of the strip current in a series of Chebyshev polynomials while the other is based on a special power series expansion. In the former, Fourier-type coefficients, depending on integrals of the excitation, are derived while in the latter the coefficients depend upon derivatives of the excitation. From knowledge of the strip current simple expressions for the far-zone scattered field are derived. Explicit results are given for plane wave excitation. The solution methods apply to the equations for the narrow slot in a planar conducting screen.
Is retrograde stenting more reliable than antegrade stenting for pyeloplasty in infants and children

Abstract Objectives To compare antegrade and retrograde internal double- J stenting for pyeloplasty drainage in children. The success of placing the stent in position and the complications were compared in both groups. Methods Between October 2001 and December 2004, 42 children with unilateral pelviureteral junction obstruction underwent pyeloplasty by a single surgeon. Antegrade and retrograde double- J stenting was attempted in 17 children (mean age 1.3 years) and 25 children (mean age 1.5 years), respectively. Antegrade stenting was attempted during the pelviureteral anastomosis, and the retrograde stent was placed just before the operation by cystoscopy. Fluoroscopy was not routinely used to confirm stent placement in either group. The stents were removed 4 weeks later at cystoscopy. Results Successful stent placement without malpositioning was achieved in 14 (82%) of 17 and 24 (96%) of 25 children, respectively, in the antegrade and retrograde groups. The cause of unsuccessful stenting in both groups was the inability to cross the ureterovesical junction. The mean time taken for retrograde stenting was 9 minutes (range 6 to 15). All children with successful stent placement by either technique were discharged within 72 hours after the operation. The hospital stay for children with unsuccessful double- J stent placement varied from 7 to 10 days. No stent malpositioning occurred with retrograde stenting; 1 child in the antegrade stent group had a malpositioned stent in the distal ureter, which was retrieved at ureteroscopy. Conclusions In our experience, retrograde double- J stenting seems more reliable than antegrade stenting for pediatric pyeloplasty, with greater success and lower complication rates.
An Ultra-Low-Power Power Management IC for Wireless Sensor Nodes

A power interface IC is designed and demonstrated to convert and manage power for a wireless tire pressure sensor node. Power conversion is performed using on-chip switched-capacitor converters with size-optimized devices and level-shifting gate drivers. A synchronous rectifier efficiently harvests energy from an electromagnetic shaker and control circuitry regulates the output voltage while minimizing power consumption. The converters achieve efficiencies approaching 80%.
Scientific issues in the revision of personality disorders for DSM-5

DSM-5 is scheduled for publication in 2013. The revision process will be the product of over 13 years of work. DSM-5 Work Groups have recently proposed changes in each of the major diagnostic classes of mental disorders and revised their proposals in anticipation of APA-sponsored and APA-conducted Field Trials now underway. This article will review the scientific and philosophical principles guiding the revisions and how they have influenced the development of the proposed changes for the assessment and diagnosis of personality psychopathology for DSM-5. Included are discussions of the definition of mental disorder, dimensional vs. categorical approaches to diagnosis, criteria for change, validity vs. clinical utility, cultural applicability, the relationship of DSM-5 and ICD-11 and diagnosis for specialty vs. primary care settings. Although principles for revising the DSM-5 were articulated some time ago, the revision process thus far has proceeded with some degree of ambiguity, controversy and contradiction. Copyright © 2011 American Psychiatric Association.