cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nitrogen isotope variation of tree rings as a potential indicator of environmental change

Abstract The δ 15 N-values of tree rings have been measured for two eastern hemlocks ( Tsuga canadensis ) from a site in Hanover, New Hampshire, U.S.A. δ 15 N-values of tree rings show a total range of −0.1 to +6.8%. Both trees show a systematic decrease of δ 15 N-values from the early 1960's to the last year of growth. Possible explanations for the observed decrease of δ 15 N-values over the last 30 years include a decrease in the δ 15 N-values of available nitrogen, or isotope fractionation accompanying translocation. The results demonstrate the potential utility of nitrogen isotope analysis of tree rings as a method to investigate the long-term biogeochemical behavior of nitrogen. Tree-ring δ 15 N-values signatures can potentially procide information concerning the effects of atmospheric deposition of nitrogen upon forested ecosystems at actual levels of nitrogen deposition, as opposed to high levels of pulsed nitrogen addition over a relatively short period, as is typically the case in fertilizer studies. Additional advantages of tree-ring studies over fertilizer studies include the ability to study very long time periods, wide geographical application and the lack of need for a long-term, intensive experimental effort.
(η5-C5R5)2Fe2(CO)2(μ-CO)(μ-CH2) (R = H, CH3): A convenient one-pot synthesis using chloromethyl pivalate

Abstract The compounds (η 5 -C 5 R 5 ) 2 Fe 2 (CO) 2 (μ-CO)(μ-CH 2 ) (R = H, CH 3 ) have been prepared through the reaction of chloromethyl pivalate with the appropriate metal anions, η 5 -C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 K and η 5 -C 5 Me 5 Fe(CO) 2 K.
More on the Ecology of North Indian Ramapithecus

LEAKEY1 has recently disputed my analysis2, based on faunal evidence, of the ecology represented by the Nagri formation of the Siwalik Series, northern India. His objections imply that my examination of the fauna did not extend below the familial level, whereas I explicitly stated that my printed observations merely summarized more extensive work which involved examination of the individual genera and species, lists of which can be found in several easily available sources3–5. Leakey's observations, however, are clearly as superficial as he alleges mine to be. For example, he states that the inference of forested conditions from the presence in the Nagri (in the same exposure as that which yielded Ramapithecus) of lorisid primates is invalid because “there are living lorisids today which are not forest dwellers”. If Leakey had troubled to ascertain the published affinities of the Nagri lorisid, Indraloris, however, he would have found this genus classified within Lorisinae6,7, whereas the only lorisids which live in open country today are some of the galagines of Africa.
Giant magnetoresistance and magnetothermopower in Co/Cu multilayers

Abstract The thermopower (Seebeck coefficient, S ) has been measured on a series of Co/Cu multilayers that exhibit giant negative magnetoresistance (GMR). Negative in zero applied field, S ( H ) increases in magnitude as the field is increased, approaching that of bulk Co. The change in S is inversely proportional to the resistance of the sample which is, in turn, proportional to the square of the magnetization. A model is presented that yields both the GMR and S ( H ) from the spin-split density of states of the Co without the need of a spin-dependent scattering potential at the interfaces.
Transition from multiple daily injections to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion in type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Objective: To review our experience with insulin dosing during the conversion from multiple daily injections to continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Study design: The charts of 65 children who started CSII from January 1998 to April 2000 were reviewed. Data regarding insulin dose and hemoglobin A1c levels were collected from the prepump visit and first (at 1 to 2 months) and second (at 3 to 6 months) visits after being placed on pump therapy. Results: Pubertal patients had a decrease in total insulin dose taking CSII; prepubertal patients had little change (−18 ± 3.5% vs −1.7 ± 5%, P =.01). On CSII, the basal insulin dose comprised 40% to 45% of total insulin in both prepubertal and pubertal patients. Maximal basal rate in prepubertal patients occurred from 9 PM to 12 AM and in pubertal patients from 3 AM to 9 AM and from 9 PM to 12 AM. Conclusion: Guidelines established for CSII dosing in adults do not necessarily apply to children. The total daily insulin dose needs to be decreased in pubertal patients but may remain unchanged in prepubertal patients. The basal rate comprises 40% to 45% of the total daily insulin dose, and the timing of maximum basal rates is likely to occur in the late evening hours in prepubertal children. (J Pediatr 2002;140:235-40)
Optimism about string theory.

The News Focus article “String theory gets real—sort of” (A. Cho, 26 Nov. 2004, p. 1460) nicely describes the historical issues and separation of string theory and phenomenology, but it does not convey the recent excitement and increased activity of the emerging area of “string phenomenology.” The best documentation for that is people voting with their “feet”—last summer witnessed the third international string phenomenology meeting (in Ann Arbor), with the fourth already scheduled for Munich next summer, plus the first ever string phenomenology workshop, on which the article reported. String theory is exciting not only as a quantum theory of gravity, but because it allows us to address as research topics basic questions previously out of reach. Increasingly, many people are working in these areas and unifying different areas (such as collider physics, inflation, dark matter, quark masses, neutrino masses, and more) that could only be connected by a deep underlying theory. Whether such efforts are successful remains to be seen, but a number of people are more optimistic than they have been for a long time.
Coupling between regional aortic pulse wave velocity and luminal diameters in patients with thoracic aortic aneurysm: initial results from the ACTA study

Background Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is life-threatening and requires close follow-up to prevent aortic dissection and/or rupture. Aortic wall stiffness and luminal size are considered to be coupled. Regional aortic wall stiffness in patients with TAA is unknown. Evaluation of regional stiffness may supplement monitoring for prediction of progressive aortic dilatation. Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV), a marker of vascular stiffness, can be assessed regionally using in-plane two-directional velocityencoded (VE) MRI. The purpose of this study was to evaluate coupling between regional PWV and aortic luminal diameter in patients with TAA. Methods
Who Blogs in 2010?: An Updated Look at Individual Differences in Blogging

Research suggests gender and personality differences are predictive of general Internet use. Specifically, people high in openness and women high in neuroticism are more likely to keep a blog. Given the rapidity of change owing to technological advances, the authors sought to re-examine the validity of these findings in an era where other forms of online interaction are prevalent. Specifically, the authors sought to replicate and expand on these findings and to examine other individual difference factors that may predict who is likely to maintain a blog. Participants filled out multiple personality measures, demographic characteristics, and reported on their blogging behavior e.g., writing blog entries and reading blogs. Results replicated the prior research, indicating that openness predicted blogging to a greater degree than any other personality trait. Moreover, results also revealed that individuals high in self-consciousness and those who saw more of their "true self" on the Internet were more likely to blog. These findings suggest that in addition to openness, individual differences, such as self-focus and personality, predict who is likely to blog.
Characterization of High-frequency, Quantum-limited Timing Jitter in Stretched-pulse and Soliton, Passively-modelocked Fiber Lasers

We measured the timing jitter, with unprecedented sensitivity and bandwidth, between pairs of similar 80MHz stretched-pulse and 200MHz soliton, passively mode-locked lasers with 400pJ pulse energy, to be 7.3fs and 4.6fs [10kHz, 10MHz], respectively.
Sorption of trace cadmium on clay minerals and river sediments: effects of pH and Cd(II) concentrations in a synthetic river water medium

The sorption of Cd(II) on illite was studied at initial Cd concentrations from 1 to 1000 μg 1−1, with a constant solid phase concentration of 0.5 g 1−1. Percentage sorbed at equilibrium increased sharply from pH 6.5 to 9.0, with a shift toward increased adsorption at lower initial concentrations, indicating specific, non-equivalent sites. Freundlich log-log plots were linear with a slope of 0.83. Susquehanna River sediments (silt/clay fraction) showed similar behavior, sorbing Cd somewhat more strongly than illite, as did mont-morillonite, while kaolinite sorbed Cd less strongly. Sorption on illite was not altered appreciably by removing the Fe- or Mn-oxide coating with dithionite, by removing organic matter with H2O2, or by using a carbonate-free medium. Equilibration time, desorption at lower pH's, and the effect of citrate in shifting the sorption to higher pH's were also studied. The data are discussed in terms of Cd speciation equilibria and possible sorption mechanisms.
Nitrofurantoin inhibition of mouse liver mitochondrial respiration involving NAD-linked substrates☆☆☆

In our study, nitrofurantoin (NF) and nitrofurazone (NZ) inhibited respiration of isolated mouse (C57B/6J, adult, male) liver mitochondria. Other aromatic nitro compounds, nitroimidazole, metronidazole, and p-nitrobenzoic acid, did not have any significant effect. The primary site of activity for NF was complex I NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase mediated respiration, since only complex I substrates, glutamate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and alpha-ketoglutarate-mediated respiration were decreased. Respiration supported by succinate, a complex II substrate, was not affected by any of the compounds. NF at a concentration of 50 microM decreased state 3 and dinitrophenol-uncoupled respiration to 28 +/- 1 and 25 +/- 5% of control, respectively, of mitochondria oxidizing glutamate. Studies with mitoplasts oxidizing glutamate showed that NF inhibited both state 3 and 4 respiration. The inhibition of state 3 was prevented by the simultaneous addition of superoxide dismutase (240 micrograms/ml) and catalase (200 micrograms/ml). These results suggest that the mitochondrion, in particular complex I of the electron transport system, is a target for NF toxicity. The effect on respiration may be mediated by NF redox cycling and the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates resulting in the interference of electron flow.
Compact Sobolev imbeddings on finite measure spaces

Abstract We provide conditions on a finite measure μ on R n which insure that the imbeddings Wk, p( R ndμ)↪Lp( R ndμ) are compact, where 1 ⩽ p dμ = e −¦x¦α dx, where α > 1 .
Beyond adenotonsillectomy: outcomes of sleep endoscopy-directed treatments in pediatric obstructive sleep apnea.

Abstract Objectives In this study we determine the subjective and objective outcomes of pediatric patients with refractory OSA undergoing drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE)-directed surgical treatment. Methods 31 consecutive children with OSA following TA underwent DISE. 26 completed DISE-directed operative management of the level(s) of ongoing upper airway obstruction. Pre- and postoperative OSA were assessed through a detailed history (of nighttime symptoms (NS) and daytime symptoms (DS)), physical examination, and polysomnography. Results Age ranged 5–18 years (mean 9.7 ± 3.4). Fourteen of 26 had trisomy 21 (51%). Operations were performed in the following frequencies: lingual tonsillectomy (LT) (22), midline posterior glossectomy (MPG) (16), revision adenoidectomy (11), inferior turbinate submucosal resection (7), uvulopalatoplasty (2), and supraglottoplasty (2). Overall, 92% reported subjective improvement. NS improved from 5.8 ± 2.9 preoperatively to 2.1 ± 2.5 postoperatively (p Conclusions Individualized, multilevel, DISE-directed operative therapy was associated with substantial improvement in subjective measures of sleep.
Construction of robust open metal-organic frameworks with chiral channels and permanent porosity.

Four new metal−organic frameworks (MOFs) containing chiral channels have been synthesized using an achiral, triazine-based trigonal-planar ligand, 4,4‘,4‘ ‘-s-triazine-2,4,6-triyltribenzoate (TATB), and an hourglass secondary building unit (SBU): Zn3(TATB)2(H2O)2·4DMF·6H2O (1); Cd3(TATB)2(H2O)2·7DMA·10H2O (2); [H2N(CH3)2][Zn3(TATB)2(HCOO)]·HN(CH3)2·3DMF·3H2O (3); [H2N(CH3)2][Cd3(TATB)2(CH3COO)]·HN(CH3)2·3DMA·4H2O (4). MOFs 1 and 2 are isostructural and possess (10,3)-a nets containing large chiral channels of 20.93 and 21.23 A, respectively, but are thermally unstable due to the easy removal of coordinated water molecules on the SBU. Replacement of these water molecules by formate or acetate generated in situ leads to 3 and 4, respectively. Formate or acetate links SBUs to form infinite helical chains bridged by TATB to create three-dimensional anionic networks, in which one of the two oxygen atoms of the formate or acetate is uncoordinated and points into the void of the channels. This novel SBU-stabili...
Your Brain Controls Your Cholesterol

Elevated cholesterol concentrations in the blood are an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Worldwide, hundreds of millions of individuals take drugs like statins to reduce cholesterol or to increase proteins that transport cholesterol, such as high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which your physician likes to call the "good” cholesterol. Early on, it was thought that the cholesterol we eat is a major determinant of our circulating cholesterol levels, and many people tried to avoid eating cholesterol-rich foods like egg yolks, meat, and dairy products in order to lower their blood cholesterol. It turned out, however, that the amount of cholesterol we eat has only a modest impact on our blood cholesterol concentrations; more important, in addition to our genetic makeup, is our overall metabolic fitness. Because the brain controls metabolic functions such as hepatic glucose production and lipid metabolism in fat, it is reasonable to think that the brain might also regulate the metabolic pathways that control circulating cholesterol. Now Perez-Tilve et al. have demonstrated in a series of studies that this is the case. These authors started off by injecting mice with the gut hormone ghrelin, which increased adiposity and cholesterol levels after one week. Because most of ghrelin’s effects on metabolism are believed to be mediated through the brain melanocortin system, they next asked whether pharmacological inhibition of the melanocortin system only in the brain would increase cholesterol concentrations—which indeed it did. This treatment altered cholesterol concentrations by decreasing the clearance of cholesterol from the circulation; thus, the brain regulates cholesterol by controlling its clearance. A second gut hormone, GLP1, which is often targeted in diabetes treatment and activates the brain melanocortin system, decreased cholesterol levels. These findings also suggest that other brain signals—nutrients, emotions, and stress, for example—could also regulate cholesterol metabolism. This may be a mechanism through which alternative medicine practices such as acupuncture and aromatherapy could regulate cardiovascular risk factors. These techniques can modulate the autonomic nervous system, which is probably the main peripheral mediator of the brain control of cholesterol metabolism. D. Perez-Tilve, et al. , Melanocortin signaling in the CNS directly regulates circulating cholesterol. Nat. Neurosci. 6 June 2010 (10.1038/nn.2569). [[Full Text]][1] [1]: http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nn.2569.html
Relative uncertainty in term loan projection models: what lenders could tell risk managers

This article examines the epistemology of risk assessment in the context of financial modelling for the purposes of making loan underwriting decisions. A financing request for a company in the paper and pulp industry is considered in some detail. The paper and pulp industry was chosen because (1) it is subject to some specific risks that have been identified and studied by bankers, investors and managers of paper and pulp companies and (2) certain features of the industry enable analysts to quantify the impact of specific risk events of a given dimension on a company's future financial performance. While companies in other industries may be subject to similar risk factors, the impact of risk events may be more difficult to gauge in those industries. The ability of financial analysts to model the impact of a risk event, and hence quantify a credit risk, increases the predictive accuracy of the model. I argue that bankers and regulators should recognise the uncertainty associated with unquantifiable credit ...
Controlling Low Temperature Aqueous Synthesis of ZnO. 2. A Novel Continuous Circulation Reactor

A novel low temperature continuous circulation reactor for synthesizing ZnO from aqueous solutions has been developed. The reactor is based on the solubility behavior of ZnO predicted by the thermodynamic calculations presented in part 1 of this series. The chemistry used is simple and nontoxic, and because the reactor operates in a closed loop, no waste byproducts are produced. Experimental results confirm that the reactor is capable of synthesizing epitaxial ZnO at atmospheric pressure and temperatures well below the boiling point of water. It was possible to control the growth rate, yield, and morphology of the ZnO produced by adjusting variables, such as pH, ammonia concentration, temperature, heating rate, hold time, and recirculation rate. The experimental results obtained are shown to be in qualitative agreement with the calculations reported in part 1.
DECREASED SERUM DOPAMINE-BETA-HYDROXYLASE IN HYPERTHYROIDISM

ABSTRACT In 21 patients with hyperthyroidism, the mean serum dopamine-betahydroxylase (DBH) activity was 19 I.U. compared to 40 I.U. in 41 normal subjects (p < .005). During therapy for hyperthyroidism in 6 of the patients, the mean DBH increased from 22 to 41. The finding of a low DBH in hyperthyroidism and the subsequent rise in DBH during treatment provides independent evidence that sympathetic nervous activity is decreased in hyperthyroidism.
Evolutionary biology: fruitfly genome is not junk.

A comparison of two fruitfly genomes shows that much of their non-coding DNA is controlled by either negative or positive selection, dealing a double blow to the neutral theory of molecular evolution.
Steady-state pulses and superradiance in short-wavelength, swept-gain amplifiers

The steady-state behavior of amplifiers in which the excitation is swept at the speed of light is discussed in the semiclassical approximation. In the present work we examine the case where the decay time of the population is comparable to that of the polarization. Pulse propagation is shown to obey a generalized sine-Gordon equation which contains the effects of atomic relaxations. The analytical expression of the steady-state pulses (SSP) gives two threshold conditions. In the region of limited gain the SSP is a broad pulse with small area which can be obtained by small signal theory. In the second region of high gain the SSP is the superradiant $\ensuremath{\pi}$ pulse. Its pulse power is not limited as in usual superradiant theory because, as we show, for a swept excitation the cooperation-length limit does not exist.
Gay and Lesbian Political Mobilization and Regime Responsiveness in Four New York Cities

The increasing participation of lesbians and gay men in municipal politics is a product of the convergence of several processes: the creation of a movement among individuals, most of whom previously accepted collective invisibility; the mobilization of political resources by members of the community; and the opening of opportunities for participation by local political regimes. Here, the author examines how gay and lesbian community-building and political-mobilization processes in four New York cities (Albany, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse) meshed with opportunities provided by local political regimes to encourage a greater voice for lesbians and gay men in municipal politics.
Simplified Approaches for Solar Energy Modeling and Tracking

Use of spreadsheets to model complex solar radiation calculations is described. The solar tracking equations are presented and the equations are used to determine shading on a fenestration by external horizontal and vertical shades. The orientation of window and dates were changed to observe their effect on the percentage of shades on the fenestration. Additionally, a spreadsheet based on the monthly clearness index method was used to determine monthly and annual solar radiation on an arbitrarily oriented surface. The solver of the spreadsheet was utilized to obtain the surface orientation for the maximum annual insolation.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Confirmatory Factor Structure of the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children–Second Edition With Preschool Children: Too Young for Differentiation?

With an age range from 3 to 13 years, the Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children–Second Edition (KABC-II) offers an appealing option for the assessment of cognitive abilities for children. Although independent research has provided evidence of the construct validity of the KABC-II for school-age children, previous studies have rarely included an examination of preschool-age children. This study used confirmatory factor analysis to investigate the structure of the KABC-II in preschool children in relation to the Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) theory of intelligence. By examining competing models based on CHC theory, this study found that the constructs measured by the KABC-II subtests matched those specified within the manual, for children ages 4 through 5. In addition, these results suggested that Gf and Gv are in fact distinct broad abilities for this age group. These findings provide support for differentiated cognitive abilities within young children.
The reliability and validity of the Test of Adaptive Behavior in Schizophrenia (TABS)

Performance-based tests of functional capacity are important to utilize in schizophrenia where global measures may underestimate community functioning in the context of impoverished environments and disincentives to return to work. The Test of Adaptive Behavior in Schizophrenia (TABS) is a performance-based measure of adaptive functioning designed to address limitations of other available measures including limited assessment of the ability to initiate and of the ability to identify problems that occur in the course of performing functional activities. The TABS and a variety of symptom, functional outcome, and cognitive measures were administered to 264 outpatients with schizophrenia/schizoaffective disorders at an initial assessment. At 3 months, 110 subjects received a follow-up assessment. Results indicated that the TABS had very good test-retest reliability (0.80) and inter-item consistency (0.84). Moreover, TABS scores were moderately to strongly correlated with other measures of functional outcome, negative symptoms and neuropsychological test scores (convergent validity). Measures of positive symptoms were not found to be related to TABS performance (discriminate validity). The data provide preliminary evidence for the reliability and validity of the TABS. Further studies of the psychometric properties of the TABS including those examining the sensitivity of the TABS to treatments with different pharmacological agents or psychosocial treatments are encouraged.
Improved prediction model for time-dependent deformations of concrete: Part 2-Basic creep

The second part of this series presents the formulae for the prediction of basic creep of concrete, i.e. creep at no moisture exchange. The formulae give the secant uniaxial compliance function which depends on the stress level, and, as a special case, the compliance function for linear structural analysis according to the principle of superposition. The formulae are based on the recently developed solidification theory for concrete creep which takes into account simultaneous ageing, satisfies all the basic thermodynamic requirements, and avoids divergence of creep curves. The formulae, which describe both creep and elastic properties, involve only four free material parameters. All four appear linearly, so that optimum data fits can be obtained by linear regression. For the frequent situations where no test data for the particular concrete to be used are available, empirical formulae for predicting these four parameters from the concrete mix composition and the standard compressive strength are given. These formulae, however, involve considerable error. To avoid it, one should, whenever possible, carry out measurements of the elastic modulus and, if possible, also the short-time creep of 7 to 28 days duration. With such measurements, greatly improved predictions can be achieved. The predictions are compared with 17 extensive data sets taken from the literature, and the coefficients of variation of the deviations are found to be smaller than with previous models.
Practical Aspects of a Scintiliation Spectrometer System for Use at High Altitudes

This paper discusses a system designed for obtaining ? -spectra from high altitudes, using a lightweight balloon-borne device transmitting pulse information to ground equipment employing a standard multichannel analyzer. The sensing unit is a thallium activated cesium iodide crystal, surrounded with pilot B scintillator for discrimination against charged particles, observed by a 6199 photomultiplier tube. Packaging arrangements to minimize temperature effects and prolong battery lifetime are described. The resolution and drift recorded during operation of the system compared favorably with those observed in the laboratory without telemetering.
School choice in the US urban context: racism and policies of containment

School choice proposals in the us have emerged in a variety of forms to address numerous ills of the nation's public school system. To date, these forms include alternative education in the public ...
Operational experience with model-based steering in the SLC Linac

Operational experience with model-driven steering in the linac of the Stanford Linear Collider (SLC) is discussed. Important issues include two-beam steering, sensitivity of algorithms to fault components, sources of disagreement with the model, and the effects of the finite resolution of beam position monitors. Methods developed to make the steering algorithms more robust in the presence of such complications are also presented. >
Web-Based Bayesian Tutoring System

A number of Bayesian toolkits have been developed to learn from data through statistical inference. These toolkits are increasingly being applied in Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) whose aim is to assist student learning. In this paper, we introduce a template for a web-based Bayesian driven ITS, which organizes course material, tests student understanding, and evaluates student performance to suggest a further plan of study. In addition, we provide guidelines for constructing a knowledge domain that will include meaningful problems that test all concepts being learned.
Mapping the allowed parameter space for decaying dark matter models

I consider constraints on a phenomenological decaying dark matter model, in which two weakly interacting massive particle species have a small mass splitting, and in which the heavier particle decays to the lighter particle and a massless particle on cosmological time scales. The decay parameter space is parametrized by v_k, the speed of the lighter particle in the center-of-mass frame of the heavier particle prior to decay, and the decay time τ. Since I consider the case in which dark matter halos have formed before there has been significant decay, I focus on the effects of decay on already formed halos. I show that the v_k-τ parameter space may be constrained by observed properties of dark matter halos. I highlight which set of observations is likely to yield the cleanest constraints on v_k-τ parameter space, and calculate the constraints in those cases in which the effect of decay on the observables can be calculated without N-body simulations of decaying dark matter. I show that for v_k ≳ 5×10^3 km s^(-1), the z=0 galaxy cluster mass function and halo mass-concentration relation constrain τ ≳ 40 Gyr, and that precise constraints on τ for smaller v_k will require N-body simulations.
A new interlayer dielectric (ILD) cracking mechanism in ceramic packaged multilayered CMOS devices

A new interlayer dielectric (ILD) cracking mechanism was uncovered in a multilayered CMOS technology. This new mechanism was found in ceramic packaged ICs and differs from the well known thermal cycling induced thin-film cracking (TFC) found in plastic packaged ICs. It is shown that the driving force for this new mechanism is a combination of wire bonding stress and wide metal bus layout. A new TFC design specification was developed to prevent the recurrence of the same mechanism on subsequent hermetic packaged products. The reliability impact of this cracking mechanism is reported and investigated in this paper.
Corticosteroid sensitivity in gliomatosis cerebri delays diagnosis

Gliomatosis cerebri is a rare malignant tumour originating from cerebral glial cells. Most experts currently view gliomatosis cerebri as a pattern of extensive glioma infiltration encompassing at least three cerebral lobes.1 It occurs at any age, with peak incidence between 40 years and 50 years and it is slightly more common in men.2 On MRI, gliomatosis cerebri shows no, or minimal, contrast enhancement; however, it has a diffuse hyperintense infiltrative process on T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequence. It is usually possible to diagnose gliomatosis cerebri using an open biopsy or a stereotactic biopsy. Despite treatment, its median survival varies from 6 months to 39 months.3 We report an unusual presentation of gliomatosis cerebri, which underscores the difficulty in pinpointing the correct diagnosis after corticosteroids have modified the disease course. A 78-year-old woman had an episode of acute onset slurred speech and confusion. Her initial CT scan of head showed diffuse left hemispherical white matter hypodensity with sulcal effacement and minimal midline shift to the right. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination suggested viral encephalitis for which she was empirically given intravenous dexamethasone and acyclovir, with oral levetiracetam 500 mg twice daily. After initially improving, she rapidly worsened with corticosteroid tapering. A repeat CT scan of head showed no change. She took dexamethasone 4 mg twice daily before undergoing a brain biopsy, which showed mild hypercellularity suspicious but not definitive for glioma. Two weeks later, we saw her for a second opinion. The MRI of …
Formal analysis of Piecewise Affine systems under parameter uncertainty with application to gene networks

In this paper, we consider discrete-time continuous-space piecewise affine (PWA) systems with uncertain parameters, and study temporal logic properties of their trajectories. Specifically, given a PWA system with polyhedral parameter uncertainties and a linear temporal logic (LTL) formula over linear predicates in its state variables, we attempt to find the largest region of initial states from which all trajectories of the system satisfy the formula. Our method is based on the iterative computation and model checking of finite transition systems simulating the original PWA system. We illustrate our method by computing the basins of attraction for the two equilibria of a PWA model of a two-gene network.
Coordinated traffic-responsive ramp control via nonlinear state feedback

In this paper, we develop a coordinated traffic responsive ramp control strategy based on feedback control and artificial neural networks. The proposed feedback control law is nonlinear and realized by a series of neural networks. The parameters of the neural networks are obtained through a nonlinear optimization procedure. Traffic simulations show that the proposed nonlinear ramp control strategy compares favorably against the well-known linear quadratic (LQ) control strategy in reducing total travel times, particularly at situations where drastic changes in traffic demand and road capacity occur.
Study of coordinative gene expression at the biological process level

Motivation: Cellular processes are not isolated groups of events. Nevertheless, in most microarray analyses, they tend to be treated as standalone units. To shed light on how various parts of the interlocked biological processes are coordinated at the transcription level, there is a need to study the between-unit expressional relationship directly. Results: We approach this issue by constructing an index of correlation function to convey the global pattern of coexpression between genes from one process and genes from the entire genome. Processes with similar signatures are then identified and projected to a process-to-process association graph. This top--down method allows for detailed gene-level analysis between linked processes to follow up. Using the cell-cycle gene-expression profiles for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we report well-organized networks of biological processes that would be difficult to find otherwise. Using another dataset, we report a sharply different network structure featuring cellular responses under environmental stress. Contact: kcli@stat.ucla.edu Supplementary information: http://kiefer.stat.ucla.edu/lap2/download/KL_supplement.pdf
Stable Isotope and Magnesium Geochemistry of Recent Planktonic Foraminifera from the South Pacific

O 18 /O 16 , C 13 /C 12 , and magnesium analyses were performed on a large number of Recent planktonic Foraminifera from South Pacific Ocean sediments. Results show that oxygen isotopic temperatures of Foraminifera tests may be used to locate ocean currents and to define the orientation of large crustal plates relative to the earth9s rotational poles. Selective solution effects may cause isotopic temperatures of some species to become progressively colder with increasing water depth of the sediments from which they are taken. Where this is not taken into account, erroneous conclusions may result from the comparison of isotopic temperatures of samples from different locations. Depths at which Foraminifera secrete their tests appear to be determined by density and ultimately by osmotic equilibration with surrounding sea water. Susceptibility of Foraminifera tests to selective solution after death increases with magnesium content. Carbon isotope ratios correlate crudely with both temperature and salinity. The C 13 /C 12 ratio of dissolved or particulate carbon in the oceans is probably the most important factor in determining the C 13 /C 12 ratio of the test.
Fitting a Vital Linkage Piece into the Multidimensional Emissions-reduction Puzzle: Nongovernmental Pathways to Consumption Changes in the PRC and the USA

The United States and China are responsible for nearly 40 per cent of total annual greenhouse gas emissions. Global climatic stabilization cannot succeed without the participation of people and organizations in the PRC and the USA. Given the likelihood of continued political paralysis at the national level in both countries, it is important to assess the strengths, weaknesses, and potential of nongovernmental actors in bringing about durable reductions in GHG emissions. Consumption trajectories present one of the most intractable barriers to anthropogenic GHG-emissions reductions and to long-term climatic stabilization. Nordlund and Garvill's (2003) model is adapted and applied in assessing prospects for value change, specific problem awareness, and sustainable-consumption behavior in the PRC and USA. The contributions of nonstate actors are elucidated when issue bundling (specifically links with stress reduction and healthy futures) and principle bundling are incorporated into the explanatory framework. The involvement of transnationally competent activists in emissions-mitigation projects, value change, and durable sustainable-consumption practices provides a beacon for future possibilities. Chinese transnationals are a key overlooked and underestimated piece in the current emissions-reduction puzzle because of their critical position at the intersection of values, behavior change, and nongovernmental institutions directly and indirectly involved in climatic-change mitigation. Given their special U.S./P.R.C. leverage, other actors concerned with building a sustainable-consumption movement and with climatic stabilization are likely to benefit from devoting increased attention and responsibilities to this group.
Bandwidth Squeezed Restoration in Spectrum-Sliced Elastic Optical Path Networks (SLICE)

With the continuing growth in the amount of backbone traffic, improving the cost-effectiveness and ensuring survivability of the underlying optical networks are very important problems facing network service providers today. In this paper, we propose a bandwidth squeezed restoration (BSR) scheme in our recently proposed spectrum-sliced elastic optical path network (SLICE). The proposed BSR takes advantage of elastic bandwidth variation in the optical paths of SLICE. It enables spectrally efficient and highly survivable network recovery for best-effort traffic as well as bandwidth guaranteed traffic, while satisfying the service level specifications required from the client layer networks. We discuss the necessary interworking architectures between the optical path layer and client layer in the BSR in SLICE. We also present a control framework that achieves flexible bandwidth assignment as well as BSR of optical paths in SLICE. Finally, we describe an implementation example of a control plane using generalized multi-protocol label switching (GMPLS).
Leucocyte alkaline phosphatase in the Mongolian gerbil and other species: a comparative view

Summary Cytochemical analyses performed on peripheral blood smears of the Mongolian gerbil reveal the presence of variable amounts of leucocyte alkaline phosphatase (LAP) activity in the neutrophil of this species. Levels of activity in individual cells ranged from 1 to 4 +. Cells completely devoid of activity were rarely encountered. Immature neutrophils residing in the bone marrow also displayed moderate amounts of enzymatic activity. The results of a semiquantitative assessment of overall LAP activity in this rodent, expressed as a mean LAP score, were compared with similar analyses carried out on a diverse sample of vertebrates. Intermediate levels of activity were recorded for the gerbil (x = 241). This score was comparable to that obtained for the rat (x = 199) and significantly higher than that seen in man (x = 79). A wide range of LAP scores were noted for closely related species, as well as phylogenetically distant species.
Ground truth data for validation of nonrigid image registration algorithms

Two methods, one 2D and one 3D, for validation of nonrigid image registration algorithms are proposed and compared to a manual validation strategy. Both methods provide pairs of deformed images as well as corresponding true displacement fields with known accuracy. Nonrigid registration algorithms can be run on the pairs of images and their outputs can be compared to the true displacement fields that were generated manually by five observers. While these phantom validation studies do not provide physically correct deformations, they are certainly a useful way to test the algorithm's ability to recover various deformation patterns.
Privacy, Technology, and Aging: A Proposed Framework

The purpose of this study was to develop a privacy framework that could inform the development, adoption, and use of home-based ubiquitous technologies for older adults. We began with a five-part privacy framework, derived from the literature, and tested it through a qualitative exploration of older adults’ perceptions. Focus-group sessions were conducted with 64 community-dwelling older adults. Transcriptions were analyzed using a grounded-theory approach. Major and minor coding themes were identified, refined, and expanded upon, and transcripts were then coded using these themes. Participants’ concerns about privacy were more contextualized than our previously defined framework. Factors that influenced perceptions of privacy were identified as perceived usefulness, the importance of social relationships, data granularity, and the sensitivity of activities. Elders’ perceptions of privacy relative to the development, adoption, and use of home-based ubiquitous technologies are highly contextual, individualized, and influenced by psychosocial motivations of later life. Data analysis and gerontological theory informed the expansion of our initial framework into a new framework that considers perceived usefulness, key social relationships, data granularity, and sensitivity of activities as factors relevant to the use of in-home technologies. As elders’ naive mental models lead to a perception of risk that may be less than actual risk, technologies should enable user-centered transparent data control. Transdisciplinary theories of privacy and aging can inform the development of a privacy framework for home-based technologies that can contribute to an optimal life in old age.
Localization of off-the-shelf mobile devices using audible sound: architectures, protocols and performance assessment

Sound source localization will play a major role in the new location-aware applications envisioned in Ubiquitous Computing. We describe the design and performance of three architectures and corresponding protocols that use a variation of the Time-of-Flight method for localizing three different kinds of devices, namely 802.11-enabled PDAs, 3G cell phones, and PDAs without network connectivity. The quantitative assessment is based on the deployment made with 6 sensors in, a 20x9m room, sewing over 10,000 localization requests. Our experiments indicate that all architectures achieve localization within 70cm of the actual position 90% of the time. The accuracy is further improved to 40cm 90% of the time when geometric factors are taken into consideration. The effects of noise and obstructions are also analyzed. Within 1m localization error realistic noise degrades the accuracy by 6 to 10%. The presence of obstacles, such as humans and cement columns, has no observable effect on the performance.
The H3 Tail Domain Participates in Multiple Interactions during Folding and Self-Association of Nucleosome Arrays

The core histone tail domains play a central role in chromatin structure and epigenetic processes controlling gene expression. Although little is known regarding the molecular details of tail interactions, it is likely that they participate in both short-range and long-range interactions between nucleosomes. Previously, we demonstrated that the H3 tail domain participates in internucleosome interactions during MgCl2-dependent condensation of model nucleosome arrays. However, these studies did not distinguish whether these internucleosome interactions represented short-range intra-array or longer-range interarray interactions. To better understand the complex interactions of the H3 tail domain during chromatin condensation, we have developed a new site-directed cross-linking method to identify and quantify interarray interactions mediated by histone tail domains. Interarray cross-linking was undetectable under salt conditions that induced only local folding, but was detected concomitant with salt-dependent interarray oligomerization at higher MgCl2 concentrations. Interestingly, lysine-to-glutamine mutations in the H3 tail domain to mimic acetylation resulted in little or no reduction in interarray cross-linking. In contrast, binding of a linker histone caused a much greater enhancement of interarray interactions for unmodified H3 tails compared to “acetylated” H3 tails. Collectively these results indicate that H3 tail domain performs multiple functions during chromatin condensation via distinct molecular interactions that can be differentially regulated by acetylation or binding of linker histones.
Caution or Warning? A Validity Study of the MAYSI-2 with Juvenile Offenders

Given the high prevalence of mental health and substance use disorders in the juvenile justice system and the emphasis on efficient screening and referrals, the current study sought to further validate the use of the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument version 2 (MAYSI-2). Using data from institutionalized delinquents (N=836) committed to the California Youth Authority, finite mixture modeling was employed to identify distinct latent classes based on MAYSI-2 scale scores. Identified classes were then compared across a range of covariates, including prior offenses, official records of misconduct, and multiple measures of mental health and psychological well-being. Findings revealed a three-class, gradient-based structure: low distress (n=380), moderate distress (n=327), and high distress (n=129). Overall, the MAYSI-2 identified juvenile offenders with mental health and substance use issues, but it did not differentiate youths with respect to offending patterns.
Pharmacologic B‐Vitamin Therapy for Hyperhomocysteinemia in Dialysis Patients: Has the Time Come?

Hyperhomocysteinemia, the state of elevated plasma homocysteine levels, is an independent risk factor for atherothrombosis and arteriosclerosis. For incompletely understood reasons, renal disease appears to predispose to hyperhomocysteinemia. In fact, as renal function declines, plasma homocysteine levels rise. Mild to moderate hyperhomocysteinemia is almost universal among end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, who have negligible functioning renal mass. This tendency towards a hyperhomocysteinemic state may partially explain the dramatically high rate of cardiovascular morbidity and death seen in this population. Hyperhomocysteinemic subjects with normal kidney function can usually reduce or normalize homocysteine levels with modest B-vitamin (folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12) supplementation. However, subjects with reduced renal function require much higher ("pharmacologic") B-vitamin doses to achieve equivalent reductions, while ESRD subjects are resistant to even massive doses. Study design flaws and the inclusion of potentially B-vitamin-deficient subjects in homocysteine-lowering trials has made interpretation of this literature difficult. Nonetheless, it appears that the modest standard daily dialysis vitamin supplements are equivalent to pharmacologic B-vitamin therapy in lowering homocysteine levels in ESRD patients and should be the recommended method of treatment in this population at the present time.
Comparison of the physiological relevance of systemic vs. portal insulin delivery to evaluate whole body glucose flux during an insulin clamp

To understand the underlying pathology of metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, an accurate determination of whole body glucose flux needs to be made by a method that maintains key physiological fe...