cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Crystal Growth, Surface Phase Transitions and Thermomolecular Pressure

The most abundant crystal growth problems in the natural environment involve ice, yet in nearly every setting a crucial roadblock to our progress concerns how microscopic processes influence macroscopic behavior. Recent advances in understanding the surface phase transitions that alter the equilibrium and near equilibrium interfacial structure are central to many pattern formation problems during ice crystal growth, the geometric evolution of polycrystals, and the dynamics of frost heave. This chapter focuses on surface, size and impurity effects in the melting, growth and interfacial evolution of ice crystals. The primary focus in melting and growth concerns how the nature of the microscopic interfacial structure at ice/vapor, ice/gaseous-atmosphere and ice/water interfaces influences the growth shapes. The treatment of impurities in solidification dynamics begins at the molecular level and is traced to the long range transport effects that drive interfacial instabilities. Finally, we examine the dynamical implications of taking subfreezing interfaces into a weakly nonequilibrium regime wherein the underlying causes of frost heave are revealed. Experimental, theoretical and computer simulation techniques all play important roles in our evolving understanding of both the basic phenomena under scrutiny and their environmental implications. The fundamental issues are observed in nearly all materials, but their environmental manifestations are most striking in the case of ice, lying as they do at the heart of the evolving shape of a snowflake, the origin of the forces driving cryoturbation in soils and the microscopic basis of charge transfer inside icy clouds.
Red-breasted nuthatches detect early increases in spruce budworm populations

Early suppression .of increasing spruce budworm populations is essential to prevent epidemics; however, early changes in budworm numbers are difficult to detect. An effective and inexpensive method to detect early increases is needed. Red-breasted nuthatches eat more spruce budworm larvae and pupae as the insect increases in number. We estimated the number of large larvae in Maine and northern New Hampshire forest stands in 1982 and 1983 by determining the number of these larvae in the birds' stomachs. When the mean number of spruce budworm in the stomach approached 1.7, budworm populations were nearing high density and could be expected to cause severe defoliation the following year.
75 – Research Models in Pediatric Surgery

This chapter provides an overview of several important conditions that are encountered within the field of pediatric surgery. The field of pediatric surgery is wide-ranging and the new knowledge afforded by the advent of more sophisticated tools in molecular biology and physiology has heralded an unprecedented effort in pediatric surgical basic science investigation. Biliary atresia is a disorder of infants in which there is obliteration or discontinuity of the extrahepatic biliary system, resulting in obstructed bile flow. Untreated, the cholestasis leads to unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia, cirrhosis, hepatic failure, and death. Biliary atresia has an incidence of one in 10,000 live births and represents the most common indication for liver transplantation in children. Despite the improved survival of children with biliary atresia following transplantation, the pathogenesis of this condition is poorly understood. Multiple theories have been presented to account for the varied spectrum of pathology seen in these patients, ranging from congenital malformation of the bile ducts to the presence of a causative infectious agent. Because of this lack of understanding, the models utilized to study this disease are varied and diverse.
The Design of the Protos System

This chapter presents the design of Protos, explaining how the Protos approach has been instantiated as a concept representation and a set of algorithms. The chapter elaborates and follows the organization of Chapter 2. First, the representation of Protos' category structure is explained. The featural representation of cases is described, and Protos' explanation language is defined. Second, the classification procedure is explained. Hypothesis formation, exemplar selection, knowledge-based pattern matching, and similarity assessment are described. Third, the details of Protos' learning procedures are presented. The selective retention of exemplars, integration of explanations into domain knowledge, and creation and revision of indices are described. Detailed examples of the classification and learning procedures in action are presented in Chapter 4.
Variability in the bioavailability of phenytoin capsules in males and females.

Purpose. To determine inter-lot and intra-subject variability in the bioavailability of the 100 mg extended phenytoin sodium capsules. In addition, to determine the effect of gender and menstrual cycle on phenytoin bioavailability.
Flexural Performance Evaluation of Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Incorporating Multiple Macro-Synthetic Fibers:

Fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC) is a promising construction material mainly because of the crack-controlling mechanisms that discrete fibers can impart to inherently brittle concrete. Macrofibers, ...
Generalized Dynamic Hysteresis Model for Improved Iron Loss Estimation of Complex Flux Waveforms

This paper presents a generalized dynamic hysteresis model for estimating the iron loss of complex flux waveforms. A versatile measurement system is developed to experimentally investigate the magnetic and iron loss properties of the studied soft magnetic material over a wide range of ac and dc excitation. With the measured hysteresis loop data available, an improved dynamic hysteresis model is proposed to properly include the impact of the flux density changing rate, instantaneous magnetization state, and time history of magnetic flux on dynamic field modeling. Experimental results have confirmed the desired accuracy of iron loss predictions over broad operating ranges, including conditions of pure sinusoidal fields, non-sinusoidal flux waveforms with superimposed harmonics, and flux waveforms in the presence of pre-magnetized dc-bias fields. The model parameters identified from symmetrical hysteresis loops can be utilized to predict the iron loss over a variety of conditions, making it a generalized tool for the iron loss estimation of complex flux waveforms.
Aggregation behavior of halato-telechelic ionomers in a low-polarity solvent

The solution behavior of halato-telechelic ionomers (polybutadiene with carboxylate end groups) in a low-polarity solvent (tetrahydrofuran (THF)) was studied. It was shown that the degree of aggregation can be expressed as a function of polymer concentration by an empirical equation, DA - 10βc, where DA is the degree of aggregation, c is polymer concentration, and β is a constant relating to the rate of aggregation with polymer concentration. It was also shown that the aggregation effect of the Na salt was larger than that of the Cs salt, which was reflected in the value of β.
Current Account and Budget Deficits in an Intertemporal Model of Consumption and Taxation Smoothing. a Solution to the

This paper presents an infinite horizon model of consumption and taxation " smoothing" that implies a simple relation between current accounts, budget deficits, investment rates and transitory output shocks. It is argued that such a model could explain the "Feldstein-Horioka puzzle" of the apparent lack of international capital mobility. Traditional regressions of the savings rate on the investment rate, as performed in the literature, are shown to be incorrect tests of the hypothesis of capital mobility because they do not control for the independent role of budget deficits and temporary output shocks in the current account and savings equations. Empirical tests of the model for a sample of 18 OECD countries present good evidence that international capital markets are widely integrated and that the "Feldstein-Horioka puzzle" might be explained by the important role of fiscal deficits in the determination of the current account and the saving behavior.
NAFLD: a multisystem disease that requires a multidisciplinary approach.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is often thought of as the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome and is frequently accompanied by type 2 diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular disease. Together with the obesity epidemic, NAFLD has reached epidemic proportions and is now the most common cause of chronic liver disease worldwide. Despite the epidemic of NAFLD, relatively few of these patients will die of liver disease and the leading cause of death among NAFLD patients is cardiovascular disease. Patients with NAFLD also experience significant morbidity from comorbid conditions, such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease. A liver-centric approach to the disease risks missing the forest for the trees. In Frontline Gastroenterology , Moolla et al 1 illuminate one potential path through this forest by demonstrating the efficacy of a multidisciplinary approach to NAFLD in improving markers of liver, cardiac and metabolic health. This single centre, retrospective study examined a cohort of NAFLD patients referred to the Oxford University Hospital Metabolic Liver Clinic who were generally referred from the primary or secondary care setting with NAFLD and a NAFLD fibrosis score (NFS) in the intermediate to high range. Their multidisciplinary clinic was led by hepatologists and diabetologists or metabolic specialists and supported by a special service that provided patients with advice regarding weight loss, smoking cessation, alcohol reduction …
Synthesis of Adaptive Control Systems by Function Space Methods

Publisher Summary An adaptive control system must be able to perform the following three functions: provide continuous information about the present state of the system or identify the system; compare present system performance to the desired or optimum performance and make a decision as to how the system should be guided to achieve the optimum performance; and, finally, initiate a proper actuation so as to drive the control system to the optimum. These three principles of identification, decision, and actuation are inherent in any adaptive system. The advance of adaptive control theory is a natural evolution of the control technology. The impact on its development has many facets. Control engineers were confronted with problems in which the classical control techniques developed previously were proving very inadequate. This chapter highlights the problems associated with adaptive control systems. It describes one possible approach for solving adaptive control problems. These problems are formulated within the context of functional analysis. All the problems with least-squares criteria are basically identical with the operator-theoretic formulation. They can all be rewritten as the minimization of certain norms in specifically defined Hilbert spaces. This function-space approach for solving a class of control problems has been used extensively. The chapter discusses the interpretation of the well-known, generalized, least-squares error criterion as the minimization of a quadratic functional in Hilbert space. It also discusses minimum effort problems. The chapter discusses the least-squares estimation of a linear system weighting function matrix, the identification problem of a nonlinear system, and the optimal control of nonlinear systems.
Errors in Reporting Significant Figures in Surgical and Medical Journals in 2017.

Abstract Background The present study was undertaken to ascertain the prevalence of published data with errors in the numerical significant figures in established surgical and medical journals in 2017. The frequency of errors was not only summarized but was also correlated to the published journal impact factor for the seven journals reviewed. Methods All original investigations and other analysis reporting quantitative statistical results published in seven surgical and medical journals in 2017 were electronically reviewed for errors in reporting significant figures of the published statistical findings. Errors in significant figures were placed into one of three author defined categories: calculated significant figure errors, interval precision errors, and P value reporting errors. Tests for intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility were conducted blindly to ensure validity and reproducibility between different readers. Results A total of 1675 articles published in 2017 were identified and reviewed. In total, 730 articles (44%) were reported to have an error in one category, with error rates ranging from 25% to 68% depending on publishing journal. The error rate for each journal were easily reproduced by different observers (κ coefficient range: 0.55-0.81) and correlated with its 2016 impact factor (r = 0.97, R2 = 0.95, P Conclusions Published findings are frequently reported incorrectly in the surgical and medical literature and can be potentially misleading. The pervasiveness of errors correlates to fewer citations as measured by the lower impact factor.
Altered cerebral perfusion in children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis after chemotherapy

Background and purpose Children with Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) may develop a wide array of neurological symptoms, but associated cerebral physiologic changes are poorly understood. We examined cerebral hemodynamic properties of pediatric LCH using arterial spin-labeling (ASL) perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and methods A retrospective study was performed in 23 children with biopsy-proven LCH. Analysis was performed on routine brain MRI obtained before or after therapy. Region of interest (ROI) methodology was used to determine ASL cerebral blood flow (CBF) (mL/100 g/min) in the following bilateral regions: angular gyrus, anterior prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and hippocampus. Quantile (median) regression was performed for each ROI location. CBF patterns were compared between pre- and posttreatment LCH patients as well as with age-matched healthy controls. Results Significantly reduced CBF was seen in posttreatment children with LCH compared to age-matched controls in angular gyrus (P = .046), anterior prefrontal cortex (P = .039), and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (P = .023). Further analysis revealed dominant perfusion abnormalities in the right hemisphere. No significant perfusion differences were observed in the hippocampus or orbitofrontal cortex. Conclusion Perfusion in specific cerebral regions may be consistently reduced in children with LCH, and may represent effects of underlying disease physiology and/or sequelae of chemotherapy. Studies that combine a formal cognitive assessment and hemodynamic data may further provide insight into perfusion deficits associated with the disease and the potential neurotoxic effects in children treated by chemotherapy.
Transcriptional Profiles of Mdwrky33 in Apple Root in Response to Infection by Pythium ultimum, Abiotic Stresses and Chemical Treatments

Plant resistance responses to pathogen infection involve massive transcriptional reprograming and widespread redirection of cellular pathways to adjust the plant from growth to defense. Transcription factors (TFs) function at the major regulating points of gene expression, and specific TFs are known to play crucial roles in plant defense activation. Molecular defense activation in apple root from infection by oomycete necrotrophic pathogen Pythium ultimum, a primary component in a pathogen complex inciting apple replant disease, has not been investigated in detail. Base on previous transcriptome analyses, members of apple WRKY gene family have been identified as the primary candidates in regulating defense response in apple root. Among them, MdWRKY33 , an orthologue of AtWRKY33 in apple genome, demonstrated as a highly-expressed WRKY with genotype-specific induction patterns during P. ultimum infection. The sequence features of MdWRKY33 and its tissue-specific expression, as well as its responses to abiotic and pharmacological treatments, added to the evidence for its functional roles in defense activation in apple root. In response to P. ultimum infection, MdWRKY33 was consistently upregulated in all eight tested apple rootstock genotypes at all timepoints. Between genotypes, the stronger induction patterns at the earlier stage of infection in resistant genotypes suggest its essential roles of contributing to apple root resistance, although plant resistance to necrotrophic pathogens is polygenetic quantitative resistance in nature. Transgenic manipulation of this gene is underway to provide more definitive functional identity in contributing to apple root resistance to P. ultimum infection
Differential cross section for positronium formation in positron-atomic-hydrogen collisions

We have combined the $L=0 \mathrm{and} 1$ partial-wave amplitudes obtained by a two-state coupled static approximation with correlation with the $L\ensuremath{\ge}2$ Born amplitudes to obtain the differential cross section for positronium formation in positron-atomic-hydrogen collisions. For positron energies of 0.64 and 0.75 Ry, minima at the scattering angles of 57\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} and 51\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} are found. Total cross sections for positronium formation for low and intermediate impact energies are given. Measurement of the differential cross section for the process ${e}^{+}+\mathrm{He}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Ps}+{\mathrm{He}}^{+}$ for the detection of possible minima is suggested.
Attack-Resilient Strategy for Consensus-Based Distributed Economic Dispatch Problem

In this paper, the consensus-based distributed algorithm is introduced for solving the economic dispatch problem in a smart grid environment with distributed generators. Due to the vulnerability of distributed algorithm, we consider two kinds of false data injection attacks (FDIA): hijacking the nodes and attack on communication links together. Then an attack-resilient strategy is proposed to eliminate or weaken the influence caused by the attacks. The benefit of this strategy is that the node does not have to be isolated when a communication link is attacked until it is identified as a malicious node. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed strategy is illustrated through simulations on the IEEE 39-bus test system.
Young children use commodities as an indirect medium of exchange

Abstract Barter and commodity markets have been ubiquitous throughout history, suggesting that humans are good at exploiting profitable exchange opportunities. This paper studies our ability to trade through a developmental approach. We present a market experiment involving children who have not yet fully developed trading habits and are relatively unfamiliar with the concept of money. Namely, we ask 117 children aged 5 to 8 to trade in situations in which efficient market outcomes can either be achieved through simple barter or else necessitate the endogenous emergence of commodity money (trade requires transitory bookkeeping losses). We find that equilibrium outcomes are frequent (74% to 82% of subgroups depending on the treatment). Pareto efficient equilibrium outcomes occur in 82% of barter economies and 53% of commodity markets. Finally, 47% of children always trade efficiently. The results indicate that many young children can engage in profitable market exchanges.
Physiological responses of gopher tortoises (Gopherus polyphemus) to trapping

With a growing number of species of conservation concern, understanding the physiological effects of routine sampling of vertebrate species remains a priority to maintain the welfare status of wildlife and ensure such activities are not counter to conservation goals. The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) is a species of conservation concern throughout its range and is among the most frequently trapped turtles globally (for both research and conservation activities). Several studies have found equivocal results on the effects of trapping and handling on the glucocorticoid stress response. In this study, we tested how multiple physiological biomarkers (i.e. plasma lactate, corticosterone (cort), heterophil:lymphocyte ratio (HLR) and bactericidal ability (BA)) respond to four different combinations of trapping conditions in comparison to baseline reference sampling. We found that trapping and handling of gopher tortoises yielded a rapid rise in plasma lactate concentration followed by elevations of cort and stress-associated immune changes. In visibly distressed animals that were in traps for fewer than 2 hours, lactate, cort, HLR and BA were all elevated, and generally more so than animals that remained calm in traps for a similar amount of time. Animals that had been trapped and then held for a 3-hour restraint showed similar degrees of physiological alteration as those that showed outward signs of distress. This study demonstrates that trapping may yield physiological disturbances in gopher tortoises, although the intensity of this response is highly variable between individuals and the duration of such alterations remains unknown. This research emphasizes the need for continued work to refine trapping and handling processes in an effort to minimize impacts on individuals and populations.
Learning Newsvendor Problem with Intertemporal Dependence and Moderate Non-stationarities

This work focuses on solving the data-driven contextual newsvendor problem with intertemporal dependence and non-stationarities. More specifically, we investigate learn the data-to-decision mapping for the newsvendor problem when observations of contexts and demands are available. The observations of both contexts and demands are generated sequentially in a fluctuate nature, thus exhibit an intertemporal dependence and even non-stationarities. However, most existing works that investigate the data-driven conditional Newsvendor problem adopt a common assumption that the data are independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) to obtain performance guarantees such as generalization bounds. In this work, we develop performance guarantees in the form of out-of-sample generalization bounds for learning contextual newsvendor problem under comparatively more realistic assumptions including intertemporal dependence and moderate non-stationarities.
Numerical Analysis of Isothermal Flow in Interacting Swirl-Stabilized Nozzles

The three-dimensional steady incompressible numerical results of an isothermal flowfield resulting from the interaction of two swirl-stabilized air nozzles in a multiple lean direct injection combu...
Tracing versus freehand for evaluating computer-generated drawings

Non-photorealistic rendering (NPR) and image processing algorithms are widely assumed as a proxy for drawing. However, this assumption is not well assessed due to the difficulty in collecting and registering freehand drawings. Alternatively, tracings are easier to collect and register, but there is no quantitative evaluation of tracing as a proxy for freehand drawing. In this paper, we compare tracing, freehand drawing, and computer-generated drawing approximation (CGDA) to understand their similarities and differences. We collected a dataset of 1,498 tracings and freehand drawings by 110 participants for 100 image prompts. Our drawings are registered to the prompts and include vector-based timestamped strokes collected via stylus input. Comparing tracing and freehand drawing, we found a high degree of similarity in stroke placement and types of strokes used over time. We show that tracing can serve as a viable proxy for freehand drawing because of similar correlations between spatio-temporal stroke features and labeled stroke types. Comparing hand-drawn content and current CGDA output, we found that 60% of drawn pixels corresponded to computer-generated pixels on average. The overlap tended to be commonly drawn content, but people's artistic choices and temporal tendencies remained largely uncaptured. We present an initial analysis to inform new CGDA algorithms and drawing applications, and provide the dataset for use by the community.
Price Cutting in Liability Insurance Markets

This article analyzes alleged underpricing of general liability insurance prior to the mid-1980s liability insurance "crisis." The theoretical analysis considers whether moral hazard and/or heterogeneous information for forecasting claim costs can cause some firms to price too low and depress other firms' prices. Cross-sectional analysis of insurer loss forecast revisions (which should be greater for firms with low prices caused by moral hazard or heterogeneous information) and premium growth provides evidence consistent with low pricing due to moral hazard but not heterogeneous information. The evidence also implies that shifts in the loss distribution produced large industry-wide forecast errors.
Computational hemodynamics in the human aorta: A computational fluid dynamics study of three cases with patient-specific geometries and inflow rates

Objective: To demonstrate the potential role of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) in therapeutic decision making for treatment of vascular pathologies of the human aorta. Methods: CFD simulations with patient specific geometries and patient-specific inflow boundary conditions obtained with magnetic resonance imaging were performed in three cases: 1) mobile thrombus in the aortic arch in a patient with ischemic stroke 2) acute type II B aortic dissection 3) abdominal aortic aneurysm repaired with an endoluminal graft. Blood flow pathlines, wall shear stresses (WSS), dynamic pressures, blood velocities and flow particle resident times were calculated. Results: Aortic thrombus was indicated as possible source of emboli by flowlines and elevated WSS (8% higher than average WSS at aortic wall) in case 1. This was not identified on conventional imaging. In case 2, the false lumen of the dissection showed elevated pressures and high blood velocities at systole but low pressures and stagnant flow at other times (blood velocity < 0.02 m/s and WSS < 0.1 Pa). Flow disturbances at the reentrance zone of blood from the false lumen were recognized. For case 3, elevated WSS at the landing zone of the endoluminal graft and at the right iliac section together with disturbed flow patterns and increased flow particle resident times were noted. Focal stenoses coincided with the flow disturbances. Measured velocity patterns were qualitatively in agreement with velocity patterns calculated with CFD. Conclusion: CFD simulations provide additional information of the hemodynamics in the diseased human aorta and may have potential in aiding the therapeutic decision making process.
Describing additive fluents in action language C

An additive fluent is a fluent with numerical values such that the effect of several concurrently executed actions on it can be computed by adding the effects of the individual actions. We propose a method for describing effects of actions on additive fluents in the declarative language C+. An implementation of this language, called the Causal Calculator, can be used for the automation of examples of commonsense reasoning involving additive fluents.
On the Use of the Mean and Median in Stop Watch Timing

Abstract Present athletic practices in stop-watch timing require the median of three watch times to be declared “official” time. Theoretical evidence is available that the standard error of the median is larger than the standard error of the mean when sampling is from a single, normal population. The present investigation was designed to determine if, under actual race conditions, the same relationship between the mean and median time exists. In the two independent experiments described the standard error of the median was observed to be larger than that of the mean.
Molecular Pathogenesis of Endometrial and Ovarian Cancer

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and oral contraceptive pill use interrupt menstrual cycles and reduce endometrial and ovarian cancer risk. This suggests the importance of turnover within Mullerian tissues, where the accumulation of mutations in p53 and PTEN has been correlated with number of cycles. The most common type of endometrial cancer (Type I) is endometrioid and molecular abnormalities include mutations in PTEN, KRAS and β-catenin. The Type I precursor is Endometrial Intraepithelial Neoplasia which displays PTEN defects. Type II endometrial cancer (whose precursors are less clear) includes serous and clear cell tumors and the most common alteration is p53 mutation. For ovarian cancer, histopathologic types parallel endometrial cancer and include serous, mucinous, endometrioid, and clear cell; some molecular features are also shared. The most frequent type of ovarian cancer is high grade serous that often displays p53 mutation and its precursor lesions may originate from normal-appearing fallopian tube epithelium that contains a p53 "signature". Mutations in KRAS, BRAF and PTEN are described in mucinous, endometrioid and low grade serous cancers and these may originate from ovarian cortical inclusion cysts. A consideration of molecular and other pathogenetic features, like epidemiology and histopathology, may provide a better understanding of endometrial and ovarian cancer.
Multiple Gluon Effects in $q+\bar{q}\rightarrow t+\bar{t}+X$ at FNAL Energies: Semi-Analytical Results

We apply our Yennie–Frautschi–Suura exponentiated cross-section formulas for the parton process $q+^(\kern-3pt\bar q^{)\prime}\to q^{\prime\prime}+^(\kern-3pt\bar q^{)\prime\prime\prime}+n(G)$ to the process $q+\bar q\to t+\bar t+n(G)$ at FNAL energies, where G is a QCD gluon. We use semi-analytical methods to compute the ratio $r_{\rm{expt}}=\hat\sigma_{\rm{expt}}/\hat\sigma_{\rm B}$, where $\hat\sigma_{\rm{expt}}$ is our soft gluon YFS exponentiated cross-section and $\hat\sigma_{\rm B}$ is the Born cross-section. For mt=0.176(0.199) TeV, we get rexpt=1.65(1.48), respectively, for q=u for example. We show that these parton level results, when properly synthesized with the DGLAP structure function evolution, lead to the conclusion that the YFS exponentiated hadron level cross-section for $p\bar p\to t\bar t+X$ is increased by ~0.6–0.8% beyond the Born cross-section due to the re-summation of soft gluon effects beyond those in the exact $\mathcal{O}(\alpha_s)$ correction when mt=176 GeV. These results are...
Classifying Text-Based Computer Interactions for Health Monitoring

Detecting early trends indicating cognitive decline can allow older adults to better manage their health, but current assessments present barriers precluding the use of such continuous monitoring by consumers. To explore the effects of cognitive status on computer interaction patterns, the authors collected typed text samples from older adults with and without pre-mild cognitive impairment (PreMCI) and constructed statistical models from keystroke and linguistic features for differentiating between the two groups. Using both feature sets, they obtained a 77.1 percent correct classification rate with 70.6 percent sensitivity, 83.3 percent specificity, and a 0.808 area under curve (AUC). These results are in line with current assessments for MC--a more advanced disease--but using an unobtrusive method. This research contributes a combination of features for text and keystroke analysis and enhances understanding of how clinicians or older adults themselves might monitor for PreMCI through patterns in typed text. It has implications for embedded systems that can enable healthcare providers and consumers to proactively and continuously monitor changes in cognitive function.
When is it time to move to the next raspberry bush? Foraging rules in human visual search.

Animals, including humans, engage in many forms of foraging behavior in which resources are collected from the world. This paper examines human foraging in a visual search context. A real-world analog would be berry picking. The selection of individual berries is not the most interesting problem in such a task. Of more interest is when does a forager leave one patch or berry bush for the next one? Marginal Value Theorem (MVT; Charnov, 1976) predicts that observers will leave a patch when the instantaneous yield from that patch drops below the average yield from the entire “field.” Experiments 1, 2, 3, and 4 show that MVT gives a good description of human behavior for roughly uniform collections of patches. Experiments 5 and 6 show strong departures from MVT when patch quality varies and when visual information is degraded.
The postmodern spirit and the status of God

The postmodern spirit has challenged modern standards of truth and selfhood. This paper overviews possible responses to this postmodern spirit regarding the concept of God (including rejection of any such concept). It argues that a fairly traditional concept of God can be consistent with the postmodern spirit, especially when this concept is modified to include panentheistic immanence. Finally, given the postmodern rejection of absolute or unmediated knowledge, a model of our knowing God through God's embodiment in the world is developed.
Numerical application of the parabolic approximation method for fast magnetosonic wave propagation in tokamaks

Abstract A new algorithm for modelling fast magnetosonic wave propagation in tokamaks has been constructed using a parabolic approximation of the cold plasma wave equation. Diffraction effects on the wave focussing, which are neglected by other codes based on ray tracing techniques, are self-consistently included with the parabolic approximation method. Numerical features of the algorithm are discussed and results for the fast magnetosonic wave structure are presented for devices ranging in size from PLT to a compact ignition device.
The Colors of Sound: Poikilia and Its Aesthetic Contexts

Abstract Poikilos and poikilia are, respectively, an adjective and a noun commonly used to describe characteristics of both visual and aural phenomena. But how do the two uses (as term of color and term of sound) relate to each other, and does poikilos metaphorically describe the “colors” of sounds? In examining the semantics and ideological connotations of poikilos and poikilia, as well as the contribution they make to an archaeology of the senses, this paper reflects on the connection between senses, language, experience and representation. It argues for a transformation, between the archaic and late classical period, in the way poikilos is used to qualify aspects of the musical experience. In archaic and early classical poetry, poikilos captures, rather than a specific feature of sound, a certain mode of relationship with an object, a rapt pleasure in the experience of the beauty of the object through all senses. Later uses of poikilos however, especially in connection with the New Music, rely on the (negative) ideological, rather than sensual, dimension of the term, while technical musical vocabulary adopts the metaphor of colors (chrōmata) to describe specific features of music and sound.
Iron impurities in Si3N4 processing

The atomic environment of iron impurities is investigated during the processing cycle of reaction-bonding silicon nitride (RBSN). Several analysis techniques are utilized, including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS), and electron spin resonance (ESR), to examine iron impurities in the starting silicon powder, in sintered silicon compacts, and in RBSN materials. Results indicate that iron impurities in as-received metallurgical grade silicon powder are incorporated in the silicon bulk as a highly distorted FeSi2 compound. No surface iron or iron-based particulate is observed in the starting material. Upon sintering, the iron environment becomes an ordered FeSi2 structure. In the RBNS material, the FeSi2 structure is again distorted, as observed by both EXAFS and ESR.
The arithmetic Fourier transform

Preliminary results are presented on the VLSI design and implementation of a novel algorithm for accurate high-speed Fourier analysis and synthesis. The arithmetic Fourier transform (AFT) is based on the number-theoretic method of Mobius inversion. Its computations proceed in parallel, and the individual operations are very simple. Except for a small number of scalings in one state of the computation, only multiplications by 0, +1, and -1 are required. If the input samples were not quantized and if ideal real-number operations were used internally, then the results would be exact. The accuracy of the computation is limited only by the input A/D (analog-to-digital) conversion process, any constraints on the word lengths of internal accumulating registers, and the implementation of the few scaling operations. Further simplifications are obtained by using delta modulation to represent the input function in digital form, so that only binary (or preferably, ternary) sequences needs to be processed in the parallel computations. The required accumulations can be replaced by up/down counters. The dynamic range of the resulting transformation can be increased by the use of adaptive delta modulation. >
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF THE HEAVIER ACTINIDES AND TRANSACTINIDES

ABSTRACT The chemical properties of each of the elements 99 (Es) through 105 are reviewed and their properties correlated with the electronic structure expected for 5 f and 6 d elements. A major feature of the heavier actinides, which differentiates them from the comparable lanthanides, is the increasing stability of the divalent oxidation state with increasing atomic number. The divalent oxidation state first becomes observable in the anhydrous halides of californium and increases in stability through the series to nobelium, where this valency becomes predominant in aqueous solution. In this range of elements, the II → III oxidation potential decreases from ~+ 1.5 to −1.5 volts. These observations lead to the conclusion that, in comparison with the analogous 4 f electrons, the 5 f electrons in the latter part of the series are more tightly bound. Thus, there is a lowering of the 5 f energy levels with respect to the Fermi level as the atomic number increases. The metallic state of the heavier actinides has not been investigated except from the viewpoint of the relative volatility among members of the series. In aqueous solutions, ions of these elements behave as “normal” trivalent actinides and lanthanides (except for nobelium). Their ionic radii decrease with increasing nuclear charge which is moderated because of increased screening of the outer 6 p electrons by the 5 f electrons. These relative ionic radii have been obtained from comparisons of the elution position in chromatographic separations. The actinide series of elements is completed with the element lawrencium (Lr) in which the electronic configuration is 5 f 147 s 2p. From Mendeleev's periodicity and Dirac-Fock calculations, the next group of elements is expected to be a d -transition series corresponding to the elements Hf through Hg. The chemical properties of elements 104 and 105 only have been studied and they indeed appear to show the properties expected of eka-Hf and eka-Ta. However, their nuclear lifetimes are so short and so few atoms can be produced that a rich variety of chemical information is probably unobtainable.
The simulation of humans and lower animals

This paper presents a brief review of our ongoing work on the biomechanical simulation of the human body. Our comprehensive musculoskeletal model, which includes more or less all of the relevant articular bones and muscle actuators, plus soft tissue deformations, raises the challenge of simulating natural body movements by controlling hundreds of contractile muscles. We have begun to confront this problem by developing a trainable neuromuscular controller for the important special case of the neck-head-face complex. Additionally, I briefly review our relevant earlier work on the motor control of anthropomorphically articulated dynamic models, as well as the biomechanical modeling of lower animals such as fish, including motor control algorithms that enable these simulated animals to learn natural, muscle-actuated locomotion.
Nomography for the electrical engineer

A RELATIVELY large amount of the work of calculation done by the engineer, designer, and student, consists of the repeated application of a certain number of formulas satisfying different conditions. When the number of variables entering into the calculation is large, or when the variables are raised to fractional powers, the difficulties and time involved may become very great. This process of repeated substitution can be greatly simplified by the use of nomographic charts.
Neural pathways link social support to attenuated neuroendocrine stress responses.

Abstract It is well established that a lack of social support constitutes a major risk factor for morbidity and mortality, comparable to risk factors such as smoking, obesity, and high blood pressure. Although it has been hypothesized that social support may benefit health by reducing physiological reactivity to stressors, the mechanisms underlying this process remain unclear. Moreover, to date, no studies have investigated the neurocognitive mechanisms that translate experiences of social support into the health outcomes that follow. To investigate these processes, thirty participants completed three tasks in which daily social support, neurocognitive reactivity to a social stressor, and neuroendocrine responses to a social stressor were assessed. Individuals who interacted regularly with supportive individuals across a 10-day period showed diminished cortisol reactivity to a social stressor. Moreover, greater social support and diminished cortisol responses were associated with diminished activity in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and Brodmann’s area (BA) 8, regions previously associated with the distress of social separation. Lastly, individual differences in dACC and BA 8 reactivity mediated the relationship between high daily social support and low cortisol reactivity, such that supported individuals showed reduced neurocognitive reactivity to social stressors, which in turn was associated with reduced neuroendocrine stress responses. This study is the first to investigate the neural underpinnings of the social support-health relationship and provides evidence that social support may ultimately benefit health by diminishing neural and physiological reactivity to social stressors.
Effect of Grain Size on Hertzian Contact Damage in Alumina

The role of microstructural scale on deformation-microfracture damage induced by contact with spheres is investigated in monophase alumina ceramics over a range 3--48 [mu]m in grain size. Measurement of a universal indentation stress-strain curve indicates a critical contact pressure [approx] 5 GPa, above which irreversible deformation occurs in alumina. A novel sectioning technique identifies the deformation elements as intragrain shear faults, predominantly crystallographic twins, within a confining subsurface zone of intense compression-shear stress. The twins concentrate the shear stresses at the grain boundaries and, above a threshold grain size, initiate tensile intergranular microcracks. Below this threshold size, classical Hertzian cone fractures initiate outside the contact circle. Above the threshold, the density and scale of subsurface-zone microcracks increase dramatically with increasing grain size, ultimately dominating the cone fractures. The damage process is stochastic, highlighting the microstructural discreteness of the initial deformation field; those grains which lie in the upper tail of the grain-size distribution and which have favorable crystallographic orientation relative to local shear stresses in the contact field are preferentially activated. Initial flaw state is not an important factor, because the contact process creates its own flaw population. These and other generic features of the damage process will be discussedmore » in relation to microstructural design of polycrystalline ceramics.« less
Prevalence of root canal treatment and periapical radiolucency in elders: a systematic review.

Introduction Neither the prevalence of periapical radiolucency (PARL), a surrogate for disease, nor the prevalence of non-surgical root canal treatment (NSRCT) in elders have been subjected to systematic review. The purpose of this study was to conduct systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence of PARL and NSRCT in elders. Methods Inclusion/exclusion criteria were used for defined searches in MEDLINE and Cochrane CENTRAL. Title lists were scanned and abstracts read to determine utility; articles meeting the criteria were analyzed. Weighted mean percentages were calculated for prevalence of PARL, NSRCT, and PARL in both teeth with and without NSRCT. Results Defined searching produced 3576 titles; 29 prevalence articles were included. Patient samples mostly represented modern populations from countries with very high human development indices. Meta-analyses were performed on up to 74 000 elders’ teeth. For those aged 65+, the prevalence of all teeth with NSRCT was extremely high, 21%; the prevalence of all teeth with PARL was quite high, 7%; the prevalence of PARL in NSRCT teeth was high, 25%; and the prevalence of PARL in untreated teeth was surprisingly high, 4%. In elders, the prevalence of NSRCT and PARL separately increased with age; whereas, PARL in NSRCT teeth decreased with age. Conclusions In comparison to general adult populations, elders had: a much higher prevalence of NSRCT, a higher prevalence of PARL, a lower prevalence of PARL in NSRCT teeth, and a higher prevalence of PARL in untreated teeth. Teeth saved through NSRCT were preferentially retained by elders.
Plaque assay of dengue and other group B arthropod-borne viruses under methyl cellulose overlay media.

Abstract KB cell monolayers, infected with dengue-2 virus and maintained under liquid medium, give rise to persistently virus-yielding cultures regardless of the input dose of virus or of the intensity of initial cytopathic changes. Persistently infected cultures continuously yield 0.3–0.4 LD50 per cell for periods of at least 3 years. Conditions are defined under which maximal cytopathic effects (CPE) of dengue-2 virus are obtained in KB cell cultures. Based on the finding that agar prevents CPE and demonstrable viral multiplication, a plaque assay procedure for dengue-2 virus has been developed which involves the use of methylcellulose overlay medium. As used, this method gives highly reproducible results with an average efficiency equivalent to that of the LD50 titration in mice. Preliminary tests with dengue-1, yellow fever, Japanese B, Saint Louis, and Murray Valley encephalitis viruses suggest the general usefulness of the methylcellulose overlay technique for group B arborviruses.