cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On the expectation of the maximum of IID geometric random variables

A study of the expected value of the maximum of independent, identically distributed (IID) geometric random variables is presented based on the Fourier analysis of the distribution of the fractional part of the maximum of corresponding IID exponential random variables.
NONEQUILIBRIUM IONIZATION IN WET ALKALI METAL VAPORS

A theoretical model for the transport of electrons in a wet vapor has been formulated. The medium is considered to consist of electrons, neutral gas atoms, positively charged atomic ions, and charged vapor droplets. The degree of ionization of the gas atoms is assumed to be given by Saha's Law evaluated at the electron temperature, whereas the degree of charging of the vapor droplets is obtained by equating the random electron current in the gas to the thermionic emission current of the vapor droplet at its internal temperature. The electron temperature is determined by equating the Joule heating rate of the electrons to their rate of energy loss due to elastic electron-atom, electron-ion, and electron-droplet collisions and inelastic electron-droplet collisions. The droplet internal temperature is determined by equating the rate of droplet heating due to electron bombardment to the rate of cooling due to atom and ion bombardment. The preceding theory is applied to MHD generator considerations for which the predominate effect of the droplets is found to be the absorption of free electrons from the system. The depression of electron density is found to be most severe at high-percent moisture and for small droplets. IVrONEQUILIBRIUM ionization, as it shall be referred to J- ^ in this paper, is the production of a highly-ionized gas at low gas temperatures as a result of applied and/or induced electric fields in the gas, which serve to heat the electrons. These energetic electrons subsequently ionize the gas to a degree commensurable with their energy rather than that of the cooler gas. This phenomenon has been a long-observed fact in gaseous discharges1' 2 and has recently been considered as a means of producing high electrical conductivities in an MHD generator at gas temperatures compatible with present materials technology.3' 4 In Ref. 4, nonequilibrium ionization, as it applies to MHD generators utilizing noble gases seeded with low concentrations of alkali metal vapors as working fluids, was extensively analyzed. An equation for the electron temperature relative to that of the other species in the gas was obtained by equating the rate at which energy is gained by the electrons in an electromagnetic field, j • (E + u X B) (where j is the electron current, E is the electric field, u is the gas-flow velocity, and B is the magnetic field), to the rate at which energy is given up by the electrons to other species in the gas due to collisions. This energy balance results in the equation
Creating a Continuity between Self and Other: First‐Person Narration in an Amazonian Ritual Context

This article argues that culturally specific genres of first-person narration as they are found within social life offer a privileged window on a dimension of the self: the extent to which in certain circumstances self and other have fixed boundaries or can become merged. My focus is a ritual genre of first-person narration sung by the Kayabi, a Tupi-Guarani-speaking people of central Brazil. In this genre, the experiences of past generations become incorporated into the lives of contemporary narrators. How this incorporation is facilitated as well as its importance in the context of Kayabi views on human development are discussed.
Perspectives on elder abuse in Greece

The sample for this exploratory qualitative study of Greek perceptions of elder abuse consisted of 43 Greek participants from urban centers and 28 Greeks from a small island village. Participants were asked to provide examples of extreme, moderate, and mild abuse from an adult child toward his/her aging parent. Half of the examples of extreme abuse were various forms of physical aggression. Predominant examples of moderate abuse were psychological abuse and neglect, and at the mild level neglect was the most highly cited category. The most frequently mentioned specific types of elder mistreatment were verbal abuse, psychological neglect, physical neglect, and hitting. There were no gender differences in the kinds of examples that participants gave or the severity they attributed to their examples. Females were more often presented as victims of abuse than males. A negative correlation was found between age and the number of physical abuse examples given overall, and as types of severe abuse. Language: en
Aspects of oceanic optical comms: From air to sea

Optical communications, with its promise of two-way links at relatively high date-rates between submerged and above water parties, continues to intrigue. However, such optical comm as well as laser-line scanning systems are impacted not just by the atmosphere-sea interface, but also artificial water/air interfaces, with applicability to some UUV or sensor networks. In addition, in situ scatter (from various hydrosols and bubbles) also has a detrimental impact. Fortunately, despite the inherent challenges of this channel, potential mitigation approaches exist or have been proposed. These range from hardware solutions in both beamforming and agility to data handling and modulation techniques.
Geometry and search in motion planning

Robot path planning is a typical example of a problem that requires searching a “continuous” space, the robot's configuration space, for a solution, a collision-free path. The global approach to path planning first captures the connectivity of the robot's free space into a concise connectivity path, and next searches this graph. The local approach directly embarks on a search procedure, and performs geometric computation according to the needs of the search. Global methods may waste a large amount of computation before they have any chance to find a path. On the other hand, local methods, which lack the global vision provided by the connectivity graph, have very poor worst-case complexity. Is it possible to instill some local opportunism in a global approach, or a limited amount of precomputed global information in a local approach? More generally: How can geometric computation and search help each other to produce a path quickly? These questions probably do not have definite domain-independent answers. However, raising them may help us engineer path planners that better meet specific application needs. This paper considers these questions through a series of informal case studies, each corresponding to a particular way to engineer the interaction between geometry and search in a path planner.
The formation and reactions of some new functionally substituted derivatives of (η5-cyclopentadienyl) dicarbonylnitrosylchromium (cynichrodene)

Abstract The reaction between cynichrodenoic acid, (η 5 -C 5 H 4 COOH)Cr(CO) 2 NO ( 6 ) and phosphorus pentachloride produces cynichrodenoyl chloride ( II ) in high yield. Subsequent reaction of 11 with sodium azide affords cynichrodenoyl azide ( 12 ), which undergoes Curtius rearrangement to form cynichrodenyl isocyanate ( 13 ). Subsequent hydrolysis of isocyanate 13 in aqueous KOH solution yields aminocyanichrodene ( 14 ). Azide 12 also undergoes Curtius rearrangement in the presence of benzyl alcohol to produce benzyl N -cynichrodenylcarbamate ( 15 ). Reactions of acid chloride 11 with ammonia, dimethylamine or aniline lead to the corresponding carboxamides ( 16–18 ). Amide 16 is readily dehydrated to produce cynichrodenecarbonitrile ( 19 ). Reactions of acid chloride 11 with either benzyl alcohol or hydroxymethylferrocene generate the corresponding esters ( 20–21 ), whereas treatment of a tetrahydrofuran solution of 11 with pyridine affords cynichrodenecarboxylic anhydride ( 22 in low yield. Reactions of acetylcynichrodene ( 2 ) with organolithium reagents, leading to both carbonyl addition and condensation products, have been investigated. Treatment of 2 with lithium diisopropylamide in diethyl ether solution produces the self-condensation product 1,3-dicynichrodenyl-but-2-en-1-one ( 24 ). Acetyl derivative 2 and benzaldehyde also undergo Claisen-Schmidt condensation in the presence of lithium diisopropylamide to afford cinnamoylcynichrodene ( 27 ).
Optimization of analytic density functionals by parallel genetic algorithm

We report the construction and implementation of a parallel genetic algorithm (PGA) for use in optimization of analytic density-functional theory. Our new algorithm demonstrates comparable performance to our previous simplex optimizer when benchmarked against the extended G2 set, and the considerable scatter between different optimizations shows that robust methods are required. This new PGA will allow us to further expand our parameter space while efficiently utilizing cluster and supercomputing resources as the problems grow larger.
Big 3D spatial data processing using cloud computing environment

Lately, acquiring a large quantity of three-dimensional (3-D) spatial data particularly topographic information has become commonplace with the advent of new technology such as laser scanner or light detection and ranging (LiDAR) and techniques. Though both in the USA and around the globe, the pace of massive 3-D spatial data collection is accelerating, the provision of affordable technology for dealing with issues such as processing, management, archival, dissemination, and analysis of the huge data volumes has lagged behind. Single computers and generic high-end computing are not sufficient to process this massive data and researches started to explore other computing environments. Recently cloud computing environment showed very promising solutions due to availability and affordability. The main goal of this paper is to develop a web-based LiDAR data processing framework called "Cloud Computing-based LiDAR Processing System (CLiPS)" to process massive LiDAR data using cloud computing environment. The CLiPS framework implementation was done using ESRI's ArcGIS server, Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud (Amazon EC2), and several open source spatial tools. Some of the applications developed in this project include: 1) preprocessing tools for LiDAR data, 2) generation of large area Digital Elevation Model (DEMs) on the cloud environment, and 3) user-driven DEM derived products. We have used three different terrain types, LiDAR tile sizes, and EC2 instant types (large, Xlarge, and double Xlarge) to test for time and cost comparisons. Undulating terrain data took more time than other two terrain types used in this study and overall cost for the entire project was less than $100.
Technology Education--The New Basic for the Twenty-First Century.

Developing an effective technology education program in our schools requires collaboration, promotion, and exploration.
An abdomino-perineal-vaginal pull-through for definitive treatment of hydrometrocolpos.

Abstract In a consideration of hydrometrocolpos, the most important embryological concept is that of the formation of the primitive vaginal plate. Without the formation of this plate, the lower vagina does not develop and enlarge and there remains a persistent urogenital sinus and a malpositioned urethral entrance. A new surgical procedure for hydrometrocolpos has been described which allows for restoration of near-normal anatomy. This procedure is a "vaginal pull-through" operation which separates the genital from the urinary tracts obviating sepsis, retrograde urination, and recurrent urinary infection.
Durable goods oligopoly

Abstract This paper models a durable-goods oligopoly as a differential game. Two cases are treated: sales, where firms cannot lease but must sell the good in question, and leasing, where firms do not sell but only rent. In the sales case, firms face increasing marginal cost of production and the good in question depreciates. For this case, a rational expectations feedback Nash equilibrium is constructed for which monopoly or oligopoly output is less than the efficient level. This gap between oligopoly and competitive output diminishes as the number of firms increases. When firms can only lease the good, the good is assumed not to depreciate and the monopoly level of steady state output is compared with the level of steady state output for a feedback equilibrium duopoly. For this case, the duopoly equilibrium has steady-state output that is less than the corresponding efficient level, but greater than the monopoly level. The leasing model is shown to be isomorphic to the adjustment-cost duopoly model of Driskill and McCafferty (Journal of Economic Theory, 49 (1989) 324–338).
Mandatory Belt Use and Driver Risk Taking

A study of driver behavior before and after a mandatory seat belt use law in Newfoundland found that the benefits of such legislation are not reduced by riskier driving, as has been suggested by some theorists. On average, belt use in Newfoundland increased from 16 percent of drivers before the law to 77 percent after the law. At the same time, the quality of driving changed very little when compared to control groups of Nova Scotia drivers, who were not subject to the law and whose belt use rates did not change. In only one situation did Newfoundland drivers differ from the control group in Nova Scotia: after the belt law, drivers in Newfoundland became relatively more cautious (slower) in their speeds on four-lane expressways. These data confirm the results of earlier, less controlled studies that also found no changes in driving behavior following non-voluntary changes in occupant protection. Since the "risk-compensation" hypothesis predicts such changes, it seems to have no merit in explaining changes in fatalities and injuries after occupant protection legislation.
Processing of chondritic and planetary material in spiral density waves in the nebula

— A widely held view of nebular evolution is that during the ∼0.5 Ma while interstellar material was collapsing onto the disk, the latter grew in mass to the point of gravitational instability. It responded to this by losing axial symmetry, growing spiral arms that had the capacity to tidally redistribute disk mass (inward) and angular momentum (outward) and prevent further increase in the disk/protosun mass ratio. The spiral arms (density waves) rotated differently than the substance of the nebula, and in some parts of the disk, nebular material may have encountered the arms at supersonic velocities. The disk gas, and solid particles entrained in it, would have been heated to some degree when they passed through shock fronts at the leading edges of the spiral arms. The present paper proposes this was the energetic nebular setting or environment that has long been sought, in which the material now in the planets and chondritic meteorites was thermally processed.
Endovaginal sonographic diagnosis of the fetal urinary tract anomalies in early pregnancy

Transvaginal sonography has enhanced the ability to follow fetal development and detect pathologies in early gestation. Examination of the fetal urinary tract is an integral part of routine sonographic examinations in the second trimester of pregnancy and one of the major benefits of prenatal sonography is to allow early diagnosis of relatively common urinary tract malformations. Detailed evaluation of the fetal urinary tract and identification of anomalies were considered to be difficult before the 18th week of gestation prior to the use of transvaginal sonography. Using the transvaginal route, a detailed evaluation of the kidneys is possible around 12 weeks and structural anomalies of the urinary tract are being detected at an ever-increasing rate. Transvaginal sonography, owing to its proximity to the maternal pelvic organs, allows an earlier determination of the normal fetal urinary system and more accurate diagnosis and identification of fetal urinary anomalies as compared with transabdominal ultrasound.
A belief-consistent multilevel secure relational data model

Abstract Multilevel relations, based on the current multilevel secure (MLS) relational data models, can present a user with information that is difficult to interpret and may display an inconsistent outlook about the views of other users. Such ambiguity is due to the lack of a comprehensive method for asserting and interpreting beliefs about information at lower security levels. In this paper we present a belief-consistent MLS relational database model which provides an unambiguous interpretation of all visible information and gives the user access to the beliefs of users at lower security levels, neither of which was possible in any of the existing models. We identify different beliefs that can be held by users at higher security levels about information at lower security levels, and introduce a mechanism for asserting beliefs about all accessible tuples. This mechanism provides every user with an unambiguous interpretation of all viewable information and presents a consistent account of the views at all levels visible to the user. In order to implement this assertion mechanism, new database operations, such as verify true and verify false, are presented. We specify the constraints for the write operations, such as update and delete, that maintain belief consistency and redefine the relational algebra operations, such as select, project, union, difference and join.
Effect of referring physician specialty and practice type on referral for image-guided breast biopsy.

Purpose To determine whether referring physician specialty and practice type affect the likelihood of referral for image-guided breast biopsy. Method We reviewed the records of every patient who received a Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4 or 5 examination (mammography, ultrasound, or both) performed during the year 2000 at both our community- and hospital-based practices. We recorded the referring physician specialty and office location (academic medical center vs. community), breast-imaging facility location (hospital vs. community), patient age, patient insurance status, BI-RADS category, and palpability of the lesion. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the relationship of these factors to the biopsy type (surgical vs. image-guided). Results Of the 831 patients with a BI-RADS Category 4 or 5 report, 734 underwent follow-up surgical or image-guided needle biopsy. Multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated that referral by a nonsurgeon or by a physician at the academic medical center was associated with a higher likelihood of the patient's being referred for image-guided biopsy. Patients referred by surgeons and community physicians were more likely to undergo surgical biopsy. BI-RADS Category 5 examinations and palpable lesions were also associated with a higher probability of undergoing surgical biopsy. Patient age, insurance status, and breast-imaging facility location were not related to biopsy type. Conclusions In our practice, patients referred for breast imaging by nonsurgeons and academic physicians were more likely to be referred for image-guided biopsy, whereas patients referred by surgeons and community physicians were more likely to undergo surgical biopsy.
The significance of near surface microstructure in the wear process

Abstract The wear process in which flake-like debris is developed and removed from the surface of metals in sliding contact is the direct result of heavy plastic deformation of a thin surface layer. The repeated ploughing of asperity contacts over a mating surface can produce high dislocation densities and eventual change in the microstructure to a cell-type structure found in heavily deformed metals. Cell sizes depend on material characteristics such as stacking fault energy, the applied stress and the temperature. It is shown that a cell structure can present many suitable pathways for subsurface crack generation and the release of thin wear flakes without the benefit of asperity cold welding and shear. Depth of crack formation and severity of wear can be associated with stacking fault energy. Changes in the microstructure caused by frictional heating or change in strain rate can cause abrupt changes in wear mode.
Viscoelastic Behavior of Heterogeneous Media

Abstract : The study of the macroscopic mechanical behavior of heterogeneous viscoelastic media is of considerable theoretical and practical interest. Such heterogeneous media are defined as mechanical mixtures of several discrete linear viscoelastic phases whose stress-strain relations are assumed to be known. It is assumed that specimens of such materials which are very large in comparison to phase regions are statistically homogeneous and statistically isotropic. Macroscopical mechanical behavior is defined as average strain or stress response of such specimens to boundary loading or displacements which would produce uniform states of strain or stress in homogeneous media. The problem considered in the report is that of analytical prediction of such responses in terms of phase geometry and phase stress-strain relations. (Author)
Cathode-ray tube displays for medical imaging

This paper will discuss the principles of cathode-ray tube displays in medical imaging and the parameters essential to the selection of displays for specific requirements. A discussion of cathode-ray tube fundamentals and medical requirements is included.
Mineralogy of heavy mineral concentrates from oil sands

Abstract The distribution of heavy minerals in concentrates, obtained from Alberta oil sand tailings using acid demineralization and oil phase agglomeration, was determined by X-ray diffractometry. The data have demonstrated the effectiveness of oil phase agglomeration techniques in rejecting gangue and other unwanted minerals such as pyrite during the concentration of heavy minerals. The results also suggest that titanium minerals could possibly be separated from zircon in the mineral concentrate by acid dissolution. Due to the different modes of agitation during collection, the mineralogical components of the two samples obtained from Suncor sludge differ considerably.
Influence of Cathodic Protection Parameters on Calcareous Deposit Formation

Abstract Formation of calcareous deposits has the beneficial effect of reducing the current requirement of cathodic protection. This study was focused upon the current-reducing capability of the deposits and its relationship with influential parameters of cathodic protection. Four experimental parameters were selected and investigated over a range that reflects typical seawater conditions. The parameters were applied cathodic potential, flow velocity (actually, rotation speed of electrode), pH, and temperature. Deposits were formed in artificial seawater. Influence of each of the four parameters on cathodic current was obtained by using the factorial design technique. Within the range studied, it was found that pH has the largest influence and temperature the least. This was explained based upon the influence of the parameters on deposit formation and electrochemical reactions.
Effects of protamine sulfate, polybrene and heparin on the behavior of plasma, plasma proteins, platelets and factor XII activity at interfaces

Abstract Using various techniques such as ellipsometry, and measurement of the ability of adsorbed plasma matter to correct the clotting time of factor XII deficient plasma and to cause adhesion of platelets suspended in defibrinogenized plasma, we found that on glass, anodized tantalum, oxidized silicon crystal slices (SiW) and on some other surfaces, plasma deposits fibrinogen and factor XII, the former causing platelets to adhere, the latter causing clotting. Within one minute, the plasma, if intact, converts the fibrinogen film and renders it less attractive to platelets. Then, in the presence of intact factor XII, some of the film is removed. In the present study, we found that on preadsorbed protamine sulfate (PS), plasma behaved normally; yet, no platelets adhered to these films and clotting was inhibited by them. When the PS films had been preexposed to heparin, they adsorbed more factor XII, no longer inhibited the clotting of normal intact plasma and no longer adsorbed fibrinogen out of it. Surfaces that had adsorbed Polybrene (PB) also inhibited clotting of plasma; they did not adsorb factor XII activity out of plasma but large numbers of platelets adhered, whether or not the PB films had been exposed to heparin. Yet, material adsorbed by PB or by heparinized PB was not fibrinogen. Various purified plasma proteins behaved differently at PB and PS surfaces and their preadsorbed films were affected variously by PB and PS. In solution, PS and heparin had little effect on the behavior of plasma at SiW surfaces, but PB reduced its ability to convert the deposited fibrinogen.
Influence of Halide Ion and Lewis Acid in the Demetalation of a Spirolactam Cyclohexadienyl Ruthenium Complex

Demetalation of an electron-rich spirolactam-based (cyclohexadienyl)Ru(II) complex is achieved upon treatment with boron trifluoride and a source of chloride ion. The cyclohexadienyl ligand is converted to a cyclohexadienone, cyclohexenone, or cyclohexenone epoxide derivative as a function of the specific reaction conditions. Stable (cyclohexadienyl)ruthenium substrates potentially suitable for demetalation under these conditions are prepared via intramolecular spirocyclization of (η6-arene)Ru precursors; thus, demetalation completes a net Ru-mediated dearomatization sequence. Moreover, the functionalized spirolactam products obtained are structurally distinct from those produced via direct oxidative demetalation.
High-power InGaAs(P)/InGa(Al)P/GaAs semiconductor diode lasers

Al-free active-region, 100 micrometers -stripe lasers operating at a wavelength of 0.98 micrometers (0.81 micrometers ), provide high CW powers: 8W (5W) and `wallplug' efficiencies: 66% (45%). At 0.81 micrometers , the devices are potentially twice as reliable as Al-containing active-layer devices.
The effect of time of harvest, variety and storage of the ascorbic acid content of potato tubers

Six varieties of potatoes were harvested on each of three different dates during the last month of the growing season. The ascorbic acid content of the tubers did not change as the tubers matured. Upon death of the tops, the ascorbic acid content of the tubers began to decline. The tubers continued to lose ascorbic acid in storage, throughout the two-month storage period studied. A satisfactory method of comparing the ascorbic acid content of potato varieties has not been devised at the present time.
Preconsent education about research processes improved African Americans' willingness to participate in clinical research.

Abstract Objective To determine whether preconsent education about research processes and protections affects the willingness of African Americans to participate. Study Design and Setting This study examined the willingness of 192 African American outpatients (stratified by age, gender, and education) to participate in a hypothetical clinical study under varying consent conditions: phase I participants underwent a typical informed consent process and were asked to indicate whether they would be willing to participate in the hypothetical clinical study and the reasons for their decision; their responses were used to develop a preconsent educational digital video disk (DVD). Phase II participants viewed the DVD before the consent process. We compared the proportion of those who stated they were willing to participate in the clinical study using Fisher’s exact tests and used qualitative methods to analyze open-ended responses. Results When the consent process included education about research processes and protections, significantly more patients reported willingness to participate in the hypothetical clinical study (43% vs. 27%; P = 0.002). Patients receiving preconsent education were significantly less likely to cite mistrust, fear of side effects, lack of perceived benefits, and privacy as reasons for not participating. Conclusion Preconsent education may improve the willingness of African Americans to participate in clinical research and may address important concerns about research participation.
Policy Contexts for Transition Personnel Preparation: An Analysis of Transition-Related Credentials, Standards, and Course Requirements in State Certification and Licensure Policies

This article provides a state-by-state analysis of state certification/licensure policies regarding transition. Twelve states were found to have licensure, certification, or endorsement options for Transition Specialists, Vocational Special Needs, Vocational Education, or Rehabilitation Counselors focusing on special education transition. Twenty-four states have transition-relevant standards for one or more of the areas in which special education credentials are available, and 14 states specify coursework requirements in transition for one or more of the areas in which special education credentials are available. Some states require teachers of students with disabilities to meet transition-relevant standards for some special education areas (e.g., high incidence disabilities) but not for others (e.g., low incidence or sensory disabilities).
Selection criteria for laboratory robotic application personnel.

Norwich Eaton Pharmaceutical recognized the benefits of using automation systems in the laboratory over seven years ago and created a robotic development area within the analytical method development group. They now have eight complete robotic systems and a large number of semi-automated systems in routine operation.This level of activity has provided many challenges for the automation group. The success of this group has been very dependent on the talents of people working these assignments. You can have the best equipment and the vendor's promises of success, but it is the people who understand the products and the requirements that get systems on line.Assembling an effective robotics organization requires prework on the part of management. There must be a clear vision of the specific types of activities the group will perform. This vision can be used to establish a skills profile for the members of the team. It appears that at least four people are required to provide the variety of skills and keep the group going.Each member's personality is an important component of establishing a new team. In robotics, one of the most critical talents is the ability to work on long term projects that constantly present new challenges. The group members need to balance consistency of purpose with the ability to creatively solve a variety of problems. The group will not be effective in delivering new technologies unless they have the talent to train the novice in a highly technical environment.People who are successful in automation development are unique. They should have the ability to work comfortably in a logic-based environment, to become very creative on demand, and to communicate highly technical information effectively. People do not usually possess all these skills, providing their manager with challenging coaching opportunities.
CRITICAL IN VITRO FACTORS IN EVALUATION OF GASTRIC ANTACIDS. II. INHIBITION OF NEUTRALIZATION RATE OF DRIED ALUMINUM HYDROXIDE GEL.

It was determined that the in vitro neutralization rates of dried aluminum hydroxide gel are dependent on the amount of antacid used. Neutralization rates of aluminum hydroxide were inhibited by a variety of materials, including proteins, enzymes, polypeptides, amino acids, and certain organic acids. Several possible inhibition mechanisms are explored.
Corrigendum to “Depression and epilepsy, pain and psychogenic nonepileptic seizures: Clinical and therapeutic perspectives” [Epilepsy Behav 24/2 (2012) 169–181]

The name of Dale C. Hesdorffer was spelled incorrectly, and the name of W. Curt LaFrance Jr. was mistakenly omitted from the author list. Thecorrect author list appears above.The name of Dinesh G Nair, MD, PhD was mistakenly omitted from the ﬁrst line of Section 4.2 on page 177. The corrected text appears below.4.2. Depression in psychogenic nonepileptic seizuresW. Curt LaFrance, Jr., MD, MPH and Dinesh G Nair, MD, PhD
A Generic Review of the Cockroaches of the Subfamily Panchlorinae (Dictyoptera, Blattaria, Blaberidae)

Five genera of Panchlorinae are reviewed. The most important character distinguishing the subfamily is the reduction in the phallomeres of the male genitalia. There are 45 species of Panchlora , 4 of which are African. Other members of the subfamily are American, and, except for Panchlora nivea (L.), which includes Texas in its range, all are Neotropical. The species of the other genera are Achroblatta luteola (Blanchard) (Mexico to Brazil); Anchoblatta signifera (Scudder) (Peru); Biolleya alaris Saussure (Costa Rica); Pelloblatta lata Rehn (Costa Rica) and P. reyesi , n. sp. (Veracruz, Mexico). Until now, the identification and subfamily placement of the 3 last-named genera were confused.
WTF, GPU! computing twitter's who-to-follow on the GPU

In this paper, we investigate the potential of GPUs for performing link structure analysis of social graphs. Specifically, we implement Twitter's WTF ("Who to Follow") recommendation system on a single GPU. Our implementation shows promising results on moderate-sized social graphs. It can return the top-K relevant users for a single user in 172 ms when running on a subset of the 2009 Twitter follow graph with 16 million users and 85 million social relations. For our largest dataset, which contains 75% of the users (30 million) and 50% of the social relations (680 million) of the complete follow graph, this calculation takes 1.0 s. We also propose possible solutions to apply our system to follow graphs of larger sizes that do not fit into the on-board memory of a single GPU.
Speaker-Independent Name Recognition Using Improved Compensation and Acoustic Modeling Methods for Mobile Applications

Name recognition is an important application of automiatic speech recognition in embedded devices. Since embedded devices are used in diverse environments, noise robustness is very important. Moreover, unlike normal computer-based speech recognition applications, embedded speech recognition must deal with problems arising from limited resources. Facing these challenges, we have developed environment compensation and acoustic modeling techniques that improve robustness and accuracy of a speaker-independent name recognition system in hands-free conditions. These techniques are efficent to implement and are effective for performance improvement. On a name recognition task, we observed more than 53% word error rate reduction, compared to a baseline system. These improvements were obtained with minimal increase of resources.
What is the protein design alphabet

Selecting a protein sequence that corresponds to a specific three-dimensional protein structure is known as the protein design problem. One principal bottleneck in solving this problem is our lack of knowledge of precise atomic interactions. Using a simple model of amino acid interactions, we determine three crucial factors that are important for solving the protein design problem. Among these factors is the protein alphabet-a set of sequence elements that encodes protein structure. Our model predicts that alphabet size is independent of protein length, suggesting the possibility of designing a protein of arbitrary length with the natural protein alphabet. We also find that protein alphabet size is governed by protein structural properties and the energetic properties of the protein alphabet units. We discover that the usage of average types of amino acid in proteins is less than expected if amino acids were chosen randomly with naturally occurring frequencies. We propose three possible scenarios that account for amino acid underusage in proteins. These scenarios suggest the possibility that amino acids themselves might not constitute the alphabet of natural proteins.
Secondary cell wall polysaccharides from Bacillus cereus strains G9241, 03BB87, and 03BB102 causing fatal pneumonia share similar glycosyl structures with the polysaccharides from Bacillus anthracis

Secondary cell wall polysaccharides (SCWPs) are important structural components of the Bacillus cell wall and contribute to the array of antigens presented by these organisms in both spore and vegetative forms. We previously found that antisera raised to Bacillus anthracis spore preparations cross-reacted with SCWPs isolated from several strains of pathogenic B. cereus, but did not react with other phylogenetically related but nonpathogenic Bacilli, suggesting that the SCWP from B. anthracis and pathogenic B. cereus strains share specific structural features. In this study, SCWPs from three strains of B. cereus causing severe or fatal pneumonia (G9241, 03BB87 and 03BB102) were isolated and subjected to structural analysis and their structures were compared to SCWPs from B. anthracis. Complete structural analysis was performed for the B. cereus G9241 SCWP using NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and derivatization methods. The analyses show that SCWPs from B. cereus G9241 has a glycosyl backbone identical to that of B. anthracis SCWP, consisting of multiple trisaccharide repeats of: →6)-α-d-GlcpNAc-(1 → 4)-β-d-ManpNAc-(1 → 4)-β-d-GlcpNAc-(1→. Both the B. anthracis and pathogenic B. cereus SCWPs are highly substituted at all GlcNAc residues with α- and β-Gal residues, however, only the SCWPs from B. cereus G9241 and 03BB87 carry an additional α-Gal substitution at O-3 of ManNAc residues, a feature lacking in the B. anthracis SCWPs. Both the B. anthracis and B. cereus SCWPs are pyruvylated, with an approximate molecular mass of ≈12,000 Da. The implications of these findings regarding pathogenicity and cell wall structure are discussed.
Gibbard’s Transcendental Arguments

In Thinking How to Live, Allan Gibbard attempts to derive commitments binding on all agents from the logic of planning. In particular, he argues that every agent is committed to the claim that what one ought to do supervenes on prosaic fact. In doing so, he thinks he vindicates much of what moral realists say while giving a more adequate expressivist explanation of the claims. He argues for the crucial claims by the method of proceeding from hyperstates, which is a type of transcendental argument. He contends that the commitments are unavoidable and that to reject them is incoherent. They have the status of ‘‘a priori practical claims.’’ We will explore Gibbard’s general methodology and his attempt to mimic realism. A question of warrant arises for even these unavoidable claims and Gibbard’s answer to this question is unsatisfactory. A common objection to transcendental arguments is that they can only be used to derive conclusions about what we must believe based on other practices or commitments. They do not show us anything about the world as it is independently of our concepts. Gibbard avoids these concerns because his conclusion is about how we must plan, not about what the world must be like. However, the question of the justification of Gibbard’s commitments still needs to be addressed. It might be the case that normative concepts commit us to things that we simply cannot have. Perhaps, there is some deep error right at the heart of normative discourse. Alternatively, our normative commitments might not be compatible with something else we know to be true. The argument here will not be that this is the case but that
What is New with the β2-Agonists: Issues in the Management of Asthma

OBJECTIVE:To review the more recent literature addressing the issue of whether β2-agonists can worsen asthma and/or increase the risk of severe exacerbations and death from asthma.DATA SOURCES:PubMed was searched (2001–December 2004), along with the Food and Drug Administration and Cochrane Library Web sites. In addition, the bibliographies of recent reviews of the subject were assessed.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTION:Randomized clinical trials, retrospective and prospective cohort studies, and meta-analyses published in the past 3 years were reviewed. Studies assessing the potential for β2-agonists to worsen outcomes in asthma as well as long-term studies assessing asthma outcomes that included an arm with regular administration of short- or long-acting inhaled β2-agonists (LABAs) were selected. Worsening asthma was defined as a decline in lung function, an increase in bronchial hyperresponsiveness, exacerbations, or death. Studies older than 3 years selected from the bibliographies of the primary ar...
Sarcopenia in Solid Organ Transplantation

Sarcopenia is a relatively new concept in the medical literature, initially intended to describe the loss of lean body mass that occurs with aging. More recently, sarcopenia has been described in various forms of chronic disease, including patients with end-stage organ disease awaiting transplantation. The presence of sarcopenia is an important marker in transplant patients, since it has been linked to poorer pre- and posttransplant outcomes compared with patients with preserved muscle mass. The mechanisms and natural history of sarcopenia in transplant patients are incompletely understood, and there are currently no therapies proven to mitigate or reverse the process. This article reviews the current understanding of the prevalence and clinical significance of sarcopenia in transplant patients and highlights important areas of future research.
Treatment of congenital vertical talus: Comparison of minimally invasive and extensive soft-tissue release procedures at minimum five-year follow-up

Background: The most common historical treatment method for congenital vertical talus is extensive soft-tissue release surgery. A minimally invasive treatment approach that relies primarily on serial cast correction was introduced almost ten years ago, with promising early results. The purpose of this study was to assess the long-term outcome of patients with congenital vertical talus managed with the minimally invasive technique and compare them with a cohort treated with extensive soft-tissue release surgery. Methods: The records of twenty-seven consecutive patients with vertical talus (forty-two feet) were retrospectively reviewed at a mean of seven years (range, five to 11.3 years) after initial correction was achieved. The minimally invasive method was used to treat sixteen patients (twenty-four feet), and extensive soft-tissue release surgery was used to treat eleven patients (eighteen feet). Patient demographics, ankle range of motion, the PODCI (Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument) questionnaire, and radiographic measurements were analyzed. Results: At the latest follow-up, the mean range of motion of patients treated with the minimally invasive method was 42.4° compared with 12.7° for patients treated with extensive surgery (p 0.1 for all). Subgroup analysis of patients with isolated vertical talus also showed superior range of motion and PODCI normative global function scores in the minimally invasive group. Conclusions: The minimally invasive treatment method for vertical talus resulted in better long-term ankle range of motion and pain scores compared with extensive soft-tissue release surgery. Longer-term studies are necessary to determine whether the improved outcomes are maintained into adulthood and whether the superior outcome is related to reduced scarring. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Prostate cancer, race, and socioeconomic status: Inadequate adjustment for social factors in assessing racial differences

BACKGROUND This paper reviews the state of the art in analyzing race, social factors, and economic factors in cancer research, with an emphasis on prostate cancer and the role of socioeconomic status (SES) in racial differences in mortality. It analyzes the quality of articles in the literature that assess the role of SES in cancer mortality. METHODS English-language titles were identified using MEDLINE with publication dates from mid-1985 through July 1994. Articles in the references of these articles were also included in the final selection, based originally on title and ultimately on content, dating back to 1978. Articles that included SES information and distinguished between whites and African-Americans were chosen, resulting in a final selection of 21 articles. Articles are summarized with consideration of five criteria considered minimal requirements of a well-designed study of the role of race in cancer mortality: (1) SES measure(s) should be on an individual level, not census level; (2) SES should be controlled for when making comparisons between whites and blacks; (3) SES should include at least (individual level) measures of income and education; (4) sample sizes are sufficient for the relevant populations; and (5) specific cancer sites should be studied separately. RESULTS Of the articles reviewed, only two meet the minimum standards, neither of which studied prostate cancer. It is not clear whether observed racial differences in prostate cancer are directly attributable to race or reflect underlying social factor differences between whites and African-Americans. CONCLUSIONS In the future, specific characteristics of SES should be measured at the individual level; there is a need for expansion and standardization of data in terms of social and economic content; other methodological advances are needed in modeling to take into consideration the influence of SES in outcome research related to cancer. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
A Flexible All-Atom Model of Dimethyl Sulfoxide for Molecular Dynamics Simulations

An all-atom, flexible dimethyl sulfoxide model has been created for molecular dynamics simulations. The new model was tested against experiment for an array of thermodynamic, structural, and dynamic properties. Interactions with water were compared with previous simulations and experimental studies, and the unusual changes exhibited by dimethyl sulfoxide/water mixtures, such as the enhanced structure of the solution, were reproduced by the new model. Particular attention was given to the design of the electrostatic component of the force field and to providing compatibility with the CHARMM parameter sets for biomolecules.
Functional Implications of the Subunit Composition of Neuronal CaM Kinase II

The assembly of 6-12 subunits of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaM kinase II) into holoenzymes is an important structural feature of the enzyme and its postulated role as a molecular detector of Ca(2+) oscillations. Using single cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, we show that alpha- and beta-CaM kinase II mRNAs are simultaneously present in the majority of hippocampal neurons examined and that co-assembly of their protein products into heteromers is therefore possible. The subunit composition of CaM kinase II holoenzymes was analyzed by immunoprecipitation with subunit-specific monoclonal antibodies. Rat forebrain CaM kinase II consists of heteromers composed of alpha and beta subunits at a ratio of 2:1 and homomers composed of only alpha subunits. We examined the functional effect of the heteromeric assembly by analyzing the calmodulin dependence of autophosphorylation. Recombinant homomers of alpha- or beta-CaM kinase II, as well as of alternatively spliced beta isoforms, have distinct calmodulin dependences for autophosphorylation based on differences in their calmodulin affinities. Half-maximal autophosphorylation of alpha is achieved at 130 nM calmodulin, while that for beta occurs at 15 nM calmodulin. In CaM kinase II isolated from rat forebrain, however, the calmodulin dependence for autophosphorylation of the beta subunits is shifted toward that of alpha homomers. This suggests that Thr(287) in beta subunits is phosphorylated by alpha subunits present in the same holoenzyme. Once autophosphorylated, beta-CaM kinase II traps calmodulin by reducing the rate of calmodulin dissociation.