cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Notification pending: Online social support from close and nonclose relational ties via Facebook

Previous research has often assumed social support as a unique affordance of close relationships. Computer-mediated communication alters the availability of relationally nonclose others, and may to enable additional sources or social support through venues like social networking sites. Eighty-eight college students completed a questionnaire based on their most recent Facebook status updates and the comments those updates generated. Items queried participants' perception of each response as well as the participants' relationship closeness with the responder. Individuals perceived as relationally close provide significant social support via Facebook; however, individuals perceived to be relationally nonclose provided equal social support online. While SNSs has not eroded the importance of close relationships, results demonstrate the social media tools may allow for social support to be obtained from nonclose as well as close relationships, with access to a significant proportion of nonclose relationships.
A simulation of newspaper mailrooms

The daily goal of a newspaper organization is to produce papers and deliver them to customers. The mailroom provides the necessary link between the two functions. Newspapers are transported from printing presses to the mailroom, where the papers are tied into bundles and distributed to delivery trucks. These mailroom operations occur while newspapers are being printed and must proceed efficiently if newspaper production is to continue. Rockwell International uses discrete event simulation extensively in systems analyses of newspaper mailrooms. These analyses are undertaken for the purpose of assessing the compatibility of proposed facilities with planned operating conditions, solving operational problems in existing systems, and developing support software for customer use. A necessary condition for such a study to be successful is a mutual understanding between customer and analysts of goals and proposed solutions. The customer is the sole judge of success and determines when and whether objectives have been satisfactorily met. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the simulation of newspaper mailrooms and to describe activities and methods which have culminated in successful simulations and useful results. Illustrative examples from past work are provided.
Dairy Feeds and Drug Additives as Related to Cattle Efficiency and Public Health

Abstract An outstanding observation in recent years has been in the identification of a toxic gas, nitrogen dioxide, which may be produced in the early stages of silage-making. The real impetus toward the recognition of the seriousness of toxic effect of this gas in silage-making came in 1955, when farmers in different parts of the country were hospitalized due to a mysterious pulmonary illness that could not be related to any known disease. In all cases, the men became violently ill, with coughing and shortness of breath, after going into a silo soon after filling with either corn or legume forage. In some cases, irritating fumes and even a yellowish-brown gas were observed in the silo chute or above the silage at the time the men entered the silos. The first report on two such cases was made by Delaney et al. (3) in April, 1956. A careful and systematic study of the patients, and the report on the production of nitrogen dioxide in silos, led to the conclusion that the illnesses were similar to those caused by nitrogen dioxide poisoning.
Visualizing an enterprise Wiki

This paper describes the iterative development of a visualization for a wiki used in a large enterprise to manage research projects. An initial prototype-based field study exposed two main usage problems and provided five design ideas, which led to the development of an interactive visualization called CherryTree. The paper describes CherryTree, discusses the reactions of users, and discusses future directions for this work.
Impulse saturation break tests

Abstract We develop a new class of tests for breaks at unknown dates based on impulse saturation. Theoretical Power is derived for mean and variance shifts. Empirical power is close to theory results. The test performs well in both cases.
Fluorescence spectrum of the benzene radical cation in solid argon

Abstract Argon/benzene samples were condensed at 12 K with continuous argon resonance radiation. Laser excitation at 421 nm produced a weak emission with structure at 19770, 19140 and 18290 cm−1, assigned to the 2A2u → 2E1g emission of C6H6+. Observation of 630 and 1480 cm−1 intervals for the vibrations v18 (e2g) and v6 (e2g), respectively, supports this assignment.
Specific impedance of cerebral white matter

A method is described for measuring specific impedances in deep brain structures. It was used to determine the impedance in a large fiber tract in the cat internal capsule. The impedance along an axis normal to the fiber direction was ∼800 Ω cm and predominantly resistive at frequencies between 20 cycle/sec and 20 kc/sec. The impedance along the fiber direction was approximately one-ninth of this. Possible mechanisms of current conduction are examined and it is concluded that unless the oligodendrocyte membrane resistance is ≤8 Ω cm2 an extracellular space of ∼10% is indicated.
Location does not have to be destiny: student evaluation and integrity controls in a management accounting class

As accounting education transitions to more distance-learning formats, the integrity of student evaluation continues to serve as an obstacle to adoption. Greater technological possibilities will be opposed if faculty members believe that testing is compromised. This article investigates whether students taking exams remotely and under no surveillance performed better than students taking exams under conventional exam security. The results suggest an equivalent degree of achievement. The lack of human-based integrity controls over students taking exams did not produce a situation where grades were no longer accurate manifestations of student abilities. Although the results may be the results of the specific testing environment that was in use, they are encouraging for the proliferation of distance education in the accounting discipline. Integrity controls can be designed into the programs that administer the assessment.
Images registration & superimposition for dual resolution cone beam CT: A preliminary study

Registration and superimposition of images acquired from two different detectors is essential to dual-resolution cone beam CT. In this study we implemented and tested a method of integration, which is to register and superimpose the high resolution volume of interest (VOI) only images to the low resolution full field images. First, we acquired two images sets: One is low exposure low resolution full field images acquired with a low resolution detector; the other is high exposure high resolution volume of interest (VOI) images acquired with a high resolution detector and VOI mask. To locate the VOI positions in full field images, the third images set with VOI mask but without phantom was acquired with the low resolution detector. In the third images set, high contrast VOI boundaries were located and used to determine positions of the VOI in full field images. Then high resolution VOI images were superimposed with the full field images to generate integrated images set. Integrated images set was tested by subtraction from full field images set and then used to reconstruct images using regular FDK algorithm. In the reconstructed images, five Al wires (as small as 152 μm) can be clearly seen in the VOI.
Walking before study enhances free recall but not judgement-of-learning magnitude

The authors investigated whether a brief bout of aerobic exercise can influence subsequent judgements of learning (JOLs) or memory performance. 80 college students (46 women and 34 men) completed 1 of 4 conditions using a 2×2 (encoding condition×retrieval condition) between-subjects factorial design. After a practice task, students either viewed an unrelated slide show while sedentary or completed a brisk 10-minute walk. Then, all students studied 30 English nouns and provided immediate JOLs. Finally, students again completed either the sedentary activity or exercised, followed by a free recall test. Exercise before encoding increased free recall scores by 25% compared with the sedentary condition; as a result, absolute metamemory accuracy also improved. Encoding condition did not influence mean JOLs, however, suggesting that students were unaware of the memory benefits from exercise. Overall, these results suggest that individuals can gain a memory advantage from a 10-minute walk before studying.
Ultraviolet irradiation of the eye and Fos-positive neurons induced in trigeminal brainstem after intravitreal or ocular surface transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 activation.

The interior structures of the eye are well supplied by the trigeminal nerve; however, the function of these afferent fibers is not well defined. The aim of this study was to use c-fos like immunohistochemistry (Fos-LI) to map the trigeminal brainstem complex after intravitreal microinjection or ocular surface application of capsaicin, a selective transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) agonist in male rats under barbiturate anesthesia. The effect of ocular inflammation on Fos-LI was tested 2 or 7 days after UV irradiation of the eye. In non-inflamed controls, intravitreal capsaicin produced peaks of Fos-LI at the trigeminal subnucleus interpolaris/caudalis (Vi/Vcvl) transition and in superficial laminae at the caudalis/upper cervical cord (Vc/C1) junction regions. At the Vc/C1 junction intravitreal capsaicin induced Fos-LI in a dose-dependent manner, while at the Vi/Vcvl transition responses were similar after vehicle or capsaicin injections. Two days, but not 7 days, after UV irradiation intravitreal and ocular surface capsaicin-evoked Fos-LI at the Vc/C1 junction and nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) were markedly enhanced, whereas the responses at the Vi/Vcvl transition were not different from non-inflamed controls. More than 80% of trigeminal ganglion neurons labeled after intravitreal microinjection of Fluorogold also expressed immunoreactivity for the TRPV1 receptor. These findings suggested that most intraocular trigeminal sensory nerves serve as nociceptors. The similar pattern and magnitude of Fos-LI after capsaicin suggested that TRPV1-responsive trigeminal nerves that supply intraocular and ocular surface tissues form a unified integrative circuit in the caudal brainstem. Intensity coding of capsaicin concentration and facilitation of Fos-LI expression after UV irradiation strongly supported the hypothesis that the Vc/C1 junction was critical for nociceptive processing related to ocular pain, whereas the Vi/Vcvl transition region likely served other functions in ocular homeostasis under naive and inflamed conditions.
An evaluation of monthly mean MSU and ECMWF global atmospheric temperatures for monitoring climate

The usefulness of global satellite sounding data for monitoring climate was assessed by comparing monthly mean brightness temperature anomalies derived from channel 2 of the microwave sounding units (MSUs) on board NOAA satellites over the past decade with both weighted and pressure-level ECMWF monthly mean temperatures for 96 months from 1982 to 1989. Results show that very good agreement exists between the MSU and the weighted ECMWF temperatures over the period considered, with grid-point correlations exceeding 0.85. Comparisons with individual pressure-level temperatures from ECMWF showed high correlations at 300 mb over most of the globe.
Depolarization and muscarinic excitation induced in a sympathetic ganglion by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide

The effects of vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) in the superior cervical ganglion of the cat were studied in vitro and in vivo with sucrose gap and multiunit recording, respectively. At a dose of 0.03 to 0.12 nanomole, VIP produced a dose-dependent, prolonged (3 to 15 minutes) depolarization of the ganglion and enhanced the ganglionic depolarization elicited by the muscarinic agonist acetyl-beta-methylcholine. At a dose of 1.8 to 10 nanomoles, the peptide enhanced and prolonged the postganglionic discharge elicited by acetyl-beta-methylcholine, enhanced muscarinic transmission in ganglia treated with an anticholinesterase agent, and enhanced the late muscarinic discharge elicited by acetylcholine. VIP did not affect the early nicotinic discharge elicited by acetylcholine or by electrical stimulation of the preganglionic nerve. It is concluded that VIP has a selective facilitatory action on muscarinic excitatory mechanisms in the superior cervical ganglion of the cat.
Symmetry Considerations for Plastic Crystal-Crystal Phase Transitions

Abstract Molecular and lattice symmetry effects on the order of plastic crystal-crystal phase transitions are discussed in the context of Landau theory.
Multivariate data-driven k -NN function estimation

Abstract In Bhattacharya and Mack ( Ann. Statist. 15 (1987), 976–994), it was shown (among other things) that adapting for the optimal choice of k in univariate k -nearest neighbor density and regression estimation is feasible using weak convergence techniques. We now show that the same holds true for the multivariate case. Our results parallel Krieger and Pickands ( Ann. Statist. 9 (1981), 1066–1078) and Mack and Muller ( J. Multivariate Anal. 23 (1987), 169–182) for adaptive multivariate kernel density, respectively, regression, estimation.
Evidence for inorganic phosphate binding at nodes of Ranvier in peripheral nerves

Ferric ion is bound to different sites at nodes of Ranvier, depending on how the nerves are prepared. By immersing fresh, unfixed nerves in phosphate buffer, cacodylate buffer, or physiological saline prior to staining with ferric ion and ferrocyanide, it can be shown that binding of ferric ion to the extracellular nodal gap substance requires pretreatment with inorganic phosphate. This implies that phosphate anions are bound to the gap substance where they may then promote precipitation of ferric ion. These results call for a re-evaluation of data that depend on ferric ion binding to nodes of Ranvier. They also open the possibility that affinity for anions in general, or phosphate in particular, may be a significant feature of extracellular molecules present at nodes.
Evaluating the diversity of pteridophyte embryology in the light of recent phylogenetic analyses leads to new inferences on character evolution

This is the first review of the developmental morphology of pteridophyte embryos since molecular phylogenies revolutionized concepts of tracheophyte evolution. In the light of these novel relationships, embryo characters are evaluated across pteridophytes to hypothesize homology and infer character transformations. Salient features of traditional categories used to classify pteridophyte embryos, for example endoscopy and exoscopy, are analyzed and related to gametophyte habit. Suspensor formation evolved in several lineages and is reinterpreted as representing a distinct developmental stage of the foot which is the only embryonic organ that is homologous across all land plants. Endoscopy in lycophytes is distinct from that of monilophytes, because lycophyte embryos undergo reorientation, lack interdigitating placental cells, and contain an interplacental space which may be related to their lack of a basal pad cell during archegonial development. Pteridophyte embryology may provide clues to tracheophytes evolution and novel developmental mechanisms.
A Parameterization for the Triggering of Landscape-Generated Moist Convection. Part II: Zero-Order and First-Order Closure

Abstract To improve the triggering of clouds over landscape heterogeneity, it is suggested that the forcing by mesoscale circulations generated by landscape patches be included. For this purpose, it is suggested that a relatively simple zero-order closure be used to obtain a triggering parcel’s mesoscale perturbation vertical velocity, potential temperature, and specific humidity. In combination with a turbulent fluctuation averaged over a parcel area, one can obtain a parcel’s (total) velocity, temperature, and moisture. The authors used similarity theory to parameterize the mesoscale perturbations, using a dataset generated by a three-dimensional, high-resolution cumulus ensemble model with west-to-east land surface patches. Alternatively, the authors used one-dimensional budget equations that contain mesoscale and turbulent fluctuations (and source terms) to obtain the vertical profile of potential temperature and specific humidity within a triggering parcel. Here, it is suggested that first-order clos...
Neonatal dihydrotestosterone and estrogen stimulation: effects on sexual behavior of male rats.

Abstract Male rats castrated on the second day after birth (Day 2) were, for the next 10 days, given daily injections of one of five steroids or steroid combinations: 200 μg of testosterone propionate (TP); 200 μg of dihydrotestosterone propionate (DHTP); 5 μg of estradiol benzoate (EB); 5 μg of estradiol benzoate plus 200 μg of dihydrotestosterone propionate; oil vehicle (VH). Control male rats castrated on Day 90 received a sham castration and oil vehicle in the neonatal period. All animals were given TP in adulthood and tested for male sexual behavior. There was no difference in mounting activity among the subjects. Day 2 DHTP subjects displayed intromissions but were incapable of ejaculating. The more frequent display of intromissions by Day 2 DHTP animals in comparison to Day 2 VH animals could be solely due to their larger and more highly developed penes. On the other hand, the ejaculatory failure of the Day 2 DHTP subjects was attributed to some deficiency in central neural processes controlling ejaculatory mechanisms rather than inadequate penile development. Equivocal results were obtained with the Day 2 EB and Day 2 EB-DHTP animals in that only a few animals in both groups showed an ejaculatory pattern.
Automated test plan generator for database application systems

As database applications increase in size and complexity, the development of usable test plans to test application software becomes essential. These testing plans must establish the applications' correctness and consistency as well as its reliability from the human expectation viewpoint. The designed automated/manual testing procedure integrated into the design phase, automates the generation of test plans for the comprehensive coverage of all details and timely updating, reducing the overall testing time and standardizing results. Human intervention remains to ascertain semantic nuances, ambiguities and user interface inconsistencies. A minimal set of test objects defines the test classes while a taxonomy categorizes the necessary tests and demonstrates the breadth and depth of the verification and validation procedures. Analysis of our experimental testing results showed the keystone to be the test plan, a data driven conceptual level, procedural document certifying the semantics, syntax and interfaces of a specific database application. A Test Plan Generator was constructed using C++ to generate a set of precise test plans from the design schema.
Identification, mapping, and genomic structural analysis of an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif-bearing C-type lectin from homozygous clones of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

Utilizing a spleen-derived cDNA library and rapid amplification of cDNA 5′ ends, we cloned a novel type II C-type lectin from two homozygous clones of rainbow trout. The cDNA is 2535 bp in length, and contains a 1017-bp open reading frame. From this sequence, a protein containing 339 amino acids (aa) was deduced. Using PSI-BLAST to search the GenBank database, the deduced protein is a C-type lectin, belonging to the type II membrane receptors. The protein contains four domains: an 87-aa N-terminal cytoplasmic domain, a 21-aa transmembrane domain, an 82-aa neck domain, and a 149-aa C-terminal C-type lectin domain. Two immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motifs (ITIMs) were located in the N-terminal cytoplasmic domain. RT-PCR results indicated that this gene is transcribed mainly in peripheral blood lymphocytes, spleen, kidney, and gill, and its expression in liver and intestine is weak. Monoclonal antibody 1.14 was used to isolate B cells from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Analysis revealed that this gene is highly expressed in B cells. Genomic DNA was amplified with long-template PCR and sequenced. The gDNA is 12.0 kb in length and contains nine exons and eight introns. The first intron of the genes from the OSU and AR clones differed in length. Based on this difference, the genotype of 69 doubled-haploid offspring of OSU and AR were screened. Subsequently, this gene was mapped on the rainbow trout linkage map to group XXI. Results of a Southern blot indicated that the gene (TCL-2) exists as a single copy in the rainbow trout genome. The genomic structure, the deduced protein structure, the tissue expression pattern, as well as the phylogenetic analysis of the carbohydrate recognition domain based on the deduced amino acid sequence indicate that TCL-2 resembles CD72; however, the carbohydrate recognition domain sequences of TCL-2 and CD72 are highly diverged.
Cigarette smoking for weight loss or control among adolescents: gender and racial/ethnic differences.

Abstract Purpose To describe gender and racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence of cigarette smoking for weight loss or control in an adolescent population-based sample, and relationships among heavy smoking, weight concerns and smoking to lose or control weight Methods Anonymous questionnaires were administered to 81,247 9th and 12th grade public school students across the state of Minnesota in 1998. Variables of interest included smoking frequency, weight concerns, and smoking for weight loss or control. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds of smoking to lose or control weight by race/ethnicity and gender, and to evaluate the relationships between smoking to lose or control weight and heavy smoking, perceptions of overweight, and weight concerns by race/ethnicity and gender. Results With the exception of black females, female smokers of different racial/ethnic groups were as likely as white girls to smoke for weight loss or control. Compared to white male smokers, American Indian and Asian American male smokers were more likely to smoke for weight loss or control, and black, Hispanic, and mixed race male smokers were equally likely to smoke for weight loss or control. Heavy smokers, smokers who perceived themselves as overweight or were weight-concerned were significantly more likely to report smoking as a weight control method. Conclusions Smoking for weight control is prevalent across many race/ethnic groups and both genders among adolescents.
Experiments in Immersive Virtual Reality for Scientific Visualization

Abstract This article provides a snapshot of immersive virtual reality (IVR) use for scientific visualization, in the context of the evolution of computing in general and of user interfaces in particular. The main thesis of this article is that IVR has great potential for dealing with the serious problem of exponentially growing scientific datasets. Our ability to produce large datasets both through numerical simulation and through data acquisition via sensors is outrunning our ability to make sense of those datasets. While our idea of “large” datasets used to be measured in hundreds of gigabytes, based at least in part on what we could easily store, manipulate, and display in real time, today's science and engineering are producing terabytes and soon even petabytes, both from observation via sensors and as output from numerical simulation. Clearly, visualization by itself will not solve the problem of understanding truly large datasets that would overwhelm both display capacity and the human visual system. We advocate a human–computer partnership that draws on the strengths of each partner, with algorithmic culling and feature-detection used to identify the small fraction of the data that should be visually examined in detail by the human. Our hope is that IVR will be a potent tool to let humans “see” patterns, trends, and anomalies in their data well beyond what they can do with conventional 3D desktop displays.
Interactions among Ytm1, Erb1, and Nop7 Required for Assembly of the Nop7-Subcomplex in Yeast Preribosomes

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, more than 180 assembly factors associate with preribosomes to enable folding of pre-rRNA, recruitment of ribosomal proteins, and processing of pre-rRNAs to produce mature ribosomes. To examine the molecular architecture of preribosomes and to connect this structure to functions of each assembly factor, assembly subcomplexes have been purified from preribosomal particles. The Nop7-subcomplex contains three assembly factors: Nop7, Erb1, and Ytm1, each of which is necessary for conversion of 27SA3 pre-rRNA to 27SBS pre-rRNA. However, interactions among these three proteins and mechanisms of their recruitment and function in pre-rRNPs are poorly understood. Here we show that Ytm1, Erb1, and Nop7 assemble into preribosomes in an interdependent manner. We identified which domains within Ytm1, Erb1, and Nop7 are necessary for their interaction with each other and are sufficient for recruitment of each protein into preribosomes. Dominant negative effects on growth and ribosome biogenesis caused by overexpressing truncated Ytm1, Erb1, or Nop7 constructs, and recessive phenotypes of the truncated proteins revealed not only interaction domains but also other domains potentially important for each protein to function in ribosome biogenesis. Our data suggest a model for the architecture of the Nop7-subcomplex and provide potential functions of domains of each protein.
Age-related stigma and the golden section hypothesis.

Objectives: The present study used the golden section hypothesis, which predicts that people organize information in a ratio of 61.8% positive to 38.2% negative, to examine age-related identities. It was predicted that people would rate identities of the aging population in accordance with a reverse golden section hypothesis. That is, people would assign negative ratings 61.8% of the time and positive ratings 38.2% of the time. Method: A golden section survey was completed online by 148 participants. Along the top of the survey were 15 identities: child, elderly person, grandparent, middle-aged adult, nurse, musician, adolescent, senior citizen, business person, lawyer, secretary, mental patient, homeless person, retired person, and self. On the left side of the survey were 12 adjective pairs with well-established positive and negative poles: generous–stingy, pleasant–unpleasant, true–false, fair–unfair, active–passive, energetic–lethargic, sharp–dull, excitable–calm, strong–weak, bold–timid, hard–soft, a...
Three-Dimensional Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Talar Morphology in Extant Gorilla Taxa from Highland and Lowland Habitats

Western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) are known to climb significantly more often than eastern gorillas (Gorilla beringei), a behavioral distinction attributable to major differences in their respective habitats (i.e., highland vs. lowland). Genetic evidence suggests that the lineages leading to these taxa began diverging from one another between approximately 1 and 3 million years ago. Thus, gorillas offer a special opportunity to examine the degree to which morphology of recently diverged taxa may be "fine-tuned" to differing ecological requirements. Using three-dimensional (3D) geometric morphometrics, we compared talar morphology in a sample of 87 specimens including western (lowland), mountain (highland), and grauer gorillas (lowland and highland populations). Talar shape was captured with a series of landmarks and semilandmarks superimposed by generalized Procrustes analysis. A between-group principal components analysis of overall talar shape separates gorillas by ecological habitat and by taxon. An analysis of only the trochlea and lateral malleolar facet identifies subtle variations in trochlear shape between western lowland and lowland grauer gorillas, potentially indicative of convergent evolution of arboreal adaptations in the talus. Lastly, talar shape scales differently with centroid size for highland and lowland gorillas, suggesting that ankle morphology may track body-size mediated variation in arboreal behaviors differently depending on ecological setting. Several of the observed shape differences are linked biomechanically to the facilitation of climbing in lowland gorillas and to stability and load-bearing on terrestrial substrates in the highland taxa, providing an important comparative model for studying morphological variation in groups known only from fossils (e.g., early hominins).
Manometric findings during spontaneous chest pain in patients with presumed esophageal "spasms".

Abstract Nine patients with intermittent chest pain thought clinically to be secondary to esophageal "spasms" developed typical pain while being studied with an intraluminal transducer probe placed in the distal esophagus. Manometric changes from control periods were examined preceding and during pain episodes. No significant difference in distal esophageal wave duration or amplitude or in frequency of abnormal peristalsis was observed preceding or during pain episodes when compared with nonpain periods over a mean monitoring time of 227 min. No change from the nonpain periods in esophageal baseline pressure occurred during pain episodes, nor was there any other obvious manometric change by gross inspection of the tracings. We conclude that patients clinically suspected of having esophageal "spasms" as the source of chest pain frequently do not, regardless of the presence or absence of motility abnormalities on conventional esophageal manometric studies.
Area - time - power and design effort: the basic tradeoffs in application specific systems

Application specific is always a tradeoff among competing design goals (or design parameters). In addition to the well established area (cost) - time (performance) - power metrics specific applications imply a relatively limited market so design cost becomes an especially important consideration. As technology offers increasing transistor density with lower cost power constraints limit frequency as the primary avenue to performance. The alternative is to use area (transistors) to recover performance putting an additional strain on the design budget. The search for flexibility in design without paying a significant area - time - power cost remains the primary problem for application specific and system on a chip (SoC) design.
Hurricane Chasers in New Orleans Latino Immigrants as a Source of a Rapid Response Labor Force

Little is known about the Latino workers who came to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to clean up and repair the city. The author uses data from surveys collected at the visits of the Brazilian, Mexican, and Nicaraguan consulates (N = 253) to study the internally mobile immigrants who arrived after Katrina and who anticipate leaving New Orleans within 2 years of the survey, or what the author calls a rapid response labor force. Four hypotheses are examined: (1) that there is no difference between national origin groups in their propensity to be a member of the rapid response labor force; (2) that members are newer immigrants who have few ties to immigrants already in the United States; (3) that members are pioneers (unaccompanied working age men with weak residential ties); and (4) that members use a mobility strategy to obtain higher wages. I find that Brazilians and Mexicans are more likely than Nicaraguans to be rapid responders. Rapid responders have low levels of U.S. migratory experience, little ...
Large-scale triangular lattice arrays of sub-micron islands by microsphere self-assembly

A two-step masking technique has been developed to prepare large-scale triangular lattice arrays of uniform sub-micron islands on substrates at room temperature and at low cost by utilizing self-assembly of polystyrene microspheres. As an example, fabrication of large arrays of nickel islands with long-range periodicity and morphological uniformity is demonstrated, which is also ready to apply to fabricate periodic sub-micron islands of other materials on flat substrates in general. The islands so prepared resemble the shape of a hexagonal disc with its size determined by the size of the polystyrene spheres and its thickness variable in a wide range. These islands of various materials on different kinds of substrates can be used in a variety of applications such as catalysts to grow aligned carbon nanotubes and nanowires for 2D photonic crystals, nanoelectrode arrays for molecular devices, nanostructure building blocks for nanofabrications, etc.
The modifiable areal unit problem and implications for landscape ecology

Landscape ecologists often deal with aggregated data and multiscaled spatial phenomena. Recognizing the sensitivity of the results of spatial analyses to the definition of units for which data are collected is critical to characterizing landscapes with minimal bias and avoidance of spurious relationships. We introduce and examine the effect of data aggregation on analysis of landscape structure as exemplified through what has become known, in the statistical and geographical literature, as the Modifiable Areal Unit Problem (MAUP). The MAUP applies to two separate, but interrelated, problems with spatial data analysis. The first is the “scale problem”, where the same set of areal data is aggregated into several sets of larger areal units, with each combination leading to different data values and inferences. The second aspect of the MAUP is the “zoning problem”, where a given set of areal units is recombined into zones that are of the same size but located differently, again resulting in variation in data values and, consequently, different conclusions. We conduct a series of spatial autocorrelation analyses based on NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) to demonstrate how the MAUP may affect the results of landscape analysis. We conclude with a discussion of the broaderscale implications for the MAUP in landscape ecology and suggest approaches for dealing with this issue.
The learning requirements for enquiry

This paper is based on Dr. Gagne's presentation as part of a Symposium on Scientific Inquiry at the 36th Annual Meeting of the National Association for Research in Science Teaching, Washington, D. C., February 20–23, 1963.
A new transform with symmetrical coding performance for Markov (1) signals

Based on the DCT and DST-II, we present a new transform that provides a symmetrical performance for positively and negatively correlated Markov (1) signals (first-order stationary Markov process). A fast computational algorithm is presented. A sufficient condition of symmetrical transforms is also provided, and the idea of constructing the discrete cosine-sine transform (DCST) is then generalized to the Karhunen-Loeve transform (KLT) of any Markov (1) signal. >
3D face recognition based on high-resolution 3D face modeling from frontal and profile views

This paper presents a novel face recognition system which considers information from both frontal and profile view images and videos. In the system, we recover facial texture details by increasing the input image resolution, construct an accurate 3D face model from two views of a face, and explore both 3D shape and texture informations for an optimal match and identification based on a 3D face model database. Unlike many existing 3D face recognition systems where the 3D model is taken as a bridge for synthesizing textures of various poses from the viewing sphere, we explicitly use 3D geometric information to index the reference database in order to increase the matching accuracy. This work is the first step toward the development of a face recognition solution by exploring 3D context explicitly. The system consists of three major modules, including (1) 3D face model database creation based on two views' face images input; (2) query face model synthesis from two views' face video input; (3) matching between the database model and the query model using a hybrid method (i.e., shape and texture). The high resolution face model reconstruction is critical for success of the system. Five key components are developed: (1) Facial silhouette extraction; (2) facial texture detail reconstruction based on a novel algorithm: Hyper-resolution image enhancement; (3) feature detection from two views of a face; (4) face model instantiation by adapting the model to the resolution-increased input image; (5) 3D facial geometric information reconstruction using two views' models. The system has been tested using 60 subjects and has shown the correct match rate at 91.2%.
The Impact of Petroleum and Commodity Prices in a Model of the World Economy

Publisher Summary The LINK model system augmented by commodity models to make COMLINK is a useful instrument. However, its complexity and the diversity among the component country models make it difficult to evaluate what is happening. This chapter discusses the impact of oil and commodity prices on the gross domestic product (GDP) of the developed countries (DCs) and the less developed countries (LDCs). The impact of commodity-price increases has been compared with the effect of increases in oil prices. The chapter focuses on business-cycle impacts. A three-block model system of the industrial countries, the commodity-producing non-oil LDCs, and the oil producers to disentangle the impacts have been considered theoretically. The chapter discuses the simulations of the COMLINK system, a world model system adapted from Project LINK, which treats the interactions in ways that are analogous to the simple theoretical system. The additional elements that need to be factored into the global models to allow for the full effect of increases in commodity and oil prices have been considered.
Understanding the links between privacy and public data sharing

Linking clinical and phenotype variables across data sets will both power precision medicine studies and introduce new privacy risks
Biochar Amendment Increases Resistance to Stem Lesions Caused by Phytophthora spp. in Tree Seedlings

Soil amendment with biochar is thought to confer multiple benefits to plants including induction of systemic resistance to plant pathogens. Pathogens in the genus Phytophthora cause damaging diseases of woody species throughout the world. The objective of this study was to test 1) whether biochar amendment induces resistance to cankercausingPhytophthorapathogens;and2)howthisresistanceisrelatedtotheamount of biochar amendment in two common landscape tree species:Quercus rubra(L.)and Acer rubrum (L.). Seedlings of Q. rubra and A. rubrum were planted in peatmoss-based potting mix uniformly amended with 0%, 5%, 10%, or 20% biochar by volume. Plants in each treatment group were stem wound-inoculated with an isolate of Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands (host: Q. rubra )o rP. cactorum (Leb. and Cohn) Schr¨ oeter (host: A. rubrum )u sing standardagar-pluginoculationprocedures.Amendmentofpottingmediawith5%biochar reduced horizontal expansion of lesions in both hosts, whereas the same treatment significantly reduced vertical expansion of lesions in A. rubrum (P < 0.05). In addition, 5% biochar resulted in a higher midday stem water potential in Q. rubra (P = 0.066) and significantly greater stem biomass in A. rubrum compared with inoculated control plants (0% biochar, P < 0.05). Our results suggest that biochar amendment has the potential to alleviate disease progression and physiological stress caused by Phytophthora canker pathogens and there is likely an optimal level of biochar incorporation into the root media beyond which the effects may be less pronounced.
On Interactive Computation: Intelligent Tutoring Systems

This talk will give an overview of an interdisciplinary research project being developed at The University of Memphis, led by a team of computer scientists, psychologists, and educators. The project’s goal is to research and develop prototypes for an intelligent autonomous software agent capable of tutoring a human user on a narrow, but fairly open, domain of expertise. The chosen prototype domain is computer literacy. The agent interacts with the user in natural language and other modalities. It receives input in typewritten form, possesses a good deal of syntactic and semantic capabilities to interpret inputs in conterelevant fashion, select appropriate responses (short feedback, dialog moves), and completes the dialog cycle in multimodal form (feedback delivered in short spoken expressions and/or facial gestures, spoken information delivery and pointing to appropriate illustrations, animations, etc.). The performance of the agent is expected to be consistent with the level of performance of untrained human tutors. The talk will give a brief overview of the overall architecture of the tutor, explore some of the challenges and tools that have been used in solving them, and provide a demo of the current version, AutoTutor, with an emphasis on the multimodal delivery of the dialog cycle.
Modeled Emergency Control Method for Distribution Network

In view of the fact that a single emergency control method cannot adapt to various configurations of distribution network,an effective emergency control(EC) method should be such a one that varies with the changes of the monitoring and operating conditions of distribution network.A method,which constructs EC modes corresponding to monitoring and operating conditions of distribution network,is put forward and a three-dimensional pattern classification method is obtained,then an EC mode system for distribution network,including fourteen modes corresponding to common configurations of distribution network,is set up.On this basis,a modelled EC method is proposed.Using modelled processing mode,the applicability to distribution network configuration can be improved;by means of reasonably extracting essential factors of modes it is convenient to use existing achievements for reference;under immovable restraints of various modes,the resources can be fully utilized to seek the combination of essential factors of modes,by which the optimal control effect can be achieved,to enhance the effect of EC.Finally,through actual cases the establishing process of EC mode and the way of applying the modelled EC method are described in detail.
In Defense of the Printed Book

“But nowadays, instead of looking at books, people read them.” ∼George Bernard Shaw As a librarian, I am often asked about the imminent demise of the printed book. The question comes from all sorts: friends and family concerned about the viability of my chosen profession, bibliophiles worried about losing the books they love so much, and even the occasional stranger who wishes to provoke me into a passionate rant about the printed word. My answer, however, is always the same. Books will never go away. Though society will change and adapt to new technologies, the printed book will remain constant.
Pyruvate: ferredoxin oxidoreductase. I. The pyruvate-CO 2 exchange reaction.

Pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase has been partially purified from extracts of Clostridium acidiurici , and some of the characteristics of the pyruvate-CO 2 exchange reaction catalyzed by this enzyme have been studied. The exchange activity is active only under anaerobic conditions and requires high levels of thiol ( K m 0.05 m ) and catalytic levels of CoA ( K m , 2×10 −6 m ). The requirement for CoA can be partially relieved by addition of CoCl 2 . It was not possible to demonstrate a thiamine pyrophosphate requirement for the exchange reaction; however, microbiological assays of chromatographic fractions of the purified enzyme showed the coincidence of thiamine with the exchange activity.
Self-rated health, gender, and acculturative stress among immigrants in the U.S.: New roles for social support

Abstract Background Based on different outcomes, immigrants to the U.S. may experience a decline in health with length of time or acculturation. Acculturative stress is often applied as an explanation for these changes and may be impacted by social supports and social networks, but more information is needed on the specific role of each. Thus far little research has examined acculturative stress and health by both ethnicity and gender. Methods Drawing on the 2002–2003 National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS), we examine data on a nationally-representative sample of foreign-born Latino (N = 1,627) and Asian (N = 1,638) adults living in the United States. We examine relationships between acculturative stress and self-rated physical and mental health, as well as the potential role of social support factors, with a primary focus on gender. Results As a group Latinos report more acculturative stress than Asians. However, among Latino immigrants acculturative stress has no association with health, and for Asian immigrants there is an association with physical health among women and mental health among men – but only the latter persisted after adjusting for controls. We do find that among Latino men and women, acculturative stress is health damaging when specific types of social support are low but can even be health promoting at higher support levels. Discussion While self-rated health differs among immigrant groups, we find that acculturative stress may not be the primary driving force behind these differences, but interacts with specific elements of social support to produce unique impacts on health by gender and ethnicity.
Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Youth With Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis:

Purpose:To examine the effects on anxiety of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) among youth with anxiety disorders.Method:Systematic review and meta-analytic procedures were employed to synthes...
Computational modeling of tracheal angioedema due to swelling of the submucous tissue layer.

Summary Angioedema is a tissue swelling pathology due to rapid change in soft tissue fluid content. Its occurrence in the trachea is predominantly localized to the soft mucous tissue that forms the innermost tracheal layer. The biomechanical consequences, such as airway constriction, are dependent upon the ensuing mechanical interactions between all of the various tissues that comprise the tracheal tube. We model the stress interactions by treating the trachea organ as a three-tissue system consisting of swellable mucous in conjunction with nonswelling cartilage and nonswelling trachealis musculature. Hyperelastic constitutive modeling is employed by generalizing the standard anisotropic, incompressible soft tissue framework to incorporate the swelling effect. Finite element stress analysis then proceeds with swelling of the mucous layer providing the driving factor for the mechanical analysis. The amount of airway constriction is governed by the mechanical interaction between the three predominant tissue types. The detailed stress analysis indicates the presence of stress concentrations near the various tissue junctions. Because of the tissue's nonlinear mechanical behavior this can lead to material stiffness fluctuations as a function of location on the trachea. Patient specific modeling is presented. The role of the modeling in the interpretation of diagnostic procedures and the assessment of therapies is discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
STUDIES OF PPLO INFECTION III. ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDY OF BRAIN LESIONS CAUSED BY MYCOPLASMA NEUROLYTICUM TOXIN

The ultrastructure of the experimental encephalopathy caused by Mycoplasma neurolyticum toxin has been studied. The primary changes are (a) massive distention of astrocytes by fluid, associated with degenerative changes in these cells, (b) mechanical displacement and compression of myelinated axons by swollen astrocytic processes, (c) the appearance of free, extracellular fluid in the white matter, and (d) early primary myelin degeneration without damage to axons.