cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Education inequality and use of cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana

Education inequality at the neighborhood-level may influence population health and health behavior. We assessed the relations between education inequality and substance use in 59 New York City (NYC) neighborhoods. We used Gini coefficients of education to describe neighborhood education inequality and data from a random-digit-dial phone survey of adult residents of NYC to assess use of substances. Among 1355 respondents (female = 56.2%; white = 35.7%; mean age = 40.4), 23.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 20.3–27.5) reported smoking, 39.4% (95% CI = 35.3–43.4) drinking, and 5.4% (95% CI = 3.6–7.3) using marijuana in the previous 30 days. In multilevel models controlling for neighborhood education, neighborhood income inequality, and individual covariates, living in a neighborhood with high education inequality was associated with a greater prevalence of drinking (p = 0.02) and of smoking marijuana (p = 0.004) but among current drinkers it was associated (p = 0.03) with having fewer drinks. The odds of alcohol use (OR = 1.70) and marijuana use (OR = 3.49) were greater in neighborhoods in the 75th percentile of education Gini compared to neighborhoods in the 25th percentile of education Gini. Statisical interactions suggest that there may be a stronger relation between education inequality and marijuana use in neighborhoods with low mean education than in neighborhoods with higher mean levels of education. These findings, taken together, suggest a complex relation between education inequality and substance use; likelihood of the use of alcohol and marijuana was higher in areas with higher education inequality suggesting potential roles for substance use norms and availability, whereas quantity used among drinkers was higher in areas with low education inequality, suggesting potential roles for both disadvantage and norms.
An expert system for extreme wind simulation

Abstract Research efforts have been made to improve the methods of utilizing short-term records for estimating long-term extreme winds for design purposes. Recent approaches to the problem include our Markov models for extreme wind simulation applicable to a well-behaved climate as well as typhoon-prone regions. Recently, we realized that the application of these simulation models, for inexperienced users, is tedious, painstaking and time-consuming. Therefore, our current effort is to utilize an expert system shell to facilitate the application of the simulation models in a microcomputer environment. An application of this approach is illustrated.
Growth and characterization of potassium strontium iodide: A new high light yield scintillator with 2.4% energy resolution

Abstract A new ternary metal halide scintillator, potassium strontium iodide, activated with divalent europium (KSr 2 I 5 :Eu) has been discovered. This material has a monoclinic crystal structure with a density of 4.39 g/cm 3 . Differential scanning calorimetry indicates a congruent melting point of 470 °C and suggests that this compound has no solid–solid phase transitions. As is the case with most metal halides, the material is hygroscopic, and it has some internal radioactivity due to the presence of 40 K. Single crystals of KSr 2 I 5 doped with 4% Eu 2+ were grown in evacuated quartz ampoules via the Bridgman technique. The X-ray excited emission spectrum consisted of a single peak at ~445 nm due to the 5d–4f transition in Eu 2+ . The measured light yield is ~94,000 photons/MeV with an energy resolution of 2.4% at 662 keV. The crystal has an excellent proportionality response over a wide range of energies from 14 keV to 1275 keV.
The GSK3-like kinase BIN2 phosphorylates and destabilizes BZR1, a positive regulator of the brassinosteroid signaling pathway in Arabidopsis

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are a class of steroid hormones essential for normal growth and development in plants. BR signaling involves the cell-surface receptor BRI1, the glycogen synthase kinase-3-like kinase BIN2 as a negative regulator, and nuclear proteins BZR1 and BZR2/BES1 as positive regulators. The interactions among these components remain unclear. Here we report that BRs induce dephosphorylation and accumulation of BZR1 protein. Experiments using a proteasome inhibitor, MG132, suggest that phosphorylation of BZR1 increases its degradation by the proteasome machinery. BIN2 directly interacts with BZR1 in yeast two-hybrid assays, phosphorylates BZR1 in vitro, and negatively regulates BZR1 protein accumulation in vivo. These results strongly suggest that BIN2 phosphorylates BZR1 and targets it for degradation and that BR signaling causes BZR1 dephosphorylation and accumulation by inhibiting BIN2 activity.
A nationwide survey on the prevalence of atrioesophageal fistula after left atrial radiofrequency catheter ablation

There are limited data on the prevalence of atrioesophageal fistula (AEF) after left atrial radiofrequency catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF). The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with AEF using a nationwide anonymous survey. The information solicited included the practice setting, number of left atrial ablations performed for AF, prevalence of AEF, clinical presentation and outcome of these patients, ablation strategy, type of ablation catheter, and energy settings used to deliver radiofrequency energy. The survey was mailed to 1,874 members of the Heart Rhythm Society within the US and 585 physicians responded (31%). AEF was reported in six of the 20,425 patients who underwent a left atrial ablation procedure (0.03%). All six patients suffered from major cerebrovascular events. Five of the six patients died (83%). The patient who survived had residual hemiparesis. There was no association between the risk of AEF and the case volume. In five patients, wide area circumferential ablation was performed. In the remaining patient, pulmonary vein isolation by ostial ablation was employed. In all cases an 8-mm tip ablation catheter was used. The power in patients who did and did not develop AEF were 58 ± 13 and 41 ± 9 W, respectively (P = 0.03). In one patient AEF occurred despite 80% of the patients.
Inhibition of MEK/ERK1/2 signalling alters endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity in an agonist-dependent manner

eNOS (endothelial nitric oxide synthase) activity is post-translationally regulated in a complex fashion by acylation, protein–protein interactions, intracellular trafficking and phosphorylation, among others. Signalling pathways that regulate eNOS activity include phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt, cyclic nucleotide-dependent kinases [PKA (protein kinase A) and PKG], PKC, as well as ERKs (extracellular-signal-regulated kinases). The role of ERKs in eNOS activation remains controversial. In the present study, we have examined the role of ERK1/2 in eNOS activation in HUVEC-CS [transformed HUVEC (human umbilical-vein endothelial cells)] as well as a widely used model for eNOS study, transiently transfected COS-7 cells. U0126 pretreatment of HUVEC-CS potentiated ATP-stimulated eNOS activity, independent of changes in intracellular Ca 2+ concentration ([Ca 2+ ] i ). In COS-7 cells transiently expressing ovine eNOS, U0126 potentiated A23187-stimulated eNOS activity, but inhibited ATP-stimulated activity. Compensatory changes in phosphorylation of five key eNOS residues did not account for changes in A23187-stimulated activity. However, in the case of ATP, altered phosphorylation and changes in [Ca 2+ ] i may partially contribute to U0126 inhibition of activity. Finally, seven eNOS alanine mutants of putative ERK1/2 targets were generated and the effects of U0126 pretreatment on eNOS activity were gauged with A23187 and ATP treatment. T97A-eNOS was the only construct significantly different from wild-type after U0126 pretreatment and ATP stimulation of eNOS activation. In the present study, eNOS activity was either potentiated or inhibited in COS-7 cells, suggesting agonist dependence for MEK/ERK1/2 signalling [where MEK is MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase)/ERK kinase] to eNOS and a complex mechanism including [Ca 2+ ] i , phosphorylation and, possibly, intracellular trafficking.
Divergent magmas at Crater Lake, Oregon: Products of fractional crystallization and vertical zoning in a shallow, water-undersaturated chamber

Abstract Pyroclastic flows erupted during the climactic event at Crater Lake vary in composition from rhyodacite to basaltic andesite. Petrographic and compositional relations between coexisting phases in the tephra indicate that the flows are products of extensive fractional crystallization of a water-undersaturated, high-alumina basalt in a relatively shallow (6–10 km deep) chamber. Phase relations in the magma, inferred from results of experimental and petrographic studies of tephra samples, indicate early fractionation of olivine, clinopyroxene and calcic plagioclase, followed by later reaction of these phases with the liquid to form pargasitic hornblende. Hornblende began crystallizing only after water content in the liquid reached 4.2 wt.%. At the time of eruption, phenocrysts of olivine, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene and hornblende coexisted with a per-aluminous residual liquid in the lower portions of a zoned chamber; sodic plagioclase, orthopyroxene and hornblende coexisted with rhyolitic liquid near the top. Temperatures of eruption ranged between 850 and 960°C. Partial pressure of water approaching equilibrium values at all levels in the chamber resulted in nearly complete evacuation of the reservoir and collapse of the caldera.
Degeneration of a compact Riemann surface of genus 2

A problem in the degeneration of a compact, two-sheeted, Riemann surface of genus 2 is studied, using theta function techniques. The three moveable branch points coalesce to the fourth branch point on the first limiting surface while the triangles formed by these points are all essentially similar. Applying a conformal map, we see that these points represent the finite branch points on the second of the limiting surfaces.
Forced Coherent Structures and Local Multiple Equilibria in a Barotropic Atmosphere

Abstract We consider the response of the barotropic vorticity equation on a zonally infinite f-plane or beta-plane to a weak localized vorticity source accompanied by weak Ekman damping. By performing an expansion about the unforced, undamped problem, we derive a solvability condition determining when a slight modification of a solution to the inviscid problem can occur as a solution to the weakly forced and damped problem. This condition states simply that forcing must balance dissipation in the average along each closed streamline. Much of the degeneracy of the inviscid problem is removed by the solvability condition. The above considerations are used to show that under a fairly general set of circumstances the weakly forced system possesses a high amplitude equilibrium state (identified with blocking) and a low amplitude equilibrium state. The high amplitude response is maintained by a local nonlinear resonance phenomenon, and requires the existence of a suitable solution to the inviscid problem, such ...
Resonant enhancement of ultrasound attenuation in mixed-valence metals

A simple form is derived for the longitudinal ultrasound attenuation coefficient in a conventional metal containing mixed-valent impurities. The attenuation proceeds via a direct coupling between phonons and electrons in localized, atomiclike f levels. The local nature of the interaction gives rise to a large enhancement over the standard result for the coupling of phonons to electrons in a wide conduction band, especially in the limit of short conduction-electron mean free path. The mechanism also predicts anomalous behavior in the attenuation coefficient as a function of temperature.
Commonplace, Quakers, and the Founding of Haverford School

This article examines a series of essays published in 1830 that were instrumental in the founding of Haverford School, the first Quaker liberal arts college, where a literary, language-oriented curriculum would be taught despite the Friends' long antipathy toward higher learning. The essays successfully persuade by deploying commonplaces that bridged the disparate spheres of Quaker discourse of experience and elite, mainstream discourses of taste. The findings are significant to rhetoricians interested in how social change can be mediated even in entrenched discursive traditions, especially faith traditions that are deeply felt and strongly held.
Asymptotic formulae for the distributions of some criteria for tests of equality of covariance matrices

Abstract The asymptotic expansions are derived up to terms of order 1 / n , for the c.d.f. and percentile of the statistic T = m Tr S 1 S 2 −1 , where m S 1 and n S 2 are independently distributed W ( m , p , Σ 1 ) and W ( n , p , Σ 2 ), respectively. The expansions hold when Σ 1 Σ 2 −1 = I + E and |Ch i ( E )| F′ = ( m 1 / n 1 )(Tr S 1 S 4 −1 /Tr S 3 S 2 −1 ), where m 1 S 1 , m 2 S 2 , n 1 S 3 , n 2 S 4 are independently distributed Wishart matrices with degrees of freedom m 1 , m 2 , n 1 , n 2 , respectively, and each of the pairs ( S 1 , S 2 ), ( S 3 , S 4 ) has a common Covariance matrix. Finally, an asymptotic expansion for the F ′ max in a special case has been attempted where F ′ max is a criterion suggested for tests of equality of common Covariance matrices of the pairs above [6].
Time series in M dimensions: the power spectrum

The approach presented here extends the modeling of M-dimensional (spatial) time series from the time domain into the frequency domain. The autocovariance function for an M-dimensional time series is transformed to obtain the power spectrum in M dimensions. The latter describes the variance within the series and can be used to identify dependencies and/or test the adequacy of a fitted model. An example is provided.
Influence of diet on the in vivo turnover of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in rat liver

Abstract In vivo turnover of rat liver glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was studied. A specific antibody was used in comparing the rates of synthesis and degradation of the enzyme between rats fed a commercial chow diet and those fed a semi-purified high-carbohydrate diet. In livers of rats fed the semi-purified diet, the rate of synthesis of the enzyme was two-fold greater than in livers of rats fed the commercial diet. The rate of degradation of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was determined by following the loss with time of [guanido-14C]-arginine from previously labelled enzyme. The rate of degradation of the enzyme was decreased in livers of rats fed the semi-purified diet, being 0.044 h−1 (half-life, 16 h) as compared to 0.120 h−1 (half-life, 6 h) in rats fed the chow diet. It was concluded that the increases in enzyme activity observed with this dietary manipulation are solely the result of changes in the rates of synthesis and degradation of enzyme. No evidence was found to support the hypothesis that an activation-inactivation process is involved as a major regulatory mechanism of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in rat liver.
Fat composition and in vitro oxygen consumption of marrow from fed and fasted rabbits.

Abstract 1. 1. Spectrophotometric analyses of the marrow fat of six fed and six fasted rabbits have been compared with their respective in vitro oxygen consumptions. 2. 2. Unsaturated fatty acids constitute 62% by weight of the total marrow fat. The quantity of linoleic acid in marrow from fed rabbits is as great as that of all combined saturated fatty acids. 3. 3. The absolute quantities of all components of marrow fat diminish during starvation. The per cent of linoleic and linolenic acids decreases during fasting, whereas that of arachidonic, pentaenoic, and oleic acids increases. In terms of per cent, total saturated fatty acid in marrow fat is essentially unaffected by starvation. 4. 4. Rate of oxygen consumption in vitro is not related to the concentration of any fatty acid component of marrow fat. 5. 5. It is concluded from in vitro evidence that polyunsaturated fatty acids of marrow are not oxidized in situ but are transported elsewhere for utilization or discard.
Occidiofungin's Chemical Stability and In Vitro Potency against Candida Species

Occidiofungin is a cyclic glyco-lipopeptide produced by Burkholderia contaminans. MICs against Candida species were between 0.5 and 2.0 μg/ml. Occidiofungin retains its in vitro potency in the presence of 5% and 50% human serum with a minimal lethal concentration (MLC) of 2 and 4 μg/ml, respectively. Time-kill and postantifungal effect (PAFE) experiments of occidiofungin against Candida albicans were performed. The results demonstrate that occidiofungin is fungicidal. Occidiofungin was also found to be a very stable molecule. It is resistant to extreme temperatures and pH and maintains its activity following exposure to gastric proteases.
Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Strategies for Diagnosing Celiac Disease

Objective To compare strategies for diagnosing celiac disease (CD). Methods A decision analytic model was used to compare five strategies on diagnostic performance and costs. Results First, tTG screening alone is the least costly strategy ($22/individual). While the NPV is high (99.8%), the PPV is low (63.4%). Second, if tTG-positive patients undergo esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) to confirm CD, the PPV increases to 100% ($2,237/false-positive diagnosis avoided). Third, if EGDs are restricted to only those who are both tTG and HLA DQ2/8 positive, costs are slightly reduced ($59 vs. $63/individual), while PPV and NPV remain unchanged. Fourth, screening tTG-negative patients for IgA deficiency increases the NPV to 99.9% ($32,605/false-negative diagnosis avoided). Sensitivity analyses revealed that as the prevalence of CD increases, the cost of avoiding a false-positive diagnosis by adding EGD to the tTG alone strategy increases considerably. Conclusions When the pre-test probability of CD is low, patients with positive tTG serology should undergo EGD with biopsy—either directly or after positive screening for HLA DQ2/8—to confirm CD. As the pre-test probability of CD increases, the added cost of EGD should be weighed against the consequences of a false-positive diagnosis. Routinely screening for IgA deficiency in order to avoid a false-negative diagnosis is quite costly.
Crosscorrelation between linearly and nonlinearly distorted versions of a given signal

Abstract A given deterministic signal x (.) is distorted by passing it through a linear time-invariant filter and also by subjecting it to the action of an instantaneous nonlinearity. The resulting time crosscorrelation of the two distorted versions of the original signal is expressed by the function R 2 (s)≜∫ −∞ ∞ ≜∫ −∞ ∞ g[x(t)]k(t−t′)x(t−s)dt dt′ , where x (.) is the given signal, k (.) is the nonnegative definite impulse response of the linear filter, and g (.) is the output-input characteristic of the zero-memory nonlinear device. The problem considered is that of determining conditions on the pair ( x , g ) such that R 2 ( s ) ⩽ R 2 (0) for all s and any choice of nonnegative definite filter function k ; the principal result is the formulation of a necessary and sufficient condition for R 2 to have a global maximum at the origin. In particular, the peak value occurs at the origin if and only if G x ∗ (ω)X(ω) is real and nonnegative for all ω ⩾ 0, where G x (.) and X (.) are the Fourier transforms of g [ x (.)] and x (.), respectively. An equivalent condition is that the correlation function R 2 (s)≜∫ −∞ ∞ g[x(t)]x(t−s)dt , previously studied by Richardson, be nonnegative definite. Several examples are given, and it is shown that, unlike the case for R 1 (.), monotonicity of g (.) is not a sufficient condition for R 2 (.) to have a global maximum at s = 0 independently of the choice of filter characteristic k . Certain extensions of these results are given for the case when x (.) is a Gaussian random input.
Do premorbid impairments predict emergent 'prodromal' symptoms in young relatives at risk for schizophrenia?

Aims: Individuals at risk for developing schizophrenia (SZ) in the future frequently exhibit subtle behavioural and neurobiological abnormalities in their childhood. A better understanding of the role of these abnormalities in predicting later onset of ‘prodromal’ symptoms or psychosis may help in early identification of SZ. Methods: In an ongoing prospective follow-up study of young genetically at-risk relatives of patients with SZ, we studied the prevalence of problems in premorbid social adjustment and childhood psychopathology and examined their relationship with the presence and progression of ‘prodromal’ symptoms of SZ. Results: Growth curve analyses showed that ‘prodromal’ symptoms, as measured by the Scale of ‘Prodromal’ Symptoms, increased during follow-up. Premorbid maladjustment and childhood behavioural disturbances were cross-sectionally correlated broadly with ‘prodromal’ symptomatology scores. Longitudinal analyses revealed that behavioural disturbances, but not childhood maladjustment at baseline, significantly predicted increases in ‘prodromal’ symptomatology during the 2-year study period. Conclusion: Premorbid behavioural disturbance and maladjustment may predict the later emergence of ‘prodromal’ symptoms. ‘Prodromal’ symptoms in young at-risk relatives may define a subgroup worthy of follow-up into the age of risk for psychosis in order to cost-effectively characterize the predictors of psychotic symptoms and SZ.
An Unsettled Country: Changing Landscapes of the American West

The West remains unsettled, both by cultural habits, intellectual debate, and ecological conditions. In these four essays, comprising the Calvin P. Horn Lectures in Western History and Culture, Donald Worster incisively discusses just how the natural environment has played an active, critical role in the making of the West - and often in its unmaking and remaking. His subjects are four linked topics: the legacy of John Wesley Powell to western resource management; the domination of water policy by state, science, and capital since the mid-nineteenth century; the fate of wildlife in the push to settle the West; and the threat of global warming to the Great Plains. The landscape of the West has for too long been seen as a challenge to be overcome. But in Worster's view it is seeing how people have dealt with and, all too often, mishandled nature that gives urgency to better understanding the region's ecological history. Worster argues for a new relationship of western people to their surroundings based on benfits to a community rather than on gains to individuals.
“You have to get hit a couple of times”: The role of conflict in learning how to “be” a skateboarder

Abstract By examining the role of conflict in learning how to “be” a skateboarder at a skate park in the United States, this article illustrates how conflicts constitute key aspects of learning and teaching within communities of practice. Specifically, this article demonstrates how the practices of “snaking” and “heckling” are used by a group of skateboarders to learn and teach spatially appropriate behavior as well as social and ideological norms regarding class and gender. In doing so, this article builds upon and critiques the concept of community of practice used within many sociocultural theories of learning.
Relativistic Calculation of Nuclear Matter and the Nuclear Surface

Relativistic mean field Hartree and Thomas-Fermi calculations are made for infinite and semiinfinite symmetric nuclear matter. Cubic and quartic scalar meson self-interactions are included. The strength of these self-interactions, the scalar and vector meson coupling constants, and the scalar meson mass are considered as parameters chosen to fit the empirical properties of nuclear matter and of the nuclear surface. Acceptable fits imply large self-interactions. No abnormal nuclear matter solutions are found. The best fit of the nuclear surface yields a compressibility coefficient of 150 ± 50 MeV. The Hartree and TF results are in good agreement for larger surface thicknesses.
Capillary Differentiation of Endothelial Cells on Microgrooved Surfaces

We investigated the capillary differentiation of endothelial cells cultured on microgrooved polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates coated with fibronectin. Bovine aortic endothelial (BAE) cells were cultured in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) on PDMS substrates produced photolithographically. Phase contrast images of BAE cells were taken to assess the overall morphology of cells. Confocal microscopy was used to examine the existence of lumen inside cord-like and tube-like structures developed at different stages of cell culture. Herein we show for the first time that microgrooved PDMS substrates of appropriate dimensions coated with fibronectin are capable of inducing capillary differentiation of endothelial cells in the absence of angiogenic growth factors.
Effect of Lymph Drainage on Portal Pressure and Bleeding Esophageal Varices

The effect of thoracic duct lymph drainage on portal pressure and bleeding esophageal varices in 7 patients with cirrhosis has been evaluated. Four control patients with cirrhosis and bleeding varices were monitored in similar fashion without lymph drainage. Significant reductions in portal pressure were associated with hypovolemia from inadequate lymph replacement or recurrent hemorrhage from esophageal varices. The portal, central venous, and arterial pressures, urine output, and body weight remain unchanged when lymph was reinfused at the same rate as withdrawal. The functional thoracic duct pressure approached the central venous pressure. lymph drainage did not appear to control hemorrhage from varices since bleeding continued or recurred in 4 patients while lymph was being drained.
The reaction of secondary perfluoroalkyl iodides with zinc

Abstract Evidence for the existence of two mechanistic pathways for the reaction of secondary perfluoroalkyl iodides with zinc has been obtained. At high concentration of secondary iodides, a bimolecular homolytic type reaction of the iodide on the zinc surface to yield dimers appears to be preferred. When the reaction is carried out under dilute conditions, an ionic type mechanism appears to predominate. This paper also shows that the substrate itself can influence the reaction route.
A simple model of knowledge compilation

The meaning of the term 'knowledge compilation' is examined. Knowledge compilation at two levels is described. The first is the knowledge level, in the sense described by A. Newell (1982). The second is the symbolic level, where 'symbolic' encompasses anything that can be implemented on a digital computer. >
Effects of Al2O3, B2O3, Na2O, and SiO2 on nepheline formation in borosilicate glasses: chemical and physical correlations

Raman spectroscopy was applied to complex sodium alumino-borosilicate glasses that precipitate nepheline as their primary phase. The main focus was on the Raman band at 850 cm−1 (wavenumber) observed in quenched glasses. Based on the literature, the 850 cm−1 band was assigned to AlIV–O–Si units in which tetrahedral AlIV are substituted for Si in the network, creating [AlO4/2]− anions that are charge-balanced by Na+ cations. The same glasses with various temperature histories were examined with optical microscopy, scanning electron microcopy and transmission electronic microscopy. The results indicated that the 850 cm−1 Raman band was associated with nanocrystals that formed in the melts and were preserved in the quenched samples. The chemistry of these nanocrystals resembled nepheline. Models relating the intensity of the Raman band at 850 cm−1 and the liquidus temperature (TL) to glass composition revealed that a relationship exists between these two properties. An increase in B2O3 and SiO2 decreased the Raman band intensity and the TL, whereas an increase in Al2O3 and Na2O increased both properties. These effects were attributed to the influence of various oxides on the Na+–[AlO4/2]− activity in the melt.
A new exposition of the ‘private language argument’: Wittgenstein' ‘Notes for the “Philosophical Lecture”’

L'A. presente l'argument du langage prive de Wittgenstein tel qu'il est defini dans ses «Notes pour la Lecture philosophique», soumettant la signification d'un mot a l'epreuve de ses techniques d'usage, qui s'inscrivent dans l'intimite de l'experience et de la theorisation philosophique
Feature preserved volume simplification

The goal of this work is to simplify volumetric datasets while preserving the sharp boundary features and the topology of the 3D scalar field. The simplification is performed on the volumetric datasets defined as a tetrahedral mesh. The sharp boundary features are detected and preserved in the simplification to conserve the salient details of the tetrahedral mesh. The topology of the 3D scalar field is preserved by maintaining critical points extracted from the original dataset. No critical vertices are removed or generated during the simplification process. A gradient magnitude based error metric is used to estimate the error associated with a simplification step. The simplified tetrahedral mesh is rendered using a hardware-accelerated unstructured volume rendering algorithm. This method produces results which are visually similar to the original dataset.
A simple surface temperature assimilation scheme for use in land surface models

This paper examines the utilization of surface temperature as a variable which can be assimilated in off-line land surface hydrological models. The connection between the surface temperature and evapotranspiration is utilized in making adjustments to the model-computed surface soil moisture. This adjustment is a function of the difference between the model-computed and the observed surface temperature. Comparisons between the model-computed and satellite-observed surface temperatures have been carried out. The assimilation of surface temperature is carried out twice a day (corresponding to the A.M. and P.M. overpass of the NOAA 10) over the Red-Arkansas basin in the southwestern United States (31°50′N-36°N, 94°30′W-104°30′W) for a period of 1 year (August 1987 to July 1988). The soil moisture estimates resulting from the assimilation of surface temperature have a closer agreement with the values derived from the special sensor microwave imager than those from simulations without surface temperature assimilation. Assimilation reduces the effect of errors in precipitation and/or shortwave radiation on simulated soil moistures.
Electrical stimulation of the cervical vagus nerve protects against renal ischemia/reperfusion injury

The inflammatory reflex acts via connections between the CNS and lymphoid organs, inc the spleen, to suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines. Such reflex can be elicited by electrically s...
A statistical study of some disintegrating and binding agents in certain compressed tablets.

Abstract The purpose of this work was to attempt to show some causes for the variation in disintegrating times of various types of tablets. Three types of tablets, representing the soluble tablet, the insoluble tablet, and the complex tablet, were used in this investigation. Three different types of tablets were then used in preparing tablet granulations, employing different binding or massing agents. The data obtained were treated statistically by a three‐way analysis using equations designed by the Statistical Laboratory of Purdue University.
Response to Tishler and Reiss' review of inpatient suicide

Survey (SF-36). I. Conceptual framework and item selection. Med Care 1992;30:473–83. [8] Sheehan DV, Lecrubier Y, Sheehan KH, et al. The Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI): the development and validation of a structured diagnostic psychiatric interview for DSM-IV and ICD-10. J Clin Psychiatry 1998;59(Suppl 20):22–33. [9] Blake DD, Weathers FW, Nagy LN, et al. A clinician rating scale for assessing current and lifetime PTSD: the CAPS-1. Behav Ther 1990;18:187–8. [10] Hoff RA, Rosenheck RA. Cross-system service use among psychiatric patients: data from the Department of Veterans Affairs. J Behav Health Serv Res 2000;27:98–106.
TIELT: a testbed for gaming environments

Many AI researchers want to test the utility of their systems in complex task environments defined by (e.g., real-time strategy) gaming simulators and/or simulators of computer-generated forces. Also, many developers of commercial and military gaming simulators seek behaviors that can be supported by these systems. However, these integrations require great effort. We will demonstrate the late Alpha version of TIELT, a testbed designed to fill these needs.
Efficient cloning and engineering of entire mitochondrial genomes in Escherichia coli and transfer into transcriptionally active mitochondria

We have devised an efficient method for replicating and stably maintaining entire mitochondrial genomes in Escherichia coli and have shown that we can engineer these mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome clones using standard molecular biological techniques. In general, we accomplish this by inserting an E.coli replication origin and selectable marker into isolated, circular mtDNA at random locations using an in vitro transposition reaction and then transforming the modified genomes into E.coli. We tested this approach by cloning the 16.3 kb mouse mitochondrial genome and found that the resulting clones could be engineered and faithfully maintained when we used E.coli hosts that replicated them at moderately low copy numbers. When these recombinant mtDNAs were replicated at high copy numbers, however, mtDNA sequences were partially or fully deleted from the original clone. We successfully electroporated recombinant mouse mitochondrial genomes into isolated mouse mitochondria devoid of their own DNA and detected robust in organello RNA synthesis by RT-PCR. This approach for modifying mtDNA and subsequent in organello analysis of the recombinant genomes offers an attractive experimental system for studying many aspects of vertebrate mitochondrial gene expression and is a first step towards true in vivo engineering of mammalian mitochondrial genomes.
Context and Identification in Persuasive Mass Communication

In this experiment, participants were presented with a prosocial message modeled from modern public health campaigns. Although the message was kept identical, the context of the message was experimentally manipulated to represent either a viral user-generated video or a government-sponsored public service announcement. The data provided evidence of an indirect relationship between media context and persuasive efficacy mediated through subjective evaluations of the message and social identification with the message producers. Results are discussed in terms of social identity theory and entertainment processing models.
A Sociological Portrait of German Jewish Immigrants in Boston: 1845–1861

In the growing literature on the socioeconomic characteristics of the constituent immigrant groups of America's cities during the mid-nineteenth century, German Jews have been sadly neglected. The reasons are primarily practical ones. Because “Jewish” or “Hebrew” was neither a census nor immigration category during this period, German Jews are difficult to identify in public records. Furthermore, they generally comprised only a small minority of the total immigrant population in American urban centers prior to the 1880s. Even those specifically interested in American Jewish history have seldom gone beyond cursory analyses of the socioeconomic characteristics of the German Jews, reflecting both the traditional emphasis in Jewish communal histories on institutions and their leaders, and the focusing of attention in such social histories as do exist on the larger and seemingly more significant Eastern European Jewish immigration beginning in the 1880s.
Agent based digital libraries: decentralization and coordination

This article describes agent-based systems and explains why digital libraries should be built with this type of architecture. The primary advantage of agent-based architecture is decentralization, which enables scaling, flexibility, and extensibility. The corresponding requirement is the need to coordinate agent activity. We describe the approach taken by the University of Michigan Digital Library project.
Normative decision making with multiattribute performance targets

Many companies set multiple performance targets for their managers and reward them on meeting a threshold value for each target or goal. Examples of such incentive structures abide in the managerial literature and in organizational settings. We show that this incentive structure, while popular, has two main problems: (i) it can induce managers who try to maximize the probability of meeting their performance targets to make decisions that are not compatible with expected utility maximizing decisions, and (ii) it may lead to trade-offs among the performance objectives that are inconsistent with the corporate value function. In this paper, we propose a method to remedy these two problems, while retaining a target-based incentive scheme. We define a multiattribute target as a deterministic region in the space of multiattribute outcomes that has two properties: (1) the probability that the outcome of a multiattribute lottery lies within the target region is equal to the expected utility of the lottery, and (2) all outcomes within the target region are preferred to all outcomes outside it. These two properties lead to a new quantity; which we call the ‘value aspiration equivalent’ that leads managers who maximize the probability of meeting their targets to simultaneously maximize the expected utility, and it also induces trade-offs that are consistent with the decision maker’s value function. Copyright r 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A parallel algorithm for multiple edge updates of minimum spanning trees

The authors present a parallel algorithm for the multiple edge update problem on a minimum spanning tree. This problem is defined as follows: given a minimum spanning tree T(V,E/sub T/) of an undirected graph G(V,E), where mod V mod =n and E/sub T/ is the set of tree edges, recompute a new minimum spanning tree when (1) adding K new edges, (2) changing the weights of existent K edges, or (3) deleting a vertex of degree K in the tree, where 1 >
METABOLISM OF BOVINE SEMEN. IV. EFFECTS OF GLYCINE AND GLYCEROL ON THE GLYCOLYTIC AND RESPIRATORY ACTIVITY OF BOVINE SPERMATOZOA

Sumamry Comparisons of the glycolytic activity of bovine spermatozoa at 37° C. over a 3-hr. period have been made in heated milk (M), milk-glycine (MG), milk-glycerol (M-glycerol), and milk-glycine-glycerol (MGG), and in Ringer-phosphate (R), Ringer-phosphate-glycine (RG), and Ringer-phosphate-glycine-glycerol (RGG). Measurements of lactate revealed greater accumulation in M and in R than in the glycine and/or glycerol-containing diluents. Fructose changes were variable and showed no consistent trends. When the oxygen uptake by washed spermatozoa was measured in the milk diluents, only slightly higher values were obtained in MG and MGG than in M, but when saline was used instead of milk, appreciable stimulation of oxygen uptake occurred in the glycine and/or glycerol-containing preparations.
Reliability constrained routing in QoS networks

The issue of handling network failures is becoming increasingly important. In this paper, we address the problem of constrained routing by treating reliability as one of the QoS requirements. The problem is to create a feasible path from a given node to the destination such that the bandwidth and reliability requirements of the path are satisfied and the cost of the path is minimized (Reliability Constrained Least Cost Routing Problem). To solve the problem, we propose an approach which employs a novel concept, called partial protection, wherein backup paths are created for a selected set of domains in the network so as to meet the reliability constraints. The Partial Protection Approach (PPA) has two steps: Primary Path Creation and Backup Path Creation if necessary. To implement PPA, we propose three scalable two-pass resource reservation schemes, viz., Conservative, Optimistic, and Hybrid schemes. These schemes differ depending on whether the backup paths are created during the forward pass, reverse pass, or both. We evaluate the performance of the proposed schemes for dynamic multicast groups with different bandwidth and reliability requirements using average call acceptance rate and average tree cost as performance metrics. Our studies show that group dynamics and reliability requirements have significant impact on the performance of the schemes.
Robust nonlinear control of a thermal mixing process

The paper describes the application of a combination of feedback linearization, backstepping and sliding mode control concepts to the robust control of a thermal mixer. The mixer consists of a mixing chamber, hot and cold fluid valves, and an exit valve. The commanded positions of the three valves are the available control inputs, while the controlled variables are total mass flow rate, chamber pressure and the density of the mixture inside the chamber. The three controlled outputs are required to accurately track reference commands while the system remains stable regardless of source pressure variations and unknown energy losses between the chamber and the environment. The model is a 5th order nonlinear system with three inputs and three outputs, with unmatched uncertainties. Feedback linearization is used to specify virtual controls that produce desired dynamics and disturbance rejection properties. Sliding variables are defined as the difference between actual and desired virtual controls. The control law is obtained from requiring that the sliding variables reach zero in finite time and remain zero indefinitely, regardless of uncertainties. The usefulness of the technique is illustrated with a simulation.
Initial validation of self-reported trajectories in military veterans

ABSTRACTPrevious research suggests that functioning after potentially traumatic events tends to follow discrete trajectories. This research is limited in that longitudinal data can be difficult to collect. The aim of the current study was to examine self-reported trajectories in military veterans using an online survey. Consistent with longitudinal work, those who reported chronic distress reported higher symptoms of PTSD and Depression, higher negative affect, lower social support, and less satisfaction with life than those on a resilient trajectory. Two change trajectories demonstrated intermediate scores on relevant measures. These results provide support for a retrospective method to assess trajectories of posttrauma functioning.
Neurodevelopmental outcomes after neonatal cardiac surgery: Role of cortical isoelectric activity.

Abstract Objectives Neonates with congenital heart disease are at risk for impaired neurodevelopment after cardiac surgery. We hypothesized that intraoperative EEG activity may provide insight into future neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods Neonates requiring surgery had continuous intraoperative EEG and hemodynamic monitoring. The level of EEG suppression was classified as either: slow and continuous; moderate burst suppression; severe burst suppression; or isoelectric (no brain activity for >3 minutes). Follow-up neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed using the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scale II (Vineland-II). Results Twenty-one neonates requiring cardiac surgery developed a slow and continuous EEG pattern after general anesthesia. Ten neonates (48%) maintained continuous brain electrical activity with moderate burst suppression as the maximum level of EEG suppression. Eleven neonates (52%) developed severe burst suppression that progressed into an isoelectric state during the deep hypothermic period required for circulatory arrest. However, the duration of this state was significantly longer than circulatory arrest times (111.1 ± 50 vs 22.3 ± 17 minutes; P P = .01). Of neonates who experienced an isoelectric state, durations of >90 minutes were associated with the lowest Vineland-II scores (125.0 ± 2.6 vs 81.1 ± 12.7; P Conclusions The duration of cortical isoelectric states seems related to neurodevelopmental outcomes. Strategies using continuous EEG monitoring to minimize isoelectric states may be useful during complex congenital heart surgery.
Simultaneous and sequential hemorrhage of multiple cerebral cavernous malformations: a case report

Background The etiology of cerebral cavernous malformation hemorrhage is not well understood. Causative physiologic parameters preceding hemorrhagic cavernous malformation events are often not reported. We present a case of an individual with sequential simultaneous hemorrhages in multiple cerebral cavernous malformations with a new onset diagnosis of hypertension.
Heat Transfer Mechanisms Within the Mixing Region of a HiPCO Reactor

This paper explores the heat transfer mechanisms involved in a high-pressure carbon monoxide (HiPCO) chemical reactor, which is used to produce single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The efficiency of catalyst usage, and of the reaction itself, depends upon the thermal conditions in the mixing region. This is directly linked to the costs associated with producing SWCNTs, as well as the ability to scale the manufacturing of SWCNTs to increase the material availability for nanotechnology development. Simple models are used to study several user-configurable contributions (gas flow rates, gas temperatures, reactor geometry, and reactor orientation) to the energy balance within the reactor mixing region. Results of these models are used to identify means of improving reaction efficiency. All contributions are then combined into a computational fluid dynamics model to confirm the findings of the simpler models. The results identify the design features that lead to a maximally efficient HiPCO reactor.