cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kornblith's Naturalistic Epistemology

Hilary Kornblith's Knowledge and Its Place in Nature has many interesting things to say about what knowledge is and isn't, but its core theses concern meta-epistemology, more broadly, meta-philosophy. Naturalistic epistemology is fundamentally a methodological thesis; it takes a stance on how epistemology should be conducted. Specifically, it holds that epistemology is or should be, in whole or part, an empirical rather than an a priori affair. Kornblith embraces the stronger variant, which says that the subject should be wholly empirical, and this idea is extended to philosophy in general. The book consists of Kornblith's distinctive rationale for this methodological thesis, coupled with many lines of response to naturalism's critics. Kornblith and I agree on the general contours of what knowledge is, and I applaud most of his responses to various critics of naturalism. But the core of the book is his detailed program for naturalistic epistemology (and philosophy), of which he hasn't yet persuaded me. That is the topic on which the present discussion will focus.
Differences in neophobia between cane toads from introduced and native populations

For species moving into new environments, locating and using unfamiliar resources is crucial for survival. The cane toad (Rhinella marina) has been successful in many countries worldwide, persisting in both urban and rural landscapes. Given that animals exploiting urban habitats are confronted with novel feeding opportunities, individuals in those areas are expected to exhibit reduced neophobic tendencies compared with individuals in rural populations. Additionally, individuals persisting in introduced populations are expected to be less neophobic than individuals in native populations, taking advantage of novelty as their range expands. To investigate such predictions, we examined the response to novel prey and a novel object in native toads in Panama and introduced populations (urban and rural) in Florida. Toads were tested in an arena with novel or familiar prey and later with a novel object next to familiar prey. We found differences in response to novelty between cane toads in different ranges but not in different habitats. Most introduced individuals from both urban and rural habitats consumed novel prey with no difference in latency to eat between prey types. Few native toads, however, consumed any prey during trials, spending most of their time moving about the arena. When familiar prey was presented near a novel object, more than half of the introduced toads ate, but no native individuals ate. This study emphasizes the importance of behavior as a mechanism used by invasive species to exploit novel resources and successfully colonize new environments.
16 N-ACETYLCYSTEINE THERAPY OF CHILDHOOD ACETAMINOPHEN OVERDOSE

573 cases of acetaminophen (APAP) ingestion (277 in children under 5 years) have occurred in the Rocky Mountain Region. There were four deaths, all in the adolescent age group, prior to 1976. A multiclinic open national study of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) therapy of APAP overdose since Sept., 1976 has resulted in 88 cases of APAP ingestion in the less than 5 year old. Of these, only 16 had taken more than 140mg/kg by history and would be considered to be at risk for toxicity. Two of these children, in fact, had evidence for toxicity by SGOT elevation and toxic plasma level. Adolescents and young adults, in contrast, contributed 146 cases of APAP overdose with 56 cases in the 12 to 16 year group and 90 cases between the ages of 17 and 21 years. These cases were divided according to time following ingestion and first NAC dose as: I- 0 to 10 hours; II- 10 to 24 hours; and III- no NAC therapy. The data regarding peak SGOT values (IU/L) in each group are given below.
Istrian Italy and the homeland: The lessons of poetry

This article uses Eugenio Montale's poem ‘Dora Markus’ to reflect on considerable complications attending the concept of the patria vera, or the homeland, in borderland Italy. The geographical locales are Istria – the peninsula southeast of Trieste on the Adriatic coast – and Carinthia some distance to the north, where Italy meets Austria and Slovenia. Both places have been multiethnic and politically contested regions for centuries, changing political hands so frequently that they make a mockery of the very notion of homeland. This article considers historical, poetic, and linguistic knowledge to offset much of the nationalist, ideological rhetoric surrounding the two world wars.
Hydroxychloroquine Therapy in Massive Total Doses Without Retinal Toxicity

To assess the relationship between hydroxychloroquine retinal toxicity and total dose, we selectively reviewed the histories of patients who had received an additive dose exceeding 1,000 g. No retinopathy was found in nine patients treated with massive total hydroxychloroquine doses ranging from 1,054 to 3,923 g. Eight of these patients were taking recommended daily doses of 400 mg/day or less and showed no evidence of toxicity. The remaining patient treated with 600 mg/day showed evidence of preretinopathy in one eye.
Community Radio and Social Activism in Chile 1990–2007: Challenges for Grass Roots Voices During the Transition to Democracy

After a mass democratic movement ended the 17 year Pinochet dictatorship in Chile in 1990, social activists saw community radio as an ideal medium for participatory democracy and for articulating grass roots needs and demands. However, the initial upsurge of grass roots radio activism was squelched by government delay in enacting enabling legislation. The provisions of the law that was eventually approved made the license application process onerous for grass roots organizations. Community radio was also adversely affected by the overall decline in grass roots social activism which reflected both widespread disillusionment with the government's limited reform agenda and deliberate government policies to bring about social demobilization. As a result, although community radio has become well established, with over 300 legal stations plus others operating without licenses, it has not fully realized its potential as a social activist and democratic medium. The field research for this article was funded by tw...
Word repeats as unit ends

Turns-at-talk are fundamental units of participation in talk-in-interaction, and turn-constructional-units (TCUs) are the basic building blocks for turns. Possible completion of a TCU is, in princi...
Negative cooperativity associated with binding of multivalent carbohydrates to lectins. Thermodynamic analysis of the "multivalency effect".

Our previous study demonstrated that isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC) could be used to determine the thermodynamics of binding of a series of synthetic multivalent carbohydrates to the Man/Glc-specific lectins concanavalin A (ConA) and Dioclea grandiflora lectin (DGL) [Dam, T. K., Roy, R., Das, S. K., Oscarson, S. and Brewer, C. F. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 14223−14230]. The higher affinities of the multivalent carbohydrates for the two lectins were shown to be due to their greater positive entropy of binding contributions relative to monovalent analogues. In the present study, ITC data from our previous report for binding of di-, tri-, and tetravalent carbohydrate analogues possessing terminal 3,6-di-O-(α-d-mannopyranosyl)-α-d-mannopyranoside residues to ConA and DGL were subjected to Hill plot analysis. Hill plots of the binding of monovalent methyl 3,6-di-O-(α-d-mannopyranosyl)-α-d-mannopyranoside to ConA and DGL are linear with slopes near 1.0, demonstrating a lack of binding cooperativity...
Immature plate boundary zones studied with a submersible in the Gulf of California

The two spreading axes and a marginal transform fault in Guaymas Basin were examined during six dives to depths of 1,900 to 2,000 m in the submersible Sea Cliff . The plate boundary zones differ from those at mid-ocean ridges because of their youth: they are buried by thick sediment, partly derived from the adjacent continents whose rifted edges are still at the plate boundary along some transform faults. The accretionary margins have rift valleys bounded by normal fault scarps of diatomaceous mud; they are true grabens, not regenerating axial troughs like those at some mid-ocean ridges. The rifts are the main sites of turbidite deposition, igneous intrusion, and extensional faulting, processes that compete to level, buckle, and fracture the rift floors. Intrusion is by emplacement of sills and thicker bysmalith-like bodies, which episodically raise hills of folded and faulted semiconsolidated turbidites. Some of the fault scarps bounding the hills have very fresh, near-vertical faces, while others are cavernously weathered. A small hill within the Northern Trough has extensive young hydrothermal deposits of talc and sulfides on its crest and at a dissecting fault scarp. No extrusive volcanic rocks were found in the axial rift valleys nor at a marginal transform fault, where a belt of obliquely faulted sediments probably overlies the strike-slip axis. The transform-fault shear zone lies in a very asymmetric graben, with a sag at the edge of the basin floor and a fresh fault scarp truncating lithified sandstones on the continental side.
Deterrence, Opportunity, and Choice

Traditional studies of deterrence have focused on punishment with less regard for the rewards of both crime and noncrime. Influenced by work in economics and behavioral psychology, more recent studies have departed from tradition by incorporating rewards for crime. To this extent, they should be regarded as advances over the more traditional approaches. Notwithstanding these advances, variations in both the probability and magnitude of reward for noncrime have not been systematically included in these more recent theories of choice. In an attempt to determine whether opportunities for noncrime are either central or trivial to the criminal decision-making process, the present study fitted two alternative models to experimental data involving risk-taking: (a) the economic utility model employed by Piliavin, Gartner, Thornton, and Matsueda (1986) in their study of criminal choice; and (b) the satisfaction balance model developed by Gray and Tallman (1984). Results showed that while both models explained significant amounts of variation in the dependent variable, the Gray-Tallman model provided a substantially better fit of the data. Despite limitations inherent in experimental studies as, for example, limitations surrounding the issue of external validity, the findings strongly suggest that opportunities for noncrime are as important as rewards and costs for crime in the process by which criminal decisions are made.
Mixed Valence Interactions in Di-μ-oxo Bridged Manganese Complexes. Electron Paramagnetic Resonance and Magnetic Susceptibility Studies

EPR examination of the class II (deeply trapped) mixed valence complexes ((bpy)/sub 2/MnO/sub 2/Mn(bpy)/sub 2/)/sup 3 +/ (the bipyridyl(III,IV) dimer) and its phenanthroline analogue in acetonitrile solution verifies that these complexes possess inequivalent Mn ions at room temperature. Isotropic hyperfine structure for two Mn ions is resolved with A/sub 1/ = 167 +- 3G and A/sub 2/ = 79 +- 3G for both complexes. The hyperfine pattern with parallel A/sub 1/ parallel approx. = 2 parallel A/sub 2/ parallel and the small g anisotropy are consistent with high-spin Mn(III) antiferromagnetically coupled to Mn(IV), producing an S = 1/2 ground state. At room temperature a rate of less than 10/sup 8/ s/sup -1/ is estimated for the thermally activated intramolecular electron transfer, consistent with an upper limit of 10/sup 6/ s/sup -1/ calculated from Hush's theory. The magnetic susceptibility of the (III,IV) complexes is characteristic of a strongly antiferromagnetically coupled S = (2, 3/2) pair. The temperature dependence of the data was in good agreement with the isotropic Heisenberg exchange Hamiltonian H = -2JS/sub 1/S/sub 2/, yielding J= -150 +- 7 cm/sup -1/ for the bipyridyl(III,IV) dimer and J = -134 +- 5 cm/sup -1/ for the phenanthroline analogue. 3 figures,more » 2 tables.« less
Wavelength shifting in the Stanford FEL

Abstract The time evolution of FEL wavelength in response to small perturbations of the electron energy was measured in the Stanford FEL for a range of operating parameters. The dependence of the wavelength response on the cavity Q , desynchronism, and electron pulse length was also measured. A simple model of the wavelength shifting mechanism is presented which explains the observed behavior.
Dislocation-Induced Surface Strain on (001) Silicon-On-Insulator

We demonstrate a novel technique, based on low-energy electron microscopy, by which inhomogeneous uniaxial strain at the (001) surface of Si can be mapped quantitatively. Using this technique on silicon-on-insulator wafers, we determine the surface strain field induced by a single 60° dislocation and show that such extended defects can be used as monitors of heteroepitaxy-induced changes in the surface strain.
Nonautonomous logistic equations as models of the adjustment of populations to environmental change

Abstract For each choice r and K as functions mapping (−∞, ∞) into a compact subset of (0, ∞), the nonautonomous logistic equation, x (t)=r(t)x(t) 1− x(t) K(t) , (a) possesses a special solution x∗:(−∞, ∞)→(0, ∞), here called the canonical solution, which is approached, in the limit of large t, by each solution obeying an initial condition of the form x(t0) = x0> 0. At each time t, the value x∗(t) of x∗ is given by a functional F of the histories of r and K up to t, i.e., x ∗ (t)= F (r t ,K t ) , (b) where rt(s)=r(t−s) and Kt(s)=K(t−s) for all s⩾0. The functional F , although nonlinear has a simple form and possesses regularity properties of the type assumed in the theory of “fading memory”. Results from that theory are applied to obtain asymptotic approximations to F appropriate for those cases in which the “carrying capacity of the environment,” K, varies slowly in time and for those cases in which K fluctuates at an arbitrary rate, but remains close to a constant value. For each choice of r, K, t0, and x0, the solution x of (a) obeying the initial condition x(t0)=x0>0, is given by x(t)= F (r t ,T (t−t 0 ,x 0 ) K t ) , where T(t−t0,x0) is an appropriate “leveling operator.” For this reason, the results obtained for the canonical solution (b) hold with only minor modifications for all other positive solutions. Toward the end of the paper it is pointed out that the negative of the functional F enters into relations analogous to those which restrict the stress functional in the thermodynamics of materials with fading memory; here K plays the role of the “strain,” and an appropriate “free-energy functional” is constructed. It is shown that, on solutions x of (a), the value ϕ(t) of the free-energy functional obeys the relations ϕ(t)= 1 2 x(t) 2 −K(t)x(t) and ϕ (t) ⩽ − x(t) K (t) .
Vegetation and soil change following creosotebush (Larrea tridentata) control in the Chihuahuan Desert

Abstract Change in vegetation and edaphic properties as influenced by chemical creosotebush control were examined in the Chihuahuan desert of southern New Mexico. From 1981 to 2001, under a program administered by Bureau of Land Management, tebuthiuron herbicide was applied by aircraft to 67 distinct land areas. Treatments provided on average 85% creosotebush mortality and reduced canopy cover by about 95%. Grass cover increased after creosotebush removal and the ratio of mid to short species increased with time from treatment. With the exception of bulk density, aggregate stability, and calcium, most soil properties analysed in the study were not significantly different among geographic regions, herbicide treatments, or creosotebush condition (live vs. dead plants). Results indicated a trend of nitrogen and phosphorus shifting from the canopy zone towards interspace areas following creosotebush death.
Nuclear data sheets for A = 142

Abstract Level schemes and decay characteristics are presented for all nuclei with mass number 142. Experimental data, adopted values, comparisons with theory, and arguments for spin and parity assignments are given. The adopted level schemes and decay properties are based on data received before March 1, 1973.
Delayed transplantation of human marrow stromal cell-seeded scaffolds increases transcallosal neural fiber length, angiogenesis, and hippocampal neuronal survival and improves functional outcome after traumatic brain injury in rats.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide; however, no effective treatment has been clinically identified. Our recent studies show that the combination of collagen scaffolds with human bone morrow stromal cells (hMSCs) for treatment of TBI improves functional outcome and reduces the lesion volume when this combination was applied at day 4 after TBI in rats. The mechanisms underlying these benefits remain unclear. Whether further delayed treatment with this combination will provide benefits has not been investigated. In the present study, we investigated whether the delayed (7 days post injury) transplantation would have beneficial effects on functional and histological outcome and sought to elucidate underlying mechanisms of therapeutic action. Collagen scaffolds seeded with 3 × 106 hMSCs, scaffolds alone, 3 × 106 hMSCs alone, or saline were transplanted into the lesion cavity of the injured cortex 7 days after TBI. Sensorimotor function and spatial learning were measured. Corticocortical labeling with 1, 1″-dioleyl-3, 3, 3″, 3″-tetramethylindocarbocyanine methanesulfonate (DiI) was performed at day 36 after TBI. The rats were sacrificed 43 days after TBI, and the brain tissue was processed for DiI-labeling fiber and immunohistochemical analyses. The present data show that delayed transplantation of hMSCs or scaffolds seeded with hMSCs improved spatial learning and sensorimotor function, enhanced angiogenesis in the injured cortex and the ipsilateral hippocampus and increased DiI-labeled neural fiber length in the injured cortex. hMSC-seeded scaffolds may be a new and effective way to improve neurological function after TBI.
Mechanical instabilities of homogeneous crystals

Elastic stability criteria are derived for homogeneous lattices under arbitrary but uniform external load. These conditions depend explicitly on the applied stress and reduce, in the limit of vanishing load, to the criteria due to Born, involving only the elastic constants of the crystal. By demonstrating the validity of our results through a comparison of the analysis of an fcc lattice under hydrostatic tension with direct molecular-dynamics simulation, we show that crystal stability under stress (ideal strength) is not a question only of material property, and that even qualitative predictions require the inclusion of the effects of applied stress. General implications of our findings, as well as relevance to stability phenomena in melting, polymorphism, crack nucleation, and solid-state amorphization, are discussed.
RIBOSOMAL PROTEIN L27 PARTICIPATES IN BOTH 50 S SUBUNIT ASSEMBLY AND THE PEPTIDYL TRANSFERASE REACTION

Protein L27 has been implicated as a constituent of the peptidyl transferase center of the Escherichia coli 50 S ribosomal subunit by a variety of experimental observations. To define better the functional role of this protein, we constructed a strain in which the rpmA gene, which encodes L27, was replaced by a kanamycin resistance marker. The deletion mutant grows five to six times slower than the wild-type parent and is both cold- and temperature-sensitive. This phenotype is reversed when L27 is expressed from a plasmid-borne copy of the rpmA gene. Analysis of ribosomes from the L27-lacking strain revealed deficiencies in both the assembly and activity of the 50 S ribosomal subunits. Although functional 50 S subunits are formed in the mutant, an assembly "bottleneck" was evidenced by the accumulation of a prominent 40 S precursor to the 50 S subunit which was deficient in proteins L16, L20, and L21, as well as L27. In addition, the peptidyl transferase activity of 70 S ribosomes containing mutant 50 S subunits was determined to be three to four times lower than for wild-type ribosomes. Ribosomes lacking L27 were found to be impaired in the enzymatic binding of Phe-tRNAPhe to the A site, although the interaction of N-acetyl-Phe-tRNAPhe with the P site was largely unperturbed. We therefore infer that L27 contributes to peptide bond formation by facilitating the proper placement of the acceptor end of the A-site tRNA at the peptidyl transferase center.
Analysis of glucose 1-phosphate at the picomole level with [14C]UTP and uridine 5′-diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase

A new sensitive method is described for glucose 1-phosphate analysis. The key reaction is the pyrophosphorolysis of UDP-glucose catalyzed by uridine 5′-diphosphoglucose pyrophosphorylase. The reaction product, [14C]UDP-glucose, is separated from [14C]UTP by adsorbing [14C]UTP selectively onto polyethyleneimine cellulose or by separating both labeled compounds on one-dimensional polyethyleneimine thin-layer chromatograms. The sensitivity of the method for glucose 1-phosphate analysis is 5 pmol. The method has been successfully employed to monitor the level of glucose 1-phosphate in early germination of wheat embryos.
Intranasal Oxytocin Blocks Alcohol Withdrawal in Human Subjects

Background: The neuropeptide, oxytocin (OT), has been reported to block tolerance formation toalcohol and decrease withdrawal symptoms in alcohol-dependent rodents. Numerous recent studies inhuman subjects indicate that OT administered by the intranasal route penetrates into and exerts eﬀectswithinthebrain.Methods: In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, intranasal OT (24 IU/dose, N = 7) orplacebo (N = 4) was given twice daily for 3 days in alcohol-dependent subjects admitted to a researchunit for medical detoxiﬁcation using Clinical Institute Withdrawal Assessment for Alcohol (CIWA)score-driven PRN administration of lorazepam. Subjects rated themselves on the Alcohol WithdrawalSymptom Checklist (AWSC) each time CIWA scores were obtained. Subjects also completed the PennAlcohol Craving Scale, an Alcohol Craving Visual Analog Scale (ACVAS) and the Proﬁle of MoodStates(POMS)oninpatientdays2and3.Results: All subjects had drunk heavily each day for at least 2 weeks prior to study and had previ-ously experienced withdrawal upon stopping/decreasing alcohol consumption. OT was superior toplacebo in reducing alcohol withdrawal as evidenced by: less total lorazepam required to completedetoxiﬁcation (3.4 mg [4.7, SD] vs. 16.5 [4.4], p = 0.0015), lower mean CIWA scores on admission day1 (4.3 [2.3] vs. 11.8 [0.4], p < 0.0001) and day 2 (3.4 [2.2] vs. 11.1 [3.6], p < 0.002), lower AWSC scoreson days 1 and 2 (p < 0.02; p = 0.07), and lower ACVAS ratings (p = 0.01) and lower POMS Tension/Anxietysubscalescoresonday2(p < 0.01).Conclusions: This is the ﬁrst demonstration that OT treatment may block alcohol withdrawal inhuman subjects. Our results are consistent with previous ﬁndings in rodents that OT inhibits neuroad-aptationtoandwithdrawalfromalcohol.OTcouldhaveadvantagesoverbenzodiazepinesinmanagingalcohol withdrawal because it may reverse rather than maintain sedative-hypnotic tolerance. It will beimportant to test whether OT treatment is eﬀective in reducing drinking in alcohol-dependent outpa-tients.Key Words: Oxytocin, Alcohol Withdrawal, Detoxiﬁcation, Dependence, Tolerance, HumanSubjects.
Quantifying Transport Uncertainty in Unsaturated Rock using Monte Carlo Sampling of Retention Curves

We have developed a new Monte Carlo sampling method for simulating flow and transport in unsaturated porous media, characterized by van Genuchten–Mualem constitutive relations. Instead of sampling each individual soil parameter from its probability space and then running Monte Carlo simulations using realizations of rock parameters directly, we calculate retention curves from realizations of rock parameters, take subsamples from these retention curves, and run simulations using parameter realizations corresponding to these selected retention curves. The retention curve subsampling methodology was applied to three-dimensional simulations of conservative tracer transport beneath Material Disposal Area G at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. Convergence of the proposed sampling method was assessed by comparing statistics of breakthrough curves observed at a compliance boundary with those obtained using between 25 and 1000 Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) Monte Carlo simulations. Our example shows that 25 model runs based on selected retention curves could adequately approximate the results from our assumed truth (1000 LHS Monte Carlo simulations), while LHS alone required in excess of 50 realizations to achieve the same quality result. Another finding from this work is that the median of the breakthrough curves was more meaningful than the arithmetic mean of curves, and the former was nearly identical to the breakthrough curve derived from mean rock properties.
Spectral lineshapes of molecular clusters

Abstract The electronic spectral lineshape of an impurity molecule in a cluster is calculated. Both a rigid (solid-like) and a non-rigid (droplet-like) model for the cluster are considered and compared. The spectrum is calculated using the spectral density J (ω) which is related to the correlation function of the time-dependent enegy gap between the two electronic states. Our calculations demonstrate how the information regarding individual eigenstates is lost under the broadened lineshape envelope in large clusters.
Frequency dependence of the heat capacity of polystyrene in the glass transition region measured by multi-frequency light-modulated DSC

Abstract The reversing heat capacity of polystyrene has been measured in the glass transition region as a function of frequency by temperature-modulated DSC using infra-red light for the modulation. The mean temperature was controlled by the calorimeter operating in the standard DSC mode. The additional power transferred to the specimens is obtained by infra-red diodes with their mean power controlled by a pulse-width modulation method. This method allows to synthesize sinusoidal temperature-profiles with negligible distortion with frequencies of up to 0.125 Hz. The experiments were carried out using multi-frequency temperature-profiles composed by superposition of four sinusoidal modulations of periods of 243, 81, 27, and 9 s, which cover the frequency range from the 1st to the 27th harmonic. To study the kinetics in the glass transition region, the thermal history was produced by cooling the samples at different rates. The results and the advantages of the new method are discussed and compared to a series of less-precise separate single-frequency analyses.
Tuberculous aortitis presenting with an aortoduodenal fistula: a case report.

An elderly man with tuberculous aortitis presented with massive gastrointes tinal bleeding resulting from an aortoduodenal fistula. Aortic resection was suc cessful, and he has done well over a 12 year period. The organism was recovered from the aorta and also seen on section of the neighboring lymph nodes. Although tuberculous aortitis is rare, it should be considered in a patient with a prior history of tuberculosis who has developed evidence of aortic dis ease, aneurysm, or massive gastrointestinal bleeding.
CVD diamond pixel development

Pixel detectors using synthetic diamond are an attractive alternative to silicon for use in radiation harsh environments such as at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). Recent test beam results using Compact Muon Solenoid pixel readout electronics are presented, which demonstrate a hit efficiency of 95% and position resolution of 31 /spl mu/m for a diamond pixel sensor with 125 /spl times/ 125 /spl mu/m/sup 2/ pitch.
Dual Floating Gate Unified Memory MOSFET With Simultaneous Dynamic and Non-Volatile Operation

Dual floating gate flash memory has been fabricated and characterized to show dynamic operation, non-volatile operation, and simultaneous dynamic and non-volatile operation. The gate stack consists of a thin dielectric separating two floating gates sandwiched between a tunnel dielectric and interpoly dielectric. The quality of the thin dielectric that separates the floating gates is of utmost importance to retain dynamic operation. In this letter, we investigate a dual floating gate memory transistor and show its potential to combine DRAM and flash functionality in the same device.
On the complexity of finding circumscribed rectangles and squares for a two-dimensional domain

We investigate the computational complexity of finding the minimum-area circumscribed rectangle of a given two-dimensional domain. We study this problem in the polynomial-time complexity theory of real functions based on the oracle Turing machine model. We show that a bounded domain S with a polynomial-time computable Jordan curve @C as the boundary may not have a computable minimum-area circumscribed rectangle. We also show that the problem of finding the minimum area of a circumscribed rectangle of a polynomial-time computable Jordan curve @C is equivalent to a discrete @S"2^P-complete problem. The related problem of finding the circumscribed squares of a Jordan curve @C is also studied. We show that for any polynomial-time computable Jordan curve @C, there must exist at least one computable circumscribed square (not necessarily of the minimum area), but this square may have arbitrarily high complexity.
Fast detection of single-sided diffracted defects in display glass

Abstract A fast non-interferometric system for measurement of diffraction patterns based on the incidence of partially coherent light in display glass is assembled. The system operates both in transmission and in reflection modes in an environment that is prone to vibrations and misalignments. Asymmetric defects are measured and compared to a white-light interferometer. The system provides an acceptable qualitative measurement for an on-site detection of asymmetric defects leading to a better understanding of this class of imperfections.
Ethnic Differences in Donation-Related Characteristics among Potential Hematopoietic Stem Cell Donors

Background.AlthoughtheNationalMarrowDonorProgramhasbeenhighlysuccessfulatrecruitingethnicminorities as potential hematopoietic stem cell donors, there have been no systematic investigations of whether donor characteristics that might be linked to the donation experience vary by ethnicity. Methods. Questionnaires assessing four domains—demographic, volunteer-related, general psychosocial, and donation-related—were mailed to potential donors after they were contacted as a preliminary match for a patient and had agreed to donate. In all, 1,679 potential donors completed and returned a predonation questionnaire. Data from potential donors belonging to five major ethnic groups were analyzed; white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Native American. Results.Bivariate analyses indicated that virtually all factors in the four domains were associated with ethnicity. Direct discriminant function analysis identified three significant functions. The most striking of the three functions indicated that Asian Americans were more highly educated, more ambivalent (reluctant about donation), more concerned (medical, work/family), and more anxious and depressed than all other ethnic groups. Key differences among other ethnic group members were also identified. Conclusions. This study provides the first evidence of ethnic group differences in key predonation variables. Findings suggestthatAsian/PacificIslanderspossessanumberofcharacteristicsthatareknownpsychosocialriskfactorsforless positive postdonation outcomes and that more intensive pre and postdonation contact with this group may be necessary. Strategies for improving future research in this area are discussed.
Apes and language: Human uniqueness again?

Wilkins & Wakefield's intriguing model of language evolution is deficient in evidence of human uniqueness in metaphorical matching, amodal representation, reference, conceptual structure, hierarchical organization, linguistic comprehension, sign use, laterality, and handedness. Primates show communicative reference, laterality, and handedness, and apes in particular show hierarchical organization, conceptual structure, cross-modal abilities, sign use, and displaced reference.
Design considerations for image segmentation quality assessment measures

Abstract Factors to consider when designing quality assessment measures for image segmentation are discussed. Quality assessment requires one manually generated segmentation (for reference) plus computer-generated segmentations corresponding to different image segmentation algorithms or algorithm parameter settings. Since true pixel class assignments are seldom available, one must typically rely on a trained human analyst to produce a reference by using a mouse to draw boundaries of perceived regions on a digital image background. Different algorithms and parameter settings can be compared by ranking computed disparities between maps of computer-generated region boundaries and region boundaries from a common reference. Proximity-based association between two boundary pixels is discussed in the context of association distance. Motivated by the concept of phase-modulated signals, a penalty factor on the degree of association is then introduced as some non-negative power (phase modulation order) of the cosine of disparity in phase (boundary direction) between two boundary pixels. Families of matching measures between maps of region boundaries are defined as functions of associations between many pairs of boundary pixels. The measures are characterized as one-way (reflecting relationships in one direction between region boundaries from two segmentations) vs. two-way (reflecting relationships in both directions). Measures of inconsistency between perceived and computed matches of computer and manually generated region boundaries are developed and exercised so that effects of association distance, phase modulation, and choice of matching measure on image segmentation quality assessment can be quantified. It is quantitatively established that consistency can be significantly improved by using two-way measures in conjunction with high-order phase modulation and moderate association distances.
A time-optimal unified servo control method with a two-degree-of- freedom structure for a hard disk drive

In this paper, a time-optimal unified servo control (TOUSC) strategy with a two-degree-of-freedom (2DOF) structure is proposed for a hard disk drive. The feed-forward control signal in the 2DOF dominates in the track-seek phase while the TOUSC takes the main responsibility to maintain the track following performance. This unified design does not switch controllers in the transition from track seeking to track following. By using the saturation voltages of power amplifier in its profile generator, the track-seek performance is improved significantly over the single TOUSC scheme. The unified controller also achieves better disturbance suppression in track-following with superior tracking precision. Simulations show that the proposed 2DOF-based TOUSC provides satisfactory overall performances as a unified servo controller.
NONPARAMETRIC ACCELERATED LIFE TESTING BASED ON PROPORTIONAL ODDS MODEL

Accelerated life testing (ALT) is used to obtain failure time data in short duration under high stress levels in order to predict product life and performance under design conditions. The proportional hazards (PH) model, a widely used reliability prediction model, assumes constant ratio between the failure rate at high stress levels and the failure rate at the normal operating conditions. However, this assumption might be violated under some conditions and the prediction of the failure rate at normal conditions becomes inaccurate. We investigate the proportional odds (PO) model, which assumes that the odds ratio under different stress levels is constant, for accelerating life testing. In this research, we propose a nonparametric ALT approach based on the proportional odds model to predict reliability at normal operating conditions. We estimate the parameters of the proposed ALT model using the maximum likelihood estimation method. To verify the new approach, we fit the PO model with simulated failure time datasets and experimental failure data and compare its performance with the PH model. The results show that the new approach based on the PO model is a viable complement to the PH model in estimating reliability of products possessing property of converging hazard rate functions.
Modeling closed-loop input and output impedances of DC-DC power converters operating inside dc distribution systems

This paper derives closed-loop input and output impedances of a number of dc-dc power electronic converters when operating in a dc distribution network. The derived impedances can be used for stability analysis and control design for dc distribution networks. In this paper, first the small-signal model of a power converter operating in a dc power system is introduced and the open-loop transfer functions are derived. Next, the closed-loop model of the converter is assembled based on the open-loop model and the type of the control scheme. Then, the closed-loop impedances are derived from the resulting closed-loop model. Finally, the derived impedances are verified using an experimental prototype converter.
Watch me grow: a garden-based pilot intervention to increase vegetable and fruit intake in preschoolers.

Background: Americans, including children, consume fewer fruit and vegetable servings than is recommended. Given that young children spend large amounts of time in child care centers, this may be an ideal venue for increasing consumption of and enthusiasm for fruits and vegetables. This pilot study aimed to assess the feasibility of a gardening intervention to promote vegetable and fruit intake among preschoolers. Methods: We enrolled two intervention centers and two control centers. The intervention included a fruit and vegetable garden, monthly curriculum, gardening support, and technical assistance. We measured mean (SD) servings of fruits and vegetables served to and consumed by three children per center before and after the intervention. Results: Post intervention, intervention and control centers served fewer vegetables (mean (standard deviation) difference of -0.18 (0.63) in intervention, -0.37 (0.36) in control), but intervention children consumed more than control children (+0.25 (1.11) vs. -0.18 (0.52). The number of fruits served decreased in all centers (intervention -0.62 (0.58) vs. control -0.10 (0.52)) but consumption was higher in controls (intervention -0.32 (0.58) vs. control 0.15 (0.26)). Conclusions: The garden-based feasibility study shows promise, but additional testing is needed to assess its ability to increase vegetable and fruit intake in children.
Cognitive effects of lamotrigine versus topiramate as adjunctive therapy in older adults with epilepsy

Older individuals may be more susceptible to cognitive side effects of antiepileptic drugs than are younger adults. This randomized, double-blind study compared the cognitive effects of lamotrigine (median maintenance dosage, 500.0 mg/d) and topiramate (median maintenance dosage, 300.0 mg/d) as adjunctive therapy for 16 weeks in patients ≥50 years of age. Fifty-one patients (lamotrigine, n=25; topiramate, n=26) were enrolled, and 28 patients (lamotrigine, n=15; topiramate, n=13) completed the study. In a combined analysis of all cognitive tests performed, no significant differences between treatment groups were noted. However, analyses of individual cognitive test results revealed that lamotrigine-treated patients had significantly better results on the Controlled Oral Word Association Test and the Symbol-Digit Modalities Test, whereas topiramate-treated patients had significantly more favorable results on the Digit Cancellation Test and the Rey Auditory-Verbal Learning Test. Larger studies are needed to further clarify the differences in the cognitive effects of lamotrigine and topiramate in older patients.
Coronaviruses: Important Emerging Human Pathogens

The identification of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in 2012 reaffirmed the importance of understanding how coronaviruses emerge, infect, and cause disease. By comparing what is known about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) to what has recently been found for MERS-CoV, researchers are discovering similarities and differences that may be important for pathogenesis. Here we discuss what is known about each virus and what gaps remain in our understanding, especially concerning MERS-CoV.
Hydrophobicity of biosurfaces — Origin, quantitative determination and interaction energies

Abstract It is shown that the “hydrophobic” attraction energy between two apolar moieties (as well as between one polar and one apolar moiety) immersed in water is the sole consequence of the hydrogen-bonding energy of cohesion of the water molecules surrounding these moieties. It is also shown that “hydrophobic” surfaces do not repel, but on the contrary attract water. The theory is given of hydrophobic interactions at a macroscopic level, as well as various methods for their quantitative measurement. The properties of hydrophobic, partly hydrophobic and hydrophilic compounds and surfaces are described, including those of amino acids, proteins (incorporating protein solubility), proteins at the air-water interface, carbohydrates, phospholipids, phospholipid layers, and nucleic acids. Finally, some effects and applications of hydrophobic interactions are discussed, including protein adsorption, protein precipitation, cell adhesion, cell fusion, and liquid chromatography approaches such as reversed-phase and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. Finally, the influence of hydrophobic forces is treated in antigen-antibody and other ligand-receptor interactions.
Learning to Understand Inequality and Diversity: Getting Students Past Ideologies

In this paper I present a pedagogical method called Writing Answers to Learn (WAL) which combines Problem-Based Learning (PBL) and Exploratory Writing to address the interrelated pedagogical problems of misconceptions, resistance, retention, and transfer. I analyze the use of this combined method in a course on racial and ethnic relations and provide examples to suggest that students commonly use four ideologies to understand racial and ethnic inequality: blaming the victim, justification, naturalization, and colorblind racism. I describe how I helped students identify and unlearn these ideological misconceptions and replace them with a sociological conceptual framework. I analyze the results of a pre-test, post-test, and follow-up test showing that students' use of ideology declined on each subsequent exam while their use of sociology increased during the semester and was partially retained months later. Finally I discuss the study's limitations and the utility of students learning the falseness of ideology.
Fragmentation of even electron ions. Protonated ketones and ethers

A systematic study of the types of fragmentation undergone by internally excited protonated molecules is presented. Two representative functional groups, ethers and ketones, are selected, and both aliphatic and aromatic substituents are examined. The ions are formed by protonation or alkylation in a chemical ionization source, and caused to fragment by collision at high relative kinetic energy. The prevalence of 1,3-rearrangements and the breakdown of the even electron fragmentation rule highlight the ion chemistry uncovered here. Specific findings include: (i) electron unpairing reactions associated with alkyl radical loss are common. These are probably energetically less favorable simple bond cleavages and are observed in competition with entropically less favorable elimination reactions. (ii) Alkane elimination is a characteristic reaction, which often occurs by a four-centered mechanism. Several variations on this reaction type are encountered. (iii) Alkene elimination is another ubiquitous reaction which occurs by a four-centered mechanism in the systems studied here. Competition between alkene and alkane loss is extremely sensitive to the particular system in hand.
The preservation of verb subcategory knowledge in a spoken language comprehension deficit

Patient WBN has a lexical-semantic deficit resulting in impaired performance on language comprehension tasks that require access to verb meanings in both single-word and sentence contexts. However, WBN shows no such comprehension impairment with respect to lexical syntax. Specifically, he performs without error on comprehension tasks that rely on knowledge of lexical-specific verb subcategory requirements. This performance pattern supports theories of lexical representation and processing in which lexical syntactic information may be encoded and retrieved independently from lexical semantic information.
Rat peritoneal macrophage adhesion to hydroxyethyl methacrylate–ethyl methacrylate copolymers and hydroxystyrene–styrene copolymers

Macrophage adhesion to a wide variety of substrates has been measured, but no systematic study of the influence of specific substrate chemical properties on adhesion is available. These studies were conducted using two series of materials, copolymers of hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and ethyl methacrylate (EMA) and copolymers of hydroxystyrene and styrene, to determine the effect of a single chemical property, polar character, on adhesion. Rat periotoneal macrophages were allowed to contact polymer substrates for periods ranging from 1 to 240 min before being subjected to a shear stress of 60–120 dynes/cm2 in a thin-channel flow cell. Percentage adhesion was calculated from the number of cells that remained adherent to the substrate after 30 s of applied shear stress. Macrophages remained adherent to 100% EMA and all hydroxystyrene–styrene copolymer surfaces after only 1 min of contact. In copolymers of the HEMA-EMA series, the time required to attain peak adhesion levels increased with increasing substrate hydrophilicity (increasing HEMA content). Cells did not attach to the 20% EMA/80% HEMA copolymer and the 100% HEMA polymer. The results demonstrate that there is a time delay between contact and adhesion of the cells to surfaces of increasing hydrophilicity within the HEMA-EMA series and no time delay with the hydroxystyrene–styrene series. The time delay is thought to be a function of the excluded volume provided by polymers that are able to undergo significant chain rotation and or swelling in the solvent, water. Small excluded volumes present in copolymers of high EMA content and all hydroxystyrene–styrene copolymers offer little or no resistance to formation of adhesive bonds by macrophages, whereas copolymers with large excluded volumes (high HEMA content) prevent contact and/or adhesion. A mechanism based on the net excluded volumes of both the cell and substrate surface macromolecule is proposed to explain this phenomenon.
Are Movement Disorders and Sensorimotor Injuries Pathologic Synergies? When Normal Multi-Joint Movement Synergies Become Pathologic

The intact nervous system has an exquisite ability to modulate the activity of multiple muscles acting at one or more joints to produce an enormous range of actions. Seemingly simple tasks, such as reaching for an object or walking, in fact rely on very complex spatial and temporal patterns of muscle activations. Neurological disorders such as stroke and focal dystonia affect the ability to coordinate multi-joint movements. This article reviews the state of the art of research of muscle synergies in the intact and damaged nervous system, their implications for recovery and rehabilitation, and proposes avenues for research aimed at restoring the nervous system’s ability to control movement.