cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetism in parent iron chalcogenides: quantum fluctuations select plaquette order.

We analyze magnetic order in Fe chalcogenide ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{1+y}\mathrm{Te}$, the parent compound of the high-temperature superconductor ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{1+y}{\mathrm{Te}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Se}}_{x}$. Experiments show that magnetic order in this material contains components with momentum ${Q}_{1}=(\ensuremath{\pi}/2,\ensuremath{\pi}/2)$ and ${Q}_{2}=(\ensuremath{\pi}/2,\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\pi}/2)$ in the Fe only Brillouin zone. The actual spin order depends on the interplay between these two components. Previous works assumed that the ordered state has a single $\mathrm{Q}$ (either ${Q}_{1}$ or ${Q}_{2}$). In such a state, spins form double stripes along one of the diagonals breaking the rotational ${C}_{4}$ symmetry. We show that quantum fluctuations actually select another order---a double $Q$ plaquette state with equal weight of ${Q}_{1}$ and ${Q}_{2}$ components, which preserves ${C}_{4}$ symmetry. We argue that the order in ${\mathrm{Fe}}_{1+y}\mathrm{Te}$ is determined by the competition between quantum fluctuations and magnetoelastic coupling.
ATP-induced ATP release from astrocytes

Propagation of interastrocyte Ca2+ waves is mediated by diffusion of extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP), and may require regenerative release of ATP. The ability of ATP to initiate release of intracellular ATP was assessed by labeling adenine nucleotide pools in astrocyte cultures with 14C-adenine. The 14C-purines released during exposure to ATP were then identified by thin-layer chromatography. ATP treatment caused a five-fold increase in release of 14C-ATP but not 14C-ADP or 14C-AMP, indicating selectivity for release of ATP. Other P2 receptor agonists also caused significant 14C-ATP release, and the P2 receptor antagonists suramin, reactive blue-2 and pyridoxalphosphate-6-azo(benzene-2,4-disulfonic acid) (PPADS) inhibited ATP-induced 14C-ATP release to varying degrees, suggesting the involvement of a P2 receptor. ATP-induced 14C-ATP release was not affected by chelation of intracellular Ca2+ with BAPTA-AM, or by blockers of Ca2+ release from intracellular stores or of extracellular Ca2+ influx, suggesting a Ca2+-independent response. ATP-induced 14C-ATP release was significantly inhibited by non-selective anion channel blockers but not by blockers of ATP-binding cassette proteins, gap junction hemichannels, or vesicular exocytosis. Release of adenine nucleotides induced by 0 Ca2+ was, in contrast, not selective for ATP, and was susceptible to inhibition by gap junction blockers. These findings indicate that astrocytes are capable of ATP-induced ATP release and support a role for regenerative ATP release in glial Ca2+ wave propagation.
On Preemptive Scheduling of Periodic, Real-Time Tasks on One Processor

We investigate the preemptive scheduling of periodic, real-time task systems on one processor. We present three major results. First, we show that the Simultaneous Congruences Problem is NP-complete in the strong sense. Although this result is included primarily as a lemma for showing our next major theorem, it is important in its own right, answering a question that has been open for ten years. Our second major result is perhaps the most important in the paper — that deciding whether a given task system is feasible on one processor is co-NP-complete in the strong sense. Our fourth major result is that for incomplete task systems, i.e., task systems in which the start times are not specified, the feasibility problem is Ω 2 P -complete. Several other results involving cases in which all tasks are initially released at the same time, or in which there are a fixed number of distinct types of tasks, can be derived from these three theorems.
Prevention and Management of Prostate Cancer Using PC-SPES: A Scientific Perspective

Complementary and alternative therapies are increasingly used in the United States by individuals diagnosed with cancer. PC-SPES is a multiherb dietary supplement used by many patients with prostate cancer (CaP). The wide acceptance of PC-SPES for hormone-naive and end-stage CaP relates to clinical trials demonstrating significant efficacy and low toxicity. Although the clinical efficacy of PC-SPES is highly encouraging, its scientific basis has progressed more slowly. This article describes our understanding of the in vitro mechanisms of action of PC-SPES in androgen-dependent LNCaP cells. We first demonstrated significant suppression of cancer cell growth by restriction of cell cycle progression at G(1)/S and drastic reductions in the expression of androgen receptor and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) by PC-SPES, providing a mechanistic rationale for its observed clinical effects. Further investigation of the anti-CaP properties of PC-SPES revealed that two of its multicomponent herbs, Glycyrrhiza uralensis and Scutellaria baicalensis, inhibited cell growth and down-regulated PSA in a manner comparable with PC-SPES. Exhaustive characterization of S. baicalensis resulted in the isolation of baicalein. Here we report that baicalein effectively suppressed growth and PSA expression and induced G(1)/S arrest in LNCaP cells. Although baicalein cannot account for the entire activity of PC-SPES, it does display similar anti-CaP activities. These data suggest that a single herb or bioactive compound could suffice for CaP chemoprevention by effecting multiple changes in target cells to intervene in CaP progression. These studies provide the impetus for further evaluation of the composition herbs within PC-SPES and the precise characterization of their bioactive ingredients.
MARKET STRUCTURE AND PRICING STRATEGY OF CHINA'S AUTOMOBILE INDUSTRY†

In this study, using market-level data on quantities, prices' and automobile characteristics from 1995 to 2001, we conduct a market analysis of the Chinese automobile industry under imperfect competition. On the demand side, we apply a nested multinomial logit model to the national market share data in order to ascertain the demand features of China's automobile market. On the supply side, we assume Bertrand behavior to uncover the markups set by automobile manufacturers. Our empirical results suggest that some large automobile manufacturers set high markups, indicating their strong market power in China's automobile market. However, their declining markups in the late 1990's imply a reduction in market control by the major producers.
BEAM HALO FORMATION IN HIGH-INTENSITY BEAMS.

Studies of beam halo became an unavoidable feature of high-intensity machines where uncontrolled beam loss should be kept to extremely small level. For a well-controlled stable beam such a loss is typically associated with the low-density halo surrounding beam core. In order to minimize uncontrolled beam loss or improve performance of an accelerator, it is very important to understand what are the sources of halo formation in a specific machine of interest. The dominant mechanisms are, in fact, different in linear accelerators, circular machines or energy recovering linacs (ERL). In this paper, we summarize basic mechanisms of halo formation in high-intensity beams and discuss their application to various types of accelerators of interest, such as linacs, rings and ERL.
What Is the Blood Pressure Goal for the Elder Patient 75 Years of Age or Older

High blood pressure (BP), once believed to represent a normal and progressive component of the aging process, is now recognized as a manifestation of structural and physiologic abnormalities of arterial function. Two phenotypes exist in the older patient: elevated systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) with a normal pulse pressure (PP), and elevated SBP with an increased PP. Elevated SBP and increased PP unquestionably increase the risk of both fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, including stroke, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. Isolated systolic hypertension, defined as an SBP ≥140 mm Hg with a DBP less than 90 mm Hg, affects the majority of individuals ages 60 years and older. A number of clinical trials have clearly demonstrated that treatment of hypertension significantly reduces the cardiovascular event rate in older patients. However, controversy continues as to the choice of antihypertensive agents and combinations of agents. It is both appropriate and necessary to treat elderly hypertensive patients aggressively to the same target BPs identified for younger patients. It is also appropriate to initiate treatment with lower doses of antihypertensive agents and to bring the pressure down more slowly, monitoring for orthostatic hypotension, impaired cognition, and electrolyte abnormalities.
OBC Sensor Response and Calibrated Reflectivity

Summary Given deep-water OBC data, we can combine hydrophone (P) and vertical-geophone (Z) data to separate upgoing and downgoing acoustic wavefields. By using the downgoing wavefield to estimate the seismic wavelet, we can recover compressional-wave reflectivity and provide an acoustic impedance log for the near-seafloor sedimentary section. This procedure requires the calibration of geophone response to hydrophone response with an appropriate matching filter (z2p). P and Z data containing only upgoing energy can be provided in several ways to estimate z2p and p2z filters. Alternatively, the multiple/primary ratio (in the frequency domain) can be used to obtain calibrated reflectivity from the hydrophone alone or from the geophone alone, with no sensor calibration required. We apply these methods to a deep-water OBC line. We obtain consistent results by all of the methods. By combining low-frequency (5–70 Hz) z2p filters based on energy arriving before the direct arrival, with high-frequency (25–180 Hz) z2p filters based on near-offset reflection data, we can provide broadband (5–180 Hz) calibrated reflectivity and impedance of shallow seafloor sediments.
Reliability of Histological Criteria in Glycogen Storage Disease of the Liver

The histological criteria for the diagnosis of the hepatic glycogen storage diseases (GSDs) are well recognized. However, some biopsies do not have the characteristic features peculiar to their type and not all biopsies with GSD changes are confirmed by enzyme analysis. We reviewed the liver biopsies of 59 patients with clinically suspected GSD. The enzyme defects in 31 of 40 patients with GSD morphology were demonstrated by enzyme analysis. We describe the history and histology of the 9 patients with GSD morphology not confirmed by enzyme analysis, present the diagnoses of the 19 patients shown not to have a GSD, and evaluate the reliability of the morphological criteria used to distinguish the types of hepatic GSD. In this study the predictive value of a biopsy with GSD changes was 90%. Mosaicism, the most sensitive criterion in the diagnosis of GSD, is not type-specific. Fibrosis does not reliably distinguish between the GSD types and although nuclear hyperglycogenation and lipid are characteristic of type I GSD, these features are not diagnostic of any particular enzyme deficiency. The lack of morphological specificity implies that a complete enzyme analysis be performed on each biopsy. A normal enzyme analysis does not exclude a GSD and careful long-term follow-up may be necessary.
Use of carbonic anhydrase inhibitor in the treatment of pancreatitis.

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors have been shown to effectively reduce the volume of pancreatic secretion. Pancreatic duct hypertension, resulting from the combination of ductal obstruction and exocrine hypersecretion, appears to play an important role in the pathogenesis of pancreatitis. With ductal hypertension, enzymes enter the interstitial tissues of the pancreas and initiate an acute inflammatory response which may vary from simple edema to necrosis.
Characterizing peritoneal dialysis catheter use in pediatric patients after cardiac surgery

Objective Children who undergo cardiac surgery are at high risk for renal insufficiency and abdominal compartment syndrome. Peritoneal dialysis catheter (PDC) implantation is used in this population for abdominal decompression and access for dialysis. However, there is no consensus regarding PDC use, and the practice varies widely. This study was undertaken to assess associated factors, outcomes, and variability in the use of PDC in patients who have undergone cardiac surgery. Methods The cohort was obtained from the Kids' Inpatient Database, years 2006 and 2009. Patients who underwent cardiac surgery were included and the subset that underwent PDC implantation during the same hospitalization was identified. Univariable and multivariable analyses assessed factors associated with PDC and survival. Results A cohort of 28,259 patients underwent cardiac surgery, of whom 558 (2%) had PDCs placed. In the PDC group, 39.1% (n = 218) had acute renal failure whereas 3.5% or patients (n = 974) in the non-PDC group had acute renal failure. Among patients receiving PDC, mortality was 20.3% (n = 113; vs 3.4% overall mortality, n = 955). Excluding patients with acute renal failure, mortality remained 12% (n = 41) for the PDC group. Factors associated significantly with PDC placement in the overall cohort were younger age, greater surgical complexity, nonelective admission, hospital region, use of cardiopulmonary bypass, and acute renal failure. Conclusions Patients receiving PDC after cardiac surgery had 20% mortality, which remained 12% after excluding patients with acute renal failure. Given the variability in PDC use and poor outcomes, further research is needed to assess the possible benefit of earlier intervention for peritoneal access in this high-risk cohort.
Cocaine exposure during pregnancy: improving assessment with radioimmunoassay of maternal hair.

OBJECTIVE To compare radioimmunoassay of postpartum maternal hair samples with a structured maternal interview for the detection of cocaine use during pregnancy. METHODS Radioimmunoassay of hair samples obtained postpartum was compared with self-report of cocaine use obtained by confidential, structured interviews of 405 postpartum women. RESULTS Cocaine or benzoylecgonine was detected in the hair samples of 129 of the 148 women (87%) who reported using cocaine at least once during pregnancy. Thirty-six of 257 women (14%) who reported that they had used no cocaine during pregnancy had positive hair tests. Positive hair assay with negative self-report was significantly more common among women who were unmarried (P = .001), African-American (P < .001), and multiparous (P = .035). CONCLUSIONS Hair analysis is a valuable complement to maternal self-report by interview. The methods used together provide a useful clinical and research technique yielding a comprehensive estimate of gestational cocaine exposure. Either method alone may result in misclassification of gestational cocaine exposure.
The Spiritual Challenges of Power Humility and Love as Offsets To Leadership Hubris

Contemporary business press and academic studies are replete with examples of previously acclaimed leaders who slip into situational narcissism leading to distorted decisions and subsequent public embarrassment. An examination of the classic virtues of humility and love in the spiritual traditions (little talked about in the world of “celebrity” leadership) will suggest how these spiritual gifts can protect executives from such a “fall from grace.”
CPR's new rule 14 provides parties with interim measures, to be heard by a special arbitrator

Esther Seonmin Lee, of Malibu, Calif., analyzes a rule on interim measures in arbitration that is a part of each of the new sets of CPR Institute domestic and international arbitration rules
Single-stranded regions in DNA from pre- and postmenopausal human ovaries.

Abstract No differences were noted between the percent (2–4%) of single-stranded regions in DNA isolated from pre- and postmenopausal human ovaries as determined by nuclease S 1 digestion.
Musculoskeletal manifestations in beta 2-microglobulin amyloidosis. Case discussion

The cases presented illustrate some of the typical (case 1) and less common (case 2) clinical features of beta 2m amyloidosis. The accumulation of beta 2m amyloid in tissues is a potentially severe complication of dialysis-treated chronic renal failure. Beta 2m amyloidosis has been shown to have distinct clinical, radiologic, and pathologic features. The pathogenesis of this condition is not yet clearly understood, and recommendations for the clinical management of these patients at present are limited to recognition of the disease and symptomatic treatment. Further insights into the biology of this disease should lead to new strategies for prevention and treatment.
Calculating bone-lead measurement variance.

The technique of (109)Cd-based X-ray fluorescence (XRF) measurements of lead in bone is well established. A paper by some XRF researchers [Gordon CL, et al. The Reproducibility of (109)Cd-based X-r...
The skill of atmospheric linear inverse models in hindcasting the Madden–Julian Oscillation

A suite of statistical atmosphere-only linear inverse models of varying complexity are used to hindcast recent MJO events from the Year of Tropical Convection and the Cooperative Indian Ocean Experiment on Intraseasonal Variability/Dynamics of the Madden–Julian Oscillation mission periods, as well as over the 2000–2009 time period. Skill exists for over two weeks, competitive with the skill of some numerical models in both bivariate correlation and root-mean-squared-error scores during both observational mission periods. Skill is higher during mature Madden–Julian Oscillation conditions, as opposed to during growth phases, suggesting that growth dynamics may be more complex or non-linear since they are not as well captured by a linear model. There is little prediction skill gained by including non-leading modes of variability.
Design and Construction of a Membrane Analysis System for Fuel Cell Humidification Applications

Humidification membranes are vital to maintaining optimal operation conditions in polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Dry inlet air must be humidified to achieve an efficient reaction within the fuel cell. Nafion is currently the material of choice for humidification membranes due to its excellent water transport properties. However, the performance of Nafion comes at a high cost (∼ $1000/m2). There is a need to reduce membrane cost by developing an alternative material. The first step in developing a new membrane material is characterization of membrane performance. A humidification membrane measurement system was developed to determine vapor mass transfer rates through Nafion humidification membranes. The system creates a controlled environment where inlet water flow, air flow, temperature and pressure are regulated in order to measure the permeation rate of water through a membrane.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Neuropathology and Cognitive Impairment in Alzheimer Disease: A Complex but Coherent Relationship

Amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) are the pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer disease (AD). There is controversy regarding the use of current diagnostic criteria for AD and whether amyloid plaques and NFTs contribute to cognitive impairment. Because AD is specific to humans, rigorous and comprehensiveclinicopathologic studies are necessary to test and refine hypotheses of AD diagnosis and pathogenesis. Neither the clinical nor the pathological aspects of AD evolve in a linear manner, but thepredictable sequence of AD pathology allows for stage-based correlations with cognitive deterioration. We discuss subsets of patients with clinical dementia who lack amyloid plaques and NFTs and, conversely, whether individuals without antemortem cognitive impairment can harbor severe AD-type pathological findings at autopsy. There are many medical, technical, and anatomical challenges to clinicopathologic studies in AD. For example, at least two thirds of persons older than 80 years have non-AD brain diseases that can effect on cognitive function. We argue that existing data strongly support the hypothesis that both amyloid plaques and NFTs contribute to cognitive impairment.
Quality control in products liability

The purpose of this paper is to describe the functions of the task called "Quality Control" and its relationship to the legal fraternity. It is important for the attorney to understand the functions of the "Quality Control" specialist so that the development of a Products Liability case can be concluded in favor of the client. Quality Control is a term often used and seldom understood. The reason for the lack of understanding is that the job function varies among products, plants, individuals and managerial or corporate goals. Every seller of product aims at producing a profit at the lowest possible investment. Some firms take more pride in their product and opt for profit over the long term while others want immediate profit and do not care even if they are in business a few years hence. This philosophy is established by Management with which all employees must cope. It is, therefore, a virtual impossibility to establish a single job description that is applicable to a majority of organizations. The relationship between Quality Control and Products Liability is seen by the legal profession through different colored glasses than the view obtained by the Quality Control (QC) professional. The QC professional is not trained in the details of the different pleadings; such as, strict liability in tort, negligence, res ipsa loquitur, express warranty, or implied warranty. He is also not particularly concerned as his job is to prevent defects of product reaching the customer. He is not concerned about the choice of venue or the difference between various jurisdictions and why certain rules are applicable in the different courts. He is concerned about responding to interrogatories and being deposed. Most of us are introverts, while the practicing trial attorney is an extrovert. Since the QC professional has a prime function of preventing dejects, he is concerned with the product before the accident where the theories of liability, the forum, or the details of 402At are not yet at bar. These usually come after the accident when the plaintiff attorney prepares his case. In considering the QC professional's duties before the accident, it was decided to describe how he would prepare to defend a products liability case.
Excitatory amino acid receptors are involved in morphine-induced synchronous oscillatory discharges in the locus coeruleus of rats

Abstract Our previous studies demonstrated that morphine not only decreases the firing rate of locus coeruleus neurons, but that it induces synchronous oscillatory discharges in the locus coeruleus. In the present study, we examined the role of excitatory amino acid input in the mechanisms of the morphine-induced synchronous oscillation in the locus coeruleus. Using a multiple-electrode recording technique, locus coeruleus neuronal activities were recorded under halothane anesthesia in adult Sprague–Dawley rats. Among 175 locus coeruleus neurons recorded after intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of morphine (26 nmol), 88 of them exhibited both decreased firing rates and synchronous oscillatory discharges. The morphine-induced oscillation and synchrony were reversed by i.c.v. injection of the non-selective excitatory amino acid receptor antagonist kynurenic acid, the selective NMDA receptor antagonist dl -2-Amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP-5), or the non-NMDA receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX), but not saline vehicle. These results suggest that excitatory amino acid input contributes to the morphine-induced synchronous oscillatory activity in the locus coeruleus. The results also provide us a pharmacology tool to study the influence of blockade of the locus coeruleus synchrony on neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity in the locus coeruleus target areas.
Calreticulin is enriched in the crystal idioblasts of Pistia stratiotes

Abstract Calreticulin (CRT) has the highest calcium-binding capacity of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) proteins found thus far in plants. In this study, we isolated cDNAs encoding CRT from Pistia stratiotes L. (Araceae) and analyzed the temporal and spatial patterns of CRT expression in leaves. Northern analysis showed young leaves had the highest CRT transcript levels, which decreased as the leaves matured. To investigate differences in the expression and cellular localization of CRT, in situ hybridization and immunolocalization were performed. We observed an enrichment of both CRT transcript and protein in a unique cell type called the crystal idioblast. Crystal idioblasts are specialized cells that act as calcium sinks in tissues such as leaves. Sub-cellular localization showed that the CRT protein partitioned into the ER of the crystal idioblasts. At higher resolution, using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it appeared that the CRT protein was more abundant in “dilated” regions of the ER. Although the specific role(s) CRT plays in the idioblast remains to be determined, we hypothesize that this high-capacity calcium-binding protein functions in the regulation of intracellular idioblast calcium levels.
Thrombo-prevention in membranous nephropathy: a new tool for decision making?

Thromboembolic events occur in primary membranous nephropathy, especially when serum albumin is less than 2.8g/dl. In such patients, a conundrum arises concerning anticipated benefits and risks when a prophylactic oral anticoagulant is considered. Lee et al. describe a flexible Markov decision tree program to aid decision making. Its application to individual patients will probably be useful, but physicians will need to assess patients' tolerance for the benefit-to-risk ratio, considering the many factors bearing on the risk of thromboembolic events and/or serious bleeding.
Expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 mRNA in human idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Macrophages are thought to play an important role in the pathologic changes associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). The mechanisms for increased monocyte/macrophage recruitment in IPF are unknown. Monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) is the predominant monocyte chemoattractant secreted by a variety of different cell types in culture. We examined the expression of MCP-1 mRNA and its protein product in vivo in IPF and non-IPF lung specimens by in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry. The cell types expressing MCP-1 in vivo were identified by immunostaining with specific antibodies. We demonstrated the expression of MCP-1 mRNA in pulmonary epithelial cells, in monocytes/macrophages, and in vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells. Lung epithelial cells in patients with IPF strongly expressed MCP-1 mRNA and its protein product. In contrast, epithelial cells in non-IPF specimens did not express MCP-1 mRNA. Macrophages and vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells were shown to express MCP-1 in both IPF and non-IPF lung specimens. These findings provide a basis for the understanding of the in vivo physiologic processes that mediate monocyte/macrophage recruitment and infiltration in the lung interstitium and the pathologic state contributing to an increased alveolar monocyte/macrophage population and inflammation in IPF.
An overview of the dreaming process and the selective affective theory of sleep and dreams

The dream exists as an experience extended in time which can be captured in the dream report as an excellent approximation of the experience. Dreams can be adequately collected and reliably measured. Dream reports are both stable and variable across time. Dream reports show meaningful content differences in group and individual situations where psychological differences are known to exist. Dreams and waking life are linked and dreams are responsive to the immediate emotional concern of the dreamer. The dream is sufficiently orderly that the search for its meaning is justified. Methods exist to establish the meaning of the dream experience working with dreamer through associations or amplification. A method “Dream Translation” is described in which the meaning of the dream report is explored using the associations of the translator rather than of the dreamers. The translation approach could be used by the clinician to assess whether the patient has improved and to establish the immediate current emotional concern of the patient at initial contact or at points of block in the therapy. Although the dream report has the necessary characteristics to establish a meaning from it; this does not address the possible functional significance of dreaming. I describe here my selective, mood regulatory function of sleep and dreaming. We have explored this question more thoroughly in a monograph on dream function (Moffitt et al., The functions of dreaming, Albany, State University of New York Press, 1993)
Regularized Auto-Associative Neural Networks for Speaker Verification

Auto-Associative Neural Network (AANN) is a fully connected feed-forward neural network, trained to reconstruct its input at its output through a hidden compression layer. AANNs are used to model speakers in speaker verification, where a speaker-specific AANN model is obtained by adapting (or retraining) the Universal Background Model (UBM) AANN, an AANN trained on multiple held out speakers, using corresponding speaker data. When the amount of speaker data is limited, this adaptation procedure leads to overfitting. Additionally, the resultant speaker-specific parameters become noisy due to outliers in data. Thus, we propose to regularize the parameters of an AANN during speaker adaptation. A closed-form expression for updating the parameters is derived. Further, these speaker-specific AANN parameters are directly used as features in linear discriminant analysis (LDA)/probabilistic discriminant (PLDA) analysis based speaker verification system. The proposed speaker verification system outperforms the previously proposed weighted least squares (WLS) based AANN speaker verification system on NIST-08 speaker recognition evaluation (SRE). Moreover, the proposed speaker verification system obviates the need for an intermediate dimensionality reduction (or i-vector extraction) step.
Perinatal Brain Iron Deficiency Predisposes the Rat Hippocampus to Long-term Damage following Hypoxic-ischemic Insult • 1566

The offspring of pregnancies complicated by diabetes mellitus or intrauterine growth retardation are at increased risk for perinatal asphyxia and for long-term neurocognitive sequelae. Both gestational conditions are characterized by an increased prevalence of brain iron deficiency. The hippocampus is important for a variety of cognitive functions (e.g., recognition memory) and is susceptible to hypoxicischemic (HI) injury. To evaluate the hypothesis that brain iron deficiency increases the vulnerability of the hippocampus to HI injury and to assess whether iron induced reperfusion injury has any role in such injuries, we ligated the right common carotid artery in 15 perinatally iron-deficient and 15 iron-sufficient 7-day-old rat pups,and exposed them to 2.5 hours of 8% FIO2(Levine model). The non-ligated left side served as the undamaged internal control. On day 14, neuronal injury was quantified histochemically by assessing intensity of staining for Nissl substance in 4 hippocampal subareas in both hemispheres using optical densitometry in gray scale units (range: 1/white-254/black). To assess iron induced reperfusion injury, sections were stained for iron by modified Perl's reaction. The brain iron concentration of the iron-deficient group was 55% of control (p<0.001). In the iron-deficient group,there was significant loss of Nissl substance on the ligated right side in subareas CA1 (124 ± 14 v. 112 ± 15, p=0.002), CA3ab (144 ± 10 v. 129 ± 15, p=0.001) and the dentate gyrus (136 ± 14 v. 128 ± 13, p=0.012), when compared with the unligated left side.The iron-sufficient group had significant right sided Nissl loss only in CA1 (111 ± 14 v. 106± 15, p = 0.05). The mean number of subareas with detectable right sided Nissl loss per animal was greater in the iron-deficient group than the iron-sufficient group (2.9 ± 1.0 v. 2.0 ± 1.2, p<0.05). The degree of right-sided Nissl substance loss per animal in the iron-deficient group was also greater in CA1(p=0.042), CA3ab(p=0.003) and the dentate gyrus(p=0.037)when compared with the iron-sufficient group. There were no side-to-side differences in the number of iron stained cells in either group. Perinatal iron deficiency increases the vulnerability of hippocampal subareas of CA1, CA3ab and dentate to HI injury. Iron deposition is not involved in the pathophysiology of this injury. These findings may explain the increased risk of perinatal asphyxia and its neurocognitive sequelae in infants born of pregnancies complicated by perinatal iron deficiency.
Research in Information Extraction: 1996-98

Information extraction involves picking out specified types of information from natural language text. Recent Message Understanding Conferences [1,2,3] have developed a spectrum of such tasks, and we have worked on two of them, at opposite ends of the spectrum: the named entity task, which involves identifying and classifying names, and the scenario template task, which involves extracting critical information (participants, location, date, etc.) about specified classes of events.
On the electronic structure of thorium metal: Role of the 5 ƒ electrons

Abstract Symmetrized Relativistic Augmented Plane Wave calculations for thorium using Kohn-Sham-Gaspar exchange which are found about 5 eV above the Fermi energy metal demonstrate that the 5ƒ states must be considered as band states, unlike the 4ƒ states in the rare-earth metals which are localized states.
A Controlled Study of the Effects of Alendronate in a Growing Mouse Model of Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Recent studies have reported that bisphosphonates reduce fracture incidence and improve bone density in children with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI). However, questions still persist concerning the effect of these drugs on bone properties such as ultrastructure and quality, particularly in the growing patient. To address these issues, the third-generation bisphosphonate alendronate was evaluated in the growing oim/oim mouse, an animal model of moderate- to-severe OI. Alendronate was administered to 6-weekold mice during a period of active growth at a dosage of 73 mg alendronate/kg/day for the first 4 weeks and 26 μg alendronate/ kg/day for the next 4 weeks. Positive treatment effects included a reduction in the number of fractures sustained by the alendronate-treated oim/oim mice compared with untreated oim/oim mice (2.1 ± 2.0 vs 3.2 ± 1.6 fractures per mouse), increased femoral metaphyseal density (0.111 ± 0.02 vs 0.034 ± 0.04 g/cm2), a tendency towards reduced tibial bowing (4.0 ± 3.7 vs 6.1 ± 5.8°), and towards increased femoral diameter (1.22 ± 0.12 vs 1.15 ± 0.11 mm). Potential negative effects included a persistence of calcified cartilage in the treated oim/oim metaphyses compared with treated wildtype (+/+) (33.8 ± 11.1 vs 22.1 ± 10.2%), and significantly shorter femora compared with nontreated oim/oim mice (14.8 ± 0.67 vs 15.3 ± 0.37 mm). This preclinical study demonstrates that alendronate is effective in reducing fractures in a growing mouse model of OI, and is also an important indicator of potential positive and negative outcomes of third-generation bisphosphonate therapy in children with OI.
The nutritional role of seagrass in the diet of the omnivorous pinfish Lagodon rhomboides (L.)

Abstract Although pinfish Lagodon rhomboides (L.) consume vegetation throughout much of their life cycle, the nutritional role of macrophytes in the diet of this temperate zone omnivorous fish is largely unknown. Feeding experiments were conducted to examine the role of seagrass in the diet of juvenile pinfish. Assimilation efficiencies of eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) and grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio Holthuis) diets were determined, as well as the effect that consumption of eelgrass had on evacuation rate and assimilation efficiency of the animal portion of the diet. Growth rates determined for pinfish fed a fixed-ration, grass-shrimp diet were compared to growth on isocaloric shrimp diets partially substituted with either eelgrass or digestible carbohydrate. Pinfish assimilated a substantial portion of the organic matter from eelgrass, but with less efficiency than from grass shrimp. These fish have low gastric pH, apparently sufficient to lyse plant cell walls, although the digestion of complex cell wall carbohydrates was not demonstrated. Stomach distension did not significantly increase pinfish digestion of the shrimp portion of a mixed diet. Evacuation rate increased with inclusion of eelgrass in the diet and the accompanying decrease in available dietary energy content. Specific growth rates of pinfish fed grass shrimp diets partially substituted with either eelgrass or digestible carbohydrate were not significantly different from growth on shrimp alone. Protein sparing, resulting from an increase in metabolic efficiency when using carbohydrate instead of protein as an energy source, was not demonstrated. However, inclusion of eelgrass in the diet of pinfish did not confer any post-consumption growth detriment over a carnivorous diet. Pinfish appear to have the capacity to increase overall consumption of diets containing eelgrass to compensate for lower available energy content and thus maintain high protein consumption and growth rates. In addition, the increased availability and lower energetic costs of location and capture of seagrasses by pinfish, coupled with high assimilation efficiency, may favor the consumption of an omnivorous diet over a strictly carnivorous one.
Microprecision interferometer: scorecard on technology readiness for the Space Interferometer Mission

We investigate how the Space Interferometry Mission (SIM) will be able to meet some of its instrument astrometrics requirements.
162. Comorbid chronic pain and depression: A search for common neuroimmune mechanisms

In humans, chronic neuropathic pain is a risk factor for depression, but the mechanisms underlying this association remain elusive. Spared nerve injury (SNI) is a rodent model of chronic neuropathic pain that is associated with depressive-like behavior in most studies. Central nervous system microglial activation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production contribute to both chronic neuropathic pain and depressive-like after SNI. We have recently established that depressive-like behavior induced by peripheral inflammation requires the activation of IDO-1, a tryptophan metabolizing enzyme. Here we determined the contribution of IDO-1 to SNI-induced neuropathic pain and depressive-like behavior. SNI or sham surgery was performed in wild type and IDO-1-KO mice. As expected, SNI induced the development of mechanical hyperalgesia as well as depressive-like behavior (reduced sucrose preference and increased immobility in the forced swim test), without affecting locomotor activity in a novel cage. In accordance with results from others, SNI increased brain pro-inflammatory cytokine production. IDO-1-KO mice developed mechanical hyperalgesia with similar kinetics and severity as WT mice. However, IDO-1 KO mice did not develop depressive-like behavior. In conclusion, IDO-1 is a critical enzyme required for development of depressive-like behavior in the context of neuropathic pain after SNI. The involvement of IDO-1 in depression is specific since its absence does not modify the pain response after SNI. Funded by NIH R01-NS073939 (A.K., R.D., K.W.K.); RO1-NS074999 (A.K.); R01-MH079829 (R.D.), R01-AG-029573 (K.W.K.).
Metal Atom‐Ceramic Binding Energies

The binding of vapor-deposited metal and metal oxide films to Al2O3(0001) and fused silica was investigated using thermal desorption spectroscopy combined with mass spectrometric detection of the desorbed species. The experimental value for Ed, the activation energy of desorption, is compared with HL, the calculated bond enthalpy value for an adsorbed metal-surface oxygen bond. For Ga and Ga2O on Al2O3(0001) and fused silica, the calculated value 2HL (Ga-O) = 200.6 kJ·mol-1 agrees with experimental Ed values and indicates that two gallium-oxygen bonds are broken in the desorption process (Ed= 2HL). For Pb and Sn on Al2O3(0001) and fused silica, the calculated values 3HL (Pb–O) and 3HL (Sn–O) agree with experimental Ed values (Ed= 3HL). For Cr adsorbed on Al2O3, HL (Cr–O) = 111.1 kJ·mol-1 is calculated for one Cr-surface oxygen bond. This value agrees, within experimental error, with Stubican's values for the activation energy of surface diffusion for Cr of 110 ± 12, 121 ± 12, and 119 ± 12 kJ·mol-1 on Al2O3, MgO, and MgAl2O4, respectively. A calculated value of 3HL (Cr–O) = 333.3 kJ·mol-1 agrees within experimental error with literature values for activation energy of volume diffusion of Cr in Al2O3, MgO, and MgAl2O4, Agreement between experiment and theory suggests that in these cases the surface bond breaking process involved in desorption and/or diffusion is described by an integral number of metal-oxygen bonds similar to those in an appropriately chosen bulk oxide model. This agreement suggests that the binding model may be useful in predicting and/or correlating appropriate metal-ceramic interactions.
Numerical Simulations of Creep in Ductile-Phase Toughened Intermetallic Matrix Composites

Analytical and finite element method (FEM) simulations of creep in idealized ductile-phase toughened intermetallic composites are described. For these strong-matrix materials, the two types of analyses predict similar time-independent composite creep rates if each phase individually exhibits only steady-state creep. The composite creep rate becomes increasingly higher than that of the monolithic intermetallic as the stress exponent of the intermetallic and the volume fraction and creep rate of the ductile phase increase. FEM analysis shows that the shape of the ductile phase does not affect the creep rate but may affect the internal stress and strain distributions, and thus damage accumulation rates. If primary creep occurs in one or both of the individual phases, the composite also exhibits primary creep. In this case, there can be significant deviations in the creep curves computed by the analytical and FEM models. The model predictions are compared with data for the Nb5Si3/Nb system.
The recovery cycle of the averaged auditory evoked response during sleep in autistic children

Abstract 1.1. The recovery cycle of the averaged auditory evoked response (AER) to paired clicks was studied during Stage 2 and REM sleep in 23 normal 22–67-month-old children. Stimulus separations of 250, 160, 80, 40, 20 and 10 msec were used. The paired clicks were alternated with single clicks every 2.0 sec througout the night. The amplitude and latency of wave N 2 of the averaged response to the second click of each pair was measured after subtraction of the overlapping components of the averaged response to the first click. 2.2. the 50% or greater attenuation of amplitude recovery reported for the waking state with stimulus separations of 500 msec was not obtained during sleep until stimulus separations shorter than 40 msec were used. 3.3. In Stage 2 sleep, significant reduction of amplitude recovery occurred at stimulus separations of 250 and 20 msec. During REM sleep, there was significant reduction of amplitude recovery at all stimulus separations. The reduction of amplitude recovery was significantly greater during REM sleep than during Stage 2 sleep at stimulus separations equal to and shorter than 80 msec. However, the amplitude recovery cycle in the two sleep stages was similar, with lows of relative suppression at 250 msec and 40-20 msec separated by a peak of relative facilitation at 160-80 msec. The amplitude recovery cycle was best described by a combination of linear and cubic components. 4.4. In Stage 2 sleep, the only significant effect on latency recovery was a slight delay at an 80 msec stimulus separation. During REM sleep, significant delays in recovery occurred at 80, 40 and 20 msec. There were no significant differences in latency recovery between the two sleep stages at any stimulus separation. The latency recovery cycle showed a significant linear delay in recovery with shorter stimulus separations in both sleep stages. In Stage 2 sleep a cubic component was also required to describe the latency recovery cycle while in REM sleep there was also a strong quadratic component. 5.5. Within the age range of the subjects, significant age-related effects were limited to increased amplitude recovery and delay in recovery during REM sleep at a 250 msec stimulus separation with increasing age.
The generalized lewis acid-base titration of palladium and niobium

The high thermodynamic stability of alloys composed of platinum group metals and group IVB and VB metals has been explained by an electronic interaction analogous to the Lewis acid-base concept for nontransition elements. The analogy is further demonstrated by the titration of palladium by addition of niobium. The activity of niobium in solid palladium was measured as a function of concentration by solid-state galvanic cells and study of the ternary oxide phase diagram. The galvanic cells were of the type Pt/NbO2,Nb2O4.8/YDTJNbOy,Nbpd/Pt where the solid electrolyte is yttria-doped thoria (YDT). Ternary phase diagrams for the Pd-Nb-0 and Rh-Nb-0 systems were obtained by characterizing samples equilibrated at 1000 °C. The phase relationships found in the ternary diagrams were also used to derive thermochemical data for the alloys. Thermochemical quantities for other acid-base stabilized alloys such as Nb-Rh, Ti-Pd, and Ti-Rh were also measured. The excess partial molar ΔGxs/R of niobium at infinite dilution was determined to be -31 kilo-Kelvin at 1000 °C, and theAG°JR of formation of a mole of NbPd3.55 is —21 kilo-Kelvin. These results and those for the other systems are used to assess the importance of valence electron configuration, nuclear charge, and crystal field effects in the context of generalized Lewis acid-base theory. It is concluded that both the nuclear charge of the atom and crystal field splitting of the valence orbitals significantly affect the basicity of the platinum group metals.
Giant Lipoma as an Unusual Cause of Obscure Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Abstract Small bowel lipomas are rare gastrointestinal (GI) benign neoplasms, representing approximately 2–3% of nonmalignant tumors of the intestinal tract. They are usually asymptomatic. However, lesions exceeding 2 cm in diameter can cause nonspecific clinical manifestations or symptoms. When symptoms are clinically present, one of the most common is obscure GI bleeding. Capsule endoscopy is the first-line diagnostic tool in most cases with obscure GI bleeding. Recently, a video capsule for colon evaluation (second-generation colon capsule endoscopy (CCE2)) has been released (PillCam Colon; Given Imaging, Yoqneam, Israel) that potentially offers the opportunity to explore both the small bowel and the colon during one examination. Here is demonstrated capsule endoscopy visualization of a giant lipoma that caused a longstanding obscure GI bleeding. This article is part of an expert video encyclopedia.
Skin Conditions of Baseball, Cricket, and Softball Players

Each year in the United States over 80 million people participate in bat-and-ball sports, for example baseball and softball. Cricket, the world’s second most popular sport, is enjoyed by hundreds of millions of participants in such countries as India, Pakistan, Australia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom, and Zimbabwe. Although any player can develop skin disease as a result of participation in these bat-and-ball sports, competitive team athletes are especially prone to skin problems related to infection, trauma, allergy, solar exposure, and other causes. These diseases can produce symptoms that hinder individual athletic performance and participation. In this review, we discuss the diagnosis and best-practice management of skin diseases that can develop as a result of participation in baseball, softball, and cricket.