cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Confidence modeling for handwriting recognition: algorithms and applications

Confidence scoring can assist in determining how to use imperfect handwriting-recognition output. We explore a confidence-scoring framework for post-processing recognition for two purposes: deciding when to reject the recognizer's output, and detecting when to change recognition parameters e.g., to relax a word-set constraint. Varied confidence scores, including likelihood ratios and posterior probabilities, are applied to an Hidden-Markov-Model (HMM) based on-line recognizer. Receiver-operating characteristic curves reveal that we successfully reject 90% of word recognition errors while rejecting only 33% of correctly-recognized words. For isolated digit recognition, we achieve 90% correct rejection while limiting false rejection to 13%.
Hemispheric Language Dominance in Children Demonstrated by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

The objective of this study was to demonstrate hemispheric language dominance in normal children. Fifteen normal children were evaluated with functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using an age-related silent word spelling paradigm. The data were analyzed with the cross-correlation method, and lateralization indices were calculated in language regions as determined by Talairach coordinates. Activation foci were detected in the left inferior frontal area and were strongly lateralized, with language lateralization indices of 0.74 +/- 0.21 (age 7-12 years, nine subjects), and 0.79 +/- 0.18 (13-18 years, six subjects). The indices were similar to those for adults (0.83 +/- 0.21, four subjects). Our study established that language is strongly lateralized to the left hemisphere in children as young as 7 years of age.
Republication of “Learning Disabilities: A Historical Note”:

Editors’ Note The second decade of Intervention in School and Clinic, then titled Academic Therapy, represented a field coming into it own. The articles focused on specific teaching methods in reading, math, spelling, and handwriting. In this decade the field discovered adolescents with learning disabilities and emotional-behavioral disabilities. The archives were fascinating, with articles by Dr. Don Deshler, Dr. Lee Swanson, Dr. Ed Polloway, Dr. Margo Mastropieri, Dr. Thomas Scruggs, and Dr. Cherry Houck. All are current leaders in our field. We selected an article by Dr. Samuel Kirk, then a professor at the University of Arizona. Dr. Kirk’s article provides us with a historical overview of the field of learning disabilities, then a relatively new term and field. It is always good to have an early historical perspective with which to judge the present. 531393 ISCXXX10.1177/1053451214531393Intervention in School and ClinicKirk research-article2014
EEG sleep stage scoring by an automatic hybrid system.

Abstract The present paper reports the first systematic application of a hybrid sleep EEG scoring system and compares performance of that system with human scoring techniques. The automatic analysis technique can be used on line or 32 times real time, allowing for the scoring of an 8 h sleep EEG record in 15 min. Therefore, the system has obvious potential for reducing the cost and increasing the efficiency of scoring EEG sleep records. Generally, the system has proven to be both accurate and reliable, giving satisfactory levels of agreement upon repeated scoring of the same record or upon scoring different records. The present study indicates further that frequency spectrum analysis is not practical in sleep staging, since the amplitude of delta activity and spindles changes throughout a given night. The incorporation of detectors of phenomena such as K complexes into the sleep-analyzing hybrid computer system will further increase its accuracy and reliability. However, linear analog filters, such as were used for spindle detection, are too sensitive to amplitude variations in the EEG. We have recently developed a non-linear spindle filter, which is not subject to this criticism. This filter will be the subject of a future communication.
An Algorithm For Computation Of Large Size FFTs In Computer Generated Holograms By Interlaced Sampling

Abstract:An algorithm is presented for the computation of large size FFTs for computer generated holograms. The algorithm is useful when therecording device has a very large space- bandwidth product, while the computation is under memory restrictions. The number of complex operations required using this algorithm is only slightly increased over the number of operations necessary using the FFT algorithm. I. Introduction: Electron -beam (e -beam) lithography technology has become an attractive method for fabrication of high quality computer generatedholograms (CGHs). This is due to the very large space -bandwidth product (SBWP = 1010), and submicron resolution writing capability of e-beamsystems. Utilization of this SBWP, however, is restricted by the available computing resources, i.e. computer memory and data storage particularlywhen the generation of the CGH data involves Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) operations. For example, if the whole SBWP of 10th is used forfabrication of a single Fourier transform CGH, a two- dimensional FFT operation of 105x105 is required. The memory and data storage
Race Stereotypes and Perceptions about Black Males Involved in Interpersonal Violence

involved in interpersonal violence. Truck drivers are fat and frustrated, nuns are quiet and holy, and women are gentle and sweet. These are all examples of social stereotypes that typically dominate individual thought, group behavior and cultural practices. Walter Lippman (1922) first introduced the term "stereotype" to the world and argued that stereotypes are highly influential cognitive structures. Since that time an extensive body of research has accumulated that indicates stereotype-based expectations influence the perceptual processing of social information. For example, stereotypical expectancies can influence what social information is actually perceived by the individual (Brewer, 1988), the amount of attention that is allocated to social information, and the interpretation of this information. Subsequently, stereotyping can lead to biased inferential processes and influence behaviors directed toward social targets (Bodenhausen & Lichtenstein, 1987; Devine, 1989; Fiske & Taylor, 1991; Hamilton & Sherman, 1994). Furthermore, much of this occurs automatically and unconsciously. Thus, often without knowing it, an individual may perceive the world through the lens of a social stereotype (Banaji & Greenwald, 1995).
Generalized technique for object-shape representation, classification, and recognition via complex variables and conformal mapping

Based on the previous work, this paper presents a model- based approach to the representation and recognition of 2D closed, bounded, free-form curves and simply connected objects. The method involves a new expression of the objects based on complex variables and conformal mapping. In the model-based approaches, a object in a data set is recognized by comparing and matching its model with the known models of the objects that are stored in a database. To develop practical systems for object recognition, several problems must be solved: 1) how to get the model of a data set. We use a technique based on complex variables and conformal mapping to map an object to a circle. The coefficient vector of the polynomial mapping function is stored then in a database and represents the data set model. 2) when the object coordinates system changes, the coefficients vector of the polynomial mapping function also change. However, the coefficients change in a predictable and known way. The object recognition and matching is based on computing and comparing an object invariant entity. This invariant entity is a function of the coefficients and is independent of the coordinate systems. We show the effect of noise on object recognition and position/rotation/scaling estimation. Finally, some experimental results are presented to illustrate the power and robustness of the presented technique.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Electrocardiographic and clinical observations of a recurrent tachyarrhythmia arising from a pacemaker within the distribution of the anterior fascicle.

Abstract This report describes a patient with a recurrent tachyarrhythmia refractory to all therapy except cardioversion. An intra-atrial electrogram demonstrates the presence of A-V dissociation. The His bundle electrogram demonstrates that the His potential follows the onset of ventricular depolarization in most instances indicating retrograde depolarization of the His bundle. Since the QRS complexes during the tachyarrhythmia resemble right bundle branch block with left posterior fascicular block, it appears that the rhythm originates within the distribution of the anterior fascicle of the left bundle. Clinical features of the arrhythmia include: (1) frequent spontaneous conversion to normal sinus rhythm within 15 to 30 minutes, (2) failure of carotid sinus massage, digitalis, procaine amide, propranolol, or lidocaine to convert longer attacks, (3) consistent termination by cardioversion utilizing 25 to 50 watt-seconds, (4) no symptoms referable to the tachyarrhythmia other than palpitations, (5) minimal reduction of blood pressure, and (6) no known instance of progression to ventricular fibrillation.
Prevalence and population structure of Vibrio vulnificus on fishes from the northern Gulf of Mexico

The prevalence of Vibrio vulnificus on the external surfaces of fish from the northern Gulf of Mexico was determined in this study. A collection of 242 fish comprising 28 species was analyzed during the course of 12 sampling trips over a 16-month period. The prevalence of V. vulnificus was 37% but increased up to 69% in summer. A positive correlation was found between the percentages of V. vulnificus-positive fish and water temperatures, while salinity and V. vulnificus-positive fish prevalence were inversely correlated. A general lineal model (percent V. vulnificus-positive fish = 0.5930 - 0.02818 × salinity + 0.01406 × water temperature) was applied to best fit the data. Analysis of the population structure was carried out using 244 isolates recovered from fish. Ascription to 16S rRNA gene types indicated that 157 isolates were type A (62%), 72 (29%) were type B, and 22 (9%) were type AB. The percentage of type B isolates, considered to have greater virulence potential, was higher than that previously reported in oyster samples from the northern Gulf of Mexico. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) was used to resolve the genetic diversity within the species. One hundred twenty-one unique AFLP profiles were found among all analyzed isolates, resulting in a calculated Simpson's index of diversity of 0.991. AFLP profiles were not grouped on the basis of collection date, fish species, temperature, or salinity, but isolates were clustered into two main groups that correlated precisely with 16S rRNA gene type. The population of V. vulnificus associated with fishes from the northern Gulf of Mexico is heterogeneous and includes strains of great virulence potential.
Suppression of impulsive disturbances from audio signals

A simple and effective method is proposed for suppressing impulsive noise from audio signals with minimal high frequency loss. Suppression is accomplished by median filtering the contaminated signal sections. A gating signal that enables local median filtering is generated by an algorithm that involves impulse detection and recursive median filtering.
Effect of Cosolvents on Toxaphene Aqueous Solubility

Environmental Context.Remediation of sites contaminated by chlorinated organic compounds is a significant priority. Toxaphene was widely used as a pesticide until its ban by the USA Environmental Protection Agency, but its prevalence in the environment continues to make it a significant priority pollutant. The present research examined the effectiveness of the cosolvents methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and propanol in increasing toxaphene solubility in water for easier removal in potential field remediation applications. Cosolvents were found to increase toxaphene solubility in water nearly a thousand-fold, and show they can greatly increase the efficiency of removing toxaphene from contaminated soil with water flushing. Abstract.Remediation of sites contaminated by chlorinated organic compounds is a significant priority in the environmental field. Toxaphene was widely used as a pesticide until it was banned by USA Environmental Protection Agency, but its prevalence in the environment continues to make it a significant priority pollutant. The present research examined the effectiveness of the cosolvents methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and propanol in increasing toxaphene aqueous solubility for potential in situ flushing application. Aqueous solubility of toxaphene was found to increase as a function of cosolvent fraction increase in solution. Cosolvency powers for methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, and propanol were determined to be 3.43, 3.64, 3.51, and 3.91 respectively. Experimentally derived data were found to compare favourably to theoretically derived data from established log–linear models, including the modified Universal Quasichemical Functional Group Activity Coefficient model. Solubility of toxaphene in water was also noted to increase with an increase in the number of carbon atoms of the cosolvents in solution, and branched cosolvents solubilized less toxaphene than straight-chained alcohols of equivalent length, and mass. Potential applications of the present research include chemical and environmental remediation of sites or aquifers contaminated not only with toxaphene, but also potentially other pesticides and complex hazardous chemicals.
A case of erectile dysfunction and risk factors for coronary artery disease

The hypothetical case of a man with erectile dysfunction and multiple cardiovascular risk factors is presented to illustrate the use of the second Princeton Consensus Conference Guidelines. Methods to optimize efficacy of the phosphodiesterase inhibitors are described. The overall cardiovascular safety of the phosphodiesterase inhibitors and their interaction with organic nitrates and alpha blockers are discussed.
Mechanical analysis of rat trabecular meshwork

Stiffness of trabecular meshwork (TM) may play an important role in regulating outflow resistance in healthy and glaucomatous eyes. However, the current techniques for stiffness measurement can only be applied to TM dissected from human donor or large animal eyes. It is a challenge to measure TM stiffness in mouse/rat eyes because of their smaller sizes and the delicate nature of TM dissection. To this end, a new technique was developed to determine the stiffness of rat TM using atomic force microscopy (AFM). In the study, rat eyes were enucleated immediately after death and perfused with a tracer (Evans blue) for 40 min. Then, the anterior segment was dissected and flat-mounted on a Petri dish with TM facing upwards. An AFM probe with a gold-coated colloid tip was used to sequentially indent the corneal, TM, and uveoscleral tissues. Assuming these tissues to be neo-Hookean materials, the indentation data were analyzed with a newly developed mathematical model to calculate the apparent initial Young's moduli (E0)app. The geometric mean & SE of (E0)app were 162 Pa & 1.2 (n = 13) for TM and 6189 Pa & 1.4 (n = 11) for cornea; and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.01). The technique established in this study allows the use of rat eye as a potential model for investigation of TM stiffness and its influences on outflow resistance. Future studies may also utilize this technique to evaluate mechanisms of TM stiffness change caused by aging, outflow dysfunction, pathogenesis of glaucoma, and drug treatment.
Dominant negative umuD mutations decreasing RecA-mediated cleavage suggest roles for intact UmuD in modulation of SOS mutagenesis.

Abstract The products of the SOS-regulated umuDC operon are required for most UV and chemical mutagenesis in Escherichia coli. The UmuD protein shares homology with a family of proteins that includes LexA and several bacteriophage repressors. UmuD is posttranslationally activated for its role in mutagenesis by a RecA-mediated proteolytic cleavage that yields UmuD'. A set of missense mutants of umuD was isolated and shown to encode mutant UmuD proteins that are deficient in RecA-mediated cleavage in vivo. Most of these mutations are dominant to umuD+ with respect to UV mutagenesis yet do not interfere with SOS induction. Although both UmuD and UmuD' form homodimers, we provide evidence that they preferentially form heterodimers. The relationship of UmuD to LexA, lambda repressor, and other members of the family of proteins is discussed and possible roles of intact UmuD in modulating SOS mutagenesis are discussed.
Classification of vascular lesions affecting the spinal cord

Abstract Vascular lesions affecting the spine and spinal cord are a group of complex lesions that are often difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. Recent advances in endovascular techniques and refinement of existing microneurosurgical methods now make many lesions amenable to treatment. The modified classification system proposed by Robert F. Spetzler, MD, is presented here to foster communication regarding these complex lesions among clinicians and to aid in their diagnosis and treatment.
Risk Factors for Conversion to Cardiopulmonary Bypass During Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Background Off-pump coronary artery bypass graft (OPCAB) may be associated with improved hospital outcomes compared with on-pump coronary artery bypass graft. However, intraoperative conversion to on-pump coronary artery bypass graft has been associated with adverse outcomes. The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative risk factors for intraoperative conversion in nonemergent patients undergoing isolated OPCAB. Methods From 2002 to 2010, 8,077 consecutive OPCAB cases were performed at a single US academic center. Of these, 200 (2.5%) required intraoperative conversion. Standard variables from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons database were analyzed. A multivariable logistic model with adjusted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals was used to identify independent risk factors for conversion. Adjusted in-hospital and long-term survival between converted and nonconverted patients were determined using multiple logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression, respectively. Results Converted patients had a higher Society of Thoracic Surgeons predicted risk of mortality (2.8% versus 2.1%; p p = 0.018), congestive heart failure (OR, 1.51), myocardial infarction (OR, 1.86), number of grafts (OR, 1.45), left main disease (OR 1.41), and urgent status (OR, 1.77; all p p p Conclusions Conversion to cardiopulmonary bypass during OPCAB is associated with increased in-hospital and long-term mortality and may be related to surgeon experience. Recognition of the preoperative risk factors associated with an increased risk of conversion may allow for better patient selection and reduce the incidence of intraoperative conversion during OPCAB.
Tree stand falls: A persistent cause of neurological injury in hunting

AIM: To characterize and compare our current series of patients to prior reports in order to identify any changes in the incidence of neurological injury related to hunting accidents in Rochester, New York. METHODS: All tree stand-related injuries referred to our regional trauma center from September 2003 through November 2011 were reviewed. Information was obtained from the hospital's trauma registry and medical records were retrospectively reviewed for data pertaining to the injuries. RESULTS: Fifty-four patients were identified. Ninety-six percent of patients were male with a mean age of 47.9 years (range 15-69). The mean Injury Severity Score was 12.53 ± 1.17 (range 2-34). The average height of fall was 18.2 feet (range 4-40 feet). All patients fell to the ground with the exception of one who landed on rocks, and many hit the tree or branches on the way down. A reason for the fall was documented in only 13 patients, and included tree stand construction (3), loss of balance (3), falling asleep (3), structural failure (2), safety harness breakage (3) or light-headedness (1). The most common injuries were spinal fractures (54%), most commonly in the cervical spine (69%), followed by the thoracic (38%) and lumbar (21%) spine. Eight patients required operative repair. Head injuries occurred in 22%. Other systemic injuries include rib/clavicular fractures (47%), pelvic fractures (11%), solid organ injury (23%), and pneumothorax or hemothorax (19%). No patient deaths were reported. The average hospital length of stay was 6.56 ± 1.07 d. Most patients were discharged home without (72%) or with (11%) services and 17% required rehabilitation. CONCLUSION: Falls from hunting tree stands are still common, with a high rate of neurological injury. Compared to a decade ago we have made no progress in preventing these neurological injuries, despite an increase in safety advances. Neurosurgeons must continue to advocate for increased safety awareness and participate in leadership roles to improve outcomes for hunters. Language: en
Myelin basic protein-specific T cells induce demyelinating experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in Buffalo rats

Abstract This is the first description of acute demyelinating experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced in rats by myelin basic protein (BP)-specific T lymphocytes without the administration of demyelinating antibodies. BP-specific T cell lines were selected from inbred Buffalo-strain rats (Rt-1 b ) following techniques used to develop similar lines from Lewis rats (Rt-1 l ). Unlike those of Lewis those of Lewis rats, the spinal cords of Buffalo rats with T cell line-mediated EAE had prominent perivascular demyelination associated with mononuclear inflammation. Like Lewis rat lines, Buffalo rat BP-specific T cell lines transferred acute, non-relapsing EAE into syngeneic recipients, demonstrating that demyelination in passive acute EAE can occur without subsequent clinical relapses.
Statistical modeling of diffusion processes with free knot splines

We consider the nonparametric estimation of the drift coefficient in a diffusion type process in which the diffusion coefficient is known and the drift coefficient depends in an unknown manner on a vector of time-dependent covariates. Based on many continuous realizations of the process, the estimator is constructed using the method of maximum likelihood, where the maximization is taken over a finite dimensional estimation space whose dimension grows with the sample size n. We focus on estimation spaces of polynomial splines. We obtain rates of convergence of the spline estimates when the knot positions are prespecified but the number of knots increases with the sample size. We also give the rates of convergence for free knot spline estimates, in which the knot positions of splines are treated as free parameters that are determined by data.
Kinetics of hydrogen peroxide decomposition with complexed and “free” iron catalysts

The hydrogen peroxide decomposition kinetics were investigated for both “free” iron catalyst [Fe(II) and Fe(III)] and complexed iron catalyst [Fe(II) and Fe(III)] complexed with DTPA, EDTA, EGTA, and NTA as ligands (L). A kinetic model for free iron catalyst was derived assuming the formation of a reversible complex (Fe–HO2), followed by an irreversible decomposition and using the pseudo-steady-state hypothesis (PSSH). This resulted in a first-order rate at low H2O2 concentrations and a zero order rate at high H2O2 concentrations. The rate constants were determined using the method of initial rates of hydrogen peroxide decomposition. Complexed iron catalysts extend the region of significant activity to pH 2–10 vs. 2–4 for Fenton's reagent (free iron catalyst). A rate expression for Fe(III) complexes was derived using a mechanism similar to that of free iron, except that a L–Fe–HO2 complex was reversibly formed, and subsequently decayed irreversibly into products. The pH plays a major role in the decomposition rate and was incorporated into the rate law by considering the metal complex specie, that is, EDTA–Fe–H, EDTA–Fe–(H2O), EDTA–Fe–(OH), or EDTA–Fe–(OH)2, as a separate complex with its unique kinetic coefficients. A model was then developed to describe the decomposition of H2O2 from pH 2–10 (initial rates = 1 × 10−4 to 1 × 10−7 M/s). In the neutral pH range (pH 6–9), the complexed iron catalyzed reactions still exhibited significant rates of reaction. At low pH, the Fe(II) was mostly uncomplexed and in the free form. The rate constants for the Fe(III)–L complexes are strongly dependent on the stability constant, KML, for the Fe(III)–L complex. The rates of reaction were in descending order NTA > EGTA > EDTA > DTPA, which are consistent with the respective log KMLs for the Fe(III) complexes. Because the method of initial rates was used, the mechanism does not include the subsequent reactions, which may occur. For the complexed iron systems, the peroxide also attacks the chelating agent and by-product-complexing reactions occur. Accordingly, the model is valid only in the initial stages of reaction for the complexed system. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 32: 24–35, 2000
Archivists as Educators: Integrating Primary Sources into the Curriculum.

Primary source materials are increasingly being thought of as curricular resources and archivists are being asked to play the role of educator. This article, based on the session “Archivists as Educators: Integrating Primary Sources into the Curriculum” looks at the role of the primary source in undergraduate and secondary school curricula and explores strategies for archivists faced with the expectation that they participate as educators. More specifically it is aimed at helping archivists move away from library based bibliographic instruction methods and encourages them to branch out and teach research methods more akin to information literacy for primary sources.
Willingness-to-pay and policy-instrument choice for climate-change policy in the United States

Abstract This paper provides the first willingness-to-pay (WTP) estimates in support of a national climate-change policy that are comparable with the costs of actual legislative efforts in the U.S. Congress. Based on a survey of 2034 American adults, we find that households are, on average, willing to pay between $79 and $89 per year in support of reducing domestic greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions 17% by 2020. Even very conservative estimates yield an average WTP at or above $60 per year. Taking advantage of randomized treatments within the survey valuation question, we find that mean WTP does not vary substantially among the policy instruments of a cap-and-trade program, a carbon tax, or a GHG regulation. But there are differences in the sociodemographic characteristics of those willing to pay across policy instruments. Greater education always increases WTP. Older individuals have a lower WTP for a carbon tax and a GHG regulation, while greater household income increases WTP for these same two policy instruments. Republicans, along with those indicating no political party affiliation, have a significantly lower WTP regardless of the policy instrument. But many of these differences are no longer evident after controlling for respondent opinions about whether global warming is actually happening.
Methyl‐substituted diindolylmethanes as inhibitors of estrogen‐induced growth of T47D cells and mammary tumors in rats

Diindolylmethane (DIM) is formed by acid catalyzed dimerization of the phytochemical indole‐3‐carbinol, and both compounds inhibit formation and/or growth of mammary tumors in rodents. In this study, we have investigated the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist activity and inhibitory AhR‐estrogen receptor crosstalk induced by the following methyl‐substituted DIMs: 1,1′‐dimethyl‐, 2,2′‐dimethyl‐, 5,5′‐dimethyl‐, 6,6′‐dimethyl‐, and 7,7′‐dimethylDIM and 1,1′,2,2′‐tetramethylDIM. The six compounds bound to the rat cytosolic AhR in a transformation assay but, at concentrations <10μM, exhibited minimal to non‐detectable AhR agonist or antagonist activities associated with CYP1A1 induction. In contrast, the methyl‐substituted DIMs inhibited estrogen‐induced T47D human breast cancer cell growth and the four most active compounds (1,1′‐, 2,2′‐, 5,5′‐dimethylDIM and 1,1′,2,2′‐tetramethylDIM) inhibited one or more estrogen‐induced responses in the 21‐day‐old female B6C3F1 mice at a dose of 100mg/kg/day (X3). Induction of hepatic CYP1A1‐dependent activity was not observed at this high dose. The antitumorigenic activity of these compounds was examined in 7,12‐dimethylbenz[a]anthracene‐induced rat mammary tumor model in which the DIM analogs were orally administered (by gavage in corn oil) at a dose of 1mg/kg/day (X10). 1,1′‐DimethylDIM, 5,5′‐dimethylDIM and 1,1′,2,2′‐tetramethylDIM significantly inhibited mammary tumor growth, and this was not accompanied by changes in organ/body weights or histopathology. These studies demonstrate that methyl‐substituted DIMs are selective AhR modulators (SAhRMs) with potential for clinical treatment of breast cancer.
Obtaining Distribution Functions by Numerical Inversion of Characteristic Functions with Applications

Abstract We review and discuss numerical inversion of the characteristic function as a tool for obtaining cumulative distribution functions. With the availability of high-speed computing and symbolic computation software, the method is ideally suited for instructional purposes, particularly in the illustration of the inversion theorems covered in graduate probability courses. The method is also available as an alternative to asymptotic approximations, Monte Carlo, or bootstrap techniques when analytic expressions for the distribution function are not available. We illustrate the method with several examples, including one which is concerned with the detection of possible clusters of disease in an epidemiologic study.
Modulation of retinal transducin and phosphodiesterase activities by synthetic peptides of the phosphodiesterase γ-subunit

Synthetic peptides corresponding to various regions of the light-activated guanosine 3′,5′-cyclic monophosphate phosphodiesterase (PDE) γ-subunit (PDEγ) from bovine retinal rod outer segments were synthesized and tested for their ability to inhibit PDE activity, and GTPase activity of transducin. One of these peptides, corresponding to PDEγ residues 31–45, inhibited PDE activity and GTPase activity in a dose-dependent manner. The GTPase activity was inhibited by PDEγ-3 non-competitively. This region of the PDEγ subunit may be involved in the direct interaction of transducin and PDEαβ with PDEγ.
The Achievements of Mid at Pasha as Governor of the Province of Syria, 1878–1880

To the people of the province of Syria, Midhat Pasha's appointment as their governor on 13 November 1878 was no ordinary event. Midhat was well known there, largely as a result of his involvement in the deposition of Sultan 'Abd al—'Azīz (1861–1876) and the declaration of the Constitution on 23 December 1876. He was frequently referred to as ‘the father of the free and the deposer of sultans.’ He came to the province of Syria with a well-founded reputation, having served three times as governor in the provinces of Bulgaria, Danube, and Baghdād, and twice as grand vizier, the second most important position in the Empire. The optimism and hope his appointment generated in the province were as genuine and deep as were the corruption and deterioration there. Lisān al-Hāl reflected this optimsim when it said: ‘Syria has had enough oppression and misery. It has been up till now a marketplace for governors and functionaries: they come to it empty-handed and leave with tired shoulders because of the heavy treasures they carry away. Undoubtedly, Midhat Pasha came to it as a tradesman, his merchandise being justice and reform.’
Maya Plisetskaya: Childhood, youth, and first triumphs, 1925–59

(1989). Maya Plisetskaya: Childhood, youth, and first triumphs, 1925–59. Dance Chronicle: Vol. 12, No. 1, pp. 1-47.
New Research on Gender in Political Psychology

This symposium consists of three papers written after a small mentoring conference, New Research on Gender in Political Psychology, which was held in New Brunswick, New Jersey, March 4–5, 2011. As junior scholars, we received a grant from the National Science Foundation (#SES-1014854) to organize a conference for the purposes of mentoring pretenure faculty and promoting scholarship on gender in political psychology. Each of the three articles in this symposium focuses on a different aspect of the conference.
Alteration of human pancreatic secretions by pancreatic and ampullary carcinoma. A computer-aided analysis of isoelectric focusing patterns

Abstract Human pancreatic secretions obtained from patients with pancreatic carcinoma and carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater differ significantly from those obtained from patients without pancreatic disease. Differences were also apparent between secretions from the two types of carcinoma cited above. This was shown by computer analysis of the isoelectric focusing protein patterns from 30 specimens. Average densitometric tracings ± the standard deviation were prepared by the computer for the acidic portion (pH 3–5.7) of the pH 3–10 isoelectric focusing patterns for each group of ten specimens. In this pH region 19 bands were located by the computer. The major bands had isoelectric points of 4.7, 5.0, 5.2, and 5.7.
Office acoustics—Effect of background noise

Abstract The need for ease of communication, privacy and freedom from annoyance determine the acoustic requirements for an office. In particular they lead to the control of the background noise. In some offices this means keeping noise levels down but in others it is necessary to introduce background noise to maximise privacy and to minimise annoyance.
New developments in the theory and interpretation of X-ray spectra based on fast parallel calculations.

There has been dramatic progress over the past decade both in theory and in ab initio calculations of X-ray absorption fine structure. Significant progress has also been made in understanding X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES). This contribution briefly reviews the developments in this field leading up to the current state. One of the key advances has been the development of several ab initio codes such as FEFF, which permit an interpretation of the spectra in terms of geometrical and electronic properties of a material. Despite this progress, XANES calculations have remained challenging both to compute and to interpret. However, recent advances based on parallel Lanczos multiple-scattering algorithms have led to speed increases of typically two orders of magnitude, making fast calculations practicable. Improvements in the interpretation of near-edge structure have also been made. It is suggested that these developments can be advantageous in structural biology, e.g. in post-genomics studies of metalloproteins.
IDENTIFICATION OF CHLOROPLAST COUPLING FACTOR BY FREEZE-ETCHING AND NEGATIVE-STAINING TECHNIQUES

Identification of chloroplast coupling factor particles, by the freeze-etching and negative-staining techniques, was made utilizing chloroplast thylakoids isolated from spinach leaves. Complete removal of particles, comparable in diameter to purified coupling factor particles, from the outer surface of freeze-etched thylakoids was achieved by treatment with 0.8% silicotungstate. Reappearance of particles, comparable in diameter to purified coupling factor particles, on the outer surface of freeze-etched thylakoids was demonstrated by combining silicotungstate-treated thylakoids with purified chloroplast coupling factor. Negative-staining results were in agreement with the freeze-etch data. The results demonstrate that the chloroplast coupling factor particles are exposed on the outer surface.
Problems with the popular theory of linear viscoelasticity

The popular theory of linear viscoelasticity based upon representations using distributions of relaxation or retardation times is shown to be a subset of admissible response functions for these materials. The essential missing feature in the popular theory is that it cannot yield a zero energy dissipation rate at short times or high frequencies. Consequently, truly elastic response from an energy point of view cannot be contained in such models of viscoelastic behavior. It is shown that this limitation can be removed if models which include molecular inertial effects are included. It is also shown that the free-energy functional and the energy-dissipation functional cannot be uniquely determined from the stress-strain response and that popular constraints placed on the relaxation functions are overly restrictive and limit otherwise admissible response.
The discontinuance of environmental technologies in the humid tropics of Costa Rica: results from a qualitative survey.

Previous studies in the Parismina watershed, Costa Rica, have revealed a high rate of discontinuance by one-time adopters of a suite of conservation farm technologies currently promoted by EARTH University. In the case of such technologies, the environmental benefits only accrue as long as the technology is in use. Most diffusion-adoption research is concerned with the process of initial adoption or rejection of particular innovations, with very few studies concentrating on the post-adoption stage which includes the continuance or discontinuance of the innovation. The objective of this study is to investigate why some farmers discontinue previously adopted environmental technologies while others continue to use them. Our results identify two general categories of factors influencing discontinuance: 1) factors related to specific characteristics of each technology and the additional labor required to maintain them; 2) factors springing from the wider socioeconomic context such as a change in farming practices or the devolution of responsibility for maintenance to a sole individual. We conclude by offering specific suggestions to extension agencies hoping to reduce levels of innovation discontinuance.
Modeling fast processes in semiconductors by Monte Carlo techniques

relaxation dynamics of nonequilibrium carriers in GaAs and other compounds. When coupled with detailed experimentalstudies, this knowledge can provide significant insight into the physics of carrier transport in semiconductors. Advances inthe compression techniques of laser optics have generated laser pulses as short as 6 fs, which allow us to extend the relatedoptical techniques into the few-femtosecond regime. These techniques have been used to measure the polarization dephasingrate, and the initial exponential decay time constant for carriers in the excitation volume (in phase space) in semiconductors[1-6]. Ultrafast scattering and relaxation processes in semiconductor materials, which occur on a time scale comparable to thepulse duration, affect the behavior and contribute to the performance limits of electronic and optoelectronic devices.
Economic Access to Effective Drugs for Falciparum Malaria

The increasing death toll from drug-resistant falciparum malaria is cause for international concern. In 2002, the US Agency for International Development commissioned the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to recommend global actions to ensure the broadest possible access to new, effective antimalarial treatments. In a report issued in 2004, the IOM Committee on Economics of Antimalarial Drugs recommended a global subsidy of 300 million dollars to 500 million dollars per year to replace increasingly ineffective drugs with coformulated artemisinin combination treatments to be distributed through public and private channels in affected areas. This approach allows the existing market to support the switch to new drugs and keeps treatment costs for consumers at levels similar to the current price of chloroquine. The leverage of an international subsidy of combination therapy can also discourage the distribution of monotherapies (such as solo artemisinins), the use of which might foster increasing resistance to antimalarial drugs in the future.
Estimates of the Effects of Canadian Tariff on Fresh Peach Imports From the United States

A spatial equilibrium single period model of the Canadian-United States fresh peach trade was constructed to evaluate the effect of the Canadian tariff on United States fresh peach exports to Canada, Canadian production, consumption and prices. The model consisted of fifteen United States and two Canadian producing regions, thirty-five United States and six Canadian consuming cities. Using historical trade patterns some but not all United States producing regions were permitted to ship to Canada and there were no Canadian shipments to the United States. Comparisons of the nontariff with the tariff solution vectors of production, trade, consumption and prices indicated that the tariff had only marginal effects on Canadian fresh peach imports from the United States and that Canadian consumption quantities and prices were only moderately affected. Un modele du marche aux peches au Canada et aux Etats-Unis fut construit pendant une seule periode afin d' evaluer les effets du tarif Canadien sur les exportations de peches Americaines au Canada, la production Canadienne, la consommation et les prix au detail. Le, modele fut compose de 15 regions de production Americaines et de deux regions Canadiennes, ainsi que 35 villes de consommation d' Amerique et six villes de Canada. En utilisant des donnees commerciales et historiques, quelquesunes, mais pas toutes les regions de production, avaient le droit d' exporter au Canada, et il n' y avait pas d' exportation aux Etats-Unis. Nous nous sommes servis de ce modele pour comparer les importations Canadiennes en franchise, la production, la consommation et les prix resultants a d' autres prix ou les tarifs s' appliquaient. Les resultats ont montre que le tarif Canadien affectait a peine les importations de peches fraiches des Etats-Unis et que la consommation Canadienne et les niveaux de prix ne subissaient qu' une legere modification.
Analysis of early embryonic great-vessel microcirculation in zebrafish using high-speed confocal μPIV.

In the developing cardiovascular system, hemodynamic vascular loading is critical for angiogenesis and cardiovas- cular adaptation. Normal zebrafish embryos with transgenically-labeled endothelial and red blood cells provide an excellent in vivo model for studying the fluid-flow induced vascular loading. To characterize the developmental hemodynamics of early embryonic great-vessel microcirculation in the zebrafish embryo, two complementary studies (experimental and numerical) are presented. Quantitative comparison of the wall shear stress (WSS) at the first aortic arch (AA1) of wild-type zebrafish embryos during two consecutive developmental stages is presented, using time-resolved confocal micro-particle image ve- locimetry (µPIV). Analysis showed that there was significant WSS difference between 32 and 48 h post-fertilization (hpf) wild-type embryos, which correlates with normal arch morphogenesis. The vascular distensibility of the arch wall at systole and the acceleration/deceleration rates of time-lapse phase-averaged streamwise blood flow curves were also analyzed. To es- timate the influence of a novel intermittent red-blood cell (RBC) loading on the endothelium, a numerical two-phase, volume of fluid (VOF) flow model was further developed with realistic in vivo conditions. These studies showed that near-wall effects and cell clustering increased WSS augmentation at a minimum of 15% when the distance of RBC from arch vessel wall was less than 3 µm or when RBC cell-to-cell distance was less than 3 µm. When compared to a smooth wall, the WSS augmentation increased by a factor of ∼1.4 due to the roughness of the wall created by the endothelial cell profile. These results quanti- tatively highlight the contribution of individual RBC flow patterns on endothelial WSS in great-vessel microcirculation and will benefit the quantitative understanding of mechanotransduction in embryonic great vessel biology, including arteriovenous malformations (AVM).
Counterpoint: Activation of the intrarenal renin-angiotensin system is the dominant contributor to systemic hypertension.

Our discussion regarding the dominant mechanism responsible for hypertension calls to mind the famous poem, “The Blind Men and the Elephant,” by John Godfrey Saxe based on an ancient fable from India. In essence, the blind men described the elephant based on their specific encounter, thus
Numerical simulation of crack growth in an isotropic solid with randomized internal cohesive bonds

Abstract A virtual internal bond (VIB) model with randomized cohesive interactions between material particles is proposed as an integration of continuum models with cohesive surfaces and atomistic models with interatomic bonding. This approach differs from an atomistic model in that a phenomenological “cohesive force law” is assumed to act between “material particles” which are not necessarily atoms; it also differs from a cohesive surface model in that, rather than imposing a cohesive law along a prescribed set of discrete surfaces, a randomized network of cohesive bonds is statistically incorporated into the constitutive law of the material via the Cauchy-Born rule, i.e., by equating the strain energy function on the continuum level to the potential energy stored in the cohesive bonds due to an imposed deformation. This work is motivated by the notion that materials exhibit multiscale cohesive behaviors ranging from interatomic bonding to macroscopic ductile failure. It is shown that the linear elastic behavior of the VIB model is isotropic and obeys the Cauchy relation; the instantaneous elastic properties under equibiaxial stretching are transversely isotropic, with all the in-plane components of the material tangent moduli vanishing at the cohesive stress limit; the instantaneous properties under equitriaxial stretching are isotropic with a finite strain modulus. We demonstrate through two preliminary numerical examples that the VIB model can be applied in direct simulation of crack growth without a presumed fracture criterion. The prospect of this type of approach in numerical simulations of fracture seems to be highly promising.
Physiological mechanisms for food-hoarding motivation in animals

The study of ingestive behaviour has an extensive history, starting as early as 1918 when Wallace Craig, an animal behaviourist, coined the terms ‘appetitive’ and ‘consummatory’ for the two-part sequence of eating, drinking and sexual behaviours. Since then, most ingestive behaviour research has focused on the neuroendocrine control of food ingestion (consummatory behaviour). The quantity of food eaten, however, is also influenced by the drive both to acquire and to store food (appetitive behaviour). For example, hamster species have a natural proclivity to hoard food and preferentially alter appetitive ingestive behaviours in response to environmental changes and/or metabolic hormones and neuropeptides, whereas other species would instead primarily increase their food intake. Therefore, with the strong appetitive component to their ingestive behaviour that is relatively separate from their consummatory behaviour, they seem an ideal model for elucidating the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying the control of food hoarding and foraging. This review focuses on the appetitive side of ingestive behaviour, in particular food hoarding, attempting to integrate what is known about the neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating this relatively poorly studied behaviour. An hypothesis is formed stating that the direction of ‘energy flux’ is a unifying factor for the control of food hoarding.