cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
More information is more information: Working memory and visual context

Listeners with cochlear implants demonstrate diminished auditory-verbal working memory capacities, possibly due to a lack of durable codes in the memory buffer. Earlier studies suggest that the context provided by lip-read information should enhance those codes, with both the phonological form and dynamic nature of lip-read signals contributing to this facilitative effect. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that lip-read signals would make uniquely beneficial contributions to the recognition of degraded speech. To test this hypothesis, three kinds of signals were used: unprocessed words, vocoded words, and nonspeech environmental sounds. Two kinds of visual enhancements were applied: (1) dynamic signals specifying the event that generated the signal or (2) pictures representing the object named or creating the signal. Eighty young adults with normal hearing were asked to recall order of eight-item lists in a closed-set format. All listeners heard lists in all three signal conditions (unprocessed, vocoded, environmental sounds) but half recalled order in each visual-enhancement condition. Adding lip-read information improved accuracy and eased cognitive demands for recall of vocoded words, but other visual information provided benefits as well, calling into question previous claims of the specialness of dynamic facial movements.Listeners with cochlear implants demonstrate diminished auditory-verbal working memory capacities, possibly due to a lack of durable codes in the memory buffer. Earlier studies suggest that the context provided by lip-read information should enhance those codes, with both the phonological form and dynamic nature of lip-read signals contributing to this facilitative effect. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that lip-read signals would make uniquely beneficial contributions to the recognition of degraded speech. To test this hypothesis, three kinds of signals were used: unprocessed words, vocoded words, and nonspeech environmental sounds. Two kinds of visual enhancements were applied: (1) dynamic signals specifying the event that generated the signal or (2) pictures representing the object named or creating the signal. Eighty young adults with normal hearing were asked to recall order of eight-item lists in a closed-set format. All listeners heard lists in all three signal conditions (unp...
Measurement of gas detonation blast loads in semiconfined geometry

Abstract The ignition and explosion of combustible vapor clouds represents a significant hazard across a range of industries. In this work, a new set of gas detonations experiments were performed to provide benchmark blast loading data for non-trivial geometry and explosion cases. The experiments were designed to represent two different accident scenarios: one where ignition of the vapor cloud occurs shortly after release and another where ignition is delayed and a fuel concentration gradient is allowed to develop. The experiments focused on hydrogen-air and methane-oxygen detonations in a semiconfined enclosure with TNT equivalencies ranging from 9 g to 1.81 kg. High-rate pressure transducers were used to record the blast loads imparted on the interior walls of a 1.8 m × 1.8 m × 1.8 m test fixture. Measurements included detonation wave velocity, peak overpressure, impulse, and positive phase duration. A comparison of the pressure and impulse measurements with several VCE models is provided. Results show that even for the most simplified experimental configuration, the simplified VCE models fail to provide predictions of the blast loading on the internal walls of the test fixture. It is shown that the confinement geometry of the experiment resulted in multiple blast wave reflections during the initial positive phase duration portion of the blast loading, and thus, significantly larger blast impulse values were measured than those predicted by analytical models. For the pressure sensors that experienced normally-reflect blast waves for the initial blast impulse, the Baker-Strehlow and TNT equivalency models still struggled to accurately capture the peak overpressure and reflected impulse. The TNO multi-energy model, however, performed better for the case of simple normally-reflected blast waves. The results presented here may be used as validation data for future model or simulation development.
Burden of Psychiatric Disorders among Pediatric and Young Adults with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Population-Based Analysis.

Purpose There is increasing prevalence of psychiatric disorders among inflammatory bowel Disease (IBD) population. Further, presence of psychiatric disorders has been shown as an independent predictor of quality of life among patients with IBD. We intended to explore the prevalence of various psychiatric disorders among pediatric and young adult population with IBD as a population-based analysis. Methods We did a retrospective case control analysis using a deidentified cloud-based database including health care data across 26 health care networks comprising of more than 360 hospitals across USA. Data collected across different hospitals were classified and stored according to Systematized Nomenclature of Medicine-Clinical Terms. We preidentified 10 psychiatric disorders and the queried the database for the presence of at least one of the ten psychiatric disorders among IBD patients between 5 and 24 years of age and compared with controls. Results Total of 11,316,450 patients in the age group between 5 and 24 years and the number of patients with a diagnosis of IBD, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis were 58,020. The prevalence of psychiatric disorders was 21.6% among IBD mainly comprising of depression and anxiety disorder. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed, IBD is 5 times more likely associated with psychiatric disorders than controls, p<0.001). We showed a steady increasing trend in the incidence of psychiatric disorders among IBD patients (2% in 2006 to 15% in 2017). Conclusion Largest population-based analysis demonstrated an increased prevalence of psychiatric disorders among IBD patients. Our study emphasizes the need for psychological and mental health services to be incorporated as a part of the routine IBD clinic.
An identity mis-match? The impact of self-reported competition level on the association between athletic identity and disordered eating behaviors

Abstract Objective Self-reported level of sport competition was examined as a potential moderator of the association between athletic identity and disordered eating behaviors among college students. Method Participants were a subset of individuals from a larger study who self-identified as athletes (N = 194; 39.7% female). Questionnaires were completed online and included measures of athletic identity and disordered eating behaviors, as well as items assessing level of sport competition, frequency of physical activity per week both in and out of sport, anthropometrics, and demographic information. Moderation was tested in a multiple linear regression. Results Controlling for physical activity levels, gender, and BMI, self-reported level of competition moderated the association between athletic identity and disordered eating behaviors (b = −0.01, p = .038; 95% CI = −0.026, −0.0008). Among individuals competing at lower levels of sport competition, higher athletic identity was associated with more disordered eating behaviors (b = −0.05, p = .013; CI = −0.193, −0.024). Discussion A mismatch between athletic identity and sport competition level was associated disordered eating behaviors. Individuals engaging in sport at a “non-competitive” level may be an under-identified and under-served population. A mis-match between athletic identity and sport competition level may be a risk factor for disordered eating. Data availability statement The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Colloidal Palladium Nanoparticles for Selective Hydrogenation of Styrene Derivatives with Reactive Functional Groups.

This article presents the catalysis investigation of octanethiolate-capped palladium nanoparticles (C8 PdNP) and phenylethanethiolate-capped palladium nanoparticles (PhC2 PdNP) for chemoselective c...
Abnormal Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) Epitaxial Growth in FinFETs

In an advanced complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology node, small nano-scopic defects tend to have a significant impact on the yield and reliability of the final product. As the technology advances in fin field-effect-transistors (FinFETs), it has become increasingly challenging to control the extent of defects while also ensuring that the desired processing parameters are in place. The process of selective epitaxial growth of silicon-germanium (SiGe) on source/drain (S/D) regions is especially prone to defects due to the complexity of the process, thus giving a very narrow processing window to achieve the desired device, yield and reliability results. In this paper we evaluate a critical defect of “Abnormal epi” seen during the selective epitaxial growth of in-situ boron (B) doped SiGe on FinFETs. Abnormal epi here refers to abnormally large and spurious epitaxial growth defect occurring as random instances on a wafer die. These defects, depending on where in the layout they occur, can lead to catastrophic failure under higher test voltages due to the physical shorting of n and p FET devices. We also explore the process parameters which influence this defect including incoming surface conditions and propose mechanisms that lead to the defect. Further, an optimization of the processing parameters in the integration scheme to minimize the occurrence of these defects leads to yield gain and cost savings required for high volume manufacturing.
Trial of restarting and tolerating metformin (TreatMet)

This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, n-of-1 crossover study assessed whether metformin's side effects are reproducible in patients with a history of metformin intolerance. Participants completed up to four cycles of 2 weeks of metformin exposure and 2 weeks of placebo exposure. Participants completed surveys based on the Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale and the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication. The primary hypotheses were that treatment satisfaction would be equal for placebo and metformin and that more than 30% of the study enrollees would be able to adhere to a higher dose of metformin 6 months after participation. Thirteen patients (all women, mean age 52.4 years) enrolled, three of whom were lost to follow-up or were non-adherent to study protocol. Metformin was associated with significantly lower global treatment satisfaction scores compared with placebo (39.58 vs. 53.75, P < .05 ) but participants could not distinguish metformin from placebo and did not report higher rates of gastrointestinal side effects on metformin. Two out of 10 participants adhered to a higher dose of metformin after trial completion. Metformin appears to have barriers to use beyond its classic gastrointestinal side effects.
Family-based association analysis identifies variance-controlling loci without confounding by genotype-environment correlations

The propensity of a trait to vary within a population may have evolutionary, ecological, or clinical significance. In the present study we deploy sibling models to offer a novel and unbiased way to ascertain loci associated with the extent to which phenotypes vary (variance-controlling quantitative trait loci, or vQTLs). Previous methods for vQTL-mapping either exclude genetically related individuals or treat genetic relatedness among individuals as a complicating factor addressed by adjusting estimates for non-independence in phenotypes. The present method uses genetic relatedness as a tool to obtain unbiased estimates of variance effects rather than as a nuisance. The family-based approach, which utilizes random variation between siblings in minor allele counts at a locus, also allows controls for parental genotype, mean effects, and non-linear (dominance) effects that may spuriously appear to generate variation. Simulations show that the approach performs equally well as two existing methods (squared Z-score and DGLM) in controlling type I error rates when there is no unobserved confounding, and performs significantly better than these methods in the presence of confounding. Using height and BMI as empirical applications, we investigate SNPs that alter within-family variation in height and BMI, as well as pathways that appear to be enriched. One significant SNP for BMI variability, in the MAST4 gene, replicated. Pathway analysis revealed one gene set, encoding members of several signaling pathways related to gap junction function, which appears significantly enriched for associations with within-family height variation in both datasets (while not enriched in analysis of mean levels). We recommend approximating laboratory random assignment of genotype using family data and more careful attention to the possible conflation of mean and variance effects.
High-temperature stable FBGs fabricated by a point-by-point femtosecond laser inscription for multi-parameter sensing

A high-temperature resistant fiber Bragg grating (FBG) with pronounced cladding modes is fabricated using a simple, fast, and flexible point-by-point femtosecond laser inscription. Cladding modes of different orders exhibit various sensitivities to changes in refractive index of the surrounding medium and temperature, while the Bragg wavelength is only dependent on the ambient temperature. By combining the resonance of cladding modes and the Bragg resonance, measurement of variations of temperature and surrounding refractive index can be achieved. Survivability of the cladding modes and the core mode in the fabricated FBG at elevated temperatures up to 1000°C is demonstrated.
Gross and Microscopic Observations on Some Biota from Deep Water Dumpsite 106

Euphausiids were infested on the appendages with phoronts of an apostome ciliate and also had foci of melanization in the gills. The isopod, Idotea, showed patchy lack of pigmentation, particularly in the telson, and edematous gills. Heteropod mollusks had larval cestode infestions, neoplasialike lesions, and other cell abnormalities. Examination of leptocephali revealed possible traumatic lesions and developmental anomalies. Microbial testing for the presence of mutagens promises to be a very useful method for monitoring pollution in the ocean.
The return to retail and the performance of US banks

Abstract The US banking industry is experiencing a renewed focus on retail banking, a trend often attributed to the stability and profitability of retail activities. This paper examines the impact of banks’ retail intensity on performance from 1997 to 2004 by developing three complementary definitions of retail intensity (retail loan share, retail deposit share, and branches per dollar of assets) and comparing these measures with both equity market and accounting measures of performance. We find that an increased focus on retail banking across US banks is linked with significantly lower equity market and accounting returns for all banks, but lower volatility for only the largest banking companies. We conclude that retail banking may be a relatively stable activity, but it is also a low return one.
The SR-protein Npl3 is an essential component of the meiotic splicing regulatory network in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The meiotic gene expression program in Saccharomyces cerevisiae involves regulated splicing of meiosis-specific genes via multiple splicing activators (e.g. Mer1, Nam8, Tgs1). Here, we show that the SR protein Npl3 is required for meiotic splicing regulation and is essential for proper execution of the meiotic cell cycle. The loss of Npl3, though not required for viability in mitosis, caused intron retention in meiosis-specific transcripts, inefficient meiotic double strand break processing and an arrest of the meiotic cell cycle. The targets of Npl3 overlapped in some cases with other splicing regulators, while also having unique target transcripts that were not shared. In the absence of Npl3, splicing defects for three transcripts (MER2, HOP2 and SAE3) were rescued by conversion of non-consensus splice sites to the consensus sequence. Methylation of Npl3 was further found to be required for splicing Mer1-dependent transcripts, indicating transcript-specific mechanisms by which Npl3 supports splicing. Together these data identify an essential function for the budding yeast SR protein Npl3 in meiosis as part of the meiotic splicing regulatory network.
Longitudinal variance of Donor-Derived Cell-Free DNA (dd-cfDNA) in Stable Kidney Transplant (KTx) patients are influenced by donor/recipient variables.

BACKGROUND The longitudinal time-course of dd-cfDNA after kidney transplant (KTx) is not well-described. The cut off values of dd-cfDNA in KTx derive from biopsy-coupled single measurements. Meaningful interpretation necessitates understanding of: (1) time variance of dd-cfDNA levels post-KTx, (2) factors determining biologic variability, and (3) relationship to donor and recipient characteristics. We hypothesized that an understanding of the aforementioned factors would better inform clinical decision-making using dd-cfDNA. METHODS One hundred and twenty five KTx patients with dd-cfDNA obtained longitudinally were included. Univariate analyses were directed at inter-patient variability and intra-patient inter-occasion variability of dd-cfDNA. Multivariate linear regression was used in analyses accounting for repeat measures. RESULTS At 1-month post KTx median dd-cfDNA: (1) were higher in repeat KTx (.57%, P < .001), and dual KTx (1.10%, P = ns) versus a first KTx (.31%); (2) showed a significant difference in donor after cardiac death (DCD [.45%]) versus living related (LRD [.27%]) donors (P = .036). Longitudinal (1-3 months) dd-cfDNA measurements showed a significant downtrend for all donor types. Panel-reactive antibodies (PRA) were positively correlated with dd-cfDNA. CONCLUSIONS Repeat Tx, dual Tx, DCD, and PRA are associated with a higher dd-cfDNA. Incorporation of donor/recipient variables and time down post transplant is material for rational interpretation of dd-cfDNA.
A comparative study of oriented perforating and fracture initiation in seven shale gas plays

Abstract Oriented perforating strategies have been proposed as a method of suppressing fracture initiation pressures and optimizing the orientation of the initiated fractures, including a semi-empirical approach for predicting the fracture initiation pressure for given in-situ stress conditions and the orientation of fracture initiation (longitudinal or transverse-to-the-wellbore). In this study, a comparative analysis is made on the fracture initiation in stress conditions found in seven prolific shale gas plays, Barnett, Bakken, Fayetteville, Haynesville, Niobrara, Marcellus and Vaca Muerta, for cases of horizontal wells drilled parallel to the least horizontal principal stress. The developed semi-empirical approach is employed to determine the optimal perforation direction for each play, targeting transverse fracture initiation and fracture initiation pressure minimization. This involves a numerical model used to derive correction factors for closed-form analytical approximations from the literature, which are used to evaluate the stresses acting on the perforation base. While the leak-off and breakdown pressures can easily be pointed out from pressure monitoring, the fracture initiation pressures are not easily distinguishable. Reliable fracture initiation pressure estimations are of importance to stimulation engineers planning a treatment, as it controls the number and capacity of the injection pumps needed as well as being a major input for computational modeling. For normal faulting stress states, transverse fracture initiation is best promoted by perforations on the side of the hole, while for strike-slip faulting stress states, by perforations on the top of the hole. When only longitudinal fracture initiation is possible, the fracture initiation pressure is minimized from perforations on top of the borehole in normal faulting stress states and from the side of the borehole for strike-slip faulting stress states. Fracturing fluid leakage around the wellbore makes transverse fracture initiation harder and can also impact the fracture initiation pressures.
Velocity random walk and dynamic range of laser-driven precision optomechanical inertial accelerometers

Here we present a full study and characterization of our fabricated precision optomechanical accelerometer with an 8.2 µg/Hz1/2 VRW and 50.9 µg/Hz bias stability, with innovative RF readout, suitable for inertial applications.
Racial and ethnic disparities in treatment response and tolerability in multiple sclerosis: A comparative study.

Abstract Background Inter-individual response and tolerability profiles associated with available disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) are an important aspect of the therapeutic decision-making process in multiple sclerosis (MS). In the absence of racially diverse clinical studies, the possible effect of race and ethnicity on treatment outcome remains uncertain. This study aims to compare disease outcome among Hispanic, Black, and White patients with MS, and assess the impact of race/ethnicity on long-term outcome. Methods A retrospective review of electronic medical records was performed on a multiethnic cohort of MS patients treated in a large academic center. Sociodemographic characteristics, treatment regimens, and disability outcomes were compared between the three groups. Results A total of 300 age- and gender-matched MS patients (100 Hispanic, 100 Black, and 100 White) were included in the study. When assessing the overall survival of MS patients without ambulatory disability 5 years from diagnosis, Hispanics and Blacks attained lower survival times compared to Whites (survival time ratio [STR] 0.17, p = 0.004; and 0.14, p = 0.002, respectively). Black patients had the highest rate of disease progression and treatment-limiting adverse events despite similar sociodemographic profiles and DMT exposure relative to Hispanics and Whites. Conclusion Racial/ethnic disparities in treatment outcome create an unmet need to identify tailored, multifaceted approaches to therapy selection in MS.
Customer Relationships, Privacy, and Security in Social Commerce

Social commerce is a new development in e-commerce and social networks. Consumers belonging to various social communities of interest often rely on information generated by these communities to mak...
The Limbic Memory Circuit and the Neural Basis of Contextual Memory.

Abstract The hippocampus, retrosplenial cortex and anterior thalamus are key components of a neural circuit known to be involved in a variety of memory functions, including spatial, contextual and episodic memory. In this review, we focus on the role of this circuit in contextual memory processes. The background environment, or context, is a powerful cue for memory retrieval, and neural representations of the context provide a mechanism for efficiently retrieving relevant memories while avoiding interference from memories that belong to other contexts. Data from experimental lesions and neural manipulation techniques indicate that each of these regions is critical for contextual memory. Neurophysiological evidence from the hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex suggest that contextual information is represented within this circuit by population-level neural firing patterns that reliably differentiate each context a subject encounters. These findings indicate that encoding contextual information to support context-dependent memory retrieval is a key function of this circuit.
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene family: structure of nicotinic receptors from muscle and neurons and neuronal alpha-bungarotoxin-binding proteins.

Three branches of the ligand-gated ion channel gene superfamily encode proteins that bind cholinergic ligands: 1) nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) from skeletal muscle, 2) nicotinic AChRs from neurons, and 3) α-bungarotoxin-binding proteins (αBgtBPs) from neurons. AChRs from vertebrate muscles and nerves differ in subunit composition, and in some cases in functional role, but both appear to be formed from several homologous subunits which form ACh-gated cation channels. αBgtBPs from vertebrate neurons have uncertain subunit compositions, uncertain endogenous ligands, and unknown functions. The ligand-gated ion channel gene superfamily also includes receptors for GABA and glycine, which are ligand-gated anion channels, and it probably also includes other ligand-gated ion channels (Barnard et al., 1987; Betz and Becker, 1988). The relation of glutamate receptors to this superfamily is less certain (Gregor et al., 1989; Hollmann et al., 1989; Wada et al., 1989).
ENDOCRINE CONTROL OF YOLK SAC MEMBRANE GLYCOGEN LEVELS IN THE DEVELOPING CHICK EMBRYO. I. GLUCAGON.

Abstract The study of the effects of exogenous glucagon on glycogen concentrations in various organs of the developing chick embryo has been extended to the yolk sac membrane. Three series of eggs were prepared. Normal yolk sac membrane glycogen concentrations were determined at daily intervals from day 3.00 to 20.00 of incubation. Glucagon (300 μg) was administered to embryos on days 3.00, 4.00, 6.00, 8.00, 10.00, 12.00, 14.00, and 16.00 of incubation. Controls received appropriate amounts of glucagon-vehicle. Normal yolk sac membrane glycogen levels remain relatively constant during the first 2 weeks of incubation. However, during the incubation interval of 14–16 days, the glycogen levels have increased, and by the 18th day of incubation the glycogen concentration has more than doubled that of day 14. In contrast, the period of 18–20 days of incubation is characterized by a precipitous drop in this yolk sac membrane polysaccharide. In the experimental series, statistically significant decreases of yolk sac membrane glycogen levels occurred 0.25 day after glucagon administration in all intervals studied with the exception of days 3.00 and 16.00. On day 3.00 the glycogen levels were unaffected by hormonal addition, while on day 16.00 the depletion of yolk sac membrane glycogen occurred at 0.125 day with a return to normal by 0.25 day. The other recovery times varied from 0.50 to 1.00 day posthormone addition with the exception of day 8.00, where recovery had not occurred in the first 24 hours. The observation of Dieterlen-Lievre [Compt. Rend. Acad. Sci., 256, 1597 (1963)] that 3-day dorsal pancreatic anlage, when grown in juxtaposition to 6-day chick embryo liver inhibits glycogen formation, coupled with the data of the present investigation, suggests that the chick embryo may well exert hormonal control over glycogenolysis in the yolk sac membrane.
Descartes, Malherbe, Madame de Sevigne, Fenelon, Mademoiselle de Scudery, Scarron, Saint-Evremond

The present discussion of literary figures of the seventeenth century opens with Descartes, because of his importance, even though he appeared as stage character several years later than some of the other figures did.
Evaluating Predators and Competitors in Wisconsin Red Pine Forests for Attraction to Mountain Pine Beetle Pheromones for Anticipatory Biological Control

Mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is an irruptive tree-killing species native to pine forests of western North America. Two potential pathways of spread to eastern forests have recently been identified. First, warming temperatures have driven range expansion from British Columbia into Albertan jack pine forests that are contiguous with the Great Lakes region. Second, high temperatures and drought have fostered largescale outbreaks within the historical range, creating economic incentives to salvage killed timber by transporting logs to midwestern markets, which risks accidental introduction. We evaluated the extent to which local predators and competitors that exploit bark beetle semiochemicals would respond to D. ponderosae in Wisconsin. We emulated D. ponderosae attack by deploying lures containing synthetic aggregation pheromones with and without host tree compounds and blank control traps in six red pine plantations over 2 yr. Predator populations were high in these stands, as evidenced by catches in positive control traps, baited with pheromones of local bark beetles and were deployed distant from behavioral choice plots. Only one predator, Thanasimus dubius F. (Coleoptera: Cleridae) was attracted to D. ponderosae's aggregation pheromones relative to blank controls, and its attraction was relatively weak. The most common bark beetles attracted to these pheromones were lower stem and root colonizers, which likely would facilitate rather than compete with D. ponderosae. There was some, but weak, attraction of potentially competing Ips species. Other factors that might influence natural enemy impacts on D. ponderosae in midwestern forests, such as phenological synchrony and exploitation of male-produced pheromones, are discussed.
Widespread expression of rat collapsin response-mediated protein 4 in the telencephalon and other areas of the adult rat central nervous system.

The rat collapsin response-mediated protein 4 (rCRMP-4) is a member of a family of proteins that are involved in axonal growth. It is found transiently in postmitotic neurons, such as those that are generated in the adult hippocampus. The authors used immunocytochemistry to investigate whether areas of the rat central nervous system (CNS) that retain postnatal neurogenesis express this protein. They found pronounced rCRMP-4 immunoreactivity in recently generated cells in the dentate granular layer, the subventricular zone, the olfactory bulbs, and the rostral migratory stream, four areas in which the production or migration of neurons occurs in adulthood. However, rCRMP-4 immunoreactivity also is expressed in many other regions of the rat brain in which there is no record of adult neurogenesis or neuronal migration, e.g., in the olfactory glomeruli and in neurons of the cerebral cortex. In the hypothalamus, intensely rCRMP-4-labeled neurons populated the supraoptic, paraventricular, and periventricular nuclei as well as the median eminence and the arcuate nucleus. Immunoreactivity for rCRMP-4 also was present in certain neurons of the interpeduncular nucleus, median raphe, superior colliculus, and scattered granule cerebellar neurons. Many of these regions are known to display axonal outgrowth and/or synaptic rearrangement in adulthood and to coexpress the polysialylated form of the neural cell adhesion molecule. Thus, the results of this study suggest that rCRMP-4 expression in the CNS is associated with cells that are migrating or are undergoing axonal growth. Nevertheless, small, rCRMP-4-immunoreactive cells were seen throughout the brain. These cells did not express neuronal, astroglial, or microglial markers, although some of them also were immunoreactive for rip antibody, suggesting an oligodendroglial lineage.
Analysis of the ring-closure probabilities of isotropic wormlike chains: Application to duplex DNA

The configurational properties of an isotropically bendable wormlike chain have been investigated using a Monte Carlo approach. In particular, radial distributions for end-to-end separation, ring closure probabilities, and the angular correlation of the two ends of the chain have all been determined as a function of the contour length of the chain. The results of this analysis, when applied to the data of Shore et al. [(1981) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA78, 4833–4837] for the length dependence of ring closure for doublehelical DNA, yields a value for the persistence length of DNA in remarkable agreement with earlier hydrodynamic studies.
‘Mɔn’ (to marry/to cook): negotiating becoming a wife and woman in the kitchens of a northern Ghanaian Konkomba community

In this article, I consider the kitchen as domestic space that is at once gendered and gendering in its construction and use by women as they negotiate their social position across the life course. Deeply rooted patriarchal values structure Konkomba society in northern Ghana, and a woman's role is to be a wife, to prepare food in support of her husband's family and community. Although the normative definition of woman's role in society stems from a clear-cut division of labor between women and men, a woman must negotiate her social position and ability to fulfill these labor obligations; she becomes a woman and wife by working to gain access to and control over resources and labor. I explore the shifting dynamics of women's work and social position across the life course, emphasizing the transition from young woman to woman-as-wife-as-cook in her husband's community. These negotiations take place in the kitchen – a fiercely feminine space in which a woman becomes a wife when she earns the right to place h...
Low-cost alternative to GPS for determining coordinates of large sensor nets

In many applications, sensors can be precisely placed to optimally achieve their intended monitoring function. However circumstances arise in which sensors must be delivered to a remote location by air drop or from gun launched projectiles due to presence of hostile forces and environments or unavailability of resources for their accurate placement. Consequently, sensors are distributed in a random pattern. This paper presents an approach to locating each sensor in the net from a remote location. It further describes an approach to propagating the coordinates to a remote control point and identifying the coordinates of sensors activated by intrusion.© (1997) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Locomotion of C. elegans: A Piecewise-Harmonic Curvature Representation of Nematode Behavior

Caenorhabditis elegans, a free-living soil nematode, displays a rich variety of body shapes and trajectories during its undulatory locomotion in complex environments. Here we show that the individual body postures and entire trails of C. elegans have a simple analytical description in curvature representation. Our model is based on the assumption that the curvature wave is generated in the head segment of the worm body and propagates backwards. We have found that a simple harmonic function for the curvature can capture multiple worm shapes during the undulatory movement. The worm body trajectories can be well represented in terms of piecewise sinusoidal curvature with abrupt changes in amplitude, wavevector, and phase.
The Social Injustice of the HIV/AIDS Epidemic

The ability to manage the medical aspects of HIV, and its sequelae, has considerably advanced since the first years of the epidemic. With the discovery and routine use of antiretroviral agents, clinicians have been able to substantially slow disease progression, improve quality of life, and lessen HIV-related morbidity and mortality in the United States. With an increased awareness and education among the general population about HIV-related risk behaviors and manifestations, routine testing facilitating early diagnosis and treatment has accelerated referral to care, decreasing the burden of disease on HIV-positive persons. Despite these many successes, as the third decade of the epidemic begins, HIV/AIDS continues to be a disease characterized by stigma and social injustice. According to Kneipp and Snider (2001), social justice occurs when “there is an equitable bearing of burdens and reaping of benefits in society” (p. 113). In other words, social justice principles require that we control the hazards of this world to prevent death and disability through organized collective action shared equally by all (Beauchamp & Steinbock, 1999, p. 105). Operating in the model of social justice, we must unite as a community, both locally and globally, in order to decrease the inequitable burden of HIV disease on vulnerable populations.
Video analytics using beyond CMOS devices

The human vision system understands and interprets complex scenes for a variety of visual tasks in real-time while consuming less than 20 Watts of power. The holistic design of artificial vision systems that will approach and eventually exceed the capabilities of human vision systems is a grand challenge. The design of such a system needs advances in multiple disciplines. This paper focuses on advances needed in the computational fabric and provides an overview of a new-genre of architectures inspired by advances in both the understanding of the visual cortex and the emergence of devices with new mechanisms for state computations.
Dance and status in Swahili society

In this paper I illustrate how dancing, as one aspect of ngoma, is one of many status‐laden activities in Swahili society. Through a brief introductory analysis of distinctive structured movement patterns, the reader can see exactly how understanding of the uses of the body itself and the space around it contributes to our understanding of the nuances of social roles and the differentiation of Swahili social status on the coast of post‐independent Kenya.
A Procedure for Selecting Educational Goal Areas for Emphasis

This paper presents a description of a procedure for identifying educational goal areas to be emphasized in elementary schools; it produces an index number for each goal area that approximates the incremental increase in the decision-maker's utility function arising from emphasizing it. This utility function is defined on performance measures for a group of students. The procedure has been simplified to the extent that elementary school principals can be expected to perform the required computations without assistance.
An Ontology-Based Framework for Model-Driven Analysis of Situations in Data Centers

The capability to analyze systems and applications is commonly needed in data centers to address diverse problems such as root cause analysis of performance problems and failures, investigation of security attack propagation, and problem determination for predictive maintenance. Such analysis is typically facilitated by a hodgepodge of procedural code and scripts representing heuristics to be applied, and configuration databases representing state. As entities in the data center and relationships among them change, it is a challenge to keep the analysis tools up-to-date. We describe a framework that is based primarily on the principle of interpreting declarative representations of knowledge rather than capturing such knowledge in procedural code, and a variety of techniques for facilitating the continuous update of knowledge and state. A metamodel representing data center-specific domain knowledge forms the foundation for the framework. A model of the data center topological elements is an instantiation of the metamodel. Using the framework, we present a methodology for conducting a variety of analyses as a model-driven topology subgraph traversal, governed by knowledge embedded in the corresponding metamodel nodes. We apply the methodology to perform root cause analysis of performance problems in the domains of 3-tier Web and InfoSphere Streams applications.
Reliability and validity of self-report data of homeless mentally ill individuals

Self-report measures used with homeless mentally ill clients exhibited moderate to high internal consistency coefficients. There was modest agreement between clients and case managers regarding the utilization of most services. However, clients and case managers exhibited little agreement regarding the use of scheduled counseling, supportive counseling, use of day programs, and substance abuse services. Clients and trained interviewers exhibited modest agreement regarding the presence of most psychiatric symptoms and the need for treatment, but there was little agreement between interviewers and clients regarding psychotic symptoms.
Global Solutions and Stability for Self-Gravitating Isentropic Gases☆

Abstract The global solution to the radial motion of self-gravitating gases is studied. The global approximate solutions are constructed by a generalized shock capturing method. The nonlocal terms are carefully estimated. The uniform estimate of the approximate solutions is obtained. The convergence of the approximate solutions is proved by the compensated compactness method. The global existence of weak entropy solution with arbitrarily large L ∞ initial data is then established.
Effects of End-Block Associating Homopolymers on the Thermomechanical Properties and Phase Behavior of a Triblock Copolymer

The effects of low molecular weight poly(xylenyl ether) (PXE) homopolymers on the phase behavior and thermomechanical properties of a poly{styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene} triblock copolymer (SEBS) are reported. The PXE homopolymers associate with the polystyrene (PS) end blocks of the copolymer and lead to significant property enhancements, including elevation and extension of the rubbery plateau, an increase in the room temperature shear modulus, elevation of the glass transition of the glassy microphase, and an increase in the order−disorder transition temperature. The broad nature of the loss transitions for the mixed microphase of PS and PXE indicates that solubilized PXE is heterogeneously distributed within the PS microdomains, locating preferentially at the center of the microdomain. Miscibility of the homopolymers within the end-block microdomains is limited as evidenced by the observation of macrophase formation above a critical homopolymer concentration. Experimental phase and proper...
Markdown optimization with an inventory-depletion effect

The objective of markdown optimization is to find a monotonically decreasing sequence of merchandise prices that maximizes the revenue subject to inventory constraint and demand dependence on time, price and inventory level. This article examines the adverse effect of inventory depletion on the consumer demand also known as broken-assortment effect. Using certain popular demand models, we derive a closed-form analytical solution for optimal price as a function of time. On the basis of this solution, we propose an open-loop discrete time price policy with prices selected from a predefined set. The policy is evaluated with real-life sales data by computing associated regret measures.
The Patterning of Work Meanings which are Coterminous with Work Outcome Levels for Individuals in Japan, Germany and the USA

L'analyse des donnees relatives a la signification du travail fournies par des echantillons representatifs des travailleurs allemands, japonais et americains montre qu'il existe une relation etroite entre les modeles individuals de signification du travail et les scores sur des variables dependantes generale-ment considerees comme importantes pour l'individu (le revenu, la qualite du travail, la satisfaction professionnelle et la satisfaction liee au poste). On fait l'hypothese que ces resultats convaincants s'observent en raison des “effets cohesifs” de certains modeles de signification du travail sur la “mobilisation motivationnelle” qui elle-meme influence les niveaux de performances. Selon ce type de raisonnement, les significations du travail sont des dimensions cognitives de la personnalite en rapport avec les niveaux de performances a travers leurs effets sur la motivation. Une possibilite de causalite reciproque entre personnalite et performance est mentionnee et on souligne la necessite d‘etudier plus avant la raison de cette relation etroite. Analysis of work meaning data from representative national labour force samples in Germany, Japan, and the United States shows that there is a strong contingency between work meaning pattern membership of individuals and levels of outcome realisation on outcomes generally considered important to the individual (income, quality of work, occupational satisfaction, and job satisfaction). These strong findings are hypothesised to occur because of the “cohesive effects” of certain meaning of working patterns on “effort outlay” which in turn influences the level of outcome(s). This line of reasoning sees work meanings as personality constructs which are related to outcome levels through their effects on effort outlay. The possibility of reciprocal causation occurring between work personality and work outcomes is noted and the need to study further the causality of this strong contingency is highlighted.
Nonpuerperal lactation and normal prolactin regulation.

Prolactin secretion was evaluated in 11 consecutive patients referred with nonpuerperal lactation who did not have clinical evidence of pituitary tumors. Six patients had normal fasting prolactin (PRL) levels, 13.8 ± 1.8 ng per ml (Group I), and the other 5 women had elevated basal serum PRL concentrations, 182 ± 72 ng per ml (Group II). All Group II patients had amenorrhea; however, 5 of 6 Group I patients had menstrual periods. The 24-h mean serum PRL concentrations were 12.8 ± 1.2 (sem), 13.3 ± 0.7, and 165 ± 62 ng per ml for the controls and Group I and II, respectively. A pattern of intermittent PRL discharge during the day characterized each group; however, a normal sleep related increase in serum PRL concentration was absent in the Group II patients. Chlorpromazine produced greater than two-fold increases in serum PRL concentrations in the controls and Group I patients; however, this response was absent in Group II. L-Dopa produced appropriate suppression of serum PRL concentrations in the normals ...
Specific heat of synthetic high polymers. VII. Polyethylene terephthalate

From specific heat measurements on drawn, undrawn, and annealed polyethylene terephthalate over the temperature range – 10 to 280° it has been possible to observe the magnitude of: (a) the glass transition, (b) recrystallization effects, and (c) the change of crystallinity with temperature. The change in the function cp/T at Tg is shown to be roughly proportional to the fraction of amorphous polymer present. Drawing the fiber reduces Δcp/T, but increases the rate of recrystallization so that, on the unannealed drawn samples, recrystallization occurs over a range of temperatures such that the glass transition cannot be observed. Good agreement is obtained between the crystallinity estimated from enthalpies and that calculated from density data except in the case of the samples that recrystallized during the calorimetric measurements. The estimated heat of fusion is in agreement with that calculated from the statistical thermodynamic theory of the effect of copolymers on the melting point. The influence of the surface free energy of the crystallites on their melting point. The influence of the surface free energy of the crystallites on their melting range is discussed.
Superconducting field effect transistors with YBa2Cu3O7−x/SrTiO3/YBa2Cu3O7−x trilayer structure

Abstract A new superconducting field effect transistor (SuFET) with symmetrical gate structure of YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x /SrTiO 3 /YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7− x (YBCO/STO/YBCO) was fabricated by adopting both the contact structure of buried YBCO electrodes and buried isolation structure. The T c of the YBCO (100 nm)/STO (200 nm)/YBCO (5 nm) structures exceeded 50 K. The I – V characteristic of gate insulator STO was symmetric. The adoption of YBCO as electrode greatly improved T c values of ultrathin YBCO channels without buffer layers. We succeeded in SuFET operation with a YBCO channel of two-unit-cell thickness. The modulation factor exceeded 20%. The number of YBCO unit cell dependence on T c indicates that the degradation is negligible at the STO/YBCO interface.
Test of the DWIA for inelastic proton-nucleus scattering in glauber theory

Abstract An anti-symmetrized oscillator model is used to determine the accuracy of the DWIA for inelastic scattering of protons from nuclei in Glauber theory. The leading correction to the DWIA from the next term in a correlation expansion of the transition density is also tested. The DWIA for the profile function for 1ħω excitations of 40 Ca is accurate to about 10 % in this model, but the leading correction does not give significant improvement and in some cases increases the error.