cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alternate Tobacco Product and Drug Use Among Adolescents Who Use Electronic Cigarettes, Cigarettes Only, and Never Smokers

Abstract Purpose To determine whether use of alternative tobacco products (i.e., cigars, blunts, hookah, smokeless tobacco), alcohol, and marijuana differs among adolescents who currently use (1) electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes); (2) cigarettes only; and (3) never smokers. Methods Analysis of a self-reported survey from four high schools in 2010–2011 (n = 3,102) with a subsample (n = 1,556) surveyed on alcohol and marijuana. Analyses were conducted with multinomial logistic regression models accounting for clustering by schools. Results The sample contained 2.4% (n = 76) e-cigarette users, 12.4% (n = 386) cigarette smokers, and 85.1% (n = 3,197) never smokers. E-cigarette users were more likely than cigarette-only smokers to report blunt (adjusted odds ratio, 1.81; 95% confidence interval, 1.21–2.71) and hookah use (adjusted odds ratio, 3.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.90–5.13), but not cigar, smokeless tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana use. Conclusions E-cigarette users are more likely than cigarette smokers to use hookah and blunts.
Identification of fuzzy target signatures using neural networks

The motive for this study is to achieve near aspect-independent target identification with the assumption that radar signatures have fuzzy memberships in more than one class. Radar cross section measurements of four commercial aircraft, obtained experimentally in a compact range, are used for training and testing a three layered back propagation neural network for target identification purposes. It is assumed that the aspect angles (or azimuth positions) of all four targets are known within 20 degrees uncertainty range. The radar cross section parameters of each target are assigned to three fuzzy membership functions, and for each combination of membership functions there is a desired fuzzy output. The performance of the proposed target recognition system is examined assuming different noise scenarios and various levels of azimuth ambiguity. The proposed fuzzy neural scheme is also tested in scenarios where the maximum likelihood is available and the performances of both recognition techniques are compared. It is assumed that radar target signatures have fuzzy class separation. Issues concerning the number of hidden nodes, training parameters, and weight convergence are discussed.
The Use of a Playroom as a Nursing Intervention With the Early Adolescent Age Group

Most interventions for adolescents have relied upon a group format. Early-age adolescents who demonstrate hyperactivity, cognitive impairment, or regressive behavior often find the "talk" format of groups difficult. This article advocates the use of a classic playroom equipped with materials for the early adolescent as an adjunct intervention to individual and milieu therapy modalities. Two case examples illustrate the use of a playroom as an intervention.
Cryogenic preservation of virus-infected cells used as immunofluorescent assay substrates

Cells infected with herpes simplex virus, respiratory syncytial virus and adenovirus were subjected to several cryogenic regimens to determine whether these procedures were detrimental to the performance and results obtained with an indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Infected cells were harvested and divided into equal aliquots prior to freezing at different temperatures (-20, -70 and -165 degrees C). Cells fixed onto glass slides immediately after harvesting were used as controls. For the IFA, cells were thawed and fixed onto glass slides immediately prior to reaction with an appropriate virus-specific antibody and, subsequently, an FITC-conjugated anti-species antibody. The virus-infected cells retained their structural integrity following the experimental cryogenic regimens and were useable in the IFA. The quality of the image and the intensity of the fluorescent signal were enhanced by the incorporation of dimethyl sulfoxide into the freezing medium; cells frozen at -165 degrees C with DMSO gave the most satisfactory IFA results, although cells frozen at either -20 or -70 degrees C with DMSO were also useable. The use of cells frozen at the experimental temperatures in either phosphate buffered saline or tissue culture medium resulted in IFA substrate slides of diminished quality, often with a blurred image and distorted cellular morphology. We conclude that freezing of virus-infected cells prior to preparation for IFA is not detrimental to the performance of this procedure and the interpretation of immunological reactivity.
Simulation and undergraduate engineering education: the technology reinvestment project(TRP)

This paper discusses an undergraduate engineering education program recently funded by the advanced research projects office (ARPA) technology reinvestment project (TRP) to add more hands-on experience for undergraduate engineering students.
Supporting a light-weight data management layer over HDF5

Scientific simulations are now being performed at finer temporal and spatial scales, leading to an explosion of the output data, and challenges in storing, managing, disseminating, analyzing, and visualizing these datasets. Tools commonly used today for disseminating and visualizing such data have inherent limitations, making it extremely hard to deal with larger datasets. We have developed a light-weight data management tool, which allows server-side sub setting and aggregation on scientific datasets stored in HDF5, one of the most popular scientific data formats. To support a variety of queries efficiently, our tool generates code for hyper slab selector and content-based filtering, and parallelizes selection and aggregation queries efficiently using novel algorithms. Additionally, our tool also supports certain most recent HDF5 features including dimension scale and compound data type. Through extensive evaluation, we show that our system is capable of efficiently supporting a variety of queries, scaling performance by parallelizing the queries, and reducing wide area data transfers through server-side data aggregation. We demonstrate that even for sub setting queries that are directly supported in OPeNDAP, a tool widely used by data dissemination portals, the sequential performance of our system is better.
The Judgmental Effects of Management Communications and a Fifth Balanced Scorecard Category on Performance Evaluation

ABSTRACT: This study extends prior balanced scorecard (BSC) research by examining management’s choice of whether to include four or five BSC categories when a specific nontraditional strategic objective is present. The results of the study show that when management communications about a specific nontraditional strategic objective are limited and a set of specific strategic performance measures indicate superior performance by one manager over another, evaluators discount their reliance on these measures in their performance-related judgments when these measures are clustered into a fifth BSC category relative to when these measures are integrated among the four traditional BSC categories. That is, adding a fifth BSC category resulted in a de-emphasis of the relevant information about the specific nontraditional strategic objective. But, when a fifth BSC category is present, enhancing management communications about a specific strategic objective resulted in greater emphasis on the relevant information ab...
Combined adult-to-adult living donor right lobe liver transplantation and pancreatoduodenectomy for distal bile duct adenocarcinoma in a patient with primary sclerosing cholangitis

Abstract Background Liver transplantation is the best therapeutic option for patients with end-stage liver disease from primary sclerosing cholangitis. Primary sclerosing cholangitis is associated with a markedly increased risk of cholangiocarcinoma, which adversely affects survival. Approximately 20% to 30% of cholangiocarcinomas are localized in the distal bile duct. Pancreatoduodenectomy is the curative therapy for cholangiocarcinomas in this location. Study design We reviewed our data on a patient with primary sclerosing cholangitis-related end-stage liver disease and a simultaneous distal bile duct tumor, which was treated with a combined right-lobe, living-donor liver transplantation and pancreatoduodenectomy. Results The patient was discharged 32 days post-transplantation. He is currently alive 1 year after the procedure with no evidence of recurrent cancer. Conclusions Combined living-donor liver transplantation and pancreatoduodenectomy is feasible and allows timely and elective surgical control of carefully selected distal bile duct tumors in the setting of end-stage liver disease.
Green function theory of a spin- Heisenberg ferromagnet

Abstract An alternative decoupling scheme in the Green function theory of ferromagnetism is proposed. Unlike earlier first-order Green function theories, the present theory does not contain the spurious T 3 term in the expression for the spontaneous magnetization at low temperatures.
Synthesis and evaluation of 3-trifluoromethyl-7-substituted-1,2,3, 4-tetrahydroisoquinolines as selective inhibitors of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase versus the alpha(2)-adrenoceptor.

A series of 3-trifluoromethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines was synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT) and as inhibitors of the binding of clonidine at the α2-adrenoceptor. These compounds were found to be selective inhibitors of PNMT due to their decreased affinity for the α2-adrenoceptor, which was attributed to steric bulk intolerance around the 3-position of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline (THIQ) at the α2-adrenoceptor and to the decreased pKa of the THIQ amine due to the 3-trifluoromethyl moiety. Overall, these compounds displayed less affinity for PNMT compared to previously studied THIQ-type inhibitors, except for 16 which was found to have good affinity for PNMT (PNMT Ki = 0.52 μM). Compounds 14 and 16 proved to be the most selective inhibitors in this small series of compounds and are some of the most selective inhibitors of PNMT known (14, selectivity α2 Ki/PNMT Ki = 700; 16, selectivity α2 Ki/PNMT Ki > 1900). Compounds 14 and 16 are also quite ...
In vitro protein synthesis in a mitochondrial fraction from HeLa cells: Sensitivity to antibiotics and ethidium bromide

Abstract A mitochondrial fraction from HeLa cells which is contaminated by rough endoplasmic reticulum (E.R.) will, depending upon the conditions, support two types of in vitro protein synthesis. In the presence of soluble factors and an exogenous ATP generating system, the polysomes of the rough E.R. support protein synthesis which is sensitive to RNase and cycloheximide but insensitive to chloramphenicol, (CAP). In the absence of soluble factors, mitochondria are the exclusive site of protein synthesis: this can be supported either by an exogenous ATP generating system or by oxidative phosphorylation, is insensitive to RNase and cycloheximide and sensitive to CAP. The mitochondria) synthesis is sensitive to in vivo pre-treatment with ethidium bromide and decays with a half-life of 1–1.5 hr.
A nervous breakdown in the skin: stress and the epidermal barrier.

In this issue of the JCI, Aberg and colleagues report that psychological stress disrupts the skin’s antimicrobial barrier and increases the severity of cutaneous infections (see the related article beginning on page 3339). This effect is mediated by endogenous glucocorticoids produced secondarily to stress-related activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Thus, this study provides what I believe to be the first mechanistic link between psychological stress and increased susceptibility to microbial infection.
High Temperature Thermal-Elastic Analysis of Dissimilar Metal Transition Joints

Thermal-elastic analysis of dissimilar metal transition weld joints of a 24'' sodium piping system were performed. This piping system is for Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor application, operating at elevated temperature (965/sup 0/F). These analyses form a basis for the selection of the material combination and weld preparation of the transition joints. Two material combinations were selected for weld joint thermal-elastic analysis: 2/sup 1///sub 4/ Cr-1 Mo ferritic steel to 316 stainless steel, 2/sup 1///sub 4/ Cr-1 Mo steel to Incoloy 800, with Inconel 82 as the welding metal in both cases. Weld preparations with various geometries were assumed for each material combination. The transition joints were evaluated for thermal loadings due to the changes in sodium temperatures during anticipated operating conditions of the breeder reactor. Thermal analyses were performed to define the temperature time history in the metals; the temperature gradient across the wall thickness; and especially, the temperature distribution near the material interfaces. The magnitude of the temperature gradients and the temperature distribution as affected by the heat transfer characteristics of each material were of particular interest. Stresses created due to the differences of thermal expansion of the materials, radial and axial temperature gradients, and applied internal pressuremore » were evaluated using finite element analysis methods. In this investigation, the materials were treated as elastic and isotropic. The contributions from the applied pressure and thermal loading were separated from the total stresses and the most important contributor was identified. The elastic analyses served for a preliminary evaluation of the transition joint selection. Based on the information obtained in stress versus material combination and the stress variation as a function of the geometry of the weld preparation, a weld design (material combination and geometry) was selected.« less
Patients seen in a dermatology clinic have unmet preventive health care needs

Dermatologists provide special expertise in the care of patients with skin disease, whereas primary care providers have special expertise in preventive care. Patients bypassing their primary care provider to use dermatologists directly may miss an opportunity for identification of preventive health needs. We conducted a pilot study to determine whether patients seeing a dermatologist have unmet general preventive health care needs. A 1-page assessment was developed in accordance with the US Preventive Services Task Force guidelines and was distributed to a convenience sample of 161 patients in a dermatology clinic. Unmet needs were identified in the areas of screening tests, counseling, immunizations, vitamins, and replacement hormones. Of subjects aged 25 to 64 years, 94% without a primary care provider had unmet needs compared with 28% of subjects with a primary care provider. We found that patients seeing a dermatologist often had unmet preventive health needs. Dermatologists and primary care providers must work together to provide optimal skin care and preventive health care needs for the patient.
Performance analysis of thread mappings with a holistic view of the hardware resources

With the shift to chip multiprocessors, managing shared resources has become a critical issue in realizing their full potential. Previous research has shown that thread mapping is a powerful tool for resource management. However, the difficulty of simultaneously managing multiple hardware resources and the varying nature of the workloads have impeded the efficiency of thread mapping algorithms. To overcome the difficulties of simultaneously managing multiple resources with thread mapping, the interaction between various microarchitectural resources and thread characteristics must be well understood. This paper presents an in-depth analysis of PARSEC benchmarks running under different thread mappings to investigate the interaction of various thread mappings with microarchitectural resources including, L1 I/D-caches, I/D TLBs, L2 caches, hardware prefetchers, off-chip memory interconnects, branch predictors, memory disambiguation units and the cores. For each resource, the analysis provides guidelines for how to improve its utilization when mapping threads with different characteristics. We also analyze how the relative importance of the resources varies depending on the workloads. Our experiments show that when only memory resources are considered, thread mapping improves an application's performance by as much as 14% over the default Linux scheduler. In contrast, when both memory and processor resources are considered the mapping algorithm achieves performance improvements by as much as 28%. Additionally, we demonstrate that thread mapping should consider L2 caches, prefetchers and off-chip memory interconnects as one resource, and we present a new metric called L2-misses-memory-latency-product (L2MP) for evaluating their aggregated performance impact.
Periodic microbending on single-mode optical fibers for multiplexed sensing

Attenuation spectra of single mode fibers, subjected to periodic spatial deformations, have been investigated. The transmission spectra of the deformed single mode fibers show attenuation bands. These bands are a function of the period of the microbends, fiber radii, and cutoff wavelengths of the fibers. Mathematical relations have been developed to predict the location of the attenuation bands in the wavelength domain for specific microbending periods. Several standard single mode fibers were characterized for an increasing series of spatial deformation periods. Characteristic curves are plotted indicating the variation of parameters of the transmission spectra with change in the number and amplitude of the spatial deformation periods. Sensing applications utilizing the attenuation bands at specific spatial periods are presented and a multiplexed system is demonstrated.
First-principles calculations of structural and electronic properties of monoclinic hafnia surfaces

We have carried out a systematic theoretical study of the surfaces of monoclinic hafnia $(\mathrm{Hf}{\mathrm{O}}_{2})$ using plane waves and density functional theory based on the generalized gradient approximation. The fully relaxed structures of the bulk phases of $\mathrm{Hf}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ are found to be in excellent agreement with experimental data, the monoclinic phase being the most stable. Simulations of the monoclinic phase surfaces indicate a large relaxation which reduces the total surface energy of all nine faces considered by between 23% and 36%, with a strong correlation between the unrelaxed and relaxed surface energies. Our calculations predict that the $(\overline{1}11)$ and (111) faces of the monoclinic phase have the lowest surface energies and are hence the most stable faces. An analysis of the total and partial electronic density of states of bulk monoclinic $\mathrm{Hf}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ reveals that the outer valence band significantly mixes the O $2p$ and Hf $5d$ atomic states indicating some covalency of the Hf-O bonds. The total density and partial density of states of the monoclinic surfaces exhibit a surface state corresponding to the surface O $2s$ states in the inner valence band region.
Kinetic Analysis of Streptococcus sanguis Adhesion to Artificial Pellicle

Studies of equilibria between Streptococcus sanguis and artificial pellicle have suggested that there are multiple binding sites for the organism. In the present study, adhesion of S. sanguis to saliva-coated hydroxylapatite was examined by means of kinetic methods. Cell-pellicle complex formation was measured from initiation of binding to equilibrium. Rate constants were calculated for forward reactions (adsorption) and reverse reactions (desorption). Initial binding obeyed reversible, first-order kinetics, whereas desorption of bound cells followed biphasic kinetics. Initial desorption proceeded approximately ten times faster than the slower second rate. The results are consistent with the mechanism in which CP* represents the reversible equilibrium that shifts at a discrete rate to the high-affinity CP state. Thus, the biphasic binding behavior that has been previously deduced from equilibrium studies may be attributed to a time-dependent shift from close apposition to pellicle, stabilized by low-speci...
Direct Olfactory Transport of Inhaled Manganese (54MnCl2) to the Rat Brain: Toxicokinetic Investigations in a Unilateral Nasal Occlusion Model

Inhalation exposure of humans to high concentrations of manganese (Mn) is associated with elevated Mn levels in the basal ganglia and an extrapyramidal movement disorder. In the rat, direct olfactory transport of Mn from the nose to the brain has been demonstrated following intranasal instillation of (54)MnCl(2). However, the contribution this route makes to brain Mn delivery following inhalation is unknown and was the subject of our study. Male 8-week old CD rats underwent a single 90-min nose-only exposure to a (54)MnCl(2) aerosol (0.54 mg Mn/m(3); MMAD 2.51 microm). The left and right sides of the nose and brain, including the olfactory pathway and striatum, were sampled at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 days postexposure. Control rats were exposed to (54)MnCl(2) with both nostrils patent to evaluate the symmetry of Mn delivery. Another group of rats had the right nostril plugged to prevent nasal deposition of (54)MnCl(2) on the occluded side. Gamma spectrometry (n = 6 rats/group/time point) and autoradiography (n = 1 rat/group/time point) were used to compare the levels of (54)Mn found on the left and right sides of the nose and brain to determine the contribution of olfactory uptake to brain (54)Mn levels. Brain and nose samples from the side with the occluded nostril had negligible levels of (54)Mn activity, validating the nasal occlusion procedure. High levels of (54)Mn were observed in the olfactory bulb and tract/tubercle on the side or sides with an open nostril within 1-2 days following inhalation exposure. These results demonstrated, for the first time, that the olfactory route contributes the majority (up to >90%) of the (54)Mn found in the olfactory pathway, but not in the striatum, of the rat brain up to 8 days following a single inhalation exposure. These findings suggest that the olfactory route may make a significant contribution to brain Mn levels following inhalation exposure in the rat.
Natural History of Glomus Jugulare A Review of 16 Tumors Managed with Primary Observation

ObjectiveTo characterize clinical disease progression and radiologic growth in a series of observed, previously untreated, glomus jugulare tumors (GJT).Study DesignRetrospective review.SettingTertiary neurotologic referral center.Subjects and MethodsAll patients with primary GJTs that were observed without intervention for a minimum of 2 years. Primary outcome measures included progression of cranial neuropathy and/or radiologic growth.ResultsA total of 15 patients (80% female; median age, 69.6 years) with 16 GJTs met inclusion criteria. The most common indications for observation included advanced age (11; 73%) and patient preference (11; 73%). Cranial nerve function remained stable in most subjects over a median clinical follow-up period of 86.4 months. Among the 12 with serial imaging, 5 (42%) GJTs demonstrated radiologic growth, while 7 (58%) remained stable. The median growth rate of the 5 enlarging tumors using the maximum linear dimension was 0.8 mm/y (range, 0.6-1.6 mm/y) or 0.4 cm3/y (0.1-0.9 cm3...
Finding minimum hidden guard sets in polygons: tight approximability results

We study the problem MINIMUM HIDDEN GUARD SET, which consists of positioning a minimum number of guards in a given polygon (or other structure such as a terrain) such that no two guards see each other and such that every point in the polygon is visible from at least one guard. By constructing a gap-creating reduction from 5-OCCURRENCE-3-SATISFIABILITY, we show that this problem cannot be approximated by any polynomial-time algorithm with an approximation ratio of |I|1-e for any e > 0, unless NP = P, where |I| is the size of the input polygon. The result even holds for input polygons without holes, which separates the problem from other visibility problems such as guarding and hiding, where strong inapproximability results hold only for polygons with holes. We also show that a straight-forward approximation algorithm achieves an approximation ratio of |I|. These two results characterize the approximability threshold of MINIMUM HIDDEN GUARD SET exactly up to low-order terms.
Core-binding factor acute myeloid leukemia: Heterogeneity, monitoring, and therapy

Core binding factor acute myelogenous leukemia (CBF AML) constitutes 15% of adult AML and carries an overall good prognosis. CBF AML encodes two recurrent cytogentic abnormalities referred to as t(8;21) and inv (16). The two CBF AML entities are usually grouped together but there is a considerable clinical, pathologic and molecular heterogeneity within this group of diseases. Recent and ongoing studies are addressing the molecular heterogeneity, minimal residual disease and targeted therapies to improve the outcome of CBF AML. In this article, we present a comprehensive review about CBF AML with emphasis on molecular heterogeneity and new therapeutic options.
Geographic variation in thermal tolerance of a widespread minnow Notropis lutrensis of the North American mid-west

Eighteen populations of Notropis lutrensis, representing all of the major river systems occupied by this species across an 1100km north-south span of its range, showed no significant differences in mean critical thermal maximum (CTM), although general north-south differences in climatic temperatures exist. There were no clinal trends in CTMs, and CTMs were unrelated to stream size or any other discernible feature of the local habitats. Previous research has shown that N. lutrensis can adapt rapidly to an artificially altered thermal regime. The present results suggest that even though a species may have potentially ‘labile’ thermal physiology, it may nonetheless be ‘static’ or evolutionarily conservative in such characters when natural populations are examined empirically.
Termination and Slippage by Bacteriophage T7 RNA Polymerase

We have examined the termination efficiency of T7 and T3 RNA polymerases (RNAPs) at a variety of termination signals. In agreement with previous investigators we find that termination occurs after the synthesis of an RNA product with a stable secondary structure followed by a run of U residues. Stem-loop structures that lack a 3' U-tract fail to terminate the phage enzyme. The distance (or the sequence) between the start site for transcription and the termination signal may also be important, as placing the terminator at different locations downstream from the promoter, or changing the promoter sequence, results in alterations in termination efficiency. We have explored termination at extended runs of homopolymers in the absence of an apparent stem-loop structure, and have observed that the enzyme terminates (inefficiently) when synthesizing U-rich transcripts, but not A- or C-rich transcripts. This is especially true at low concentrations of UTP. Strikingly, when an elongation complex (EC) encounters a dA-tract in the template strand it is able to slide on the template, resulting in the synthesis of products that have more or fewer U residues than predicted by the sequence of the DNA. This observation suggests that the formation of an RNA: DNA hybrid may be important to the lateral stability of the EC (its ability to maintain proper register with the DNA template). We have also explored the termination properties of a proteolytically nicked form of T7 RNAP. The nicked enzyme forms a less stable EC than the intact RNAP and dissociates more readily from the template in regions that encode inherently destabilizing RNAs (e.g. stem-loop structures, poly(U)-tracts). However, the nicked enzyme terminates less efficiently at the late T7 terminator (T7-T phi) or at a termination signal in the human preproparathyroid hormone gene. These results suggest that termination is a highly specific event, and not merely a consequence of decreased stability of the EC. Our observations are not consistent with previous models of termination by the phage RNAP and indicate that revisions to these models may be required.
In vivo effects of sumatriptan (GR 43175) on extracellular levels of 5-HT in the guinea pig.

The effect of sumatriptan, a selective 5-HT1D receptor agent, on extracellular levels of 5-HT in the frontal cortex of the guinea pig was measured by intracerebral dialysis. A constant infusion of sumatriptan (10(-8)-10(-7) M) dose-dependently reduced extracellular levels of 5-HT (e.g. 80 +/- 2% decrease from control levels of 5-HT at 10(-7) M). Peripheral administration of sumatriptan (50 micrograms/kg i.p. and 500 micrograms/kg i.p.) had no effect on extracellular levels of 5-HT in the frontal cortex. These data suggest that sumatriptan, when infused into the brain, inhibits the release of 5-HT by stimulating 5-HT autoreceptors and that the putative acute anti-migraine effects of sumatriptan are likely to be mediated by peripheral mechanisms.
High-cycle fatigue of nickel-base superalloy Rene ´ 104 (ME3): Interaction of microstructurally small cracks with grain boundaries of known character

High-cycle fatigue (HCF), involving the premature initiation and/or rapid propagation of small cracks to failure due to high-frequency cyclic loading, has been identified as one of the leading causes of turbine engine failures in aircraft. In this work, we consider the feasibility of using grain-boundary engineering to improve the HCF properties of a polycrystalline nickel-base superalloy, Rene ´ 104 (also known as ME3), through systematic modification of the grain-boundary distribution. In particular, we investigate the growth of microstructurally small fatigue cracks at ambient temperature in microstructures with varying proportions of ‘‘special’’ vs. ‘‘random’’ boundaries, as defined by coincident-site lattice theory. Specifically, we examine the interaction of propagating small (� 10–900 lm) surface cracks with grain boundaries of known character, with respect both to any deflection in crack trajectory that occurs at or near the boundary, and more importantly to any local changes in crack-growth rates. In addition, finite-element calculations are performed to evaluate the effective driving force and plastic-zone profile for such small-crack propagation, incorporating information from both the local microstructure (from electron backscattering diffraction scans) and the surface crack-path profile.
Low-Complexity Principal Component Analysis for Hyperspectral Image Compression

Principal component analysis (PCA) is an effective tool for spectral decorrelation of hyperspectral imagery, and PCAbased spectral transforms have been employed successfully in conjunction with JPEG2000 for hyperspectral image compression. However, the computational cost of determining the data-dependent PCA transform is high because of its traditional eigendecomposition implementation which requires calculation of a covariance matrix across the data. Several strategies for reducing the computation burden of PCA are explored, including both spatial and spectral subsampling in the covariance calculation as well as an iterative algorithm that circumvents determination of the covariance matrix entirely. Experimental results investigate the impacts of such low-complexity PCA on JPEG2000 compression of hyperspectral images, focusing on rate-distortion performance as well as data-analysis performance at an anomaly-detection task.
The "Play-Out" Effect and Preference Reversals: Evidence For Noisy Maximization

Abstract In this paper, we document a “play-out” effect in preference reversal experiments. We compare data where preferences are elicited using (1) purely hypothetical gambles, (2) played-out, but unpaid gambles and (3) played-out gambles with truth-revealing monetary payments. We ask whether a model of stable preferences with random errors (e.g., expected utility with errors) can explain the data. The model is strongly rejected in data collected using purely hypothetical gambles. However, simply playing-out the gambles, even in the absence of payments, shifts the data pattern so that noisy maximization is no longer rejected. Inducing risk preferences using a lottery procedure, using monetary incentives or both shift the data pattern further so that noisy maximization achieves the best possible fit to the aggregate data. No model could fit the data better. We argue that play-out shifts the response pattern by inducing value because subjects can use outcomes to “keep score.” Induction or monetary payments create stronger induced values, shifting the pattern further.
A Comparison of Helping, Sharing, Comforting, Honesty, and Civic Awareness for Children in Home Care, Day Care, and Preschool

Fifty-nine children, including 18 children (10 girls and eight boys) just entering preschool, 19 children (eight girls and 11 boys) just entering or reentering day care, and 22 children (10 girls and 12 boys) in home care were asked to give their solutions to helping, sharing, comforting, and honesty dilemmas and to identify public figures from their pictures (civic awareness). The three subsamples were retested three months later. Scores differed among groups for dependent variables only in civic awareness. Preschool children scored higher on civic awareness than day care or home care children.
Location of DNAase I sensitive cleavage sites in the yeast 2 micron plasmid DNA chromosome

We have studied the uniformity with which the yeast 2 micron plasmid DNA within its nucleoprotein complex is protected from digestion by DNAase I. To probe for relatively unprotected regions, plasmid nucleoprotein complexes were digested with DNAase I to yield a preparation in which approximately half of the circular DNA molecules had been converted to full-length linear molecules. The sites of the double-strand breaks were then mapped in relation to restriction endonuclease sites using end-label probes. The most prominent sensitive sites were found at positions very close to the beginning and end of a 122 base-pair sequence with dyad symmetry located within the 599 base-pair inverted repetition of the plasmid. The sequence is known to be necessary for plasmid site-specific recombination. Other sensitive sites were mapped to the 5'-side of known coding regions. A unique plasmid sequence located to one side of the replication origin was also sensitive to DNAase I digestion yet did not yield discrete cleavage sites. Cleavage of plasmid DNA stripped of proteins did not result in the appearance of distinct fragments as found after cleavage of the same DNA within the nucleoprotein complex. We conclude from these results that, when complexed with proteins, specific plasmid DNA sequences involved in transcription, replication and recombination are more accessible to nuclease digestion.
Heat Transfer Measurements on a Ribbed Surface at Constant Heat Flux Using Infrared Thermography

Abstract Convective heat transfer over ribbed surfaces is a very complex process that requires detailed measurements for further understanding. The experimental technique presented in this article is a viable alternative to existing methods for providing local heat transfer measurements on a surface of complex geometry. Infrared (IR) thermography was used in a subsonic wind tunnel to obtain measurements of radiant power over a constant-heat-flux ribbed surface. The results using this procedure show the development of the thermal field near the origin of the ribbed surface. Velocity and pressure drop data illustrate the significant changes in the flow field (near the first ribs), which correlate with the infrared data for the thermal field.
Measuring and Validating Cognitive Modifiability as an Ability: A Study in the Spatial Domain

Measuring cognitive modifiability from the responsiveness of an individual's performance to intervention has long been viewed (e.g., Dearborne, 1921) as an alternative to traditional (static) ability measurement. Currently, dynamic testing, in which cues or instruction are presented with ability test items, is a popular method for assessing cognitive modifiability. Despite the long-standing interest, however, little data exists to support the validity of cognitive modifiability measures in any ability domain. Several special methodological difficulties have limited validity studies, including psychometric problems in measuring modifiability (i.e., as change), lack of appropriate validation criteria, and difficulty in linking modifiability to cognitive theory. In this article, relatively new developments for solving the validation problems are applied to measuring and validating spatial modifiability. Criterion-related validity for predicting learning in an applied knowledge domain, as well as construct validity, is supported.
“Love Your Enemies! Otherwise Bite Them!” Bismarck, Herbert, and the Morier Affair, 1888–1889

The semi-official Kolnische Zeitung of December 16, 1888, unleashed a violent attack upon Sir Robert Morier, the British Ambassador to Russia. After alluding to his friendly relations with the recently deceased Emperor Frederick, the article stressed Morier's hostility to Germany. This was substantiated by the charge that, in August 1870, he had sent news of the German crossing of the Moselle to the French commander, Marshal Bazaine.
Transparent electrode requirements for thin film solar cell modules

The transparent conductor (TC) layer in thin film solar cell modules has a significant impact on the power conversion efficiency. Reflection, absorption, resistive losses and lost active area either from the scribed interconnect region in monolithically integrated modules or from the shadow losses of a metal grid in standard modules typically reduce the efficiency by 10–25%. Here, we perform calculations to show that a competitive TC must have a transparency of at least 90% at a sheet resistance of less than 10 Ω/sq (conductivity/absorptivity ≥ 1 Ω−1) for monolithically integrated modules. For standard modules, losses are much lower and the performance of alternative lower cost TC materials may already be sufficient to replace conducting oxides in this geometry.
Precise testing of binary vapour—liquid equilibrium data by the Gibbs—Duhem equation

Abstract The general methods of testing thermodynamic data for binary solutions by the Gibbs—Duhem equation are briefly reviewed, and a new “composition—resolution” test is proposed. Thermodynamically exact methods of testing binary vapour—liquid equilibrium data, both for constant pressure and for constant temperature, are then developed. Application of the “composition—resolution” test is fully discussed, and its advantages are demonstrated.
The supersymmetric Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition

Abstract The Coulomb gas is constructed in superspace. The critical temperature of the Kosterlitz-Thouless phase transition is obtained in mean-field approximation. We argue that close to this transition the gas becomes supersymmetric and that the supersymmetric sine-Gordon model undergoes the same transition.
Historical Food Web Structure and Restoration of Native Aquatic Communities in the Lake Tahoe (California–Nevada) Basin

Plans for the restoration of aquatic ecosystems are increasingly focusing on the restoration and rehabilitation of self-sustaining native fish communities. Such efforts have not traditionally adopted an ecosystem-based perspective, which considers species as embedded within a broader food web context. In this study, we quantify food web changes in Lake Tahoe (California-Nevada) over the last century based on stable isotope analysis of museum-archived, preserved fish specimens collected during 4 historical periods and under present conditions. We also examine the contemporary food web of nearby Cascade Lake, which is free from most exotic species and contains a species assemblage resembling that of Lake Tahoe prior to historical species introductions. During the last century, the freshwater shrimp Mysis relicta and lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) have been introduced and established in Lake Tahoe, and the native top predator, Lahontan cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki henshawi; hereafter LCT), has been extirpated. Isotope analysis indicates that lake trout now occupy a trophic niche similar to that of historical LCT. Fish production has shifted from benthic to pelagic, corresponding with the eutrophication of Lake Tahoe during recent decades. The current Cascade Lake food web resembles that of the historical Lake Tahoe food web. Our isotope-based food web reconstructions reveal long-term food web changes in Lake Tahoe and can serve as the basis for setting historically relevant restoration targets. Unfortunately, the presence of nonnative species, particularly Mysis and lake trout, have dramatically altered the pelagic food web structure; as such, they are barriers to native fish community restoration. Fish community restoration efforts should focus on adjacent ecosystems, such as Cascade Lake, which have a high likelihood of success because they have not been heavily affected by nonnative introductions.
Genetic Diversity, Plant Adaptation Regions, and Gene Pools for Switchgrass

Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) is a peren- nial grass native to the North American tallgrass prairie and broadly adapted to the central and eastern USA. Transfer of germplasm throughout this region creates the potential of contaminating local gene pools with genes that are not native to a locale. The objective of this study was to identify structural patterns and spatial variation for molecular markers of switchgrass popula- tions from the northern and central USA. Forty- six prairie-remnant populations and 11 cultivars were analyzed for random amplifi ed polymor- phic DNA (RAPD) markers. Although there was signifi cant population differentiation, little of this variation was associated with geographic regions. A small amount of population differen- tiation was associated with hardiness zones and ecoregions, suggesting that a recent proposal to use these two criteria for defi ning plant adap- tation regions has merit for defi ning gene pools and seed-transfer zones of switchgrass. Culti- vars of switchgrass cannot be differentiated from prairie-remnant populations in the northern and central USA on the basis of RAPD markers, indi- cating that they are still highly representative of natural germplasm. Seed sources of switchgrass can be moved considerable distance within har- diness zones and ecoregions without causing signifi cant contamination, pollution, swamping, or erosion of local gene pools.
Spatiotemporal continuity, smoothness of motion and object identity in infancy

A preferential looking method served to investigate 4-month-old infants' apprehension of the identity of objects over successive encounters. In Expts 1 and 2, infants were familiarized with events in which objects moved either continuously or discontinuously behind two narrow screens. Subsequent looking times to one- vs. two-object displays provided evidence that infants apprehend object identity in accord with the principle that objects move continuously. In Expts 3 and 4, infants were familiarized with events in which objects moved behind one wide screen with an occlusion time either appropriate or inappropriate to their visible speed. Subsequent looking times to one- vs. two-object displays provided no evidence that infants apprehend object identity in accord with the principle that objects move smoothly. The findings are contrasted with those of studies of infants' search for objects. Continuity may be an early-developing, core principle by which humans individuate objects, but this principle may not guide all early-developing actions on objects.
Constrained optimization methods for direct blind equalization

Constrained optimization techniques are studied for direct design of linear multichannel equalizers. Novel blind algorithms are derived by minimizing the equalizer's output variance subject to appropriate constraints. The constraints are chosen to guarantee no desired signal cancellation, and their parameters are jointly optimized to maximize the signal component at the output. The resulting blind algorithm was observed to have near optimal performance at high signal-to-noise ratio, i.e., close to the performance of the trained minimum mean-square-error receiver. Also, the proposed method is not sensitive to the color of the transmitted sequence. Analytical expressions are derived to quantify the algorithm's performance.
Removal of Hybridization and Scanning Noise From Microarrays

Microarray technology for measuring gene expression values has created significant opportunities for advances in disease diagnosis and individualized treatment planning. However, the random noise introduced by the sample preparation, hybridization, and scanning stages of microarray processing creates significant inaccuracies in the gene expression levels, and hence presents a major barrier in realizing the anticipated advances. Literature presents several methodologies for noise reduction, which can be broadly categorized as: 1) model based approaches for estimation and removal of hybridization noise; 2) approaches using commonly available image denoising tools; and 3) approaches involving the need for control sample(s). In this paper, we present a novel methodology for identifying and removing hybridization and scanning noise from microarray images, using a dual-tree-complex-wavelet-transform-based multiresolution analysis coupled with bivariate shrinkage thresholding. The key features of our methodology include consideration of inherent features and type of noise specific to microarray images, and the ability to work with a single microarray without needing a control. Our methodology is first benchmarked on a fabricated dataset that mimics a real microarray probe dataset. Thereafter, our methodology is tested on datasets obtained from a number of Affymetrix GeneChip human genome HG-U133 Plus 2.0 arrays, processed on HCT-116 cell line at the Microarray Core Facility of Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute. The results indicate an appreciable improvement in the quality of the microarray data.
Bone cancer pain

In the United States, cancer is the second most common cause of death and it is expected that about 562,340 Americans will have died of cancer in 2009. Bone cancer pain is common in patients with advanced breast, prostate, and lung cancer as these tumors have a remarkable affinity to metastasize to bone. Once tumors metastasize to bone, they are a major cause of morbidity and mortality as the tumor induces significant skeletal remodeling, fractures, pain, and anemia. Currently, the factors that drive cancer pain are poorly understood. However, several recently introduced models of bone cancer pain, which closely mirror the human condition, are providing insight into the mechanisms that drive bone cancer pain and guide the development of mechanism-based therapies to treat the cancer pain. Several of these mechanism-based therapies have now entered human clinical trials. If successful, these therapies have the potential to significantly enlarge the repertoire of modalities that can be used to treat bone cancer pain and improve the quality of life, functional status, and survival of patients with bone cancer.
Impacts of Malicious Data on Real-Time Price of Electricity Market Operations

Impacts of malicious data data attack on the real-time electricity market are studied. It is assumed that an adversary has access to a limitted number of meters and has the ability to construct data attack based on what it observes. Different observation models are considered. A geometric framework is introduced based on which upper and lower bounds on the optimal data attack are obtained and evaluated in simulations.