cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Towards Quantifying the "Album Effect" in Artist Identification.

Recent systems for automatically identifying the performing artist from the acoustic signal of music have demonstrated reasonably high accuracy when discriminating between hundreds of known artists. A well-documented issue, however, is that the performance of these systems degrades when music from different albums is used for training and evaluation. Conversely, accuracy improves when systems are trained and evaluated using music from the same album. This performance characteristic has been labeled the “album effect”. The unfortunate corollary to this result is that the classification results of these systems are based not entirely on the music itself, but on other audio features common to the album that may be unrelated to the underlying music. We hypothesize that one of the primary reasons for this phenomenon is the production process of commercial recordings, specifically, post-production. Understanding the primary aspects of post-production, we can attempt to model its effect on the acoustic features used for classification. By quantifying and accounting for this transformation, we hope to improve future systems for automatic artist identification.
The Utilization of a Cold Trap to Stabilize Suspensions of UO2 in NaK

Loop studies have been made on UO2-NaK slurries at temperatures up to 1050°F. The maximum UO2 concentration was 4.15 volume per cent or 35 weight per cent at room temperature. A flow rate of 5.4 ft...
Gravity-driven microhydrodynamics-based cell sorter (microHYCS) for rapid, inexpensive, and efficient cell separation and size-profiling

Describes a new type of gravity-driven polymeric microfluidic cell sorter developed for low-power, low-cost, and rapid cell separation. The device takes advantage of size-based differential migration of cells/particles in flows where widening of flow streamlines amplifies the separation between sample particles. We studied the migration and separation of polystyrene microbeads, red blood cells, and perfluorocarbon droplets used for ultrasound imaging and therapy having different sizes in the novel cell sorter. Compared to other conventional cell separation systems, microHYCS reduces power and cost requirements, and is advantageous for the development of easy-to-use sample separation and diagnostics tools.
Software issues in digital forensics

Whether we accept it or not, computer systems and the operating systems that direct them are at the heart of major forms of malicious activity. Criminals can use computers as the actual target of their malicious activity (stealing funds electronically from a bank) or use them to support the conduct of criminal activity in general (using a spreadsheet to track drug shipments). In either case, law enforcement needs the ability (when required) to collect evidence from such platforms in a reliable manner that preserves the fingerprints of criminal activity. Though such discussion touches on privacy issues and rules of legal veracity, we focus purely on technological support in this paper. Specifically, we examine and set forth principles of operating system (OS) design that may significantly increase the success of (future) forensic collection efforts. We lay out several OS design attributes that synergistically enhance forensics activities. Specifically, we pose the use of circuit encryption techniques to provide an additional layer of protection above hardware-enforced approaches. We conclude by providing an overarching framework to incorporate these enhancements within the context of OS design.
Computing ray trajectories between two points: a solution to the ray-linking problem

The problem of computing the ray trajectory between points a and b, given the refractive-index distribution, is complicated by our ignorance of the initial ray direction at point a, which is needed in defining the path intercepting the endpoint b when numerically integrating the ray equation. It is shown that this ray-linking problem can be avoided by transforming the ray equation into an implicit integral equation for the true ray path that satisfies the given boundary conditions. The integral equation can be solved for the true path by the method of successive approximations. Simulations suggest that this iterative scheme often converges rapidly to the true path. An explicit expression for a ray path, obeying the boundary conditions, is also derived that is correct to first order in the refractive-index perturbation. This path provides an excellent approximation to the true path when the refractive-index perturbation is small and becomes increasingly better as the perturbation goes to zero. This first-order path can also be used as the first guess in the iterative scheme.
Foreign Institutional Investment And The Indian Stock Market

This article analyzes the impact of foreign institutional investment (FII) on the Indian stock market. The authors find that FII positively impacts the Indian stock market returns and the Bombay stock exchange turnover value. Further, the authors, find that FII “Granger causes” the stock market value and the turnover value to increase. The study employs GARCH and GJR-GARCH analyses in detail and concludes that, in spite of those influences, there is no evidence of volatility spillover from FII to the Indian stock markets.
Next-generation transcriptome assembly

Transcriptomics studies often rely on partial reference transcriptomes that fail to capture the full catalog of transcripts and their variations. Recent advances in sequencing technologies and assembly algorithms have facilitated the reconstruction of the entire transcriptome by deep RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), even without a reference genome. However, transcriptome assembly from billions of RNA-seq reads, which are often very short, poses a significant informatics challenge. This Review summarizes the recent developments in transcriptome assembly approaches - reference-based, de novo and combined strategies-along with some perspectives on transcriptome assembly in the near future.
Highly versatile rare earth tantalate pyrochlore nanophosphors.

Rare earth tantalate materials are of considerable interest in energy and environmentally related applications including photocatalytic H2 generation or contaminant decomposition, ion conductivity for batteries and fuel cells, and phosphors for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). These Eu-doped rare earth tantalate pyrochlore nanoparticles, K1−2xLnTa2O7−x:Eu3+ (Ln = Lu, Y, Gd; x = 1/3 for Gd, x = 0 for Lu and Y), have quantum yields up to 78% when excited with blue light (464 nm), which is remarkable for nanoparticle forms that can suffer efficiency loss by surface effects or poor crystallinity, and are furthermore quite suitable for LED applications. The Gd analogue with its framework distortions has particularly high quantum yields. The blue excitation peak matches the emission of the GaN LED. The combination of the high quantum yield under blue excitation, low thermal quenching, and chemical stability renders these new materials promising red phosphors for blue-excitation white LEDs for solid-state lighting....
Species concepts and species identification in human evolution

Little is known about the process of speciation. However, while this process is clearly independent of morphological differentiation, if one species arises from (and thus within) another, anatomical differentiation associated with speciation cannot initially exceed that possible within a species. Beyond this, however, theory provides no help in the practical business of species recognition in the fossil record. The “biological” species concept, whilst having the merit of stressing the historical importance of genetic disjunction, provides no general guidelines for identifying species either in the living biota or in the fossil record. For paleontological purposes, the same is also broadly true for the “recognition” concept. The “phylogenetic” species concept, which views species as the minimum diagnosable unit, remedies this deficiency but blurs the distinction, critical in the living biota, between species, which are both taxically and morphologically differentiated, and subspecies, which are only differentiated morphologically. Empirical appraisal of closely related extant species suggests, however, that intraspecific variants are rarely recognizable on the basis of hard-tissue morphology, and that distinctive hard-tissue “morphs” will almost certainly correspond to disjunct species or even to closely related groups. This has major implications for interpreting the human fossil record, especially over the last half million years, where use of the term Homo sapiens to cover a spectrum of morphologies has served to obscure evolutionary patterns.
Beyond optical molasses: 3D raman sideband cooling of atomic cesium to high phase-space density

We demonstrate a simple, general purpose method to cool neutral atoms. A sample containing $3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{8}$ cesium atoms prepared in a magneto-optical trap is cooled and simultaneously spin polarized in 10 ms at a density of $1.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{11}\mathrm{cm}{}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$ to a phase space density $n{\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{dB}}^{3}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1/500$, which is almost 3 orders of magnitude higher than attainable in free space with optical molasses. The technique is based on 3D degenerate Raman sideband cooling in optical lattices and remains efficient even at densities where the mean lattice site occupation is close to unity.
Evolution of X-Degenerate Y Chromosome Genes in Greater Apes: Conservation of Gene Content in Human and Gorilla, But Not Chimpanzee

Compared with the X chromosome, the mammalian Y chromosome is considerably diminished in size and has lost most of its ancestral genes during evolution. Interestingly, for the X-degenerate region on the Y chromosome, human has retained all 16 genes, while chimpanzee has lost 4 of the 16 genes since the divergence of the two species. To uncover the evolutionary forces governing ape Y chromosome degeneration, we determined the complete sequences of the coding exons and splice sites for 16 gorilla Y chromosome genes of the X-degenerate region. We discovered that all studied reading frames and splice sites were intact, and thus, this genomic region experienced no gene loss in the gorilla lineage. Higher nucleotide divergence was observed in the chimpanzee than the human lineage, particularly for genes with disruptive mutations, suggesting a lack of functional constraints for these genes in chimpanzee. Surprisingly, our results indicate that the human and gorilla orthologues of the genes disrupted in chimpanzee evolve under relaxed functional constraints and might not be essential. Taking mating patterns and effective population sizes of ape species into account, we conclude that genetic hitchhiking associated with positive selection due to sperm competition might explain the rapid decline in the Y chromosome gene number in chimpanzee. As we found no evidence of positive selection acting on the X-degenerate genes, such selection likely targets other genes on the chimpanzee Y chromosome.
Ammonia excretion by the benthic estuarine shrimp Crangon franciscorum (Crustacea: Crangonidae) in relation to diet

Ammonia excretion of individual Crangon franciscorum Stimpson was monitored in response to ingestion of single meals. The three experimental diets were tubificids, mysids and fish. Ammonia excretion was also monitored for individual shrimp which had been starved. The rate of ammonia excretion was higher for fed than for starved individuals in all cases. Ammonia excretion rates were higher for shrimp which were fed tubificids than those fed the other diets. The rate of excretion was influenced by both weight of the individual and the amount ingested of each diet. Ammonia excretion was influenced by dietary factors other than nitrogen content of the diet or the quantity ingested. The data suggest that field estimates of ammonia excretion based on the excretion rates of starved animals may be underestimates. The recent feeding history of an organism influences the rate of ammonia excretion as well as the relationship between the rate of excretion and weight.
Bacteremia associated with tunneled dialysis catheters: Comparison of two treatment strategies

Bacteremia associated with tunneled dialysis catheters: Comparison of two treatment strategies. Background Tunneled dialysis catheters are often used for temporary vascular access in hemodialysis patients, but are complicated by frequent systemic infections. The treatment of bacteremia associated with infected tunneled catheters requires both antibiotic therapy and catheter replacement. We compared the outcomes of two treatment strategies for catheter-associated bacteremia: exchange of the existing catheter with a new one over a guidewire versus catheter removal with delayed replacement. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the outcomes of all cases of tunneled dialysis catheter-associated bacteremia during a two-year period. The infection-free survival time of the subsequent catheter was evaluated in two groups of patients: group A (31 catheters), exchange of the existing infected catheter with a new catheter over a guidewire, and group B (38 catheters), removal of the infected catheter followed by delayed catheter replacement 3 to 10 days later. Patients in both groups received three weeks of systemic antibiotic therapy. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the factors predictive of infection-free survival time of the replacement catheter. Results On univariate proportional hazard regression analysis, the infection-free survival time of the replacement catheter was similar for groups A and B (P = 0.72), whereas the hazard of infection was significantly greater for patients with hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin Conclusions The infection-free survival time associated with the subsequent catheter is similar for the two treatment strategies. However, exchanging the catheter for a new one over a guidewire minimizes the number of separate procedures required by the patient. Hypoalbuminemia is the major risk factor for recurrent bacteremia in the replacement catheter.
Improved synthesis of a fluorogenic ceramidase substrate

Substantial interest has focused on the roles of sphingolipid metabolizing enzymes in a variety of hyperproliferative and inflammatory diseases. A key family of enzymes involved in these pathologies is the ceramidases. Ceramidases cleave the pro-apoptotic lipid ceramide into a long-chain fatty acid and sphingosine, which can then be further metabolized to the mitogenic and inflammatory lipid sphingosine 1-phosphate. Consequently, development of ceramidase inhibitors would provide useful pharmacologic probes for further studies of sphingolipid metabolism, as well as lead compounds for drug development. This effort has been hampered by the lack of in vitro and cellular ceramidase assays that are amenable to high-throughput screening. Recently, a fluorogenic ceramide analog has been described as a substrate for use in ceramidase assays. The synthesis of this compound has now been substantially improved in terms of both the required effort and the overall yield of the process. Key improvements include: reduction in number of required steps, use of a hydroboration reaction; incorporation of a Mitsunobu reaction; improved acylation by the addition of triethylamine; together providing a fourfold increase in the overall yield. In addition, it has been demonstrated that the ceramide analog can be used in high-throughput assays to identify ceramidase inhibitors. Overall, the improved efficiency in the preparation of this ceramidase substrate should accelerate discovery efforts relating to sphingolipid metabolism.
Processing induced residual stress in asymmetric laminate panels

In this research, a one-dimensional finite difference model has been developed to simulate the progression of material properties during the processing of metal-clad, multi-layered, fiber mat reinforced, thermoset resins. Using a micro-mechanical model, the simulation is also capable of predicting the dimensional movement observed during processing and the through-thickness residual stress distribution within thin laminates that will lead to the development of warpage or curling. The ability to predict the overall movement is quite complex; however, the contributing factors that lead to warpage of epoxy, glass-fiber mat laminate composites have been experimentally and numerically identified. It has been found that the dominant factor that leads to warpage in asymmetric multi-layered laminates is the differences in the coefficient of thermal expansion of the individual plies. Thus, by selecting appropriate combinations of the degree of cure and resin content of the thermoset in the individual plies, it is possible to reduce the material property variability of the laminate through thickness. The planar movement of individual plies is a function of the glass-fiber mat tension during pre-processing operations. Variability in pre-processing mat tension can be compensated for after lamination via post-baking processes.
Miniaturized high-resolution NUV-VIS-NIR imaging spectrometer array for FAST SAT applications

We report the design of a miniature imaging spectrometer array (ISA) for observations of the daytime and nighttime mesosphere, capable of operating in a spectral range extending from the near-ultraviolet (NUV) to the near-infrared (NIR) -- 260 to 870 nm. The instrument comprises an array of f/2 all-reflective imaging spectrometers with a 6 degree(s) field of view. The design comprises an offset single aspheric toroidal telescope mirror, a slit, an offset aspheric toroidal collimator, a plane reflective grating and a camera with three offset decentered aspheric mirrors. The optical system has a 75 mm effective focal length and approximately 7.5 micrometers spot size. The slit image curvature distortion for the system is less than 7.5 micrometers . Sampling of the image plane is provided by a 1317 X 1035 spatial x spectral pixel CCD array with 6.8 micrometers X 6.8 micrometers pixel size. Three modules of the array cover the wavelength range 260 to 400 and 550 to 870 nm at 0.3 nm spectral resolution. One high resolution module covers the range 306 to 310 at 0.05 nm resolution. This channel is used for the measurement of the hydroxyl radical. The sensitivity in the mid visible is approximately 0.1 counts/R-s/spatial bin, dropping to approximately 0.05 count/R-s/bin in the NUV. The readout electronics software allows the 1317 spatial pixels to be summed into any number of selectable bin sizes incurring a single read per bin. Since much of the full slit sensitivity is attributable to the large (6 degree(s)) field of view, the slit could be slanted with respect to the vertical, in order to enhance the sensitivity per vertical spatial bin, at the cost of some horizontal smearing. The instrument offers a powerful means for conducting comprehensive spectroscopic studies of the lower thermosphere and mesosphere, since the overall performance is better than that of the Imaging Spectrometric Observatory (ISO) flown on the ATLAS 1 shuttle mission in 1992. The weight and size reduction from the ISO to the ISA are approximately 270 kg to < 15 kg, and 20 cubic feet to 1 cubic foot respectively. The instrument has been designed specifically to address the issue of quantifying the chemical reactions which result in the natural destruction of ozone in the upper atmosphere. Expected measurements include the concentrations of O, OH, O3 O2, N2, and the neutral temperature between 50 and 110 km. Concentrations H and HO2 are indirectly determined from the data. The design meets NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin's challenge to build better, cheaper, smaller instruments for fast turn around small satellite missions.
Inflammation in ischemic heart disease: Response to tissue injury or a pathogenetic villain?

Time for primary review 32 days. The presence of inflammatory cells in the ischemic myocardial tissues has traditionally been believed to represent pathophysiologic response to injury [1]. It is only recently that inflammation has been related to the pathogenesis of acute coronary syndromes [2,3], reperfusion injury to ischemic myocardium [4], restenosis after angioplasty [5–7], failure of cardiac transplant [8], and chronic heart failure [9]. Accordingly, the relationship between inflammation with atherosclerosis and myocardial ischemia is now an area of active investigation. Accumulation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) and their activation are key features of inflammatory reaction associated with acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion [3]. Experimental studies have shown that influx of PMNs into tissues results in tissue injury beyond that caused by ischemia alone [10,11]. It has also become apparent that the recruitment of PMNs during ischemia-reperfusion involves numerous mediators [3,4]. The causative role of PMNs in reperfusion injury in animals is supported by the observations of reduction in microvascular dysfunction and tissue injury by strategies that prevent PMN influx in tissues by either a decrease in the number of circulating PMNs [12], or prevent PMN activation [13]. Other studies [14] have shown that inhibition of release of PMN-derived mediators of tissue injury [14] or blockade of adhesion molecules on PMNs [15,16] and/or endothelial cells [17] also reduce tissues injury. Many aspects of inflammation as a participant in myocardial ischemia in animal models have been reviewed in the recent past [16–19]. In this report, we review our current understanding of inflammation in myocardial ischemia in patients with myocardial ischemia. If the concept of a causative role of inflammation, especially PMN accumulation and activation, in ischemic heart disease (IHD) is proven, anti-inflammatory therapy may be designed to prevent and treat this common … * Corresponding author. Tel.: +1-352-379-4160; fax: +1-352-379-4161 mehta{at}medmac.ufl.edu
Filtering in the Diffeomorphism Group and the Registration of Point Sets

The registration of a pair of point sets as well as the estimation of their pointwise correspondences is a challenging and important task in computer vision. In this paper, we present a method to estimate the diffeomorphic deformation, together with the pointwise correspondences, between a pair of point sets. Many of the registration problems are iteratively solved by estimating the correspondence, locally optimizing certain cost functionals over the rigid or similarity or affine transformation group, then estimating the correspondence again, and so on. This type of approach, however, is well-known to be susceptible to suboptimal local solutions. In this paper, we first adopt the perspective of treating the registration as a posterior estimation optimization problem and solve it accordingly via a particle-filtering framework. Second, within such a framework, the diffeomorphic registration is performed to correct the nonlinear deformation of the points. In doing so, we provide a solution less susceptible to local minima. We provide the experimental results, which include challenging medical data sets where the two point sets differ by 180° rotation as well as local deformations, to highlight the algorithm's capability of robustly finding the more globally optimal solution for the registration task.
Regge poles near the thresholds in multi-channel problems

The infinitely many poles that converge to the pointI =−1/2 at the threshold of elastic scattering are studied for coupled channels. It is shown that they exist at all thresholds for every S-matrix element. In addition, it is found that these threshold poles are responsible towards producing some « extra » zeros in the amplitude.
Governments, publics, and enemies: Intragroup dynamics as barriers to conflict resolution

Scholars and political commentators have long noted that domestic or internal politics can play a significant role in the development of foreign (or other intergroup) relations. In the context of international (or other intergroup) conflicts, the literature notes that such features as disparate interests within a group or leader–constituent dynamics can impede the prospects for intergroup conflict resolution. Scholarly writing on the topic, however, tends to be cabined along disciplinary lines. This article is interdisciplinary and draws lessons from different fields, particularly from political science and social psychology, to describe various intragroup structures and dynamics that can constitute barriers to intergroup conflict resolution. Among other observations, the article notes the unintended effect that statements directed towards one audience in a conflict setting (i.e. the negotiating adversary or key outside actors in the international community) may have on the other audience (i.e. the speake...
Effect of film morphology on the energy transfer to emissive green defects in dialkyl polyfluorenes

The formation of a ketone defect at the 9-site along the backbone of dialkyl polyfluorenes has been shown to be directly involved in the degradation of the polymer's emission from blue to an undesirable green. Films of poly(9,9‘-dihexylfluorene) (PFH) with and without ketone defects were annealed above their liquid crystalline phase transition in an inert argon atmosphere, and their emission spectra were collected in order to study the effect of morphology on the energy transfer to ketone defects. The annealing was performed in situ in the fluorometer, allowing for a direct comparison of the absolute changes in the emission spectra. Annealing of the films resulted in regions of highly aligned polymer chains as confirmed by atomic force microscopy. After annealing, the fluorescence spectra of pristine films (without ketone defects) exhibited no green emission, indicating the lack of thermal oxidation in the inert atmosphere. However, these films did show an increase in fluorescence quantum yield, revealing...
Isotope geochemists meet in Japan

The Fifth International Conference on Geochronology, Cosmochronology, and Isotope Geology was held from June 27–July 2, 1982 in Nikko, Japan. These conferences are held every 4 years to review progress in geochronology and isotope geochemistry and to discuss results of the application of isotopic techniques to problems in the earth and space sciences. The first two, held in Canada in 1966 and Switzerland in 1970, were concerned with geochronology only. In 1974 the meeting in France expanded to include cosmochronology and stable isotopes. The subsequent 1978 meeting in the United States, and this year's meeting in Japan, followed that format. At the Nikko meeting the distribution of papers among the three general themes were: geochronology, 21%; cosmochronology, 23%; isotope geology, 56%, indicating a distinct trend toward the use of isotopes as tracers to solve geological and geochemical problems in both the earth and space sciences. The increasing tendency to consider coupled isotope-chemical systematics in such studies indicates that the next meeting, to be held in Cambridge, England in the summer of 1986, will probably formally integrate trace-element geochemistry.
Effects of Witness Preparation on Witness Confidence and Nervousness

ABSTRACT One goal of witness preparation is to strengthen witnesses' feelings of self-efficacy about testifying. The current study used mock criminal defendants to examine the impact of witness preparation training on witnesses' confidence in their ability to testify effectively and nervousness about testifying. Defendants testified twice about real-life accusations made against them. Approximately half of the defendants received witness preparation training between their first and second testimony simulations. The remaining defendants received no witness preparation training. Defendants made confidence and nervousness ratings for direct and cross examination both before and after each testimony simulation. Results revealed that participating in witness preparation led to a strengthening in confidence for both direct and cross examination, whereas participating in testimony simulations without training did not lead to a significant strengthening in confidence. Both prepared and unprepared defendants repor...
Parenting Practices as Mediators of the Effect of Mothers' Community Violence Exposure on Young Children's Aggressive Behavior

The authors analyzed data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to investigate the direct and indirect effects of mothers’ community violence exposure on young children's aggressive behavior. The findings indicate that mothers’ community violence exposure was positively associated with psychologically and physically aggressive parenting and child aggression. Aggressive parenting practices were positively related to child aggression, and partially mediated the effect of mothers’ violence exposure on child aggressive behaviors.
Elementary Relativistic Wave Mechanics of Spin 0 and Spin 1/2 Particles

A unified picture of the relativistic single particle wave mechanics for both the spin 0 boson and the spin 1/2 h fermion is presented. The single particle equations discussed are the Klein-Gordon equation for spin 0, and the Dirac equation for spin 1/2 h. The wave mechanics of these particles is discussed. The field theoretic interpretation, in which the wave equations give the equations of motion for field operators, is connected with the particle interpretation. (M.H.R.)
Multiphoton-excited microfabrication in live cells via Rose Bengal cross-linking of cytoplasmic proteins.

We demonstrate the use of multiphoton-excited photochemistry to cross-link three-dimensional matrices directly from cytoplasmic proteins in a live cell (starfish oocyte). Fluorescence recovery after photobleaching measurements were used to determine diffusion coefficients inside intracellular cross-linked structures, and it was found that the diffusion was approximately 3 to 4 orders of magnitude slower than in free solution and 2–3 orders of magnitude slower than in cytoplasm and that the value can be tuned by controlling the laser exposure. Complex structures can be fabricated to construct channels and compartments that could be used to isolate cellular processes, and the method should thus be applicable to a broad range of problems in cell biology.
Thienyl carboxylate ligands bound to and bridging MM quadruple bonds, M = Mo or W: models for polythiophenes incorporating MM quadruple bonds.

A series of compounds of the form [M2L4] and [{(tBuCO2)3M2}2(μ-L‘)] have been made where M = Mo or W, L = a thienyl, bithienyl, or terthienyl carboxylate, and L‘ = a corresponding thienyl dicarboxylate. The electronic absorption spectra are reported and the electronic structures discussed. Intense metal-to-ligand charge transfer bands traverse the visible and near-IR regions of the electronic absorption spectrum. The compounds show reversible metal-based oxidations and quasireversible ligand-based reductions. The molecular structure of Mo2(O2C-2-Th)4·2THF is reported, on the basis of a single crystal X-ray diffraction study. These compounds provide insight into the expected properties of related dimetalated polythiophenes incorporating MM quadruple bonds.
Topographic nano-restructuring: sulfur dioxide adsorption on Cu(110)

Abstract Topographic changes accompanying the adsorption of SO 2 (g) on Cu(1 1 0) and Cu(1 1 0)-p(2×1)–O have been investigated with STM. On Cu(1 1 0) the disproportionation of SO 2 (g) into sulfur and sulfite moieties is concomitant with surface pit formation and incorporation of a stoichiometric quantity of Cu atoms into the sulfite structure. On Cu(1 1 0)-p(2×1)–O, SO 2 (g) reacts with an equal amount of Cu–O from the original oxide structure to yield a Cu(1 1 0) surface covered with an overlayer which contains an equal number of SO 3 moieties and added copper atoms. These findings provide further evidence for a greater involvement of surface metal atoms during reaction.
Lack of insula reactivity to aversive stimuli in schizophrenia

Patients with schizophrenia may have altered pain perception, as suggested by clinical reports of pain insensitivity, and recent neuroimaging findings. Here, we examined neural responses to an aversive electrical stimulus and the immediate anticipation of such a stimulus using fMRI and a classical conditioning paradigm, which involved pairing an electrical shock with a neutral photograph. Fifteen men with schizophrenia and 13 healthy men, matched for demographic characteristics, electrical stimulation level and scan movement, were studied. The shock induced robust responses in midbrain, thalamus, cingulate gyrus, insula and somatosensory cortex in both groups. However, compared to controls, the schizophrenic patients displayed significantly lower activation of the middle insula (p(FWE)=0.002, T=5.72, cluster size=24 voxels). Moreover, the lack of insula reactivity in the schizophrenia group was predicted by the magnitude of positive symptoms (r=-0.46, p=0.04). In contrast, there were no significant differences between the two groups in the magnitude of neural responses during anticipation of the shock. These findings provide support for the existence of a basic deficit in interoceptive perception in schizophrenia, which could play a role in the generation and/or maintenance of psychotic states.
Detection by Immune Electron Microscopy of 26- to 27-nm Viruslike Particles Associated with Two Family Outbreaks of Gastroenteritis

Viruslike particles 26-27 nm in size were detected by immune electron microscopy in stools of volunteers who were ill after administration of bacteria-free fecal filtrates derived from two separate family outbreaks of acute epidemic nonbacterial gastroenteritis. Fluorocarbon treatment and concentration of the filtrates were necessary to provide enough antigen to test sera by immune electron microscopy. Serum antibody responses were detected in both naturally occurring and experimentally induced cases of illness. The Montgomery County viruslike particle appeared to be related to the previously described Norwalk particle, whereas the Hawaii particle appeared to be unrelated to the Norwalk particle.
Amyloid, the presenilins and Alzheimer's disease

Various mutations in the amyloid protein precursor and presenilin genes can lead to early onset, autosomal Alzheimer's disease. A series of mis-sense mutations (with one exception) in each of these genes has been shown to cause disease in a fully penetrant fashion. It has recently been shown, both in vivo and in model systems, that tissues expressing these mutations have increased production of amyloid (A beta) ending at residue 42. It has also recently been shown that this form of A beta is deposited early and selectively in the disease process and is more fibrillogenic in vitro. It is argued that these genetic and molecular biological data provide strong support for the veracity of the 'amyloid cascade hypothesis' for disease pathogenesis, and that this hypothesis offers a coherent framework for drug discovery.
Steroid-responsive eosinophilic myocarditis: diagnosis by endomyocardial biopsy

From the Department of Internal Medicine, the Divisions of Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine, and Allergic Diseases and Internal Medicine, and the Section of Medical Pathology, Mayo Clinic and Mayo Foundation, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, Minnesota 55905. This study was supported in part by Research Grants A19728 and AI 15231 from the National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, Bethesda, Maryland and the Mayo Foundation, Rochester, Minnesota. Manuscript received January 9, 1984, accepted January 12, 1984. biopsy technique has allowed recognition of myocardial inflammatory states at all stages of evolution, characterization of specific types of myocarditis and identification of timeand treatment-related changes.~, 2 We report a case in which eosinophilic myocarditis was recognized at an early stage by endomyocardial biopsy and in which there was prompt response to corticosteroid therapy.
Functionalization of primary carbon-hydrogen bonds of alkanes by carbene insertion with a silver-based catalyst

The complexes [TpBr3Ag]2·CH3COCH3 (1) and TpBr3Ag(thf) (2) catalyze the insertion of the :CHCO2Et group from ethyl diazoacetate (EDA) into the saturated C−H bonds of several C5, C6, and C8 linear and branched alkanes. In addition to secondary and/or tertiary sites, the unprecedented insertion into the primary C−H bonds of the substrates studied has been observed with variable regioselectivity, toward the methyl groups, within the range of 40−60% for branched and nearly 25% for linear alkanes.
All that knowledge, and so what? Scholarship in the digital university

Purpose – To ascertain how scholarship will be impacted by digital media.Design/methodology/approach – This paper breaks down the vocation of scholarship into subsidiary tasks. It examines how their relative importance has changed in the modern era. Finally, it looks at which tasks will be facilitated or complicated by digital media, particularly by the internet.Findings – The tasks of collecting and storing information have been made far faster and easier by digital media. Other tasks such as sorting, evaluating and assessing the implications of information have, however, become more difficult. In consequence, theory has become far more important.Research limitations/implications – The extrapolations in this paper are about broad trends, which may manifest themselves in a variety of ways.Practical implications – In the future, one can expect scholarship to deal less with uncovering new information. Instead, scholars will have to devote more time and effort to ascertaining why information is important. Sc...
The potential role of phagocytically active cells in establishing chronic parainfluenza 1 virus infections in human brain

Abstract A type 1 parainfluenza virus isolated from MS brain cells and designated 6 94 was examined for its infectious capacity for several mammalian cell systems including human brain and macrophages. Virus obtained from the supernatants of 6 94 infected mammalian cells was generally non-infectious for a second passage in mammalian cells unless first treated with trypsin in vitro. The exception to this finding was that phagocytically active macrophages were not only capable of converting virus released from mammalian cells into an infectious form but also of producing fully infectious progeny virus. These abilities were not found in macrophage cultures which had lost their phagocytic function.
A quasi-experimental approach to assessing treatment effects in the nonequivalent control group design.

Four statistical tests of treatment effect are evaluated for the nonequivalent control group design. This design consists of pre- and posttreatment measures of a dependent variable with biased assignment to treatment groups. The biased assignment creates a treatment-pretest confounding for which different statistical techniques adjust. The different statistical tests discussed are the analysis of covariance, analysis of covariance with reliability correction, raw change score analysis, and standardized change score analysis. If assignment to treatment groups is based on -j^ ,the pretest score (a very infrequent event), analysis of covariance is the appropriate mode of analysis. Selection based on the pretest true scores necessitates a reliability correction procedure. Selection based on stable group differences and selection that -occurs midway between the pre- and posttest necessitates change score analysis. Compensatory education programs can be made to look mistakenly harmful if they are analyzed by an inappropriate statistical technique when they should have been analyzed by standardized change score analysis. Given a model of the process of ^selection into treatment groups, the nonequivalent control group design can yield Snterpretable results.
Distance Matters in Choice of Mental Health Program: Policy Implications for Reducing Racial Disparities in Public Mental Health Care

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of race, geographic distance and quality on the choice of community mental health programs. The study population was comprised of adult Medicaid recipients who received outpatient treatment for serious mental illness in FY 2001. A discrete choice model was employed to examine the likelihood of choosing one program over another. Quality was measured based on follow-up after hospital discharge and continuity of care in outpatient services. Maps showing the relationship between race and the quality of care were prepared to visually confirm the results of the statistical analysis. African American and Hispanic clients were less likely to travel further for treatment, while no significant difference was found between the Caucasian and other race groups. Caucasian subjects were more likely to choose programs with a higher quality of care compared to Hispanic or African American clients. Higher income clients were, on average, traveling longer and receiving better quality of care after controlling for race. The results suggested that clients living in higher income White neighborhoods are more likely to travel longer distances for mental health treatment. Special attention must be paid to improve the quality of care in lower income minority neighborhoods to insure equity of treatment in publicly funded programs.
Does Laughter Make Good Medicine

Rachel Sobel asks, how will we ever reconcile our inevitable — and necessary — human imperfections with our desire to abide by the highest standards of professional conduct?
Consumer choice and television

A consumer choice model which described 48 television programmes in terms of 48 specially constructed orthogonal characteristics was employed to predict how frequently adult US males would watch each of eight shows chosen for testing purposes. The first half of the random sample of 789 was used to construct estimates of the relevant structures and parameters including parameters of viewer utility functions. The second half was used for testing purposes. The predictive error was significantly less - 28 per cent less- than a naive alternative. This 28 per cent was apparently a significantly greater reduction than a comparable percentage found by BOWMAN and FARLEY (1972) using other techniques and the same data.
Technetium-99m-labeled proteins for imaging inflammatory foci.

Abstract Polyclonal human IgG (IgG), antinuclear antibody (TNT-1), and human serum albumin (HSA), were labeled with 99m Tc by a method recently developed in our laboratory, and administered i.v., each to a separate group of five mice, bearing inflammatory foci induced by an i.m. injection of 40μL turpentine or 5 × 10 8 E. coli and 5 × 10 8 Entercocci. TNT-1 labeled with 125 I served as a control and 67 Ga-citrate as a “gold standard”. At 4 or 24 h post injection, animals were imaged and sacrificed for tissue distribution studies. At 4 h in the turpentine group, the abscess-to-muscle ratios were: 67 Ga, 4.8 ± 2.1, 125 I-TNT-1, 4.3 ± 1; 99m Tc-TNT-1, 3.5 ± 1.8; 99m Tc-IgG, 3.9 ± 0.6; and 99m Tc-HSA, 4.3± 1. In the microorganism group, these ratios were 2.6 ± 0.6, 3.3 ± 0.5, 3.4 ± 0.08, 3± 1.1 and 4.1 ± 0.6, respectively. Autoradiographic examination of infected tissues indicated that leakage of labeled proteins into interstitial space due to increased capillary permeability may be one of the major mechanisms of uptake.
Modeling three-dimensional multiphase flow using a level contour reconstruction method for front tracking without connectivity

Three-dimensional multiphase flow and flow with phase change are simulated using a simplified method of tracking and reconstructing the phase interface. The new level contour reconstruction technique presented here enables front tracking methods to naturally, automatically, and robustly model the merging and breakup of interfaces in three-dimensional flows. The method is designed so that the phase surface is treated as a collection of physically linked but not logically connected surface elements. Eliminating the need to bookkeep logical connections between neighboring surface elements greatly simplifies the Lagrangian tracking of interfaces, particularly for 3D flows exhibiting topology change. The motivation for this new method is the modeling of complex three-dimensional boiling flows where repeated merging and breakup are inherent features of the interface dynamics. Results of 3D film boiling simulations with multiple interacting bubbles are presented. The capabilities of the new interface reconstruction method are also tested in a variety of two-phase flows without phase change. Three-dimensional simulations of bubble merging and droplet collision, coalescence, and breakup demonstrate the new method's ability to easily handle topology change by film rupture or filamentary breakup. Validation tests are conducted for drop oscillation and bubble rise. The susceptibility of the numerical method to parasitic currents is also thoroughly assessed.
Pathogenic Ubqln2 gains toxic properties to induce neuron death

Mutations in ubiquilin 2 (Ubqln2) is linked to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal lobar degeneration. A foremost question regarding Ubqln2 pathogenesis is whether pathogenically mutated Ubqln2 causes neuron death via a gain or loss of functions. To better understand Ubqln2 pathobiology, we created Ubqln2 transgenic and knockout rats and compared phenotypic expression in these novel rat models. Overexpression of Ubqln2 with a pathogenic mutation (P497H substitution) caused cognitive deficits and neuronal loss in transgenic rats at the age of 130 days. In the transgenic rats, neuronal loss was preceded by the progressive formation of Ubqln2 aggregates and was accompanied by the progressive accumulation of the autophagy substrates p62 and LC3-II and the impairment of endosome pathways. In contrast, none of these pathologies observed in mutant Ubqln2 transgenic rats was detected in Ubqln2 knockout rats at the age of 300 days. Together, our findings in Ubqln2 transgenic and knockout rats collectively suggest that pathogenic Ubqln2 causes neuron death mainly through a gain of unrevealed functions rather than a loss of physiological functions.
Visual mining geo-related data using pixel bar charts

A common approach to analyze geo-related data is using bar charts or x-y plots. They are intuitive and easy to use. But important information often gets lost. In this paper, we introduce a new interactive visualization technique called Geo Pixel Bar Charts, which combines the advantages of Pixel Bar Charts and interactive maps. This technique allows analysts to visualize large amounts of spatial data without aggregation and shows the geographical regions corresponding to the spatial data attribute at the same time. In this paper, we apply Geo Pixel Bar Charts to visually mining sales transactions and Internet usage from different locations. Our experimental results show the effectiveness of this technique for providing data distribution and exceptions from the map.
LIF measurements in methane/air flames of radicals important in prompt-NO formation

Abstract Laser-induced fluorescence measurements have been made of the OH, CH, and NO radicals in slighly rich methane/air flames burning at 30, 70, and 120 torr. Absolute NO and OH concentrations were determined using separate calibration experiments. Temperature profiles were deduced from OH rotational excitation scans, and fluorescence quenching rates for NO and CH were determined. Predicted profiles of the concentrations of these radical species as a function of height above the burner were obtained from a computer model of the flame, and comparison made with experiment. Good agreement is achieved for the relative concentration profiles, the absolute NO concentration, and concentration ratios between 30 and 70 torr, although slight disagreement with the CH profile indicates there remain some unknown aspects of the flame chemistry.