cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing a new, passive diffusion sampler suite to detect helium anomalies associated with volcanic unrest

Helium (He) concentration and 3He/4He anomalies in soil gas and spring water are potentially powerful tools for investigating hydrothermal circulation associated with volcanism and could perhaps serve as part of a hazards warning system. However, in operational practice, He and other gases are often sampled only after volcanic unrest is detected by other means. A new passive diffusion sampler suite, intended to be collected after the onset of unrest, has been developed and tested as a relatively low-cost method of determining He-isotope composition pre- and post-unrest. The samplers, each with a distinct equilibration time, passively record He concentration and isotope ratio in springs and soil gas. Once collected and analyzed, the He concentrations in the samplers are used to deconvolve the time history of the He concentration and the 3He/4He ratio at the collection site. The current suite consisting of three samplers is sufficient to deconvolve both the magnitude and the timing of a step change in in situ concentration if the suite is collected within 100 h of the change. The effects of temperature and prolonged deployment on the suite’s capability of recording He anomalies have also been evaluated. The suite has captured a significant 3He/4He soil gas anomaly at Horseshoe Lake near Mammoth Lakes, California. The passive diffusion sampler suite appears to be an accurate and affordable alternative for determining He anomalies associated with volcanic unrest.
Another Antigone: The Emergence of the Female Political Actor in Euripides' "Phoenician Women"

The Phoenician Women, Euripides’ peculiar retelling and refashioning of the Theban myth, offers a portrait of Antigone before she becomes the actor we mostly know today from Sophocles’ play. In this under-studied Greek tragedy, Euripides portrays the political and epistemological dissolution that allows for Antigone’s appearance in public. Whereas Sophocles’ Antigone appears on stage ready to confront Creon with her appeal to the universal unwritten laws of the gods and later dissolves into the female lamenting a lost womanhood, Euripides’ Antigone experiences the opposite journey, thereby offering insights into the conditions that allow for her exposure in the political arena. A speech by Eteocles at the center of the play questions the existence of absolutes, calls injustice beautiful, and opens the door for Antigone’s entrance into the public sphere. With this speech Eteocles challenges us to consider the conditions of political openness in the modern age.
Reservoir Model Information System: REMIS

We describe a novel data visualization framework named Reservoir Model Information System (REMIS) for the display of complex and multi-dimensional data sets in oil reservoirs. It is aimed at facilitating visual exploration and analysis of data sets as well as user collaboration in an easier way. Our framework consists of two main modules: the data access point module and the data visualization module. For the data access point module, the Phrase-Driven Grammar System (PDGS) is adopted for helping users facilitate the visualization of data. It integrates data source applications and external visualization tools and allows users to formulate data query and visualization descriptions by selecting graphical icons in a menu or on a map with step-by-step visual guidance. For the data visualization module, we implemented our first prototype of an interactive volume viewer named REMVR to classify and to visualize geo-spatial specific data sets. By combining PDGS and REMVR, REMIS assists users better in describing visualizations and exploring data so that they can easily find desired data and explore interesting or meaningful relationships including trends and exceptions in oil reservoir model data.
U.S. Passive Margins: Are We Missing an Important Opportunity?

Understanding passive margins—thick accumulations of sediments built above the juncture between continental and oceanic crusts—has far-reaching economic and societal implications. Passive margins underlie the coastal regions of most of the conterminous United States, extending continuously from Texas eastward to Florida and northward to Maine. They hide most of the undiscovered hydrocarbon reserves of the United States, and they are excellent sites for sequestering carbon dioxide. Natural hazards of hurricanes, tsunamis, sea level rise, and rapid subsidence, and concerns related to the United Nations Law of the Sea, also make it imperative to better understand passive margins, and how they form and evolve.
Forest‐ and range‐hydrology as influenced by livestock

The plant-cover on our uncultivated lands varies greatly under different elevations, soil-types, topography, climatic conditions, and so forth. It is logical, therefore, that we should expect variations in the method of handling surface-rights on these lands depending on local conditions and that generalization in a regulatory way must be done with care, to avoid more or less serious pitfalls. So also must all interested groups recognize that this cover will be more or less influenced from the impacts made upon it by animal-life, both vertebrate and invertebrate, wild and domestic. V. E. Shelford [Ecology, v. 12, pp. 455–467, 1931] has attacked the fundamental concepts of some plant-ecologlsts who apparently consider and name the vegetation apart from the animals. These investigators have desired to learn the ultimate climax of vegetation with the presence of wild animals or with equivalent domestic animals excluded by fencing rather than reduced to the early or original numbers.
Predicted structural alterations in proinsulin during its interactions with prohormone convertases.

The intracellular conversion of proinsulin to insulin occurs via cleavage at the two dibasic sites: Arg31-Arg32, B chain−C-peptide (BC) junction; and Lys64-Arg65, A chain−C-peptide (CA) junction, ...
Efficient, inefficient, and abortive infection of different mammalian cells by small RNA viruses.

Abstract We have compared the biochemical capacity of cultured cells from a variety of animal sources to replicate the genetic information of two small RNA viruses. Mengovirus is shown to infect and kill cultured cells from many animal species regardless of whether the virus replicated well, moderately, or poorly in any cell type. The production of infectious viral RNA, and of viral protein by any cell type was proportional to the yield of intact virus produced by that cell type. The virus yield per cell was compared in a variety of cells employing two small RNA viruses (mengovirus and bovine enterovirus 1) capable of adsorbing to, penetrating, and infecting all the cells tested. The yields varied over a range of more than a thousandfold with both viruses, but the patterns of cell susceptibility were markedly different for each virus. Both viruses caused profound inhibition of host cell protein synthesis even in cells which replicated the virus very inefficiently. Possible biochemical explanations for such highly specific host cell restriction are discussed.
Prejudice and Behavioral Archetypes: A New Model for Cultural-Diversity Training:

Cultural-diversity training programs typically incorporate discussions of why some organizational acts and actors are seen as offensive while others are not. Invariably these discussions elicit perceptions and attributions of the actor's intent and interpersonal style. This paper presents a new model, incorporating intent and style into four archetypes. The archetypes are discussed in detail as are implications for designing and conducting cultural-diversity training.
Risk factors for various levels of periodontal disease and treatment needs in Iowa

A cross-sectional study of the non-institutionalized population of the State of Iowa was completed in 1980. Persons were interviewed by telephone and a follow-up dental examination was conducted in the home. Periodontal treatment needs were measured using the WHO-621 Index of Periodontal Treatment Needs which has been modified and is now known as the Community Periodontal Index of Treatment Needs. Findings were consistent with other recent studies, which have shown a relatively high proportion of gingival bleeding and calculus. Although moderate pocket formation (3-6 mm) occurs in approximately 30% of the adult population, complex treatment needs (pockets 6 mm or greater) occurred in only 1.3% of the population. While sex did not significantly affect the distribution of periodontal needs; age, recency of visit to the dentist and income are possible risk factors for serious periodontal disease.
Epinephrine-induced enhancement of memory retrieval for inhibitory avoidance conditioning in preweanling Sprague-Dawley rats.

Developmental research on memory is commonly conducted using preweanling rats, but the extent to which these animals are susceptible to hormone-induced memory retrieval is unclear. This study examined the effects of epinephrine (.001, .01, or .1 mg/kg) on retrieval of IA conditioning in 17-day-old infants. Animals tested 24 hr following training performed significantly worse than infants tested 5 min after training and adults tested 24 hr later, indicating that infantile amnesia had occurred. Epinephrine attenuated this deficit in a dose-dependent manner, with a significant improvement in performance at doses of .01 mg/kg for latency and at .01 and .1 mg/kg for safe side-dependent measures. The role of epinephrine as a memory modulator is discussed in terms of its neurobiological and internal contextual effects. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 49: 303–311, 2007.
Mesoscale modeling of S-2 glass/SC-15 epoxy composites: Plain-weave architecture:

S-2 glass composites can readily serve as backing materials for armor systems due to their light weight and tensile properties. However, high-fidelity ballistic modeling of these composites require...
Axillobifemoral Bypass: Elective versus Emergent Operation

Axillobifemoral bypass (AxBFB) is considered an inferior operation because of comparatively poor long-term results. One factor that has not been considered in the literature is whether or not the operation is performed electively or for acute ischemia (< 24 hours duration). This may be a more important predictor of poor results than previously recognized. During the last 10 years, we have performed 59 AxBFB. In Group A, 41 patients (mean age 71) underwent elective AxBFB and in Group B, 18 patients (mean age 65) had emergency AxBFB. Indications for surgery in Group A were limb-threatening ischemia (30), infected aortic graft (5), and severe claudication (6); in Group B, indications for surgery were acute limb ischemia (16), and aortoduodenal fistula (2). Primary patency (p < 0.002), limb salvage (p < 0.002), and survival (p < 0.03) were significantly better in Group A versus Group B. We conclude that an AxBFB performed electively provides satisfactory palliation of severe vascular disease in high-risk patients. The indications for operation and timing of the operation may explain the widely disparate clinical results reported in the literature.
Mechanistic Diversity in the RuBisCO Superfamily: A Novel Isomerization Reaction Catalyzed by the RuBisCO-Like Protein from Rhodospirillum rubrum

Some homologues of d-ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) do not catalyze carboxylation and are designated RuBisCO-like proteins (RLPs). The RLP from Rhodospirillum rubrum (gi:...
Pharmacotherapy review of chronic pediatric hypertension.

Abstract Background The number of antihypertensive agents on the market has increased dramatically over the past 20 years. Many of these agents are used to treat children and adolescents with hypertension despite there being relatively limited data available supporting such use. Recent legislation has helped to increase the number of studies conducted in children, but many clinical questions remain unanswered. Objective The goals of this article were to review the currently available antihypertensive agents used in the treatment of pediatric hypertension and to assist clinicians in selecting the most appropriate treatment. Methods Searches of MEDLINE and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts through July 2011 were conducted. Search terms used included child, pediatric, hypertension, and the following drugs: captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, fosinopril, losartan, valsartan, irbesartan, candesartan, olmesartan, amlodipine, nifedipine, isradipine, felodipine, propranolol, metoprolol, labetalol, minoxidil, furosemide, spironolactone, chlorothiazide, hydrochlorothiazide, hydralazine, and prazosin. Clinical trial data were reviewed and evaluated and were limited to English-language articles. Results A total of 45 observational and randomized controlled trials were identified and summarized in this review. The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), and calcium channel antagonists (CCAs) had the strongest data to support their use in pediatric patients. ACE inhibitors and ARBs are preferred agents for children with renal disease and have a favorable safety profile. Many trials, including 2 comparative trials, supported the use of CCAs, particularly amlodipine, in children. Conclusions Trials in all 3 classes suggested their efficacy as well as a tolerable adverse-effect profile. More trials in children are needed, particularly with newer antihypertensive agents. Comparative trials of different agents are the most lacking.
Electrical Conduction in Crystals and Ceramics of W O 3

The specific resistivities of crystals and ceramics of W${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ have been measured from room temperature to 1000\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, and the sign and order of magnitude of the Hall coefficient have been examined near room temperature. From the results for single crystals, it was found that W${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ behaves like an impurity semiconductor having a saturation region below 740\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C and becoming intrinsic above 910\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C. The specific resistivity versus temperature curve had a distinct anomaly at 740\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C suggesting an alteration in the electronic structure at this temperature. Below 740\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C, the specific resistivity of ceramic samples showed a remarkable hysteresis phenomenon, probably arising from a cracking of crystallites on heating. The sign of the Hall coefficient was positive at room temperature and its magnitude gave reasonable values for the number and mobility of the carriers. Nonohmic and rectifying characteristics were observed by means of an oscilloscope.
Laboratory experiments of fine-scale mixing and mass transport within a coral canopy

Laboratory experiments obtained fine scale measurements of turbulent shear stresses and rates of mixing and mass transfer over a nonliving bed of the coral, Porites compressa, the dominant species found in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. A reef canopy was placed in a recirculating wave-current flume and flow was generated that simulated the flow characteristics of the reef flat of Kaneohe Bay. Turbulence and velocity structure under both unidirectional and wave-dominated currents were measured using a two-dimensional laser Doppler anemometer. Mass transport measurements were made using a planar laser-induced fluorescence technique in which the scalar transport of Rhodamine 6G dye, fluxed from the surfaces of the coral, was quantified. Results show that the action of surface waves, interacting with the structure of the reef, can increase instantaneous shear and mixing up to six times compared to that of unidirectional currents. Maximum shear and mass transport events coincided with flow separation within the wave-cur...
Multitape finite automata with rewind instructions

The model of multitape finite automaton is generalized by allowing the automaton to rewind all its tapes simultaneously at any stage in its computation. This added capability is shown to yeild the Boolean closure of the class of word relations defined by multitape finite automata. Several properties of this extended model are investigated. In particular it is shown that this model is incomparable to the nondeterministic multitape finite automata and is strictly weaker than two-way multitape finite automata.
Balancing anti-herbivore benefits and anti-pollinator costs of defensive mutualists

Quantifying costs and benefits of ostensibly mutualistic interactions is an important step toward understanding their evolutionary trajectories. In food-for-protection interactions between ants and extrafloral nectar (EFN)-bearing plants, tending by aggressive ants may deter herbivores, but it may also deter pollinators. The fitness costs of pollinator deterrence are not straightforward for long-lived iteroparous plants, because reproductive vital rates often contribute weakly to fitness relative to growth and survival (vital rates that may be enhanced by ant defense). We used field manipulations of ant and pollinator activity and demographic modeling to examine how pollination costs of ant defense translate to plant fitness, given the benefits of ant defense elsewhere in the plant life cycle. We contrasted the net fitness effects of alternative ant partner species. Our work focused on the tree cholla cactus, Opuntia imbricata, an EFN-bearing plant associated with two ant species (Crematogaster opuntiae a...
America's new immigration: Characteristics, destinations, and impact, 1970–1989

Abstract Recent foreign immigration has become a major factor not only in contributing to America's population growth, but also in creating greater diversity among its people. Since the enactment of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act Amendments, most immigrants are coming from new sources in Asia and Latin America. This study analyzes the changes in the policies that have allowed these new immigrants, the immigrants' characteristics, and destinations within America. Current policies will lead to a significant decline in the country's percentage of Euroamericans and a corresponding increase in the population categorized as minorities, which are determined by race and Hispanic origins not numerical counts. With record numbers of Asian, particularly South and East Asians, and Latin American immigrants arriving annually, America's metropolitan areas are increasingly expected to accomodate them. Consequently, rapid racial and ethnic diversity is developing in these urban centers while most rural areas remain populated largely by Euroamericans. Public policymakers and urban planners involved in the governance and revitalization of inner cities and educators in their promotion of the awareness of cultural diversity need to recognize both the potential problems and attributes of these developments in America's large metropolitan areas.
Synergy testing of multidrug resistant Acinetobacter baumanii against tigecycline and polymyxin using an E-test methodology

The emergence of multi drug resistant nosocomial Acinetobacter baumanii infection has prompted the evaluation of newer antimicrobial agents and older warehoused agents as possible therapeutic candidates. In addition to the carbapenems, two other agents have emerged in clinical use and the in-vitro literature as potential therapeutic agents. In a number of studies tigecycline, a new agent in the glycylcycline class, related to minocycline, and polymyxin B, a polypeptide antibiotic used parenterally in the past as a gram negative rod antimicrobial, have show promising activity against multidrug resistant A. baumanii isolates, including those isolates resistant to the carbapenems [1–3]. Tigecycline appears to be bacteriostatic in vitro and in one published clinical study there has been breakthrough bacteremia. Very little in vitro data exists on the activity of the combination of polymyxin plus tigecycline against multidrug resistant A. baumanii [4, 5]. The E-test methodology has proven reliable for in vitro antimicrobial sensitivity testing [6]. A modified E-test methodology for performing antimicrobial synergy tested has been preliminarily evaluated in the literature and although not extensively validated, has been found to correlate well with traditional checkerboard and time-kill methodologies in several studies [7, 8]. E-test synergy testing is performed by crossing the E-test strips for the 2 test antimicrobials at a 90° angle at their predetermined MIC value on an inoculated Mueller Hinton agar plate. The plates are then incubated for 24 h at 35°C. The MIC of each antimicrobial in combination is interpreted as the value at which the zone of inhibition intersects the E test strip. The fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) is calculated and interpreted for synergy, indifference or antagonism. The FICI=MICtigecycline in combination/MICtigecyclinealone+ MICpolymixin in combination/MICpolymixin alone. The FICI is interpreted as follows: 4.0 indicates antagonism. We tested 19 recent clinical isolates of multidrug resistant A. baumanii from a large university teaching hospital for susceptibility to tigecycline and polymyxin B and performed synergy testing on the combination using E-test methodology. Clinical sources of the isolates were as follows: respiratory 9/19 (47.4%), urine 6/19 (31.6%), blood 2/19 (10.5%), wound 2/19 (10.5%). E-test synergy testing, revealed FICI values for tigecycline plus polymyxin between 0.88 and 2.0 for all 19 isolates, with 11/19 isolates having an FICI of 2.0. The FICI distribution was as follows:
Low-Liquid Loading Multiphase Flow in Natural Gas Pipelines

Pressure and temperature variations of natural gas flows in a pipeline may cause partial gas condensation. Fluid phase behavior and prevailing conditions often make liquid appearance inevitable, which subjects the pipe flow to a higher pressure loss. This study focuses on the hydrodynamic behavior of the common scenarios that may occur in natural gas pipelines. For this purpose, a two-fluid model is used. The expected flow patterns as well as their transitions are modeled with emphasis on the low-liquid loading character of such systems. In addition, the work re-examines previous implementations of two-flow model for gas-condensate flow.
Durkheim, realism, and Rousseau

In Emile (1762), Rousseau advocated a kind of “negative” education, free from books, abstract concepts, and the tyranny of human wills, so that the child learned in accordance with his own nature and the “heavy yoke of necessity” imposed by the dependence on real, concrete things. In Les Regles de la methode sociologique (1895), Durkheim insisted that sociological method rests entirely on one principle—i.e., “que les faits sociaux doivent etre etudies comme des choses.” This paper explores the historical relationship between the educational realism epitomized in the first book and the social realism epitomized in the second. Focusing on Durkheim's lecture notes on both the Contrat social (1918) and Emile (1919), as well as L'Education morale (1925) and L'Evolution pedagogique en France (1938), I lend empirical support to Sheldon Wolin's claim that Durkheim has been the medium by which Rousseau has left his mark on modern social science. I also place Durkheim's realism—both social and educational—within the larger context of his political commitment to the Third French Republic. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Control of Microbiological Hazards in the Laboratory

Abstract Occupationally acquired infections are a significant hazard among laboratory workers. Frequency rates found range from 0.1 to 50.0 infections per million man-hours. Unsafe acts or conditions are difficult to identify in approximately 80% of the cases. The sources and causes of such infections are discussed and criteria given for assessment of risk. Five specific approaches to controlling microbiological hazards are: (1) management support and administrative techniques, (2) vaccination of personnel, (3) use of correct laboratory techniques, (4) use of safety equipment, and (5) proper design of laboratories.
The current status of mild cognitive impairment--what do we tell our patients?

Ronald Petersen developed the concept of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in the late 1990s. The concept has since been expanded to include several subtypes, with amnestic MCI being recognized as a risk state for Alzheimer's disease. This Viewpoint highlights the benefits of retaining the MCI classification, both from a research and from a clinical point of view.
Use of the Kelvin-Clapeyron Equation to Model an Evaporating Curved Microfilm

A Kelvin-Clapeyron change-of-phase heat transfer model is used to evaluate experimental data for an evaporating meniscus. The details of the evaporating process near the contact line are obtained. The heat flux and the heat transfer coefficient are a function of the film thickness profile, which is a measure of both the intermolecular stress field in the contact line region and the resistance to conduction. The results indicate that a stationary meniscus with a high evaporative flux is possible. At equilibrium, the augmented Young-Laplace equation accurately predicts the meniscus slope. The interfacial slope is a function of the heat flux
Tracking the Moveable Feast: Sonomicrometry and Gastrointestinal Motility

Ultrasonomicrometry measures distance between piezoelectric crystals based on transmission time of ultrasound bursts. It allows monitoring of coordinated motion of small and delicate tissues, including gastrointestinal sphincters. Its suitability for motility studies in small animals such as mice suggests that its use in gastrointestinal studies will increase in coming years.
Quantitative Pt and Rh distributions in pollution-control catalysts

In the control of automobile emissions Pt is utilized to facilitate the oxidation of CO and hydrocarbons while Rh is added to selectively catalyze the reduction of NOx to N2. These separate functions suggest that an optimum catalyst might have these elements at different locations within the support. Two levels of noble-metal distribution are important: (a) the distribution across the 1.2 mm wall of the γ-alumina support monolith and (b) the distribution within individual 1–20 nm particles of reduced catalyst. An electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) was used for quantitative analysis of the Pt and Rh distributions across the support wall. The EPMA can detect a minimum of 200–500 ppm of these metals in alumina, but at a spatial resolution of 10 μm. An analytical electron microscope (AEM) with a field emission electron source was used to measure the composition of small metal particles down to 1–2 nm in diameter. The high spatial resolution of the AEM analysis allowed detection of surface segregation in 1–20 nm particles containing both Pt and Ph. Platinum segregated to the particle surface as expected for Pt—Rh particles reduced in H2.
Ion Energy Distributions in Multifrequency Capacitive Discharges

Summary form only given. Capacitive discharges are widely used for thin-film processing of silicon and flat-panel substrates in the microelectronics industry. The ion energy distribution (ED) at the substrate surface is an important parameter in these processes. Multiple frequency drives are often used to control the width and the average of the IED. The physics of IED formation in low pressure single frequency capacitive discharges is fairly well understood. However, the understanding of multiple frequency driven discharges is less than adequate. In this work, an analytical model of the IED is developed and compared to simulations using a kinetic, particle-in-cell (PIC), Monte Carlo collision (MCC) method. To determine the IED in the model, given the sheath voltage waveform V(t), the frequency spectrum E(f) of a time-varying ion energy response is first determined as E(f)=T(f)V(f), where T(f) is a frequency transfer (filter) function and V(f) is the frequency spectrum of the sheath voltage waveform. After applying an inverse Fourier transformation of E(f) to determine E(t), the IED within a certain small energy interval is determined as proportional to the total time for E(t) to lie within that energy interval. Various transfer functions are explored, all chosen such that the ions completely respond to low frequency oscillations and have a 1/f response at high frequencies. In the simulations, done in argon with a discharge gap of 3 cm, the IED is collected over many cycles of the lowest frequency. The gap is divided into 500 cells and the simulation time step is 7.63 ps, chosen in order to resolve the Debye length and fulfill simulation stability criteria. Initial simulations are done neglecting ion-neutral charge transfer and elastic scattering collisions, using single, dual, and triple frequency excitation over a wide voltage range, with various commensurate or incommensurate frequency ratios. The models and simulation results are generally in good agreement. In later analysis and simulations, the effects of ion-neutral collisions in the sheath on ion and fast neutral energy distributions at the substrate surface are examined.
Adaptive sparse signal processing of satellite-based radio frequency (RF) recordings of lightning events

Ongoing research at Los Alamos National Laboratory studies the Earth’s radio frequency (RF) background utilizing satellite-based RF observations of terrestrial lightning. Such impulsive events are dispersed through the ionosphere and appear as broadband nonlinear chirps at a receiver on-orbit. They occur in the presence of additive noise and structured clutter, making their classification challenging. The Fast On-orbit Recording of Transient Events (FORTE) satellite provided a rich RF lightning database. Application of modern pattern recognition techniques to this database may further lightning research in the scientific community, and potentially improve on-orbit processing and event discrimination capabilities for future satellite payloads. Conventional feature extraction techniques using analytical dictionaries, such as a short-time Fourier basis or wavelets, are not comprehensively suitable for analyzing the broadband RF pulses under consideration here. We explore an alternative approach based on non-analytical dictionaries learned directly from data, and extend two dictionary learning algorithms, K-SVD and Hebbian, for use with satellite RF data. Both algorithms allow us to learn features without relying on analytical constraints or additional knowledge about the expected signal characteristics. We then use a pursuit search over the learned dictionaries to generate sparse classification features, and discuss their performance in terms of event classification. We also use principal component analysis to analyze and compare the respective learned dictionary spaces to the real data space.
Nearest neighbor effect on the isomer shift of 57Fe in small metal clusters

Abstract Rare gas matrix isolation techniques have been used in conjunction with Mossbauer spectroscopy to study the variation of the isomer shift of 57Fe with the number of nearest neighbor atoms of Fe, Co, Mn and Cu. The results indicate that only for the case of Cu nearest neighbor atoms are the small clusters representative of the bulk.
Computation efficient multicast key distribution

In this paper, we adopt a common model where session keys are issued and distributed by a central group controller (GC). The resources needed for the GC to distribute session keys to group members include communication, storage and computation resources. A new dynamic group key distribution scheme, in which the rekeying process that reduces computation complexity and yet maintain at least the same security degree of using symmetric encryption algorithms is also discussed.
Ureteroscopy: The standard of care in the management of upper tract urolithiasis in children.

Objectives : Advances in technology and the continued evolution in the design of ureteroscopes now permit a primary endoscopic approach to the upper urinary tract of pediatric patients on a routine basis to treat a diverse group of conditions that include urolithiasis, hematuria and strictures. The purpose of this review article is to demonstrate that ureteroscopic lithotripsy is now to be considered the standard of care in the management of upper tract urolithiasis in the pediatric patient, replacing shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) as the first line of therapy. Additionally, the article will discuss the available endoscopic equipment and the lessons learned over the years to optimize the success of these procedures in children. Materials and Methods : A systematic review of articles written about ureteroscopy (URS) in the contemporary urological literature (1990-2009) on PubMed was undertaken. The success rates and complications of pediatric ureteroscopic procedures were abstracted from the identified publications and the results were tabulated and compared with the success rates of shockwave lithotripsy. Results : In over 832 URS cases, there was a 5.9% complication rate and a stone-free rate of 93.4%. The stone-free rates of URS are superior to those obtained with the published success rates with ESWL of 80.3% in 1,839 cases. Conclusions : The safety and outcomes of ureteroscopic lithotripsy in the management of pediatric urolithiasis now justify that this treatment modality be considered the standard of care and first line of therapy in the management of children who present with upper tract stones.
Table Top Schemes for Nano-Patterning with Extreme Ultraviolet Lasers

We discuss different nanopatterning approaches using table top extreme ultraviolet lasers based on interferometric lithography, Talbot self imaging and holographic projection lithography.
Synthetic aperture radar simulation for image sensitivity assessment

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is an all weather sensor that has provided breakthrough remote sensing capabilities for both civilian and military applications. SAR differs from other real-aperture sensors in that it achieves fine resolution using signal processing techniques that are based on certain assumptions about the relative dynamics between the sensor and the scene. When these assumptions are violated, the quality of the SAR imagery degrades, impacting its interpretability. This paper describes the development of a simulation testbed for evaluating the effects of SAR-specific error sources on image quality, including effects that originate with the sensor (e.g. system noise, uncompensated motion), as well as effects that originate in the scene (e.g. target motion, wind-blown trees). The simulation generates synthetic video phase history and can accommodate a variety of sensor collection trajectories, acquisition geometries, and image formation options. The simulation approach will be described, example outputs will be shown, and initial results relating simulation inputs to image quality measures will be presented.
Seasonal light and temperature interaction effects on development of Laminaria saccharina (Phaeophyta) gametophytes and juvenile sporophytes

In previous studies, Laminaria saccharina L. (Lamour.) sporophytes were found to exhibit two major peaks of sporogenesis and an annual life cycle in Long Island Sound, New York. Young sporophytes were observed shortly after the sporogenesis peaks in early autumn and spring, but most of the mature sporophytes decayed during summer. A new study was conducted to determine if the spring sporogenesis activity contributed to the recruitment observed in autumn through oversummering of gametophytic and juvenile sporophytic stages, as previously suggested. Reproduction and growth in gametophytes and growth in juvenile sporophytes were studied under crossed gradients of light and temperature. Periodic outplantings of substrata seeded with gametophytic and sporophytic stages to the field were conducted to assess actual survival. The optimum temperature and light conditions for gametophyte development, growth and reproduction varied with the time of year meiospores were obtained. Most of this variation was attributable to temperature. A seasonal adaptation to temperature in most developmental stages was observed. Higher temperatures resulted in greater numbers of male gametophytes. Gametophytic stages could develop at all times, suggesting that oversummering in this stage was possible. Juvenile sporophytes had a narrower optimum temperature range and again photon fluence rate contributed little to observed variances. Out planting of sporophytic stages at various times during the year indicated only sporophytes prepared from autumn and winter could survive summer conditions. The thalli of these plants grew rapidly in spring and eroded back to the meristematic region in summer. Most of these plants then quickly became reproductive, resulting in another autumn sporogenesis peak. Gametophytic and sporophytic outplantings prepared from spring meiospores did not survive the summer. Thus, the recruitment observed in autumn can only be the result of the previous autumn's sporogenesis activity. The sporogenous activities of spring and early summer appear to be unimportant, despite the fact that all reproductive indices are superior at those times.
Carrier transport mechanisms in organic electroluminescent devices

The current-voltage relationships in organic electroluminescent devices are derived for the following two cases: (1) double-carrier injection trap-charge limited (TCL) regime, and (2) TCL conduction with internal photodetrapping. Several experimental observations are explained based on our equations. Location of the recombination zone is predicted. A numerical model is also developed to simulate the TCL conduction. Current-voltage characteristics, band and charge profiles are obtained to elucidate the conduction mechanism in the organic electroluminescent devices with large trap densities.
Reliability of computer-assisted lumbar intervertebral measurements using a novel vertebral motion analysis system.

Abstract Background context Traditional methods for the evaluation of in vivo spine kinematics introduce significant measurement variability. Digital videofluoroscopic techniques coupled with computer-assisted measurements have been shown to reduce such error, as well as provide detailed information about spinal motion otherwise unobtainable by standard roentgenograms. Studies have evaluated the precision of computer-assisted fluoroscopic measurements; however, a formal clinical evaluation and comparison with manual methods is unavailable. Further, it is essential to establish reliability of novel measurements systems compared with standard techniques. Purpose To determine the repeatability and reproducibility of sagittal lumbar intervertebral measurements using a new system for the evaluation of lumbar spine motion. Study design Reliability evaluation of digitized manual versus computer-assisted measurements of the lumbar spine using motion sequences from a videofluoroscopic technique. Patient sample A total of 205 intervertebral levels from 61 patients were retrospectively evaluated in this study. Outcome measures Coefficient of repeatability (CR), limits of agreement (LOA), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC; type 3,1), and standard error of measurement. Methods Intervertebral rotations and translations (IVR and IVT) were each measured twice by three physicians using the KineGraph vertebral motion analysis (VMA) system and twice by three different physicians using a digitized manual technique. Each observer evaluated all images independently. Intra- and interobserver statistics were compiled based on the methods of Bland-Altman (CR, LOA) and Shrout-Fleiss (ICC, standard error of measurement). Results The VMA measurements demonstrated substantially more precision compared with the manual technique. Intraobserver measurements were the most reliable, with a CR of 1.53 (manual, 8.28) for IVR, and 2.20 (manual, 11.75) for IVT. The least reliable measurements were interobserver IVR and IVT, with a CR of 2.15 (manual, 9.88) and 3.90 (manual, 12.43), respectively. The ICCs and standard error results followed the same pattern. Conclusions The VMA system markedly reduced variability of lumbar intervertebral measurements compared with a digitized manual analysis. Further, computer-assisted fluoroscopic imaging techniques demonstrate precision within the range of computer-assisted X-ray analysis techniques.
Uranus in 2003: Zonal winds, banded structure, and discrete features

Abstract Imaging of Uranus in 2003 with the Keck 10-m telescope reveals banded zonal structure and dozens of discrete cloud features at J and H bands; several features in the northern hemisphere are also detectable at K′. By tracking features over four days, we extend the zonal wind profile well into the northern hemisphere. We report the first measurements of wind velocities at latitudes − 13 ° , + 19 ° , and northward of + 43 ° , the first direct wind measurements near the equator, and the highest wind velocity seen yet on Uranus ( + 218 m / s ). At northern mid-latitudes ( + 20 ° to + 40 ° ), the winds appear to have accelerated when compared to earlier HST and Keck observations; southern wind speeds ( − 20 ° to − 43 ° ) have not changed since Voyager measurements in 1986. The equator of Uranus exhibits a subtle wave structure, indicated by diffuse patches roughly every 30° in longitude. The largest discrete cloud features on Uranus show complex structure extending over tens of degrees, reminiscent of activity seen around Neptune's Great Dark Spot during the Voyager encounter with that planet. There is no sign of a northern “polar collar” as is seen in the south, but a number of discrete features seen at the “expected” latitudes may signal the early stages of development of a northern collar.
New technique could boost researchers' view of Earth's core

Studies of the Earth's core rely exclusively on remote detection because direct access is blocked by temperature, pressure, and thousands of kilometers of solid rock. Measurements of the magnetic field or of seismic waves provide researchers with a glimpse into the core's properties. Traditionally, to get a good look at the core, researchers watch for earthquake-generated seismic body waves that travel through the Earth—either passing through or reflecting off the core—that are then picked up by a seismic wave detection array on the other side of the planet. The requirement that stations be properly aligned in comparison to the earthquake is sufficiently strict that observations are often more opportunistic than many scientists would prefer.
Cultural relatedness under oblique and horizontal transmission rules

Abstract The concept of genetic relatedness is central to the sociobiological theory of kinship altruism. Genes which code for altruistic acts toward closely related genetic kin can overcome selection pressures favoring self-interested behavior. But genetic relatedness declines rapidly as kinship becomes more distant, thereby restricting genetically-based altruism to very close kin. This paper extends these notions to cultural relatedness, arguing that oblique and horizontal transmission can yield high levels of cultural relatedness in larger groups. A mathematical model of cultural transmission is proposed, and equilibria for several special cases are investigated. For all models, the equilibrium level of relatedness is critically dependent on the influence of exogenous sources. In models with equal influence of nonparents, the level of relatedness varies inversely with group size. On the other hand, when nonparental influence is concentrated on a single individual, the level of relatedness does not vary with group size.
Neuropeptide-Y: a possible mediator of prolactin-induced feeding and regulator of energy balance in the ring dove (Streptopelia risoria).

Although neuropeptide-Y (NPY) has been widely reported to be a potent stimulator of feeding activity and regulator of energy homeostasis, most of the supportive evidence for such effects has been gathered in mammalian species. This study characterized the orexigenic potency of NPY in an avian species, the ring dove, and measured changes in hypothalamic NPY-immunoreactive (NPY-ir) cell numbers in response to energy state fluctuations or intracranial administration of the potent orexigenic hormone prolactin. Food intake was significantly elevated in male doves at 1 h after intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of 0.25 and 0.5 microg NPY but not after injection of a higher dose (1.0 microg). In time course studies, food intake was increased at 1 h after i.c.v. injection of 0.5 microg NPY but was not elevated at 2, 3, or 4 h. The number of NPY-ir cell bodies in the infundibular region of the dove hypothalamus increased two to four-fold following acute food deprivation, chronic food restriction, or repeated i.c.v. injections of prolactin. No additive effects were observed when food restriction and prolactin treatment were combined. These findings suggest that NPY is involved in energy homeostasis in doves and are consistent with the hypothesis that prolactin-induced hyperphagia is mediated in part by NPY.
Seeing red: How perceptions of social status and worth influence hostile attributions and endorsement of aggression

Within social hierarchies, low social status is associated with increased vigilance, hostile expectations, and reactive aggression. We propose that societal devaluation is common across many low social status groups and produces a sense of threatened social worth. Threatened social worth may lead those of low status to be more vigilant towards social threats, thereby increasing the likelihood of hostile attributions and endorsement of aggression. Integrating theory on belongingness, social rejection, and stigma compensation, two studies test a sequential process model demonstrating that threatened social worth mediates the relationship between status, hostile attributions, and endorsement of aggression. Employing a relative status manipulation, Study 2 reveals a causal effect of status and highlights the importance of perceptions of low social status on threatened social worth. These data demonstrate the role of social worth in explaining the link between status and hostility and have implications for research in the social, health, and developmental domains.
Dexamethasone treatment causes resistance to insulin-stimulated cellular potassium uptake in the rat

Patients treated with glucocorticoids have elevated skeletal muscle ouabain binding sites. The major Na+-K+-ATPase (NKA) isoform proteins found in muscle, α2 and β1, are increased by 50% in rats tr...
Factors affecting farm operators’ interest in incorporating riparian buffers and forest farming practices in northeast and southeast Missouri

Interest in the incorporation of riparian buffers and forest farming were modeled following agricultural conservation and agroforestry adoption studies. Attitudes, individual characteristics, economic diversity of landowners’ household portfolio, and physical and ecological conditions were explanatory variables in Logit regression models of interest. Habitus and field, the values and institutions of farm operators, were included in the framework. Knowledge of the practice, perceived problems with the environment and attitude/habitus variables had a positive effect on the probability of being interested in riparian buffers. Knowledge of the practice was the most important factor in explaining interest in the case of forest farming, followed by attitudes about trees and concern for future generations, both habitus variables. Field variables like CRP payments representing familiarity with government programs that support conservation, had no significant effect on interest in riparian buffers. Older farmers were less interested in both practices, consistent with other findings. Existing economic diversification of the household portfolio had no effect on the probability of being interested in either practice.