cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical-point wetting at the metastable chemical binodal in undercooled Fe–Cu alloys

Abstract Complementary results of differential thermal analysis and microstructural examination on Fe–Cu alloys provide the first evidence for critical-point wetting occurring at a completely metastable miscibility gap. The perfect wetting conditions hold for a composition range of 50–65 at.% Fe in the vicinity of the critical concentration. For samples encased with a glass slag, the Cu-rich liquid completely wets the glass upon undercooling to the metastable miscibility gap. In the perfect-wetting range, the metastable homogeneous liquid phase exhibited phase separation without undercooling below the chemical binodal. At deep undercooling, solidification of alloys with phase separated liquids results in a coarse scaled two-phase microstructure. In contrast, the homogeneous liquid phase of samples with compositions outside the perfect wetting range did undercool below the equilibrium onset of the metastable phase separation reaction. The phase separation in these samples occurred on a much finer scale. For samples without a glass encasement and thus in the presence of the Al 2 O 3 crucible and an iron oxide layer, perfect wetting occurred near the consolute point on both sides of the metastable miscibility gap. This demonstrates that critical-point wetting is independent of the surface environment, but the wetting phase selected is surface sensitive.
Analysis and detection of surface discontinuities using the 3D continuous shearlet transform

Abstract Directional multiscale transforms such as the shearlet transform have emerged in recent years for their ability to capture the geometrical information associated with the singularity sets of bivariate functions and distributions. One of the most striking features of the continuous shearlet transform is that it provides a very simple and precise geometrical characterization for the boundary curves of general planar regions. However, no specific results were known so far in higher dimensions, since the arguments used in dimension n = 2 do not directly carry over to the higher dimensional setting. In this paper, we extend this framework for the analysis of singularities to the 3-dimensional setting, and show that the 3-dimensional continuous shearlet transform precisely characterizes the boundary set of solid regions in R 3 by identifying both its location and local orientation.
Perception, selection, and structural economy

In this essay I will explore the syntactic expression of the notion ‘clause’ by focusing on some syntactic and semantic properties of bare infinitive (BI) complements to perception verbs in English. I shall argue briefly that perception BI complements must be clausal, and then turn in more detail to the issue of what sort of clause the BI complement must be. It will be established that the categorical nature of the perception BI complement as IP or VP is contingent on selectional properties of the perception verb, properties which may be contextually influenced by modality and negation. More specifically, an interpretative distinction between ‘vision’ and ‘non-vision’see first suggested by Napoli (1988) will be shown, contrary to her proposal, to provide the key to the contrast in the selection of clausal types. The IP/VP distinction will be shown to correlate with the viability of interpretations for the BI clause that are ‘temporally independent’ of the matrix clause. Given the IP/VP distinction, it will be demonstrated further that the peculiarly limited distribution of the expletive formativethere in BI complements may be predicted from independently motivated syntactic principles that determine clausal structure.
Self-consistent dynamic image potential in tunneling

We discuss the self-consistent determination of the dynamic polarization or ``image'' potential in tunneling within linear-response theory. A generalized WKB expression for the tunneling exponent is derived for tunneling into or out of a conductor (e.g., in field emission), as well as between two semi-infinite polarizable electrodes separated by a potential barrier. Numerical results are presented for the tunneling exponent, the barrier traversal time, and effective thickness for simple models assuming coupling to dispersionless surface plasmons of frequency ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{s}$. These results demonstrate a systematic reduction of the image-potential contribution to the tunneling exponent if the barrier traversal time becomes shorter than ${\ensuremath{\omega}}_{s}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}1}$. We estimate that, in tunneling from a metal tip to a metal surface, the static image potential overestimates the polarization contribution to the tunneling exponent by 20--30 % in a typical scanning-tunneling-microscope measurement.
Moral Courage Through a Collective Voice

Courage is being scared to death—and saddling up anyway —John Wayne (quoted in Kidder, 2005, 9) Not long after reading the target article by Cook and Hoas (2008), I could not help but question whet...
Use of Raman spectroscopy as a tool for in situ monitoring of microwave-promoted reactions

The progress of microwave-promoted reactions can be monitored by interfacing a Raman spectrometer with a scientific microwave unit. The apparatus is assembled from commercially available components. It is used in this protocol to follow the base-catalyzed reaction of salicylaldehyde with ethylacetoacetate to yield 3-acetylcoumarin. It is possible to watch the reaction spectroscopically in real time, determine when it reaches completion and thus use it as a tool for rapid reaction optimization.
Characterization and calibration of a large area beta scintillation detector for determination of Sr-90

A large area beta scintillation detector has been developed which is currently capable of determining Sr-90/Y-90 contamination in surficial soils. The detector system employs scintillating fiber optic arrays, with active dimensions approximately 15 cm wide by 100 cm long, both ends of which are coupled to multiple photomultiplier tubes (PMTs). Electronic processing includes coincidence requirements to optimize sensitivity and selectivity for the 2.28 MeV (maximum) beta particle from Y-90. Low energy beta particles and gamma rays are discriminated against using double ended and multi-layer coincidence requirements. The detector system is personal-computer-software controlled and data restored in a format compatible with standard database software for ease of final data reduction. Experimental calibration studies have shown a linear response for Sr-90/Y-90 soil concentrations from 12 to over 500 pCi/g and a discrimination factor of 50 to 1 versus Cs-137.
Oil-shale kerogen: low temperature degradation in molten salts

GREEN RIVER oil shale has been found to be converted to soluble products by the action of a sodium tetrachloroaluminate melt1. The function of the tetrachloroaluminate melt has been shown experimentally to include chemical effects in addition to its role as a thermal transfer agent. The results described here when compared to a conventional retorting process or a shift reaction2, are distinctly different, implying that the reaction could be thermally dependent, but results indicate the process involved is not a pyrolysis. Model studies have demonstrated that aromatic moieties are relatively inert to the solvent system described; however, aliphatic materials containing carbon in other than sp3 hybridisation are especially reactive. The mechanism of degradation seems to involve a mode of intramolecular disproportion catalysed by the tetrachloroaluminate melt's ability to stabilise the resulting shortlived intermediates until the macromolecules involved have been sufficiently reduced in size to become soluble in conventional solvents.
Changes in inter-intromission interval during uninterrupted copulation in rats

Data from 79 male rats in 416 copulation tests with 4413 Inter-Intromission Intervals (III) were analyzed in order to determine whether III changes within the copulatory series that leads to ejaculation. III increases from its initial value and then decreases regularly as ejaculation is approached.
The chromosomal site of the RNA control (RC) locus in Escherichia coli.

The site of the RNA control (RC) locus that intervenes in the amino acid regulated synthesis of ribosomal RNA has been mapped on the Escherichia coli chromosome. Bacterial conjugation experiments, in which either RCrel or RCst alleles of the RC locus were transferred from Hfr donor to F− recipient cells of complementary genotype, demonstrate that the RC locus is situated between the loci responsible for resistance to streptomycin (Str) and for synthesis of serine (Ser/Gly). The wild-type strain of E. coli K12 carries the RCst allele, as does the biotin-requiring archetypal mutant strain 58–161 from which the present-day biotin-independent RCrel variant of 58–161 had been unwittingly selected.
A relational database for cryoEM: experience at one year and 50 000 images.

For the past year we have been using a relational database as part of an automated data collection system for cryoEM. The database is vital for keeping track of the very large number of images collected and analyzed by the automated system and essential for quantitatively evaluating the utility of methods and algorithms used in the data collection. The database can be accessed using a variety of tools including specially developed Web-based interfaces that enable a user to annotate and categorize images using a Web-based form.
Mechanical Testing for the Biomechanics Engineer: A Practical Guide

Mechanical testing is a useful tool in the field of biomechanics. Classic biomechanics employs mechanical testing for a variety of purposes. For instance, testing may be used to determine the mechanical properties of bone under a variety of loading modes and various conditions including age and disease state. In addition, testing may be used to assess fracture fixation procedures to justify clinical approaches. Mechanical testing may also be used to test implants and biomaterials to determine mechanical strength and appropriateness for clinical purposes. While the information from a mechanical test will vary, there are basics that need to be understood to properly conduct mechanical testing. This book will attempt to provide the reader not only with the basic theory of conducting mechanical testing, but will also focus on providing practical insights and examples. Table of Contents: Preface / Fundamentals / Accuracy and Measurement Tools / Design / Testing Machine Design and Fabricati n / Fixture Design and Applications / Additional Considerations in a Biomechanics Test / Laboratory Examples and Additional Equations / Appendices: Practical Orthopedic Biomechanics Problems / Bibliography / Author Biography
Modeling a variable thickness sea ice cover

A numerical model simulating a variable thickness sea ice cover over a seasonal cycle is presented. The model includes a fixed depth mixed-layer formulation with open water heat absorption and lateral melting terms, and a mechanical distribution function consistent with the physics of the ridging process. The equibrium simulation results in realistic geographical ice thickness variations of April ice along the Canadian Archipelago which exceed 7 m, and thicknesses of about 2 m along the Alaskan North Slope. Ice velocity fields were realistic in shape but 25% larger than the net ice station drift over a year; sensitivity simulations indicated a reduced average annual ice export rate of 0.04 Sv as compared to 0.09 Sv for the equilibrium simulation.
Genome-wide linkage scan for quantitative trait loci underlying normal variation in heel bone ultrasound measures

Quantitative ultrasound (QUS) traits are correlated with bone mineral density (BMD), but predict risk for future fracture independent of BMD. Only a few studies, however, have sought to identify specific genes influencing calcaneal QUS measures. The aim of this study was to conduct a genome-wide linkage scan to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing normal variation in QUS traits. QUS measures were collected from a total of 719 individuals (336 males and 383 females) from the Fels Longitudinal Study who have been genotyped and have at least one set of QUS measurements. Participants ranged in age from 18.0 to 96.6 years and were distributed across 110 nuclear and extended families. Using the Sahara ® bone sonometer, broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), speed of sound (SOS) and stiffness index (QUI) were collected from the right heel. Variance components based linkage analysis was performed on the three traits using 400 polymorphic short tandem repeat (STR) markers spaced approximately 10 cM apart across the autosomes to identify QTL influencing the QUS traits. Age, sex, and other significant covariates were simultaneously adjusted. Heritability estimates (h2) for the QUS traits ranged from 0.42 to 0.57. Significant evidence for a QTL influencing BUA was found on chromosome 11p15 near marker D11S902 (LOD = 3.11). Our results provide additional evidence for a QTL on chromosome 11p that harbors a potential candidate gene(s) related to BUA and bone metabolism.
Testosterone-induced copulatory behavior is affected by the postcastration interval.

Abstract A well entrenched hypothesis regarding hormonal action is that as the time interval following hormonal deprivation increases there is a corresponding decrease in the sensitivity of the system to the effects of hormone replacement. With this in mind, we examined the effects of a prolonged period of hormonal deprivation (9 mo), and compared these to the effects of a shorter period (1 month), on the restoration of copulatory behavior and seminal vesicle weights. Castration of sexually vigorous male Long-Evans rats at 6 mo of age was followed by the virtual disappearance of ejaculatory behavior within 1 mo. Testosterone (T) was administered (5 mm or 20 mm T-containing Silastic capsules) either 1 or 9 mo after castration, and copulatory tests were conducted 3, 7, 10, 14, and 17 days later. 5 mmT and 20mmT were equally effective in restoring behavior in the rats treated 1 mo after castration. In contrast, 5 mmT was more effective in inducing copulatory behavior than 20 mmT in the rats treated 9 mo after castration. The time course to maximal effect was longer in the rats given T 9 mo after castration. Rats were sacrificed 21 days after T administration. Expressed seminal vesicle weights and plasma testosterone were increased in a dose-dependent manner independent of the postcastration interval. These data indicate that somatic and behavioral effects of T are differentially modified by the period of preceding hormonal deprivation.
Deposition of magnetic pyrrhotite during alteration of crude oil and reduction of sulfate

Abstract Crude oil seepage is widespread in carbonate cap rock and in overlying sediments of the Damon Mound salt dome, Brazoria County, Texas. Scanning electron microscopy of calcite-lined cavities provides insight to the latest stage of mineral deposition in this salt dome environment. Solid crude oil residues and microbes occur in association with surface minerals such as gypsum and barite. Deposition of pyrrhotite, pyrite, marcasite, sphalerite, and elemental sulfur is attributed to microbial sulfate reduction, and deposition of aragonite and calcite is related to microbial oxidation of crude oil hydrocarbons. The C1—C4 hydrocarbons in pyrrhotite-bearing cap rock samples are a biodegraded residue derived from crude oil. Higher molecular weight crude oil components in cap rock are altered by water washing and to a lesser extent by biodegradation. Hydrocarbon compositions could be explained by limited aerobic biodegradation, but a component of anaerobic biodegradation cannot be excluded. Some Damon Mound samples are highly magnetic because of abundant ferrimagnetic pyrrhotite. This study provides new evidence of a link between crude oil migration, microbial activity, and diagenetic magnetic anomalies in rocks.
Liquid–Solid Density: Observations and Demonstrations

The liquid–solid density relationship of the water–ice system is discussed as an example of an often-overlooked observation. The importance of making careful, complete, and unbiased observations is stressed. The anomalous behavior of water is shown with an image and a demonstration.
Theory of Surface Polarons

We attempt to determine the binding energy and the wave function of the ground state of an electron that is attracted to the surface of an ionic crystal by its image potential and is repelled from the interior of the solid. For ionic crystals, such as LiF, the electrostatic theory is inadequate and the solid must be treated as a dynamical system. For shallow levels, the correction to the electrostatic approximation is small and behaves asymptotically as ${z}^{\ensuremath{-}3}$, where $z$ is the distance from the surface. The mass of a shallow electron is not enhanced. For deep levels the ground-state energy is calculated by a variational procedure in the limits of both weak and strong electron-phonon coupling. For the ground-state energy of an electron trapped on the LiF surface we find the value -0.29 eV. The mass of the deeply bound electron is enhanced.
Aristotle's functional association psychology. The syntagmatic and the paradigmatic axes in the neurolinguistics of Roman Jakobson and Alexander Luria: An anatomical and functional quagmire

Alfredo Ardila has written a paper on the reinterpretation and reclassification of aphasic syndromes. The model he uses is an extension of his early work with D. Frank Benson (Benson & Ardila, 1996...
Anterior mediastinal tumour identified by intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography.

Purpose: To report a child with anterior mediastinal tumour misdiagnosed as pericardial effusion who had been sent to the operating theatre for drainage. After induction of general anesthesia she developed cardio-respiratory collapse. The diagnosis was made with the aid of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Clinical features: A 14-yr-old girl suffered from cough and intermittent fever for one month before admission. Four days before admission, she became orthopneic and was admitted to the intensive care unit. Precordial echocardiography showed an anterior and posterior echolucent space between the pericardium and epicardium that was thought to be a pericardial effusion. She was sent to the operating room for emergency drainage. After induction of general anesthesia, breath sounds were not heard on the left side of the chest. The patient developed increasing hypoxemia and hypotension despite cardiocentesis. A TEE determined that an anterior mediastinal mass was the cause of her hypoxemia and hypotension. The tumour was debulked and the patient made an uneventful postoperative recovery. Conclusion: In this case, the correct diagnosis of an anterior mediastinal mass was made with TEE. The place of TEE may be indicated in patients with unexplained hypoxemia and hypotension.
Solid-state oxygen-17 nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic study of the group 11 oxides

Abstract We have obtained the solid-state oxygen-17 nuclear magnetic resonance spectra of the group IIA and group IIB oxides (BeO, MgO, CaO, SrO, BaO, ZnO, CdO, and HgO) using high-field (8.45 and 11.7 T) static and “magic-angle” sample-spinning techniques. The results indicate a chemical-shift range of more than 600 ppm for the group II oxides, and a range of oxygen-17 nuclear quadrupole coupling constants ( e 2 qQ h ) from ∼0 (CaO, SrO, BaO) to about 7 MHz (for HgO). The chemical shifts observed for the group IIA oxides are well fitted by an equation of the form δ ( ppm, from H 2 O ) = 257r 3 ( A 3 ) + 11 , where r is the ionic radius of the metal cation. The e 2 qQ h values increase with increasing metal electronegativity and thus decrease on descending group IIA, but increase on descending group IIB.
Stress CT perfusion: Coupling coronary anatomy with physiology

While multiple different imaging tests can be used to evaluate patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD), each of them is designed to evaluate either coronary anatomy or physiology. Recently, it has been recognized that cardiac CT can be used to evaluate stress and rest myocardial perfusion in addition to its capabilities to image the coronary arteries, thus allowing for the simultaneous evaluation of the anatomical burden and physiological significance of CAD in a single exam. In this review, the strengths and the limitations of imaging coronary anatomy and myocardial perfusion will be discussed. Next, key technical aspects of how to perform and interpret CT perfusion imaging will be summarized while providing an update of the most recent data in this emerging field. Finally, future directions and opportunities for further research will be discussed.
The implication of the oxygen isotope records in coexisting cherts and phosphates

δ^(18)O values have been determined for 53 coexisting chert-phosphate pairs from the Phanerozoic and Precambrian. In addition, δ^(18)O values were also determined for 18 biogenic phosphates from the Phanerozoic. The oxygen isotope data for the chert-phosphate pairs permit the calculation of the temperatures of formation of the chert-phosphate pairs as well as the δ^(18)O of the waters in which they equilibrated. In turn the calculated δ^(18)O of the waters permit the calculation of temperatures from the isotopic data of the biogenic phosphates. The temperatures for the Tertiary and Mesozoic samples are compatible with the literature values determined from oxygen isotope data for well-preserved calcareous marine skeletal remains. The temperatures calculated from the chert-phosphate pairs of the Paleozoic are usually higher and vary in cycles of about a 150 million year period. The early Precambrian temperatures are as high as 80°C and decrease with time. The use of chert-phosphate pairs for temperature determinations are sufficiently promising to warrant further investigations of this type on well preserved chert-phosphate or carbonate-phosphate pairs.
Changes in neostriatal dopamine concentrations in response to levodopa infusions.

: Levodopa was infused under various circumstances of pretreatment into the ear veins of unanesthetized rabbits. Concentrations of neostriatal dopamine formed in response to levodopa administration were determined. The aim was to characterize the temporal relationship between the concentrations of levodopa in plasma and dopamine in the neostriatum. When plasma levodopa was maintained constant by i.v. infusion, the concentration of neostriatal dopamine reached a plateau by 1 h. Increases in dopamine were proportional to the amount of precursor in plasma. The tissue half-life of this dopamine in normal rabbits was not more than 15 min. Half-lives of comparable duration for striatal dopamine were calculated from rabbits treated chronically with levodopa, and from rabbits with monoamine-depleting lesions. The results show that the concentration of dopamine in rabbit neostriatum correlates closely with the concentration of levodopa in plasma. Concurrent analyses of neocortical tissues indicate that the neostriatum may not be different from other brain regions with regard to dopamine storage mechanisms. Interpretation of the results in terms of the clinical use of levodopa suggests that the durations of short-term effects (measured in h) of the drugs are paralleled by changes in concentration of brain dopamine.
Sequestration of Sup35 by Aggregates of huntingtin Fragments Causes Toxicity of [PSI+] Yeast

Expression of huntingtin fragments with 103 glutamines (HttQ103) is toxic in yeast containing either the [PIN+] prion, which is the amyloid form of Rnq1, or [PSI+] prion, which is the amyloid form of Sup35. We find that HttQP103, which has a polyproline region at the C-terminal end of the polyQ repeat region, is significantly more toxic in [PSI+] yeast than in [PIN+], even though HttQP103 formed multiple aggregates in both [PSI+] and [PIN+] yeast. This toxicity was only observed in the strong [PSI+] variant, not the weak [PSI+] variant, which has more soluble Sup35 present than the strong variant. Furthermore, expression of the MC domains of Sup35, which retains the C-terminal domain of Sup35, but lacks the N-terminal prion domain, almost completely rescued HttQP103 toxicity, but was less effective in rescuing HttQ103 toxicity. Therefore, the toxicity of HttQP103 in yeast containing the [PSI+] prion is primarily due to sequestration of the essential protein, Sup35. Background: Yeast have been used to study hungtingtin toxicity. Results: Both HttQ103 and HttQP103 are toxic in yeast with [PSI+] prion. This toxicity is markedly rescued by a Sup35 fragment. Conclusion: Sequestration of the essential protein, Sup35, contributes to Htt toxicity in yeast. Significance: This research demonstrates the complex nature of Htt toxicity.
Sex segregation at work: Trends and predictions

Abstract Census and Current Population Survey data from 1960–1990 are used to illustrate the slow downward trend in occupational sex segregation. With a view towards predicting future changes in segregation, various theoretical approaches to explaining the prevalence of sex segregation are discussed, and the indeterminate effects on sex segregation of various workforce policies are stressed.
Long Memory Processes and Chronic Inflation: Detecting Homogeneous Components in a Linear Rational Expectations Model

This paper is an empirical study of the links between monetary variables and inflation based on Cagan's equation and its rational expectations solution, when the forcing variable is a fractionally integrated process. As demonstrated by Hamilton and Whiteman, the existence of bubbles and other extraneous influences can be detected only by verifying the difference in the order of integration between the monetary base and the price level series. This paper shows that a test based on fractional differencing overcomes Evans' critique and that chronic inflation is essentially a monetary phenomenon caused by fiscal imbalance.
A system for halothane anesthesia in experimental surgery

Abstract An easily assembled, inexpensive and self-contained anesthesia apparatus is described for the administration of Halothane vapor with maximal control of inspired gas concentration.
Engineering Design: Content and Context

Within engineering design a distinction can be made between content and context. Content is embedded within context. The content is normally emphasized as the essence of engineering design. Content includes the steps and processes involved in carrying out an actual design. The context is the world out of which the need for the design arises in the first place and in which the implemented design will eventually function. I argue that context should have more focus in design education. I suggest that breakdowns and breakthroughs are events which bring context into view. Some essential contexts are discussed and some procedures for integrating context into engineering design education are offered.
Assessing the affective component of chronic pain: Development of the pain discomfort scale

Abstract Few methods exist to assess the affective or reactive dimension of chronic pain, and there are psychometric and practical limitations on the methods that do exist. The current paper reports on the development and validation of the Pain Discomfort Scale, a 10-item instrument designed to fill the need for a brief and psychometrically sound measure of pain affect. Preliminary evidence supports the reliability and validity of the measure. Its internal consistency and test—retest stability coefficients are high. In addition, the results of both correlational and factor analyses of the PDS with other measures support its distinctiveness (from measures of pain intensity) and construct validity (as indicated by its close association with other measures of pain affect). These results support the use of the PDS in situations where a measure of the affective response to chronic pain is needed.
Molecular energetics of the epitaxial crystallization of polyethylene on alkali halide substrates

A series of energy calculations have been carried out in order to describe the epitaxial crystallization of polyethylene from solution in terms of molecular interactions. The total energy has been computed as the sum of electrostatic, dispersion, and repulsion contributions. The potential energy associated with a section of a planar-zigzag polyethylene chain has been determined for various orientations and positions above three different planar alkali halide substrates. Inspection of the energy surfaces as a function of the spatial degrees of freedom reveals that the minimum energy orientation of the chain is that for which it is parallel to the substrate [(001) cleavage plane] and aligned in the 〈110〉 direction on the surface, a result in accordance with available experimental evidence. Specifically, the chain preference is to position itself along rows of positive ions, whereas alignment along rows of negative charge appears energetically unfavorable. The mode of chain orientation is virtually independent of lattice matching criteria. Dispersionrepulsive forces have been found to be most sensitive to orientation and greater in magnitude than the electrostatic forces.
Financial analysts and the false consensus effect

Social psychologists have documented a tendency for people to overestimate their similarity to others. I investigate whether financial analysts' forecast errors are consistent with this bias. I model the bias by assuming analysts overestimate the correlation of the private signals they receive about a firm's future earnings. My model predicts a positive relationship between (i) the likelihood of an analyst's revised forecast being too close to his earlier forecast and (ii) the number of analysts issuing forecasts during the time interval between his two forecasts. I empirically confirm this prediction and consider several alternative explanations.
Current Collegiate Experiences of Big-Time, Non-Revenue, NCAA Athletes

Over the past 30 years experiences of collegiate athletes have been a major focus of scholarly research. Through well-known works, student-athletes’ roles and personal development have been cornerstones of this new knowledge base (Adler & Adler, 1991; Lapchick, 1987). However, an understanding of the big-time athlete who also participates in nonrevenue sports1 is grossly under-represented in the literature. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the benefits and challenges that athletes in these sports (e.g., tennis, soccer, golf, track and field, etc.) currently experience. Interviews were conducted with 30 collegiate athletes—who were chosen at random from a sample pool of 9,231 athletes around the country—that focused on the types of benefits and the specific challenges that these athletes face while attending college. Results revealed current benefits of being a big-time, nonrevenue college athlete were very heterogeneous with a total of 24 distinct themes mentioned. The most popular of these ...
Stability and efficiency of a random local load balancing protocol

We study the long term (steady state) performance of a simple, randomized, local load balancing technique. We assume a system of n processors connected by an arbitrary network topology. Jobs are placed in the processors by a deterministic or randomized adversary. The adversary knows the current and past load distribution in the network and can use this information to place the new tasks in the processors. The adversary can put a number of new jobs in each processor, in each step, as long as the (expected) total number of new jobs arriving at a given step is bounded by /spl lambda/n. A node can execute one job per step, and also participate in one load balancing operation in which it can move tasks to a direct neighbor in the network. In the protocol we analyze here, a node equalizes its load with a random neighbor in the graph. We first study the stability of a system running our load balancing protocol. Clearly, if /spl lambda/ > 1 the system cannot be stable. We show that for any /spl lambda/ < 1, and any connected network topology, the system is stable. When the system is stable, the next performance parameter of interest is the waiting time of jobs. We develop high probability bounds and bounds on the expectation of the waiting time of jobs in terms of the network topology. In particular, if the network is an expander graph the expected wait of a task is O(log n), and the waiting time of a task that enters the network at an arbitrary time is O(log n) with high probability. We contrast these results with the work stealing load balancing protocol, where we show that, in sparse networks, the load in the system and the waiting time can be exponential in the network size.
Fertility Advertisement in Birds: a Means of Inciting Male‐male Competition?

Certain loud calls made by female red junglefowl and Lapland longspurs are given most frequently immediately after egg laying, when a copulation should have the highest probability of fertilizing the next egg to be laid. In these species there is considerable male-male interaction for access to fertilizable females, and males are attracted to or follow females making these calls. Based on our interpretation of these calls, we develop a general hypothesis to predict the pattern of occurrence of fertility advertisement both within and among bird species. We hypothesize that certain loud calls given by female birds before and during the egg-laying period are designed to advertise fertility and thereby incite male-male competition. This hypothesis predicts that calls advertising female fertility should most often occur soon after an egg is laid (i.e. during the period of highest fertility) but may also occur at any time during the female's fertilizable period. Such calls are unlikely to be given by females in strictly monogamous species (especially those with long-term pair bonds) because in these species each female usually mates with only a single male and extra-pair copulations are avoided. Although reports of loud female calls associated with copulation are rare in the literature, the 18 examples we found (including junglefowl and longspurs) were predominantly (15/18) in species adopting mating systems other than strict monogamy, and these calls were most commonly and disproportionately reported in multi-male mating systems. This form of “estrus” in birds may be widespread because few species appear to be strictly monogamous, but it will be difficult to study because the period of high fertility for female birds is so short.
Ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies em leader but who is caring for the patient

Sub-specialists in allopathic medicine in the United States derive from the impact of physicians such as Paul D. White, who introduced the concept of ‘‘heart physicians’’ because of the influence of specialty heart clinics in Germany. Debating the efficacy of specialist vs. generalist care probably started soon afterwards and is certainly not a new phenomenon. This debate continues but has lately taken on added dimension and momentum as bureaucrats, legislators and insurance companies initiate economic imperatives such that health care delivery is driven by cost containment. Consequently, appraisal of the appropriateness of medical care has become frequent. The dispute is further compounded by both the ever-increasing aging North American population with their concomitant increased susceptibility to heart disease and the impending shortage of cardiologists to care for this increasing population. In the journal’s current issue, Jotkowitz et al. [1] report the results of a study questioning the efficacy of a mandated cardiology consultation prior to coronary catheterization compared to that without a required consultation. The primary impetus for this novel study is likely motivated by the need to curb the financial burden during hospitalization for such procedures. Also in this issue of the journal, Gheno and Cinetto [2] explore the use of transthoracic echocardiography by internists to ‘‘ease the overburdened’’ cardiology service. This study does not implicate efficacy of test interpretation, but merely alludes to the internist as an adjunct or primary interpreter of transthoracic echocardiographic studies. Though these two articles illustrate different facets of the current evolving trends in health care delivery, they both are essentially examples of the ongoing debate over who should direct the care of cardiology patients in our modern era. Although explosive diagnostic and therapeutic advances in cardiovascular medicine have dramatically improved morbidity and mortality, many consequences of heart disease still persist. Heart failure, for example, remains a national health priority in the United States. Both articles in the current issue of the European Journal of Internal Medicine raise concerns about who orders/interprets diagnostic cardiac tests to improve and facilitate the management of cardiac patients, all at a timewhen the health care system is overwhelmed by cardiac patients. Multiple issues should be considered:
Comparing the neuropsychiatric inventory and the revised memory and behavior problems checklist for associations with caregiver burden and depressive symptoms

Background: Few empirical studies compare the ability of prominent measures of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) to explain key caregiver outcomes. We compared the respective abilities of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and the Revised Memory and Behavior Problems Checklist (RMBPC) to detect associations between BPSD and caregiver depressive symptoms. Our results may facilitate measurement decisions for researchers and clinicians. Methods: The NPI and the RMBPC, which measure BPSD frequency and corresponding caregiver appraisals, were administered to 164 caregivers of persons with dementia to compare the measures’ ability to explain caregiver depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and caregiver burden was measured (using the Zarit Burden Interview) as a mediator between BPSD frequency/appraisal and caregiver depressive symptoms. Path analysis using Mplus facilitated the comparison between the RMBPC and the NPI. Results: Significant indirect associations were present when NPI frequency, NPI appraisal, RMBPC frequency, and RMBPC appraisal were modeled separately with burden and depressive symptoms, although indirect relationships are not associated with increases in R2. Only RMBPC appraisal produced both a significant direct association with depressive symptoms and a significant increase in R2 when modeled separately (β = 0.24, p < 0.01; ΔR2 = 0.04, p < 0.05). When all independent variables were modeled together, only RMBPC appraisal demonstrated significant direct (β = 0.23, p < 0.01) and indirect associations. Conclusion: The RMBPC might be more suitable than the NPI in studies measuring BPSD to explain key caregiver outcomes such as depressive symptoms.
Use of fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) in the management of psychogenic dysphagia in children

Abstract Objectives To describe the use of fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) as an adjunct in the management of children presenting with psychogenic dysphagia, defined as food avoidance and excessive fear of eating without identifiable anatomic or functional swallowing abnormalities. Methods Case series of patients presenting to the otolaryngology clinic of a tertiary pediatric teaching hospital between 2007 and 2008 that were evaluated and managed with the utilization of FEES. The outcomes measured were age, gender, duration of symptoms, findings of FEES, additional work-up and resolution of symptoms at follow-up. Results Five patients (4 males, 1 female) with ages ranging from 5 to 13 years old (mean = 8.6). The median duration of symptoms before presentation was 3 weeks. Four families described refusal of solids starting after choking episode and variable estimated weight loss (mean 2.8 kg). One child presented with vague complaints of intermittent odynophagia and food refusal. Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing was performed on all patients. No abnormalities of the oropharyngeal swallow were appreciated. Additional management included different combinations of modified barium swallow study, esophagastroduodenoscopy (EGD), upper GI series, antibiotics, and psychotherapy. Mean follow-up with clinic visit was 4.2 months. Three of the five children reported complete resolution of symptoms after FEES at follow-up visit. Conclusion Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing can be a useful management tool in children with psychogenic dysphagia as it provides direct visualization of the oropharyngeal swallowing mechanism. This can be used to provide visual reassure and biofeedback to patients and parents. Additional workup should be decided on an individual basis.
Establishment of polarity in lateral organs of plants

Abstract Background: Asymmetric development of plant lateral organs initiates by partitioning of organ primordia into distinct domains along their adaxial/abaxial axis. A recent model proposes that a meristem-born signal, acting in a concentration-dependent manner, differentially activates PHABULOSA -like genes, which in turn suppress abaxial-promoting factors. As yet, no abaxial factors have been identified that when compromised give rise to adaxialized organs. Results: Single mutants in either of the closely related genes KANADI1 ( KAN1 ) or KANADI2 ( KAN2 ) have little or no effect on plant morphology. However, in kan1 kan2 double mutant plants, there is a replacement of abaxial cell types by adaxial ones in most lateral organs. The alterations in polarity establishment are associated with expansion in the expression domain of the PHB-like genes and reduction in the expression of the previously described abaxial-promoting YABBY genes. Ectopic expression of either of the KANADI genes throughout leaf primordia results in dramatic transformation of adaxial cell types into abaxial ones, failure of lateral blade expansion, and vascular tissue formation. Conclusion: The phenotypes of KANADI loss- and gain-of-function alleles suggest that fine regulation of these genes is at the core of polarity establishment. As such, they are likely to be targets of the PHB -mediated meristem-born signaling that patterns lateral organ primordia. PHB -like genes and the abaxial-promoting KANADI and YABBY genes appear to be expressed throughout primordia anlagen before becoming confined to their corresponding domains as primordia arise. This suggests that the establishment of polarity in plant lateral organs occurs via mutual repression interactions between ab/ad factors after primordium emergence, consistent with the results of classical dissection experiments.
The sorted-QR Chase detector for multiple-input multiple-output channels

The performance of a decision-feedback detector on a fading multiple-input multiple-output channel is limited by the low diversity of the first symbol detected. We propose a new family of detection techniques which overcomes this bottleneck by using a list detector for the first symbol; the list detector is then combined with a parallel bank of decision-feedback detectors, one for each element of the list. The detector family is parameterized by the length of the list, which can be adjusted to achieve a wide range of attractive trade-offs between performance and complexity. For example, on a 4-input 4-output Rayleigh-fading channel with uncoded 16-QAM inputs, one version of the proposed detector outperforms the popular minimum-mean-squared-error BLAST-ordered decision-feedback detector by 1.5 dB, while simultaneously requiring 6% fewer computations.
Efficient arbitrary volume reslicing for Pre-scan-converted volume in an ultrasound backend

Arbitrary volume reslicing (AVR) is used to generate 2D planes of any orientation from 3D data. Pre-scan-converted (pre-SC) AVR avoids the 3D scan conversion (SC) step and directly uses a pre-SC volume to generate 2D AVR planes. AVR is typically performed on a PC system external to the ultrasound frontend and backend. In this paper, we present an efficient pre-SC AVR algorithm in an ultrasound backend system. The backend supports AVR natively with other backend functions, so the PC system does not need to compute 2D AVR planes from 3D volumes. We used phantom and in vivo datasets to evaluate the pre-SC and post-SC AVR. The normalized root mean squared difference (NRMSD) was 1.23% for phantom data, and 1.21% for in vivo data. Using one of 8 cores in a multi-core processor, Cell, our algorithm can generate a 1024×768 16-bit AVR image in 30.2 ms from a 512×136×64 16-bit input volume.
In Vivo Transcriptional Profiling of Yersinia pestis Reveals a Novel Bacterial Mediator of Pulmonary Inflammation

ABSTRACT Inhalation of Yersinia pestis results in primary pneumonic plague, a highly lethal and rapidly progressing necrotizing pneumonia. The disease begins with a period of extensive bacterial replication in the absence of disease symptoms, followed by the sudden onset of inflammatory responses that ultimately prove fatal. Very little is known about the bacterial and host factors that contribute to the rapid biphasic progression of pneumonic plague. In this work, we analyzed the in vivo transcription kinetics of 288 bacterial open reading frames previously shown by microarray analysis to be dynamically regulated in the lung. Using this approach combined with bacterial genetics, we were able to identify five Y. pestis genes that contribute to the development of pneumonic plague. Deletion of one of these genes, ybtX, did not alter bacterial survival but attenuated host inflammatory responses during late-stage disease. Deletion of ybtX in another lethal respiratory pathogen, Klebsiella pneumoniae, also resulted in diminished host inflammation during infection. Thus, our in vivo transcriptional screen has identified an important inflammatory mediator that is common to two Gram-negative bacterial pathogens that cause severe pneumonia. IMPORTANCE Yersinia pestis is responsible for at least three major pandemics, most notably the Black Death of the Middle Ages. Due to its pandemic potential, ease of dissemination by aerosolization, and a history of its weaponization, Y. pestis is categorized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a tier 1 select agent most likely to be used as a biological weapon. To date, there is no licensed vaccine against Y. pestis. Importantly, an early “silent” phase followed by the rapid onset of nondescript influenza-like symptoms makes timely treatment of pneumonic plague difficult. A more detailed understanding of the bacterial and host factors that contribute to pathogenesis is essential to understanding the progression of pneumonic plague and developing or enhancing treatment options.
A Note on Regge Trajectory in λψ4 Theory

A leading Regge trajectory of the Bethe-Salpeter scattering amplitude is investigated in the ladder approximation, under the introduction of a spectral function for the dispersion relation for an infinite sum of chain diagrams. (auth)
High Performance Linear Algebra Operations on Reconfigurable Systems

Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) have become an attractive option for scientific computing. Several vendors have developed high performance reconfigurable systems which employ FPGAs for application acceleration. In this paper, we propose a BLAS (Basic Linear Algebra Subprograms) library for state-of-the-art reconfigurable systems. We study three data-intensive operations: dot product, matrix-vector multiply and dense matrix multiply. The first two operations are I/O bound, and our designs efficiently utilize the available memory bandwidth in the systems. As these operations require accumulation of sequentially delivered floating-point values, we develop a high performance reduction circuit. This circuit uses only one floating-point adder and buffers of moderate size. For matrix multiply operation, we propose a design which employs a linear array of FPGAs. This design exploits the memory hierarchy in the reconfigurable systems, and has very low memory bandwidth requirements. To illustrate our ideas, we have implemented our designs for Level 2 and Level 3 BLAS on Cray XD1.