cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
2.7 – Venus

Venus is Earth's nearest planetary neighbor and has fascinated mankind since the dawn of history. Venus' clouds reflect most of the sunlight shining on the planet and make it the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and Moon. Venus is visible with the naked eye as an evening star until a few hours after sunset or as a morning star shortly before sunrise. Many ancient civilizations observed and worshipped Venus, which had a different name in each society, for example, Ishtar to the Babylonians, Aphrodite to the Greeks, Tai'pei to the Chinese, and Venus to the Romans. Venus has continued to play an important role in myth, literature, and science throughout history.
Intending and Trying: Tuomela vs. Bratman at the Video Arcade

I have long been an admirer of Raimo Tuomela’s work in the philosophy of action. In this paper I will address a disagreement between Tuomela and Michael Bratman about intention and trying. I will argue that each disputant is partly right and partly wrong.
DEVELOPMENT OF NEAR-IR ANGIOGRAPHY

Near-infrared ocular angiography was developed originally to address one specific ophthalmological need, visualization of one of the choroidal circulation of the eye, however, it appears the technique can be applied generally to examination of the vasculatures of any organ accessible by use of an endoscope. A brief description of that original ophthalmoscopic problem will provide insight as to some of the problems associated generally with visualization of vasculatures lying within tissue.
Materials Issues in Computer Simulations of Penetration Mechanics

The importance of the role played by materials properties under shock loading conditions is outlined by a discussion of experimental results. Several inferences are then drawn from computer simulations of penetration events with applications to both kinematic and materials issues. A discussion is presented of suggested tests for characterizing material response in this regime.
Book Review of the 'China Legal Development Yearbook', Volumes 1 and 2, by Brill and China, Academy of Social Sciences Press

Social Sciences Academic Press (SSAP), the publishing arm of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, produces a valuable annual series of Chinese-language Blue Books (蓝皮书), addressing topics ranging from economic development to rule of law to social stability. These books are useful for their carefully crafted articles by leading Chinese academics on social and political problems of the day. Despite the unique political considerations that accompany efforts to publish in mainland China, articles such as Yu Jianrong’s 2005 piece on the xinfang (letters and visits, or petitioning) system and Zhao Shukai’s 2006 article on township government (published in SSAP’s Blue Books on Chinese society) contain excellent, hard-hitting analyses on very tough issues. Accurate English translations of the SSAP Blue Books would consequently be both a superb research tool and a channel for a non-Chinese audience to appreciate the intelligence and nuanced analysis of their Chinese academic counterparts.Unfortunately, although it purports to be the translated English edition of the SSAP Blue Book on Rule of Law, Brill’s, The China Legal Development Yearbook, is not such a work. Rather, it appears to be a censored version of the original Chinese volume, edited to remove sensitive political content.
Bridging the cold war and the twenty-first century

Abstract Sandia National Laboratories, located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was originally a part of Los Alamos Laboratory. In 1949, ATT another history program in the early 1980s that resulted in a history of the Labs’ first decade; and the current history program dating from the mid-1990s, which has published a general history and several monographs. This article discusses the challenges and problems inherent in documenting the history of a national weapons laboratory during the last 50 years.
What Is in This Book

Because I know this part of the story best, the chapters that follow start out with actions at the Ford Foundation, move on to its interactions with other participants, and try to describe the social, political, and intellectual environment in which these interactions took place. While antecedents of the population movement can be traced to the campaigns of Margaret Sanger and a variety of Malthusian leagues early in the century, this account begins in 1952, a watershed year in which the Ford Foundation made its first population grant, the year in which the Population Council and the International Planned Parenthood Federation were founded, and the year in which India became the first Third World nation to announce an antinatalist population policy.
Prosocial advocacy communication and mentoring in higher education

The idea of a new approach to mentoring intrigues me. Through some of my own first personal experiences in higher education, I learned about the critical importance of strong mentoring on a young s...
Computational Design of Dopants in CdTe Grain Boundaries for Efficient Photovoltaics

A fundamental understanding of the role of dopants in electronic structure of polycrystalline CdTe may lead to efficiency improvements. In the present work, we investigated effect of Cl, P and S doping on CdTe grain boundaries using first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In addition to already known Cl, P and S can segregate in grain boundaries and incorporation of these elements can effectively reduce midgap states to increase the photovoltaic efficiency of CdTe. The methodology we presented can be used to design other alloying elements to CdTe to improve photovoltaic efficiency towards reaching the theoretical limit.
In vitro evaluation of complement deposition and opsonophagocytic killing of Rhodococcus equi mediated by poly-N-acetyl glucosamine hyperimmune plasma compared to commercial plasma products.

BACKGROUND The bacterium Rhodococcus equi can cause severe pneumonia in foals. The absence of a licensed vaccine and limited effectiveness of commercial R. equi hyperimmune plasma (RE-HIP) create a great need for improved prevention of this disease. HYPOTHESIS Plasma hyperimmune to the capsular polysaccharide poly-N-acetyl glucosamine (PNAG) would be significantly more effective than RE-HIP at mediating complement deposition and opsonophagocytic killing (OPK) of R. equi. ANIMALS Venipuncture was performed on 9 Quarter Horses. METHODS The ability of the following plasma sources to mediate complement component 1 (C1) deposition onto either PNAG or R. equi was determined by ELISA: (1) PNAG hyperimmune plasma (PNAG-HIP), (2) RE-HIP, and (3) standard non-hyperimmune commercial plasma (SP). For OPK, each plasma type was combined with R. equi, equine complement, and neutrophils isolated from horses (n = 9); after 4 hours, the number of R. equi in each well was determined by quantitative culture. Data were analyzed using linear mixed-effects regression with significance set at P < .05. RESULTS The PNAG-HIP and RE-HIP were able to deposit significantly (P < .05) more complement onto their respective targets than the other plasmas. The mean proportional survival of R. equi opsonized with PNAG-HIP was significantly (P < .05) less (14.7%) than that for SP (51.1%) or RE-HIP (42.2%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE Plasma hyperimmune to PNAG is superior to RE-HIP for opsonizing and killing R. equi in vitro. Comparison of these 2 plasmas in field trials is warranted because of the reported incomplete effectiveness of RE-HIP.
Sorption-based thermal energy storage on hierarchically porous carbon foams

Abstract In this chapter we present the surface engineering of carbon foam by growing vertically-oriented graphene petals (GP), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and GP/CNT hybrid structure on macroscopic carbon foam (CF) surface using a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition. The BET surface area measurement reveals at least fivefold specific area increase for the CF modified with multiwall CNTs, without any significant changes to CF underlying structure and maintaining the microscale open porosity of CF for the efficient transport on methanol in liquid and gas phases. The sorption capability of the CF is further improved by incorporating substantial content of B and N for charge redistribution and increase in active defect sites. The methanol wetting enthalpy of the BN-modified CNT-decorated CF as measured by a solution calorimeter is more than 750% higher as compared to the only CF without B/N functionalization and almost 250% higher than the BN-modified CF without CNTs. The presented modification reveals a beneficial route for creating highly efficient materials for waste thermal and solar energy adsorption/desorption refrigeration.
Analysis and Machine Learning Vulnerability Assessment of XOR-Inverter based Ring Oscillator PUF Design

Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) exploit the manufacturing process variations inherent in silicon-based chips to generate unique secret keys. Although PUFs are supposed to be unclonable or unbreakable, researchers have found that ROPUFs, in general, are vulnerable to machine learning attacks. In this paper, we analyze the vulnerability of an XOR inverter based ROPUF to machine learning attacks. The XOR ROPUF is designed and implemented using an Artix-7 FPGA. The Challenge Response Pairs (CRPs) data obtained from the XOR-Inverter ROPUF is trained using different machine learning models including Logistic Regression, kernel Support Vector Machine, and ANN based modeling. From the study, it is found that the ANN models can be used to train the XOR-inverter based PUF CRPs with a training accuracy close to 99%. In terms of prediction accuracy, the ANN models can predict 69.41% of the CRPs. Further, in order to thwart machine learning attacks, we propose a new modified XOR-Inverter ROPUF design which drastically reduces the prediction accuracy of machine learning modeling attacks.
Integral Backstepping and Synergetic Control of Magnetic Levitation System

Magnetic Levitation Systems are used to levitate a ferromagnetic object in the air. It has a wide area of applications because it eradicates energy losses that occur due to friction of the surface. In this paper, nonlinear controllers have been designed by using backstepping, integral backstepping and synergetic control techniques to obtain certain control objectives. Nonlinear controllers have been designed because of nonlinear dynamics present in the system model. It is required to generate a certain amount of flux by applying control input to the system. The magnetic flux is then used to levitate the body in air at a certain distance from the coil so that the movement of the body within that magnetic flux is negligible. The magnetic force provides an acceleration against the earth gravitational force to lift the body towards the coil. For each nonlinear controller, Lyapunov based theory has been used to check the global asymptotic stability of the system. MATLAB/Simulink environment is then used to analyze the system's performance for the proposed controllers. Moreover, a comparative analysis of proposed controllers has been given with linear (PI) controller.
Degenerative IVD conditioned media and acidic pH sensitize sensory neurons to cyclic tensile strain.

Low back pain is among the leading causes of disability worldwide. The degenerative intervertebral disc (IVD) environment contains pathologically high levels of inflammatory cytokines and acidic pH hypothesized to contribute to back pain by sensitizing nociceptive neurons to stimuli that would not be painful in healthy patients. We hypothesized that the degenerative IVD environment drives discogenic pain by sensitizing nociceptive neurons to mechanical loading. To test this hypothesis, we developed an in vitro model that facilitated the investigation of interactions between the degenerative IVD environment, nociceptive neurons innervating the IVD and mechanical loading of the disc; and, the identification of the underlying mechanism of degenerative IVD induced nociceptive neuron sensitization. In our model, rat dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neurons were seeding onto bovine annulus fibrosus tissue, exposed to degenerative IVD conditioned media and/or acidic pH, and subjected to cyclic tensile strain (1 Hz; 1%-6% strain) during measurement of DRG sensory neuron activity via calcium imaging. Using this model, we demonstrated that both degenerative IVD conditioned media and degenerative IVD acidic pH levels induced elevated nociceptive neuron activation in response to physiologic levels of mechanical strain. In addition, interleukin 6 (IL-6) was demonstrated to mediate degenerative IVD conditioned media induced elevated nociceptive neuron activation. These results demonstrate IL-6 mediates degenerative IVD induced neuron sensitization to mechanical loading and further establishes IL-6 as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of discogenic pain. Data further suggests the degenerative IVD environment contains multiple neuron sensitization pathways (IL-6, pH) that may contribute to discogenic pain.
Alzheimer’s disease pathology in a community-based sample of older adults without dementia: The MYHAT neuroimaging study

A true understanding of the distribution and functional correlates of Alzheimer’s disease pathology in dementia-free older adults requires a population-based perspective. Here we report initial findings from a sample of 102 cognitively unimpaired participants (average age 77.2 years, 54.9% women, 13.7% APOE*4 carriers) recruited for neuroimaging from a larger representative population-based cohort participating in an ongoing longitudinal study of aging, the Monongahela-Youghiogheny Healthy Aging Team (MYHAT). All participants scored < 1.0 on the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) Scale, with 8 participants (7.8%) scoring CDR = 0.5. Participants completed a positron emission tomography scan using the tracers [C-11]Pittsburgh Compound-B (PiB) and [F-18]AV-1451 to estimate amyloid and tau deposition. PiB positivity was defined on a regional basis using established standardized uptake value ratio cutoffs (SUVR; cerebellar gray matter reference), with 39 participants (38.2%) determined to be PiB(+). Health history, lifestyle, and cognitive abilities were assessed cross-sectionally at the nearest annual parent MYHAT study visit. A series of adjusted regression analyses modeled cognitive performance as a function of global PiB SUVR and [F-18]AV-1451 SUVR in Braak associated regions 1, 3/4, and 5/6. In comparison to PiB(-) participants (n = 63), PiB(+) participants were older, less educated, and were more likely to be APOE*4 carriers. Global PiB SUVR was significantly correlated with [F-18]AV-1451 SUVR in all Braak-associated regions (r = .38–0.53, p < .05). In independent models, higher Global PiB SUVR and Braak 1 [F-18]AV-1451 SUVR were associated with worse performance on a semantic interference verbal memory test. Our findings suggest that brain amyloid is common in a community-based setting, and is associated with tau deposition, but both pathologies show few associations with concurrent cognitive performance in a dementia-free sample.
A temporal analysis of bilateral gait coordination in people with multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background : Gait performance often dictates an individual's ability to navigate the dynamic environments of everyday living. With each stride, the lower extremities move through phases of stance, swing, and double support. Coordinating these motions with high accuracy and consistency is imperative to constraining the center of mass within the base of support, thereby maintaining balance. Gait abnormalities accompany neurodegeneration, impeding stride to stride cohesion and increasing the likelihood of a fall. This study sought to identify the temporal actions underlying bilateral coordination in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and furthermore, how bilateral coordination is affected by gait speed augmentation in these individuals. Methods : The Phase Coordination Index (PCI), a temporal analysis of left-right step pattern generations throughout the gait cycle was used to quantify bilateral coordination in twenty-nine neurotypical (21 females and 8 males) and twenty-seven PwMS (20 females and 7 males). PCI was acquired with inertial monitoring units while performing two-minute over ground gait trials while walking at a self-selected pace and at a fast pace. Results : PwMS displayed significantly worse bilateral coordination compared to neurotypical adults regardless of gait speed. The poorer left-right stepping patterns generated by PwMS were derived from significant decreases in both phase (step) generation accuracy and consistency. In addition to demonstrating poorer bilateral coordination, PwMS walked more slowly than their neurotypical peers during each walking condition. Conclusion : PwMS exhibited poorer left-right coordinated stepping patterns during gait compared to neurotypical peers across walking conditions. Beyond the novelty of this examination, this assessment highlights PCI as a potential target for future rehabilitative interventions for PwMS and individualized rehabilitation strategies aimed at improving the health span and overall quality of life for PwMS.
Developing a Machine Learning Framework to Determine the Spread of COVID-19

Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) has become pandemic in the matter of a few months, since the outbreak in December 2019 in Wuhan, China We study the impa
Where do the best technical football players in the world come from? Analysing the association between technical proficiency and geographical origin in elite football

Opta seasonal sum total statistics for 1,533 professional football players representing 88 nations around the world were analysed in order to determine where the most proficient technical football players originate from. A series of Kruskal-Wallis tests were conducted and results revealed that South American players were significantly better at scoring the first goal (p = .044), scoring penalties (p = .034) and attempting shots (p = .018) than their European counterparts. Both European and South American players were revealed to be more adept at passing actions than their African, Asian or North American counterparts. Both South American and African players committed significantly more errors than their European, Asian or North American counterparts, with South American players more frequently apprehended by the referee than Asian players (p = .031), European players (p = .020) and North American players (p = .034). African players were revealed to be caught offside (p = .039) as well as have more unsuccessful ball touches (p = .001) and be dispossessed (p = .036) significantly more often than European players. It is concluded that a player’s geographical origin can impact their technical proficiency in football and this theme needs further investigation.
A Girl with Lower Back Pain and Rapidly Progressive Atypical Scoliosis

Eosinophilic granuloma (EG), which is a bone lesion within the spectrum of conditions termed Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), is nonspecific and variable in clinical presentation and radiographic appearance. Patients with vertebral EG typically present with acute or subacute back or neck pain, but also can develop acute torticollis, kyphosis, and/or scoliosis. The most classic radiographic feature of vertebral EG is vertebra plana or a wedged vertebra due to compression fracture through a vertebral body lytic lesion. However, since the appearance is highly variable, LCH is often referred to as “the great imitator” and requires tissue biopsy for definitive diagnosis, typically with CT-guided needle biopsy. Other conditions can cause vertebra plana, which is not a pathognomonic finding for EG. Systemic involvement of disseminated Langerhans cell histiocytosis must be ruled out with a careful history, physical exam, review of systems, imaging, and referral to hematology-oncology, especially in young children ≤5 years of age with multifocal bony disease. The natural history of a solitary EG is spontaneous resolution with partial vertebral body reconstitution, so children are typically managed symptomatically with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, spinal orthoses, steroids, and/or CT-guided corticosteroid injections. The long-term prognosis is excellence with low recurrence rate.
Fitting approach for eliminating scattered light

Unwanted background fluorescence in microscopy can occur when light from fluorescent structures scatters against nearby tissues. Bright cell bodies produce haze that mask nearby dim structures, including neuronal fibers. We have developed a method to eliminate this haze by fitting it to a simple function. This method enables clearer post-imaging visualization of axons in our in vivo imaging of neurons. We are investigating ways to increase the computation speed of our background fitting technique to allow for real-time image improvement. The implementation of our method in real-time imaging will broaden the potential applications of this fitting method.
Strategies and Approaches for Discovery of Small Molecule Disruptors of Biofilm Physiology

Biofilms, the predominant growth mode of microorganisms, pose a significant risk to human health. The protective biofilm matrix, typically composed of exopolysaccharides, proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, combined with biofilm-grown bacteria’s heterogenous physiology, leads to enhanced fitness and tolerance to traditional methods for treatment. There is a need to identify biofilm inhibitors using diverse approaches and targeting different stages of biofilm formation. This review discusses discovery strategies that successfully identified a wide range of inhibitors and the processes used to characterize their inhibition mechanism and further improvement. Additionally, we examine the structure–activity relationship (SAR) for some of these inhibitors to optimize inhibitor activity.
Best Evidence for the FAA Industry Training Standards (FITS) Program for Pilot Training in Technically Advanced Aircraft

This paper continues investigating the effectiveness of FITS syllabus training, evaluated in an earlier 2004 study, with a second study conducted by the Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU) Aerospace Department FITS research team. In the original study, students were trained in a FITS-approved combined Private/Instrument curriculum in technically advanced aircraft (TAA). The effectiveness of that training was compared, through identification of setbacks and bottlenecks in training, to archival records of students who had been trained in "round dial" aircraft using a traditional flight training curriculum. In the October 2005 issue of this publication, it was reported that the FITS trained students experienced fewer statistically significant setbacks and bottlenecks than the traditionally trained students. The question that remained to be answered was whether the FITS syllabus or use of TAA was the determining factor in the positive results attained. In the phase of the study reported upon herein, a new group of students completed their Instrument Rating training, flying TAA but using a traditional curriculum. The results of all 3 groups of students are compared, and the evidence suggests that the FITS syllabus is responsible for the improvements in training, not the use of TAA. In addition, results of several surveys administered in this work show that not only is FITS training more efficient due to reduced bottlenecks and setbacks, but that it is also more effective at preparing students to make real-life decisions in the flight environment.
Ein geheimnisvolles Ungeheuer

Wie wird man Mathematiker? Es gibt viele Moglichkeiten, doch lassen Sie mich erzahlen, wie es bei mir war.
Entitled or Excluded? Attitudes toward Access to Postsecondary Education for Undocumented Students

Abstract This study examines the determinants of attitudes towards undocumented immigrant studentsâ€™ access to higher education, an area that has received little attention in the literature on immigration and public opinion. Theories of symbolic politics and labor market competition frame our research question. Using data from the 1994 General Social Survey, we find partial support for our predictions. Attitudes toward bilingual education, concerns about economic growth, and family income are significant predictors of public opinion regarding access to higher education for undocumented immigrants.
Double-Loop Learning

Learning occurs whenever errors are detected and corrected. An error is any mismatch between intentions and actual consequences Keywords: double-loop learning
NATURAL HISTORY OF PROTEUS MIRABILIS (PH) URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI) IN INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD

NATURAL HISTORY OF PROTEUS MIRABILIS (PH) URINARY TRACT INFECTION (UTI) IN INFANCY AND CHILDHOOD
Overview of Management of Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma in Patients with Negative Whole Body Radioiodine Scans and Elevated Serum Thyroglobulin Levels

The situation of a high serum Tg concentration and a negative DxWBS is common in patients with DTC and requires a careful search for tumor while excluding factitial causes for an elevated serum Tg or a negative RxWBS. Empiric 131I therapy should be considered only after certain criteria are fulfilled, such as negative neck ultrasonography, and should be done only after impeccable patient preparation. There are certain situations in which empiric therapy usually should not be given. This includes tumors that previously have failed to concentrate 131I even after the patient has been carefully prepared for the treatment. No prospective randomized studies have been done to substantiate the long-term effect of treatment of these patients, but studies now show that serum Tg levels consistently decline after uptake is seen on the RxWBS after empiric 131I therapy, and that tumor may regress to the point that mortality rates are improved in some patients.
Perception-Response Time to Unexpected Roadway Hazards:

Perception-response (PR) time, the time from the first sighting of an obstacle until the driver applies the brakes, is an important component of stopping sight distance. The purpose of this study was to measure the PR time of unalerted subjects to an obstacle in their lane encountered while cresting a hill. Data were obtained from 64 subjects, of whom 49 were young and 15 older. Measures were made of the time from first sighting of the obstacle until the accelerator was released, as well as accelerator-to-brake time. The results indicate a 95th percentile PR time of about 1.6 s for both age groups.
In-Situ Growth of Superconducting Films of Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O Using Magnetron Sputtering

Growing superconducting films of the high-temperature superconductors (HTS) in a single-step process within the vacuum system and at lower temperatures than post-annealed films has been the goal of many researchers. This has been achieved in YBa2Cu3O7 at a number of laboratories, but Bi and Tl-based HTS have proven more difficult. We report superconducting films of Bi2Sr2CaCu2Ox and Bi2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox made by magnetron sputtering from a bismuth enriched composite target, onto MgO at substrate temperatures ≈150°C lower than required for post-annealed films. These films show highly c-axis oriented growth without the need for epitaxy, which suggests that films might be grown on a variety of substrates both with and without a buffer layer. The exact mechanism of crystallization at such low temperatures is not yet known, but it can be speculated that the surface atoms are less constrained and thus have a smaller energy barrier to overcome in forming a crystal structure. There is a narrow temperature window for growth of the superconducting phase; at lower temperatures the films tend to be semiconducting, due probably to lack of sufficient thermal energy to crystallize a well-ordered phase. At higher temperatures the bismuth sticking coefficient decreases to the point where no bismuth remains and the films are insulating.
IDENTIFYING MECHANISMS BEHIND POLICY INTERVENTIONS VIA CAUSAL MEDIATION ANALYSIS

Causal analysis in program evaluation has primarily focused on the question about whether or not a program, or package of policies, has an impact on the targeted outcome of interest. However, it is often of scientific and practical importance to also explain why such impacts occur. In this paper, we introduce causal mediation analysis, a statistical framework for analyzing causal mechanisms that has become increasingly popular in social and medical sciences in recent years. The framework enables us to show exactly what assumptions are sufficient for identifying causal mediation effects for the mechanisms of interest, derive a general algorithm for estimating such mechanism-specific effects, and formulate a sensitivity analysis for the violation of those identification assumptions. We also discuss an extension of the framework to analyze causal mechanisms in the presence of treatment noncompliance, a common problem in randomized evaluation studies. The methods are illustrated via applications to two intervention studies on pre-school classes and job-training workshops.
Sequential super-stereotypy of an instinctive fixed action pattern in hyper-dopaminergic mutant mice: a model of obsessive compulsive disorder and Tourette's

Excessive sequential stereotypy of behavioral patterns (sequential super-stereotypy) in Tourette's syndrome and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is thought to involve dysfunction in nigrostriatal dopamine systems. In sequential super-stereotypy, patients become trapped in overly rigid sequential patterns of action, language, or thought. Some instinctive behavioral patterns of animals, such as the syntactic grooming chain pattern of rodents, have sufficiently complex and stereotyped serial structure to detect potential production of overly-rigid sequential patterns. A syntactic grooming chain is a fixed action pattern that serially links up to 25 grooming movements into 4 predictable phases that follow 1 syntactic rule. New mutant mouse models allow gene-based manipulation of brain function relevant to sequential patterns, but no current animal model of spontaneous OCD-like behaviors has so far been reported to exhibit sequential super-stereotypy in the sense of a whole complex serial pattern that becomes stronger and excessively rigid. Here we used a hyper-dopaminergic mutant mouse to examine whether an OCD-like behavioral sequence in animals shows sequential super-stereotypy. Knockdown mutation of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT) causes extracellular dopamine levels in the neostriatum of these adult mutant mice to rise to 170% of wild-type control levels. We found that the serial pattern of this instinctive behavioral sequence becomes strengthened as an entire entity in hyper-dopaminergic mutants, and more resistant to interruption. Hyper-dopaminergic mutant mice have stronger and more rigid syntactic grooming chain patterns than wild-type control mice. Mutants showed sequential super-stereotypy in the sense of having more stereotyped and predictable syntactic grooming sequences, and were also more likely to resist disruption of the pattern en route, by returning after a disruption to complete the pattern from the appropriate point in the sequence. By contrast, wild-type mice exhibited weaker forms of the fixed action pattern, and often failed to complete the full sequence. Sequential super-stereotypy occurs in the complex fixed action patterns of hyper-dopaminergic mutant mice. Elucidation of the basis for sequential super-stereotypy of instinctive behavior in DAT knockdown mutant mice may offer insights into neural mechanisms of overly-rigid sequences of action or thought in human patients with disorders such as Tourette's or OCD.
Introduzione alla personal network analysis e alle statistiche tie churn attraverso l’uso di E-NET

In this article we review foundational aspects of personal network analysis (also called Ego network analysis) and introduce E-NET (Borgatti 2006), a computer program designed specifically for personal network analysis. We present the basic steps for personal network data collection and use E-NET to review key measures of personal network analysis such as size, composition and structure. We close by introducing longitudinal measures of personal network change, including tie churn, brokerage elasticity, and triad change. We argue that these measures can help reveal change patterns consistent with tie formation strategies that would otherwise be missed using more traditional analytic approaches.
Sparse kernel learning-based feature selection for anomaly detection

In this paper, a novel framework of sparse kernel learning for support vector data description (SVDD) based anomaly detection is presented. By introducing 0-1 control variables to original features in the input space, sparse feature selection for anomaly detection is modeled as a mixed integer programming problem. Due to the prohibitively high computational complexity, it is relaxed into a quadratically constrained linear programming (QCLP) problem. The QCLP problem can then be practically solved by using an iterative optimization method, in which multiple subsets of features are iteratively found as opposed to a single subset. However, when a nonlinear kernel such as Gaussian radial basis function kernel, associated with an infinite-dimensional reproducing kernel Hilbert space (RKHS) is used in the QCLP-based iterative optimization, it is impractical to find optimal subsets of features due to a large number of possible combinations of the original features. To tackle this issue, a feature map called the empirical kernel map, which maps data points in the input space into a finite space called the empirical kernel feature space (EKFS), is used in the proposed work. The QCLP-based iterative optimization problem is solved in the EKFS instead of in the input space or the RKHS. This is possible because the geometrical properties of the EKFS and the corresponding RKHS remain the same. Now, an explicit nonlinear exploitation of the data in a finite EKFS is achievable, which results in optimal feature ranking. Comprehensive experimental results on three hyperspectral images and several machine learning datasets show that our proposed method can provide improved performance over the current state-of-the-art techniques.
Are there sex differences in the reliability of a lifetime history of major depression and its predictors

BACKGROUND Although lifetime major depression (LTMD) is assessed with only moderate reliability in community samples, some predictors have emerged for 'reliable' LTMD. Given the large impact of sex on risk for LTMD, it is of interest to know if there are sex differences in the reliability of LTMD and its predictors. METHODS A total of 5603 members of male-male and male-female twin pairs from a population-based registry were interviewed twice with a mean inter-interview interval of 19 months. LTMD was assessed on each occasion using DSM-III-R criteria. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used, combining forward and back-prediction. RESULTS The long-term test-retest reliability of LTMD was moderate (kappa = +0.48) and did not differ significantly between males and females. In a multivariate model, the significant predictors of a stable diagnosis of LTMD, none of which differed across sex, were younger age at onset, older current age, history of treatment, increasing number of symptoms, level of impairment or level of distress, longer duration of episodes, higher current level of depression and the presence during the depressive episode of sad mood, weight loss, hypersomnia or fatigue. Using these variables, it was not possible to predict 'stably diagnosed' LTMD with both high sensitivity and high specificity. CONCLUSION In community samples, LTMD is diagnosed with moderate reliability. Although diagnostic stability can be predicted by variables related to severity, distress and treatment-seeking (probably acting to make depressive episodes more 'memorable'), highly accurate prediction of stably diagnosed cases is not possible. Long-term recall is also significantly influenced by current symptoms. Neither the stability of LTMD nor its predictors differ in men and women.
Excellent device performance of 3D In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As gate-wrap-around field-effect-transistors with high-k gate dielectrics

Excellent device performance of 3D In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As gate-wrap-around field-effect-transistors (GWAFETs) have been demonstrated by a novel device design with innovative fabrication processes. The study of the fabricated 3D In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As GWAFETs with fin width (W fin ) of 40 nm to 200 nm shows that the device with narrower W fin exhibits higher drive current, transconductance and better short channel effect (SCE) control. A good combination of current drive and subthreshold characteristics has been achieved by the device with 40 nm W fin and 140 nm L g , and it delivers I on of 600 μA/μm at V d =1 V and V g -V th =1 V, subthreshold swing (SS) of 80 mV/dec, and drain induced barrier lowering (DIBL) of 20mV/V. The observed significant improvement in electrostatic control was achieved by our GWA device architecture.
Cloning, gene expression, and characterization of CP27, a novel gene in mouse embryogenesis.

Abstract We report the full-length sequencing, tissue-specific expression, and immunolocalization of cp27 , a novel gene in mouse embryogenesis. The cp27 gene was isolated and cloned from a mouse E11 λgt11 library using a peptide antibody that recognized a distinct expression pattern in mouse craniofacial development. The cp27 gene contains an open reading frame of 295 amino acids corresponding to a predicted molecular mass of 33 kDa. On Western blots, a polyclonal antibody against CP27 detected a single epitope at 27 kDa. The putative CP27 protein has an isoelectric point of 4.75 and features a distinct helix–loop–helix structure according to prediction algorithms. We have cloned the human cp27 gene and mapped it to a locus on the human chromosome 16 which is in proximity to several loci associated with inherited craniofacial diseases such as fanconi anemia type A. Northern blot analysis of RNA from multiple mouse tissues demonstrated high levels of expression in developing mouse teeth, heart, lung, and liver of a single transcript of approx. 1.8 kbp. In situ hybridization using a radioactive RNA probe resulted in distinct signals in the developing neuroepithelium, cerebellum, heart, lung, liver, teeth, salivary glands, and periosteum of developing bones. Immunohistochemical staining of developing mouse tissues detected epitopes specific for CP27 in the mesenchyme surrounding the primary brain vesicles, in basement membranes, in the periosteum, in salivary glands, and in the stellate reticulum of teeth. Thus, CP27 represents a unique gene product involved in mouse embryogenesis.
Resource-constrained software pipelining

This paper presents a software pipelining algorithm for the automatic extraction of fine-grain parallelism in general loops. The algorithm accounts for machine resource constraints in a way that smoothly integrates the management of resource constraints with software pipelining. Furthermore, generality in the software pipelining algorithm is not sacrificed to handle resource constraints, and scheduling choices are made with truly global information. Proofs of correctness and the results of experiments with an implementation are also presented.
Government printing reform: An independent managerial perspective

Abstract Although the institutional-political setting of federal printing and publishing policy is intimately associated with managerial issues, there is no management precept to support the present anomaly of congressional operation and control of these matters other than for obvious priority attention to producing documents desired by Congress. In addition, the organizational-administrative provisions of the printing reform legislation promise to perpetuate the bureaucratic inefficiencies, squabbling, red tape, and subterfuges which are now prevalent in the printing and publishing policy system. The remedies which should be pursued in perfecting improvement of printing and publishing operations include removing congressional intrusion upon the executive branch in these matters and the establishment of executive branch central responsibility for them.
Degradation of GaP:N LEDs

The degradation of light output with operating time has been studied for nitrogen doped GaP light emitting diodes fabricated from vapor phase epitaxial material. The degradation is found to saturate at a non-zero value of efficiency. The process is characterized in terms of a degradation rate constant and the saturation value of efficiency. The rate is found to be a strong function of current density during operation and to a lesser degree materials parameters such as dislocation density. The saturation value appears to be independent of these parameters.
An optical central limit theorem

The central limit theorem of statistics states that the arithmetic average of N (finite) random variables obeys a normal probability law. A requirement of the theorem is that the probability density common to the random variables have finite variance. This is not the case in optics, where for example the probability density on a photon position xi in an image can obey a sinc2 x law. The variance of this law is infinite. Then what probability density is obeyed by the arithmetic average x ¯ of the xi in the optical case? It is shown that the law is Cauchy, i.e., of the form p x ¯ ( x ) = ( a / π ) ( x 2 + a 2 ) − 1, a = const. Surprisingly, both the Cauchy form of the law and its free parameter a are entirely independent of the aberrations of the imaging system.
Sulfur in basaltic magmas

Abstract The concentration of S in basaltic magmas at 1 atm pressure is strongly dependent on temperature, the fugacities of oxygen ( ƒ O 2 ) and sulfur ( ƒ S 2 ), and bulk composition. Microprobe analyses of total S in rapidly quenched, submarine basalt glasses, used in conjunction with wet chemical analyses of Fe 2 O 3 FeO and its relationship to ƒ o 2 , allow direct calculation of ƒ s 2 using an expression which relates dissolved sulfur content to sulfur fugacity. The relationship between S fugacity and dissolved S in a silicate liquid at 1 bar total pressure can be represented by the expression ln X s = a ln ƒ s 2 − b ln ƒ o 2 + c ln X FeO + d T + e + Σƒ i X i , where Xs is the mole fraction of dissolved S, a through ƒ i are experimentally calibrated regression coefficients, and the summation is over melt components, i. Back calculation of the input data yields a standard error of 0.026 wt% S for a magma with 0.1 wt% of S. Prediction of the immiscible Fe-S-O liquid saturation surface for basaltic liquids in T-X-ƒ o 2 -ƒ s 2 space is made through consideration of the heterogeneous equilibrium 1 2 S 2(gas) + FeO (silicate melt) = FeS (sulfide melt) + 1 2 O 2(gas) , using standard state thermodynamic data. Data from natural basalt glasses demonstrate that during the differentiation and Fe enrichment of basaltic magmas, the increases in S content which are observed require the ratio ƒ o 2 ƒ s 2 to decrease by 3 log10 units over the temperature range 1260 to 1050°C. This decrease is equivalent to the enthalpy change of the above reaction. Application to basalts and gases from Kilauea volcano demonstrates that during ascent, S is depleted in the magma as a result of shallow effervescence, and the gases which are evolved are in equilibrium with the magma during fire fountaining.
AVO hodograms and polarization attributes

An alternative approach to identifying AVO anomalies, presented by Tim Keho at SEG's 2000 Annual Meeting and subsequently published in TLE (November 2001), is to consider the AVO polarization in the intercept-gradient (A-B) plane. This method does not require deviations or separations from a background trend in traditional crossplots such as intercept-gradient (A-B) or near trace-far trace (N-F). A benefit of the hodogram or polarization method is that the wavelet is taken into consideration as it is convolved with the reflection coefficient series. Crossplotted intercept and gradient are polarized along a “background trend” for nonanomalous events and at angles different from the “background trend” for anomalous events. This allows recognition of anomalous behavior otherwise buried in a background.
Emergency Bedside Sonographic Diagnosis of Subclavian Artery Pseudoaneurysm With Brachial Plexopathy After Clavicle Fracture

Clavicle fractures are common; however, complications are unusual. Two such complications, subclavian artery pseudoaneurysm and brachial plexopathy, are rare events that can cause significant morbidity and mortality. We report the case of a 53-year-old man who presented with shoulder swelling and right arm weakness for 1 week. Three weeks before, he had fallen and fractured his right clavicle. On presentation to our emergency department, his examination revealed a brachial plexopathy and a large supraclavicular mass. An emergency bedside triplex sonogram was performed to characterize the mass and revealed a swirling pattern within a fluid collection anterior to the subclavian artery, suggestive of a pseudoaneurysm. After computed tomography–angiography, the patient was taken to the operating room, where he underwent hematoma washout and subclavian artery stent-graft placement. This case illustrates how bedside point-of-care sonography can rapidly assist in the initial assessment of subclavian artery injury.
Population-Based Analysis of Incidence Rates of Cancer and Noncancer Chronic Diseases in the US Elderly Using NLTCS/Medicare-Linked Database

The age, disability, and comorbidity patterns of incidence rates of cancer and chronic noncancer diseases such as heart failure, diabetes mellitus, asthma, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, skin melanoma, and cancers of breast, prostate, lung, and colon were studied for the US elderly population (aged 65
Human Papillomavirus and Oropharyngeal Cancer: What You Need to Know in 2009

Oropharyngeal cancer has demonstrated a steady increase in incidence over the past 20 years in contrast to declining numbers of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) overall. Recent evidence has found that high-risk strains of human papillomavirus (HPV) are the likely cause of the changing epidemiology of oropharyngeal cancer. HPV-associated oropharyngeal cancer has a molecular, epidemiological, and clinical profile that is distinct from non-HPV HNSCC. Clinicians managing oropharyngeal HNSCC need to be aware of differences in the HPV HNSCC population which may impact treatment outcomes. Testing of HNSCC tumor tissue for HPV using validated and precise techniques should be performed when feasible.
Biopsy-negative PET-positive giant-cell arteritis

Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common systemic vasculitis of the elderly, with a lifetime risk of 1% in women and 0.5% in men.1 Failure to identify the early signs of GCA can result in treatment delay, predisposing patients to a number of potentially disabling and life-threatening complications, including anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, stroke, aortic aneurysm, and dissection.2 We present a case of biopsy-negative GCA in which PET-CT revealed evidence of extensive large-vessel vasculitis.
George Peter Murdock (1897–1985)

George Peter Murdock died peacefully on the 29th of March, 1985, at age 87. He is survived by his son, Bob, and three grandchildren. His wife, Carmen, died in 1981. Called "Pete" by his family and friends, he was born in 1897 on a farm near Meriden, Connecticut. In an autobiographical sketch (Murdock 1965) he tells us that he was named after "Peter Murdock, a Scotsman who migrated as a youth to the American colonies in the 1690's" (p. 351). For five generations the Murdock lineage maintained successful farms in the Westbrook area of Connecticut. Mur-