cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disturbance detection in landsat time series is influenced by tree mortality agent and severity, not by prior disturbance

Abstract Landsat time series (LTS) and associated change detection algorithms are useful for monitoring the effects of global change on Earth's ecosystems. Because LTS algorithms can be easily applied across broad areas, they are commonly used to map changes in forest structure due to wildfire, insect attack, and other important drivers of tree mortality. But factors such as initial forest density, tree mortality agent, and disturbance severity (i.e., percent tree mortality) influence patterns of surface reflectance and may influence the accuracy of LTS algorithms. And while LTS algorithms are widely used in areas with a history of multiple disturbance events during the Landsat record, the effectiveness of LTS algorithms in these conditions is not well understood. We compared products from the LTS algorithm LandTrendr (Landsat-based Detection of Trends in Disturbance and Recovery) with a unique field dataset from a landscape heavily influenced by both wildfire and spruce beetles (Dendroctonus rufipennis) since c. 2000. We also compared LandTrendr to other common methods of mapping fire- and spruce beetle-affected areas. We found that LandTrendr more accurately detected wildfire than spruce beetle-induced tree mortality, and both mortality agents were more easily detected when they occurred at high severity. Surprisingly, prior spruce beetle outbreaks did not influence the detectability of subsequent wildfire. Compared to alternative disturbance mapping approaches, LandTrendr predicted a c. 40% lower area affected by wildfire or spruce beetle outbreaks. Our findings indicate that disturbance type- and severity-specific differences in omission error may have broad implications for disturbance mapping efforts that utilize Landsat data. Gradual, low-severity disturbances (e.g., background tree mortality and non-stand replacing disturbance) are pervasive in forest ecosystems, yet they can be difficult to detect using automated LTS algorithms. Whenever possible, methods to account for these biases should be incorporated in LTS-based mapping efforts, including the use of multispectral ensembles and ancillary spatial data to refine predictions. However, our findings also indicate that LTS algorithms appear to be robust in areas with multiple disturbance events, which is important because these areas will increase as new acquisitions extend the length of the Landsat record.
The Importance of Socio-Economic Primary and Secondary Images for Thailand’s Tourism: A Case Study of Swedish Tourists

Swedish tourists constitute one of the most important markets for Thailand’s tourism industry. On average, Swedish tourists stay in Thailand 9 days and spend 101 euros per day. Their image of Thailand plays a significant role in deciding to visit or revisit Thailand. The socio-economic primary image consists of five factors: safety and security, feeling at home during their visit to Thailand, money value, the trip exceeding their expectation, and the ease of making trip arrangements. These are crucial factors that determine the level of satisfaction tourists experience during their trip. These factors also help determine whether the tourists visit Thailand again in the future.
Dynamics of interaction between an Euler-Bernoulli beam and a moving damped sprung mass: Effect of beam surface roughness

Abstract This work presents analytical expressions that identify the dynamics of the interaction between a simply supported Euler-Bernoulli beam and a moving sprung damped mass on the beam when the roughness on the beam surface is taken into consideration. The roughness load can have significant effects on the dynamics of the beam and its loading capacity, especially when the beam has poor surface conditions. Using the concept of perturbation, the solutions of the beam and mass are presented and validated by comparing the results with the finite element model. Because the determination of the roughness load requires the solution of an ill-posed inverse problem, the Tikhonov regularization and generalized cross validation methods are used to identify the moving load caused by the beam surface roughness. The performances of different regularization matrices (L matrices) under four noise levels (1%, 5%, 10%, and 20%) and three road classes are investigated in terms of their effectiveness in reducing errors in the prediction of the roughness load and mass motion. The results demonstrate that there is no optimal selection of regularization matrices (L matrices) crossing all the beam surface roughness conditions under the noisy disturbance. Under the lower noise levels (1% and 5%), the L1 matrix provided less error in the solution. However, when the noise level increased to 10% and 20%, the L0 matrix, the lower order regularization matrix, provided an acceptable solution. The results also indicated that beam surface roughness has an important impact on the roughness load identification and mass motion prediction.
Why Commit When the Future is Bright? The Interactive Effects of Future Time Perspecitve and Organizational Cynicism

An employee’s organizational commitment is essential to a firm’s success and performance. Past research reports mixed relationships between future time perspective and commitment. Recently, research has supported several moderating variables for this relationship. The current study tested organizational cynicism as a potential moderator. The sample consisted of 301 university alumni working in a variety of industries. The cross-sectional data supports an interaction between future time perspective and organizational cynicism on an individual’s affective and continuance commitment level. Data failed to support an interaction effect on the employee’s normative commitment.
LEAP: Scaling Numerical Optimization Based Synthesis Using an Incremental Approach.

While showing great promise, circuit synthesis techniques that combine numerical optimization with search over circuit structures face scalability challenges due to large number of parameters, exponential search spaces, and complex objective functions. The LEAP algorithm improves scaling across these dimensions using iterative circuit synthesis, incremental reoptimization, dimensionality reduction, and improved numerical optimization. LEAP draws on the design of the optimal synthesis algorithm QSearch by extending it with an incremental approach to determine constant prefix solutions for a circuit. By narrowing the search space, LEAP improves scalability from four to six qubit circuits. LEAP was evaluated with known quantum circuits such as QFT and physical simulation circuits like the VQE, TFIM and QITE. LEAP is able to compile four qubit unitaries up to $59\times$ faster than QSearch and five and six qubit unitaries with up to $1.2\times$ fewer CNOTs compared to the advanced QFAST package. LEAP is able to reduce the CNOT count by up to $48\times$, or $11\times$ on average, compared to the IBM Qiskit compiler. Although employing heuristics, LEAP has generated optimal depth circuits for all test cases where a solution is known a priori. The techniques introduced by LEAP are applicable to other numerical optimization based synthesis approaches.
Effect of Noise on Generic Cough Models

Respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma, are two major reasons for people's death across the globe. In addition to these common inflammatory respiratory diseases, some human transmissible respiratory diseases, such as coronaviruses, cause a global pandemic. One major symptom of these inflammatory respiratory diseases is coughing. Identifying coughing using smartphone-microphone recordings is easily doable from a remote setup and can help physicians and researchers early guess a situation for an individual and a community. However, smartphone-microphone recordings can be affected by environmental noises and that can impact the performance of models that are developed to detect coughing from microphone recording. Thereby, in this work, we present a detailed analysis of noise impacts on cough detection models. We develop models using voluntary coughs and other background sounds obtained from three public datasets and test the performance of those models while detecting various types of coughs, including COPD and COVID-19, obtain from three separate datasets in the presence of background noises.
Invertebrate communities in spring wheat and the identification of cereal aphid predators through molecular gut content analysis

Abstract Cereal aphid complexes are responsible for reducing spring wheat production worldwide. Generalist predators may contribute to reducing cereal aphid numbers and preventing significant damage to crops. A two-year survey identifying the arthropod community on wheat vegetation, at the soil surface and within the soil of wheat fields was conducted to better guide conservation efforts. The arthropod complex in wheat was diverse with 103 taxa identified. The soil-dwelling arthropod community had the greatest abundance and diversity when compared with the foliar-dwelling community. Sentinel Rhopalosiphum padi L. (bird cherry-oat aphid, BCOA) were placed on wheat plants and predator gut-content analysis employed to identify specific species actively consuming cereal aphids. Twenty five percent of collected predators tested positive for R. padi DNA in their guts. The diverse and abundant predatory arthropod community reduced cereal aphid numbers, which remained at low densities throughout the duration of the study.
Supraspinal actions of nociceptin/orphanin FQ, morphine and substance P in regulating pain and itch in non-human primates.

Background and Purpose Nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide (NOP) receptor agonists display a promising analgesic profile in preclinical studies. However, supraspinal N/OFQ produced hyperalgesia in rodents and such effects have not been addressed in primates. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of centrally administered ligands on regulating pain and itch in non-human primates. In particular, nociceptive thresholds affected by intracisternal N/OFQ were compared with those of morphine and substance P, known to provide analgesia and mediate hyperalgesia, respectively, in humans. Experimental Approach Intrathecal catheters were installed to allow intracisternal and lumbar intrathecal administration in awake and unanaesthetized rhesus monkeys. Nociceptive responses were measured using the warm water tail-withdrawal assay. Itch scratching responses were scored from videotapes recording behavioural activities of monkeys in their home cages. Antagonist studies were conducted to validate the receptor mechanisms underlying intracisternally elicited behavioural responses. Key Results Intracisternal morphine (100 nmol) elicited more head scratches than those after intrathecal morphine. Distinct dermatomal scratching locations between the two routes suggest a corresponding activation of supraspinal and spinal μ receptors. Unlike intracisternal substance P, which induced hyperalgesia, intracisternal N/OFQ (100 nmol) produced antinociceptive effects mediated by NOP receptors. Neither peptide increased scratching responses. Conclusions and Implications Taken together, these results demonstrated differential actions of ligands in the primate supraspinal region in regulating pain and itch. This study not only improves scientific understanding of the N/OFQ-NOP receptor system in pain processing but also supports the therapeutic potential of NOP-related ligands as analgesics.
Categorization of customers by retail salespeople

Abstract Retailers should be interested in the way their salespeople categorize customers. Sales-people's descriptions of customer categories contain information about the nature of customers and how salespeople sell to customers. Customer category information can be used by retailers to aid in their selling, positioning, and promotion efforts. Using a survey of 229 salespeople from a department store chain, this paper examines two specific issues. First, we examine salespeople's descriptions of the categories of customers that visit a department store. Second, we delineate the differences among salespeople based on the manner in which they classify customers. The results indicate salespeople primarily list customers that visit the store as those who seek sales assistance and those who are searching for specific products. Additionally, three salespeople clusters with distinct categorization styles emerged from the analysis: “need based categorizers,” “decision styles categorizers” and “training based categorizers.” Implications of these findings and directions for retailers are also discussed.
Effects of Oxygen on Aerosolized Serratia marcescens

Suspensions of Serratia marcescens (ATCC strain 14041) in water were aerosolized in a rotating drum in the presence of various concentrations of oxygen. The colony-forming ability of aerosolized organisms was rapidly destroyed by contact with 0.25% or more oxygen at 40% relative humidity (RH) and 25 C, but was almost unimpaired for at least 5 hr in nitrogen containing not more than 10 ppm of oxygen. Completely hydrated organisms were insensitive to oxygen at pressures up to 100 psi for 4 hr. No loss in viability occurred in aerosols of washed cells in air at 97% RH. It is proposed that dehydration of the aerosolized cell results in sensitization to lethal effects of oxygen, but is not the primary cause of death. Mn++, Co++, glycerol, and thiourea enhanced the biological stability of aerosols in air. Numerous similarities between the effects of oxygen in this system and in systems using freeze-dried or irradiated organisms or cell-free enzymes support the hypothesis that closely related mechanisms are involved.
Teenage pregnancy and parenthood in Illinois. Estimated 1979-1983 costs.

Abstract This study presents an estimation of the 1979–1983 public and private costs of teenage pregnancy and teenage parenthood in the State of Illinois. Data from public records, national and local surveys, and knowledgeable professionals were obtained to delineate 68 key events associated with teenage sexuality, teenage births, newborn care, children's medical care, support to families headed by teenagers, and the cost of these events. Estimates of the total cost of services consumed were apportioned according to corporate, state, federal, municipal, and private individuals as sources of revenue. As of 1983, Illinois businesses and citizens paid $848 million for services rendered to the five-year cohort of 94,000 teenage mothers and their 137,483 children. This sum divides between $152 million annually for business and $696 annually for individuals. Each Illinois household paid an average of $84 out of pocket, $81 dollars in higher state and federal taxes, and $37 dollars in higher prices due to business pass-through, for a total of $202 per year per household.
A real-time, synthetic-aperture, digital acoustic imaging system

We present recent results obtained with a 32-element real-time synthetic aperture acoustic imaging system. The system, which was described at last year’s Acoustic Imaging Conference, has been developed in two main directions. First, a comprehensive testing program has enabled us to diagnose and correct a number of sources of electronic error, and this, coupled with the addition of high quality grey scale display systems, has resulted in greatly improved image quality. Second, in recognizing the need for quantitative as well as qualitative interpretation of NDE images, we have developed a communication channel between the imaging system and a mini-computer. This facility allows us not only to process experimental data collected from the imaging system with greater sophistication than is possible using the real-time hardware alone but also enables us to obtain images synthesized from theoretical models generated in the computer and rapidly reconstructed in the imaging system. This is an extremely useful facility since it is possible to compare the experimental performance of the system directly with what would be expected theoretically.
Lesion measurement in non-radioactive DNA by quantitative gel electrophoresis.

The important role of DNA damage and repair in homeostasis has been clearly demonstrated by studies involving isolated DNA, procaryotic cells and eukaryotic cells growing in culture. The information obtainable from these model systems, while extremely valuable, can never replace the need for data from intact higher organisms. The gel electrophoresis method developed during the past ten years in our laboratories makes possible the quantitation of UV induced pyrimidine dimers, gamma ray induced single- and double-strand breaks and many other types of lesions in nanogram quantities of DNA. The DNA does not have to be labeled with radionuclides or of a particular conformation, thus facilitating the use of the method in measuring damage levels and repair rates in the DNA of intact organisms -- including man.
Use of Appropriate Controls in Rare-Variant Studies

When designing a case–control study, researchers must decide whether to gather and sequence or genotype controls in parallel with cases or whether to only sequence or genotype cases and to plan on using external, perhaps publically available control data. When using rare-variant genotyping chips, gathering and using internal controls may be the obvious choice as the cost per subject is relatively low although there is still the cost of recruiting or finding a suitable control set. There may be more reason to use external controls for sequencing due to its relatively high cost. Ultimately, the choice often comes down to a balance between available funds, resources, and the number and uniqueness of the cases available for sequencing or genotyping. In addition, other reasons may prompt researchers to use external controls. Researchers may choose to boost their study’s sample size and potentially the power by adding in external, publically available controls to an existing internal control set.
“Intermediate” Concepts and the Connection to Moral Education

This paper provides a brief overview of Rest's (1983) conception of the important processes that contribute to effective moral decision making, summarizes efforts to design and assess moral education programs based on Rest's Four-Component Model, and describes new directions in the assessment of moral judgment development that are specifically directed toward professional ethics education. Based on preliminary studies, we recommend that, in addition to measuring each of the processes in Rest's model, educators design profession-specific measures of moral concepts that better reflect the content of professional ethics education. Labeled intermediate concepts measures, these assessments attend to concepts that are more specific than the abstract moral schemas tested by Kohlbergian measures of moral judgment and more general than concrete codes of professional ethics.
Fluorine‐Containing Polymers, Polytetrafluoroethylene

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) has a unique position in the plastics industry because of its chemical inertness, heat resistance, excellent electrical insulation properties, and low coefficient of friction in a wide temperature range. This white to translucent solid polymer has an extremely high molecular weight in the 106–107 range. It is a highly crystalline polymer and has a crystalline melting point, and its high thermal stability is due to the strong carbon-fluorine bond, making PTFE a very useful high temperature polymer. Commercial PTFE is manufactured by two different polymerization processes that result in two different types of chemically identical polymers. Suspension polymerization produces a granular resin, and emulsion polymerization is used to produce coagulated dispersion or stabilized dispersion. Because of its high molecular weight, PTFE melt does not flow and cannot be fabricated by conventional techniques. The suspension polymerized PTFE is usually fabricated by modified metallurgy techniques. Emulsion polymerized, coagulated PTFE is processed by a cold extrusion process; the stabilized dispersions are processed according to latex processing techniques. Keywords: Polytetrafluorethylene; Teflon; Tetrafluorethylene; Engineering problems; Granular resins; Fine powder resins; Dispersion resins; Electrical wire; Antistick; Mechanical applications; Micropowders; Coatings; Electrical properties; Radiation effects
News From the Field: Reports of Scientific Meetings on Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry

Abstract This section of the Journal includes brief reports of scientific presentations, panels, or seminars deemed likely to be of interest to the readership. The meetings reported upon in this section are those conducted at Academy programs, as well as at those sponsored by other groups. Reports are included if they demonstrate relevance to the mission of the Journal, scholarship and comprehension of the material reported upon, and if, in the editor's surmise, the report is a fair summary of the original presentation. Members of the American Academy of Psychoanalysis and other scholars or clinicians are invited to submit reports on scientific meetings of interest. Please write to Matthew Tolchin, M.D., at mt2@doc. mssm.edu. Comments or responses to these summaries are welcome and may be published in the correspondence section of the Journal.
Rod-cone interaction in human scotopic vision—III: Rods influence cone increment thresholds

Abstract In the parafoveal retina rod system sensitivity was assessed by determining the threshold of a small, brief test flash ( F t ) of 500 or 512 nm. A continually exposed adapting field ( F a ) of varied scotopic illuminance, diameter, and wavelength was presented concentric to the F t . Data are presented as tvi ( F t threshold vs F a illuminance) functions. Westheimer functions, and action spectra. With large ( ca. 6°–8°) diameter F a , F t threshold was dependent only upon the scotopic illuminance of F a and was not differentially affected by wavelength. With small ( ca. 1°) diameter F a , however, scotopically equated F a did not produce the same influence upon F t threshold. Red (615–680 nm) F a consistently produced a greater influence upon F t threshold than shorter wavelength F a . These results indicate that the class of photoreceptors influencing rod threshold is determined by the spatial parameters of the adapting field. The results are compared with previous increment threshold studies examining rod-cone interrelationships.
BRIDGING THE SEMANTIC GAP: EXPLORING DESCRIPTIVE VOCABULARY FOR IMAGE STRUCTURE

This poster summarizes the methodology and results from an experiment to collect terms used by subjects in the verbal description of images from the domains of abstract art, satellite imagery and photo-microscopy. The resulting natural language vocabulary was then analyzed to identify a set of concepts that were shared across subjects. These concepts were subsequently organized as a faceted vocabulary that can be used to describe the shapes and relationships between shapes that constitute the internal spatial composition -or internal contextuality -of images. This vocabulary has the potential to minimize the terminological confusion surrounding the representation of the content and internal composition of digital images in Content-Based Image Retrieval [CBIR] systems.
The Hillabee Greenstone: A mafic volcanic complex in the Appalachian Piedmont of Alabama

The Hillabee Greenstone is a distinctive horizon of low metamorphic grade rocks which occurs along the southeastern margin of the Talladega Slate Belt and crops out discontinuously for 170 km in the Appalachian Piedmont of eastern Alabama. It is bounded above and to the southeast by a major thrust fault, the Hollins Line fault, which has emplaced the high metamorphic grade, predominantly metasedimentary Ashland-Wedowee sequences, above the Hillabee. The fault cuts obliquely through the Hillabee along strike so that at some localities the Hillabee is as much as 2.6 km thick, while elsewhere it has been eliminated and the high-grade Ashland-Wedowee rocks are juxtaposed with the low-grade Talladega Group metasediments which occur to the northwest. The fault, which has a dip-slip movement on the order of tens of kilometres, has resulted in the tectonic removal of an unknown amount of the Hillabee. The lower Hillabee contact appears to be a gradational, conformable stratigraphic contact with the Talladega Group. Primary- and secondary-facing criteria imply that the southeastern portion of the Talladega Group, which is Early to Middle Devonian in its uppermost part, is upright and that the Hillabee occurs stratigraphically above it. The majority of the Hillabee lithologies are mafic phyllites and greenstones which have major- and trace-element characteristics of low-potassium tholeiite and basaltic andesite. Meta-quartz dacites compose as much as 15% of the sequence. Geochemical discrimination techniques in association with regional stratigraphic and structural relationships suggest that the Hillabee Greenstone represents an active continental margin (arc) volcanic sequence which spread northwestward during the Early to Middle Devonian. This volcanism probably occurred in response to the westward under-thrusting of an attenuated proto-North American continental margin by oceanic lithosphere, and resulted in closure of a back arc basin or small ocean basin. The volcanism was followed rapidly by regional dynamothermal events probably associated with Acadian orogenesis.
O-H Stretch Overtone Excitation in Methyl and Ethyl Hydroperoxides

We use laser photoacoustic spectroscopy to obtain vibrational overtone spectra in the regions of four and five quanta of O−H stretch (4νOH and 5νOH) for gas-phase methyl (MeOOH), ethyl (EtOOH), and...
Perceived Benefits of Planned Food and Culinary Experiences in an Accredited Culinary Program for Dieteitc Internship Programs

Abstract Food and culinary competence transcends all areas of dietetic practice. Dietetic interns enrolled in The Medical University of South Carolina are provided the opportunity to develop additional food and culinary skills through a planned rotation with Johnson & Wales University, a two-year accredited culinary program in Charleston, South Carolina. Students participate in production labs. Recipes are formulated, modified, produced, and evaluated with feedback from Chefs and culinary students. Dietetic interns were surveyed to determine perceived benefits of gaining food and culinary skills in a culinary setting. Respondents were asked to use brainsterming techniques to complete questions related to their experiences. Culinary students also were asked to complete a survey to determine perceived benefits of working with internship activities and changes in opinions they formed as a result of the experiences. Consensus opinions were evaluated and compared. Participants within both groups agreed that the experiences provided the opportunity to exchange information about professions in an informal setting. The respondents gained a heightened awareness of the education and experience necessary for developing competence within each profession. Dietetic students commented that the rotation provided a setting where they could learn as well as practice culinary skills. The experiences have prompted some culinary students to begin exploring continued education in dietetic education. The results demonstrate the advantage of considering existing culinary programs as one of the options for dietetic interns to achieve food and culinary skills.
Genetic control of Rous sarcoma regression in chickens: Linkage with the major histocompatibility complex

Studies with two closely related inbred chicken strains show that regression of Rous sarcoma virus-induced tumors is a dominantly inherited trait, controlled by a gene within, or closely linked to, the major histocompatibility complex (B region). Strain G-B2 birds are capable of regressing Rous tumors, while strain G-B1 birds are uniformly susceptible to progressive Rous tumor development. Evidence for crossing over between the genes controlling serologically determined MHC antigens on erythrocytes and genes controlling Rous sarcoma growth was obtained. The MHC-linked gene which confers the ability to regress Rous sarcomas is designatedR-Rs-1. The allelic gene which allows for progressive tumor growth in homozygous birds is designatedr-Rs-1.
GABAergic synapses in the brain identified with antisera to GABA and its synthesizing enzyme, glutamate decarboxylase

GABA is a known inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain. The site of GABAergic synapses can be determined with immunocytochemical methods that localize either GABA or its synthesizing enzyme, glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). In general, GABAergic axon terminals contain pleomorphic synaptic vesicles and form symmetric synapses. However, a small number of GABAergic axon terminals in selected brain regions (spinal cord, cerebellum, superior colliculus, striatum, globus pallidus, inferior olive, and substantia nigra) form asymmetric synapses. GAD- and GABA-immunoreactive processes that contain synaptic vesicles participate in every known morphological type of chemical synapse. These include axosomatic, axodendritic, axospinous, initial segment, axoaxonic, dendrodendritic, serial, reciprocal, and ribbon synapses. Although GABAergic synapses form a heterogeneous group, they most commonly form axosomatic, axodendritic, and initial segment synapses in the brain and spinal cord. These findings provide helpful guidelines for the identification of GABAergic synapses in future studies.
β-Lapachone ameliorates murine cisplatin nephrotoxicity: NAD⁺, NQO1, and SIRT1 at the crossroads of metabolism, injury, and inflammation

The clinical utility of cisplatin is limited by nephrotoxicity. Oh et al. report that β-lapachone prevents this nephrotoxicity but not cisplatin's cytotoxicity for cancers. In addition to its potential clinical importance, the beneficial effect of β-lapachone on cisplatin acute kidney injury may illustrate fundamental processes that ordinarily link alterations in nutrient availability and intracellular reactive oxygen species on the one hand, with inflammation and cell death on the other hand.
Policy Simulation Experiments with Macroeconometric Models: The State of the Art

IN recent years economists have made increasing use of policy simulation experiments with macroeconometric models to evaluate the effects of alternative economic policies on the behavior of the economy of an entire country. Although econometricians have devoted considerable time and effort to the solution of a multiplicity of problems related to the estimation of the parameters of econometric models, they have almost totally ignored some relatively serious methodological problems associated with policy simulation experiments with given econometric models. But some very real methodological problems do exist when one attempts to design and implement a simulation experiment with a large-scale, macroeconometric model. What are some of these problems? What are the possible consequences of ignoring these problems? What alternatives are available for circumventing these problems? In this paper we shall attempt to answer some of these questions.
Photoaffinity labeling and binding studies reveal the existence of two types of phencyclidine receptors in the NCB-20 cell line

Abstract The mouse neuroblastoma-Chinese hamster brain hybrid cell line NCB-20 is the only clonal cell line in which binding studies indicate the presence of phencyclidine (PCP) receptor-like sites. We report here that polypeptide components of NCB-20 cell PCP sites were identified with the photolabile PCP derivative [ 3 H ]N-[1-(3- azidophenyl)cyclohexyl]piperidine ([ 3 H]AZ-PCP). The pharmacological selectivity of [ 3 H]AZ-PCP binding (under reversible conditions) was similar to that observed for [ 3 H ]N-[1-(2- thienyl)cyclohexyl]-piperidine ([ 3 H]TCP) binding to NCB-20 cell membranes. Inhibition of [ 3 H]TCP binding by AZ-PCP, dexoxadrol or MK-801 was biphasic, suggesting the presence of two types of PCP sites on NCB-20 cells. Photolysis of NCB-20 cell membranes pre-equilibrated with [ 3 H]AZ-PCP, followed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), revealed the presence of 5 major labeled bands ( M r 90,000, 68,000, 49,000, 40,000 and 33,000), a pattern similar to that observed for rat brain membranes. MK-801 and d -2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid ( d -(−)-AP5) selectively inhibited the labeling of M r 68,000 and 90,000 polypeptides. These results indicate that the labeled bands represent constituents of at least two different PCP binding proteins. The M r 68,000 and 90,000 components appear to correspond to a high-affinity site, which comprises approximately 20% of total [ 3 H]TCP sites in these cells, and exhibits the pharmacology expected for the PCP receptor of the N- methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA)-gated channel.
Electrochemiluminescence-based detection of ferrocene derivatives at monolayer-coated electrodes

Abstract Luminol/hydrogen peroxide chemiluminescence catalyzed by electrochemically oxidized ferrocene derivatives was investigated at gold electrodes coated with alkanethiolate monolayers. The monolayer serves not only to suppress the direct luminol electrooxidation and consequent background chemiluminescence, but also to promote oxidation of certain ferrocene derivatives, which then act to catalyze the luminescent reaction between luminol and hydrogen peroxide. Chemiluminescence was particularly strongly promoted in a designed monolayer/catalyst system whereby attractive electrostatic interactions between a positively-charged ferrocene catalyst and a negatively-charged monolayer promote facile ferrocene oxidation, whereas repulsive interactions between the monolayer and the negatively-charged luminol molecule inhibit direct luminol oxidation. The ferrocene catalyst was detected both voltammetrically and by light emission in this system; however, detection by light emission exhibited a higher signal to background ratio than detection by oxidative current at comparable ferrocene concentrations.
The Effect of Hemodialysis on Neutrophil Chemotactic Responsiveness

. After several hemodialysis treatments, neutrophil chemotactic responsiveness is commonly depressed. The median chemotactic index of 34 patients was 21, compared with 47 for 21 controls tested simultaneously. The depressed chemotactic responsiveness was not restored to normal when leukocytes were washed and resuspended in normal plasma, neither did plasma from patients with depressed chemotaxis affect control neutrophils.
Transmission overhaul and replacement predictions using Weibull and renewal theory

A method to estimate the frequency of transmission overhauls is presented. This method is based on the two-parameter Weibull statistical distribution for component life. A second method is presented to estimate the number of replacement components needed to support the transmission overhaul pattern. The second method is based on renewal theory. Confidence statistics are applied with both methods to improve the statistical estimate of sample behavior. A transmission example is also presented to illustrate the use of the methods. Transmission overhaul frequency and component replacement calculations are included in the example.
Underwater tracking through ice cover

Acoustic data were collected in an attempt to determine the feasibility of through-ice tracking. Signals received at the upper surface of the ice were compared with the in-water acoustic pulses and changes in the pulse character were examined to assess the nature and extent of ice-caused perturbations. The results were then compared with a theory relating acoustic propagation at the water-ice interface to aspect angles.
On the performance of L2E estimation in modelling heterogeneous count responses with extreme values

In healthcare studies, count data sets measured with covariates often exhibit heterogeneity and contain extreme values. To analyse such count data sets, we use a finite mixture of regression model framework and investigate a robust estimation approach, called the L2E [D.W. Scott, On fitting and adapting of density estimates, Comput. Sci. Stat. 30 (1998), pp. 124–133], to estimate the parameters. The L2E is based on an integrated L2 distance between parametric conditional and true conditional mass functions. In addition to studying the theoretical properties of the L2E estimator, we compare the performance of L2E with the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator and a minimum Hellinger distance (MHD) estimator via Monte Carlo simulations for correctly specified and gross-error contaminated mixture of Poisson regression models. These show that the L2E is a viable robust alternative to the ML and MHD estimators. More importantly, we use the L2E to perform a comprehensive analysis of a Western Australia hospital inp...
Impaired Prefrontal Cortical Function and Disrupted Adaptive Cognitive Control in Methamphetamine Abusers: A Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Background Methamphetamine (MA) abuse is associated with neurotoxicity to frontostriatal brain regions with deleterious effects on cognitive processes. Deficits in behavioral control are thought to be one contributing factor to the sustainment of addictive behaviors in MA abuse. Methods In order to examine patterns of behavioral control relevant to addiction, we employed a fast-event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging design to examine trial-to-trial reaction time (RT) adjustments in 12 MA-dependent subjects and 16 non-substance-abusers. A variant of the Stroop task was employed to contrast the groups on error rates, RT conflict, and the level of trial-to-trial adjustments seen after incongruent trials. Results The MA abusers exhibited reduced RT adjustments and reduced activation in the right prefrontal cortex compared to controls on conditions that measured the ability to use exposure to conflict situations (i.e., conflict trials) to regulate behavior. The groups did not differ on accuracy rates or within-trial Stroop conflict effects. Conclusions The observed deficits in trial-to-trial RT adjustments suggest that the ability to adapt a behavioral response based on prior experience may be compromised in MA abusers. These failures to modify behavior based on prior events may reflect a deficit that contributes to drug-seeking behavior.
Fear is fast in phobic individuals: amygdala activation in response to fear-relevant stimuli.

Background Two core characteristics of pathologic fear are its rapid onset and resistance to cognitive regulation. We hypothesized that activation of the amygdala early in the presentation of fear-relevant visual stimuli would distinguish phobics from nonphobics. Methods Chronometry of amygdala activation to phobia-relevant pictures was assessed in 13 spider phobics and 14 nonphobics using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Results Blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses in the amygdala early in picture processing consistently differentiated between phobic and nonphobic subjects, as well as between phobogenic and nonphobogenic stimuli among phobics. Furthermore, amygdalar BOLD responses associated with timing but not magnitude of activation predicted affective responses to phobogenic stimuli. Computational modeling procedures were used to identify patterns of neural activation in the amygdala that could yield the observed BOLD data. These data suggest that phobic responses were characterized by strong but brief amygdala responses, whereas nonphobic responses were weaker and more sustained. Conclusions Results are discussed in the context of the amygdala's role in rapid threat detection and the vigilance-avoidance hypothesis of anxiety. These data highlight the importance of examining the neural substrates of the immediate impact of phobogenic stimuli for understanding pathological fear.
Paradoxical Reactions in HIV and Pulmonary TB

We present a case of paradoxical clinical deterioration during antituberculosis therapy in an HIV-infected adult with pulmonary TB. The clinical course was characterized by marked cervical and mediastinal adenopathy accompanied by fever and weight loss during simultaneous treatment of TB and HIV disease. After extensive investigation for causes of therapeutic failure, the paradoxical reaction was attributed to partial immune reconstitution related to highly effective antiretroviral therapy. Due to the high prevalence of TB in HIV-infected patients, it is important to recognize this phenomenon and understand that it is usually self-limited. (CHEST 1998; 114:933–936)
Behavioural, affective, and physiological effects of negative and positive emotional exaggeration.

Emotion regulation is essential for the production of socially appropriate affect and successful interpersonal functioning. The relative inability to modulate affect, known as "emotional dysregulation", is associated with many common mood disorders (such as major depressive disorder or bipolar spectrum disorders). Thus, understanding the physiological processes underlying emotional regulation is extremely important. This experiment was designed to explore the affective, behavioural, and physiological responses associated with a rarely studied emotion regulation technique--exaggeration. A total of 52 undergraduate participants watched a 2 minute video designed to elicit either feelings of amusement (positive affect) or disgust (negative affect). Physiological recordings--including skin conductance, interbeat interval (IBI), high frequency (HF) power spectrum of heart rate variability (HRV), and sympathovagal balance (LF/HF)--were recorded for the 2 minutes prior to, during, and after mood induction. As exp...
Crystallization behavior of sol-gel derived glasses☆

Abstract The synthesis of cordierite and anorthite by an all-alkoxide route has been demonstrated. Amorphous gel-derived anorthite powders are shown to exhibit crystallization behavior similar to that of melt-derived glasses. Crystallization of amorphous gel-derived cordierite powders takes place by the formation of a transient, metastable stuffed β-quartz phase, which converts to cordierite at higher temperatures - similar to the sequence of phase development in melt-derived glasses which are close to cordierite in composition.
EFFICIENT VIBRATION MODELLING OF ELASTIC VEHICLE TRACK SYSTEMS

Abstract A vehicle track model is developed with the objective of providing new capabilities in modelling track vibration response. Understanding track vibration is essential to evaluating the durability of track components and the vibration energy transmitted to the vehicle. A new element model is derived herein that represents a track span as a continuous elastic member with distributed inertia. This model captures the effects of static track sag, static track tension, and the coupling of longitudinal and transverse track vibration. Results from a companion experimental study on a section of track are reviewed and support the use of this continuum approximation over a well-defined frequency spectrum. The track element model is then extended to describe an entire track circuit for an example military vehicle. An eigenanalysis of this circuit model leads to the system vibration modes that are subsequently employed in a low order model for forced response. The forced response characteristics resulting from two major excitation sources, roadarm motion and polygonal action, are described. The modal content of the track response is then examined to determine the minimum size model required to describe low-frequency track vibration. It is concluded that such low order system models offer an efficient alternative to established large degree-of-freedom multi-body track models.
Poster: Phones and robots: brains and brawn

Our project demonstrates the capabilities of a symbiotic phone-robot hybrid device, wherein the robot provides gross motor control and the phone provides fine course corrections and sensing capability. The crude robot generates movement subject to mechanical wheel asymmetries and non-linear motor effects; the inexpensive phone provides a variety of on-board sensors and a reasonably powerful CPU/memory. We demonstrate the utility of the combined device to provide a reasonably accurate autonomous signal mapping on an untrained floor plan in our building.
Preemptive Multimodal Pain Regimen Reduces Opioid Analgesia for Patients Undergoing Robotic-assisted Laparoscopic Radical Prostatectomy

Objectives Minimally invasive surgical techniques have many benefits, including reduced postoperative pain. Despite this, most patients require opioid analgesia, which can have significant side effects and toxicity. We report the first urologic study using multimodal analgesia with pregabalin, a gabapentinoid. Methods The present retrospective study included 60 patients who underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. Of the 60 patients, 30 received multimodal treatment with pregabalin 150 mg, acetaminophen 975 mg, and celecoxib 400 mg orally 2 hours before the start of the procedure and continued postoperatively. These patients were compared with 30 consecutive previous patients, who had received a standard postoperative analgesic regimen with intravenous ketorolac 15 mg every 6 hours with oxycodone 5 mg and acetaminophen 325 mg, 1 to 2 tablets, every 4 hours as needed for pain. Results The patients in the multimodal treatment group had a significantly reduced intraoperative opioid requirement, as measured by the mean morphine equivalent dose administered (38.4 ± 2.73 mg vs 49.1 ± 2.65 mg; P P = .034), as was the mean total morphine equivalent dose administered (49.1 ± 2.7 mg vs 75.3 ± 4.6 mg; P Conclusions The present retrospective review has indicated that a multimodal analgesic approach with pregabalin and celecoxib administered preoperatively decreases intraoperative and postoperative opioid use in patients undergoing robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy.
Approximating Points by a Piecewise Linear Function

Approximating points by piecewise linear functions is an intensively researched topic in computational geometry. In this paper, we study, based on the uniform error metric, an array of variations of this problem in 2-D and 3-D, including points with weights, approximation with violations, using step functions or more generally piecewise linear functions. We consider both the min-# (i.e., given an error tolerance ϵ, minimizing the size k of the approximating function) and min-ϵ (i.e., given a size k of the approximating function, minimizing the error tolerance ϵ) versions of the problems. Our algorithms either improve on the previously best-known solutions or are the first known results for the respective problems. Our approaches are based on interesting geometric observations and algorithmic techniques. Some data structures we develop are of independent interest and may find other applications.
Sense of humor and social desirability: Understanding how humor styles are perceived

Abstract Humor can be expressed in many ways, some of which may not be seen as displaying a good sense of humor or as being socially desirable. Using the Humor Styles Questionnaire to predict global ratings of sense of humor for oneself and for a romantic partner indicated that only adaptive humor styles were reliably related to sense of humor and that an affiliative style was the primary predictor. Behaviors associated with adaptive humor styles were judged as more socially desirable, with maladaptive humor uses being rated as clearly socially undesirable. In conclusion, a good sense of humor is not based solely on sharing humor and some styles of sharing humor are socially damaging. Future research needs to determine when maladaptive humor may be beneficial.