cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Green Synthesis and Property Characterization of Single‐Crystalline Perovskite Fluoride Nanorods

The generalized green synthesis of single-crystalline KMnF3 and NH4MnF3 nanorods as well as of their rare-earth ion doped analogues, possessing reproducible shape and controllable size, has been achieved using a modified template-directed approach under ambient room-temperature conditions, with simple inorganic salts as functional precursors. Extensive characterization of the resulting nanorods has been performed using diffraction, electron microscopy, optical spectroscopy, as well as magnetic techniques. We have studied the antiferromagnetism of as-prepared ternary metal fluoride nanorods as well as the luminescence of their as-doped counterparts. Our collective data suggest the possibility of the incorporation of these high-quality, chemically pure materials into functional nanoscale devices with various potential applications that exploit the interesting optomagnetic properties of these systems.
Update on respiratory management of critically ill neurologic patients.

Respiratory failure complicates a number of acute neurologic conditions, most notably neuromuscular diseases (eg, Guillain-Barre syndrome and myasthenia gravis) and stroke. In addition, pulmonary complications, particularly pneumonia and atelectasis, are fairly common in patients with these diagnoses; their prevention and early recognition are crucial to avoid detrimental consequences. This review discusses recent studies related to predictors of respiratory failure and pneumonia, strategies of respiratory care and ventilatory support, functional prognosis, and withdrawal of mechanical ventilation in patients with acute neuromuscular respiratory failure and stroke.
Proximity between 5-HT secreting enteroendocrine cells and lymphocytes in the gut mucosa of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) is suggestive of a role for enterochromaffin cell 5-HT in mucosal immunity

The involvement of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) in immunoregulation has been well documented. Gut mucosa is a large reservoir of 5-HT most of which is attributed to gut endocrine cells. In this study, we examined the anatomical relationship among 5-HT immunoreactive cells and T and B lymphocytes in the gut mucosa of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). 5-HT, CD3 and CD20 immunoreactive cells were immunofluorescently labeled and visualized by confocal microscopy. 5-HT immunoreactive cells were primarily found within the epithelium of the intestine and were present at all levels of the gastrointestinal tract. Many 5-HT immunoreactive cells were in contact with, or very close proximity to CD3(+) and CD20(+) lymphocytes. These results provide morphological evidence to suggest interactions between 5-HT secreting enteroendocrine cells and lymphocytes in the gut mucosa. This further supports a possible role of 5-HT in mucosal immune responses.
Atom clusters and vibrational excitations in chemically-disordered Pt357Fe

Inelastic nuclear resonant scattering spectra of Fe-57 atoms were measured on crystalline alloys of Pt3Fe-57 that were chemically disordered, partially ordered, and L1(2) ordered. Phonon partial density of states curves for Fe-57 were obtained from these spectra. Upon disordering, about 10% of the spectral intensity underwent a distinct shift from 25 to 19 meV. This change in optical modes accounted for most of the change of the vibrational entropy of disordering contributed by Fe atoms, which was (+0.10 +/- 0.03) k(B) (Fe atom)(-1). Prospects for parametrizing the vibrational entropy with low-order cluster variables were assessed. To calculate the difference in vibrational entropy of the disordered and ordered alloys, the clusters must be large enough to account for the abundances of several of the atom configurations of the first-nearest-neighbor shell about the Fe-57 atoms.
Simultaneous Kinetics and Ring-down: Rate Coefficients from Single Cavity Loss Temporal Profiles

Cavity ring-down spectroscopy is a recently developed technique for highly sensitive detection of atomic and molecular absorptions. Here, we demonstrate the application of this technique to the measurement of kinetics that occur on the same time scale as the loss of light intensity from an optical cavity. We report rate constants for the reactions NO + NO3 → 2NO2 and OH + HNO3 → H2O + NO3 at 296 K, measured as a test of this method. Observed ring-down profiles with a changing absorber concentration match calculated profiles, and fits to these profiles produce rate constants that agree with literature values to within the uncertainty of the measurements. The technique is general and should provide a simple means of measuring kinetic parameters for fast reactions. We also note the possible uses of this method for a variety of kinetics experiments and the outlook for future improvements.
Firewood Certification in Chile: Equity in an Innovative Form of Alternative Trade

The Chilean National System for Firewood Certification (SNCL) has extended the model of forest certification to firewood, the principal fuel of the region. Firewood is the main product of Chile's deteriorating native forests and the primary cause of air pollution in the cities where it is used. The SNCL seeks both to improve these conditions and to increase equity for producers and consumers by reforming their relations with dealers in the informal firewood market. The SNCL is an experiment in broadening the application of forest certification in terms of scale, product, and the economic power of the actors, since firewood is an everyday necessity for all socioeconomic classes. This paper examines equity issues in firewood certification in Chile in the light of other forest certification programs. Mainstreaming, an emphasis on increasing the volume of certified wood sold rather than on the inclusion of small-scale actors, and formalization of the market have shifted governance of the firewood commodity ch...
Geochemical chaos: Periodic and nonperiodic growth of mixed-layer phyllosilicates

Abstract Interstratification—periodic or nonperiodic stacking of two different silicate layers along a c∗-axis—is common in phyllosilicates. Published evidence indicates that some interstratified minerals precipitate directly from aqueous solutions. In this paper, we have demonstrated, based on chaos theory, that both periodic and nonperiodic interstratification can autonomously arise from simple kinetics of mineral growth from a solution. Growth of a mixed-layer mineral is assumed to proceed layer by layer, and each layer starts with the formation of a base (Si, Al)–O tetrahedral sheet, whose structural configuration in a–b dimensions determines the type of new layer that forms. The sequence of layer stacking can be described by a one-dimensional map (i.e., a difference equation), which accounts for two competing factors: (1) the affinity of each end-member structural component for attaching to the surface of the preceding layer, and (2) the strain energy created by stacking next to each other two silicate layers with different structural configurations. Chaotic (or nonperiodic) interstratification emerges when the contacting solution becomes slightly supersaturated with respect to both structural components. The transition from one interstratification pattern to another reflects a change in chemical environment during mineral crystallization. Our model can successfully predict the occurrence of mixed-layer phyllosilicates and the associated layer stacking sequences observed in both hydrothermal alteration and sediment diagenesis. The model suggests that the diagenetic transition of smectite → nonperiodic illite/smectite → ordered illite/smectite → illite may reflect relative changes in the saturation degree of pore water with respect to two end-member phases as a result of increasing burial temperatures.
Atomistic simulations of the adsorption and migration barriers of Cu adatoms on ZnO surfaces using COMB potentials

Abstract Cu/ZnO heterogeneous systems are used to catalyze the CO 2 hydrogenation to methanol, but questions remain about the nature of the active site and the role of Cu–ZnO interactions in the catalyst performance. The way in which ZnO surfaces support Cu clusters and stabilize their active sites is a key factor for maintaining catalyst activity. Processes such as sintering, alloying and encapsulation may play an important role in the activity of the catalyst but are difficult to model directly with density functional theory (DFT). In this work, we report the development of charge-optimized many-body (COMB) potentials to model the Cu/ZnO system. This potential is then used in conjugation with the dimer method, which uses the first derivative of the potential energy and the initial state of the transition to find saddle points, to examine the migration barriers of Cu adatoms on Cu and ZnO surfaces. These findings are validated against the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations and published experimental data.
HIV Prevention Programs Delivered by Community-Based Organizations to Young Transgender Persons of Color: Lessons Learned to Improve Future Program Implementation

ABSTRACT Transgender communities in the United States experience high rates of HIV infection. To address the HIV prevention needs of transgender persons of color aged 13 to 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded community-based organizations (CBOs) to implement programs for this population. The purpose of this article is to identify programmatic successes and challenges encountered by 5 CBOs implementing programs in high–HIV-prevalence U.S. cities. Annual progress reports were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis approach. Seven themes were identified: collaborations/partnerships, engaging the community, expanded services, safe space, recruitment and retention, staffing, and social inequality and transphobia. Lessons learned are identified for improving future program implementation.
Human Dominion over Nature in the Hebrew Bible

Abstract What should be our society's relationship with nature? What are the intellectual causes of the current environmental crisis? These “great questions”of environmental studies are essentially humanistic inquiries into ethics and values. Humanists have often debated these questions in terms of Christian and Jewish traditions. One school of thought in particular holds the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) responsible for fostering despotic ideas towards nature. This paper demonstrates that the Bible's most persistent environmental message is that God confers human dominion over nature to righteous or faithful people, whereas God punishes transgressors with natural disasters. Recent advances in studies of the Bible as literature reveal ways to interpret the theme of human dominion over nature, with the resulting evolution of that concept throughout the books of the Bible. The biblical notions of natural justice and righteous individuals in harmony with animals find current expression in the modern environme...
Effects of nicotine on body weight and food consumption in rats

Women often report that they smoke cigarettes to avoid weight gains and that they relapse after abstaining from tobacco because of weight gains. Men also report these concerns but to a lesser extent. This gender difference may reflect sociological and cultural pressures about physical appearance, or it may reflect sex differences in the effects of nicotine. The present research was designed to examine the effects of nicotine administration and cessation of nicotine on body weight, food consumption, and water consumption. Alzet miniosmotic pumps were implanted SC to administer saline or three different concentrations of nicotine to female Sprague-Dawley rats for 17 days. This paradigm has been used in previous studies of nicotine and body weight in male rats. Animals were used as subjects to avoid cultural factors and cognitive concerns about body weight. Nicotine administration decreased normal body weight gains and cessation of nicotine was accompanied by significant increases in body weight compared to controls. In contrast to previous studies of male rats, the nicotine-related changes in body weight were accompanied by changes in bland food and water consumption. These findings indicate that females are more sensitive than males to the effects of nicotine on body weight and feeding during and after drug administration.
REVERSAL OF THE STIMULATING ACTION OF HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE ON STRIATED MUSCLE.

The usual augmenting action of pressure on the tension developed by striated muscle in response to a single stimulus changes to depression on fatiguing the muscle. On release of the pressure the tension of the single twitch again reaches the control value. A similar reversal may be brought about by cooling the muscle, the change usually occurring at about 13° C. Below this temperature the depression is roughly proportional to the pressure. At about 1° C. the tension development may be completely inhibited by high pressure. The muscle responds normally upon release of the pressure, and upon warming pressure again causes augmentation of contraction.
The Children's Civil War

Children--white and black, northern and southern--endured a vast and varied range of experiences during the Civil War. Children celebrated victories and mourned defeats, tightened their belts and widened their responsibilities, took part in patriotic displays and suffered shortages and hardships, fled their homes to escape enemy invaders and snatched opportunities to run toward the promise of freedom. Offering a fascinating look at how children were affected by our nation's greatest crisis, James Marten examines their toys and games, their literature and schoolbooks, the letters they exchanged with absent fathers and brothers, and the hardships they endured. He also explores children's politicization, their contributions to their homelands' war efforts, and the lessons they took away from the war. Drawing on the childhoods of such diverse Americans as Jane Addams, Booker T. Washington, and Theodore Roosevelt, and on sources that range from diaries and memoirs to children's ""amateur newspapers,"" Marten examines the myriad ways in which the Civil War shaped the lives of a generation of American children. ""An original-minded, skillfully and suggestively presented history, haunting in its detailed unfolding of a war that put so many already vulnerable youngsters in danger, but elicited from some of them, as well, impressively sensitive, responsive thoughts, gestures, and deeds in what became, as this extraordinary book's title insists, their civil war.""-- Journal of American History ""James Marten's thoroughly researched and engagingly written study . . . stands as one of the most exciting studies to emerge in the last dozen years. . . . Marten has taken a topic ignored by both Civil War historians and historians of childhood and crafted an engaging, masterful, nuanced, and readable study that will not quickly leave the reader's mind or heart.""-- American Studies ""The first comprehensive account of Civil War children. . . . Thoroughly researched and nicely illustrated, The Children's Civil War will be a touchstone for historians and generalists who seek to gain a fuller understanding of life on the home front between 1861 and 1865.""-- Civil War History The Children's Civil War is a poignant and fascinating look at childhood during our nation's greatest crisis. Using sources that include diaries, memoirs, and letters, James Marten examines the wartime experiences of young people--boys and girls, black and white, northern and southern--and traces the ways in which the Civil War shaped the lives of a generation of American children. --> |Adding an important dimension to the literature on the Civil War, this book examines the wartime experiences of children--white and black, northern and southern. Marten examines letters, games, books, and toys of the period, and includes the experiences of some famous individuals including Booker T. Washington, Jane Addams, and Theodore Roosevelt to reveal the war's impact on children's lives.
Reverse logistics network design: a conceptual framework for decision making

Reverse logistics play a significantly increased role in supply chains. Producers are incorporating reverse logistics into their supply chain design because of governmental legislation, economic benefits from product recovery, and customers' demands for better environmental practices. Motivated producers face two main challenges in reverse logistics network design: (1) how do you build product recovery activities into traditional forward logistics networks? and (2) how do you manage the impact of uncertainty in the reverse logistics supply chain? Moreover, producers need to consider many tradeoffs leading to efficient network design. Published case studies have discussed these tradeoffs, and we describe a framework to evaluate these tradeoff considerations. We then apply the framework to three new case studies: medical device refurbishing, municipal e‐waste recycling, and carpet fibre recycling.
Crosslink density dependence of polymer degradation kinetics: Photocrosslinked acrylates

Abstract A series of crosslinked polyurethane acrylate films with glass transition temperatures ranging from −49 °C to +65 °C was prepared by photopolymerization of solvent-free resins. The kinetics of thermo-oxidative (in air) and thermal (in N2) degradation of these crosslinked acrylate networks at temperatures from 100 °C to 400 °C was monitored thermogravimetricly as a function of crosslink density. Initial degradation rate of polyurethane network decreased with the increase of crosslink density. Apparent activation energies of degradation were found to be temperature and crsosslink density dependent and ranged from 12.6 kJ mol−1 to 25.1 kJ mol−1 in 200–300 °C interval and 33.5 kJ mol−1 to 58.6 kJ mol−1 in 300–400 °C interval. The polyacrylate thermal stability increase with crosslinking was correlated with decreased chain segments mobility leading to the reduced oxygen and volatile products diffusion rate, rate of cyclic decarboxylation, and increased radical's recombination in a cage. Data indicated that the cyclic decarboxylation, rather than oxygen uptake or volatile products escape rate control the thermal degradation kinetics.
The effectiveness of treaty design in addressing water disputes

We examine the design features of treaties governing international rivers and empirically test their effectiveness in managing water disputes. We expect peaceful conflict management to be more successful and militarized conflict to be less likely in dyadic river claims when riparians share membership in treaties with mechanisms for river basin organizations, information exchange, monitoring, enforcement, and conflict resolution. To test our expectation we analyze a set of diplomatic disagreements over cross-border rivers coded by the Issue Correlates of War project. We combine this database with treaty content data from the Transboundary Freshwater Dispute Database. Empirical analyses suggest that information exchange and enforcement provisions in river treaties are most effective for preventing militarization of river claims and increase the chances that negotiations over river claims successfully resolve the issues at stake. Enforcement provisions also promote third-party dispute settlement attempts and...
Statistical Vehicle Specific Power Profiling for Urban Freeways

Vehicle Specific Power (VSP) is conventionally defined to represent the instantaneous vehicle engine power. It has been widely utilized to reveal the impact of vehicle operating conditions on emission and energy consumption estimates that are dependent upon speed, roadway grade and acceleration or deceleration on the basis of the second-by-second vehicle operation. VSP has hence been incorporated into a key contributing factor in the vehicle emission models including Motor Vehicle Emission Simulator (MOVES). To facilitate the preparation of MOVES vehicle operating mode distribution inputs, an enhanced understanding and modeling of VSP distribution versus roadway grade become indispensable. This paper presents a study in which previous studies are extended by deeply investigating the characteristics of VSP distributions and their impacts due to varying freeway grades, as well as time-of-day factors. Afterwards, statistical distribution models with a scope of bins is identified through a goodness of fit testing approach by using the sample data collected from the interstate freeway segments in Cincinnati area. The Global Positioning System (GPS) data were collected at a selected length of 30 km urban freeway for AM, PM and Mid-day periods. The datasets representing the vehicle operating conditions for VSP calculation are then extracted from the GPS trajectory data. The distribution fit modeling results demonstrated that the Wakeby distribution with five parameters dominates the most fitting parameters with the samples. In addition, the speed variation lies behind the time of day differences is also identified to be a contributing factor of urban freeway VSP distribution.
Modeling the transport and optical properties of smoke plumes from South American biomass burning

[1] This study investigates the transport and optical properties of smoke plumes from South American biomass burning by using an aerosol transport and microphysical model. In general, the model can reproduce the smoke aerosol optical properties observed by satellite and ground-based instruments during the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia - Smoke Aerosols, Clouds, Rainfall and Climate (LBA-SMOCC) campaign. The simulated spatial distribution of smoke aerosol loading over South America also compares well to satellite observations, suggesting that the transport processes in the model are adequate over this region. The results further suggest that the emissions provided by version 2 of the Global Fire Emissions Database are too low over South America. However, wet deposition may be too aggressive in the model. Since the model wet deposition does not include the feedback smoke may have on cloud formation and precipitation suppression, too many aerosols may be removed. Surprisingly, given the different vegetation types, the model simulations also suggest that similar initial particle size distributions and aerosol optical properties can be used to simulate smoke from both African savanna and South American forest fires. However, to reproduce the observed smoke aerosol optical properties over South America, humidification of smoke aerosols needs to be considered. Model results and observations both suggest that the typical single scattering albedo of smoke over South America and Africa differ because of relative humidity, not vegetation type. Overall, this work suggests strategies for improved treatment of South American smoke plumes in climate and microphysical models.
How Activists “Take Zapatismo Home”: South-to-North Dynamics in Transnational Social Movements

Transnational Zapatismo exemplifies a broader pattern wherein Southern movements inspire discourses and practices in the Global North that challenge lines of economic and political domination. Recent scholars describe South-North mutuality at the level of international framing. Consideration of what this apparent mutuality means to Northern activists on the ground suggests that for many of them espousing Zapatismo entails not only a set of tactics but also the interrogation of their own positions of power. As a symbol of reflexivity, the Zapatista name legitimates Northerners’ commitment to changing the very system that privileges them. Inspiring this reflexivity may prove to be a lasting legacy for the Zapatistas, but it has provoked rifts with some former allies and diverted resources from Chiapas as activists elsewhere focus on problems at home.
On the induced synthesis of an enzyme required for biosynthesis of an essential metabolite: induced kynureninase synthesis in Neurospora crassa.

Brief incubation of washed mycelial pads of Neurospora crassa with L-tryptophan or L-kynurenine caused a marked and rapid increase in kynureninase activity. Some of the factors affecting the extent of enzyme formation were studied. Tryptophan was almost as effective an inducer of kynureninase formation as kynurenine. The significance of induced kynureninase formation as a regulator of niacin biosynthesis is discussed.
Crystal-field analysis for the susceptibility of lanthanide compounds of the form Cs 2 Na R Cl 6

We have used crystal-field theory to discuss susceptibility data for the compounds ${\mathrm{Cs}}_{2}\mathrm{Na}R{\mathrm{Cl}}_{6}$ where $R=\mathrm{C}\mathrm{e},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{N}\mathrm{d},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{b},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{D}\mathrm{y},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{H}\mathrm{o},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{T}\mathrm{m},\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{a}\mathrm{n}\mathrm{d}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\mathrm{Y}\mathrm{b}$. These materials have an octahedral coordination for the lanthanide ion which remains undistorted even at low temperatures. A combined analysis of all the susceptibility data provides the crystal-field interaction parameters ${A}_{4}〈{r}^{4}〉=254〈{r}^{4}〉$ and ${A}_{6}〈{r}^{6}〉=4〈{r}^{6}〉$ K with $〈{r}^{4}〉$ and $〈{r}^{6}〉$ in atomic units. The numerical values ${A}_{4}$ and ${A}_{6}$ are independent of the lanthanide ion within experimental error. Attempts to explain these results within a simple point-charge model were unsuccessful.
Interaction of naltrexone with postnatal administration of testosterone and estrogen on neurobehavioral sexual differentiation in rats.

Abstract The present study examined whether some effects of gonadal sex hormones on neurobehavioral sexual differentiation might be mediated by endogenous opioids. Male and female pups were administered sesame oil, testosterone propionate (TP; 25 μg) or estradiol benzoate (EB; 10 μg) on postnatal Days 2 and 3. Half of each group was also administered naltrexone (N; 50 μg) twice daily on these two days. Females were studied for effects of the treatments on puberty. Males and females were studied in adulthood for open field behavior, daily water intake, and saccharin consumption and preference for 0.125, 0.25, and 0.50% saccharin solutions. TP treatment significantly delayed the date of vaginal opening, whereas EB treatment significantly accelerated the date. N treatment potentiated this effect of TP, but had no effect in EB treated females, nor did it influence the anovulatory sterility produced by both hormone treatments. N treatment alone had no effect on puberty in females or open field behavior of either sex. The drug produced an overall increase in female saccharin consumption and preference, but no effect was observed in males on these measures. Both TP and EB treatment produced marked increases in daily water consumption in females, an effect which was significantly attenuated by N treatment. Effects of both hormones on saccharin consumption were sex dependent and partially antagonized by N treatment. Finally, we observed a sex difference in daily water intake wherein females were found to consume approximately 20% more water on a body weight basis in a 24-hr period than males. Postnatal TP and EB treatment increased adult daily water consumption in females above the level of controls. This increase was partially antagonized by N. Treatment with N alone had no effect on female water consumption, but produced a small decrease in male consumption. Overall, these results provide preliminary evidence that some organizational effects of TP and EB on nonreproductive sex differences may be mediated by endogenous opioids.
Gold oxide as a protecting group for regioselective surface chemistry.

Selective modification of electrode surfaces is a vital step in the development of many practical applications of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). This paper describes a protection–deprotection strategy similar to that commonly utilized in organic synthesis, with gold oxide as a protecting layer, to direct self-assembly on one gold electrode in the presence of another.
Features of the density of states of high-Tc superconductors probed by vacuum tunneling.

A scanning tunneling microscope has been used to study ${\mathrm{Bi}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Sr}}_{2}$${\mathrm{CaCu}}_{2}$${\mathrm{O}}_{\mathit{x}}$ single crystals with transition temperatures of 85 K. Images of atoms and topographical features were obtained at low temperatures and spectra were acquired in the vacuum tunneling mode. Interpretations of the conductance data suggest that 2\ensuremath{\Delta}/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{B}}$${\mathit{T}}_{\mathit{c}}$\ensuremath{\approxeq}8.2. Most significantly, an additional conductance peak at 90 meV, suggesting a localized state, is observed. The latter would appear to support the marginal-Fermi-liquid picture.
Ventilation in European dwellings: A review

Abstract Adequate ventilation is essential for the health and comfort of building occupants. This review examines, first of all, why residential ventilation is an issue of concern in Europe and how is related to the human health. A review of the current status of residential ventilation standards and regulations in Europe is also provided, as a reference. Finally, a review of measurements of ventilation rates in European dwellings is provided, where the compatibility with the European standards/regulations is examined. The review shows that ventilation is increasingly becoming recognised as an important component of a healthy dwelling. Ventilation requirements receive major attention in building regulations, across Europe. However, ventilation measurements across Europe show that ventilation is in practice often poor, resulting in reduced ventilation rates (lower than 0.5 h−1, which is currently a standard in many European countries), increased concentrations of indoor pollutants and hence exposure to health risk. Surveys showed that although occupants generally think that ventilation is important, their understanding of the ventilation systems in their own houses is low, resulting to under-ventilated homes.
Stereo, Shading, and Surfaces: Curvature Constraints Couple Neural Computations

Vision problems are inherently ambiguous: Do abrupt brightness changes correspond to object boundaries? Are smooth intensity changes due to shading or material properties? For stereo: Which point in the left image corresponds to which point in the right one? What is the role of color in visual information processing? To answer these (seemingly different) questions we develop an analogy between the role of orientation in organizing visual cortex and tangents in differential geometry. Machine learning experiments suggest using geometry as a surrogate for high-order statistical interactions. The cortical columnar architecture becomes a bundle structure in geometry. Connection forms within these bundles suggest answers to the above questions, and curvatures emerge in key roles. More generally, our path through these questions suggests an overall strategy for solving the inverse problems of vision: decompose the global problems into networks of smaller ones and then seek constraints from these coupled problems to reduce ambiguity. Neural computations thus amount to satisfying constraints rather than seeking uniform approximations. Even when no global formulation exists one may be able to find localized structures on which ambiguity is minimal; these can then anchor an overall approximation.
Scalable multimedia delivery for pervasive computing

Growing numbers of pervasive devices are gaining access to the Internet and other information sources. However, much of the rich multimedia content cannot be easily handled by the client devices with limited communication, processing, storage and display capabilities. In order to improve access, we are developing a system for scalable delivery of multimedia. The system uses an InfoPyramid for managing and manipulating multimedia content composed of video, images, audio and text. The InfoPyramid manages the different variations of media objects with different fidelities and modalities and generates and selects among the alternatives in order to adapt the delivery to different client devices. We describe a system for scalable multimedia delivery for a variety of client devices, including PDAs, HHCs, smart phones, TV browsers and color PCs.
The Comprehensive Mathematics Inventory: An Experimental Instrument for Assessing Youngsters Entering School.

Described is an instrument designed to measure quantitative ideas of young children in the areas of money, vocabulary, number, geometry, pattern identification, measurement, and recall.
Acute Cellular Rejection and the Subsequent Development of Allograft Vasculopathy After Cardiac Transplantation

Background Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) is primarily immune-mediated. We investigated the role of cellular rejection in CAV development. Methods The study comprised 252 cardiac transplant recipients (mean age, 49.02 ± 17.05 years; mean follow-up, 7.61 ± 4.49 years). Total rejection score (TRS) based on the 2004 International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation R grading system (0R = 0, 1R=1, 2R=2, 3R=3) and any rejection score (ARS; calculated as 0R=0, 1R=1, 2R=1; 3R=1, or the number of rejections of any grade) were normalized for the total number of biopsy specimens. CAV was defined as coronary stenosis of 40% or more and/or distal pruning of secondary side branches. Thirty-two patients had undergone 3-dimensional intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) at baseline and with virtual histology (VH) IVUS at 24 months. Results In univariate analysis, 6-month TRS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.99–3.90, p = 0.05) and ARS (HR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.01–4.95; p = 0.047) were associated with increased risk of CAV. In multivariate analysis, 6-month TRS (HR, 2.84; 95% CI, 1.44–6.91, p = 0.02) was significantly associated with increased risk of CAV onset. The 12- and 24-month rejection scores were not risk factors for the onset of CAV. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, 6-month TRS exceeding 0.3 was associated with a significantly shorter time to CAV onset ( p = 0.018). There was direct correlation ( r = 0.44, p = 0.012) between TRS at 6 months and the percentage of necrotic core demonstrated by VH-IVUS at 24 months. Conclusion Recurrent cellular rejection has a cumulative effect on the onset of CAV. The mechanism may be due to increased inflammation resulting in increased plaque burden suggesting a relationship between the immune basis of cellular rejection and CAV.
Both topography and climate affected forest and woodland burn severity in two regions of the western US, 1984 to 2006

Fire is a keystone process in many ecosystems of western North America. Severe fires kill and consume large amounts of above- and belowground biomass and affect soils, resulting in long-lasting consequences for vegetation, aquatic ecosystem productivity and diversity, and other ecosystem properties. We analyzed the occurrence of, and trends in, satellite-derived burn severity across six ecoregions in the Southwest and Northwest regions of the United States from 1984 to 2006 using data from the Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity project. Using 1,024 fires from the Northwest (4,311,871 ha) and 497 fires from the Southwest (1,434,670 ha), we examined the relative influence of fine-scale topography and coarse-scale weather and climate on burn severity (the degree of change from before the fire to one year after) using the Random Forest machine learning algorithm. Together, topography, climate, and weather explained severe fire occurrence with classification accuracies ranging from 68% to 84%. Topographic variables were relatively more important predictors of severe fire occurrence than either climate or weather variables. Predictability of severe fire was consistently lower during years with widespread fires, suggesting that local control exerted by topography may be overwhelmed by regional climatic controls when fires burn in dry conditions. Annually, area burned severely was strongly correlated with area burned in all ecoregions (Pearson's correlation 0.86–0.97; p < 0.001), while the proportion of area burned severely was significantly correlated with area burned only in two ecoregions (p ≤ 0.037). During our short time series, only ecoregions in the Southwest showed evidence of a significant increase (p ≤ 0.036) in annual area burned and area burned severely, and annual proportion burned severely increased in just one of the three Southwest ecoregions. We suggest that predictive mapping of the potential for severe fire is possible, and will be improved with climate data at the scale of the topographic and Landsat-derived burn severity data. Although severity is a value-laden term implying negative ecosystem effects, we stress that severity can be objectively measured and recognize that high severity fire is an important ecological process within the historical range of variability in some ecosystems.
Prenatal Magnesium Sulfate Exposure and the Incidence of Cerebral Palsy in Very Low Birthweight Infants † 1236

Prenatal Magnesium Sulfate Exposure and the Incidence of Cerebral Palsy in Very Low Birthweight Infants † 1236
QUANTITATIVE DETERMINATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF MULLITE IN FIRED CLAYS BY AN X-RAY METHOD1

Firing clays alone or with fluxes to high temperatures results in the formation of mullite crystals in a highly siliceous vitreous mass. Quantitatively, the extent to which mullite in clays is developed by firing to cone 10 has been determined for Ivory Fat English ball clay, Great Beam ball clay, Jernigan Tennessee ball clay, M. & M. English ball clay and A-1 English china clay. The method consisted in procuring X-ray patterns by the powder method of the clays fired with feldspar as a flux, using mullite as a reference material. The intensities of the lines in these photographic films were then compared with the intensities of lines obtained from a series of mullite and feldspar mixtures, fired to vitrify the flux. The results given in Table II indicate that each clay develops the maximum quantity of mullite in crystalline form, which the chemical composition of the clay allows.
Binocular diplopia. A practical approach.

Background:Diplopia is a common complaint in both inpatient and outpatient neurologic practice. Its causes are many, and special historical and examination features are important to localization and accurate diagnosis.Review Summary:This review is divided into 2 sections: the first related to diagno
SU‐E‐J‐30: Intuitive Display Coordinates for Six‐Degree‐Of‐Freedom Treatment Couches

Purpose: To define couch display coordinates of six‐degree‐of‐freedom treatment couches in a manner that is more intuitively linked to the position of isocenter in the patient, permits easy identification of irregularities in couch positioning, and permits the tightest possible override tolerances for all couch motions. The display coordinates should be calculated from the IEC table‐top coordinate system with no patient‐specific information. Methods: Couch display coordinates are proposed as the position of radiation isocenter in IEC table‐top coordinates. Coordinate systems are compared across multiple radiation therapy machines and then compared to the proposed display coordinates. Examples are provided showing how the proposed definition can be applied across a variety of different couch designs. Results: Consistent with IEC standards, most machines with six‐degree‐of‐freedom couches, and particularly those with robotic couches, measure rotations about a point fixed with respect to the couch and independent of all translational motions. This convention has the undesirable consequence of eliminating the one‐to‐one relationship between the translational coordinates displayed and the position of the radiation isocenter in the patient. By defining the display coordinates as the position of radiation isocenter in IEC table‐top coordinates, the one‐to‐one relationship is reestablished. Examples provided show that the proposed definition insures that a one‐to‐one relationship between the position of isocenter in the patient and the three translational display coordinates regardless of the values of the three angular degrees of motion. Conclusion: The examples illustrate how the proposed couch display coordinates lead to easier identification of irregularities in couch positioning such as identifying laterality of isocenter or shifts in multi‐isocenter treatments. The proposed display also allows tighter tolerances for couch overrides. These advantages suggest a revised IEC display standard following these conventions has the potential to reduce setup errors at the treatment machine and enhance the utility of the couch display coordinates.
Does Anybody Have a Map? Accessing Information in the Internet's Virtual Library.

The rapid advances in computer networking technology in the late 1980s have led to a corresponding increase in locations wishing to participate in computer networks. As more sites adopt a common communication protocol and connect to local networks that may themselves be connected into a national network, opportunities abound for information sharing and collaborative research. A major roadblock to experiencing the benefits of this connectivity, however, is the difficulty of knowing what information is available on computers throughout the network. Several approaches are being explored to provide access to this “virtual library.” A combination of library and computer networking skills will be necessary to design appropriate tools that will allow all users to participate in the developing networked information environment.
Stationary Optimal Control of a Reflected Brownian Motion

The variational inequality approach is used to study the average cost per unit time (stationary) stochastic control problem for a Brownian Motion with reflection. This problem arises in the diffusion approximation of a queueing process, in the context of deciding between two operational modes, and when there is a holding cost on the size of the queue as well as costs of switching from one mode to the other. We generalize previous results obtained by Chernoff and Petkau. We also address the question of comparing the performance of the optimal stationary policy against that of any admissible strategy.
Passage on the rope bridge between science and technology: Tales of valor with virtue and vanity with vertigo

Abstract The decline of U.S. productivity and competitiveness has been represented as a death by a thousand cuts. Remedies, however, must center on something more than a thousand band-aids. They are best directed to the critical determinants of decline. Next to the need to undertake a radical restructuring of education, we must secure a much more effective exploitation of scientific advance already in hand. This essay does not propose a redistribution of funds away from science to make technology transfer affordable. It urges much expanded attention within the academy to competitiveness issues centering on process and product innovation. There is little attention here to the well-deserved accolades enjoyed by science; this essay focuses instead on the sources of vertigo we collectively suffer in effecting the science-to-technology passage, represented metaphorically as a rope bridge. The catalog of causes for the fragile nature of that construct is followed with suggestions for giving it tensile strength.
Assessing Age-Related Risk for Gonococcal and Chlamydial Infections Among Females in Hawaii, 2001: A Comparison of Morbidity Rates With Screening Test Positivity

Objective.—National and state public health officials generally present sexually transmitted disease (STD) surveillance information in terms of overall cases and population-based rates. Because many adolescents (especially in the younger ages) are not sexually active, the use of population-based denominators leads to the calculation of low age-specific STD rates. This study compared morbidity rates with screening test positivity for gonorrhea and chlamydia to better define age-related STD risk among females in Hawaii. Methods.—All female gonorrhea and chlamydia cases reported to the Hawaii State Department of Health (HDOH) during 2001 were grouped by age. Population estimates were used to calculate age-specific morbidity rates. Age-specific screening test positivity was calculated by dividing the number of positive tests identified through the HDOH STD screening programs by the number of screening tests performed in each age category (×100). Results.—Although morbidity rates for both chlamydia and gonorrhea were low among 10–14 year olds, this group had the highest screening test positivity. Screening test positivity decreased incrementally with increasing age. Conclusions.—Screening test positivity may provide a more accurate estimate of STD risk for sexually active adolescents than population-based rates. Physicians should obtain sexual histories from their adolescent patients and provide STD prevention counseling and screening to those found to be sexually active. In addition, expanded STD screening and treatment services should be made available and accessible to young, sexually active adolescents because they appear to be at greatest risk.
When Jobs Move, Do Black and Latino Men Lose? The Effect of Growth in Job Decentralisation on Young Men's Jobless Incidence and Duration

The spatial mismatch hypothesis suggests that the movement of jobs from central cities to suburbs negatively affects blacks' employment both absolutely and relative to whites. In this paper, data a...
Long‐term effectiveness of luteinizing hormone‐releasing hormone agonist or antiandrogen monotherapy in elderly men with localized prostate cancer (T1‐2) : a retrospective study

Aim: To evaluate the long-term effectiveness, side effects and compliance rates of two types of drugs (luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone [LHRH] agonist and antiandrogen) that were used individually to treat patients with localized prostate cancer (T1–2) at our institution. Methods: Ninety-seven patients who were diagnosed in the period from April 1997 to January 2000 as having clinically localized prostate cancer (T1–2) received either LHRH agonist (leuprolide acetate 7.5 mg/month) monotherapy (group 1, n = 62) or antiandrogen monotherapy (group 2, n = 35; 18 received bicalutamide 50 mg q.d., 13 received nilutamide 150 mg t.i.d. and 4 received flutamide 250 mg t.i.d.). The mean age in both groups was 76 years. Results: The mean follow-up time was (50.8 ± 8.5) months in group 1 and (43.1 ± 2.2) months in group 2. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels rose in only 1 of the 62 patients (1.6%) in group 1, and in 20 of the 35 patients (57.1%) in group 2. In group 2, 10 of the 20 patients (50%) with increasing PSA levels were treated with LHRH salvage therapy, and eight (80%) responded. Hot flashes (54.8%) and lethargy (41.9%) were the most common side effects in group 1. In contrast, nipple-tenderness (40%) and light-dark adaptation (17.1%) were more often seen in group 2. Only 1 of the 62 patients (1.6%) in group 1 switched to another medication because of adverse side effects; whereas 8 of the 35 patients (22.9%) in group 2 did so. Conclusion: Unlike antiandrogen monotherapy, LHRH agonist monotherapy provided long-term durable control of localized prostate cancer (T1-2). It can also be an effective treatment option for patients whose disease failed to respond to antiandrogen monotherapy. The limitations of our study are the lack of health outcomes analysis and a small sample size. (Asian J Androl 2007 Mar; 9: 253–258)