cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sediments on the Tyrrhenian Abyssal Plain

Coring and acoustic-reflection data show that coarse-grained sediment layers are remarkably continuous throughout the Tyrrhenian Abyssal Plain. Contrasts in acoustic impedance at the interfaces of these layers with the finer pelagic clay produce discrete sub-bottom echoes that have been correlated with the in situ strata by coring. Observations of grain size, bed thickness, and mineralogy have been used to identify the origin and transportation routes for two distinct types of sand. One type consists of eolian-transported tephra; several individual beds have been tentatively correlated with historic volcanic eruptions. The other type appears to have been transported through submarine canyons to the abyssal plain by turbidity currents. Three extensive turbidite layers have been traced to Naples Canyon, and one layer to a canyon originating off the eastern coast of Sardinia. Photographs of the sea floor on the abyssal plain show no evidence of bottom currents; however, those at the mouth of Naples Canyon depict large sand waves and drifted sediments which suggest that strong transient currents have recently flowed there. The vast areal extent of the individual turbidite layers within the abyssal plain supports the hypothesis that the turbidity currents arrive at the abyssal plain with sufficient energy to pond their suspension over the basin floor. Seismic-reflection records indicate that this process has been active throughout the modern history of the Tyrrhenian Basin, and more than 1000 m of sediment has accumulated in its deepest depression.
High performance cascaded PDMS micromixer based on split-and-recombination flows for lab-on-a-chip applications

In this paper a cost-effective and simple 3-layer PDMS passive micromixer has been designed, optimized, simulated, fabricated and successfully characterized. The mixing mechanism is based on splitting and recombining the flow. The designed micromixer was simulated and a method was formulated to assess the mixing performance. The mixer has shown excellent mixing efficiency over a wide range of flow rates specifically at low flow rates. The experimental measurements were performed to qualify the mixing performance of the realized mixer. The results show that predicted mixing efficiency is comparable with experimental results. A high mixing efficiency of 85% was obtained at flow rates below 40 μL min−1 meaning the possibility of obtaining full mixing for Reynolds number Re <5.5. Due to the simple channels' configuration of the device, the simulations show that its pressure drop is less than 1 kPa at flow rate of 50 μL min−1. In cases where very high mixing efficiency is demanded, several micromixers (mixing units) can be easily combined to form a cascaded mixing module. The results show even with a combination of two units, an efficiency as high as 80% can be achieved at a high flow rate of 100 μL min−1, which can be considered as full mixing. One of the main advantages of the device explored in this work is its small dimensions (1.5 × 2.3 mm) which makes it possible to be easily integrated with PDMS based microfluidic devices for different point-of-care applications.
Observations on the anemia and neutropenia of human copper deficiency

Following extensive bowel resection, a young woman experienced severe malnutrition; subsequent administration of parenteral nutrition precipitated the copper deficiency syndrome. This consisted of hypocupremia, subnormal ceruloplasmin levels, anemia, and severe neutropenia. The bone marrow was megaloblastic, vacuolated, and sideroblastic; granulocytic maturation was not observed beyond the myelocyte stage. Copper sulfate therapy was followed by a marked reticulocytosis, increase in hematocrit, and recovery of neutrophils. Additional studies indicated that both serum and urinary erythropoietin values were low; serum activity increased after copper supplementation. Abnormal granulopoiesis was demonstrated using the in vitro granulocyte colony assay. The patient's granulcoytic stem cells were normal on two occasions; however, mixing studies showed that culture of the patient's copper-deficient marrow with her copper-deficient serum yielded significantly reduced numbers of granulocyte colonies. Thus, copper appears to be a necessary element for normal hematopoiesis; lack of this trace element may result in ineffective erythropoiesis and granulopoiesis.
Discriminating rigid from nonrigid motion: minimum points and views.

Theoretical investigations of structure from motion have demonstrated that an ideal observer can discriminate rigid from nonrigid motion from two views of as few as four points. We report three experiments that demonstrate similar abilities in human observers: In one experiment, 4 of 6 subjects made this discrimination from two views of four points; the remaining subjects required five points. Accuracy in discriminating rigid from nonrigid motion depended on the amount of nonrigidity (variance ofthe interpoint distances overviews) in the nonrigid structure. The ability to detect a rigid group dropped sharply as noise points (points not part of the rigid group) were added to the display. We conclude that human observers do extremely well in discriminating between nonrigid and fully rigid motion, but that they do quite poorly at segregating points in a display on the basis of rigidity.
Using Q-methodology in program evaluation: A case study of student perceptions of actual and ideal dietetics education

Abstract Education and program evaluation have rarely included students or clients. Their role in evaluation can be facilitated, however, by Q-methodology. In this article, Q-methodology is described, an illustrative case study is presented, and applications in dietetics are discussed. The case study is a program evaluation of The American Dietetic Association's new Standards of Education (SOE) from the student perspective. The SOE emphasize outcome, whereas the former Essentials of Education (EOE) emphasized process. Students from four programs using the SOE and five programs using the EOE completed two Q-sorts; in one they described their perceptions of their actual program, and in the other their perceptions of an ideal program. Students in SOE programs accurately perceived the outcome emphasis of their actual programs and students in EOE programs perceived the process emphasis of their actual programs. Students in both programs perceived an ideal program as process oriented. In SOE programs, the ideal was so different from the actual that we concluded that students were dissatisfied with their programs. In EOE programs, the views of actual and ideal programs were similar; thus, students seemed satisfied with their programs. The case study illustrates ways students can participate in program evaluation.
Structures of β-Hairpin Antimicrobial Protegrin Peptides in Lipopolysaccharide Membranes: Mechanism of Gram Selectivity Obtained from Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance

The structural basis for the Gram selectivity of two disulfide-bonded β-hairpin antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is investigated using solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The hexa-arginine PG-1 exhibits potent activities against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, while a mutant of PG-1 with only three cationic residues maintains Gram-positive activity but is 30-fold less active against Gram-negative bacteria. We determined the topological structure and lipid interactions of these two peptides in a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-rich membrane that mimics the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria and in the POPE/POPG membrane, which mimics the membrane of Gram-positive bacteria. 31P NMR line shapes indicate that both peptides cause less orientational disorder in the LPS-rich membrane than in the POPE/POPG membrane. 13C chemical shifts and 13C−1H dipolar couplings show that both peptides maintain their β-hairpin conformation in these membranes and are largely immobilized, but the...
Prospective controlled assessment of fine-needle prostatic aspiration

Abstract In this study, the cytologic diagnosis obtained by transrectal fine needle prostatic aspiration was compared to the histologic diagnosis obtained by prostatic needle biopsy or transurethral prostatic resection. Confirmation of all diagnoses occurred 91 per cent of the time: 96 percent with benign prostatic hyperplasia, 77 per cent with carcinoma, and 100 per cent with prostatitis. Inadequate sampling for cytologic diagnosis occurred at the initiation of this study. False positive cancer diagnosis did not occur. False negative cancer diagnosis prompted appropriate follow-up. Fine-needle prostatic aspiration is a painless, simple to learn, minimally invasive, easily repeated, outpatient procedure for determining prostatic pathology. The procedure should be part of each urologist's diagnostic capability.
On Energy Rate Theorems for Linear First-Order Nonholonomic Systems

Starting with the Boltzmann/Hamel equations of motion of mechanical systems subject to general linear and first-order nonholonomic and rheonomic constraints, and in nonholonomic coordinates, this paper derives the general (reactionless) energy rate, or power, equation for such systems, in a straightforward and physically clear fashion
Entactin forms a complex with fibronectin and co-localizes in the extracellular matrix of the embryonal carcinoma-derived 4CQ cell line

A novel extracellular matrix that consists of a complex of fibronectin and entactin was synthesized by the embryonal carcinoma-derived cell line 4CQ. The matrix was devoid of laminin. High steady state levels of the messenger RNAs for fibronectin, entactin, and the B2 chain of laminin were detected in these cells. Laminin B1 message was several fold lower while laminin A chain message was undetectable. In contrast, in the sister embryonal carcinoma-derived cell M1536-B3 there were high levels of message for all three chains of laminin and for entactin but very little for fibronectin. The data suggest that the synthesis and deposition of laminin and fibronectin are inversely related. The direct binding of entactin and fibronectin was also demonstrated by affinity column chromatography and solid phase assay.
Differential equations in the spectral parameter for matrix differential operators

We use matrix Darboux transformation to generate a class of matrix differential operators L that have the following property: There exist a family ψ(x,k) of eigenfunctions of L also satisfying a differential equation in the spectral parameter k of the form B(k,∂k)ψ = Θ(x)ψ, whereB(∂k, k is a diffrential and Θ is a non-constant function of x. We also obtain Nth-order scalar operators which have this property.
Dopamine receptor-mediated regulation of expression of Fos and its related antigens (FRA) in somatostatin neurons in the hypothalamic periventricular nucleus

Somatostatin (SS)-containing perikarya located within the hypothalamic periventricular nucleus (PeVN) comprise a heterogenous population of neurons with both local intrahypothalamic and distant extrahypothalamic axonal projection sites. The close proximity of SS perikarya and their dendrites to dopaminergic (DA) neuronal processes in the PeVN suggests that these peptidergic neurons may be regulated by DA receptor-mediated mechanisms. To test this, the effects of the D1 agonist SKF 38393 and D2/3 agonist quinelorane were examined on expression of the immediate early gene products Fos and its related antigens (FRA) in SS-immunoreactive (IR) neurons in the PeVN. SS-IR neurons were located in the most medial portion of the PeVN bordered medially by the third ventricle and laterally by tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-IR neurons. In control rats, 10–15% of all SS-IR neurons contained FRA-IR. Activation of D1 receptors with SKF 38393 had no effect on either the total number of SS-IR neurons or the number of SS-IR neurons containing FRA-IR. In contrast, activation of D2/3 receptors with quinelorane decreased the number of SS-IR neurons containing FRA-IR, without affecting the total number of SS-IR neurons. The D2/3 antagonist raclopride had no effect per se, but prevented the quinelorane-induced decrease in the number of SS neurons expressing FRA-IR. These results reveal that activation of D2/3 (but not D1) receptors inhibits expression of the immediate early gene products FRA in SS-containing neurons in the PeVN, but expression of FRA in SS neurons is not tonically inhibited by dopamine acting on D2/3 receptors.
Surfactant Protein D Gene Regulation INTERACTIONS AMONG THE CONSERVED CCAAT/ENHANCER-BINDING PROTEIN ELEMENTS

Surfactant protein D (SP-D) plays roles in pulmonary host defense and surfactant homeostasis and is increased following acute lung injury. Given the importance of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP)-binding elements in the systemic acute-phase response and lung development and the expression of C/EBP isoforms by lung epithelial cells, we hypothesized that conserved C/EBP motifs in the near-distal and proximal promoters contribute to the regulation of SP-D expression by C/EBPs. Five SP-D motifs (-432, -340, -319, -140, and -90) homologous to the C/EBP consensus sequence specifically bound to C/EBPs in gel shift assays, and four of the five sites (-432, -340, -319, and -90) efficiently competed for the binding of C/EBPalpha, C/EBPbeta, or C/EBPdelta to consensus oligomers. Cotransfection of C/EBPalpha, C/EBPbeta, or C/EBPdelta cDNA in H441 lung adenocarcinoma cells significantly increased the luciferase activity of a wild-type SP-D promoter construct containing 698 bp of upstream sequence (SS698). Transfection of C/EBP also increased the level of endogenous SP-D mRNA in H441 cells. Transactivation of the reporter construct was abrogated by deletion of sequences upstream of -205. Independent site-directed mutagenesis of the sites at -432, -340, and -319 reduced C/EBP-mediated activation by approximately 50%, and mutagenesis of the site at -432 in combination with either of the tandem sites at -340 and -319 blocked activation. The conserved AP-1 element at -109 was required for maximal promoter activity, but not for the transactivation of SS698 by C/EBPs. Thus, interactions among C/EBP elements in the near-distal promoter can modulate the promoter activity of SP-D.
Influence of the discovery and Shona mantle plumes on the southern Mid‐Atlantic Ridge: Rare earth evidence

Chondrite normalized (La/Sm)n ratio variations from 66 basalt glasses dredged along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) from 40–54.5°S reveal two distinct geochemical anomaly highs coupled with gravity and bathymetric highs and crest-like rather than rifted ridge-axis morphology. The Discovery anomaly (45–49°S), located opposite the Discovery hotspot track, is irregular and shows large local variation. The Shona anomaly (50–52.5°S) is smoother and shows less local variation. These results suggest that the influential Shona mantle plume may be located on or very close to the ridge. In contrast, the dispersal of the Discovery plume, located well off the ridge, is affected in a complex manner by the Agulhas fracture zone and the asthenospheric flow field associated with the spreading MAR.
Traumatic transection of the left anterior descending artery caused by a projectile

Summary Background Coronary lesions caused by penetrating trauma are rare and associated with high mortality rates. Management depends on factors such as the location of the affected vessel and the degree of myocardial dysfunction. We present a case of penetrating cardiac trauma resulting in the subsequent occlusion of the distal left anterior descending artery (LAD) leading to the development of an apical myocardial infarct. Case A 21-year-old male was shot with a BB-pellet in the third, left intercostal space, 2 cm lateral to the sternum. The patient proceeded to experience an apical myocardial infarction after an emergent median sternotomy and underwent a catheterization. The mid-LAD was noted to have a thrombus tamponading the site of injury. We opted for conservative management to avoid the possibility of further expanding the suspected perforation. Also, the myocardial area supplied by this vessel was relatively small. Conclusion Complex cardiac injuries that include injury to the LAD are associated with higher mortality rates. Our patient had total occlusion of the distal LAD, which caused an uncomplicated apical myocardial infarction. He was successfully managed with conservative medical treatment. Our patient was well at a 2-month follow-up visit and demonstrated further improvement in left ventricular function.
Transport and fate of organic wastes in groundwater at the Stringfellow hazardous waste disposal site, southern California

In January 1999, wastewater influent and effluent from the pretreatment plant at the Stringfellow hazardous waste disposal site were sampled along with groundwater at six locations along the groundwater contaminant plume. The objectives of this sampling and study were to identify at the compound class level the unidentified 40-60% of wastewater organic contaminants, and to determine what organic compound classes were being removed by the wastewater pretreatment plant, and what organic compound classes persisted during subsurface waste migration. The unidentified organic wastes are primarily chlorinated aromatic sulfonic acids derived from wastes from DDT manufacture. Trace amounts of EDTA and NTA organic complexing agents were discovered along with carboxylate metabolites of the common alkylphenolpolyethoxylate plasticizers and nonionic surfactants. The wastewater pretreatment plant removed most of the aromatic chlorinated sulfonic acids that have hydrophobic neutral properties, but the p-chlorobenzene-sulfonic acid which is the primary waste constituent passed through the pretreatment plant and was discharged in the treated wastewaters transported to an industrial sewer. During migration in groundwater, p-chlorobenzenesulfonic acid is removed by natural remediation processes. Wastewater organic contaminants have decreased 3- to 45-fold in the groundwater from 1985 to 1999 as a result of site remediation and natural remediation processes. The chlorinated aromatic sulfonic acids with hydrophobic neutral properties persist and have migrated into groundwater that underlies the adjacent residential community.
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation after stage 1 palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Objective To report the outcomes from a large multicenter cohort of neonates requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) after stage 1 palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Methods Using data from the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (2000–2009), we computed the survival to hospital discharge for neonates (age ≤30 days) supported with ECMO after stage 1 palliation for hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The factors associated with mortality were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results Among 738 neonates, the survival rate was 31%. The median age at cannulation was 7 days (interquartile range, 4–11). Black race (odds ratio [OR], 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–3.6), mechanical ventilation before ECMO (>15–131 hours: OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1–2.4; >131 hours: OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3–2.9), use of positive end expiratory pressure (>6–8 cm H 2 O: OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1–2.7; >8 cm H 2 O: OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2–3.1), and longer ECMO duration (per day, OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1–1.3) increased mortality. ECMO support for failure to wean from cardiopulmonary bypass (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.02–2.4) also decreased survival. ECMO complications, including renal failure (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.2–3.1), inotrope requirement (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.1–2.1), myocardial stun (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.3–7.7), metabolic acidosis (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.3–6.7), and neurologic injury (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1–2.6), during support also increased mortality. Conclusions Mortality for neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome supported with ECMO after stage 1 palliation is high. Longer ventilation before cannulation, longer support duration, and ECMO complications increased mortality.
Pancreatic islet β‐cell and oxidative stress: The importance of glutathione peroxidase

Pancreatic β-cell function continuously deteriorates in type 2 diabetes despite optimal treatment regimens, which has been attributed to hyperglycemia itself via formation of excess levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Glutathione peroxidase GPx), by virtue of its ability to catabolize both H2O2 and lipid peroxides, is uniquely positioned to protect tissues from ROS. The level of this antioxidant in β cells is extremely low and overexpression of GPx in islets provides enhanced protection against oxidative stress. This suggests that GPx mimetics may represent a valuable ancillary treatment that could add a novel layer of protection for the β-cell.
Imaging coherent electron flow in a two-dimensional electron gas

Abstract Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has been used to obtain images of electron flow through a two-dimensional electron gas from a quantum point contact (QPC) inside a GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructure at liquid He temperatures. A negatively charged SPM tip depletes the electron gas immediately below and decreases the conductance of the QPC by backscattering electrons. Images of electron flow are obtained by recording the conductance, as the tip is scanned across the structure. At distances less than 1 μm from the QPC, the electron flow shows angular lobes that are characteristic of the quantum modes of the QPC. At distances greater than 1 μm, well-defined branches of electron flow are observed that are caused by the cumulative effects of small angle scattering by ionized donor and impurity atoms. Interference fringes spaced by half the Fermi wavelength decorate all of the images of electron flow; their spacing gives a spatial profile of the electron density.
Impatience and dynamic optimal behavior: A bifurcation analysis of the Robinson–Solow–Srinivasan model☆

Abstract This paper provides a study of optimal economic growth under discounting in discrete time in a two-sector version of the Robinson–Solow–Srinivasan model. It examines how dynamic optimal behavior changes in response to increasing impatience. The optimal policy function is a pan map for high discount factors and a check map for low discount factors. It is shown that the transformation from the pan map to the check map, for the intermediate range of discount factors, can be quite intricate. This is demonstrated by proving the existence of two bifurcation values of the discount factor in the borderline case of the model, which establishes the possibility of reswitching of optimal actions as the discount factor varies.
Future of forecasting

This talk surveyed recent progress in forecasting nonlinear time series, including: the breakdown of linear systems theory, nonlinear generalizations by explicit embedding models and implicit neural network models, the role of geometrical invariants in embedding observations, using embedding to build forecasting models, the connection between high- dimensional entropy and dynamics in characterizing nonlinear systems, extension of embedding to more general linear transformations and to its experimental measurement by time-average expectation values, the difference between long-term modeling and short-term forecasting, and strategies for bringing time into connectionist architectures. The details of these techniques, as well as comparisons of their performance on a range of experimental data sets, is available in Time Series Prediction: Forecasting the Future and Understanding the Past, edited by Andreas Weigend and Neil Gershenfeld, Santa Fe Institute Studies in the Sciences of Complexity, Addison-Wesley, August 1993.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Breast conservation versus mastectomy. Is there a difference in psychological adjustment or quality of life in the year after surgery

Women with a breast cancer diagnosis often are given a choice between breast conservation or mastectomy as the primary treatment for their cancer. Despite the high frequency of this cancer, there is little systemic information about the effect of surgical treatment on the quality of life or psychological adjustment of the patient. In this study, the authors prospectively evaluated quality of life, performance status, and psychological adjustment in 109 women who had primary breast cancer treatment. During the year of follow-up, no statistically significant differences in quality of life, mood disturbance, performance status, or global adjustment were found between the two surgical groups, and both groups of patients improved significantly during the year of observation (P = 0.0001). As was predicted, patients receiving mastectomy reported more difficulties with clothing and body image; however, these results apparently did not affect the assessment of mood or quality of life. The authors conclude that patients receiving breast conservation therapy do not experience significantly better quality of life or mood than patients having mastectomy; however, patients having breast conservation surgery have fewer problems with clothing and body image. Women receiving breast conservation therapy may require more intensive psychosocial intervention in the postoperative period because of the added burden of primary radiation therapy.
Mixed-Initiative Development of Language Processing Systems

Historically, tailoring language processing systems to specific domains and languages for which they were not originally built has required a great deal of effort. Recent advances in corpus-based manual and automatic training methods have shown promise in reducing the time and cost of this porting process. These developments have focused even greater attention on the bottleneck of acquiring reliable, manually tagged training data. This paper describes a new set of integrated tools, collectively called the Alembic Workbench, that uses a mixed-initiative approach to "bootstrapping" the manual tagging process, with the goal of reducing the overhead associated with corpus development. Initial empirical studies using the Alembic Workbench to annotate "named entities" demonstrates that this approach can approximately double the production rate. As an added benefit, the combined efforts of machine and user produce domain specific annotation rules that can be used to annotate similar texts automatically through the Alembic-NLP system. The ultimate goal of this project is to enable end users to generate a practical domain-specific information extraction system within a single session.
Identification and adaptation in control loops with time varying gain

A method is presented to apply the gain identification procedures developed in a companion paper to a control system. The method employs a small identification tank which follows the control tank; the identification tank is perturbed to estimate the gain of the process (controlled tank system). The effects of load changes on the identification system are minimized by this approach. The results of analog and digital computer simulations of this adaptive process are given. Both a general system with linear change in gain and a pH control system with a step change in concentration of the buffer species are studied. Process gain changes up to 20:1 are introduced. It is concluded that an adaptive control system of this type can be designed to maintain good control characteristics in a process experiencing wide gain variation. Criteria are presented to aid in the design of an adequate identifier.
Finite Larmor radius stability theory of ELMO Bumpy Torus plasmas

An eikonal ballooning mode formalism is developed to describe curvature‐driven modes of hot electron plasmas in bumpy tori. The formalism treats frequencies comparable to the ion cyclotron frequency, as well as arbitrary finite Larmor radius and field polarization, although the detailed analysis is restricted to E∥ =0. Moderate hot electron finite Larmor radius effects are found to lower the background beta core limit, whereas strong finite Larmor radius effects produce stabilization. The critical finite Larmor radius parameter with weak curvature is FR=k2⊥ ρ2hR/ Δb (1+P′∥/ P⊥) where k⊥ is the perpendicular wavenumber, ρh the hot electron Larmor radius, R the magnetic field radius of curvature at the hot‐electron layer, Δb the magnetic field scale length in the diamagnetic well, and P′∥,⊥ are the parallel and perpendicular pressure gradients. The interchange instability arises if 1>FR>1−βcR/ [2Δ(1+P∥/P′⊥)], whereas all modes are stable if FR>1, where βc is the core plasma beta and Δ is the core plasma pre...
Growth monitoring and control through computer‐aided on‐line mass balancing in a fed‐batch penicillin fermentation

A computer-aided methodology is developed for on-line monitoring and control of cell growth in fed-batch penicillin fermentation using a semidefined medium containing low corn steep liquor concentration (5.7 g/L). Cell growth is monitored and controlled with the use of experimental correlation and carbon-balancing equatiions on a real-time basis throughout the fermentation. Through a combination of feed-forward and feedback control of sugar addition, residual glucose concentration in the broth was maintained below 1 g/L and cell-growth rate was kept at constant at preset vaiues. The accuracy and reproducibility of this technique are demonstrated. The use of real-time control of cell growth is expected to aid future investigations of this antibiotic fermentation.
The Freedom-From-Distractibility Factor: an Examination of Its Adaptive Behavior Correlates

The main purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the name Freedom from Distractibility, commonly assigned to the third factor usually found on the Wechsler intelligence scales. The WAIS scores of 111 mentally retarded individuals were submitted to a factor analysis, and the resulting factors were correlated with these subjects' scores on the Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS). It was hypothesized that if this factor was really a measure of attention, then, compared to the other factors, it should show (a) a stronger relationship with the Hyperactive Tendencies domain of the ABS, (b) a lower correlation with the cognitive domains of the ABS, and (c) a lower correlation with the general factor extracted from the WAIS. The results failed to support any of these hypotheses. It was concluded that Freedom from Distractibility may be a misnomer. This factor appears to be tapping a more cognitive factor, perhaps memory or some aspect of numerical ability.
Near-infrared electro-optic modulator based on plasmonic graphene

We propose a novel scheme for an electro-optic modulator based on plasmonically enhanced graphene. As opposed to previously reported designs where the switchable absorption of graphene itself was employed for modulation, here a graphene monolayer is used to actively tune the plasmonic resonance condition through the modification of interaction between optical field and an indium tin oxide (ITO) plasmonic structure. Strong plasmonic resonance in the near infrared wavelength region can be supported by accurate design of ITO structures, and tuning the graphene chemical potential through electrical gating switches on and off the ITO plasmonic resonance. This provides much increased electro-absorption efficiency as compared to systems relying only on the tunable absorption of the graphene.
Entamoeba histolytica: An Explanation for the Reported Conversion of "Nonpathogenic" Amebae to the "Pathogenic" Form

The reported conversion of "nonpathogenic" Entamoeba histolytica isolates to the "pathogenic" form during attempted axenization of the amebae is highly controversial. After failing to obtain conversions ourselves we concluded that the simplest explanation for the published observations would be contamination of nonpathogenic cultures with pathogenic amebae. To address this possibility we used a method based on analysis of stable DNA polymorphisms that allows the positive identification of individual pathogenic isolates. The DNA patterns obtained using the "converted" amebae proved to be identical to those of reference isolates present in the laboratories at the time of conversion. We also found that very few cells need be transferred for a pathogenic contaminant to become established in a nonpathogenic culture. Cross-contamination fully explains the conversion phenomenon and thus recognition of nonpathogenic and pathogenic amebae as the distinct species Entamoeba dispar Brumpt 1925 and E. histolytica Schaudinn 1903 (Emend. Walker 1911), respectively, is upheld.
The Creation of OpenCourseWare at MIT

This paper traces the genesis of the MIT OpenCourseWare project from its initial strategic precursors in 1999 and 2000, through its launch in 2001 and its subsequent evolution. The story told here illuminates the interplay among institutional leadership, and strategic planning, and with university culture in launching major educational technology enterprises. It also shows how initiatives can evolve in unexpected ways, and can even surpass their initial goals. The paper concludes with an overview of challenges facing OpenCourseWare in moving from the end of its production ramp-up and towards sustainability.
Increasing content of poly A(+) mRNA of serum-stimulated cells in the absence of ribosome synthesis.

When 3T6 cells undergo a serum-induced transition from resting to growing state, the number of ribosomes and the amounts of mRNA and tRNA increase as the cells prepare for DNA synthesis. We have examined the effect of preventing ribosome synthesis during this transition. When resting cells are stimulated to grow in the presence of 5-fluorouridine, mRNA accumulates normally during the first eight hours, though new ribosome formation is completely blocked by the drug. At later times, mRNA continues to accumulate, but at a reduced rate. The ratio of poly A(+) mRNA to rRNA increases from the value characteristic of resting 3T6 (1.8%) to that of growing 3T6 (2.7%) by five hours, and continues to increase to abnormally high values after this time. Although labelling of tRNA is not affected after brief exposure of cells to fluorouridine, the drug prevents the later accumulation of tRNA that ordinarily occurs following serum stimulation of resting cells. This failure of accumulation is not the result of increased lability of fluorinated tRNA, but is probably due to failure of the transcription rate of pre-tRNA to increase. It is possible that this effect might be due to a regulatory system coupling tRNA content to ribosome content. In cultures stimulated with serum in the presence of fluorouridine the rate of protein synthesis increases with poly A(+) mRNA content during the first eight hours; it then fails to increase further, possibly because ribosomes become rate-limiting.
Biological treatment of leachate from a superfund site

Studies were completed on treating a leachate from New Lyme, Ohio. The leachate was transported to Cincinnati, Ohio, where a pilot-sized rotating biological contactor (RBC) was used for a treatment evaluation. The biomass was developed on the RBC discs with primary effluent from the City of Cincinnati's Mill Creek Sewage Treatment Facility. Experiments were then conducted to determine the effectiveness of treating a hazardous waste leachate and to provide information on the following: the rate of organics removal; the final effluent quality; the fate of priority pollutants and specific organic compounds; and the loss of volatiles via stripping in the RBC. The paper reports on the results from these experiments and the applicability of an RBC to treat a hazardous-waste leachate from a Superfund site.
Power generation industry materials and their weldability

Abstract The development and use of modern materials for the power generation industry for the 1990s and beyond is discussed together with several important aspects of their weldability. The need for additional base material research is highlighted along with the pressing need for the simultaneous evolution of filler metal.
Classical-communication cost in distributed quantum-information processing: A generalization of quantum-communication complexity

We study the amount of classical communication needed for distributed quantum-information processing. In particular, we introduce the concept of ``remote preparation'' of a quantum state. Given an ensemble of states, Alice's task is to help Bob in a distant laboratory to prepare a state of her choice. We find several examples of an ensemble with an entropy S where the remote preparation can be done with a communication cost lower than the amount $(2S)$ required by standard teleportation. We conjecture that, for an arbitrary N-dimensional pure state, its remote preparation requires $2{\mathrm{log}}_{2}N$ bits of classical communication, as in standard teleportation.
An Exploratory Study of the Effect on Forecast Accuracy of Using Different Geographic Segment Data Sources

The specific research question this study investigates is whether or not model-based earnings forecasts utilizing COMPUSTAT's country specific geographic segment data produce more accurate earnings forecasts than model-based forecasts utilizing data from actual geographic segment footnotes. This study compares the accuracy of earnings forecasts from models using the geographic segment information in actual geographic segment footnotes to the accuracy of earnings forecasts from models using the geographic segment information in the COMPUSTAT business segment tape. Evidence collected in this study indicates that geographic segment data provided in the COMPUSTAT business segment data base appears to make it possible to more accurately predict sales than does the geographic segment data provided in the same companies' actual geographic segment footnote.
Tetrapyridyl tetraphenylethylenes: supramolecular building blocks with aggregation-induced emission properties

Abstract Two tetrapyridyl-substituted tetraphenylethylenes have been prepared via Suzuki coupling between tetrabromo tetraphenylethylene and 3- or 4-pyridine boronic acid. Both compounds exhibit aggregation-induced emission as determined by solid state fluorescence spectroscopy and solution phase fluorescence measurements performed in aqueous/organic solvent mixtures. Solution phase fluorescence was also found to be switchable as a function of pH. 3-Pyridyl-substituted tetraphenylethylene has been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography.
Mechanism of enhanced rectification in unimolecular Borromean ring devices

We have studied charge transport through individual Borromean ring complexes, both with and without anchor groups, in gated double-barrier tunneling junctions (DBTJs) formed using the electrical breakjunction technique on gold nanowires. While common single-molecule device characteristics can be observed with either form of the Borromean rings, the complexes with anchor groups show a strong rectification of conduction in a relatively high percentage of samples. We present our data along with a simple model underlining the mechanism by which the arrangement and composition of the weakly bonding anchor groups attached to the electroactive element may promote a device configuration resulting in rectification.
Stimulating the cerebellum affects visuomotor adaptation but not intermanual transfer of learning

When systematic movement errors occur, the brain responds with a systematic change in motor behavior. This type of adaptive motor learning can transfer intermanually; adaptation of movements of the right hand in response to training with a perturbed visual signal (visuomotor adaptation) may carry over to the left hand. While visuomotor adaptation has been studied extensively, it is unclear whether the cerebellum, a structure involved in adaptation, is important for intermanual transfer as well. We addressed this question with three experiments in which subjects reached with their right hands as a 30° visuomotor rotation was introduced. Subjects received anodal or sham transcranial direct current stimulation on the trained (experiment 1) or untrained (experiment 2) hemisphere of the cerebellum, or, for comparison, motor cortex (M1). After the training period, subjects reached with their left hand, without visual feedback, to assess intermanual transfer of learning aftereffects. Stimulation of the right cerebellum caused faster adaptation, but none of the stimulation sites affected transfer. To ascertain whether cerebellar stimulation would increase transfer if subjects learned faster as well as a larger amount, in experiment 3 anodal and sham cerebellar groups experienced a shortened training block such that the anodal group learned more than sham. Despite the difference in adaptation magnitude, transfer was similar across these groups, although smaller than in experiment 1. Our results suggest that intermanual transfer of visuomotor learning does not depend on cerebellar activity and that the number of movements performed at plateau is an important predictor of transfer.
Age and Sex Differences in Duration of Prehospital Delay in Patients With Acute Myocardial Infarction A Systematic Review

Background— Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in American men and women. Although there have been dramatic changes in the management of patients hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) over the past several decades, a considerable proportion of patients with AMI continue to delay seeking medical care in a timely manner. This review provides an overview of the published literature that has examined age and sex differences in extent of prehospital delay in patients hospitalized with AMI. Methods and Results— A systematic review of the literature from 1960 to 2008, including publications that provided data on duration of prehospital delay in patients hospitalized with AMI, was conducted. A total of 44 articles (42 studies) were included in the present analysis. The majority of studies showed that in patients hospitalized with AMI, women and older persons were more likely to arrive at the hospital later than men and younger persons. Several factors associated w...
Optimal Estimate of Monotonic Trend with Sparse Jumps

This paper discusses a problem for recovering an underlying trend from noisy data. The key assumption is that the trend is monotonic, e.g., reflects accumulation of irreversible system deterioration. The trend is obtained as a maximum a posteriori probability estimate. The overall problem setup is related to alpha-beta filter and Hodrick-Prescott filter. The main difference is that instead of a Gaussian process noise, a one-sided exponentially distributed noise is assumed. The batch estimate is a solution to a Quadratic Programming problem. The approach works exceptionally well for piece-wise linear trends that have a small number of jumps in the trended variable or its increase rate. Theoretical analysis justifies the sparsity properties for the jumps in the solution.
Toward a Model of Knowledge-Based Graph Comprehension

Research on graph comprehension has been concerned with relatively low-level information extraction. However, laboratory studies often produce conflicting findings because real-world graph interpretation requires going beyond the data presentation to make inferences and solve problems. Furthermore, in real-world settings, graphical information is presented in the context of relevant prior knowledge. According to our model, knowledge-based graph comprehension involves an interaction of top-down and bottom up processes. Several types of knowledge are brought to bear on graphs: domain knowledge, graphical skills, and explanatory skills. During the initial processing, people chunk the visual features in the graphs. Nevertheless, prior knowledge guides the processing of visual features. We outline the key assumptions of this model and show how this model explains the extant data and generates testable predictions.
Reconstruction expansion as a geometry-based framework for choosing proper delay times

Abstract The quality of attractor reconstruction using the method of delays is known to be sensitive to the delay parameter, τ. Here we develop a new, computationally efficient approach to choosing τ that quantifies reconstruction expansion from the identity line of the embedding space. We show that reconstruction expansion is related to the concept of reconstruction signal strength and that increased expansion corresponds to diminished effects of measurement error. Thus, reconstruction expansion represents a simple, geometrical framework for choosing τ. Furthermore, we describe the role of dynamical error in attractor expansion and argue that algorithms for determining τ should be considered as attempts at estimating an upper bound to the optimal delay.
Aca1 and Aca2, ATF/CREB Activators in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Are Important for Carbon Source Utilization but Not the Response to Stress

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the family of ATF/CREB transcriptional regulators consists of a repressor, Acr1 (Sko1), and two activators, Aca1 and Aca2. The AP-1 factor Gen4 does not activate transcription through ATF/CREB sites in vivo even though it binds these sites in vitro. Unlike ATF/CREB activators in other species, Aca1- and Aca2-dependent transcription is not affected by protein kinase A or by stress, and Aca1 and Aca2 are not required for Hog1-dependent salt induction of transcription through an optimal ATF/CREB site. Aca2 is important for a variety of biological functions including growth on nonoptimal carbon sources, and Aca2-dependent activation is modestly regulated by carbon source. Strains lacking Aca1 are phenotypically normal, but overexpression of Aca1 suppresses some defects associated with the loss of Aca2, indicating a functional overlap between Aca1 and Aca2. Acr1 represses transcription both by recruiting the Cyc8-Tup1 corepressor and by directly competing with Aca1 and Aca2 for target sites. Acr1 does not fully account for osmotic regulation through ATF/CREB sites, and a novel Hog1-dependent activator(s) that is not a bZIP protein is required for ATF/CREB site activation in response to high salt. In addition, Acr1 does not affect a number of phenotypes that arise from loss of Aca2. Thus, members of the S. cerevisiae ATF/CREB family have overlapping, but distinct, biological functions and target genes.
Acute Exposure of Humans to Ozone Impairs Small Airway Function

Our approach has been to use noninvasive, regional analysis techniques and we have separated central from peripheral mucus membrane responses to ozone (Foster et al., 1987) and characterised the effects of ozone on regional ventilation and particle dosimetry for the lung periphery (Foster et al., 1993). In these prior studies we relied upon techniques that utilised radioisotopic markers to assess O3-induced changes in regional lung function. The goal of the present study was to expand upon the earlier results using nonradioisotopic methods and multibreath washout of a resident lung gas (N2) to measure nonhomogeneous lung function following exposure to O3.