cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
On Moderator Detection in Anchoring Research: Implications of Ignoring Estimate Direction

Anchoring, whereby judgments assimilate to previously considered standards, is one of the most reliable effects in psychology. In the last decade, researchers have become increasingly interested in identifying moderators of anchoring effects. We argue that a drawback of traditional moderator analyses in the standard anchoring paradigm is that they ignore estimate direction—whether participants’ estimates are higher or lower than the anchor value. We suggest that failing to consider estimate direction can sometimes obscure moderation in anchoring tasks, and discuss three potential analytic solutions that take estimate direction into account. Understanding moderators of anchoring effects is essential for a basic understanding of anchoring and for applied research on reducing the influence of anchoring in real-world judgments. Considering estimate direction reduces the risk of failing to detect moderation.
Podcasts and Productivity: A Qualitative Uses and Gratifications Study

Through analysis of five focus groups with people who “usually (more often than not) listened to at least one podcast episode a week” in the last two months, this uses and gratifications (U&G) stud...
Structure-activity relationships of retinoids as inhibitors of calmodulin-dependent human erythrocyte Ca2+-ATPase activity and calmodulin binding to membranes

All-trans retinoic acid displaces the binding of radiolabelled calmodulin to human erythrocyte membranes, and inhibits the activity of plasma membrane Ca(2+)-stimulated, Mg(2+)-dependent ATPase (Ca(2+)-ATPase; EC 3.6.1.3). This enzyme is dependent upon the action of calmodulin. In this study we explored the structural attributes of the retinoids which confer this ability to inhibit enzyme activity and calmodulin binding. With respect to the fatty acid side-chain, a clear requirement for inhibition is a trans-configuration of the polar end-group. The importance of the ring structure is indicated by the ineffectiveness of polyprenoic acid and a benzene ring retinoid analogue as inhibitors of enzyme activity and calmodulin binding. There was good correlation between the relative potencies of the analogues as enzyme inhibitors and as inhibitors of calmodulin binding. The ability of selected retinoid analogues, at physiological concentrations with respect to all-trans retinoic acid, to inhibit erythrocyte Ca(2+)-ATPase activity and membrane binding of calmodulin underscores the structurally specific effects of these compounds on the interaction of calmodulin with the membrane-bound enzyme.
Oncolytic Viruses and the Eradication of Drug-Resistant Tumor Cells

The main objective of oncolytic virus therapy described so far is the successful control or elimination of the tumor. Here, we describe an alternative goal of virus therapy in case the virus fails to eradicate the tumor. The virus can be used to “pre-treat” the cancer and specifically drive drug-resistant mutants extinct. This prepares the ground for subsequent drug treatment, which can then successfully drive the tumor into remission without resistance-induced failure. The key to this concept is that many drug-resistant mutants suffer a fitness cost compared to the susceptible cells in the absence of the drug. When the virus is introduced before the drug, then the less fit resistant cells share an enemy, the virus, with the fitter susceptible cells. In this case, apparent competition can occur, which can lead to exclusion of the inferior type even though coexistence occurs without the virus. Therefore, apparent competition, mediated by the oncolytic virus, can drive drug-resistant mutant cells extinct that would otherwise be present before treatment, and prepare the tumor for subsequent successful drug therapy.
Nanoimaging Cells Using Soft X-Ray Tomography

Soft X-ray microscopy is ideally suited to visualizing and quantifying biological cells. Specimens, including eukaryotic cells, are imaged intact, unstained and fully hydrated, and therefore visualized in a near-native state. The contrast in soft X-ray microscopy is generated by the differential attenuation of X-rays by the molecules in the specimen-water is relatively transmissive to this type of illumination compared to carbon and nitrogen. The attenuation of X-rays by the specimen follows the Beer-Lambert law, and therefore both linear and a quantitative measure of thickness and chemical species present at each point in the cell. In this chapter, we will describe the procedures and computational methods that lead to 50 nm (or better) tomographic reconstructions of cells using soft X-ray microscope data, and the subsequent segmentation and analysis of these volumetric reconstructions. In addition to being a high-fidelity imaging modality, soft X-ray tomography is relatively high-throughput; a complete tomographic data set can be collected in a matter of minutes. This new modality is being applied to imaging cells that range from small prokaryotes to stem cells obtained from mammalian tissues.
Development of hydroxyindole-O-methyl transferase activity in eye and brain of the amphibian, Xenopus laevis.

Abstract HYDROXYINDOLE-O-methyl transferase (= HIOMT), an enzyme catalyzing the O-methylation of N-acetyl serotonin to melatonin (= 5-methoxy N-acetyl tryptamine), was discovered by Axelrod and Weissbach 1 in the mammalian pineal organ. Although apparently in mammals restricted to the pineal, this enzyme activity has been found in amphibian brain 2 and then in the retinas of submammalian vertebrates 3 . The primitive photoreceptive ability of the pineal organ and its sharing of HIOMT activity with amphibian brain and retina, suggested to us that study of early developmental changes in HIOMT may reveal primitive and primary functional association of the enzyme. The present report describes the results of such a study using embryos and premetamorphic larvae of the South African clawed toad ( Xenopus laevis ).
High-resolution diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging of the brainstem safe entry zones

Operative management of intrinsic brainstem lesions remains challenging despite advances in electrophysiological monitoring, neuroimaging, and neuroanatomical knowledge. Surgical intervention in this region requires detailed knowledge of adjacent critical white matter tracts, brainstem nuclei, brainstem vessels, and risks associated with each surgical approach. Our aim was to systematically verify internal anatomy associated with each brainstem safety entry zone (BSEZ) via neuroimaging modalities commonly used in pre-operative planning, namely high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diffusion tensor tractography (DTT). Twelve BSEZs were simulated in eight, formalin-fixed, cadaveric brains. Specimens then underwent radiological investigation including T2-weighted imaging and DTT using 4.7 T MRI to verify internal anatomic relationships between simulated BSEZs and adjacent critical white matter tracts and nuclei. The distance between simulated BSEZs and pre-defined, adjacent critical structures was systemically recorded. Entry points and anatomic limits on the surface of the brainstem are described for each BSEZ, along with description of potential neurological sequelae if such limits are violated. With high-resolution imaging, we verified a maximal depth for each BSEZ. The relationship between proposed safe entry corridors and adjacent critical structures within the brainstem is quantified. In combination with tissue dissection, high-resolution MR diffusion tensor imaging allows the surgeon to develop a better understanding of the internal architecture of the brainstem, particularly as related to BSEZs, prior to surgical intervention. Through a careful study of such imaging and use of optimal surgical corridors, a more accurate and safe surgery of brainstem lesions may be achieved.
Removal of inorganic mercury by selective extraction and coprecipitation for determination of methylmercury in mercury-contaminated soils by chemical vapor generation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CVG-ICP-MS)

Abstract A procedure is developed for selective extraction of methylmercury (CH3Hg+) from heavily Hg-contaminated soils and sediments for determination by chemical vapor generation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CVG-ICP-MS). Soils artificially contaminated with 40 μg g−1 inorganic mercury (Hg2+) or methylmercury chloride (CH3HgCl) were agitated by shaking or exposing to ultrasounds in dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl) or nitric acid (HNO3) solutions at room temperature. Extractions in HCl (5 or 10% v/v) resulted in substantial leaching of Hg2+ from soils, whereas 5% (v/v) HNO3 provided selectivity for quantitative extraction of CH3Hg+ with minimum Hg2+ leaching. Agitation with ultrasounds in 5% (v/v) HNO3 for about 3 min was sufficient for extraction of all CH3Hg+ from soils. Coprecipitations with Fe(OH)3, Bi(OH)3 and HgS were investigated for removal of residual Hg2+ in soil extracts. Hydroxide precipitations were not effective. Thiourea or l -cysteine added to soil extracts prior to hydroxide precipitation improved precipitation of Hg2+, but also resulted in removal of CH3Hg+. HgS precipitation was made with dilute ammonium sulfide solution, (NH4)2S. Adding 30 μL of 0.35 mol L−1 (NH4)2S to soil extracts in 5% (v/v) HNO3 resulted in removal of all residual Hg2+ without impacting CH3Hg+ levels. Vapor generation was carried out by reacting Hg2+-free soil extracts with 1% (m/v) NaBH4. No significant interferences were observed from (NH4)2S on the vapor generation from CH3Hg+. The slopes of the calibration curves for CH3HgCl standard solutions in 5% (v/v) HNO3 with and without (NH4)2S were similar. Limits of detection (LOD, 3s method) were around 0.08 μg L−1 for 5% (v/v) HNO3 blanks (n = 10) and 0.10 μg L−1 for 5% (v/v) HNO3 + 0.005 mol L−1 (NH4)2S blanks (n = 10). Percent relative standard deviation (%RSD) for five replicate measurements varied between 3.1% and 6.4% at 1.0 CH3HgCl level. The method is validated by analysis of two certified reference materials (CRM); purely Methylmercury sediment (SQC1238, 10.00 ± 0.291 ng g−1 CH3Hg+) and Hg-contaminated Estuarine sediment (ERM – CC580, 75 ± 4 ng g−1 CH3Hg+ and 132 ± 3 μg g−1 total Hg). CH3Hg+ values for SQC1238 were between 13.0 and 13.2 ng g−1, and 79 and 81 ng g−1 for ERM – CC580. Hg-contaminated soils (57–96 μg g−1 total Hg) collected from the floodplains of Oak Ridge, TN were analyzed for CH3Hg+ using the procedure by CVG-ICPMS. CH3Hg+ levels ranged from 30 to 51 ng g−1 and did not correlate with total Hg levels (R2 = 0.01).
Biliary hyperkinesia, a new diagnosis or misunderstood pathophysiology of dyskinesia: A case report.

Abstract Introduction Biliary colic, characterized by intermittent right upper quadrant abdominal pain is a common complaint in the United States population. Patients whose pain is undiagnosed by ultrasound generally undergo hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan with cholecystokinin stimulation (HIDA-CCK) to assess function of the gallbladder and biliary tree. Traditionally, two outcomes are possible based on a measured ejection fraction of the gallbladder: either dyskinesia or normal function is diagnosed. Biliary dyskinesia, or hypokinesia of the gallbladder, is accepted as an ejection fraction less than 35%, while an accepted normal functioning gallbladder ejection fraction is greater than 35%. Case We report a case of a fifteen-year-old female who had functional gallbladder disease per Rome IV criteria due to intermittent biliary colic, with exception to the ejection fraction measurement which was elevated at 96.5%. She underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with complete symptom resolution. Discussion As demonstrated in the literature reviewed here, these subsets of patients, who present with normal to high ejection fractions, have undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy with resolution of pain in several case studies. Conclusion Many unknown variables still exist due to lack of prospective studies, most notably the pathophysiology and definitive indications for surgical treatment. As such, we propose that surgical options should not be limited to those who display the traditional findings of biliary dyskinesia, but also patients who demonstrate typical symptoms with normal to elevated ejection fraction, following work up to rule out the extensive differential diagnoses for right upper quadrant abdominal pain.
BCMA-Targeted CAR T-cell Therapy plus Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Refractory Myeloma Reveals Potential Synergy

We present a case of a patient with multiply relapsed, refractory myeloma whose clinical course showed evidence of a synergistic abscopal-like response to chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy and localized radiotherapy (XRT). Shortly after receiving B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted CAR T-cell therapy, the patient required urgent high-dose steroids and XRT for spinal cord compression. Despite the steroids, the patient had a durable systemic response that could not be attributed to XRT alone. Post-XRT findings included a second wave of fever and increased CRP and IL6, beginning 21 days after CAR T cells, which is late for cytokine-release syndrome from CAR T-cell therapy alone on this trial. Given this response, which resembled cytokine-release syndrome, immediately following XRT, we investigated changes in the patient's T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire over 10 serial time points. Comparing T-cell diversity via Morisita's overlap indices (CD ), we discovered that, although the diversity was initially stable after CAR T-cell therapy compared with baseline (CD = 0.89-0.97, baseline vs. 4 time points after CAR T cells), T-cell diversity changed after the conclusion of XRT, with >30% newly expanded TCRs (CD = 0.56-0.69, baseline vs. 4 time points after XRT). These findings suggest potential synergy between radiation and CAR T-cell therapies resulting in an abscopal-like response.
Race as an independent factor for survival in breast cancer patients according to analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

e18155Background: Black (B) women after early stage of diagnosis have been shown to have double the risk of white (W) women for failing to receive adjuvant chemotherapy. Despite lower incidence of ...
Case 268: Bilateral Adrenal Hemorrhage in the Context of Sepsis

History A 65-year-old man presented to the emergency department with a 1-week history of constipation, which was associated with increasing abdominal distention and not passing flatus. Four weeks prior to the current admission he had been diagnosed with metastatic primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix. One week ago, he had been hospitalized with small-bowel obstruction, for which he required laparotomy and loop ileostomy. His medical history included basal cell carcinoma, rheumatoid arthritis, and Barrett esophagus. Physical examination revealed a distended abdomen with tenderness at palpation within the right upper quadrant and lower abdomen and reduced bowel sounds at auscultation. Initial plain-film radiography of the abdomen at admission revealed dilated gas-filled small-bowel loops, suggestive of obstruction. His small-bowel obstruction was managed conservatively on this occasion. Nine days after admission, the patient became unwell and reported a productive cough. He became tachycardic, tachypneic, and hypotensive. Relevant blood tests at this stage revealed a C-reactive protein level of 206 mg/L (normal range, 0-10 mg/L), a white blood cell count of 24.5 × 109/L (normal range, [4.0-11.0] × 109/L), a red blood cell count of 3.39 × 1012/L (normal range, [4.5-5.5] × 1012/L), a hemoglobin level of 93 g/L (normal range, 130-170 g/L), and a hematocrit level of 0.27 (normal range, 0.4-0.5). CT of the abdomen and pelvis with intravenous contrast material (100 mL Omnipaque 350; GE Healthcare, Oslo, Norway) was performed.
Fucoidans Stimulate Immune Reaction and Suppress Cancer Growth.

BACKGROUND/AIM Fucoidans are gaining popularity as natural immunomodulators. The aim of this study was to compare the immunological activities or both purified samples and commercially available mixtures containing fucoidan. MATERIALS AND METHODS We evaluated the effects of various samples on phagocytosis, mitogenic response, natural killer (NK) activity, antibody formation and inhibition of breast cancer growth. RESULTS We found significant immunostimulating activity, but the strength of these effects was different among individual samples. CONCLUSION Fucoidans have strong immunostimulating potential, including inhibition of cancer, with isolated samples offering better activity than commercial mixtures.
Abstract 406: Are Providers Overconfident in Predicting Outcome After Cardiac Arrest?

Objective: Prognostication after cardiac arrest is challenging. We tested if providers’ confidence in their neuroprognostic assessments correlates with accuracy. Methods: We presented physicians wi...
Multiple dimensions of acculturation and the victimization of Latino adolescents.

Objectives Little research focuses on the multiple dimensions of acculturation (Anglo orientation, Latino orientation, familial support, immigrant status), their interaction, and the victimization of Latino youth. This study examined these relationships for various forms of violence, including dating violence, conventional crime, child maltreatment, peer and sibling victimization, sexual victimization, and stalking. Method Data came from the Dating Violence Among Latino Adolescents (DAVILA) study, which recruited a national sample of 1,525 Latino teens between 12 and 18 years of age. Results Logistic regression results showed that familial support was related to significantly lower odds of all types of victimization. Additionally, Latino orientation was related to both lower odds of any victimization and higher odds of polyvictimization. Anglo orientation and immigrant status were also protective of conventional crime, sexual victimization, and polyvictimization. Adding interaction effects revealed that the influence of Anglo orientation varied as a function of Latino orientation for several forms of victimization and also varied by immigrant status for conventional crime, dating violence, and sexual violence. Lastly, a 3-way interaction between Anglo orientation, Latino orientation, and immigrant status influenced the probability of sexual victimization. Conclusions Anglo orientation, Latino orientation, familial support, and immigrant status showed protective qualities, but the trends were specific to victimization type, and interactions surfaced. The findings point to the need for prevention and intervention efforts that strengthen families and embrace both Latino and Anglo cultures for Latino teens, fostering biculturalism. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Proportional Representation and Electing Nationwide

A handful of democracies conduct only nationwide elections for the unicameral or lower chamber of its national legislature. These include Kazakhstan (PR, some appointed), Kosovo (PR), Kyrgyzstan (PR), Moldova (PR), Monaco (FPTP and PR), the Netherlands (PR), Fiji (PR), Serbia (PR), Slovakia (PR), Namibia (PR), and Israel (PR). Sources differ on whether Rwanda elects a majority of its unicameral national legislature through a PR system or is operating under a post-conflict agreement that divides the seats between Hutus and Tutsis. This list does not include those few countries or territories whose existence is disputed and are not in the United Nations, such as Taiwan, Western Sahara, South Ossetia, Northern Cyprus or Abkhazia.
Grammatical processing in two languages: How individual differences in language experience and cognitive abilities shape comprehension in heritage bilinguals.

Abstract Recent studies have demonstrated variation in language processing for monolingual and bilingual speakers alike, suggesting that only by considering individual differences will an accurate picture of the consequences of language experience be adequately understood. This approach can be illustrated in ERP research that has shown that sentence contexts that traditionally elicit a P600 component in response to a syntactic violation, elicit an N400 response for a subset of individuals. That result has been reported for monolingual speakers processing sentences in their L1 and also for bilinguals processing sentences in their L2. To date, no studies have compared variation in L1 and L2 ERP effects in the very same bilingual speakers. In the present paper, we do that by examining sentence processing in heritage bilinguals who acquired both languages from early childhood but for whom the L2 typically becomes the dominant language. Variation in ERPs produced by the non-dominant L1 and dominant L2 of heritage bilinguals was compared to variation found in monolingual L1 processing. The group-averaged results showed the smallest N400 and P600 responses in the native, but no longer dominant, L1 of heritage bilinguals, and largest in the monolinguals. Individual difference analyses linking ERP variation to working memory and language proficiency showed that working memory was the primary factor related to monolingual L1 processing, whereas bilinguals did not show this relationship. In contrast, proficiency was the primary factor related to ERP responses for the no longer dominant L1 for bilinguals, but unrelated to monolingual L1 processing, whereas bilinguals’ dominant L2 processing showed an intermediate relationship. Finally, the N400 was absent for bilinguals performing the task in the same language in which they initially learned to read, but significantly larger when bilinguals performed the task in the other language. The results support the idea that proficient bilinguals utilize the same underlying mechanisms to process both languages, although the factors that affect processing in each language may differ. More broadly, we find that bilingualism is an experience that opens the language system to perform fluidly under changing circumstances, such as increasing proficiency. In contrast, language processing in monolinguals was primarily related to relatively stable factors (working memory).
Using semi‐parametric methods in an analysis of earnings mobility

Summary This paper describes a dynamic random effects econometric model from which inferences on earnings mobility may be made. It answers questions such as, given some initial level of observed earnings, what is the probability that an agent with certain characteristics will remain below a specified level of earnings (for example the poverty level) for a specified number of time periods? Existing research assumes that the distributions of the unobserved permanent and transitory shocks in the model are known up to finitely many parameters. However, predictions of earnings mobility are highly sensitive to assumptions about these distributions. The present paper estimates the distributions of the random effects non-parametrically. The results are used to predict the probabilities of remaining in a low state of earnings. The results from the non-parametric distributions are contrasted to those obtained under a normality assumption. Using the non-parametrically estimated distributions gives estimated probabilities that are smaller than those obtained under the normality assumption. Through a Monte Carlo experiment and by examining unconditional predicted earnings distributions, it is demonstrated that the non-parametric method is likely to be considerably more accurate, and that assuming normality may give quite misleading results.
Investigating Cash Flow in the Agricultural Supply Chain Within Kenya

The agricultural supply chain within Kenya has been experiencing significant inefficiencies because of deficient information flow and the excessive number of actors involved in any given transaction leading to financial instability for many actors involved in the agricultural industry. In an attempt to obtain a more fundamental understanding of the specific issues within the agricultural supply chain, farmers from Kisumu County as well as wholesalers within the Kibuye market were surveyed to track the flow of money as produce moves from farms to the markets. From these surveys, a comprehensive price breakdown of transactions between farmers and wholesalers was obtained for tomatoes, mangoes, oranges, watermelons, and onions. The prices of each individual piece of produce was found to account for an average of 86.8% of the total purchasing costs while overhead costs were found to contribute to 3.2% to 15.5% of purchasing costs. Additionally, it was found that there was no correlation between distance traveled and transportation costs for wholesalers transporting produce which implies inefficiencies in the current transportation system.
Full-Band Particle-Based Analysis of Device Scaling for 3D Tri-Gate FETs

In this work, a 25 nm gate length three-dimensional tri-gate SOI FET with a wrap around gate geometry is studied using a full-band particle-based simulation tool. The tri-gate FETs have shown superior scalability over planar device structures, reduction of short channel effects, higher drive currents and excellent gate-channel controllability compared to their planar counterparts. Simulations were performed by scaling the length and the width of the tri-gate SOI FET channel to study its short-channel and short-width effects. The influence of the scaling on the dynamic response has also been explored by performing a frequency analysis on the device.
Cardiogastroenterology: Management of Elderly Cardiac Patients at Risk of GIB

To characterize cardiac patients at greatest risk of antithrombotic-related gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB), clarify modifiable risk factors, and summarize best-practice preventive management strategies based on patient characteristics. Recent study findings reinforce risk factors in this patient cohort, including advanced age and a history of bleeding events. Data also highlight the importance of managing polypharmacy, renal impairment, and eradication of Helicobacter pylori, as well as the utilization of proton pump inhibitors (PPI) for gastroprotection. This narrative review will provide up-to-date best practice recommendations to guide clinicians in the management of antithrombotic drugs in elderly cardiac patients and in the prevention of antithrombotic-related GIB.
Spatial learning impairments in aged rats trained with a salient configuration of stimuli

Aged animals are impaired in many maze learning tasks, suggesting that they may have a spatial learning deficit. Alternatively, declining sensory/perceptual faculties in aged animals may impede their ability to use complex arrangements of Stimuli that are necessary for spatial learning. To test this possibility, we conducted place learning in the Morris water maze in the presence of a very simple and salient configuration of Stimuli that consisted of a black plexiglass sheet, subtending an arc of 110° around the inside wall of the water maze. In Experiment 1, place learning in young rats was guided by this configuration of Stimuli. In Experiment 2, a prominent place-learning deficit in aged rats was observed when animals were trained with this configuration. Thus, the place-learning impairment in aged animals may not be confined to perceptual deficits that decrease an animal’s ability to use complex configurations of stimuli.
Health Courts: Panacea or Palliative?

Numerous observers have expressed growing concerns regarding health care delivery, medical malpractice, and litigation against health care providers, although, for years, all fifty of the states have instituted and applied a broad spectrum of medical malpractice reforms while experimenting with various other measures. Some commentators believe that the health care delivery system is now experiencing a crisis in which medical expenses are dramatically rising, even as the number of citizens without medical insurance approaches fifty million; physicians are leaving medicine or particular specialties because of extremely high medical malpractice insurance premiums and too much litigation; and health care professionals practice defensive medicine, essentially by conducting unnecessary tests.
Superintendent Evaluation in a Standards-Based Environment: A Status Report from the States.

In the current political climate, in which accountability and standards-based reform represent the educational centerpiece, a renewed interest has emerged in superintendent evaluation as a focal point for school improvement. This paper examines the current state-of-the-art of superintendent evaluation. Findings from the study suggest that despite the recommendations for personnel evaluation standards proposed by The Joint Committee on Standards for Educational Evaluation (1988), 8 of the 50 state AASA/NSBA affiliates do not have requirements or guidelines for the evaluation of the superintendent. Evaluation materials provided by the affiliates in the other 42 states do not meet all of the essential criteria for quality personnel evaluation.
The Psychology of Perceptual Organization: A Transformational Approach

Abstract Psychological research on perceptual organization is reviewed, and a theoretical framework is presented to account for it. The review focusses on the organizational phenomena of shape constancy, motion perception, figural goodness, perceptual grouping, and reference frame effects. It is argued that the key to understanding them within a unified framework lies in the concept of local invariance over the group of Euclidean similarity transformations. The theory offered to account for these phenomena is based on a parallel processing system constructed from many spatial analyzers that are related to each other by similarity transformations. They are compared for output equivalence by invariance analyzers and structured more globally by frame analyzers. The latter are used to select the maximally informative (i.e., simplest) organization of sensory data for further processing and shape description.
An Introduction to Semiconductor Devices

An Introduction to Semiconductor Devices by Donald Neamen provides an understanding of the characteristics, operations and limitations of semiconductor devices. In order to provide this understanding, the book brings together the fundamental physics of the semiconductor material and the semiconductor device physics. This new text provides an accessible and modern presentation of material. Quantum mechanic material is minimal, and the most advanced material is designated with an icon. This modern approach meands that coverage of the MOS transistor preceeds the material on the bipolar transitor, which reflects the dominance of MOS technology in today's world. Excellent pedagogy is present throughout the book in the form of interesting chapters openers, worked examples, a variety of exercises, key terms, and end of chapter problems. Table of contents Chapter 1 The Crystal Structure of Solids Chapter 2 Theory of Solids Chapter 3 The Semiconductor in Equilibrium Chapter 4 Carrier Transport Phenomena Chapter 5 The pn Junction Chapter 6 Fundamentals of the MOS Transistor Chapter 7 The MOSFET: Additional Concepts Chapter 8 Nonequilibrium Excess Carriers in Semiconductors Chapter 9 The pn Junction Diode Chapter 10 The Bipolar Transistor Chapter 11 Additional Semiconductor Devices and Device Concepts Chapter 12 Optical Devices Appendix A Selected List of Symbols Appendix B System of Units, Conversion FActors, and General Constants Appendix C The Periodic Table Appendix D "Derivation" of Schrodinger's Wave Equation Appendix E Units of Energy-The Electron-Volt Appendix F Derivation of Density of States Function Appendix G Derivation of Shockley-Read-Hall Recombination Rates Appendix H Answers to Selected Problems
Evaluating CMIP5 models using AIRS tropospheric air temperature and specific humidity climatology

[1] This paper documents the climatological mean features of the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) monthly mean tropospheric air temperature (ta, K) and specific humidity (hus, kg/kg) products as part of the Obs4MIPs project and compares them to those from NASA's Modern Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) for validation and 16 models from the fifth phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) for CMIP5 model evaluation. MERRA is warmer than AIRS in the free troposphere but colder in the boundary layer with differences typically less than 1 K. MERRA is also drier (~10%) than AIRS in the tropical boundary layer but wetter (~30%) in the tropical free troposphere and the extratropical troposphere. In particular, the large MERRA-AIRS specific humidity differences are mainly located in the deep convective cloudy regions indicating that the low sampling of AIRS in the cloudy regions may be the main reason for these differences. In comparison to AIRS and MERRA, the sixteen CMIP5 models can generally reproduce the climatological features of tropospheric air temperature and specific humidity well, but several noticeable biases exist. The models have a tropospheric cold bias (around 2 K), especially in the extratropical upper troposphere, and a double-ITCZ problem in the troposphere from 1000 hPa to 300 hPa, especially in the tropical Pacific. The upper-tropospheric cold bias exists in the most (13 of 16) models, and the double-ITCZ bias is found in all 16 CMIP5 models. Both biases are independent of the reference dataset used (AIRS or MERRA).
Detention and desistance from crime: Evaluating the influence of a new generation jail on recidivism

New generation jails represent a fundamental reform to the structure and management style of traditional jails. Evaluations have investigated the effects of this innovation on the internal operations of detention facilities, although no study has yet examined the potential impact of new generation designs on the postrelease criminal behavior of inmates. Using a sample of 600 inmates housed under indirect or direct supervision, the present study began to address this issue. The results suggest that the new generation model does not increase recidivism and may reduce postrelease offending in some situations.
Higher Education in the Digital Age

"Higher Education in the Digital Age" (edited by William G. Bowen) is divided into two sections. The first section includes adaptations of Bowen's presentations at The Tanner Lectures at Stanford University in 2012. The second section includes discussion responses from respected colleagues, and Bowen's response to the same. This unique structure enables the reader to be involved as an insider to this debate - a witness not only to the author's assertions but also to the lively discourse that ensues in response. The reviewer feels this book is provocative in addressing pressing issues that can no longer be ignored. Bowen's assertion that the time at hand to begin a transformation is supported by research, and the data support the dire need for a resolution to the student debt crisis and productivity problem in higher education. The gaps in the research he presents, particularly involving MOOCs, invite technical researchers to take advantage of this timely opportunity, not only to continue the conversation but to seek solutions to the viability he proposes. Bowen?s concern that public opinion of higher education matters and his insistence that institutions and educators must come together to lead the change while they can is an important call to action for IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication readers in particular.
A regularly structured parallel multiplier with non-binary-logic counter circuits

This paper presents a low-power, high-performance and highly regular parallel multiplier architecture along with novel CMOS implementation circuits. The superiority is achieved through utilizing a unique scheme for recursive decomposition of partial product matrices and a recently proposed non-binary arithmetic logic, as well as the complementary shift switch parallel counters. The non-binary logic operates 4-bit state signals (representing integer ranging from 0 to 3), where no more than half of the signal bits are subject to value-change at any logic stage, thus reducing circuit power dissipation. The proposed 64/spl times/64-b parallel multiplier possesses the following distinct features: (1) generating 64 8/spl times/8-b partial product matrices, instead of a single large one as commonly adopted by the existing designs; (2) comprising only four stages of bit reductions: first, by 64 identical 8/spl times/8 small parallel multipliers; second, by 16 identical arrays of small (6,2) parallel counters; and for the remaining two stages, by 4 and 1 identical arrays of (6,2) parallel counters respectively. A family of shift switch parallel counters, including non-binary (5,3), (6,3) and complementary (3,2), (6,2) and (8,2), are proposed for the efficient bit reduction; (3) using a final adder significantly simpler than a traditional large final adder.
Evolution of the hedgehog Gene Family

Effective intercellular communication is an important feature in the development of multicellular organisms. Secreted hedgehog (hh) protein is essential for both long- and short-range cellular signaling required for body pattern formation in animals. In a molecular evolutionary study, we find that the vertebrate homologs of the Drosophila hh gene arose by two gene duplications: the first gave rise to Desert hh, whereas the second produced the Indian and Sonic hh genes. Both duplications occurred before the emergence of vertebrates and probably before the evolution of chordates. The amino-terminal fragment of the hh precursor, crucial in long- and short-range intercellular communication, evolves two to four times slower than the carboxyl-terminal fragment in both Drosophila hh and its vertebrate homologues, suggesting conservation of mechanism of hh action in animals. A majority of amino acid substitutions in the amino- and carboxyl-terminal fragments are conservative, but the carboxyl-terminal domain has undergone extensive insertion-deletion events while maintaining its autocleavage protease activity. Our results point to similarity of evolutionary constraints among sites of Drosophila and vertebrate hh homologs and suggest some future directions for understanding the role of hh genes in the evolution of developmental complexity in animals.
Pituitary response to metyrapone in Gulf War veterans: relationship to deployment, PTSD and unexplained health symptoms

Summary Objective Gulf War deployment has been associated with a distinct neuroendocrine profile characterized by low 24 h basal ACTH levels and enhanced cortisol and ACTH suppression to low-dose dexamethasone. The metyrapone stimulation test was performed to further characterize hypothalamic–pituitary activity in Gulf War veterans (GWV) and its relationship to unexplained medical symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method Eleven GWV without PTSD, 18 GWV with PTSD and 15 healthy subjects not exposed to the Gulf War theater (non-exposed) underwent the metyrapone stimulation test, which inhibits cortisol synthesis, impairs cortisol-mediated negative feedback inhibition and in turn increases levels of ACTH and 11-deoxycortisol, a cortisol precursor. These hormones were measured at baseline (7:00 a.m.) and at intervals (from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) following the administration of metyrapone 750 mg orally at 7:05 a.m. and at 10:05 a.m. Results There were group differences in the ACTH response despite similar cortisol and 11-deoxycortisol responses to metyrapone. GWV without PTSD had a significantly attenuated ACTH response compared to non-exposed subjects; GWV with PTSD had a significantly higher ACTH response than GWV without PTSD but did not differ from non-exposed subjects. Among GWV, unexplained medical health symptoms (e.g., neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiac, and pulmonary symptoms) and PTSD symptoms were significantly positively associated with the ACTH response to metyrapone. Conclusion Gulf War deployment is associated with a substantially lower ACTH response to metyrapone. In contrast, unexplained health symptoms and PTSD in Gulf War veterans are associated with relatively greater hypothalamic–pituitary activity which may reflect increased CRF activity and is evident only in consideration of deployment effects. This pattern of differences suggests either that Gulf War deployment and its associated exposures results in enduring changes in pituitary function or that reduced hypothalamic–pituitary activity protects against the development of PTSD and other deployment-related health problems.
Four-bar linkage modelling in teleost pharyngeal jaws: computer simulations of bite kinetics

The pharyngeal arches of the red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus) possess large toothplates and a complex musculoskeletal design for biting and crushing hard prey. The morphology of the pharyngeal apparatus is described from dissections of six specimens, with a focus on the geometric conformation of contractile and rotational elements. Four major muscles operate the rotational 4th epibranchial (EB4) and 3rd pharyngobranchial (PB3) elements to create pharyngeal bite force, including the levator posterior (LP), levator externus 3/4 (LE), obliquus posterior (OP) and 3rd obliquus dorsalis (OD). A biomechanical model of upper pharyngeal jaw biting is developed using lever mechanics and four-bar linkage theory from mechanical engineering. A pharyngeal four-bar linkage is proposed that involves the posterior skull as the fixed link, the LP muscle as input link, the epibranchial bone as coupler link and the toothed pharyngobranchial as output link. We used a computer model to simulate contraction of the four major muscles, with the LP as the dominant muscle, the length of which determined the position of the linkage. When modelling lever mechanics, we found that the effective mechanical advantages of the pharyngeal elements were low, resulting in little resultant bite force. By contrast, the force advantage of the four-bar linkage was relatively high, transmitting approximately 50% of the total muscle force to the bite between the toothplates. Pharyngeal linkage modelling enables quantitative functional morphometry of a key component of the fish feeding system, and the model is now available for ontogenetic and comparative analyses of fishes with pharyngeal linkage mechanisms.
HYBRID CLASSIFICATION: INSIGHTS FROM GENETIC MAP-BASED STUDIES OF EXPERIMENTAL HYBRIDS

Correct interpretations of hybridization phenomena rely on accurate methods of detecting hybrids and estimating genotypic classes. Multilocus molecular data sets have proved to be particularly useful for hybrid identification and genealogical reconstruction. One widely recognized limitation to this approach is that hybrid and parental genotypic classes often differ minimally in terms of expected marker numbers, and an extremely large number of molecular markers are required to distinguish between them. A more fundamental difficulty, and the focus of this study, concerns the potential for selection to bias marker numbers in hybrids, thus leading to faulty genealogical assignments. In this paper, we compare observed and expected marker numbers in 170 hybrids of known pedigree between two wild sunflower species, Helianthus annuus and H. petiolaris. All 170 hybrid plants had fewer H. petiolaris markers than the expected means. In fact, with the exception of two individuals, marker numbers were more consistent with pedigrees involving three to seven backcrossed generations, rather than the two generations of backcrossing actually employed. Although the implications of these data for genealogical reconstruction are discouraging, it is the actual genetic constitution of hybrids, not the pedigree, that is most predictive of their characteristics or behavior. Thus, we suggest that hybrids be classified either in terms of genetic relatedness or in terms of the admixture of parental-species genes they carry. Both represent simple approaches for generating biologically cohesive categories for ecological or comparative studies.
Intrinsic ultraviolet luminescence from Lu2O3, Lu2SiO5 and Lu2SiO5:Ce3+

Abstract Radioluminescence and thermally stimulated luminescence measurements on Lu 2 O 3 , Lu 2 SiO 5 (LSO) and Lu 2 SiO 5 :Ce 3+ (LSO:Ce) reveal the presence of intrinsic ultraviolet luminescence bands. Characteristic emission with maximum at 256 nm occurs in each specimen and is attributed to radiative recombination of self-trapped excitons. Thermal quenching of this band obeys the Mott–Seitz relation yielding quenching energies 24, 38 and 13 meV for Lu 2 O 3 , LSO and LSO:Ce, respectively. A second intrinsic band appears at 315 nm in LSO and LSO:Ce, and at 368 nm in Lu 2 O 3 . Quenching curves for these bands show an initial increase in peak intensity followed by a decrease. Similarity in spectral peak position and quenching behavior indicate that this band has a common origin in each of the samples and is attributed to radiative recombination of self-trapped holes, in agreement with previous work on similar specimens. Comparison of glow curves and emission spectra show that the lowest temperature glow peaks in each specimen are associated with thermal decay of self-trapped excitons and self-trapped holes. Interplay between the intrinsic defects and extrinsic Ce 3+ emission in LSO:Ce is strongly indicated.
Coexistent Fluid-Phase Equilibria in Biomembranes with Bending Elasticity

The theory of fluid surfaces with elastic resistance to bending is applied to coexistent phase equilibria in biomembranes composed of lipid bilayers. A simplified version of the model is used to simulate the necking and budding of closed vesicles.
On the stability of the dislocation substructure in quenched aluminium

Abstract Dislocation loops formed by quenching thin aluminium specimens in iced brine -were studied by the transmission electron microscope technique. As-quenched specimens contained loops 200 A to 600 A in diameter with a density of 1016 loops per cubic centimetre. Quenched-in loops were completely removed by heating to 200°c for ten minutes or by cold rolling to a 5% reduction in thickness. The disappearance of the loops was accompanied by an increase in the number of irregular kinked dislocation lines.
W-band sheet beam Extended Interaction Klystron (EIK)

A sheet-beam Extended Interaction Klystron (EIK) is being developed at W-band to demonstrate the enhanced power capability, compactness, and relatively high gain per unit length that have been predicted for the device. The EIK is powered by a 19.5-kV, 3.3-A sheet beam having dimensions of 0.32 mm × 4 mm. A beamstick for the device has achieved 98% current transport efficiency over a distance of 2 cm in a uniform magnetic field of 8.5 kG. Particle-in-cell simulations using MAGIC-3D and ICEPIC have predicted saturated output power of almost 10 kW from the EIK. A 3-cavity version of the device is predicted to have a saturated gain of >30 dB with an interaction efficiency of ∼16%. The spent-beam energy distribution is compatible with a depressed collector that can increase the overall efficiency to >30%.
Vectorization techniques for explicit arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian calculations

Abstract Vectorization techniques for explicit arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) calculations are described. Explicit finite element codes provide an efficient means for solving dynamic problems involving large deformations. The size of the timestep in an explicit calculation is restricted by the smallest dimension in the mesh. As a calculation progresses, the large deformations severely distort the elements and decrease the timestep size. ALE formulations are used to reduce the distortion in the mesh, which improves the accuracy of the solution while allowing a larger timestep size. Although Lagrangian calculations are readily vectorized, the Vectorization of ALE calculations is complicated. Material is transported between adjacent elements, and the standard finite element data structures do not contain the required connectivity data. This paper describes the necessary extensions to the finite element data structure, a method for vectorizing the assembly of the Lagrangian force vector (which is usually not vectorized in finite element programs), and recent work on the advection of momentum.