cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
From image formation to image representation: the human visual system preserves the hierarchy of 2-dimensional pattern regularity

Symmetries are present at many scales in images of natural scenes, due to a complex interplay of physical forces that govern pattern formation in nature. The importance of symmetry for visual perception has been known at least since the gestalt movement of the early 20th century. Since then, symmetry has been shown to contribute to the perception of shapes, scenes and surface properties, as well as the social process of mate selection. In the two spatial dimensions relevant for images, the four fundamental symmetries, reflection, rotation, translation and glide reflection, can be combined in 17 distinct ways, the "wallpaper" groups. The 17 wallpaper obey a hierarchy of complexity, determined by mathematical group theory, where simpler groups are sub-groups of more complex ones. Here we use Steady-State Visual Evoked Potentials (SSVEPs) to measure responses to the complete set of wallpaper groups, and present a complete description of the neural basis of symmetry. We find that activity in human visual cortex is remarkably consistent with the hierarchical relationships between the wallpaper groups. Specifically, the amplitudes of symmetry-specific responses in individual participants (n=25) preserve these relationships at an above-chance level in 88.3% (53 out of 60) of cases. Visual cortex thus encodes all the fundamental symmetries using a representational structure that closely approximates the subgroup relationships from group theory. Given that most participants had no knowledge of group theory, the ordered structure of visual responses to wallpaper groups is likely learned implicitly from regularities in the visual environment.
Abstract 037: Cost-effectiveness of Financial Incentives for Improving Diet Through Medicare and Medicaid

Background: While economic incentives through health insurance are being considered to promote healthy behaviors, little is known about health or financial impacts of incentivizing diet, a leading ...
Planting Depth in Containers Affects Root Form and Tree Quality

Abstract After 40 months in air root pruning containers, Quercus virginiana ‘SDLN’ Cathedral Oak® live oak planted 3.8 and 8.9 cm (1.5 and 3.5 in) deep from rooted cuttings had greater caliper than trees planted at 1.3 cm (0.5 in) below substrate surface. Trees in the 1.3 cm (0.5 in) deep treatment grew taller than all other trees except for those in the 3.8 cm (1.5 in) deep treatment. Most (80%) trees were graded as culls according to root evaluations in the Florida Grades and Standards for Nursery Stock. This resulted mostly from roots circling and crossing the top of the root ball in the #3 and/or #15 container sizes. Trees planted 6.4 cm (2.5 in) deep in #3s, then 6.4 cm deep in #15s, and 6.4 cm deep in #45s [19 cm (7.5 in) total depth] had fewer, smaller diameter, and deeper primary roots than trees planted at all other depths. The presence of a trunk flare and surface roots decreased with increasing planting depth indicating that these could be used as an indicator of primary root depth. Cathedral O...
Implementing Micro-Heterogeneous Computing: Abstracting Auxiliary Processors in a Multi-Process OS.

Computer systems employing heterogeneous special or limited purpose computation components can achieve higher performance with less power dissipation than those using only general-purpose processors. In order to effectively harness these advantages, an application must be tailored to a specific combination of computational components unless an abstraction layer exists to provide flexibility between different target computers. Herein is presented an implementation of Micro-Heterogeneous Computing, a framework which provides abstraction of underlying hardware and the scheduling and load balancing necessary in a multi-user computer system.
Intestinal Nematode Infections

This article discusses strongyloidiasis, hookworm infection, trichostrongyliasis, ascariasis, trichuriasis (whipworm infection), and enterobiasis (pinworm infection). For each infection, the author describes the organism, the epidemiology and geographic distribution, symptomatology and pathogenesis, and diagnosis and treatment.
The Post-Truth Double-Helix: Reflexivity and Mistrust in Local Politics

Post-truth politics —the term has achieved buzzword status, arguably with good reason. After all, the Trump presidential campaign was built on a foundation of demonstrably false statements and unproven allegations of conspiracy. However, the concept of post-truth politics currently lacks a firm conceptual foundation. This article, therefore, defines and explicates the concept of post-truth politics, drawing primarily on the work of Jodi Dean, Marc Andrejevic, and Anthony Giddens. With this refined definition, I apply the concept to examine a recent political debate over a proposed streetcar line in Arlington, Virginia. A brief conclusion discusses the political and ethical implications of the Arlington streetcar case and explores prospects for future conceptual development
TCTAP C-033 "Mother-in-child" Thrombectomy Technique in a Young Man with Acute Myocardial Infarction and Large Thrombus Burden Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention

### Patient Initials or Identifier Number NND ### Relevant Clinical History and Physical Exam Male, 31-year-old, hospitalization with typical angina 4 hours before. History: smoking 20 cigarettes per day for 10 years use marijuana 1 week recently Examine: Glasgow 15 points heart rate 90 bpm
The Remote Explorer IV: An Autonomous Vessel for Oceanographic Research

Since the 2014 RobotX competition, we have modified our WAM-V, christened REx 4, to perform ocean science missions. Larger motors and the addition of a winch enable the vehicle to operate further from its base of operations at the MIT Sailing Pavilion. New autonomy software reduces the operator’s workload. Over the last few years, the vehicle has operated in the Charles River, Neponset River, Boston Harbor, and Massachusetts Bay. Our goal is to achieve autonomous operation of the vehicle in most of the waterways we have access to so that REx 4 can act as a force multiplier for ocean scientists. In this paper, we discuss the hardware, software, missions, and lessons learned related to REx 4.
Accelerated decline in cognition in a mouse model of increased oxidative stress

Mice deficient in the antioxidant enzyme Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (Sod1KO mice) have a significant reduction in lifespan, exhibit many phenotypes of accelerated aging, and have high levels of oxidative stress in various tissues. Age-associated cognitive decline is a hallmark of aging and the increase in oxidative stress/damage with age is one of the mechanisms proposed for cognitive decline with age. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine if Sod1KO mice exhibit an accelerated loss in cognitive function similar to that observed in aged animals. Cognition was assessed in Sod1KO and wild type (WT) mice using an automated home-cage testing apparatus (Noldus PhenoTyper) that included an initial discrimination and reversal task. Comparison of the total distance moved by the mice during light and dark phases of the study demonstrated that the Sod1KO mice do not show a deficit in movement. Assessment of cognitive function showed no significant difference between Sod1KO and WT mice during the initial discrimination phase of learning. However, during the reversal task, Sod1KO mice showed a significantly greater number of incorrect entries compared to WT mice indicating a decline in cognition similar to that observed in aged animals. Markers of oxidative stress (4-Hydroxynonenal, 4-HNE) and neuroinflammation [proinflammatory cytokines (IL6 and IL-1β) and neuroinflammatory markers (CD68, TLR4, and MCP1)] were significantly elevated in the hippocampus of male and female Sod1KO compared to WT mice. This study provides important evidence that increases in oxidative stress alone are sufficient to induce neuroinflammation and cognitive dysfunction that parallels the memory deficits seen in advanced aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
Hospitals should act now to notify patients about research use of their data and biospecimens.

Private industry is increasingly soliciting hospitals to sell or share health data and biospecimens, but current laws offer more disclosure and consent protections for research participants than for patients receiving clinical care. Hospitals can offer more protections than required by law, however, and should move toward greater transparency with their patients about the research use of clinical health data and biospecimens to respect patients and avoid distrust.
Association Between Sleep Disturbances and Suicide Risk Among Firefighters: the Moderating Role of Mindfulness

Firefighters are at increased risk for suicide. The evaluation of correlates of suicide risk among firefighters is necessary to inform evidence-based prevention efforts. Firefighters are chronically exposed to traumatic events and sleep disturbances (e.g., shift work) given the nature of the occupation. Thus, the aims of this study were to examine (a) the association of sleep disturbances with suicide risk among firefighters after controlling for occupational stress, trauma load, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms and (b) whether mindfulness moderates the association of sleep disturbances with suicide risk. Participants were 865 firefighters working for a fire department located in a large city in the southern USA. Hierarchical linear regression analyses were conducted. Findings indicated that firefighters who reported greater sleep disturbances reported increased risk of suicide (β = .19, p < .001), after controlling for covariates. Moderation analyses indicated that higher levels of the mindfulness facets of acting with awareness (β = − .15, p < .001) and nonjudging of inner experiences (β = − .23, p < .001) as well as overall mindfulness (β = − .10, p < .01) significantly reduced the magnitude of the association of sleep disturbances with suicide risk. Conversely, the observing facet of mindfulness (β = .17, p < .001) strengthened the association between sleep disturbances and suicide risk. Preventive interventions for suicide among firefighters might incorporate evidence-based sleep interventions and mindfulness-based practices with an emphasis on improving skills in acting with awareness and accepting without judgment.
A Pl\"ucker coordinate mirror for type A flag varieties

We introduce a superpotential for partial flag varieties of type $A$. This is a map $W: Y^\circ \to \mathbb{C}$, where $Y^\circ$ is the complement of an anticanonical divisor on a product of Grassmannians. The map $W$ is expressed in terms of Plucker coordinates of the Grassmannian factors. This construction generalizes the Marsh--Rietsch Plucker coordinate mirror for Grassmannians. We show that in a distinguished cluster chart for $Y$, our superpotential agrees with earlier mirrors constructed by Eguchi--Hori--Xiong and Batyrev--Ciocan-Fontanine--Kim--van Straten. Our main tool is quantum Schubert calculus on the flag variety.
Rumen and Serum Metabolomes in Response to Endophyte-Infected Tall Fescue Seed and Isoflavone Supplementation in Beef Steers

Fescue toxicosis impacts beef cattle production via reductions in weight gain and muscle development. Isoflavone supplementation has displayed potential for mitigating these effects. The objective of the current study was to evaluate isoflavone supplementation with fescue seed consumption on rumen and serum metabolomes. Angus steers (n = 36) were allocated randomly in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments including endophyte-infected (E+) or endophyte-free (E−) tall fescue seed, with (P+) or without (P−) isoflavones. Steers were provided a basal diet with fescue seed for 21 days, while isoflavones were orally administered daily. Following the trial, blood and rumen fluid were collected for metabolite analysis. Metabolites were extracted and then analyzed by UPLC-MS. The MAVEN program was implemented to identify metabolites for MetaboAnalyst 4.0 and SAS 9.4 statistical analysis. Seven differentially abundant metabolites were identified in serum by isoflavone treatment, and eleven metabolites in the rumen due to seed type (p < 0.05). Pathways affected by treatments were related to amino acid and nucleic acid metabolism in both rumen fluid and serum (p < 0.05). Therefore, metabolism was altered by fescue seed in the rumen; however, isoflavones altered metabolism systemically to potentially mitigate detrimental effects of seed and improve animal performance.
Alterations of mesenchymal stromal cells in cerebrospinal fluid: insights from transcriptomics and an ALS clinical trial

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been studied with increasing intensity as clinicians and researchers strive to understand the ability of MSCs to modulate disease progression and promote tissue regeneration. As MSCs are used for diverse applications, it is important to appreciate how specific physiological environments may stimulate changes that alter the phenotype of the cells. One need for neuroregenerative applications is to characterize the spectrum of MSC responses to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) environment after their injection into the intrathecal space. Mechanistic understanding of cellular biology in response to the CSF environment may predict the ability of MSCs to promote injury repair or provide neuroprotection in neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we characterized changes in morphology, metabolism, and gene expression occurring in human adipose-derived MSCs cultured in human (hCSF) or artificial CSF (aCSF) as well as examined relevant protein levels in the CSF of subjects treated with MSCs for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Our results demonstrated that, under intrathecal-like conditions, MSCs retained their morphology, though they became quiescent. Large-scale transcriptomic analysis of MSCs revealed a distinct gene expression profile for cells cultured in aCSF. The aCSF culture environment induced expression of genes related to angiogenesis and immunomodulation. In addition, MSCs in aCSF expressed genes encoding nutritional growth factors to expression levels at or above those of control cells. Furthermore, we observed a dose-dependent increase in growth factors and immunomodulatory cytokines in CSF from subjects with ALS treated intrathecally with autologous MSCs. Overall, our results suggest that MSCs injected into the intrathecal space in ongoing clinical trials remain viable and may provide a therapeutic benefit to patients.
Letter by Andreotti et al regarding article, "Hemoglobin level, chronic kidney disease, and the risks of death and hospitalization in adults with chronic heart failure: the Anemia in Chronic Heart Failure: Outcomes and Resource Utilization (ANCHOR) study".

To the Editor: We read with interest the study by Go and colleagues1 in which the authors report that among 59 772 adults with chronic heart failure, hemoglobin concentrations ([Hb]) <13 g/dL and glomerular filtration rates (GFR) <45 mL/min per 1.73 m2 significantly predicted an increased risk of dying during the next 7 years (independently of each other, of age, and of left ventricular systolic function) compared with [Hb] of 13.0 to 13.9 g/dL and GFR ≥60 mL/min per 1.73 m2. The …
Episodic versus Chronic Dizziness: An Analysis of Predictive Factors:

Objectives:To elucidate differences in demographic and clinical characteristics between patients with episodic and chronic dizziness.Methods:A cross-sectional, observational study of 217 adults ref...
Answering a Call to Action on American Workplace and Community Opioid Concerns

Leidos, Inc. is a large government science and technology company. When a Leidos employee lost his son to an opioid overdose, he wrote an impassioned email to the CEO, asking him to take action rel...
Addressing Racism in Research Can Transform Public Health

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a declaration reflecting what many already realized: racism is a threat to public health and a fundamental cause of health inequity in the United States. In 2020, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Urban Institute released a series of reports to highlight the lack of data on maternal outcomes disaggregated by race and ethnicity, the link of pandemic-related changes to maternity care and preexisting inequities, and opportunities to improve maternal health equity after the pandemic.2 Before COVID-19, the United States was already experiencing a maternal morbidity and mortality crisis, and systemic racism has been a key driver of disparate maternal health outcomes. [...]supporting the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum to implement the Data Equity Project created an opportunity to engage community leaders across the country, including community public health organizations and social justice advocates, to address health challenges and provide local and regional community organizations with the tools, training, and organizational capacity building needed to advance health equity.5 Beyond the research itself, we must think critically about who interprets the results. Expanding the Bench offers a network and pipeline for diverse evaluators and builds demand among funders for those practicing culturally responsive and equitable evaluation.6 These evaluations must comprehensively assess the research, including whether the research methods or approaches started with culturally appropriate planning and design, set a goal to advance equity, developed cocreated questions with the community meant to benefit from the research, amplified the voice of the community in data collection and disaggregated the data for various populations in the community, and validated the findings with the community.
The strange career of bilingual education in Texas, 1836-1981

Despite controversies over current educational practices, Texas boasts a rich and vibrant bilingual tradition - and not just for Spanish-English instruction, but for Czech, German, Polish, and Dutch as well. Over the course of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, Texas educational policymakers embraced, ignored, rejected, outlawed, then once again embraced this tradition. In The Strange Career of Bilingual Education in Texas, 1836-1981, Carlos Kevin Blanton traces the educational policies and their underlying rationales, from Stephen F. Austin's proposal in the 1830s to "Mexicanize" Anglo children by teaching them Spanish along with English and French, through the 1981 passage of the most encompassing bilingual education law in the state's history. Drawing on primary materials, Blanton presents the Texas experience in light of national trends and movements, such as Progressive Education, the Americanization Movement, and the Good Neighbor Movement. By tracing the many changes that eventually led to the re-establishment of bilingual education in its modern form in the 1960s and the 1981 passage of a landmark state law, Blanton reconnects Texas with its bilingual past.
Fast k-means algorithms with constant approximation

In this paper we study the k-means clustering problem. It is well-known that the general version of this problem is $\mathcal{NP}$-hard. Numerous approximation algorithms have been proposed for this problem. In this paper, we proposed three constant approximation algorithms for k-means clustering. The first algorithm runs in time $O(({{k}\over{\epsilon}})^{k}nd)$, where k is the number of clusters, n is the size of input points, d is dimension of attributes. The second algorithm runs in time O(k3n2log n). This is the first algorithm for k-means clustering that runs in time polynomial in n, k and d. The run time of the third algorithm (O(k5 log3kd)) is independent of n. Though an algorithm whose run time is independent of n is known for the k-median problem, ours is the first such algorithm for the k-means problem.
A FUNDER'S GUIDE TO USING EVIDENCE OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS IN SCALE-UP DECISIONS

Foundations and other private funders increasingly seek opportunities to “scale impact” — that is, to extend the benefits of cost-effective interventions to more people, either by expanding these efforts in their current locations or by replicating them in new locations. However, the effect that funders seek to have on vexing social problems, such as entrenched poverty, the educational achievement gap, and health disparities, will not materialize unless they can identify interventions that truly work and then support sustained, high-quality implementation of these interventions as they scale up.There should be a high bar of reliable evidence to justify substantial scale-up because the stakes are high: Many lives will be affected, substantial funding is typically involved, and valuable resources can be wasted if funders back the wrong interventions. Nevertheless, funders often act without sufficient evidence to guide decisions on whether to invest in particular scale-up opportunities, as well as to confirm that the scale-ups they do support have been successful.This Guide provides funders with practical advice on how to think about and use evidence of effectiveness when considering investments in scale-up opportunities. The Guide does not seek to turn private funders into evaluation experts or to delve into the methodological details of particular research approaches. Rather, the focus is on the right questions that funders should ask and the pitfalls they should avoid, including how to recognize the limitations of certain kinds of evidence. The Guide is divided into three sections:Section I, Eight Key Questions to Ask Throughout the Scale-Up Process, presents what funders should look for to determine whether programs are effective. These questions provide the building blocks for the discussion in the following section.Section II, Application of the Eight Questions to Scale-Up Decisions, shows how the questions apply to the different stages of a program’s evidence-building and scale-up.Section III, Next Steps for the Field, highlights some remaining challenges for the field to consider in using evidence of effectiveness to guide scale-up decisions.
Theoretical and experimental study of flow-control devices for inlets of indraft wind tunnels

The design of closed circuit wind tunnels has historically been performed using rule of thumb which have evolved over the years into a body of useful guidelines. The development of indraft wind tunnels, however, has not been as well documented. The design of indraft wind tunnels is therefore generally performed using a more intuitive approach, often resulting in a facility with disappointing flow quality. The primary problem is a lack of understanding of the flow in the inlet as it passes through the required antiturbulence treatment. For wind tunnels which employ large contraction ratio inlets, this lack of understanding is not serious since the relatively low velocity of the flow through the inlet treatment reduces the sensitivity to improper inlet design. When designing a small contraction ratio inlet, much more careful design is needed in order to reduce the flow distortions generated by the inlet treatment. As part of the National Full Scale Aerodynamics Complex Modification Project, 2-D computational methods were developed which account for the effect of both inlet screens and guide vanes on the test section velocity distribution. Comparisons with experimental data are presented which indicate that the methods accurately compute the flow distortions generated by a screen in a nonuniform velocity field. The use of inlet guide vanes to eliminate the screen induced distortion is also demonstrated both computationally and experimentally. Extensions of the results to 3-D is demonstrated and a successful wind tunnel design is presented.
Structure and biological function of human IgD: XV. Biological potential of IgD-bearing cells from cord blood, and normal human adults

Abstract Specifically purified intact IgG anti-human δ or F(ab′) 2 anti-δ stimulated the in vitro incorporation of [ 3 H]thymidine by cord blood and adult human peripheral blood lymphocytes. The magnitude of stimulation was unrelated to the increased frequency of IgD-bearing cells observed in cord blood over that seen in adult blood. Purified T cells lacked the capacity to undergo mitogenesis when incubated with anti-δ antibody. Of special interest was the lack of anti-δ enhancement of phytohemagglutinin (PHA) responsiveness of cord blood lymphocytes that is often observed when adult peripheral blood lymphocytes are treated with anti-δ, then PHA. This observation could be interpreted as indicating: (a) that the anti-δ-activated neonatal B cells, or their lymphokines, were preferentially activating a population of suppressor cells, which in turn prevented the PHA-augmentation usually seen with adult cells, (b) that the neonatal B cells do not possess the T cell-augmenting capacity or, (c) that the neonate lacks a subpopulation of T cells that can be acted upon by the B-cell or B-cell factors.
Inhibition of Differentiation in Dictyostelium discoideum by Anti-Inflammatory Drugs. Dictyostelium/development/eicosanoid inhibitors/cyclic AMP.)

Evidence is presented that a panel of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit both developmental gene expression and terminal cell differentiation in the slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. Incubation of developing cells with a number of these drugs also prevents the accumulation in the cells of two lipid species which have chromatographic properties similar to authentic eicosanoids. The results raise the possibility that Dicytostelium cells synthesize eicosanoid-like lipids which are required for normal development.
Measurement of fifth- and seventh-order susceptibilities of glasses using two-beam coupling

Two-beam coupling is used to determine higher-order nonlinearities of several glasses with a range of absorption edges. We observe evidence of fifth-order and present the first observation of seventh-order susceptibilities in glasses.
Adapting Cell-Based Assays to the High-Throughput Screening Platform: Problems Encountered and Lessons Learned

In recent years, cell-based phenotypic assays have emerged as an effective and robust addition to the array of assay technologies available for drug discovery in the high throughput screening arena. Previously, biochemical target-based assays have been the technology of choice. With the emergence of stem cells as a basis for a new screening technology, it is important to keep in mind the lessons that have been learned from the adaptation of existing stable cell lines onto the high throughput screening drug discovery platform, with special consideration being given to assay miniaturization, liquid handling complications and instrument-introduced artifacts. We present an overview of the problems encountered with the implementation of multiple cell-based assays at the High Throughput Screening Center at Southern Research Institute as well as empirically defined effective solutions to these problems. These include examples of artifacts induced by temperature differences throughout the screening campaign, cell plating conditions including the effect of room temperature incubation on assay consistency, DMSO carry-over, and incubator induced artifacts.
Investigating the effects of a set of intercorrelated variables on eye fixation durations in reading.

The present experiment investigated the influence of 5 intercorrelated variables on word recognition using a multiple regression analysis. The 5 variables were word frequency, subjective familiarity, word length, concreteness, and age of acquisition (AoA). Target words were embedded in sentences and eye tracking methodology was used to investigate the predictive power of these variables. All 5 variables were found to influence reading time. However, the time course of these variables differed. Both word frequency and familiarity showed an early but lasting influence on eye fixation durations. Word length only significantly predicted fixation durations after refixations on the target words were taken into account. This is the 1st experiment to demonstrate concreteness and AoA effects on eye fixations.
Commander's Intent and Distributed Collaborating Teams

The concept of Effects-Based Operations (EBO) in distributed environments exemplify the challenges being faced by teams of today's war fighters in interpreting and understanding Commander's Intent (CI) in the face of often competing requirements and emerging operational events. Theory suggests that delivery of Commander's Intent with an authoritative expression goal statement will facilitate encoding of explicit memory which will in turn impact the development of shared mental models. When the team's shared mental model is improved and aligned, we expect greater self-synchronization and performance. We conduct an experiment to study team behavior in a gaming environment with two different CI statements. We find significant improvement in team process measures when teams are presented with a CI statement containing an authoritative expression.
K -Shell Auger Transition Rates and Fluorescence Yields for Elements Ar-Xe

We use calculated Auger and radiative transition rates to compute $K$-shell fluorescence yields for $18\ensuremath{\le}Z\ensuremath{\le}54$. The calculated fluorescence yields are generally higher than the most recent measurements (by as much as 8%). In addition we compare the calculated Auger rates with measured $\mathrm{KLL}$ and $\mathrm{KLM}$ intensities, the calculated $\mathrm{KLL}$ total yield with other calculations, and the calculated $\frac{\mathrm{KLX}}{\mathrm{KLL}}$ and $\frac{\mathrm{KXY}}{\mathrm{KLL}}$ ratios with measurements.
Trypanosoma brucei: fluxes of the morphological variants in intact and X-irradiated mice.

Abstract The number of dividing, slender, intermediate, and stumpy forms of Trypanosoma brucei in the blood of inbred mice changed daily. In both intact mice and mice which were exposed to whole body X-irradiation before infection, slender and dividing forms predominated during the first 72 hr of infection, and the number of intermediate and stumpy forms increased to a maximum between 72 and 140 hr. The rate at which stumpy forms accumulated in the blood and the number of these forms which eventually circulated were the same in both groups. However, the fluxes in the number of slender and dividing forms differed in intact and X-irradiated mice. In intact mice, the number of dividing forms in the blood decreased between 72 and 140 hr, and the number of slender forms decreased between 96 and 140 hr. In X-irradiated mice, the number of both these forms increased throughout infection. Electrophoresis of serum proteins and agglutination tests showed that X-irradiation severely depressed the ability of the mice to make antibody. Homogenates of spleen and bone marrow of intact mice contained many dividing forms throughout the infection. It is concluded that although host antibody does not directly induce the transformation of slender forms into stumpy forms, it may influence the morphological composition of the peripheral blood population of trypanosomes in several ways.
Risk of domestic violence after flood impact: Effects of social support, age, and history of domestic violence

Community professionals observed an increase in domestic violence during the aftermath of the 1997 Grand Forks flood. In the past, research has documented emotional symptoms which result from natural disaster, and separate studies have observed domestic violence to result from these same emotional symptoms. No research was found, however, specifically on the effects of natural disaster on domestic violence. The purpose of the current study was to test the effects of a model of variables on domestic violence, including flood impact, the emotional symptoms, as well as other intervening variables which might act as a buffer against the effects of flood impact. Results of this cross-sectional survey of 140 Grand Forks adults indicated that domestic violence was significantly greater among respondents after the flood. Flood impact led to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and hostility. Whether these emotional symptoms subsequently led to increased domestic violence depended on the level of social support, the age of the respondent, and whether he/she had a history of domestic violence before the flood. Those with lower social support, the elderly, and those with a prior history of violence were most affected. The results have implications for work with the elderly, with domestic violence treatment and prevention programs, and with communities affected by flood.
Factors influencing international fashion retailers' entry mode choice

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a theory‐based framework that informs a fashion retailer's entry mode choice into a foreign market.Design/methodology/approach – Aspects of transaction cost, bargaining, resource based, and internationalization theories were integrated to develop a conceptual framework for fashion retailers determining the best entry mode to foreign markets. Propositions were developed, which serve as bridge laws, bridging the gap between the theories and the investigation of fashion retailers' entry mode choice. A case study was used to demonstrate applicability of the developed propositions.Findings – Three groups of factors were identified that influence entry mode choice in the fashion retail market: firm‐specific factors of asset specificity, brand equity, financial capacity, and international experience; country‐specific factors of country risk, cultural distance, and government restrictions; and market‐specific factors of market potential and market competition. Nin...
Resource allocation schemes for minimum ber transmission in OFDM systems

The OFDM transmission scheme is an efficient technique to overcome frequency-selective nature of wireless broadband channels. Different from existing methods which largely focus on data rate maximizaiton, in this paper we investigate resource allocation schemes to improve bit error rate (BER) performance in a point-to-point OFDM system subject to both throughput and transmit power constraints. Specifically, we optimize power and rate for each subcarrier to minimize the average BER of the system with total power and rate constraints. Beside numerical results, which compare the performance of different schemes, we develop some suboptimal methods with low computational complexity and closed form formula to be used in practical implementation.
What changes are needed to keep vascular surgery alive and vigorous

To keep vascular surgery alive and vigorous, we need to regain our preeminence as the principal therapists for patients with aneurysms, carotids, and occlusive disease of the lower extremities. We must regain the sense of excitement about our specialty and refocus training for residents and practicing surgeons toward those skills necessary to provide the full range of therapies at the highest level. Attaining these goals will require embracing, obtaining, and applying endovascular expertise throughout the vascular workforce. We can no longer moan and whine over encroachments into our turf by nonsurgeons. We must make our own opportunities. Changes in our attitude, our identity, and our structure will be necessary to do so. Our ability to make change will depend upon our values, defined as the judgment as to whether we remain a derivative of our general surgical roots (with continued emphasis on improved quality from traditional operations) or embrace the disruptive technology of endoluminal therapy as the next iteration of vascular surgical practice. We cannot do both because the preparation for the latter precludes the former. We are at a crossroads because if we accept endovascular technologies as critical to our future, our path is clear.
Dethermalization Theory: Thermal/Dielectric Analogy for Heat Flow Through Porosity in Composites

The flow of heat in solids has long been known to possess an electric current analogy applicable to both steady state and transient flows. In the present work we assume a vector analogy between Fourier’s law and the classical electric displacement to develop a method of handling distributed porosity in composite materials subject to heat flow in a way analogous to dealing with distributed dielectric regions in solids subject to an external electric field. The effect of the geometry of “depolarization” regions in an electric displacement field and “demagnetization” regions in a magnetizing field can be carried over to the effect of “dethermalization” regions in a heat-flux field. The analogy provides a simple analytic way of determining the effects of porosity shape on thermal conductivity which can be significant and can violate the usual law of mixtures approach. For uniformly distributed porosity of known aspect ratio in a given region, the volume-fraction porosity of the region can then be evaluated from a simple measurement of the thermal diffusivity. This approach was originally successfully tested over a limited range of variables when the model was developed and has recently been validated to good accuracy over a large range of porosity aspect ratios.
Generators of middle- and long-latency auditory evoked potentials: implications from studies of patients with bitemporal lesions.

Abstract We recorded middle- and long-latency auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) in 5 patients (ages 39–72 years) with bilateral lesions of the superior temporal plane. Reconstructions of CT sections revealed that primary auditory cortex had been damaged bilaterally in four of the patients, while in the fifth an extensive left hemisphere lesion included primary auditory cortex while a right hemisphere lesion had damaged anterior auditory association areas but spared primary auditory cortex. Normal middle-latency AEPs (MAEPs) were recorded at the vertex electrode in all of the patients. In 3 of the 5 patients, MAEPs also showed normal coronal scalp distributions and were comparable in amplitude following stimulation of either ear. Two patients showed abnormalities. In one case, Na (latency 17 msec)-Pa (latency 30 msec) amplitudes were reduced over both hemispheres following stimulation of the ear contralateral to the more extensive lesion. In another, with both subcortical and cortical involvement, the Pa was abolished over the hemisphere with the more extensive lesion. Long-latency AEPs were normal in 2 patients whose lesions were largely confined to the superior temporal plane. In 2 patients with lesions extending into the inferior parietal lobe, N1s were abolished bilaterally. In the fifth patient, the N1 showed a slight reduction over the hemisphere with the more extensive lesion. Middle- and long-latency AEPs were differentially affected by some lesions. For example, patients with absent N1s could produce normal Pas. A review of these results and those of previous studies of bitemporal patients suggests that abnormalities in middle- and long-latency AEPs do not necessarily reflect damage to primary auditory cortex per se, but rather the degree of damage to adjacent areas. Abnormalities in MAEPs are associated with subcortical lesions, or cortical lesions extensive enough to denervate thalamic projection nuclei. Abnormalities in the long-latency N1 reflect lesion extension into the multi-modal areas of the inferior parietal lobule. This area appears to exert a critical modulatory influence over N1 generators outside of the superior temporal plane.
γ-Aminobutyric Acid Type A (GABAA) Receptor α Subunits Play a Direct Role in Synaptic Versus Extrasynaptic Targeting

GABAA receptors (GABAA-Rs) are localized at both synaptic and extrasynaptic sites, mediating phasic and tonic inhibition, respectively. Previous studies suggest an important role of γ2 and δ subunits in synaptic versus extrasynaptic targeting of GABAA-Rs. Here, we demonstrate differential function of α2 and α6 subunits in guiding the localization of GABAA-Rs. To study the targeting of specific subtypes of GABAA-Rs, we used a molecularly engineered GABAergic synapse model to precisely control the GABAA-R subunit composition. We found that in neuron-HEK cell heterosynapses, GABAergic events mediated by α2β3γ2 receptors were very fast (rise time ∼2 ms), whereas events mediated by α6β3δ receptors were very slow (rise time ∼20 ms). Such an order of magnitude difference in rise time could not be attributed to the minute differences in receptor kinetics. Interestingly, synaptic events mediated by α6β3 or α6β3γ2 receptors were significantly slower than those mediated by α2β3 or α2β3γ2 receptors, suggesting a differential role of α subunit in receptor targeting. This was confirmed by differential targeting of the same δ-γ2 chimeric subunits to synaptic or extrasynaptic sites, depending on whether it was co-assembled with the α2 or α6 subunit. In addition, insertion of a gephyrin-binding site into the intracellular domain of α6 and δ subunits brought α6β3δ receptors closer to synaptic sites. Therefore, the α subunits, together with the γ2 and δ subunits, play a critical role in governing synaptic versus extrasynaptic targeting of GABAA-Rs, possibly through differential interactions with gephyrin.
Chronic Ethanol Self-Administration in a Continuous-Access Operant Situation: The Use of a Sucrose/Ethanol Solution to Increase Daily Ethanol Intake

Abstract The addition of sucrose to an ethanol solution increases both limited- and continuous-access ethanol consumption. The present study examined if the increased intakes in a continuous-access condition could produce withdrawal signs indicating physical dependence on ethanol. Rats were maintained in a continuous-access operant situation in which one lever press on one lever resulted in the presentation of a food pellet, whereas one lever press on a second lever presented 0.1 ml of fluid in a dipper. Water was available from a drinking spout. Ten rats received a 10% sucrose/20% ethanol mixture in the dipper and six rats 10% sucrose. After 30 days the animals were tested for withdrawal signs after 8 h without ethanol using an activity test and response to key shaking. They were then given an additional 30 days of access to the solutions and retested for withdrawal. This was followed by a final 30 days of access and a third withdrawal test. Over the 90 days, the sucrose/ethanol group consumed 8–10 g of ethanol per kilogram of body weight per day. Over this time both groups gained weight. At the third withdrawal test, a significant reduction in activity occurred in the ethanol-drinking group, compared with the sucrose group. No severe withdrawal effects were observed to the key shake test. The results suggest that the higher ethanol intakes previously observed using this sucrose/ethanol solution can be maintained over long periods of time. Although this intake was not sufficient to produce severe withdrawal signs, the results suggest that longer exposure might result in more severe ethanol dependence.
Absolute phase effect in ultrafast optical responses of metal nanostructures

We predict that nonlinear ultrafast electron photoemission by strong optical fields and, potentially, other nonlinear optical responses of metal nanostructures significantly depend on the absolute (carrier–envelope) phase of excitation pulses. Strong enhancement of the local optical fields produces these responses at excitation intensities lower by order(s) of magnitude than for known systems. Prospective applications include control of ultrafast electron emission and electron injection into nanosystems. A wider class of prospective applications is the determination of the absolute phase of pulses emitted by lasers and atoms, molecules, and condensed matter at relatively low intensities.
Downward spirals of body surveillance and weight/shape concern among African American and Caucasian college women

Within dominant American culture, females often learn to view themselves from an observer's perspective and to treat themselves as objects to be looked at (i.e., self-objectification), which can result in negative outcomes. Body surveillance (the indicator of self-objectification) has been found to predict concern with weight/shape in predominantly Caucasian samples, but research has not yet examined the potential reciprocal relations between body surveillance and weight/shape concern. Participants were 226 women attending a Midwestern university (70 self-identified as African American and 156 as Caucasian) who provided data at two time points, spaced about 5 months apart. Results revealed that downward spirals of body surveillance and weight/shape concern were apparent for the Caucasian but not the African American women. However, there was evidence that body surveillance helped account for change in weight/shape concern for the African American women.
Teaching Mineralogy, Petrology, and Geochemistry New Directions at the Intersection of Research about Earth and Research on Learning

New advances in cognitive psychology and learning science provide insights into how people construct knowledge, with important implications for how we learn from, and teach about, the Earth. Research on learning has demonstrated that effective instructional practices require students to construct their own knowledge bases (i.e. a shift in emphasis from teaching to learning), address diverse student learning styles, employ a variety of active-learning strategies, and encourage inquiry and discovery. These emerging principles provide a context for us to reflect collectively on what and how we teach in our mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry courses. If we are to meet the challenges of the 21st century, our new instructional goal should be to develop students who are lifelong learners and who use the knowledge base, technical skills, and cognitive strategies that are used by “master” geoscientists. As a result, we will help sustain the long-term health and relevance of the mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry community.
Model-based user interface design by example and by interview

Model-based user interface design is centered around a description of application objects and operations at a level of abstraction higher than that of code. A good model can be used to support multiple interfaces, help separate interface and application, describe input sequencing in a simple way, check consistency and completeness of the interface, evaluate the interface’s speed-of-use, generate context-specific help and assist in designing the interface. However, designers rarely use computer-supported application modelling today and prefer less formal approaches such as story boards of user interface prototypes. One reason is that available tools often use cryptic languages for the model specification. Another reason is that these tools force the designers to specify the application model before they can start working on the visual interface, which is their main area of expertise. We present the Interactive User Interface Design Environment (Interactive UIDE), a novel framework for concurrent development of the application model and the user interface which combines story-boarding and model-based interface design. We also present Albert, an intelligent component within this framework, which is able to infer an application model from a user interface and from an interview process with the designer.
The decline of euro M&A

When the European community adopted the euro as a common currency, pundits were optimistic. It was supposed to open the way for beneficial mergers. But much of the expected merger mania never materialized. What happened? © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.