cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Green Element Method for Numerical Well Test Analysis

To use pressure transient test data in computerised methods for integrated reservoir charcterisation numerical simulations of the well tests are typically required. Numerical artifacts occurring in the simulation must be avoided as much as possible so that they do not adversely affect the reservoir characterisation. This work explores the advantages of a hybrid boundary element method known as the Green element method for modeling pressure transient tests. Boundary element methods are a natural choice for the problem because they are based on Green's functions, which are an established part of well test analysis The classical boundary element method is limited to single phase flow in homogeneous media. This works presents formulations which give computationally efficient means to handle heterogeneity. The accuracy of the scheme is further enhanced by incorporating singularity programming. Comparisons of the proposed Green element approach to standard finite difference simulation show that both methods are able to model the pressure change in the well over time. When pressure derivative is considered however the finite difference method produces very poor results which would give misleading interpretations. The Green element method in conjunction with singularity programming reproduces the derivative curve very accurately.
Deoxyribonucleic acid profiling by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis – a compilation of validation studies

In preparation for the application of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis methods to casework, validation studies were performed at the Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency (IMCFSA). They encompassed the following areas: standard specimens, sample consistency, reproducibility, mixed specimens, environmental insults, minimum sample requirements, non-probative casework, repetitive sizing accuracy, precision and match criteria analysis, and population studies including K562 data analysis. All studies yielded results as expected, were consistent with those previously reported by other laboratories, and formed a strong foundation on which to base future casework analysis.
Human amygdala responses during presentation of happy and neutral faces: correlations with state anxiety

Abstract Background Previous functional imaging studies demonstrating amygdala response to happy facial expressions have all included the presentation of negatively valenced primary comparison expressions within the experimental context. This study assessed amygdala response to happy and neutral facial expressions in an experimental paradigm devoid of primary negatively valenced comparison expressions. Methods Sixteen human subjects (eight female) viewed 16-sec blocks of alternating happy and neutral faces interleaved with a baseline fixation condition during two functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Results Within the ventral amygdala, a negative correlation between happy versus neutral signal changes and state anxiety was observed. The majority of the variability associated with this effect was explained by a positive relationship between state anxiety and signal change to neutral faces. Conclusions Interpretation of amygdala responses to facial expressions of emotion will be influenced by considering the contribution of each constituent condition within a greater subtractive finding, as well as 1) their spatial location within the amygdaloid complex; and 2) the experimental context in which they were observed. Here, an observed relationship between state anxiety and ventral amygdala response to happy versus neutral faces was explained by response to neutral faces.
Time Decay of the Remanent Magnetization in Spin-Glasses

The time decay of the thermoremanent magnetization (${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{TRM}}$) has been measured in 1.0% Cu: Mn and 2.6% Ag: Mn spin-glasses. It is shown that ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{TRM}}$ is neither an algebraic nor a logarithmic function of time, but it is found that ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{TRM}}$ can be characterized by a "stretched" exponential: ${\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{\mathrm{TRM}}={\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{0}\mathrm{exp}[\ensuremath{-}\frac{C{(\ensuremath{\omega}t)}^{1\ensuremath{-}n}}{(1\ensuremath{-}n)}]$. Similar time dependences appear in the disorder-diffusion theory of Grassberger and Procaccia and the cooperative-relaxation theory of Ngai, but neither theory in its present form is directly applicable to spin-glasses.
Immunochemical detection of antigens of larval Taenia solium and anti-larval antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with neurocysticercosis ☆

Abstract A simple and quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed for the detection of antigens of larval Taenia solium in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with cerebral cysticercosis. Another ELISA was developed for detecting antibodies in CSF against larval antigens. The examination of sixteen patients with clinical diagnosis of cerebral cysticercosis revealed that eleven patients had both circulating larval antigens and anti-larval IgG (but not IgM) antibodies in their cerebrospinal fluids. Of these patients, those with surgically and histologically confirmed infections were all positive by the two tests. CSF samples from nine normal individuals and from six patients suffering from proven neurological disorders other than neurocysticercosis were negative for both tests. In development of these assays it was found that cross-linking of antigens to microtiter plates further improved the performance of the ELISA. The results of this study suggest that either or both of these tests may be useful in discriminating between neurocysticercosis and other clinically related diseases.
Differential Modulation of CA1 and Dentate Gyrus Interneurons During Exploration of Novel Environments

Parallel recordings of hippocampal principal cells and interneurons were obtained as rats foraged in familiar and adjacent, novel environments. Firing rates of each cell type were assessed as a function of spatial location. Many CA1 interneurons exhibited large decreases in activity in the novel compared with the familiar environment. Dentate gyrus interneurons, however, were much more likely to exhibit large increases in firing in the novel environment. Neither effect was correlated with basic interneuron discharge properties such as degree of theta modulation, baseline firing rate or degree of spatially modulated discharge. Both CA1 and dentate gyrus interneuron rate changes extended into regions of the familiar environment bordering the novel environment. Principal cells in CA1 and dentate gyrus exhibited similar patterns of place specific activity each being indicative of incorporation of novel spatial information into the spatial representation of the familiar environment. The data indicate that inhibitory networks in the CA1 and dentate gyrus areas are modulated in a divergent fashion during the acquisition of novel spatial information and that interneuron activities can be used to detect those regions of an environment subject to redistribution of principal cell spatial activity patterns.
Aligning programming education between community colleges and universities

This paper discusses efforts to align Java programming education among Boston area community colleges and the University of Massachusetts Boston.Several forces have converged so that Java is the first programming language taught in most Secondary and Tertiary introductory programming courses. Teaching a common language should lead to clear articulation paths between institutions. However, we have found that students moving from one institution to another are not adequately prepared for subsequent programming courses, particularly at the University level.We have developed a multi-faceted, cooperative approach to improve this problem. We are developing a modular, problem-based approach that allows institutions flexibility while supporting student articulation. Our solution includes better inter-institution communication and cooperation, modification of curriculum and teaching methodologies at all levels, development of shared materials, and teacher training.This article describes our preliminary work and analysis. Later reports will discuss implementation of these recommendations.
Phosphodiesterase inhibition in heart failure

Drugs that inhibit cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase activity act to increase intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) content. In total, 11 families of these enzymes—which differ with respect to affinity for cAMP and cGMP, cellular expression, intracellular localization, and mechanisms of regulation—have been identified. Inhibitors of enzymes in the PDE3 family of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases raise intracellular cAMP content in cardiac and vascular smooth muscle, with inotropic and, to a lesser extent, vasodilatory actions. These drugs have been used for many years in the treatment of patients with heart failure, but their long-term use has generally been shown to increase mortality through mechanisms that remain unclear. More recently, inhibitors of PDE5 cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases have been used as cGMP-raising agents in vascular smooth muscle. With respect to cardiovascular disease, there is evidence that these drugs are more efficacious in the pulmonary than in the systemic vasculature, for which reason they are used principally in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Effects attributable to inhibition of myocardial PDE5 activity are less well characterized. New information indicating that enzymes from the PDE1 family of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases constitute the majority of cAMP- and cGMP-hydrolytic activity in human myocardium raises questions as to their role in regulating these signaling pathways in heart failure.
Subterranean Electronic Blues; or, How a Former Technophobe Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Multimedia.

One of the most salient features of the last decade has been the explosion of information technology. What does the proliferation of new media signify for academic historians? On the one hand, it offers tremendous possibilities for research and the sharing of data. On the other, as instructors and would-be public intellectuals, we find its impact on our culture alarming. I and my colleagues grumble about the visual orientation of our students and their corresponding lack of interest in the written word. Raised on MTv and Nintendo, many college students are acute analyzers of images and adept users of technology, but even the brightest sometimes have trouble following lectures and reading texts closely. Yet, the same technologies and visual information delivery systems offer new ways to reach our students. The following essay recounts my personal experiences as a former technophobe who "went electric" and incorporated multimedia technology into instruction with some success.
A 160-fps Embedded Lane Departure Warning System

In this paper, we discuss a Hough-transform based Lane Departure Warning system implemented on a high performance Texas Instruments' C6x DSP running at 600MHz. We discuss the DSP implementation aspects and demonstrate how architecture-aware design of highly optimized algorithms can produce a high performance system reaching up to 160 fps on a 720x480 video stream. The implementation was tested on several test video sequences captured using a front facing camera fitted on the front bumper of a car and tested as well as on synthetic videos. We obtained an overall accuracy of 99.1% detection rate with 5% false positives.
Precipitation of aluminum in the silicon phase contained in W319 and 356 aluminum alloys

Solidification of Al-Si alloys typically yields regions of a eutectic mixture of aluminum and silicon phases. In 319-type and 356 aluminum alloys, we have determined that a small percentage (10 to 25 pct) of the silicon phase contains small (10 to 15 nm) equiaxed precipitates of aluminum as identified by electron diffraction with an orientation relation to the silicon matrix: $$[001]_{Si} \parallel [111]_{Al} ;[111]_{Si} \parallel [001]_{Al} ;and(110)_{Si} \parallel (1\bar 10)_{Al} $$ . These precipitates are typically distributed in bands in the silicon and their morphology is insensitive to solidification time and subsequent heat treatments. Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis showed that, depending on the alloy, these precipitates contained aluminum, copper, and traces of oxygen.
DNA polymerase α and the regulation of entry into S phase in heterokaryons

We have previously reported that the DNA polymerase alpha activity/unit cellular protein is decreased in late-passage (senescent) human diploid fibroblast-like (HDFL) cultures due to the cellular enlargement associated with in vitro aging. In the studies described here, we have used cell fusion technology to investigate the formal kinetic relationship between the concentration of DNA polymerase alpha and the rate of reinitiation of DNA synthesis in nuclei from senescent cells. Heterokaryons were derived from the fusion of senescent cells to a series of actively dividing cell types with inherently different DNA polymerase alpha activities per cell. A kinetic analysis revealed a first-order relationship between the entry into S phase of senescent nuclei and the concentration of DNA polymerase alpha activity calculated to be in heterokaryons. This result suggests that increases in cell volume may be related to the decline in proliferative activity of late-passage HDFL cells, via "dilution" of factors essential for cellular replication.
The Pedicled TRAM Flap in Breast Reconstruction

The pedicled transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap remains a viable option in breast reconstruction. This article documents the history of the TRAM flap and puts in context the vascular anatomy through a discussion of the vascular zones. Options for flap delay are discussed and an algorithm is presented for patient selection. Finally, the issue of unipedicle versus bipedicle flap harvest is discussed and complications are examined.
Alterations in rat serum lipids and apolipoproteins following clofibrate treatment

The in vivo effects of the hypolipidemic drug clofibrate (0.5 mmol/kg body wt daily p.o. for 7 days) on serum lipids and apolipoproteins have been studied in male rats. Clofibrate caused an increase in liver weight without affecting body weight. Triglyceride, total and free cholesterol and HDL cholesterol were decreased in sera of clofibrate-treated rats. The relative abundance, and accordingly the absolute quantities, of the polyunsaturated fatty acids linoleic (18:2), linolenic (18:3) and docosahexenoic (22:6) in serum triglyceride decreased in response to clofibrate treatment. The concentrations of serum apolipoproteins A-I, B and C-III were reduced in clofibrate-treated rats. The apolipoprotein E level was not altered. The distribution of apolipoproteins A-I, B, C-III and E between heparin-Mn supernatant and precipitate were unaffected. The unchanged C-III distribution indicates unaltered intravascular VLDL catabolism. Concurrent reductions in serum HDL cholesterol and ApoA-I in clofibrate-treated rats suggest a diminished production of lipoprotein particles containing ApoA-I. Reductions in serum ApoB and in the mass ratio of serum triglyceride to ApoB indicate a decrease in the number and size, respectively, of circulating triglyceride-rich lipoprotein particles. These observations suggest that the hypolipidemic effect of clofibrate in the normolipemic rat is caused mainly by diminished hepatic secretion, rather than by enhanced catabolism, of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins.
Examining the effect of diverse management strategies on landscape scale patterns of forest structure in Pennsylvania using novel remote sensing techniques

We used novel remote sensing techniques to compare the landscape-scale patterns of forest structure in Pennsylvania, USA under the management of four different agencies with varying primary objecti...
On the use of dispersion measures from NAPM surveys in business cycle forecasting

Qualitative survey data on changes in production, inventory, new order, and employment collected every month by the National Association of Purchasing Managers are analysed over 1948–90. The Probability method we use generates time-series estimates of cross-section variabilities across firms. It is shown that these diffusion measures have additional explanatory power in the prediction of business cycle turning points.
Failure of Propranolol to Alter Thyroid Iodine Release, Thyroxine turnover, or the TSH and PRL Responses to Thyrotropin-Releasing Hormone in Patients with Thyrotoxicosis

A dual isotope method allowing simultaneous analysis of both endogenous thyroidal release and peripheral thyroxine disposal was employed in four patients with thyrotoxicosis before and during propranolol therapy (160 mg/day) to determine whether beta adrenergic blockade with this agent affected the secretion or metabolism of thyroid hormone. Since catecholamines may be involved in the regulation of both thyrotropin (TSH) and prolactin (PRL) release from the pituitary, the effect of propranolol on the TSH and PRL responses to thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) was also examined. In the dosage employed in these patients, propranolol had no demonstrable effect on either thyroid hormone secretion, the peripheral disposal of T4, or the TSH and PRL responses to TRH.
SU‐FF‐T‐109: Automation of Monte Carlo Simulations For A Proton Therapy System

Purpose: To develop a code system to automate the processes associated with Monte Carlo simulations of a clinical proton therapy system. Method and Materials: A software system was developed that accepts a clinical prescription (beam range, range modulation, and field size) and generates a complete Monte Carlo simulation input file that includes all major components in the M. D. Anderson passively scattered treatment head plus one of several user‐selectable phantoms. The simulations are automatically submitted to a 130 dual‐CPU cluster. Post processing scripts were also developed to analyze the simulation results and generate required configuration data for the Varian Eclipse treatment planning system. Quality assurance procedures, such as design inspection, unit test, incremental integration test, regression test, and integration test, were performed to ensure the code system produces correct results. The code system was written in mainly C language, with some shell scripts, and it runs on the LINUX operating system. Results: A code system has been developed to automatically generate MCNPX input files, run simulations and perform post‐processing of simulation results for a proton therapy system. The code system has been used to simulate dose profiles and generate required data for commissioning the M. D. Anderson proton therapy system. Over one thousand dose profiles were generated for different beam configurations by the code system in two months. Example beam data will be presented. Conclusion: The automated Monte Carlo code system has proved to be a useful tool for simulations of clinical applications in proton therapy. It allows for rapid modeling of proton therapy systems and the results of this study suggest that data from Monte Carlo simulations will play an increasingly prominent role in proton therapy projects, i.e., pre‐clinical design, commissioning studies and routine clinical tasks.
Perceptual gloss space BRDF projection, uniformity validation, and lightness distance metric

A perceptually uniform gloss space was defined in Pellacini et al. [2000] as a reparameterization of the Ward BRDF model. Two dimensions, distinctness-of-image gloss and contrast gloss, were found to be enough to describe gloss perception, and the CIELAB lightness function was added to represent the diffuse component.
Palaeobiological and sedimentological implications of fossil concentrations

Concentrations of fossil hardparts are common features of the stratigraphical record and are preferred collecting sites for most palaeontological data. Nonetheless, most investigations into the nature of the fossil record have analysed the biasing effects of selective hardpart transport and destruction1,2 rather than the consequences of the concentration process itself. Genetic classification is discouraged by the diverse origins of skeletal accumulations, which range from predator gastric residues to shelly shoals and biostratigraphically condensed deposits; concentrations can thus form over time intervals of a few minutes to hundreds of thousands of years. I show here that the close association of shell beds with stratigraphical discontinuities in Miocene shallow marine deposits of Maryland3,4 provides the basis of a model of skeletal accumulation cast entirely in terms of changes in net sedimentation. This simple sedimentological model is a surprisingly powerful predictor of post-mortem bias and ecological composition of fossil assemblages, suggesting that fossil-rich and fossil-poor strata are qualitatively different, both as repositories of palaeontological information and as settings for biotic interactions. Moreover, the apparent primary importance of rates of sedimentation in skeletal accumulation—despite emphasis usually placed on rates of hardpart input—suggests a new approach to inferring the detailed dynamics of sediment deposition and erosion in the formation of stratigraphical sequences.
Identification of human driver models in car following

This paper presents the development of two new mathematical models of driver behavior in single-lane car following situations. Optimum parameter values in each of these models were obtained using standard parameter identification algorithms. The basic approach to model development was to derive the model structure using optimal control theory. The problem was formulated as a model-tracking problem and a quadratic cost function was minimized. Model parameters were optimized by comparing model behavior with freeway data obtained on Interstate 71 in Ohio by Clear and Treiterer. The results indicate that the models fit the data very well during acceleration and deceleration phases, but not during constant velocity regions. To obtain a better fit during transitions between acceleration and deceleration phases, a second model was postulated based on the hypothesis that the driver tracks not only the car directly in front of him, but also cars directly ahead of the lead car. An adaptive controller structure with a mode switching algorithm has been derived and its parameters optimized.
MoMA and the three-legged stool: fostering creative insight in interactive system design

We view the design of interactive systems as a three-legged stool. The legs are: an understanding of technology, an understanding of the users and the use context, and creative insight. As the metaphor implies, if any of the legs is missing, the stool will not stand. Although much work has gone into the effort to develop tools and methodologies to enable programmers and designers to create outstanding applications, we believe the hard truth is that good design requires skill, and creative insight is an essential ingredient that must be recognized and supported. Although it is difficult to manage, plan for, and control insight and creativity, we can create an atmosphere in which creative insight is encouraged, recognized and valued. In this design study, we offer guidelines for creating this environment and present some examples of their application to a project on which we are currently working with The Museum of Modern Art in New York. The project explores learning by ddiscovery and grows out of our research into cognitive HCI.
Moving object prediction for off-road autonomous navigation

The realization of on- and off-road autonomous navigation of Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGVs) requires real-time motion planning in the presence of dynamic objects with unknown trajectories. To successfully plan paths and to navigate in an unstructured environment, the UGVs should have the difficult and computationally intensive competency to predict the future locations of moving objects that could interfere with its path. This paper details the development of a combined probabilistic object classification and estimation theoretic framework to predict the future location of moving objects, along with an associated uncertainty measure. The development of a moving object testbed that facilitates the testing of different representations and prediction algorithms in an implementation-independent platform is also outlined.
The Future of Operations Research in the Government

The crucial thrust of this report develops some ideas about how operations research and management science may increase their effective participation in high level governmental decision making. The opportunity confronting operations research to participate actively in charting the future of our society is one of the greatest opportunities offered to any field of science today. This report will consider the components of the gross national product as an aid in measuring the potential for using operations research as a resource allocation tool, will enumerate briefly on a few of the high level governmental operations research positions, and will consider the discipline in legislation and planning. Several recommendations conclude the report. Two main problems to be considered are the following: 1. What are these large scale issues to which OR can make a contribution? 2. From what organizational base can OR have the greatest impact---both on policy and its implementation?
Chaos‐based forecast of sunspot cycle 24

[1] We forecast the maximum average Wolf number for both the recent sunspot cycles 22 and 23 and the forthcoming cycle 24 by combining attractor reconstruction techniques, a transformation of variables to a symmetric space, and a simple, yet effective, nonlinear prediction algorithm. For the earlier cycles, the results are quite successful. For the latter, we expect the peak of the cycle to occur in the first quarter of 2011 with Wolf number of 145 ± 7.
Anatomy of Schizophrenia Revisited

The search for an anatomy of schizophrenia has engendered an enormous, almost indigestible mass of data. In no studies do all patients show the same deviations from control samples. No morphological or microscopic abnormality has been found that is either necessary or sufficient for the diagnosis. In contrast to epilepsy, in which a proliferation of excitatory pathways or inadequate inhibitory factors are paramount, schizophrenia may represent a genetically and age-determined elaboration of one or more inhibitory networks in response to specific physiological events (e.g., the increased neuronal activity in limbic and hypothalamic structures during the physiological events of puberty) or to brain injury or defect. Current diagnostic classifications, including the positive-negative categories, have not led to separation of the disorder into etiologically or pathologically similar subgroups. Analysis of morphological and other biological pathology by a different nosological principle, such as trajectory of the illness, and separate correlation of anatomical and other biological outliers with clinical and demographic factors may be more successful strategies than pooling and averaging results from a mixture of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia.
Intertooth patterns of hypoplasia expression: Implications for childhood health in the Classic Maya collapse

Enamel hypoplasias, which record interacting stresses of nutrition and illness during the period of tooth formation, are a key tool in the study of childhood health in prehistory. But interpretation of the age of peak morbidity is complicated by differences in susceptibility to stress both between tooth positions and within a single tooth. Here, hypoplasias are used to evaluate the prevailing ecological model for the collapse of Classic Period Lowland Maya civilization, circa AD900. Hypoplasias were recorded in the full dentition of 160 adult skeletons from six archaeological sites in the Pasion River region of Guatemala. Instead of constructing a composite scale of stress experience, teeth are considered separately by position in the analysis. No statistical differences are found in the proportion of teeth affected by hypoplasia between ''Early,'' Late Classic, and Terminal Classic Periods for anterior teeth considered to be most susceptible to stress, indicating stability in the overall stress loads affecting children of the three chronological periods. However, hypoplasia trends in posterior teeth may imply a change in the ontogenetic timing of more severe stress episodes during the final occupation and perhaps herald a shift in child-care practices. These results provide little support for the ecological model of collapse but do call to attention the potential of posterior teeth to reveal subtle changes in childhood morbidity when consideredindividually.AmJPhysAnthropol102:233-247,1997 r 1997Wiley-Liss,Inc.
Iron diffusion and electrical conductivity in magnesio-wüstite solid solutions (Mg, Fe)O

Abstract Diffusion of 59 Fe and electrical conductivity in magnesio-wustite solid solution (Mg x Fe 1− x )O with x = 0.26 and 0.5 have been measured as a function of temperature and oxygen partial pressure. For both solid solutions, the results show that at 1100°C the diffusivity D of 59 Fe is directly proportional to p o2 1 6 , whereas the electrical conductivity σ is directly proportional to p o2 1 3.4 . At a given temperature and oxygen partial pressure, the value of D decreases with an increase in MgO concentration in the solid solution. The results are discussed in terms of the coexistence of variously ionized cation vacancies and their change in concentration with MgO additions.
Continuous femoral blocks improve recovery and outcome of patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty

This study was designed to determine the effects of continuous femoral infusion (CFI) on total knee arthroplasty recovery. A total of 92 patients were distributed in 3 groups: Patients in group 1 received general anesthesia followed by patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with morphine (n = 33), patients in group 2 received 3-in-1 and sciatic blocks followed by CFI (n = 29), and patients in group 3 received epidural analgesia (n = 30). Blocks reduced postoperative morphine requirement by 74% (vs group 1; P<.05) and 35% (vs group 3; P<.05). Blocks provided better recovery than PCA with morphine or an epidural. The use of CFI was associated with a reduction of postoperative bleeding by 72% (vs group 1; P<.05) and allowed better performance on continuous passive motion. CFI was associated with a 90% decrease in serious complications and a 20% decrease in the length of hospitalization. CFI represents a better alternative than PCA or epidural analgesia for postoperative pain management and immediate rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty.
Sex-specific consequences of life in the city

The vast majority of species are excluded from human-dominated landscapes, but some species persist and appear to thrive, despite facing challenges they would not encounter in less disturbed habitat. Corticosteroid (cort) secretion may play a significant role in enabling an animal to cope with urban breeding habitat because it helps mediate physiological and behavioral responses to environmental challenges. Here we present tests of 3 hypotheses relating to cort secretion in urban animals: 1) environmental challenges vary between urban and rural habitat, as reflected in differing levels of cort secretion in animals breeding in these habitat types, 2) there are fitness correlates associated with variation in cort levels within populations, and 3) parasite load is one of the mechanistic links between variation in cort levels and reproductive success. Male white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) in urban habitat had significantly higher baseline corticosterone levels than males in rural habitat, whereas female Z. leucophrys' hormone levels did not differ between the 2 habitat types. To assess the fitness correlates of variation in hormone levels, we monitored seasonal reproductive success in one urban population and found that baseline corticosterone levels were predictive of female, but not male, reproductive success: females with higher corticosterone fledged fewer offspring. Data do not suggest a direct relationship between corticosterone levels and fitness and instead indicate an indirect relationship between hormone secretion, territory quality, body condition, and reproductive success. Females with blood parasites had lower heterophil:lymphocyte ratios, lower body condition scores, fewer mates, and fledged fewer offspring than females without parasites. In contrast, parasites did not negatively affect reproductive success in males but were associated with reduced body condition. Corticosterone levels did not differ between birds with and without parasites. In tests of all 3 of our hypotheses, we found sex-specific effects, highlighting the importance of considering sex in investigation of physiological responses to disturbance. Copyright 2007.
In Vivo Anti-HIV Activity of the Heparin-Activated Serine Protease Inhibitor Antithrombin III Encapsulated in Lymph-Targeting Immunoliposomes

Endogenous serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are anti-inflammatory mediators with multiple biologic functions. Several serpins have been reported to modulate HIV pathogenesis, or exhibit potent anti-HIV activity in vitro, but the efficacy of serpins as therapeutic agents for HIV in vivo has not yet been demonstrated. In the present study, we show that heparin-activated antithrombin III (hep-ATIII), a member of the serpin family, significantly inhibits lentiviral replication in a non-human primate model. We further demonstrate greater than one log10 reduction in plasma viremia in the nonhuman primate system by loading of hep-ATIII into anti-HLA-DR immunoliposomes, which target tissue reservoirs of viral replication. We also demonstrate the utility of hep-ATIIII as a potential salvage agent for HIV strains resistant to standard anti-retroviral treatment. Finally, we applied gene-expression arrays to analyze hep-ATIII-induced host cell interactomes and found that downstream of hep-ATIII, two independent gene networks were modulated by host factors prostaglandin synthetase-2, ERK1/2 and NFκB. Ultimately, understanding how serpins, such as hep-ATIII, regulate host responses during HIV infection may reveal new avenues for therapeutic intervention.
Negative Binomial Distribution ‐ Applications

The negative binomial distribution is widely used to analyze count data. In environmentrics, one is frequently interested in summarizing the changes in the abundance of particular organisms in the environment either for protection or impact assessment. For example, monitoring the safety of a drinking water source is based on the estimation of the density of an indicator bacteria from the number of organisms found in several water samples. Another example is the estimation of the abundance of threatened species and the impact of habitat changes on their numbers in ecological conservation.
Use of echocardiography in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: clinical implications of massive hypertrophy.

We examined the 10-year outcome of 107 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and massive myocardial hypertrophy as assessed by echocardiography. These patients demonstrated excess mortality in comparison with their expected survival with respect to a general population of individuals (10-year survival 77% vs 95%, P
It Adds Up After All: Kant's Philosophy of Arithmetic in Light of the Traditional Logic

Officially, for Kant, judgments are analytic iff the predicate is “contained in” the subject. I defend the containment definition against the common charge of obscurity, and argue that arithmetic cannot be analytic, in the resulting sense. My account deploys two traditional logical notions: logical division and concept hierarchies. Division separates a genus concept into exclusive, exhaustive species. Repeated divisions generate a hierarchy, in which lower species are derived from their genus, by adding differentia(e). Hierarchies afford a straightforward sense of containment: genera are contained in the species formed from them. Kant's thesis then amounts to the claim that no concept hierarchy conforming to division rules can express truths like ‘7 + 5=12.’ Kant is correct. Operation concepts (> 7+5 >) bear two relations to number concepts: >7 5 12> is output. To capture both relations, hierarchies must posit overlaps between concepts that violate the exclusion rule. Thus, such truths are synthetic.
Fusion of state estimates over long-haul sensor networks with random loss and delay

In long-haul sensor networks, remote sensors are deployed to cover a large geographical area, such as a continent or the entire globe. Related applications can be found in military surveillance, air traffic control, greenhouse gas emission monitoring, and global cyber attack detection, among others. In this paper, we consider target monitoring and tracking using a long-haul sensor network, wherein the state and covariance estimates are sent from the sensors to a fusion center that generates a fused state estimate. Long-haul communications over submarine fibers and satellite links are subject to long latencies and/or high loss rates, which lead to lost or out-of-order messages. These in turn may significantly degrade the fusion performance: Fusing fewer state estimates may compromise the accuracy of the fused state, whereas waiting for all estimates to arrive may compromise its timeliness. We propose an online selective linear fusion method to fuse the state estimates based on projected information contribution from the pending data. Using both prediction and retrodiction techniques, our scheme enables the fusion center to opportunistically make decisions on when to fuse the estimates, thereby achieving a balance between accuracy and timeliness of the fused state. Simulation results of a target tracking application show that our scheme yields accurate and timely fused estimates under variable communications delay and loss conditions.
The Effect of Flash Freezing on Variability in Spinal Cord Compression Behavior

The compression behavior of spinal cord tissue is important for understanding spinal cord injury mechanics but has not yet been established. Characterizing compression behavior assumes precise specimen geometry; however, preparing test specimens of spinal cord tissue is complicated by the extreme compliance of the tissue. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of flash freezing on both specimen preparation and mechanical response and to quantify the effect of small deviations in specimen geometry on mechanical behavior. Specimens of porcine spinal cord white matter were harvested immediately following sacrifice. The tissue was divided into two groups: partially frozen specimens were flash frozen (60 s at -80 degrees C) prior to cutting, while fresh specimens were kept at room temperature. Specimens were tested in unconfined compression at strain rates of 0.05 s(-1) and 5.0 s(-1) to 40% strain. Parametric finite element analyses were used to investigate the effect of specimen face angle, cross section, and interface friction on the mechanical response. Flash freezing did not affect the mean mechanical behavior of the tissue but did reduce the variability in the response across specimens (p<0.05). Freezing also reduced variability in the specimen geometry. Variations in specimen face angle (0-10 deg) resulted in a 34% coefficient of variation and a 60% underestimation of peak stress. The effect of geometry on variation and error was greater than that of interface friction. Taken together, these findings demonstrate the advantages of flash freezing in biomechanical studies of spine cord tissue.
Invariant U2 RNA Sequences Bordering the Branchpoint Recognition Region Are Essential for Interaction with Yeast SF3a and SF3b Subunits

U2 small nuclear RNA (snRNA) contains a sequence (GUAGUA) that pairs with the intron branchpoint during splicing. This sequence is contained within a longer invariant sequence of unknown secondary structure and function that extends between U2 and I and stem IIa. A part of this region has been proposed to pair with U6 in a structure called helix III. We made mutations to test the function of these nucleotides in yeast U2 snRNA. Most single base changes cause no obvious growth defects; however, several single and double mutations are lethal or conditional lethal and cause a block before the first step of splicing. We used U6 compensatory mutations to assess the contribution of helix III and found that if it forms, helix III is dispensable for splicing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. On the other hand, mutations in known protein components of the splicing apparatus suppress or enhance the phenotypes of mutations within the invariant sequence that connect the branchpoint recognition sequence to stem IIa. Lethal mutations in the region are suppressed by Cus1-54p, a mutant yeast splicing factor homologous to a mammalian SF3b subunit. Synthetic lethal interactions show that this region collaborates with the DEAD-box protein Prp5p and the yeast SF3a subunits Prp9p, Prp11p, and Prp21p. Together, the data show that the highly conserved RNA element downstream of the branchpoint recognition sequence of U2 snRNA in yeast cells functions primarily with the proteins that make up SF3 rather than with U6 snRNA.
The Evolving Role of Epoetin Alfa in Cancer Therapy

Since its initial indication as hormone-replacement therapy in the anemia of chronic kidney disease, epoetin alfa has become a mainstay of therapy for chemotherapy-related anemia. Clinical studies have shown that epoetin alfa administered once weekly or three times weekly improves hemoglobin levels, decreases transfusion requirements, and improves quality of life independent of tumor response to chemotherapy. Ongoing research is now evaluating ways to improve the response rate to epoetin alfa, the potential benefits of alternative dosing regimens and early treatment intervention, and nonanemia-related indications (e.g., cognitive impairment, asthenia). In addition, scientists are exploring the role of epoetin alfa in preventing apoptosis and ischemic brain injury, as well as its activity in other nonerythroid tissues. Thus, the role of epoetin alfa is likely to expand in the cancer setting in the coming years. The Oncologist 2004;9:97-107
Perspectives on the pathways for cadmium telluride photovoltaic module manufacturers to address expected increases in the price for tellurium

Abstract Since the days of the technology's conception, concerns have been voiced over potential supply constraints of Tellurium that could limit the large-scale deployment of the Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) solar photovoltaic technology. Because any potential supply-demand imbalance created by a Tellurium constraint would manifest itself in the form of a price increase (a trend that was already seen prior to the 2012 downturn in PV manufacturing), we have rigorously examined the sensitivity of total CdTe module manufacturing prices to the price of this minor metal. We found that module manufacturers could conceivably absorb a gradual increase in Te prices up to an order of magnitude higher than what was typical for 2011 without significantly compromising their near to mid-term competitive position within the PV industry (viewed here to be a $0.70/W module price)—if the pace of improvements in module power conversion efficiencies and reductions in the CdTe layer thickness is rapid enough. Realizing gains in module-area efficiencies while, at the same time, also reducing the CdTe thickness is certainly technically challenging and merits its own line of research. However, in order to accommodate up to an order of magnitude increase in Te prices while still keeping the cost of the active layer to a reasonable $0.15/W range, we find that the cost benefits gained by reducing the absorber layer thickness are expected to be as significant as those provided by efficiency gains alone. Realizing the optimistic target of 18% efficient modules with 1.0 μm of CdTe could reduce the Te material intensity from today's requirement of around 74 metric tonnes (MT) per GW to 17 MT/GW; even so, we estimate that CdTe PV is likely to be material constrained to around 10 GW of annual production by 2020 unless new sources of Tellurium—beyond traditional copper byproduct sources at the current 55% recovery rate—come online. The economics of this mineral are such that a higher price offering is a necessary precondition in order to motivate enhanced recovery rates from copper mining, and for future direct mining projects.
Failure of Prostaglandin Inhibition to Attenuate the Tolerance to Hemorrhage in Domestic Chicken

Abstract Domestic fowl have been shown to have the ability to withstand severe hemorrhage. Recent studies in mammals have suggested that prostaglandin hormones may be beneficial during hemorrhagic shock. It has been reported that chickens have high circulating levels of prostaglandins. Anesthetized chickens were stressed by the removal of 45% of their estimated total blood volume. When compared to controls, neither prostaglandin inhibition with indomethacin or meclofenamate decreased the ability of these animals to tolerate hemorrhage. Changes in mean arterial pressure following hemorrhage were not altered by prostaglandin inhibition. These data demonstrate that prostaglandins are not responsible for the tolerance to hemorrhage observed in domestic fowl.
Multiplicative Utility Functions

This paper presents sufficient conditions for a multiattribute utility function to be either multiplicative or additive. The number of requisite assumptions to imply the main result is equal to the number of attributes. Because the assumptions involve only trade-offs between two attributes at a time or lotteries over one attribute, it is reasonable to expect that decision makers can ascertain whether these assumptions are appropriate for their specific problems. Procedures are given for verifying the assumptions and assessing the resulting utility functions. The paper concludes with a sketch of a recent application of the results to a six-attribute problem relating to the development of Mexico City's airport facilities.
NAECON08 grand challenge entry using the belief filter in audio-video track and ID fusion

The IEEE NAECON2008 Challenge Problem competition was to observe, monitor, and determine the cause-effect relations in an audio-video data set. Acoustic-to-visual fusion establishes the relationships of events much as the human brain associates spatial-temporal audio and video feature data. A machine, like a human, can infer from the audio (hear) and the video (see) the cognitive processing relationships between perception and judgment using standard figures of merit (FOM). After downloading the data sets, a series of signal processing, image fusion, and tracking methods were applied to extract salient features for a belief filter (BF) to determine the cause-effect event of ball movement on a suspended object.
Entrepreneurship and the West in East Asian Economic and Business History

The nations of East Asia share a common cultural heritage, but there is a marked difference in their adaptation to the modern world. During the past century Japan has been distinguished by enormous economic development, while China has experienced profound political turmoil. East Asian historiography reflects this trend. One can compile an outstanding bibliography on economic growth in Japan, and Japan's recent challenge to American business has prompted scholars to probe more subtly the business organization and managerial practices of that country. As for China, although there are numerous studies on political revolution, there are only a few studies on business history. This special issue of the Business History Review has helped to fill this gap in scholarship.