cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structure-property behaviour of sol-gel derived hybrid materials: effect of a polymeric acid catalyst

Abstract Poly(styrene sulphonic acid) is used to prepare ceramers based upon poly(tetramethylene oxide) oligomers and tetraethyl orthosilicate. These hybrid network materials prepared by sol-gel processing demonstrate the successful use of a polymeric acid catalyst to prepare these previously described optically clear hybrid materials. The mechanical properties of the polymeric acid-catalysed ceramers are improved over systems of the same composition catalysed with HCl. The loss dispersion behaviour of these materials as well as general morphological features, evaluated by small-angle X-ray scattering, are quite similar to those of the ceramers catalysed with HCl. Some comparisons of their thermogravimetric behaviour are also made.
Enhanced delegation forwarding in delay tolerant networks

Delay tolerant network (DTN) is a sparse wireless mobile network that does not guarantee a path between a source and a destination at any time. In DTN, one critical issue is to reliably deliver data with low latency. In an N-node network, naive forwarding approaches such as flooding and its derivatives make the routing cost very high ( ). Recently, an approach called delegation forwarding (DF) caught significant attention in the research community because it reduces the cost to while maintaining good performance. In this paper, we enhance the DF algorithm by proposing a probability delegation forwarding (PDF) that further reduces the cost to and a threshold-based probability delegation forwarding (TPDF) that closes the latency gap between DF and PDF. Simulation results show that both PDF and TPDF can achieve similar delivery ratio as DF at a lower cost if p is not too small.
Effect of short-term glucocorticoids on serum osteocalcin in healthy young men.

Young healthy men were studied during brief treatment with prednisone to determine the rapidity of the effects of glucocorticoids on serum osteocalcin. Seven subjects were given 60 mg of prednisone orally at 8 a.m. on 5 consecutive days. Serum osteocalcin fell to 68% of the pretreatment level within 24 hours after the first dose was administered (p less than 0.01) and reached a nadir of 37% of baseline between 48 and 96 hours after treatment was begun (p less than 0.005). When prednisone was discontinued, serum osteocalcin returned promptly to pretreatment levels. Similar, though less marked, effects were found with lower doses of prednisone. Serum osteocalcin was not different from baseline after 5 mg of prednisone in five subjects, but after treatment of five subjects each with 10, 15, or 20 mg of prednisone, osteocalcin levels were 83%, 78%, and 74% of baseline, respectively (p less than 0.05). Serum osteocalcin levels fell rapidly with glucocorticoid administration, indicating that the effects of glucocorticoids on bone cells may be demonstrated long before clinical evidence of osteoporosis becomes apparent.
Diagnosis and Management of Type II Myocardial Infarction: Increased Demand for a Limited Supply of Evidence

Type 2 myocardial infarction (type 2 MI) is defined as myocardial necrosis that results from an imbalance of myocardial oxygen supply and demand. Although type 2 MI is highly prevalent and strongly associated with mortality, the pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Discrepancies in definitions, frequency of screening, diagnostic approaches, and methods of adjudication lead to confusion and misclassification. To date, there is no consensus on the diagnostic criteria for type 2 MI. No guidelines exist for the optimal management of this condition, and further investigation is urgently needed. This review explores the existing evidence on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, prognosis, and management of type 2 MI.
Partition of lanthanum and neodymium metals and chloride salts between molten cadmium and molten LiCl-KCl eutectic

Abstract The distribution of lanthanum and neodymium between a molten cadmium pool and molten LiCl-KCl eutectic was measured over the temperature range 753–788 K. Lanthanum and neodymium metals in amounts more than sufficient to form a saturated solution were added to cadmium, then progressively oxidized to salt-soluble trichlorides by additions of cadmium chloride. In the early stages of oxidation a solid metal phase existed; it can be described as a solid solution of LaCd 11 and NdCd 11 . A regular solution solubility parameter of −1990±390 (±2 σ ) was derived for the solid solution. In the later stages of oxidation only an unsaturated solution of lanthanum and neodymium in cadmium existed. Lanthanum was slightly more easily oxidized than neodymium; a separation factor of 2.5±1.1 was measured.
Signal-LO frequency offset tolerance under tight filtering for PM-QPSK using all-digital compensation

We investigate the signal-LO frequency offset tolerance of PM-QPSK under tight filtering using all-digital compensation. For frequency offsets of 0.32× symbol rate, the additional receiver electrical bandwidth can be as low as 0.13× symbol rate.
Calculated effect of propeller twist in a DNA polymer on its absorption in the far-infrared region.

A base pair in DNA comprises two ringed planar structures joined together by hydrogen bonds. The opposite rotation of these two structures about their lengthwise axis is referred to as propeller twist. We examine the effect of propeller twist on our calculation of the far-infrared absorption in a homopolymer DNA, specifically, B poly(dA)-poly(dT). In our previous calculation [Phys. Rev. A 39, 3173 (1989)], we found agreement with experimental infrared data except for one mode. We now give evidence that this mode may be due to the propeller-twist conformation.
Long case or case vignettes: a comparison of two instructional methods in inpatient geriatrics for medical students.

The varied, atypical manifestations of geriatric syndromes make knowledge transfer the ability to extend knowledge from one context to another a particularly relevant concept. The authors hypothesized that multiple, contrasting short cases, by facilitating knowledge transfer, would improve knowledge more than a single long case in geriatric medicine. The authors’ objective was to assess the impact of two instructional methods (a single long case vs. contrasting short cases) on knowledge and knowledge retention among 3rd-year medical students on their Internal Medicine-Geriatrics Clerkship. They participated in the curriculum which consisted of four weekly mandatory sessions covering five content areas based on a systematic needs assessment. Instructional method alternated by month. Knowledge and knowledge retention were measured using an online multiple-choice question test administered before, immediately after, and one year following the curriculum. Students also completed a demographic survey prior to ...
The role of cerebrovascular disease in dementia.

BACKGROUND–Improvements in health care over the last 50 years have lengthened average life expectancy significantly, resulting in considerable growth of the population over 65 years of age. With increased age, however, comes an increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and the prevalence of AD is
Cardiovascular magnetic resonance depiction of quadricuspid pulmonary valve with associated pulmonary regurgitation and pulmonary artery aneurysm.

A 51-year-old man, whose history included an unspecified early-childhood valvular procedure, presented with shortness of breath. An echocardiogram revealed normal left ventricular function and mild-to-moderate pulmonary regurgitation with turbulent flow, but we were unable to further characterize the pulmonary valve on the basis of those images. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) images (Figs. 1 and ​and2)2) showed a quadricuspid pulmonary valve with 3 equal-sized cusps and a rudimentary 4th cusp, incomplete cusp coaptation with a jet of mild pulmonary regurgitation, marked aneurysmal enlargement in the main and left pulmonary artery, no evidence of a prosthetic pulmonary valve, and normal biventricular function. Fig. 1. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance steady-state free-precession sequence shows closure (arrow) of 3 pulmonary valve cusps of equal size and 1 smaller, poorly formed cusp. Pulmonary valvular motion was also apparent throughout the cardiac cycle. Fig. 2. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance steady-state free-precession sequence of the pulmonary outflow tract shows the pulmonary artery aneurysm (arrow). Pulmonary valvular motion was also apparent.
Business Research and Chinese Patriotic Poetry: How Competition for Status Distorts the Priority Between Research and Teaching in U.S. Business Schools

Competition for status among U.S. business schools has obliterated any evident connection between research productivity and the furtherance of any praiseworthy social, practical, or intellectual va...
VIRALLY INDUCED MEMBRANE PERMEABILITY CHANGES AS A POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN INFLUENZA B AND REYE'S SYNDROME

VIRALLY INDUCED MEMBRANE PERMEABILITY CHANGES AS A POSSIBLE LINK BETWEEN INFLUENZA B AND REYE'S SYNDROME
Mode-converters for rectangular-core fiber amplifiers to achieve diffraction-limited power scaling

A rectangular-core (ribbon) fiber that guides and amplifies a single higher-order-mode (HOM) can potentially scale to much higher average powers than what is possible in traditional circular-core large-mode-area fibers. Such an amplifier would require mode-conversion at the input to enable interfacing with seed sources that typically output TEM00 mode radiation and at the output to generate diffraction-limited radiation for end-user applications. We present the first simulation and experimental results of a mode conversion technique that uses two diffractive-optic-elements in conjugate Fourier planes to convert a diffraction limited TEM00 mode to the HOM of a ribbon fiber. Mode-conversion-efficiency is approximately 84% and can theoretically approach 100%. We also demonstrate a mode-converter system that converts a single HOM of a ribbon fiber back to a diffraction-limited TEM00 mode. Conversion efficiency is a record 80.5%.
Incisions do not simply sum.

Critics of minimally invasive methods sometimes argue that the summed lengths of all trocar sites have a morbidity similar to that for an open incision of equal length. This argument assumes correctly that pain and scarring are proportional to the total tension normal to a linear incision. But the argument also assumes that total tension sums linearly with incision length. This report demonstrates why that premise is not valid. Wounds of various sizes are compared using a simple mathematical model. The closing tension perpendicular to any linear incision is a function of the incision’s length, varying symmetrically together with a maximum at the midpoint of length. If tension rises linearly across an incision, integration of the tension relationship demonstrates that the total wound tension actually is proportional to the square of the length. In this report, incisions of various lengths are modeled, and plausible alternative incision scenarios for various procedures (e.g., Nissen, appendectomy) are compared. Total tension rises nonlinearly with increasing wound length. Thus, total tension across multiple incisions is always less than the total tension for an incision of the same total length. For example, an open appendectomy creates 2.7-fold more wound tension than a laparoscopic appendectomy. Similarly, two 3-mm trocars create less total tension than a single 5-mm trocar. Conventional incisions are subject to more total tension than any combination of trocar incisions of equal total length. This inequality yields three clinically relevant corollaries. First, it supports the practice of using the smallest effective trocars (or even no-trocar methods) to minimize pain and scar. Second, addition of a trocar in difficult cases adds relatively little morbidity. Finally, using two small trocars is better than using a single larger trocar.
Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Failure Treatment Considerations for a Dual Epidemic

Atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure have emerged as new cardiovascular epidemics over the last decade.1 Heart failure affects ≈5 million patients in the United States, and >550 000 patients are diagnosed with new heart failure each year.2 Although the incidence of heart failure remained stable over the past 50 years, the prevalence of heart failure in the United States has steadily increased. Heart failure is the primary reason for 12 to 15 million office visits and 6.5 million hospital days yearly.3 From 1990 to 1999, the annual number of hospitalizations increased from ≈800 000 to >1 million for heart failure as a primary diagnosis and from 2.4 to 3.6 million for heart failure as a primary or secondary diagnosis.4 The steadily increasing number of patients with heart failure is due partially to better treatment and “salvage” of patients with acute myocardial infarctions earlier in life.2 As a consequence, heart failure carries a significant economic burden on our society because it is the most common discharge diagnosis and because more Medicare dollars are spent for the diagnosis and treatment of heart failure than for any other diagnosis.5 In 2007, the American Heart Association estimated that $33 billion was spent on heart failure alone.6 AF is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice, accounting for approximately one third of admissions resulting from cardiac rhythm disturbances. An estimated 2.3 million people in North America have AF. During the last 20 years, hospital admissions for AF have increased by 66% for a number of reasons, including the aging of the population, the rising prevalence of chronic heart disease, and more frequent diagnosis as a result of increased monitoring.7 The recent Anticoagulation and Risk Factors in Atrial Fibrillation (ATRIA) study projected that the prevalence of AF …
The Prediabetic Problem: Development of Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus and Related Abnormalities

Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is associated with approximately two fold increase in coronary heart disease (CHD) in men and fourfold increase in CHD in women. In most studies, the duration of diabetes and severity of glycemia are only weakly related to CHD in NIDDM, suggesting that the prediabetic period may be important for the increased CHD in NIDDM subjects. Both hyperinsulinemia and/or insulin resistance predict the development of NIDDM. A number of studies have shown that increased cardiovascular risk factors (especially high triglyceride, blood pressure, and small dense low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and low high-density liproprotein (HDL) cholesterol) precede the onset of NIDDM. Recent data from the San Antonio Heart Study suggest that the atherogenic pattern of cardiovascular risk factors is more marked in prediabetic women than in prediabetic men, thus partially explaining the higher risk of CHD in prediabetic women than in prediabetic men. The atherogenic changes in cardiovascular risk factors appear to be mainly due to increased hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance in nondiabetic subjects. Interventions to reduce cardiovascular disease in NIDDM subjects should emphasize the primary prevention of NIDDM and very aggressive treatment of traditional cardiovascular risk factors in prediabetic subjects. Treatment of hypertension and dyslipidemia in high-risk patients for NIDDM should avoid agents that further worsen insulin resistance (nicotinic acid, beta blockers, and thiazides), as subjects with hypertension and dyslipidemia are already at increased risk of NIDDM.
Is a new and general theory of evolution emerging

The “modern synthetic” view of evolution has broken down, at least as an exclusive proposition, on both of its fundamental claims: (1) “extrapolationism” (gradual substitution of different alleles in many genes as the exclusive process underlying all evolutionary change) and (2) nearly exclusive reliance on selection leading to adaptation. Evolution is a hierarchical process with complementary, but different modes of change at its three large-scale levels: (a) variation within populations, (b) speciation, and (c) very long-term macroevolutionary trends. Speciation is not always an extension of gradual, adaptive allelic substitution, but may represent, as Goldschmidt argued, a different style of genetic change—rapid reorganization of the genome, perhaps nonadaptive. Macroevolutionary trends do not arise from the gradual, adaptive transformation of populations, but usually from a higher-order selection operating upon groups of species. Individual species generally do not change much after their “instantaneous” (in geological time) origin. These two discontinuities in the evolutionary hierarchy can be called the Goldschmidt break (change in populations is different from speciation) and the Wright break (speciation is different from macroevolutionary trending that translates differential success among different species).
A New Multidimensional Measure of Spirituality-Religiosity for Use in Diverse Substance Abuse Treatment Populations

Extant measures of spirituality-religiosity, not developed specifically with substance abuse treatment populations in mind, may not be culturally appropriate in regard to either: (1) the 12-step "culture" found in many treatment programs; or (2) racial-ethnic minority populations overrepresented in publicly funded programs. A 40-item four-dimensional measure was developed, which differentiates "religiosity" (religious practices) from "spirituality " (an individual's relationships with God/higher power, others, and self). Instrument development involved: qualitative focus groups with individuals in seven diverse Texas treatment programs; quantitative exploratory and confirmatory (CFA) analyses to test the four-factor model conducted using data from 237 diverse clients in treatment programs in Tennessee and Virginia. Confirmatory analyses indicate acceptable fit indices (>0.90) for the four-factor model, and acceptable reliability estimates for all subdimensions (≥0.70) provide further support for the measures. Results support the potential usefulness of the measures.
Spectroscopic Properties of the Main-Form and High-Salt Peridinin-Chlorophyll a Proteins from Amphidinium carterae †

The main-form (MFPCP) and high-salt (HSPCP) peridinin-chlorophyll a proteins from the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae were investigated using absorption, fluorescence, fluorescence excitation, two-photon, and fast-transient optical spectroscopy. Pigment analysis has demonstrated previously that MFPCP contains eight peridinins and two chlorophyll (Chl) a molecules, whereas HSPCP has six peridinins and two Chl a molecules (Sharples, F. P., et al. (1996) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1276, 117- 123). Absorption spectra of the complexes were recorded at 10 K and analyzed in the 400-600 nm region by summing the individual 10 K spectra of Chl a and peridinin recorded in 2-MTHF. The absorption spectral profiles of the complexes in the Qy region between 650 and 700 nm were fit using Gaussian functions. The absorption and fluorescence spectra from both complexes exhibit several distinguishing features that become evident only at cryogenic temperatures. In particular, at low temperatures the Q y transitions of the Chls bound in the HSPCP complex are split into two well-resolved bands. Fluorescence excitation spectroscopy has revealed that the peridinin-to-Chl a energy transfer efficiency is high (>95%). Transient absorption spectroscopy has been used to measure the rate of energy transfer between the two bound Chls which is a factor of 2.9 slower in HSPCP than in MFPCP. The kinetic data are interpreted in terms of the Forster mechanism describing energy transfer between weakly coupled, spatially fixed, donor- acceptor Chl a molecules. The study provides insight into the molecular factors that control energy transfer in this class of light-harvesting pigment-protein complexes.
Potent, Metabolically Stable Benzopyrimido-pyrrolo-oxazine-dione (BPO) CFTR Inhibitors for Polycystic Kidney Disease

We previously reported the discovery of pyrimido-pyrrolo-quinoxalinedione (PPQ) inhibitors of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) chloride channel and showed their efficacy in an organ culture model of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) (Tradtrantip et al., J. Med. Chem. 52, 6447–6455, 2009). Here, we report related benzopyrimido-pyrrolo-oxazinedione (BPO) CFTR inhibitors. To establish structure-activity relationships and select lead compound(s) with improved potency, metabolic stability and aqueous solubility compared to the most potent prior compound 8 (PPQ-102, IC50 ~ 90 nM), we synthesized 16 PPQ analogs and 11 BPO analogs. The analogs were efficiently synthesized in 5–6 steps and 11–61 % overall yield. Modification of 8 by bromine substitution at the 5-position of the furan ring, replacement of the secondary amine with an ether bridge, and carboxylation, gave 6-(5-bromofuran-2-yl)-7,9-dimethyl-8,10-dioxo-11-phenyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-6H-benzo[b]pyrimido [4',5':3,4]pyrrolo [1,2-d][1,4]oxazine-2-carboxylic acid 42 (BPO-27), which fully inhibited CFTR with IC50 ~ 8 nM, and, compared to 8, had >10-fold greater metabolic stability and much greater polarity / aqueous solubility. In an embryonic kidney culture model of PKD 42 prevented cyst growth with IC50 ~ 100 nM. Benzopyrimido-pyrrolo-oxazinediones such as 42 are potential development candidates for anti-secretory therapy of PKD.
Cache scrubbing in microprocessors: myth or necessity?

Transient faults from neutron and alpha particle strikes in large SRAM caches have become a major problem for microprocessor designers. To protect these caches, designers often use error correcting codes (ECC), which typically provide single-bit error correction and double-bit error detection (SECDED). Unfortunately, two separate strikes could still flip two different bits in the same ECC-protected word. This we call a temporal double-bit error. SECDED ECC can only detect, not correct such errors. We show how to compute the mean time to failure for temporal double-bit errors. Additionally, we show how fixed-interval scrubbing - in which error checkers periodically access cache blocks and remove single-bit errors - can mitigate such errors in processor caches. Our analysis using current soft error rates shows that only very large caches (e.g., hundreds of megabytes to gigabytes) need scrubbing to reduce the temporal double-bit error rate to a tolerable range.
Predictors of Outcome for Patients With COPD Requiring Invasive Mechanical Ventilation

Introduction: Accurate outcomes data and predictors of outcomes are fundamental to the effective care of patients with COPD and in guiding them and their families through end-of-life decisions. Design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 166 patients using prospectively gathered data in patients with COPD who required mechanical ventilation for acute respiratory failure of diverse etiologies. Results: The in-hospital mortality rate for the entire cohort was 28% but fell to 12% for patients with a COPD exacerbation and without a comorbid illness. Univariate analysis showed a higher mortality rate among those patients who required > 72 h of mechanical ventilation (37% vs 16%; p 72 h were independent predictors of poor outcome. Conclusions: We conclude that among variables available within the firs t6ho fmechanical ventilation, the presence of comorbidity and a measure of the severity of the acute illness are predictors of in-hospital mortality among patients with COPD and acute respiratory failure. The occurrence of extubation failure or the need for mechanical ventilation beyond 72 h also portends a worse prognosis. (CHEST 2001; 119:1840 ‐1849)
Secular variations of OI 5577 Å Airglow in the mesopause region induced by transient gravity wave packets

We employ a 2-dimensional, time-dependent, fully nonlinear model of minor species in the mesopause region and our Spectral Full-Wave Model to simulate the response of minor species and the OI 5577 A airglow to a gravity wave packet in the mesopause region. Gravity waves affect the time-averaged distribution of minor species in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere (MLT) region through constituent fluxes induced by violation of the non-acceleration conditions due to wave transience and dissipation. In addition, wave perturbed chemistry can induce a flux of chemically active species. Simulations are performed with nominal values of eddy diffusion coefficients in the MLT region, and also using very small values in order to assess the comparative effects of diffusion and wave fluxes. The wave-driven secular variation leads to a strong increase in airglow brightness over a time period of ∼2 hrs. In contrast to this, diffusion of minor species leads to a decrease in airglow brightness. The combined effects of the two can lead to secular variations of airglow brightness that resemble those for a long period (>6 hr) wave. These results have important implications for the interpretation of airglow variations observed in the MLT region.
Factors Affecting Transfection in Bacillus stearothermophilus

The conditions for the infection of Bacillus stearothermophilus 4S with TP-1C phage deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) are described. Cells from log-phase cultures are the most susceptible to phage DNA infection (transfection). A cellular component (competence factor) which enhances transfection is released into the culture medium during the transition period between the log and stationary phase of growth. Transfection is stimulated in the order of decreasing effectiveness, by Fe(3+), Mn(2+), and Mg(2+). The efficiency of transfection is the highest in cells growing at 60.5 C and does not occur in cells growing at 67 C although the cells are growing normally. A cellular component (competence factor) of this organism, which is released into the culture medium, advances by 40 min some step in the uptake of phage DNA.
Encryption and key management in a SAN

Many important security properties can be gained by encrypting stored data. However, these properties can be significantly undermined if the encryption keys are not well managed. This paper discusses how encryption strategies can be used to provide stronger segregation of data, remove "back door" access to data, and to reduce the reliance and trust placed in administrators of SAN systems. The focus is on the key management that necessarily forms a part of a secure encryption strategy. The work described is based on the use of a hardware security appliance (HSA) which augments traditional HSMs with additional functionality to control the way keys are used rather than just providing a secure environment for crypto functions. This allows security critical components or services to be pushed into trusted hardware thereby providing wider application or system level security. The paper shows how the HSA can. be applied to securely managing the keys for the encryption strategies needed for SAN security.
Low frequency variability in globally integrated tropical cyclone power dissipation

[1] Surface wind and temperature records from the European Centre for Medium- Range Weather Forecasts 40 Year Reanalysis (ERA-40) Project are used to estimate low-frequency variations in globally integrated tropical cyclone (TC) intensity from 1958 to 2001. For the first time, the annually integrated power dissipation (PD) is explicitly calculated on a global scale, and results show an upward trend in PD during much of the ERA-40 project period, although we argue this is at least partially due to limitations in cyclone representation in ERA-40. Comparing our estimated trend in PD with Emanuel's (2005) approximation to PD reveals good agreement after 1978, coinciding with the onset of a major satellite observing-system epoch in ERA-40. The low pass (>60 months) filtered PD time series correlates with mean annual tropical temperature, thus this result is consistent with the hypothesis that tropical temperatures may directly regulate the integrated intensity of TCs.
Rewards for Ratification: Payoffs for Participating in the International Human Rights Regime?

Among the explanations for state ratification of human rights treaties, few are more common and widely accepted than the conjecture that states are rewarded for ratification by other states. These rewards are expected to come in the form of tangible benefits—foreign aid, trade, and investment—and intangible benefits such as praise, acceptance, and legitimacy. Surprisingly, these explanations for ratification have never been tested empirically. We summarize and clarify the theoretical underpinnings of “reward-for-ratification” theories and test these propositions empirically by looking for increased international aid, economic agreements, and public praise and recognition following ratification of four prominent human rights treaties. We find almost no evidence that states can expect increased tangible or intangible rewards after ratification. Given the lack of empirical support, alternative explanations seem more appealing for understanding human rights treaty ratification.
Negative results of a phase II study of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Dear Sir,We reported the results of a phase I study of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in this journal in 2004 [1]. Although that report described a pilot st...
Heat kernel smoothing on unit sphere

In brain imaging, cortical data such as the cortical thickness, cortical surface curvatures and surface coordinates have been mapped to a unit sphere for the purpose of visualization, surface registration and statistical analysis. Since the unit sphere provides a readily available parametrization and basis functions, cortical data can be easily quantified with respect to the spherical parametrization. For the cortical data on the unit sphere, it is necessary to smooth them to increase the signal-to-noise ratio and the smoothness for the subsequent statistical analysis. We present a mathematical framework for smoothing data on a unit sphere using the heat kernel. The heat kernel is analytically constructed using the spherical harmonics and O(n) heat kernel smoothing algorithm is presented.
In pursuit of knowledge: comparing self-explanations, concepts, and procedures as pedagogical tools.

Abstract Explaining new ideas to oneself can promote learning and transfer, but questions remain about how to maximize the pedagogical value of self-explanations. This study investigated how type of instruction affected self-explanation quality and subsequent learning outcomes for second- through fifth-grade children learning to solve mathematical equivalence problems (e.g., 7 + 3 + 9 = 7 + _). Experiment 1 varied whether instruction was conceptual or procedural in nature (n = 40), and Experiment 2 varied whether children were prompted to self-explain after conceptual instruction (n = 48). Conceptual instruction led to higher quality explanations, greater conceptual knowledge, and similar procedural knowledge compared with procedural instruction. No effect was found for self-explanation prompts. Conceptual instruction can be more efficient than procedural instruction and may make self-explanation prompts unnecessary.
Dynamic systems and SLA: The wood and the trees

A DST (Dynamic Systems Theory) characterization of L2 acquisition as an emergent process marks the coming of age of SLA research. It is an important theoretical maturation in that it brings together the many factors that interact in the complex system of language, learning, and use. It is an approach that has been budding for some time (Elman et al., 1996; Larsen-Freeman, 1997; MacWhinney, 1997; Ellis, 1998, 2003; Herdina and Jessner, 2002; Ellis and Larsen-Freeman, 2006), and recent symposia at AILA 2005, TESOL 2006 and AAAL 2006 conferences, and special issues in Applied Linguistics (2006) and here leave us heady with the scent of its blossom. What of fruition; what harvest shall we reap?
Spin-axis relaxation in spin-exchange collisions of alkali-metal atoms

We present calculations of spin-relaxation rates of alkali-metal atoms due to the spin-axis interaction acting in binary collisions between the atoms. We show that for the high-temperature conditions of interest here, the spin-relaxation rates calculated with classical-path trajectories are nearly the same as those calculated with the distorted-wave Born approximation. We compare these calculations to recent experiments that used magnetic decoupling to isolate spin relaxation due to binary collisions from that due to the formation of triplet van der Waals molecules. The values of the spin-axis coupling coefficients deduced from measurements of binary collision rates are consistent with those deduced from molecular decoupling experiments, and follow a physically plausible scaling law for the spin-axis coupling coefficients.
Do rural and urban children have comparable asthma care utilization

This study compares asthma-related health care visits and drug therapy for rural and nonrural Kentucky children with Medicaid health insurance in 1995. The 8,634 children with asthma had a mean age of 5.7 years. Ninety-two percent made at least one asthma office visit, and 13 percent were hospitalized. The urban and rural patterns of care for childhood asthma varied in some potentially important ways. Urban children were twice as likely as rural children to see an asthma specialist (5 percent vs. 2.5 percent, P < 0.05), 2.7 times as likely to receive asthma care in an emergency department (19 percent vs. 7 percent, P < 0.01) and 1.4 times as likely to receive oral steroids (16 percent vs. 12 percent, P = 0.04). If given inhaled anti-inflammatory medication, rural children were more likely to receive inhaled steroids while urban children were more likely to receive cromoglycates.
Initial-state splitting kernels in cold nuclear matter

Abstract We derive medium-induced splitting kernels for energetic partons that undergo interactions in dense QCD matter before a hard-scattering event at large momentum transfer Q 2 . Working in the framework of the effective theory SCET G , we compute the splitting kernels beyond the soft gluon approximation. We present numerical studies that compare our new results with previous findings. We expect the full medium-induced splitting kernels to be most relevant for the extension of initial-state cold nuclear matter energy loss phenomenology in both p+A and A+A collisions.
Artful Prior Art and the Quality of DNA Patents

In reviewing patent applications and prior art references in biotechnology, the patent system often focuses on the extent to which these documents explicitly disclose structural formulae for specific nucleic acid molecules. This Article argues that this approach to patentability has caused well-known generic and methodological references to be disregarded as potentially relevant prior art. To provide empirical support for this doctrinal argument, this Article also describes the creation and publication of an "artfully drafted" prior art reference that provides an enabling disclosure of more than 11 million DNA sequences on CD-ROM and has already been cited in a number of patents and patent applications. The reference is still too small to offer a complete solution to the problems caused by the patent system's approach. Because the size of the reference is constrained only by the capacity of the CD-ROM, however, the reference provides a "proof of concept" that may be generalized and extended as more capacious storage media become available.
Implementing Cognitive Remediation Programs in France: The “Secret Sauce”

Cognitive remediation (CR) is a psychosocial therapy that seeks to restore patients' cognitive abilities by providing strategies to improve functioning in cognitive domains and helping them transfer acquired capabilities to everyday life. Since 2008, CR programs have been introduced in several regional health ministry areas in France. This column describes that implementation initiative, which includes creation of a network of the most active CR programs to conduct multicenter trials; establishment of a university degree in CR, awarded after completion of a one-year clinical training program; and implementation activities of regional health agencies. The authors describe three core elements of a "secret sauce"-a common language, timing, and leadership-that has helped ensure the success of the implementation efforts and that may be useful in other countries.
Increased Intraocular Pressure and Hyperglycemic Level in Diabetic Patients.

Purpose To determine whether hyperglycemic levels as determined from high hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels influence intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on subjects with a diagnosis of NPDR and a corresponding HbA1c level measured within 90 days before or after an IOP measurement over a two-year period. Exclusion criteria included a diagnosis of glaucoma or treatment with IOP lowering medications or oral or topical steroids. Results Using 14.5mmHg as a baseline mean value for IOP, 42 subjects had an IOP < 14.5mmHg and mean HbA1c of 8.1±1.1, while 72 subjects had an IOP ≥ 14.5mmHg and a mean HbA1c of 9.0±2.1. Although there was an overlap in the confidence intervals, a significant difference (P = 0.01) in the mean HbA1c level was observed in regression analysis between the two groups. Importantly, diabetic subjects with elevated HbA1c levels rarely (<1%) exhibited reduced IOP levels. Conclusions Diabetic subjects with elevated HbA1c levels exhibited significantly higher IOPs compared to those with lower HbA1c levels. Findings from this study indicate an association between hyperglycemia and elevated IOP and that poor glycemic control may contribute to increased IOP levels in long-term diabetic patients.
Does Downscaling in Space and Time Degrade the Dependability of Seasonal Climate Forecasts

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center issues total precipitation and average temperature forecasts for 3-month periods for relatively large areas (forecast divisions are about 9 x 10 4 km 2 ). Incorporation of the climate forecasts into farm level decision support systems necessitates downscaling the forecasts to local and daily time scales. Since any measure of the skill of seasonal climate forecasts is expected to depend on scale (specifically, more skillful for larger areas and longer time periods), there is concern that downscaling will dilute current forecast skill, possibly to the point of non-utility. As an initial exploration, this study will determine any change in die dependability of precipitation and average temperature forecasts downscaled to local and monthly time scales for several locations in Oklahoma. Dependability is a skill measure that assesses only those forecasts that are discernibly different from climatology. Downscaling to daily time scales is done in two steps, first to monthly forecasts, and then to generated ensembles of daily forecasts. This initial study will examine only the first step, the monthly downscaling. In order to assess the relative impact of downscaling in space versus time, forecasts will be downscaled separately in each, and then downscaled in both. Current forecast dependability for Oklahoma at the larger scales is limited compared to regions of the US that experience stronger ENSO impacts, so any degradation from downscaling to monthly forecasts and specific locations should be readily apparent.
Estradiol-17 beta and progesterone: effects on guanylate cyclase activity in the myometrium of macaques.

AbstractGuanylate cyclase activity was determined in various subcellular fractions of myometrium (1) from rhesus monkeys spayed for at least 6 months and treated either with estradiol-17β (E2) for 14 days or with E2 for 14 days and then for 5 to 14 additional days with E2 plus progesterone (P) and (2) from cynomolgus monkeys during the follicular and luteal phases of natural menstrual cycles. Plasma levels of E2 and P were similar in the spayed rhesus monkeys treated with hormones and the naturally cycling cynomolgus monkeys. In the 100,000g supernatant and particulate fractions of macaque myometrium before and after treatment with Triton X-100, the specific activities (per milligram nitrogen or DNA) of the guanylate cyclase were less in the luteal than in the follicular phases of both natural and induced menstrual cycles. The hormonal effects appear specific for myometrial smooth muscle since there was no difference in the guanylate cyclase activity of intestinal smooth muscle (taenia coli) in the follic...
Method of Testing Battery Internal Resistance Based on DDS

It is difficult to improve the accuracy of testing internal resistance with AC inserting because of effect from many factors.A novel method of testing internal resistance based on lock-in amplifier and DDS was put forward.The principle of acquiring synchronous signal of lock-in amplifier with DDS technology,and the method of measuring phase accurately between voltage across battery internal resistance and current passing it using technology of moving phase by phase accumulator was introduced.The circuit to achieve testing battery internal resistance with lock-in amplifier was designed.It is proved by experiment that the new method has high reliability and accuracy.
Effect of Aluminium on Superoxide Dismutase

1. The effect of Al3+ on superoxide dismutase in vitro was studied, since in uraemia there is excessive superoxide production and frequently an elevated serum Al3+ level. Thus, the protective role of superoxide dismutase is particularly important. 2. Al3+ in concentrations similar to those found in the serum of uraemic patients inhibits superoxide dismutase activity. The degree of inhibition is directly proportional to the Al3+ level. 3. The combination of excessive oxygen free radical production with an increased Al3+ level may contribute to a variety of complications, including aluminium dementia or initiation and promotion of carcinogenic processes, which are known to be more common in uraemic patients.
Use of the yield pressure to interpret pressuremeter results in unsaturated soil : Gerald A. Miller

The engineering performance of a vast majority of geotechnical infrastructure, including earth slopes, embankments, pavements, tunnels, and earth retaining systems, may be more suitably modeled using plane strain analyses, given the particular geometries, stress paths, and boundary conditions such geosystems normally feature or experience in the field. Biaxial devices allow for direct and reliable testing of soils under truly plane strain conditions, facilitating accurate assessments of shear banding phenomena and stress-strainstrength parameters under these conditions. The majority of biaxial devices developed to date, however, allow for soil testing mostly under dried or fully saturated conditions. This paper introduces a suction-controlled biaxial apparatus that is suitable for soil testing under controlled-suction states via the axis-translation technique. The design of its core system is based upon the original Vardoulakis type of biaxial apparatus. In this work, biaxial specimens are prepared by uniaxial consolidation of a slurry mixture, made of 75% silty sand and 25% kaolin, into a custom-made biaxial consolidation mold. A thorough performance verification of the newly implemented apparatus was first accomplished, followed by a preliminary series of constant-suction plane strain tests. Results reflect the important role played by matric suction in the stress-strain-strength response of intermediate unsaturated soils under plane strain conditions.
The Glycoprotein B Cytoplasmic Domain Lysine Cluster Is Critical for Varicella-Zoster Virus Cell-Cell Fusion Regulation and Infection.

The conserved glycoproteins gB and gH-gL are essential for herpesvirus entry and cell-cell fusion induced syncytium formation, a characteristic of varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pathology in skin and sensory ganglia. VZV syncytium formation, which has been implicated in the painful condition of postherpetic neuralgia, is regulated by the cytoplasmic domains of gB (gBcyt) via an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) and gH (gHcyt). A lysine cluster (K894, K897, K898, and K900) in the VZV gBcyt was identified by sequence alignment to be conserved among alphaherpesviruses, suggesting a functional role. Alanine and arginine substitutions were used to determine if the positive charge and susceptibility to posttranslational modifications of these lysines contributed to gB/gH-gL cell-cell fusion. Critically, the positive charge of the lysine residues was necessary for fusion regulation, as alanine substitutions induced a 440% increase in fusion compared to that of the wild-type gBcyt while arginine substitutions had wild-type-like fusion levels in an in vitro gB/gH-gL cell fusion assay. Consistent with these results, the alanine substitutions in the viral genome caused exaggerated syncytium formation, reduced VZV titers (−1.5 log10), and smaller plaques than with the parental Oka (pOka) strain. In contrast, arginine substitutions resulted in syncytia with only 2-fold more nuclei, a −0.5-log10 reduction in titers, and pOka-like plaques. VZV mutants with both an ITIM mutation and either alanine or arginine substitutions had reduced titers and small plaques but differed in syncytium morphology. Thus, effective VZV propagation is dependent on cell-cell fusion regulation by the conserved gBcyt lysine cluster, in addition to the gBcyt ITIM and the gHcyt. IMPORTANCE Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a ubiquitous pathogen that causes chickenpox and shingles. Individuals afflicted with shingles risk developing the painful condition of postherpetic neuralgia (PHN), which has been difficult to treat because the underlying cause is not well understood. Additional therapies are needed, as the current vaccine is not recommended for immunocompromised individuals and its efficacy decreases with the age of the recipient. VZV is known to induce the formation of multinuclear cells in neuronal tissue, which has been proposed to be a factor contributing to PHN. This study examines the role of a lysine cluster in the cytoplasmic domain of the VZV fusion protein, gB, in the formation of VZV induced multinuclear cells and in virus replication kinetics and spread. The findings further elucidate how VZV self-regulates multinuclear cell formation and may provide insight into the development of new PHN therapies.
Modification of electronic structure in compressively strained vanadium dioxide films

Vanadium dioxide $(\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{O}}_{2})$ undergoes a phase transition between an insulating monoclinic phase and a conducting rutile phase. Like other correlated electron systems, the properties of $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ can be extremely sensitive to small changes in external parameters such as strain. In this paper, we investigate a compressively strained $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ film grown on (001) quartz substrate in which the phase transition temperature $({T}_{\mathrm{c}})$ has been depressed to 325 K from the bulk value of 340 K. Infrared and optical spectroscopy reveals that the lattice dynamics of this strained film are similar to unstrained $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$. However, some of the electronic interband transitions of the strained $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ film are significantly shifted in energy from those in unstrained $\mathrm{V}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}$. The lattice dynamics remain largely unchanged while the ${T}_{\mathrm{c}}$ and some of the electronic interband transitions differ substantially from the bulk values, which highlights the role of electronic correlations in driving this metal-insulator phase transition.