cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patterns of white matter injury in HIV infection after partial immune reconstitution: a DTI tract-based spatial statistics study

HIV-infected individuals with severe immune suppression are more likely to develop HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders than those with preserved immune function. While partial immune reconstitution occurs in those with severe immune suppression after starting combined antiretroviral therapy, it is not established whether improvement in immune function reverses or prevents injury to the central nervous system (CNS). To address this question, 50 participants (nadir CD4 counts ≤ 200 cells/mm(3), on a stable antiretroviral regimen for at least 12 consecutive weeks prior to study) and 13 HIV negative participants underwent a comprehensive neurological evaluation followed by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Eighty-four percent of the 50 HIV participants were neurologically asymptomatic (HIVNA) and 16 % had mild cognitive impairment (HIVCI). Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) on DTI data revealed that mean diffusivity (MD) increased significantly in the posterior aspect of both hemispheres in HIVNA compared to controls. In HIVCI, compared to controls and HIVNA, increased MD extended to prefrontal areas. Fractional anisotropy decreased only in HIVCI, compared to either controls or HIVNA. Furthermore, DTI showed significant correlations to duration of HIV infection and significant associations with multiple cognitive domains. This study highlights that in partial immune reconstitution, injury to the CNS is present even in those that are neurologically asymptomatic and there are discrete spatial patterns of white matter injury in HIVNA subjects compared to HIVCI subjects. Our results also show that quantitative analysis of DTI using TBSS is a sensitive approach to evaluate HIV-associated white matter disease and thus valuable in monitoring central nervous system injury.
Development of a Raoult's Law-Based Screening-Level Risk Assessment Methodology for Coal Tar and Its Application to Ten Tars Obtained from Former Manufactured Gas Plants in the Eastern United States

A Raoult’s law-based screening-level assessment methodology was developed to calculate the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risks from ingestion of coal tar-contaminated water and it was applied to ten coal tars obtained from sites in the eastern United States. This approach provides a simple risk screening based on the conservative assumptions of Tier 1 in both the ASTM RBCA methodology and the USEPA Soil Screening Guidance. Results across the ten tars exhibited similar patterns, even though the coal tars had significantly different chemical compositions, and in all cases the screening-level risks were above the USEPA thresholds. There was no appreciable difference in the total risks when using either the current USEPA 1993 PAH risk assessment guidance or the proposed 2010 guidance. Benzene, while present at low concentrations within the coal tars, posed the dominant risk and strong correlations were observed with the benzene mole fraction.
Conformal field theories for the Green-Schwarz superstring.

The energy-momentum tensor of the covariantly quantized Green-Schwarz heterotic superstring in {ital D} dimensions is found to be equivalent to that of an {ital s{cflx o}}(2({ital D}{minus}2)){sub {ital k}=2}{direct sum}{cflx u}(1) theory. Both the naive {ital R} symmetry and the {kappa} ghost number symmetry are found to be anomalous. However, a certain linear combination of these two U(1) currents is free of anomalies.
Application of knowledge management technology in customer relationship management

Given the important role being played by knowledge management (KM) systems in the current customer-centric business environment, there is a lack of a simple and overall framework to integrate the traditional customer relationship management (CRM) functionalities with the management and application of the customer-related knowledge, particularly in the context of marketing decisions. While KM systems manage an organization's knowledge through the process of creating, structuring, disseminating and applying knowledge to enhance organizational performance and create value, traditional CRM have focused on the transactional exchanges to manage customer interactions. True CRM is possible only by integrating them with KM systems to create knowledge-enabled CRM processes that allow companies to evaluate key business measures such as customer satisfaction, customer profitability, or customer loyalty to support their business decisions. Such systems will help marketers address customer needs based on what the marketers know about their customers, rather than on a mass generalization of the characteristics of customers. We address this issue in this paper by proposing an integrated framework for CRM through the application of knowledge management technology. The framework can be the basis for enhancing CRM development. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phase-locked coaxial reflex diodes for Aurora and other drivers

High power microwave (11PM) experiments with Aurora reflex diodes (ARDs) are analyzed. In particular the multi-wave guide logistics 11PM peak envelope power (PEP) and waveform consistency problems associated with multi-guide radial extraction are reviewed. A novel design involving an outer coaxial cavity to extract power from the ARD cavity via 2535 appropriately placed ports or an equivalently loaded peripheral opening (sideshoot aperture) is described. Tmproved extraction mode selection phase locking frequency stabilization and waveform smoothing via this coaxial ARD (or CARD) is predicted. Staged physics studies and scaling experiments to validate the 11PM operation of a full-scale CARD on a Pocobeam and Aurora are recommended. 1.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Out-of-home maltreatment: An analysis of risk in various settings for children

Abstract Abuse and neglect of children in out-of-home care are common, but comparisons of relative risk among such facilities are rare. Data from Indiana for the period 1984–1990 permit an examination of maltreatment in various settings and computations of rates of physical and sexual abuse and neglect. Findings suggest that children in daycare homes and centers and schools are less likely to be maltreated than those in foster homes, residential homes, or state institutions and hospitals. These differences in risk may reflect variation in staff morale and turnover, different ages and experiences of children, alternative emphases on custody, control or nurturance by the home or institution, and different approaches to substantiating abuse. However, in three of the seven out-of-home settings, there are higher rates of maltreatment than for children in their own homes. Some implications of these findings are explored.
Vibration analysis of rotor systems using reduced subsystem models

A general impedance method using reduced submodels has been developed for the linear dynamic analysis of rotor systems. Formulated in terms of either modal or physical coordinates of the subsystems, the method enables imbalance responses at specific locations of the rotor systems to be efficiently determined from a small number of 'master' degrees of freedom. To demonstrate the capability of this impedance approach, the Space Shuttle Main Engine high-pressure oxygen turbopump has been investigated to determine the bearing loads due to imbalance. Based on the same formulation, an eigenvalue analysis has been performed to study the system stability. A small 5-DOF model has been utilized to illustrate the application of the method to eigenvalue analysis. Because of its inherent characteristics of allowing formulation of reduced submodels, the impedance method can significantly increase the computational speed.
Individual-patient monitoring in clinical practice: are available health status surveys adequate?

Interest has increased in recent years in incorporating health status measures into clinical practice for use at the individual-patient level. We propose six measurement standards for individual-patient applications: (1) practical features, (2) breadth of health measured, (3) depth of health measured, (4) precision for cross-sectional assessment, (5) precision for longitudinal monitoring and (6) validity. We evaluate five health status surveys (Functional Status Questionnaire, Dartmouth COOP Poster Charts, Nottingham Health Profile, Duke Health Profile, and SF-36 Health Survey) that have been proposed for use in clinical practice. We conducted an analytical literature review to evaluate the six measurement standards for individual-patient applications across the five surveys. The most problematic feature of the five surveys was their lack of precision for individual-patient applications. Across all scales, reliability standards for individual assessment and monitoring were not satisfied, and the 95% Cls were very wide. There was little evidence of the validity of the five surveys for screening, diagnosing, or monitoring individual patients. The health status surveys examined in this paper may not be suitable for monitoring the health and treatment status of individual patients. Clinical usefulness of existing measures might be demonstrated as clinical experience is broadened. At this time, however, it seems that new instruments, or adaptation of existing measures and scaling methods, are needed for individual-patient assessment and monitoring.
Correlation of the superconducting transition to oxygen stoichiometry in single-crystal Ba1-xKxBiO3-y

Temperature-dependent positron-lifetime experiments have been performed from room temperature to 15 K on single crystals of the oxide superconductor ${\mathrm{Ba}}_{1\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{K}}_{\mathit{x}}$${\mathrm{BiO}}_{3\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathit{y}}$. Results indicate that the filling of oxygen vacancies has a marked impact on the superconducting properties of this system. Cation defect concentrations were below the detectable limit of positron-annihilation-analysis techniques in this material, which is in sharp contrast to identical studies on polycrystalline samples. We find that the positron lifetime in these electrochemically deposited single crystals is determined by the oxygen stoichiometry of the lattice, but there is no experimental signature of strong positron localization. By performing a subsequent oxygen anneal on the crystals, the superconducting transition is sharpened and the onset is raised. The observed change in positron lifetime associated with this annealing procedure is in quantitative agreement with theory.
High-temperature oxidation of zinc sulfide: Kinetic modeling under conditions of strict kinetic control

A detailed analysis of the oxidation of zinc sulfide particles was conducted in a thermobalance between 548 and 630 °C with different oxygen concentrations. It was found that, in the presence of external mass-transfer effects, an oxysulfate intermediate was formed. However, when the flow rate was chosen such that this effect was eliminated, no sulfates were formed. Analysis of the controlling regimes indicated that even the use of small particles (<200 mesh) did not eliminate internal diffusional resistance. Thus, using only the initial rate data, the surface reaction model (−r = kKA[O2]/1 + KA[O2]) with no dissociation of oxygen was found to depict the data very well up to 609 °C. Simple power law models were found to be wholly inadequate to represent the data.
CD4+ T cell targeting of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) peptide sequences present in vivo during chronic, progressive HIV-1 disease.

Abstract We previously detected HIV-1 Gag-specific CD4 + T cells recognizing reference strain viral epitopes in subjects with progressive, chronic infection. To test whether these CD4 + T cells persist in vivo by failing to recognize autologous HIV-1 epitopes, we compared autologous plasma HIV-1 p24 nucleotide sequences with targeted HXB.2 strain Gag p24 CD4 + T cell epitopes in nine chronically infected, untreated subjects. In five responding subjects, 10 of 26 HXB.2 strain p24 peptides targeted by CD4 + T cells exactly matched autologous plasma viral sequences. Four subjects with plasma viral loads > 100,000 copies/mL had no measurable p24-specific CD4 + T cell responses despite carrying HIV-1 strains that matched HXB.2 sequences at predicted epitopes. These results show that HIV-1-specific CD4 + T cells can persist in chronic HIV-1 infection despite recognition of epitopes present in vivo . However, with high-level in vivo HIV-1 replication, CD4 + T cells targeting autologous HIV-1 may be non-responsive or absent.
A compact model for the I-V characteristics of an undoped double-gate MOSFET

An analytic model for the I-V characteristics of a symmetric, undoped, double gate MOSFET is presented. The model is two-dimensional and extends recent work by Chen and Taur. The formulae involve the LambertW function recently used by Ortiz-Conde to obtain threshold voltage approximations of an undoped single gate MOSFET. The drift diffusion equations are also solved numerically and our approximate solution for the Fermi potential is shown to be in close agreement with the exact numeric solution. We present a compact model for the complete I-V characteristics of an undoped double gate MOSFET.
Global Media Events in India: Contests over Beauty, Gender and Nation:

This monograph focuses on perceptions of televised global beauty pageants among business and media professionals in India who organized, sponsored, and supported the Miss World beauty contest. The 1996 Miss World pageant, which was held in Bangalore, a cosmopolitan city in South India, proved to be highly controversial due to protests expressed against the pageant by religious leaders, conservative women's groups, feminist activists, and political parties. My analysis of discourses on Miss World that circulated among professionals in the Indian culture industry is based on data gathered from ethnographic fieldwork in Mumbai and Bangalore. Informants' statements about the televised Miss World revealed that categories of nation and gender deeply influenced local producers' interpretations of the benefits that accrue to India through the practice of hosting global media events. In selecting a logo for Miss World, organizers and sponsors had to carefully negotiate local religious and gender politics as well a...
Mixed impressions: Reactions of strangers to people with pathological personality traits

Abstract This study builds on previous work investigating reactions to people with pathological personality traits based on thin slices of behavior ( Oltmanns, Friedman, Fiedler, & Turkheimer, 2004 ). Verbal and nonverbal aspects of the signal were separated and examined in a new sample of 150 target individuals (military recruits). Ratings were made after viewing or listening to a 30 s excerpt from an interview that had been conducted with each target person. Undergraduate students (408 total) served as raters in one of the following conditions: transcript, sound only, picture only, or full channel (sound and picture). In all conditions, people with higher scores on histrionic and narcissistic personality traits were rated in a more positive manner, and those with higher scores on schizoid and avoidant personality traits were rated more negatively. The consistency of ratings based on different sources indicates that important and somewhat redundant cues are available in both verbal and nonverbal channels. Initial reactions to people with pathological personality traits are influenced by both verbal and nonverbal cues.
The influence of individual low back health status on workplace trunk kinematics and risk of low back disorder

A case-control study was conducted to determine whether or not kinematic-based low back disorder risk measurement (Marras et al. 1993) of the job was significantly different for those workers suffering from recent low back injuries compared to asymptomatic controls. Two hundred low back injured workers returning to full duty work and 200 asymptomatic controls were evaluated while performing the same job. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups on any trunk motion measures or workplace measures. Therefore, job design is dictating the kinematic motions of the torso and not the worker's low back health. In addition, there was not a significant difference in job risk estimates using the lumbar motion monitor risk model. The mean risk (and standard deviation) for the low back injured group and the asymptomatic controls was 0.502 (0.178) and 0.501 (0.193), respectively. This study suggests that trunk kinematics and subsequent risk estimates are dictated primarily by job design and not influenced by the low back health status of the worker.
Temporal lobe epilepsy and performance on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test.

The replicability of previous evidence for differential performance between left and right temporal lobe epileptic patients on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) was evaluated in a new sample of candidates for focal resection. Many subjects obtained high scores on indices of perseveration, which are commonly thought to reflect frontal dysfunction, but there were no differences in performance between patients with language-dominant and nondominant temporal foci. The findings confirm existing evidence that performance decrements on the WCST can be associated with epileptic foci and focal lesions in nonfrontal brain regions.
Can areas of myocardial ischemia be localized by the exercise electrocardiogram? A correlative study with thallium-201 scintigraphy

In order to determine whether areas of ischemia identified by thallium-201 scintigraphy could be localized by exercise ECG, we studied 54 patients with stable coronary heart disease. All 54 patients had exercise-induced thallium-201 scintigraphic defects. Their exercise ECG test results were compared to their thallium-201 images and also to 14 low-risk normal subjects. Exercise data were analyzed for spatial ST vector shifts, using a computer program in order to most accurately classify ST segment depression and elevation. Thallium-201 ischemic defects detected in our patients included areas in the septum and the inferior, lateral, and anterior walls. Twenty-six of these 54 patients also had coronary angiography for classification and comparison as having either localized or generalized disease. None of the scintigraphic ischemic sites or angiographic diseased areas could be specifically identified by exercise-induced ST vector shifts. Therefore, the surface exercise ECG has limitations in localizing ischemia to specific areas of the myocardium.
Reinforcing integrated psychiatric service attendance in an opioid-agonist program: A randomized and controlled trial

Background The benefits of integrating substance abuse and psychiatric care may be limited by poor service utilization. This randomized clinical trial evaluated the efficacy of using contingency management to improve utilization of psychiatric services co-located and integrated within a community-based methadone maintenance treatment program.
Evaluating methods for simulating soybean cultivar responses using cross validation.

Crop simulation models are used in research worldwide, and efforts are now being made to incorporate them into decision-support systems for farmers and their advisors. However, their on-farm acceptance will be limited unless methods can be found to determine model coefficients for new cultivars that are released by public and private breeders. The availability of data to determine coefficients is usually limited; however, soybean breeders routinely collect data for new cultivars from variety trials. Objectives of this research were to (i) estimate soybean crop-model prediction errors for anthesis, maturity, and yield using variety trial data; (ii) determine the effectiveness of cross validation for estimating prediction errors of the soybean model; and (iii) compare these errors with those based on regression equations relating specific cultivar yields to simulated maturity group (MG) yields. Root mean squared errors of prediction (RMSEP) were used for comparisons. Georgia variety trial data from 1987 through 1996 for six MG VII cultivars were divided into sets for fitting model coefficients and independent validation. The RMSEP using cross validation were similar to fitting errors when all (n = 40) or only half of the data were used to fit cultivar coefficients. These errors were similar to those computed using independent data. The RMSEP for yield using linear regression were better than using generic MG coefficients but not as good as that found by fitting model coefficients. We conclude that soybean yield can be simulated for specific cultivars using either crop model or regression approaches, but the latter was not adequate for predicting cultivar anthesis and maturity dates.
BOLTS: A Retrieval Language for Tree-Structured Data Base Systems

Bolts is A low-level retrieval language for tree-structured data base systems. Bolts consists of several functions that provide the capability to extract nodal information in the form of sets. Those sets of nodes can then be manipulated using the BOLTS counterparts of set union, intersection, and complement. This design overcomes the problems that are inherent in the traditional approach to retrieval using Boolean operations.
Oscillatory Convection Due to Combined Buoyancy and Thermocapillarity

An experimental study is performed on oscillatory convection due to combined thermocapillarity and buoyancy in open cylindrical containers. The fluid in the containers is heated by a heating rod placed along the centerline of the containers. Various container diameters, ranging from 0.39 to 3.1 cm, are used to change the effect of buoyancy on steady and oscillatory convection. The container aspect ratio (height/ radius) ranges from 0.75 to 2 and the heater diameter is 10% of the container diameter in all cases. The test fluids are 1- and 2-cS silicone oils (Prandtl number = 13 and 27 at 25°C). The velocity field is studied by flow visualization, whereas the temperature field is measured by a thermocouple probe and thermography. The onset of oscillations and the oscillation frequency are investigated under various conditions. It is found that the basic flow structure is mainly unicellular and thermocapillarity is important for the oscillations in all of the tests. When thermocapillarity is dominant, the Marangoni number is not sufficient to describe the onset conditions. When buoyancy is not negligible, it tends to squeeze the primary cell by thermal stratification and the dynamic Bond number is the parameter characterizing the transition.
Risk Factor and Behavioral Differences Between Vascular and Alzheimer's Dementias: The Pathway to End-Stage Disease:

Differences between vascular dementia and Alzheimer's dementia may be present in both risk factors and in behavioral manifestations. Behavioral distinctions may be apparent only at particular stages of the disease process, but comparisons at different stages require a large number of subjects. The California Alzheimer Disease Diagnostic and Treatment Center Program has collected data on a large number of subjects with dementia. We examined differences in risk factors and in behaviors in 502 subjects with vascular dementia and 810 subjects with probable Alzheimer's dementia. With respect to risk factors, vascular dementia subjects were more likely to have a history of general anesthesia. We found no difference in history of closed head trauma, family history of dementia, or cigarette smoking, suggesting that these factors are less likely to have a disease-specific etiologic role. With respect to behaviors, subjects with vascular dementia were more likely to have depression in all stages of dementia. Subjec...
Feature selection for classifying high-dimensional numerical data

Classifying high-dimensional numerical data is a very challenging problem. In high dimensional feature spaces, the performance of supervised learning methods suffers from the curse of dimensionality, which degrades both classification accuracy and efficiency. To address this issue, we present an efficient feature selection method to facilitate classifying high-dimensional numerical data. Our method employs balanced information gain to measure the contribution of each feature (for data classification); and it calculates feature correlation with a novel extension of balanced information gain. By integrating feature contribution and correlation, our feature selection approach uses a forward sequential selection algorithm to select uncorrelated features with large balanced information gain. Extensive experiments have been carried out on image and gene microarray datasets to demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the presented method.
Hyperspectral subpixel target detection using the linear mixing model

Relative to multispectral sensing, hyperspectral sensing can increase the detectability of pixel and subpixel size targets by exploiting finer detail in the spectral signatures of targets and natural backgrounds. Over the past several years, different algorithms for the detection of full-pixel or subpixel targets with known spectral signature have been developed. The authors take a closer and more in-depth look at the class of subpixel target detection algorithms that explore the linear mixing model (LMM) to characterize the targets and the interfering background. Sensor noise is modeled as a Gaussian random vector with uncorrelated components of equal variance. The paper makes three key contributions. First, it provides a complete and self-contained theoretical derivation of a subpixel target detector using the generalized likelihood ratio test (GLRT) approach and the LMM. Some other widely used algorithms are obtained as byproducts. The performance of the resulting detector, under the postulated model, is discussed in great detail to illustrate the effects of the various operational factors. Second, it introduces a systematic approach to investigate how well the adopted model characterizes the data, and how robust the detection algorithm is to model-data mismatches. Finally, it compares the derived algorithms with regard to two desirable properties: capacity to operate in constant false alarm rate mode and ability to increase the separation between target and background.
Economic-based vs. nature-inspired intruder detection in sensor networks

Protecting computer networks from accidental and malicious harm is a critical issue. Researchers have sought a variety of solutions ranging from the purely statistical approach to approaches inspired from a variety of fields such as economics and biology. In this paper, we focus on the issue of intruder detection and propose two complementary approaches, one economics-based, the other biology-inspired. We discuss the effectiveness of these two approaches put together as compared to each one alone based on Matlab simulations.
G-REMiT: An algorithm for building energy efficient multicast trees in wireless ad hoc networks

In this paper, we propose a distributed algorithm called G-REMiT for building an energy efficient multicast tree in a wireless ad hoc network (WANET). G-REMiT employs a more realistic energy consumption model for wireless communication which takes into account not only the energy losses due to radio propagation but also the energy losses in the transceiver electronics. We evaluate the performance of the protocol using two energy consumption model: long range radio and short range radio. We show that for long range radio model, G-REMiT algorithm can achieve better performance than other proposals such as MLU, MLiMST and MIP, and the energy overhead of for executing G-REMiT is negligible compared with the total energy consumption for the multicast communication. For short range radio, we find that existing energy saving scheme by adjusting node's transmission power is not suitable.
Emotion and cognition interactions in PTSD: a review of neurocognitive and neuroimaging studies

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric syndrome that develops after exposure to terrifying and life-threatening events including warfare, motor-vehicle accidents, and physical and sexual assault. The emotional experience of psychological trauma can have long-term cognitive effects. The hallmark symptoms of PTSD involve alterations to cognitive processes such as memory, attention, planning, and problem solving, underscoring the detrimental impact that negative emotionality has on cognitive functioning. As such, an important challenge for PTSD researchers and treatment providers is to understand the dynamic interplay between emotion and cognition. Contemporary cognitive models of PTSD theorize that a preponderance of information processing resources are allocated toward threat detection and interpretation of innocuous stimuli as threatening, narrowing one's attentional focus at the expense of other cognitive operations. Decades of research have shown support for these cognitive models of PTSD using a variety of tasks and methodological approaches. The primary goal of this review is to summarize the latest neurocognitive and neuroimaging research of emotion-cognition interactions in PTSD. To directly assess the influence of emotion on cognition and vice versa, the studies reviewed employed challenge tasks that included both cognitive and emotional components. The findings provide evidence for memory and attention deficits in PTSD that are often associated with changes in functional brain activity. The results are reviewed to provide future directions for research that may direct better and more effective treatments for PTSD.
Fostering Mathematical Creativity through Problem Posing and Modeling using Dynamic Geometry: Viviani's Problem in the Classroom

This paper discusses a classroom experience in which a group of prospective secondary mathematics teachers were asked to create, cooperatively (in class) and individually, problems related to Viviani’s problem using a problem-posing framework. When appropriate, students used Sketchpad to explore the problem to better understand its attributes (e.g., knowns, unknowns, and restrictions) and model its solution. With support and guidance, each student was able to create at least one very interesting and good mathematical problem.
Enhancement for computed radiographic images

Proposes an image enhancement algorithm that converts raw data from a storage phosphor scanner into a diagnostically optimized image. The spatial segmentation algorithm is applied to extract the body part of a clinical image, and histogram analysis is then used to develop the tone-scale for the region of interest. Further enhancement is obtained by unsharp masking. This approach reduces the sensitivity to nonanatomical regions and allows full use of the display's dynamic range for image viewing. The algorithms have been tested on clinical images and the results were reviewed by radiologists. Currently, these algorithms are being successfully used in the clinical environment. >
Direct robot motion vision by fixation

A direct method, called fixation, for solving the general motion vision problem is introduced. This method results in a constraint equation between translational and rotational velocities that in combination with the brightness-change constraint equation solves the general motion vision problem, arbitrary motion relative to an arbitrary rigid scene. Avoiding correspondence and optical flow has been the motivation behind the direct methods. Recently, direct motion vision methods have used the brightness-change constraint equation for solving special cases such as known depth, pure translation or known rotation, pure rotation and planar world. In contrast to those solutions, the fixation method does not put such severe restrictions on the motion or the environment. Partial implementation of the fixation method shows encouraging results. >
Research on Statistical Relational Learning and Rough Set in SRL

Statistical relational learning constructs statistical models from relational databases, combining the powers of relational learning and statistical learning. Its strong ability and special property make statistical relational learning become one of the important areas in machine learning. In this paper, the general concepts and characteristics of statistical relational learning are presented firstly. Then some major branches of this newly emerging field are discussed, including logic and rule-based approaches, frame and object-oriented approaches, and several other important approaches. After that some methods of applying rough set in statistical relational learning are described, such as gRS-ILP and VPRSILP. Finally applications of statistical relational learning are briefly introduced and some future directions of statistical relational learning and the prospects of rough set in this area are pointed out.
State-dependent Accessibility and Electrostatic Potential in the Channel of the Acetylcholine Receptor : Inferences from Rates of Reaction of Thiosulfonates with Substituted Cysteines in the M2 Segment of the α Subunit

Ion channel function depends on the chemical and physical properties and spatial arrangement of the residues that line the channel lumen and on the electrostatic potential within the lumen. We have used small, sulfhydryl-specific thiosulfonate reagents, both positively charged and neutral, to probe the environment within the acetylcholine (ACh) receptor channel. Rate constants were determined for their reactions with cysteines substituted for nine exposed residues in the second membrane-spanning segment (M2) of the α subunit. The largest rate constants, both in the presence and absence of ACh, were for the reactions with the cysteine substituted for αThr244, near the intracellular end of the channel. In the open state of the channel, but not in the closed state, the rate constants for the reactions of the charged reagents with several substituted cysteines depended on the transmembrane electrostatic potential, and the electrical distance of these cysteines increased from the extracellular to the intracellular end of M2. Even at zero transmembrane potential, the ratios of the rate constants for the reactions of three positively charged reagents with αT244C, αL251C, and αL258C to the rate constant for the reaction of an uncharged reagent were much greater in the open than in the closed state. This dependence of the rate constants on reagent charge is consistent with an intrinsic electrostatic potential in the channel that is considerably more negative in the open state than in the closed state. The effects of ACh on the rate constants for the reactions of substituted Cys along the length of αM2, on the dependence of the rate constants on the transmembrane potential, and on the intrinsic potential support a location of a gate more intracellular than αThr244.
A Structured Group Format for First Offense Shoplifters

Nearly eleven million Americans were caught shoplifting in 1980. Approximately six percent of gross retail sales in the U.S. and Canada goes to cover the cost of shoplifting prevention efforts and losses. Recent research suggests that psychosocial stressors contribute heavily to shoplifting behavior, and that brief individual and group psychological treatments have thepotential to reduce recidivism and promote rehabilitation. This article describes in detail a six session psychoeducational group treatment which is built around the notion ofprecipitating stressors. The structuredprogram "walks" each participant in turn through the specifics of the incident which resulted in their arrest-including stressors, rationalizations, and consequences. The treatment program, implemented by masters' level counselors, consciously utilizes commonly recognized group forces. Referring judges have been well satisfied with the program, which has been used routinely with convictedfirst offense shoplifters since 1982. Probat...
Four-dimensional spectral-spatial imaging using projection reconstruction

An n-dimensional (n-D) filtered backprojection image reconstruction algorithm has been developed and used in the reconstruction of 4-D spectral-spatial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data. The algorithm uses n-1 successive stages of 2-D filtered backprojection to reconstruct an n-D image. This approach results in a reduction in computational time on the order of N/sup n-2/ relative to the single-stage technique, where N/sup n/ is the number of elements in an n-D image. The authors describe implementation of the algorithm, including digital filtering and sampling requirements. Images obtained from simulated data are presented to illustrate the accuracy and potential utility of the technique. >
Distinguishing Explanatory from Nonexplanatory Fictions

There is a growing recognition that fictions have a number of legitimate functions in science, even when it comes to scientific explanation. However, the question then arises, what distinguishes an explanatory fiction from a nonexplanatory one? Here I examine two cases—one in which there is a consensus in the scientific community that the fiction is explanatory and another in which the fiction is not explanatory. I shall show how my account of “model explanations” is able to explain this asymmetry, and argue that realism—of a more subtle form—does have a role in distinguishing explanatory from nonexplanatory fictions.
Fractionation and reconstitution of the sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump solubilized and stabilized by CHAPS/lipid micelles.

A procedure for solubilization, fractionation, and reconstitution of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) protein is presented. The SR protein is solubilized with the zwitterionic detergent CHAPS in the presence of added 5-mM phosphatidylcholine and 20% glycerol, which stabilize the reconstitutable Ca2+ transport activity. For reconstitution the solubilized SR protein is incorporated into preformed French-pressed unilamellar vesicles that had been treated with 10-mM sodium cholate. By passing the proteoliposomes through a centrifuged Sephadex G-50 column that had been equilibrated with potassium oxalate, the detergent is removed, and the proteoliposomes become sealed with potassium oxalate trapped inside. This procedure requires less than 2 h and results in Ca2+ uptake active of over 1 μmol/min/mg of protein. The solubilized SR protein was fractionated on a DEAE-Biogel A column. A fraction containing the Ca2+-ATPase but not the Mr 55,000 glycoprotein had reconstitutable Ca2+ uptake activity of 2.2 μmol/min/mg of p...
Generation of phenotypically aged phosphatidylserine-expressing erythrocytes by dilauroylphosphatidylcholine-induced vesiculation

In vitro stored red blood cells (RBC) and RBC artificially induced to vesiculate by incubation with dilauroylphosphatidyl-choline were monitored for age- and vesiculation-dependent changes in cell density, membrane lipid asymmetry, and their ability to be recognized and cleared by reticuloendothelial cells. RBC demonstrated a progressive increase in density on self-forming Percoll gradients upon vesiculation and in vitro “aging.” Uptake of vesiculated RBC by in vitro cultivated macrophages was increased threefold over non-vesiculated control RBC. The clearance rate of dense vesiculated RBC was biphasic and contained a rapid component and a slower second component consistent with the clearance rates of normal control populations. Determination of phosphatidylserine (PS) in the outer leaflet of RBC by the PS-dependent prothrombinase assay revealed that PS redistributed to the cell's outer leaflet upon in vitro storage and vesiculation. Inhibition of PS movement by oxidation of membrane sulfhydryls with pyridyldithioethylamine resulted in higher prothrombinase levels and enhanced clearance of vesiculated RBC. These experiments suggest that vesiculation contributes to alterations in membrane lipid asymmetry and cell density characteristic of the aged RBC phenotype.
We Want You When We Need You, Otherwise Get Out: The Historical Struggle of Mexican Immigrants to Obtain Lawful Permanent Residency in the United States

While it is true that a large number of immigrants to this country entered through sea ports during the 19th century, they were not the only arriving legal immigrants. The west coast has its own very different picture of arriving legal immigrants, one that includes subjugation, treaties, and dusty townships, as well as assumptions and mischaracterizations. This essay explores the treaties and statutes that directly affected Mexican permanent legal immigration to the United States. We begin with a discussion of 19th Century immigration, but quickly turn to the immigrant visa program. The paper then discusses the availability of administrative and regularization remedies to undocumented Mexican immigrants in the United States. These three particular programs represent the primary means by which Mexicans have lawfully and permanently immigrated to the United States in the past 160 years. We purposely excluded discussions of temporary lawful immigrants and legal migration to the United States, focusing instead on the processes that have made it possible for Mexicans to legally and permanently settle in the United States.The evolution and manipulation of these programs by political forces leaves a legacy worthy of inquiry. Mexicans intending to make a permanent home in the United States confronted enormous obstacles in their pursuit of this status. Although Mexicans were not summarily excluded in the way Asians were, the United States sought to limit their settlement in the United States. At several points in history Mexican immigrants were encouraged, threatened, or forced to depart the United States irrespective of their right to lawfully reside in the United States. The waves of displacement disrupted advances in permanent legal resettlement. Furthermore, statutes and regulations were manipulated to discourage permanent Mexican immigration. Then as now, the United States misconstrued the unique relationship between Mexico and the United States choosing to sidestep the realities of the countries' interconnectedness, and leaving the Mexican immigration problem no closer to resolution.
Evidence of Earliest Known Wildfires

Abstract The oldest known fossil charcoal, to date, is herein reported from a Late Devonian (Famennian 2c) fluvial deposit in the Catskill Formation of north-central Pennsylvania. The charcoal was found in an abandoned channel setting in association with abundant well-preserved macrofossil plant remains of Archaeopteris, Rhacophyton, cormose lycopsids, Gillespiea, and cupulate and acupulate gymnosperms. Detailed anatomical preservation of the charcoal combined with its paleoecological setting suggests that in this landscape, mostly Rhacophyton burned, perhaps in association with an interpreted annual dry season. Alternating wet and dry seasons are indicated by the presence of paleovertisols. The fossil site where the charcoal was found also has yielded terrestrial arthropods, numerous fishes, and two early tetrapods.
A Bag of Beads Or a Necklace? Combinative Capability and Value in Technological Scope Expansions

The authors study the relation between a firm’s combinative capability and value creation in the context of technological scope expansion. On a sample of Compustat firms that applied for US patents between 1980 and 2001, the authors find that firm value, measured using Tobin’s q, decreases with increases in technological scope (measured as the number of unique patent classes). However, when firms expand by combining different classes into a single patent, the authors find that this negative effect is significantly diminished. These findings indicate that increasing technological scope likely creates value only when the firm is able to integrate the components into a single technology; simply maintaining different technological components within the firm boundary without integration appears to subject the firm to a discount.
Body weight status and telomere length in U.S. middle-aged and older adults.

Abstract Objective Telomere length has been proposed as a biomarker of biological aging. This study examined the relationship between body weight status and telomere length in U.S. middle-aged and older adults. Methods Nationally representative data ( N =2749) came from the Health and Retirement Study. Linear regressions were performed to examine the relationship between baseline body weight status reported in 1992 and telomere length measured in 2008 in the overall sample and by sex and racial/ethnic groups, adjusted for individual characteristics. Results Baseline overweight (25kg/m 2 ≤body mass index [BMI] 2 ) and obesity (BMI≥30kg/m 2 ) status positively predicted telomere length 17 years later. Compared with their normal weight counterparts, telomere length ratio was on average 0.062 (95% confidence interval=0.016, 0.109) and 0.125 (0.048, 0.202) larger among overweight and obese adults, respectively. In comparison to women and racial/ethnic minorities, the estimated positive associations between overweight and obesity status and telomere length were more salient among men and non-Hispanic whites, respectively. Conclusions The positive association between body weight status and telomere length found in this study was opposite to what existing biological model predicts, and could partially relate to the nonlinear relationship between body weight status and telomere length across age cohorts, and/or the lack of reliability of BMI as an indicator for adiposity in the older population. Large-scale longitudinal studies with baseline telomere length measures are warranted to replicate this study finding and explore the potential heterogeneous relationship between body weight status and telomere length.
Homeland Security

"Homeland security" is a major concern for governments worldwide, which must protect their populations and the critical infrastructures that support them. Information technology plays an important role in many homeland security initiatives. On one hand, it can help mitigate risk and enable effective responses to disasters of natural or human origin. Yet, its suitability for this role is plagued by questions ranging from dependability concerns to the risks that some technologies, such as surveillance, profiling and data aggregation, pose to privacy and civil liberties. On the other hand, information technology is itself an infrastructure to be protected. This includes not only the Internet and financial infrastructure but also the complex systems that control critical infrastructure such as energy, transportation, and manufacturing.
Interruptible iterators

This paper introduces interruptible iterators, a language feature that makes expressive iteration abstractions much easier to implement. Iteration abstractions are valuable for software design, as shown by their frequent use in well-designed data structure libraries such as the Java Collections Framework. While Java iterators support iteration abstraction well from the standpoint of client code, they are awkward to implement correctly and efficiently, especially if the iterator needs to support imperative update of the underlying collection, such as removing the current element. Some languages, such as CLU and C# 2.0, support iteration through a limited coroutine mechanism, but these mechanisms do not support imperative updates. Interruptible iterators are more powerful coroutines in which the loop body is able to interrupt the iterator with requests to perform updates. Interrupts are similar to exceptions, but propagate differently and have resumption semantics. Interruptible iterators have been implemented as part of the JMatch programming language, an extended version of Java. A JMatch reimplementation of the Java Collections Framework shows that implementations can be made substantially shorter and simpler; performance results show that this language mechanism can also be implemented efficiently.