cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Goal-directed versus outcome-based financial incentives for weight loss among low-income patients with obesity: rationale and design of the Financial Incentives foR Weight Reduction (FIReWoRk) randomised controlled trial

Introduction Obesity is a major public health challenge and exacerbates economic disparities through employment discrimination and increased personal health expenditures. Financial incentives for weight management may intensify individuals' utilisation of evidence-based behavioural strategies while addressing obesity-related economic disparities in low-income populations. Trials have focused on testing incentives contingent on achieving weight loss outcomes. However, based on social cognitive and self-determination theories, providing incentives for achieving intermediate behavioural goals may be more sustainable than incentivising outcomes if they enhance an individual's skills and self-efficacy for maintaining long-term weight loss. The objective of this paper is to describe the rationale and design of the Financial Incentives foR Weight Reduction study, a randomised controlled trial to test the comparative effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of two financial incentive strategies for weight loss (goal directed vs outcome based) among low-income adults with obesity, as well as compared with the provision of health behaviour change resources alone. Methods and analysis We are recruiting 795 adults, aged 18-70 years with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m2, from three primary care clinics serving residents of socioeconomically disadvantaged neighbourhoods in New York City and Los Angeles. All participants receive a 1-year commercial weight loss programme membership, self-monitoring tools (bathroom scale, food journal and Fitbit Alta HR), health education and monthly check-in visits. In addition to these resources, those in the two intervention groups can earn up to $750 over 6 months for: (1) participating in an intensive weight management programme, self-monitoring weight and diet and meeting physical activity guidelines (goal-directed arm); or (2) a ≥1.5% to ≥5% reduction in baseline weight (outcome-based arm). To maximise incentive efficacy, we incorporate concepts from behavioural economics, including immediacy of payments and framing feedback to elicit regret aversion. We will use generalised mixed effect models for repeated measures to examine intervention effects on weight at 6, 9 and 12 months. Ethics and dissemination Human research protection committees at New York University School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) David Geffen School of Medicine and Olive-View-UCLA Medical Center granted ethics approval. We will disseminate the results of this research via peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and meetings with stakeholders. Trial registration number NCT03157713.
Challenges in Rheological Characterization of Cement Pastes using a Parallel-Plates Geometry

Cement-based materials are characterized as complex suspensions that may experience a thixotropic behavior caused by physical and chemical phenomena. The characterization and understanding of the rheological properties of cement-based materials have become essential with the introduction of 3D printing in field of civil engineering. Therefore, there is a need to accurately measure such properties to obtain repeatable and consistent results. To measure the rheological properties, different geometries are available, such as vane, parallel-plates, or coaxial cylinders: These are the most used for cement-based materials. Although, there are no specific guidelines on how to select the appropriate geometry for the material that will be tested. Proper understanding of the advantages and disadvantages as well as the limitations of each geometry should be taken into account. Since parallel-plates is a common tool used to evaluate fresh cement-based materials, due to its simplicity, the small sample volume required and the variable gap that can simulate the distance between the aggregates. This paper discusses the major challenges and issues encountered when using parallel-plates geometry to measure the rheological properties of cement-based suspensions under shear. Some issues such as wall slip, sample spill, dryness, particles sedimentation, non-uniform shear rate applied, etc. can be prevented but the user should be aware of these problems.
Status of the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter

Calorimetry in high-energy physics is rapidly evolving, with new specifications (e.g. higher energies, enormous particle densities) and a wide variety of technologies being employed, both for signal creation and detection. Advances in large-area highly-segmented detectors based on, for example, silicon and scintillators, are providing possibilities for high-granularity calorimetry, providing unprecedented levels of information from particle showers. Here, we focus on one example of high-granularity calorimetry: The CMS HGCAL, being designed to replace the existing endcap calorimeters for the HL-LHC era.HGCAL is a sampling calorimeter, featuring unprecedented transverse and longitudinal readout segmentation for both electromagnetic (CE-E) and hadronic (CE-H) compartments. This will facilitate particle-flow calorimetry, where the fine structure of showers can be measured and used to enhance pileup rejection and particle identification, whilst still achieving good energy resolution. The CE-E and a large fraction of CE-H will use silicon as active detector material: the sensors will be of hexagonal shape, maximizing the available 8-inch circular wafer area. The lower-radiation environment will be instrumented with scintillator tiles with on-tile SiPM readout. This concept borrows heavily from designs produced by the CALICE collaboration, but the challenges of such a detector at a hadron collider are considerably larger than at the linear colliders. In addition to the hardware aspects, the reconstruction of signals - both online for triggering and offline - is a quantum leap from existing detectors.We present the reasoning and ideas behind the HGCAL, its current status including design and prototype performance.
Industry 4.0: Industrial Internet of Things (IIOT)

Abstract The physical world is transformed into being digitized and makes everything connected. An explosion of smart devices and technologies has allowed mankind to be in constant communication anywhere and anytime. IoT trend has created a sub-segment of the IoT market known as the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 dubbed I4.0 marks the fourth in the Industrial Revolution that focuses heavily on interconnectivity, automation, autonomy, machine learning, and real-time data. By 2020, it is estimated that over 30 billion of the world's devices will be connected in some way—which is 20 billion more devices than today! The consistent capturing and transmitting of data among machines provide manufacturing companies with many growth opportunities. The IIoT is expected to transform how we live, work and play. The number one challenge faced by the Industrial IoT is security and privacy. If we cannot alleviate many of the security and privacy issues that impact the Industrial IoT, we will not be able to achieve its full potential. IoT and the trend toward greater connectivity means more data gathered from more places, in real time, to enable real-time decisions and increase revenue, productivity, and efficiency.
Acute Neurological Deficits in Instrumented Pediatric Cervical Spine Fusions

Recipient: Bram Verhofste, MD Acute Neurological Deficits in Instrumented Pediatric Cervical Spine Fusions Bram P. Verhofste, MD1; Michael P. Glotzbecker, MD2; M Timothy Hresko, MD2; Patricia Miller, MS1; Craig M. Birch, MD1; Michael Troy, BS1; Nora P. O'Neill, BA1; Lawrence I. Karlin, MD2; John B. Emans, MD2; Mark R. Proctor, MD2; Daniel J. Hedequist, MD2, (1) Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, (2) Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA Introduction: Pediatric cervical deformity is a complex disorder often associated with neurological deterioration requiring cervical spine fusion. However, little literature exists on new perioperative neurologic deficits in children. This study describes new perioperative neurologic deficits in pediatric cervical spine instrumentation and fusion. Methods: A single-center review of pediatric cervical spine instrumentation and fusion during 2002-2018 was performed. Demographics, surgical characteristics, and neurological complications were recorded. Perioperative neurologic deficits were defined as the deterioration of preexisting neurologic function or the appearance of new neurologic symptoms. Results: A total of 184 cases (160 patients, 57% male) with an average age of 12.6 ±5.30 years were included. Instability (n=63) and deformity (n=41) were the most frequent indications. Syndromes were present in 39% (n=71). Eighty-seven (48%) children presented with preoperative neurologic deficits (16 sensory, 16 motor, and 55 combined deficits). A total of 178 (96.7%) cases improved or remained neurologically stable. New neurologic deficits occurred in six (3.3%) cases: three hemiparesis, one hemiplegia, one quadriplegia, and one quadriparesis (Table 1, Figure 1). Preoperative neurologic compromise was seen in four (67%) of these new deficits (three myelopathy, one sensory deficit) and five had complex syndromes. Three new deficits were anticipated with intraoperative neuromonitoring changes (p=0.025). Three (50.0%) patients recovered within six months and the child with quadriparesis is expected to make a complete recovery. Hemiplegia persisted in one patient and one child died due a complication related to the tracheostomy. No association was found between etiology (p=0.46), preoperative neurological symptoms (p=0.65), age (p=0.56), halo (p=0.41), EBL (p=0.09), levels fused (p=0.09), approach (p=0.07), or fusion location (p=0.37). Conclusion: An improvement of the preexisting neurologic deficit or stabilization of neurologic function was seen in 96.7% of children after cervical spine fusion. New or progressive neurologic deficits occurred in 3.3% of the patients and occurred more frequently in children with preoperative neurologic symptoms. Patients with syndromic diagnoses are at higher risk to develop a deficit, likely due to the severity of deformity and the degree of cervical instability. Long-term outcomes of new neurologic deficits are favorable and 50% experienced complete neurologic recovery within six months.
Diet pattern and prodromal features of Parkinson disease.

Objective To assess the relationship between diet pattern and prodromal Parkinson disease (PD) features. Methods These analyses include 47,679 participants from the Nurses9 Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study. Since 1986, both cohorts have collected dietary information every 4 years and calculated scores for adherence to different diet patterns, including the alternate Mediterranean diet (aMED) and the Alternative Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). In 2012, participants responded to questions regarding constipation and probable REM sleep behavior disorder. For a subset of 17,400 respondents to the 2012 questionnaire, 5 additional prodromal features of PD were assessed in 2014 to 2015. We used multinomial logistic regression to estimate the association between baseline (1986) diet pattern score quintiles and number of prodromal features (0, 1, 2, or ≥3) in 2012 to 2015. Additional analyses investigated the association between long-term adherence to these dietary patterns over 20 years and prodromal features suggestive of PD. Results In a comparison of extreme aMED diet quintiles, the odds ratio for ≥3 vs 0 features was 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.68–1.00, false discovery rate [FDR]–adjusted ptrend = 0.03) at baseline and 0.67 (95% CI 0.54–0.83, FDR-ptrend Conclusions The inverse association between these diet patterns and prodromal PD features is consistent with previous findings and suggests that adherence to a healthy diet may reduce the occurrence of nonmotor symptoms that often precede PD diagnosis.
Association of Adult Depression With Educational Attainment, Aspirations, and Expectations.

Introduction Social factors across one's lifespan may contribute to the relationship between low educational attainment and depression, but this relationship has been understudied. Previous studies assessing the association between educational attainment and depression did not fully account for prior common determinants across the life course and possible interactions by sex or race/ethnicity. It is also unclear whether the link between educational attainment and depression is independent of the role of aspired educational attainment or expected educational attainment. Methods We used generalized linear log link models to examine the association between educational attainment at age 25 and depression at age 40 in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 cohort, adjusting for confounders and mediators from childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Results Members of each educational attainment group were less likely to be depressed at age 40 than those with less education. After adjusting for educational aspirations and educational expectations, the risk ratios became closer to the null. Neither sex nor race/ethnicity interacted with educational attainment. Additionally, low educational expectations in adolescence, but not low educational aspirations, was associated with a higher risk of depression at age 40. Conclusion Our study provides a nuanced understanding of the role of education, educational expectations, and educational aspirations as part of education's effect on risk of depression after controlling for a thorough set of confounders and mediators. Our findings may help advance the study of social determinants of depression.
Mixing by Oceanic Lee Waves

Oceanic lee waves are generated in the deep stratified ocean by the flow of ocean currents over sea floor topography, and when they break, they can lead to mixing in the stably stratified ocean int...
Heterogeneity and bias in animal models of lipid emulsion therapy: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Clinicians utilize lipid emulsion to treat local anesthetic toxicity and non-local anesthetic toxicities, a practice supported by animal experimentation and clinical experience. Prior meta-analysis...
Culture, connectedness, and international adoption of disruptive innovation

Abstract Why might nations vary in whether and how fast to adopt potentially disruptive innovations? Our study investigates this issue, specifically how a nation's adoption of creatively destroying innovations is related to two previously unexplored variables: cultural looseness, which is a norm-based measure of informal institutions, and global connectedness. To highlight potential contributions from these new variables, we control for within-nation contextual variables examined in prior research, including formal institutions, Hofstede's dimensions of cultural values, socioeconomic attributes, and between-nation economic grouping. Our empirical analysis of a specific disruptive innovation, agricultural biotechnology adoption, covers 47 nations over a 14-year period and provides broad support for the usefulness of cultural looseness and global connectedness for understanding innovation adoption. Cultural looseness is significantly related to adoption of agricultural biotech. Global connectedness dimensions of depth and breadth are not directly related to adoption, only interactively with cultural looseness. These findings highlight the role of informal institutions and global connectedness in shaping complex interactions between disruptive innovation and industrial evolution within and across nations. The findings also have implications for what public policy makers might do to influence the extent of adoption of such innovations.
Surgical Treatment of Cardiac and Pulmonary Sarcomas

Primary cardiac tumors have an autopsy incidence of between 0.02% and 0.04% or about 200 tumors per 1 million autopsies. Approximately 75% of these neoplasms are benign and 25 % malignant. Primary cardiac sarcomas (PCS) make up over 75% of the primary malignant tumors. The rarity of primary cardiac tumors has led to a minority of surgeons and even few institutions having substantial experience with their treatment. Surgical resection of primary cardiac sarcoma is the mainstay of therapy but is less well understood and far more difficult. Additionally, the preoperative evaluation, preparation and decision making about the ability to achieve complete resection can be complex and has not been standardized. We separate sarcoma into right heart, left heart and pulmonary artery sarcoma as anatomic location often dictates the clinical presentation and the surgical options available. This manuscript presents our approach to the evaluation, preparation and surgical techniques required for treating these primary cardiac sarcomas.
A New Derivation of the Propagator's Path Integral for Spinless Elementary Particles

We introduce a notion of isolated units, elementary particles or more general physical phenomena that do not significantly affect their surrounding environment, and we build a primitive ontology to describe their evolution and interaction. We further introduce a notion of indistinguishability of distinct spacetime paths of a unit, for which the evolution of the state variables of the unit is the same, and a generalization of the equivalence principle based on indistinguishability. Under a time invertibility condition on the whole set of indistinguishable paths of a unit, we show that the quantization of motion of spinless elementary particles in a general potential field can be derived in this framework, in the limiting case of weak fields and low velocities. Extrapolating this approach to include weak relativistic effects, we explore possible experimental consequences.
Resistance of Culex pipiens pallens to four kinds of insecticide

Objective To investigate the resistance of Culex pipiens pallens larvae to 4 kinds of common used insecticide in Qingdao,and guide the control of Culex pipiens pallens larvae by choosing appropriate chemical insecticide.Methods Insecticidal resistance of Culex pipiens pallens larvae was measured using a standard WHO bioassay.Results Compared with the laboratory susceptible strain,the resistance of Culex pipiens pallens larvae to DDVP and propoxur was in lower level. Its resistance to trichlorine was in medium level. Culex pipiens pallens larvae to cypermethrin had the highest resistance. Conclusion Culex pipiens pallens in Qingdao has generated different degrees of resistance to the 4 kinds of common used chemical insecticides. Therefore appropriate measures should be taken to prevent or delay the emergence and development of insecticidal resistance in mosquitoes.
Biopsychosocial Model Social Anxiety and Substance Use Revised

To review data published in the past 5 years to evaluate the utility of our biopsychosocial model of social anxiety’s relation to substance misuse to evaluate the model’s utility and update it. Data support the utility of our revised model—e.g., socially anxious persons report using substances to manage subjective anxiety, despite evidence that some substances may not have a direct effect on physiological responding. Other factors with promise include social influence, cognitive processes (e.g., post-event processing), and avoidance. Data highlight the importance of context as socially anxious persons use some substances more in some high-risk situations, despite lack of relation between social anxiety and use generally. Sociocultural factors remain understudied. This updated model is a theory- and data-driven model of the relations between social anxiety and substance misuse that can inform future work to improve substance-related outcomes among this especially vulnerable group.
VAMP2 and synaptotagmin mobility in chromaffin granule membranes: implications for regulated exocytosis.

Granule-plasma membrane docking and fusion can only occur when proteins that enable these reactions are present at the granule-plasma membrane contact. Thus, the mobility of granule membrane proteins may influence docking, and membrane fusion. We measured the mobility of vesicle associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2), synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1), and synaptotagmin 7 (Syt7) in chromaffin granule membranes in living chromaffin cells. We used a method that is not limited by standard optical resolution. A bright flash of strongly decaying evanescent field produced by total internal reflection (TIR) was used to photobleach GFP-labeled proteins in the granule membrane. Fluorescence recovery occurs as unbleached protein in the granule membrane distal from the glass interface diffuses into the more bleached proximal regions, enabling the measurement of diffusion coefficients. We found that VAMP2-EGFP and Syt7-EGFP are mobile with a diffusion coefficient of approximately 3 × 10-10 cm2/s. Syt1-EGFP mobility was below the detection limit. Utilizing these diffusion parameters, we estimated the time required for these proteins to arrive at docking and nascent fusion sites to be many tens of milliseconds. Our analyses raise the possibility that the diffusion characteristics of VAMP2 and Syt proteins could be a factor that influences the rate of exocytosis.
Issues in Analog VLSI and MOS Techniques for Neural Computing

Issues in analog VLSI, such as the use of simple parameterized cells that are highly reconfigurable and input/output compatability, are being molded by the activities in developing hardware implementations of microelectronic neural networks. Analog MOS circuit modules, such as integrators, summers, and multipliers can be configured in a neural network architecture to build feedback/feedforward neural networks and/or the equivalent of adaptive, state-space signal processors. The methods of adaptation can be compared by evaluating a criterion or energy function which drives the adaptation process.
Barriers to Distance Education: Perceptions of K-12 Educators

Proceedings of SITE 2003--Society for Information Technology & Teacher Education International Conference (pp. 256-259). Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education (AACE)
Scalability of High Average Power Solid State Lasers

There is much current interest in the realization of high average power (HAP) solid state lasers at the kilowatt level and beyond. In this paper we review laser devices and system architectures that may be used to reach such power levels, their scaling laws, and review the physics and technology issues that must be taken into account. A comparison of the power handling capability of Nd:LHG-5, Nd:YAG, CR:Alexandrite, and Ti:Sapphire is also shown.
Fiscal rules and the pro-cyclicality of public investment in the West African economic and monetary union

Evidence from a large panel of low-income and lower middle-income countries over the period 1995-2012 suggests that, contrary to that in other countries, public investment in the West African Economic and Monetary Union has been pro-cyclical. Public investment contracts more in 'bad times' than it increases in 'good times' and appears to have become pro-cyclical since the introduction of the fiscal convergence criteria in 1994. The pro-cyclicality of public expenditure and the high asymmetry of shocks that affect West African Economic and Monetary Union countries justify exploring options for greater counter-cyclicality of rules-based fiscal frameworks and for risk sharing. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Continuous intrapartum monitoring of fetal scalp pH

Abstract Forty patients were monitored intrapartum with a continuous fetal scalp tissue pH electrode in the mean time of 2.39 hours. The monitoring records were considered “accurate” with good correlation to the intermittent fetal scalp capillary pH values in 76.9 per cent. The correlation coefficient was 0.74. The “accuracy” improved in the latter 23 cases to 87 per cent with a correlation coefficient of 0.82. This improvement was probably due to modification of the application technique, as well as to a new calibration method at 37 degrees. Continuous fetal scalp pH monitoring was clinically useful in 65 per cent, it was partially useful in 20 per cent, but of no value in 15 per cent of the patients studied. There were no apparent maternal complications with the use of this technique and 38 of the infants had no sequelae. Two infants had complications: one developed inflammation of the electrode site. This was treated with antibiotics. One electrode broke during the application and a fragment of the electrode tip remained in the fetal scalp. All the infants were grossly normal and there was a good correlation between the continuous pH readings and the immediate neonatal outcome.
A Review of “NO SHELF REQUIRED 2: USE AND MANAGEMENT OF ELECTRONIC BOOKS”

Although electronic books (e-books) have existed for decades, it has been within the past three-to-five years that e-books and other e-publications have become extremely popular. They have become p...
Gifted Black Males in a Predominantly White University: Portraits of High Achievement:

This article addresses the limited research on high-achieving African American students by examining the experiences of 5 gifted Black males in a predominantly White university setting. Through case study research methodology, this study revealed significant factors that influenced the achievement of the gifted university males. Themes uncovered in the data included influential mothers, recognition of giftedness, and support from significant teachers and mentors. These factors interacted to shape a belief in self and internal motivation within the gifted Black males. Additional themes in the data included the multiple talents of the gifted males nurtured through involvement in extracurricular activities and their positive experiences with an integrated peer group. The final theme in the data accentuated the participants' ability to ignore racist experiences within the university environment and remain focused on their goals. Implications of the findings designed for university educators dedicated to meeti...
OVELHAS NEGRAS: TRANSGRESSÃO, VIOLÊNCIA E SOFRIMENTO

Este artigo analisa contos do livro Ovelhas negras, de Caio Fernando Abreu, com o objetivo de investigar a representacao de acoes transgressoras do ponto de vista do contexto social em duas narrativas da obra e refletir sobre a transgressao como uma manifestacao de ruptura de rotulos e paradigmas de comportamentos socialmente condenados. Tomam-se como objeto de leitura os contos “Triângulo em cravo e flauta doce” e “Anotacoes sobre um amor urbano”. Ao analisar comportamentos transgressores manifestados por personagens desses contos, nota-se que a transgressao confira-se, ao mesmo tempo, como um repudio a violencia do sistema normativo de regras de conduta e uma ratificacao da pratica da violencia simbolica do sujeito sobre si mesmo, o que acentua uma tendencia dos personagens ao sofrimento e a visao pessimista sobre as relacoes humanas e sociais.
Gender-Sensitive Substance Abuse Treatment and Arrest Outcomes for Women

The present study links an empirically-developed quantitative measure of gender-sensitive (GS) substance abuse treatment to arrest outcomes among 5109 substance abusing women in mixed-gender short-term residential programs in Washington State. Frailty models of survival analysis and three-level hierarchical linear models were conducted to test the beneficial effects of GS treatment on decreasing criminal justice involvement. Propensity scores were used to control for the pre-existing differences among women due to the quasi-experimental nature of the study. Men's arrest outcomes were used to control for confounding at the program level. Results show that women in more GS treatment programs had a lower risk of drug-related arrests, and women in more GS treatment programs who also completed treatment had a significant reduction in overall arrests from 2 years before- to 2 years after treatment, above and beyond the reduction in arrests due to treatment alone. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
State versus trait: Evaluating the stability of neurocognitive functioning over time in cocaine-dependent participants

Aims: A drug-versus-drug choice procedure was used to examine the impact of reinforcement delay on responding maintained by the mu opioid receptor agonist remifentanil. Methods: Rhesusmonkeys (n=4) lever pressed under a concurrent fixed-ratio 30 schedule. Responses on either lever delivered an i.v. infusion, either remifentanil or saline. After dose–effect curves were determined when remifentanil was available on one lever and salinewas available on the other, monkeys chose between two doses of remifentanil, and the delay to delivery of the larger dose was varied systematically across sessions. Results: Remifentanil (0.01–1.0 g/kg/infusion) dose dependently increased responding on the drug lever when the alternative was saline. When given a choice between two doses of remifentanil that maintained responding, monkeys chose the larger dose. Whengivenachoicebetweena smallerdosedelivered immediately (0.032–0.01 g/kg), and a larger dose (0.32–1.0 g/kg) delivered after a delay (30–240 s), responding for the larger dose decreased, and responding for the smaller dose increased, as a function of delay. Conclusions: Responding under this choice procedurewas sensitive to both reinforcer amount and delay. In some cases, when the larger dose was delayed, monkeys responded for smaller doses of remifentanil that otherwise (i.e., during the single-lever selfadministration study) did not maintain levels of responding above that maintained by saline, suggesting that the context in which drug taking occurs (e.g., changes in the availability of other reinforcers) can influence the reinforcing effectiveness of drugs. The imposition of a delay not only reduces the value of the delayed reinforcers but also increases the relative value of other immediately available commodities (e.g., smaller doses of drug). Enhancement of the reinforcing effectiveness of drugs in the context of other delayed reinforcers might contribute to increased vulnerability for drug abuse among individuals that are more sensitive to reinforcer delay. Financial support: Supported by USPHS Grants R01DA029254, K05DA017918 (CPF), and T32DA031115 (DRM).
Overlapping Ensemble Dynamics: A Method for Structure Calculations of Multiple Configurational Isomers

A computational approach to utilize the overlapping NOE cross-peak intensities of multiple configurational isomers (e.g., cis/trans isomerization about substituted amide bonds in peptides or proteins) is illustrated. The method, overlap ensemble dynamics, utilizes an ensemble containing the appropriate ratio of the configurational isomers. The NOE intensities, containing contributions from different isomers, are then used as a constraining function to the entire ensemble. In this manner, NOE cross-peaks which before had to be ignored can now be readily used in the computation-based structural refinement. This method should find widespread use given the large number of small molecules of pharmaceutical and medicinal interest with substituted amides and multiple configurational isomers in their NMR spectra.
Fault macromodel for switches in switched-current circuits

Based on possible defects on the layout of a practical non-ideal switch, fault model and test generation of current copiers, basic building block of switched-current circuits, are presented in this study, where we consider two types of switches, current switches and voltage switches, which have been commonly used in both switched-current circuits and switched-capacitor circuits. Both catastrophic and parametric faults of transistors used as switches are considered. Test sequences are proposed to achieve full testability of both current copiers and switched-current circuits. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Building Mathematics Achievement Models in Four Countries Using Timss 2003

Using the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2003 data, this study built mathematics achievement models of 8th graders in four countries: the USA, Russia, Singapore and South Africa. These 4 countries represent the full spectrum of mathematics achievement. In addition, they represent 4 continents, and they include 2 countries hugely influential in world events (the USA and Russia). In each country, students’ self-concept of ability in mathematics, mathematics values, perception of school, teachers’ and principals’ perceptions of school and other characteristics related to the classroom and school were incorporated to build an achievement model through hierarchical linear modelling. The final achievement models suggested that among student variables, self-concept of ability in mathematics had the highest relation to 8th graders’ mathematics achievement in all 4 countries. The relation between mathematics achievement and other student characteristics, along with the family, teacher and school variables, differed across the 4 countries. This suggests that self-concept of ability is a key variable for understanding achievement in high and low achieving countries and that other contextual variables vary in the magnitude of relations to mathematics achievement across countries.
The Imaging Vector Magnetograph at Haleakala

We describe an instrument we have built and installed at Mees Solar Observatory on Haleakala, Maui, to measure polarization in narrow-band solar images. Observations in Zeemansensitive photospheric lines have been made for nearly all solar active regions since the instrument began operations in 1992. The magnetograph includes a 28-cm aperture telescope, a polarization modulator, a tunable Fabry-Perot filter, CCD cameras and control electronics. Stokes spectra of a photospheric line are obtained with 7 pm spectral resolution, 1 arc sec spatial resolution over a field 4.7 arc min square, and polarimetric precision of 0.1%. A complete vector magnetogram observation can be made every eight minutes. The flexibility of the instrument encourages diverse observations: besides active region magnetograms we have made, for example, composite vector magnetograms of the full solar disk, and Hα polarization movies of flaring regions.
Effects of Leptin on Rat Ventromedial Hypothalamic Neurons

Neurons in the ventromedial and arcuate hypothalamic nuclei (VMN and ARC, respectively) mediate many of leptin’s effects on energy homeostasis. Some are also glucosensing, whereby they use glucose as a signaling molecule to regulate their firing rate. We used fura-2 calcium (Ca 2 ) imaging to determine the interactions between these two important mediators of peripheral metabolism on individual VMN neurons and the mechanisms by which leptin regulates neuronal activity in vitro. Leptin excited 24%, inhibited 20%, and had a biphasic response in 10% of VMN neurons. Excitation occurred with a EC50 of 5.2 fmol/liter and inhibition with a IC50 of 4.2 fmol/liter. These effects were independent of the ambient glucose levels, and both glucosensing and non-glucosensing neurons were affected by leptin. In contrast, the ARC showed a very different distribution of leptin-responsive neurons, with 40% leptin excited, 10% leptin inhibited, and 2% having a biphasic response ( 2 60.2; P < 0.0001). Using pharmacological manipulations we found that leptin inhibits VMN neurons via activation of phosphoinositol-3 kinase and activation of the ATP-sensitive K channel. In addition, leptin inhibition was antagonized by 5-AMP-activated protein kinase activation in 39% of neurons but was unaffected by 5AMP-activated protein kinase inhibition. No mechanism was delineated for leptin-induced excitation. Thus, within the physiological range of brain glucose levels, leptin has a differential effect on VMN vs. ARC neurons, and acts on both glucosensing and non-glucosensing VMN neurons in a glucose-independent fashion with inhibition primarily dependent upon activation of the ATP-sensitive K channel. (Endocrinology 149: 5146–5154, 2008)
Excess Properties of Binary Mixtures of Esters of Carbonic Acid + Three Aryl Alcohols at 308.15 K

Excess molar enthalpies, , and excess molar volumes, , of binary mixtures containing dimethyl carbonate, or diethyl carbonate, or propylene carbonate + benzyl alcohol, + 2-phenylethyl alcohol, and + 3-phenyl-1-propyl alcohol have been studied over the entire range of composition at 308.15 K and at atmospheric pressure using a flow microcalorimeter and a digital density meter. The values are positive, increasing as the chain length of aryl alcohol increases and showing a maximum varying from 1040 J·mol-1 (diethyl carbonate + benzyl alcohol) up to 1730 J·mol-1 (dimethyl carbonate + 3-phenyl-1-propyl alcohol). values are negative or positive with no definite trend. The mixture containing propylene carbonate + 2-phenylethyl alcohol shows an inversion of sign. All curves for mixtures containing dimethyl carbonate and diethyl carbonate are quasi-symmetrical, whereas those containing propylene carbonate are asymmetrical. Results were fitted to the Redlich−Kister polynomial. The results are qualitatively discusse...
The Japan–US trade imbalance: a real business cycle perspective

Abstract A structural vector autoregression is used to uncover the cause of the persistent US bilateral trade deficit with Japan. Identification of the estimated system is obtained by using long-run restrictions generated from a two-country real business cycle model. The primary cause of the trade imbalance is the continual depreciation of the US real exchange rate. The importance of exchange rate innovations is at odds with standard real business cycle theory where such relative price movements are endogenous. However, many other aspects of real business cycle theory are supported by the empirical results.
Pellet-Cladding Interaction of LMFBR Fuel Elements at Unsteady State: An Introduction to Computer Code ISUNE-5

The fuel pellet-cladding interaction (PCI) of liquid-metal fast breeder reactor (LMFBR) fuel elements or fuel rods at unsteady state is analyzed based on experimental results. The heat generation, fuel restructuring, temperature distribution, gap conductance, irradiation swelling, irradiation creep, fuel burnup, fission gas release, fuel pellet cracking, crack healing, cladding cracking, yield failure and fracture failure of the fuel elements are taken into consideration. To improve the sintered (U,Pu)O/sub 2/ fuel performance and reactor core safety at high temperature and fuel burnup, it is desirable to (a) increase and maintain the ductility of cladding material, (b) provide sufficient gap thickness and plenum space for accommodating fission gas release, (c) keep ramps-power increase rate slow and gentle, and (d) reduce the intensity and frequency of transient PCI in order to avoid intense stress fatigue cracking (SFC) and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) due to fission product compounds CsI, CdI/sub 2/, Cs/sub 2/Te, etc. at the inner cladding surface of the fuel elements during PCI. 10 refs.
A new mathematical formulation and fast algorithm for fully resolved simulation of self-propulsion

We present a computational algorithm for fully resolved numerical simulation (FRS) of rigid and deforming bodies moving in fluids. Given the deformation of the body in its own reference frame, the method solves for the swimming velocity of the body together with the surrounding flow field, and the hydrodynamic forces on the body. We provide the mathematical foundation of the algorithm based on distributed Lagrange multipliers, and show that it naturally connects with vortex methods through a vorticity source at the interface. We demonstrate applications to rigid and flexible bodies, membranes, and bodies with a propelling membrane attached to them. In contrast to some existing methods, the swimming velocity of the body is not prescribed but is computed along with the forces, without requiring a body-fitted grid. The algorithm is designed to be fast, efficient, and easy to implement in existing fluid dynamics codes for practical solid-fluid problems in engineering and biology.
Spatio-Temporal Scale Assessment of an "Upwelling Shadow" in Northern Monterey Bay, California

The time and space scales of an “upwelling shadow” in northern Monterey Bay, California, were assessed using hydrographic monitoring and satellite imagery. Thirteen cruises were conducted over a 15-month period (March 1988–May 1989) to discern the hydrographic environment of no thern Monterey Bay. During the upwelling season of both years, the upwelling shadow was identified in the bay as a buoyant, warm-water feature about 10 m thick. This nearshore feature, separated by a distinct “retrograde” front from cold, recently upwelled water offshore, is reminiscent of estuarine plume fronts. The front usually occurred approximately 6.5 km from shore and appeared to be recurrent during upwelling season. Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometry (AVHRR) satellite imagery of sea surface temperature was reviewed daily for the period from January 1, 1988 to December 31. 1989. From these images, it was determined that the upwelling shadow characterized through hydrographic monitoring clearly extended across northern Monterey Bay for approximately 20 km. The feature appeared to persist for as long as 67 d in 1988 and 86 d in 1989. The unusual spatio-temporal relationship of the feature (spatially small, yet long-lived) may allow for the decoupling of time and space effects when considering biological processes which occur around nearshore fronts. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY061 00007
Modeling the performance of flooding in wireless multi-hop Ad hoc networks

One feature common to most existing routing protocols for wireless mobile ad hoc networks, or MANETs, is the need to flood control messages network-wide during the route acquisition and maintenance process. Flooding of control messages may result in redundant broadcasts and cause serious contention and collision problems in MANETs. In this paper, we develop an analytical model to study the performance of plain- and probabilistic flooding in terms of its reliability and reachability in delivering packets. Reliability is a measure of the total number of packets received by network nodes whereas reachability refers to the total number of unique nodes reached by the flooding process. We also provide simulation results to validate the model.
Discovery of a novel tetrahydroacridine acetylcholinesterase inhibitor through an indexed combinatorial library

Abstract Background: Methods for the rapid and efficient preparation of drug candidates through combinatorial chemistry are of increasing interest. We have previously reported an indexed combinatorial library method that allows both the preparation and testing of compounds in solution. We set out to apply this method to develop more effective analogs of the known, marketed drug tacrine, an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Results: A one-step condensation of cyclohexanones with cyanoanihnes to generate tetrahydroacridine pools was developed. The resulting library of (formally) 72 tetrahydroacridines was screened against acetylcholinesterase, and a compound 10-fold more potent than tacrine, 7-nitrotacrine, was discovered. Its increased potency could be readily explained by examining the known structure of the complex of acetylcholinesterase with tetrahydroacridine. Conclusions: In this work, we have provided a relatively rare example of carbon-carbon bond formation in a pool synthesis, and have discovered a potentially useful acetylcholinesterase inhibitor.
Fracture toughness behaviour of ferritic ductile cast iron

The static rate fracture toughness of a series of eight heats of ductile cast iron has been measured. Samples from each heat were tested in a heat treated condition which produced a fully ferritic matrix. The dominant influence of carbide (primarily in e pearlitic form) in controling the fracture toughness was thus eliminated in this study. The chemical composition and the microstructural feature size has also been measured directly from each specimen tested. A multiple linear regression method was used to establish a simple mathematical relationship between fracture toughness and the composition and microstructure. Fracture toughness was found to be strongly associated with the spacing (or size) of the graphite nodules in these fully ferritic ductile cast irons. Other features, including the composition, the ferrite grain size, or the amount of graphite (over the ranges examined), did not strongly influence the fracture toughness. Fracture toughness also did not correlate with tensile properties (i.e. strength or ductility) in these alloys. The results of this work can be used to develop an appropriate quality control program for applications which require assurance against fracture toughness related failures.
Overcome by modernity: Fantasizing everyday life and the discourse on the social in interwar Japan

(1996). Overcome by modernity: Fantasizing everyday life and the discourse on the social in interwar Japan. Parallax: Vol. 2, Theory/Practice, pp. 77-88.
Aortic blood flow and cardiac output in the hemoglobin-free fish Chaenocephalus aceratus.

Abstract 1. 1. The cardiac output of Chaenocephalus aceratus, determined by the Fick principle, ranged from 99 to 153 ml/kg per min in unrestrained specimens at rest. These values are several-fold higher than those of other fishes. 2. 2. The combined energy cost for cardiac and respiratory work at rest was estimated to be nearly half, or more, of the total oxygen consumption. 3. 3. The ventral aortic blood flow, measured by electromagnetic flowmeter, increased during hypoxia and decreased during hyperoxia. The cardiac output was regulated by changes in the stroke volume and not heart rate. 4. 4. The ventral and/or dorsal aortic blood pressures were monitored simultaneously with the blood flow. 5. 5. Infusions of cardio- and vasoactive drugs revealed typical responses.
Money and Inflation in Yugoslavia

Yugoslav inflation unfolded as a classic wage-price-exchange rate spiral through the 1970s and 1980s, exploding into hyperinflation in the last quarter of 1989. Monetary accommodation of inflation, the behavior of demand for money, and the interaction between the two in Yugoslavia are examined. The asset-liability structure of the central bank, together with the policy stance on exchange and interest rates, led to a significant feedback from inflation to money supply. Despite their explosive and seasonal nature, real money balances were cointegrated with other economic variables, and hence, in long-run equilibrium relationship.
Physiologic changes in vascular birthmarks during early infancy: Mechanisms and clinical implications

Vascular birthmarks are the most common birthmarks encountered in newborns. Many dermatologists are unfamiliar with the normal physiologic changes that affect and alter their appearance during early infancy. In this article we discuss normal newborn hemodynamic/neurovascular physiology and the associated clinical findings in neonatal skin. The physiologic anemia of infancy and its resultant effects on skin color and the appearance of vascular birthmarks are detailed. Finally, the pitfalls and obstacles to early diagnosis of vascular birthmarks and the subtle differences between them are reviewed, as are the challenges in assessing response to early pulsed dye laser treatment in the context of the changing vascular physiology.