cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparison of first price multi-object auctions

We compare simultaneous multi-object English-type ascending price auctions with first price sealed bid auctions in private values environments with multi-object demands. Special attention is paid to the effect of closing rules on ascending auctions’ outcomes. We find that simultaneous ascending auctions with the soft closing rule are the most efficient, while the sealed bid auctions generate the highest revenue. Ascending auctions with the hard closing rule display a significant amount of late bidding, resulting in the lowest among the three institutions revenue and efficiency.
Local NMDA receptor blockade attenuates chronic tinnitus and associated brain activity in an animal model.

Chronic tinnitus has no broadly effective treatment. Identification of specific markers for tinnitus should facilitate the development of effective therapeutics. Recently it was shown that glutamatergic blockade in the cerebellar paraflocculus, using an antagonist cocktail was successful in reducing chronic tinnitus. The present experiment examined the effect of selective N-methyl d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor blockade on tinnitus and associated spontaneous brain activity in a rat model. The NMDA antagonist, D(−)-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (D-AP5) (0.5 mM), was continuously infused for 2 weeks directly to the ipsilateral paraflocculus of rats with tinnitus induced months prior by unilateral noise exposure. Treated rats were compared to untreated normal controls without tinnitus, and to untreated positive controls with tinnitus. D-AP5 significantly decreased tinnitus within three days of beginning treatment, and continued to significantly reduce tinnitus throughout the course of treatment and for 23 days thereafter, at which time testing was halted. At the conclusion of psychophysical testing, neural activity was assessed using manganese enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI). In agreement with previous research, untreated animals with chronic tinnitus showed significantly elevated bilateral activity in their paraflocculus and brainstem cochlear nuclei, but not in mid or forebrain structures. In contrast, D-AP5-treated-tinnitus animals showed significantly less bilateral parafloccular and dorsal cochlear nucleus activity, as well as significantly less contralateral ventral cochlear nucleus activity. It was concluded that NMDA-mediated glutamatergic transmission in the paraflocculus appears to be a necessary component of chronic noise-induced tinnitus in a rat model. Additionally, it was confirmed that in this model, elevated spontaneous activity in the cerebellar paraflocculus and auditory brainstem is associated with tinnitus.
Electron energy loss studies on V, Nb, Ta and VN, NbN and TaN

Abstract We have carried out EELS studies on transition metals V, Nb, and Ta and on their nitrided samples, VN, NbN and TaN. The plasmon energies, energy for interband transitions, the ionization energies of the transition metals and their nitrided samples are compared. The shift in plasmon energies and atomic energy levels are discussed.
Policy Design for Earthquake Hazard Mitigation: Lessons from Energy Conservation, Radon Reduction, and Termite Control

Abstract The failure of homeowners to invest in mitigation measures for reducing potential losses from earthquakes presents a major obstacle to stemming economic losses. The design of earthquake risk reduction policies requires an understanding of the appropriate combination of institutional and individual incentives for inducing investment in mitigation. We address the challenges of inducing protective actions by considering the experiences with energy conservation, radon reduction, and termite control. We examine the institutional design of relevant policies and programs, the role of various intermediaries, and the involvement of third parties in creating markets for services. From this, we draw lessons about the leveraging of governmental resources, fostering of markets for services, and carrying out of programs for outreach and education.
Tropical western Pacific warm pool and maritime continent precipitation rates and their contrasting relationships with the Walker Circulation

[1] The Cenozoic reorganization of islands in the Maritime Continent region of the tropical western Pacific may have increased the amount of land surface area, changed the distribution of sea surface temperature (SST), and consequently provided a necessary condition for the onset of the Walker Circulation. Precipitation rates over the Maritime Continent, measured with the Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) satellite and generated from the Climate Prediction Center Merged Analysis of Precipitation (CMAP), correlate positively with a variety of measures of the Walker Circulation's strength (surface easterlies and high-level westerlies over the western Pacific) and hence with La Nina conditions. Similarly measured precipitation rates over the western Pacific warm pool correlate positively with the strength of tropical zonal circulation shifted to the east, and thus a weakened Walker Circulation and stronger El Nino-like conditions. Areas of high precipitation rates correlate with areas of ascent in the atmosphere and with high SST. Condensation associated with precipitation over the warm pool provides about twice the amount of latent heating as that over the Maritime Continent largely because the surface area of the warm pool is about 1.9 times larger than that of the Maritime Continent. These results support the conjecture that tectonic expansion and reorganization of the Maritime Continent may have led to a strengthening of the Walker Circulation, and may be related to a change in tropical Pacific climate from a permanent and zonally uniform (El Nino-like) state in Pre-Ice Age time to the present day El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) state.
Trace element and REE composition of a low-temperature ridge-flank hydrothermal spring

Abstract Warm (25°C) hydrothermal springs have been sampled on Baby Bare, a basaltic outcrop on 3.5-Ma-old crust ∼100-km east of the Endeavor Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. The source for these springs is a 62 to 64°C formation water that has cooled conductively as it ascends to feed the springs. This water originated as bottom seawater that probably descended into basement ∼52 km to the southwest at another, much larger outcrop called Grizzly Bare. As this seawater flows towards Baby Bare, it is heated and altered by reactions within basaltic basement and by diffusive fluxes to and from the overlying sediment. Concentrations of Mn, Co, Ni, Zn, Cd, and Mo in the spring waters are greater than in bottom seawater, indicating that the oceanic crust is a source for these elements to the oceans. At least a portion of this increase probably results from the redox cycling of Mn in sedimentary sources near the basement interface that produces a diffusive flux to basement formation waters. Additional removal of Mo and inputs of the other five elements to two of the three springs are observed locally near sites of venting, where density gradients can form shallow circulation cells within the sediment and diffusive exchange occurs. Concentrations of Cu, U, V, Y, and the rare earth elements (REEs, excluding Ce) in these samples are less than in bottom seawater, indicating that the oceanic crust is a net sink for these elements in this environment. Copper is probably removed into newly formed carbonate and/or sulfide phases. Removal of the oxyanions U and V is consistent with a net removal of phosphate demonstrated previously for ridge-flank hydrothermal systems. Similarly, removal of Y and the REEs is associated with carbonate, phosphate-rich, and oxide phases. Calculated maximum global chemical fluxes from “warm” ridge-flank hydrothermal systems such as Baby Bare are insignificant relative to riverine fluxes for these elements, except possibly for Mn and Mo. The impact on global geochemical budgets for these elements from lower temperature (
Model and observation comparison of the universal time and IMF by dependence of the ionospheric polar hole

The polar ionospheric F-region often exhibits regions of marked density depletion. These depletions have been observed by a variety of polar orbiting ionospheric satellites over a full range of solar cycle, season, magnetic activity, and universal time (UT). An empirical model of these observations has recently been developed to describe the polar depletion dependence on these parameters. Specifically, the dependence has been defined as a function of F10.7 (solar), summer or winter, Kp (magnetic), and UT. Polar cap depletions have also been predicted /1, 2/ and are, hence, present in physical models of the high latitude ionosphere. Using the Utah State University Time Dependent Ionospheric Model (TDIM) the predicted polar depletion characteristics are compared with those described by the above empirical model. In addition, the TDIM is used to predict the IMF By dependence of the polar hole feature.
Evolving from Planning and Scheduling to Real-Time Operations Support: Design Challenges

Versions of Scheduling and Planning Interface for Exploration (SPIFe) have supported a variety of mission operations across NASA. This software tool has evolved and matured over several years, assisting planners who develop intricate schedules. While initially conceived for surface Mars missions, SPIFe has been deployed in other domains, where people rather than robotic explorers, execute plans. As a result, a diverse set of end-users has compelled growth in a new direction: supporting real-time operations. This paper describes the new needs and challenges that accompany this development. Among the key features that have been built for SPIFe are current time indicators integrated into the interface and timeline, as well as other plan attributes that enable execution of scheduled activities. Field tests include mission support for the Lunar CRater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS), NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) and Desert Research and Technology Studies (DRATS) campaigns.
Polarization in Inclusive Production at Brookhaven

At Brookhaven, Λ’s are produced polarized in p-p interactions perpendicular to a horizontal production plane defined defined by proton × Λ, with their spins pointing down roughly twice as often as up, for a 1 GeV/c transverse Λ momentum. Such a large effect must indicate a simplicity in the underlying dynamics of particle production, even at low transverse momentum. This paper discusses four BNL experiments in the context of experiments done at other energies and discusses our present (lack of) understanding of the origin of the effect.
Membrane Depolarization Inhibits Kv1.5 Voltage-gated K+ Channel Gene Transcription and Protein Expression in Pituitary Cells (∗)

Voltage-gated K+ channels play an essential role in the production of action potential activity by excitable cells. Recent studies have suggested that expression of K+ channel genes may be regulated by stimuli that affect electrical activity. Elevating the concentration of extracellular KCl causes membrane depolarization and, thus, is widely used for studying electrical activity-dependent changes in neurons, muscle, and endocrine cells. Here we show that elevated KCl decreases Kv1.5 K+ channel mRNA expression in clonal pituitary cells without affecting Kv1.4 and Kv2.1 mRNA levels. K+ channel blockers, which cause depolarization, also produce down-regulation of Kv1.5 mRNA, while NaCl addition had no effect. Thus, the effect of KCl is mediated by K+-induced membrane depolarization. Unlike many known effects of K+, down-regulation of Kv1.5 mRNA does not require Ca2+ or Na+ influx, or Na+-H+ exchange. Furthermore, the decrease in Kv1.5 mRNA expression is due to inhibition of channel gene transcription and persists after inhibition of protein synthesis, excluding a role for induction of intermediary regulatory proteins. Finally, immunoblots with antibody specific for the Kv1.5 polypeptide show that depolarization for 8 h reduces the expression of Kv1.5 channel protein. The decrease in K+ channel protein expression caused by depolarization-induced Ca2+-independent inhibition of Kv1.5 gene transcription may produce a long-term enhancement of pituitary cell excitability and secretory activity.
CT and MR image fusion for CSF leak diagnosis

The diagnosis of CSF leak using MR images alone is difficult due to the inherently poor bony information on MR images. While CT images show bones exquisitely, they lack the soft tissue contrast that is important for detecting CSF leak. For these reasons, CT cisternography has been the preferred modality for CSF leak diagnosis despite its invasiveness. We propose a method to fuse the CT and MR images to combine the complementary information from each modality, which we believe will help with the diagnosis and surgical planning for patients with CSF leak, and potentially reduce/replace the use of CT cisternography. In the first step, the user identifies three roughly corresponding points on both the CT and MR images. A GUI was designed that allows the user to quickly navigate through the images by reslicing the volumes interactively. After finding the CT and MR slices at approximately the same anatomical position, the user places three markers to represent the same spatial location. In the second step, a generalized Procrustes transform is used to compute an initial transformation that aligns the CT and MR, which is then optimized using mutual information maximization. The CT is registered with the MR using the optimal transformation found, and the bony masks determined from thresholding CT intensity are blended with MR images. Initial results suggest that CT/MR fusion images are superior to unprocessed CT and MR images in diagnosing CSF leak, and a formal clinical evaluation is being planned to assess the efficacy of fusion images.
Cell-cell recognition

Abstract Several approaches in a variety of biological systems are being used in an attempt to understand cellular recognition at the chemical level. The precise molecular events in cell recognition have not yet been established.
The 5-HT1A receptor and the stimulus effects of LSD in the rat.

Rationale It has been suggested that the 5-HT1A receptor plays a significant modulatory role in the stimulus effects of the indoleamine hallucinogen lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
In Pursuit of Females: Following and Contest Behavior by Males of a Namib Desert Tenebrionid Beetle, Physadesmia globosa

Male Physadesmia globosa beetles spend much of their active time following females, searching for single females, or contesting with other males for position behind females. Once paired with a female, a male does not feed, can seldom stay paired for more than a few min, and can mate only if the female stops moving. Females rarely stop moving unless they find a large food item, or burrow into the sand and become inactive. Thus, males expend great effort positioning themselves for opportunities to mate, which seldom arise. However, males do not display any alternative mating strategies, and none appear to be available, for females are scarce in relation to males, and do not become receptive to mating at any predictable times or places.
“Are You Sure?”: Unstable Narrative and Multiple Interpretations in Robert Frost's THE FEAR

Whereas Robert Frost poems such as “Home Burial” and “West-Running Brook” manifest the myriad difficulties of communication even between spouses or lovers, Frost's poem “The Fear” complicates matte...
A cryptic intermediate in the evolution of chameleon tongue projection

An incipient form of tongue projection occurs inPhrynocephalus helioscopus, a generalized agamid lizard. We argue that this condition represents a functional intermediate between typical lingual prehension and chamaeleontid tongue projection, and that tongue projection evolved in chameleons by augmentation of ancestral mechanisms still operating in related, generalized lizards.
Self-assembled InAs quantum dots on InP nano-templates

Abstract InP nano-template structures with (0 0 1) top surfaces and atomically smooth crystallographic side facets have been controllably fabricated in situ for site-selective quantum dot nucleation studies using selective area chemical beam epitaxy. Deposition of a sub-critical layer of InAs on the nano-templates results in the nucleation of self-assembled quantum dots (SADs) exclusively on the (0 0 1) top surface as a result of the diffusion of InAs from the side facets onto the (0 0 1) surface. As the dimensions of the (0 0 1) top surface are decreased from 1000 down to 50 nm or less, scanning electron microscopy reveals a gradual increase in the spatial correlation between SADs, whilst linear arrays of uniform SADs are formed for dimensions below 200 nm. In addition, the density of SADs can be controllably varied by more than two orders of magnitude on the same sample by appropriate choice of nano-template dimension.
A study of method robustness for arsenic speciation in drinking water samples by anion exchange HPLC-ICP-MS

Regulating arsenic species in drinking waters is a reasonable objective, since the various species have different toxicological impacts. However, developing robust and sensitive speciation methods is mandatory prior to any such regulations. Numerous arsenic speciation publications exist, but the question of robustness or ruggedness for a regulatory method has not been fully explored. The present work illustrates the use of anion exchange chromatography coupled to ICP-MS with a commercially available "speciation kit" option. The mobile phase containing 2 mM NaH2PO4 and 0.2 mM EDTA at pH 6 allowed adequate separation of four As species (As(III), As(V), MMAA, DMAA) in less than 10 min. The analytical performance characteristics studied, including method detection limits (lower than 100 ng L–1 for all the species evaluated), proved the suitability of the method to fulfill the current regulation. Other parameters evaluated such as laboratory fortified blanks, spiked recoveries, and reproducibility over a certain period of time produced adequate results. The samples analyzed were taken from water utilities in different areas of the United States and were provided by the U.S. EPA. The data suggests the speciation setup performs to U.S. EPA specifications but sample treatment and chemistry are also important factors for achieving good recoveries for samples spiked with As(III) as arsenite and As(V) as arsenate.
Application and consequences of precipitation observations in the Republic of Sudan in view of the Nomadic Life and Economy

Abstract Within the Sudan the rain season is controlled by the annual monvement of the Intertropical Convergence. The length of the rain season varies from less than one month in the northern Sudan to more than nine months in the South. Studies of daily rainfall conditions show that most rainfall develops in situ , reoccurs in the same geographic areas, has little inter daily continuity and occurs with an approximate 4–5 day cycle. Using satellite visible and infrared imagery the above conditions were confirmed. In addition, using cloud shape, organization, spacing and occurence of wave forms,the amounts and spatial coverage of daily rainfall was predicated from satellite imagery with 60 % success. Nomadism is an important factor in the life of the Sudan and because of its high degree of dependence on rainfall, methods are discussed by which satellite technology can aid in the decisions made concerning short and long term nomadic activity.
Boundary conditions at outflow for a problem with transport and diffusion

Abstract We present a numerical test of a class of approximate boundary conditions at an artificial boundary for the solution of time-dependent problems in semi-infinite spatial domains. The conditions are constructed by use of a general method developed by the author in another work. A problem modeling the transport and diffusion of soluble matter by a parallel flow is taken as the test case. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the method in obtaining accurate results on small computational domains.
Hot arguments to cool off the plume debate?: COMMENT COMMENT

A thoughtful review by [Class (2008)][1] and a new article by [Albarede (2008)][2] provide a new context for re-examining potential relationships between excess temperatures ( T ex) and 3He/4He ([Putirka, 2008][3]). The issue is to explain why high 3He/4He mantle (HHM) is tapped by ocean island
Epidermal growth factor inhibits transforming growth factor-β-induced fibrogenic differentiation marker expression through ERK activation

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling plays an important and complex role in renal fibrogenesis. The seemingly simple TGF-β/Smad cascade is intensively regulated at several levels, including crosstalk with other signaling pathways. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent mitogen for epithelial cells and is elevated in diseased kidneys. In this study, we examined its effect on TGF-β-induced fibrotic changes in human proximal tubular epithelial cells. Simultaneous treatment with EGF specifically inhibited basal and TGF-β-induced type-I collagen and α-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression at both mRNA and protein levels. These effects were prevented by inhibition of either the EGF receptor kinase or its downstream MEK kinase but not by blockade of either the JNK or PI3K pathway. Overexpression of a constitutively active MEK1 construct mimicked the inhibitory effect of EGF. Further, EGF suppressed Smad transcriptional activities, as shown by reduced activation of ARE-luc and SBE-luc. Both reductions were prevented by MEK inhibition. However, EGF did not block Smad2 or Smad3 phosphorylation by TGF-β, or Smad2/3 nuclear import. Finally EGF induced the phosphorylation and expression of TGIF, a known TGF-β/Smad repressor. Both the phosphorylation and the induction were blocked by a MEK inhibitor. Overexpression of TGIF abolished TGF-β-induced αSMA promoter activity. Together these results suggest that EGF inhibits two TGF-β-stimulated markers of EMT through EGF receptor tyrosine kinase and downstream ERK activation, but not through PI3K or JNK. The inhibition results from effector mechanisms downstream of Smads, and most likely involves the transcriptional repressor, TGIF.
The use of Hamilton's principle to derive time-advance algorithms for ordinary differential equations

Hamilton's principle is applied to derive a class of numerical algorithms for systems of ordinary differential equations when the equations are derivable from a Lagrangian. This is an important extension into the time domain of an earlier use of Hamilton's principle to derive algorithms for the spatial operators in Maxwell's equations. In that work, given a set of expansion functions for spatial dependences, the Vlasov-Maxwell equations were replaced by a system of ordinary differential equations in time, but the question of solving the ordinary differential equations was not addressed. Advantageous properties of the new time-advance algorithms have been identified analytically and by numerical comparison with other methods, such as Runge-Kutta and symplectic algorithms. This approach to time advance can be extended to include partial differential equations and the Vlasov-Maxwell equations. An interesting issue that could be studied is whether a collisionless plasma simulation completely based on Hamilton's principle can be used to obtain a convergent computation of average properties, such as the electric energy, even when the underlying particle motion is characterized by sensitive dependence on initial conditions.
Metallurgical Factors Influencing Stress Corrosion Cracking of High-Strength Ni-Cr-Mo Steel Welds

Sensitivity to stress corrosion cracking is the limiting factor for service life in corrosive environments. Choice of welding parameters and electrodes affects stress-corrosion fracture toughness of steel welds through basic microstructure and fracture mechanisms.
Laser Gyro Technology

AbstractThe technology of the laser gyro has advanced to where production of this unique gyro withlow cost and high performance is now possible. The technology of lifetime and its factorshave now shown operating lifetime capability in excess of 50,000 hours. The performancevariation with wavelength and size shows the wide range of parameters which must be con-sidered. The performance of the laser gyro in scale factor linearity varies from 0.1% in thesmall 9.8 cm 1.15p gyro to better than 0.0001% in the 43 cm 0.63p gyro. In similar fashionthe null stability and performance also varies over a range of 10 ° /hr to 0.01 ° /hr for thesame gyros, respectively. Other factors such as gas pressure and multi mode effects are alsodiscussed.IntroductionThe laser gyro has been in the research and development stage since 19621 and the firstdemonstration in 19632. In the years since the development of the technology to implementthis exciting concept to practical use as an inertial instrument has required an advancedtheoretical understanding and analysis of the He -Ne laser and associated extensive experi-mental investigations and advanced construction and assembly techniques to achieve lifetimeand low cost. In the past two years the experimental and theoretical results show that thisdevice will challenge conventional gyroscopes in many applications.The basic principal of the laser is quite simple, i.e., a closed path, rotating in inertialspace, will have a path length which is slightly larger in the direction of rotation andshorter when traveling around the path against the direction of rotation. This path differ-ence is proportional to the input rate. The laser gyro utlizes this phenomena to measureinertial motion by having two laser oscillators operating around the cavity. One of these isclockwise and one counter -clockwise. Since the frequency of the oscillator will adjust tothe path length the difference in frequency between the two oscillators is a direct and linearmeasurement of the inertial input rate.This represents perhaps the only method of sensing inertial rate which does not use storedenergy in a rotating or vibrating mass. The lack of this mass property has been viewed asone of the principal features of the laser gyro as it permits inertial rotation measurementswith virtually no g or g2 effects.The technologies which have been involved in these years in order to achieve a practicaldevice have required excellent analytical work3'
Piezoelectric properties of a porous PZT ceramic

A porous PZT material from a Japanese source was characterized for its piezoelectric properties. Initial values of 82 pC/N for the hydrostatic d constant and 0.046 Vm/N for the hydrostatic g constant were observed. The material also showed no pressure hysteresis effect upon pressure cycling. In order to improve its poor mechanical strength due to high porosity, the material was modified by an epoxy coating and by epoxy impregnation. The effect of these modifications was shown to alter the piezoelectric properties from those of the untreated samples, and, in addition, to introduce a large pressure hysteresis effect. Sample variations were found among different experimental batches, and the dependence of their piezoelectric properties on sample thickness was determined. These variations may be attributed to sample inhomogeneity resulting from powder packing and the degree of poling.
Lack of economic benefit with basiliximab induction in living related donor adult renal transplant recipients.

Study Objective. To assess the effect of basiliximab (BAS) induction therapy on acute rejection rates and overall costs in adult living related donor (LRD) renal transplant recipients. Design. Retrospective chart review and cost-effectiveness analysis of the first 12 months after transplantation. Setting. University hospital and outpatient renal transplant clinic. Patients. Sixty consecutive adult LRD renal transplant recipients. Intervention. The treatment group received BAS 20 mg intravenously on postoperative days 0 and 4. The control group received no induction agents. Both groups received cyclosporine microemulsion, azathioprine, and corticosteroids for maintenance immunosuppression. Measurements and Main Results. Six patients (three in each group) were excluded; three had received muromonab-CD3 as an induction agent and three were lost to follow-up. At 12-months, the frequency of acute rejection episodes was 15% (4/27) in the control group and 22% (6/27) in the BAS group (NS). Renal function, as measured by average serum creatinine level, was similar at months 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 for both groups. The frequency of infectious complications was similar in both groups. No adverse effects were associated with BAS. Mean initial hospitalization charges were $51,970.01 and $68,093.90 in the control and BAS groups, respectively (p<0.05). The control group had more readmissions (18 vs 14 in the BAS group), but the average charge/readmission was lower ($10,148.50 vs $21,952.58 in the BAS group; NS). All costs were adjusted to 2000 dollars (US). Conclusion. Basiliximab induction therapy did not provide clear clinical efficacy benefit or prove to be cost-effective compared with no induction in LRD recipients.
Evaluation of a dimensionless group number to determine second-einstein temperatures in a heat capacity model for all coal ranks

Abstract A dimensionless group number is proposed to characterize the differences in chemical structures and physical properties between coal-like materials varying from lignites to anthracites, including graphite as a limiting case. This dimensionless number provides a simple and efficient correlation to determine second-Einstein temperatures (θ2) in a specific heat capacity (C) model for all coal ranks, using information derived directly from the chemical composition (proximate and ultimate analyses) and the calorifie value (H) of each substance. The nondimensional correlation has the form Rθ 2 /H = ƒ (FC) , where R is the gas constant for the heterogeneous material and FC is the amount of fixed carbon in the parent coal. Properties of 50 coal-like materials were used to obtain this functional dependence. It was found that a linear function provides a good fit of the experimental data. This dimensionless correlation allows calculations of the behavior of the specific heat capacities of the materials studied here with an average value of 3.55% for the mean deviation in relation to experimental curves in the important temperature range of 300–600 K. The applicability of Einstein theory of heat capacity is analyzed for the special case of coal-like materials, and a generalization of Merrick's model for all coals of industrial interest is presented.
The effect of BCNU and adriamycin on normal and G6PD deficient erythrocytes

In cell free systems Adriamycin induces oxygen radicals. We have shown previously that Adriamycin generates peroxide in human erythrocytes. BCNU, by inhibiting glutathione reductase, interferes with the major erythrocyte pathway to degrade peroxide. In this investigation we looked at interactions of these drugs with normal and abnormal erythrocytes. In G6PD-deficient erythrocytes Adriamycin posed a significant oxidant stress as demonstrated by hexose monophosphate shunt (HMPS) activity, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) production, and glutathione depletion. At similar molar concentrations Adriamycin was a stronger oxidant than acetylphenylhydrazine. BCNU=treated normal erythrocytes showed an enhanced susceptibility to oxidant stress as demonstrated by a lack of HMPS response to H2O2 and glutathione depletion during incubations with Adriamycin. The HMPS shunt of BCNU treated RBC was intact as shown by their nearly normal response to methylene blue stimulation. These BCNU studies also demonstrated the inability of H2O2 to react directly with NADPH. In conclusion Adriamycin poses a potent oxident stress to G6PD-deficient erythrocytes. BCNU promotes enhanced susceptibility of normal RBC to oxidant stress and BCNU can act as a probe to define drug interactions with the HMPS. These studies add to a growing body of evidence postulating the importance of oxygen radicals in the therapeutic and/or effects of Adriamycin.
Fast planar object detection and tracking via edgel templates

We describe an efficient method to detect and track planar objects using a template of edge segments. Such segments are selected at multiple scales based on gradient magnitude; their positions and orientations are used to determine a canonical reference frame where the descriptor is computed based on quantized orientation. The resulting descriptors are efficiently matched using logical operations, and tracked between frames. The method yields pose estimates that are robust to scale changes, foreshortening, partial occlusions, and is suitable for use in augmented reality and human-computer interaction.
Dimension reduction and its application to model-based exploration in continuous spaces

The sample complexity of a reinforcement-learning algorithm is highly coupled to how proficiently it explores, which in turn depends critically on the effective size of its state space. This paper proposes a new exploration mechanism for model-based algorithms in continuous state spaces that automatically discovers the relevant dimensions of the environment. We show that this information can be used to dramatically decrease the sample complexity of the algorithm over conventional exploration techniques. This improvement is achieved by maintaining a low-dimensional representation of the transition function. Empirical evaluations in several environments, including simulation benchmarks and a real robotics domain, suggest that the new method outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms and that the behavior is robust and stable.
Space-Time Position Operators

A formalism is presented giving the development of $\ensuremath{\psi}(\overline{x})$ in time with the interpretation that $\ensuremath{\psi}(\overline{x})$ is the probability amplitude for observing an event at a space-time point $\overline{x}$. No properties other than the four space-time coordinates are associated with an event. A Hilbert space is defined in which $\ensuremath{\psi}(\overline{x})$ is the result of a scalar product. The space-time position operators defined in this Hilbert space have no association with particle properties, such as mass. These operators cannot be defined in the Hilbert space spanned by solutions of a Schr\"odinger equation, since the operators lead out of the Hilbert subspace belonging to a given mass. It is shown that state vectors in Hilbert space that are eigenvectors of ${P}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}{P}^{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ produce position amplitudes satisfying the Klein-Gordon equation. The relation between this Hilbert space and the one introduced by Dirac is discussed. Spin is not considered.
Evidence that pulsatile follicle-stimulating hormone secretion is independent of endogenous luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

Although LHRH can stimulate the release of both LH and FSH from the pituitary, there are a number of instances in which the secretion of LH and FSH are divergent. Previous studies from our laboratory have indicated that pulsatile LH and FSH secretion are independently regulated by gonadal factors. We have, therefore, reexamined the role of LHRH in regulating pulsatile gonadotropin secretion by evaluating the effect of passive LHRH immunoneutralization on LH and FSH secretion in castrate adult male rats. Injection of 500 μl ovine anti-LHRH serum no. 772 (LHRH-AS) into 2-week-castrate rats caused an 85% suppression of mean plasma LH levels by 2 h, which lasted through 48 h. Mean plasma FSH, however, was reduced by only 19% after 2 h and by only 59% after 48 h. When cannulated 2-week-castrate rats were bled every 10 min, both LH and FSH were secreted in a pulsatile manner. Injection of 500 μl LHRH-AS caused an immediate abolishment of LH pulses and a rapid reduction in mean plasma LH through 24 h. Pulsatile ...
World Philosophy and Climate Change: A Sino‐German Way to Civil Evolution

The environmental crisis is the collision of civilization with biospherical limits. Its sign is climate change, which is brought about by a cultural maladaptation, and which threatens to lead to scarcity, displacement, and violence. The solution will have to be a global transformation—a civil evolution—to a postcarbon and sustainable world order. China and Germany, I argue, are well positioned to achieve this new adaptation to living within limits, whereas the United States may have difficulties to respond adequately to the new realities. Here I explore cultural and historical reasons for this Sino-German convergence.
Solution of the Zakai equation by separation of variables

An exact expression for the unnormalized conditional density is derived for certain nonlinear estimation problems. The basic method is to solve the Zakai equation using separation of variables. The new filter is a generalization of the Kalman-Bucy filter, the Benes filter, and other nonlinear filters within a unified framework.
No place like home: pet-to-family reunification after disaster

Pets are important household members, and their welfare and safety are imperative to the emotional welfare of the family. Displacement of pets after disaster events is a serious matter to families and for public safety at large. People are not willing to evacuate without their non-human family members; many will break through evacuation zones to recover animals left behind. In the 2005 Hurricane Katrina event, over 200,000 pets were displaced, and 95% of them were never reunited with their families. The US Department of Agriculture confirms that the problem of reuniting displaced pets and their guardians at this scale is unfortunately common in disaster events. We introduce No Place Like Home, a socially networked web and mobile platform that facilitates reunification of non-human with human family members following disaster events. No Place Like Home is an effort that supports the formation of small cadres of micro-tasking 'digital volunteers' that converge after disasters to do photo- and description-matching; employs a reputation and reward system to encourage use; and uses match-based machine learning techniques to accelerate the manual matching tasks performed by digital volunteers.
Regulation of the Death-Associated Protein Kinase-1 expression and Autophagy via ATF6 Requires Apoptosis Signal-Regulating Kinase-1

The death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) is an important regulator of cell death and autophagy. Recently, we have identified that ATF6, an endoplasmic reticulum-resident transcription factor, in association with the transcription factor CEBP-β, regulates the gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-induced expression of Dapk1 (P. Gade et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 109:10316-10321, 2012, doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1119273109). IFN-γ-induced proteolytic processing of ATF6 and phosphorylation of C/EBP-β were essential for the formation of a novel transcriptional complex that regulates DAPK1. Here, we report that IFN-γ activates the ASK1-MKK3/MKK6-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway for controlling the activity of ATF6. The terminal enzyme in this pathway, p38 MAPK, phosphorylates a critical threonine residue in ATF6 upstream of its DNA binding domain. ATF6 mutants defective for p38 MAPK phosphorylation fail to undergo proteolytic processing in the Golgi apparatus and drive IFN-γ-induced gene expression and autophagy. We also show that mice lacking Ask1 are highly susceptible to lethal bacterial infection owing to defective autophagy. Together, these results identify a novel host defense pathway controlled by IFN-γ signaling.
Applying a natural language processing tool to electronic health records to assess performance on colonoscopy quality measures.

Background Gastroenterology specialty societies have advocated that providers routinely assess their performance on colonoscopy quality measures. Such routine measurement has been hampered by the costs and time required to manually review colonoscopy and pathology reports. Natural language processing (NLP) is a field of computer science in which programs are trained to extract relevant information from text reports in an automated fashion. Objective To demonstrate the efficiency and potential of NLP-based colonoscopy quality measurement. Design In a cross-sectional study design, we used a previously validated NLP program to analyze colonoscopy reports and associated pathology notes. The resulting data were used to generate provider performance on colonoscopy quality measures. Setting Nine hospitals in the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center health care system. Patients Study sample consisted of the 24,157 colonoscopy reports and associated pathology reports from 2008 to 2009. Main Outcome Measurements Provider performance on 7 quality measures. Results Performance on the colonoscopy quality measures was generally poor, and there was a wide range of performance. For example, across hospitals, the adequacy of preparation was noted overall in only 45.7% of procedures (range 14.6%-86.1% across 9 hospitals), cecal landmarks were documented in 62.7% of procedures (range 11.6%-90.0%), and the adenoma detection rate was 25.2% (range 14.9%-33.9%). Limitations Our quality assessment was limited to a single health care system in western Pennsylvania. Conclusions Our study illustrates how NLP can mine free-text data in electronic records to measure and report on the quality of care. Even within a single academic hospital system, there is considerable variation in the performance on colonoscopy quality measures, demonstrating the need for better methods to regularly and efficiently assess quality.
Admirable Immorality, Dirty Hands, Care Ethics, Justice Ethics, and Child Sacrifice

Using five different child-sacrifice cases, I argue that the relationship between the ethics of care and the ethics of justice is not that one is wholly right while the other is morally wrong or irrelevant, or that one somehow has priority over the other, or that one is supererogatory while the other is required, or that one is a role ethic while the other is a real ethic, or that they are equivalent. Instead, I propose that the ethics of justice and care are simply descriptions of the virtues of justice and care, understood richly and broadly. Each prescribes perceptions, values, self-conceptions, etc. as well as actions and passions in every sphere of human life. Like other actual (rather than idealized) virtues, justice and care sometimes conflict with each other. They demand incompatible actions, passions, perceptions, etc. The available options in conflict situations feel both right and wrong because they are admirably immoral acts and/or dirty hands acts. I argue that these conflicts do not undermine the primacy, practicality or consistency of morality.
Who Financed the Transportation Revolution? Regional Divergence and Internal Improvements in Antebellum Pennsylvania and Virginia

Comparing investment in transportation companies in Albemarle county, Virginia, and Cumberland county, Pennsylvania, I analyze why nineteenth-century internal improvements revolutionized the northern economy, but only seemed to increase the South's dependence upon plantation agriculture. In both counties local investors and financed early improvements.
Correlating Vegetation, Water Use, and Surface Temperature in a Semiarid City: A Multiscale Analysis of the Impacts of Irrigation by Single-Family Residences

Urban heat islands (UHIs) and the vegetation that mitigates them vary across space and time, but little research has investigated this coupled natural–human system using both spatial and temporal analyses. Focusing on semiarid, water-scarce Tucson, Arizona, we examined whether outdoor water use by residents of single-family homes (a practice that uses close to half of residential water supplies) contributes to urban “greenness” and the mitigation of UHI effects. Specifically, we investigated how different types of residential development mediate vegetation–water use–temperature interactions. Our data sets include Landsat-derived normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and surface temperatures, parcel-level zoning and assessor data, and residential water use records at the quarter section level (0.63 km 2 ). We analyzed these data at multiple spatial and temporal scales. Spatial analysis results demonstrate that cooling from vegetative evapotranspiration is mediated by development factors as well as by topography and wind patterns. Findings also suggest that outdoor water use aside from irrigation, particularly the use of swimming pools, promotes cooling without elevating the NDVI. Temporal analysis reveal that most residential areas maintained or increased greenness despite declining 1995–2008 water use due most likely to long-term regional climate cycles. Only high-density developments with little undeveloped ground cover and few natural drainage channels exhibit a strong relationship between household water use and NDVI trends. These results suggest that the preservation of natural drainage channels and limitation of impervious surfaces, as well as the siting of development in naturally cooled microclimates, may be sustainable strategies for UHI mitigation in water-scarce regions.
Mental health and firearms in community-based surveys: implications for suicide prevention.

Suicide rates are higher among those who own or live in a household with a hand gun. This article examines the association between hand gun ownership and mental health, another risk factor for suicide. Data from the General Social Survey, a series of surveys of U.S. adults, are analyzed to compare general emotional and mental health, sadness and depression, functional mental health, and mental health help seeking among gun owners, persons who do not own but live in a household with a gun, and those who do not own a gun. After taking into account a few basic demographic characteristics associated with both variables, there appears to be no association between mental health and gun ownership. Nor is there any association between mental health and living in a household with a firearm. Findings suggest that the high risk of suicide among those who own or live in a household with a gun is not related to poor mental health. Implications for prevention are discussed.
The COMFORT behaviour scale detects clinically meaningful effects of analgesic and sedative treatment

Background The COMFORT behaviour scale (COMFORT-B scale) is widely used in paediatric intensive care units to assess young children's pain and distress. It is also used to assess the impact of treatment interventions, but little is known on the scale's sensitivity to detect changes between before and after measurements following an intervention. This study explored the sensitivity to change of the COMFORT-B scale. Methods COMFORT-B scores, originally and prospectively collected as part of standard care, were retrieved from the digital patient data management system. We analysed scores obtained in 747 paired observations, i.e., before and after a pharmacological intervention in 180 paediatric intensive care patients between September 2009 and September 2010. Results The mean scores before and after an intervention were 20.0 [standard deviation (SD) 3.7] and 14.1 (SD 4.7), respectively. Multilevel regression analysis showed a 6-point mean decline after an intervention (p < 0.0001). The magnitude of this decline was not statistically significantly related to number and type of interventions or time between assessments. In almost three-quarters of cases (74%), the COMFORT-B score dropped to below 17 after a pharmacological intervention, indicating good responsiveness. Conclusions This is the first study demonstrating that the COMFORT-B scale detects treatment-related changes in pain or distress intensity. This implies that COMFORT-B assessments can effectively guide analgesic and sedation treatment in critically ill children.