cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A sampling-based algorithm for multi-robot visibility-based pursuit-evasion

We introduce a probabilistically complete algorithm for solving a visibility-based pursuit-evasion problem in two-dimensional polygonal environments with multiple pursuers. The inputs for our algorithm are an environment and the initial positions of the pursuers. The output is a joint strategy for the pursuers that guarantees that the evader has been captured. We create a Sample-Generated Pursuit-Evasion Graph (SG-PEG) that utilizes an abstract sample generator to search the pursuers’ joint configuration space for a pursuer solution strategy that captures the evaders. We implemented our algorithm in simulation and provide results.
Evaluation of Cefaclor in Acute Otitis Media Caused by Ampicillin-resistant H. influenzae

Cefaclor was used to treat 13 children with acute otitis media caused by ampicillin-resistant strains of Hemophilus influenzae. The children were re-examined on days 4, 10, and 28. Pharmacologic compliance was assessed by means of a bioinhibition assay on a urine specimen obtained on days 4, 7, and 10. Nine of the 13 children had evidence by tympanogram of residual otitis media with effusion (secretory otitis media). Of these, three were noted to have a bulging, yellow or grey eardrum, which suggested an ongoing acute process. A second middle ear culture was obtained from two of the 3 children, but no pathogens were recovered. Two others had recurrence of otitis shortly after cessation of therapy. Cefaclor is an acceptable antibiotic for the treatment of ampicillin-resistant acute otitis media; but, after cefaclor therapy, some children continued to have a bulging eardrum and sterile pus in the middle ear or had recurrences of otitis soon after cessation of therapy.
Performance on Tests of Power and Speed as Related to Age among Male Job Applicants

A number of ability tests were administered to 187 male job applicants ranging in age from twenty to fifty-three years. When test-performance was compared across age groups, no significant differences were found on tests of mental ability, numerical ability, reading speed and comprehension, and mechanical comprehension. On one of two verbal comprehension tests, scores increased significantly as a function of age. Moreover, the older individuals were not penalized in any way by tests which emphasized speed as opposed to power. The findings were discussed in connection with the generally negative stereotype of the aging worker.
Why do lifespan variability trends for the young and old diverge? A perturbation analysis

Background: Variation in lifespan has followed strikingly different trends for the young and old: while overall lifespan variability has decreased as life expectancy at birth has risen, the variability conditional on survival to older ages has increased. These diverging trends reflect changes in the underlying demographic parameters determining age-specific mortality. Objective: We ask why the variation in the adult ages at death has followed a different trend than the variation at younger ages, and aim to explain the diverging patterns in terms of historical changes in the age schedule of mortality. Methods: Using simulations, we show that the empirical trends in lifespan variation are well characterized using the Siler model, which describes the mortality hazard across the full lifespan using functions representing early-life, later-life, and background mortality. We then obtain maximum likelihood estimates of the Siler parameters over time. Finally, we express lifespan variation in terms of a Markov chain model, and apply matrix calculus perturbation analysis to compute the sensitivity of age-specific lifespan variance trends to the changing Siler model parameters. Results: Our analysis produces a detailed quantification of the impact of changing demographic parameters on the pattern of lifespan variability at all ages, highlighting the impact of declining childhood mortality on the reduction of lifespan variability and the impact of improved survival in adulthood on the rising variability of lifespans at older ages. Conclusions: These findings provide insight into the dynamic relationship between the age pattern of survival improvements and time trends in lifespan variability.
Examining increasing potential for storms with global warming

Increases in convective available potential energy (CAPE)—the energy available to a parcel of air rising through a cloud—may increase the likelihood of severe storms. Model simulations have shown that global warming will increase CAPE in the tropics, but scientists do not fully understand why this occurs or what the implications may be for future precipitation intensity.
An optical model consistency condition between the regeneration phase and the real parts of the KON forward scattering amplitudes

Abstract Using just the magnitude of the regeneration amplitude we show that both the regeneration phase, ϕ r , and the sum of the ratios of the real to imaginary parts of the K O N forward scattering amplitudes, γ pn , can be determined for nuclei with zero or moderate neutron excess. We find: ϕ r = (43.5 ± 2.5) o ; γ pn = −0.73 ± 0.1 + 1.7 γ pn 〈 2.7 GeV /c 〉 = −0.65 ± 0.07 + 1.6 γ pn 〈 4.5 GeV /c 〉 , where γ pn is corresponding quantity for K O N scattering. Applications to regeneration in hydrogen and the ϕ-meson are discussed.
Zinc reduction of alkynes

The dissolving zinc metal reduction of ethyl phenylpropiolate to the corresponding cinnamate ester can be stereochemically controlled by changing the proton source in the reaction. The results of this study, while not fully understood, may imply that surface phenomena, coupled with a relatively slow forming equilibrium between the intermediate cis and trans anion or radical anion, competes with the rate determining protonation step in the mechanism.
Involvement of endogenous nitric oxide and c-kit-expressing cells in chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction.

Abstract Background/Purpose: Chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIP) in infants and children is a motility disorder without apparent mechanical cause. Nitric oxide (NO), an inhibitory neurotransmitter and c- kit cells, essential for the intestinal pacemaker activity, both play a key role in the intestinal motility function. In the current study, the authors investigated the distributive change in the intestinal nitric oxide synthase (NOS) and c- kit cells of patients with CIP. Methods: Tissues were obtained from 4 patients undergoing bowel resection or biopsy for CIP at laparotomy. For controls, the intestinal specimens were obtained from 4 age-matched cases of intestinal stricture, intussusception, and autopsy with no evidence of gastrointestinal disease. Immunohistochemical studies were performed on paraffin-embedded tissue cross sections with neuronal NOS and inducible NOS monoclonal antibody as well as a rabbit polyclonal antibody against the human c- kit receptor. Results: Under immunohistochemical staining, a greatly increased density of neuronal NOS immunoreactivity and an evidently increased number of intense NOS immunoreactive nerve fibers were observed in the myenteric plexus and circular muscle layers compared with the control sections. In the submucosal plexus and longitudinal muscle layer, there was no change in NOS immunoreactivity. Inducible NOS immunoreactivity was not detected in the control cases. However, in tissues of CIP, almost all the epithelial cells were positively and strongly labeled for inducible NOS immunoreactivity. For c- kit cells staining, the number of c- kit —positive cells in the myenteric plexus and circular muscle layers were greatly less than that in the controls, especially in the myenteric plexus region. Conclusion: These findings suggest that sustained production of NO by an increased NOS activity and a deficiency of c- kit cells in the intestine may be related to the pathogenesis of CIP. J Pediatr Surg 35:539-544. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
The Role of Affordable Mortgages in Improving Living Standards and Stimulating Growth: A Survey of Selected MENA Countries

This paper argues that making affordable home mortgage loans available to a large cross section of the population will serve both the redistributive and growth-enhancing objectives of poverty reduction policies. The current state of housing and mortgage markets in selected Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries (Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, and Tunisia) is examined. The study evaluates Turkey and Mexico as middle-income comparator countries. Historical experience of the United States is also described. Simulations based on U.S. parameters provide some guide to the effects on economic growth of alleviating housing shortages by improving access to mortgage financing.
Serials Specialists Are Hard to Find

The library job market is cyclical in nature. A short-age of librarians in the 1950s and 1960s was followed by an oversupply in the 1970s. By the late 1980s a general shortage had developed once again. Reasons for the shortage are discussed, with particular emphasis given to the shortage of technical services librarians. Experienced serials librarians have long been difficult to find, and the current shortage of librarians has further compounded the problem. A trend toward organizinq serials departments by function may be a contributing factor in this. Regardless of organizational structure, however, librarians with serials expertise are still needed. Special efforts need to be made to find and retain them.
Unsteady-state heat and mass transfer in the rotating-disk-revolving-fluid system

Abstract The transient heat- and mass-transfer behavior of various rotating-disk-revolving-fluid combinations has been investigated. The analysis assumes steady flow and instantaneous application of a temperature or composition change at the disk at zero time. The approach of the dimensionless heat- or mass-transfer parameters, the Sherwood or Nusselt numbers, to their steady-state values has been investigated. The numerical computations for the pure rotating-disk case utilized both the true velocity profile and some limiting forms applicable to restricted regions of the Schmidt or Prandtl number and time. The results indicate that, for practical purposes, steady-state transfer is essentially instantaneously attained upon application of the new boundary condition. For Sc → ∞, the effect of interfacial velocity on the transient response is small.
Adrenalectomy Improves Outcomes of Selected Patients with Metastatic Carcinoma

Indications and survival benefit for adrenalectomy (ADX) in the setting of metastasis are not clearly defined. We aimed to determine which patients with primary malignancies may benefit from ADX performed for metastasis. Mayo Clinic institutional outcomes in patients with metastatic disease to the adrenal(s) treated by adrenalectomy were compared to stage-matched historical controls from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database. A retrospective review (1992–2010) was conducted to identify patients treated with ADX for metastatic cancer at Mayo Clinic, Rochester. Associations of clinical, surgical, and pathologic features with overall survival (OS) were evaluated using Cox proportional regression models. OS for those treated with ADX was compared with that for SEER database stage-matched patients who underwent primary resection without resection of distant disease using log-rank tests. A total of 166 patients underwent ADX for metastatic primaries involving the kidney 60, lung 24, sarcoma 19, colon 15, pancreas 13, and other-35. Patients with sarcoma and kidney, lung, and pancreatic tumors who underwent ADX had better OS at 1, 2, and 3 years than did the SEER-matched controls. Respectively, the rates were for sarcoma (100, 93, 86% vs. 57, 36, 30%), kidney (86, 80, 72% vs. 55, 37, 27%), lung (91, 69, 52% vs. 52, 34, 25%), and pancreas (79, 56, 45% vs. 33, 20, 12%). Univariate analysis identified primary diagnosis <2 years before ADX, other distant site, pancreatic primary, palliative operation, and persistent disease as risk factors for death. An aggressive surgical approach results in improved OS in patients with metastatic disease arising from soft tissues, kidney, lung, and pancreas. Other tumors may benefit, but larger study cohorts are needed for a meaningful comparison.
Dorsal raphe neurons: self-inhibition by an amphetamine-induced release of endogenous serotonin

Abstract A direct infusion of amphetamine into the dorsal raphe nucleus of the rat inhibited the activity of serotonergic neurons in this site. An intravenous injection of 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine, a serotonin autoreceptor agonist, mimicked this effect. The amphetamine-induced depression of firing rate was blocked by a subsequent injection of methiothepin, a putative serotonin autoreceptor antagonist, but not by pretreatment with α-methyl-p-tyrosine which depletes brain catecholamines. Amphetamine infusions into the surrounding periaqueductal gray or brainstem reticular formation failed to change dorsal raphe activity. The results of these studies indicate that endogenous serotonin, which can be released by a direct infusion of amphetamine, suppresses neuronal activity in the dorsal raphe nucleus by a process of self-inhibition.
Anticonvulsant and convulsant properties of flurazepam.

Abstract The anticonvulsant efficacy of the benzodiazepine flurazepam was tested in rats treated with a convulsant dose of either picrotoxin or 3-mercaptopropionic acid. Against picrotoxin, a significant anticonvulsant effect was observed in the range of 30–60 mg kg , i.p. Epileptogenicity Increased as doses of flurazepam were increased from 60 to 200 mg kg , and at a dose of 400 mg kg all subjects died. In similar tests, the benzodiazepines clonazepam and triazolam produced only dose-dependent increases in anticonvulsant efficacy. Flurazepam also proved to be an effective anticonvulsant in tests against 3-mercaptopropionic acid. The results of this study provide further evidence that benzodiazepines have varying degrees of epileptogenicity.
A Comparison of Weighted and Non-Weighted Transform Domain Processing Systems for Narrowband Interference Excision

The effect of amplitude weighting the received signal in a spread spectrum transform domain processing receiver is studied. Both experimental and theoretical results of probability of error are given for direct sequence DS) systems using a 63 chip spreading sequence with non-contiguous data. The DS signal is received in the presence of narrowband interference and additive white Gaussian noise, and good agreement between theory and experiment is demonstrated. Results are given for both weighted and unweighted input signals at various notch bandwidths.
Biochemical Systems Theory: A Review

Biochemical systems theory (BST) is the foundation for a set of analytical andmodeling tools that facilitate the analysis of dynamic biological systems. This paper depicts major developments in BST up to the current state of the art in 2012. It discusses its rationale, describes the typical strategies and methods of designing, diagnosing, analyzing, and utilizing BST models, and reviews areas of application. The paper is intended as a guide for investigators entering the fascinating field of biological systems analysis and as a resource for practitioners and experts.
Coffee consumption and the risk of overall and fatal prostate cancer in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study.

Purpose Evidence on the association between coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk is inconsistent; furthermore, few studies have examined the relationship between coffee consumption and fatal prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate whether coffee intake is associated with the risk of overall and fatal prostate cancer.
DLVO interaction energy between spheroidal particles and a flat surface

Abstract The orientation dependent interaction energy between a spheroidal particle and an infinite planar surface is determined using the surface element integration (SEI) technique. The interaction energy predictions of SEI are shown to be considerably more accurate than the corresponding predictions based on Derjaguin’s approximation (DA). Comparison with the Hamaker approach for evaluating the non-retarded van der Waals interaction energy reveals that SEI predicts the orientation dependent interaction energy for spheroidal particles with remarkable accuracy. It is further shown that both SEI and DA give nearly identical predictions of the electrostatic double layer interaction energy between a spheroidal particle and a flat plate at high electrolyte concentrations. However, at low electrolyte concentrations, considerable deviations are noted between the predictions of SEI and DA, particularly for very small aspect ratios of the particle (aspect ratio=length of minor axis/length of major axis). It is also noted that when the spheroidal particle is oriented with its major axis parallel to the planar surface, DA incorrectly predicts the interaction energy as that of a spherical particle with a radius equal to the semi-major axis of the spheroid. This limitation of DA is avoided in SEI, which accounts for the dependence of the interaction energy on the actual shape (aspect ratio) of the particle at any orientation. Predictions of the DLVO interaction energy based on SEI indicate that, at high electrolyte concentrations, the orientation dependence of the interaction energy is not significant at large separation distances, and assumption of an equivalent spherical particle may be sufficient. However, significant deviation of the interaction energy from that of a spherical particle is observed at small separation distances, particularly at low electrolyte concentrations. At these small separation distances, where the correct orientation dependence of the interaction energy must be considered for proper calculations of particle interaction phenomena with flat surfaces (e.g. particle deposition), SEI provides a facile route to perform such calculations.
An affect-management group for women with posttraumatic stress disorder and histories of childhood sexual abuse

Systematic research on effective treatment for survivors of childhood sexual abuse with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is virtually non-existent. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of an affect-management treatment (AM) group to a wait list control condition for female survivors of childhood sexual abuse with PTSD. Forty-eight female survivors of childhood sexual abuse with PTSD were randomly assigned to either a 15-week affect-management treatment group or to a wait list control condition. All subjects received individual psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for the duration of the study, and for at least 1-month prior to the study. Controlling for pretreatment scores, subjects who completed the affect-management treatment group (n = 17) reported significantly fewer posttreatment symptoms of PTSD and dissociation than subjects in the wait list control condition (n = 16). Our findings suggest that an affect-management group treatment is beneficial as an adjunct to individual psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy for survivors of childhood sexual abuse with PTSD.
APS: 125 years of progress of physiology as a scientific discipline and a profession

The Experimental Biology 2012 meeting in San Diego, CA, included events to celebrate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the American Physiological Society (APS) and reflect on the recent acco...
Targeting the mTOR Pathway in Neuroendocrine Tumors

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) are rare, generally indolent tumors that are lethal in the metastatic setting. Treatment options to control tumor growth are limited. In clinical trials, investigational oral mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors have shown activity in patients with metastatic NETs. The purpose of this article is to provide oncology nurses with a background on the mechanism of action of mTOR inhibitors in the setting of NETs. Increased understanding of the role of mTOR in the pathogenesis of NETs has led to the study of mTOR inhibitor investigational agents in NETs. Treatments are evolving and currently focusing on targeted agents such as mTOR inhibitors. Understanding the mechanisms of action of targeted agents is a critical component of nursing knowledge.
Population genetics of introduced bullfrogs, Rana (Lithobates) catesbeianus, in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

The American bullfrog, Rana (Lithobates) catesbeianus, is endemic to eastern North America, but has been introduced to approximately 40 countries on four continents and is considered one of the hundred worst invasive alien species in the world. Here, we investigated the genetics of invasive bullfrogs in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA, where bullfrogs are widespread and abundant to determine: (1) the minimum number of bullfrog introductions; (2) the native source population(s); and (3) whether genetic variation is reduced compared to source populations. To answer these questions, we analyzed partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene for 251 bullfrogs from the Willamette Valley and the native range. We found that bullfrogs from the Mississippi River basin and Great Lakes region were introduced at least once to the Willamette Valley. Genetic variation measured as haplotype diversity (h) and nucleotide diversity (π n ) was not significantly different between Willamette Valley and source populations. Our results were in contrast to a recent genetic analysis of invasive bullfrog populations in Europe, which found that genetic variation in European bullfrog populations was much lower than in source populations. European bullfrogs also originated from different source populations than Willamette Valley bullfrogs. The difference in genetic composition between Willamette Valley and European bullfrogs is likely due to differences in their invasion histories and may have implications for the potential of bullfrogs in these different regions to adapt and expand.
Distributed Power and Scheduling Management for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks with Delay Constraints

In this paper, we propose a cross-layer distributed power control and scheduling protocol for delay-constrained applications over mobile CDMA-based ad hoc wireless networks. Herein, we propose a novel scheme where power control is employed to combat delay occurring on multi-hop wireless ad hoc networks via cross-layer information exchange. Based on that, a distributed power control and scheduling protocol is proposed to control the incurred delay, as well as the multiple access interference (MAI). Unlike many previous works on power control and scheduling, we also investigate the impacts of Doppler spread and noisy channel estimates upon the system performance, and provide a robust system which employs a combination of power control and coding/interleaving to combat the effects of Doppler spread by exploiting the time diversity when the Doppler spread gets large. Hence, our proposed approach can function appropriately over a wide range of channel conditions.
A Shortcut Method for Controlled Variable Selection and Its Application to the Butane Alkylation Process

The importance of selecting controlled variables appropriately for an entire process has long been recognized. However, because of its combinatorial nature, finding an optimal set of controlled variables requires solving a large number of nonconvex optimization problems, a computationally intensive task for any realistic chemical process. In this paper, we propose a shortcut method to eliminate poor choices and to generate and rank attractive alternatives without solving optimization problems. The method is based on scaling of all of the candidate controlled variables so that they have similar effects on the steady-state profit. The procedure is illustrated on a simplified butane alkylation process.
Energy transfer across cracks in a thin membrane strip

This paper presents recent results from an ongoing investigation on the use of non-collocated actuator/receiver pair to enable dynamic testing of a thin membrane in order to detect cracks. The current focus is on obtaining the transfer function of a Kapton membrane excited at one end by a polyvinilidine fluoride (PVDF) actuator. A receiver of identical specifications is located at the other end. The actuator operates in the d 31 mode which under sinusoidal excitation leads to a periodic variation in membrane tension. The paper shows that the resulting dynamics can be analyzed with the help of the Mathieu equation. As such, the frequency response of this membrane is complicated. The presence of a crack could in principle be detected by the corresponding decrease in the output voltage amplitude at the drive frequency in the Fourier transform of the output, but this was found difficult in practice. Detailed analysis of the parametrically excited dynamics with and without a crack could lead to precise and reliable signatures for healthy and cracked membranes.
Construction and Characterization of Vaccinia Direct Ligation Vectors

Poxvirus vectors are extensively used as expression vehicles for protein and antigen expression in eukaryotic cells. Customarily, the foreign DNA is introduced into the poxvirus genome by homologous recombination. An alternative method using direct ligation vectors has been used to efficiently construct chimeric genomes in situations not readily amenable for homologous recombination. We describe the construction and characterization of a new set of direct ligation vectors designed to be universally applicable for the generation of chimeric vaccinia genomes. These vectors contain the pair of unique restriction sites NotI and ApaI to eliminate religation of poxvirus arms and fix the orientation of the insert DNA behind strongly expressing constitutive vaccinia promoters. The insertion cassette has been placed at the beginning of the thymidine kinase gene in vaccinia to use drug selection in the isolation of recombinants. These viruses provide a set of universally applicable direct ligation poxvirus cloning vectors, extending the utility of poxvirus vectors for construction and expression of complex libraries.
The absorption of glucose by Scenedesmus quadricauda. I. Some kinetic aspects.

The effect of various conditions on the rate of uptake of glucose by the green alga Scenedesmus quadricauda has been examined. With cells starved by keeping for at least 24 h in the dark, the concentration/rate curve reaches a maximum at 2% glucose, when the rate is 4 $\times $ 10$^{-13}$ gmol min$^{-1}\mu ^{-2}$. With fresh cells the same maximum rate is achieved at the same concentration, but the form of the curve is different. Between 0$\cdot $1 and 0$\cdot $5% glucose there is a constant rate of uptake which is only half that of the maximum value. In all cases the progress curve of glucose uptake is linear with respect to time. Increase of the exposed area of the plasma membrane by plasmolysis gave a barely significant increase in the rate of glucose uptake. It was therefore concluded that glucose absorption did not take place over the whole surface of the plasma membrane, but only at specific absorption centres, and that the uptake was not limited by thermal diffusion.
Mechanism of proton transport in bacteriorhodopsin from crystallographic structures of the K, L, M1, M2, and M2' intermediates of the photocycle.

We produced the L intermediate of the photocycle in a bacteriorhodopsin crystal in photo-stationary state at 170 K with red laser illumination at 60% occupancy, and determined its structure to 1.62 A resolution. With this model, high-resolution structural information is available for the initial bacteriorhodopsin, as well as the first five states in the transport cycle. These states involve photo-isomerization of the retinal and its initial configurational changes, deprotonation of the retinal Schiff base and the coupled release of a proton to the extracellular membrane surface, and the switch event that allows reprotonation of the Schiff base from the cytoplasmic side. The six structural models describe the transformations of the retinal and its interaction with water 402, Asp85, and Asp212 in atomic detail, as well as the displacements of functional residues farther from the Schiff base. The changes provide rationales for how relaxation of the distorted retinal causes movements of water and protein atoms that result in vectorial proton transfers to and from the Schiff base.
Economic and political determinants of budget deficits in developing countries

Abstract The evidence from a large sample of developing countries tends to reject the empirical implications of optimizing models of the process of determination of fiscal deficits, tax rates, seigniorage and inflation. The paper also presents some preliminary evidence that an important reason for the failure of the equilibrium approach to fiscal policy is that fiscal deficits are partly determined by political factors and that cross-country differentials in budget deficits may depend on measures of political instability. In particular, as suggested by a number of recent theoretical approaches, an increase in the degree of political instability appears to lead to greater budget deficits.
Effectiveness of a peer counselor hotline for the elderly

The effectiveness of a crisis hotline using elderly peer counselors was evaluated. Use of the agency's telephone services by callers over the age of 60 increased significantly with implementation of the hotline. Follow-up data obtained from callers indicated that the hotline successfully addressed caller problems in a significant proportion of cases and that those who contacted the service were generally well satisfied. Volunteers who achieved higher levels of Technical Effectiveness (TE) after training were more effective in helping callers resolve their problems and in generating appropriate referrals, but did not produce greater subjective feelings of satisfaction in callers. The reverse finding was obtained for volunteers who attained high levels of Clinical Effectiveness (CE) after training. Results are discussed in terms of the extent to which technical and clinical elements should be incorporated into elderly hotline volunteer-training programs, the utility of the TE and CE scales, and considerations regarding the need for elderly peer counselors in such a setting.
A magic-angle spinner for sealed samples for use in narrow-gap electromagnets

La rotation de l'angle magique peut etre utilisee pour ameliorer la resolution des spectres RMN des molecules adsorbees sur la surface
The restructuring of Detroit: City block form change in a shrinking city, 1900–2000

This paper examines the dramatic changes to city block morphology that occurred during the 20th century in Detroit, MI, USA. The study area is comprised of four square miles (10.4 km2) of downtown Detroit. The paper measures the amount and causes of city block frontage change between the years 1896 and 2002, and finds that 37% of Detroit's 1896 city block frontage was removed by 2002. Only 50% of the removed frontage was replaced with new frontage. The city block changes indicate a consistent replacement of small blocks and their intervening streets with larger superblocks with few or no cross streets. Almost 50% of city block frontage removal was attributable to slum clearance or ‘urban renewal’ and highway (motorway) construction. Smaller amounts of block reconfiguration were due to large-scale building (megaproject) construction, street widening, and block consolidation for industrial, institutional, and parking-related uses. The recent city block restructuring resulting from new megaprojects indicates that the further replacement of Detroit's 19th-century street and block structure by superblocks is likely.
Electromagnetic investigation on imaging of disturbed earth feature for buried target detection

Electromagnetic (EM) simulations from UHF to X-band are undertaken to determine the feasibility of exploiting ground surface scattering for subsurface target detection. A ground surface containing a target emplacement-related disturbance is physically represented by a composite roughness profile with Gaussian statistics, in conjunction with a homogeneous dielectric model. Bistatic wideband imaging of the target/surface disturbance scene-generated using scattering data from forward-looking sensing simulations-indicates that at X-band, for the parameters defined in this work, the disturbed surface feature is observable with a scattering response that is distinct-both visually and statistically-from that of the undisturbed surface. At lower frequencies (UHF to C-band), the disturbance is far less apparent due to the lack of sufficient image resolution. The buried target itself, however, is visible only at lower frequency bands. Consequently, it is expected that a judicious synthesis of the scattering data from different frequency bands can lead to enhanced target detection performance.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
FTIR transmission and photoacoustic spectroscopy for the statistical identification of bacteria

We have previously reported a combined mid-infrared spectroscopic/statistical modeling approach for the discrimination and identification, at the strain level, of both sporulated and vegetative bacteria. This paper reports on the expansion of the reference spectral library: transmissive Fourier-transform mid-infrared (trans-FTIR) spectra were obtained for three Escherichia bacterial strains (E. coli RZ1032 ATCC 39737, E. coli W3110 ATCC 27325, and E. coli HB101 ATCC 33694), and two Pseudomonas putida bacterial strains (P. putida 0301 and P. putida ATCC 39169). These were combined with the previous spectral data of five Bacillus bacterial strains (B. atrophaeus ATCC 49337, B. globigii Dugway, B. thuringiensis spp. kurstaki ATCC 35866, B. subtilis ATCC 49760, and B. subtilis ATCC 6051) to form an extended library. The previously developed four-step statistical model for the identification of bacteria (using the expanded library) was subsequently used on blind samples including other bacteria as well as non-biological materials. The results from the trans-FTIR spectroscopy experiments are discussed and compared to results obtained using photoacoustic Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (PA-FTIR). The advantages, disadvantages, and preliminary detection limits for each technique are discussed. Both methods yield promising results for identification of unknown bacteria, including bacterial spores, in a matter of minutes.
Relationships among Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Anthropometric Measures, and Neurocognitive Functioning in Adolescents with Severe Obesity

Objective To explore associations between measures of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and sleep quality, anthropometrics, and neurocognitive functioning in severely obese adolescents. Study design This was a cross-sectional pilot study performed at an academic medical center in 37 severely obese (body mass index [BMI] >97th percentile) adolescents. Study evaluations included polysomnography, BMI, waist circumference, and standardized neurocognitive tests to assess memory, executive functioning, psychomotor efficiency, academic achievement, and an approximation of full-scale IQ. Outcome data were evaluated categorically, based on clinical criteria for the diagnosis of OSA, and continuously to quantify associations between sleep parameters, anthropometrics, and neurocognitive test results. Results Sleep fragmentation and poorer sleep quality were associated with reduced psychomotor efficiency, poorer memory recall, and lower scores on standardized academic tests. Having evidence of OSA was associated with lower math scores, but not with other neurocognitive measures. BMI and waist circumference were negatively associated with oxygen saturation. Conclusion Our pilot study findings suggest that sleep fragmentation and poorer sleep quality have implications for neurocognitive functioning in obese adolescents. The epidemic of childhood obesity has dire implications, not only for increasing cardiometabolic pathology, but also for possibly promoting less readily apparent neurologic alterations associated with poor sleep quality.
Semi-custom integrated silicon sensor development array

A silicon-based integrated circuit array is demonstrated with a unique layout and process technique which allows a shortened development and fabrication time and reduced design and development costs for several types of monolithically integrated smart sensors. This array utilizes the same semi-custom techniques which have allowed similar development time improvements and cost reductions for digital gate arrays and analog tile arrays, but is designed specifically for use with monolithic silicon sensors and actuators. This array is known as the Linear IC/Sensor Array, or LISA, and directly applies semi-custom design and processing techniques to monolithic smart sensor developments. >
“Superbugs Bunny” Outsmarts Our Immune Defense

For centuries, mothers have relied on the protective power of carrots and its ability to boost their baby’s immune systems. The toddler’s golden yellow cheeks openly signal healthy development and the ability to withstand infectious adversity. Quite similarly, the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus also counts on carotenoids to evade host immune defense, in particular being attacked and killed by human neutrophils. In fact, the characteristic golden color (Latin: aureus) conveyed by carotenoid surface pigmentation is the eponymous attribute of this bacterium.
An Online Spaced-Education Game Among Clinicians Improves Their Patients’ Time to Blood Pressure Control A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background—Many patients with high blood pressure (BP) do not have antihypertensive medications appropriately intensified at clinician visits. We investigated whether an online spaced-education (SE) game among primary care clinicians can decrease time to BP target among their hypertensive patients. Methods and Results—A 2-arm randomized trial was conducted over 52 weeks among primary care clinicians at 8 hospitals. Educational content consisted of 32 validated multiple-choice questions with explanations on hypertension management. Providers were randomized into 2 groups: SE clinicians were enrolled in the game, whereas control clinicians received identical educational content in an online posting. SE game clinicians were e-mailed 1 question every 3 days. Adaptive game mechanics resent questions in 12 or 24 days if answered incorrectly or correctly, respectively. Clinicians retired questions by answering each correctly twice consecutively. Posting of relative performance among peers fostered competition. P...
Peripartum Responses of Dairy Cows Fed Energy-Dense Diets for 3 or 6 Weeks Prepartum

Pregnant cows (n = 189) in two commercial dairy farms were assigned randomly to be fed energy-dense diets for either 3 or 6 wk before expected calving. Cows fed diets for less than or equal to 26 d were designated the short (S) treatment group, and those fed greater than 26 d were the long (L) treatment group. Cows in L tended to have improved energy status during the first 2 wk postpartum, as indicated by higher insulin concentrations and a tendency for lower nonesterified fatty acid concentrations. Treatment did not affect plasma β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. Cows in L tended to gain more body condition during the late dry period. Total body condition loss from parturition through 6 wk postpartum was not different between treatments, but the rate of change varied over this period. Cows in S lost more body condition during the first 3 wk postpartum than cows in L. In farm 1 only, cows in L lost more body condition from 3 to 6 wk postpartum and had a higher incidence of metritis and a longer interval to first service than cows in S. Cows in L had higher milk protein content through 60 d in milk compared with cows in S. Additionally, cows in L in farm 1 produced 4.4 kg/d less milk, tended to have lower milk fat content and yields, and higher somatic cell counts through 150 d in milk than cows in S. Overall, increasing the length of time cows were fed the energy-dense diet prepartum elicited significant changes in farm 1, but had little effect in farm 2. Based on these results, L treatment may improve energy status immediately postpartum, but long-term effects varied between farms, perhaps due to other unmeasured management differences.
Teleonemia nigrina Champion (Hemiptera: Tingidae): New Host-Plant Records, Analysis of Host Range, with Notes on Seasonality and Habits

Abstract Plant associations for Teleonemia nigrina Champion, a widely distributed Nearctic lace bug, are reviewed, and records that might not represent true host relationships are questioned. To gain a better understanding of the host-plant range of T. nigrina, its hosts were recorded during fieldwork, mainly in the southern United States (62 sites, 12 states), from 1995 to 2009. Plants on which nymphs were observed belonged to the asterid families Plantaginaceae (2 spp.), Scrophulariaceae (5 spp.), and Verbenaceae (7 spp.). Twelve of the 14 plant species represent new host records. The tingid was found most often on Aureolaria pectinata (Scrophulariaceae), Plantago aristata (Plantaginaceae), and Glandularia and Verbena spp. (Verbenaceae). Nymphs were observed on upper and lower leaf surfaces and reproductive structures, with foliar chlorosis evident on the upper surfaces and dark excrement on lower surfaces; severe feeding resulted in the death of Mimulus × hybridus (Scrophulariaceae) in a landscape plan...
Upper and lower bounds for tree-like cutting planes proofs

We study the complexity of cutting planes (CP) refutations, and tree-like CP refutations. Tree-like CP proofs are natural and still quite powerful. In particular, the propositional pigeonhole principle (PHP) has been shown to have polynomial-sized tree-like CP proofs. Our main result shows that a family of tautologies, introduced in this paper requires exponential-sized tree-like CP proofs. We obtain this result by introducing a new method which relates the size of a CP refutation to the communication complexity of a related search problem. Because these tautologies have polynomial-sized Frege proofs, it follows that tree-like CP cannot polynomially simulate Frege systems. >
Cost Behavior and Fundamental Analysis of SG&A Costs:

In fundamental analysis, it is customary to interpret an increase in the ratio of selling, general, and administrative costs to sales (the SG&A cost ratio) between two periods as a negative signal ...
The Ciliature and Infraciliature of Nyctotherus ovalis Leidy

The structure of a cilium in Nyctotherus ovalis is that usually found: two single central filaments surrounded peripherally by nine double filaments; the whole is encased in a ciliary membrane continuous with the pellicle. The two central filaments end in a single enlarged bulb just above a septum, located at about the level of the pellicle, whereas the nine double filaments extend inward to form the cylindrical basal body, which is open at its inner end. Inside the basal body are granules arranged in rows parallel to its sides. These granules may have significance in the origin of new basal bodies as well as in the outgrowth of new cilia. The latter may have been observed in a few instances. Parallel to the pellicle are two series of fibrils, one median and one inner, connecting adjacent basal bodies. Fibrils extend from the inner end of each basal body, these converge and extend deep into the ectoplasm, often becoming lost in a pattern of equilateral triangles, arranged to form hexagons. These features are clearly seen in the peristomial membranelles, where the basal bodies of the four rows of cilia are close together, separated from adjacent membranelles by a protoplasmic shelf and supported by a mass of fibrillar material comprising the peristomial ectoplasmic band. This broad band extends to the inner end of the peristome whence it returns along the opposite wall as a narrow mass of fibrillar ectoplasm without basal bodies. Peripherally the fibrils are condensed into fan-like bundles; internally they often form a network of equilateral triangles arranged to form hexagons, with corpuscles at the intersections. Trichite-like structures are also found in the peristomial groove and tube; these are connected to both the basal bodies and the fibrillar network. The functions, origin and development of this complex infraciliature during fission constitute one of the yet unsolved morphological problems in such complex ciliates.
Hunger in rural America: Myth or reality? A reexamination of the Harvard physician task force report on hunger in America using statistical data and field observations

Several studies, most notably those from the Harvard Physician Task Force on Hunger in America, have described areas of the United States as having serious hunger problems. These studies have relied solely on statistical approaches, devising a “hunger index” from poverty figures and food‐stamp participation data. A thorough reexamination of the Harvard report reveals that this study is invalid because it appears that the hunger index actually measures economic “dependence” rather than hunger and malnutrition. By using a variety of factors that measure economic well‐being, the present analysis concludes that the Harvard study was invalid because of serious flaws in the index. As a further check on the data, the author conducted field observations in a number of the “hunger” counties and was unable to discover any problems of hunger or malnutrition.
Assessment of monoethylglycinexylidide as measure of liver function for patients with chronic viral hepatitis

The liver metabolizes lidocaine by oxidative deethylation to form monoethylglycinexylidide (MEGX), an analyte proposed as an index of liver function. We determined MEGX and lidocaine serum concentrations with the TDx (Abbott Laboratories) at baseline and 15, 30, 60, and 90 min after the intravenous administration of lidocaine (1 mg/kg), analyzing specimens from 12 apparently healthy volunteers and 40 patients with chronic viral hepatitis diagnosed by liver biopsy and serum tests. The patients were grouped on the basis of the histology activity index. The following laboratory tests were performed on serum specimens from all subjects: albumin (ALB), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase, total bilirubin, and prothrombin time. The results showed no significant difference among the four groups for the concentrations of MEGX, lidocaine, and lidocaine/MEGX at the four time points. However, the concentrations of ALB, ALT, AST, AST/ALT, and prothrombin time were substantially different among the four groups. Thus, we conclude that assay of MEGX in our patients with chronic viral hepatitis did not contribute to the assessment of liver function when compared with apparently healthy volunteers and traditional tests of liver function.