cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Influence of working memory on stimulus generalization in anomia treatment: A pilot study

Abstract Neuropsychological testing of distinct cognitive domains holds promise as a prognostic indicator of aphasia therapy success; however, it is unclear the degree to which cognitive assessments may also predict generalization abilities. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between working memory skills and stimulus generalization from a visual picture-naming treatment to an auditory definition-naming task. Seven individuals with aphasia completed verbal and nonverbal assessments of working memory prior to participating in a cued picture-naming treatment for anomia. After treatment ended, stimulus generalization percentages were calculated for definition naming for the same items that were trained using picture naming. Scores on two nonverbal working memory measures, the backward spatial span and the 1-back, and one verbal working memory assessment, the picture span, were positively correlated with generalization percentage. These results provide preliminary evidence of the relationship between working memory and stimulus generalization. When comparing performance across working memory measures, the spatial span and the picture span were highly correlated in this sample. We propose that despite the verbal and nonverbal distinction, these tasks may have tapped into working memory similarly by relying on a shared central processing mechanism.
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ^(13)C Spectra of the Veratrum Alkaloids, Jervine and Veratramine

The natural-abundance ^(13)C magnetic resonance spectra of jervine and veratramine have been determined at 15·08 MHz. Chemical-shift correlations between these molecules and degradation products of jervine together with proton-decoupling techniques have made unambiguous assignments of most of the resonances possible.
Finitely approximable sets

The continuous or countable functionals form a class of objects which are finitely approximable — they can be completely described by a set of (hereditarily) finite sets (approximations). We introduce and study a wider class of objects — sets, functions, and relations — all of which lay claim to a notion of finite approximability.
Effect of activin A on globin gene expression in purified human erythroid progenitors

The regulatory control of human erythropoiesis through a purified protein, activin A, was examined. Previous studies using mixed populations of bone marrow cells suggested that activin A has an indirect effect on cellular proliferation and DNA synthesis of erythroid progenitors through the mediation of accessory cells. In present studies, the cultures of purified erythroid progenitors were used to examine the effect of activin A on globin gene expression. Human erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) were partially purified from peripheral blood, and after 8 days of culture the cells generated consisted mainly of erythroid colony-forming units (CFU-E). It was found that the subsequent 7-day cultures of these purified progenitors yielded similar numbers and size distributions of erythroid colonies, regardless of the presence of activin A in the cultures. In addition, these erythroid progenitor cells were responsive, in terms of stimulation of DNA synthesis, to the addition of erythropoietin, but not to treatment by activin A. Therefore, once the erythroid progenitors are depleted of accessory cells, activin A has little effect on both the proliferation and the DNA synthesis of these progenitors. However, when these purified erythroid progenitors were cultured in the presence of activin A, the levels of all alpha, beta, and epsilon globin transcripts and hemoglobins were significantly increased. In addition, disuccinimidyl suberate was found to chemically cross-link 125I-activin A to cell surface binding proteins (45 to 54 Kd) in both purified erythroid progenitors and K562 cells. The labeling of these binding proteins was specifically inhibited by the presence of unlabeled activin A, but not transforming growth factor-beta. These results suggest that, in addition to its indirect effect on DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation of erythroid progenitors, activin A directly affects the levels of globin mRNAs and hemoglobins in developing human erythroid cells through its specific surface binding receptor(s).
Body mass index, lifestyle factors, and taxane-induced neuropathy in women with breast cancer: The Pathways study.

10002Background: We examined associations of body mass index (BMI) and lifestyle factors with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) in the Pathways Study, a prospective cohort study of ...
Regret, Sub-optimality, and Vagueness

This paper concerns regret, where regretting is to be understood, roughly, as mourning the loss of a forgone good. My ultimate aim is to add a new dimension to existing debate concerning the internal logic of regret by revealing the significance of certain sorts of cases—including, most interestingly, certain down-to-earth cases involving vague goals—in relation to the possibility of regret in continued endorsement cases. Intuitively, it might seem like, in continued endorsement cases, an agent’s regret (if it is to make sense) must be tied to the idea that the forgone good is no better than the achieved good but is also not fully made up for by the achieved good because the goods are (too) different in kind. But this view is controversial. After describing a challenge to the view, as well as the main features of the debate regarding regret in which it figures, I appeal first to a fanciful case involving a set of ever-better options, and then to a more down-to-earth case involving a vague goal, to develop a defense of the opposing view that, even in continued endorsement cases, mourning the loss of a forgone good need not be tied to the idea that the loss of the good is not fully made up for by the gain of a preferred or incomparable good of a different kind.
Abstract 12402: Infiltrated Atrial Fat Characterizes Underlying Atrial Fibrillation Substrate in Patients at Risk

Background: The substrate of early atrial fibrillation (AF) genesis is not fully understood. We hypothesized that infiltrated intraatrial fat is associated with discontinuous atrial conduction and ...
Efficacy of bezafibrate in two patients with mitochondrial trifunctional protein deficiency.

Abstract Mitochondrial trifunctional protein (TFP) deficiency is a rare inherited metabolic disorder caused by defects in fatty acid β-oxidation (FAO) of long-chain fatty acids, leading to impaired energy production. Fasting avoidance, fatty acid-restricted diets, and supplementation with medium-chain triglycerides are recommended as a treatment, but there are no pharmaceutical treatments available with strong evidence of efficacy. Bezafibrate, which enhances the transcription of FAO enzymes, is a promising therapeutic option for FAO disorders (FAODs). The effectiveness of bezafibrate for FAODs has been reported in some clinical trials, but few clinical studies have investigated its in vivo efficacy toward TFP deficiency. Herein, we describe two Japanese patients with TFP deficiency. Patient 1 presented with recurrent myalgia since the age of 5 years. Laboratory findings showed increased serum levels of long-chain fatty acids and reduced expression of TFPα and TFPβ in his skin fibroblasts. Based on these findings, he was diagnosed with the myopathic type of TFP deficiency. Patient 2 suddenly exhibited cardiopulmonary arrest one day after birth. Elevated levels of creatine kinase and long-chain acylcarnitines were observed. Genetic analysis identified compound heterozygous variants in HADHB (c.1175C>T/c.1364T>G). He was diagnosed with the lethal type of TFP deficiency. Although both patients were treated with dietary therapy and l -carnitine supplementation, they experienced frequent myopathic attacks associated with respiratory infections and exercise. After the initiation of bezafibrate, their myopathic manifestations were markedly reduced, leading to an improvement in quality of life without any side effects. Our clinical findings indicate that bezafibrate combined with other treatments such as dietary therapy may be effective in improving myopathic manifestations in TFP deficiency.
Cause of Death after Traumatic Brain Injury: A Population-Based Health Record Review Analysis Referenced for Nonhead Trauma.

INTRODUCTION Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of disability and is associated with decreased survival. Although it is generally accepted that TBI increases risk of death in acute and postacute periods after injury, causes of premature death after TBI in the long term are less clear. METHODS A cohort sample of Olmsted County, Minnesota, residents with confirmed TBI from January 1987 through December 1999 was identified. Each case was assigned an age- and sex-matched non-TBI referent case, called regular referent. Confirmed TBI cases with simultaneous nonhead injuries were identified, labeled special cases. These were assigned 2 age- and sex-matched special referents with nonhead injuries of similar severity. Underlying causes of death in each case were categorized using death certificates, International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, International Statistical Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, and manual health record review. Comparisons were made over the study period and among 6-month survivors. RESULTS Case-regular referent pairs (n = 1,257) were identified over the study period, and 221 were special cases. In total, 237 deaths occurred among these pairs. A statistically significant difference was observed between total number of deaths among all cases (n = 139, 11%) and regular referents (n = 98, 8%) (p = 0.006) over the entire period. This outcome was not true for special cases (32/221, 14%) and special referents (61/441, 14%) (p = 0.81). A greater proportion of deaths by external cause than all other causes was observed in all cases (52/139, 37%) versus regular referents (3/98, 3%) and in special cases (13/32, 41%) versus special referents (5/61, 8%) (p < 0.001 for both). Among all case-referent pairs surviving 6 months, no difference was found between total number of deaths (p = 0.82). The underlying cause of death between these 2 groups was significantly different for external causes only (p < 0.01). For special cases surviving 6 months versus special referents, no difference was observed in total number of deaths (p = 0.24) or underlying causes of death (p = 1.00) between groups. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION This population-based case-matched referent study showed that increased risk of death after TBI existed only during the first 6 months after injury, and the difference was due to external causes.
Estimating Perceptual Range of Female Monarch Butterflies (Danaus plexippus) to Potted Vegetative Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) and Blooming Nectar Resources.

Habitat loss in the summer breeding range contributes to eastern North American monarch (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) population decline. Habitat restoration efforts include increasing native prairie plants for adult forage and milkweed (Asclepias spp.) for oviposition and larval development. As the monarch is a vagile species, habitat establishment at a grain that matches the monarch perceptual range will facilitate efficient movement, decrease fitness costs of dispersal, and increase oviposition. We released 188 experimental monarch females 5, 25, 50, and 75 m downwind from potted milkweed and blooming forbs in 4–32 ha sod fields. Perceptual range was estimated from monarchs that flew towards and landed on the milkweed and forbs. Flight patterns of 49 non-experimental monarchs that landed on the resources were also observed. In our experimental, resource-devoid setting, wind-facilitated movement occurred most frequently. Monarchs performed direct displacement as evidenced by shallow turn angles and similarity of Euclidian and total distances traveled. We hypothesize similar monarch flight behavior when traveling over other resource-devoid areas, such as crop fields. Although the majority of experimental monarchs flew downwind, eight experimental and 49 non-experimental monarchs were observed flying upwind toward, and landing on, the potted resources from distances ranging from 3 to 125 m (mean = 30.98 m, median = 25 m, mode = 25 m). A conservative estimate of the perceptual range is 125 m, as longer distances cannot be precluded; however, the majority of observations were ≤50 m. Our findings suggest establishing habitat patches ∼ 50 m apart would create functional connectivity across fragmented agricultural landscapes.
Disparities in access to high volume surgeons within high volume hospitals for hysterectomy

Objectives: The association between higher surgical volume and improved outcomes has been demonstrated for numerous surgical procedures, including hysterectomy. Little is known about disparities in care for women treated at high volume hospitals. We examined disparities in access to surgical care by high volume surgeons and outcomes among patients treated within high volume hospitals for women undergoing hysterectomy. Methods: All women who underwent hysterectomy in New York State between 2000 and 2014 at a high volume (top quartile by volume) hospital were included. Surgeons were classified into quartiles based on average annual procedural volume (Q1 lower to Q4 highest volume). Multivariable logistic regression models were used to determine clinical and demographic characteristics associated with treatment by a low volume (Q1) compared to a high volume (Q4) surgeon. The associations between surgeon volume and morbidity and mortality were also examined using log-linear regression models. Results: A total of 300,586 patients cared for by 5,505 surgeons at 59 hospitals were identified. Women treated by low volume compared to high volume surgeons were more often BlackBlack (19.4% vs 14.3%; aOR=1.25; 95% CI, 1.08-1.45) and Medicare recipients (20.6% vs 14.5%; aOR 1.22; 95% CI, 1.05-1.43). Low volume surgeons were more likely to perform abdominal hysterectomy (77.8% vs 54.7%; aOR 1.92; 95% CI, 1.64-2.26). Compared to patients cared for by high volume surgeons, those operated on by low volume surgeons had increased risk of any complication (31.0% vs 10.3%; aRR=1.85; 95% CI, 1.72-2.00), intraoperative complications (10.2% vs 3.3%; aRR=2.17; 95% CI, 1.91-2.45), surgical site complications (14.9% vs 4.3%; aRR=1.86; 95% CI, 1.68-2.05), medical complications (19.6% vs 5.1%; aRR=2.10; 95% CI, 1.89-2.33), and mortality (2.2% vs 0.16%; aRR=3.04; 95% CI, 2.20-4.21) (all P Conclusions: Among women who undergo hysterectomy at high volume hospitals, disparities remain in access to high volume surgeons. Within high volume hospitals, women who undergo hysterectomy by a low volume surgeon are at increased risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality.
Enhancement and depression of tactile and acoustic startle reflexes with variation in background noise level

The amplitude ofthe acoustic startle reflex in the rat is related to the level ofbroadband background noise by an inverted-U-shaped function. We tested the hypotheses that (1) the initial increment, (2) the subsequent decrement, or (3) the entire function results from a nonspecific noise effect on reflex expression, as would be indicated by a common effect across reflexes elicited by acoustic and nonacoustic stimuli. Responses to electrotactile, airpuff, and acoustic startle stimuli were measured, each in aseparate group of rats, in noise levels varying from 60 to 100 dB. A biphasic effect of noise on the acoustic startle reflex was observed, with a modest increase from 60 to 70 or 80 dB, and a decline thereafter. In contrast, electrotactile startle provided a monotonie increase in amplitude to a maximum at 90 or 100 dB, whereas airpuff startle showed a progressive decline in amplitude, with an increase in background level beyond the optimal value at 60 to 70 dB. The latter effects demonstrated an unexpected division between facilitation versus reflex depression within the tactile modality, but subsequent data demonstrated that the effective component of the airpuff was acoustic, rather than tactile, in nature. The overall empirical conclusion is that facilitation by noise is nonspecific, whereas reflex depression that appears at noise levels beyond 70 to 80 dB is specific to acoustic stimuli. These findings suggest that reflex facilitation results from motor excitation and that reflex depression results from a partial masking of the eliciting stimulus.
A profile of women journalists in the United Arab Emirates

(2004). A profile of women journalists in the United Arab Emirates. The Journal of International Communication: Vol. 10, No. 1, pp. 54-78.
Fast Simulation of Levy Processes

We present a robust method for simulating an increment of a Levy process, based on decomposing the jump part of the process into the sum of its positive and negative jump components. The characteristic exponent of a spectrally one-sided Levy process has excellent analytic properties, which we exploit to design a fast and accurate algorithm for calculating the cumulative distribution function of an increment of such a process. That algorithm is based on the parabolic inverse Fourier transform method introduced by S. Boyarchenko and S. Levendorskii, while the method of simulating a random variable using the values of its cumulative distribution function goes back to the work of P. Glasserman and Z. Liu.C code based on the simulation algorithm described in this article is available on the author's website for Levy processes of class KoBoL (a.k.a. the CGMY model). It can be used as a building block of any Monte-Carlo program for pricing derivative securities under a KoBoL process. Our method typically performs faster than the CGMY simulation method introduced by Madan and Yor by a factor of 10--100, and sometimes even higher, depending on the type of the option.
Hybrid Pipeline Structure for Self-Organizing Learning Array

In recent years, many efforts have been put in applying the concept of reconfigurable computing to neural networks. In our previous pursuits, an innovative self-organizing learning array (SOLAR) was developed. However, traditional multiplexer method to achieve reconfigurable connection has its limit for larger networks. In this paper, we propose a novel pipeline structure, which offers flexible, possibly large number of dynamically configurable connections and which utilizes each node's computing ability. The hardware resources demand of the proposed structure is a linear function of the network size, which is especially useful for building a large network that can handle complicated real-world applications.
Three levels of ethics: teaching and assessing ethics in engineering

ABET EC2000 and ET2K both contain requirements for the inclusion of ethics in the engineering curriculum. Many engineering faculty have difficulty knowing how or when to insert ethics and how to measure the effects when they do. This workshop will provide practical experience in the identification and creation of learning objectives related to ethics, teaching strategies to be used, and appropriate assessment techniques. Ethics can be approached on several levels, similar to Bloom?s taxonomy of learning objectives (Bloom, 1956). Students can be taught to recall information, apply ethical principles in a given situation, or to evaluate a situation, extract the required information, and provide appropriate rationale for their decisions. This workshop will help participants decide which approach is appropriate for their situation.
New Global Circuit Numbering System

The New Global Circuit Numbering System (NGCNS) changes the way we do business. It leverages the synergies between the powerful engineering design tools (CAD/CAE) and service diagnostic tools, improving vehicle service and customer satisfaction. NGCNS will provide a clear concise systematic way to identify circuits in vehicle schematics from the Engineer to the Service Technician. NGCNS was developed with input from the Service Technicians, Engineers, and Wire Harness Suppliers from around the world. It defines the circuit number based on the Potential, System, Sub-system and Function (PSF) of the respective portion of the circuit. The color of the wire helps the technician to quickly determine the correct diagnostic voltage by indicating constant voltages (i.e. power and ground) with a color and the function with a second color.
Neural networks: life after training

There has been much work done in the use of neural networks to model an existing problem, but little has been done to address what happens after training has been completed and the model must continue to learn new information. How well does the model work on information that it has not seen before? How does it adapt to new information? In this paper we address these issues, beginning our discussion with a neural model that has been trained on parsing simple natural language phrases and how well the model can generalize. Based on these results we then investigate two techniques which attempt to allow the model to "grow" or learn information that it has never before seen.
On the development of a compliant grasping mechanism for online handling of live objects. I. Analytical model

This paper presents the design, modeling and analysis of a novel compliant mechanism for automating the process of transferring live objects from a moving conveyor to a moving processing line. Unlike industrial man-made objects, natural objects are typically characterized by varying sizes and shapes in batch processing and their natural reflexes (or voluntarily motion) contribute to the overall dynamics. The dynamic model of the manipulating system consists of two parts: the forces acting on the object and the natural reflexes of the live object to the manipulation. In this paper an analytical model is presented to predict the forces/moments acting on the live objects.
On temperature-aware scheduling for single-processor systems

Power-aware operating systems/processor controllers ensure that the system temperature does not exceed a threshold by utilizing system-throttling, where the clock speed is scaled to an equilibrium load. We denote this as the Constant policy, and compare against Zig-Zag policies that alternate between phases of cooling and heating. In this paper, we characterize and calculate the best possible Zig-Zag policy, and argue that simple system-throttling rules are often optimal. In reality, however, the system design often forces us to implement Zig-Zag policies. In particular, we consider the case where the processor can operate only at a few discrete states; thus it is required to alternate between cooling and heating phases. In such a setting, we develop an algorithm that outperforms all other Zig-Zag policies, and present computational experiments emphasizing the performance of our algorithm.
Building boundaries and negotiating work at home

Millions of people are now working full-or part-time at home. Computer technology allows workers remote access to materials and facilitates communication with coworkers and supervisors. Companies are developing telecommuting programs to benefit both the company and the employees. But working at home is not as simple as placing a computer somewhere in the home and beginning to work. The interaction with family members needs to be taken into consideration. This research looks at the process of negotiating the time and space needed to do work in the home and reveals a variety of relational and situational boundaries.
Whirling Vibrations in Boring Trepanning Association Deep Hole Boring Process : Analytical and Experimental Investigations

An approach to study the whirling motion of the BTA (boring trepanning association) deep hole boring system is presented by introducing the system excitation in the form of internal forces between the boring bar and the workpiece. This involves nonhomogeneous boundary conditions with homogeneous equations. The mathematical approach with the boring bar-workpiece internal cutting forces and external suppression forces will transform the problem into nonhomogeneous equations with homogenous boundary conditions. Using this approach the whirling motion of the boring bar is obtained at different points on the boring bar-workpiece assembly. External suppression forces will reduce the whirl amplitude at the same locations. Further, an experimental investigation is carried out on the BTA deep hole boring process while drilling at four cutting speeds using proximity pickups for displacement measurements.
Stabilization of the elastodynamic equations with a degenerate locally distributed dissipation

We consider the dynamic elasticity equations with a locally distributed damping in a bounded domain. The local dissipation of the form a(x)yt involves coefficients a that vanish on a negligible portion of the subset where the damping is effective. Using multiplier techniques, interpolation inequalities, and a judicious application of Holder inequality, we prove sharp energy decay estimates. The results obtained generalize and improve on earlier works by Nakao, and the author in the framework of the ordinary wave equation.
Determining appropriate weight for body build

Summary 1. Nutritional status remains the best single creterion of health. 2. Relative width of the body, or body build, should be considered in judging appropriate weight for age and sex. 3. The relationship of body width to weight has been analyzed by mathematical correlation, using the measurements of 4560 school children. 4. A simple method of measuring body build has been used to help determine appropriate weight. 5. The four triats found to have the highest mathematical correlation with body weight are combined in new tables of appropriate weights for children aged six to sixteen years. 6. The new tables fit the general population much better than the Baldwin-Wood tables when deviations from both standards are compared for 531 children.
Blockage errors in studies of the effect of wind on thermoregulatory responses

Abstract 1. 1.The presence of an animal in a wind tunnel increases the effective wind velocity, and so increases heat transfer rates. 2. 2.Potentially significant errors in thermal conductance and thermoregulatory metabolism measurements may result. 3. 3.In a given wind tunnel metabolism chamber, these errors are size dependent and thus may lead to invalid allometric or adaptive interpretations of data. 4. 4.The errors are also sensitive to the shape, orientation, and characteristics of the fur or feather insulation of the animal. Thus, only approximate guidelines can be given for choosing correction factors.
Expansion of C4 ecosystems as an indicator of global ecological change in the late Miocene

THE most common and the most primitive pathway of the three different photosynthetic pathways used by plants is the C3 pathway, or Calvin cycle, which is characterized by an initial CO2 carboxylation to form phosphoglyceric acid, a 3-carbon acid. The carbon isotope composition (δ13C) of C3 plants varies from about −23 to −35%l–3 and averages about −26%. Virtually all trees, most shrubs, herbs and forbs, and cool-season grasses and sedges use the C3 pathway. In the C4 pathway (Hatch–Slack cycle), CO2 initially combines with phosphoenol pyruvate to form the 4-carbon acids malate or aspartic acid, which are translocated to bundle sheath cells where CO2 is released and used in Calvin cycle reactions1–4. The carbon isotope composition of C4 plants ranges from about −10 to −14%, averaging about −13% for modern plants1–3. Warm-season grasses and sedges are the most abundant C4 plants, although C4 photosynthesis is found in about twenty families5. The third photosynthetic pathway, CAM, combines features of both C3 and C4 pathways. CAM plants, which include many succulents, have intermediate carbon isotope compositions and are also adapted to conditions of water and CO2 stress. The modern global ecosystem has a significant component of C4 plants, primarily in tropical savannas, temperate grasslands and semi-desert scrublands. Studies of palaeovegetation from palaeosols and palaeodiet from fossil tooth enamel indicate a rapid expansion of C4 biomass in both the Old World and the New World starting 7 to 5 million years ago. We propose that the global expansion of C4 biomass may be related to lower atmospheric carbon dioxide levels because C4 photosynthesis is favoured over C3 photosynthesis when there are low concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Die Stress Analysis in Stacked Die Chip Scale Packages (SCSP)

As board real estate becomes more precious and market demand for increased functional density in modules rises, engineers are looking at 3-dimensional packaging to provide the solutions. Stacked die technology, which involves stacking the die one above another, is fast becoming the preferred packaging option for memory applications in handheld consumer products where board space is a premium. The current study focuses on the stacked die wire bonded CSP (SCSP). The CSP offers reduced package size while the vertical stacking provides a smaller form for multi-chip integration compared to a horizontal layout. In some test chip designs, it has been observed that passivation cracks occur on the functional surface of the top die as a result of thermal cycling. Stress analysis using the finite element method has been carried out to understand the effect of package parameters on die stress under cycling conditions. The distribution of the stress components that may cause this passivation cracking are discussed. The stress magnitudes observed in the SCSP are compared with those of a single die package where no passivation cracks have been observed to obtain a quantitative perspective of the stress. Results reported for parametric studies include the effect of variation of die thickness, spacer size and thickness, and thickness of overmold compound above the die. Finally, design considerations for two-die, over-molded, wire-bond, stacked die packages are presented based on the above study.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Video segmentation techniques for news

Abstract This paper describes our experiences in video analysis for a video libraryon the World Wide Web. News and documentary programs, though seem-ingly simple, hase some characteristics which can cause problems in sim-pie shot segmentation algorithms. We have developed a methodology,based on our experience with the analysis of several hours of news/docu-mentary footage, which improve the results of shot segmentation on thistype of material and which in turn allows for higher-quality storyboards forour video library.keywords: video segmentation, shot segmentation, news and documentary, video library 1 Introduction This paper describes algorithms we developed for shot segmentation of video in the course of preparingnews and documentary programs for inclusion in a World Wide Web-based video library. Automatically-generated storyboards have long been used to summarize programs in video libraries; we have developedtools to extract storyboards for formatting as Web pages. In the course of running our tools on many hoursof news and documentary footage, we have noticed several properties of this material which provide chal-lenges for automatic transition detection in video.This paper describes several new techniques for shot segmentation of video programs. First, we havedeveloped a multivariate technique for shot detection which provides more complete detection of shotsthan when a single metric is used. We also show how hysteresis can be added to suppress false positivescreated in rapid succession. Finally, we show how stuttering elimination can be used to eliminate falsepositives while achieving high true cut detection rates.The next section introduces the CAETI Internet Multimedia Library and the content we have collected forit. Section 3 summarizes some properties of news/documentary footage that makes video analysis chal-lenging. Section 4 describes the algorithms we have developed to handle some important features ofnews/documentary programs.
Some unsolved problems concerned with radiation grafting to natural and synthetic polymers

The radiation grafting behavior of styrene to cellulose acetate, polyethylene terephthalate, and wool was examined in some detail. A combination of ESR and an analysis of the grafted products was used. Each system exhibited a certain feature which was difficult to explain. The preirradiation grafting of styrene to cellulose acetate gave a bimodal molecular weight distribution of the grafted side chains, the bulk consisting of an extremely narrow distribution high molecular weight polystyrene. Some possible explanations are presented. The yields of grafted side chains in the case of polyethylene terephthalate were considerably greater than the radical yields determined by ESR. Finally in the case of radiation grafting of styrene to wool, numerous low molecular weight branches were obtained. A backbiting type of chain transfer to polymer mechanism was postulated to explain these results and may also be present in the grafting of styrene to polyethylene terephthalate.
Generating patient-specific pulmonary vascular models for surgical planning

Each year in the U.S., 7.4 million surgical procedures involving the major vessels are performed. Many of our patients require multiple surgeries, and many of the procedures include “surgical exploration”. Procedures of this kind come with a significant amount of risk, carrying up to a 17.4% predicted mortality rate. This is especially concerning for our target population of pediatric patients with congenital abnormalities of the heart and major pulmonary vessels. This paper offers a novel approach to surgical planning which includes studying virtual and physical models of pulmonary vasculature of an individual patient before operation obtained from conventional 3D X-ray computed tomography (CT) scans of the chest. These models would provide clinicians with a non-invasive, intricately detailed representation of patient anatomy, and could reduce the need for invasive planning procedures such as exploratory surgery. Researchers involved in the AirPROM project have already demonstrated the utility of virtual and physical models in treatment planning of the airways of the chest. Clinicians have acknowledged the potential benefit from such a technology. A method for creating patient-derived physical models is demonstrated on pulmonary vasculature extracted from a CT scan with contrast of an adult human. Using a modified version of the NIH ImageJ program, a series of image processing functions are used to extract and mathematically reconstruct the vasculature tree structures of interest. An auto-generated STL file is sent to a 3D printer to create a physical model of the major pulmonary vasculature generated from 3D CT scans of patients.
Circulating Tumor Cells: Getting More from Less

Recent insights into circulating tumor cells (CTCs) have been driven by numerous technological innovations aimed at isolating, purifying, and analyzing these rare cells. However, the information density within these cells has yet to be truly accessed and exploited for patient benefit. A device reported by Issadore et al. in this issue of Science Translational Medicine proposes a highly sensitive methodology that may both extend CTC capture to a broader patient population and provide greater understanding of biological targets for personalized medical therapies.
Experimental study of liquid evolution in an Fe-rich, layered mafic intrusion: constraints of Fe-Ti oxide precipitation on the T-f O 2 and T-ϱ paths of tholeiitic magmas

The Newark Island layered intrusion, a composite intrusion displaying a similar fractionation sequence to the Skaergaard, has both dikes which preserved liquids fed into the intrusion and chilled pillows of liquids resident in the chamber. This study reports experimentally determined one atmosphere liquid lines of descent of these compositions as a function of oxygen fugacity which varies from QFM (quartz-fayalite-magnetite) to 0.5 log10 units above IW (iron-wustite). These experiments reveal a strong oxygen fugacity dependence on the order of appearance and relative abundances of the Fe−Ti oxide minerals. Titanomagnetite saturates prior to ilmenite at QFM, but the order is reversed at lower oxygen fugacities. In the layered series of the Newark Island intrusion, ilmenite arrives shortly before titanomagnetite and the titanomagnetite/ilmenite ratio decreases monotonically after the cumulus appearance of titanomagnetite. Comparison of the crystallization sequence in the intrusion with that of the experiments requires that the oxygen fugacity in the intrusion increased relative to QFM before titanomagnetite saturation and decreased afterward, but always remained between the QFM and IW buffers. Similar trends in the modes of the Fe−Ti oxides (ilmenite and titanomagnetite) in the Skaergaard, Kiglapait, and Somerset Dam intrusions along with Fe2O3/FeO ratios in MORBs suggest that such a temperature-oxygen fugacity path may be typical of tholeiitic magma differentiation. Calculations of the temperature-density paths of the experimental liquids indicate that, at all possible oxygen fugacities, the density must have decreased abruptly after Fe−Ti oxide saturation. Accordingly, liquids replenishing the intrusion after Fe−Ti oxide saturation should pond at the bottom of the chamber, quenching against older cumulates. Field observation at the Newark Island intrusion confirm this prediction. The similarities in the fractionation paths of several other layered intrusions to that of the Newark Island intrusion suggest that the density of the liquids in these intrusions also decreased after Fe−Ti oxide saturation. Experiments on a suggested initial Skaergaard liquid are consistent with this model.
Surface treatments of silicon to enhance thermal nucleation

We have investigated the physical characteristics and means of producing silicon surfaces treated to provide reliable nucleation sites for boiling in perfluorinated coolants. Three techniques may be used to provide these sites; removal of mechanical defects by liquid etchants; selective etching of one of the phases of a eutectic alloy; and deposition of an inert, porous material such as alumina. Consistent nucleation, required to assure proper heat transfer of silicon circuit chips, does not occur on polished silicon surfaces.
Plasma 6 keto PGF1α concentration in Raynaud's phenomenon

Abstract To examine the possibility that prostaglandin metabolism is pathophysiologically important in Raynaud's phenomenon, peripheral venous 6-keto prostaglandin Fla (6-keto PGF 1 α) and thromboxane B2 (TXB 2 ) concentrations were measured in 45 patients with severe Raynaud's phenomenon. Patients with Raynaud's phenomenon had a significantly higher plasma concentration of 6-keto PGF 1 α compared to controls (p 2 concentration was not statistically different from control patients. Subgroup analysis revealed that only patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS) had an elevated plasma 6-keto PGF 1 α concentration. To gauge the functional significance of the 6-keto PGF 1 α elevations, seven patients with Raynaud's phenomenon were chronically administered indomethacin (50 mg P.O. b.i.d.); six of the seven patients noted no improvement in their Raynaud's phenomenon. Three of the patients developed pedal edema shortly after starting indomethacin. This study suggests that the increased plasma 6-keto PGF 1 α concentration in Raynaud's phenomenon may be due to a compensatory release of prostacyclin and that the pathophysiologic defect does not involve the thromboxane mechanism.
Contact toxicities of anuran skin alkaloids against the fire ant ( Solenopsis invicta )

Nearly 500 alkaloids, representing over 20 structural classes, have been identified from the skin of neotropical poison frogs (Dendrobatidae). These cutaneous compounds, which are derived from arthropod prey of the frogs, generally are believed to deter predators. We tested the red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) for toxicosis following contact with 20 alkaloids (12 structural classes) identified from dendrobatids or other anurans. Individual ants forced to contact the dried residues of 13 compounds exhibited convulsions and/or reduced ambulation. We estimated the cutaneous concentrations of several compounds based on their reported recoveries from skin extracts of free-ranging frogs and our measurements of the skin surface areas of museum specimens. Pumiliotoxin 251D exhibited contact toxicity below its estimated cutaneous concentration in the Ecuadorian frog, Epipedobates anthonyi, an observation consistent with the hypothesized role of this compound in anuran chemical defense. Our results and those of a previous study of mosquitoes indicate that some anuran skin compounds function defensively as contact toxins against arthropods, permeating their exoskeleton.
Progress in air-coupled ultrasound

A variety of industrial and everyday non-destructive inspection applications exist where the target material/product is inaccessible or, contact with the material is prohibited. In such cases, air-coupled ultrasonic techniques play a major role but commonly significant transmission loss is known to occur. Therefore, it becomes imperative to know the amount of absolute wave mechanical strain achieved in materials embedded in gaseous medium, for certain applications. Thus, the overall objective of this work was to establish simulated results and specific experimental verifications of the numerical modeling, and develop guidelines in the use of matching layers to maximize the wave mechanical strain imparted to materials. A Laser Doppler Vibrometer was used to obtain the displacements/strains induced in the materials. Coupled Acoustic Piezoelectric Analysis (CAPA), coupled field finite element method software was used to perform the simulations. The applications considered in this work include metallic targets inside an enclosed container, food products and also elastomeric composites such as automotive tires.
INDOMETHACIN|[lpar]|I|[rpar]| ALTERS SYSTEMIC BUT NOT PULMONARY EFFECTS OF BOLUS PROSTAGLANDIN D2 |[lpar]|PGD2|[rpar]| IN NEWBORN LAMBS

We previously showed that bolus PGD2 causes generalized vasoconstriction in normoxic lambs, yet causes unique, simultaneous pulmonary vasodilation and systemic vasoconstriction in hypoxic lambs. These responses were studied before and after I (2μg/kg) in 7 normoxic and hypoxic (FiO2 = 0.13) acutely instrumented newborn lambs to see if the systemic effects were caused by secondary prostanoid release. One and 5μg/kg doses were given over 20 seconds.
Molecular divergence in the eastern Asia– eastern North America disjunct section Rytidospermum of Magnolia (Magnoliaceae)

Molecular divergence in the eastern Asia-eastern North American disjunct section Rytidospermum of Magnolia was investigated by allozyme electrophoresis, chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) restriction site analysis, and gene sequencing. We calculated Nei's genetic identities between two Asian species, M. officinalis var. biloba and M. hypoleuca, and three American species, M. tripetala, M. fraseri var. fraseri, and M. macrophylla var. macrophylla, by using gene frequency data from 17 nuclear-encoded allozyme loci in 67 populations. We then estimated cpDNA sequence divergence between the five species by examining restriction site variation for ten endonucleases over the entire genome. Finally, nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast gene rbcL were compared between M. hypoleuca, M. tripetala, and M. macrophylla var. macrophylla. All three methods consistently yielded low divergence values between the American species M. tripetala and its Asian sister taxa, M. officinalis var. biloba and M. hypoleuca (Nei's I = 0.712 and 0.809, respectively; D-cpDNA = 0.083% for both pairs; D-rbcL = 0.000% between M. tripetala and M. hypoleuca). The other two American species, M. fraseri var. fraseri and M. macrophylla var. macrophylla, neither of which is sister to the Asian taxa, exhibited much higher divergence from the Asian taxa. We interpreted the low divergence between M. tripetala and its Asian sister taxa as a result of recent separation (the late Miocene to early Pliocene), based on time estimates from molecular data as well as geological and paleoclimatic evidence. A comparison of our results with those of the earlier studies revealed a diverse array of levels of divergence between several eastern Asian and eastern North American species pairs. Though different extinction patterns and variation in molecular evolutionary rates may be partly responsible, this heterogeneous pattern of divergence is best explained by different times of disjunction in different taxa, which in turn suggests that the floristic similarity between the two continents was most likely attained by multiple migrations via both Bering and North Atlantic land bridges, or possibly even with involvement of dispersal.
The function of (Na+K+)ATPase in the β cell: Characterization of the enzyme in a glucose-responsive insulinoma

Abstract (Na+K+)ATPase is necessary for the maintenance of the membrane potential. The activity of this enzyme was studied in purified plasma membranes from a glucose-responsive rat insulinoma. Ouabain-sensitive (Na+K+)ATPase activity showed expected ATP dependency with a Km of 0.4 m m . It was also dependent on Mg2+ (Km range 70–80 μM). In the presence of Mg and ATP, half-maximal activity was obtained at a Na concentration of 30 m m and the enzyme activity increased sigmoidally with a Hill coefficient of 1.5. No direct effect on enzyme activity was observed with the insulin secretagogues glucose, fructose, glyceraldehyde, and ketoisocaproate, or with dibuturyl-cAMP and the phosphodiesterase-inhibitor isobutyl methyl xanthine. It is concluded that (Na+K+)ATPase is not directly influenced by known secretagogues associated with insulin release by the β cell.
Factors influencing the oxygen consumption of the hellgrammite, Corydalus cornutus (L.) (Megaloptera: Corydalidae).

1. 1. The oxygen consumption of larval Corydalus cornutus was evaluated in all seasons over the temperature range of 10–35°C. 2. 2. The season was found to influence the weight-dependent rate of respiration so that the respiration of equal weight larvae was lower in summer/fall than in winter. 3. 3. The respiration of all larvae increased with test temperature; small, recently hatched larvae experienced a greater increase in respiration in summer/fall than in winter, while the response of larger larvae was not affected by season. 4. 4. The respiratory response of C. cornutus to temperature and season was found to be related to its life cycle.
Formation and function of flavin anion radical in cryptochrome 1 blue-light photoreceptor of monarch butterfly

Abstract The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) cryptochrome 1 (DpCry1) belongs in the class of photosensitive insect cryptochromes. Here we purified DpCry1 expressed in a bacterial host and obtained the protein with a stoichiometric amount of the flavin cofactor in the two-electron oxidized, FADox, form. Exposure of the purified protein to light converts the FADox to the flavin anion radical by intraprotein electron transfer from a Trp residue in the apoenzyme. To test whether this novel photoreduction reaction is part of the DpCry1 physiological photocycle, we mutated the Trp residue that acts as the ultimate electron donor in flavin photoreduction. The mutation, W328F, blocked the photoreduction entirely but had no measurable effect on the light-induced degradation of DpCry1 in vivo. In light of this finding and the recently published action spectrum of this class of Crys, we conclude that DpCry1 and similar insect cryptochromes do not contain flavin in the FADox form in vivo and that, most likely, the photoreduction reaction is not part of the insect cryptochrome photoreaction that results in proteolytic degradation of the photopigment.