cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effectiveness of refutation with logic vs. indignation in restoring the credibility of and trust in a government organization: A heuristic‐systematic model of crisis communication processing

Across two experiments, this study examines the relative effectiveness of refutational messages employing different rhetorical modes in mitigating the reputational damage from an activist’s accusation of which validity can be contentious. Experiment 1 reveals that an appeal to logic generates more positive evaluations than an appeal to indignation in the message evaluations of transparency and reliability. Experiment 2 shows that an appeal to logic yields more positive attitude, higher perceptions of credibility and trust in the organization than an appeal to indignation when crisis involvement is high. The results of this study support the theoretical proposition of a dual‐process model of persuasion—individuals’ processing of crisis discourse is greatly affected by their level of involvement with the crisis.
LOEFFLER'S ENDOCARDITIS: A DIAGNOSIS MADE WITH CARDIAC MAGNETIC RESONANCE (CMR) IMAGING

Abnormal finding in the apical left ventricle (LV) on echocardiogram. A 61-year-old man with eosinophilic chronic myelomonocytic leukemia presented with fever and right heart failure. He had significant pallor (Hb 6.7 g/dL), 3+ leg edema, and leukocytosis (54000/µL with 55% eosinophils). Echo
Design Loop: Calibration of a Simulation of Productive Congestion Through Real-World Data for Generative Design Frameworks

This paper extends the applicability of generative design for space planning frameworks for ongoing and guided post-occupancy modifications. It involves the comparison of a graph-based productive-congestion simulation with empirical data and the use of a metaheuristic search algorithm to calibrate and fine-tune simulation parameters for greater accuracy. This methodology is demonstrated through a real-world generative designed case-study and the post-occupancy collection and processing of movement data through custom computer vision workflows.
A Double Bind for the Ties that Bind: A Pilot Study of Mental Health Challenges among Female US Army Officers and Impact on Family Life

Female military personnel, rising in both number and in rank, are key to the success of the US military. Currently 16% of active-duty enlisted personnel and 18% of all officers in the US military are women (Department of Defense 2018). Unique stressors for women in the military now include combat stress, the stress of a minority status, military sexual violence, divorce and parenting. Our aim was to investigate these issues related to professionalism, personal health and support networks among female military officers while they also develop and maintain a command presence. The results of our pilot with 73 female US Army Officers support generalized research with female military personnel which illustrate high self-reporting and diagnoses of stress, anxiety and depression (Haskell et al. 2010; Bean-Mayberry et al. 2011; Shekelle et al. 2011). Importantly, 65.7% of servicewomen in our sample self-reported feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression as a direct result of their leadership role in the military. When women were asked how their psychological condition impacts their family as a wife and/or mother (caregiver), they responded with comments such as low energy, less patience and family discord because of distinct roles in and out of the military. As a result of these dichotomous roles, some reported that they hid their distress from their families. These findings offer important insight for US veteran support services and highlight an under-researched set of health challenges experienced by US female military officers facing mental fatigue who simultaneously serve as a caregiver.
Trends and patterns of imports of legal and illegal live corals into the United States

Abstract Coral reefs are the fundamental building blocks of tropical marine ecosystems. They are also one of the most endangered ecosystems on the planet suffering from a large number of environmental, fishing, and trade threats. However, little research has been done to better understand the trends in illegal imports of live corals into the United States, especially as they relate to legal imports. This research examines the major patterns in the legal and illegal imports of live corals into the United States by analyzing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Law Enforcement Management Information Systems database, along with the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species legal trade database, for the 2003–2012 period. The import patterns of illegally harvested live corals into the United States indicated that: (a) three genera (Euphyllia, Acropora, and Favites) accounted for 26% of all seizures; (b) imports from four countries accounted for slightly over 91% of all seizures; and (c) over 90% of the seizures occurred in five ports of entry. The import patterns of illegally harvested live corals closely mirror those of legal imports when genera and countries of export are examined. Additionally, 10 times more corals were seized in 2012 than in 2003, and legal imports doubled from 2003 to 2009, while both trends leveled in the later few years examined. The study findings suggest that interventions should focus on enhancing law enforcement efforts through capacity building and by establishing reliable channels of communication between the US and the core exporting countries. It is also recommended that US customs focus their inspection efforts on high-risk species, especially at ports that receive these imports from Indonesia, Tonga, Australia, and Fiji. Meanwhile, public education campaigns to raise awareness, as well as the development of regulated coral aquaculture, may lift the pressure and need for illegally harvesting corals from the wild.
Girls that wear Abercrombie & Fitch: Reading fashion branding aesthetics into music videos

Teen clothier Abercrombie & Fitch’s mix of shirtless associates, nightclub-like stores and risque photography by Bruce Weber helped propel the brand into icon status. The brand’s name entered the popular lexicon as a synonym for cool and even received a memorable call out in LFO’s pop song, “Summer Girls.” This paper explores the interplay in aesthetics between A &F Quarterly, the brand’s popular magazine-catalog hybrid, and popular music videos of the time. Specifically, this paper analyzes videos that appeared on MTV’s Total Request Live between September 1999 and April 2001. In total, 42 music videos were found to contain elements of the “Abercrombie” lifestyle, including clothing that was sold by the brand, and props and settings similar to those found in the A & F Quarterly. In sum, this suggests that music videos from the time were instrumental in spreading the brand’s aesthetic, and that the interplay between media popular culture and the aesthetics of fashion brands could yield productive future research.
Breeder aggression does not predict current or future cooperative group formation in a cooperatively breeding bird

In cooperatively breeding species, subordinates forgo reproduction to assist breeders in raising offspring. When cooperative breeding is facultative, breeders from the same population may differ in whether they are assisted by non-breeding helpers. Predation risk is a major source of nest failure and assistance during nest defense is often an overlooked, yet important, way helpers assist breeders. A breeder's aggressive response to a nest predator could have important implications for whether they form cooperatively breeding groups. We investigated the hypothesis that breeder aggression towards a nest predator is related to current and future helper recruitment. We tested the prediction that less aggressive breeders were more likely to form cooperative groups, which could occur if these breeders benefit from helper assistance during nest defense. We also considered the possibility that more aggressive breeders were more likely to form cooperative groups. We assessed the effects of partnerships and tested whether aggression exhibited by breeding partners was correlated. We conducted this work in the facultative, cooperatively breeding brown-headed nuthatch (Sitta pusilla). We measured breeder aggression in response to a taxidermy model of a nest predator to determine whether breeders' aggression correlated with their current or future helper recruitment. We found no evidence of a sex difference in aggression among breeders and aggression scores of breeding partners were not significantly correlated. Aggression scores for both breeding males and breeding females were unrelated to whether they formed cooperative groups in the current year. We followed most of the breeding males, though not breeding females, across years and found that breeding males' aggression scores were unrelated to helper recruitment the following year. Our results suggest that breeders' responses to nest predators are not related to cooperative group formation in this species and that males and females showed comparable levels of aggression towards a nest predator.
Why the backfire effect does not explain the durability of political misperceptions

Previous research indicated that corrective information can sometimes provoke a so-called “backfire effect” in which respondents more strongly endorsed a misperception about a controversial political or scientific issue when their beliefs or predispositions were challenged. I show how subsequent research and media coverage seized on this finding, distorting its generality and exaggerating its role relative to other factors in explaining the durability of political misperceptions. To the contrary, an emerging research consensus finds that corrective information is typically at least somewhat effective at increasing belief accuracy when received by respondents. However, the research that I review suggests that the accuracy-increasing effects of corrective information like fact checks often do not last or accumulate; instead, they frequently seem to decay or be overwhelmed by cues from elites and the media promoting more congenial but less accurate claims. As a result, misperceptions typically persist in public opinion for years after they have been debunked. Given these realities, the primary challenge for scientific communication is not to prevent backfire effects but instead, to understand how to target corrective information better and to make it more effective. Ultimately, however, the best approach is to disrupt the formation of linkages between group identities and false claims and to reduce the flow of cues reinforcing those claims from elites and the media. Doing so will require a shift from a strategy focused on providing information to the public to one that considers the roles of intermediaries in forming and maintaining belief systems.
Mechanical performances of balloon post-dilation for improving stent expansion in calcified coronary artery: Computational and experimental investigations.

Abstract Stent deployment in a calcified coronary artery is often associated with suboptimal outcomes such as stent underexpansion and malapposition. Post-dilation after stent deployment is commonly used for optimal stent implantation. There is no guideline for choosing the post-dilation balloon diameter and inflation pressure. In this work, ex-vivo/in-silico experiments were performed to investigate the efficacy of post-dilation balloon diameter and inflation pressure in improving the stent expansion in a calcified lesion. Post-dilations with three balloon diameters (3 mm, 3.5 mm, and 4 mm) were performed. For each balloon diameter, three inflation pressures (10 atm, 20 atm, and 30 atm) were sequentially applied. In ex-vivo experiments, optical coherence tomography images were acquired during the stenting procedure, i.e., pre- and post-deployment of 3 mm diameter stent, as well as after each post-dilation. The results from in-silico experiments were compared with ex-vivo experiments in terms of lumen area. In addition, stretch ratio analysis was developed to predict the stent-induced lumen area, along with the strain analysis and the in-silico experiments. Results have shown that target lumen area could be achieved with an oversized nominal balloon diameter of +0.5 mm (i.e., 0.5 mm greater than reference lumen diameter) at an inflation pressure of 20 atm. After each post-dilation, fibrotic tissue demonstrated a larger strain, contributing to improved lumen gain. However, minimal changes were observed in calcification. Moreover, a strong correlation (R2 = 0.95) between the stretch ratio of fibrotic tissue and lumen area after each post-dilation was observed. This indicated that the morphology of the fibrotic tissue could be a potential marker to predict the lumen gain. The detailed mechanistic quantifications of a single lesion cannot be generalized to all clinical cases. However, this work could be used to provide a fundamental understanding of the post-dilations, to develop experimental protocols for producing generalized guidelines, and to exploit their potential for optimal pre- and post-stent strategies.
Higher Me: Marijuana Regulation in the Workforce and the Need for State Legislated Employee Protections

Although illegal under federal law, states have increasingly pushed the cannabis legality boundary by legalizing the use of recreational and medicinal marijuana at the state level. In the space between diverging federal and state law, such actions have created a dire situation for employees; employees in states that have legalized the use of marijuana can be fired for arguably legal conduct. Legalization of hemp and cannabidiol (CBD) products increase the risk of termination and litigation for employees and employers. State legalization is not what it purports it to mean. This paper examines the current legal framework of cannabis regulation, discusses the historical, legal precedent of an employer’s right to terminate an employee in contrast to recent case law providing protection and hope to employees, and analyzes why some employers have stopped marijuana drug testing in response to faulty testing and diminished applicant pools. Ultimately, this paper argues that, absent federal legalization of marijuana, states must protect employees’ off-duty marijuana use through express state legislation. Legalization cannot be fully actualized until employees can use marijuana without employment repercussions.
The effect of vitamin deficiencies on adrenocortical function.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the effect of vitamin deficiencies on adrenocortical function. Adrenocortical function is an expression which refers to the entire series of hormonal activities contributed by the products of the adrenal cortex. These have been identified chiefly by observation of adrenalectomized animals and by the use of extracts of the adrenal cortex, either total or as purified natural steroids obtained from such extracts. At least two and possibly more such hormones are generally believed to exist in the normal gland although some 28 sterols have been separated from cortical extracts. Most of these products are physiologically inactive and are thought to be derivatives of the natural hormones. Six of the identified steroids have demonstrable but varying values for the survival of adrenalectomized animals and for the stimulation of various functions under the control of those hormones. This chapter presents a discussion on the physiologically important adrenocortical hormones, along with describing the effect of various conditions upon the ascorbic acid of the adrenal glands; adrenal hypertrophy and adrenaline production in thiamine deficiency.
TH-CD-304-04: Absolute Dose Calibration of the First Stereotactic Breast Radiotherapy Device: GammaPod

Purpose: A dedicated stereotactic breast radiotherapy device, GammaPod, was developed to treat early stage breast cancer. The first clinical GammaPod unit is currently being commissioned to treat its first patient in summer 2015. We provide an absorbed dose calibration formalism following AAPM protocols with modifications for the calibration medium and unique geometry of GammaPod. We also provide cross-comparison of the dosimetric calibration using different types of dosimeters. Methods: GammaPod is comprised of a rotating hemi-spherical source carrier containing 36 Co-60 sources and a concentric rotating tungsten collimator providing beam diameters of 1.5 and 2.5 cm. A solid breast phantom made of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (density 0.935 g/cm3) with an effective depth of 7cm is used for absolute dose calibration. Due to the non-water equivalent medium, we utilized the former AAPM TG-21 protocol, but cross-compared the calibration with TG-51 calibrated OSLD and radiochromic film dosimeters. Polyethylene medium and chamber-specific calibration parameters are derived and provided for Exradin A-18 and Capintec PR-05P ionization chambers. Results: The first clinical unit was installed with a total Co-60 activity of 2672 Ci in November 2014. Maximum dose rate was determined to be 2.76 Gy/min and 2.63 Gy/min for 2.5 and 1.5 cm collimators respectively at 7 cm depth. The determination of Ngas and appropriate polyethylene dosimetric quantities (stopping power and absorption coefficient ratios) is performed using NIST data tables and supplied as reference for calibration of subsequent units. Calibration crosscheck was accomplished with OSLD and radiochromic films, both with secondary TG-51 based calibrations, yielding relative dose differences less than 1%. Conclusion: The first GammaPod treatment unit for breast stereotactic radiotherapy was successfully installed and calibrated for commencement of patient treatments in 2015. An absolute dose calibration formalism was established for the unique geometry of GammaPod and the method is validated with different detectors. P Hoban, Y Niu and C Yu are employees of Xcision Medical Systems.
Theoretical studies of methane elimination from C4H9+ and H2 elimination from C3H7+

Abstract Experimental evidence indicates that CH 4 elimination from C 4 H 9 + forms CH 3 C + CH 2 , suggesting a 1,2-process. This reaction releases appreciable translational energy, and is formally Woodward–Hoffmann forbidden. However, according to its appearance energy it takes place at its thermochemical threshold. We investigated the reaction by theory because it might be an unprecedented concerted 1,2-alkane elimination. We found transition states for two pathways for CH 4 elimination from C 4 H 9 + isomers. The lower energy one involves migration of an H from a methyl to the central carbon of the tert -butyl cation followed by insertion of that H into a CCH 3 bond to form CH 3 C + CH 2 +CH 4 ; the other is a 1,1-elimination from protonated methylcyclopropane to produce CH 2 CHCH 2 + +CH 4 . H 2 elimination from C 3 H 7 + was also characterized to determine how that reaction and CH 4 elimination from C 4 H 9 + may be related. In accord with earlier studies, we found H 2 elimination from C 3 H 7 + by a 1,1-elimination through a 1-propyl-like stage in which an H migrates from C1 to C2 to C3, joining an H from C3 in the latter part of the last step. Also in accord with previous studies, we found a 1,1-H 2 elimination from a protonated cyclopropane. The two pathways for H 2 elimination from C 3 H 7 + are quite similar to the corresponding two for CH 4 elimination from C 4 H 9 + . One type of elimination involves H-migration from methyl to an adjacent positively charged site, further migration and insertion into a bond, and finally dissociation. The other pathway in both instances involves a 1,1-elimination from a pentavalent carbon in a protonated cyclopropane. These findings extend the scope of evidence that most formal 1,2-eliminations have transition states much like ones for 1,1-eliminations and add an alkane elimination to the 1,2-H 2 eliminations that essentially go through 1,1-transition states. CH 4 elimination from C 4 H 9 + also bypasses the Woodward–Hoffmann barrier that opposes a direct 1,2-elimination.
Materials for high-level waste canister/overpacks in salt formations

Studies on the corrosion and mechanical behavior of TiCode-12 and other titanium alloys, for use as candidate canister or overpack barriers in a high-level waste repository or test facility in salt, are reported. The corrosion behavior of TiCode-12 was evaluated as a function of: brine composition, temperature, time, pH, oxygen concentration, and gamma radiolysis. Uniform corrosion rates are in the range of 0.1 to 10 ..mu..m/yr; pitting or crevice corrosion has not yet been observed. The highly adherent, passivating titanium oxide film that provides the corrosion protection is being evaluated via electrochemical polarization and surface analytical techniques to enable modeling of the corrosion mechanism(s). An increase in the corrosion rate by a factor of about 2 was observed for sensitized TiCode-12; changes in the alloy microstructure are being analyzed in order to model this phenomenon. Alterations in the chemistry and processing procedure of TiCode-12 are being evaluated to optimize corrosion, mecahnical, and mill-producibility properties for high-level waste package applications. Slow strain rate testing of TiCode-12 revealed no apparent susceptibility to stress corrosion cracking; no significant changes in tensile properties were observed, but alterations in fracture mode were determined to be caused by internal hydrogen content. Hydrogen effects on titanium alloymore » mechanical properties and crack susceptibility are being studied. Some hydrogen embrittlement occurs at hydrogen concentrations in the range of 200 to 300 ppM by weight, but the strength of TiCode-12 is not affected at concentrations up to 1100 wppM. A TiCode-12 HLW canister-package is proposed that could provide long-term containment integrity and significantly minimize total HLW isolation system costs when compared to other waste package design concepts.« less
Th1 cytokines regulate adenosine receptors and their downstream signaling elements in human microvascular endothelial cells

We and others have shown that adenosine, acting at its receptors, is a potent modulator of inflammation and angiogenesis. To better understand the regulation of adenosine receptors during these processes we studied the effects of IL-1, TNF-α, and IFN-γ on expression and function of adenosine receptors and select members of their coupling G proteins in human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC). HMVEC expressed message and protein for A 2A and A 2B , but not A 1 or A 3 receptors. IL-1 and TNF-α treatment increased message and protein expression of A 2A and A 2B receptor. IFN-γ treatment also increased the expression of A 2B receptors, but decreased expression of A 2A receptors. Resting HMVEC and IFN-γ-treated cells showed minimal cAMP response to the selective A 2A receptor agonist 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethoxy]adenosine (MRE0094). In contrast, MRE0094 stimulated a dose-dependent increase in cAMP levels in TNF-α-treated cells that was almost completely blocked by the A 2A receptor antagonist ZM-241385 (4-{2-[7-amino-2-(2-furyl)[1,2,4]triazolo-[2,3- a ][1,3,5]triazin-5-ylamino]ethyl}phenol). The nonselective adenosine receptor agonist 5′-( N -ethylcarboxamido)adenosine increased cAMP levels in both TNF-α- and IFN-γ-treated cells, but not control cells, and its effect was only partially reversed by ZM-241385 in TNF-α-treated cells and not affected in IFN-γ-treated cells. HMVEC expressed a higher level of G protein β1 isoform than β4 isoform. Although none of the cytokines tested affected G β1 expression, both IL-1 and TNF-α significantly up-regulated G β4 expression. These findings indicate that inflammatory cytokines modulate adenosine receptor expression and function on HMVECs and suggest that the interaction between proinflammatory cytokines and adenosine receptors may affect therapeutic responses to anti-inflammatory drugs that act via adenosine-dependent mechanisms.
Metastasis, the New “C Word”

Patients dealing with stage IV disease have historically been isolated and marginalized much as the cancer community was many years ago before the "coming out" of Betty Ford and Happy Rockefeller. Only recently has there been an attempt to rectify this stigmatization and to give voice to these patients. With this recognition comes the obligation to find venues to serve this population. This piece reviews this history and sets the stage for advocacy and program development.
Flight Activity and Natural Mortality of Normal and Mutant Drone Honeybees

SummaryDrones of known age from a normal stock and from 21 mutant stocks were introduced into 2 colonies equipped with entrances connected by glass-covered runways to the exterior. All departures and arrivals during a 61-day period of observation were recorded from mid June to mid August. Normal drones had an inbound/outbound flight ratio of 0·962; for various eye-colour mutants, it varied from 0·271 (tan) to 0·983 (chartreuse-cherry). Normal drones made an average of 25 flights during their lifetime, which averaged 21·2 days. Drones that lived for 40 days, however, averaged a total of 62 flights. Mean lengths of life of drones carrying various mutations were in most cases significantly less than that for normal drones. The mean number of flights made in the lifetime of drones of various mutant stocks varied from 1·0 (eyeless) to 21·2 (golden body colour).
Flow and turbulence structure around an in-stream rectangular cylinder with scour hole

[1] Most of the erosion around obstacles present in alluvial streams takes place after the formation of a scour hole of sufficiently large dimensions to stabilize the large-scale oscillations of the horseshoe vortex (HV) system. The present paper uses eddy resolving techniques to reveal the unsteady dynamics of the coherent structures present in the flow field around an in-stream vertical cylinder (e.g., bridge pier) with a large scour hole at a channel Reynolds number defined with the channel depth and the bulk channel velocity of 2.4 × 105. The cylinder has a rectangular section and is placed perpendicular to the incoming flow. The geometry of the scour hole is obtained from an experiment conducted as part of the present work. The mechanisms driving the bed erosion during the advanced stages of the scour process around the vertical plate are discussed. Simulation results demonstrate the critical role played by these large-scale turbulent eddies and their interactions in driving the local scour. The paper analyzes the changes in the flow and turbulence structure with respect to the initial stages of the scour process (flat bed conditions) for a cylinder of identical shape and orientation. Results show the wake loses its undular shape due to suppression of the antisymmetrical shedding of the roller vortices. Also, the nature of the interactions between the necklace vortices of the HV system and the eddies present inside the detached shear layers (DSLs) changes as the scour process evolves. This means that information on the vortical structure of the flow at the initiation of the scour process, or during its initial stages, are insufficient to understand the local scour mechanisms. The paper also examines the effect of the shape of the obstruction on the dynamics of the vortical eddies and how it affects the bed erosion processes during the advanced stages of the local scour. In particular, the paper provides an explanation for the observed increase in the maximum scour depth for bed-mounted cylinders of rectangular section compared to cylinders of same width but of circular section. This increase is explained by the larger coherence of the HV system, the increased regularity of the interactions between the legs of the necklace vortices and the eddies shed in the DSLs, and the stronger coherence of the wake eddies, during both the initial and the later stages of the local scour process, for cases in which the obstruction has sharp edges that fix the separation point on the in-stream obstacle at all flow depths (e.g., rectangular cylinder).
Cryostats for Mössbauer Experiments

There may be several reasons for needing low temperatures in a Mossbauer experiment. First, the fraction f of gamma rays, emitted or absorbed without recoil energy loss, increases with decreasing temperatures and actually only a few of the possible transitions (see, for instance, Boyle and Hall [1]) will show an appreciable Mossbauer effect at room temperatures. Second, the sample material under investigation may show characteristic properties, for example, magnetic ordering (see Wertheim [2]) only at low temperatures. Third, many measurements, such as a precise determination of the isomer shift, require that source and absorber be kept at a constant and readily reproducible temperature. This requirement is comparatively easily achieved by keeping the sample at the boiling point of a liquefied gas, usually liquid nitrogen (see, for example Preston et al. [3]).
Spirituality and Older Adults: Ethical Guidelines to Enhance Service Provision

Spirituality plays an important role in the lives of many older adults. Consequently, it is not surprising that gerontological social workers frequently engage spirituality in practice settings. The paucity of training gerontological workers have received on this topic, however, is a cause for concern. To help equip workers, three ethical principles are proposed to guide interactions in the area of spirituality. These principles can be summarized as: 1) client autonomy, 2) spiritual competence, and 3) professional competence. The application of these principles in practice settings will enhance the ability of gerontological social workers to interact with older adults’ spirituality in a professional and ethical manner.
A communication network architecture for transportation information systems

An emerging application of mobile computing and communication is the delivery of information related to the transportation system to drivers and travelers. Such real-time information would be very valuable in providing services such as pre-trip planning, route guidance, intermodal transportation, yellow pages, and ride matching and reservation. This so-called advanced traveler information system (ATIS) is an important subset of an intelligent transportation system (ITS). The authors are developing an ATIS operational field test called SWIFT (Seattle wide-area information for travelers) in the Seattle metropolitan area which uses technological advances in wireless communication, personal digital assistants (PDA), and traffic modeling and analysis. SWIFT uses an advanced 19 kbps FM subcarrier broadcast medium for the delivery of transportation information as well as personal paging information. Preliminary description of the logical and physical architecture of the SWIFT system along with communication loading analysis for this system, are presented.
Improved Huffmann code tables for still and video image encoders

Deals with the Huffman encoding phase of two well-known compression encoders, one that of the baseline algorithm proposed by JPEG for the compression of still images, and the other that of the H.261 based video encoder. We identify two types of minor redundancies in the input to the encoding phase, and present alternative Huffman code tables. Simulation results on still picture compressions indicate that the proposed redundancy reduction leads to an improvement of the order of 3.35% in the size of the image compressed at 75% quality level, and 5.3% when compressed at the 50% quality level, on the average. >
Dark-state polaritons using spontaneously generated coherence

A three-level atomic system in V-configuration (interacting with a single mode laser field) with parallel transition dipole moments exhibiting spontaneously generated coherence due to quantum interference of decaying channels is considered here for the purpose of storing light pulses. This system is equivalent to (with some restrictions) another three-level system in which ground state is coupled with one of the upper states but the upper states are coupled through a DC field and hence can be used to store electromagnetic pulse using the concept of dark-state-polariton.
Reies Lopez Tijerina's “the land grant question”: Creating history through metaphors

Well versed in the history of Mexican, Spanish, and United States land grants, Chicano activist Reies Lopez Tijerina conducted a rhetorical campaign centered in New Mexico in the 1960s. This study analyzes Tijerina's speech, “The Land Grant Question,” presented on November 26, 1967, at the University of Colorado, as an example of interethnic communication and for its use of metaphors in public discourse to create a cultural memory. This examination focuses on the speech's approach to historical relations between Chicano and Anglo culture, and its stylistic aspects.
The quality of peer relationships among children exposed to family violence

Three hundred sixty-three school-aged children from maritally violent and nonviolent families were interviewed about their friendship networks, frequency of social contact, the interpersonal quality of their friendships, and hostile attributional biases. Mothers answered items from the Child Behavior Checklist about peer conflict. Children did not differ on the number of friends they claimed or their frequency of contact with peers. However, children exposed to marital violence reported feeling more lonely and having more conflict with a close friend. Their mothers also reported them as having more problems with peers. In addition, children with punitive mothers had more conflict with a best friend. Residing in a shelter added further to children's feelings of loneliness, with one third having no best friend. Children's attributional biases were unrelated to the quality of their peer relations or any other index of peer functioning. Results are discussed in terms of an attachment framework. Findings confirm that it is important to examine the quality of relationships to determine how children at risk fare in their social lives.
A study on the solar energy storing rock-bed to heat a polyethylene tunnel type greenhouse

Abstract A study was conducted to store solar energy in an underground rock-bed for greenhouse heating. Experiments were carried out in two identical polyethylene tunnel type greenhouses, each with 15 m2 ground area. Rocks were filled in two canals excavated and insulated in the soil of one of the greenhouses. Greenhouse air was pushed through the rock-bed by a centrifugal fan with 1100 m3/h air flow rate and controlled by two thermostats when the energy storage or release was required. No crops were grown in the greenhouses and the vents were kept closed unless excessive condensation occurrence inside the greenhouses. The results of this study showed that the rock-bed system created an air temperature difference of about 10 °C at night, between the two greenhouses, the control one having the lower temperature. Furthermore, the rock-bed system kept the inside air temperature higher than that of outside air at night, even in an overcast day following a clear day. Whilst solar energy collection efficiency of the system was 34%, its energy recovery or release efficiency was higher than 80%. A numerical mathematical model considered here represented actual data well. An economic analysis indicated that the rock-bed system is more economical than the LPG or petroleum-based fuel burning heating systems widely used in Turkish greenhouses.
Tuning L-Type Ca2+ Current Properties to Suppress Early After depolarizations

Early afterdepolarizations (EADs) are highly arrhythmogenic transient depolarizations occurring during phase 2 or 3 of the cardiac action potential. We recently reported that EADs are highly sensitive to minimal shifts (by 1-5 mV) in the half activation/inactivation potentials (V1/2) of the L-type Ca2+ current (ICa,L), such that V1/2 modifications which reduce the window current voltage range were highly effective in suppressing EADs (Madhvani et al., 2011). To better understand the underlying mechanisms, we have further explored the relevance of ICa,L biophysical parameters to EADs formation. We took advantage of the dynamic clamp technique, a hybrid experimental-computational system permitting real-time introduction of a programmable conductance into a myocyte under current clamp. A consistent EAD regime was achieved by pacing ventricular myocytes at 0.2 Hz in the presence of 600 μM H2O2. The native ICa,L was abolished with 20 μM nifedipine, and replaced with the dynamic clamp-generated ICa,L to recapitulate EADs. We found that altering the slope of the steady-state activation curve had profound effects on EAD take-off potential and amplitude. For z = 3.2 e0, EAD amplitude was 22±1.7 mV (take-off potential to peak). Steepening the voltage dependence of activation (z = 5.7 e0) increased the take-off potential and reduced EAD amplitude to 5.6±0.6 mV. Steepening the voltage dependence of activation beyond z = 5 e0 resulted in small voltage oscillations (<1 mV) without frank EADs. In contrast, making the voltage dependence shallower increased EAD amplitude, especially when combined with a reduction of the non-inactivating component of ICa,L (pedestal). Combined with our previous findings, our results show how multiple ICa,L parameters affect EAD formation, providing a template for the development of therapeutic interventions.
Factors That Discriminate among Mock Jurors' Verdict Selections: Impact of the Guilty but Mentally Ill Verdict Option

A mock insanity defense trial was presented to 327 college students who were then asked to render a verdict under two conditions: with and without the “guilty but mentally ill” (GBMI) verdict optio...
On the use of C-arm fluoroscopy for treatment planning in high dose rate brachytherapy.

Treatment planning for brachytherapy requires the acquisition of geometrical information of the implant applicator and the patient anatomy. This is typically done using a simulator or a computed tomographyscanner. In this study, we present a different method by which orthogonal images from a C-arm fluoroscopic machine is used for high dose rate brachytherapytreatment planning. A typical C-arm is not isocentric, and it does not have the mechanical accuracy of a simulator. One solution is to place a reconstruction box with fiducial markers around the patient. However, with the limited clearance of the C-arm this method is very cumbersome to use, and is not suitable for all patients and implant sites. A different approach is adopted in our study. First, the C-arm movements are limited to three directions only between the two orthogonal images: the C-orbital rotation, the vertical column, and the horizontal arm directions. The amounts of the two linear movements and the geometric parameters of the C-arm orbit are used to calculate the location of the crossing point of the two beams and thus the magnification factors of the two images. Second, the fluoroscopic images from the C-arm workstation are transferred in DICOM format to the planning computer through a local area network. Distortions in the fluoroscopic images, with its major component the “pincushion” effect, are numerically removed using a software program developed in house, which employs a seven-parameter polynomial filter. The overall reconstruction accuracy using this method is found to be 2 mm. This filmless process reduces the overall time needed for treatment planning, and greatly improves the workflow for high dose rate brachytherapy procedures. Since its commissioning nearly three years ago, this system has been used extensively at our institution for endobronchial, intracavitary, and interstitial brachytherapy planning with satisfactory results.
Identifying Factors Influencing Computer Science Aptitude and Achievement

AbstractThis paper considers the effect of eight factors on computer science aptitude and achievement. Aptitude is measured by a computer science aptitude test and achievement is measured by a final examination. High school performance was the first factor selected for both aptitude and achievement by a stepwise regression procedure. The high school mathematics background as well as any university mathematics background were the next two factors selected for computer science aptitude. Previous computer science education and the age of the student were selected on steps two and three, respectively, for computer science achievement.
An asymmetry in the control of eye movements and shifts of attention.

Abstract Under conditions of monocular viewing, eye movements tend to be directed toward stimuli in the temporal visual field. The present experiments indicate that this bias does not extend to shifts of attention under conditions in which the eyes remain fixed. Experiments 1 and 2 support this conclusion for voluntary shifts of attention, experiment 3 for involuntary shifts of attention. These results support Posner and Cohen's (1980) hypothesis that the temporal bias reflects the properties of an isolable component of the eye movement control system and extend previous dissociations of the mechanisms underlying the control of shifts of attention and eye movements.
A unified treatment of constraints in the theory of a Cosserat point

A general treatment of constraints in the mechanical theory of a Cosserat point is proposed where the constraint forces are calculated using a normality assumption. The treatment is applicable to internal and external constraints. In cases where a body is modeled using several connected Cosserat points, a merging procedure is established. This procedure yields an equivalent single Cosserat point which may be more efficient to analyze in applications. To illustrate the treatment and the merging procedure, the equations governing the vibrations of a clamped bar are derived.
RESPONSIVENESS OF HEPATOCYTES TO EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR, TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-BETA AND NOREPINEPHRINE DURING TREATMENT WITH XENOBIOTIC HEPATIC TUMOR PROMOTERS

Abstract Previous studies with xenobiotic hepatic tumor promoters have shown that prolonged treatment with these substances decreases the level of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors and the response of hepatocytes to EGF. In this study we show that, in contrast to prolonged exposure, the early stage of exposure to tumor promoters is associated with enhanced responsiveness to EGF. Differences in the patterns of responsiveness to EGF are noticed between two tumor promoters, phenobarbital (PB) and α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH). Norepinephrine is one of the strongest comitogens (mitogenic amplifiers) for hepatocytes. In addition to altering responsiveness to EGF, treatment with the tumor promoters eliminated the response to norepinephrime during the early stage of treatment. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), a well known inhibitor of EGF mitogenesis in hepatocytes, inhibited the EGF-induced DNA synthesis but did not affect the DNA synthesis stimulated directly by the tumor promoters. Long term treatment with the tumor promoters inhibited responsiveness to both EGF and norepinephrine. The implications of these findings for mechanisms of tumor promotion in the liver are discussed.
Cone-beam computed tomography transverse analysis. Part I: Normative data.

Introduction The application of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) in orthodontics ushered in a new era in 3-dimensional analysis that promises to provide more comprehensive understanding of craniofacial skeletal anatomy. That promise is now being realized in multiple studies. The purposes of this study were to investigate a portion of transverse dimension relationships by using CBCT and to propose a transverse analysis to assist practitioners with treatment decisions. Methods The CBCT scans of 241 patients with and without crossbite were analyzed to assess the width of the jaws and the inclination of the first molars. The dental and skeletal measurements were compared between the noncrossbite and the crossbite groups. Results The noncrossbite group included patients who had apparently normal transverse relationships, but also a surprising number of patients with an obvious skeletal transverse discrepancy masked by dental compensation. The noncrossbite patients with molar inclinations within 1 SD of the mean were defined as the control group, and those with dental compensations were identified as either superior convergent or inferior convergent. The obvious unilateral crossbite patients demonstrated dental compensation in the maxillary first molar on the noncrossbite side, whereas the obvious bilateral crossbite patients had normal dental inclinations. Conclusions Skeletally, both the bilateral and unilateral crossbite groups had narrower maxillary widths than did the controls, but also wider mandibles, with more severe bilateral crossbites. Dentally, the unilateral crossbite group had more upright teeth on the noncrossbite side. In the noncrossbite groups with dental compensations, the superior convergent and inferior convergent differences in both dental and skeletal characteristics were marked. Patients without crossbites can have significant discrepancies that might warrant treatment.
Video Scene Recognition System

AbstractMicroprocessors are used to show a possible implementation of a multiprocessor system for videoscene recognition operations. The system was designed in the multiple input stream and multiple data stre- am (MIMD) configuration. "Autonomous cooperation" among the working processors is supervised by aglobal operating system, the heart of which is the scheduler. The design of the scheduler and the overalloperations of the system are discussed. Introduction Scene recognition operations are relatively costly in computing time due to the large amount of data needed to be analyzed. To achieve real -time or near real -time operations as required by many industrialautomation and autonomous guidance applications, scene recognition can be performed with several micro-processors operating in parallel. Operations such as subimage extractions, geometric transformations,convolution, and edge extractions can be implemented in a multiprocessor system. This paper describesthe design and operations of a multiprocessor system in its most general multiple input stream and multiple
Chemistry of Palmar Sweat: Preliminary Report: Apparatus and Technics1

This study was undertaken in an attempt to compare the secretory efficiency of the sweat gland and its tubule with the more anatomically complex renal glomerulus and tubules. The eccrine sweat glands may be divided into two groups as to function, location and, possibly, connections to the central nervous system. 1. The eccrine sweat glands of the general body surface respond to stimuli of heat and work. Their function is that of regulation of body temperature. 2. Sweat from the glands of the palms and soles (and some in the axillae) is referred to as palmar sweat, or psychic, or mental sweat. Darrow (1) pointed out that its teleolQgic function was originally to provide a pliable, adhesive surface facilitating tactile €ense and the grip on objects; it now manifests itself in preparedness for activity, alertness or vigilance, conation, shift of attention, mental work and emotion. In the absence of preparedness, as in sleep, the palms tend to be dry, even in hot weather when the general body surface is sweating. All this has been shown by Kuno (2) and Neumann, Cohn and Burch (3) by studying volume output of palmar sweat by various methods. The chemistry of general body or thermal sweat has been studied by many observers (4—18) under various conditions of increased temperature, humidity and work both in hot climates and in thermal chambers. Correlation studies on sweat, urine, blood and gastric juice have been made, as well as studies on sweat alone. The sweat collected for analysis by various investigators has been either pooled body sweat or sweat collected from specific areas of the general body surface. This sweat, for the most part, has been profuse, dilute, with low specific gravity and low concentration of dissolved substances. Sweat that has been scraped off, or allowed to run off the body surface, or absorbed into clothing, is contaminated by epithelial cells, fat and surface bacteria, even though the body surface was thoroughly washed before starting the collection. In the present study the efficiency of a sweat gland was to be compared with the efficiency of the renal excreting unit. Williams (19) listed similarities