cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Aniridia and optic nerve hypoplasia

This study evaluates, in patients with aniridia, the prevalence of optic nerve hypoplasia and its association with foveal hypoplasia. The medical records of 56 patients with aniridia (31 female, 25 male, mean age 33 years, range 2–74 years) were retrospectively evaluated for optic nerve and foveal hypoplasia. The difference in prevalence of foveal hypoplasia in patients with and without optic nerve hypoplasia was compared using Fisher's exact test. Six of 56 patients, 10.7% (95% CI: 4.8–21.5%), had optic nerve hypoplasia; hypoplasia was found in both eyes of five binocular patients and in one monocular patient. The prevalence of foveal hypoplasia was higher in aniridia patients with optic nerve hypoplasia than in those without (50.0 vs 6.0%); this difference did not achieve statistical significance (P=0.10). Clinically apparent optic nerve hypoplasia is found in roughly 10% of patients with aniridia and may occur independently or in association with foveal hypoplasia.
EFFECT OF A MATCHED ELECTRON BEAM ON HIGH-GAIN FREE-ELECTRON-LASER AMPLIFIER PERFORMANCE

It is commonly assumed that a matched electron beam optimizes free-electron-laser performance; however, this assumption has not been proven for operation in the high-gain regime. We test this hypothesis for a self-amplified spontaneous emission configuration using a 3D multimode simulation. The gain length predicted for a matched beam is in good agreement with analytic theory. Further, the simulation indicates that while the gain length is optimized for a matched beam the saturated power is not necessarily optimized.
Cognitive Progression in Epilepsy

The issue of cognitive progression in people with epilepsy is of considerable interest and has important clinical and theoretical implications. In this paper, we review recent studies in both the adult and childhood epilepsy literature which have included a longitudinal test–retest design to examine this question. Several important methodological issues of this literature are highlighted and areas which require more investigation are identified.
On the thermodynamics of fluids defined by implicit constitutive relations

In this paper, we develop a thermodynamically consistent theory for describing the response of nonlinear viscous fluids whose constitutive equations are of the form f (T, D) = 0. We show that such constitutive equations which include classical constitutive equations wherein the stress is expressed explicitly in terms of the kinematical quantities, provide a rich class of physically meaningful fluid response functions which allows us to describe a wider range of material behavior, including that of a general class of incompressible fluids, incompressible fluids with pressure dependent viscosity, and Bingham (or pseudoplastic) materials.
Analytical Solutions for Estimating Effective Discharge

The concept of a dominant discharge that governs the cross-sectional and planform characteristics of a channel is used widely in stream restoration practice. This dominant discharge can be based on field measurements, a chosen recurrence interval of flooding or related to the effective discharge. The effective discharge is defined as the flow which transports the most sediment over the period of record. Significant differences in the relation between the computed effective discharge and bankfull discharge have been documented in the literature. Herein, different methods of estimating the effective discharge are described and analytical solutions derived. These analytical solutions are easy to apply and can be used to predict the effective discharge under existing conditions and the historic flow records. These solutions can be used to explain some of the discrepancies between different methods of estimating the effective discharge. In addition, the equations can be used to predict future trends in the effective discharge should the hydrologic, sediment transport or channel characteristics change in the future. The analysis procedures are illustrated with examples at two different scales: The Red River in Idaho and the Russian River in Northern California.
Judges, juries, and the decision to convict

The bureaucratic context of criminal prosecution emphasizes efficiency; its legal context emphasizes due process and procedural fairness. This paper focuses on the trial stage of prosecution where both concerns are central. It empirically examines the bench trial, an alternative to the more commonly used plea of guilty and the more traditional trial by jury. A comparison between trial by judge and trial by jury reveals striking differences in determinations of guilt. These differences have implications for commonly held assumptions about both jury and judicial behavior.
Use of a simple transient extension chamber with ETV-ICPMS: quantitative analysis and matrix effects

The transient extension (TEx) chamber was developed to provide a simple means of lengthening an electrothermal vaporizer (ETV) signal for the purpose of obtaining a full mass scan from a single ETV firing with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) detection. The TEx chamber was used for quantitative analysis of natural water (NIST SRM 1640). Quantitative analysis was done for Co, Be, Pb, Sb and Cd. Detection limits for the five elements tested with the TEx chamber were in the 1–10 µg L−1 range when monitoring 256 masses during a single ETV firing. In general, there was no significant change in the analyte signal using palladium, sodium chloride or magnesium nitrate modifiers when comparing results with and without the TEx chamber.
Simulation of networks using multidimensional Fast Fourier Transforms

A fast method is presented for simulating a class of systems that includes certain regular neural networks based on neurons that perform a weighted spatial summation as a part of their operation. The method employs high-speed convolution via the Fast Fourier Transform. Some important aspects are emphasized: first, even though the FFT is essential, the neurons do not need to be completely linear (they can have time varying thresholds for example); second, simulations of networks with very dense interconnections are encouraged (they take no more time then sparse ones using this method); and finally, the method is suggestive of similar but more general computational schemes.
Regulation of T helper cell subsets by cyclooxygenases and their metabolites.

Cyclooxygenases and their metabolites are important regulators of inflammatory responses and play critical roles in regulating the differentiation of T helper cell subsets in inflammatory diseases. In this review, we highlight new information on regulation of T helper cell subsets by cyclooxygenases and their metabolites. Prostanoids influence cytokine production by both antigen presenting cells and T cells to regulate the differentiation of naive CD4(+) T cells to Th1, Th2 and Th17 cell phenotypes. Cyclooxygenases and PGE2 generally exacerbate Th2 and Th17 phenotypes, while suppressing Th1 differentiation. Thus, cycloxygenases may play a critical role in diseases that involve immune cell dysfunction. Targeting of cyclooxygenases and their eicosanoid products may represent a new approach for treatment of inflammatory diseases, tumors and autoimmune disorders.
Disease-modifying therapies in Alzheimer’s disease⁎

Abstract Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a chronic, progressive, neurodegenerative disorder that places a substantial burden on patients, their families, and society. The disease affects approximately 5 million individuals in the United States, with an annual cost of care greater than $100 billion. During the past dozen years, several agents have been approved that enhance cognition and global function of AD patients, and recent advances in understanding AD pathogenesis has led to the development of numerous compounds that might modify the disease process. A wide array of antiamyloid and neuroprotective therapeutic approaches are under investigation on the basis of the hypothesis that amyloid beta (Aβ) protein plays a pivotal role in disease onset and progression and that secondary consequences of Aβ generation and deposition, including tau hyperphosphorylation and neurofibrillary tangle formation, oxidation, inflammation, and excitotoxicity, contribute to the disease process. Interventions in these processes with agents that reduce amyloid production, limit aggregation, or increase removal might block the cascade of events comprising AD pathogenesis. Reducing tau hyperphosphorylation, limiting oxidation and excitotoxicity, and controlling inflammation might be beneficial disease-modifying strategies. Potentially neuroprotective and restorative treatments such as neurotrophins, neurotrophic factor enhancers, and stem cell–related approaches are also under investigation.
Micromechanics predictions of the effective electroelastic moduli of piezoelectric composites

Abstract The dilute, self-consistent, Mori-Tanaka and differential micromechanics theories are extended to consider the coupled electroelastic behavior of piezoelectric composite materials. The application of each theory is based on Deeg's (1980, unpublished) rigorous three-dimensional electroelastic solution of an ellipsoidal inclusion in an infinite piezoelectric medium. Each micro-mechanics theory is implemented through a matrix formulation in which the effective electroelastic moduli are conveniently represented by a 9 × 9 matrix. As in the corresponding uncoupled elastic and electric behavior, the dilute and Mori-Tanaka schemes return explicit estimates for the effective electroelastic moduli. The self consistent method, however, returns an implicit nonlinear algebraic matrix equation for the effective electroelastic moduli. The differential scheme formally results in a set of 81 coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the effective electroelastic moduli. In general, recourse to a numerical scheme is required for the self-consistent and differential theories. Numerical results are presented to illustrate the performance of each model for some typical composite microstructures and the models are compared in light of existing experimental data.
The early expression of some human autoantibody-associated heavy chain variable region genes is controlled by specific regulatory elements

Recent molecular cloning studies have revealed that some autoantibodies may be encoded directly by germline Ig variable (V) genes without any somatic mutation, suggesting strongly that such autoantibodies are physiologically important. Independent analyses of Ig gene expression in a human fetal liver showed that only nine heavy chain V (Vh) genes were used, out of a potential germline Vh gene repertoire of 100–200. We have observed that four of these nine Vh genes encode sequences identical or almost identical to human autoantibody heavy chains. This unexpected overlap implies that some autoantibodies are expressed preferentially during early development. Recent structural analyses of two Vh3 genes expressed in fetal liver revealed many more enhancer-like sequences in the fianking regions than expected for a typical Vh gene. It is hypothesized that these autoantibody-related Vh genes may contain various combinations of cis regulatory elements which infiuence their specific expression during early ontogenic development. Furthermore, these observations are consistent with network hypotheses, which suggest that early B-cell development is driven by reactivity with self. The cis regulatory elements in the autoantibody genes may act in concert with the positional effects that have been shown to facilitate Vh gene engagement.
A New View of the Moon in Light of Data from Clementine and Prospector Missions

Results from the 1994 Clementine and 1998–99 Lunar Prospector orbital missions are forcing a reevaluation of existing models of the origin and evolution of the Moon. Data on global topography and gravity from Clementine gravity and LIDAR experiments indicate a 16 km elevation range on the farside of the Moon and a wide range in computed crustal thickness. The data confirm the presence of mascons under mare-filled basins and validate earlier models of lunar hemispherical asymmetry. High resolution global maps of FeO and TiO2 derived from the Clementine UV-VIS data and Th maps from the Prospector gamma-ray data indicate that the lunar crust and the uppermost lunar mantle are laterally and vertically inhomogeneous on a global scale. An area of enhanced Th (and other incompatible element) abundances, known as the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT), makes up approximately 16% of the nearside lunar surface. Although the highest Th abundances appear to be in upper crustal impact deposits, the close association of mare basalts with the PKT indicates that anomalously high Th, U, and K concentrations extend to mantle depths. Anorthosites are very rare within the PKT and the pre-mare crust in this region is composed of breccias and pristine rocks of the magnesian-suite and alkali-suite. The upper crust outside the PKT is anorthositic (∼4% FeO and <1 ppm Th) and appears to be only slightly modified from the crust produced in the early magmasphere differentiation. A glimpse into the lower crust is provided in the South Pole-Aitken (SP-A) basin where the upper crust has been removed by a giant impact. The lower crust in SP-A is noritic in composition (FeO from 8–12%, Th from 2–4 ppm) and this material may represent impact-melted crustal cumulates that originally crystallized from the magma ocean. It is suggested that the enrichment in Th, and all other incompatible elements, occurred early in lunar history as a consequence of the migration of late-stage residual melts along a pressure gradient induced by impact removal or thinning of the anorthositic crust.
Cardiovascular consequences of primary antihypertensive therapy with prazosin hydrochloride

Abstract Ten patients with essential hypertension who had no end-organ damage were treated with prazosin, starting with a dose of 1 mg/day. The dose was titrated to a maximal tolerated dose not exceeding 20 mg/day in divided doses or until diastolic blood pressure decreased to 90 mm Hg or lower. Among this study population a statistically significant decrease in blood pressures was achieved in the supine, sitting and standing positions. Baseline studies were repeated after 8 weeks of continuous therapy. There was no significant change in peripheral plasma renin activity, serum aldosterone or urinary sodium excretion. Plasma volume increased significantly and the patient weight increased proportionately. Cardiac ejection fraction at rest did not change significantly after prazosin therapy. Exercise ejection fraction also was not changed significantly from baseline during therapy, and the exerciseinduced increase in blood pressure was significantly blunted. No adverse effects of prazosin on cardiac function were detected in this short-term study.
Wind tunnel performance data for two- and three-bucket Savonius rotors

Fifteen configurations of a Savonius rotor wind turbine were tested in the Vought Corporation Systems Division 4.9- x 6.1-m Low Speed Wind Tunnel to determine aerodynamic performance. The range of values of the varied parameters was as follows: number of buckets, 2 and 3; nominal freestream velocity, 7 and 14 m/s; Reynolds number per meter, 4.32 x 10/sup 5/ and 8.67 x 10/sup 5/; rotor height, 1 and 1.5 m; rotor diameter (nominal), 1 m; bucket overlap, 0.0 to 0.1 m. The measured test variables were torque, rotational speed, and tunnel conditions. It is concluded that increasing Reynolds number and/or aspect ratio improves performance. The recommended configuration consists of two sets of two-bucket rotors, rotated 90 deg apart, with each rotor having a dimensionless gap width of 0.1 to 0.15.
Spermatozoa as a transport system of large unilamellar lipid vesicles into the oocyte.

Abstract In addition to their role as man-made membranes, vesicles continue to be investigated as carriers for drug delivery. While most research focuses on their injectable properties, here a new delivery strategy is proposed. It is shown that spermatozoa can transport vesicles of variable composition. For human spermatozoa, the vesicles started to show binding after 20mol% of the nonbinding vesicle backbone lipids were substituted with positive, negative, cerebroside or ganglioside lipids. Vesicle binding is a dynamic process with constant ‘on' and ‘off' binding. The physiological and motility attributes of the spermatozoa are not affected by the attached vesicles. Sperm swimming characteristics changed only marginally. Also, the activation status of the acrosomal membrane, tested with the fluorescent probe Pisum sativum agglutinin, was not affected by vesicle binding. Moreover, the hyaluronic acid-binding test showed that viable, fully developed spermatozoa will attach and remain bound to hyaluronic acid-coated slides regardless of vesicle binding. Therefore a new ‘hybrid' delivery system was created with human spermatozoa, and tested with a mouse IVF system. Large unilamellar vesicles physisorbed to mouse spermatozoa can not only penetrate the mouse oocytes in these proof-of-principle experiments, but also deliver the cargo placed within the vesicles. Vesicles are artificially prepared, small lipid membrane-enclosed sacks that can store substances. As vesicles encapsulate an aqueous solution inside a partly hydrophobic membrane, they can carry both hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules. Due to their unique properties, liposomes are often used as model systems to create or study artificial cells, as well as drug delivery vehicles. In order to transport nucleic acids, proteins or other cargo, the vesicles should exhibit mobility. In the present paper we propose a new delivery strategy, using the motion of spermatozoa to transport attached vesicles into the oocyte during fertilization. To use spermatozoa as a vesicle-transport system, we have to accomplish three goals. One, the lipid composition of the vesicle membranes needs to be created such that they can bind to the sperm cells. Two, the spermatozoa should still be able to swim with the extra loaded vesicle cargo. And three, the bound vesicles should not inhibit the capability of sperm cells to fertilize. In this study, vesicles started to show binding after 20mol% neutral lipids were substituted with either positive, negative, cerebroside or ganglioside lipids. A new ‘hybrid' delivery system has been created in which vesicles are bound to spermatozoa in physiological conditions with no significant alterations in sperm motility and function. Moreover, with IVF experiments in the mouse model, it was confirmed that spermatozoa remained capable of fertilizing while delivering vesicles simultaneously.
CASERTZ aeromagnetic data reveal late Cenozoic flood basalts(?) in the West Antarctic rift system

The late Cenozoic volcanic and tectonic activity of the enigmatic West Antarctic rift system, the least understood of the great active continental rifts, has been suggested to be plume driven. In 1991-1992, as part of the CASERTZ (Corridor Aerogeophysics of the Southeast Ross Transect Zone) program, an ∼25000 km aeromagnetic survey over the ice-covered Byrd subglacial basin shows magnetic "texture" critical to interpretations of the underlying extended volcanic terrane. The aeromagnetic data reveal numerous semicircular anomalies ∼100-1100 nT in amplitude, interpreted as having volcanic sources at the base of the ice sheet; they are concentrated along north-trending magnetic lineations interpreted as rift fabric. Models constrained by coincident radar ice soundings indicate highly magnetic sources, with a probable high remanent magnetization in the present field direction, strongly suggesting a late Cenozoic age. Magnetic anomalies over exposed late Cenozoic volcanic rocks along part of the rift shoulder and in coastal Marie Byrd Land are similar in form and amplitude. The CASERTZ aeromagnetic results, combined with >100 000 km of widely spaced aeromagnetic profiles, indicate at least 10 6 km 3 of probable late Cenozoic volcanic rock (flood basalt?) in the West Antarctic rift beneath the ice sheet and Ross Ice Shelf. Comparison with other plumes in active rift areas (e.g., Yellowstone and East Africa) indicates that this volume estimate lies in the range of magma generation found in these other low-extension continental rifts.
A Simply Analytic Study of Buckled Thin Films on Compliant Substrates

Buckling of stiff thin films on compliant substrates enables many new applications, such as stretchable electronics. Song et al. [2008, “Buckling of a Stiff Thin Film on a Compliant Substrate in Large Deformation,” Int. J. Solids Struct., 45(10), pp. 3107–3121] developed a finite deformation theory to explain the buckled amplitude and wavelength very well. This theory not only accounts for finite geometry change, but also the finite strain and a nonlinear constitutive model for the substrate. To provide a better physical insight, this paper investigates those three effects, and shows that finite geometry change dominates in the finite deformation theory and the simplified analysis leads to results that agree well with experiments and the finite element method.
The Role of School Counselors in Addressing Sexual Orientation in Schools.

Issues of sexual orientation are relevant to multiple levels of the school community, including students, school professionals, and schools as institutions. School counselors, with their developmental training, systems perspective, and commitment to diversity, are uniquely positioned to be leaders in efforts not only to provide support for students engaged in the process of recognizing and accepting their own sexual identities, but also to promote more sophisticated dialogue about issues of sexual orientation in schools. This article presents a three-tiered action plan that will provide school counselors with tools necessary to address the issue of sexual orientation in their schools.
Cold injuries. Protecting your patients from the dangers of hypothermia and frostbite.

PREVIEWHypothermia and frostbite are potential risks for winter sports enthusiasts, even when temperatures are not considered dangerously low. Signs and symptoms of cold injuries, especially hypothermia, can be subtle, and accurate diagnosis often is difficult. In this article, Drs Kanzenbach and Dexter discuss mechanisms involved in cold injuries as well as diagnosis and appropriate management.
Exact equivalence of spin-1/2 Aharonov-Bohm and Aharonov-Casher effects.

It is shown that there is an exact equivalence between the Aharonov-Bohm effect for spin-1/2 particles and the Aharonov-Casher effect. The demonstration of this precise relationship between the two is seen furthermore to be independent of whether relativistic or nonrelativistic kinematics are used. The only remaining substantive distinction between the two effects may well be the fact that the scattering cross section for polarized beams has a considerably greater sturcture in the Aharonov-Casher case despite the mathematical equivalence of the scattering amplitudes for the two effects.
Eating disorders in adolescents and young women with Spina Bifida

This is the first report of the association of spina bifida and eating disorders. Five patients were diagnosed rather late in the course of their illness. They all had been overweight premorbidly and had been urged to lose weight for years in order to improve their mobility. As they dieted, they experienced their weight loss as a source of power that could somehow compensate for their losses and neurologic limitations. They responded to a multidisciplinary intervention. Clinicians taking care of patients with spina bifida need to be cognizant that they may be at risk of developing an eating disorder. Such awareness should influence the quality of nutritional counseling (prevention aspect) and the clinical assessment of sudden weight loss (early intervention).
Potassium evoked catecholamine release from the nucleus tractus solitarius in vitro.

Abstract The release of endogenous catecholamines (CA) from rat brain slices containing the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) was measured using a sensitive radioenzymatic assay. KCl (35 to 75 mM) induced a dose-related increase in norepinephrine (NE) release. Dopamine (DA) release was maximal with 50 mM KCl. An increase in epinephrine (E) release was only observed with 75 mM KCl. NE and E release was totally calcium-dependent whereas DA release was only partially calcium-dependent. Subsequent administrations of KCl released less CA. The calcium dependency of the KCl induced release of E, NE, and DA suggests a neurotransmitter function in the NTS for these CA. A difference in storage sites and/or mechanisms may be responsible for the observed differences in sensitivity to KCl and to extracellular calcium.
Error estimates of elastic components in stress-dependent VTI media

Abstract This work examines the ranges of physically acceptable elastic components for a vertical transversely isotropic (VTI) laboratory shale data set. A stochastic rock-physics approach combined with physically based acceptance and rejection criteria determined the ranges. The importance of this work is to demonstrate that multiple constrained models explain independently calculated measurement error bars. The data set consisted of pressure- and directional-dependent velocity measurements conducted on a low porosity, brine-saturated hard shale. Error bars were calculated for all five elastic stiffnesses and compliances as a function of pressure. The rock physics model is pressure dependent and represents simultaneously five elastic compliances for a VTI medium. A non-linear least squares fitting routine established a best-fit model to the five compliances at all pressures. Perturbations of the best-fit model provided the statistical parameter space. Twelve physical constraints or data-set-specific conditions comprised the acceptance/rejection criteria. These constraints and conditions included strain-energy requirements, inequalities among stiffnesses and anisotropy parameters, and rates of change of moduli with pressure. The largest number of rejected models resulted from violating a criterion relating a compressional and shear stiffness. Minimum misfits between the accepted models and the data illustrate that a fraction of the accepted models best explain the data. The misfits between these accepted models and data explain the error in the data and/or inhomogeneities at the measurement scale. The ranges of acceptable elastic component values and the corresponding uncertainty estimates could be incorporated into seismic-inversion, imaging, and velocity-modeling schemes.
Hybrid variational Bayesian channel estimation, demodulation and decoding for OFDM under sparse multipath channels

In this paper, a novel hybrid OFDM receiver based on sparse variational Bayesian (VB) learning and soft-input soft-output decoding is proposed. By noticing that a key part of the inference problem approximated by VB (message-passing) methods may be inferred exactly, an genetic interfacing structure is proposed allowing the use of virtually all existing soft-input soft-output decoding schemes. Therefore the tasks of joint channel state estimation, demodulation and decoding are iteratively solved under the proposed hybrid variational Bayesian framework. The bit-interleaved coded modulation with Turbo coding is used to demonstrate the potential performance of the proposed structure. Very promising results in performance are observed in computer simulated experiments.
Pulmonary effects of a polyisocyanate aerosol: Hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer (HDlt) or desmodur-N (DES-N)

Desmodur-N (DES-N) or hexamethylene diisocyanate trimer (HDIt), a biuret structure of hexamethylene diisocyanate, is a viscous liquid used for durable coatings and is applied by brushing or spraying. DES-N aerosol has been shown to be primarily a pulmonary irritant following a single exposure in mice. To explore the pulmonary effects of this agent further, groups of guinea pigs were exposed to concentrations ranging from 8 to 121 mg/m3 of DES-N for 3 hr. Prior to and following exposure, each animal was challenged with 10% CO2 in 20% O2 and 70% N2 to evaluate their pulmonary performance. Following a single exposure, these animals displayed a concentration-dependent increase in respiratory rate and decrease in tidal volume, as well as coughing and apnea. Their ventilatory response to 10% CO2 was abnormal and characteristic of a lung restriction response. Some airflow limitation was seen during expiration but this occurred more often during air breathing than during CO2 challenge. With daily exposures repeated for 11 consecutive days, guinea pigs began to adapt to the exposures as indicated by a return to a normal ventilatory response to CO2. This adaptation occurred within the first 5 days of exposures. From Days 6 to 11, there was a demonstrable effect, but the level of response was much less than that following the first exposure. No cumulative effect could be demonstrated with this polyisocyanate and the effect was found to be different than that for mono- or diisocyanates. Acceptable levels of exposure to this polyisocyanate for industrial workers are suggested.
Nano self-assembly for MEMS and microelectronics applications

This paper presents the combination of "bottom-up" layer-by-layer (LbL) nano self-assembly and "top-down" micromanufacturing techniques for MEMS and microelectronics applications. Two approaches, modified lift-off and metal mask, were utilized to pattern nano-assembled thin films effectively. With nano self-assembly and surface micromachining, highly flexible nanoparticle-based magnetic cantilever platform for micro sensing and actuation was self-assembled. Self-assembled magnetic thin films on polymeric tunneling sensors were functional as a polymer actuators for the actuation of highly sensitive sensors. For microelectronics devices, self-assembled silica nanoparticle thin film acted as the dielectric layer for field-effect transistors. Nanoparticle- and polymer-based field-effect transistors with embedded nano self-assembled films as dielectric and active layers were fabricated and characterized successfully as well.
Simultaneous Multicomponent Quantitative Analysis by Infrared Absorption Spectroscopy

Two data-handling techniques, least-squares fitting and cross-correlation, have been used for three-component analysis under comparable conditions with the use of both simulated and real data. Factors considered are the effect of variation in degree of peak overlap, signal-to-noise ratio, the effect of peak width variations when peak maxima occur at the same position, and the effect of varying peak intensities. A series of lipid mixtures was analyzed by each method with the use of infrared absorption. This permits comparison of these results with earlier reports. Both least-squares and cross-correlation can be used with samples that are outside the applicable range of the earlier work. In this comparison, the least-squares results are somewhat better than those from cross-correlation.
Simulation study of a linear relationship between two variables affected by errors

Suppose an experiment requires the fitting of a linear relationship to data, (xi,yi ) where X and Y were both measured subject to error. In this paper a variety of methods are used to estimate the value of the slope β. Many popular methods are reformulated into a single class of optimization problems. Each method studied seeks to minimize a combination of the sum of the weighted deviations in the horizontal and vertical directions. The reformulation of each method is presented along with the results of a simulation study of the methods.
MULTIPLE REINFORCEMENT EFFECTS IN SHORT-TERM MEMORY

A continuous memorizing situation was studied in which test and study trials alternated throughout an experimental session. The items studied were paired-associates. The interval between study and test for a particular item was randomly determined; and an item was given one, two, three or four reinforcements. A quantitative model is proposed which has two memory stores: a short-term store in which the subject generates a carefully controlled rehearsal scheme of fixed length, and a long-term store in which information is accumulated and lost. A large number of theoretical predictions of the model were verified quantitatively by the data, which confirm results of previous experiments, and support the hypothesis that highly structured rehearsal schemes play a major role in many short-term memory and learning situations.
Cancelling the hexagon anomaly

Abstract Conditions for cancellation of the axial anomaly in D = 6 and 10 dimensions are discussed. Certain classes of theory (supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory in D = 6 and 10 and open superstring theory in D = 10) are shown to be anomalous.
Impaired spatial working memory learning and performance in normal aged rhesus monkeys.

Aged non-human primates may have deficits in a variety of cognitive functions. However, it is possible that at least some age-related performance deficits relate to a deficit in initial task learning. To assess this, aged rhesus monkeys were trained to perform a Self-Ordered Spatial Search task (SOSS) using the same training and testing parameters used previously with normal young animals. Aged animals failed to reach criterion at the easiest task level. In an attempt to improve learning, a group of aged animals were first trained on SOSS using a standard 5 sec ITI, followed by trials with low inter-trial interference (ex., a stimulus used in a trial would not be used again for the next 2 trials) or with trials in which the spatial distance between the stimuli on the screen was maximized. Because performance improved but failed to reach criterion, this was followed by sessions with increasing ITIs (from 5 sec to 10 or 15 sec). Only increasing the ITI improved the performance of the aged animals enough to allow them to learn the task to criterion. Once the criterion was reached, memory was taxed by increasing the delay between stimulus presentations and increasing the number of spatial positions to be remembered. Performance declined for young animals, but even more so for aged animals. The results of the present study suggests that aged primates have difficulty initially learning a complex working memory task, and that the ITI may be an important parameter to manipulate to improve learning. However, once the task is learned, performance of aged animals is inferior to that of young animals, particularly when memory demands are increased. .
The modern foreland basin system adjacent to the Central Andes

Regional variations in sediment thickness, internal structures, average elevation, and Bouguer gravity define a four-component foreland basin system adjacent to the Central Andes. In the most proximal part of the foreland basin system, the eastern Subandean zone and westernmost Chaco Plain, 1–3 km of Cenozoic deposits overlies active folds and thrusts of the frontal Andean orogenic wedge. These wedge-top deposits pass cratonward into a foredeep depozone containing a 3–4-km-thick sedimentary prism that tapers toward (and locally pinches out against) a broad-wavelength forebulge in the central-eastern Chaco Plain. The forebulge is underlain by Precambrian–Mesozoic rocks and is largely covered by a thin veneer of Quaternary alluvium. East of the forebulge, a thin (0.5 km) saucer-shaped accumulation of sediment beneath the Pantanal Wetland represents a back-bulge depozone. Ancient counterparts of these four depozones can be identified in the Central Andes, suggesting that modern basin architecture is the result of continuous, eastward migration of the coupled orogenic wedge and foreland basin system since the Late Cretaceous–Paleocene.
Uniform convergence of discontinuous finite element methods for singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion problems

Abstract In this paper, we study two families of discontinuous finite element methods for singularly perturbed reaction-diffusion problems, which contain multiple scales spanning the whole problem domain because of the small perturbation parameter. To solve such a multiscale problem, an anisotropic mesh is constructed. This mesh uses finer mesh inside the small scale regions (where the boundary layers are located) than elsewhere (large scale regions). Uniform optimal error estimates in the energy norm are obtained for both families on the anisotropical mesh.
Mirrors, monkeys, and group dynamics

When presented with his/her own reflection in a mirror (within an environment that is natural for that particular group of primates) the position that animal holds within the group affects his/her interpretation of that image. Each individual perceives the animal in the mirror to be another animal of equal circumstances as him/herself. An alpha animal sees a potential alpha animal attempting to take over the troop. A beta or lesser animal sees another non-alpha animal attempting to enter the troop through affiliation.
Probabilistic lung nodule classification with belief decision trees

In reading Computed Tomography (CT) scans with potentially malignant lung nodules, radiologists make use of high level information (semantic characteristics) in their analysis. Computer-Aided Diagnostic Characterization (CADc) systems can assist radiologists by offering a “second opinion” — predicting these semantic characteristics for lung nodules. In this work, we propose a way of predicting the distribution of radiologists' opinions using a multiple-label classification algorithm based on belief decision trees using the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Lung Image Database Consortium (LIDC) dataset, which includes semantic annotations by up to four human radiologists for each one of the 914 nodules. Furthermore, we evaluate our multiple-label results using a novel distance-threshold curve technique — and, measuring the area under this curve, obtain 69% performance on the validation subset. We conclude that multiple-label classification algorithms are an appropriate method of representing the diagnoses of multiple radiologists on lung CT scans when ground truth is unavailable.
Simple circuit-based solution to problem of residential load participation in demand response

In this paper, the authors examine the design and construction of a simple yet effective circuit-based hardware solution to home automation and participation of such loads in demand response. Emphasis is placed on cost-efficiency, ability to incorporate wide variety of loads (e.g. HVAC), minimal installation requirements, and user-friendly interfacing. This paper is well suited to venues focused on the study of system analysis and circuit-based solutions.
Gender and Computers: Understanding the Digital Divide

Gender and Computers: Understanding the Digital Divide. Joel Cooper & Kimberlee Weaver. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. 2003. 168 pp. ISBN: 0-8058-4427-9. $19.95 (paper). ISBN: 0-8058-4426-0. $45.00 (hardcover). As part of a psychology experiment, students played the Zork adventure game on a computer. When they played the game in private, females did a lot better than males, but when there was another person in the room, males performed far better than females. The mere presence of another person degraded female performance even though the other person was on the other side of the room working on something completely different. In their book, social psychologists Joel Cooper and Kimberlee Weaver use the concept of anxiety to explain this impact of the presence of another person upon computer game performance. They argue that females experienced "great anxiety" because they believed the stereotype that females tend to fail at computer tasks. They did not consider any alternative explanations-for example, that females might have been bored with the game and became easily distracted by the mere presence of other person. Gender and Computers consists of a series of little studies like the Zork experiment to make the case that there is a deep digital divide based upon gender. Additionally, the little book (168 pages) claims that the gender gap is maintained primarily by computer anxiety, social facilitation, stereotyping, and gender-based performance expectations. The interplay between gender and information technology has drawn the attention of both academics (cf. Andersen, Landmark, Harris, & Magnan, 1994) and practitioners (cf. Furger, 1998) for several decades. A contribution to the literature from psychology is welcome, because to date, this topic is dominated by feminists, computer scientists, sociologists, and educational researchers. Regrettably, Gender and Computers does not live up to its broad title, but instead ignores most of the literature and considers only a narrow range of social processes that maintain gender differences in relation to technology. A preponderance of the studies discussed by Cooper and Weaver deal only with gender in computer games, but most computer work does not include the competitiveness of games. Most recreational use of computers now is on the Internet, where gender has a very different role (Kennedy, Wellman, and Klement, 2003). Further, Bird and Jorgenson (2003) found that among working-class families, men were more resistant than women to both recreational and work-related uses of the Internet. Cooper and Weaver's model of computers in education is that of games and drills, but the field of educational technology has progressed in new directions. Games and drills were big in education 25 years ago, but now the predominant technology interest is in software, to assist students with projects and complex thinking (Jonassen, 2000). …
Anti-human-cytomegalovirus immunoglobulin G levels in glioma risk and prognosis.

The role of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) in glioma development and progression remains controversial. The purpose of our study was to assess the potential associations between anti-HCMV antibodies (immunoglobulin G [IgG] and immunoglobulin M [IgM]) and glioma risk and prognosis using data from the Harris County Case–Control Study. Multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to estimate odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the associations between glioma status and antibody levels among glioma cases (n = 362) and cancer-free controls (n = 462). Hazard ratios and 95% CIs were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression, adjusting for age, race, and sex, to determine if antibody levels were associated with survival over time among cases. Among IgG-positive participants, increasing anti-HCMV IgG levels were associated with decreasing glioma risk (P for trend = 0.0008), and those with the lowest level of anti-HCMV IgG (<10 U/mL) had the highest glioma risk, controlling for age, sex, and race/ethnicity (OR: 2.51, 95% CI: 1.42–4.43). Antibody levels were not associated with survival among glioma cases. Our study contributes new evidence toward the potential importance of the direct and indirect effects of HCMV infection in gliomagenesis.
Elimination of an infant's crying through response prevention.

After traditional methods had failed, a response prevention procedure was used to eliminate crying (at 4 a.m.) in a 19-wk.-old infant. The procedure involved initially attempting to extinguish awakening and crying by ignoring the crying of S; this was followed by continued extinction plus preventing S from rolling over (which prevented a sequence of behaviors leading to crying). Response prevention facilitated the elimination of crying.
Polymers from intermediates obtained from hydrogen cyanide

The recent demonstration of an easy synthesis of diiminosuccinonitrile (DISN) from hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen, the reduction of DISN to diaminomaleonitrile (DAMN), and the use of these compounds to form difunctional heterocycles has made several new polyamide intermediates accessible. The 1- and 2-methyl-1,2,3-triazole-4,5-dicarbonyl chlorides have been polymerized interfacially to form high-melting polyamides of good heat stability. Interfacial polymerization of 1-methylimidazole-4,5-dicarbonyl chloride and trans-2,5-dimethylpiperazine has given a polyamide that is water-soluble. The 2,6- and 2,3-pyrazinedicarbonyl chlorides have been similarly converted to high-melting polyamides. 2,6-Dicyano-3,5-dipiperazinylpyrazine has been prepared from tetracyanopyrazine and piperazine and reacted with toluene diisocyanate to form a strong, stiff polyurea. Polyamides were also made from 2,3-diaminoquinoxaline, 1,4,5,6-tetrahydro-5,6-dioxo-2,3-pyrazinedicarbonitrile, and DAMN.
Synthesis gas formation by direct oxidation of methane over Rh monoliths

The production of H2 and CO by catalytic partial oxidation of CH4 in air or O2 at atmospheric pressure has been examined over Rh-coated monoliths at residence times between 10−4 and 10−2 s and compared to previously reported results for Pt-coated monoliths. Using O2, selectivities for H2 ( $$S_{H_2 }$$ ) as high as 90% and CO selectivities (S CO) of 96% can be obtained with Rh catalysts. With room temperature feeds using air, Rh catalysts give $$S_{H_2 }$$ of about 70% compared to only about 40% for Pt catalysts. The optimal selectivities for either Pt or Rh can be improved by increasing the adiabatic reaction temperature by preheating the reactant gases or using O2 instead of air. The superiority of Rh over Pt for H2 generation can be explained by a methane pyrolysis surface reaction mechanism of oxidation at high temperatures on these noble metals. Because of the higher activation energy for OH formation on Rh (20 kcal/mol) than on Pt (2.5 kcal/mol), H adatoms are more likely to combine and desorb as H2 than on Pt, on which the O+ H→ OH reaction is much faster.
Healing with Plant Intelligence: A Report from Ayahuasca

Numerous and diverse reports indicate the efficacy of shamanic plant adjuncts (e.g., iboga, ayahuasca, psilocybin) for the care and treatment of addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder, cancer, cluster headaches, and depression. This article reports on a first-person healing of lifelong asthma and atopic dermatitis in the shamanic context of the contemporary Peruvian Amazon and the sometimes digital ontology of online communities. The article suggests that emerging language, concepts, and data drawn from the sciences of plant signaling and behavior regarding “plant intelligence” provide a useful heuristic framework for comprehending and actualizing the healing potentials of visionary plant “entheogens” (Wasson 1971) as represented both through first-person experience and online reports. Together with the paradigms and practices of plant signaling, biosemiotics provides a robust and coherent map for contextualizing the often reported experience of plant communication with ayahuasca and other entheogenic plants. The archetype of the “plant teachers” (called Doctores in the upper Amazon) is explored as a means for organizing and interacting with this data within an epistemology of the “hallucination/perception continuum (Fischer 1975). “Ecodelic” is offered as a new linguistic interface alongside “entheogen” (Wasson 1971).
Optimal wavefront estimation of incoherent sources

Direct imaging is in general necessary to characterize exoplanets and disks. A coronagraph is an instrument used to create a dim (high-contrast) region in a star’s PSF where faint companions can be detected. All coronagraphic high-contrast imaging systems use one or more deformable mirrors (DMs) to correct quasi-static aberrations and recover contrast in the focal plane. Simulations show that existing wavefront control algorithms can correct for diffracted starlight in just a few iterations, but in practice tens or hundreds of control iterations are needed to achieve high contrast. The discrepancy largely arises from the fact that simulations have perfect knowledge of the wavefront and DM actuation. Thus, wavefront correction algorithms are currently limited by the quality and speed of wavefront estimates. Exposures in space will take orders of magnitude more time than any calculations, so a nonlinear estimation method that needs fewer images but more computational time would be advantageous. In addition, current wavefront correction routines seek only to reduce diffracted starlight. Here we present nonlinear estimation algorithms that include optimal estimation of sources incoherent with a star such as exoplanets and debris disks.