cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Maternal depression: A review of relevant treatment approaches for mothers and infants

The negative impact of postpartum depression on the mother-infant relationship and infant development more generally has been well documented. Compared to infants of nondepressed mothers, infants of depressed mothers have been shown to be less securely attached to their caregivers and often have cognitive, emotional, and behavioral deficits that persist well into childhood. Recent evidence has suggested that reduction of maternal depressive symptoms may itself not be sufficient to prevent negative effects on children. Rather, treatments that target the mother-infant relationship may have great potential in providing a buffer against the potentially damaging effects of postpartum depression. Based on our review of several treatment-outcome studies, we conclude that mother-infant psychotherapies and home-based interventions are generally efficacious in their goal of ameliorating detrimental consequences for children of depressed mothers. Nonetheless, the field must continue to investigate the extent to which treatment gains are maintained over time and the mechanisms by which protective effects occur. It is likely that the most efficacious treatment approaches will be those that address the needs of the mother, the infant, and their relationship.
A method of searching LDAP directories using XQuery

A method by which an LDAP directory can be searched using XQuery is described. The strategy behind the tool consists of four steps. First the XQuery script is examined and relevant XPath expressions are extracted, determined to be sufficient to define all information needed to perform the query. Then the XPath expressions are converted into their equivalent LDAP search filters by use of the published LDAP schema of the service, and search requests are made to the LDAP host. The search results are then merged and converted to an XML document that conforms to the hierarchy of the LDAP schema. Finally, the XQuery script is executed on the working XML document by conventional means. Examples are given of application of the tool in the Open Science Grid, which for discovery purposes operates an LDAP server that contains Glue schema-based information on site configuration and authorization policies. The XQuery scripts compactly replace hundreds of lines of custom python code that relied on the unix ldapsearch utility. Installation of the tool is available through the Virtual Data Toolkit.
The Effect of Age, Freezing and Wing Removal on the Sexual Response Elicited by Female Culicoides Melleus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae)

The capacity of female Culicoides melleus (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) to elicit sexual response from males was examined in relation to the age of the female. In combination with the age effect, 2 other factors were tested: whether the female was alive or dead (killed by freezing for 30 min immediately prior to use), and whether the female's wings were present or absent. Male response increased from the time of female emergence up to 2 days. Stimulation was maximal in females ca. 1–3 days old. From 3–5 days, response levels declined. Live females, whether with or without wings, were more stimulating than dead ones, and females with wings, whether alive or dead, elicited more response than those without. Wingless females generally seemed to elicit less male response than did dead females. The increase in male response over the first 2 days of female life was interpreted as a mechanism to offset unreceptive behavior in virgin females, which intensifies over the same period and which otherwise might result in failure of some females to become inseminated.
Isolation of the respiratory burst oxidase: the role of a flavoprotein component.

The article reviews the enzymatic and electron transfer properties of a low-potential FAD-dependent flavoprotein that is a component of the NADPH-dependent O 2 − · -generating respiratory burst oxidase of phagocytes. Current methods available for isolation of the respiratory burst oxidase and the flavo-protein component of the complex are also reviewed. These studies and data obtained from affinity-labeling of respiratory burst oxidase components, suggest that the flavoprotein has a molecular weight of 65–67 kD. The prevailing evidence suggests that the flavoprotein functions as a dehydrogenase/electron transferase and can directly catalyse NADPH-dependent O 2 − · formation when isolated. However, in neutrophil plasma membranes, the prevailing evidence suggests that the flavoprotein functions primarily to transfer electrons from NADPH to cytochromeb −245 and that this latter redox component is the catalytic side of O 2 − · formation. A working model for the arrangement of the flavorprotein and cytochromeb −245 components of the respiratory burst oxidase in neutrophil membranes is proposed.
Foreign monetary shocks, differentiated products and international transmission: a two-country model with intra-industry trade

In this paper we study how the impact of a foreign monetary shock is transmitted between two monopolistically competitive economies engaging in intra-industry trade with differentiated products. Intra-industry trade is the only international link that works through the flexible exchange rate affecting national price levels and a product's internal and external relative prices. While national price levels are subject to purchasing power parity, the two relative prices are determined by the interaction between macro and micro variables. In this context, the exchange rate can insulate a national economy perfectly from a foreign monetary shock provided that monopolists adjust prices. Even if monopolists keep prices rigid, this shock only affects domestic real balances and aggregate demand, leaving domestic aggregate output unchanged because the real balances effect is just offset by the resulting unfavorable relative prices effects under the assumption of Spence-Dixit-Stiglitz preferences.
The role of the felt position of the head in the audiogyral illusion

Abstract Previous work and theories on the audiogyral illusion ( AGI ) were discussed. An experiment was performed on four trained subjects in order to test the hypothesis that the AGI results from a change in felt head posture during angular acceleration. In general, the results supported the hypothesis.
Molecular signal as a signature for detection of energetic materials in filament-induced breakdown spectroscopy

Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) by self-channeled femtosecond pulses is characterized for detection of energetic materials. Different polymers are spin coated on silicon wafers to provide a thin organic layer with controllable thickness ranging from 500 nm to 1 μm. Spectral analysis of atomic and molecular carbon emission shows CN molecular signal from samples that do not contain nitrogen. This can be explained by possible molecular recombination between native atomic carbon and atmospheric nitrogen. As a consequence, caution must be exercised when using spectral signatures based on CN emission for explosive detection by filament-induced LIBS.
Acting Up and Acting Out: Conduct Disorder and Competing Media Frames

This article compares diverse symbolic frames for the childhood psychiatric diagnosis “Conduct Disorder” (CD) found in the popular media with the dominant medicalized frame in the professional literature. Although vestiges of earlier frameworks remain, almost all professional accounts frame the disorder as a way of “acting out” the sick role. In contrast, the popular media use various culturally consistent frames, including delinquently “acting up.” However, unlike other instances in which the public and professionals lack a common understanding about a health condition, there has been no overt contestation about the definition of CD. Social, policy, and theoretical implications are explored.
The domain wall pinning and exchange coupling induced by surface crystallization in field-annealed cobalt-rich amorphous alloys

Abstract Attempts were made to correlate magnetic properties of Co-rich amorphous alloys such as domain wall pinning and exchange coupling with microstructural changes during field annealing. It was observed that M-H loops of first annealed material under longitudinal field showed weak exchange anisotropy due to coupling of the amorphous alloy to a semi-hard Co-rich crystalline surface layer. After second annealing without magnetic field, re-entrant magnetization behavior was observed. These alloys show appreciable surface crystallization during annealing. Striking differences in the microstructural morphology were revealed for differnt glass former ratios B/Si. For high B/Si ratios, the surface crystallites are predominantly f.c.c. Co and show a high density of oxygen faults. For low B/Si ratios, the surface crystallites are predominantly h.c.p. Co and almost free of faults. The degree of exchange coupling is proportional to the B/Si ratio and correlates with the presence of oxygen faults in surface crystallites. It is also observed that there is a good correlation between domain wall pinning field and thickness of crystalline Co layer.
Perception of temporal acoustic patterns by the goldfish (Carassius auratus)

The perception of temporal acoustic patterns was studied in the goldfish using classical respiratory conditioning in combination with a stimulus generalization paradigm. Stimuli consisted of a bandpass filtered pulse repeated in various periodic and aperiodic temporal patterns. In each of 14 experiments, animals received 40 conditioning trials to a given stimulus pattern and were then tested for generalization to eight novel stimuli differing only in temporal pattern. In experiments 1-5, animals were conditioned to a periodic pulse train with a particular interpulse interval (IPI) and then tested to novel periodic pulse trains with various IPIs. Generalization gradients were substantially symmetric and monotonic with repetition rate, suggesting a perceptual continuum in goldfish that is similar to periodicity pitch or roughness in human listeners. Several additional experiments indicated that the perceptual qualities of simple and complex temporal patterns are not primarily determined by spectral structure or pulse rate, but rather are determined by the distribution of IPIs. A model for the central analysis of IPIs was successful in accounting for the results of experiments in which animals were conditioned to simple, periodic stimuli. However, the model failed when animals were conditioned to more complex stimuli having aperiodic temporal patterns. These experiments demonstrate the potential usefulness of the stimulus generalization paradigm for investigating aspects of complex sound source perception in non-human animals.
New superconducting state of the Anderson-lattice model

We discuss the possible existence of a new superconducting state, the two-component superconducting (TCSC) state, of the Anderson-lattice model, when the antiferromagnetic Heisenberg exchange energy ${J}_{H}$ generated by the hybridization between the conduction band and localized orbitals exceeds a constant multiple of the Kondo energy ${k}_{B}$${T}_{K}$. In this new state, holes in both the conduction band and localized orbitals exhibit two-particle off-diagonal long-range order, and the condensate wave function is a coherent mixture of both types of singlet pairs. We propose that the TCSC phase is a possible candidate for the superconducting phase in the high-${T}_{c}$ copper oxides.
The Cogency of Culture in Sport Tourism Research

There is a falsehood that is perpetuated in sporting circles. If you work in sport, you will hear it many times. If you attend international sport meetings, you will hear it again and again, as if ...
Is More Better? Milieu Communication Teaching in Toddlers With Intellectual Disabilities

Purpose The authors sought to determine whether a program of 5 weekly doses of milieu communication teaching (MCT) would yield improvements in children's communication and word use compared with a once-weekly delivery of the same treatment. Method Sixty-four children with intellectual and communication delay were randomly assigned to receive 60-min sessions of MCT either 1 time or 5 times per week over a 9-month treatment. Growth curves were fit to data collected at 5 points before, during, and after the MCT was delivered. Results With groups collapsed, significant growth across the experimental period was observed on all measures, but this was not associated unconditionally with treatment intensity. Children who played with 9 or more objects during a standard play assessment, an empirically identified cut-point, benefited more from the high- than from the low-intensity treatment on lexical measures (Hedges's g range = .49 to .65). Conclusions More MCT is not always better for all children. Clinicians can...
Effect of Ligands on the Geometric and Electronic Structure of Au13 Clusters

We have carried out scalar relativistic density functional theory calculations within the projector augmented wave scheme and the pseudopotential approach, to examine the effect of ligands on the geometric and electronic structure of four Au13 isomers: planar, flake, cuboctahedral, and icosahedral clusters. We find, in agreement with previous theoretical calculations, that for the clean cluster the planar geometry has the lowest total energy while the icosahedral and cuboctahedral structures undergo Jahn−Teller distortion. On the other hand, when ligated by phosphines, the icosahedron is found to assume the lowest total energy. The rationale for the stabilization of the icosahedron in the ligated Au13 cluster is traced to the ligand-induced charge transfer from the surface Au−Au to Au-ligand bonds leading to the formation of a strong Au-ligand covalent bond and introduction of a compressive strain which further weakens the Au−Au bonds.
Combined biological and abiotic reactions with iron and Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms for remediation of explosives and insensitive munitions (IM)

Military explosives and insensitive munitions (IM) are a significant hazard to all natural and engineered environments. A number of remediation alternatives have been proposed and investigated in detail, and biological remediation has received a large amount of attention because the reactions can be cost effective and transform the contaminants to innocuous end products. Recently, investigators have begun to look at coupled biological and chemical reactions as way to accelerate the rate of explosives and IM transformation in groundwater, surface water, soil, and industrial wastewater. A number of these technologies are predicated on reactions involving iron, and the microorganisms that reduce ferric iron. These mixed “biological–chemical” reactions may be more effective at degrading the contaminants because the strategies do not rely on a single type of reaction or microorganism, but rather a suite of reactions taking place simultaneously or in series and microbial communities that catalyze similar reactions. The technologies investigated have primarily two mechanisms. The first is initially stimulating Fe(III)-reducing microbial activity, with the secondary chemical reactions with ferrous iron (or electron shuttling molecules) actually degrading the explosives or IM. The second approach is initial chemical treatment with zero valent iron followed by engineered or native microbial activity degrading the residual contamination. In both cases the chemistry and biology of the system and the specific contaminants are critical to environmental restoration. This Frontier Review will present recent advances in the field.
Racial disparities in smoking knowledge among current smokers: data from the health information national trends surveys.

Although African-Americans (Blacks) smoke fewer cigarettes per day than European-Americans (Whites), there is ample evidence that Blacks are more susceptible to smoking-related health consequences. A variety of behavioural, social and biological factors have been linked to this increased risk. There has been little research, however, on racial differences in smoking-related knowledge and perceived risk of lung cancer. The primary goal of the current study was to evaluate beliefs and knowledge that contribute to race disparities in lung cancer risk among current smokers. Data from two separate nationally representative surveys (the Health Information National Trends surveys 2003 and 2005) were analysed. Logistic and hierarchical regressions were conducted; gender, age, education level, annual household income and amount of smoking were included as covariates. In both studies, Black smokers were significantly more likely to endorse inaccurate statements than were White smokers, and did not estimate their lu...
Comparison of On-Line and Physical Presentation of Product Safety Information

The Internet has become a popular channel for the purchase of products. In 2001, 5$3 billion was spent online by U.S. consumers and 1$28 billion by non-U.S. consumers. However, there are few guidelines for how product safety information should be presented in on-line stores, generally leading to a lack of easily accessible information. This leads to several challenges for consumers. If no safety information is presented, consumers may choose not to purchase the product. Or they may purchase the product only to return it after reading the warnings on the physical product, or use the product and be injured. This study investigated the differences in behavior, perception, and comprehension when consumers purchased a toy for a 3-year old on-line and through the physical channel. Several differences in behavior were identified. Encouragingly, there were no significant differences in compliance, measured by the selection of age-appropriate toys, between the Internet and physical channels. However, perceptions w...
The complement-requiring neutralization of equine arteritis virus by late antisera.

Abstract Neutralization of equine arteritis virus (EAV) by late antibody raised in horses, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, and mice was investigated and found to be complement-dependent. The complement-dependent EAV neutralizing antibody activity was found associated with the IgG fraction of late antisera. Early antisera or their IgM and IgG fractions were ineffective. Analysis of virus-antibody interaction at 37° showed that no appreciable loss of EAV infectivity occurred following incubation with heat-inactivated late antiserum for 20 min. However, upon prolonged incubation, partial reduction in EAV infectivity was detected. The sensitization of EAV (as assessed by anti-IgG) was shown to begin following mixing with antiserum and was essentially completed after 20 min of incubation. Neutralization of sensitized EAV by complement or anti-IgG was instantaneous and not temperature dependent. Analysis of EAV infectivity (in vitro) indicated that specific antibody apparently did not interfere with the early steps of virus-cell interaction. Further studies suggested that following penetration into susceptible cells, sensitized EAV was rendered insensitive to complement inactivation. The present investigation has confirmed the existence of a complement-dependent viral neutralizing antibody in late antisera and, further, has shown that EAV provides a new model for analysis of the complement-dependent neutralization of sensitized virus.
Kerr-like nonlinear mode converters for integrated optic device applications

An integrated optic structure is proposed in order to make Kerr-like nonlinear interactions practical for optical signal processing applications. The interacting electric fields propagates as different modes of a multimode waveguide, and couple to each other or cause a nonlinear cross-gain or cross-phase modulation through the nonlinear dielectric permittivity perturbation caused by the propagating fields. Integrated optic mode combiners/mode splitters provide a way to spatially separate/combine the interacting fields, negating the need for spectral filtering in nonlinear interactions like four-wave mixing. This concept is applicable to all types of Kerr-like materials, but is particularly attractive for realizing novel devices, based on the large carrier nonlinearities in semiconductors.
An analysis of firm-specific resources and foreign direct investment in the United States

Abstract This firm-specific analysis of foreign direct investment in the United States is guided by linking the resource-based view of the firm with control variables from international business theory. Specifically, we develop a multivariate regression model based on firm-specific resources that help explain firms’ foreign direct investment in the United States. This time-series, cross-sectional study utilizes an original database of more than 50 multinational enterprises and comprises complete FDI activity over a fifteen-year period; survey data were obtained directly from the company affiliates themselves. The firms demonstrate increased propensity for FDI when they are more technology intensive, when their managers have more international experience, and when they are more profitable, controlling for firm size, financial leverage, prior global expansion, and home-country currency variation.
A vaccine for nicotine dependence: targeting the drug rather than the brain.

Nicotine is the principal addictive component of tobacco. Vaccination of rats against nicotine elicits the production of nicotine-specific antibodies which can bind and sequester nicotine in serum and extracellular fluid, reduce nicotine distribution to brain, and reduce many of nicotine's physiologic and behavioral effects. Vaccination reduces the distribution to brain of both a single nicotine dose and chronic nicotine infusion at rates approximating cigarette smoking. The passive transfer of nicotine-specific antibodies (from vaccinated rabbits) into rats attenuates numerous actions of nicotine: increases in blood pressure and locomotor activity, the induction of nicotine dependence, the relief of nicotine withdrawal by subsequent nicotine and the stimulus properties that allow rats to discriminate a nicotine from a saline injection. Vaccination of rats against nicotine also reduces nicotine-induced dopamine release in the reward pathway of the brain and the reinstatement of nicotine responding, a model for relapse. Because nicotine vaccines target the drug rather than the brain, and the antibodies themselves do not cross the blood-brain barrier, immunization should circumvent the central nervous system side effects that limit the usable dosage of other medications for tobacco dependence. Nicotine vaccines have not yet been tested in humans. The effects of these vaccines in rats are highly dependent upon the concentration of antibody in serum, and are more often partial than complete. If effective for treating tobacco dependence in humans, vaccination will likely benefit from concurrent use of counseling (as is the case with other medications for smoking cessation) and perhaps from its combination with other medications that act via different mechanisms.
Student Desires for a University Drug Education Program.

A questionnaire was designed to determine the type of drug education program most desired by undergraduate students attending a major university. The survey was to provide the basis for a comprehensive drug education program. The 101 item questionnaire elicited responses from 656 undergraduates in categories ranging from knowledge base to credible information sources. The analysis of student desires as they relate to program design is included in this article. The students strongly believed the university should provide a drug education program. In particular they desired a credit course dealing with both drugs and alcohol. They also wanted regularly published articles on drugs in school publications. The most credible knowledge sources were PhDs and MDs. Students also wanted contact with former drug users. More than half the students believed that values clarification and "coping skills" training would decrease their drug use. In general more women than men were likely to utilize such resources.
Incontinentia pigmenti: Block-Sultzburger, Block-Seimens disease

Summary A case of incontinentia pigmenti in a 3-week-old girl, with a 3-month follow-up examination, has been presented. The child showed the classic dermatologic, ocular, and dental involvement. The question of etiology is still under investigation, and evidence is developing that may discount genetics as the causative factor. A plasma protein deficiency, although not generally reported in the literature, may be the etiologic factor. Dental pathosis included oligodontia with atypical aberrations of the crown. The eruption sequence of the teeth will remain a question until the patient is older. The mentality of the child will also remain an unknown factor during her early development. Close observation through tests and radiographic examination will be an important consideration in this child's development.
On structural descriptions of lower ideals of trees

A finite structural description for proper lower ideals of trees was found in [5] by Robertson, Seymour, and Thomas. They proved existence of a specific description satisfying three axioms. We present our result starting from this fundamental construction. In an attempt to make their description unique and efficient, they introduced a fourth axiom, which conflicts with one of the prior axioms. In this paper, we make use of their valid constructive result and prove the desired uniqueness and efficiency using a different set of axioms. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory
Moment and forces exerted on the inner cylinder in eccentric annular flow

This paper presents results of numerical modeling for analysis of the moment and forces exerted on an eccentrically positioned rotating inner cylinder due to the annular flow between two cylinders with parallel axes. Laminar stationary fully developed flows of Newtonian and power law fluid flows are considered. An impact of annulus geometry, flow regime, and fluid characteristics are studied. The study indicates that the moment exerted on the inner cylinder increases monotonically with the eccentricity. Forces acting on the inner cylinder include pressure and viscous friction. The pressure forces provide a predominant contribution. When eccentricity does not exceed a certain critical value, the radial force pushes the inner cylinder to the channel wall. When eccentricity is large enough, the radial force reverses its sign, and the inner cylinder is pushed away from the outer wall. Circumferential component of the force has always the same direction and induces precession of the inner cylinder.
Visual loss and bitemporal hemianopsia

A 66-year-old woman, blind from chronic atrophic papilledema. fulfilled the current criteria for diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri. An initially negative CT scan became markedly positive within two months, disclosing the correct diagnosis of malignant astrocytoma. The validity of criteria for diagnosis of pseudotumor cerebri are reviewed, with the suggestion that advanced age should strongly imply a different diagnosis.
Trends in Ultra-High Temperature Pasteurization,

Summary UHT pasteurization will result in longer shelf-life to fluid milk without serious damage to the flavor. In some instances, the flavor may be improved. The quality of the raw milk must be excellent, in order to obtain the greatest benefits from the UHT process. Post-pasteurization contamination is probably more important because of the increased time that the milk is held prior to consumption. UHT pasteurization will give added stabilization to milk proteins in ice cream mix but this alone will not give the amount of protection to heat shock that most plants need. Some of the systems that encompass vacuum treatment will enhance the flavor of the mix. The flexibility, adaptability, and economy of UHT pasteurization is still primarily an individual plant problem. Further research is needed to answer many of the problems confronting the widespread use of UHT methods in the dairy industry.
Multi-scale methods

In this paper four multiple scale methods are proposed. The meshless hierarchical partition of unity is used as a multiple scale basis. The multiple scale analysis with the introduction of a dilation parameter to perform multiresolution analysis is discussed. The multiple field based on a 1-D gradient plasticity theory with material length scale is also proposed to remove the mesh dependency difficulty in softening/localization problems. A non-local (smoothing) particle integration procedure with its multiple scale analysis are then developed. These techniques are described in the context of the reproducing kernel particle method. Results are presented for elastic-plastic one-dimensional problems and 2-D large deformation strain localization problems to illustrate the effectiveness of these methods. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
H Gas Turbine Combined Cycle Technology and Development Status

A revolutionary step has been taken in the development of the Next Advance in Power Generation Systems — “H” Technology Combined Cycle. This new gas turbine combined cycle system increases thermal performance to the 60% level by increasing gas turbine operating conditions to 2600°F (1430°C) at a pressure ratio of 23 to 1. This represents a significant increase in operating temperature for the gas turbine. However, the potential for single digit NOx levels (based upon 15% O2 in the exhaust) has been retained. The combined effect of performance increase and environmental control is achieved by an innovative closed loop steam cooling system which tightly integrated the gas turbine and steam turbine cycles.Although a significant advance has been taken in performance, the new power generation system has been configured with a substantial number of proven concepts and technology programs are ongoing to validate the new features. The technical activities which support the introduction of the new turbine system have reached a point in the development cycle where the results are integrated into the design methods. This has permitted the “H” Technology to achieve a design readiness status and the first unit will be under test in late 1997.Copyright © 1996 by ASME
Recognizing Stances in Ideological On-Line Debates

This work explores the utility of sentiment and arguing opinions for classifying stances in ideological debates. In order to capture arguing opinions in ideological stance taking, we construct an arguing lexicon automatically from a manually annotated corpus. We build supervised systems employing sentiment and arguing opinions and their targets as features. Our systems perform substantially better than a distribution-based baseline. Additionally, by employing both types of opinion features, we are able to perform better than a unigram-based system.
IL-9 and c-Kit+ mast cells in allergic rhinitis during seasonal allergen exposure: Effect of immunotherapy

Background IL-9 is an important stimulus for tissue infiltration by mast cells, a feature requiring concomitant activation of c-Kit. Objectives We assessed IL-9 expression and c-Kit + mast cells in the nasal mucosa of patients with allergic rhinitis during seasonal pollen exposure and observed the effects of allergen immunotherapy. Methods We studied 44 patients with seasonal rhinitis and asthma before and 2 years after a double-blind trial of grass pollen immunotherapy. Nasal mucosal IL-9 + cells and c-Kit + mast cells were assessed by means of immunochemistry. Cell types expressing IL-9 protein were determined by means of dual immunofluorescence. IL-9 mRNA-positive cells were assessed by means of in situ hybridization, and their phenotype was determined by using sequential immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Results Nasal mucosal c-Kit + mast cells were increased during the pollen season ( P = .0001). IL-9 mRNA-positive cells also tended to increase ( P = .1) and correlated with nasal EG2 + eosinophils ( r = 0.47, P = .05) and IL-5 mRNA-positive cells ( r = 0.54, P = .02). The cell sources of IL-9 included T cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, and mast cells. When compared with placebo, successful pollen immunotherapy markedly inhibited seasonal increases in nasal mucosal c-Kit + mast cells ( P = .001) and the seasonal expression of IL-9 mRNA-positive cells ( P = .06). Immunotherapy also inhibited IL-9 protein expression from nonendothelial cell sources ( P = .0007). Conclusion IL-9 is upregulated in the nasal mucosa during the pollen season and correlates with tissue infiltration by eosinophils. Successful pollen immunotherapy is associated with inhibition of seasonal increases in both nasal c-Kit + mast cells and eosinophils. This effect might be explained, at least in part, by the reduced local expression of IL-9.
An adaptive mesh refinement technique for two-dimensional shear band problems

We have developed an adaptive mesh refinement technique that rezones the given domain for a fixed number of quadrilateral elements such that fine elements are generated within the severely deformed region and coarse elements elsewhere. Loosely speaking, the area of an element is inversely proportional to the value of the deformation measure at its centroid. Here we use the temperature rise at a material point to gauge its deformations which is reasonable for the shear band problem since the material within the shear band is deformed intensely and is heated up significantly. It is shown that the proposed mesh refinement technique is independent of the initial starting mesh, and that the use of an adaptively refined mesh gives thinner shear bands, and shaper temperature rise and the growth of the second invariant of the plastic strain-rate within the band as compared to that for a fixed mesh having the same number of nodes. The method works well even when the deformation localizes into more than one narrow region.
Guillain–Barré Syndrome Mimicking Nerve Injury after Total Hip Arthroplasty:

Background Guillain–Barre syndrome (GBS) is a rare, acute, inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy with a presentation of progressive ascending motor weakness of the extremities, which may extend to the respiratory muscles and require mechanical support.
Is Her2 of value in identifying patients who particularly benefit from anthracyclines during adjuvant therapy? A qualified yes.

Data from several large adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy trials suggest that anthracycline-based chemotherapies relative to non-anthracycline-based adjuvant therapies are particularly effective in patients whose tumors overexpress Her2. Most trials show some evidence of this effect, but the interaction generally has not been confirmed statistically, perhaps because the trials are underpowered. In addition, there have been a multiplicity of Her2 immunohistochemistry techniques used in these studies, which are clearly not of equivalent utility in detecting this effect. Thus, while there is good evidence that further work in this area will be of value, at this time the results are inconclusive and not ready for clinical application. [J Natl Cancer Inst Monogr 2001;30: 80–4]
A rotated ellipsoidal angle density function improves estimation of foliage inclination distributions in forest canopies

Abstract The ‘ellipsoidal distribution’, in which angles are assumed to be distributed parallel to the surface of an oblate or prolate ellipsoid, has been widely used to describe the leaf angle distribution (LAD) of plant canopies. This ellipsoidal function is constrained to show a probability density of zero at an inclination angle of zero; however, actual LADs commonly show a peak probability density at zero, a pattern consistent with functional models of plant leaf display. A ‘rotated ellipsoidal distribution’ is described here, which geometrically corresponds to an ellipsoid in which small surface elements are rotated normal to the surface. Empirical LADs from canopy and understory species in an old-growth coniferous forest were used to compare the two models. In every case the rotated ellipsoidal function provided a better description of empirical data than did the non-rotated function, while retaining only a single parameter. The ratio of G -statistics for goodness of fit for the two functions ranged from 1.03 to 3.88. The improved fit is due to the fact that the rotated function always shows a probability density greater than zero at inclination angles of zero, can show a mode at zero, and more accurately characterizes the overall shape of empirical distributions.
Geometric and topological approaches to significance testing in wavelet analysis

Abstract. Geometric and topological methods are applied to significance testing in the wavelet domain. A geometric test was developed for assigning significance to pointwise significance patches in local wavelet spectra, i.e., contiguous regions of significant wavelet power coefficients with respect to some noise model. This geometric significance test was found to produce results similar to an existing areawise significance test while being more computationally flexible and efficient. The geometric significance test can be readily applied to pointwise significance patches at various pointwise significance levels in wavelet power and coherence spectra. The geometric test determined that features in wavelet power of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) are indistinguishable from a red-noise background, suggesting that the NAO is a stochastic, unpredictable process, which could render difficult the future projections of the NAO under a changing global system. The geometric test did, however, identify features in the wavelet power spectrum of an El Nino index (Nino 3.4) as distinguishable from a red-noise background. A topological analysis of pointwise significance patches determined that holes, deficits in pointwise significance embedded in significance patches, are capable of identifying important structures, some of which are undetected by the geometric and areawise tests. The application of the topological methods to ideal time series and to the time series of the Nino 3.4 and NAO indices showed that the areawise and geometric tests perform similarly in ideal and geophysical settings, while the topological methods showed that the Nino 3.4 time series contains numerous phase-coherent oscillations that could be interacting nonlinearly.
Cascaded exciton relaxation resonantly enhanced by LO phonons in vertically-stacked InAs quantum dots on InP

We have evidenced the relaxation of excitons cascading down from the highest energy state to the ground level in vertically-stacked InAs quantum dots grown on an InP substrate, which is resonantly enhanced by LO phonons.
On the Broadcast Capacity of Wireless Networks With Cooperative Relays

A fundamental problem in wireless networks is determining the broadcast capacity, i.e., the maximum data transfer rate from a given node to every other node in a relay network. This paper studies the scaling of the broadcast capacity for a network with a single source and N destinations, of which f(N) are randomly selected to also act as relays. In high-density networks (i.e., the node density goes to infinity; the network area is fixed), it is shown that the broadcast capacity is upper bounded by Θ(log f(N)). Schemes are provided that achieve i) Θ(log f(N)) throughput if the channel fading is spatially continuous; ii) Θ(log log f(N)) throughput if the channel fading is spatially i.i.d.. For extended networks (i.e., the node density is fixed; the network area goes to infinity), the broadcast capacity is upper bounded by Θ(1) under channel models with fading and path-loss exponent α > 2. A multistage cooperative broadcasting scheme, which achieves Θ(1) broadcast rate for the high-density extended networks with pathloss channel model is proposed. These results quantifies the gains obtained due to cooperation compared to multihop noncooperative broadcasting, which has a maximum rate that scales as Θ(1) for high-density and Θ(1/(log f(N))α/2) for extended networks.
Sequential Monte Carlo for Maximum Weight Subgraphs with Application to Solving Image Jigsaw Puzzles

We consider a problem of finding maximum weight subgraphs (MWS) that satisfy hard constraints in a weighted graph. The constraints specify the graph nodes that must belong to the solution as well as mutual exclusions of graph nodes, i.e., pairs of nodes that cannot belong to the same solution. Our main contribution is a novel inference approach for solving this problem in a sequential monte carlo (SMC) sampling framework. Usually in an SMC framework there is a natural ordering of the states of the samples. The order typically depends on observations about the states or on the annealing setup used. In many applications (e.g., image jigsaw puzzle problems), all observations (e.g., puzzle pieces) are given at once and it is hard to define a natural ordering. Therefore, we relax the assumption of having ordered observations about states and propose a novel SMC algorithm for obtaining maximum a posteriori estimate of a high-dimensional posterior distribution. This is achieved by exploring different orders of states and selecting the most informative permutations in each step of the sampling. Our experimental results demonstrate that the proposed inference framework significantly outperforms loopy belief propagation in solving the image jigsaw puzzle problem. In particular, our inference quadruples the accuracy of the puzzle assembly compared to that of loopy belief propagation.
Research Note: Influence of Degree of Acetylation of Scirpenol Mycotoxins on Feed Refusal by Chickens

The refusal by young chickens of feed containing graded levels (0, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0, and 40.0 micrograms/g of diet) of the Fusarium mycotoxins scirpentriol (STO), monoacetoxyscirpenol (MAS), diacetoxyscirpenol (DAS), and triacetoxyscirpenol (TAS) was tested in a defined experimental model. The order of activity as measured by minimum effective dose was DAS greater than MAS = STO greater than TAS whereas the order measured by percentage refusal at 10, 20, and 40 micrograms/g was MAS greater than DAS greater than STO greater than TAS. These results imply that feed refusal associated with corn and feed infested with Fusarium sps. might be a multiple toxicosis because the scirpenols, which are not tested for routinely, can occur together naturally.
Space-time trellis codes (STTC) versus beam pattern scanning (BPS)

Two transmit diversity techniques, space-time trellis coding (STTC) and beam pattern scanning (BPS) (also called beam pattern oscillation) are compared. In the recently introduced BPS, controlled time varying weight vectors are applied to the base station antenna array elements. This creates a small movement in the antenna array pattern directed toward the desired user. In rich scattering environments, this small beam pattern movement creates an artificial fast fading channel. The receiver is designed to exploit time diversity benefits created by the fast fading channel. Via the application of simple combining techniques, the error-probability performance and the network capacity can be significantly improved with minimal cost and complexity. We conduct a comparison between Tarokh's /spl pi//4-QPSK, 4-states, 2 b/s/Hz STTC and BPS /spl pi//4-QPSK, 2 b/s/Hz schemes in terms of their complexity and antenna physical dimension, network capacity (in term of number of users), frame-error-rate (FER) performance, and their relative spectrum efficiency. Network capacity and FER performance simulations are generated and compared. BPS achieves a higher network capacity and FER performance with a smaller antenna dimension and complexity (especially for wideband systems) with minimal cost to spectrum efficiency. This identifies the BPS technique as a promising scheme for future wireless communications.
Arousal as a Mediator of Behavioral Confirmation

When people imagine and explain hypothetical future performance, this imagination can influence their actual performance on a task. We proposed that physiological arousal might be generated by the imagination process, which would lead to a change in actual performance on a task. Subjects (N = 147) were asked to explain either success or failure on the Stroop color-word task or to explain a neutral event. Each subject then completed either an easy or a difficult Stroop color-word task. An interaction was obtained between the difficulty of list and type of explanation variables. In the difficult list condition, subjects who imagined and explained success or failure committed significantly more errors than subjects who explained a neutral event. It was concluded that arousal might be produced by the imagination process and lead to changes in task performance when success and failure are used as standards of performance.
The Comparative Technical Efficiency of Florida Campus Police Departments

Formal police departments comprising sworn officers have been increasingly utilized on college campuses, but to date there is little empirical research on their comparative performance outcomes. The present study is the first known to analyze the technical efficiency of these departments using data envelopment analysis. Using data from 2008 to 2010, the Florida university police departments are compared to their local municipal counterparts as well as the departments that comprise the North Carolina university system. The results reveal that Florida campus police departments are far less efficient than the municipal agencies they are modeled on, yet more efficient than the North Carolina campus departments on the same measures though efficiency has decreased in all three samples over the 3-year period. These results are used to analyze the security versus law enforcement functions of campus police in general. Specifically, these outcomes are intended to inform campus policy makers and show the need for th...
Reconsidering natural binary encoding for absolute position measurement application

It is well known that absolute encoders using natural binary codes are prone to reading errors because more bits can change between adjacent scale sectors. Some solutions, such as V-scan, were proposed to solve this problem, but they required too many additional reading heads and decoding circuits to be competitive with the reduced complexity obtained when using the Gray code. The author describes a novel natural binary absolute encoder using an original scanning technique that solves more efficiently the problem of the inherent code reading errors. It is shown that for the same nominal resolution, the complexity of the encoder is similar to, if not better than, that of the Gray-type encoder. >
Spatial distribution of loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta) emergences along a highly dynamic beach in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract As coastlines change due to sea level rise and an increasing human presence, understanding how species, such as marine turtles, respond to alterations in habitat is necessary for proper management and conservation. Survey data from a major nesting beach in the northern Gulf of Mexico, where a revetment was installed, was used to assess spatial distribution of loggerhead emergences. Through use of Quadrat analysis and piecewise linear regression with breakpoint, we present evidence to suggest that nest site selection in loggerheads is determined in the nearshore environment, and by characteristics such as wave height, alongshore currents, depth and patterns of erosion and accretion. Areas of relatively dense nesting were found in areas with relatively strong alongshore currents, relatively small waves, a steep offshore slope and the largest historical rates of erosion. Areas of relatively dense nesting also corresponded to areas of low nesting success. Both nesting and non-nesting emergences were clustered immediately adjacent to the revetment and at other eroding sites along the beach. These results suggest that alterations to the nearshore environment from activities such as construction of a jetty, dredging or installation of pilings, may impact sea turtle nest distribution alongshore. We also show that piecewise linear regression with breakpoint is a technique that can be used with geomorphological and oceanographic data to predict locations of nest clumping and may be useful for managers at other nesting beaches.