cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Simulating the Effects of Stable Stratification on Flow and Dispersion around a Cubical Building

We have examined the suitability of a k-є model (TEMPEST) for simulating dispersion around a building under stably stratified approach flow and to investigate the effects of stable stratification on the flow and its associated dispersion field in the vicinity of the building. The results of numerical simulations are compared with available measurements from towing-tank experiments conducted at the Fluid Modeling Facility of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on flow and dispersion around a cube. The agreement between them is fair to good.
Computer Information Satisfaction: A Longitudinal Study of Computing Systems and EUC in a Public Organization

27 Effective management of computing resources in large organizations is essential in today’s businesses. This is particularly the case for personal computing resources. End user computing (EUC) has become an important component of the management activities for personal computing. With the rapid growth and relatively new occurrence of personal computing, as well as the need for effective management of this resource, recent research has been in the areas of EUC, information centers, and EUC training. Current research in EUC has concentrated on management (Benson, 1983; Lee, 1986; Leitheiser and Wetherbe, 1986; Rockart and Flannery, 1983; Sumner and Klepper, 1987) strategy and control (Alavi, Nelson
Introduction: Humanistic Pedagogy Across the Disciplines—Approaches to Mass Atrocity Education in the Community College Context

In the decades following the Holocaust, we find educators at all levels and of a variety of subjects faced with a future without firsthand witnesses and a diverse student body without personal or conceptual connection to the Holocaust, genocide, or mass atrocity. This chapter explores how, where, when, and why to teach these subjects within and beyond the community college context. It ties the volume’s chapters to Montaigne’s notion of the “Essais,” as “attempts” or “trials.” These chapters describe and document a process undertaken by a community college, a Holocaust center, a faculty, and a student body—under the auspices of a National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Challenge Grant—to explore the efficacy of profound humanities content in the general education curriculum across the disciplines.
Synchronized Plasma Wave Resonances in Ultrathin-Membrane GaN Heterostructures

In this work we report on synchronized plasma wave resonances in ultrathin-membrane GaN heterostructures. In contrast to commonly employed grating-gate configurations, the analyzed structure contains periodically-patterned ohmic contacts to the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG), which are laid-out parallel to the gate fingers. Our work demonstrates that the proposed approach allows: more efficient excitation of high order plasmon modes, and superior overall coupling, even in configurations having less number of devices per unit area.
SMARTWOMAN™: Feasibility assessment of a smartphone app to control cardiovascular risk factors in vulnerable diabetic women

BACKGROUND/HYPOTHESIS SMARTWOMAN™ was designed to develop and assess the feasibility of a smartphone app to control cardiovascular risk factors in vulnerable diabetic women. METHODS Fourteen African-American women with diabetes and without known cardiovascular disease were enrolled. A weight-scale, glucometer, sphygmomanometer, and FitBit were synchronized to the smartphone, and text messaging was provided. Follow-up was 6 months. RESULTS Patients were able to follow instructions for app use and device prompts. Weekly device reporting was 85% for blood glucose, 82.5% for daily steps, and 77% for systolic blood pressure. Patient engagement levels were 85% to 100% at 1 month and 50% to 78% at month 6. The majority reported text messages to be useful, easy to understand, and appropriate in frequency. The women indicated on the exit questionnaire that study participation increased their motivation and ability to take charge of their health. CONCLUSIONS Use of a smartphone app to control cardiovascular risk factors appears feasible in a population of vulnerable indigent African-American diabetic women, resulted in increased patient satisfaction and positive reinforcement to healthy behaviors, and warrants a larger clinical outcome trial.
User-Independent Detection of Swipe Pressure Using a Thermal Camera for Natural Surface Interaction

In this paper, we use a thermal camera to distinguish hard and soft swipes performed by a user interacting with a natural surface by detecting differences in the thermal signature of the surface due to heat transferred by the user. Unlike prior work, our approach provides swipe pressure classifiers that are user-agnostic, i.e., that recognize the swipe pressure of a novel user not present in the training set, enabling our work to be ported into natural user interfaces without user-specific calibration. Our approach generates average classification accuracy of 76% using random forest classifiers trained on a test set of 9 subjects interacting with paper and wood, with 8 hard and 8 soft test swipes per user. We compare results of the user-agnostic classification to user-aware classification with classifiers trained by including training samples from the user. We obtain average user-aware classification accuracy of 82% by adding up to 8 hard and 8 soft training swipes for each test user. Our approach enables seamless adaptation of generic pressure classification systems based on thermal data to the specific behavior of users interacting with natural user interfaces.
Cross-modal generalization of receptive and expressive vocabulary in children with autism spectrum disorder:

Background and aimsWord learning is an area that poses a particular challenge to children with autism spectrum disorder. A unique challenge for this population is generalization of learned skills a...
Rac(e)ing to punishment? Applying theory to racial disparities in disciplinary outcomes

In recent decades, racial disparities in K-12 disciplinary outcomes in the United States have garnered considerable attention. Empirical studies have established that schools’ discipline policies a...
Case Study: Competitive Advantage at All Costs - An Inside Look at Five Pharmaceutical Industry Practices Which Undermined Customer Relationships

This study attempts to answer the question: Over the past 35 years, what competitive business practices instituted by the pharmaceutical industry intended to drive increased competitiveness and business efficiencies had the unintended results of increasing the publics’ general distrust and dissatisfaction with the industry? This paper takes a unique perspective by analyzing five apparently disparate business practices designed to improve business performance but which also increased customer distrust and dissatisfaction of the industry. Specifically the five business practices were: Reliance on pharmaceutical marketers with MBAs but limited or no practical pharmaceutical selling experience. The loss of independent pharmacies and pharmacists as customers due to the rise in national pharmacy chains. Purchase and use of physician-specific prescribing data Use of direct to consumer advertising for prescription drugs Delaying generic competition and providing industry support for the Affordable Healthcare Act in exchange for U. S. government prohibition against the importation of low cost prescription drugs into the U.S. and prohibiting negotiated Medicare drug prices. The paper uses a case study methodology. The results section details the practices reviewed in this case study and suggests they did improve competitiveness and efficiencies, but also contributed to erosion in customer confidence which includes key customer groups: physicians, pharmacists, patients and payers. Consumer groups such as American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) are focusing both financial resources and membership efforts to advocate for changes in pharmaceutical industry pricing and marketing practices. To see if this phenomenon has occurred in other industries, it was observed that the airlines, fast food and information technology industries also pursued greater business efficiencies. The discussion section suggests they too experienced and continue to experience significant customer relationship issues resulting from the drive for greater efficiencies, including government intervention to address customer concerns. The conclusions review some of the limitations of this study and suggest areas for additional research.
High Pressure Processing Effects on All Beef Summer Sausage Quality

ObjectivesSummer sausages are currently fermented to a lower pH (≤ 4.6) and mildly heat treated to temperatures of ≥ 54.4°C to meet USDA FSIS performance standards for E. coli O157:H7. Alternatives such as high pressure processing (HPP) may allow for processing with greater pH and lower temperatures while still meeting performance standards, however, the effect of HPP and different processing parameters on sausage quality is not known. The objective of this project was to evaluate HPP in combination with greater pH and minimal heat treatment for their effects on sausage quality. Materials and MethodsThree replicates of all-beef summer sausage products (11% fat) were produced following: (i) pH 4.6, 54.4°C with a traditional smoke house and cooler chill (T); (ii) pH 5.0, 54.4°C T; (iii) pH 5.0, 54.4°C with ice bath chilling (RC); (iv) pH 5.0, 48.9°C RC; and (v) pH 5.0, 43.3°C RC. After chilling, sausages were sliced (3.1 mm), vacuum packaged, transported to a commercial HPP processor, and subjected to HPP at 586 MPa for 0, 1, 150, or 300 s. Post HPP sausages were evaluated for proximate analysis (n = 9), lipid oxidation (n = 9), objective color (n = 9), texture profile analysis (n = 15; hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness), and sensory characteristics (n = 9) including firmness, cohesion, springiness, and gumminess using trained panelists. Data were analyzed using Proc Mixed (SAS v9.4; SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC), as a completely randomized split plot design. The raw sausage chubs were considered the whole plot to which cooking treatments were applied, and the cooked chubs were the split plot, to which HPP times were applied. ResultsThe fat content of the sausages was similar (P = 0.17) among all treatments. There was no difference for moisture:protein attributed to final pH/cooking endpoint or HPP time (P > 0.63), nor was there a difference for lipid oxidation due to pH/cooking endpoint (P = 0.45) or HPP (P = 0.69). Objective color measurements showed that fermentation of summer sausage to pH 4.6, heated to 54.4°C, and traditionally chilled was lighter in color (greater L*; P 0.17). Additionally, treatment (i) was less red (lower a*; P 0.46) for these same attributes. ConclusionHigh pressure processing at 586 MPa for up to 300 s can be used as an alternate method for manufacturing beef summer sausages with marginal impacts on final product quality. Further research needs to be conducted to evaluate the efficacy of the process in reducing E. coli O157:H7 and other STEC population using this alternate summer sausage manufacturing process.
Separability, Asymptotics, and Applications of the SIR Meta Distribution in Cellular Networks

The signal-to-interference-ratio (SIR) meta distribution (MD) characterizes the link performance in interference-limited wireless networks: it evaluates the fraction of links that achieve an SIR threshold $\theta $ with a reliability above $x$ . In this work, we show that in Poisson networks, for any independent fading and power-law path loss with exponent $\alpha $ , the SIR MD can be expressed as the product of $\theta ^{-2/\alpha }$ and a function of $x$ when $(\theta,x)$ is in the so-called “separable region”. We show by simulation that the separable form serves as a good approximation of the SIR MD in Ginibre and triangular lattice networks when $\theta $ is chosen large enough. Given the quest for ultra-reliable transmission, we study the asymptotics of the SIR MD as $x\to 1$ for general cellular networks with Rayleigh fading. Finally, we apply our results to characterize the distribution of the link rate, where each link transmits with a rate satisfying a given reliability $x$ , and the asymptotic distribution of the local delay, defined as the number of transmissions needed for a message to be received successfully.
Resilient Distributed Hypothesis Testing with Time-Varying Network Topology

We study the problem of distributed hypothesis testing, where a team of mobile agents aims to agree on the true hypothesis (out of a finite set of hypotheses) that best explains a sequence of their local and possibly noisy observations. The setting requires team collaborations through a time-varying network topology due to mobility and limited communication range. We also assume that there is an unknown subset of compromised agents that may deliberately share wrong information to undermine the team objective. We propose a distributed algorithm where each agent maintains two sets of beliefs (i.e., probability distributions over hypotheses), namely local and actual beliefs. For each agent at each time step, the local belief is updated based on its local observations. Then the actual belief is updated with its local belief and shared actual beliefs from the other agents within the communication range. We show that the actual belief of each non-adversarial agent converges almost surely to the true hypothesis. Unlike most of the existing literature, we guarantee the convergence without a connectivity constraint of the time-varying network topology.
Non-galvanic mass transport in molten fluoride salt isothermal corrosion cells

Abstract Mass transport of corrosion products between Ni-201 test samples and 316 L capsules in a 500-hour FLiNaK corrosion experiment has been investigated. In one experiment, the capsule and samples were electrically connected for galvanic coupling, while in the other they were electrically isolated using boron-nitride. Post-corrosion characterization of Ni-201 from the two experiments did not reveal any remarkable differences. Substantial transport of Fe and Cr from the 316 L to the Ni-201 via the salt was observed, with notable diffusion of these elements in the near-surface regions of the Ni-201 samples, while a Cr-rich film was also observed on their surfaces.
Nikolai Karazin’s “discovery” of Central Asia as Russia’s internal Orient

The second chapter surveys existing literature on Nikolai Karazin’s life and artistic production, followed by his biography. The chapter explains his lifelong passion for Central Asia and his role in introducing it to the Russian general public, and briefly evaluates the artistic merits of his visual and literary works. This chapter also includes the necessary background: the conquest of Central Asia and its incorporation into the empire throughout the second half of the nineteenth century, as well as analysis of the evolution of Russia’s self-identification between East and West. Utilizing a rich body of scholarly literature, the chapter examines the seeming contradiction marking much Russian art of the nineteenth century: the combination of anti-autocratic views and enthusiastic support for the “civilizing” mission of the Tsarist government in Russia’s “internal” Orient.
Mental health service utilization among African immigrants in the United States.

This study utilized Andersen's model of health behavior to explore factors associated with mental health service utilization. We also examine rates for mental health service use, treatment preferences, and barriers to care. Data were collected utilizing web-based surveys. The sample consisted of first and second-generation African immigrants who had struggled with emotional or behavioral problems in the past 12 months (N = 323). Hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine predictors of mental health service utilization. The majority of participants (79.5%) met criteria for probable major depression, and 63% sought mental health services. Findings showed that mental health service utilization was more significantly predicted by enabling and need factors. Age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.03), religiosity (OR = 1.11), acculturative stress (OR = 1.68), neighborhood risk (OR = 0.54), and work-productivity loss (OR = 2.93) were associated with increased likelihood of mental health service use (p < 0.05). Most common barriers to service use were hopes of self-healing (56.3%) followed by financial barriers (46.2%). Findings highlight the need for public health initiatives to increase mental health literacy and financial accessibility to mental health services in response to the high mental health need and identified barriers to care in this population.
Spiritual Aspects of the 12-Step Method in Addiction Treatment

This chapter is directed at defining the nature of spirituality and its relationship to empirical research and clinical practice. An understanding of the spiritual experience can be achieved on the basis of diverse theoretical and empirically grounded sources. Furthermore, the impact of spirituality on addiction in different cultural and clinical settings is explicated by illustrations of its application with regard to Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and Danshukai (Japan).
RegData: A Numerical Database on Industry-Specific Regulations for All U.S. Industries and Federal Regulations, 1997-2012

We introduce RegData, formerly known as the Industry-Specific Regulatory Constraint Database. RegData annually quantifies federal regulations by industry and by regulatory agency for all federal regulations from 1997 to 2012. The quantification of regulations at the industry level for all industries is without precedent. RegData measures regulation for industries at the two-, three-, and four-digit levels of the North American Industry Classification System. We created this database using text analysis to count binding constraints in the wording of regulations, as codified in the Code of Federal Regulations, and to measure the applicability of regulatory text to different industries. We validate our measures of regulation by examining known episodes of regulatory growth and deregulation as well as by comparing our measures to an existing, cross-sectional measure of regulation. We then demonstrate several plausible relationships between industry regulation and variables of economic interest. Researchers can use this database to study the determinants of industry regulations and to study regulations’ effects on a massive array of dependent variables, both across industries and across time.
Role of Jo-1 in the Immunopathogenesis of the Anti-synthetase Syndrome

Histidyl-tRNA synthetase (HRS = Jo-1) represents a key autoantibody target in the anti-synthetase syndrome that is marked by myositis as well as extra-muscular organ complications including interstitial lung disease (ILD). Over the last 25 years, a wealth of clinical, epidemiological, genetic, and experimental data have collectively supported a role for Jo-1 in mediating deleterious cell-mediated, adaptive immune responses contributing to the disease phenotype of the anti-synthetase syndrome. Complementing these studies, more recent work suggests that unique, non-enzymatic functional properties of Jo-1 also endow this antigen with the capacity to activate components of the innate immune system, particularly cell surface as well as endosomal Toll-like receptors and their downstream signaling pathways. Combining these facets of Jo-1-mediated immunity now supports a more integrated model of disease pathogenesis that should lead to improved therapeutic targeting in the anti-synthetase syndrome and related subsets of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy.
Aflatoxin B1 induction of lysogenic bacteria.

A technique for biological verification of aflatoxin B1 was developed based on toxin-mediated induction of lysis in a lysogenic strain of Bacillus megaterium NNRL B-3695. Reduction of culture turbidity was determined at various concentrations of toxin. Incubation of 1.1 × 10−4 g (dry weight) of cells/ml of growth medium containing 25 μg of B1 per ml at 37 C reduced initial turbidity 0.20 absorbance units in 4 hr. If the bacterial lysate of the lysogenic strain, after a 2-hr incubation with 25 μg of B1 per ml, was plated with a sensitive B. megaterium strain (NRRL B-3694), plaque-forming units increased approximately 150 times relative to the control. Comparable testing of the effects of aflatoxin on the nonlysogenic, sensitive strain demonstrated that 75 μg of B1 per ml neither induced lysis nor plaque-forming units. Although induction is not an exclusive property of aflatoxin B1, the differential response of the lysogenic and sensitive Bacillus strains to B1 offers a unique and rapid technique for biological verification of the toxin.
Hierarchical multifeature integration for automatic object recognition in forward looking infrared images

This paper presents a methodology for object recognition in complex scenes by learning multiple feature object representations in second generation Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR) images. A hierarchical recognition framework is developed which solves the recognition task by performing classification using decisions at the lower levels and the input features. The system uses new algorithms for detection and segmentation of objects and a Bayesian formulation for combining multiple object features for improved discrimination. Experimental results on a large database of FLIR images is presented to validate the robustness of the system, and its applicability to FLIR imagery obtained from real scenes.
Helping patients with localized prostate carcinoma manage uncertainty and treatment side effects: nurse-delivered psychoeducational intervention over the telephone.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of an individualized uncertainty management intervention delivered by telephone to Caucasian and African-American men with localized prostate carcinoma and directed at managing the uncertainties of their disease and treatment. METHODS The authors delivered a psychoeducational intervention by phone to men with prostate carcinoma, with or without supplemented delivery to a close family member, that was directed at managing uncertainty and improving symptom control. One hundred thirty-four Caucasian men and 105 African-American men were assigned randomly to one of two approaches to delivering the intervention or to the control condition. Men entered the study immediately after surgical treatment or in the first 3 weeks of radiation therapy. Trained nurses delivered the intervention through weekly phone calls for 8 weeks. RESULTS The authors found that the majority of intervention effects were from baseline to 4 months postbaseline, when treatment side effects are most intense. Both Caucasian men and African-American men who received either one of the two approaches for delivering the intervention improved in the two uncertainty management methods of cognitive reframing and problem solving. Similarly, when the intervention groups were combined, men who received the intervention also improved significantly in control of incontinence by 4 months postbaseline. Decreases in the number of treatment side effects differed by time and treatment/ ethnic group interactions as did satisfaction with sexual functioning. CONCLUSIONS This is one of the first tests of a psychoeducational intervention among men with prostate carcinoma and was the first test that included a sufficient number of African-American men to test by ethnic group. Therefore, replication of these findings is advised. Cancer 2002;94:1854–66. © 2002 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.10390
Effect of magnetic field on thermal conductivity of YBa2Cu3O7- single crystals

We report measurements of the thermal conductivity in a magnetic field on single crystals of ${\mathrm{YBa}}_{2}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{7\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{\ensuremath{\delta}}}$. Unlike in sintered samples, the zero-field thermal conductivity of these crystals above the superconducting transition temperature shows a marked decrease with increasing temperature, demonstrating the importance of phonon-phonon processes and the high quality of the crystals. We find that the thermal conductivity \ensuremath{\kappa} is very sensitive to the presence of fluxoids which are strong scatterers of phonons. The degradation of \ensuremath{\kappa} is particularly large when the magnetic field H is oriented perpendicular to the Cu-O planes. The anisotropic behavior of \ensuremath{\kappa}(H) is in qualitative agreement with a geometric argument based on the anisotropy of the superconducting coherence length. We detect hysteresis at the level of several percent in the dependence of \ensuremath{\kappa} on the field.
A Self-Tuning Evolutionary Algorithm Applied to an Inverse Partial Differential Equation

Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are becoming increasingly popular tools for solving complex search problems. Their popularity in various problem domains has led to the introduction and development of numerous variants of two standard EA operators—crossover and mutation. Unfortunately, there are few if any effective guidelines for choosing which operators will be most effective in a given problem. In this paper, a self-tuning EA is introduced that employs several crossover and mutation operators simultaneously. The probability of using a given operator changes during the course of an evolutionary run whereby the most effective operators are selected based on which part of the search space is currently being explored. The self-tuning EA is used to solve an inverse partial differential equation—considered to be one of the more difficult problems in the realm of engineering mathematics. Results indicate that for the particular inverse partial differential equation considered, the self-tuning EA provides an effective solution methodology.
Differential Association of Psychosocial Comorbidities With Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and subclinical atherosclerosis, but the reasons for the excess risk are unclear. We explored whether psychosocial comorbidities, which may be associated with CVD in the general population, are differentially associated with subclinical atherosclerosis in RA compared to controls. Methods Data were from a longitudinal cohort study of 195 RA patients and 1,073 non-RA controls. Using validated scales, heterogeneity in the associations of psychosocial measures (depression, stress, anxiety/anger, support, discrimination/hassles) with measures of subclinical atherosclerosis (coronary artery calcium [CAC] and carotid intima-media thickness [IMT]/plaque) were compared in RA and non-RA groups using multivariable generalized linear models. Computed tomography and ultrasound were used to identify CAC and IMT/plaque, respectively. CAC >100 units was used to define moderate/severe CAC. Results In RA, per-unit higher anxiety scores (odds ratio [OR] 1.10, P = 0.029), anger scores (OR 1.14, P = 0.037), depressive symptoms (OR 3.41, P = 0.032), and caregiver stress (OR 2.86, P = 0.014) were associated with increased odds of CAC >100 units after adjustment for relevant covariates. These findings persisted despite adjustment for markers of inflammation (C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels) and were seen only in RA, not in controls (adjusted multiplicative interaction P = 0.001–0.077). In RA, job stress was associated with an increased risk of carotid plaque (adjusted OR = 3.21, P = 0.019), and increasing social support was associated with lower internal carotid IMT (adjusted P = 0.024). Conclusion Depressive symptoms, stress, anger/anxiety, and social support may preferentially affect CVD risk in RA, and screening/treatment for psychosocial morbidities in RA may help ameliorate the additional CVD burden.
Consolidation Drainage and Climate Change May Reduce Piping Plover Habitat in the Great Plains

Abstract Many waterbird species utilize a diversity of aquatic habitats; however, with increasing anthropogenic needs to manage water regimes there is global concern over impacts to waterbird popul...
Alterations of the erythrocyte membrane caused by fluorinated dinitrobenzenes.

Inaktivierung der Acetylcholinesterase in der Erythrozytenmembran mit 1-Fluor-2,4-dinitrobenzol und 1,5-Difluor-2,4-dinitrobenzol konnte durch blutgruppenspezifische Antikorper nicht beeinflusst werden. Nach Difluordinitrobenzol-Behandlung zeigten die Blutkorperchen Verlust der Agglutinabilitat und die Membranen eine Herabsetzung ihrer Absorptionsfahigkeit fur homologe Antikorper.
Paranoia and emotion perception across the continuum

Objectives. Persons with high levels of paranoid ideation may be more sensitive to emotional stimuli, particularly negative emotions, reflecting the operation of a paranoid schema. However, this finding has not been consistently supported and needs further study. This study examined the effect of paranoia, as measured on a continuum, on emotion perception. It was predicted that higher levels of paranoia would be associated with improved emotion perception scores with better recognition for negative emotions than positive. Design. A four-group ANOVA design was used to compare participants with clinical and sub-clinical paranoia to reflect the continuum view of paranoia. Methods. A group with persecutory delusions (N=30) was compared with three sub-clinical groups (N=88) on two posed emotion perception tasks. The sub-clinical participants were divided into high, moderate, and low groups based on scores from the Paranoia Scale, a widely used measure of sub-clinical paranoia. Results. Persons with persecutory delusions had lower overall emotion perception scores than all of the sub-clinical groups. For negative emotions, persons with persecutory delusions had lower identification scores than the moderate and low sub-clinical groups, but were no different than the high sub-clinical group. Anger was especially problematic for clinical participants. There were no differences for positive emotions. Conclusions. Instead of an enhanced sensitivity for the recognition of emotional states, higher levels of paranoia were linked to a performance deficit on emotion perception tasks. The deficits in emotion perception may reflect the increased skepticism and scrutiny associated with posed emotion tasks (Davis & Gibson, 2000). Research should begin to focus on the underlying mechanisms of emotion perception deficits in paranoia.
Quantitative assessment of left ventricular diastolic function via Longitudinal and Transverse flow impedances

Flow impedance has been used to characterize the physical properties of the vascular system by assessing its phasic flow response to pulsatile pressure input in terms of resistance as a function of frequency. Impedance has also been used to characterize global diastolic left ventricular (LV) chamber properties. In early diastole the LV is a mechanical suction pump and accommodates filling by simultaneously expanding in two principal spatial directions: longitudinal (base-to-apex, long-axis) and transverse (radial, short-axis). Total (characteristic) impedance Z C is the product of longitudinal (Z L ) and transverse (Z T ) impedance as Z C 2=Z L Z T where the two impedances reflect the relative spatial propensity for volume accommodation. In this work we compute Z L and Z T for the LV in early diastole. We analyze simultaneously recorded dual pressure-transducer and transthoracic echocardiographic flow data obtained during cardiac catheterization in 11 subjects. We found that Z L was 2 orders of magnitude smaller than Z T in all subjects, providing the first hemodynamic evidence, in concordance with cine-MRI imaging data that longitudinal volume accommodation is indeed, nature's preferred spatial filling mechanism. We also investigated the effect of impaired diastolic function on directional impedances and found that Z L increased (becomes worse) while Z T decreased (becomes better) indicating that as diastolic function becomes impaired radial filling compensates for decreased longitudinal volume accommodation to preserve stroke volume. These results provide mechanistic insight and show that normal diastolic function defines a properly impedance matched state and that diastolic dysfunction is equivalent to a state of impedance mismatch.
Nuclear Spin-Lattice Relaxation in Metals

The nuclear spin-lattice relaxation time, ${T}_{1}$, has been measured in the range of 1.1\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K to 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K for the metals lithium, sodium, aluminum, and copper. A combination of nuclear magnetic resonance at fixed frequency and adiabatic variation of the magnetic field was used to measure ${T}_{1}$ as a function of field between zero and one thousand gauss. At fields of between one hundred and one thousand gauss ${T}_{1}$ is independent of magnetic field and inversely proportional to temperature in agreement with theory. The experimental values of the relaxation time multiplied by absolute temperature in sec \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K are 44\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2.0 for ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$; 5.1\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3 for ${\mathrm{Na}}^{23}$; 1.80\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.05 for ${\mathrm{Al}}^{27}$; 1.27\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.07 for ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{63}$. These values are in good agreement with previous experimental data at room temperature and above. At fields comparable with the nuclear magnetic dipole-dipole fields, ${T}_{1}$ is a function of applied field. The theory of relaxation in low fields is presented in an elementary form. Qualitative agreement with theory is obtained for ${\mathrm{Al}}^{27}$ and ${\mathrm{Cu}}^{63}$; detailed agreement is obtained for ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}$ and ${\mathrm{Na}}^{23}$.
Elementary diagram calculations for helium

Abstract In hypernetted-chain calculations of liquid 4He, elementary diagrams are needed to reconcile the differences between different energy functionals and obtain the correct saturation density and binding energy. Unfortunately, it is only practical to sum small sets of elementary diagrams. In this work, two different ways of grouping elementary diagrams are compared. Diagrams are categorized according to either the number of points or the bond excess, the number of bonds minus the number of points. The two schemes sum plausible and rather different sets of diagrams, yet at any level of truncation considered, the results are similar in the region where the contribution to the energy is large. This agreement provides a numerical check on the convergence of the elementary diagram sum and suggests that results obtained with truncated sums may be quite reliable.
A novel lipoprotein-mediated mechanism controlling sexual attractiveness in a colorful songbird

Sexually selected traits like complex vocalizations or vibrant colors communicate reliable information about mate quality when they are costly to display. Although several general condition-dependent mechanisms underlying the acquisition of mating advertisements have been identified, we rarely know the precise physiological and molecular challenges that animals must meet to develop their sexual ornaments. The flashy pigment-based colors commonly displayed by birds are ideal candidates for investigating the pathways and demands of sexual-signal expression, because we know the biochemical currency with which the trait is produced. Carotenoid colors in birds, for example, are derived from pigments that are acquired from the diet and assimilated into feathers and bare parts. In previous work, we showed that variation in the sexually attractive red carotenoid-colored beak of male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) was predicted not by the amount of food or pigments ingested, but by the levels of carotenoids that birds circulated in blood. Here we elucidate a novel physiological mechanism by which birds are able to accumulate high levels of carotenoids in the body and develop a colorful bill. Carotenoids are transported through the bloodstream bound to lipoproteins. We assayed a critical component of lipoprotein particles-cholesterol-and found that males with higher cholesterol levels circulated more carotenoids and displayed redder beaks. Experimental supplementation of dietary cholesterol elevated carotenoid levels in the blood and beak hue. Experimental reductions in blood cholesterol, using the human lipid-lowering agent atorvastatin, diminished blood carotenoids and faded the beak; carotenoid and cholesterol levels were restored, however, by subsequent addition of dietary cholesterol. These results suggest that the production of circulating lipoproteins critically regulates the development of a colorful sexually selected trait in zebra finches.
Scheduling Intrusion Detection Systems in Resource-Bounded Cyber-Physical Systems

In order to be resilient to attacks, a cyber-physical system (CPS) must be able to detect attacks before they can cause significant damage. To achieve this, \emph{intrusion detection systems} (IDS) may be deployed, which can detect attacks and alert human operators, who can then intervene. However, the resource-constrained nature of many CPS poses a challenge, since reliable IDS can be computationally expensive. Consequently, computational nodes may not be able to perform intrusion detection continuously, which means that we have to devise a schedule for performing intrusion detection. While a uniformly random schedule may be optimal in a purely cyber system, an optimal schedule for protecting CPS must also take into account the physical properties of the system, since the set of adversarial actions and their consequences depend on the physical systems. Here, in the context of water distribution networks, we study IDS scheduling problems in two settings and under the constraints on the available battery supplies. In the first problem, the objective is to design, for a given duration of time $T$, scheduling schemes for IDS so that the probability of detecting an attack is maximized within that duration. We propose efficient heuristic algorithms for this general problem and evaluate them on various networks. In the second problem, our objective is to design scheduling schemes for IDS so that the overall lifetime of the network is maximized while ensuring that an intruder attack is always detected. Various strategies to deal with this problem are presented and evaluated for various networks.
Pansynostosis: a review

Although rare, pansynostoses are seen and treated by the craniofacial surgeon. To date, a single source that reviews these more severe forms of craniosynostosis is lacking in the literature. The present paper outlines and reviews the associations of both syndromic and nonsyndromic cases, potential mechanisms, and the anatomy involved with such forms of premature fusion of the cranial sutures. Pansynostosis is seen in a myriad of syndromes but can also be identified in nonsyndromic cases. Raised intracranial pressure is a concern in these patients. Early recognition and treatment of patients with pansynostosis of the cranial sutures is important.
Identifying novel endpoints for cystic fibrosis clinical trials.

ABSTRACT Clinical and translational research in cystic fibrosis (CF) is hampered by a lack of biomarkers that can be used to identify promising new therapies. In particular, validated protein biomarkers are needed to evaluate emerging candidate anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial treatments. Noninvasively obtained biomarkers are especially desirable in children where repeatedly sampling the airway is difficult. To more quickly identify and validate candidate protein biomarkers, it will be essential to pursue a phased approach to biomarker development in a large, well-characterized CF patient population. New high-throughput technologies that can simultaneously examine the expression of thousands of genes and proteins are accelerating the discovery of potential biomarkers. It is hoped that individual biomarkers, or more likely a panel of validated markers, will predict clinical outcomes such as susceptibility to rapid disease progression or response to treatment and therefore, greatly improve stratification for future CF clinical trials.
The association of a dysmorphic pelvis, absence of pubic rami, hip dysplasia, and genitourinary anomalies.

BACKGROUND There have been reports of children who had absence of the pubic rami, hip dysplasia, and genitourinary anomalies. CASE REPORT We describe a 44-year-old woman with severe hip dysplasia, bilateral chronic congenital hip dislocations, abnormal development of the entire pelvis, and absence of the pubic rami in association with absence of the uterus. CONCLUSION We present an individual who has abnormal development of the entire pelvis, including absence of the pubic rami, and genitourinary anomalies. We suggest that this is a rare pattern of associated anomalies confined to a localized region of the body. Potential underlying developmental abnormalities include somatic mutations which affected the mesodermal cells from which the pelvis and mullerian structures develop. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Water Stress Enhances Ethylene-mediated Leaf Abscission in Cotton.

Abscission of cotyledonary leaves from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. Stoneville 213) seedlings occurred following relief from water stress. The amount of abscission was related to the magnitude of the plant water deficit. Leaf abscission promoted by exogenous ethylene was enhanced in seedlings subjected to water stress. Treatment with ethylene (2.0 to 3.2 microliters of ethylene per liter of air for 24 hours) raised the threshold plant water potential required to induce abscission from —17 to —7 bar, indicating that the stress caused the tissue to become predisposed to ethylene action. Based on the abscission response curve for seedlings treated with ethylene while under water stress, this apparent predisposition was developed as the plant water potentials reached the —7 to —10 bar range. The abscission-promoting effects of ethylene in combination with water stress were reversed with 15% CO2 at plant water potentials above —12 bar, but the CO2 reversal was lost at lower water potentials. These results are compatible with the concept that ethylene plays a regulatory role in leaf abscission induced by water stress.
Chaoticity generated by a learning model

In this paper we consider a learning rule whose underlying space, possibly infinite dimensional, is equipped with an inner product. The rule proposed is a generalization of Oja's maximum eigenfilter algorithm. We study its convergence properties and iterative behavior. We observe a whole variety of dynamical behaviors. We establish conditions on parameter values generating chaoticity as well as asymptotic convergence.
The topology of large-scale structure in the universe

Abstract The distribution of galaxies in the universe displays a rich structure. Considerable information not contained in the power spectrum can be obtained from the topology of the distribution. A random phase distribution has a “spongelike” topology when regions above or below the mean are considered, and the topology for any threshold value is calculable analytically. The topology may be studied by measuring the curvature of the surface, since this is related to the connectivity by the Gauss-Bonnet theorem. A computer can rapidly evaluate topology on a lattice, and non-Gaussian topologies are usually distinguishable. Although some non-Gaussian topology arises in dynamical evolution, the initial conditions can be recovered by smoothing on an appropriate scale. Although some non-Gaussian features are seen in observational samples, they are probably compatible with the random phase hypothesis for initial conditions. Redshift surveys now underway will considerably enhance the significance of the result.
e + e - -Annihilation into hadrons and unified theories

Abstract It is argued that unified gauge theories of weak, electromagnetic and strong interactions lead naturally to the introduction of new hadronic constituents which carry both color and electric charged and are colored counterparts of the W-bosons mediating the weak interactions. Consequences for e + e − -annihilation and deep inelastic scattering are discussed.
We use technology, but do we use technology?: using existing technologies to communicate, collaborate, and provide support

We are all familiar with the cliche of the shrinking budget, and the expectation to do more with less. The reality is that our customers demand excellent service, and they do not care about the cost of support. The Campus Information Technologies and Educational Services (CITES) Help Desk at the University of Illinois has implemented several strategies to provide a high quality of support to our customers, and to collaborate with our colleagues. In this paper, we will explore communication vectors, including chat based support, Twitter, Facebook, remote access, conference bridges, and web conferencing. When determining which channels to use several factors must be taken into account. Know your customer base and identify the existing technologies they use. Do not duplicate the services; instead, leverage them. Look for ways to save time. Does the situation call for everyone to be physically present? While no approach is perfect, creative thinking provides ways to remain connected with our clients and peers.
The dissolution kinetics of quartz as a function of pH and time at 70°C

Abstract A single-pass, flow-through apparatus was used to determine the dissolution rate of quartz at 70°C as a function of pH and time. Dissolution rate data were obtained over the pH range 1.4 to 11.8 in nine separate experiments each lasting 50 days. The quartz dissolution rates were defined by the silica release rate to solution. Speciation-solubility calculations using the geochemical modeling code EQ3/6 indicate that the fluid was maintained far from equilibrium with respect to quartz and well-undersaturated with respect to all possible secondary minerals in all runs. The dissolution rates were independent of pH at values (10−15.3 mol/cm2 · s) consistent with the data of Rimstidt and Barnes (1980) up to approximately pH 6, but at higher pH the rates increased with increasing pH, proportional to a H + −0.5 , being almost four orders of magnitude higher at pH 11.8. The rate constants for quartz dissolution at 70°C were 10−15.3 mol/cm2 · s in the pH-independent region extending from acid through neutral solutions, and 10−17.8 mol/cm2 · s in more alkaline solutions. Etch pits were strongly developed in the runs with the more alkaline solutions (pH > 8), in which the rates were the highest. This appears consistent with a surface reaction-controlled dissolution mechanism.
The architecture of visual narrative comprehension: the interaction of narrative structure and page layout in understanding comics.

How do people make sense of the sequential images in visual narratives like comics? A growing literature of recent research has suggested that this comprehension involves the interaction of multiple systems: The creation of meaning across sequential images relies on a “narrative grammar” that packages conceptual information into categorical roles organized in hierarchic constituents. These images units are encapsulated into panels arranged in the layout of a physical page. Finally, how panels frame information can impact both the narrative structure and page layout. Altogether, these systems operate in parallel to construct the gestalt whole of comprehension of this visual language found in comics.
Estimation of twin wall energy by measurement of twin spacing

Abstract Previous studies have revealed that a square-root dependence of twin spacing with grain size exists for perovskite materials and equations relating twin spacing to wall energy have been derived on the basis of a balance of energies associated with the tetragonal → orthorhombic transformation. Based upon these equations and the experimental measured twin spacing, an estimate is made of the wall energy associated with the formation of the observed twins in Y1Ba1Cu307δ (“123”).