cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development and application of the WRFPLUS-Chem online chemistry adjoint and WRFDA-Chem assimilation system

Abstract. Here we present the online meteorology and chemistry adjoint and tangent linear model, WRFPLUS-Chem (Weather Research and Forecasting plus chemistry), which incorporates modules to treat boundary layer mixing, emission, aging, dry deposition, and advection of black carbon aerosol. We also develop land surface and surface layer adjoints to account for coupling between radiation and vertical mixing. Model performance is verified against finite difference derivative approximations. A second-order checkpointing scheme is created to reduce computational costs and enable simulations longer than 6 h. The adjoint is coupled to WRFDA-Chem, in order to conduct a sensitivity study of anthropogenic and biomass burning sources throughout California during the 2008 Arctic Research of the Composition of the Troposphere from Aircraft and Satellites (ARCTAS) field campaign. A cost-function weighting scheme was devised to reduce the impact of statistically insignificant residual errors in future inverse modeling studies. Results of the sensitivity study show that, for this domain and time period, anthropogenic emissions are overpredicted, while wildfire emission error signs vary spatially. We consider the diurnal variation in emission sensitivities to determine at what time sources should be scaled up or down. Also, adjoint sensitivities for two choices of land surface model (LSM) indicate that emission inversion results would be sensitive to forward model configuration. The tools described here are the first step in conducting four-dimensional variational data assimilation in a coupled meteorology–chemistry model, which will potentially provide new constraints on aerosol precursor emissions and their distributions. Such analyses will be invaluable to assessments of particulate matter health and climate impacts.
A model of residential energy use

A model of residential energy use was developed to simulate the period from 1970 to 2000. The model predicts annual energy use by fuel, end use, and type of housing, and also estimates annual equipment installations and ownership, equipment energy re quirements, structural heat retention, fuel expendi tures, equipment costs, and costs for improving heat retention in new and existing housing units. Thus the model provides considerable detail on residential energy uses and associated costs. These details are useful for evaluating the effects of alternative energy conservation policies, programs, and tech nologies during the next quarter century.The present version of the model handles four fuels, eight end uses, and three types of housing. Each of these 96 components of total energy use is calculated each year as a function of stocks of occupied housing units and new construction, equipment ownership by fuel and end use, heat retention of housing units, average unit energy requirements for each type of equi...
Design of DC system protection

A modified Z-source breaker topology is introduced to minimize the reflected fault current drawn from a source while retaining a common return ground path. A conventional Z-source breaker does not provide steady-state overload protection and can only guard against extremely large transient faults. The Z-source breaker can be designed for considerations affecting both rate of fault current rise and absolute fault current level, analogous in some respects to a “thermal-magnetic” breaker. The proposed manual tripping mechanism enables protection against both instantaneous current surges and longer-term over-current conditions. The fault operation intervals of the proposed Z-source breaker topologies are demonstrated in SPICE simulation.
On the relative importance of marker heterozygosity and intermarker distance in gene mapping

Molecular biologists are often confronted with the problem of whether they should try to generate large numbers of very closely linked markers of low heterozygosity or smaller numbers of less closely linked markers of high heterozygosity. In other words, What is more important for gene mapping, high marker heterozygosity or dense marker spacing? We investigated that problem by analytically computing the expected lod score per meiosis in which the new locus is informative and phase known. We also looked at the length of the 1-unit-of-lod-score support interval for the expected lod score from 100 such meioses. We found that while both quantities have an influence on the number of meioses needed to find linkage, the length of the support interval is almost entirely dependent on the intermarker distance, for heterozygosities between 20 and 100%. However, the probability of any given meiosis being phase known and the ability to develop an accurate map of the markers are functions of marker heterozygosity, further complicating the issue.
Building a Bridge of Knowledge and Understanding: The New Chinese Immigrants and Their Contributions

This paper is a preliminary study on the contributions made by Chinese emigres, both students and scholars, to the establishment and development of the field of Chinese studies in the United States. Through a brief survey of a number of dissertation guides, journals, and monograph series in the field of Chinese studies, this author attempts to show that Chinese students and scholars, who sought extended or permanent stay in the United States after World War II, not only constituted a large portion of the community of Chinese experts in this country but also have stood as important contributors to journals and book series in the field. Their presence and publications have helped end the history in which the knowledge of China was made with little involvement of Chinese in the United States and drastically enhanced the American knowledge and understanding of China and Chinese people.
Nociceptive responses to high and low rates of noxious cutaneous heating are mediated by different nociceptors in the rat: electrophysiological evidence

Behavioral nociceptive responses evoked by relatively high rates of noxious radiant skin heating appear to be mediated by A delta nociceptor activation, whereas responses evoked by low rates of skin heating appear to be mediated by the activation of C-fiber nociceptors. This hypothesis was confirmed by the results of single unit recordings of A delta and C nociceptive afferent fibers isolated from the saphenous nerves of pentobarbital anesthetized rats. Heating the hind paw skin of the rat at a relatively high rate of 6.5 degrees C/sec activated A delta units within 2 sec after the onset of the stimulus. This response latency is similar to the 2.5 sec latency of the foot withdrawal response to a similar stimulus. In contrast, C-fibers were only slightly activated at a longer latency of 5-6 sec. Conversely, heating the hind paw skin at a relatively low rate of 0.9 degrees C/sec activated C-fibers, but evoked only a few action potentials in A delta nociceptors. C-fibers began firing at a rate less than 1 Hz between 8 and 10 sec after the onset of heating and fired at a mean rate of 1.5 Hz between 10 and 12 sec, which corresponds to the latency of the foot withdrawal response. Topical application of capsaicin to the hind paw skin decreased the latency of C-fiber responses from control values of 8-12 sec to approximately 4 sec after topical capsaicin treatment. The mean latency of the foot withdrawal response to skin heating at the low rate is also reduced from control values of 12-14 sec to 4-5 sec after capsaicin treatment. In contrast, capsaicin treatment did not significantly affect the responses of A delta nociceptors. These results support the conclusion that nociceptive foot withdrawal responses to a low rate of skin heating are mediated predominantly by the activation of C-fiber nociceptors. These results provide direct evidence that, under the conditions of these experiments, nociceptive foot withdrawal responses evoked by high rates of skin heating are primarily mediated by A delta nociceptors, and foot withdrawal responses evoked by low rates of skin heating are primarily mediated by C-fiber nociceptors.
Endotoxemia in Horses: A Review of Cellular and Humoral Mediators Involved in its Pathogenesis

Endotoxemia remains the leading cause of death in horses, being intimately involved in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal disorders that cause colic and neonatal foal septicemia. Endotoxins, normally present within the bowel, gain access to the blood across damaged intestinal mucosa, or endotoxemia occurs when gram negative organisms proliferate in tissues. Endotoxins are removed from the circulation by the mononuclear phagocyte system, and the response of mononuclear phagocytes to these lipopolysaccharides (LPS) play an important role in determining the severity of clinical disease. Macrophages become highly activated for enhanced secretory, phagocytic and cidal functions by LPS. Macrophage-derived cytokines are responsible for many of the pathophysiologic consequences of endotoxemia. The arachidonic acid metabolites, prostacyclin and thromboxane A2 likely mediate early hemodynamic dysfunction and the leukotrienes may potentiate tissue ischemia during endotoxemia. Interleukin 1 (IL-1) induces fever and is responsible for the inflammatory cascade, which constitutes the acute phase response. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), an important proximal mediator of the effects of LPS, acts to initiate events and formation of other molecules that affect shock and tissue injury. Systemic administration of TNF produces most of the physiologic derangements that are associated with endotoxemia and antibodies that are directed against TNF significantly reduce LPS-induced mortality in experimental animals. In response to endotoxins, mononuclear phagocytes express thromboplastin-like procoagulant activity (PCA), which initiates microvascular thrombosis. Both IL-1 and TNF induce PCA expression, creating a positive feedback loop for LPS-induced coagulopathy. A macrophage-derived platelet activating factor contributes to coagulation dysfunction and further stimulates arachidonic acid metabolism. The ultimate consequences of endotoxemia are multiple system organ failure and death. The numerous feedback loops and intertwining cascades of mediators during endotoxemia defy simplistic methods of treatment. The optimal therapy likely involves methods to alter the generation of inflammatory mediators by mononuclear phagocytes.
Power stations and pollution.

Summary Modern power stations burn large quantities of coal. Though great attention is paid to the reduction in the discharge of smoke and grit, the policy now is to allow all the sulphur dioxide produced to enter the atmosphere. At present the Central Electricity Generating Board does not consider that this is a hazard to health and is prepared to site enormous power stations close to large cities. The evidence relating morbidity and mortality to small increases in pollution is considered. There is a positive connection and all the evidence indicates that sulphur dioxide is no less important than smoke. A modern power station is the best place for burning coal but on present knowledge it should be sited away from large centres of population because of the sulphur dioxide produced. The failure of the Clean Air Act to deal with sulphur dioxide emission is discussed briefly.
Incompatibility and Phase Separation in a Bovine Serum Albumin/β-Casein/Water Ternary Film at the Air–Water Interface

Thermodynamic incompatibility and two-dimensional phase separation in a bovine serum albumin (BSA)/beta-casein/water ternary film at the air-water interface has been studied using an epifluorescence microscopy technique. The incompatibility between BSA and beta-casein at the air-water interface was deduced from deviation of the experimental equilibrium composition of the proteins in the mixed saturated monolayer film from that predicted by the Langmuir-type competitive adsorption model at various bulk concentration ratios. Fluorescence microscopy of the mixed monolayer film showed distinct phase-separated BSA-rich and beta-casein-rich regions coexisting with inhomogeneous mixed regions. BSA always tended to be the dispersed phase and beta-casein the continuous phase. It is suggested that because the free energy at the "interfaces" between the phase-separated regions is generally higher than at other regions of the film, they may act as zones of instability in protein-stabilized foams and possibly emulsions. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
Mechanisms for horizontal transfer of methoprene from treated to untreated Tribolium castaneum (Herbst)

Abstract Experiments were performed to determine the relative impact of different mechanisms of methoprene horizontal transfer between Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) individuals. Larvae provided during later development with only dead methoprene-treated developmental stages (late-stage larvae, pupae, or adults) resulted in no survival to adulthood. This suggests that transfer through cuticle contact could be involved, but some cannibalization also occurred. The average level of cannibalization was not different between methoprene and control treatments, but the distribution of the amount of feeding did appear to be shifted to greater consumption by larvae exposed to methoprene-treated individuals compared to water-treated. The potential impact of cannibalism on horizontal transfer was further evaluated by scoring the level of feeding by untreated larvae on either water or methoprene-treated pupa and then comparing larval development and survival after different levels of cannibalization. In this experiment, the level of feeding on methoprene-treated individuals did not affect the percentage of normal surviving adults (insects which emerged as adults, exhibited no external morphological malformations, and were alive at the end of the observational period), suggesting that consumption of treated individuals was not contributing significantly to horizontal transfer. Short-term confinement of a methoprene or water treated adult with an untreated late-stage larva did not effect larval development and survival compared to the controls, indicating that brief contact between individuals was not sufficient for detectable negative effects. Transfer of methoprene from treated individuals to a flour substrate and then to an untreated individual through contact with and/or feeding on the flour was evaluated. Exposure of larvae to methoprene-contaminated flour during development resulted in a significantly lower number of normal surviving adults compared to controls. These results suggest that horizontal transfer of methoprene is probably due to prolonged contact with methoprene-treated individuals or methoprene-contaminated flour.
Using the Language Characteristics of Clinical Populations to Understand Normal Language Development

The overall purpose of this article is to describe the speech and language abilities of children who have selected clinical conditions, not only to characterize the outcomes of those conditions, but also to understand fundamental requirements for language learning in typically developing children. This developmental cognitive neuroscience analysis conceptualizes the clinical conditions as naturalistic experimental manipulations, selectively altering factors in the language-learning situation that could not otherwise be ethically manipulated in a research study.
Coping and Resilience: Exploring the Inner Lives of African American Children:

In contrast to the conclusions commonly drawnfrom media portrayals ofAfrican American children, the majority are not poorly adjusted. Many do weU even by traditional standards, such as mental healt...
Stop making nonSense: the C. elegans smg genes

Cells monitor the quality of their mRNAs and degrade any transcripts that are poorly or incompletely translated. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, degradation by the mRNA surveillance pathway depends on seven smg genes. Three of these genes also have a role in a second mRNA degradation pathway called RNA interference (RNAi), which is triggered by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). Here I describe what is known about the smg genes and their potential functions in these two mRNA degradation pathways.
Inhibition of ICAM-mediated monocyte adhesion with a bioresponsive dextran-based conjugate

The polysaccharide dextran, prepared as a colloid suspension in physiological saline, is routinely used as a plasma extender or substitute for emergency treatment of massive blood and fluid loss in settings where blood and blood products are not readily available. The objective of this study is to develop a dextran-peptide conjugate that selectively self-assembles onto injured tissue surfaces to form a protective colloid barrier against trauma-induced systemic inflammatory cell damage to healthy tissues. Endothelial cells were treated in vitro with a CD11b/CD18 antagonist conjugated to dextran. This agonist peptide conjugated to dextran decreased monocyte adhesion to TNF /spl alpha/-activated endothelium more effectively than peptide alone. The scrambled version of the same peptide, conjugated and not, did not block monocyte adhesion in similarly activated endothelium. These studies indicate that an CD11b/CD18 antagonist dextran conjugate that is delivered introvascularly may limit organ damage following intestinal ischemia and reperfusion injury.
Perceived Racism and Discrimination in Children and Youths: An Exploratory Study

Racism may be a factor contributing to poor health and health care disparities in minority children through multiple mechanisms, including effects on psychological and physical wellbeing. Little is known about the experiences of racism that children encounter in their lives. This study describes the occurrences of perceived racism in children, including the settings and contexts in which it occurs. A questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of urban children (eight to 16 years of age) asking about settings and situations in which they perceived discrimination. Two hundred and seventy-seven children completed the questionnaire; 88 percent ofthe children had at least one experience with racial discrimination, and 11.6 percent had experienced racism in at least half (12) of the 23 situations addressed in the questionnaire. Settings included schools and community contexts, and both peers and adults were perceived to be perpetrators. There were few differences in perceptions of racist episodes among different ethnocultural minority groups. Racism is perceived to be a common occurrence in many minority children's lives. Studies investigating perceptions of racism and how they relate to health disparities need to be conducted.
Moving up the automation S-curve: The role of the laboratory automation support function in successful pharmaceutical R&D.

The political and economic climate that exists today is a challenging one for the pharmaceutical industry. To effectively compete in today's marketplace, companies must discover and develop truly innovative medicines. The R&D organizations within these companies are under increasing pressure to hold down costs while accomplishing this mission. In this environment of level head count and operating budgets, it is imperative that laboratory management uses resources in the most effective, efficient ways possible. Investment in laboratory automation is a proven tool for doing just that.This paper looks at the strategy and tactics behind the formation and evolution of a central automation/laboratory technology support function at the Glaxo Research Institute. Staffing of the function is explained, along with operating strategy and alignment with the scientific client base. Using the S-curve model of technological progress, both the realized and potential impact on successful R&D automation and laboratory technology development are assessed.
Evaluating the comparability of gene expression in blood and brain

The availability of an accessible tissue whose gene expression profile is similar to more inaccessible CNS tissues has the potential to advance research in neuropsychiatric disorders. We conducted secondary data analysis of transcriptional profiling of 79 human tissues for 33,698 genes using the Affymetrix U133A microarray augmented with a custom microarray (Affymetrix GNF1H), which were produced by the Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation (http://symatlas.gnf.org). Our analyses suggested that: (a) on a transcriptome level, whole blood shares significant gene expression similarities with multiple CNS tissues; (b) the median non-parametric correlation between transcripts present in both whole blood and CNS was around 0.5; (c) this correlation of 0.5 was intermediate relative to all tissues in the Novartis data set--less than for the maximum achievable value of 0.85, less than a set of immune tissues (0.64), comparable to a heterogeneous set of somatic tissues (0.57) but greater than muscle (0.48) and peripheral nervous system tissues (0.36); (d) about half of a set of candidate genes relevant to schizophrenia were expressed in both whole blood and prefrontal cortex; and (e) the expression levels of many classes of biologically relevant processes were not significantly different between whole blood and prefrontal cortex. These analyses suggest that gene expression in whole blood is neither perfectly correlated and useful nor perfectly uncorrelated and useless with gene expression in multiple brain tissues. This suggests that the cautious and thoughtful use of peripheral gene expression may be a useful surrogate for gene expression in the CNS when it has been determined that the relevant gene is expressed in both.
The biogeography of invasive alien plants in California: an application of GIS and spatial regression analysis

The spatial distribution of invasive alien plants has been poorly documented in California. However, with the increased availability of GIS software and spatially explicit data, the distribution of invasive alien plants can be explored. Using bioregions as defined in Hickman (1993), I compared the distribution of invasive alien plants (n = 78) and noninvasive alien plants (n = 1097). The distribution of both categories of alien plants was similar with the exception of a higher concentration of invasive alien plants in the North Coast bioregion. Spatial autocorrelation analysis using Moran's I indicated significant spatial dependence for both invasive and noninvasive alien plant species. I used both ordinary least squares (OLS) and spatial autoregressive (SAR) models to assess the relationship between alien plant species distribution and native plant species richness, road density, population density, elevation, area of sample unit, and precipitation. The OLS model for invasive alien plants included two significant effects; native plant species richness and elevation. The SAR model for invasive alien plants included three significant effects; elevation, road density, and native plant species richness. The SAR model for noninvasive alien plants resulted in the same significant effects as invasive alien plants. Both invasive and noninvasive alien plants are found in regions with low elevation, high road density, and high native-plant species richness. This is in congruity with previous spatial pattern studies of alien plant species. However, the similarity in effects for both categories of alien plants alludes to the importance of autecological attributes, such as pollination system, dispersal system and differing responses to disturbance in the distribution of invasive plant species. In addition, this study emphasizes the critical importance of testing for spatial autocorrelation in spatial pattern studies and using SAR models when appropriate.
Molecular Targets for Bioactive Food Components

Mounting evidence points to dietary habits as an important determinant of cancer risk and tumor behavior. Although the linkages with diet are intriguing, the literature is also laden with inconsistencies. The reasons for these inconsistencies are likely multi-factorial, but probably reflect variations in the ability of bioactive constituents to reach or affect critical molecular targets. Fluctuations in the foods consumed not only influence the intake of particular bioactive components, but may alter metabolism and potentially influence the sites of action of both essential and nonessential nutrients. Genetic polymorphisms are increasingly recognized as another factor that can alter the response to dietary components (nutritional transcriptomic effect) by influencing the absorption, metabolism, or sites of action. Likewise, variation in DNA methylation patterns and other epigenetic events that influence overall gene expression can be influenced by dietary intakes. Furthermore, variation in the ability of food components to increase or depress gene expression (nutrigenomic effect) may account for some of the observed inconsistencies in the response to dietary change. Because a host of food components are recognized to influence phosphorylation and other posttranslational events, it is also likely that these and other proteomic modifications account for at least part of the response and variation that is reported in the literature. Collectively, it is clear that bioactive food components can influence a number of key molecular events that are involved in health and disease resistance. As the era of molecular nutrition unfolds, a greater understanding of how these foods and components influence cancer will surely arise. Such information will be critical in the development of effective tailored strategies for reducing cancer burden. Just as important, however, is that as this information unfolds it is utilized within a responsible bioethical framework.
Fluorinated pyrimidines. XXXI. Mechanisms of inhibition of vaccinia virus replication in HeLa cells by pyrimidine nucleosides.

SummaryA comparative study of the effects of four pyrimidine nucleoside analogs on the replication of vaccinia virus in HeLa cell cultures was carried out. It was found that 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine and 5-trifluoromethyl-2′-deoxyuridine were potent irreversible inhibitors, with selective toxicity to the virus as compared with the cells. Cytosine arabinoside and 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine had no selective toxicity against the virus, and the inhibition produced by the latter compound was transient. When given simultaneously, thymidine reversed the inhibitory effects of 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, 5-trifluoromethyl-2′-deoxyuridine, and 5-iodo-2′-deoxyuridine; and deoxycytidine reversed the inhibition produced by cytosine arabinoside. If the infected cells were treated with the drugs for 1 day, washed, and normal metabolites added, complete virus production was rescued by thymidine in the case of 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine, partial rescue by deoxycytidine from cytosine arabinoside, but no rescue above the level of th...
Where Is Gender in Agenda Setting

Abstract Why do some issues surge to the forefront of our attention while others languish in obscurity? Feminist scholars have explored the emergence of issues such as rape, battering, no-fault divorce, pay equity, and other women's issues on the public agenda. Despite a burgeoning body of literature on feminist social movements within history, political science, and sociology over the last twenty-five years, scholars of agenda setting, public policy, and American politics more generally have largely ignored this work. Not surprisingly, this research cannot be simply added in to the dominant agenda setting theoretical paradigm; rather, the findings disrupt conventional understandings. This essay critiques two canonical works, Kingdon's Agendas, Alternatives and Public Policies(1995) and Baumgartner and Jones's Agendas and Instability in American Politics(1993), and discusses exemplary feminist research. It argues that if we want to know how norms change we need to broaden our scope beyond political elites...
Exploiting choice in resizable cache design to optimize deep-submicron processor energy-delay

Cache memories account for a significant fraction of a chip's overall energy dissipation. Recent research advocates using "resizable" caches to exploit cache requirement variability in applications to reduce cache size and eliminate energy dissipation in the cache's unused sections with minimal impact on performance. Current proposals for resizable caches fundamentally vary in two design aspects: (1) cache organization, where one organization, referred to as selective-ways, varies the cache's set-associativity, while the other, referred to as selective-sets, varies the number of cache sets, and (2) resizing strategy, where one proposal statically sets the cache size prior to an application's execution, while the other allows for dynamic resizing both within and across applications. In this paper, we compare and contrast, for the first time, the proposed design choices for resizable caches, and evaluate the effectiveness of cache resizings in reducing the overall energy-delay in deep-submicron processors. In addition, we propose a hybrid selective-sets-and-ways cache organization that always offers equal or better resizing granularity than both of previously proposed organizations. We also investigate the energy savings from resizing d-cache and i-cache together to characterize the interaction between d-cache and i-cache resizings.
A charge controller for linear operation of a piezoelectric stack actuator

This paper examines the position control problem of piezoelectric stack actuators and presents a method for overcoming the hysteresis nonlinearity between the applied voltage and the actuator displacement. An inverting charge control circuit is implemented to linearize the stack actuator movement by taking advantage of the linear relationship between charge and displacement. The charge control feedback loop is analyzed in detail. It incorporates an operational amplifier to provide high loop gain, a high-voltage amplifier (HVA) to drive the stack actuator, and a lead compensator to ensure stability. Experiments were conducted to compare the responses of the stack actuator under voltage and charge control. The experimental data show that the charge control provides linear actuator operation from 1 Hz-10 Hz over approximately 35% of the actuator operating range, and from 1 Hz-20 Hz over approximately 19% of the operating range.
Gap Detection for Genome-Scale Constraint-Based Models

Constraint-based metabolic models are currently the most comprehensive system-wide models of cellular metabolism. Several challenges arise when building an in silico constraint-based model of an organism that need to be addressed before flux balance analysis (FBA) can be applied for simulations. An algorithm called FBA-Gap is presented here that aids the construction of a working model based on plausible modifications to a given list of reactions that are known to occur in the organism. When applied to a working model, the algorithm gives a hypothesis concerning a minimal medium for sustaining the cell in culture. The utility of the algorithm is demonstrated in creating a new model organism and is applied to four existing working models for generating hypotheses about culture media. In modifying a partial metabolic reconstruction so that biomass may be produced using FBA, the proposed method is more efficient than a previously proposed method in that fewer new reactions are added to complete the model. The proposed method is also more accurate than other approaches in that only biologically plausible reactions and exchange reactions are used.
Composite structures for the enhancement of nonlinear optical materials

Calculations of the nonlinear optical behavior are developed for model composites consisting of nanospheres with a metallic core and a nonlinear shell suspended in a nonlinear medium. The concept for the enhancement of optical phase conjugation from all these nonlinear regions is that the optical field can be concentrated both inside and in the neighborhood of the metallic core, aided by surface-mediated plasmon resonance. Calculations for gold cores and aluminum cores indicate that phase-conjugate reflectivity enhancements of 10(8) may be possible.
Hyperspectral image segmentation using spatial-spectral graphs

Spectral graph theory has proven to be a useful tool in the analysis of high-dimensional data sets. Recall that, mathematically, a graph is a collection of objects (nodes) and connections between them (edges); a weighted graph additionally assigns numerical values (weights) to the edges. Graphs are represented by their adjacency whose elements are the weights between the nodes. Spectral graph theory uses the eigendecomposition of the adjacency matrix (or, more generally, the Laplacian of the graph) to derive information about the underlying graph. In this paper, we develop a spectral method based on the 'normalized cuts' algorithm to segment hyperspectral image data (HSI). In particular, we model an image as a weighted graph whose nodes are the image pixels, and edges defined as connecting spatial neighbors; the edge weights are given by a weighted combination of the spatial and spectral distances between nodes. We then use the Laplacian of the graph to recursively segment the image. The advantages of our approach are that, first, the graph structure naturally incorporates both the spatial and spectral information present in HSI; also, by using only spatial neighbors, the adjacency matrix is highly sparse; as a result, it is possible to apply our technique to much larger images than previous techniques. In the paper, we present the details of our algorithm, and include experimental results from a variety of hyperspectral images.
Crosslinking of extracellular matrix scaffolds derived from pluripotent stem cell aggregates modulates neural differentiation.

Abstract At various developmental stages, pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) and their progeny secrete a large amount of extracellular matrices (ECMs) which could interact with regulatory growth factors to modulate stem cell lineage commitment. ECMs derived from PSC can be used as unique scaffolds that provide broad signaling capacities to mediate cellular differentiation. However, the rapid degradation of ECMs can impact their applications as the scaffolds for in vitro cell expansion and in vivo transplantation. To address this issue, this study investigated the effects of crosslinking on the ECMs derived from embryonic stem cells (ESCs) and the regulatory capacity of the crosslinked ECMs on the proliferation and differentiation of reseeded ESC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs). To create different biological cues, undifferentiated aggregates, spontaneous embryoid bodies, and ESC-derived NPC aggregates were decellularized. The derived ECMs were crosslinked using genipin or glutaraldehyde to enhance the scaffold stability. ESC-derived NPC aggregates were reseeded on different ECM scaffolds and differential cellular compositions of neural progenitors, neurons, and glial cells were observed. The results indicate that ESC-derived ECM scaffolds affect neural differentiation through intrinsic biological cues and biophysical properties. These scaffolds have potential for in vitro cell culture and in vivo tissue regeneration study. Statement of significance Dynamic interactions of acellular extracellular matrices and stem cells are critical for lineage-specific commitment and tissue regeneration. Understanding the synergistic effects of biochemical, biological, and biophysical properties of acellular matrices would facilitate scaffold design and the functional regulation of stem cells. The present study assessed the influence of crosslinked embryonic stem cell-derived extracellular matrix on neural differentiation and revealed the synergistic interactions of various matrix properties. While embryonic stem cell-derived matrices have been assessed as tissue engineering scaffolds, the impact of crosslinking on the embryonic stem cell-derived matrices to modulate neural differentiation has not been studied. The results from this study provide novel knowledge on the interface of embryonic stem cell-derived extracellular matrix and neural aggregates. The findings reported in this manuscript are significant for stem cell differentiation toward the applications in stem cell-based drug screening, disease modeling, and cell therapies.
Risk Factors and Outcome of Varicella-Zoster Virus Pneumonia in Pregnant Women

To determine the factors associated with an increased risk of developing varicella-zoster virus (VZV) pneumonia during pregnancy, a case-control analysis was done in which 18 pregnant women with VZV pneumonia were compared with 72 matched control subjects. VZV infection was identified clinically, and VZV pneumonia was diagnosed by dyspnea and findings on chest radiographs. Of 347 pregnant women with VZV infection, 18 (5.2%) had pneumonia treated with acyclovir, and none died. Mean gestational age at rash onset was 25.8 plus minus 8.8 weeks for patients with pneumonia and 17.7 +/- 10.3 weeks for control subjects, which was not significant in the multivariable model. Women with VZV pneumonia were significantly more likely to be current smokers (odds ratio [OR], 5.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-16.7) and to have > or = 100 skin lesions (OR, 15.9; 95% CI, 1.9-130.2). Pregnant women with VZV infection may be more likely to develop varicella pneumonia if they are smokers or manifest > or = 100 skin lesions.
Water Masses in the Pacific in CCSM3

An examination of model water masses in the North Pacific Ocean is performed in the Community Climate System version 3 (CCSM3) and its ocean-only counterpart. While the surface properties of the ocean are well represented in both simulations, biases in thermocline and intermediate-water masses exist that point to errors in both ocean model physics and the atmospheric component of the coupled model. The lack of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) in both simulations as well as the overexpression of a too-fresh Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) is indicative of ocean model deficiencies. These properties reflect the difficulty of low-resolution ocean models to represent processes that control deep-water formation both in the Southern Ocean and in the Okhotsk Sea. In addition, as is typical of low-resolution ocean models, errors in the position of the Kuroshio, the North Pacific subtropical gyre western boundary current (WBC), impact the formation of the water masses that form the bulk of the thermocline as well as the properties of the NPIW. Biases that arise only in the coupled simulation include too-salty surface water in the subtropical North Pacific and too deep a thermocline, the source of which is the too-strong westerlies at midlatitudes. Biases in the location of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the southern Pacific convergence zone (SPCZ) lead to the opposite hemispheric asymmetry in water mass structure when compared to observations. The atmospheric component of the coupled model acts to compound most ocean model biases.
Mutations in ras oncogenes: rare events in ultraviolet B radiation-induced mouse skin tumorigenesis.

The activation of ras proto-oncogenes by point mutation in a broad spectrum of clinical malignancies and experimentally induced tumors suggests their critical role in cancer induction. To determine whether the activation of ras proto-oncogenes by point mutation also contributes to ultraviolet B radiation (UVB)-induced skin tumorigenesis and whether this event is responsible for the different tumorigenic potentials of UVB radiation in different mouse strains, we analyzed the skin tumors induced by UVB in SKH-1 hairless and C3H mice for specific mutations in the Ha-, Ki-, and N-ras oncogenes. With the same UVB irradiation protocol, the latency period for tumor appearance was longer in C3H mice than in SKH-1 hairless mice. In addition, tumor incidence and multiplicity were also significantly higher (P < 0.001, χ2 and Wilcoxon rank sum tests) in SKH-1 hairless mice compared with C3H mice. None of the 30 skin tumor specimens (15 from each mouse strain) analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of specific codons followed by dot-blot hybridization with specific probes contained mutation in codons 13 of Ha-ras; 12, 13, and 61 of Ki-ras; or 12 and 13 of N-ras. However, three of the 15 tumors in SKH-1 hairless mice showed either a G35 A or G35 T transition at second position of Ha-ras codon 12. Interestingly, one of these tumors (with a G35 A transition) also harbored an A182 G mutation at second position of Ha-ras codon 61. None of the tumors from C3H mice showed mutations in codons 12 or 61 of the Ha-ras oncogene. With regard to codon 61 of the N-ras oncogene, six tumors from SKH-1 hairless mice and 10 tumors from C3H mice showed an A183 T transversion. While G35 A or G35 T transition detected by PCR and dot-blot hybridization was confirmed by sequencing, the mutations identified similarly at codon 61 in either the Ha- or N-ras oncogenes could not be verified by sequencing of PCR-amplified products subcloned into plasmid vectors. With the exception of the low incidence of Ha-ras oncogene mutations at codon 12 in SKH-1 hairless mouse skin tumors induced by UVB, the striking absence of mutations in the Ha-, Ki-, and N-ras oncogenes in UVB-induced mouse skin tumors suggests that ras oncogene mutations are rare and thus are not an initiating event in photocarcinogenesis. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Who are the early adopters of new academic fields? Comparing four perspectives on the institutionalization of degree granting programs in US four-year colleges and Universities, 1970–2005

This paper investigates the characteristics of US colleges and universities that were early adopters of post-1970 academic growth fields. It examines hypotheses drawn from four analytical perspectives on sources of organizational change: organizational ecology, inter-institutional stratification, demographic composition, and historical traditions. Focusing on 20 “newly established” and “emerging” growth fields, we find strong support for density-dependence and organizational size as influences on early adoption for all fields, as well as support for institutional status variables as influences on the early adoption of new liberal arts and basic sciences fields.
On the Association of Sex and Violence In the Fantasy Production of College Students

This paper investigates whether there is an association between sexual imagery and violent imagery in stories produced in response to ambiguous Thematic Apperception Test stimuli. In addition, two commonsense assumptions about sex and violence are examined: (a) do men have more sexual imagery than women? and (b) assuming men are more aggressive than women, do they produce fantasies with more violent themes? Thematic Apperception Test protocols administered to 80 college students as part of a study conducted at Syracuse University in the late 1950s were examined using two scoring systems--one for sexual imagery and one for violent imagery. An association between sex and violence was found for men only. The conventional wisdom that all men ever think about is sex was undermined by the finding that men and women do not differ in the production of sexual imagery. In terms of production of violent imagery, men and women also do not differ. The fact that females are less aggressive than men is overt behavior may be a function of social and cultural forces which operate differentially on men and women.
IVHS: sensing the future of transportation

At the outset of the 1990s, leading transportation professionals and policy makers jointly determined that the future of transportation is necessarily one in which traffic operations will receive increasing attention, given imminent completion of the massive Interstate Highway System road construction program initiated four decades ago. For the foreseeable future, the focus increasingly will be on ensuring that existing facilities are operated safely and efficiently. As traffic continues to grow, with little increase in available road space, traffic problems are mounting. There is growing interest in electronic devices and systems that can sense traffic conditions in near real-time, communicate current traffic situations to highway facility and fleet operators, including public transit providers; convey travel planning information to travelers both in advance and during trips; enhance fleet dispatch and management capabilities; and enable `non-stop' toll, transit fare, and regulatory transactions. Collectively known as Intelligent Vehicle - Highway Systems (IVHS), these technologies are expected to dramatically alter the future of transportation, as well as create a market opportunity in excess of $200 billion over the next two decades.© (1995) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Paul Felix Lazarsfeld’s Impact on Sociological Methodology:

Paul Felix Lazarsfeld was a major figure in the development of modern empirical methods in sociology and the social sciences. He laid many of the foundations for social survey techniques and other ...
The aggregate production function and the measurement of technical change: ‘not even wrong’, by Jesus Felipe and John S.L. McCombie

The thesis of this book is startlingly simple – all empirical growth theory based on aggregate production functions (APF hereafter) is flawed because all estimates of parameters such as the elastic...
Health behavior and perceptions among African American women with metabolic syndrome

Background : Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of different risk factors (abdominal obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol) that predispose to the development of cardiovascular diseases. African American women (AAW) are easily predisposed to metabolic syndrome due to higher levels of insulin resistance. Various sociodemographic factors further contribute to higher prevalence. Aim : This study evaluates the current prevalence of metabolic syndrome in AAW and identifies the related sociodemographic risk factors. Methods : The study utilized 2007–11 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data sets from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The sample was divided into two groups: AAW with and without metabolic syndrome. Sociodemographic, physical examination, laboratory parameters, and health perceptions were compared between the two groups. Results : Out of the available sample of 30,442 individuals, 1918 (6.4%) met the inclusion criteria (AAW, age>20, non-pregnant women). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 47%. Older age, lower education level, low socioeconomic status, unmarried status, low physical activity level, and smoking were associated with higher prevalence of metabolic syndrome ( p< 0.001). The prevalence of borderline hypertension, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, and cardiovascular diseases was significantly higher in AAW with metabolic syndrome ( p< 0.001). Conclusion : In spite of the focus on prevention of cardiovascular risk factors and elimination of ethnic and gender disparities, metabolic syndrome is still widely prevalent in AAW and poses a threat to the goals of Healthy People 2020. Keywords: African American women; heath disparities; health education; risk factors; cardiovascular health (Published: 17 February 2016) Citation: Journal of Community Hospital Internal Medicine Perspectives 2016, 6 : 30559 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/jchimp.v6.30559