cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uncertainties in Forest Canopy Height Estimation From Polarimetric Interferometric SAR Data

The random volume over ground (RVoG) model has been widely applied to estimate forest tree height from polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometry (PolInSAR) data for the past two decades. Successful application of the RVoG model requires certain assumptions to be valid for the imaged forest and the acquisition scenarios in order to avoid large errors in height estimates. Quantification of errors and uncertainties of RVoG-estimated heights have typically been limited to comparison against external validation data, such as lidar or field measurements. In this paper, we present a straightforward approach to simultaneously estimate height and height uncertainty from PolInSAR data using a Bayesian framework that accounts for errors in the data, as well as errors due to incorrect RVoG modeling assumptions, such as those caused by temporal decorrelation effects and errors in ground phase estimation. We apply our method to synthetic data to study how forest height uncertainty depends on modeling assumptions and PolInSAR acquisition parameters. We also compare our estimated Bayesian uncertainties to PolInSAR-derived and lidar-derived height RMS deviations observed over Gabonese tropical forests during the joint NASA-ESA 2016 AfriSAR campaign. Our results show good correspondence between uncertainties and deviations, as well as a strong correlation between uncertainty and estimated tree height. Furthermore, we demonstrate that we can associate specific areas of high uncertainty to confounding effects, such as temporal decorrelation and noncanopy related scattering.
Many objective cooperative bat searching algorithm

Abstract In this paper, a many objective cooperative bat searching algorithm (MOCBA) is proposed to solve many-objective optimization problems by using the balanceable fitness estimation method. Similar to the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and the evolutionary algorithm (EA), the cooperative bat searching algorithm (CBA) is a recently developed swarm intelligence optimization algorithm to efficiently solve single-objective optimization problems. With the balanceable fitness estimation method, the MOCBA balances the diversity ability and convergence ability of the algorithm during searching process. Moreover, the convergence issue for MOCBA is also studied. The results on convergence in mean and convergence in probability of the MCOBA are presented. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed MOCBA by comparing with fourteen state-of-the-art many-objective optimization algorithms by solving benchmark functions: DTLZ1–DTLZ5 and WFG1–WFG9. By calculating the means, standard deviations and running the Wilcoxon rank sum tests and the Friedmans tests of 100 algorithm executions, the proposed MOCBA shows superior performance among all the fifteen algorithms.
'The Rich Get Richer and . . .' The Problem of Race and Inequality in the 1990s

President Hasselmo, Dean Schuh, Mrs. Wilkins, Dr. Hooks, out-of-town guests, distinguished visitors, colleagues and friends. Roy Wilkins devoted his life to the battle for human rights and so­cial justice. His vision of racial equality guided the NAACP's suc­cessful efforts to break down many of the most blatantly discriminatory barriers in American life. The movement towards racial equality through equality of opportunity for all peoples was not only a triumph for Roy Wilkins and the NAACP but for the American ideal of democracy.But yet, in this last decade of the twentieth century, the Amer­ican ideal of democracy is being challenged by the nagging question of race. Until the recent Los Angeles riots and brief spurts of ra­cial unrest elsewhere in the nation, the elimination of racial ine­quality in American life was not at the top of the political agenda. It still is not, but it has moved noticeably from the bottom of the long list of priorities that our public policymakers have set for mak­ing this a better world for all of us.At the beginning of the 1980s, many Americans thought of ra­cial inequality in the same terms as we now think of the threat of communism: It no longer exists. The ranks of corporate America apparently were swelling with articulate, well-trained African Americans, Hispanics, Asians and Native Americans. There were more black elected officials, for example, at the beginning of the 1980s than there had ever been in America's history. Racial ine­quality? "What's the problem?" seemed to be the response.The problem of race nags for reasons beyond the fact that it remains unresolved. In just the short span of the past several years the traditional mechanisms for reducing racial inequality -- prefer­ential hiring, affirmative action, set-asides, quotas -- have been struck down repeatedly in the courts. Meanwhile, many indicators of social and economic well-being of minority group members are on the downturn. Income gaps between black and white family heads are widening; the fraction of black families headed by females and the proportion of black children growing up in poverty soar; the non-white/white gap in infant mortality rates widens; prisons are bursting at the seams with increasing numbers of young black and hispanic males, many of whom have virtually made careers of such illegal pursuits as drug selling and weapon sales. All threaten to destroy the fabric of minority communities.
Are Nonpharmacologic Interventions for Chronic Low Back Pain More Cost Effective Than Usual Care? Proof of Concept Results From a Markov Model

Study Design.Markov model.Objective.Examine the 1-year effectiveness and cost-effectiveness (societal and payer perspectives) of adding nonpharmacologic interventions for chronic low back pain (CLBP) to usual care using a decision analytic model-based approach.Summary of Background Data.Treatment gu
Cardiovascular Regenerative Medicine: Challenges, Perspectives, and Future Directions

Cardiovascular regenerative medicine is an interdisciplinary field that utilizes the principles of engineering and life sciences to restore the structure and/or function of damaged or diseased heart. While current cardiovascular tissue and organ transplantation therapies suffer from scarce donor supply and various immune system complications [1], regenerative medicine approaches have enabled bypassing some of these obstacles and heal or replace tissues damaged by acquired or congenital disease [2, 3]. A broad range of regenerative strategies are currently being investigated in preclinical and clinical stages [3]. These methods can be classified to (a) the use of exogenous materials (e.g., scaffolds or cardiac patch systems [4]) and/or cells [5] to replace or salvage the damaged tissue structure and function and (b) leveraging the body’s endogenous regenerative mechanisms [6, 7], although adult human heart possesses markedly restricted regenerative capacity. In many cases, a combination of these mechanisms is involved in healing the damaged tissue (e.g., paracrine effects or inducing innate therapeutic responses by implanted patch or cells) [8].
Performance evaluation of regression splines for propensity score adjustment in post-market safety analysis with multiple treatments.

Observational studies provide a core resource in assessing post-market drug safety and effectiveness. Propensity scores are a predominant method for confounding adjustment to achieve unbiased estim...
Diffusion of water-saving irrigation innovations in Florida’s urban residential landscapes

Abstract This study examined adopter stages and perceptions associated with urban landscape water conservation innovations in Florida, U.S.A. We used the Diffusion of Innovations theory to identify the current adopter stage for each of 18 different water conservation innovations and evaluated the relationships between Floridians’ perceived characteristics of these innovations and their adoption. We also compared this relationship among the most innovative 10% to that among their less innovative counterparts. Compatibility, trialability, and relative advantage predicted adoption of water conservation innovations overall. When only the most innovative individuals were considered, complexity and observability predicted adoption, while the other three characteristics of innovations (relative advantage, compatibility, and trialability) predicted adoption among less innovative Floridians. The findings provide insight into residential outdoor water conservation and suggest opposite processes of diffusion of water-saving technologies at the earlier and later stages of adoption within a social system. Specifically, more innovative individuals need to perceive that new water-saving innovations are not overly complex and also need to have the opportunity to observe the innovation’s benefits. Less innovative individuals need to have an opportunity to try innovations and need to perceive them as being compatible as well as better than what they have used in the past. These different needs should be integrated into interventions that promote water conservation in residential landscapes.
Abstracts from the 2019 Annual Meeting of the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM) in New Delhi, India and a thank you to the 2019 peer reviewers of Substance Abuse

The journal Substance Abuse has a long history of collaboration with the International Society of Addiction Medicine (ISAM). The journal is thus proud of presenting selected abstracts from ...
Study of Titanium/Polyimide Interface in a Reducing Environment

The system investigated was Au/Cu/Ti/Polyimide. Heat treatment of these films in reducing ambient introduced a host of problems resulting in film failure. SIMS depth profiles were determined for samples annealed in hydrogen (an essential component of forming gas), at different concentrations and temperatures. It was observed that the hydrogen segregates at the diffusion barrier (Ti), and causes delamination under certain conditions. SIMS, Auger, XPS and X-ray diffraction techniques were used to characterize the interface and to locate the delamination plane in the metal/polymer system.
Dynamics of Newton Maps of Quadratic Polynomial Maps of ℝ2 into Itself

We study numerically the α- and ω-limits of the Newton maps of quadratic polynomial transformations of the plane into itself. Our results confirm the conjectures posed in a recent work about the ge...
The human microbiome and genitourinary malignancies

The human microbiome contains a vast network of understudied organisms that have an intimate role in our health and wellness. These microbiomes differ greatly between individuals, creating what may be thought of as a unique and dynamic microbial signature. Microbes have been shown to have various roles in metabolism, local and systemic inflammation, as well as immunity. Recent findings have confirmed the importance of both the gut and urinary microbiomes in genitourinary malignancies. Numerous studies have identified differences in microbial signatures between healthy patients and those with urologic malignancies. The microbiomes have been shown to contain microbes that may contribute to the etiology of disease state as well as yield information in regard to a person's health and their responsiveness to certain drugs such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Less well understood are the effects of antibiotics on oncologic outcomes in such treatment courses. This review will explore our current understanding and advancements in the field of microbiome research and discuss its intimate association with genitourinary diseases including bladder cancer, prostate cancer, and kidney cancer. With a better understanding of the association between the microbiome and genitourinary malignancy, further investigation may produce reliable predictors of disease, prognostic indicators as well as therapeutic targets.
Principles of Communications and Documenting

This chapter will discuss the various methods of communication available to the EMT as well as proper documentation of actions and findings during and after an EMS call.
Block Mobilenet: Align Large-Pose Faces with <1MB Model Size

3D face alignment methods based on deep models have become very popular due to their empirical success. However, high time and space complexities make these methods difficult to be applied to mobile devices and embedded devices. To decrease the time and space complexity, we propose a novel Depthwise Separable Block (DSB) which consists of a depthwise block and a pointwise block. The depthwise block is constructed by stacking depthwise convolution layers and concatenating the low layer, and the pointwise block has only pointwise convolution layers stacking together. Moreover, we develop a light-weight Block-Mobilenet by using our DSBs to reconstruct Mobilenet. It is worth noting that our Block-Mobilenet successfully reduces network parameters from MB to KB. Experiments on four popular datasets verify that Block Mobilenet has better overall performance (mean NME on 68 points: 3.81%; speed on CPU: 91 FPS; storage size: 876 KB) than the state-of-the-art methods.
A possible mechanism of hyperlipidemia in a patient with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer on lorlatinib therapy

IntroductionWe report the case of a woman who developed hyperlipidemia on lorlatinib therapy found to have minimal change disease. We review therapies for cancer known to alter the lipid profile, i...
Geography in Bret Harte’s “The Luck of Roaring Camp”

The cultural geography of Bret Harte’s mining camp fiction is complex. The Gold Rush occurred in the wake of the annexation of what would become the western United States following the conflict wit...
Microhardness as a Function of Process Parameters in Additively Manufactured Alloy 718

Mechanical properties can be linked to various material features including defects and microstructure, which are demonstratively different between additively manufactured (AM) and traditionally manufactured alloys. Vicker’s hardness (HV) testing can be correlated with various mechanical properties such as strength and wear resistance. In this work, the relationship between HV and laser powder bed fusion AM process parameters was explored for nickel-based superalloy 718 using machine learning regression methods. Additionally, HV measurements were taken spatially across the samples and examined for the extent and location of variation in each sample. Materials characterization was used to observe microstructure differences for discussion of HV variation with respect to material morphology and niobium microsegregation which is then related to thermal changes because of processing parameter modifications. The results from this work can be used to continue to understand the processing–structure–properties relationship and to explain within sample variation for improved mechanical properties in AM.
Screened Out: Recruiter Evaluations of Job Applicants with Prior Entrepreneurial Experience

A great deal of research on entrepreneurial exit focuses on the potential challenges that entrepreneurs may face when launching a new venture, but very little is known about those who choose to ree...
Recombination and Mutation in the H-2 Complex

Consider two inbred strains, A and B, and their respective haplotypes, H-2 a coding for antigens H-2.23 and 4, and H-2 b coding for antigens H-2.33 and 2. A single backcross $$ \frac{H-{{2}^{a}}}{H-{{2}^{b}}}\times \frac{H-{{2}^{b}}}{H-{{2}^{b}}} $$ should produce two classes of offspring, H-2 a |H-2 b and H-2 b |H-2 b , distinguishable by typing with anti-H-2.23 and anti-H-2.4 antisera. Animals in the former class should react positively with the two antisera, those in the latter class should react negatively. An overwhelming majority of the backcross animals will, indeed, follow these expectations, but approximately one out of each 300 tested mice will be exceptional; it will type positively with one antiserum but negatively with the other, and thus will behave as if it had lost one of the two antigens. If it can be shown by breeding the exceptional mouse that the loss of the antigen persists in the next generation, it may be concluded that a genetic change has occurred. A progeny test with the exceptional animal will usually show that the loss of an antigen has been accompanied by a gain of an antigen(s) from the second H-2 haplotype of the heterozygote. For example, if the exceptional mouse types is + 23, —4, a progeny test will show that the haplotype that lost the H-2.4 determinant gained the H-2.2 determinant from the H-2 b haplotype, making the phenotype +23, +2.
Theory of galactic nuclei

This paper reviews current ideas about the possible constituents of galactic nuclei, and the mechanisms for ejecting gas and massive objects.
Osteomyelitis in diabetic foot ulcers : Prompt diagnosis can avert amputation

PREVIEWOsteomyelitis is a prevalent sequela of diabetic foot ulcers. The timing of its diagnosis and treatment is crucial if the diabetic patient is to avoid amputation later. However, detection of this condition can be difficult in the primary care setting. Information gained by physical examination and sequential imaging methods is central to identification of osteomyelitis in its beginning stages. Here, Drs Schinabeck and Johnson review the clinical, laboratory, and radiologic findings critical to making an early diagnosis of osteomyelitis.
A Discussion of Jack Drescher's “Handle with Care: The Psychoanalysis of a Touchy Case”

The author discusses Jack Drescher's paper “The Psychoanalysis of a Touchy Case.” The discussion takes up issues related to Drescher's patient's symptoms, his long-term relationship, and his developmental history as a gay man. This discussion focuses not only on the nature of the patient's problems, but also draws attention to the helpful clinical ways in which Drescher approached his patient, and the way in which Drescher's approach differed from the patient's earlier encounters with other therapists.
Dynamical implications of prescribing part of a coupled system: Results from a low-order model

It is a common procedure in climate modelling to specify dynamical system components from an external source; a prominent example is the forcing of an atmospheric model with observed sea surface temperatures. In this paper, we examine the dynamics of such forced models using a simple prototype climate system. A particular fully coupled run of the model is designated the "true" solution, and an ensemble of perturbed initial states is generated by adding small errors to the "true" initial state. The perturbed ensemble is then integrated for the same period as the true solution, using both the fully-coupled model and a model in which the ocean is prescribed exactly from the true solution at every time step. Although the prescribed forcing is error-free, the forced-atmosphere ensemble is shown to converge to spurious solutions. Statistical tests show that neither the time-mean state nor the variability of the forced ensemble is consistent with the fully-coupled system. A stability analysis reveals the source of the inconsistency, and suggests that such behaviour may be a more general feature of models with prescribed subsystems. Possible implications for model validation and predictability are discussed.
Intended Responses to Rape as Functions of Attitudes, Attributions of Fault, and Emotions

We explore how attitudes, attributions of fault, and emotions are related to female and male college students’ intended responses to rape. Unlike past work which has examined these factors individually, we study them simultaneously to better understand how they co-occur in the real world. One hundred and five female and 74 male U.S. students from a university in New England read a short description of a female college student’s experience of rape and answered questions about their reactions. Results demonstrate that female participants reported higher attitudes towards feminism, lower rape myth acceptance attitudes, higher attributions of fault to society for the rape, and higher feelings of anger and fear in response to the rape than male participants. Further, gender, attitudes towards feminism, rape myth acceptance attitudes, attributions of fault to society, and fear emerged as predictors of desire to engage in anti-rape collective action. In contrast, gender, rape myth acceptance attitudes, attributions of fault to the male perpetrator, and anger emerged as predictors of reported likelihood of helping the survivor of rape. Results suggest that although female college students are more likely to intend to engage in anti-rape collective action and help survivors of rape, the processes whereby attitudes, attributions of fault, and emotions relate to intended responses to rape are largely similar for female and male college students.
Calcareous Nannoplankton Biostratigraphy and Paleoecology in Oligo-Miocene of California: ABSTRACT

Calcareous nannoplankton are abundant in some rocks assigned to the California microfaunal stages. Most species are stratigraphically long ranging, although some have restricted stratigraphic ranges in low-latitude tropical regions. These species permit partial correlation of the California stages with the widely recognized plankton biostratigraphic zones of the tropics. The upper Zemorrian is correlative with the Sphenolithus distentus through the lower Triquetrorhabdulus carinatus (NP 24-NN1) zones (upper Oligocene) the Saucesian with the upper T. carinatus through the lower Helicopontosphaera ampliaperta (NN1-4) zones (lower Miocene), the Relizian with the upper H. ampliaperta through the lower S. heteromorphus (NN4-5) zones (lower-middle Miocene), the Luisian with the upper S. heteromorphus through Discoaster kugleri (NN5-7) zones (middle Miocene), and the Mohnian with the Catinaster coalitus through D. calcaris (NN8-10) zones (middle-upper Miocene). The species diversity of nannofossils in the California Oligocene-Miocene rocks is low. Like the planktonic Foraminifera from the same rocks, the nannofossils are analogous to species now living in the modern transitional water mass off California. There are no elaborate species as in the tropics and the floras tend to be dominated by single species (i.e., Coccolithus). These observations indicate that California was under the influence of a current flowing southward, with velocities nearly that of the modern California Current. The dominance of the assemblages by a single species, as well as other evidence from the rocks, indicates that upwelling was likely as important during the Miocene as it is today. End_of_Article - Last_Page 436------------
Strain profile of a propagating lüders front

Abstract The strain profile of propagating Luders band fronts has been determined in mild steel having a 4.5 × 10 −3 inch grain size. Real time differentiation of the clip gauge signal as the propagating front passes under the gauge point is used to determine the strain distribution. Profiles were determined for nominal front velocities in the range of 0.025 to 1.5 in./min. The band front velocity is shown to depend on the effective stress and is fitted to the equation V B = K ( σ - σ 0 ) m with m = 3.34 at room temperature. The application of this experimental technique is fully explained. The strain profiles presented clearly show that (1) significant amounts of plastic deformation occur immediately behind the propagating front, and (2) the effective band width decreases with decreasing propagation velocity within the range of velocities studied.
The electro reduction of nitric oxide on bulk platinum in acid solutions

Abstract The electroreduction of nitric oxide on smooth platinum in aqueous perchloric and sulfuric acid solutions has been studied using linear potential sweep and rotating disc electrode techniques. Three peaks were observed with linear sweep voltammetry. The first is a well-resolved peak at E = 0.25 V vs sce . Analysis yields a Tafel slope of approximately 0.110 V which is independent of acid concentration and a pseudo-first order rate constant that varies linearly with hydrogen ion activity. The second order rate constant was found to be k ° = 0.43 cm 4 mol −1 s −1 . Discrepancies between these values and previously reported literature values are explained in terms of an electrode reduction pretreatment in situ and the state of the platinum surface. A second peak at 0.1 V vs sce is not well resolved, but evidence is presented suggesting that this peak is related to nitrogen formation at a zero oxidation state on a reduced electrode. A third peak at −0.1 V vs sce appears to be a mixed diffusion-adsorption peak associated mainly with ammonia synthesis. The rotating disc electrode experiments support these conclusions. Both techniques produce evidence of kinetic complications in the first step of the electrochemical reduction and these are discussed in terms of solution chemistry and the surface state (pretreatment history) of the electrode.
Turning Anomie on its Head: Fatalism as Durkheim's Concealed and Multidimensional Alienation Theory*

Durkheim's underdeveloped notion of fatalism is the keystone for a bridge between two conceptual categories central to Marxian and Durkheimian theory: alienation and anomie. Durkheim does not neces...
Epitope mapping of human monoclonal antibodies recognizing conformational epitopes within HTLV type 1 gp46, employing HTLV type 1/2 envelope chimeras.

The majority of the antibody response to HTLV-1 surface glycoprotein, gp46, is directed at conformational epitopes. However, the regions of HTLV-1 gp46 that contain conformational epitopes are poorly defined. We previously reported on human monoclonal antibodies (hMAbs) to conformational epitopes within the HTLV-1 surface glycoprotein (gp46) that inhibit HTLV-1-mediated syncytium formation (Hadlock KG, Rowe J, Perkins S, et al.: J Virol 1997;71:5828-5840). To localize the conformational epitopes recognized by these antibodies, chimeric envelope proteins were constructed in which selected regions of the HTLV-1 envelope were replaced with the corresponding sequences from other members of the HTLV family of retroviruses. The chimeras were tested for reactivity with three hMAbs to conformational epitopes in HTLV-1 gp46, PRH-7A, PRH-3, and PRH-4, and one hMAb to a linear epitope, 0.5α. hMAb PRH-3 was specifically nonreactive with a chimera that replaced amino acids 32-36 of HTLV-1 gp46 and exhibited sharply re...
Characteristics of tolerance in the guinea pig ileum produced by chronic in vivo exposure to opioid versus cannabinoid agonists.

Few studies have compared the nature of tolerance that develops following chronic opioid treatment with that which develops after chronic cannabinoid exposure in the same tissue and species. The degree and character of tolerance induced by 7 twice daily injections of morphine or 5 daily injections of the cannabinoid receptor agonist, WIN-55,212-2, was examined by comparing the ability of DAMGO, 2-chloroadenosine (CADO) and WIN-55,212-2 to inhibit neurogenic contractions of the longitudinal muscle/myenteric plexus preparation (LM/MP) and the ability of nicotine to elicit contractions in the LM/MP. Chronic morphine treatment resulted in subsensitivity to all inhibitory agonists (rightward shift in IC50 values of 4–5-fold) and an increased responsiveness to the excitatory effect of nicotine while chronic WIN-55,212-2 exposure resulted in subsensitivity only to WIN-55,212-2 and a reduction in maximum response to both WIN-55,212-2 and DAMGO but no change in responsiveness to CADO. Chronic WIN-55,212-2 treatment significantly reduced CB1 but not MOR receptor protein abundance while chronic morphine treatment did not change either. Assessment of the distribution of MOR and CB1 receptors in myenteric neurons revealed distinct individual receptor expression as well as co-localization which was unaffected by either cannabinoid or opioid treatment. Thus, in contrast to the heterologous tolerance that develops after opioid treatment, tolerance in the LM/MP following chronic in vivo WIN-55,212-2 exposure appears to be homologous in character and is accompanied by a selective decrease in CB1 receptor protein abundance. The data suggest that the cellular basis of tolerance differs between the two systems.
Entrepreneurship and Spirituality: A Comparative Analysis of Entrepreneurs’ Motivation

Abstract This article discusses a research study conducted to explore the relationship between entrepreneurs’ values, definitions of success, economic stability, demographic characteristics, and their joy at work through three stated hypotheses. For the study, we used a convenience sample of 280 entrepreneurs who responded to a 17-question survey. Utilizing the respondents’ definition of success, we found two different groups of entrepreneurs: one that was labeled ‘Cash is King’—defining success in relation to financial goals—and another that was labeled ‘Make me Whole’—defining success in relation to their own (Jungian) individuation process. The results of the study showed significant differences between the groups based on their values, behaviors and their experiences of joy at work. However, we found no significant differences between the groups relating to various demographic variables. In addition, there was no difference between the groups based on their economic stability, even though the ‘Cash is...
Infrared four-wave-mixing interferometry

Abstract In order to study a new nonparametric four-wave-mixing process with infrared resonances, we use the Raman resonance of another component in the mixture to create an interference pattern. This allows us to measure the vibrational nonlinearity.
An object oriented implementation of a front tracking finite element method for directional solidification processes

This paper focuses on the numerical simulation of phase-change processes using a moving nite element technique. In particular, directional solidi cation and melting processes for pure materials and binary alloys are studied. The melt is modelled as a Boussinesq uid and the transient Navier–Stokes equations are solved simultaneously with the transient heat and mass transport equations as well as the Stefan condition. The various streamline-upwind=Petrov–Galerkin-based FEM simulators developed for the heat, ow and mass transport subproblems are reviewed. The use of classes, virtual functions and smart pointers to represent and link the particular simulators in order to model a phase change process is discussed. The freezing front is modelled using a spline interpolation, while the mesh motion is de ned from the freezing front motion using a trans nite mapping technique. Various twoand three-dimensional numerical tests are analysed and discussed to demonstrate the e ciency of the proposed techniques. Copyright ? 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stroke education needs of African American women.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of African American women about stroke and examine their health information seeking practices outside of medical encounters. Design and Sample An exploratory-descriptive qualitative study was conducted with 48 women of age 35 years and older recruited from four Black churches. Measures Data were collected during focus groups and analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Results Most of what participants knew about stroke came from interaction with family members or acquaintances that had strokes rather than stroke campaigns or health providers. There was confusion about the multiple symptoms of stroke, and information about stroke symptoms may not provide meaningful symptom representations. Information about breast cancer was more readily available than information about stroke. The internet, other women, and television programs were main source of health information outside of medical encounters. There was uncertainty how to assess the trustworthiness of internet health sites. Conclusions The results suggest that culturally sensitive stroke education for African American women should include stories of women with stroke and provide experiential and visual depictions of stroke warning signs. Group forums, television, and web-based education may be acceptable ways to communicate stroke information to African American women.
A functional speech impression used to fabricate a maxillary speech prosthesis for a partial glossectomy patient

Surgery for cancer of the floor of the mouth often results in alteration of the muscles of the tongue and floor of the mouth. Both primary and secondary surgical procedures often result in scar formation with reduced mobility of the tongue during speech and deglutition. Speech is often used as a diagnostic tool in the placement of the anterior teeth during fabrication of a prosthesis. Speech can similarly be used to help determine the proper placement of a speech portion of the prosthesis. The prosthetic rehabilitation approach described lowers the palatal vault with a false palate to enable the tongue to function against it during speech (Fig. 15). Group studies have shown that the design and fabrication of speech prostheses for partial glossectomy patients have significantly improved speech and swallowing for these patients. A speech pathologist is helpful during diagnosis, and speech therapy is necessary for significant speech improvement. Prosthetic rehabilitation alone cannot be expected to improve speech.
α-Adrenergic receptor agonists, but not antagonists, alter the tail-flick latency when microinjected into the rostral ventromedial medulla of the lightly anesthetized rat

The present experiments, part of an ongoing study designed to characterise the role norepinephrine (NE) in regulating the activity of putative nociceptive modulatory neurons in the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM), assessed the effects of α-adrenergic receptor-selective agents on the nociceptive threshold (as measured by the tail-flick withdrawal response on noxious heat). These microinjection studies were carried out in the barbiturate-anesthetized rat, a preparation which is favourable for acute neurophysiological studies. The data obtained demonstrate that, as observed by others in the awake animal, activation ofα2-adrenergic receptors in the RVM produces hypoalgesia. However, unlike in the awake animal, when antagonists selective for either theα1- orα2-adrenergic receptor are microinjected alone into the RVM there is no change in the nociceptive threshold. These data suggest that theα2-adrenergic receptor has a postsynaptic location and that barbiturate anaesthesia suppresses a tonically active or noxious stimulus-activated noradrenergic input to the RVM that is present in the awake animal.
Nonunitary quantum walks on hypercycles

We present analytical treatment of quantum walks on multidimensional hypercycle graphs. We derive the analytical expression of the probability distribution for strong and weak decoherence regimes. Upper bound to mixing time is obtained.
Morphological and physiological properties of non-striated muscle from the tunicate, Ciona intestinalis: Parallels with vertebrate skeletal muscle

Abstract Non-striated muscle from the longitudinal body wall muscle in an adult ascidian (tunicate) is characterized morphologically and physiologically. These muscles are unique among chordate non-striated (i.e. ‘smooth’) muscles in that they are composed of discrete bundles of several small diameter (4–10 μm) muscle cells (fibers) arranged in parallel functional units. Each bundle is wrapped by a basal lamina, and at least some appear to be directly innervated at a neuromuscular junction similar to an end plate. In these regards, a bundle of Ciona smooth muscle cells is analogous to a skeletal muscle fiber of a vertebrate. This analogy also extends to physiological properties. Ciona muscle generates a rapid all-or-none Ca action potential which gives rise to a brisk twitch with brief latency. These anatomical and physiological adaptations are discussed in terms of the evolution of vertebrate skeletal muscle.
Corner cube model for internal metrology system of Space Interferometer Mission (SIM)

A corner cube (CC) articulation model has been developed to evaluate the SIM internal metrology (IntMet) optical delay bias (with the accuracy of picometer) due to the component imperfections, such as vertex offset, reflection coating index error, dihedral error, and surface figure error at each facet. This physics-based and MATLAB-implemented geometric optics model provides useful guidance on the flight system design, integration, and characterization. The first portion of this paper covers the CC model details. Then several feature of the model, such as metrology beam footprint visualization, roofline straddling/crossing analysis, and application to drive the sub-system design and the error budget flow-down, are demonstrated in the second part.
Assessment of a linear pyroelectric array sensor for profile classification

This paper describes the development of linear pyroelectric array systems for classification of human, animal, and vehicle targets. The pyroelectric array is simulated to produce binary profiles of targets. The profiles are classified based on height to width ratio using Naive Bayesian classifiers. Profile widths of targets can vary due to the speed of the target. Target speeds were calculated using two techniques; two array columns, and a tilted array. The profile width was modified by the calculated speeds to show an improvement in classification results.
Automatic time step control algorithms for structural dynamics

Abstract An adaptive time step size control strategy is presented for use with step-by-step time integration methods to solve structural dynamics problems. A simple and efficient local error estimate is derived for the newly developed generalized-α time integration method. By judicious choice of normalization, the local error estimate is related to a user-specified tolerance of desired number of time steps per period of effective system response frequency. Step size control algorithms are given that control the undesirable, frequent changes in time step size. Numerical results are presented that demonstrate the performance of the local error estimate and the time step size control strategy.
Uncertainty in Poisson event counts and exposure time in rate estimation

In quantifying a plant-specific Poisson event occurrence rate λ in Probabilistic Risk Assessment, it is sometimes the case that either the corresponding Poisson exposure time t or the observed number of events x (or both) are uncertain. We present several methods which account for uncertainties in both x and t when using Bayesian methods to estimate λ . A gamma prior distribution on λ is considered. While the methods formally require numerical integration, a computationally convenient approximation is provided to implement them in practice. A numerical example concerning the rate of failure to operate of the high pressure coolant injection system of commercial boiling water reactors is used to illustrate the methods.
Furosemide Use in Premature Infants and Appearance of Patent Ductus Arteriosus

• Furosemide is a known stimulant of the renal release of prostaglandin E 2 , a potent dilator of the ductus arteriosus. A possible relationship between furosemide use in infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and the incidence of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) was investigated using two different retrospective analyses. The amount of furosemide administered prior to the day a murmur was heard in the infants with PDA was higher than the amount given to patients without PDA during the same period. In a historical analysis of patients treated for RDS in the years 1970 through 1979, furosemide use and fluid intake appeared to be independent factors contributing to the incidence of PDA. The proposed relationship between furosemide use and the occurrence of PDA in patients with RDS warrants further study. ( Am J Dis Child 1981;135:239-243)
The relative efficiency of method of moments estimators

Abstract The asymptotic relative efficiency of efficient method of moments when implemented with a seminonparametric auxiliary model is compared to that of conventional method of moments when implemented with polynomial moment functions. Because the expectations required by these estimators can be computed by simulation, these two methods are commonly used to estimate the parameters of nonlinear latent variables models. The comparison is for the models in the Marron–Wand test suite, a scale mixture of normals, and the second largest order statistic of the lognormal distribution. The latter models are representative of financial market data and auction data, respectively, which are the two most common applications of simulation estimators. Efficient method of moments dominates conventional method of moments over these models.
Overexpression of Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL prevents spiral ganglion neuron death and inhibits neurite growth.

Spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) provide afferent innervation to the cochlea and rely on contact with hair cells (HCs) for their survival. Following deafferentation due to hair cell loss, SGNs gradually die. In a rat culture model, we explored the ability of prosurvival members of the Bcl-2 family of proteins to support the survival and neurite outgrowth of SGNs. We found that overexpression of either Bcl-2 or Bcl-xL significantly increases SGN survival in the absence of neurotrophic factors, establishing that the Bcl-2 pathway is sufficient for SGN cell survival and that SGN deprived of trophic support die by an apoptotic mechanism. However, in contrast to observations in central neurons and PC12 cells where Bcl-2 appears to promote neurite growth, both Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL overexpression dramatically inhibit neurite outgrowth in SGNs. This inhibition of neurite growth by Bcl-2 occurs in nearly all SGNs even in the presence of multiple neurotrophic factors implying that Bcl-2 directly inhibits neurite growth rather than simply rescuing a subpopulation of neurons incapable of extending neurites without additional stimuli. Thus, although overexpression of prosurvival members of the Bcl-2 family prevents SGN loss following trophic factor deprivation, the inhibition of neurite growth by these molecules may limit their efficacy for support of auditory nerve maintenance or regeneration following hair cell loss. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007
Power law approximations for radioactive decay chains

Consider a radioactive decay chain X 1 ? ? ? X n ? and let N n ( t ) be the amount of X n at time t. This paper establishes error bounds for small and intermediate time approximations to N n ( t ) including the power-law approximation N n ( t ) ? Ct m - 1 for ? m + 1 < < t < < ? m where ? j is the jth largest half-life. The approximations shed light on the qualitative behavior of N n ( t ) and are useful for reducing the roundoff error when computing N n ( t ) for small t which is a problem with the usual formula. The error bounds allow one to find the range of t for which these approximations can be used with a given degree of precision.
Converged variational quantum scattering results for the three-dimensional F+HD reaction

Abstract The log derivative version of the Kohn variational principle is used to calculate J=0 reaction probabilities and state-to-state time delays for the F+HD reaction, on the T5A potential energy surface, in the total energy range Etot=0.236 to 0.350 eV. While the computed reaction probabilities to H+DF are comparatively bland, those to D+HF show considerable resonant structure as a function of the scattering energy. For example, the computed state-to-state time delays for the predominant HF(v′=2) resonance et Etot=0.2575 eV imply the existence of a metastable collision complex with a half-life of about 0.1 ps. These results are discussed in the light of the high-resolution molecular beam experiments of Lee and coworkers and the bending corrected rotating linear model calculations of Hayes and Walker.
Fluid models of single-particle kinematics

A family of trajectories of a single particle, parameterized by initial velocities on some space-like hypersurface, is somewhat analogous to streamline fluid flow. This model is applied to electromagnetism and gravity by introducing velocity and displacement fields. The resulting kinetic field equations are of simpler form than the original equations of motion, and have certain advantages for solution. The gravitational kinetic field equation is, in fact, linear. Some simple solutions are given for illustration.
Light-induced reduction in cyclic GMP of retinal photoreceptor cells in vivo: abnormalities in the degenerative diseases of RCS rats and rd mice.

— The effect of light on the content of cyclic GMP in degenerative retinae of Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) rats and rd mice was compared with that in control retinae during postnatal maturation. In vivo, the cyclic GMP content of retinae of control rats or mice is light-dependent after photoreceptor outer segments develop. Mature retinae of control animals have high levels of cyclic GMP in the dark which are reduced 40–50% upon illumination. In the rd mouse disorder, a light-induced reduction in cyclic GMP content is observed while the rod outer segments are morphologically intact. The rd photoreceptor cells possess a phosphodiesterase which, when stabilized by freeze-drying, has a Km similar to that of control photoreceptors, and an apparent Vmax that is below normal. It is suggested that developing rd visual cells have an abnormality in cyclic GMP metabolism which results in the accumulation of cyclic GMP within the entire cell but which does not prevent the light-mediated reduction of cyclic GMP in their outer segment organelles. In the RCS dystrophy, a light-induced reduction in cyclic GMP content is observed also during the period when photoreceptor outer segments are present. The cyclic GMP content of dark- or light-adapted RCS retinae is below that of the respective controls. Biochemical and morphological observations show that cyclic GMP levels increase in rd visual cells and that they are reduced in photoreceptor cells of RCS retina before the onset of visual cell degeneration. Until detailed knowledge of the role of cyclic GMP in the visual cells is known, it is suggested that high or low levels of cyclic GMP in rd and RCS photoreceptors, respectively, result from differences in the etiology or histopathology of the mouse and rat diseases.
An electroconductivity technique for the measurement of axial variation of holdups in three-phase fluidized beds

An electroconductivity technique is described which can be used not only for determining the overall phase holdups in a three-phase fluidized bed, but, more importantly, it can also be used for determining the local holdups as a function of height in the column. One disadvantage of the technique is that it can only be applied to systems with electroconductive liquids. However, since most real or prototype systems use either water or can be simulated with a fluid that can readily be made electroconductive, this handicap does not seem to be too severe. The technique has been applied successfully to a number of systems, including porous alumina beads, if a correction is made for their internal porosity. It has shown the existence of the transition region as the bed goes from a three-phase to a two-phase system. Further work should result in correlations for the distribution of the three phases throughout the entire column. These predictive equations will help in the rational design of reactors in which local conditions throughout the bed must be considered.
Automatic In Situ Identification of Plankton

Earth's oceans are a soup of living micro-organisms known as plankton. As the foundation of the food chain for marine life, plankton are also an integral component of the global carbon cycle which regulates the planet's temperature. In this paper, we present a technique for automatic identification of plankton using a variety of features and classification methods including ensembles. The images were obtained in situ by an instrument known as the flow cytometer and microscope (FlowCAM), that detects particles from a stream of water siphoned directly from the ocean. The images are of necessity of limited resolution, making their identification a rather difficult challenge. We expect that upon completion, our system will become a useful tool for marine biologists to assess the health of the world's oceans.