cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A method for including mesoscale and synoptic-scale information in scatterometer wind retrievals

[1] A method for improving scatterometer wind retrievals based on the mesoscale and synoptic‐scale structure of the flow field is presented and evaluated. The large‐scale structure of the flow is inferred from the sea‐level pressure (SLP) field derived from the scatterometer winds using a planetary boundary layer model. The wind vectors derived from this SLP field can be used to either (1) inform the ambiguity selection, (2) correct the direction of the scatterometer wind vectors, in all cases or above a certain threshold, or (3) replace the scatterometer winds. The methodology is demonstrated with QuikSCAT (QS) scatterometer wind vectors. The new wind vector set is evaluated statistically by comparison with buoy measurements, with numerical weather prediction model analyses, and by spectral analysis. It is found that the new wind vectors are particularly valuable at nadir and in rain‐contaminated areas, and that their spectral behavior is closer to a power law than are the uncorrected QS winds.
Socially Responsible Funds and Market Crises

Compared to conventional mutual funds, socially responsible mutual funds outperform during periods of market crisis. This dampening of downside risk comes at the cost of under performing during non-crisis periods. Investors with Prospect Theory utility functions would value the skewness of these returns. This asymmetric return pattern is driven by the mutual funds that focus on environmental, social, or governance (ESG) attributes and is especially pronounced in ESG funds that use positive screening techniques. Furthermore, the observed patterns are attributed to the socially responsible attributes and not the differences in fund management or the characteristics of the companies in fund portfolios.
Computer analysis of the surface EMG during isometric exercise.

Abstract A computer program is described which can provide either on-line or off-line analysis of the surface electromyogram (EMG) in man during submaximal isometric contractions. The intention of the program was to quantify the tension developed by, and the degree of fatigue induced in muscle during this form of exertion from the surface EMG. Six male and female volunteers served as subjects to test the program by exerting brief isometric contractions of their handgrip muscles at tensions ranging from 3 to 100% of their maximum strength and fatiguing isometric contractions at tensions ranging between 20 and 95% of their maximum strength. The results of these experiments showed that the program was able to estimate the tension developed by muscle within an average of 2.4% of the subject's maximum strength and estimate the duration of fatigue contractions within an average of 3.5% of the actual recorded endurance. The applications of this form of analysis to work physiology are discussed.
Understanding current causes of women’s underrepresentation in science

Explanations for women's underrepresentation in math-intensive fields of science often focus on sex discrimination in grant and manuscript reviewing, interviewing, and hiring. Claims that women scientists suffer discrimination in these arenas rest on a set of studies undergirding policies and programs aimed at remediation. More recent and robust empiricism, however, fails to support assertions of discrimination in these domains. To better understand women's underrepresentation in math-intensive fields and its causes, we reprise claims of discrimination and their evidentiary bases. Based on a review of the past 20 y of data, we suggest that some of these claims are no longer valid and, if uncritically accepted as current causes of women's lack of progress, can delay or prevent understanding of contemporary determinants of women's underrepresentation. We conclude that differential gendered outcomes in the real world result from differences in resources attributable to choices, whether free or constrained, and that such choices could be influenced and better informed through education if resources were so directed. Thus, the ongoing focus on sex discrimination in reviewing, interviewing, and hiring represents costly, misplaced effort: Society is engaged in the present in solving problems of the past, rather than in addressing meaningful limitations deterring women's participation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics careers today. Addressing today's causes of underrepresentation requires focusing on education and policy changes that will make institutions responsive to differing biological realities of the sexes. Finally, we suggest potential avenues of intervention to increase gender fairness that accord with current, as opposed to historical, findings.
HOMESCHOOLING IN KANSAS: A FURTHER EXPLORATORY STUDY '

Summary.-In a previous exploratory study of homeschooling in Kansas by McGraw, Bergen, and Schumm (1993), it was observed that homeschooling families had large numbers of children (M = 3.8). Based on a list of homeschooling families from a community homeschooling organization within the state of Kansas, homeschooling families had a large number of children (M = 3.5) and were associated with a variety of Protestant denominations. It appears thar perceptions of homeschooling as a threat to public education are probably misplaced as the over-all percentage of children being homeschooled in Kansas relative to those in public and private schools probably does not exceed two percent. However, homeschooling may represent a less financially expensive alternative to private schooling for large families and may compete more directly with religious private schools than with public schools.
Temporary Construction Lighting of Buildings: An Evaluation of Four Techniques, Both Qualitative and Quantitative

Contractors and owners use various techniques to provide temporary lighting for buildings under construction. The purpose of the temporary lighting is to give workers a safe and productive environment in which to work. OSHA sets minimum standards for the quantity of light needed for safety, but studies have shown that many construction sites do not meet minimum lighting requirements. OSHA sets minimum standards but does not provide guidance on how to achieve those standards. The following work looks at four common lighting systems and evaluates their effectiveness in meeting the OSHA standards. A vacant warehouse was chosen for the lighting study to simulate a construction site and to eliminate variables other than the lighting system. The results of the tests showed the positive and negative aspects of all four systems, both quantitatively and qualitatively. A cost comparison was made to compare the installation, maintenance, and energy cost for each system. Project managers can use the information to cr...
Lack of nephrotoxicity of dimethyl sulfoxide in man and laboratory animals.

Abstract : Intravenous DMSO has been undergoing extensive clinical testing in the treatment of cerebral edema and other neurological disorders. During early therapeutic usage of 1 mg/kg as 10-40% solutions, intravascular hemolysis and hemoglobinuria were noted during the drug infusions. Since these processes have potential adverse effects on renal function, patients receiving this drug had careful observation of renal function before and after such infusions. In addition, the effects of similar doses of DMSO on a weight basis were assessed in Sprague-Dawley rats. Finally DMSO was superimposed on a standard model of nephrotoxic acute renal failure in order to assess any additive toxic effects. No short-term nephrotoxic effects on intravenous DMSO could be discerned in patients or laboratory animals despite hemoglobinuria. Intravenous DMSO is safe to use in patients who are prospective renal transplant donors.
The Cesarean Section Patient Is a New Mother Too

Some patients who must have a cesarean section receive only routine postoperative care. There is little concern for their needs as maternity patients. Defined below are the affects of a superimposed surgical procedure on the mothering patterns and on the physical and psychologic postpartum progress. The nurses’role in helping these patients and their families through the crisis is discussed; postpartum and postoperative nursing care is reviewed.
Depression and anxiety in an 85-year-old woman with a toxic nodular goiter

Depression is commonly encountered in medical settings and often may be a symptom of an underlying medical illness. This case report illustrates the disabling symptoms of anxiety and depression that can accompany a toxic nodular goiter, and underscores the importance of both accurate psychiatric diagnosis and appropriate medical evaluation in the assessment of psychiatric disorders in the elderly.
A multiple objective programming approach for determining faculty salary equity adjustments

Abstract A multiple objective programming approach is proposed as a new analytical tool to fit a model which is used to project faculty salaries. The projected salaries are used as a basis to allocate the available budget for faculty salary equity adjustments. The model is also used to classify all faculty members into two categories with one category consisting of those faculty members being underpaid and the other consisting of those being overpaid. The multiple objective programming approach is much more powerful than regression analysis for this purpose because budgetary and policy restrictions can be included in the model as constraints. It is also more flexible than the goal programming approach because it has desirable solution properties. Salary data from a public university are used as an example to demonstrate the use of the approach. In addition, determinants of faculty salaries and variables to be included in the model are briefly discussed.
Nutrient Addition Effects on Carbon Fluxes in Wet Grasslands With Either Organic or Mineral Soil

Little is known how soil type may interact with fertilization in affecting carbon fluxes in wet grasslands, habitats of high conservation value which have decreased in area due to agricultural intensification. A nutrient (NPK) addition experiment, with three treatment levels in a block design, was established to compare nutrient effects on particular carbon fluxes (plant production and nutrient contents, and plant and soil respiration) in two wet grasslands in the Czech Republic, with either organic or mineral soil. Between-site and treatment differences were tested by one and twoway ANOVA; temporal changes by repeated measures ANOVA. We hypothesized that the organic site would be more sensitive to nutrient additions. Aboveground biomass and total dark CO2 emissions increased significantly with nutrient addition in the organic, but not the mineral, site, thus supporting our hypothesis. Hay removal and the short duration of fertilization (3 years) may account for the lack of other significant effects. Soil properties (bulk density, C:N ratio, microbial community structure) likely underlie these differences between the wet grasslands, although site hydrology and plant species composition may also be important. Soil type, as well as the other factors, must be considered when restoring or managing for well-functioning, resilient wet grasslands.
Using derivatives in treasury management

Companies must coordinate their accounting and treasury functions to get the most out of derivatives, warns the author. He discusses treasury responsibilities in derivative activities, and presents detailed guidelines for decision making. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Modeling enzyme reaction intermediates and transition states: citrate synthase

To investigate the roles of catalytic residues and the nature of the nucleophilic intermediate in citrate synthase, calculations have been carried out on models of the first stage of the reaction with ab initio (MP2/6-31+G(d)//6-31+G(d)) and semiempirical (AM1 and PM3) methods. The first stage of the reaction involves deprotonation of acetyl-CoA, with Asp-375 identified as the likely base. The resulting intermediate is believed to be stabilized by a hydrogen bond from a neutral histidine side chain (His-274), which has been suggested to be a “short, strong” or “low-barrier” hydrogen bond. Such bonds have been suggested to have exceptionally high energies and to stabilize many enzyme reaction intermediates. Transition state and stable hydrogen bonded complex geometries have been fully optimized for models of proton transfer between Asp-375 and acetyl-CoA and between the enolate of acetyl-CoA and His-274. The results support the proposal that Asp-375 is the base in the reaction and show that stabilization o...
Satellite studies of the stratospheric aerosol

Abstract The potential climatological and environmental importance of the stratospheric aerosol layer has prompted great interest in measuring the properties of this aerosol. In this paper we report on two recently deployed NASA satellite systems (SAM II and SAGE) that are monitoring the stratospheric aerosol. The satellite orbits are such that nearly global coverage is obtained. The instruments mounted in the space-craft are sun photometers that measure solar intensity at specific wavelengths as it is moderated by atmospheric particulates and gases during each sunrise and sunset encountered by the satellites. The data obtained are “inverted” to yield vertical aerosol and gaseous (primarily ozone) extinction profiles with 1 km vertical resolution. Thus, latitudinal, longitudinal, and temporal variations in the aerosol layer can be evaluated. The satellite systems are being validated by a series of ground truth experiments using airborne and ground lidar, balloon-borne dustsondes, aircraft-mounted impactor...
Norepinephrine, clonidine, and tricyclic antidepressants selectively stimulate carbohydrate ingestion through noradrenergic system of the paraventricular nucleus

Using a self-selection feeding procedure, the present experiments examined the impact of central and peripheral injection of the alpha-adrenergic agonist clonidine (CLON) and the tricyclic antidepressant drugs amitriptyline (AMIT) and chlorimipramine (CIMIP) on nutrient selection in the adult male rat. In tests with mixed diets or with separate sources of the 3 macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat) simultaneously available, the following results were obtained: Peripheral and paraventricular nucleus (PVN) injection of CLON stimulated total food intake and preferentially increased ingestion of carbohydrate. Little or no change in protein or fat intake was observed. This pattern of response is similar to that observed with norepinephrine. PVN injection of AMIT and peripheral injection of CIMIP also selectively enhanced carbohydrate intake. These drug effects on carbohydrate selection occurred under a variety of conditions, including with mixed diets and pure dietary nutrients; under ad lib and restricted feeding conditions; in short (1 hr) as well as long (6 hr) test intervals; and in the absence or presence of a change in total calorie intake. Based on this and other evidence, it is proposed that noradrenergic neurons innervating the PVN in the rat play a role in regulating carbohydrate selection, and that this neurochemical system mediates the stimulating action of CLON and antidepressants on carbohydrate ingestion.
Modeling Hydrologic Benefits of Low Impact Development: A Distributed Hydrologic Model of The Woodlands, Texas

Low Impact Development (LID) is alternative design approach to land development that conserves and utilizes natural resources to minimize the potential negative environmental impacts of development, such as flooding. The Woodlands near Houston, Texas is one of the premier master-planned communities in the United States. Unlike in a typical urban development where riparian corridors are often replaced with concrete channels, pervious surfaces, vegetation, and natural drainage pathways were preserved as much as possible during development. In addition, a number of detention ponds were strategically located to manage runoff on site. This article uses a unique distributed hydrologic model, Vflo™, combined with historical (1974) and recent (2008 and 2009) rainfall events to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of The Woodlands natural drainage design as a stormwater management technique. This study analyzed the influence of LID in The Woodlands by comparing the hydrologic response of the watershed under undeveloped, developed, and highly urbanized conditions. The results show that The Woodlands drainage design successfully reflects predeveloped hydrologic conditions and produces peak flows two to three times lower than highly urbanized development. Furthermore, results indicate that the LID practices employed in The Woodlands successfully attenuate the peak flow from a 100-year design event, resulting in flows comparable to undeveloped hydrologic conditions.
Regional lymph node x-radiation suppresses allograft rejection.

We studied the effect of a single dose of x-radiation given to the regional lymph nodes on allograft rejection. Our model was an A-strain tumor, transplanted to C57B1/6, DBA/2, and C57B1/6xCBA hosts. Irradiation (1,000 rad) of the regional lymph nodes inhibited graft rejection, as judged by increased tumor growth, slower rejection, and, in the case of DBA/2 mice, by fewer regressions; irradiation of the contralateral lymph nodes did not have this effect. The mechanism of immunosuppression appeared to be B-cell independent, since immunosuppression could be induced by regional x-radiation as readily in B-cell deficient mice as in normal mice. The suppression was critically time-dependent, viz, irradiation before, or 6 or more days after, tumor graft was without significant effect. Treatment of the allogeneic host with cyclophosphamide several days before grafting, so as to reduce T-suppressor cells, attenuated the immunosuppression of regional x-radiation.
Darwinian dystopia: the shape of things to come

Abstract Acknowledging that evolution is directionless, shaped only by context and history, and that predicting the future is, therefore, a risky business, scenarios for ‘short-term’ (next few centuries) and ‘long-term’ (10s-100s of thousands of years) futures are offered. The short-term future will be determined by the appearance of transnational corporations that represent levels of social complexity above that of the nation state. Best described as laissez-faire capitalism run amok, the rise of transnationals controlled by powerful managerial elites is warranted or justified by the simultaneous emergence of neo-conservative ideologies that resemble the pernicious social Darwinism of Victorian England. The long-term future will be shaped by the failure of humans to control their fertility. In the face of cultural barriers to rational control of population growth, and as global populations exceed the carrying capacity of the planet, countless millions of ignorant, miserable humans will barely eke out an existence, surviving only long enough to reproduce more of the same. The prospects for speciation are nil, given that high global population densities will preclude reproductive isolation.
The relaxation of local modes of vibrationally-hot molecules in cold environments: anharmonicity and condensed phase effects

We provide a description of the relaxation of vibrationally-hot molecules in cold environments. The molecule has active CH local modes interacting with an inactive reservoir of modes. It is shown that the anharmonicity of these local modes and the intermolecular effects can conspire to make the relationship between the linewidth of the overtone and the intramolecular decay time nonstraightforward, especially at high energies.
Sensitivity analysis of availability estimates to input data characterization using design of experiments

Reliability analysts are often faced with the challenge of characterizing the behaviour of system components based on limited data. The purpose of this study is to provide insight into which availability model input data are most significant and how many data are necessary to achieve desired accuracy requirements. The overall goal is to improve the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the data collection and data characterization processes. A 2 V 5-1 factorial designed experiment was conducted to determine which of five input data characterization factors (for a simple series-parallel structure) may significantly affect availability model accuracy. The results from this experiment show that in this instance the factors under study do not have a significant effect on model output accuracy. Additional research is planned to more closely scrutinize the effects of these factors.
Two-stage all-fiber soliton-effect optical pulse compressor

A transmission-line model of a two-stage all-fiber soliton-effect femtosecond-pulse compressor is designed using comprehensive simulation tools. The compressor is predicted to have compression factors as high as 24, with low peak power (<0.5 nJ pulse energy at a 180-fs pulse width) and high repetition rate (~40 GHz) without many of the disadvantages of heretofore-designed compressors. Prior optical pulse compressors are primarily based on solid state lasers or fiber Bragg gratings. Solid state lasers are relatively large, have high pulse energies (~10 nJ), and lack the precision needed for many applications, such as in medical diagnosis and treatment. Fiber Bragg grating compressors are limited in attainable compression factors and intensity levels and have restricted use with other fiber Bragg gratings. Other fiber compressors face third-order dispersion (TOD), self-steepening (SS), intrapulse stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS), and higher order dispersion (HOD), which limits their use. The suggested design addresses a requirement for the modeling of an all-fiber optical pulse compressor that answers the preceding objections. The designed compressor, has no third-order or higher order dispersion, and is not affected by ISRS and SS effects, which can otherwise reduce the quality of the compressed pulses.
Evidence for a quasi-equilibrium distribution of states for bradykinin [M + 3H]3+ ions in the gas phase.

Multidimensional ion mobility spectrometry coupled with mass spectrometry (IMS−IMS−MS) techniques are used to select and activate six different gas-phase conformations of bradykinin [M + 3H]3+ ions...
Advances in Calorimetry

We review recent advances in calorimetry for high-energy physics. We provide an overview of the fundamentals of calorimetry, then survey calorimeters used in recent experiments, which represent the current state of the art. We conclude with descriptions of several research and development efforts and discuss future directions of the field.
HERE BE DRAGONS: Exploring Fantasy Maps and Settings

HERE BE DRAGONS: Exploring Fantasy Maps and Settings. By Stefan Ekman. viii and 284 pp., maps, ills., bibliog., index. Middletown, Conn.: Wesleyan University Press, 2013. $67.50 (cloth), $20.62 (paper), ISBN 9780819573230. Stefan Ekman has set out to fill a gap in fantasy literary criticism, namely the importance of landscape in fantasy literature. He notes that "apart from occasional brief reflections on the landscape's central importance to fantasy, little has been written on the subject" (p. 2). He points out that although the landscape is considered important to the genre, in other studies most attention is paid to character and plot. In fact, little has been written on maps and landscape in literature in general. Philip and Juliana Muehrcke's 1974 "Maps in Literature," Yi-Fu Tuan on maps in Sherlock Holmes, Ricardo Padron's "Mapping Imaginary Worlds," J. B. Post's Atlas of Fantasy, George Demko's website "Landscapes in Crime," and Nicholas Tam's website article "Here Be Cartographers: Reading the Fantasy Map," plus unpublished theses and conference presentations are some of the main sources. I know of nothing book length. Even books on the writing of genre fiction rarely discuss use of maps, although they may address setting. And yet, maps and setting play a major role in much genre fiction, especially in science fiction and fantasy where new worlds are created, described, and mapped. This book focuses on works from the mid-1970s to 2007, but makes an exception for the works of Tolkien and refers to the Lord of the Rings trilogy throughout the book. Ekman's main interest lies in how the setting works in relation to the story. He uses a "topofocal" or place-focused perspective to examine the four types of fantasy divisions described in the chapters. The book is well structured. The first chapter is an introduction and defines terms such as high and low fantasy, primary and secondary worlds. The four main chapters are "Maps," "Borders and Boundaries," "Nature and Culture," and "Realms and Rulers." Ekman describes these chapters as moving from large-scale to small fantasy maps, divisions between domains, interrelationship between two domains in an urban setting, and finally, the link between rulers and realms. These chapters are designed to stand alone and can be read in any order. Each of the main chapters has an introduction followed by a discussion of several examples from fantasy literature and a summary. The chapter on maps is likely to be of particular interest to geographers. In keeping with the basic chapter structure, Ekman first looks at previous explorations of fantasy maps and then asks the now obligatory question "what is a map?" and more specifically, "what is a fantasy map? …
Protecting Consumers from Add-On Insurance Products: New Lessons for Insurance Regulation from Behavioral Economics

Persistently high profits on “insurance” for small value losses sold as an add-on to other products or services (such as extended warranties sold with consumer electronics, loss damage waivers sold with a car rental, and credit life insurance sold with a loan) pose a twofold challenge to the standard economic analysis of insurance. First, expected utility theory teaches that people should not buy insurance for small value losses. Second, the market should not in the long run permit sellers to charge prices that greatly exceed the cost of providing the insurance. Combining the insights of the Gabaix and Laibson shrouded pricing model with the behavioral economics of insurance, this article explains why high profits for add-on insurance persist and describes the negative distributional and welfare consequences of an unregulated market for such insurance. The article explores four potential regulatory responses: enhanced disclosure, a ban on the point of sale offer of add-on insurance, price regulation, and the creation of a new, on-line market. Drawing on theoretical, empirical, and comparative law sources, the article explains why enhanced disclosure will not work, the circumstances under which a point of sale ban is desirable, and why a new, on-line market is preferable to price regulation in circumstances in which a point of sale ban is undesirable.
Nerve stimulator versus ultrasound guidance for placement of popliteal catheters for foot and ankle surgery

Abstract Study Objective To determine whether ultrasound guidance improves the quality of continuous popliteal block when compared with a nerve stimulator after major foot and ankle surgery. Design Prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial. Setting Operating room, Postanesthesia Care Unit (PACU), and hospital wards of a university-affiliated hospital. Patients 45 ASA physical status 1, 2, and 3 patients undergoing elective major foot and ankle surgery. Interventions Placement of a popliteal sciactic nerve catheter using either nerve stimulator or ultrasound guidance. In the PACU, a continuous infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% was started at a basal rate of 4 mL/hr and adjusted in a standardized fashion to maintain visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores Measurements VAS pain scores at rest and with physical therapy, ropivacaine use, opioid use, and opioid-related side effects were recorded. Main Results Cummulative ropivacaine use was lower in patients whose catheter was placed by ultrasound than by nerve stimulator guidance (mean 50 vs 197 mL, P Conclusions Ultrasound guidance was associated with less local anesthetic consumption than with the nerve stimulator; however, there was little clinical benefit, as all other outcomes were similar between groups.
Is gender a factor in psychiatrists’ evaluation and treatment of patients with major depression?

Abstract Background : Gender differences in clinical assessment and treatment have been reported in several areas of medicine. We examine whether differences exist in the routine outpatient psychiatric management of men and women with major depression. Methods : Psychiatrists practicing in the community completed case forms on a systematic sample of their adult outpatients with major depression. Comparisons are presented between male ( n =261) and female ( n =472) patients focusing on their background characteristics, clinical presentation, assessment, and treatment. Significant gender disparities in assessment and treatment are also examined with respect to the gender of the treating psychiatrist. Results : Although male and female patients had generally similar clinical profiles, a significantly greater proportion of males than females had psychomotor retardation and substance use disorders. No significant gender differences were observed in the assessment of depressive symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities, and treatment with antidepressant medications or psychotherapy. However, a significantly smaller percentage of depressed women than men received assessments of sexual function and medication-related sexual side effects. Female patients were also less likely to have discussed their treatment preferences with their psychiatrists. Limitations : Only a minority (33.2%) of psychiatrists invited to participate contributed patients to this study. The results are based on structured assessments completed by practicing psychiatrists rather than patient self-assessments or independent research assessments. Conclusions : Although we find overall little evidence of gender bias in the clinical management of major depression, both male and female psychiatrists need to further explore sexual function and treatment preferences in female patients.
Synthesis and characterization of quantum dot–polymer composites

In this study, we demonstrate a facile and simple synthesis of quantum dot (QD)–polymer composites. Highly fluorescent semiconducting CdSe/ZnS quantum dots were embedded in different commercially available polymers using one easy step. QD–polymer composite nanoparticles were also synthesized using template-assisted synthesis. In particular, we self-assembled lamellar micelles inside nanoporous alumina membranes which were used for the synthesis of mesoporous silica hollow nanotubes and solid nanorods. We observed that the addition of excess free octadecylamine (ODA) in the QD–silica solution resulted in gelation. The gelation time was found to be dependent on free ODA concentration. Similarly, the emission of QD–polymer composites was also found to be dependent on free ODA concentration. Highly purified QDs provided polymer composites that have a much lower emission compared to unpurified nanocomposites. This was attributed to passivation of the QD surfaces by amine, which reduced the surface defects and non-radiative pathways for excited QDs. Finally, highly fluorescent QD–polymer patterns were demonstrated on glass substrates which retained their emission in both polar and non-polar solvents.
Cross-phase modulation in silicon photonic wire waveguides

We demonstrate strong cross-phase modulation in Si photonic wire waveguides using picosecond pulses. We present an all-optical scheme for control of optical pulses, utilizing the tight optical confinement of wire waveguides to enhance the nonlinearity.
Signaling pathways in mouse and human trophoblast differentiation: a comparative review

The mouse is often used as a model for understanding human placentation and offers multiple advantages, including the ability to manipulate gene expression in specific compartments and to derive trophoblast stem cells, which can be maintained or differentiated in vitro. Nevertheless, there are numerous differences between the mouse and human placentas, only the least of which are structural. This review aims to compare mouse and human placentation, with a focus on signaling pathways involved in trophoblast lineage-specific differentiation.
Capturing knowledge from domain text with controlled language

This paper describes a prototype system which captures semantic knowledge from domain text using controlled language. The KANTOO system is used to analyze input sentences from college-level science textbooks, producing sentence-level meaning representations (interlingua). The interlingua expressions are mapped into F-logic statements, which are be stored in a separate knowledge base to support reasoning in the domain.
Visualization of Floater and Gotsman's Morphing Algorithm

This video provides a visualization of an algorithm proposed by Floater and Gotsman for morphing two polygonal tilings. The algorithm represents the interior vertices of the tilings as convex combinations of their neighbors. At each time step the convex coefficients are linearly interpolated and the interior vertices of the intermediate tilings are found as the solutions to a system of linear equations.
Feeding Mechanisms in Sharks

Although many sharks have a rather general vertebrate body plan, they display a number of specializations for feeding that belie the notion that they are “primitive.” These specializations include a battery of highly developed exteroceptive systems such as vision, olfaction, acoustico-lateralis sense and electroreception; and a cranial morphology that has been molded into a number of functionally adaptive forms. These forms result in grasping, sucking, crushing, gouging, cutting and filtering systems of feeding. With relatively few exceptions elasmobranch feeding mechanisms share such features as subterminal or inferior mouths, a dynamic tooth replacement system, hyostylic jaw suspension and a kinetic, protractile upper jaw. The importance of each of these components is discussed. The evolution of the high diversity of mechanical feeding systems in such a small group of vertebrates has probably been facilitated by the morphological simplicity of the basic feeding mechanism. This radiation was accomplished by modifications in jaw length, the length and supporting angle of the hyomandibula, the size of the gape, dentition and changes in the relative size of the cranial musculature. The evolutionary pattern of shark feeding mechanisms is complex, there being several examples of both parallelism and convergence. A long-jawed, grasping form (similar to, but not identical with Chlamydoselachus ) is here considered primitive. From a subsequent benthic sucking and grasping ancestor, similar in many respects to some living batoids,radiated crushing, ray-like forms; cutting, squaloid forms; and gouging, lamniform and carcharhiniform types. From the latter developed sucking and grasping, or crushing forms such as modern orectolobiforms, triakids and heterodontiform sharks. From several levels (primary crushing, secondary crushing and gouging) there emerged filter-feeding forms represented today by mobulids, rhiniodontids and cetorhin.
Body size, extinction events, and the early Cenozoic record of veneroid bivalves: a new role for recoveries?

Mass extinctions can play a role in shaping macroevolutionary trends through time, but the contribution of recoveries to this process has yet to be examined in detail. This study focuses on the effects of three extinction events, the end-Cretaceous (K/T), mid-Eocene (mid-E), and end- Eocene (E/O), on long-term patterns of body size in veneroid bivalves. Systematic data were col- lected for 719 species and 140 subgenera of veneroids from the Late Cretaceous through Oligocene of North America and Europe. Centroid size measures were calculated for 101 subgenera and glob- al stratigraphic ranges were used to assess extinction selectivity and preferential recovery. Vene- roids underwent a substantial extinction at the K/T boundary, although diversity recovered to pre- extinction levels by the early Eocene. The mid-E and E/O events were considerably smaller and their recovery intervals much shorter. None of these events were characterized by significant ex- tinction selectivity according to body size at the subgenus level; however, all three recoveries were strongly size biased. The K/T recovery was biased toward smaller veneroids, whereas both the mid-E and E/O recoveries were biased toward larger ones. The decrease in veneroid size across the K/T recovery actually reinforced a Late Cretaceous trend toward smaller sizes, whereas the increase in size resulting from the Eocene recoveries was relatively short-lived. Early Cenozoic changes in predation, temperature, and/or productivity may explain these shifts.
Continuous dependence of nonnegative solutions of the heat equation on noncharacteristic cauchy data

The sideways Caucht problem for the one-dimensional heat, in which the solution and its first-order spatial derivative are specified on an interval ofthe time axis, is well known to be ill-osed. Newvertheless, we establish continuous dependence on th Cauchy data of nonnegative solutions satisfying the extra smoothness requriement that the time derivativer is continuous on the initial manifold. This is done by first establishing explicit boubnds for suchg solutions and certain of their derivatives and then applying result of J. Cannon. Most of the estimates, which may be of interest in themselves, do not depend on the extra smoothness assumption. In spite of the fact that the admissible Cauchy data is hightly non-arbitrary, our results include the fact that the set of admissible Cauchy data is closed under unifrom converence of the data and one first-order derivative of the data.
Microtubule disruption in keratinocytes induces cell-cell adhesion through activation of endogenous E-cadherin.

The association of the cytoskeleton with the cadherin–catenin complex is essential for strong cell-cell adhesion in epithelial cells. In this study, we have investigated the effect of microtubule organization on cell-cell adhesion in differentiating keratinocytes. When microtubules of normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) grown in low calcium media (0.05 mM) were disrupted with nocodazole or colcemid, cell-cell adhesion was induced through relocalization of the E-cadherin–catenin–actin complex to the cell periphery. This was accompanied by actin polymerization. Also, it was found that microtubule disruption-induced cell-cell adhesion was significantly reduced in more advanced differentiated keratinocytes. For example, when NHEK cells cultured under high calcium (1.2 mM) for 8 d and then in low calcium for 1 d were treated with nocodazole, there was no induction of cell-cell adhesion. Also long-term treatment of a phorbol ester for 48 h inhibited nocodazole-induced cell-cell adhesion of NHEK. Furthermore, this nocodazole-induced cell-cell adhesion could be observed in squamous cancer cell lines (A431 and SCC-5, -9, and -25) under low calcium condition, but not in the keratinocyte cell lines derived from normal epidermis (HaCaT, RHEK). On the other hand, HaCaT cells continuously cultivated in low calcium media regained a less differentiated phenotype such as decreased expression of cytokeratin 10, and increased K5; these changes were accompanied with inducibility of cell-cell adhesion by nocodazole. Together, our results suggest that microtubule disruption can induce the cell-cell adhesion via activation of endogenous E-cadherin in non- or early differentiating keratinocytes. However, this is no longer possible in advanced terminally differentiating keratinocytes, possibly due to irreversible changes effected by cell envelope barrier formation.
Do current body mass index criteria for obesity surgery reflect cardiovascular risk

Abstract Background Obesity is an underlying cause of the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Obesity itself does not result in CVD, rather, it acts through intermediate-risk factors. Most, but not all, studies examining the obesity–CVD relationship have found them to be correlated. We hypothesized that the inconsistencies among the studies of the obesity–cardiovascular relationship were attributable to an irregular relationship between obesity and the presence of risk factors for CVD. Methods The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Surgery database was queried regarding the presence of known cardiovascular risk factors as a function of obesity. These were further related to anthropomorphic measurements and analyzed by regression and contour mapping techniques. Results Of the conventional CVD risk factors, blood pressure, serum glucose, and waist circumference increased linearly with adiposity. The reverse was observed for high-density lipoprotein. Insulin, C-peptide, apolipoprotein B, non–high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, and serum triglycerides all peaked in the body mass index range of 30–40 kg/m 2 and then decreased with increasing degrees of obesity. Conclusion Cardiovascular risk factors are markedly increased for many individuals with a body mass index >30 kg/m 2 . Massively obese individuals might have better CVD risk profiles than less obese individuals. The discrepancy is related, in part, to body conformation. The criteria for obesity surgery should be changed to lower BMIs than are currently used if patients have risk factors for CVD.
Number of Siblings and Friendship Nominations Among Adolescents

Considerable social science research questions the benefit of siblings. The most prominent example is the consistent negative association between sibship size and educational outcomes. But more recent work among kindergartners uncovered a potentially positive outcome—greater social skills—at least for those who have at least one sibling. We extend this line of inquiry to adolescence to see if there are long-term negative consequences of growing up without any siblings. Analyzing 13,466 youths from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we find no evidence that only children receive fewer peer nominations of friendship than youths with one (or more than one) sibling(s). Our results suggest that the previously observed social skills deficit among only children in kindergarten appears to be overcome by adolescence.
Environmental factors and their role in participation and life satisfaction after spinal cord injury.

Whiteneck G, Meade MA, Dijkers M, Tate DG, Bushnik T, Forchheimer MB. Environmental factors and their role in participation and life satisfaction after spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2004;85:1793-803. Objectives: To investigate environmental barriers reported by people with spinal cord injury (SCI), and to determine the relative impact of environmental barriers compared with de- mographic and injury characteristics and activity limitations in predicting variation in participation and life satisfaction. Design: Cross-sectional, follow-up survey. Setting: Individuals rehabilitated at 16 federally designated Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems of care, now living in the community. Participants: People with SCI (N2726) who completed routine follow-up research interviews between 2000 and 2002. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: The Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors-Short Form (CHIEF-SF), the Craig Handicap Assessment and Reporting Technique-Short Form, and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. Results: The top 5 environmental barriers reported by sub- jects with SCI, in descending order of importance, were the natural environment, transportation, need for help in the home, availability of health care, and governmental policies. The CHIEF-SF subscales accounted for only 4% or less of the variation in participation; they accounted for 10% of the vari- ation in life satisfaction. Conclusions: The inclusion of environmental factors in models of disability was supported, but were found to be more strongly related to life satisfaction than to societal participa-
Designing eLearning courses to meet the digital literacy needs of healthcare workers in lower- and middle-income countries: Experiences from the Knowledge for Health Project

Traditional conceptualizations of knowledge management fail to incorporate the social aspects in which knowledge management work operates. Social knowledge management places people at the center of all knowledge management, including placing the end user at the center when developing eLearning packages, particularly within the context of digital health literacy. As many health professionals working in lower-resource settings face the digital divide, or experience unequal patterns of access and usage capabilities from computer-based information and communication technologies (ICTs), ensuring that eLearning packages are tailored for their specific needs is critical. Grounded in our conceptualization of social knowledge management, we outline two of our experiences with developing eLearning packages for health professionals working primarily in lower- and middle-income countries. The Global Health eLearning Center provides eLearning courses to health professionals primarily working in the lower- and middle-income country context. The courses have robust and exhaustive mechanisms in place to ensure that issues related to digital health literacy are not barriers to taking the courses and subsequently, applying the course material in practice. In Bangladesh, we developed a digital health package for frontline community fieldworkers that was loaded on netbook computers. To develop this package, community fieldworkers were provided support during the implementation phase to ensure that they were able to use the netbooks correctly with their clients. As new digital technologies proliferate, guaranteeing that global health workers have the prerequisite skills to utilize and apply digital health tools is essential for improving health care. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2015.07.039
Finger-thumb coupling contributes to exaggerated thumb flexion in stroke survivors.

The purpose of this study was to investigate altered finger-thumb coupling in individuals with chronic hemiparesis poststroke. First, an external device stretched finger flexor muscles by passively...
APPLICATION OF FLUORESCENT COATED SAND IN LITTORAL DRIFT AND INLET STUDIES

The use of fluorescent coated sand In tracing the sand movement along beaches and around Inlets is an important tool in the field of Coastal Engineering. As a part of an extensive beach erosion study along the shore of West Palm Beach, Florida, four areas were subjected to such a "tracer study." Each area represented a particular beach configuration either with or without erosion protective structures. In this paper the procedure and results for one area is described. As a second application of sand tracers, the results of a study concerned with the sand migration in and around South Lake Worth Inlet is discussed.
Preliminary Observation of Diurnal Activity of A Provisioning Group of Golden Monkey(Rhinopithecus roxellana) in Spring on Dalongtan of Shennongjia

The diurnal activities of Sichuan snub-nosed golden monkey(Rhinopithecus roxellana) in Dalongtan of Shennongjia are observed using a modified version of traditional focal and instantaneous sampling.The results of the time budgets show that resting time is 73.12%,feeding time 12.65%,moving time 8.96%,grooming time 5.27% on average.The comparison of time budgets of golden monkey reveals that there are differences in the 3 age-classes.