cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stigma apprehension among adolescents discharged from brief psychiatric hospitalization.

This study explores stigma apprehension (fear of being devalued or rejected) and its correlates among 102 adolescents, interviewed within 7 days of discharge from their first psychiatric hospitalization. Components of the Model of Stigma-Induced Identity Threat by Major and O'Brien (Annu Rev Psychol 56:393-421, 2005) comprise the study model, including collective stigma representations and group and domain identification; additional clinical, personal, and contextual characteristics such as social affiliation, interpersonal support, self-identification as having a mental disorder, and perceived need for others' approval were added to the model. We found that, on average, the participants reported "a little" stigma apprehension, and 21% reported substantial stigma apprehension. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that higher stigma apprehension was most associated with the female sex, younger age at initiation of mental health treatment, lower self-esteem, greater need for others' approval, more experiences with personal stigmatization, and not identifying or affiliating with peers who have mental health or behavior challenges. These factors collectively accounted for 46% of the variance. The study's findings particularly highlight the role of social context and external contingencies of self-worth in determining adolescents' perceptions of stigma-related threat. Language: en
Perspective: Numerical Simulations of Wakes and Blade-Vortex Interaction

A method for simulating incompressible flows past airfoils and their wakes is described. Vorticity panels are used to represent the body, and vortex blobs (vortex points with their singularities removed) are used to represent the wake. The procedure can be applied to the simulation of completely attached flow past an oscillating airfoil. The rate at which vorticity is shed from the trailing edge of the airfoil into the wake is determined by simultaneously requiring the pressure along the upper and lower surface streamlines to approach the same value at the trailing edge and the circulation around both the airfoil and its wake to remain constant. The motion of the airfoils is discretized, and a vortex is shed from the trailing edge at each time step. The vortices are convected at the local velocity of fluid particles, a procedure that renders the pressure continuous in an inviscid fluid. When the vortices in the wake begin to separate they are split into more vortices, and when they begin to collect they are combined. The numerical simulation reveals that the wake, which is originally smooth, eventually coils, or wraps, around itself, primarily under the influence of the velocity it induces on itself, andmore » forms regions of relatively concentrated vorticity. Although discrete vortices are used to represent the wake, the spatial density of the vortices is so high that the computed velocity profiles across a typical region of concentrated vorticity are quite smooth. Although the computed wake evolves in an entirely inviscid model of the flowfield, these profiles appear to have a viscous core. As an application, a simulation of the interaction between vorticity in the oncoming stream and a stationary airfoil is also discussed.« less
Measurements of Stokes parameters of materials at 1064-nm and 532-nm wavelengths

Laser radar systems have found wide applications in the field of remote sensing. Reflectance as well as polarization features are used together for applications ranging from environmental monitoring to target classification. The Stokes parameters are ideal quantities for characterizing the above features because they provide useful information on both light intensity and polarization state. The University of Nebraska is currently refurbishing an airborne multi-wavelength laser radar system based on the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) developed Airborne Laser Polarimetric Sensor (ALPS). The system uses a Nd:YAG laser operating at wavelengths of 1064-nm and 532-nm, and contains four channels at each wavelength to measure the polarization states. This system was used to measure the Stokes parameters of backscattered laser light from different materials. These included canvas tarp, white paper, plywood, concrete, aluminum plate and black anodized aluminum plate. The data provide an understanding of the polarized scattering properties of various materials, and are expected to be useful in developing target discrimination algorithms.
SU‐E‐T‐597: Online Adaptive Replanning for Sequential Boost After Whole Breast Irradiation

Purpose: For whole breast irradiation (WBI) followed by sequential boost of the lumpectomy cavity (LC), the LC shape and volume can change significantly after WBI. Consequently, the boost plan, normally generated together with WBI plan before the start of treatment, may not be optimal. Here we propose the use of online adaptive replanning at the time of boost to account for the LC change. Methods: Daily diagnostic‐quality CT sets acquired during IGRT using an in‐room CT (CTVision, Siemens) for 19 breast cancer patients treated with WBI with sequential boost in prone position were used. Contours of LC, treated breast, ipsilateral lung, and heart were generated by deformably registering the planning CT with the fraction CT acquired on the first boost fraction using an auto‐segmentation tool (ABAS, Elekta) with manual editing, if necessary. Three plans were generated based on the daily CT: (1) repositioning plan by applying the original boost plan with the shift, (2) adaptive plan by quickly modifying the original plan using a tool (RealArt, Prowess), and (3) reoptimization plan by a fully‐blown optimization. Results: Significant changes were observed in the LC volume and shape. The LC volume on the first day of boost changes in the range of 30% and 130% from that on planning CT. The plan quality of the adaptive plans and the re‐optimization plans were comparable. Compared to the repositioning plans, the adaptive plans generally lead to improvement in target coverage and normal tissue sparing, with an average increase in LC V95 of 2.3% and decrease in breast tissue V50 of 3.0%. Conclusion: Significant changes in LC shape and volume at the time of boost from the original plan for WBI with sequential boost can be addressed by the online replanning at the first boost fraction.
Dietary mercury exposure to endangered California Clapper Rails in San Francisco Bay.

Abstract California Clapper Rails (Rallus longirostris obsoletus) are an endangered waterbird that forage in tidal-marsh habitats that pose risks from mercury exposure. We analyzed total mercury (Hg) in six macro-invertebrate and one fish species representing Clapper Rail diets from four tidal-marshes in San Francisco Bay, California. Mercury concentrations among individual taxa ranged from lowest at Colma Creek (mean range: 0.09–0.2 μg/g dw) to highest at Cogswell (0.2–0.7), Laumeister (0.2–0.9) and Arrowhead Marshes (0.3–1.9). These spatial patterns for Hg matched patterns reported previously in Clapper Rail blood from the same four marshes. Over 25% of eastern mudsnails (Ilyanassa obsolete) and staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus) exceeded dietary Hg concentrations (ww) often associated with avian reproductive impairment. Our results indicate that Hg concentrations vary considerably among tidal-marshes and diet taxa, and Hg concentrations of prey may provide an appropriate proxy for relative exposure risk for Clapper Rails.
Palladium infiltration in high surface area microporous silica nanoparticles

Abstract Metallic Pd clusters were embedded into a host matrix of microporous SiO 2 nanoparticles via a solution reduction of Pd(NO 3 ) 2 by hydrazine hydrate. The infiltration of 33 wt.% Pd leads to a 13% porosity loss of SiO 2 nanoparticles, which demonstrated an initial surface area of 748 m 2 /g. The presence of Pd in the pores was demonstrated by EDS spectroscopy and by X-ray diffraction. The metallic guest species presumably reside in the accessible micropores with an estimated size about 1.3 nm. Hydrogen uptake was measured for Pd-infiltrated SiO 2 nanoparticles. A possible mechanism for the formation of composite nanoparticles is proposed based on electrostatic interaction between Pd 2+ and SiO 2 nanoparticles.
Stretch-induced phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase in endothelial cells: role of mitochondrial oxidants

Mechanical stretch activates a number of signaling pathways in endothelial cells, and it elicits a variety of functional responses including increases in the phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinas...
Simple Analysis of Atmospheric NO2, SO2, and O3 in Mountains by Using Passive Samplers

A simple analysis of atmospheric NO2, SO2, and O3 in mountains by passive samplers was investigated and applied to the spatial analysis of air pollutants at Mt. Hiei in Kyoto City. Passive samplers were exposed for 30 days. Yanagisawa-type samplers were used for NO2 determination. The absorbed NO2 was measured as nitrite ion spectrophotometrically by the Saltzman method. On the other hand, SO2 samplers comprising an absorbent filter containing sodium carbonate solution were made. The absorbed SO2 was oxidized to SO42- with an H2O2 solution and determined by ion chromatography. For O3 determination, Ogawa ozone samplers were used. The O3 reacted with nitrite ion to produce nitrate ion, which was measured by ion chromatography. The relative standard deviations for NO2, SO2, and O3 samplers were 1.4%, 3−10%, and 2−5%, respectively. Samplers were set up in 13 locations at Mt. Hiei. The NO2 concentration and its distribution along the slope of Mt. Hiei changed considerably both daily and seasonally. The season...
Interactions among Three Top-Level Predators in a Polymictic Great Plains Reservoir

Abstract After the introduction of hybrid striped bass (white bass Morone chrysops × striped bass M. saxatilis) into Harlan County Reservoir, Nebraska, gill-net catch per unit effort (CPUE) of walleyes Sander vitreus appeared to decline while that of white bass remained stable. This result prompted the question of whether these three species can be managed collectively in reservoir ecosystems. However, despite the frequency with which these three popular sport fishes coexist in Great Plains reservoirs, we are unaware of any studies that evaluate resource overlap among them. Therefore, we compared their diets, diet overlap, isotopic composition, vertical distribution, and vertical overlap in Harlan County Reservoir from June to September 2002 and 2003. All three species consumed similar prey (i.e., gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum and Chironomidae), and diet overlap was high (i.e., Pianka's index > 40) during all months. On no occasion did all three predators consume the same sizes of gizzard shad. Hybrid ...
Utilising the student model in distance learning

A key to effective automated learning systems is the ability to dynamically adapt learning strategies to the needs of individual students. This presentation will describe the dynamic presentation facility of the DANDIE distance-based learning system that utilises a student model and intelligent system techniques to optimise presentation content and form to meet individual needs. Given a knowledge-base of course material, the system adapts the information through the selection of predefined learning strategies, dynamically constructs an interconnected set of presentation modules, and evaluates the effectiveness of the presentation strategy with respect to the individual student.
Automatic call section segmentation for contact-center calls

This paper presents a SVM (Support Vector Machine) classification system which divides contact-center call transcripts into "Greeting", "Question", "Refine", "Research", "Resolution", "Closing" and "Out-of-topic" sections. This call section segmentation is useful to improve search and retrieval functions and to provide more detailed statistics on calls. We use an off-the-shelf automatic speech recognition (ASR) system to generate call transcripts from recorded calls between customers and service representatives.We first classify an individual utterance into a call section by applying the SVM classifier and then merge adjacent utterances classified into a same call section. We experiment with the proposed system on 100 automatically transcribed calls. The 10-fold cross validation shows 87.2% classification accuracy. We also compare the proposed algorithm with two other approaches - the most frequent section only method and a maximum entropy-based segmentation. The evaluation shows that our system's accuracy is 12% higher than the first baseline system and 6% higher than the second baseline system respectively.
It isn’t that strange: Paranormal belief and personality traits

This study examined two contrasting views of paranormal belief which suggest, in one camp, that belief in the paranormal is indicative of psychopathology. On the other hand, a number of researchers have disagreed with this viewpoint, suggesting that such belief is not an indicator of psychopathology, but the fulfillment of some other underlying need. This study was designed to assess the personality traits of those we would consider high and low believers in parapsychology. 105 participants completed the Paranormal Belief Scale (PBS), (Tobacyk & Milford, 1983) the Anomalous Experience Inventory (AEI), (Kumar, Pekala & Gallagher, 1994) and the Personality Research Form (PRF) (Jackson, 1984) in order to examine the differences among the personality traits of high and low believers in the paranormal. The 2 commonly used measures of paranormal belief were significantly correlated. Likewise, high believers scored significantly higher on the PRF scales of Aggression and Defendence. There were no differences on any of the other personality scales. The results indicate that high and low believers do not differ on the traits that are considered to be nonpathological.
The stability of thiosulfate in the presence of pyrite in low-temperature aqueous solutions

Abstract The decomposition rate of thiosulfate (S2O32−) and the formation rates of its partial decomposition products, sulfite (SO32−), sulfate (SO42−), and tetrathionate (S4O62−), were measured in the absence and presence of pyrite in aqueous solution of pH 2.9–8.6 at 20°C. The pyrite-surface-catalyzed oxidation of S2O32− to S4062− by dissolved oxygen is the dominant S2O32− decomposition mechanism under the experimental conditions. The rate of tetrathionate formation is first order with respect to the pyrite surface concentration and has a fractional order (0 ≤ n ≤ 1) with respect to the S2032− concentration. This result is consistent with a surface-controlled heterogeneous mechanism and can be fitted with a Langmuir-Hinshelwood rate equation. The rate shows no pH dependence in the pH range between 2.9 and 6.6, but decreases in alkaline solution. The catalysis of pyrite in this reaction originates from its strong affinity for aqueous sulfur species and its semiconducting properties. Pyrite is thought to form an interfacial intermediate complex with the aqueous electron donor, S2O32−, on anodic sites, and the terminal electron acceptor, O2, on cathodic sites. The electrons can transfer from the anodic site to the cathodic site via the conduction band of pyrite. In essence, the presence of pyrite eliminates a symmetry mismatch between the frontier orbitals of thiosulfate and oxygen. In the absence of pyrite, this symmetry overlap precludes the progress of this reaction and thiosulfate decomposes via disproportionation to yield sulfite and elemental sulfur.
Discrete Adjoint Approach for Modeling Unsteady Aerodynamic Design Sensitivities

A discrete adjoint approach is presented for computing steady and unsteady aerodynamic design sensitivities for compressible viscous flows about airfoil configurations. The nominal flow solver method is based on a harmonic balance solution technique, which is capable of modeling both steady and nonlinear periodic unsteady flows. The computer code for the discrete adjoint solver, which is derived from the nominal harmonic balance solver, has been generated with the aid of the advanced automatic differentiation software tool known as TAF (Transformation of Algorithms in FORTRAN).
Nonlocal conductivities and dielectric functions of free electron gas with impurity scattering

Abstract Rigorous formulas are derived for the nonlocal transverse and longitudinal conductivities and dielectric functions of a free electron gas in the presence of isotropic impurity scattering. The results are valid for h ω ⪡ μ, k F l ⪢ 1 , and arbitrary values of q. By comparing the results with those derived from the Boltzmann equation method and the Lindhard dielectric functions we establish that the former is valid for q ⪡ kF and the latter for q ≳ kF. At low frequencies (ωτ ⪡ 1) there is a range of q where both Boltzmann and Lindhard formulas break down, and at high frequencies (ωτ ⪢ 1) the two formulas overlap for a range of q. The effects of scattering anisotropy are also examined, and it is found that the dominant effect can be accounted for by replacing the scattering time in the isotropic scattering model by the relaxation time for transport.
Atomic H : a reagent for the extraction of chemical species from Si surfaces

Abstract The surface chemistry of adsorbed halogen atoms on Si(100) has been studied using several surface science methods. It has been found that Cl atoms bond to dangling bonds on symmetric Si2 dimer sites, and that the SiCl bond angle is titled 25 ±4° from the normal in the vertical plane containing the Si2 dimer bond. The covalently bonded halogens Cl, Br, and I have been studied on Si(100) using atomic H bombardment at low substrate temperatures (300–630 K). In all cases, facile elimination of the hydrogen halide occurs, and the coverage of halogen may be driven to zero by moderate exposure to atomic H. The halogen extraction process is almost non-activated, suggesting that the chemical reaction to produce hydrogen halide species is driven by the potential energy carried by the atomic H species. This is an example of an Eley-Rideal reaction process and provides a potentially useful new approach for controlling atomic layer chemistry on semiconductors. Atomic H driven extraction of adsorbed methyl (CH3) species on Si(100) is also observed to occur with lower efficiency than halogen extraction. Thermal desorption studies indicate that the C extraction process occurs as the result of atomic H induced etching of the surface, producing gas phase alkyl silanes such as CH3SiH3.
The use of simulation in the education of emergency care providers for cardiac emergencies

Traditional methods of educating residents and medical students using lectures and bedside teaching are no longer sufficient. Today’s generation of trainees grew up in a multimedia environment, learning on the World Wide Web instead of reading books. It is unreasonable to expect the educational model developed 50 years ago to be able to adequately train the medical students and residents of today. One area that is difficult to teach is the diagnosis and management of the critically ill patient, specifically cardiac emergencies and cardiac arrest. In the management of a patient in cardiac arrest, it is sometimes the least experienced provider giving chest compressions, intubating the patient, and running the code during the most crucial moment in that patient’s life. Patient simulation has emerged as an educational tool that allows the learner to practice patient care, away from the bedside, in a controlled and safe environment, giving the learner the opportunity to practice the educational principles of deliberate practice and self-refection. We performed a qualitative literature review of the uses of simulators in medical training with a focus on their current and potential applications in cardiac emergencies.
Charge and Temperature Dependence of Biomolecule Conformations: K+Tryptamine(H2O)n=0−1Arm=0−1 Cluster Ions

The impact of temperature and charge on the conformation of tryptamine (Tryp) is examined in the gas phase by infrared laser-vibrational predissociation spectroscopy in the 2800−3800 cm−1 region. Previous studies of neutral Tryp(H2O)n clusters showed preferential stabilization of specific tryptamine conformers through hydrogen bonding. When complexed with the biologically significant potassium ion, the only conformers found to form under these experimental conditions are built on hitherto unobserved neutral Tryp conformers. The electrostatic interaction between K+, the tryptamine NH2 lone pair, and the indole ring in K+(Tryp) favors the formation of these new conformers. The observed K+(Tryp)(H2O) conformers vary significantly from the previously reported neutral Tryp(H2O) structure. Using the argon tagging method, we show how variations in temperature impact the observed infrared spectra, demonstrating that different conformers are populated under the different experimental conditions. In addition, the p...
The Role of Bacterial Vaginosis and Vaginal Bacteria in Amniotic Fluid Infection in Women in Preterm Labor with Intact Fetal Membranes

Amniotic fluid infection, which is defined by the presence of microorganisms in the amniotic fluid, is associated with preterm birth and poor neonatal outcome, including neonatal sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, low birth weight, and neonatal death [1, 2]. Amniotic fluid infection is common among women in preterm labor. The frequency of positive amniotic fluid cultures among women presenting in preterm labor with intact fetal membranes has ranged from 4% to 26% [2]. The microbiological risk factors for amniotic fluid infection in women with intact fetal membranes have not been well de-
Evidence of the Validity of Teaching Strategies GOLD® Assessment Tool for English Language Learners and Children with Disabilities

Research Findings: This study examined the measurement equivalence of the Teaching Strategies GOLD® assessment system across subgroups of children based on their primary language and disability status. This study is based on teacher-collected assessment data for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-old children for the fall of 2010, winter of 2010, and spring of 2011 checkpoint periods. Differential item functioning (DIF) analysis was conducted to determine whether items functioned differentially (a) between children with and without disabilities, (b) between English language learners (ELLs) and non-ELLs, and (c) between Spanish-speaking ELLs and non-ELLs. Results showed that the majority of items displayed little or no DIF. One item pertaining to the use of conventional grammar was consistently identified as having DIF and requires further review. Practice or Policy: Overall the findings suggest that the Teaching Strategies GOLD® is a viable observation-based, authentic assessment measure and is equally valid and reliable...
A multi-point reduced-order modeling approach of transient structural dynamics with application to robust design optimization

Predicting the transient response of structures by high-fidelity simulation models within design optimization and uncertainty quantification often leads to unacceptable computational cost. This paper presents a reduced-order modeling (ROM) framework for approximating the transient response of linear elastic structures over a range of design and random parameters. The full-order response is projected onto a lower-dimensional basis spanned by modes computed from a proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) of full-order model simulation results at multiple calibration points. The basis is further enriched by gradients of the POD modes with respect to the design/random parameters. A truncation strategy is proposed to compensate for the increase in basis vectors due to the proposed enrichment strategies. The accuracy, efficiency and robustness of the proposed framework are studied with a two-dimensional model problem. The numerical results suggest that the proposed ROM approach is well suited for large parameter changes and that the number of basis vectors needs to be increased only linearly with the number of design and random parameters to maintain a particular ROM performance. The application of the proposed ROM approach to robust shape optimization demonstrates significant savings in computational cost over using full-order models.
A comparative study of the hovering efficiency of flapping and revolving wings

Direct numerical simulations are used to explore the hovering performance and efficiency for hawkmoth-inspired flapping and revolving wings at Reynolds (Re) numbers varying from 50 to 4800. This range covers the gamut from small (fruit fly size) to large (hawkmoth size) flying insects and is also relevant to the design of micro- and nano-aerial vehicles. The flapping wing configuration chosen here corresponds to a hovering hawkmoth and the model is derived from high-speed videogrammetry of this insect. The revolving wing configuration also employs the wings of the hawkmoth but these are arranged in a dual-blade configuration typical of helicopters. Flow for both of these configurations is simulated over the range of Reynolds numbers of interest and the aerodynamic performance of the two compared. The comparison of these two seemingly different configurations raises issues regarding the appropriateness of various performance metrics and even characteristic scales; these are also addressed in the current study. Finally, the difference in the performance between the two is correlated with the flow physics of the two configurations. The study indicates that viscous forces dominate the aerodynamic power expenditure of the revolving wing to a degree not observed for the flapping wing. Consequently, the lift-to-power metric of the revolving wing declines rapidly with decreasing Reynolds numbers resulting in a hovering performance that is at least a factor of 2 lower than the flapping wing at Reynolds numbers less than about 100.
Use of open standards to implement health maintenance guidelines in a clinical workstation

We are developing a clinical workstation which integrates access to health maintenance guidelines with access to a computer-based medical record. In order to enhance the portability of such a system, we emphasize the use of open standards which can be used in diverse clinical environments. We discuss the use of relational database and expert system technology to provide both patient-specific and patient-independent access to clinical guidelines. We use the Arden Syntax as the format for a textual library which facilitates the storage of structured medical knowledge.
Biomass turnover in populations of viviparous sphaeriid clams: Comparisons of growth, fecundity, mortality and biomass production

This paper reports studies carried out on natural populations of two species of viviparous clams, Sphaerium striatinum and S. simile, at three localities in two mesotrophic lakes in upstate New York. Sphaeriids are dominant members of the benthic fauna at the second trophic level in these localities, and more generally are cosmopolitan and ubiquitous animals. A growth survey involved monthly collections of regular samples, and these were used in measurements of growth, fecundity, mortality, and biomass production. S. striatinum proved to have an 18 to 24 month lifespan and S. simile one of about 26 months. Differences in reproduction included a maximum brood size of 12 in S. striatinum and of only 6 in S. simile, spat recruitment extending over 8 months in S. striatinum and over 9 months in S. simile, and a mean spat size at birth of 3.6 mm in S. striatinum and 6.4 mm in S. simile. The gross fecundity is thus markedly lower than that in the majority of molluscs. Mortality is to some extent compensating, adult survivorship being greater in S. simile, but mortality rates are remarkably steady and relatively low in both species. Field assessments of density showed that S. striatinum was dominant in one locality, and S. simile in another locality in the same lake, but that S. striatinum occurred at greater densities than any other sphaeriid species. Cage experiments confirmed the steady mortality rates and low fecundity values for these sphaeriids. Individual growth rates in cages are considerably higher than the mean values from population samples, since growth rates there are not obscured by recruitment of spat. A more complete analysis of growth in both species involved a series of over 400 determinations of total nitrogen (by micro-Dumas). These were utilized in computations of productivity. Embryonic production makes up only a small fraction (< 10 per cent) of the biomass turnover in these viviparous sphaeriids. The overall annual productivity (in terms of total nitrogen) is o.8 grams nitrogen per square meter per year for S. striatinum and only 0.28 grams nitrogen per square meter per year for S. simile. In a discussion of these figures they are shown to correspond to about 33 per cent of the second trophic level productivity for S. striatinum and about to per cent for S. simile. Since sphaeriids are long-lived, these percentages reflect a real dominance. In further discussion of the ‘coexistence of these two species’, it is pointed out that mortality is higher for the less common species in each locality.
Data mining neocortical high-frequency oscillations in epilepsy and controls

Transient high-frequency (100–500 Hz) oscillations of the local field potential have been studied extensively in human mesial temporal lobe. Previous studies report that both ripple (100–250 Hz) and fast ripple (250–500 Hz) oscillations are increased in the seizure-onset zone of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Comparatively little is known, however, about their spatial distribution with respect to seizure-onset zone in neocortical epilepsy, or their prevalence in normal brain. We present a quantitative analysis of high-frequency oscillations and their rates of occurrence in a group of nine patients with neocortical epilepsy and two control patients with no history of seizures. Oscillations were automatically detected and classified using an unsupervised approach in a data set of unprecedented volume in epilepsy research, over 12 terabytes of continuous long-term micro- and macro-electrode intracranial recordings, without human preprocessing, enabling selection-bias-free estimates of oscillation rates. There are three main results: (i) a cluster of ripple frequency oscillations with median spectral centroid = 137 Hz is increased in the seizure-onset zone more frequently than a cluster of fast ripple frequency oscillations (median spectral centroid = 305 Hz); (ii) we found no difference in the rates of high frequency oscillations in control neocortex and the non-seizure-onset zone neocortex of patients with epilepsy, despite the possibility of different underlying mechanisms of generation; and (iii) while previous studies have demonstrated that oscillations recorded by parenchyma-penetrating micro-electrodes have higher peak 100–500 Hz frequencies than penetrating macro-electrodes, this was not found for the epipial electrodes used here to record from the neocortical surface. We conclude that the relative rate of ripple frequency oscillations is a potential biomarker for epileptic neocortex, but that larger prospective studies correlating high-frequency oscillations rates with seizure-onset zone, resected tissue and surgical outcome are required to determine the true predictive value.
Figure-eight fibre laser with largely unbalanced central coupler

The authors describe the operation of a figure-eight fibre laser constructed with an asymmetrically located amplifier and a largely unbalanced central coupler. This laser experiences less loss and is more easily modelocked than figure-eight lasers constructed with balanced (50:50) central couplers.
A New Look at Ethnic Neighborhoods. Residential Dispersion and the Concept of Visibility in a Medium-Sized City

THE experiences of foreign immigrants in cities have supplied the drama for some of the more provocative narratives in American literature. Implicit and often explicit in these accounts has been a notion of geographical separation, a concept neatly summarized by the term ghetto. Although including more subtle factors, the term ghetto most commonly has connoted residential segregation, sometimes voluntary but more likely forced. While it usually has been used to describe the residential experiences of Jews and, more recently, blacks, the concept, if not the term itself, has been applied to other groups and to immigrants in general. Poverty and disorientation in a new land, so the theory has run, pushed immigrants to seek identification with people of their own kind and to develop residential cohesion. The urge to get out was always present, but most immigrants became trapped inside a homogeneous, inner-city neighborhood for a generation or two. The ghetto fostered both a sense of separation as well as a special kind of Americanization., Recently, closer examination of ethnic residential patterns has established that around the turn of the century clustering of nationality groups did not exist in degrees as strong as assumptions about the "American ghetto" suggest.2 This notion warrants further exploration, especially with regard to an important but overlooked dimension of urban America in the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries-the medium-sized, secondary city. This case study focuses on Omaha, Nebraska, between the years of 1880 and 1920. Howard P. Chudacoff is assistant professor of history in Brown University.
Architectural Foundations of WSRF.NET

State management has always been an underlying issue for large-scale distributed systems, but only recently has it been brought to the forefront of Grid computing with the introduction of the Web Services Resource Framework (WSRF) and its companion, WS-Notification. WSRF advocates standardized approaches for client exposure to and potential manipulation of stateful services for Grid computing; however, these arguments and their long-term implications have been difficult to assess without a concrete implementation of the WSRF specifications. This paper describes the architectural foundations of WSRF.NET, which is an implementation of the full set of specifications for WSRF and WS-Notification on the Microsoft .NET Framework. To our knowledge, the observations and lessons learned from the design and implementation of WSRF.NET provide the first evaluation of the WSRF approach. A concrete example of the design, implementation, and deployment of a WSRF-compliant service and its accompanying WSRF-compliant client are used to guide the discussion. While the potential of WSRF and WSNotification remains strong, initial observations are that there are many challenges that remain to be solved, most notably the implied programming model derived from the specifications, particularly the complexity of service side and client code and the complexity of WS-Notification.
ENHANCEMENT OF TRACK ETCHING RATES IN CHARGED PARTICLE IRRADIATED PLASTICS BY A PHOTO-OXIDATION EFFECT.

THE use of appropriate etching solutions to reveal the paths of charged particles in irradiated insulating materials1 is a technique of increasing importance in several disciplines ranging from nuclear physics and space exploration to geology and archaeology (for reviews see ref. 2). Among the variety of dielectric solids useful for track-etching applications are plastic films, notably the cellulosics and polyesters, which are acutely sensitive to a variety of energetic charged particles3,4. The responsiveness of plastic particle detectors derives from the dramatic increase in chemical reactivity of the damaged area along the particle track. The etching rate along the track is generally 103 to 104 times that for the bulk polymer2–4. We report that exposure of a charged particle-bombarded polycarbonate film to ultraviolet energy in an oxygen atmosphere causes a significant acceleration in the etching rate for the damage region along a track, permitting immediate processing and analysis of the sample. Two approaches were utilized in this study of the sensitization of track etchability in polycarbonate film by this photo-oxidative treatment.
Need rods? Get glycine receptors and taurine.

Taurine, a multifunctional amino acid prevalent in developing nervous tissues, regulates the number of rod photoreceptors in developing postnatal rodent retina. In this issue of Neuron, Young and Cepko show that taurine acts via GlyRα2 subunit-containing glycine receptors expressed by retinal progenitor cells at birth.
A uniqueness theorem for harmonic functions

Carlson’s theorem [l, p. 1531 states that an entire analytic function f of exponential type less than rr (that is, one satisfying an inequality of the form If(z)1 < AeBlsl with B < z-) must vanish identically if it vanishes at the integers. At first sight there seems to be no possibility of extending Carlson’s theorem to harmonic functions since an entire harmonic function (+I it is enough to have it vanish on two parahel jines of lattice points.
Dispensability of spinal monoaminergic systems in mediating the lordosis reflex of the female rat.

Abstract The possibility that bulbospinal monoaminergic systems are essential for expression of the estrogen-induced lordosis reflex in female rats was tested by studying the effects of reserpine and monoamine antagonists on the lordosis responses to mating and manual stimulation. Lordosis performance of five groups of ovariectomized rats, either treated (groups II through V) or not treated (group I) with estrogen, were measured before and after pharmacological treatments. Immediately after post-treatment measurements, females (except group V) were decapitated and the lumbosacral cord quickly removed, frozen, and later assayed for norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin. Group I females (n=7) did not show any lordosis before or after a control saline injection, and their spinal monoamine contents were not different from those of group II (n=8), who showed near maximal levels of lordosis both before and after a saline injection. Reserpine at low (2 mg/kg; group III, n=6) or high (10 mg/kg, group IV, n=10) doses depleted spinal monoamines severely but had no significant effect on lordosis, except for a slight decline of lordosis intensity after the high dose treatment. A combination treatment of reserpine (10 mg/kg) and a serotonin receptor blocker, methiothepin (10 mg/kg), did not affect lordosis performance (group V, n=6). Further injection of an α-adrenergic antagonist, phenoxybenzamine (20 mg/kg), in addition to this combination, had no effect on the lordosis reflex in response to manual stimulation, although the response to mating stimulation was reduced. The reduction was probably a result of a drug-induced abnormal posture, which made most of the reflexogenic skin area of the female inaccessible to mating stimuli. These results showed that estrogen treatment sufficient to induce a near maximal level of lordosis performance did not alter spinal monoamine contents, and that the monoamines in the spinal cord are not necessary for mediating the estrogen-stimulated lordosis reflex.
Thermoelectric heat pumping

The thermodynamic principles involved in the area governing heat pump phenomena are set forth. The utility and economics of thermoelectric refrigeration and the reversible features of room temperature control, as based upon the present state of the art, are analyzed.
Understanding Application Performance via Micro-benchmarks on Three Large Supercomputers: Intrepid, Ranger and Jaguar

The emergence of new parallel architectures presents new challenges for application developers. Supercomputers vary in processor speed, network topology, interconnect communication characteristics and memory subsystems. This paper presents a performance comparison of three of the fastest machines in the world: IBMâs Blue Gene/P installation at ANL (Intrepid), the SUN-Infiniband cluster at TACC (Ranger) and Crayâs XT4 installation at ORNL (Jaguar). Comparisons are based on three applications selected by NSF for the Track 1 proposal to benchmark the Blue Waters system: NAMD, MILC and a turbulence code, DNS. We present a comprehensive overview of the architectural details of each of these machines and a comparison of their basic performance parameters. Application performance is presented for multiple problem sizes and the relative performance on the selected machines is explained through micro-benchmarking results. We hope that insights from this work will be useful to managers making buying decisions for supercomputers and application users trying to decide on a machine to run on. Based on the performance analysis techniques used in the paper, we also suggest a step-by-step procedure for estimating the suitability of a given architecture for a highly parallel application.
Pharmacokinetics and clinical response to single- and multiple-dose sustained-release theophylline compounds in perennial bronchial asthma

Nine adult subjects with perennial bronchial asthma participated in a single-blind, cross-over, placebo-controlled study to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of a 24-hour sustained-release theophylline formulation, Uniphyl, with that of a twice-daily compound, Theo-Dur. The subjects took each drug for two weeks and monitored peak expiratory flow and recorded their symptoms in a diary three times daily. At the end of each experimental period, they were hospitalized for 24 hours for determination of the pharmacokinetics of the compound they were taking and the relationship between fluctuations in theophylline blood levels and changes in pulmonary mechanics. Both drugs were highly effective, and no significant differences between formulations were found in any aspects of the study. The results demonstrate that a single daily dose of Uniphyl is an efficacious form of therapy for controlling perennial asthma in adults.
Post-Keynesianism without modernity

A robust and critical post-Keynesianism can be specified on the basis of time, uncertainty, and the investigation of the institutions that structure material life, without presupposing what those institutions are. This paper criticises the inclusion in influential presentations of the axiomatic foundation of post-Keynesianism of propositions about government and money that presuppose a particular ensemble of institutions. That ensemble corresponds to the ideal-type called modernity. Without modernity post-Keynesianism gains logical parsimony and breadth of application; the paper discusses non-modernist writers in the tradition that includes J. M. Keynes, K. N. Raj, Celso Furtado and Juan Noyola.
A Fourier based algorithm for tracking SPAMM tags in gated magnetic resonance cardiac images.

A method is described for automatically tracking spatial modulation of magnetization tag lines on gated cardiac images. The method differs from previously reported methods in that it uses Fourier based spatial frequency and phase information to separately track horizontal and vertical tag lines. Use of global information from the frequency spectrum of an entire set of tag lines was hypothesized to result in a robust algorithm with decreased sensitivity to noise. The method was validated in several ways: first, actual tagged cardiac images at end diastole were deformed known amounts, and the algorithm’s predictions compared to the known deformations. Second, tagged, gated images of the thigh muscle (assumed to have similar signal to noise characteristics as cardiac images, but to not deform with time) were created. Again the algorithmic predictions could be compared to the known (zero magnitude) deformations and to thigh images which had been artificially deformed. Finally, actual cardiac tagged images were acquired, and comparisons made between manual, visual, determinations of tag line locations, and those predicted by the algorithm. At 0.5 T, the mean bias of the method was <0.34 mm even at large deformations and at late (noisy) times. The standard deviation of the method, estimated from the tagged thigh images, was <0.7 mm even at late times. The method may be expected to have even lower error at higher field strengths.
Solution NMR Structure of Apo-Calmodulin in Complex with the IQ Motif of Human Cardiac Sodium Channel NaV1.5

The function of the human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.5 is regulated in part by intracellular calcium signals. The ubiquitous calcium sensor protein calmodulin (CaM) is an important part of the complex calcium-sensing apparatus in NaV1.5. CaM interacts with an IQ (isoleucine–glutamine) motif in the large intracellular C-terminal domain of the channel. Using co-expression and co-purification, we have been able to isolate a CaM–IQ motif complex and to determine its high-resolution structure in absence of calcium using multi-dimensional solution NMR. Under these conditions, the NaV1.5 IQ motif interacts with the C-terminal domain (C-lobe) of CaM, with the N-terminal domain remaining free in solution. The structure reveals that the C-lobe adopts a semi-open conformation with the IQ motif bound in a narrow hydrophobic groove. Sequence similarities between voltage-gated sodium channels and voltage-gated calcium channels suggest that the structure of the CaM–NaV1.5 IQ motif complex can serve as a general model for the interaction between CaM and ion channel IQ motifs under low-calcium conditions. The structure also provides insight into the biochemical basis for disease-associated mutations that map to the IQ motif in NaV1.5.
Climate Change in Eurasia: Perspectives over Space and Time

A prominent physical geographer offers a brief primer on climate change in general and then brings spatial and temporal perspectives to bear in an assessment of the past, present, and future changes of climate over Eurasia. More specifically, he addresses climate change and feedbacks for Eurasia over longer (tectonic forcing, >105 years), intermediate (Earth's orbital relations, 104-105 years), and shorter timeframes (<104 years), emphasizing that climates change more or less continuously in response to many forcing factors (solar output, Earth's eccentric orbit, rotational tilt, precession, and interactive atmosphere-ocean-land systems, including human impacts). Although these factors operate at different rates and timescales, they may coincide at times to promote rapid change. The nesting of the current, three-decade pattern of warming within longer centennial- and millennial-scale cycles of warming and cooling since the Holocene Optimum (itself a warm interglacial stage within warm and cold cycles in t...
Adjuvant Chemotherapy Is Associated with Improved Survival after Esophagectomy without Induction Therapy for Node-Positive Adenocarcinoma

Background This study investigated adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) use after esophagectomy without induction therapy for node-positive (pN+) adenocarcinoma using the National Cancer Database, including the impact of complications related to surgery (CRS) on outcomes. Methods Predictors of AC use in 1694 patients in the National Cancer Data Base who underwent R0 esophagectomy from 2003–2011 without induction therapy for pN+ adenocarcinoma of the middle or lower esophagus and survived more than 30 days were identified with multivariable logistic regression. The impact of AC on survival was estimated using Kaplan–Meier and Cox-proportional hazards methods. Results AC was given to 874 of 1694 (51.6%) patients; 618 (70.7%) AC patients received radiation. Older age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.58/decade, p p = 0.03) and CRS (AOR 0.45, p p p = 0.008). Receiving radiation in addition to AC did not improve survival ( p = 0.35). Although CRS was associated with worse survival, patients who had CRS but received AC had superior survival compared to patients who did not have CRS or get AC ( p = 0.016). Conclusions AC after esophagectomy is associated with improved survival but was only used in half of patients with pN+ esophageal adenocarcinoma. We also found that the addition of radiation to AC was not associated with a survival benefit. CRS predict worse long-term survival and lower the chance of getting AC, but even patients with CRS had improved survival when given AC.