cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Measuring infant spatial working memory using a modified delayed-response procedure.

Infant spatial working memory was assessed in 96 nine-month-old human infants using a modification of the delayed-response procedure. A person was the hidden stimulus, gaze was used as the response modality, the response context was a naturalistic "peek-a-boo" game, and a salient cue (i.e. curtains opening to reveal two windows) was used to evoke responses. Infants responded on most trials and performed significantly above chance in delay conditions of 10 and 20 seconds. Reinforcement affected performance, but performance was above chance even in a 0% reinforcement condition. These procedural variations boost estimates of infant spatial working memory over previous estimates and enhance the usefulness of the delayed-response procedure as a marker task for infant spatial working memory.
Threat, Authoritarianism, and Selective Exposure to Information

We examined the hypothesis that threat alters the cognitive strategies used by high authoritarians in seeking out new political information from the environment. In a laboratory experiment, threat was manipulated through a “mortality salience” manipulation used in research on terror management theory (Pyszczynski, Solomon & Greenberg, 2003). Subjects (N = 92) were then invited to read one of three editorial articles on the topic of capital punishment. We found that in the absence of threat, both low and high authoritarians were responsive to salient norms of evenhandedness in information selection, preferring exposure to a two-sided article that presents the merits of both sides of an issue to an article that selectively touts the benefits of the pro or con side of the issue. However, in the presence of threat, high but not low authoritarians became significantly more interested in exposure to an article containing uniformly pro-attitudinal arguments, and significantly less interested in a balanced, two-sided article. Finally, a path analysis indicated that selective exposure to attitude-congruent information led to more internally consistent policy attitudes and inhibited attitude change. Discussion focuses on the role of threat in conditioning the cognitive and attitudinal effects of authoritarianism.
Higher order ϵ-terms in the renormalization group approach to Reggeon field theory

Abstract We calculate the O ( ϵ 2 ) terms in a Wilson ϵ-expansion of the scaling exponents in Reggeon field theory. We find that these corrections are comparable to the O(ϵ) terms.
Compositional Enterprise Modeling and Decision Support

In this article, we present a conceptual model and a web-based architecture for implementing an enterprise-wide modeling system for decision support. It describes a framework and develops a method that is aimed at effectively organizing, integrating, and reusing knowledge and model components from various sources across an organization in order to provide better knowledge access to decision makers. Given a query, the compositional modeling system responds with automatically building models for the described scenario by searching the organizational knowledge base and retrieving and integrating relevant knowledge components. We conclude with outlining an illustrative business example that demonstrates how our enterprise modeling system can be applied as useful tool for operational and strategic decision-making.
Clinical experience with thalidomide in multiple myeloma: Phase II trial results in refractory disease and ongoing studies

Abstract High-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem-cell transplant has markedly increased complete response (CR) and event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) rates in multiple myeloma. In fact, patients with no adverse prognostic factors achieve prolonged disease-free survival with this strategy. However, a substantial proportion of patients eventually relapse, perpetuating the need for newer agents and therapies. Recent findings that multiple myeloma is associated with neoangiogenesis and an increased number of microvessels in bone marrow, which carries a poor prognosis, led to the compassionate use of thalidomide for advanced multiple myeloma. A rapid, profound, and durable objective response to thalidomide in a pilot patient prompted initiation of a phase II clinical trial of single-agent thalidomide for advanced and refractory multiple myeloma. Preliminary results of this study suggest that thalidomide is highly active and well tolerated, even in patients who relapse after several induction attempts with high-dose chemotherapy and hematopoietic support. Based on this encouraging experience, randomized clinical trials evaluating the addition of thalidomide to cytotoxic treatment strategies for newly diagnosed and advanced refractory multiple myeloma are underway. Further research to establish the mechanism of antitumor activity and a dose-response relationship for thalidomide in multiple myeloma is required.
Singing and cryptic speciation insects.

Biologists have long known of the existence of 'inaudible' songs in insects, but recent work has shown such substrate-borne or near-field signals to be virtually ubiquitous, and often correlated with high numbers of sibling species. In a sexual context, silent singing has the formidable advantage of privacy: neither predators nor sexual competitors can listen and disrupt. Privacy enhances species recognition by promoting signal complexity. It also encourages the evolution of intricate signals in females as well as males, leading to obligatory dueting behavior during pair formation. Current evidence suggests that song divergence in dueting taxa can facilitate rapid, sympatric speciation.
Large omnidirectional band gaps in metallodielectric photonic crystals

Using a finite-difference time-domain method, we study the band-structure and transmission properties of three-dimensional metallodielectric photonic crystals. The metallodielectric crystals are modeled as perfect electrical conducting objects embedded in dielectric media. We investigate two different lattice geometries: the face-centered-cubic (fcc) lattice and the diamond lattice. Partial gaps are predicted in the fcc lattice, in excellent agreement with recent experiments. Complete gaps are found in a diamond lattice of isolated metal spheres. The gaps appear between the second and third bands and their sizes can be larger than 60% when the radius of the spheres exceeds 21% of the cubic unit cell size. A possible fabrication scheme for this structure is proposed and transmission calculations are performed. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Extending immersions of curves to properly immersed surfaces

Abstract Proper generic immersions of compact one-dimensional manifolds in surfaces are studied. Suppose an immersion γ of a collection of circles is given with an even number of double points in a closed surface G . Then γ extends to various proper immersions of surfaces in three-manifolds that are bounded by G . Some of these extensions do not have triple points. The minimum of the genera of the triple point free surfaces is an invariant of the curve. An algorithm to compute this invariant is given. Necessary and suffecient conditions determine if a given collection δ of immersed arcs in a surface F maps to the double points set of a proper immersion. In case the conditions are satisfied, an immersion of F into a three-manifold that depends on δ is constructed explicitly. In the process, the possible triple points of immersed surfaces in three-manifolds are categorized. The techniques are applied to find examples of curves in surfaces that do not bound immersed disks in any three-manifold.
Pharmacodynamics of glucose regulation by methylprednisolone. II. normal rats

A physiologic pharmacodynamic model was developed to jointly describe the effects of methylprednisolone (MPL) on adrenal suppression and glycemic control in normal rats. Six groups of animals were given MPL intravenously at 0, 10 and 50 mg/kg, or by subcutaneous 7 day infusion at rates of 0, 0.1 and 0.3 mg/kg/h. Plasma concentrations of MPL, corticosterone (CST), glucose and insulin were determined at various times up to 72 h after injection and 336 h after infusion. The pharmacokinetics of MPL was described by a two-compartment model. A circadian rhythm for CST was found in untreated rats with a stress-altered baseline caused by handling, which was captured by a circadian harmonic secretion rate with an increasing mesor. All drug treatments caused CST suppression. Injection of MPL caused temporary increases in glucose over 4 h. Insulin secretion was thereby stimulated yielding a later peak around 6 h. In turn, insulin can normalize glucose. However, long-term dosing caused continuous hyperglycemia during and after infusion. Hyperinsulinemia was achieved during infusion, but diminished immediately after dosing despite the high glucose concentration. The effects of CST and MPL on glucose production were described with a competitive stimulation function. A disease progression model incorporating reduced endogenous glucose uptake/utilization was used to describe glucose metabolism under different treatments. The results exemplify the roles of endogenous and exogenous hormones in mediating glucose dynamics. The pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model is valuable for quantitating diabetogenic effects of corticosteroid treatments and provides mechanistic insights into the hormonal control of the metabolic system.
Laser evaporation and condensation of Er in hydrogen and inert atmosphere

Abstract Er, condensing under Ar at room temperature after exposure to laser pulses, forms with particle sizes of approximately 1.25 × 10−8 to 5.0 × 10−8 m. When this process is carried out under hydrogen atmosphere the dihydride is formed.
Assembling OX40 aptamers on a molecular scaffold to create a receptor-activating aptamer.

We show that a molecular scaffold can be utilized to convert a receptor binding aptamer into a receptor agonist. Many receptors (including tumor necrosis receptor family members) are activated when they are multimerized on the cell surface. Molecular scaffolds have been utilized to assemble multiple receptor binding peptide ligands to generate activators of such receptors. We demonstrate that an RNA aptamer that recognizes OX40, a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, can be converted into a receptor-activating aptamer by assembling two copies on an olignucleotide-based scaffold. The OX40 receptor-activating aptamer is able to induce nuclear localization of nuclear factor-κB, cytokine production, and cell proliferation, as well as enhance the potency of dendritic cell-based tumor vaccines when systemically delivered to mice.
Pulses of Rapid Ventilation in the North Atlantic Surface Ocean During the Past Century

The Suess Effect is a gradual decrease of the 14C/12C ratio in tree rings from 1870 to 1950 that is attributed mostly to the burning of 14C-free fossil fuels for energy. In contrast, pre-nuclear bomb high-precision measurements of 14C/12C ratios in banded corals from the North Atlantic Ocean do not exhibit the expected Suess Effect. Instead, large biennial-to-decadal shifts in the 14C/12C ratios appear throughout the coral records. This pattern indicates that rapid pulses of increased mixing between surface and subsurface waters occurred in the North Atlantic Ocean during the past century.
Dynamic Gene Expression and Design Principles of Viral Infection Pathway

The study of gene expression is often couched in the language of steady-states. On the other hand, non-steady-state conditions are clearly of critical importance. One example that opens a unique window to studying non-steady-state gene expression patterns is viral infection. The lytic pathway of most bacteriophages leads to production of the machinery of the virus and eventually the infected cells burst. Here we use phage lambda and E. coli as a model system to study the intracellular dynamics of viral products from the nucleic acid to protein level. We use single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization and fluorescence fusion proteins to quantify the copy number of viral nucleic acid and protein products in single cells during the lytic pathway as a function of time. We ask how the growth curves of the viral products can be explained by using simple master equations describing the replication/transcription/translation of the well-characterized phage lambda genetic regulatory circuit. We also examine the molecular balance in the viral production process, as balance in sub-components is a recurring principle in the biosynthesis of ribosome, protein complexes and metabolic pathways. In particular, how wasteful is the production compared to the burst size (the average number of viral particles released per cell as measured in titer experiments), and whether the viral components (for example the capsid protein to genome ratio) are produced to the correct stoichiometry that is well-defined from structural studies for mature viral particles.
Fundación Maquipucuna: an entrepreneurial Ecuadorian non-profit organisation

The purpose of this paper is to describe Fundacion Maquipucuna’s community-based entrepreneurship activities. Fundacion Maquipucuna is a unique non-profit organisation in the Choco-Andes region of Ecuador. An ethnographic and review of the literature is conducted to analyse the cacao, coffee, ecotourism and plastic thatch enterprises of Fundacion Maquipucuna. The enterprises Fundacion Maquipucuna is engaged in support the ongoing sustainability of the biodiverse ecological environment in the Choco-Andes region, which is one of the top five biodiverse hotspots in the world. On a global scale, more emphasis is being placed on promoting sustainability initiatives to preserve the environment. This paper discusses how a litre-government agency Fundacion Maquipucuna is changing from a non-profit to a for-profit structure in order to continue its community engagement projects. This paper integrates the social and community-based entrepreneurship literature to discuss how Fundacion Maquipucuna is engaging in innovative regional development that benefits the whole Choco-Andes community including the large Afro-Ecuadorian population.
Correlational switching between 3 × 1 and 6 × 1 surface reconstructions on Si(111) with submonolayer Ag adsorption

Abstract Electron correlations are strongly enhanced in low-dimensional systems. Taking correlations as the dominant mechanism, we provide an explanation of the recently observed electrostatically enforced structural phase transition (3 × 1 to 6 × 1) on a Si(111) surface with submonolayer Ag adsorption.
Effect of Coronary Artery Diameter in Patients Undergoing Coronary Bypass Surgery

Background Coronary artery diameter is known to be inversely associated with perioperative mortality related to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). This association is believed to be responsible for increased risk among women and smaller people. However, the associations between sex, body size, and coronary size have not been carefully examined because direct information about coronary size is rarely available. Also, whether sex has an independent effect on vessel size is largely unknown. Methods and Results Height, weight, sex, age, status at hospital discharge, and luminal diameter of the midleft anterior descending coronary artery (mid-LAD) were recorded prospectively in 1325 patients undergoing CABG. Small vessel size was associated with substantially increased risk of in-hospital mortality (15.8% for 1.0-mm vessels, 4.6% for 1.5- to 2.0-mm vessels, and 1.5% for 2.5- to 3.5-mm vessels, P [trend] P [trend] P [trend] =.004), height ( P [trend] =.001), and weight ( P [trend] =.001). After controlling for differences in age and body size, sex remained an important predictor of coronary size. Within each quartile of each body-size measure, mid-LAD diameter in men was greater than that in women (mean difference [range], 0.14 to 0.23 mm). Conclusions Small mid-LAD diameter is associated with substantially increased risk of in-hospital mortality with CABG. Although body size is correlated with mid-LAD diameter, women have smaller coronary arteries than men after controlling for differences in body size. These findings further support the hypothesis that smaller coronary arteries explain higher perioperative mortality with CABG in women and smaller people.
Retrieval of Fresh Leaf Fuel Moisture Content Using Genetic Algorithm Partial Least Squares (GA-PLS) Modeling

Fuel moisture content (FMC) is an important parameter in forest fire modeling. We investigated the performance of genetic algorithms with partial least squares (GA-PLS) modeling to retrieve live FMC and its components, equivalent water thickness (EWT) and dry matter content (DM), from fresh leaf reflectance in the leaf optical properties experiment dataset. The results show that GA-PLS achieved a good estimation of FMC directly (R2=0.878-0.893) or indirectly (R 2=0.815-0.862) through the joint retrieval of EWT and DM; future work is required to assess the effectiveness of GA-PLS when applied to datasets that consist of low FMC values
Room-Temperature Single Photon Sources with Fluorescent Emitters in Liquid Crystal Hosts

A single-photon source on demand based on single CdSe quantum-dot fluorescence in a chiral-photonic-bandgap liquid-crystal microcavity manifests itself in observed fluorescence antibunching. The aligned liquid crystal host also provides deterministically polarized fluorescence of single emitters.
Where is publishing going?: a perspective on change

Advances in computer and network technologies have created an environment in which the fundamental nature of publishing is changing. Even how we define publishing may change significantly. The purpose of this article is to question how easy will it be to change the relationship of people to the published word and what are the challenges and consequences of changing this relationship. Included are a brief examination of some of the lessons learned from the short history of e-publishing and the directions publishing could take. The argument is made that the social implications of transforming publishing have been overlooked in most e-publishing discussions
The effect of inhibitors of glycoconjugate synthesis on optic cup formation in the chick embryo.

Abstract Invagination of the optic primordium in the chick embryo coincides with the appearance of material at the apical cell surface that precipitates cetylpyridinium chloride. Since this precipitate is soluble only at high salt concentrations, it is suspected of being an acidic glycoconjugate. In order to test whether glycoconjugates play a role in optic cup formation, embryos were treated with drugs that interfere with glycoconjugate synthesis. 6-Diazo-5-oxo- l -norleucine was selected as a general inhibitor of glycoconjugates and tunicamycin as a specific inhibitor of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides. Both inhibitors prevented invagination of the optic vesicle and resulted in absence of a cetylpyridinium chloride precipitate at the apical cell surfaces. In addition to the effect within the cavity of the optic vesicle, both inhibitors also affected the attachment between the lens epithelium and the retinal disc. During normal development, the basal laminae of the lateral surface of the optic vesicle and the overlying ectoderm fuse to form a thickened basement membrane at the margin of the future retinal disc. As the retinal disc and lens epithelium invaginate, additional attachments form toward the center of the two folding layers. These attachments are perturbed by both diazo-oxo-norleucine and tunicamycin. However, the lens epithelium forms a vesicle even if the optic cup does not form. Since both inhibitors have been reported to affect processes in addition to glycoconjugate synthesis, the effect of tunicamycin on sugar, amino acid, and sulfate incorporation was studied. The inhibitor had a significant effect only on glucosamine incorporation and appeared to selectively inhibit an increase in incorporation that began in control heads at the time of invagination.
Depression in the elderly: effect on patient attitudes toward life-sustaining therapy.

Objective: To determine the effect of depression on preferences for life-sustaining therapy in older persons. Design: A survey comparing depressed, older veterans and a similar, but non-depressed, control group. Setting: A 490-bed Veterans Affairs teaching hospital. Patients: Medical inpatients over 65 years of age were potential subjects. Patients who were in intensive care, cognitively impaired, unable to communicate, abusing alcohol or drugs, or unable to return for outpatient care were excluded. Ninety-five eligible subjects (29%) refused to participate. Depressed subjects scored >14 on the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and were diagnosed as depressed by a psychiatrist who was blind to the GDS results. Complete data were collected on 50 depressed and 50 control subjects. Main Outcome Measures: A self-administered questionnaire quantified patients' preferences regarding life-saving interventions in their current state of health and in four hypothetical scenarios of serious illness. Results: Depressed subjects desired fewer interventions than control subjects in their current health and in hypothetical scenarios with a good prognosis (P < 0.05). There were no differences between groups in poor prognosis scenarios. However, depression did not explain more than 5% of the variance in decision-making in any situation. In good prognosis scenarios, subjects' assessment of quality of life was the most powerful predictor of desire for life-saving interventions, accounting for 9%–17% of the variance (P < 0.01). Conclusions: These results suggest that depression is associated with treatment refusal in situations with a good medical prognosis. Depression, however, is only a weak predictor of treatment refusal. Further research is needed to define which patients would accept medical treatment if effectively treated for depression. J Am Geriatr Soc 40:983–988, 1992
Intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging-guided neurosurgery at 3-T.

OBJECTIVE Between 1997 and 2004, more than 700 neurosurgical procedures were performed in a 1.5-T magnetic resonance-guided therapy suite. During this period, the concept of high-field intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was validated, as was a new surgical guidance tool, the Navigus (Image-guided Neurologics, Melbourne, FL), and its methodology, prospective stereotaxy. Clinical protocols were refined to optimize surgical techniques. That implementation, the "Minnesota suite," has recently been revised, and a new suite with a 3-T MRI scanner has been developed. METHODS On the basis of experience at the initial 1.5-T suite, a new suite was designed to house a 3-T MRI scanner with wide surgical access at the rear of the scanner (opposite the patient couch). Use of electrocautery, a fiberoptic headlamp, a power drill, and MRI-compatible neurosurgical cutlery was anticipated by inclusion of waveguides and radiofrequency filter panels that penetrate the MRI suite's radiofrequency shield. An MRI-compatible head holder was adapted for use on the scanner table. A few items exhibiting limited ferromagnetism were used within the magnetic field, taking strict precautions. RESULTS During the initial procedures (all magnetic resonance-guided neurobiopsies), the new suite functioned as anticipated. Although metallic artifact related to titanium needles is more challenging at 3 T than at 1.5 T, it can be contained even at 3 T. Similar to 1.5 T, such artifact is best contained when the device is oriented along B0, the main magnetic field. Surgical needles, disposable scalpels, and disposable razors, despite being minimally ferromagnetic, were easily controlled by the surgeon. CONCLUSION An intraoperative magnetic resonance-guided neurosurgical theater has been developed with a 3-T MRI scanner. Intraoperative imaging is feasible at this field strength, and concerns regarding specific absorption rate can be allayed. Infection control procedures can be designed to permit neurosurgery within this environment. Despite the increase in magnetic field strength, safety can be maintained.
Automated detection of videotaped neonatal seizures based on motion segmentation methods

Abstract Objective This study was aimed at the development of a seizure detection system by training neural networks using quantitative motion information extracted by motion segmentation methods from short video recordings of infants monitored for seizures. Methods The motion of the infants' body parts was quantified by temporal motion strength signals extracted from video recordings by motion segmentation methods based on optical flow computation. The area of each frame occupied by the infants' moving body parts was segmented by direct thresholding, by clustering of the pixel velocities, and by clustering the motion parameters obtained by fitting an affine model to the pixel velocities. The computational tools and procedures developed for automated seizure detection were tested and evaluated on 240 short video segments selected and labeled by physicians from a set of video recordings of 54 patients exhibiting myoclonic seizures (80 segments), focal clonic seizures (80 segments), and random infant movements (80 segments). Results The experimental study described in this paper provided the basis for selecting the most effective strategy for training neural networks to detect neonatal seizures as well as the decision scheme used for interpreting the responses of the trained neural networks. Depending on the decision scheme used for interpreting the responses of the trained neural networks, the best neural networks exhibited sensitivity above 90% or specificity above 90%. Conclusions The best among the motion segmentation methods developed in this study produced quantitative features that constitute a reliable basis for detecting myoclonic and focal clonic neonatal seizures. The performance targets of this phase of the project may be achieved by combining the quantitative features described in this paper with those obtained by analyzing motion trajectory signals produced by motion tracking methods. Significance A video system based upon automated analysis potentially offers a number of advantages. Infants who are at risk for seizures could be monitored continuously using relatively inexpensive and non-invasive video techniques that supplement direct observation by nursery personnel. This would represent a major advance in seizure surveillance and offers the possibility for earlier identification of potential neurological problems and subsequent intervention.
SOLID STATE ELECTRON-HOPPING TRANSPORT AND FROZEN CONCENTRATION GRADIENTS IN A MIXED VALENT VIOLOGEN-TETRAETHYLENE OXIDE COPOLYMER

This paper describes electrochemistry and electron- hopping dynamics for a novel viologen-based redox polymer (poly-V2+) formed from the copolymerization of tetraethylene glycol di-p-tosylate and 4,4‘-bipyridine. Current−potential responses and electron-hopping (i.e., self-exchange) rates have been measured for mixed valent films of poly-V2+ on interdigitated array electrodes contacted by tetrahydrofuran/acetonitrile/tetrabutylammonium perchlorate electrolyte solution and as dry mixed valent films in vacuum or dry nitrogen. Electron transfer rates vary with the mixed valency composition of poly-V2+/+ films (judging film composition from the electrolysis potential with the Nernst equation) according to bimolecular reaction theory for solvent-wetted but less well for dry films. Current−potential characteristics are also reported for mixed valent films that contain concentration gradients of the poly-V2+ and poly-V+ redox states, which we attempt to freeze into place by drying the film under a gradient-gener...
Parents of adolescents who have committed sexual offenses: Characteristics, challenges, and interventions

This article discusses the importance of a systems approach to working with adolescents who have offended sexually. Literature concerning family backgrounds of these youths is reviewed, highlighting histories of family violence, parental depression and child maltreatment, problematic communication patterns, parental psychological inaccessibility, inconsistent discipline, and failure of the family to acknowledge the youth's offending behavior. Such issues and other special challenges presented by parents of these adolescents, particularly as the issues impact caregiver support and supervision, can be significant barriers to a youth's successful treatment. However, when these barriers are addressed through a systems approach that actively involves parents in assessment and therapeutic phases of intervention, treatment of an adolescent who sexually offended is likely to be enhanced. The importance of offering parents multiple intervention strategies at various stages in the therapeutic process is emphasized; interventions might include individual, family, and multi-family group therapy, and psychoeducation and support groups.
Evaluating Hypotheses about Active Learning

We assess the relative effectiveness of two different active learning complements to traditional lecture-based learning. Using a large introductory class at a large public university, we conducted an experiment designed to evaluate whether active learning approaches provide a significant improvement in a student’s short-term retention of material over only attending a standard large lecture. In this Introduction to World Politics class, each teaching assistant taught one section using a common discussion lesson plan and one section using a brief role-play activity. Using multiple regression analysis, we find that the addition of an instructor-led discussion significantly improves student performance on the short answer portion of a brief post-activity assessment, but not on the multiple choice portion. The role-play sections perform significantly better on multiple choice portion than the lecture-only group. In comparing the two treatments to each other, we find no statistically significant difference in the performance of the two groups.
Diabetic foot biomechanics and gait dysfunction.

Background:Diabetic foot complications represent significant morbidity and precede most of the lower extremity amputations performed. Peripheral neuropathy is a frequent complication of diabetes sh...
Numerical Experiments on Shock-Turbulence Interaction

Many applications in engineering and physical sciences involve situations where a turbulent flow interacts with shock waves. High-speed flows around aerodynamic bodies and through propulsion systems for high-speed flight are abound with interactions of shear-driven turbulence with complex shock waves. Supernova explosions and inertial confinement fusion also involve the interaction of shockwaves with turbulence and strong density variations. Numerical simulations of such physical phenomena impose conflicting demands on the numerical algorithms. Capturing broadband spatial and temporal variations in a turbulent flow suggests the use of high-bandwidth schemes with minimal dissipation and dispersion, while capturing a flow discontinuity at a shock wave requires numerical dissipation.
Architecture optimizations for synchronization and communication on chip multiprocessors

Chip multiprocessors (CMPs) enable concurrent execution of multiple threads using several cores on a die. Current CMPs behave much like symmetric multiprocessors and do not take advantage of the proximity between cores to improve synchronization and communication between concurrent threads. Thread synchronization and communication instead use memory/cache interactions. We propose two architectural enhancements to support fine grain synchronization and communication between threads that reduce overhead and memory/cache contention. Register-based synchronization exploits the proximity between cores to provide low-latency shared registers for synchronization. This approach can save significant power over spin waiting when blocking events that suspend the core are used. Pre-pushing provides software controlled data forwarding between caches to reduce coherence traffic and improve cache latency and hit rates. We explore the behavior of these approaches, and evaluate their effectiveness at improving synchronization and communication performance on CMPs with private caches. Our simulation results show significant reduction in inter-core traffic, latencies, and miss rates.
Variation in the geographic and temporal distribution of Microphallus turgidus (Trematoda: Microphallidae) in grass shrimp (Palaemonetes spp.) on Tidal Rivers in Southeast Georgia, U.S.A

Abstract The first goal of this study was to measure geographic variation in the abundance of Microphallus turgidus in the grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio and to determine whether salinity at collection localities and parasite abundance are related. To do so, grass shrimp were collected at multiple localities along the Altamaha and Ogeechee rivers that varied in salinity from oligo- to polyhaline. We found a positive linear relationship between salinity and mean parasite abundance. The second goal of the study was to measure temporal variation in populations of M. turgidus in the grass shrimp P. pugio and Palaemonetes vulgaris to determine whether a relationship between temporal changes in parasite population size and variation in salinity or water temperature exists. To do so, grass shrimp were collected twice each season over the course of approximately 2.5 yr at 1 locality each on 3 tidal rivers in southeast Georgia: the Ogeechee, Broro, and Altamaha rivers. Variation between seasons in the abundance o...
Asymptotic Fourier Coefficients for a C∞ Bell (Smoothed-“Top-Hat”) & the Fourier Extension Problem

In constructing local Fourier bases and in solving differential equations with nonperiodic solutions through Fourier spectral algorithms, it is necessary to solve the Fourier Extension Problem. This is the task of extending a nonperiodic function, defined on an interval $$x \in [-\chi, \chi]$$ , to a function $$\tilde{f}$$ which is periodic on the larger interval $$x \in [-\Theta, \Theta]$$ . We derive the asymptotic Fourier coefficients for an infinitely differentiable function which is one on an interval $$x \in [-\chi, \chi]$$ , identically zero for $$|x| < \Theta$$ , and varies smoothly in between. Such smoothed "top-hat" functions are "bells" in wavelet theory. Our bell is (for x ? 0) $$\mathcal{T}(x; L, \chi, \Theta)=(1+\mbox{erf}(z))/2$$ where $$z=L \xi/\sqrt{1-\xi^{2}}$$ where $$\xi \equiv -1 + 2 (\Theta-x)/(\Theta - \chi)$$ . By applying steepest descents to approximate the coefficient integrals in the limit of large degree j, we show that when the width L is fixed, the Fourier cosine coefficients a j of $$\mathcal{T}$$ on $$x \in [-\Theta, \Theta]$$ are proportional to $$a_{j} \sim (1/j) \exp(- L \pi^{1/2} 2^{-1/2} (1-\chi/\Theta)^{1/2} j^{1/2}) \Lambda(j)$$ where ?(j) is an oscillatory factor of degree given in the text. We also show that to minimize error in a Fourier series truncated after the Nth term, the width should be chosen to increase with N as $$L=0.91 \sqrt{1 - \chi/\Theta} N^{1/2}$$ . We derive similar asymptotics for the function f(x)=x as extended by a more sophisticated scheme with overlapping bells; this gives an even faster rate of Fourier convergence
Neurobiology, Psychophysics, and Computational Models of Visual Attention

The purpose of this workshop was to discuss both recent experimental findings and computational models of the neurobiological implementation of selective attention. Recent experimental results were presented in two of the four presentations given (C.E. Connor, Washington University and B.C. Motter, SUNY and V.A. Medical Center, Syracuse), while the other two talks were devoted to computational models (E. Niebur, Caltech, and B. Olshausen, Washington University).
Fulvic acid sorption on muscovite mica as a function of pH and time using in situ X-ray reflectivity.

Interfacial structures of the basal surface of muscovite mica in 100 mg kg (-1) Elliott Soil Fulvic Acid II solutions were investigated using in situ X-ray reflectivity. Molecular-scale variations in the thickness and internal structure of the fulvic acid (FA) film were observed and quantified as a function of pH (2-12) and reaction time (3-500 h at pH 3.7). At pH or =8.5, a distinct interfacial structure was observed, consisting of sharper peaks similar to those previously observed for muscovite in the absence of FA. These peaks are most likely composed of smaller aqueous species, such as H 2O molecules, metal ion impurities from FA, and Na (+) from NaOH. The FA sorbed on the muscovite surface at pH 3.7 maintained a relatively constant thickness after 3 hours. However, the electron density of the near-surface FA peak increased by about 24% from 3 to 12 hours, and remained relatively constant from 12 to 500 hours. The electron density of the more distant part of the sorbed FA layer increased slightly after 12-50 hours of reaction but then decreased, and the broad peak flattened by 500 hours. Internal structural changes are possibly due to the slow sorption rate of FA molecules, or a fractionation effect, i.e., continuous subsitution of smaller FA molecules by larger FA molecules.
The explicit dynamic model and inertial parameters of the PUMA 560 arm

To provide COSMOS, a dynamic model based manipulator control system, with an improved dynamic model, a PUMA 560 arm was disassembled; the inertial properties of the individual links were measured; and an explicit model incorporating all of the non-zero measured parameters was derived. The explicit model of the PUMA arm has been obtained with a derivation procedure comprised of several heuristic rules for simplification. A simplified model, abbreviated from the full explicit model with a 1% significance criterion, can be evaluated with 805 calculations, one fifth the number required by the recursive Newton-Euler method. The procedure used to derive the model is laid out; the measured inertial parameters are presented, and the model is included in an appendix.
Short-term Selection for Acute Ethanol Tolerance and Sensitization from an F2 Population Derived from the High and Low Alcohol Sensitive Selectively Bred Rat Lines

Abstract Previous studies have identified quantitative trait loci (QTL) in the inbred high and low alcohol-sensitive rat (IHAS1 and ILAS1) strains. The original development of the strains involved selection for ethanol sensitivity based on duration of the loss of the righting reflex (LORR) after a standard dose of ethanol. This paper confirms some of these QTL using a short-term selection procedure based on the difference between the blood ethanol level at LORR and regain of the righting response. An F 2 population of rats was developed by a reciprocal cross of IHAS1 and ILAS1 rats. Selection for five generations was carried out using delta-blood ethanol concentration (dBEC) as the selection trait, where dBEC=BECLR (BEC at loss of righting reflex)−BECRR (BEC at regain of righting reflex). The lines were labeled tolerant (TOL) or sensitive (SENS). Approximately one-third of the offspring for each generation in each line were genotyped using DNA markers that had been previously found to be linked to QTL on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 12, and 13. By the fifth generation of selection, the lines showed a very large difference in dBEC, BECRR, and duration of LORR; BECLR showed little segregation during the selection, and latency to lose the righting reflex showed none. IHAS allele frequency increased in the SENS line for markers on chromosomes 1, 5, 12, and 13 while ILAS allele frequency increased in the TOL line. These results were in good agreement with the two previous QTL studies. On chromosome 2, the selection resulted in an accumulation of ILAS alleles in both lines. This study provides independent confirmation of the location of QTL on chromosomes 1, 5, 12, and 13 for ethanol sensitivity. It also suggests that genetic differences in duration of LORR are mediated primarily by the dBEC phenotype.
Phase-II study of dose attenuated schedule of irinotecan, capecitabine, and celecoxib in advanced colorectal cancer

Background The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme plays a major role in tumor progression and resistance to chemotherapy. A Phase-II study was undertaken to determine the activity of a dose attenuated schedule of irinotecan, capecitabine, and the COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.
Differential social regulation of two pituitary gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptors.

In many vertebrates, social interactions regulate reproductive capacity by altering the activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. To better understand the mechanisms underlying social regulation of reproduction, we investigated the relationship between social status and one main component of the HPG axis: expression levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor (GnRH-R). Social interactions dictate reproductive capacity in the cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni. Reproductively active territory holders suppress the HPG axis of non-territorial males through repeated aggressive encounters. To determine whether the expression of GnRH-R is socially regulated, we quantified mRNA levels of two GnRH-R variants in the pituitaries and brains of territorial (T) and non-territorial (NT) A. burtoni males. We found that T males had significantly higher levels of pituitary GnRH-R1 mRNA than NT males. In contrast, GnRH-R2 mRNA levels in the pituitary did not vary with social status. Pituitaries from both T and NT males expressed significantly higher mRNA levels of GnRH-R1 than GnRH-R2. GnRH mRNA levels in the brain correlated positively with GnRH-R1 mRNA levels in the pituitary but did not correlate with pituitary GnRH-R2. Measurements of GnRH-R1 and GnRH-R2 mRNA levels across the whole brain revealed no social status differences. These results show that, in addition to the known effects of social status on other levels of the HPG axis, GnRH receptor in the pituitary is also a target of social regulation.
Microstructures of Polysilicon

ABSTRACTSome typical microstructural studies of polycrystalline silicon using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) are described, including the application of this material for assisting TEM investigations themselves. Examples include oxidation and realignment of polysilicon thin films, the structure of polysilicon in EEPROM devices, polysilicon in trench capacitors and measurement of SiO2 layer thicknesses with polysilicon overlayers. It is also shown tha grain growth in heavily phosphorus doped polysilicon films can be followed by in situ heating in the TEM.
Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Trajectories in Children Living in Families Reported for Family Violence

The present study examined latent class trajectories of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and associations between demographics, prior trauma, and reason for referral on class membership. Children ages 7–18 (n=201) were recruited for participation in the Navy Family Study following reports to the U.S. Navy's Family Advocacy Program (FAP). Initial interviews were conducted 2–6 weeks following FAP referral, with follow-ups conducted at 9–12, 18–24, and 36–40 months. Growth mixture modeling revealed two latent class trajectories: a resilient class and a persistent symptom class. Relative to youth in the resilient class, participants in the persistent symptom class were more likely to be older and to report exposure to a greater number of trauma experiences at Time 1.
A note on commuting times and city size: Testing variances as well as means

Relatively little attention has been paid to the relationship between commute time variances and city size. In this paper, we utilize 2009 Nationwide Highway Travel Survey data and test the relationship between area commute-time means as well as variances in metropolitan-area size. We include tests for metropolitan areas as a whole and for residents from urban, suburban, second city, and town-and-county areas. The regression analysis shows that all estimated slopes are statistically significant but not much greater than zero. Commute time means and variances are highly correlated. These relationships are also invariant with respect to the place of residence. An extensive collection of literature provides evidence for the co-location of workers and jobs hypothesis: average commute times do not rise appreciably as metropolitan population increases. We conclude that these results are additional, although indirect, evidence for the co-location hypothesis.
The Contingent-Noncontingent Compensation Controversy: An Attempt at a Resolution

In order to determine whether contingent compensation has a detrimental effect on worker performance relative to noncontingent compensation (Deci, 1972b), 43 undergraduates were hired for a part-time interviewing job. A test of a proposed resolution of the noncontingent-contingent controversy (in terms of work quality enhancement under contingent compensation and work quality enhancement under noncontingent compensation) yielded support for only the prediction of quantity enhancement under contingent compensation. Moderating effects of individual differences variables (need for achievement and moral maturity) on the relationships of compensation contingency with performance indices were also evidenced.
Potential vorticity aspects of the MJO

Considering linearized motion about a resting basic state, we derive analytical solutions of the equatorial -plane primitive equations under the assumption that the o w is steady in a reference frame moving eastward with a diabatic forcing resembling a super cloud cluster. The solutions are analyzed in terms of potential vorticity (PV) dynamics. Because the diabatic source term for PV contains a factor y, the diabatic heat source is ineectiv e at generating a PV anomaly at the equator but maximizes the PV response near the poleward edges of the heat source. In this way a moving heat source can produce two ribbons of lower tropospheric PV anomaly, a positive one o the equator in the northern hemisphere and a negative one o the equator in the southern hemisphere, with oppositely signed PV anomalies in the upper troposphere. Associated with these PV anomalies are geopotential anomalies that are shifted several hundred kilometers poleward. In the lower troposphere these zonally elongated geopotential anomalies resemble ITCZ trough zones, which demonstrates the close connection between the MJO wake dynamics and the formation of double ITCZs. To demonstrate that the MJO wake response can be described by simple PV dynamics, we propose an invertibility principle relating the PV to the streamfunction, which in turn is locally related to the geopotential. This equatorial invertibility principle accurately recovers the balanced wind and mass elds found in the MJO wake in the primitive equation model. However, while the invertibility principle highlights the ability of simple PV dynamics to accurately describe the o w in the wake of an MJO super cloud cluster, it also clearly illustrates the inability of such dynamics to describe the Kelvin-like o w pattern ahead of the cluster.
A Report of Three Cases With Acquired Generalized Lipodystrophy With Distinct Autoimmune Conditions Treated With Metreleptin

Context: Acquired generalized lipodystrophy (AGL) is associated with leptin deficiency as a result of adipose tissue loss and hypertriglyceridemia, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis. It may coexist with other autoimmune diseases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, hemolytic anemia, and chronic active hepatitis. Metreleptin therapy has been shown to improve metabolic abnormalities in lipodystrophy, but the effect on AGL patients with active autoimmune disease is unknown. Case Description: We report 3 cases of pediatric patients with AGL and distinct active autoimmune diseases who were treated with metreleptin over a period of 4–6 years. Case 1 is a 9-year-old girl with active juvenile dermatomyositis, who was successfully treated with leptin with no worsening of her dermatomoysitis. Case 2 is a 16-year-old female with Graves' disease, who could discontinue all her antidiabetic medication completely with improved triglyceride levels. Case 3 is an 11-year-old boy with active autoim...