cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Carbon dioxide emission trends in cars and light trucks: A comparative analysis of emissions and methodologies for Florida's counties (2000 and 2008)

Abstract This paper investigates methodologies to quantify CO2 emissions from cars and light trucks in Florida. The most widely used methodology to calculate greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector at the local level uses a harmonic average (HA) methodology based on nationally averaged fuel economies that assume 55% city and 45% highway VMTs. This paper presents a local condition (LC) methodology that accounts for county-level variations in city and highway VMTs, as opposed to assumed uniform driving conditions. Both HA and LC methodologies were used to estimate and compare absolute and per capita CO2 emissions both statewide and counties for 2000 and 2008. From 2000 to 2008, statewide absolute and per capita CO2 emissions increased similarly using HA and LC methodologies; however, the percent change varied considerably among counties. Statewide CO2 emissions calculated from HA and LC methodologies differed by only −0.2% (2000) and 1.7% (2008); however, the differences in the county-level emissions ranged from −8.0% to 14.9% (2000) and from −5.6% to 17.0% (2008). While either the HA or the LC methodology yields a similar result statewide, significant variation exists at the county level, warranting the need to consider local driving conditions when estimating county-level emissions.
The relationship between organizational commitment and contextual performance among private club leaders

Abstract The present study examined the factor structure of, and relationships between, multi-dimensional constructs of organizational commitment (OC) and contextual performance (CP) in the context of the private club industry. Data were collected from private club leaders (N = 549) via a web survey. Structural equation modeling showed that affective commitment (AC) had the strongest positive effects on both dimensions of CP. Continuance commitment (CC) related negatively to both dimensions of CP; however, the relationship between CC and job dedication only was statistically significant. Normative commitment was associated positively with both dimensions of CP, but these two relationships were not statistically significant.
Lessons in Resilience: Undocumented Mexican Women in South Carolina

South Carolina has one of the fastest-growing Hispanic/Latino populations in the United States, and the majority of the immigrants are of Mexican descent. Historically, most of these immigrants were young men, but in recent years, more women and children have moved from Mexico to South Carolina and other parts of the Southeast. The study presented here investigated the lives of 20 undocumented Mexican women in South Carolina using a grounded theory approach. It found that undocumented women from Mexico have mustered a tremendous amount of strength and resilience in overcoming the cultural, social, economic, and legal barriers of living in the United States. The findings suggest that more research is necessary on the resilience and assets that undocumented women from Mexico bring to the United States.
Simulating the responses of forest bird species to multi-use recreational trails

Abstract Although non-consumptive recreation can promote wildlife preservation and add socio-economic value to parks and nature reserves, such activities can have negative implications for wildlife. For sensitive species, recreation can lead to displacement, influence breeding success and reduce survival. Thus managing recreational activities by regulating visitor access, densities and frequency can effectively reduce human–wildlife interactions. In many instances, simulation modeling has been used as a management tool, as it allows the user to explore the impact of alternative park designs and management strategies on wildlife in a risk-free environment. Such exercises tend to focus on single species, generally a species of conservation concern, on which management decisions are based. As an alternative approach, we used a modeling simulation to compare the disturbance caused by different trail designs, trail use rates and the management of invasive vegetation (i.e., removal) on a forest community of breeding birds at a state park in Indiana, USA. Our multi-species approach revealed that an appropriate trail design for one species was not necessarily appropriate for another, even among species of concern. We therefore caution that management based on a single high profile species could have far-reaching implications on the local community. We also found that invasive vegetation removal did not have a cumulative influence on the recreational disturbance experienced by birds. This study demonstrates that by identifying and comparing the differences between individual species within a community, we gain valuable insights that can be used devise more resilient long-term management strategies that aim to preserve biodiversity.
Last-minute preoperative cardiology consultations: Epidemiology and impact

To identify clinical predictors of last-minute preoperative cardiology consultations and to evaluate the impact of these consultations on patient care, we performed a retrospective case-control study including all 166 patients who received unscheduled cardiology consultations at the preadmission testing center (PATC) of an urban teaching hospital. Control subjects were 166 patients matched by date and category of surgical procedure. Significant (p < 0.05) independent predictors of last-minute consultations included history of myocardial infarction (odds ratio [OR] = 23.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.5 to 373), history of chest pain (OR = 15.3; 95% CI = 3.7 to 62.9), history of chronic obstructive lung disease (OR = 5.9; 95% CI = 1.1 to 32.9), prior echocardiography (OR = 3.4; 95% CI = 1.2 to 9.8), and age (OR per decade = 1.1; 95% CI = 1.04 to 1.1). Thus among patients undergoing elective noncardiac surgery, last-minute preoperative consultations are common and are usually precipitated by an abnormal electrocardiogram or history of cardiovascular disease. Last-minute consultations may be preventable if those patients with risk factors for consultation are identified in advance of the preadmission evaluation and referred for elective consultation.
Primary frustration differences following brief partial-reinforcement acquisition under varying magnitudes of reward

In Experiment I, rats which had received six partially reinforced runway acquisition trials, with a reward magnitude of 60 sec access to wet mash on rewarded trials, showed less persistent responding over highly massed extinction trials than subjects which had received the same acquisition schedule but reward magnitudes of either 1 or 10 45-mg pellets. In Experiment II, rats which had received six partially reinforced placements into one compartment of a two-compartment box, with 60 sec access to mash on rewarded placements, jumped a hurdle faster to escape nonreward than subjects which had received the same reward schedule but 10 45-mg pellets on rewarded trials. The data supported a primary frustration analysis for reward-magnitude manipulations within brief partial-reinforcement schedules.
Simulation of Polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Solar Cells in Two Dimensions

The extent to which grain boundaries (GBs) in polycrystalline materials may be detrimental, benign, or even beneficial is explored with numerical simulations in two dimensions. We focus on the effects of GB recombination in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells and its effects on solar-cell performance. The simulations predict that (1) for device effciency exceeding 17%, the effective GB recombination velocity must be less than 104 cm/s; (2) grain boundaries within the space-charge region (SCR) lower the open-circuit voltage, whereas the short-circuit current is reduced by grain boundaries in the bulk material; and (3) horizontal GBs are relatively benign unless they are located in the SCR. Modifications to the electronic structure near grain boundaries show that charge-induced band-bending at grain boundaries will most likely have a negative effect on device performance, whereas a down-shift in the valence-band energy at the grain surface can effectively passivate the GBs and reduce the effective recombination velocity. For the models considered, GBs generally have a deleterious effect on effciency, and GBs alone can not explain the apparent superiority of polycrystalline over single-crystalline CIGS materials.
Inclusion of various amounts of steam-flaked soybeans in lactating dairy cattle diets

Whereas most soybean feedstuffs have been extensively investigated for use in ruminant diets, a lack of information exists regarding steam-flaked soybeans (SFSB). This research evaluated various inclusion rates of SFSB in diets for lactating dairy cattle. Twelve multiparous Holstein cows (103 ± 39 d in milk) were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square experiment consisting of 28-d periods, 14 d for diet transitioning followed by a 14-d sampling period. Treatments were inclusion of SFSB at 0, 5, 10, and 15% of dietary dry matter (DM), replacing a mixture of soybean meal, soy hulls, calcium salts of fatty acids, and choice white grease. Animals were fed lactating dairy cow diets formulated to be isonitrogenous and isoenergetic, containing 60% of DM as forage and 40% of DM as concentrate. Dry matter intake (mean = 28.8 kg/d), milk production (42.2 kg/d), milk fat percentage (3.52%), and feed efficiency (1.43 kg of energy-corrected milk/kg of DM intake) were similar across all treatments. Milk protein (2.98%) and lactose (4.87%) were also unaffected by the amount of SFSB in the diet. Milk urea nitrogen concentration decreased linearly as the amount of SFSB in the diet increased. Unlike some other soybean supplements, feeding SFSB did not increase trans-11 C18:1 or cis-9,trans-11 conjugated linoleic acid, but instead resulted in increased cis-9,cis-12 C18:2 and α-C18:3. Body weights (752 kg) and body condition scores (3.17) were similar with all diets. This research demonstrated that SFSB can be substituted for soybean meal and commercial fat sources while maintaining milk and milk component production and decrease milk urea nitrogen concentration.
Predictions of rodent carcinogenicity testing results: interpretation in light of the Lave-Omenn value-of-information model.

The recent National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Toxicology Program Carcinogen Prediction Challenge elicited a valuable array of predictions of the carcinogenicity of chemicals tested in the lifetime rodent bioassay. The data warrant additional analyses of the similarities and differences of the predictive methods. We provide here analyses of the sensitivity, specificity, and false-positive/false-negative tendencies of the different sets of predictions. Our value-of-information model provides guidance to testing agencies and regulatory agencies in determining the social value of additional information and setting up the framework for assessing the social consequences of different test strategies and nontest predictive methods. These considerations deserve attention in the second round of the Carcinogen Prediction Challenge.© 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc
Toward building conversational spoken-language interfaces: acknowledgement use in American English and Mexican Spanish

Should spoken-language interfaces incorporate human discourse phenomena? Acknowledgements, for example, are ubiquitous in human conversation but are rare in human-computer interaction. Are people unwilling to use this human convention when talking to a machine, or is their scarcity due to the design of current spoken-language interfaces? We found that, given a simple spoken-language interface that responded to acknowledgements, over two thirds of subjects used acknowledgements at least once, about the same number that used more traditional commands to control the interface. These results were consistent for both Mexican Spanish and American English versions of the Interface, and they suggest that it may be possible to make use of human discourse mechanisms such as acknowledgement to build more flexible spoken-language interfaces.
Achieving inclusion through CLAD: Collaborative Learning Assessment through Dialogue

This study measures the effectiveness of Collaborative Learning Assessment through Dialogue (CLAD) on reading achievement in inclusive classrooms in the USA. The CLAD process involved students collaboratively completing multiple‐choice quizzes, using dialogue and critical thinking to reach consensus and receiving immediate feedback on their responses. The procedure was implemented in three third‐grade classrooms (n = 30) in a midwestern elementary school for the purpose of reducing a significant achievement gap between these students and those who attended a different school within the same district (n = 95). The effectiveness of CLAD was assessed though a comparison of students’ scores on a state reading achievement test designed to measure their ability to construct, examine, and extend meaning in text. The test was administered to both groups in October 2003 and again in March 2004. While both the intervention and comparison groups showed significant improvement in reading achievement scores, the inter...
A Brief Tutorial on Calculus on Manifolds, with Emphasis on Applications to Identification and Control

In this tutorial, fundamental definitions of differentiable manifold, functions, and vector fields are given along with examples taken from identification, filtering, and from realization theory. Calculus of real-valued functions on a manifold, leading to the Morse Theory, is also discussed accompanied by examples in identification and in the stability analysis of a power system
Speech Processing Disorder in Neural Hearing Loss

Deficits in central auditory processing may occur in a variety of clinical conditions including traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative disease, auditory neuropathy/dyssynchrony syndrome, neurological disorders associated with aging, and aphasia. Deficits in central auditory processing of a more subtle nature have also been studied extensively in neurodevelopmental disorders in children with learning disabilities, ADD, and developmental language disorders. Illustrative cases are reviewed demonstrating the use of an audiological test battery in patients with auditory neuropathy/dyssynchrony syndrome, bilateral lesions to the inferior colliculi, and bilateral lesions to the temporal lobes. Electrophysiological tests of auditory function were utilized to define the locus of dysfunction at neural levels ranging from the auditory nerve, midbrain, and cortical levels.
Clopidogrel Inhibition of Stent, Graft, and Vascular Thrombogenesis With Antithrombotic Enhancement by Aspirin in Nonhuman Primates

Background—A recent study showed that clopidogrel reduces thrombo-occlusive complications in patients with symptomatic atherosclerosis more effectively than aspirin. Methods and Results—The effects of clopidogrel and aspirin have been compared, singly and in combination, for measurements of 111In-labeled platelets and 125I-labeled fibrin deposition in baboon models of arterial thrombosis and related to platelet aggregation and expression of activation epitopes induced by ADP, collagen, and thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP) and to template bleeding times (BTs). Low-dose oral clopidogrel (0.2 mg · kg−1 · d−1) produced cumulative (1) intermediate decreases in 111In-platelet and 125I-fibrin deposition for segments of prosthetic vascular graft, deployed endovascular metallic stents, and endarterectomized aorta (P<0.009 in all cases); (2) elimination of ADP-induced platelet aggregation (P<0.001); (3) modest inhibition of collagen-induced platelet aggregation (P<0.01); (4) no reduction in TRAP-induced pla...
Abdominal wall endometriomas.

Abstract Background The diagnosis of abdominal wall endometriomas is often confused with other surgical conditions. Methods A retrospective study was made of 12 patients presenting with an abdominal wall mass, which proved to be endometrioma. Results Of a total of 297 patients of endometriosis treated in our hospital over a 7-year period, 12 (4%) had isolated abdominal wall endometriomas. Their mean age was 29.4 years. The presenting symptoms were abdominal mass (n = 12), cyclical (n = 5) or noncyclic pain (n = 7), dyspareunia and dysmenorrhea (n = 1). All patients had a history of gynecologic operations and presented, after an average of 1.9 years, with a tender mass (average 4 cm) at the previous incision site. Preoperative diagnosis was correct in 4 patients (33%) who presented with a cyclically painful abdominal mass. The others were diagnosed as incisional hernia (n = 4), “abdominal wall tumor” (n = 2), and inguinal hernia (n = 2). All patients underwent wide excision of their endometrioma; 2 required polytetrafluoroethylene patch grafting for the resulting fascial defect. The diagnosis was confirmed at frozen section or conventional histological examination in all patients. At follow-up, ranging from 4 months to 3 years, there was no recurrence of endometrioma. Conclusions Scar endometrioma commonly presents as an abdominal mass with noncyclical symptoms. Imaging techniques are nonspecific and needle biopsy may confirm the diagnosis. Wide excision is the treatment of choice for abdominal wall endometrioma as well as for recurrent lesions.
The relative value of labeled and unlabeled samples in pattern recognition with an unknown mixing parameter

We observe a training set Q composed of l labeled samples {(X/sub 1/,/spl theta//sub 1/),...,(X/sub l/, /spl theta//sub l/)} and u unlabeled samples {X/sub 1/',...,X/sub u/'}. The labels /spl theta//sub i/ are independent random variables satisfying Pr{/spl theta//sub i/=1}=/spl eta/, Pr{/spl theta//sub i/=2}=1-/spl eta/. The labeled observations X/sub i/ are independently distributed with conditional density f/sub /spl theta/i/(/spl middot/) given /spl theta//sub i/. Let (X/sub 0/,/spl theta//sub 0/) be a new sample, independently distributed as the samples in the training set. We observe X/sub 0/ and we wish to infer the classification /spl theta//sub 0/. In this paper we first assume that the distributions f/sub 1/(/spl middot/) and f/sub 2/(/spl middot/) are given and that the mixing parameter is unknown. We show that the relative value of labeled and unlabeled samples in reducing the risk of optimal classifiers is the ratio of the Fisher informations they carry about the parameter /spl eta/. We then assume that two densities g/sub 1/(/spl middot/) and g/sub 2/(/spl middot/) are given, but we do not know whether g/sub 1/(/spl middot/)=f/sub 1/(/spl middot/) and g/sub 2/(/spl middot/)=f/sub 2/(/spl middot/) or if the opposite holds, nor do we know /spl eta/. Thus the learning problem consists of both estimating the optimum partition of the observation space and assigning the classifications to the decision regions. Here, we show that labeled samples are necessary to construct a classification rule and that they are exponentially more valuable than unlabeled samples.
Space-time coding over MIMO channels with impulsive noise

Impulsive, nonGaussian noise is prevalent in wireless environments. We adopt an impulsive noise model over multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) channels and discuss receiver design and code design over MIMO channels with impulsive noise. We derive the code design criterion for the so-called genie-aided receiver and suboptimal receiver, both of which yield criteria identical to Tarokh et al. (1998) when the noise is not impulsive. We propose a maximum a posteriori (MAP) receiver, whose performance can be tightly lower bounded by the genie-aided receiver. We simplify the optimal MAP receiver by an approximation and show that for all cases of practical interest, only 2 terms in the approximation is enough to get near-optimal performance.
Protein Interactions with the Glucose Transporter Binding Protein GLUT1CBP That Provide a Link between GLUT1 and the Cytoskeleton

Subcellular targeting and the activity of facilitative glucose transporters are likely to be regulated by interactions with cellular proteins. This report describes the identification and character...
Volume conduction effects on correlation analysis of EEG data

An investigation into the relationship between scalp recorded EEG data and the underlying source generators using an analytic three concentric spheres model is presented. Correlation coefficients were computed for scalp potential and scalp Laplacian due to randomly distributed cortical sources using electrode pairs of varying separation. Direct comparisons of scalp potential and Laplacian with underlying cortical potential were also made using highly correlated cortical sources. In the case of scalp potentials, electrodes 6 cm apart showed a correlation coefficient of 0.5 due to volume conduction alone. Use of the Laplacian resulted in correlations approaching zero for 3 cm electrode spacing and random sources. Direct comparison of analytic scalp recorded data with local cortical potential showed that the scalp Laplacian is much more highly correlated with underlying source activity than scalp potential. The implications for clinical applications and future investigations are discussed. >
Chamber refilling in Nautilus

Freshly captured Nautilus macromphalus were observed to place new cameral liquid into emptied or partially emptied chambers, both at the surface and at 250 m, in response to sudden buoyancy increase. The sudden addition of buoyancy was accomplished either through removal of cameral liquid from chambers, removal of shell material from the apertural region of the body chamber, or by cementing buoyant corks on the sides of the shell. A maximal refilling rate of 100 μ l/h was observed. The osmolality of refilled cameral liquid was observed to match closely the osmolality of the original cameral liquid. The refilling mechanism allows Nautilus to regain neutral buoyancy after sudden buoyancy gain, such as could be expected to occur from shell loss due to predatory attack on the Nautilus , or from shell breakage.
Tectonic Setting and Eastward Migration of Mesozoic-Cenozoic Sedimentary Basins, Eastern China: ABSTRACT

Basins of eastern China are characterized by thin crust and alternately arranged NE or NNE-trending regions of subsidence and uplift. During the Indosinian (Late Triassic), the western part of eastern China was depressed relative to eastern areas. Upper Triassic and Jurassic formations comprise the major basin fill of the Sichuan and Eerduos basins, while only minor Upper Triassic-Jurassic rifts and related basins are superimposed on earlier swells in eastern regions. In the Early Cretaceous, the depocenters of the Sichuan and Eerduos (Ordos) basins shifted westward or southward, and soon afterward were uplifted as a whole. In contrast, the most extensive and intensive subsidence in the Songliao basin occurred during the Quantou-Nenjiang stage (middle Cretaceous). To the outh, the Huabei basin had a multi-cyclic, rifted history, but the most intensive subsidence occurred during the Eocene-Oligocene. Still farther east, the present-day marginal seas formed mainly during the Late Cretaceous-early Neogene. Thus, the history of these basins clearly shows the eastwardly migratory nature of the timing of basin formation in eastern China. The development of these basins was influenced not only by subduction of the Pacific plate in the formation of initial stage shearo-compressional swells and depressions, but also by the motion of Tethys-Indian plate northeastward. The latter movements resulted in an eastward component which led to the progressive elevation of the west. Back-arc spreading also played an important role in this process. Basins of eastern China can be classified into two groups, one formed in compressive or shearo-compressive settings, the other in tensile or shearo-tensile settings. Basins of the former type formed as structural depressions or flexures due to lithosphere deformation. These display foreland fold-thrust belts on their western borders. The tensile group of basins includes: (1) complex rift-depression types (monocyclic or polycyclic); (2) simple rift valleys or minor block-fault depressions; (3) coastal delta-shelf basins on the rifted continental margin; and (4) back-arc spreading basins. End_of_Article - Last_Page 597------------
Optimal realization of sets of interconnection functions on synchronous multiple bus systems

We develop a formal and systematic methodology for designing an optimal multiple bus system (MBS) realizing a set of interconnection functions whose graphical representation (denoted as IFG) is symmetric. The problem of constructing an optimal MBS for a given IFG is NP-hard. In this paper, we show that polynomial time solutions exist when the IFG is vertex symmetric. This is the case of interest for the vast majority of important interconnection function sets. We present a particular partition (which can be found in polynomial time) on the edge set of a vertex symmetric IFG, that produces a symmetric MBS with minimum number of buses as well as minimum number of interfaces. We demonstrate several advantages of such an MBS over a direct-link architecture realizing the same IFG, in terms of the number of ports per processor, number of neighbors per processors, and the diameter.
EFFECTS OF ESTRADIOL-17-BETA-N-VALERATE ON ENDOSTEAL OSSIFICATION AND LINEAR GROWTH IN THE MOUSE FEMUR12

Bone responses were studied in gonadectomized mice treated with amounts of estradiol-17-beta-n-valerate ranging from 0.1 to 20 µg. Linear growth was accelerated more significantly in femurs from orchidectomized mice than those from ovariectomized mice. Small amounts of the estrogen accelerated further linear growth of the femur, while at the same time they promoted the resorption of metaphyseal trabeculae. Larger amounts of estradiol valerate inhibited resorption of metaphyseal trabeculae, and stimulated endosteal osteogenesis. Some of the possible mechanisms underlying these observations are discussed.
Task tours: helping users tackle complex search tasks

Complex search tasks such as planning a vacation often comprise multiple queries and may span a number of search sessions. When engaged in such tasks, users may require holistic support in determining the required task activities. Unfortunately, current search engines do not offer such support to their users. In this paper, we propose methods to automatically generate task tours comprising a starting task and a set of relevant related tasks, some or all of which may be necessary to satisfy a user's information needs. Applications of the tours include helping users understand the required steps to complete a task, finding URLs related to the active task, and alerting users to activities they may have missed. We demonstrate through experimentation with human judges and large-scale search logs that our tours are of good quality and can benefit a significant fraction of search engine users.
Levels of Nineteenth-Century American Investment in Education*

From the earliest time, the United States and her predecessor colonies stood close to or at the very forefront of the world in the educational attainment of the mass of the populace. The first available literacy statistics of 1840 testify to that past impressive accomplishment: overall, more than 90 per cent of white adults achieved this degree of minimum competence, and even in the laggard South the record was not significantly poorer. At that date only Scotland and Germany are comparable, with England and France much farther behind. What therefore seems to be the case is that popular education successfully preceded an extensive system of publicly supported and controlled schools.
H-ras mutations in human pituitary carcinoma metastases

Molecular mechanisms of pituitary tumorigenesis were studied using Polymerase chain reaction-single stranded conformational polymorphism with DNA sequencing to identify potential mutations in the ras protooncogenes and the tumor suppressor gene p53 in invasive pituitary adenomas and carcinomas. Sequencing of exons 5 through 8 of the p53 gene revealed no mutations, nor were mutations detected in the N- or K-ras protooncogenes in four of the carcinomas and their respective metastatic deposits. Point mutations of H-ras however, were identified in three distant metastatic pituitary tumor secondaries, but not in their respective primary pituitary carcinomas, or in six invasive adenomas. Two of the mutations included a G to C substitution at codon 12, and a G to A substitution at codon 18, resulting in a glycine to arginine, and an alanine to threonine change at these amino acids, respectively. A third mutation involved a single base pair (adenine) deletion in codon 3 of H-ras which causes a frame shift, resulting in a termination signal at codon 19. These results suggest that point mutations in p53 and ras are not associated with pituitary tumorigenesis, however, point mutations of the H-ras gene may be important in the formation and or growth of pituitary metastases. This observed genomic instability will be of value in predicting the potential metastatic behavior of these aggressive pituitary tumors.
Technetium-99m-pyrophosphate scintigraphy in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction: Impact of interobserver variability

Technetium-99m-pyrophosphate (TcPYP) scintigraphy may have great value in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI), but interobserver variability undoubtedly has adverse impact on predictive value. TcPYP scintigrams for 133 (80%) of 166 consecutive patients admitted for suspected AMI were interpreted independently by three experienced readers. Although there was complete agreement for 87 interpretations (65%), major discrepancies (i.e., at least one positive and one negative reading on the same scan) occurred for 28 scans (21%). To assess predictive accuracy, patients were categorized as follows: 36 had definite AMI manifest by new ECG Q waves and/or CK-MB evidence of AMI (group I), 56 were classified as possible AMI (group II), and 41 had AMI excluded (group III). Using only the definitive diagnostic categories (groups I and III), accuracy for each reader approximated 0.68, with no single reader being correct more often than any other.
A Robust One-Shot Switch for High-Power Pulse Applications

High-voltage switches capable of operating at high speeds and over a wide range of voltages and energies are used in a wide variety of applications in material science and plasma physics. This paper discusses the fabrication and characterization of a novel high-voltage shock switch. The structure has been designed to operate as a fast-turn-on, low-impedance device. The switch is a planar structure that allows for direct integration into the stripline geometries used in a conventional capacitive discharge unit.
Aquaporin-3 water channel localization and regulation in rat kidney

The aquaporins are a family of water channels expressed in several water-transporting tissues, including the kidney. We have used a peptide-derived, affinity-purified polyclonal antibody to aquaporin-3 (AQP-3) to investigate its localization and regulation in the kidney. Immunoblotting experiments showed expression in both renal cortex and medulla, with greatest expression in the base of the inner medulla. Subcellular fractionation of membranes, using progressively higher centrifugation speeds, revealed that AQP-3 is present predominantly in the 4,000 and 17,000 g pellets and, in contrast to AQP-2, is virtually absent in the high-speed (200,000 g) pellet that contains small intracellular vesicles. Immunocytochemistry and immunofluorescence studies revealed that labeling is restricted to the cortical, outer medullary, and inner medullary collecting ducts. Within the collecting duct, principal cells were labeled, whereas intercalated cells were unlabeled. Consistent with previous immunofluorescence studies (K. Ishibashi, S. Sasaki, K. Fushimi, S. Uchida, M. Kuwahara, H. Saito, T. Furukawa, K. Nakajima, Y. Yamaguchi, T. Gojobori, and F. Marumo. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 91: 6269-6273, 1994; T. Ma, A. Frigeri, H. Hasegawa, and A. S. Verkman. J. Biol. Chem. 269: 21845-21849, 1994), the labeling was confined to the basolateral domain. Immunoelectron microscopy, using the immunogold technique in ultrathin cryosections, demonstrated a predominant labeling of the basolateral plasma membranes. In contrast to previous findings with AQP-2, there was only limited AQP-3 labeling of intracellular vesicles, suggesting that this water channel is not regulated acutely through vesicular trafficking. Immunoblotting studies revealed that thirsting of rats for 48 h approximately doubled the amount of AQP-3 protein in the inner medulla. These studies are consistent with a role for AQP-3 in osmotically driven water absorption across the collecting duct epithelium and suggest that the expression of AQP-3 is regulated on a long-term basis.
Clinical and Radiographic Considerations in Acute Stroke Triage

Despite approaching a 90 % rate of recanalization, good clinical outcomes are only seen in about 50 % of the patients who undergo stroke intervention. This discrepancy indicates that the recanalization of the artery does not always result in good clinical outcome. Also a subset of patients will not have any significant clinical improvement despite achieving early or late recanalization (Broderick et al., N Engl J Med 368:893–903, 2013; Kidwellet al., N Engl J Med 368:914–923, 2013). Therefore, there is a need to more accurately identify patients who will benefit from early or late recanalization using interventional therapy. Clinical assessment scales like National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and Houston Intra-arterial Therapy (HIAT) score can help identify patients with moderate to severe strokes, who may benefit from interventional therapies. The evolution of CT and MR imaging in conjunction with clinical assessment may allow us to further refine our ability to identify subgroups of patients who benefit from stroke intervention. These clinical and imaging criteria for patient selection are the focus of discussion in this chapter.
Probabilistic planning with reduced models

Markov decision processes (MDP) offer a rich model that has been extensively used by the AI community for planning and learning under uncertainty. However, solving MDPs is often intractable, which has led to the development of many approximate algorithms. In my dissertation work I introduce a new paradigm to handle this complexity by deﬁning a family of MDP reduced models characterized by two parameters: the maximum number of primary outcomes per action that are fully accounted for and the maximum number of occurrences of the remaining exceptional outcomes that are planned for in advance. Reduced models can be solved much faster using heuristic search algorithms, beneﬁting from the dramatic reduction in the number of reachable states. This framework places recent work on MDP determinization in a broader context and lays the foundation for efﬁcient and systematic exploration of the space of MDP model reductions. Progress so far work includes a formal deﬁnition of this family of MDP reductions, a continual planning paradigm to handle the case when the number of exceptions reaches the maximum allowed, a simple greedy approach to generate good reductions for a given planning domain, and a compilation scheme that generates MDP reductions from a PPDDL description of a planning problem.
MONOTONE METHOD FOR NONLINEAR BOUNDARY VALUE PROBLEMS BY LINEARIZATION TECHNIQUES

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses monotone method for nonlinear boundary value problems by linearization techniques. Monotone methods have been used to generate multiple solutions of nonlinear boundary value problems for ordinary and partial differential equations. Keller and Sattinger, extending the chord method, considered nonlinear partial differential equations containing no gradient term. The inclusion of the gradient term was first introduced by Chandra and Davis who considered the boundary value problem. The chapter discusses the modification of a nonlinear method by providing a linear procedure. It also presents the monotone method and explains the existence of minimal and maximal solutions of a stated boundary value problem.
Effect of Y2O3 on Microstructure and Properties of cBN/SiAlON Composite

cBN/SiAlON composites were prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) method using Si3N4, AlN, Al2O3, cBN and Y2O3 powders as raw materials. The sintering process is at the temperature of 1500°C holding for 5 min. Effect of the Y2O3 content on phase composition, microstructure, bulk density, hardness and fracture toughness of the cBN/SiAlON composite was investigated. The experimental results showed that when the Y2O3 content was 0.2 wt. % the bulk density and fracture toughness of the composite had the maximum values of 3.0 g/cm3 and KIC = 5.7 MPa∙m1/2, respectively. The cBN/SiAlON composite with 0.8 wt. % Y2O3 addition got the maximum hardness of 16.4 GPa.
Semiconductor drift chamber: an application of a novel charge transport scheme

The purpose of this paper is to describe a novel charge tranport scheme in semiconductors in which the field responsible for the charge transport is independent of the depletion field. The application of the novel charge transport scheme leads to the following new semiconductor detectors: (1) Semiconductor Draft Chamber; (2) Ultra low capacitance - large semiconductor x-ray spectrometers and photodiodes; and (3) Fully depleted thick CCD. Special attention is paid to the concept of the Semiconductor Draft Chamber as a position sensing detector for high energy charged particles. Position resolution limiting factors are considered, and the values of the resolutions are given.
Temporal relationships between eating behavior and liver adenine nucleotides in rats treated with 2,5-AM

Administration of the fructose analog 2,5-anhydro-d-mannitol (2,5-AM) elicits eating behavior in rats by its action in the liver. To evaluate whether the decrease in liver ATP levels produced by in...
Uncertainty and Incentive Effects in Share Contracts

Cheung and Sutinen have emphasized the ability of share contracts to disperse risk. However, if both landlords and workers can mix share, fixed rent, and wage contracts, then risk dispersion under share cropping is redundant (Reid 1976). Other works have emphasized the positive incentive effects of share contracts on input decisions where tenant actions are difficult to monitor (Reid 1976, 1977; Stiglitz). The purpose of this paper is to examine the nature of incentive effects and their role in contractual choice under uncertainty. Two different models are developed. In the first, input decisions must be made at the beginning of the production period before the "state of nature" is known. In the second model, the tenant can choose input levels after the state of nature is known. It is shown that a share contract will be chosen only if an increase in the tenant's share causes expected output to increase. However, in the first model this incentive effect may be either positive or negative. Thus, in this case the presence of incentive effects does not imply unambiguously that share contracts will be preferred. In the second model, the incentive effect is always positive and leads to a preference for share contracts.
Small-Molecule Inhibition of GCNT3 Disrupts Mucin Biosynthesis and Malignant Cellular Behaviors in Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive neoplasm with almost uniform lethality and a 5-year survival rate of 7%. Several overexpressed mucins that impede drug delivery to pancreatic tumors have been therapeutically targeted, but enzymes involved in mucin biosynthesis have yet to be preclinically evaluated as potential targets. We used survival data from human patients with pancreatic cancer, next-generation sequencing of genetically engineered Kras-driven mouse pancreatic tumors and human pancreatic cancer cells to identify the novel core mucin-synthesizing enzyme GCNT3 (core 2 β-1,6 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase). In mouse pancreatic cancer tumors, GCNT3 upregulation (103-fold; P < 0.0001) was correlated with increased expression of mucins (5 to 87-fold; P < 0.04-0.0003). Aberrant GCNT3 expression was also associated with increased mucin production, aggressive tumorigenesis, and reduced patient survival, and CRISPR-mediated knockout of GCNT3 in pancreatic cancer cells reduced proliferation and spheroid formation. Using in silico small molecular docking simulation approaches, we identified talniflumate as a novel inhibitor that selectively binds to GCNT3. In particular, docking predictions suggested that three notable hydrogen bonds between talniflumate and GCNT3 contribute to a docking affinity of -8.3 kcal/mol. Furthermore, talniflumate alone and in combination with low-dose gefitinib reduced GCNT3 expression, leading to the disrupted production of mucins in vivo and in vitro Collectively, our findings suggest that targeting mucin biosynthesis through GCNT3 may improve drug responsiveness, warranting further development and investigation in preclinical models of pancreatic tumorigenesis. Cancer Res; 76(7); 1965-74. ©2016 AACR.
Accountability across the Continuum: The Participation of Postacute Care Providers in Accountable Care Organizations.

Objective To examine the extent to which accountable care organizations (ACOs) formally incorporate postacute care providers. Data Sources The National Survey of ACOs (N = 269, response rate 66 percent). Study Design We report statistics on ACOs' formal inclusion of postacute care providers and the organizational characteristics and clinical capabilities of ACOs that have postacute care. Principal Findings Half of ACOs formally include at least one postacute service, with inclusion at higher rates in ACOs with commercial (64 percent) and Medicaid contracts (70 percent) compared to ACOs with Medicare contracts only (45 percent). ACOs that have a formal relationship with a postacute provider are more likely to have advanced transition management, end of life planning, readmission prevention, and care management capabilities. Conclusions Many ACOs have not formally engaged postacute care, which may leave room to improve service integration and care management.
Gaussian Nonlinear Line Attractor for learning multidimensional data

The human brain's ability to extract information from multidimensional data modeled by the Nonlinear Line Attractor (NLA), where nodes are connected by polynomial weight sets. Neuron connections in this architecture assumes complete connectivity with all other neurons, thus creating a huge web of connections. We envision that each neuron should be connected to a group of surrounding neurons with weighted connection strengths that reduces with proximity to the neuron. To develop the weighted NLA architecture, we use a Gaussian weighting strategy to model the proximity, which will also reduce the computation times significantly. Once all data has been trained in the NLA network, the weight set can be reduced using a locality preserving nonlinear dimensionality reduction technique. By reducing the weight sets using this technique, we can reduce the amount of outputs for recognition tasks. An appropriate distance measure can then be used for comparing testing data and the trained data when processed through the NLA architecture. It is observed that the proposed GNLA algorithm reduces training time significantly and is able to provide even better recognition using fewer dimensions than the original NLA algorithm. We have tested this algorithm and showed that it works well in different datasets, including the EO Synthetic Vehicle database and the Sheffield face database.
Low-Temperature Synthesis of Copper(II) Sulfide Quantum Dot Decorated TiO2 Nanotubes and Their Photocatalytic Properties

TiO2 nanotubes functionalized with copper sulfide quantum dots were successfully prepared by a stepwise crystallization of CuS nanoparticles onto the nanotubes, using cysteine linkers. The products...
Spatial and temporal variations in the timing of leaf replacement in a Quercus cornelius-mulleri population

Abstract The phenology of spring leaf replacement was studied in a population of 46 evergreen scrub oaks (Quercus cornelius-mulleri) at the edge of the Mojave Desert in each of five years over the period 1990–2001. The oaks occupied a site that spanned rocky slopes to sandy bajadas. The site receives variable annual rainfall (estimated 12-yr average 195 mm; range in study years 67–706 mm). The spatial coordinates of all individuals were recorded, and in April, when leaf replacement was underway, individual replacement phenologies were assessed. Shrub sizes were recorded in three separate years, and in 2001 water potentials were measured. Individuals vary greatly in their timing of leaf replacement within years, and also between years. Many individuals with an early phenology one year are significantly later in the following year, and vice versa. While we detected weak influences on leaf replacement phenology due to shrub size, position within the site, and a genetic component, stronger influences were att...
Research of Fuzzy Neural Network Control Based on Genetic Algorithm

A fuzzy neural network controller based on the optimization of defuzzification is presented.A fuzzy neural network optimal control by genetic algorithm is put forward based on the ideal of optimal control.Through simulating the process of the control system,the structure and the parameters of the fuzzy neural network are optimized off-line using GAs by optimizing an index of the controller performance.The trained fuzzy neural network is then introduced into the fuzzy nerual network intelligent control system.The computer simulation results demonstrate that the system has high control precise and small overshoot,possesses strong robustness and results show good control performance.
Current Situation and Trend of Kaschin-Beck Disease in Sichuan Province

Objective To understand the condition of Kaschin-Beck disease(KBD)in Sichuan Province,explore conditions change trend and result,provide the scientific basis for developing Kashin-Beck disease control strategies.Methods Data from discase surreillance since 1990 and from cross-sectional sampling survey in 2006 were analysed.Results X-ray detection rate declined from 14.3% in 1990 to 4.05% in 2007 in children 7-13 years of age.In 2006 sample survey,the X-ray detection rate was 2.12% in children 7-13 years of age.The result of age-specific prevalence rate showed that nearly 10 years there have been no Ⅰ° and above new patient.Combined with etiology analysis,the natural decline of the disease related with socio-economic development,changes in the structure of farming,purchasing and eating more food from market.Conclusions Kashin-Beck disease in Sichuan Province has been basically under control,along with the socio-economic development and eating more food from market.It could be expected that the disease situation will be completely controlled.
Fluid dynamics in crystal growth: The good, the bad, and the ugly

Abstract Fluid dynamics are important in processes that grow large crystals from a liquid phase. This paper presents a primer on fluid mechanics and convection, followed by a discussion of the physics and scaling of flows in such processes. Specific examples of fluid flows in crystal growth systems are presented and classified according to their impact on outcomes, good or bad. Turbulence in crystal growth is discussed within the limited extent of our understanding, which is incomplete, or ugly.