cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chert spheroids of the Monterey Formation, California (USA): early-diagenetic structures of bedded siliceous deposits

Chert spheroids are distinctive, early-diagenetic features that occur in bedded siliceous deposits spanning the Phanerozoic. These features are distinct in structure and genesis from similar, concentrically banded ‘wood-grain’ or ‘onion-skin’ chert nodules from carbonate successions. In the Miocene Monterey Formation of California (USA), chert spheroids are irregular, concentrically banded nodules, which formed by a unique version of brittle differential compaction that results from the contrasting physical properties of chert and diatomite. During shortening, there is brittle fracture of diatomite around, and horizontally away from, the convex surface of strain-resistant chert nodules. Unlike most older siliceous deposits, the Monterey Formation still preserves all stages of silica diagenesis, thus retaining textural, mineralogical and geochemical features key to unravelling the origin of chert spheroids and other enigmatic chert structures. Chert spheroids found in opal-A diatomite form individual nodules composed of alternating bands of impure opal-CT chert and pure opal-CT or chalcedony. With increased burial diagenesis, surrounding diatomite transforms to bedded porcelanite or chert, and spheroids no longer form discrete nodules, yet still display characteristic concentric bands of pure and impure microcrystalline quartz and chalcedony. Petrographic observations show that the purer silica bands are composed of void-filling cement that precipitated in curved dilational fractures, and do not reflect geochemical growth-banding in the manner of Liesegang phenomena invoked to explain concentrically banded chert nodules in limestone. Chertification of bedded siliceous sediment can occur more shallowly (< 100 m) and rapidly (< 1 Myr) than the bulk silica phase transitions forming porcelanite or siliceous shale in the Monterey Formation and other hemipelagic/pelagic siliceous deposits. Early diagenesis is indicated by physical properties, deformational style and oxygen-isotopic composition of chert spheroids. Early-formed cherts formed by pore-filling impregnation of the purest primary diatomaceous beds, along permeable fractures and in calcareous–siliceous strata.
Incidence and severity of nutritional deficiency states in chronic exocrine pancreatic insufficiency: Comparison with nontropical sprue

Evidences of nutritional deficiencies were much less frequent in 90 patients with untreated or inadequately treated chronic exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, many with marked steatorrhea, than in a previous series of patients with nontropical sprue. Hemorrhage due to prothrombin deficiency and osteomalacia associated with bone pain or hypocalcemic tetany, common in patients with nontropical sprue, were not encountered in the patients with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency. Furthermore, no patient in the series had a blood hemoglobin concentration below 10.gm./100 ml., whereas 21% of patients with nontropical sprue had values below this level. Two patients had anemia due to Vitamin B12 deficiency but none had anemia due to iron or folic acid deficiency. Factors possibly responsible for these findings include shorter duration of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency than nontropical sprue, small-bowel mucosal damage characteristic of nontropical sprue but absent in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and increased food intake in exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.
Observation of a Metallic Antiferromagnetic Phase and Metal to Nonmetal Transition in Ca 3 Ru 2 O 7

Single crystal ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ shows a metallic antiferromagnetic phase intermediate between a first-order metal to nonmetal transition at ${T}_{M}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}48\mathrm{K}$ and the antiferromagnetic ordering (N\'eel) temperature, ${T}_{N}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}56\mathrm{K}$. The metallic antiferromagnetic phase is predicted within various Mott-Hubbard models. Magnetization and electrical resistivity reveal strongly anisotropic metamagnetism in the nonmetallic antiferromagnetic phase. The charge and spin excitations are strongly coupled: The $H\ensuremath{-}T$ phase diagrams determined by magnetization and magnetoresistivity are indistinguishable and reveal a multicritical point. The heat capacity of ${\mathrm{Ca}}_{3}{\mathrm{Ru}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{7}$ suggests it is a highly correlated electron system.
Social organization of Galagos in Kenyan coastal forests: I. Galago zanzibaricus.

The social organization of Galago zanzibaricus was studied for the first time and the study included data from two different sites in the coastal forests of Kenya. A combination of mark-recapture and radio-tracking techniques was used to investigate patterns of inter- and intrasexual home range overlap. Associations in sleeping groups indicated social ties between individuals. Patterns of range use were established by radio-tracking focal individuals. Adult males generally had nonoverlapping ranges, shared with one or two females and their offspring with which the male regularly slept. Young females remained longer in their natal ranges than males and reproduced within their natal ranges. Range size and distance traveled per night were similar between the sexes; both sexes probably defended territories. None of the other galago (bushbaby) species studied to date show the degree of close male-female association found in G. zanzibaricus. This study thus extends the variety of social organization documented in nocturnal prosimians.
The complexity of interpolating given data in three space with a convex function of two variables

Abstract Three questions concerning the interpolation of a set ( x i , y i , z i ), i = 1,…, N , in R 3 by a convex function of two variables ( z = f ( x , y )) are examined. A given set of N points can be interpolated by a convex function if and only if it can be interpolated by a convex piecewise planar function. Every possible piecewise planar interpolation of the data is determined by a triangulation of the ( x , y ) points in the plane. An algorithm is presented which builds up an acceptable triangulation by sequentially adding points. The algorithm either terminates as soon as it discovers that the interpolation is impossible or terminates with the desired triangulation. Numerical experiments are presented which indicate the effectiveness of the algorithm. Suppose that the points in the plane, ( x i , y i ), i = 1,…, N , are fixed and it is desired to minimize a function f ( z 1 , z 2 ,…, z N ) subject to the constraint that the triples ( x i , y i , z i ) can be interpolated by a convex function. Convexity can be represented by a set of linear inequality constraints among the z 's but many of these constraints may be redundant. For efficiency it is important to reduce the list to the independant constraints and some minimization algorithms actually require independent constraints. An efficient algorithm for generating the set of independent linear inequalities is given. Finally it is shown that the number of independent constraints depends on the location of the ( x , y ) points and varies from zero to O ( N 3 ). It is conjectured that the expected number of independent constraints for N points chosen randomly from a uniform distribution on a square is O ( N 2 log N ). Both theoretical and numerical justification for the conjecture are given. Finally it is shown that there are O ( N 2 ) independent constraints when the points are arranged in a square (or triangular) lattice.
Changes in testing for human immunodeficiency virus, sexually transmitted infections, and hepatitis C virus in opioid treatment programs.

To the Editor Opioid dependence is a risk factor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection.1 Opioid treatment programs, which provide medication-assisted treatment to over 300 000 opioid-dependent Americans,2 are well-positioned to offer testing for these infectious diseases to a high-risk population. They were among the first venues to offer HIV testing and are more likely to offer HIV, STI, and HCV testing than other drug treatment programs.1 Private for-profit opioid treatment programs are increasingly widespread and such programs offer on-site HIV testing less often than nonprofit and public programs.3 However, with the 2006 national recommendations for routine opt-out HIV testing,4 we hypothesized that the percent of programs offering on-site testing for HIV, STIs, and HCV would increase.
Impact of toxic agents or adverse conditions on thermoregulatory function in awake rodents

Abstract (1) In response to exposure to toxic xenobiotic agents, rodents demonstrate significant acute and subacute decreases in important indices of thermoregulatory and cardiovascular function. (2) This response has been observed in a number of studies in our laboratory and appears remarkably consistent, despite the variety of agents and exposure routes tested. (3) Animals with cardiopulmonary disease exhibit a potentiated response and may be at increased risk for adverse arrhythmic events and lethality. (4) Epidemiological studies have shown a strong association between human exposure to particulate matter (PM) and increased morbidity and mortality, particularly in cardiopulmonary-compromised individuals. (5) We have previously reported that various surrogate PM induce a robust hypothermia in rats, along with significant decreases in cardiac function, leading to arrhythmogenesis and lethality. (6) The present studies extend this research by assessing the contribution of the primary metallic constituents of PM towards the observed toxic effects.
A nonsense mutation in CRYBB1 associated with autosomal dominant cataract linked to human chromosome 22q.

Autosomal dominant cataract is a clinically and genetically heterogeneous lens disorder that usually presents as a sight-threatening trait in childhood. Here we have mapped dominant pulverulent cataract to the β-crystallin gene cluster on chromosome 22q11.2. Suggestive evidence of linkage was detected at markers D22S1167 (LOD score [Z] 2.09 at recombination fraction [θ] 0) and D22S1154 (Z=1.39 at θ=0), which closely flank the genes for βB1-crystallin (CRYBB1) and βA4-crystallin (CRYBA4). Sequencing failed to detect any nucleotide changes in CRYBA4; however, a G→T transversion in exon 6 of CRYBB1 was found to cosegregate with cataract in the family. This single-nucleotide change was predicted to introduce a translation stop codon at glycine 220 (G220X). Expression of recombinant human βB1-crystallin in bacteria showed that the truncated G220X mutant was significantly less soluble than wild type. This study has identified the first CRYBB1 mutation associated with autosomal dominant cataract in humans.
Ion-wave current instabilities and anomalous resistivity.

A theory of ion‐wave current instabilities which takes into account, in a self‐consistent manner, the inhomogeneities generated by field‐aligned currents in a collisionless plasma is presented. Diamagnetic current associated with the current‐produced density gradient is included in the distribution. The theory predicts that for a given frequency, the current threshold for ion‐wave current instabilities is, in general, much below the threshold of ion acoustic instability in a uniform plasma as given by Fried and Gould. The current threshold is essentially zero in the limit when the ion Landau damping effect is negligible, or equivalently, the ion‐wave current instabilities are absolute if there are no limitations on the wave‐length. This is true even in the absence of externally applied density gradients in contrast to Kadomtsev's drift‐wave results. For dimensions of interest in laboratory plasmas, the predicted linear growth rate increases with increasing longitudinal wavelength and with decreasing wavelength parallel to the diamagnetic current. Under the conditions of an experiment on anomalous resistivity (the dimensions but not the geometry of the machine have been considered), there is good agreement between the predicted onset of ion‐wave current instabilities and the experimental data on the onset of anomalous resistivity.
The Wholeness Axioms and the Class of Supercompact Cardinals

We show that certain relatively consistent structural properties of the class of supercompact cardinals are also relatively consistent with the Wholeness Axioms.
Changes in high affinity sodium independent gamma-aminobutyric acid binding in cerebral cortex and hippocampus of the rat following electroshock

Electroshock induced seizures in the rat enhanced high affinity specific Na+ independent binding of 3H-gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) to frozen, Triton X-100 treated cerebral synaptic membranes 30 minutes after exposures to electroshock, although no change in 3H GABA binding was observed in similarly treated preparations from hippocampus. Scatchard analysis of the binding isotherms from cortical membranes indicated that the increase in 3H GABA binding at 30 minutes was due to a rapid increase (39%) in the number of available GABA receptor binding sites (Bmax) rather than an alteration in receptor affinity (KD). The number of binding sites returned to control values within 1 hour and remained so throughout the duration of this study.
Transient single-carrier injection currents in a-Si:H

Abstract Single-carrier transient injection currents are analyzed and determined to be electrode limited. Consequently, the information on the bulk properties, available with space-charge-limited currents, is lost. A method is presented which recovers this information in the form of time-dependent drift mobility data.
Thermal and hydrologic suitability of Lake Erie and its major tributaries for spawning of Asian carps

Abstract Bighead carp Hypophthalmichthys nobilis , silver carp H. molitrix , and grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (hereafter Asian carps) have expanded throughout the Mississippi River basin and threaten to invade Lakes Michigan and Erie. Adult bighead carp and grass carp have been captured in Lake Erie, but self-sustaining populations probably do not exist. We examined thermal conditions within Lake Erie to determine if Asian carps would mature, and to estimate time of year when fish would reach spawning condition. We also examined whether thermal and hydrologic conditions in the largest tributaries to western and central Lake Erie were suitable for spawning of Asian carps. We used length of undammed river, predicted summer temperatures, and predicted water velocity during flood events to determine whether sufficient lengths of river are available for spawning of Asian carps. Most rivers we examined have at least 100 km of passable river and summer temperatures suitable (> 21 C) for rapid incubation of eggs of Asian carps. Predicted water velocity and temperature were sufficient to ensure that incubating eggs, which drift in the water column, would hatch before reaching Lake Erie for most flood events in most rivers if spawned far enough upstream. The Maumee, Sandusky, and Grand Rivers were predicted to be the most likely to support spawning of Asian carps. The Black, Huron, Portage, and Vermilion Rivers were predicted to be less suitable. The weight of the evidence suggests that the largest western and central Lake Erie tributaries are thermally and hydrologically suitable to support spawning of Asian carps.
The ethical significance of corporate law

Corporate legal scholarship has failed in fundamental ways to grasp the ethical significance of corporate law and policy. While the broader economic and social consequences of particular legal developments are routinely debated, too little reflection is given to how such developments affect the moral quality of individual lives within the corporate hierarchy. What is needed is a framework for illuminating the interaction between developments in corporate legal doctrine and the ethical choices of corporate managers. The ethical significance of corporate law derives from two key factors. First, the corporation as an organization mediates between individuals in the corporate hierarchy and their ethical responsibilities. Second, the organizational choices and decision-making structure of the corporation are to a significant degree the product of corporate law.
Estrogenic stimulation of ovarian follicular maturation in diabetes (db/db) mutant mice: restoration of euglycemia prevents hyperlipidemic cytoatrophy.

The diabetes (db/db) mutation (leptin-receptor defect) induces a hyperglycemic–hyperinsulinemic endometabolic environment that promotes hypercytolipidemic ovarian involution in C57BL/KsJ mice, resulting in reproductive sterility and eventual organoatrophy. The effectiveness of low-dose (1.0 μg/sc/3.5 day intervals), 17-β-estradiol therapy (E2-HRx), initiated prior to expression of the overt diabetes-obesity syndrome (DOS), on preventing female ovarian follicular cytolipid atrophy was evaluated by analysis of cytochemical, endocrine, and tissue lipo-metabolic indices relative to oil-vehicle treated control (+/?) and (db/db) groups. Chronic low-dose E2-HRx moderated DOS-induced trends in (db/db) groups, maintaining lowered body weights, and systemic euglycemia while stimulating ovarian weight indices. E2-HRx prevented the dramatic hypercytolipidemic condition associated with ovarian follicular involution in (db/db) mice, as evidenced by progressive viable follicular maturation, cytomorphometric analysis of tertiary follicular development, and pre-luteinization indices with diminished follicular atresia rates. The coincident stimulation of tissue lipoprotein lipase and acetyl CoA carboxylase activities in (db/db) ovarian compartments, under persistent hyperinsulinemic influences, indicated that E2-HRx effectively moderated both the structural and hyperlipometabolic consequences of DOS from promoting (db/db)-associated reproductive organoatrophy. Thus, the patho-reproductive alterations induced by the (db/db) mutation can be moderated through low-dose steroidal therapy, the efficacy of which is suspected to occur by steroid-specific nuclear transcription or post-insulin receptor modulation of gluco-metabolic cascades in reproductive target cells.
Design and use of the Embrittlement Data Base (EDB)

The architecture of the Embrittlement Data Base (EDB) is described. This data base contains a comprehensive collection of experimental data related to irradiations of reactor pressure vessel steels in surveillance capsules and test reactors. Software is being developed for easy retrieval and analysis of the data. Data and software will be made available to interested parties on a cooperative basis.
Clonal hybrids of the common laboratory fish Fundulus heteroclitus.

Abstract All-female hybrids of the killifishes Fundulus heteroclitus and Fundulus diaphanus, known from two sites in Nova Scotia, Canada, are shown to reproduce clonally. Isozyme analysis of crosses between female hybrids and male F. heteroclitus reveals that their progeny are genetically identical and show no evidence of recombination or paternal inheritance. Flow cytometric measurement of DNA content shows the hybrids to be diploid, with DNA values intermediate to those of the parental species. Because they are related to F. heteroclitus, a fish used widely as a model organism in experimental biology, the clonal hybrids are potentially valuable for experimental studies requiring subjects with a constant genetic background. In addition, the discovery of unisexuality and cloning in a fish whose reproductive physiology and development are so well characterized provides a unique opportunity to examine the underlying causes of clonal reproduction in vertebrates.
A computer graphics program for the three-dimensional reconstruction of plant organs from serial sections

Morphological and anatomical studies have long utilized qualitative means to reconstruct 3-dimensional transparent images from serial sections. With the advent of computer graphics systems, more accurate images can be constructed to visualize growing plant parts in transparent 3-D. We have developed a computer program which allows such reconstruction from stained serial sections. Advantages include 3-dimensional imaging without the use of stereo pairs and the ability to rotate an image to see all angles.
Rocking instability of a pulled suitcase with two wheels

Rocking motions of a two-wheeled suitcase are considered. The suitcase is pulled on a horizontal ground and may rock back and forth, first with one wheel in contact with the ground, then the other, and so on. When a wheel impacts the ground, some energy is lost. It is assumed that the puller's walking motion induces a periodic force or moment on the handle of the suitcase. In addition, the puller may apply an additional restoring moment in an attempt to suppress the rocking motion. Under certain conditions, the motion may grow until the suitcase overturns. The effects of the excitation frequency and the coefficient of the restoring moment on the critical excitation amplitude are examined for the special case in which yaw and pitch motions are neglected and the suitcase is pulled in a straight line. Due to the nonlinearities of the problem, the results exhibit some irregular behavior.
Nonlinear Optics in Relativistic Plasmas and Laser Wake Field Acceleration of Electrons

When a terawatt-peak-power laser beam is focused into a gas jet, an electron plasma wave, driven by forward Raman scattering, is observed to accelerate a naturally collimated beam of electrons to relativistic energies (up to 10 9 total electrons, with an energy distribution maximizing at 2 megaelectron volts, a transverse emittance as low as 1 millimeter-milliradian, and a field gradient of up to 2 gigaelectron volts per centimeter). Electron acceleration and the appearance of high-frequency modulations in the transmitted light spectrum were both found to have sharp thresholds in laser power and plasma density. A hole in the center of the electron beam may indicate that plasma electrons were expelled radially.
Theoretical aspects of the structural chemistry of biotin. II. Carboxylated biotins.

All valence-electron self-consistent field molecular orbital calculations (CNDO/2) were performed on the enol form of biotin and several N -carboxy and O -carboxybiotin molecules. The electronic aspects of biotin carboxylation and decarboxylation or CO 2 transfer were investigated. Enhanced nucleophilic reactivity of the biotin-enol species was examined in the light of its overall effect on the rate of carboxylation. Comparative reactivities of N -carboxy and O -carboxylbiotin were also examined in terms of the net atomic charges and overlap populations of the reactive groups.
Neutron Source Strength Estimates From (α, n) Reactions in Binary Mixtures of Actinide Particles and Light Element Particles

The cumulative distribution of package dose rates, based on the 18 batches of historical PuO{sub 2} particle size distributions, is shown in Fig. 6 for ''Hanford 10-13% Pu-240'' plutonium. The calculated dose rates for all batches range from about 50 mrem/h to about 2,200 mrem/h, with over 50% of the batches being less than the 200 mrem/h limit for public transportation. A more refined analysis would show that almost all of the batches would be less than 200 mrem/h, but some could exceed this limit as seen by the distribution shape. Without detailed characterization of the BeO particle size distribution, additional analysis would not remove the uncertainty in these calculations. Because the actual amount of beryllium contamination is likely to be much less than 500 g, the dose rates would be expected to be much lower than those shown here. Based on the particle size distribution analysis of the 18 batches analyzed, it is also likely that most of the 3013 cans to be loaded in the 9975 Package will have dose rates that are less than the 200 mrem/h limit for the package surface. However, extra care will be required in performing, and verifying, the dose rate measurements atmore » the surface of the package, prior to shipment.« less
Heating rate effects on microstructural properties of liquid phase sintered tungsten heavy alloys

Abstract Dimensional precision is one of the prime concerns in forming net-shape bodies by liquid phase sintering. The factors that lead to densification can also cause distortion, leaving a narrow processing window in which to achieve densification without distortion. This paper reports the effect of heating rate on liquid phase sintering of W–Ni–Fe heavy alloys. Heavy alloys with compositions of 83, 88, and 93 wt.% W, balance Ni–Fe in the ratio 7:3, were sintered at heating rates of 1, 5, 10, and 15 °C/min. Over this range, heating rate did not have a significant effect on densification nor distortion. Critical values of contiguity and connectivity were identified that separate distortion from shape preservation. The grain size distributions produced by different heating rates are self-similar. A previously proposed cumulative intercept grain size distribution function gives a good fit to the grain size data. The mean grain growth rate constant is 2.8 μm3/s. The grain growth rate constant varies inversely with the volume fraction of liquid to the 2/3 power.
Kinetic analysis of glucose‐6‐phosphatase: an investigative approach to carbohydrate metabolism and kinetics

Abstract The enzyme glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) catalyzes the hydrolysis of glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) to glucose. This is one of the key steps in gluconeogenesis and is critically important in maintaining stable blood glucose levels in most mammals. G-6-Pase is primarily found in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of hepatocytes and can easily be studied using isolated microsomes prepared from liver ER. A three-part undergraduate laboratory exercise uses rat liver microsomes to focus on the enzymatic analysis of G-6-Pase. The assessment of G-6-Pase activity is conducted using a stopped assay protocol combined with a colorimetric determination of inorganic phosphate (Pi) levels. The laboratory exercise was designed to carry out an independent inhibition investigation using orthovanadate, a competitive inhibitor of G-6-Pase with potential clinical importance. The format of the three-part investigation provides a useful mechanism for demonstrating enzyme kinetics and competitive inhibition using an enzyme that is important for carbohydrate metabolism and glycogen storage disease.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are effective in the treatment of polycythemia vera-associated pruritus.

Polycythemia vera is a clonal hematopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by erythropoietin-independent erythrocytosis that is often accompanied by splenomegaly, thrombocytosis, and leukocytosis.[1][1] The disease is associated with life-threatening thrombohemorrhagic complications and a
Gerbilline Cholesteatoma Development Part I: Epithelial Migration Pattern and Rate on the Gerbil Tympanic Membrane: Comparisons with Human and Guinea Pig:

Objective To determine the migration rate and pattern for keratin on the tympanic membrane (TM) of the gerbil and guinea pig in comparison to human data and determine which species is an appropriate model for investigating the relationship of epithelial clearance to cholesteatoma formation. Study design and setting Ink drops were placed on the TM and their locations plotted daily. Results Gerbils demonstrated a radial migration pattern away from the umbo, identical to that reported for humans, although the rate was 0.32 mm/day—3 times the human rate of 0.1 mm/day. Guinea pigs were significantly different from gerbils and humans, with a rate of 0.79 mm/day and a pattern of superior/inferior migration without anterior-posterior movement. Conclusion Gerbils more closely resemble humans in rate and pattern of epithelial migration. Significance Gerbils represent the most appropriate model for determining the relationship between keratin migration and cholesteatoma formation.
Using satellite imagery and GIS for land‐use and land‐cover change mapping in an estuarine watershed

The degradation of world‐wide estuarine ecosystems as a result of accelerated human population growth accompanied by agricultural, industrial and urban development justifies a strong need to find efficient ways to manage and protect these sensitive environments. Starting from 2001, the authors have been involved in an interdisciplinary research project aiming to develop environmental indicators for integrated estuarine ecosystem assessment in the Gulf of Mexico. As part of this project, a study was conducted to characterize land‐use and land‐cover changes with the Pensacola estuarine drainage area as a case. The Pensacola bay was targeted because it is one of few exemplary large river‐driven estuarine systems across the northern Gulf of Mexico. The study had two major sections. The first part was dedicated to the development of an improved method for coastal land‐use and land‐cover mapping, which was built upon hierarchical classification and spatial reclassification. An image scene was separated into urb...
Photon stimulated desorption of cations from yttria-stabilized cubic ZrO2(100)

Abstract The positive ion yield resulting from the interaction of a pulsed 266-nm laser with yttria-stabilized cubic zirconia crystals is investigated. Although the photon energy (4.66 eV) is well below the nominal band-gap energy for ZrO2 (5.0–5.5 eV), photon stimulated ion desorption (PSD) of Y+, Zr+, YO+ and ZrO+ begins at ∼2.5 MW/cm2. We interpret this as the onset of laser ablation. Cation mass spectra collected using higher laser fluences resemble those obtained via secondary-ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The similarity between the laser ablation and SIMS data demonstrates the importance of surface electronic structure effects in photon induced degradation of this material.
Multi-layered context impact modulation for enhanced focus of attention of situational awareness in persistent surveillance systems

This paper presents a Multi-Layered Context Impact Modulation (MCIM) technique for persistent surveillance systems (PSS) and discusses its layered architecture for different context modulations including: spatial, temporal, sensor reliability, human presence, and environmental modulations. This paper also presents a fusion model for enhancement of focus of attention at the common operation picture (COP). The fusion model combines all the impacts from the different MCIM layers onto one unified modulated map. To test and evaluate the performance of MCIM, several experiments were conducted to modulate interaction of humans and vehicles which exhibit various normal and suspicious behaviors. The experimental results show strength of this approach in correctly modulating different suspicious situations with higher degree of certainty.
Independent segmental inhibitory modulation of synaptic efficacy of the soleus H-reflex.

Synaptic efficacy associated with muscle spindle feedback is partly regulated via depression at the Ia-motorneuron synapse through paired reflex depression (PRD) and presynaptic inhibition (PI). The purpose of this study was to examine PRD and PI of the soleus H-reflex at rest and with a background voluntary muscle contraction. The experiment was conducted on 10 healthy males with no history of neurological deficits. Soleus H-reflex and M-wave curves were elicited in three conditions: unconditioned, PRD (two consecutive H-reflexes with 100 ms interval), and PI (1.2 × MT to tibialis anterior 100 ms prior to soleus H-reflex). Each condition was tested at rest and with a 10% soleus contraction. PRD and PI both produced a pronounced inhibition to the soleus motor pool at rest, with a significant difference observed between threshold values (78.9, 89.3, and 90.4% for unconditioned, PRD, and PI reflexes, respectively). During the voluntary contraction the threshold for both inhibitory mechanisms was significant...
The energy of electric current sheets

The free energy associated with current sheets formed by displacing magnetic dipoles in a highly conducting medium is discussed. Specific models are illustrated, based on the idea that the free energy of a magnetic field in the solar atmosphere is the energy librated after the field has relaxed to a potential state that preserves the photospheric flux distribution. Previous calculations by other authors based on the consideration of discrete currents were incorrect because the interaction between the atmospheric currents and the highly conducting photosphere was not accounted for properly. It is shown that when this interaction is included, the consideration of discrete currents leads to the same result based on continuous magnetic field consideration.
Granular computing in programming language design

The principles of granular computing have been applied in many fields. With currently renewed and fast growing of interest, it is the time to address the commonly needs for various applications of granular computing in related to programming language design. The errands of granular computing are including the extending of application domain, subdividing the problem, building of reliability features, dealing of parallel and concurrent computation, handling of error state, and creating of precision requirements. This paper studies those programming language features that can accomplish these errands in the existing programming languages.
A Doctor in the Palm of Your Hand: How the Qualcomm Tricorder X-Prize could help to revolutionize medical diagnosis

Suppose you were out on a small boat, 100 mi from shore, with a few friends. Suddenly, one of them begins coughing hard and complaining of aches and pains and chills. It could just be the start of a bad cold, but he also seems to be running a fever, which might signal the onset of the flu. But it could also be something more serious, like bacterial pneumonia, that might require hospital care. How would you know?
Synthesis and structure confirmation of fuscachelins A and B, structurally unique natural product siderophores from Thermobifida fusca

The fuscachelin siderophores have been prepared synthetically as have their metal chelation complexes. The heterodimeric nature of the fuscachelin decamer lends itself to a convergent synthetic strategy. Synthetic access to the natural products and intermediates will provide readily adaptable tools in future studies examining iron-sequestration and the biosynthetic machinery.
Measuring timing jitter with optical cross correlations

The use of optical cross correlations for characterizing timing jitter is investigated. Applications, limitations, and correspondence to radio frequency measurements are presented and clarified. The probability density function of the timing jitter of semiconductor mode-locked lasers is deconvolved from the cross-correlation measurements with the aid of pulse characterization techniques.
On the nature of errors in a choice reaction task

The problem of dealing with incorrect responses in choice reaction time tasks is discussed. In the present experiment, incorrect responses tended to yield functions that were very similar to the functions plotted from correct responses. However, they averaged about 50 msec. faster than the correct responses. These observations were taken to mean that errors are generated by essentially the same processes as are correct responses, but that these processes are not taken to completion in the former case.
Persistent optical excitation to Rydberg states: Xe on Au

Auger-electron-yield measurements of a monolayer of Xe adsorbed onto a polycrystalline Au film are presented which show transitions from the Xe $4d$ levels to Rydberg-derived final states with essentially their gas-phase oscillator strength. These results are contrary to a charge-transfer instability model used to explain the lack of corresponding excitation strength from the Xe $5p$ subshell to similar final states. Both experimental observations are rationalized using a dielectric response model.
Incremental benefit and cost of telephone care management and telephone psychotherapy for depression in primary care.

Context Effectiveness of organized depression care programs is well established, but dissemination will depend on the balance of benefits and costs. Objectives To estimate the incremental benefit, incremental cost, and net benefit of 2 depression care programs. Design Randomized trial comparing 2 interventions with continued usual care, conducted between November 2000 and June 2004. Setting Seven primary care clinics of a prepaid health care plan in Washington. Participants Consecutive primary care patients starting antidepressant treatment were invited to a telephone assessment 2 weeks later. Of 634 patients with significant depressive symptoms, 600 consented and were randomized. Interventions The telephone care management intervention included up to 5 outreach calls for monitoring and support, feedback to treating physicians, and care coordination. The care management plus telephone psychotherapy intervention added an 8-session structured cognitive behavioral therapy program with up to 4 additional calls for reinforcement. Main Outcome Measures Independent, blinded telephone assessments at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months included the Symptom Checklist 90 depression scale. Health services costs were measured using health care plan accounting records. Results Over 24 months, telephone care management led to a gain of 29 depression-free days (95% confidence interval, −6 to +63) and a $676 increase in outpatient health care costs (95% confidence interval, $596 lower to $1974 higher). The incremental net benefit was negative even if a day free of depression was valued up to $20. Care management plus psychotherapy led to a gain of 46 depression-free days (95% confidence interval, +12 to +80) and a $397 increase in outpatient costs (95% confidence interval, $882 lower to $1725 higher). The incremental net benefit was positive if a day free of depression was valued at $9 or greater. Conclusion Compared with current primary care practice, a structured telephone program including care management and cognitive behavioral psychotherapy has significant clinical benefit with only a modest increase in health services cost.
Relationship between Body Contaminants and Bone Development in East‐Coast Striped Bass

Abstract Chemical contaminants and bone development were investigated in young-of-year striped bass collected in spring, summer, and fall from the Nanticoke, Potomac, and Hudson rivers and Edenton National Fish Hatchery, North Carolina. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) were the most prevalent organic contaminants found in striped bass; relatively lesser amounts of DDT, DDD, DDE, and chlordane were detected. Among the four locations, striped bass from the Hudson River contained the greatest amount of PCB; concentrations significantly increased with collection date in fish from the Hudson and Potomac rivers. Total organochlorine residues in striped bass from the Edenton Hatchery and the Nanticoke River were less than those from the Hudson and Potomac rivers, and the contaminants did not increase significantly with collection date. Arsenic, lead, cadmium, and selenium were the major inorganic contaminants in striped bass in the Hudson, Nanticoke, and Potomac rivers. Cadmium in fish from the Hudson River, and ...
Travel time estimation using NiagaraST and latte

To address increasing traffic congestion and its associated consequences, traffic managers are turning to intelligent transportation management. The latte project is extending data stream technology to handle queries that combine live streams with large data archives, motivated by needs in the Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) domain. In particular, we focus on queries that combine live data streams with large data archives. We demonstrate such stream-archive queries via the travel-time estimation problem. The demonstration uses the new latte system which has been developed using the NiagaraST stream processing system and the PORTAL transportation data archive.
A HYDRAULIC CORING SYSTEM FOR SOIL–ROOT STUDIES

Reliable sampling of belowground components in the field is essential to agroecosystem research. Factors such as hardpans and dry soil conditions often increase sampling time and impede adequate sampling. The objective was to design and construct a soil coring system for rapid field sampling that minimized such limitations. Cores were extracted using a custom-made telescoping hydraulic cylinder device assisted by a hydraulic post driver mounted to the front of a small tractor. The telescoping device inserted the core tube into the ground, and the post driver was activated only when insertion had been slowed or stopped. The tractor's hydraulics powered the telescoping device and the post driver; both were controlled by the tractor operator. Custom driving heads were constructed to fit the upper end of core tubes to collect large-diameter soil samples (25 cm diam. by 0.6 m deep) or small samples (3.8 cm diam. by 1.0 m deep). As many as 14 large cores or 24 small cores per hour could be collected with this system. The coring system has been successfully used on various soil types and to sample both agricultural and forest sites for a number of experimental objectives.
Migration under crisis; household safety nets in Indonesia's economic collapse

Abstract Based on research carried out in South Sulawesi, this article examines the influences of Indonesia's economic crisis on low-income women's spatial mobility, and the consequences of these women's increased rural-return migration on household “safety nets”. Specifically, the investigation focuses on changes in migration patterns and household compositions since the beginning of the crisis, and the ways these changes are re-shaping the operation of rural safety nets for particular household members. Findings indicate that within the researched group of low-income households in South Sulawesi containing female rural-return migrants from an export processing zone, the working-age women who have returned to their origin site households face disproportionately heavy labor burdens. In addition, changes in household compositions and divisions of labour and resources since mid-1997 have tended to privilege men and the elderly. More broadly, these findings suggest that the local impacts of the economic crisis are best understood as culturally negotiated and gender differentiated processes that are taking shape in linked rural–urban socio-spatial networks.
Linking Medicare, Medicaid, and cancer registry data to study the burden of cancers in West Virginia.

OBJECTIVE Develop the WVCR-Linked dataset by combining the West Virginia Cancer Registry (WVCR) with Medicare, Medicaid, and other data sources. Determine health care utilization, costs, and overall burden of four major cancers among the elderly in a rural and medically underserved state population, and to compare them with national estimates. METHOD We extracted personal identifiers from the West Virginia Cancer Registry (WVCR) data file for individuals ≥ 65 years of age with an incident diagnosis of any cancer between January 1, 2002 and December 31, 2007. We linked the extracted data with Medicare and Medicaid administrative data using deterministic record linkage procedures. We updated missing vital status information by linking the National Death Index (NDI) data file. The updated WVCR-Linked dataset was enriched by links to the U.S. decennial census (2000) file and the Area Resource File. RESULTS We identified 42,333 individuals, of which 41,574 (98.2%) and 6,031 (14.3%) individuals were matched with Medicare and Medicaid administrative data files, respectively. The NDI data added or updated vital status information for 3,295 (7.8%) individuals in the WVCR-Linked dataset. CONCLUSION The WVCR-Linked dataset is a comprehensive dataset offering many opportunities to understand factors related to cancer treatment patterns, costs, and outcomes in a rural and medically underserved elderly Appalachian population. Following our example, non-participant states in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) program can build a powerful dataset to identify and target cancer disparities, and to improve cancer-related outcomes for their elderly and dual-eligible citizens.
Comparison of heart rate and physical activity recall with doubly labeled water in obese women.

ABSTRACT Accurate methods of estimating total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) that are inexpensive and differentiate activities of varying intensities are needed in obesity research. We compared minute-by-minute heart rate (HR) monitoring and the 7-d physical activity recall (PAR) questionnaire with doubly labeled water (DLW) for the measurement of TDEE and physical activity in 14 obese women (45% ± 4% fat, mean ± SD) before and during 12 wk of weight reduction. TDEE was measured over 2 wk by DLW. HR monitoring was conducted for 3 d, with individual JOURNAL/mespex/04.02/00005768-199501000-00022/ENTITY_OV0312/v/2017-07-20T222434Z/r/image-pngO2/HR calibrations applied to HR data above 3 METs. PAR revealed the amount of time spent in sleep, moderate, hard, and very hard activities during 1 wk, with time spent in light activities determined by difference. Mean TDEE values, expressed as the % difference from DLW, prior to weight loss were −5.2 ± 10.8% by HR and 3.4 ± 14.4 by PAR, and during the diet were +0.9 ± 14.1% by HR and +0.9 ± 14.7% by PAR. Individual variability was high for both HR (−24.0 to +25.6%) and PAR (−27.4 to +36.2%). Energy expended in physical activity prior to weight loss were 3.97 ± 1.23 MJ-d−1 by DLW, 3.91 ± 0.90 by HR, and 4.79 ± 0.95 by PAR. During weight loss, physical activity values by DLW, HR, and PAR were 4.31 ± 1.18,4.84 ± 2.22, and 4.64 ± 1.06 MJ-d−1, respectively. In summary, HR and PAR accurately assessed TDEE and physical activity for the group, but individual variability was high.
Multi-label classification based on analog reasoning

Some of the real-world problems are represented with just one label but many of today's issues are currently being defined with multiple labels. This second group is important because multi-label classes provide a more global picture of the problem. From the study of the characteristics of the most influential systems in this area, MlKnn and RAkEL, we can observe that the main drawback of these specific systems is the time required. Therefore, the aim of the current paper is to develop a more efficient system in terms of computation without incurring accuracy loss. To meet this objective we propose MlCBR, a system for multi-label classification based on Case-Based Reasoning. The results obtained highlight the strong performance of our algorithm in comparison with previous benchmark methods in terms of accuracy rates and computational time reduction.
Cognitive links between economic grievances and political responses

Changes in the economy are associated with changes in support for the incumbent President (or members of his party) at the aggregate level but not generally at the individual level. That is, thepersonal impact of economic hardships has only rarely been linked to individual political responses. This paper finds again that various indicators of personal economic grievances are not in general associated with either economic policy preferences or support for President Carter. However, some rare circumstances in which the personal impact of economic grievances did have more power were identified, specifically when voters blamed the President for their economic hardships. Support was also found for Kinder and Kiewiet's (1979) notion that collective judgments about the health of the economy, rather than one's personal economic situation, drive political responses.