cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of a Mere-Presence Conspecific on Extinction of an Operant

In a 2 × 2 factorial design, 32 hunger-motivated albino rats were trained to press a bar for food in a Skinner box. Animals practiced this operant, with or without a mere-presence conspecific, on a VR reinforcement schedule for 10 days and were extinguished with or without a conspecific in a nearby compartment. The results showed that the presence of a conspecific did not enhance this operant during practice sessions nor its resistance to extinction. During extinction the animals that experienced the presence or absence of a conspecific for the first time showed a reduced rate of responding. The findings cast doubt on a drive theory of social facilitation and support a generalization-decrement hypothesis.
Effects of lithium injections into the amygdala and hippocampus of awake monkeys

Abstract In unanesthetized rhesus monkeys equipped with intracerebral chemitrodes (push-pull cannulae plus multiple contacts), injections of lithium chloride into the amygdala-hippocampus region produced high-voltage, 1/sec sharp waves, and episodes of electrical afterdischarges without motor manifestations. The effect, which began after a delay of a few minutes, was strictly localized to the injection site and lasted for minutes or hours. No change in motor thresholds was observed, but afterdischarge thresholds increased considerably. Spontaneous restlessness and aggressiveness of the animals were diminished. After pretreatment with lithium, when the local electrical disturbance had subsided, residual effects were demonstrated by injection of ( a ) l -glutamate, which produced a reappearance of typical lithium waves; or ( b ) acetylcholine, which produced a mixture of lithium and acetylcholine waves. After pre-treatment with l -glutamate, when its characteristic effects had subsided, injection of lithium re-activated the mechanism for producing afterdischarges resembling those of glutamate. We suggest that the well-known excitatory properties of l -glutamate and acetylcholine on CNS neurons may be related to a selective increase in membrane permeability to sodium or lithium if present. Therapeutic effects of lithium may be related to its specific effect on the limbic system.
Comparative analysis of quantitative trait loci for foliage resistance to Phytophthora infestans in tuber-bearing Solanum species

Previously published data for potato foliage resistance to late blight were examined in a combined analysis to determine how the genetic backgrounds of the host and pathogen affect the occurrence of resistance QTLs. Data from 19 diploid populations and one tetraploid population that originated from at least 12 different tuber-bearingSolanum species were included. Comparative analysis across all populations revealed three highly active genomic regions on the distal parts of chromosomes 3,4, and 5. The region most consistently detected that conferred foliage resistance inSolanum was located on chromosome 5, near marker locus GP21. A previously identified cluster of three race-specific R-genes on chromosome 11 was not associated with polygenic resistance. Statistical examination of active QTLs indicates that congruence among QTLs is significantly affected by both genetic relatedness of mapping populations and race ofPhytophthora infestans used for resistance tests. The proportion of congruent QTLs for late blight resistance decreased from 0.52 detected in relatedSolanum populations tested with the same race ofPhytophthora infestans to 0.20 found in unrelated mapping populations tested with different races ofPhytophthora infestans. Analysis of resistance mapping tests provided statistical evidence for the occurrence of race-specific QTLs in tuber-bearingSolanum. The highly conserved genomic regions identified in the comparative analysis are likely to be good candidates for gene cloning or marker assisted selection in potato breeding programs.
Analysis and Suppression of Leakage Current in Cascaded-Multilevel-Inverter-Based PV Systems

The transformerless cascaded multilevel inverter (CMI) is considered to be a promising topology alternative for low-cost and high-efficiency photovoltaic (PV) systems. However, the leakage current issue resulted from the parasitic capacitors between the PV panels and the earth remains a challenging in designing a reliable CMI-based PV system. In this paper, the leakage current paths in PV CMI are analyzed and the unique features are discussed. Two filter-based suppression solutions are then presented to tackle the leakage current issue in different PV CMI applications. Simplified leakage current analytical models are derived to study the suppression mechanisms and design the suppression filters. Study cases are demonstrated for each of the solutions with filter design example, simulation and experimental verifications.
Inhibition of liver glycolysis in rats by dietary dichlone (2,3-dichloro-1,4-naphthoquinone).

Ce fongicide affecte le metabolisme energetique cellulaire en produisant un stress oxydatif au niveau des organites et en produisant une interaction au niveau des groupes thiols des mitochondries. Examen des effets au niveau de la glycolyse chez le rat par etude des perturbations au niveau des intermediaires glycolytiques du tissu hepatique
Repeat Homebuyers and American Urban Structure.

Housing and homeownership play a variety of roles in the United States. This paper explores the literature on American housing, residential mobility, urban development, jurisdictional fragmentation, urban decline, and spatial polarization in order to examine linkages among those aspects of American life. The paper also acts as an introduction to the context surrounding seven metropolitan areas that are the focus of this special issue of Urban Geography. The seven include Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton, Toledo, and Youngstown. All of the cities are in Ohio, but they represent a range of urban conditions allowing conclusions about the national system. Three of the papers provide empirical explorations of the geography of repeat homebuying in these seven cities. The final paper returns to a national perspective to link the empirical results to the national context.
Neural Control of Homosexual Courtship in Drosophila Melanogaster

Immature D. melanogaster males, like virgin females, often elicit vigorous courtship from mature males. Since males perform the same behaviors in response to attractive males and females, the question arises as to whether the foci--cells in the courting male's nervous system that must be haplo-X for the fly to perform a behavior--are the same for homosexual and heterosexual courtship. To answer this question, we analyzed the behaviors that normal males perform in response to sexually attractive flies. From these data, we calculated the probabilities that a fly with haplo-X tissue in a focus for homosexual and heterosexual courtship would perform the behavior in response to one or both of the two sex objects with which it was tested. Next, we observed the courtship behaviors that gynandromorphs (sex mosaics) performed in response to attractive males and females. Since the numbers of mosaics that performed a behavior in response to one or both of the sex objects with which they were tested were not significantly different from the predicted values, we conclude that the foci for performance of homosexual and heterosexual courtship are almost certainly identical.
EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION OF A SOFT SWITCH FOR A VIRTUALLY VARIABLE DISPLACEMENT PUMP

As an alternative to a variable displacement pump, a fixed displacement pump can be made to function as a virtually variable displacement unit by using a high-speed valve to pulsewidth modulate the flow, creating a switch-mode circuit. A major drawback of switch-mode circuits is throttling and compressibility energy losses during valve transitions. One method of minimizing these losses is soft switching, where the flow that would normally be throttled across the high speed valve during transitions is absorbed in a small variable volume chamber. The concept for a novel soft switch mechanism that uses the pressure signal at the exit of the pump to release a lock on the soft switch chamber was previously presented. This paper describes the soft switch concept in more detail and outlines a numerical model used to predict and optimize soft switch operation. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate proper operation of the soft switch lock-release mechanism.
Higher-order azimuthal mode unstable resonator

A pulsed CO2 electric discharge fast flowing gain medium is used to test three unstable resonators which are forced to oscillate in an L = 3 azimuthal mode. This Higher Order Azimuthal Mode Unstable Resonator could be used to form a 'natural mode' resonator which would be unaffected by support struts necessary in an annular gain medium. Six equally spaced intracavity radial struts, and a suitable diameter on-axis obscuration, produce 180 degree phase changes between adjacent sectors of the six-sector near field pattern, and six radial lobes in the far field with no on-axis intensity. A phase plate, constructed by applying a half step coating to every other adjacent sector, corrects the far field.
Glutamate and aspartate are decreased in the skin in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

We measured the levels of amino acids in biopsied skin from eight patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and seven controls. The most conspicuous changes in ALS patients were as follows. First, the contents of the acidic amino acids glutamate and aspartate were significantly decreased in ALS, and were negatively and significantly associated with the duration of illness. Second, the levels of the collagen-associated amino acids hydroxyproline, proline, glycine, alanine, and hydroxylysine were significantly decreased in ALS, and correlated inversely with the duration of illness. These results suggest that there are abnormalities of acidic amino acids and collagen-associated amino acids in the skin of patients with ALS. These changes may underlie the pathogenesis of ALS.
Assimilation and contrast priming effects in the initial consumer sales call

The rapport and impression formation stages of buyer-seller interactions are critical in determining sales call outcomes. Yet few studies have examined approaches for building favorable salesperson impressions. Moreover, it is likely that sales personnel face negative salesperson stereotypes in a variety of consumer markets. Hence, prophylactic methods for counteracting negative stereotypes may be needed. We examine the assimilatio/contrast literature to identify the likely effect of activating salesperson stereotypes in initial call contexts. In an exploratory study, we examine the assimilation effects of implicit salesperson stereotype activitation on judgments of an unknown salesperson and the contrast effects of explicit mention of category-consistent trait information on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions. We report evidence of assimilation and contrast effects and conclude with research direction and practical implications. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Non-recursive decimation filters with arbitrary integer decimation factors

Cascaded integrator comb (CIC) filters are in wide use in oversampled analog-to-digital converters. In this study, the authors advances three new cascaded decimator structures with integer coefficients designed using a polynomial factorisation approach. Each one of the designed decimators shows better stopband attenuation for a given order and decimation factor than the CIC or recently proposed generalised comb filter (GCF) and may not require any prefilter for performance enhancement. A fourth new decimator structure is a hybrid between the CIC and GCF with coefficients approximated by integers. Decimator power dissipation analysis and optimisation have previously been done either by counting the number of additions per sample rate or by focusing on register clock distribution. The authors propose a new metric for estimating the power dissipation of a filter structure from its architecture accounting for dissipation both in the adder cells and the flip-flops. The authors show frequency domain characteristics and compare power dissipations of all the new structures using a representative example.
Direct‐Supervision and Remote‐Supervision Jails: A Comparative Study of Psychosocial Factors1

The direct-supervision style correctional facility has been offered as a design that provides a better atmosphere for staff and inmates. Prior research has shown minor support in favor of the general environment created by direct-supervision facilities. However, the claims of benefits associated with direct supervision far outweigh the number of empirical research studies on the design. This research examined corrections officers' and inmates' feelings of boredom, perceived control, aggression, attitudes toward each other, and stress in a direct-supervision style facility and a remote-supervision style facility. Results from 164 inmates and 82 correctional officers showed that staff in the direct-supervision facility reported elevated levels of perceived control, less anger and hostility, and less boredom.
Socio-environmental exercise preferences among older adults.

Abstract Background. To examine preferences concerning social and environmental aspects of exercise in the elderly population. Methods. Participants were 324 community-dwelling persons aged 74–85 years who completed a health questionnaire that included items on exercise preferences as well as questions on demographic variables, health, and exercise habits. Selected participants then completed a physical performance battery to measure lower body functioning. Results. A physician's advice to exercise, monitoring by a health professional, an evaluation of the exercise program by a professional, and the quality of the instructor were all rated as important or very important by at least 70% of the participants. Several other factors such as easy access to exercise facilities, type of exercise performed, free or low cost of a program, and other participants being of the same age were rated as slightly important or important. Preferences were related to participants' health and demographic characteristics. For example, participants who were not married were more interested in the social aspects of exercise programs, and those with higher levels of education and more resources were less concerned with program costs. Conclusions. The findings suggest that exercise programs should be tailored to meet the needs and wishes of subgroups of this population. In order to motivate at-risk elderly persons to exercise, programs must take these varying preferences into account and explore their meaning for program design.
A 5 A x-ray diffraction study of coenzyme-deficient lactate dehydrogenase: NAD-pyruvate ternary complex.

An alternative space group of an abortive ternary complex of dogfish M4 † lactate dehydrogenase:NAD-pyruvate has been found. 5 A resolution X-ray diffraction data have been analyzed and the resulting difference electron density maps indicate the loss of coenzyme substitution in two of the four subunits.
Neurocircuitry of Addiction

Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder that has been characterized by (1) compulsion to seek and take the drug, (2) loss of control in limiting intake, and (3) emergence of a negative emotional state (eg, dysphoria, anxiety, irritability) reflecting a motivational withdrawal syndrome when access to the drug is prevented. Drug addiction has been conceptualized as a disorder that involves elements of both impulsivity and compulsivity that yield a composite addiction cycle composed of three stages: 'binge/intoxication', 'withdrawal/negative affect', and 'preoccupation/anticipation' (craving). Animal and human imaging studies have revealed discrete circuits that mediate the three stages of the addiction cycle with key elements of the ventral tegmental area and ventral striatum as a focal point for the binge/intoxication stage, a key role for the extended amygdala in the withdrawal/negative affect stage, and a key role in the preoccupation/anticipation stage for a widely distributed network involving the orbitofrontal cortex-dorsal striatum, prefrontal cortex, basolateral amygdala, hippocampus, and insula involved in craving and the cingulate gyrus, dorsolateral prefrontal, and inferior frontal cortices in disrupted inhibitory control. The transition to addiction involves neuroplasticity in all of these structures that may begin with changes in the mesolimbic dopamine system and a cascade of neuroadaptations from the ventral striatum to dorsal striatum and orbitofrontal cortex and eventually dysregulation of the prefrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus, and extended amygdala. The delineation of the neurocircuitry of the evolving stages of the addiction syndrome forms a heuristic basis for the search for the molecular, genetic, and neuropharmacological neuroadaptations that are key to vulnerability for developing and maintaining addiction.
Cervical spine biomechanics: a review of the literature

This article reviews the many clinical and laboratory investigative research reports on the frequency, causes, and biomechanics of human cervical spine impact injuries and tolerances. Neck injury mechanisms have been hypothesized from clinically observed cervical spine injuries without laboratory verification. However, many of the laboratory experiments used static loading techniques of cervical spine segments. Only recently have dynamic impact studies been conducted. Results indicate that crown-of-head impacts can routinely produce compression of the neck with extension or flexion motion. However, the two-dimensional (midsagittal) movement of the head bowing into the chest does not routinely produce flexion/compression type damage to the cervical spine. Flexion/compression damage to the cervical spine can be produced by prepositioning the subject so that upon impact, a three-dimensional motion of the head and neck occurs. Future laboratory research is needed to determine the forces and impact directions required to produce the various known fracture types and dislocations for a clear, accurate description of the cervical spine impact dynamics.
Understanding Developmental Psychopathology: How Useful Are Evolutionary Accounts?

ABSTRACT Objective To consider the power of principles derived from evolutionary biology to explain the causes and determinants of some forms of child and adolescent mental disorders. Method The authors reviewed the scientific literature for evolutionary mechanisms proposed to contribute to the pathogenesis of early-onset disorders. Results A diverse set of evolutionary mechanisms has been proposed. With the exception of certain genetically determined conditions, many of the proposed mechanisms have little empirical data to support them. One mechanism focuses on the vulnerabilities associated with conserved behavior patterns, such as separation anxiety and other alarm responses. These behavioral patterns are adaptive if they appear in some situations, but not in others. Other attractive theories include a co-optation of underlying neurobiology systems (substance abuse), environmental shifts (transformation of present day environments away from primeval environments), and evolutionary arms races as may occur in putative autoimmune disorders with neuropsychiatric sequelae. Conclusions Evolutionary biology provides a potentially powerful framework for understanding disease pathogenesis in child psychiatry and should permit the integration of new knowledge from a broad range of scientific disciplines. Evolutionary explanations are typically population-based and fail to account for why a particular individual is affected. Consequently, any adequate account of disease pathogenesis requires that environmental events that impinge on CNS development be considered. Finally, the empirical testing of specific theories may prove to be difficult if not impossible. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1998, 37(10):1011–1021.
Physican-directed (off-label) use of recombinant bone morphogenic protein-2: let us do it well!

As the entire health-care delivery system in this country comes under increasing pressure to control and reduce costs, the ‘‘off-label’’ applications of technology and pharmaceuticals have come under intense scrutiny. This targeting derives from the fact that newly introduced products are more expensive, and there is often a widespread physiciandirected use outside of the original Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved indication. This wide net of physician-directed use has resulted in significant patient benefit for conditions outside of the original FDA approval. Examples I would cite include the use of lateral mass screw rod fixation for posterior cervical spine fusion and the use of gabapentin for subacute or chronic neuropathic pain syndromes. This wide net of physician-directed use has exposed patients to unrecognized or unpredicted issues or even complications that are undoubtedly drivers of healthcare costs as well. In recent years, recombinant bone morphogenic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) appears to have been assigned the role of the poster child for all that is wrong with ‘‘off-label’’ or physician-directed use of a novel beneficial technology. After receiving initial FDA approval for marketing as a specific product and technique that used rhBMP-2 on an absorbable collagen sponge embedded in a titanium-threaded fusion cage for use in anterior lumbar interbody fusion, INFUSE rhBMP-2 (Medtronic, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) was widely used successfully in a host of fusion-related applications. The physician-directed or ‘‘off-label’’ use of this product to enhance fusion throughout the spine soon far
Multi-ion emission from large and massive keV cluster impacts

Abstract We report the first measurements of the distributions of the number of molecular ions emitted per gold cluster impact. Experiments were performed in the event-by-event bombardment/emission mode. Targets of phenylalanine were bombarded with 28.6 keV Au9+ and 134.6 keV Au4004+ projectiles. The secondary ions were identified with a linear time-of-flight mass spectrometer equipped with an 8-anode detector, thus allowing to record the co-emission of up to 8 phenylalanine ions. We describe how the experimentally measured molecular ion distribution is related to the initial distributions of ionized and neutral molecules.
Relations of brain volumes with cognitive function in males 45 years and older with past lead exposure.

Abstract We examined relations between brain volumes assessed by MRI and cognitive function in subjects in whom we have previously reported associations of cumulative lead dose with: (1) longitudinal declines in cognitive function; (2) smaller volumes of several regions of interest (ROIs) in the brain; and (3) increased prevalence and severity of white matter lesions. We used two complementary methods (ROI- [evaluating 20 ROIs] and voxel-wise) to examine associations between brain volumes and cognitive function using multiple linear regression. MRIs and cognitive testing were obtained from 532 former organolead workers with a mean (SD) age of 56.1 (7.7) years and a mean of 18.0 (11.0) years since the last occupational exposure to lead at the time of MRI acquisition. Cognitive testing was grouped into six domains of function (visuo-construction, verbal memory and learning, visual memory, executive functioning, eye–hand coordination, processing speed). Results indicated that larger ROI volumes were associated with better cognitive function in five of six cognitive domains, with significant associations observed for visuo-construction (15 of 20, p ≤ 0.05), processing speed (12, p ≤ 0.05), visual memory (11, p ≤ 0.05), executive functioning (11, p ≤ 0.05), and eye–hand coordination (11, p ≤ 0.05). Significant structure–function relations were also identified in the voxel-wise analysis with low false discovery rates (all less than 2.2%). Thus, larger volumes were associated with better cognitive function using both ROI- and voxel-based methods. In this cohort, an interesting group in which to examine structure–function relations, this finding provides a necessary condition to support the hypothesis that lead may influence cognitive function by its effect on brain volumes.
Comparison of skin biopsy triage decisions in 49 patients with pigmented lesions and skin neoplasms: store-and-forward teledermatology vs face-to-face dermatology.

Objective To determine the relative efficacy of store-and-forward teledermatology vs face-to-face dermatology consultations in triage decisions about the need for a biopsy of neoplastic skin changes. Design Prospective study of consecutive patients judged by an internist to require dermatologic consultation for a skin growth. Setting Private primary care and dermatology practices and an academic dermatology practice. Patients Patients requiring dermatology consultation for evaluation of skin growths. Patients were seen by a single primary care physician between July 10, 1998, and August 4, 2000. Intervention Digital photographs of skin growths were obtained by the primary care physician and evaluated by a teledermatologist. The patient was then seen face-to-face by a dermatologist. A biopsy was performed if either dermatologist favored biopsy. Main Outcome Measures Decisions to perform a biopsy. Agreement between the dermatologists was assessed. Results Of the 49 patients with evaluable photographs, the face-to-face dermatologist and teledermatologist recommended a biopsy for the same 26 patients, yielding a sensitivity of the teledermatologist of 1.00 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.87-1.00) and a specificity of 1.00 (95% CI, 0.85-1.00). The agreement between the dermatologists (κ) was 1.00 (95% CI, 0.72-1.00). Conclusion Store-and-forward teledermatology may provide an accurate and cost-effective method of determining whether skin growths in patients presenting to primary care physicians should undergo biopsy.
Microwave Cooking Appliance Placement in Residential Kitchens

Two studies were conducted to determine recommendations for placement of a microwave cooking appliance in residential kitchens. In the first study, 30 sub jects completed tasks using microwave ovens located at heights typically used in kitchens and evaluated the safety and convenience of the tasks on a five-point rating scale. The ratings at the varied microwave oven heights differed signifi cantly for both safety and convenience evaluations. In the second study, 24 par ticipants prepared a dinner meal. Data collected included the number, purpose, and sequence of trips between the work centers during the meal preparation. The utilization of a microwave oven did significantly change work-center rela tionships. Based on these studies, for safe use, the microwave oven should be located so that the interior food shelf or rack is no higher than the user's shoulder; for most convenient use, the interior shelf or rack should be located from between 2 in. (5 cm) below the elbow to 10 in. (25 cm) above the elbow. The microwave oven center should be placed so that it is close to the mix center. When the microwave oven and range are combined in one center, this center should also be convenient to the sink center.
Learning a hidden graph using O( logn) queries per edge

We consider the problem of learning a general graph using edge-detecting queries. In this model, the learner may query whether a set of vertices induces an edge of the hidden graph. This model has been studied for particular classes of graphs by Grebinski and Kucherov [V. Grebinski, G. Kucherov, Optimal query bounds for reconstructing a Hamiltonian cycle in complete graphs, in: Fifth Israel Symposium on the Theory of Computing Systems, 1997, pp. 166-173] and Alon et al. [N. Alon, R. Beigel, S. Kasif, S. Rudich, B. Sudakov, Learning a hidden matching, in: The 43rd Annual IEEE Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science, 2002, pp. 197-206], motivated by problems arising in genome sequencing. We give an adaptive deterministic algorithm that learns a general graph with n vertices and m edges using O(mlogn) queries, which is tight up to a constant factor for classes of non-dense graphs. Allowing randomness, we give a 5-round Las Vegas algorithm using O(mlogn+mlog^2n) queries in expectation. We give a lower bound of @W((2m/r)^r^/^2) for learning the class of non-uniform hypergraphs of dimension r with m edges.
High-Pressure Orthorhombic Ferromagnesite as a Potential Deep-Mantle Carbon Carrier

Knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of candidate deep-carbon carriers such as ferromagnesite [(Mg,Fe)CO3] at high pressure and temperature of the deep mantle is necessary for our understanding of deep-carbon storage as well as the global carbon cycle of the planet. Previous studies have reported very different scenarios for the (Mg,Fe)CO3 system at deep-mantle conditions including the chemical dissociation to (Mg,Fe)O+CO2, the occurrence of the tetrahedrally-coordinated carbonates based on CO4 structural units and various high-pressure phase transitions. Here we have studied the phase stability and compressional behavior of (Mg,Fe)CO3 carbonates up to relevant lower-mantle conditions of approximately 120 GPa and 2400 K. Our experimental results show that the rhombohedral siderite (Phase I) transforms to an orthorhombic phase (Phase II with Pmm2 space group) at approximately 50 GPa and 1400 K. The structural transition is likely driven by the spin transition of iron accompanied by a volume collapse in the Fe-rich (Mg,Fe)CO3 phases; the spin transition stabilizes the high-pressure phase II at much lower pressure conditions than its Mg-rich counterpart. It is conceivable that the low-spin ferromagnesite phase II becomes a major deep-carbon carrier at the deeper parts of the lower mantle below 1900 km in depth.
On regression standardization for moments.

Polynomial regression models can be used to standardize means of endogenous variables for moments of exogenous variables. In other words, standardized means obtained from polynomial models adjust for group differences in location and shape parameters that characterize distributions of exogenous variables. The suggested approach is a natural extension of the conventional method of regression standardization for means (or first moments) of exogenous variables, and it is a more direct analogue to standardization methods used in demography. We also give simple methods that can be used to test the significance of various components of a difference between two means.
Xenobiotic Effects on Intestinal Stem Cell Proliferation in Adult Honey Bee (Apis mellifera L) Workers

The causes of the current global decline in honey bee health are unknown. One major group of hypotheses invokes the pesticides and other xenobiotics to which this important pollinator species is often exposed. Most studies have focused on mortality or behavioral deficiencies in exposed honey bees while neglecting other biological functions and target organs. The midgut epithelium of honey bees presents an important interface between the insect and its environment. It is maintained by proliferation of intestinal stem cells throughout the adult life of honey bees. We used caged honey bees to test multiple xenobiotics for effects on the replicative activity of the intestinal stem cells under laboratory conditions. Most of the tested compounds did not alter the replicative activity of intestinal stem cells. However, colchicine, methoxyfenozide, tetracycline, and a combination of coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate significantly affected proliferation rate. All substances except methoxyfenozide decreased proliferation rate. Thus, the results indicate that some xenobiotics frequently used in apiculture and known to accumulate in honey bee hives may have hitherto unknown physiological effects. The nutritional status and the susceptibility to pathogens of honey bees could be compromised by the impacts of xenobiotics on the maintenance of the midgut epithelium. This study contributes to a growing body of evidence that more comprehensive testing of xenobiotics may be required before novel or existing compounds can be considered safe for honey bees and other non-target species.
Deformation and fracture of strongly textured Ti alloy sheets in uniaxial tension

The influence of crystallographic texture on the deformation and fracture behavior of strongly textured Ti alloy sheet has been investigated. Uniaxial tensile tests have been performed on Ti-6A1-4V and Ti-5A1-2.5 Sn sheet with both a basal and a basal-transverse texture. The results indicate that, by controlling the ease of through-thickness slip, the crystallographic texture strongly affects the plastic anisotropy of the material but has relatively little effect on the strain-rate sensitivity and work-hardening rates at large strains. A strong resistance to through-thickness slip, manifested by a high R-value, enhances the post-uniform elongation and the ability of the material to retain the load-carrying capacity beyond maximum load. This behavior can be qualitatively understood in terms of the effect of R on the hardening which occurs as the strain state within the diffuse neck shifts from uniaxial tension toward plane strain. A higher R-value also increases significantly the limit strain at the onset of localized necking as well as the fracture strain. The effects of R-value on the limit strain can be qualitatively understood in terms of a critical thickness strain criterion and can be quantitatively predicted by two analyses, one of which assumes an imperfection to be present while the other does not.
Membrane plasma separation and the on-line treatment of plasma by membranes

Abstract The application of membranes for the separation of solids from liquids is quite common in industrial processes and has had a major impact on biomedical processes. Biomedical applications of blood processing range from the use of large-pore structures for filtration of blood for the removal of large particles (> 20 μm) (transfusion filters) to membranes for the dialysis of blood for the removal of low molecular weight solutes in the treatment of renal failure. Within the past decade membranes have been applied in the separation of plasma from whole blood. Compared to centrifugal plasma separation membrane plasma separation is preferred when used with on-line plasma fractionation since the plasma is free of cells. Also, membranes have been applied in the on-line treatment of the plasma for the selective removal of macromolecules in selected disease states obviating the need for plasma replacement products. The membranes for plasma separation and fractionation may be distinguished from conventional dialysis membranes and high-flux membranes used in hemofiltration by their very high or select passage of plasma proteins. Membrane techniques are simple and safe to apply and can be competitive to other separation technologies. Studies of membranes in the separation of components from the complex mixture of blood and their use in the separation of macromolecules in plasma are particularly useful in extending the applications of membranes in bioseparations.
Deterministic diffusion of particles

The diffusion of the particles is described in terms of a mean motion with a speed equal to the osmotic velocity associated with the diffusion process. Three numerical schemes are presented. The first two are based on the approximation of the gradient on an irregular mesh. The third is derived from a finite-element approach. Voronoi diagrams are used to handle the irregular grid of the particles. The convergence of the schemes is studied numerically, by comparing the results with the exact solution. Applications to the Fokker-Planck equation and to the problem of disposing particles according to a given probability distribution are presented.
The Dean of Education

Andersen and King report the results of a national survey of current Deans of Education. The survey shows Deans as fitting the popular stereotype as a white, older male. Suggestions are offered for modifying deanship selection consider ations and procedures in order to strengthen the cohort group and in crease the Dean's effectiveness as an educational leader.
Safe harbor and privacy protection: a looming issue for IT professionals

The 25 European Union (EU) Member States require that their residents' personal information not be transferred to countries that do not protect that information adequately. In 2000, the EU ruled that the United States (US), through its voluntary Safe Harbor program, met that requirement. Since that time, however, the EU has charged that many US companies that claim to be in compliance with Safe Harbor policies are not. In this article, I report on a study of the privacy-policy statements of 20 randomly selected US companies that claim to be in compliance. Of the 20, 19 are not in compliance. This study argues that as EU Member States begin to examine Safe Harbor carefully, they are likely to force US companies to adhere to more stringent privacy policies. The burden of this adherence will be borne by US IT professionals.
SOCIAL DISTANCE AND INTERVIEWER EFFECTS

What kind of relationship between interviewer and respondent minimizes interviewer biasing effects? To answer this question, a model has been developed in terms of social distance between interviewer and respondent. That is, the model focuses on the question: Which types of interviewers bias which types of respondents? With respect to the problem of the direction of bias, respondents are assumed most likely to make their answers conform with what they believe to be the norms and expectations of the interviewer.
Radiometrically accurate scene-based nonuniformity correction for array sensors

A novel radiometrically accurate scene-based nonuniformity correction (NUC) algorithm is described. The technique combines absolute calibration with a recently reported algebraic scene-based NUC algorithm. The technique is based on the following principle: First, detectors that are along the perimeter of the focal-plane array are absolutely calibrated; then the calibration is transported to the remaining uncalibrated interior detectors through the application of the algebraic scene-based algorithm, which utilizes pairs of image frames exhibiting arbitrary global motion. The key advantage of this technique is that it can obtain radiometric accuracy during NUC without disrupting camera operation. Accurate estimates of the bias nonuniformity can be achieved with relatively few frames, which can be fewer than ten frame pairs. Advantages of this technique are discussed, and a thorough performance analysis is presented with use of simulated and real infrared imagery.
Aging mothers' and adult daughters' retrospective ratings of conflict in their past relationships

Retrospective accounts of past conflict between parents and offspring have been associated with a variety of implications for individual well-being and relationship quality in adulthood. The present study involved 48 dyads of healthy older mothers (mean age=76) and their adult daughters (mean age=44). Participants independently rated degree of conflict in their relationship when daughters were ages: 5–12, 13–17, 18–24, and 25-present. Mothers and daughters provided descriptions of the source of problems and their behaviors during the time period rated as most conflicted. Mothers’ and daughters’ memories of past difficulties were related to their roles in the relationship, but not to present relationship quality or individual well-being.
Remarks on continuum cardinals on Boolean algebras

MSC (2010) 06E99 We give some results concerning various generalized continuum cardinals. The results answer some natural questions which have arisen in preparing a new edition of [5]. To make the paper self-contained we define all of the cardinal functions that enter into the theorems here. There are many problems concerning these new functions, and we formulate some of the more important ones.
Modeling the effects of hard undulating surfaces on outdoor noise using equivalent sources

The attentuation of acoustic waves propagating above hard surfaces over long distances depends on the shape of the surface. Therefore, the landscape shape is a factor in combating outdoor noise. It is well known that the effect of a hard flat surface can be modeled using two sources: the main source which is located above the surface and its mirror image which is located below the surface. However, if the surface undulates then more fictitious sources are needed to model the surface. In this paper, we propose a method to model rough hard surfaces using equivalent sources which are placed at various distances from the main source in the x-direction. We formulate a method to compute the hard-surface modeled by a multiple-source perturbation of the two equivalent sources. We also used the equivalent source method to model four different surface geometries: a flat, surface with a hill, surface with a hill and valley and undulating surface.
Motion estimation using statistical learning theory

This paper describes a novel application of statistical learning theory (SLT) to single motion estimation and tracking. The problem of motion estimation can be related to statistical model selection, where the goal is to select one (correct) motion model from several possible motion models, given finite noisy samples. SLT, also known as Vapnik-Chervonenkis (VC), theory provides analytic generalization bounds for model selection, which have been used successfully for practical model selection. This paper describes a successful application of an SLT-based model selection approach to the challenging problem of estimating optimal motion models from small data sets of image measurements (flow). We present results of experiments on both synthetic and real image sequences for motion interpolation and extrapolation; these results demonstrate the feasibility and strength of our approach. Our experimental results show that for motion estimation applications, SLT-based model selection compares favorably against alternative model selection methods, such as the Akaike's fpe, Schwartz' criterion (sc), Generalized Cross-Validation (gcv), and Shibata's Model Selector (sms). The paper also shows how to address the aperture problem using SLT-based model selection for penalized linear (ridge regression) formulation.
Seasonal climate and its differential impact on growth of co-occurring species

Co-occurring species may have differing growth responses to the seasonal timing of climatic events. In this study, we used dendrochronology to examine the importance of seasonal climate on radial stem growth of three co-occurring species in Florida scrub, myrtle oak (Quercus myrtifolia Willd.), Chapman oak (Quercus chapmanii Sarg.), and south Florida slash pine (Pinus elliottii Engelmann var. densa Little & K.W. Dorman). Response to seasonal climatic events varied for the co-occurring scrub species. Radial growth of both oaks was influenced strongly by spring precipitation. Spring droughts decreased oak growth, but growth increased with large spring precipitation events. Slash pine growth was influenced strongly by precipitation in both the spring and late summer. Spring droughts decreased slash pine total and latewood growth, but increased summer precipitation resulted in greater than normal growth. Earlywood growth of slash pine was correlated positively with the Nino 3.4 index: colder, wetter winters tended to be associated with increased earlywood growth. These differences between species in growth responses to seasonal climate may be explained by differences in growth phenology. If spring precipitation decreases as predicted by climate models for central Florida, decreased growth would be expected for all three species. Precipitation events later in the year may offset growth reductions caused by spring droughts for slash pine because slash pine growth occurs throughout the year.
Bus minimization and scheduling of multi-chip systems

This paper considers several different algorithms that reduce the required number of buses for multi-chip module design. An efficient polynomial time algorithm that calculates the minimum number of buses needed given a particular schedule is presented. We also present three algorithms that minimize the number of buses during scheduling. Experimental results are shown that illustrate the efficiency of the algorithms.
A Theory of Jurisdictional Assignments in Bureaucracies 1

What determines the allocation of tasks among government agencies? This paper develops a formal model of task allocation that argues that jurisdictions are strategically designed to achieve legislative goals. In the model, agencies choose unobservable policies, and political outcomes are a noisy indicator of these choices. The legislature therefore faces a compliance issue when the agencies’ policy preferences are different from its own. The legislature exerts control by defining agency jurisdictions, setting ex ante budgets and choosing ex post contractual inducements. The principal result is that tasks will be consolidated under a single roof when that agency prefers lower levels of policy than the legislature. In other cases, separating tasks prevents resources from being allocated in a manner undesirable for the legislature.
MBE-Grown Epitaxial Co/Cr Superlattices

A series of epitaxial Co/Cr superlattices has been grown by molecular beam epitaxy. The Cr is in a metastable hcp phase as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, selected area diffraction, and reflection high energy electron diffraction. The Cr layers are 10A thick in all samples while the Co layers are varied from 12A to 40A. The diffusion between Co and Cr is studied by SQUID magnetometry and indicates step-like interfaces in the best samples. Interfacial sharpness has also been found to be unusually sensitive to Co deposition rates, and in contrast with other superlattice systems, we find that sharper interfaces enhance parallel anisotropy. Hall effect measurements of the saturation field are within 10% of SQUID values. Magnetoresistance at 4.2K is only 1/3% which we believe is a consequence of the high density of states at the Fermi level of hcp Cr.
Maternal Hypotension during Fetoscopic Surgery: Incidence and Its Impact on Fetal Survival Outcomes

In this retrospective cohort study, we aimed to determine the incidence of intraoperative maternal hypotension during fetoscopic surgery for twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) and to evaluate the impact of intraoperative hypotension on fetal survival. A total of 328 TTTS patients with recipient twin cardiomyopathy who underwent fetoscopic surgery under epidural anesthesia were included. The exposure of interest was maternal medical therapy with nifedipine for the treatment of fetal cardiomyopathy. We found that intraoperative hypotension occurred in 53.4&#x25; (175/328 patients). There was no statistically significant difference in incidence of hypotension between nifedipine exposure and nonexposure groups (54.8&#x25; versus 50.8&#x25;, ). However, the nifedipine exposure group received a statistically significant higher dose of phenylephrine (7.04 &#xb1; 6.38&#x2009;mcg/kg versus 4.70 &#xb1; 4.14&#x2009;mcg/kg, ) and higher doses of other vasopressor, as counted by number of treatments (6.06 &#xb1; 4.58 versus 4.96 &#xb1; 3.42, ). There were no statistically significant differences in acute fetal survival rate (within 5 days) and fetal survival rate at birth between hypotensive and nonhypotensive patients. We concluded that preoperative exposure to nifedipine resulted in increased intraoperative maternal vasopressor requirement during fetoscopic surgery under epidural anesthesia. In patients who had intraoperative maternal hypotension, there was no correlation between the presence of maternal hypotension and postoperative fetal survival.
Tracking multiple fluorescent particles in two dimensions in a confocal microscope

In this paper, we describe a system for tracking multiple fluorescent particles in a confocal microscope. The tracking algorithm relies on position estimates derived from fluorescence measurements taken at a small number of discrete locations combined with an LQG controller. We report experimental results of tracking a single fixed particle, a single diffusing particle, and two fixed particles.