cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Application of Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Modeling Diffuse Axonal Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a debilitating injury that has received a lot of attention within the past few years partly as a result of the increased number of TBI incidents arising from military conflicts. Of the incidences of TBI, diffuse axonal injury (DAI) accounts for the second largest percentage of deaths [1]. DAI is caused by sudden inertial loads to the head, and it is characterized by damage to neural cells [2]. These inertial loads at the macroscale result in functional and structural damage at the cellular level. To understand the coupling between the mechanical forces and the functional damage of neurons, an analytical model that accurately represents the mechanics of brain deformation under inertial loads must be developed. It has been shown in clinical and experimental studies that the deep white matter of the brain is highly susceptible to injury [2]. Unlike the gray matter of the brain, the white matter structures contain an organized arrangement of neural axons and therefore can be considered anisotropic (Figure 1). To account for the anisotropic nature of the white matter in finite element simulations, the orientation of the neural axons must be incorporated into a material model for brain tissue. In this study, the use of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as a tool to provide fiber orientation information to continuum models is investigated. By incorporating fiber orientation data into a material model for white matter, the strains experienced by neural axons in the white matter tracts of the brain are computed, and this strain is related to cellular stretch thresholds of diffuse axonal injury.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
“Re: We Really Need to Talk”: Affect for Communication Channels, Competence, and Fear of Negative Evaluation

Demographic research has documented the ubiquitous use of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Researchers in this area have also explored various factors associated with CMC, including uses, gratifications, motives, and needs. This investigation examines the relationships among affect for communication channels (i.e., e-mail versus face-to-face), self-reports of competence, and fear of negative evaluation. Participants (N = 325) in an undergraduate public speaking course responded to three scales, Fear of Negative Evaluation (Leary, 1983), Affect for Communication Channels Scale (Kelly & Keaten, 2007), and a measure of communication competence. Results show that individuals who reported more competence when using e-mail (27%), as compared to individuals who reported more competence face-to-face (64%), also had greater affect for CMC, higher levels of fear of negative evaluation, and reported more use of e-mail in difficult personal situations.
Illumination-tolerant face verification of low-bit-rate JPEG2000 wavelet images with advanced correlation filters for handheld devices

Face recognition on mobile devices, such as personal digital assistants and cell phones, is a big challenge owing to the limited computational resources available to run verifications on the devices themselves. One approach is to transmit the captured face images by use of the cell-phone connection and to run the verification on a remote station. However, owing to limitations in communication bandwidth, it may be necessary to transmit a compressed version of the image. We propose using the image compression standard JPEG2000, which is a wavelet-based compression engine used to compress the face images to low bit rates suitable for transmission over low-bandwidth communication channels. At the receiver end, the face images are reconstructed with a JPEG2000 decoder and are fed into the verification engine. We explore how advanced correlation filters, such as the minimum average correlation energy filter [ Appl. Opt.26, 3633 ( 1987)] and its variants, perform by using face images captured under different illumination conditions and encoded with different bit rates under the JPEG2000 wavelet-encoding standard. We evaluate the performance of these filters by using illumination variations from the Carnegie Mellon University’s Pose, Illumination, and Expression (PIE) face database. We also demonstrate the tolerance of these filters to noisy versions of images with illumination variations.
Photoacoustic detection of rapid-scan Fourier transform infrared spectra from low-surface-area solid samples

We have demonstrated that the PAS cell volume, and the state of the background material as well as the interferometer mirror velocity and the cell gas composition, must be controlled when one is recording spectra of solid samples. An optically thick, totally absorbing material with a volume matching that of the sample is needed in order to properly normalize spectra of solid samples. With the proper detection bandwidth, mirror speeds of up to 0.181 cm/s can be used with helium as a transfer medium, for the cell specified. The improvement attained at high frequency by using helium can be as much as 10-fold over that obtained with air. The Helmholtz design of the cell produces a resonance at 1.4 kHz with air and 2.65 kHz with helium. These resonances are also affected by the volume and composition of the gas in the sample chamber. Thus, it is essential to select an appropriate background sample for the purpose of normalizing spectra.
Blood Pressure Measurement During Pregnancy: Auscultatory Versus Oscillatory Methods

Abstract Objective To determine the equivalence of auscultatory and oscillatory blood pressure measurements. Setting Inner-city prenatal clinic. Participants Eighty-one women in their 2nd to 9th month of pregnancy. Design Participants were assessed for systolic and diastolic blood pressures on left and right arms using auscultatory (manual) and oscillatory (electronic) methods. A correlational study design was used. Main outcome measures Differences in pressures related to arm and method of measurement. Results The oscillatory method produced consistently higher readings for both systolic 80] = 45.9, p Conclusions Results suggest the need for caution when interpreting blood pressure estimates as interchangeable. This is particularly important when patients move from clinic settings, where auscultatory methods predominate, to inpatient settings, where oscillatory methods of measurement are used.
Increased Resistance to Hydrolysis of Labile Bonds to Cellulose

Hydrolysis resistance of an N-methylol finish in acidic solutions can generally be predicted based on chemical factors, i.e., electronic effects of substituent groups on the intermediate immonium-carbonium ion, but other factors can produce unexpected results. In this respect, 2:1 and 4:1 molar ratios of formaldehyde in the finishing of cotton with a model reactant system based on N-methylol-2-pyrrolidone produced greater resistance to hydrolysis than anticipated. This effect was small and occurred primarily in the early stages of hydrolysis, suggesting that accessibility of some of the nitrogen bonds in the finish may have been reduced by the formaldehyde crosslinks.
Effects of the addition of titania on the thermal characterization of alumina-supported palladium

Abstract The detailed thermal characterization of Pd/TiO 2 –Al 2 O 3 catalysts under oxygen and hydrogen atmosphere was conducted by means of thermal gravimetric analysis/differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). A simultaneous TG/DSC measurement revealed that the heat evolved during oxygen adsorption at 25 °C varied slightly with the supports and had a higher value for the smaller palladium crystallite. Hydrogen chemisorption and BET measurements revealed that the coating of Pd/Al 2 O 3 catalysts with titania modified the support character to achieve a high dispersion of palladium. TPR and TPD characterizations of oxidized samples further demonstrated that the coating of Pd/Al 2 O 3 catalysts with titania promoted the reduction and decomposition of PdO into palladium.
Air-Water Temperature Relationships in the Trout Streams of Southeastern Minnesota's Carbonate-Sandstone Landscape

Carbonate-sandstone geology in southeastern Minnesota creates a heterogeneous landscape of springs, seeps, and sinkholes that supply groundwater into streams. Air temperatures are effective predictors of water temperature in surface-water dominated streams. However, no published work investigates the relationship between air and water temperatures in groundwater-fed streams (GWFS) across watersheds. We used simple linear regressions to examine weekly air-water temperature relationships for 40 GWFS in southeastern Minnesota. A 40-stream, composite linear regression model has a slope of 0.38, an intercept of 6.63, and R2 of 0.83. The regression models for GWFS have lower slopes and higher intercepts in comparison to surface-water dominated streams. Regression models for streams with high R2 values offer promise for use as predictive tools for future climate conditions. Climate change is expected to alter the thermal regime of groundwater-fed systems, but will do so at a slower rate than surface-water dominated systems. A regression model of intercept vs. slope can be used to identify streams for which water temperatures are more meteorologically than groundwater controlled, and thus more vulnerable to climate change. Such relationships can be used to guide restoration vs. management strategies to protect trout streams.
Employee creative performance: What makes it happen?

The article focuses on employee creativity and what factors help spark the creative process in employees. It states that new products and product improvements are important in creating a competitive advantage for a company. It mentions that the elements that help promote creativity in emploees is unknown. It comments on a study at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign which examined employee creativity and suggested that self-confidence, intuition, and broad interests help influence an employee's creative ability. It mentions that employee work performance and whether they plan on remaining in the company are also factors that influence employee creativity.
Bulimia and swallowing: Cause for concern

Objective To determine whether there is evidence of a relationship between bulimia and abnormalities in swallowing function. Method Literature review across a variety of professional areas concerning the physiological effects of bulimia on oropharyngeal swallow structures and function. Results Investigations of bulimic subjects have identified abnormalities in the oral cavity and oropharynx including dental erosion, changes in taste, tissue manifestations, and potential motility disorders that could impact swallowing function. Discussion While there is cause for concern regarding the effects of repeated self-induced vomiting behavior in bulimic subjects on swallowing function, more research is needed. © 2001 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 30: 252–258, 2001.
Arrangement and External Morphology of Sensilla on the Dorsal Surface of Three Genera of Hyperiid Amphipods (Phronima, Lycaea, and Vibilia)

ABSTRACT Phronima, Lycaea, and Vibilia are 3 different genera of hyperiid amphipods that differ greatly in external morphology, ecology, and possibly phyletic history. These 3 genera have 4 distinct morphological types of sensilla arranged in bilaterally symmetrical, serially homologous sets on successive body segments. Vibilia has all 4 morphological types and the greatest density of sensilla. Phronima has 2 morphological types but the fewest number of sensilla. Lycaea has only 1 hair type that is distributed on every segment. One sensilla type ("fluted hair" on Vibilia) has not been previously reported. The probable functions of these sensory hairs is discussed in relation to other crustacean sensilla.
Weight Gain and Feed Efficiency of Chicks Fed Sucrose Fatty Acid Esters

Day-old Hubbard X Hubbard broilers (mixed sexes) were fed for 2 weeks with a basal diet containing 5% experimental carbohydrate. The experimental carbohydrates were one of the following: sucrose fatty acid esters (SFE)-high monoesters (SFE 1670), SFE-low monoesters (SFE 370), sucrose, glucose, or cellulose. Feed efficiency, weight gain, and growth performance were compared among treatments. Chicks fed 5% SFE 1670 showed significantly less (P less than .01) weight gain and feed efficiency than chicks fed other experimental carbohydrates. There were no significant differences (P less than .01) in weight gain and feed efficiency among groups of chicks fed SFE 370, sucrose, glucose, or cellulose. Most of the chicks fed SFE 1670 were small in size, had poor feathering, and excreted reddish-brown droppings. The appearance and droppings obtained from chicks fed SFE 370 were similar to the appearance and droppings from chicks fed sucrose, glucose, and cellulose. The SFE that contained a large proportion of monoesters (SFE 1670) resulted in poor growth of chicks, whereas SFE containing a small proportion of monoesters (SFE 370) resulted in growth performance similar to chicks on control diets.
The use of neurocognitive tests in evaluating the outcome of cardiac surgery: some methodologic considerations.

NEUROCOGNITIVE TESTING has an established role in assessing cardiac surgery outcome, particularly when extracorporeal perfusion (cardiopulmonary bypass) procedures are employed. Such assessments have been in regular use since the 1960s and, through highlighting the presence of possible postoperative cerebral dysfunction, have contributed to the improvement of surgical techniques over this period.1,2 Continued use of neurocognitive tests is assured, given that they directly measure the concerns of patients and their families— changes in the patients’ ability to think, learn, memorize, carry out a range of activities of daily living. Although many exciting developments in the search for biochemical and other markers of cerebral dysfunction are currently being reported,3,4 they cannot replace a thorough neurocognitive evaluation, for the simple reason that patients are not concerned with “what their brains look like on the inside but only what they can and cannot do on the outside.” Despite the extensive use of neurocognitive testing procedures in the research literature, there is uncertainty regarding the precise interpretation of findings in any given study.1,5 There is more consensus about the methodologic issues that beset this field than there is about the nature of the research findings themselves. One major advance in addressing these issues was the publication of the consensus statement by Murkin et al,6 which lays down a set of guidelines for the use of neurocognitive tests in cardiac research studies. These guidelines are extremely valuable. As noted in a later article,7 however, the consensus statement, although referring to the issue, did not “successfully grapple with a problem inherent in any clinical trial: the need to serially assess the participant, but avoid or otherwise minimize practice effects from repeated exposure to the same items.” The aim of the present article is not to review the research literature again; rather, this article outlines the range of methodologic problems in the field, highlights examples of what seem to be the best solutions to these problems, and by combining these solutions suggests strategies for future research studies. AIMS OF NEUROCOGNITIVE EVALUATION
A survey of electromagnetic position tracker calibration techniques

This paper is a comprehensive survey of various techniques used to calibrate electromagnetic position tracking systems. A common framework is established to present the calibration problem as the interpolation problem in 3D. All the known calibration techniques are classified into local and global methods and grouped according to their mathematical models. Both the location error and the orientation error correction techniques are surveyed. Data acquisition devices and methods as well as publicly available software implementations are reviewed, too.
Physiological cell types in the posterior lateral line lobes of weakly electric fish: Neural correlates of electrolocation under jamming

Central electroreceptive units involved with object detection were studied in two species of weakly electric fish,Sternopygus andEigenmannia. Species-typical differences in the electrolocation behavior under jamming suggested that the underlying central mechanisms might also be different between the two species. Three physiological cell types recorded in the posterior lateral line lobe (pLLL), a first-order electrosensory brain area, are described: 1. Types I and II cells, found in both species, do not discriminate between amplitude modulations associated with the fish's electric field that are object-related or jamming-(= beat) related. When an object and a jamming signal are presented together, the responses to the object are masked by the overriding responses to the beatrelated amplitude modulations associated with the jamming signals. Responses of Types I and II cells provide a neural correlate to jammed electrolocation previously shown forEigenmannia. Quantitative differences in the relative beat sensitivity and response latencies exist between Types I and II found inSternopygus andEigenmannia. 2. Type III cells, so far found only in the p LLL ofSternopygus do distinguish between object-related and beat-related amplitude modulations associated with the fish's electric field. This distinction is possible on the basis of stimulus size: object-related amplitude modulations produce small-field distortions whereas beat-related amplitude modulations produce large-field distortions in the fish's electric field. The receptive field of Type III cells consists of two adjacent zones. Stimulation of both zones, such as during the presentation of a large-field jamming signal produces very little net effect on these cells, whereas sequential stimulation of first one zone and then the other, such as during the presentation of a moving object, elicits responses from Type III cells. Hence, when both a moving object and a jamming signal are presented together, Type III cells respond only to the moving object. Thus, Type III cells exhibit responses, which, like the behavior ofSternopygus, may be labelled as non-jammable.
Steady State Creeping Displacement of a Semi-Infinite Gas Bubble in a 2D Channel Filled by a Bingham Liquid

The mucus layer which covers the respiratory tract is a non-Newtonian fluid with a yield stress. The amount of shear stress must exceed a certain value before significant deformation (i.e. flow) can occur. Therefore, for better understanding of some interesting phenomena in the airways, such as the propagation or rupture of a mucus plug, as may occur in asthma, cystic fibrosis, or emphysema, the yield stress behavior of the fluid needs to be considered as well.© 2009 ASME
Space Shuttle Orbiter approach and landing program status

The space shuttle approach and landing test (ALT) program is being conducted in four phases. The first phase, completed in March of 1977, consisted of verifying the airworthiness of the mated B-747 shuttle carrier aircraft and orbiter. The second phase consists of checking the orbiter systems in captive flight. The third phase is to be confined to launching the orbiter with and without the tail cone installed to evaluate the final landing phase of the shuttle operations through the verification of the automatic landing system. The fourth and final phase of the program is to document the mated configuration's performance relative to the ferry operations to be conducted between the return from the orbiter's landing sites and launch sites. This paper presents the results of the SCA inert orbiter flight testing and the program plans up to the completion of the ALT program.
The Identity of Synandropus and a New Combination in Neotropical Menispermaceae

Synandropus membranaceus A. C. Sm. (Menispermaceae), known previously only from the type collection, is lectotypified and Synandropus A. C. Sm. is reduced to synonymy of Odontocarya Miers, within section Somphoxylon (Eichler) Barneby. The new combination O. membranacea (A. C. Sm.) R. Ortiz is made; O. uva-alba Barneby and O. arifolia Barneby are reduced to synonymy under O. membranacea.
Los Alamos Proton Storage Ring Extraction System

The unprecedented peak and average proton currents and extraction rates from the Proton Storage Ring (PSR) under construction at the Los Alamos National Laboratory present new problems in beam extraction. Activation caused by beam spill must be minimal to permit hands-on maintenance. Timing requirements are uncommonly stringent. Solutions to these problems are outlined below.
A comparison of Zn, Mn, Cd, and Ca transport mechanisms in oat root tonoplast vesicles

Oat root tonoplast vesicles were used to determine if tonoplast transport of the divalent cations Zn and Mn occurs via an antiport mechanism, like that described for Ca and Cd. Also, inhibitors reported to affect Ca transport were tested for their effects on Cd versus Ca transport and tonoplast ATPase activity. The ability of Ca, Cd, Zn, and Mn to alter the proton gradient was monitored using both the fluorescent probe acridine orange and 14 C-methylamine accumulation. After the proton gradient was established in MgATP-energized vesicles, addition of Ca, Cd, and Zn to the reaction restored the fluorescence of acridine orange, indicating dissipation of the proton gradient. Fluorescence recovery was linearly correlated with metal concentration and followed the order Ca>Cd≥Zn. Addition of Mn did not restore the fluorescence of acridine orange. All four ions released 14 C-methylamine from MgATP-energized vesicles in an ion-concentration-dependent manner, and with relative initial rates in the order of Ca > Cd > Zn >> Mn. The observed ion-concentration-dependent release of protons from sealed vesicles suggests that Zn and Mn, like Ca and Cd, can be antiported into the plant vacuole. In an effort to assess whether Ca and Cd use the same carrier, we tested the effects of verapamil, Do-Tea-Br, nifedipine, ruthenium red, and LaCl 2 on 45 Ca versus 109 Cd transport, and also on MgATPase activity. These compounds are shown to alter Ca transport in plants. Although some of the inhibitors had a negative effect on Mg-MAPase activity, the decrease in this activity did not account for the decrease in Ca or Cd transport observed in any case. Particularly verapamil had a much greater effect on Ca transport than Cd transport activity while not inhibiting ATPase substantially. Data presented provide evidence for Zn and Mn antiport activity in oat root tonoplast and show differences in responses of Ca and Cd antiport activities to several transport inhibitors.
Quality of life after multiple trauma requiring intensive care.

Summary A prospective observational study using structured interviews was used to assess changes in quality of life experienced by surviving trauma victims after management on a general intensive therapy unit in a district general hospital. Each patient's age, distribution of injuries, severity of illness on admission and duration of management were recorded. Deaths in the study group were excluded by examining the Hospital's‘Patient Administrative System’. Three attempts were then made to contact all known survivors and to assess their quality of life using three previously recognised and validated methods. Eighty-three survivors of multiple trauma were discharged but 19 were not studied. Of the remaining 64, 42 patients completed the questionnaire. After multiple trauma, patients reported significant decreases in their quality of life in relation to their overall health, happiness, ability to think and to pursue leisure activities, their income and their employment. Their mean Perceived Quality of Life Score decreased by 13% (95% confidence intervals 7.5–19.5%). Sixty-two percent of survivors experienced severe social disability and a modest or severe impairment at work. The Nottingham Health Profile identified major changes in‘psychological’aspects of quality of life, namely energy and emotional reactions.
Nickel deficiency diminishes sperm quantity and movement in rats.

Early studies on nickel essentiality with rats and goats indicated that nickel deprivation impaired reproductive performance. Nickel also has been found to influence cyclic nucleotide gated channels (CNG); these types of channels are important in sperm physiology. Thus, two experiments were conducted to test the hypothesis that nickel deficiency affects sperm physiology in a manner consistent with nickel having an essential function related to CNG channel functions. The experiments were factorially arranged with four treatment groups of eight weanling rats in each. In experiment 1, the treatments were supplemental dietary nickel of 0 and 1 mg/kg and Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME, a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor) added to the drinking water (50 mg/100 mL) the last 3 wk of an 8-wk experiment. In experment 2, the treatments were supplemental dietary nickel at 0 and 1 mg/kg and supplemental dietary sodium chloride (NaCl) at 0 and 80 g/kg. The NaCl and l-NAME variables were included to act as stressors affecting CNG channel activity. The basal diet contained per kilogram about 27 µg of nickel and 1 g of sodium. After 8 wk in experiment 1 and 16 wk in experiment 2, urine while fasting and testes and epididymis in both experiments, and seminal vesicles and prostates in experiment 2 were harvested for analysis. Nickel deprivation significantly decreased spermatozoa motility and density in the epididymides, epididymal transit time of spermatozoa, and testes sperm production rate. Nickel deficiency also significantly decreased the weights of the seminal vesicles and prostate glands. Excessive NaCl had no effect on sperm physiology; however, it decreased prostate gland weights. The findings support the hypothesis that nickel has an essential function that possibly could affect reproductive performance in higher animals, perhaps through affecting a CNG channel function.
Solution phase synthesis of libraries of polycyclic natural product analogues by cascade radical annulation: synthesis of a 64-member library of mappicine analogues and a 48-member library of mappicine ketone analogues.

An improved cascade radical annulation route to (±)-mappicine, (S)-mappicine, and mappicine ketone is reported. The route is used to prepare libraries of mappicine and mappicine ketone analogues in a semiautomated fashion. Key diversity generating steps include the addition of an aldehyde to a Grignard reagent derived from a D-ring iodopyridine, N-propargylation of a subsequently derived iodopyridone, and cascade radical annulation with an isonitrile to form a mappicine analogue. Parallel oxidation of mappicine analogues produced mappicine ketones. The route is general and flexible and could be used to make very large libraries. It is also illustrative of how late stage cascade reactions can be employed strategically to generate libraries of polycyclic natural product analogues.
Prevalence of aortic root dilatation and small aortic roots in valvular aortic stenosis.

variability identify a high risk subgroup of congestive heart failure patients with excessive sympathetic activation? A pilot study before and after heart transplantation. Br Heart J 1994;71:422–430. 11. Adamopoulos S, Piepoli M, McCance A, Bernardi L, Rocadaelli A, Ormerod O, Forfar C, Sleight P, Coats AJ. Comparison of different methods for assessing sympathovagal balance in chronic congestive heart failure secondary to coronary artery disease. Am J Cardiol 1992;70:1576–1582. 12. Kienzle MG, Ferguson DW, Birkett CL, Myers GA, Berg WJ, Mariano DJ. Clinical, hemodynamic, and sympathetic neural correlates of heart rate variability in congestive heart failure. Am J Cardiol 1992;69:761–767. 13. Kingwell BA, Thompson JM, Kaye DM, McPherson GA, Jennings GL, Esler MD. Heart rate spectral analysis, cardiac norepinephrine spillover, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity during human sympathetic nervous activation and failure. Circulation 1994;90:234–240. 14. Guzzetti S, Cogliati C, Turiel M, Crema C, Lombardi F, Malliani A. Sympathetic predominance followed by functional denervation in progression of chronic heart failure. Eur Heart J 1995;16:1100–1107. 15. Ahmed MW, Kadish AH, Parker MA, Goldberger JJ. Effect of physiologic and pharmacologic adrenergic stimulation on heart rate variability. J Am Coll Cardiol 1994;24:1082–1090. 16. Notarius CF, Butler GC, Ando S, Pollard MJ, Senn BL, Floras JS. Dissociation between microneurographic and heart rate variability estimates of sympathetic tone in normal subjects and patients with heart failure. Clin Sci 1999;96: 557–656. 17. Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology and North American Society of Pacing and Electophysiology. Heart rate variability. Eur Heart J 1996;17:354–381. 18. Esler M, Jackman G, Bobik A, Kelleher D, Jennings G, Leonard P, Skews H, Korner P. Determination of norepinephrine apparent release rate and clearance in humans. Life Sci 1979;25:1461–1470. 19. Rundqvist B, Elam M, Bergmann-Sverrisdottir Y, Eisenhofer G, Friberg P. Increased cardiac adrenergic drive precedes generalized sympathetic activation in human heart failure. Circulation 1997;95:169–175. 20. Tygesen H, Claes G, Drott C, Emanuelsson H, Lomsky M, Lurje L, Radberg G, Wennerblom B, Wettervik C. Effect of endoscopic transthoracic sympathicotomy on heart rate variability in severe angina pectoris. Am J Cardiol 1997; 79:1447–1452.
Effect of hydrogen bonding on the vibrational dephasing time in glycerol

The vibrational dephasing of the methyl CH2 symmetric stretch mode in glycerol was directly measured over an extended temperature range using picosecond coherent Raman pump and probe spectroscopy. The dephasing time was found to increase dramatically as the temperature of the supercooled liquid was lowered. This observation is attributed to the increased hydrogen bonding with decreasing temperature which hinders the dephasing of the CH2 vibration by reducing molecular motions.
Agent simulation of collaborative knowledge processing in Wikipedia

Wikipedia, a User Innovation Community (UIC), is becoming increasingly influential source of knowledge. The knowledge in Wikipedia is produced and processed collaboratively by UIC. The results of this collaboration process present various seemingly complex patterns demonstrated by update history of different articles in Wikipedia. Agent simulation is a powerful method that is used to study the behaviors of complex systems of interacting and autonomous agents. In this paper, we study the collaborative knowledge processing in Wikipedia using a simple agent-based model. The proposed model considers factors including knowledge distribution among agents, number of agents, behavior of agents and vandalism. We use this model to explain content growth rate, number and frequency of updates, edit war and vandalism in Wikipedia articles. The results demonstrate that the model captures the important empirical aspects in collaborative knowledge processing in Wikipedia.
Health Professional Shortage Areas, Insurance Status, and Cardiovascular Disease Prevention in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) Study

Individuals with cardiovascular disease (CVD) living in Health Professional Shortage Areas (HPSA) may receive less preventive care than others. The Reasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke Study (REGARDS) surveyed 30,239 African American (AA) and White individuals older than 45 years of age between 2003-2007. We compared medication use for CVD prevention by HPSA and insurance status, adjusting for sociodemographic factors, health behaviors, and health status. Individuals residing in partial HPSA counties were excluded. Mean age was 64±9 years, 42% were AA, 55% were women, and 93% had health insurance; 2,545 resided in 340 complete HPSA counties and 17,427 in 1,145 non-HPSA counties. Aspirin, beta-blocker, and ACE-inhibitor use were similar by HPSA and insurance status. Compared with insured individuals living in non-HPSA counties, statin use was lower among uninsured participants living in non-HPSA and HPSA counties. Less medication use for CVD prevention was not associated with HPSA status, but less statin use was associated with lack of insurance.
Immediate Short-Duration Hypothermia Provides Long-Term Protection in an in Vivo Model of Traumatic Axonal Injury

Abstract A prospective, multicenter, randomized trial did not demonstrate improved outcomes in severe traumatic brain injured patients treated with mild hypothermia [Clifton, G.L., Miller, E.R., Choi, S.C., Levin, H.S., McCauley, S., Smith, K.R., Jr., Muizelaar, J.P., Wagner, F.C., Jr., Marion, D.W., Luerssen, T.G., Chesnut, R.M., Schwartz, M., 2001. Lack of effect of induction of hypothermia after acute brain injury. N. Engl. J. Med. 344, 556–563.]. However, the mean time to target temperature was over 8 h and patient inclusion was based on Glasgow Coma Scale score so brain pathology was likely diverse. There remains significant interest in the benefits of hypothermia after traumatic brain injury (TBI) and, in particular, traumatic axonal injury (TAI), which is believed to significantly contribute to morbidity and mortality of TBI patients. The long-term beneficial effect of mild hypothermia on TAI has not been established. To address this issue, we developed an in vivo rat optic nerve stretch model of TAI. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent unilateral optic nerve stretch at 6, 7 or 8 mm piston displacement. The increased number of axonal swellings and bulbs immunopositive for non-phosphorylated neurofilament (SMI-32) seen four days after injury was statistically significant after 8 mm displacement. Ultrastructural analysis 2 weeks after 8 mm displacement revealed a 45.0% decrease (p
A framework for efficient reuse of binary code in Java

This paper presents a compilation framework that enables efficient sharing of executable code across distinct Java Virtual Machine (JVM) instances. High-performance JVMs rely on run-time compilation, since static compilation cannot handle many dynamic features of Java. These JVMs suffer from large memory footprints and high startup costs, which are serious problems for embedded devices (such as hand held personal digital assistants and cellular phones) and scalable servers. A recently proposed approach called quasi-static compilation overcomes these difficulties by reusing precompiled binary images after performing validation checks and stitching on them (i.e., adapting them to a new execution context), falling back to interpretation or dynamic compilation whenever necessary. However, the requirement in our previous design to duplicate and modify the executable binary image for stitching is a major drawback when targeting embedded systems and scalable servers. In this paper, we describe a new approach that allows stitching to be done on an indirection table, leaving the executable code unmodified and therefore writable to read-only memory. On embedded devices, this saves precious space in writable memory. On scalable servers, this allows a single image of the executable to be shared among multiple JVMs, thus improving scalability. Furthermore, we describe a novel technique for dynamically linking classes that uses traps to detect when a class should be linked and initialized. Like back-patching, the technique allows all accesses after the first to proceed at full speed, but unlike back-patching, it avoids the modification of running code. We have implemented this approach in the Quicksilver quasi-static compiler for the Jalape~ no JVM. On the SPECjvm98 benchmark suite, our approach obtains code space savings, in writable memory, of between 82% to 89% of that from our previous quasi-static compiler, while delivering performance that is typically within 1% to 7% of that approach, and which is competitive with the performance of the Jalapeno adaptive optimization system.
Chromosome, Microdissection and Microcloning

This article reviews the pertinent aspects of chromosome structure, microdissection techniques, and methods of microcloning. Recent applications of this technology are discussed. Microdissection is a specialized aspect of cell microsurgery by which one can remove a chromosome fragment from a cell in metaphase. The DNA material thus obtained can be used for molecular cloning experiments. Coupling this technology with in vitro DNA amplification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gene-transfer techniques have made possible the performance of biochemical and biological experiments using small amounts of DNA obtained from chromosome fragments. The emerging technology of laser-capture microdissection (LCM) and its potential applications in global gene expression and profiling (proteomics) is also introduced. Keywords: BAC; Chromosomal Band; Chromosome; Chromosome Fragment; Gene Mapping; Karyotype; Megabase; LCM; Metaphase Chromosomes; Microarray; Microdissection; Polymerase Chain Reaction(PCR); Proteomics; YAC
A Problem of Politics of Technique? Insights from Waste-Management Strategies in Sweden and France

Sweden and France are in many respects in the vanguard of high-level radioactive waste disposal efforts, and they offer sharp contrasts regarding basic strategies and underlying philosophies for waste management. We compare their waste disposal programs for insight into the dilemma of siting and developing a permanent waste repository. We find that technical decisions, as well as the more obvious sociopolitical decisions about repository development, are shaped by deep-seated social and political forces in each nation.
Analysis of Voltage-Regulator Operation

The performance of any regulator circuit is analyzed in terms of two parameters defined as the internal resistance and the regulation factor. These two parameters together with a simple equivalent circuit permit calculation of the regulator performance in conjunction with any load circuit and direct-current supply. Typical regulator circuits are analyzed to evaluate the two parameters and to show the effect of circuit changes in improving regulator performance. A compensated circuit is presented which makes it possible to provide an output voltage that is substantially independent of any input-voltage or load-current change.
Separate measures of ATP utilization and recovery in human skeletal muscle.

1. The chemical changes during contractile activity were separated from recovery metabolism in the forearm flexor musculature in normal human subjects using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Percutaneous, supramaximal twitch stimulation of the median and ulnar nerves was used in combination with temporary ischaemia of the forearm to characterize the summed ATPase activity. The recovery following restoration of blood flow provided a measure of oxidative ATP synthesis activity. These processes were measured based on the dynamics of creatine phosphate (PCr) content. 2. Muscle oxygen stores were depleted using ischaemia without stimulation as indicated by PCr breakdown after 250 +/- 33 s (mean +/- S.D.; n = 5), which provided a measure of the basal metabolic rate (0.008 +/- 0.002 mM s-1, n = 5). 3. The PCr breakdown rate during twitch stimulation of the oxygen-depleted muscle was constant at 1 Hz at 0.15 +/- 0.03 mM PCr per second or per twitch (n = 8). A constant cost per twitch was found from 0.5 to 2 Hz stimulation (depletion of PCr per twitch = 0.15 mM per twitch). 4. No net anaerobic recovery of PCr was found during a 2 min post-stimulation ischaemia. 5. Upon restoration of blood flow, PCr recovery followed an exponential time course with a time constant of 63 +/- 14 s (n = 8). From these recovery rates, the capacity for oxidative phosphorylation was estimated to be 0.4 mM s-1. 6. This experimental approach defines a non-invasive and quantitative measure of human muscle ATPase rate and ATP synthetase rate.
Fabrication, Installation And Field Test Procedures For A Pipe-Tire Floating Breakwater

A pipe-tire floating breakwater is currently being field tested in Presque Isle Bay, Erie, PA. Subassemblies of the breakwater were fabricated in three different configurations, two of which are being reported for the first time. Techniques are described for the launching and towing of the breakwater subassemblies to the mooring site using standard marina equipment. Final on-site assembly of the breakwater sections into an integral unit was facilitated by the positive buoyancy characteristics of the truck tire-cladded pipes which permitted personnel to move about on the structure. A field test site has been configured to obtain the wave transmission characteristics of the device and uses newly developed instrumentation for measuring, in real-time, the direction of wave advance, significant wave height and significant wave period parameters. Observations are reported on the behavior of the breakwater during the winter season.
Effects of tannins on growth and digestion in two species of papilionids

The effects of tannins on growth and digestion were compared in two species of swallowtail caterpillars — Papillio polyxenes, a specialist on Umbelliferae that normally does not encounter tannins in nature, and P. glaucus, a generalist whose hostplant range includes tanniniferous tree species in several families. In one experiment, tannin extracted from Liriodendron tulipifera, a P. glaucus foodplant, was applied to leaves from hostplants on the two species; tannin in the diet caused greater mortality in P. polyxenes but failed to do so in P. glaucus. In a second experiment, tannins did not affect digestion, growth rate or nitrogen utilization in either species over a 24-hour period. These findings are inconsistent with the proposed mechanism of digestibility reduction by tannins and, moreover, demonstrate that some degree of counteradaptation is possible in coevolved species. Tannins may thus possess toxic properties other than digestibility reduction. RESUME Effets de tanins sur la croissance et la digestion de deux especes de papilionides La comparaison a porte sur les effets des tanins sur la croissance et la digestion de deux especes, Papilio polyxenes, specialiste d'Ombelliferes qui ne rencontre pas normalement de tanins dans la nature, et P. glaucus, generaliste dont les plantes hotes comprennent des especes d'arbres taniferes de plusieurs familles. Dans une experience, des feuilles de plantes hotes des deux especes ont ete traitees par du tanin extrait de Liriodendron tulipifera, consomme par P. glaucus; ce tanin dans l'aliment a provoque une forte mortalite chez P. polyxenes mais a ete sans effet sur P. glaucus. Dans une second experience, les tanins n'ont pas modifie la digestion, le taux de croissance et l'utilisation d'azote par ces especes pendant une periode de 24 heures. Ces resultats ne concordent pas avec les mecanismes de reduction de la digestibilite envisages pour les tanins, et, par ailleurs, demontrent qu'un certain degre de contreadaptation est possible chez des especes ayant coevolue. Les tanins peuvent alors posseder quelques proprietes toxiques differentes de la reduction de la digestibilite.
Comments on “The Goddard Coastal Wave Model. Part I: Numerical Method”*

Lin and Huang (1996a, henceforth denoted as LH) discuss numerical methods for third-generation wind wave models. One of the justifications for this study is the concern that numerical errors might be mistaken for physical properties. Having advocated such studies, we greatly appreciate the effort of LH. Unfortunately, LH have not adequately discussed and referenced previous work, as will be shown in section 2. They present a fourth-order scheme for a ‘‘transport equation.’’ The derivation of this equation appears to include an error, making the scheme valid for uniform and steady depths and currents only (section 3). Because the alternative ‘‘conservation equation’’ is generally more suitable for wave models (e.g., LH), we will not discuss the effects of this error in detail. Lin and Huang furthermore present two second-order schemes for the conservation equation. Unfortunately, the discussion of these schemes is incomplete and inconsistent with the discussion of previous work (section 4).
HDD: hierarchical delta debugging

Inputs causing a program to fail are usually large and often contain information irrelevant to the failure. It thus helps debugging to simplify program inputs. The Delta Debugging algorithm is a general technique applicable to minimizing all failure-inducing inputs for more effective debugging. In this paper, we present HDD, a simple but effective algorithm that significantly speeds up Delta Debugging and increases its output quality on tree structured inputs such as XML. Instead of treating the inputs as one flat atomic list, we apply Delta Debugging to the very structure of the data. In particular, we apply the original Delta Debugging algorithm to each level of a program's input, working from the coarsest to the finest levels. We are thus able to prune the large irrelevant portions of the input early. All the generated input configurations are syntactically valid, reducing the number of inconclusive configurations that need to be tested and accordingly the amount of time spent simplifying. We have implemented HDD and evaluated it on a number of real failure-inducing inputs from the GCC and Mozilla bugzilla databases. Our Hierarchical Delta Debugging algorithm produces simpler outputs and takes orders of magnitude fewer test cases than the original Delta Debugging algorithm. It is able to scale to inputs of considerable size that the original Delta Debugging algorithm cannot process in practice. We argue that HDD is an effective tool for automatic debugging of programs expecting structured inputs.
Imaeg Blur Reduction for Cell-Phone Cameras Via Adaptive Tonal Correction

Image blur occurs often when using a cell-phone camera due to handshakes or jitter. Although there exist many motion deblurring algorithms in the literature, the computational complexities of these algorithms and the assumptions considered make them unsuitable for deployment on a cell-phone camera processor. This paper presents an image blur reduction algorithm for cell-phone cameras having a low computational complexity and without making any assumption about the handshake motion. This algorithm utilizes one low-exposure image in addition to a blurred image to perform a blur reduction operation via tonal correction. The developed tonal correction approach is adaptive to the scene by taking into consideration the brightness and contrast of the blurred image. The results obtained indicate the effectiveness of this blur reduction algorithm for handshake blurred images captured by a cell-phone camera.
Western Australian species of Smittium and other Trichomycetes in aquatic insect larvae

Three species of Smittium (Trichomycetes, Harpellales) that may be endemic to Western Australia are described from the hindguts of midge larvae (Diptera, Chironomidae): S. fruticosum, S. angustum and S. microsporum. Axenic cultures were obtained of the latter two fungal species. The occurrence in Western Australia of six geographically widespread species of other Harpellales from dipteran guts is reported together with records of Paramoebidium spp. (Amoebidiales) in Chironomidae and Ephemeroptera.
Prolongation of cardiac conduction times by intravenous aprindine in man

The acute electrophysiologic effects of intravenous aprindine were evaluated in 48 patients to assess the effect on conduction times and refractoriness in patients with severe cardiac disease and arrhythmias. The patients had not responded to conventional antiarrhythmic medications or had been unable to tolerate effective doses of conventional medications because of side effects. Eleven patients had an abnormal H-V interval, 9 had prolonged QRS duration and 22 had evidence of severe left ventricular dysfunction. Aprindine prolonged conduction transiently in the atria, the atrioventricular (A-V) node, the His-Purkinje system and the ventricles. The refractory times of the atria, the A-V node and the ventricles increased insignificantly, both functionally and statistically. Atrioventricular block did not develop in any patient, and side effects were minor. Thus, aprindine can be safely administered intravenously (10 to 15 mg/min) to severely ill patients with arrhythmias that are refractory to other medications even in the presence of underlying conduction system and myocardial disease.