cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
First-dollar cost-sharing for skilled nursing facility care in medicare advantage plans.

The initial days of a Medicare-covered skilled nursing facility (SNF) stay may have no cost-sharing or daily copayments depending on beneficiaries’ enrollment in traditional Medicare or Medicare Advantage. Some policymakers have advocated imposing first-dollar cost-sharing to reduce post-acute expenditures. We examined the relationship between first-dollar cost-sharing for a SNF stay and use of inpatient and SNF services. We identified seven Medicare Advantage plans that introduced daily SNF copayments of $25-$150 in 2009 or 2010. Copays began on the first day of a SNF admission. We matched these plans to seven matched control plans that did not introduce first-dollar cost-sharing. In a difference-in-differences analysis, we compared changes in SNF and inpatient utilization for the 172,958 members of intervention and control plans. In intervention plans the mean annual number of SNF days per 100 continuously enrolled inpatients decreased from 768.3 to 750.6 days when cost-sharing changes took effect. Control plans experienced a concurrent increase: 721.7 to 808.1 SNF days per 100 inpatients (adjusted difference-in-differences: −87.0 days [95% CI (−112.1,-61.9)]). In intervention plans, we observed no significant changes in the probability of any SNF service use or the number of inpatient days per hospitalized member relative to concurrent trends among control plans. Among several strategies Medicare Advantage plans can employ to moderate SNF use, first-dollar SNF cost-sharing may be one influential factor. Not applicable.
Twelve Complete Reference Genomes of Clinical Isolates in the Capnocytophaga Genus.

ABSTRACT We report here 1 near-complete genome sequence and 12 complete genome sequences for clinical Capnocytophaga isolates. Total read coverages ranged from 211× to 737×, and genome sizes ranged from 2.41 Mb to 3.10 Mb. These genomes will enable a more comprehensive taxonomic evaluation of the Capnocytophaga genus.
Self-injurious behaviours in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

Background Self-injurious behaviours (SIB) are concerning, maladaptive behaviours that commonly occur in people with neurodevelopmental conditions and delays but seem to be particularly prevalent in children and adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). There has been increasing research examining the risk markers associated with the presence of SIB in people with ASD. Some of the factors associated with SIB have included cognitive abilities, adaptive functioning deficits and behaviour regulation impairments (e.g. impulsivity and repetitive behaviours). However, many of the findings in the literature are mixed and only explain a small proportion of the variance contributing to SIB. Limitations in the previous literature have centred on lack of availability of large and diverse samples, restricted age ranges and constraints of measurement. Method This study characterises a clinic-referred sample of children and adults currently presenting with and without SIB using a range of standardised and parent-report measures. The sample includes 144 individuals with ASD between the ages of 2.5 and 60.1 years. Results After adjusting for multiple tests, none of the variables maintained statistical significance between the group of individuals with and without SIB, but medium to large effect sizes were noted. These variables include parent-reported early motor and toileting delays and perinatal risk, and current cognitive and social impairment. The remaining variables, including current autism severity levels, early ASD symptomatology, impulsivity, executive functioning impairments, adaptive functioning, mood and anxiety, did not differ between those with and without current engagement in SIB. Conclusions Utilising a diverse clinic-referred sample and standardised diagnostic tools, this study explored retrospective and current correlate risk markers of SIB in individuals with ASD. In addition to impairments in current functioning, specific early developmental delays and perinatal risk factors were preliminarily associated with the presence of SIB in individuals with ASD. Together these findings suggest that a set of specific characteristics may be related to both early risk and concurrent manifestation of SIB. Identifying this set of characteristics in early development may lead to faster identification and better intervention services, but future work utilising longitudinal design and multivariate analysis is warranted.
Nonoperative Management of Splenic Trauma: An Update

Splenic injuries continue to be a common solid organ injury among trauma victims. Practice outcomes continue to improve with centers now routinely incorporating endovascular therapy into nonoperative management protocols. Since such incorporation, endovascular practice patterns continue to evolve as more data regarding outcomes concerning approach, embolic techniques, and time to intervention become available. These data are driving trauma centers to adopt multidisciplinary protocols with standardization of triage to nonoperative management, imaging, and endovascular interventions. This review aims to provide the interventionalist with an overview of existing and upcoming practice patterns.
How to keep secrets safe.

This article discusses the use of cryptographic technology to ensure computer security. Approaches to computerized encryption including secure function evaluation (SFE) and public key encryption (PK). The use of these technologies to control the flow of personal data and authenticate Internet transactions is described. INSETS: Computing Together;Concealing Content;Signing a Message;Hiding Connections/ Showing You Belong without Saying Who You Are
Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Reward and Addiction

Drugs of abuse stimulate the pleasure centers of the brain to initiate addiction. During the beginning stages of addiction, the rewarding or reinforcing properties of abused drugs drive intake. However, as addiction develops drug intake is more likely to be dominated by negative reinforcement. The main reward center of the brain is the mesolimbic pathway which consists of dopaminergic neurons originating in the ventral tegmental area that project to the nucleus accumbens. Most, if not all, abused drugs stimulate this circuit resulting in increased release of the neurotransmitter, dopamine, in the nucleus accumbens, a phenomenon intimately associated with reward and reinforcement. Neuronal nAChRs are robustly expressed within the microcircuitry of this reward pathway. Drugs of abuse such as nicotine and alcohol directly interact with nAChRs expressed within the mesolimbic circuit to affect drug reward sensitivity, whereas with other drugs of abuse such as the psychostimulants and opioids, nAChRs play a more indirect, modulatory role on drug reward. In this chapter, the expression and function of nAChRs in the reinforcing/rewarding properties of drugs of abuse are explored.
Nevus senescence: An update

Nevi and melanomas share the many of the same growth-promoting mutations. However, benign nevi eventually undergo growth arrest and stabilize while melanomas grow relentlessly. The difference in their long-term growth potential can in part be attributed to activation of cellular senescence pathways. The primary mediator of senescence in nevi appears to be p16. Redundant, secondary senescence systems are also present and include the p14-p53-p21 pathway, the IGFBP7 pathway, the FBXO31 pathway, and the PI3K-mediated stress-induced endoplasmic reticulum unfolded protein response. It is evident that these senescence pathways result in an irreversible arrest in most instances; however, they can clearly be overcome in melanoma. Circumvention of these pathways is most frequently associated with gene deletion or transcriptional repression. Reactivation of senescence mechanisms could serve to inhibit melanoma tumor progression.
Obesity does not significantly impact outcomes following simultaneous liver kidney transplantation: review of the UNOS database - a retrospective study.

Simultaneous liver kidney transplantation (SLK) is the only curative option for patients with combined end stage liver and kidney disease. With the global obesity epidemic, an increasing number of obese patients are in need of SLK. However, the impact of pre-transplant obesity on outcomes after SLK is unknown. An analysis of the United States OPTN registry (Oct 1987 - June 2016) identified 7205 SLK transplants. Of these, 1677 patients were overweight/obese (OW, BMI 30-39) and 183 were morbidly obese (MO, BMI ≥40). 29% of patients had NASH in the MO group versus 16.4% and 4.7% in the OW and normal weight (NW) groups, respectively. The 1, 3 and 5 year overall patient survival, kidney and liver graft survivals were comparable between the three groups. Numerically higher rates of acute kidney rejection were reported in the MO group at 1 year [12.73%, 8.59%, and 10.05% for MO, OW and NW, respectively (P = 0.22)]. Multivariate analysis identified diagnosis of hepatitis C, donor age, diabetes mellitus, and delayed kidney transplant function but not BMI as risk factors for poor patient and both liver and kidney graft survival. Based on these findings, obesity should not be a contraindication for SLK even for patients with BMIs ≥ 40.
Resisting the Norming of the Neoliberal Academic Subject: Building Resistance Across Faculty Ranks

This essay locates the primary cause of the proliferation of contingent faculty in the university to nearly forty years of relentless federal and state cuts in the funding of public higher education. Public and private universities increasingly view themselves as corporate entities that maximise student tuition and corporate and philanthropic revenue while minimising labour costs. The article analyses why most tenured faculty naturalise this deterioration of the academic labour market as inevitable and why they fail to resist this phenomenon in a concerted manner. Many tenured faculty now act as a labour aristocracy who place the greatest value on the portable capital of their research records. While in the short run this self-interested calculation may seem rational, in the long run it threatens the very existence of the tenured jobs that faculty hope their graduate students attain.
Women's obstetric and reproductive health care discourse in online forums: Perceived access and quality pre- and post-Affordable Care Act.

Abstract This corpus-based study examines women's framing of health issues in online forums ( MedHelp.org , AphroditeWomensHealth.com , and Connect.MayoClinic.org ) prior to, during, and after implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Since worldviews affect how women describe health issues, their discourse is both a way to see ideology indexed in the forums, as well as how that discourse has been shaped by policy. Posts were collected December 2016–April 2017 and annotated using the UAM (Universidad Autonoma de Madrid) Corpus Tool to examine emergent categories and compare them to three time periods: pre-, during, and post-ACA. Data within posts were coded as to the linguistic moves being made. Three frequent categories of linguistic function in the data were identified: experience-sharing, advice-requesting and offering, and rationale-offering (N = 1268). These linguistic moves were sub-divided into further categories (e.g., under advice requesting, a request for diagnosis), and a discourse-analytical perspective provides insight into the values indexed in each. Before ACA, forum participants cited access, fear, and a history of unhelpful medical visits as obstacles to seeking care. After implementation, obstacles cited were prior unhelpful visits, followed by access, and uncertainty regarding care-seeking appropriateness. While ACA implementation reduced lack of insurance as an obstacle to obtaining healthcare, online forums indicate that patients continue to find doctors' visits unhelpful, instead choosing to seek medical advice from the lay public. Patients' distrust of the medical profession persisted following ACA implementation. There is a need for public health initiatives to improve this relationship in order to augment health care outcomes.
Post-stratified Probability-Proportional-to-Size Sampling from Stratified Populations

This paper develops statistical inference based on a post-stratified probability-proportional-to-size (pp) sample from a finite population. A pp sample selects the sample units with selection probabilities proportional to their size and measures them for the characteristic of interest. For each measured unit, the pp sample further creates position information (rank) in a comparison set of size M. The sample is then post-stratified into ranking classes based on their position information in the comparison set. A pp sample is expanded to stratified populations by selecting a pp sample from each stratum population to form the stratified pp sample. Using this stratified pp sample, we construct unbiased and Rao–Blackwell estimators for the mean of the stratified populations. Different sample size allocation procedures for stratum sample sizes are investigated. The new sampling design is applied to apple production data to estimate the total apple production in Turkey. Supplementary materials accompanying this paper appear online.
Impact of Disclosure Videos and Self-Understanding Imagined Interactions on Emotions and Homophobia

Disclosure, or “coming out,” videos on YouTube are a popular part of YouTube’s global online video sharing culture. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) coming out videos are amo...
High Frequency Active-Clamped Zero-Current Switching Current-Fed Push-Pull Converter for Micro-Converter Applications

This paper implements an auxiliary active-clamped circuit for the current-fed push-pull (CFPP) converter for microconverter applications. The proposed converter provides zero-current switching (ZCS) turn-off operation for the main switches, and ZCS turn-on and turn-off for the auxiliary switch and rectifier diodes. Compared to the existing active-clamped CFPP (ACFPP) converter, the proposed ACFPP topology has advantages such as higher voltage-gain, completely clamped-voltages across switches, lower voltage stress on auxiliary switch, less isolation gate drivers. These features can reduce switching loss, voltage rating of power switch, transformer turns-ratio, as well as improve the efficiency and power density of the micro-converter. Detailed operation principle, analysis and design, and performance comparison are thoroughly discussed in this article, and finally, a simulation study with 36 VDC input, 400 VDC output, 100 kHz switching frequency and 400W related output power has been conducted, and the results verified the effectiveness of the proposed solution.
Measuring Compound Eye Optics with Microscope and MicroCT Images

The arthropod compound eye is the most prevalent eye type in the animal kingdom, with an impressive range of shapes and sizes. Studying its natural range of morphologies provides insight into visual ecology, development, and evolution. In contrast to the camera-type eyes we possess, external structures of compound eyes often reveal resolution, sensitivity, and field of view if the eye is spherical. Non-spherical eyes, however, require measuring internal structures using imaging technology like MicroCT (μCT). Thus far, there is no efficient tool to automate characterizing compound eye optics. We present two open-source programs: (1) the ommatidia detecting algorithm (ODA), which automatically measures ommatidia count and diameter, and (2) a μCT pipeline, which calculates anatomical acuity, sensitivity, and field of view across the eye by applying the ODA. We validate these algorithms on images, images of replicas, and μCT scans from eyes of ants, fruit flies, moths, and a bee.
Electric Field Between Contacts of Fast Mechanical Switches Subjected to Fretting Wear

Fast Mechanical Switches (FMS) are a key component of energy-efficient hybrid circuit breakers for DC applications. Wear of the FMS impacts the performance and life expectancy of the breaker. The surface damage caused by fretting motion can alter the contact surfaces and reduce the voltage withstand capability of the FMS, especially in those that operate at sub-millimeter contact separation. This paper investigates the issue by conducting fretting experiments on copper contacts as a function of current magnitude to obtain surface parameters of the damaged contacts. Random surfaces based on the measured surface parameters are generated in a finite element software package. The electric field between the generated surfaces is obtained using electrostatic field modeling to calculate the probability of electric breakdown in the contact gap. The results are used to understand the potential impact of fretting on the breakdown voltage of FMS.
Gamestonk: What Happened and What to Do about It

The price of GameStop stock exploded from $18.84 at the end of 2020 to a high of $483 on January 28, 2021, before collapsing to under $60 in early February. The stock had long been heavily shorted even before the pandemic. A stock bubble and its collapse inflict collateral damage even on those not participating in the bubble, including index-fund investors. The incident raises questions about the duties of brokers and financial service professionals in the age of social media, and the role of payment for order flow (PFOF). The price dislocation in GameStop highlights several leaks in the plumbing of the US equity market that need to be plugged or else similar dislocations will happen again. The antiquated T+2 settlement cycle needs to be shortened to reduce risk and attendant collateral needs in the system. Institutional short positions should be disclosed on SEC Form 13F just as long positions are. The frequency of short interest disclosure should be increased to daily from the current biweekly. The SEC should implement the Congressional mandate in Dodd-Frank §894 to increase transparency in the stock lending market by implementing a ticker tape for stock lending transactions. Short positions should be marked to market yearly for tax purposes yearly to eliminate the tax incentive to delay covering short positions. SEC rules 204 and 15c3-3 need to be modernized to help prevent spikes in prices far beyond any reasonable levels. Rule 606 should be extended to require brokers to report retail execution quality.
Neutralization of oxidized phospholipids attenuates age-associated bone loss in mice.

Oxidized phospholipids (OxPLs) are pro-inflammatory molecules that affect bone remodeling under physiological conditions. Transgenic expression of a single-chain variable fragment (scFv) of the antigen-binding domain of E06, an IgM natural antibody that recognizes the phosphocholine (PC) moiety of OxPLs, increases trabecular and cortical bone in adult male and female mice by increasing bone formation. OxPLs increase with age, while natural antibodies decrease. Age-related bone loss is associated with increased oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation and is characterized by a decline in osteoblast number and bone formation, raising the possibility that increased OxPLs, together with the decline of natural antibodies, contribute to age-related bone loss. We show here that transgenic expression of E06-scFv attenuated the age-associated loss of spinal, femoral, and total bone mineral density in both female and male mice aged up to 22 and 24 months, respectively. E06-scFv attenuated the age-associated decline in trabecular bone, but not cortical bone, and this effect was associated with an increase in osteoblasts and a decrease in osteoclasts. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis showed that E06-scFv increased Wnt10b expression in vertebral bone in aged mice, indicating that blocking OxPLs increases Wnt signaling. Unlike age-related bone loss, E06-scFv did not attenuate the bone loss caused by estrogen deficiency or unloading in adult mice. These results demonstrate that OxPLs contribute to age-associated bone loss. Neutralization of OxPLs, therefore, is a promising therapeutic target for senile osteoporosis, as well as atherosclerosis and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), two other conditions shown to be attenuated by E06-scFv in mice.
Myocarditis following mRNA vaccination against SARS-CoV-2, a case series

Abstract Introduction mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have emerged as a new form of vaccination that has proven to be highly safe and effective against COVID-19 vaccination. Rare adverse events including myocarditis have been reported in the literature. Methods Data were gathered from the electronic medical record of four patients personally treated by the authors. Results Four patients, ages 20 to 30, presented with myocarditis characterized by chest pain, elevations in troponin-I and C-reactive protein, and negative viral serologies two to four days following mRNA vaccine administration. One had a cardiac MRI showing delayed gadolinium enhancement in a subpericardial pattern. All experienced symptom resolution by the following day, and the two who have returned for follow-up had normal troponin-I and CRP values. Discussion Along with previously reported instances, these cases raise suspicion for a possible link between mRNA vaccines and myocarditis.
Imaging of Aortic Dissection: CT, MRI, and Angiography

Imaging is integral to the initial diagnosis of patients with a suspected aortic dissection; and should consist of multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) based on the patient stability and institution capabilities. In this chapter we review MDCT, MRI and angiography in the setting of acute aortic dissections in regards to protocol considerations, proper measurement techniques and features which should be included in diagnostic reports due to their implications on immediate management and prognosis.
Giving Millennials a Leg-Up: How to Avoid the 'If I Knew then What I Know Now' Syndrome

While it may not be possible for law schools to train students completely within three years for the practice of law, we can come much closer to this goal and make the transition to professional life an easier and more productive one. This article explores the common traits of members of the generation comprising today's law students who prefer the label Millennial to others because of their expressed wish not to be associated with Generation X. The article discusses ways to enhance clinical education and teach lifelong learning skills so students can continue developing their problem solving expertise long after their clinical experience. The article gives specific examples from disciplines outside of legal education and it also suggests ways to incorporate the concepts of therapeutic jurisprudence to meet the particularized needs of Millennials.
Critical notice of On the people's terms: a Republican theory and model of democracy, by Philip Pettit, Cambridge University Press, 2012, xii+333pp.

This paper is a critical notice of Philip Pettit's On the People's Terms: A Republican Theory and Model of Democracy. Pettit argues that only Republicanism can respond appropriately to the ‘evil of subjection to another's will – particularly in important areas of personal choice’ because its ideal of liberty – freedom as non-domination – both captures better than liberalism our commitment to individual liberty and explains better our commitment to the legitimacy of democratic decision-making than standard democrat accounts. If this argument succeeds, it demonstrates that there is no real tension between the liberal thought that justice provides a standard for evaluating public decisions independent of the fact that they are taken democratically and the democratic thought that the fact that a decision is democratic suffices to make it legitimate. I argue, however, that Pettit finds himself caught between two contradictory positions: a version of Isaiah Berlin's negative concept of liberty and a positive li...
Calculation of the thermal conductivity of single-crystal La2CuO4+ Delta.

A theoretical study is given of the thermal conductivity of La{sub 2}CuO{sub 4+{Delta}}. The umklapp-process quasiconservation of wave vector is taken into consideration. The expression used for the umklapp-process relaxation time differs from those used in earlier work. The effect of magnon-phonon interaction is reasonably well accounted for along the direction perpendicular to the Cu-O planes. The results agree quantitatively with recent measurements.
Histology and cytochemistry of human skin. III. Polymorphism and chromotropy of mast cells.

Mast cells in human skin vary in shape from cells indistinguishable from fibroblasts to “typical, rounded cells with small, oval or round nuclei. In routine preparations stained with strong solutions of toluidin blue, mast cells appear filled with coarse granules which stain uniformly purple. When, however, tissues are stained in dilute toluidin blue buffered in the lower acid pH range (1, 2), it becomes evident that mast granules vary in number, in size, and in chromogenic properties within the same cell and in different cells.
The association of childhood asthma with mental health and developmental comorbidities in low-income families

AbstractObjective: The objective of the study was to determine the relationship of childhood asthma with mental health and developmental indicators in low-income families. Methods: Parents/guardians of approximately 400 children, aged 2–14 years, were recruited from a charity hospital serving low income neighborhoods in the outskirts of Karachi, Pakistan. Mothers of children were interviewed in their local language by a trained nurse. Eight self-reported comorbidities were grouped into two constructs based on factor analysis and conveniently labeled as mental health (anxiety, attention and behavioral problems) and developmental problems (learning, developmental delay, hearing impairment, sleep and speech problems). Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression, adjusted for age, sex, presence of older siblings, number of people in the household, child birth weight, presence of mold, and family history of asthma or hay fever. Results: Children with asthma had 18 times greater odds of mental health ...
Movement of the Flagella of Polytoma Uvella

1. Dark-field photographic records of the wave patterns of moving flagella have been made using multiple-flash exposures at flash rates of up to 50 per sec. Patterns obtained from ATP-reactivated isolated flagella show reduced amplitude of bending, but are otherwise similar to those obtained from flagella under normal conditions. The co-ordination required to produce propagated waves of active bending appears to be preserved after isolation and reactivation. 2. Addition of methyl cellulose to the medium to increase the viscosity reduces the frequency of beat much more than the amplitude. This behaviour can be partially explained by an analysis of the equations for sinusoidal wave movement of flagella which shows that maximum efficiency of forward swimming will be obtained if the amplitude of beat is maintained greater than 1/2{pi} times the wavelength, and variations in available power or viscosity are compensated by changes in beat frequency. 3. Wave patterns at low frequencies in low ATP concentrations are unlike those obtained when the frequency is reduced by increased viscosity. The effect of ATP concentration on beat frequency is not explained by an effect on the power available for beating or by an effect on the 'internal viscosity' of the flagella.
USING ADABOOST FOR EQUITY INVESTMENT SCORECARDS

The objective of this paper is to demonstrate how the boosting approach can be used to define a data-driven board Balanced Scorecard (BSC) with applications to Latin American markets and S&P 500 companies. We compare our results using Adaboost with logistic regression, bagging, and random forests. We conduct tenfold cross-validation experiments on one sample of Latin American Depository Receipts (ADRs), on another sample of Latin American banks, and on the S&P 500 companies. We find that if the dataset is uniform (similar types of companies and same source of information), as is the case with the Latin American ADRs dataset, the results of Adaboost are similar to the results of bagging and random forests. Only when the dataset shows significant non-uniformity does bagging improve the results. Additionally, the uniformity of the dataset affects the interpretability of the results. Using Adaboost, we were able to generate alternating decision trees (ADTs) that explained the relationship between corporate governance variables, performance and efficiency. We also proposed an algorithm to build a representative ADT based on crossvalidation experiments. The representative ADT selected the most important indicators for the board BSC. Additionally, the thresholds of the representative ADT established targets or ranges of values to be used in the board BSC. As a final result, we propose a quantitative strategic management system combining Adaboost with the BSC for board-level or investment decisions.
Component analysis of the fast photoelectric signal from model bacteriorhodopsin membranes part 4. A method for isolating the B2 component and the evidence for its polarity reversal at low pH

Thin films formed from oriented purple membranes of Halobacterium halobium exhibit fast photoelectric signals upon pulsed light stimulation. These signals are generated by light-induced rapid charge separation and recombination. The fast photosignal consists of several components. We have previously developed methodology to separate these components on the basis of their pH dependence. We used the Trissl-Montal method of membrane reconstitution to generate a photosignal which contains the pH-independent B1 component and the pH-dependent B2 component, whereas we used a modified multilayered thin film method to obtain a pure B1 signal. The B2 component is prominent in the medium to high pH range (pH 7–11) and has a polarity opposite to that of B1. As the pH decreases, the B2 amplitude declines progressively. However, the B2 amplitude does not just eventually become zero but rather undergoes a polarity reversal when the pH declines below 2.7, i.e. the B2 component acquires the same polarity as the B1 component below pH 2.7. Its amplitude grows as pH decreases further. Experimentally, the polarity reversal is demonstrated by a pH titration, in which successive signals were recorded as the pH is reduced in small decrements (about 0.2–0.3 pH units). The null point of titration, where the B2 component is completely absent (pH 2.7), is determined by the superposition of the signal (from a Triss-Montal film) and the standard pure B1 signal from a multilayered thin film after normalization. The justification of this titration procedure is based on an equivalent circuit analysis previously established.
A note on the distributed program component cell

This paper presents a new language construct for distributed computing. This construct, called cell, allows one to simulate a variety of language constructs. Its salient features provide the programmer with an effective synchronization scheme, and a mechanism to control the order in which various activities within a cell should be executed.
TWO DIRECT METHODS FOR OBTAINING SOLUTIONS TO VARIATIONAL PROBLEMS

In this paper we compare two methods for obtaining solutions for free problems in the Calculus of Variations. The first appears at least as early as 1935 and is due to Caratheodory while the second, due to Leitmann, first appears in 1967. Both methods introduce the notion of equivalent variational problems. Using either approach, an auxiliary problem is obtained for which the solution is more easily obtained. We compare both approaches by using each to solve the same class of examples. We conclude our discussion by unifying the two approaches into one and illustrating this new method's potential through the use of an elementary example.
Uncertainty detection for NIF normal pointing beam images

The National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory when completed in 2009, will deliver 192-beams aligned precisely at the center of the target chamber producing extreme energy densities and pressures. Video images of laser beams along the beam path are used by automatic alignment algorithms to determine the position of the beams for alignment purposes. However, noise and other optical effects may affect the accuracy of the calculated beam location. Realistic estimation of the uncertainty is necessary to assure that the beam is monitored within the clear optical path. When the uncertainty is above a certain threshold the automated alignment operation is suspended and control of the beam is transferred to a human operator. This work describes our effort to quantify the uncertainty of measurement of the most common alignment beam.
Resolving the structural basis for developmental changes in muscle ACh receptor function: it takes nerve.

Abstract The nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptor undergoes extensive alterations in functional properties during muscle development. One such alteration, the developmental acquisition of the ‘junctional' form of the channel, has been attributed to post-translational modification of pre-existing ‘non -junctional' receptor channels. However, the discovery that a switch between the ϵ- and γ-subunits of the muscle ACh receptor results in the ‘junctional' form of the channel suggests a transcriptional mechanism of control. Although this issue is by no means settled, recent molecular biological and electrophysiological studies offer new ideas as to how innervation regulates the expression of functionally distinct forms of this receptor/channel.
Mobile phones democratize and cultivate next-generation imaging, diagnostics and measurement tools

In this article, I discuss some of the emerging applications and the future opportunities and challenges created by the use of mobile phones and their embedded components for the development of next-generation imaging, sensing, diagnostics and measurement tools. The massive volume of mobile phone users, which has now reached ~7 billion, drives the rapid improvements of the hardware, software and high-end imaging and sensing technologies embedded in our phones, transforming the mobile phone into a cost-effective and yet extremely powerful platform to run, e.g., biomedical tests, and perform scientific measurements that would normally require advanced laboratory instruments. This rapidly evolving and continuing trend will help us transform how medicine, engineering and sciences are practiced and taught globally.
CTH06-5: Scalable TSC-Optimal Overloading of Binary Signature Sets

Recent advances in the area of binary sequences for code-division multiplexing provide us with minimum total-squared-correlation (TSC) optimal signature sets for (almost) all signature lengths L and set sizes K. The sets are scalable as long as K les L (underloaded systems) and non- scalable -in general require signature re-design/re-assignment as users enter or exit- when K > L (overloaded systems). In this paper, we derive new lower bounds on the conditional TSC of overloaded binary signature sets built on fixed full- load TSC-optimal sets. Overloading is allowed to be as high as 100%. Scalable designs that achieve the new bounds are then developed. To evaluate the performance of the proposed designs, we compare the TSC of our constructions to the unconditionally minimum achievable TSC values.
Prejudice and the learning of biracial influence structures

Sixty-four white undergraduates were instructed to learn who influences whom in eight hypothetical factory work groups, varying in racial distribution and transitivity. Transitive structures were learned more easily than nontransitive. Contrary to prediction, pro-Negro Ss were poor at learning Negro-dominated structures, especially when the structure was not transitive, and learned white-dominated structures very well when they were transitive. Pro-white Ss generally learned better than pro-Negro Ss. Pro-Negro Ss may be more anxious than pro-white, which may interfere with learning complex nontransitive structures.
Neutron-proton correlation effects in spherical even nuclei

Abstract The role of neutron-proton pairing correlations in the description of collective quadrupole states of even spherical nuclei with 40 A A >40.
Exercise #4 Search for calibration sources

The objective of this exercise is to find suitable calibration stars for an interferometric array like the VLTI.
Estimating Annual Average Daily Traffic for Local Roads for Highway Safety Analysis

Annual average daily traffic (AADT) is a required input to the newly released SafetyAnalyst software application. Further, AADT is also required to calculate crash rates. Traditionally, AADTs are estimated by using a mix of permanent and temporary traffic counts collected in the field. Because field collection of traffic counts is expensive, it is usually performed only for major roads and only a small percentage of nonstate local roads have reliable AADT data. A method is presented to estimate AADTs for local roads by using the travel demand modeling method. A major component of the method involves a parcel-level trip generation model that estimates the trips generated by each parcel. The generated trips are then distributed to existing traffic count sites by using a parcel-level trip distribution gravity model. The all-or-nothing trip assignment method is then applied to assign the trips between the parcels and the traffic count sites onto the local roadway network to yield estimates of AADTs. The estim...
AUTONOMIC RESPONSE TO STRESS IN INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS

ABSTRACTPurpose: Previous studies have documented elevations in indices of sympathetic activity in cats and humans with interstitial cystitis (IC). To examine potential autonomic dysregulation in I...
The PbSSi heterojunction II: Electrical properties

Abstract PbSSi heterojunctions were prepared by depositing PbS films on silicon substrates using the method of Davis and Knorr. Capacitance-voltage and current-voltage characteristics were obtained. The results indicate that there are no observable interface states in the PbSSi heterojunction. The energy band diagram is obtained at 300 K based on the Anderson model.
Mode testing via higher-order density estimation

We investigate the use of fourth-order (reduced bias) variants on kernel density estimation in Silverman’s (J Roy Stat Soc B 43:97–99, 1981) critical bandwidth test of multimodality. Simulations suggest that variable-bandwidth estimates in the style of Abramson (Ann Stat 10:1217–1223, 1982) appear to be especially favorable to mode testing. Conversely, the use of fourth-order kernels leads to extremely poor properties and should be strongly discouraged.
Flame quenching during high pressure, high turbulence combustion☆☆☆

Abstract A series of experimental studies is described which confirms the theory that unreacted hydrocarbons in the combustion products of closed chamber engines which operate under conditions of high pressure and turbulence are primarily a result of flame quenching at the walls of the combustion chamber. It is shown that the effect of wall temperature on the quenching process is slight except in the special case when condensation occurs. Direct experimental evidence of the wall quenching phenomenon was obtained by varying the reaction rate through changes in the mixture turbulence and through dilution of the mixture with an inert gas, and by changing the surface area of the combustion chamber. In each case the resultant changes in the measured unreacted hydrocarbons were noted. Also, direct measurements of a representative quench distance were made and correlated with unburnt hydrocarbon measurements.
Reductive metabolism of corticosterone in mice: differences in NADPH requirements of liver homogenates of males of two inbred strains.

The metabolism of 3H-corticosterone by C57BL/1OJ and DBA/2J mice has been studied in homogenates of liver from the two strains with and without the addition of a NADPH-generating system. A complete quantitative and structural analysis has been made of reduced metabolites produced by both strains, in the presence or absence of exogenous NADPH. These studies show that 3H-corticosterone is metabolized more efficiently to polar steroids in homogenates of the C57 strain and reveal a strong dependence upon exogenous NADPH for hepatic corticosterone metabolism in the DBA strain that is not apparent in C57. 3H-corticosterone is metabolized by both strains in vitro mainly to mixtures of products that are either reduced in ring A (tetrahydro-derivatives) or reduced both in ring A and at C-20 (hexahydro-derivatives). Among both tetrahydro- and hexahydro-derivatives 3β,5α metabolites predominate in both strains but 3β-reduction and C-20 reduction are markedly more active in the CS7 than in the DBA strain. In both str...
On the properties of similarity subgrid-scale models as deduced from measurements in a turbulent jet

The properties of turbulence subgrid-scale stresses are studied using experimental data in the far field of a round jet, at a Reynolds number of Rλ ≈ 310. Measurements are performed using two-dimensional particle displacement velocimetry. Three elements of the subgrid-scale stress tensor are calculated using planar filtering of the data. Using a priori testing, eddy-viscosity closures are shown to display very little correlation with the real stresses, in accord with earlier findings based on direct numerical simulations at lower Reynolds numbers. Detailed analysis of subgrid energy fluxes and of the velocity field decomposed into logarithmic bands leads to a new similarity subgrid-scale model. It is based on the ‘resolved stress’ tensor Lij, which is obtained by filtering products of resolved velocities at a scale equal to twice the grid scale. The correlation coefficient of this model with the real stress is shown to be substantially higher than that of the eddy-viscosity closures. It is shown that mixed models display similar levels of correlation. During the a priori test, care is taken to only employ resolved data in a fashion that is consistent with the information that would be available during large-eddy simulation. The influence of the filter shape on the correlation is documented in detail, and the model is compared to the original similarity model of Bardina et al. (1980). A relationship between Lij and a nonlinear subgrid-scale model is established. In order to control the amount of kinetic energy backscatter, which could potentially lead to numerical instability, an ad hoc weighting function that depends on the alignment between Lij and the strain-rate tensor, is introduced. A ‘dynamic’ version of the model is shown, based on the data, to allow a self-consistent determination of the coefficient. In addition, all tensor elements of the model are shown to display the correct scaling with normal distance near a solid boundary.
Gene transfer of type 1 interleukin-1 receptor extracellular-domain complementary DNA into rabbit synovial cell line HIG-82 results in cellular blockade of interleukin-1 signal transduction

OBJECTIVE To produce, by means of expression cloning, a soluble type 1 interleukin-1 receptor (sIL-1R), and to assess its inhibitory properties on the IL-1 pathway. METHODS High-affinity IL-1R sites were identified in a human chondrosarcoma cell line by means of 125I-IL-1beta binding. A 1-kilobase complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding the ligand-binding domain of the type 1 IL-1R was cloned by using polymerase chain reaction, and the cDNA was inserted into a mammalian expression vector pRc/CMV. The sIL-1R expression vector was transfected into a rabbit synovial cell line (HIG-82) and a stably transfected cell population was selected. The production of sIL-1R was confirmed in the medium of transfected cells using 125I-IL-1beta binding. 35S labeling of transfected cultures, followed by immunoprecipitation and gel electrophoresis, was used to characterize the size of the recombinant sIL-1R. Stromelysin and IL-1alpha steady-state messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were assessed by Northern blotting. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) release was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS IL-1R on the surface of HIG-82 cells bound 125I-IL-1beta with an equilibrium dissociation constant (Kd) of 67.3 +/- 7.8 pM (mean +/- SD). Transfection of the sIL-1R expression vector into a synovial cell line in vitro resulted in the appearance of an sIL-1R protein that bound 125I-IL-1beta with high affinity in the medium (Kd = 108 +/- 5 pM). Two protein bands (Mr 42 kd and 47 kd) were immunoprecipitated with an antibody against type 1 T cell-derived sIL-1R. Expression of sIL-1R was accompanied by a marked decrease in both stromelysin and IL-1alpha steady-state mRNA levels. In conjunction, there was a significant inhibition of basal and IL-1-stimulated PGE2 released by sIL-1R-producing cells. CONCLUSION The data suggest that gene transfer of type 1 sIL-1R into the synovium may be an effective means of inhibiting IL-1-induced metalloproteinase expression and inflammatory responses.
Accounting for differences in the bioactivity and bioavailability of vitamers

Essentially all vitamins exist with multiple nutritionally active chemical species often called vitamers. Our quantitative understanding of the bioactivity and bioavailability of the various members of each vitamin family has increased markedly, but many issues remain to be resolved concerning the reporting and use of analytical data. Modern methods of vitamin analysis rely heavily on chromatographic techniques that generally allow the measurement of the individual chemical forms of vitamins. Typical applications of food analysis include the evaluation of shelf life and storage stability, monitoring of nutrient retention during food processing, developing food composition databases and data needed for food labeling, assessing dietary adequacy and evaluating epidemiological relationships between diet and disease. Although the usage of analytical data varies depending on the situation, important issues regarding how best to present and interpret the data in light of the presence of multiple vitamers are common to all aspects of food analysis. In this review, we will evaluate the existence of vitamers that exhibit differences in bioactivity or bioavailability, consider when there is a need to address differences in bioactivity or bioavailability of vitamers, and then consider alternative approaches and possible ways to improve the reporting of data. Major examples are taken from literature and experience with vitamin B6 and folate.
Deposition and modification of tantalum carbide coatings on graphite by laser interactions

Graphite surfaces can be hardened and protected from erosion by hydrogen at high temperatures by refractory metal carbide coatings, which are usually prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) or chemical vapor reaction (CVR) methods. These techniques rely on heating the substrate to a temperature where a volatile metal halide decomposes and reacts with either a hydrocarbon gas or with carbon from the substrate. For CVR techniques, deposition temperatures must be in excess of 2000{degrees}C in order to achieve favorable deposition kinetics. In an effort to lower the bulk substrate deposition temperature, the use of laser interactions with both the substrate and the metal halide deposition gas has been employed. Initial testing, involved the use of a CO{sub 2} laser to heat the surface of a graphite substrate and a KrF excimer laser to accomplish a photodecomposition of TaCl{sub 5} gas near the substrate. Results of preliminary experiments using these techniques are described.