cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Image Motion Detection And Estimation: The Modified Spatio-Temporal Gradient Scheme

The detection and estimation of motion are generally involved in computing a velocity field of time-varying images. A completely new modified spatio-temporal gradient scheme to determine motion is proposed. This is derived by using gradient methods and properties of biological vision. A set of general constraints is proposed to derive motion constraint equations. The constraints are that the second directional derivatives of image intensity at an edge point in the smoothed image will be constant at times t and t+L . This scheme basically has two stages: spatio-temporal filtering, and velocity estimation. Initially, image sequences are processed by a set of oriented spatio-temporal filters which are designed using a Gaussian derivative model. The velocity is then estimated for these filtered image sequences based on the gradient approach. From a computational stand point, this scheme offers at least three advantages over current methods. The greatest advantage of the modified spatio-temporal gradient scheme over the traditional ones is that an infinite number of motion constraint equations are derived instead of only one. Therefore, it solves the aperture problem without requiring any additional assumptions and is simply a local process. The second advantage is that because of the spatio-temporal filtering, the direct computation of image gradients (discrete derivatives) is avoided. Therefore the error in gradients measurement is reduced significantly. The third advantage is that during the processing of motion detection and estimation algorithm, image features (edges) are produced concurrently with motion information. The reliable range of detected velocity is determined by parameters of the oriented spatio-temporal filters. Knowing the velocity sensitivity of a single motion detection channel, a multiple-channel mechanism for estimating image velocity, seldom addressed by other motion schemes in machine vision, can be constructed by appropriately choosing and combining different sets of parameters. By applying this mechanism, a great range of velocity can be detected. The scheme has been tested for both synthetic and real images. The results of simulations are very satisfactory.© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
PREDICTION OF PEPTIDE CONFORMATION : THE ADAPTIVE SIMULATED ANNEALING APPROACH

We report the application of the adaptive simulated annealing (ASA) method as a global optimization approach to biomolecular structure determination, using the ECEPP/2 (empirical conformation energy program for peptides) potential energy form. As applied to Met-enkephalin, our optimization results in a conformation that is in agreement with other studies. In addition, a dominant right-handed α-helical conformation is predicted for a 14-residue poly (L-alanine) model peptide in a limited search range. These results show that ASA is an efficient and robust algorithm for conformational analysis. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Depression-related costs in heart failure care.

Background Behavioral factors may play a role in heart failure (HF) care costs by increasing hospital readmission rates. This study sought to estimate the effect of depression on health care costs for patients hospitalized for HF. Methods A 3-year retrospective cohort study of a staff-model health maintenance organization. Following a first hospitalization with a primary diagnosis of HF, 1098 health maintenance organization patients were evaluated. Median annualized health care costs for 3 depression groups were identified: (1) no depression (n = 672; cost, $7474), (2) antidepressant prescription only (n = 312; cost, $11 012), and (3) antidepressant prescription and depression diagnosis recorded (n = 114; cost, $9550). Depression and HF status were determined through diagnostic, laboratory, and pharmacy records. Actual utilization and cost values were derived from administrative data. Results After adjusting for age, sex, medical comorbidity, and length of stay at index hospitalization (as proxy for HF severity), costs were 26% higher in the antidepressant prescription only group and 29% higher in the antidepressant prescription and depression diagnosis recorded group when compared with the no depression group (both P Conclusion Costs of care for patients hospitalized for HF are significantly higher for patients with evidence of depression.
The denudation of ocean islands by ground and surface waters: The effects of climate, soil thickness, and water contact times on Oahu, Hawaii

Abstract Ease of access, size, and basalt as the dominant bedrock make Oahu an ideal locality for investigating chemical weathering-driven denudation rates as a function of climate (rainfall varies by an order of magnitude), water–rock contact time, and soil thickness. New and compiled surface and groundwater solute data permit calculation of mass balances for solute fluxes from Oahu, revealing that groundwater dominates surface water solute fluxes by a factor of 3–12. Weathering reactions were written consistent with the mineralogy of Oahu soils, permitting denudation rates to be partitioned between dissolved and suspended loads. Total denudation rates, indexed to the leaching of SiO2, vary from 0.016 to 0.063 m/ka, with about 70% of Si transport due to dissolved loads. Drier regions of Oahu have distinctly lower denudation rates, and areas with thick weathering profiles have suppressed surface-water solute loads. Indexing denudation in basaltic terranes to dissolved SiO2 rather than other solutes leads to improved estimates of weathering rates. Other approaches require correction for the atmospheric depositions of sea salts based on Cl− abundances in waters that are assumed to derive solely from the ocean via atmospheric deposition. Recent work indicates that Oahu is tectonically emerging at 0.060 m/ka. As long as this uplift continues, the net size of the island will slowly increase and the Koolau Range should persist as an orographic trap to precipitation, maintaining relative aridity in the Waianae Range. Comparing emergence and denudation rates suggests that growth of the island will be non-uniform, with arid regions experiencing the greatest emergence with wet regions in balance with denudation. More importantly, however, this work offers an increased appreciation of the controls on the rates and mechanisms of denudation in basaltic and intermediate composition terranes in the tropics.
Feminine and Feminist

Book reviewed in this article: The Waiting List: An Iraqi Woman's Tales of Alienation, Daisy Al-Amir Arab Women Novelists: The Formative Years and Beyond, Joseph T. Zeidan Populism and Feminism in Iran, Haideh Moghissi
Towards better inlining decisions using inlining trials

Inlining trials are a general mechanism for making better automatic decisions about whether a routine is profitable to inline. Unlike standard source-level inlining heuristics, an inlining trial captures the effects of optimizations applied to the body of the inlined routine when calculating the costs and benefits of inlining. The results of inlining trials are stored in a persistent database to be reused when making future inlining decisions at similar call sites. Type group analysis can determine the amount of available static information exploited during compilation, and the results of analyzing the compilation of an inlined routine help decide when a future call site would lead to substantially the same generated code as a given inlining trial. We have implemented inlining trials and type group analysis in an optimizing compiler for SELF, and by making wiser inlining decisions we were able to cut compilation time and compiled code space with virtually no loss of execution speed. We believe that inlining trials and type group analysis could be applied effectively to many high-level languages where procedural or functional abstraction is used heavily.
Hypertrophy as a response to denervation in skeletal muscle

1. The effect of denervating the hemidiaphragm of the quokka (Setonyx brachyurus), hamster, guinea pig and bat (Myotis pallidus) was determined. The hemidiaphragm of the quokka neither hypertrophied nor atrophied during the period of 171 days (Fig. 1). The hemidiaphragm of the hamster exhibited a slight hypertrophy, about 5%, during the first week and by 28 days atrophy of 13% had occurred (Fig. 2). The hemidiaphragm of the guinea pig exhibited no hypertrophy but by 30–35 days atrophy of 15% had occurred (Fig. 3). In the bat levels of hypertrophy to 30% occurred but the average during the first 2 weeks was only 8%. Atrophy of 9.5% had occurred by 3 weeks (Fig. 4A). 2. Bats kept at 2–3° C or 10° C after denervation of the hemidiaphragm exhibited average extents of hypertrophy comparable to that occurring at room temperature (Fig. 4 B). 3. Various limb muscles were denervated for comparison. The biceps brachii muscles of the quokka atrophied 15% by 2 weeks and 35% by 35 days (Fig. 1). The gastrocnemius-soleus muscles of the hamster had atrophied 40% by 14 days, 55% by 28 days, while the plantaris muscle atrophied more slowly, 31% and 46% by 14 and 28 days respectively (Fig. 2). The major wing extensors of the forearm, the extensor carpi radialis longus and extensor carpi radialis brevis, exhibited a significant hypertrophy in the bat averaging 4.3% during the first 24 days (Fig. 5). No atrophy occurred during a period up to 42 days. These muscles are maintained in the extended position by folding of the wing after denervation. 4. The report of Gutmann (1960) that hypertrophy of the anterior tibial muscle of the rat occurred during the first 24 hours after denervation as evidenced by an increase in non collagenous protein nitrogen was not confirmed. No increase in this component or in wet or dry weight was observed (Table 2). 5. The report of Feng et al. (1962) that hypertrophy of the anterior latissimus dorsi and atrophy of the posterior latissimus dorsi of the chicken occurs after denervation was confirmed. The teres minor of the chicken, which is stretched by drooping of the wing after denervation, exhibited hypertrophies to 62% during the first 30 days. Atrophy was not observed (Fig. 6). 6. The anterior latissimus dorsi of the pigeon exhibited increases in dry weight to 43% during the first month after denervation. The deltoideus major, deltoideus minor, and scapulotriceps of the pigeon exhibited atrophies of 45% by 20–23 days (Fig. 7). When the wings of the pigeon were supported by a cast atrophy of the denervated anterior latissimus dorsi occurred, reaching 38% by 18–20 days (Fig. 8).
Microfiltration: Effect of retentate protein concentration on limiting flux and serum protein removal with 4-mm-channel ceramic microfiltration membranes1

The objective of our study was to determine if the limiting flux and serum protein (SP) removal were different at 8, 9, or 10% true protein (TP) in the microfiltration (MF) retentate recirculation loop using 0.1-µm ceramic graded permeability membranes with 4-mm-channel diameters operated at 50 °C using a diluted milk protein concentrate with 85% protein on a total solids basis (MPC85) as the MF feed. The limiting flux for the MF of diluted MPC85 was determined at 3 TP concentrations in the recirculation loop (8, 9, and 10%). The experiment was replicated 3 times for a total of 9 runs. On the morning of each run, MPC85 was diluted with reverse osmosis water to an MF feed TP concentration of 5.4%. In all runs, the starting flux was 55 kg/m(2) per hour, the flux was increased in steps until the limiting flux was reached. The minimum flux increase was 10 kg/m(2) per hour. The limiting flux decreased as TP concentration in the recirculation loop increased. The limiting flux was 154 ± 0.3, 133 ± 0.7, and 117 ± 3.3 kg/m(2) per hour at recirculation loop TP concentrations of 8.2 ± 0.07, 9.2 ± 0.04, and 10.2 ± 0.09%, respectively. No effect of recirculation loop TP concentration on the SP removal factor was detected. However, the SP removal factor decreased from 0.80 ± 0.02 to 0.75 ± 0.02 as flux was increased from the starting flux of 55 kg/m(2) per hour to the limiting flux, with a similar decrease seen at all recirculation loop TP concentrations.
The emergence of patterned movement during late embryogenesis of Drosophila

Larval behavioral patterns arise in a gradual fashion during late embryogenesis as the innervation of the somatic musculature and connectivity within the central nervous system develops. In this paper, we describe in a quantitative manner the maturation of behavioral patterns. Early movements are locally restricted “twitches” of the body wall, involving single segments or parts of segments. These twitches occur at a low frequency and have low amplitude, reflecting weak muscle contractions. Towards later stages twitches increase in frequency and amplitude and become integrated into coordinated movements of multiple segments. Most noticeable among these is the peristaltic wave of longitudinal segmental contractions by which the larva moves forward or backward. Besides becoming more complex as development proceeds, embryonic movements also acquire a pronounced rhythm. Thus, late embryonic movements occur in bursts, with phases of frequent movement separated by phases of no movement at all; early movements show no such periodicity. These data will serve as a baseline for future studies that address the function of embryonic lethal genes controlling neuronal connectivity and larval behavior. We have analyzed behavioral abnormalities in two embryonic lethal mutations with severe neural defects, tailless (tll), which lacks the protocerebrum, and glial cells missing (gcm), in which glial cells are absent. Our results reveal prominent alterations in embryonic motility for both of these mutations, indicating that the protocerebrum and glial cells play a crucial role in the neural mechanism controlling larval movement in Drosophila. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007
The antithrombotic effect of aspirin and dipyridamole in relation to prostaglandin synthesis

The antithrombotic effect of aspirin (ASA) and dipyridamole (DIP) was evaluated in rabbits in which platelet thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and arterial prostacyclin (PGI2) were measured. An intracarotid cannula thrombosis model previously shown to be sensitive to antiplatelet agents was used. Prostaglandins were determined by radioimmunoassays for thromboxane B2 (TXB2) and 6-keto-prostaglandin PGF1 alpha, the stable metabolites of TXA2 and PGI2. In the aspirin-treated animals, reduction in thrombosis was seen only in rabbits which received a low-dose (1-2 mg/kg), and was related to a selective suppression of platelet TXA2. In contrast, higher doses of ASA (10 or 100 mg/kg), which suppressed both TXA2 and PGI2, were not associated with thrombus inhibition. DIP alone had a lesser antithrombotic effect which was augmented by low-dose ASA but not by high-dose ASA. It is concluded that 1) the antithrombotic effect of ASA in this animal model is dependent on selective TXA2 suppression; 2) ASA has no antithrombotic properties beyond its inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by platelets; 3) selective suppression of TXA2 in vivo can be achieved in rabbits by a single dose of ASA but only over a narrow dose-range; 4) DIP may have an antithrombotic effect additive to that of low-dose ASA; 5) measurement of serum TXB2 may be used to determine the minimal ASA dose necessary to suppress TXA2 and therefore be most likely to spare PGI2.
Development of an LSI maximum-likelihood convolutional decoder for advanced forward error correction capability on the NASA 30/20 GHz program

The particular coding option identified as providing the best level of coding gain performance in an LSI-efficient implementation was the optimal constraint length five, rate one-half convolutional code. To determine the specific set of design parameters which optimally matches this decoder to the LSI constraints, a breadboard MCD (maximum-likelihood convolutional decoder) was fabricated and used to generate detailed performance trade-off data. The extensive performance testing data gathered during this design tradeoff study are summarized, and the functional and physical MCD chip characteristics are presented.
Responsive Theater Maneuvers via Particle Swarm Optimization

This research investigates the performance of the particle swarm optimization algorithm in the solution of responsive theater maneuvers, introduced here for the first time. The responsive theater m...
Hydrogen production from a carbon-monoxide oxidation pathway in Rubrivivax gelatinosus

Abstract Upon feeding CO to the gas phase of a photosynthetic bacterium Rubrivivax gelatinosus CBS, a CO oxidation: H2 production pathway is quickly induced. Hydrogen is produced according to the equation CO+H2O→CO2+H2. Two enzymes are known to be involved in this pathway: a CO dehydrogenase (CODH) with a pH optimum of 8.0 and above, and a hydrogenase with a pH optimum near 7.5. Carbon monoxide dehydrogenase also displays a temperature optimum near 50°C. When CO mass transfer is not limited during a CO uptake measurement, an extreme fast rate of CO uptake was determined, allowing for the removal of near 87% of the dissolved CO from a bacterial suspension within 10 s . This process has therefore two potential applications, one in the production of H2 gas as a clean renewable fuel using the linked CO oxidation: H2 production pathway, and another in using the CODH enzyme itself as a fuel–gas conditioning catalyst. These applications thereby will improve the overall H2 economy when gasified waste biomass serves as the inexpensive feedstock.
Brain energy reserve levels at the onset of convulsions in hypoxic mice.

Abstract Reduced brain ATP levels at seizure onset in hypoxic rats have been reported, but we did not find a similar change in mice. This difference may be due to delays in freezing brains of the larger animals. Brain ATP was lower in hypoxic mice than controls if freezing of heads was delayed 20 sec.
A comparison of hypothalamic cell numbers in dwarf and normal weight rats exposed prenatally to methylazoxymethanol (MAM).

Abstract Growth deficiencies follow MAM exposure during the period when the growth hormone releasing factor (GRF) cells of the hypothalamus form, while animals exposed slightly later in gestation when the inhibitors of growth hormone release are forming, exhibit giantism. Counts of sample regions of the hypothalamus have shown that rats treated in utero on the 14th day of gestation have reductions in the number of GRF cells, increases in the number of SRIF (somatotropin release inhibiting factor) cells, and alterations of pituitary structure. These effects occurred in all treated subjects, even though obvious effects on body size were present in a small fraction of the treated animals. The present study was designed to examine the effect of 20 mg/kg MAM on the 13th day of gestation (a peak period for production of GRF cells) on GRF and SRIF cell numbers, in a large sample of dwarf-treated rats, normal weight-treated rats, and controls. The results of total counts of hypothalamic cells identified by immunocytochemistry demonstrated significant reductions in GRF cells in both dwarf and normal weight rats exposed to MAM, compared to controls, with no difference between the two treated groups. Like pituitary weights, the neuron counts were significantly correlated with body weight only in dwarf animals. SRIF cell numbers were equivalent to those in controls, suggesting that the increase reported earlier may have been due to a rebound effect in proliferation rather than some response of SRIF cells to GRF cell reduction. Despite the close relationship between GRF cell number and body weight in dwarfs, the fact that the neuron deficiency was just as great in normal weight treated rats indicates that the change in GRF neuron number does not, in and of itself, account for the growth deficiencies observed in treated animals.
Reentrant tachycardia: participation of the distal A V conduction system

Paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is commonly produced by two mechanisms: atrial reentry via an A-V nodal pathway or a rapid firing ectopic focus. Studies in the experimental animal and in human beings with sustained SVT have shown that the site for reentry appears to be the upper A-V junction. This report documents an unusual site of reentry in a patient with recurrent SVT. Progressive intraventricular conduction delay with prolongation of the H-V interval resulted in initial conduction delay and then sustained reentry. This strongly suggests that, in man, the distal A-V conducting system may participate in a reentry circuit producing and perpetuating SVT.
Agile subsystems for coherent systems beyond 100G

Recent advances in optical transport systems are pushing the boundaries of performance and spectral efficiency. This tutorial will cover the corresponding advances and emerging requirements on photonic sub-systems.
Thermochemical investigations of associated solutions. 13. Calculation of anthracene-chlorobutane association parameters from measured solubility data

Experimental solubilities are reported for anthracene dissolved in binary solvent mixtures containing 1-chlorobutane with n-hexane, n-heptane, n-octane, cyclohexane, methylcyclohexane and isooctane at 25°C. Results of these measurements, combined with estimates for the excess Gibbs free energy of the binary solvents, are used to evaluate the equilibrium constant for a presumed anthracene-chlorobutane molecular complex from the Extended Nearly Ideal Binary Solvent model. A single equilibrium constant was needed to describe the experimental data to within an average deviation of about 0.7%. The calculated association constant varied slightly with inert hydrocarbon cosolvent, the values ranging from K ϕ =2.5 for isooctane to K ϕ =6.0 for the cyclohexane cosolvent.
A Full Vector Beam Propagation Method for Bent Channel Waveguides

In the past bent channel waveguides have been modeled with the effective index approximation and the scalar wave equation in the large radius limit [1] as well as using a semivector formulation [2]. Unfortunately, these approaches have obtained limited success. In most cases only qualitative results can be extracted from these models when studying curved channel waveguides. Therefore, more sophisticated numerical techniques are required to predict the quantitative behavior of bent channel waveguides in several, more complicated applications where the vectorial nature of the field may play a role. Examples of some of these applications are semiconductor and polymer ring and microdisk lasers [3,4].
Vitamin K-Dependent Carboxylase: mRNA Distribution and Effects of Vitamin K-Deficiency and Warfarin Treatment

Abstract A cDNA encoding vitamin K-dependent γ-glutamyl carboxylase was cloned from a human Hep G2 cDNA library. The RNA transcript of the enzyme was found to be widely distributed in various human and rat tissues with liver showing the highest level. The carboxylase transcription in liver was not affected in rats treated with a single dose of warfarin (10 mg/kg) when measured up to 48 hours after the dose, though, at 12 hours, carboxylase activity measured in liver microsomes was elevated 5.4 fold over controls (p
Radiosurgery for brain metastases: is whole brain radiotherapy necessary?

Abstract Purpose: Because whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) may cause dementia in long-term survivors, selected patients with brain metastases may benefit from initial treatment with radiosurgery (RS) alone reserving WBRT for salvage as needed. We reviewed results of RS ± WBRT in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastasis to provide background for a prospective trial. Methods and Materials: Patients with single or multiple brain metastases managed initially with RS alone vs. RS + WBRT (62 vs. 43 patients) from 1991 through February 1997 were retrospectively reviewed. The use of upfront WBRT depended on physician preference and referral patterns. Survival, freedom from progression (FFP) endpoints, and brain control allowing for successful salvage therapy were measured from the date of diagnosis of brain metastases. Actuarial curves were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Analyses to adjust for known prognostic factors were performed using the Cox proportional hazards model (CPHM) stratified by primary site. Results: Survival and local FFP were the same for RS alone vs. RS + WBRT (median survival 11.3 vs. 11.1 months and 1-year local FFP by patient 71% vs. 79%, respectively). Brain FFP (scoring new metastases and/or local failure) was significantly worse for RS alone vs. RS + WBRT (28% vs. 69% at 1 year; CPHM adjusted p = 0.03 and hazard ratio=0.476). However, brain control allowing for successful salvage of a first failure was not significantly different for RS alone vs. RS + WBRT (62% vs. 73% at 1 year; CPHM adjusted p = 0.56). Conclusions: The omission of WBRT in the initial management of patients treated with RS for up to 4 brain metastases does not appear to compromise survival or intracranial control allowing for salvage therapy as indicated. A randomized trial of RS vs. RS + WBRT is needed to assess survival, quality of life, and cost in good-prognosis patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases.
An augmented neural network classification approach to detecting mean shifts in correlated manufacturing process parameters

Statistical process control (SPC) techniques have traditionally been used to identify when the mean of a manufacturing process has shifted out of control. In situations where there is correlation among the observed outputs of the process, however, the underlying assumptions of SPC are violated and alternative approaches such as neural networks become necessary in order to characterize the process behaviour. This paper discusses the development of a neural network technique that provides a significantly improved capability for recognizing these process shifts as compared to the current techniques in the literature. The procedure in question is an augmented neural-network based approach, which incorporates a data preprocessing classification algorithm that provides information to facilitate early detection of out of control operating conditions. This approach is shown to improve significantly upon the performance of previous neural network techniques for identifying process shifts in the presence of correla...
Longitudinal predictors of uremic pruritus.

Objective Pruritus is a common problem among hemodialyzed patients. Its causes are poorly understood, and, as a result, itching is often attributed to elevated serum phosphorus and other disorders of bone and minerals. The primary purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between pruritus and common tests of bone and mineral disease. Methods This study was a post hoc analysis of data from a randomized controlled trial of 3 months of ergocalciferol versus placebo treatment in 50 hemodialysis patients with uremic pruritus. A pruritus survey was administered at baseline and then every 2 weeks for 12 weeks. Concurrent serum phosphorus, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH), serum calcium, and calcium-phosphate product were measured. Results Pruritus score was not found to be associated or correlated with serum phosphate, intact PTH, serum calcium, or calcium-phosphate product at each time interval or over time. Likewise, when analyzed by original study group (placebo or ergocalciferol), no association or correlation between the mineral and bone indicators and itching were found. Conclusion Neither serum phosphate nor other tests of bone and mineral status were found to be significant predictors of pruritus at any point in time or over time.
Aromatic and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Formation in a Premixed Propane Flame

Experimental and detailed chemical kinetic modeling has been performed to investigate aromatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) formation pathways in a premixed, rich, sooting, propane-oxygen-argon burner stabilized flame. An atmospheric pressure, laminar flat flame operated at an equivalence ratio of 2.6 was used to acquire experimental data for model validation. Gas composition analysis was conducted by an on-line gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (GC/MS) technique. Measurements were made in the main reaction and post-reaction zones for a number of low molecular weight species, aliphatics, aromatics, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) ranging from two to five-fused aromatic rings Reaction flux and sensitivity analysis were used to help identify the important reaction sequences leading to aromatic and PAH growth and destruction in the propane flame. Benzene formation was shown to be dominated by the propargyl recombination reaction. A secondary benzene formation pathway occurred from ...
Conflict over Israel: The Role of Religion, Race, Party and Ideology in the U.S. House of Representatives, 1997–2002

ABSTRACT This paper explores the contours of support for the state of Israel in the House of Representatives from 1997 to 2002. In an analysis of votes and cosponsorship decisions, we find that when Congress considers innocuous resolutions of support for Israel, support is consensual and nonpartisan. However, as the violence escalated between Israel and the Palestinians in the 106th and 107th Congresses (1999–2001), the House increasingly considered bills and resolutions that directly engaged the Palestinian issue and forced legislators to take a side in the ongoing conflict. This transformed the politics of support for Israel and increased the level of conflict among legislators. With that, new partisan, ideological, religious, and racial cleavages emerged. Democrats, liberals, and African Americans started to identify with the Palestinians—not Israel—as the oppressed group. At the same time, religious and ideological conservatives and Republicans started to identify with Israel as a just state under att...
An Empirical Evaluation of Similarity Coefficients for Binary Valued Data

In this paper, the authors present an empirical evaluation of similarity coefficients for binary valued data. Similarity coefficients provide a means to measure the similarity or distance between two binary valued objects in a dataset such that the attributes qualifying each object have a 0-1 value. This is useful in several domains, such as similarity of feature vectors in sensor networks, document search, router network mining, and web mining. The authors survey 35 similarity coefficients used in various domains and present conclusions about the efficacy of the similarity computed in 1 labeled data to quantify the accuracy of the similarity coefficients, 2 varying density of the data to evaluate the effect of sparsity of the values, and 3 varying number of attributes to see the effect of high dimensionality in the data on the similarity computed.
Geology of Gulf of Maine

The extensively folded, faulted, and regionally metamorphosed rocks contained within the Avalon platform, Appalachian geosyncline, and Meguma geosyncline are the foundation for the Gulf of Maine. Within the Avalon platform, which makes up most of the Gulf's basement, is a series of fault basins of probable Triassic age. The Gulf's basement and entrained Triassic basins are truncated by an erosional surface on which rest remnants of coastal plain sediments, glacial till, and outwash, and small pockets of Holocene sediments. This sedimentary sequence which overlies the erosional surface averages less than 50 m in thickness.
EFFECTS OF CELLULAR CONSTITUENTS OF MYCOBACTERIA ON THE RESISTANCE OF MICE TO HETEROLOGOUS INFECTIONS II. ENHANCEMENT OF INFECTION

Injection of certain cellular constituents of mycobacteria into mice simultaneously with, or shortly after, infection with Staph. aureus or with Myco. fortuitum, markedly shortened the life of the infected animals. This infection-enhancing effect could be achieved by injecting the cellular constituents by either the intravenous, the intraperitoneal, or the subcutaneous route. Suspensions of killed mycobacteria were injected into mice which had been infected several months before with small doses of various bacterial pathogens and which still harbored small numbers of living organisms in their organs. Under these conditions, a marked increase in the numbers of living bacteria in the organs of the treated mice could be detected within a very few days after treatment with the mycobacterial products, and a certain percentage of the animals died rapidly. One of the first and most constant manifestations of the change in the infectious process from the chronic to the acute state was the appearance of a large microbial population in the liver. This happened even though Staph. aureus and Myco. fortuitum are rapidly cleared from the liver of normal mice. In addition to killed cells of BCG and of Myco. fortuitum, pertussis vaccine and the purified lipopolysaccharide (endotoxin) of Gram-negative bacilli also proved capable of converting chronic bacterial infections into acute infectious processes.
Operant reinforcement of a skeletally mediated autonomic response: Uncoupling of the two responses

The mediation explanation of the effect of operant reinforcement on autonomic responses assumes that skeletally mediated autonomic responses can be easily and fortuitously conditioned. GSR deflections elicited by deep respirations were operantly reinforced. The two responses became uncoupled: the skeletal (deep respiration) response showed a classic instrumental learning curve; the autonomic response showed great variability and only marginal (E-C) gains during extinction. It is possible that these marginal gains were artifactual since the per cent of deep respirations eliciting GSRs showed a marked habituation to increasing repetitions of the respiration response.
Case reports and case studies: A discussion of theory and methodology in pocket format

Issues of the theory and methodology of case reports and case studies have been presented. Examples of applications of techniques used in the rehabilitation of the upper extremity conclude this report in pocket format on the theory and methodology of case reports and case studies. Case reports and studies enhance our knowledge about practice in ways that are unique to each case, which are not possible when investigations are performed through group comparison. Case inquiries help us share our practice, sharpen our theoretical reasoning, develop our good habits of applying reliable and valid measurements, and above all help us explore and discuss our treatments.
The Development and Validation of the Personality Priorities Inventory for Adolescents

This study reports the development of the Personality Priorities Inventory for Adolescents (PPIA). The 50-item PPIA was based on Kefir's (1971, 1982) theory of personality priorities. A factor analysis of the PPIA, based on the responses of 935 secondary school students' indicated the presence of four common factors labeled: Pleasing, Significance, Detaching, and Avoiding. Subscales formed on the basis of these factors were found to have satisfactory reliability. The empirically-derived factor structure of the PPIA was consistent with Kefir's theory of personality priorities.
The selenium analog of the chemopreventive compound S,S′-(1,4-phenylenebis[1,2-ethanediyl])bisisothiourea is a remarkable inducer of apoptosis and inhibitor of cell growth in human non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer deaths throughout the world and conventional therapy remains largely unsuccessful. Although, chemoprevention is a plausible alternative approach to curb the lung cancer epidemic, clinically there are no effective chemopreventive agents. Thus, development of novel compounds that can target cellular and molecular pathways involved in the multistep carcinogenesis process is urgently needed. Previous studies have suggested that substitution of sulfur by selenium in established cancer chemopreventive agents may result in more effective analogs. Thus in the present study we selected the chemopreventive agent S,S′-(1,4-phenylenebis[1,2-ethanediyl])bisisothiourea (PBIT), also known to inhibit inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), synthesized its selenium analog (Se-PBIT) and compared both compounds in preclinical model systems using non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines (NCI-H460 and A549); NSCLC is the most common histologic type of all lung cancer cases. Se-PBIT was found to be superior to PBIT as an inducer of apoptosis and inhibitor of cell growth. Se-PBIT arrested cell cycles at G1 and G2–M stage in both A549 and H460 cell lines. Although both compounds are weakly but equally effective inhibitors of iNOS protein expression and activity, only Se-PBIT significantly enhanced the levels of p53, p38, p27 and p21 protein expression, reduced levels of phospholipase A2 (PLA2) but had no effect on cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein levels; such molecular targets are involved in cell growth inhibition, induction of apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. The results indicate that Se-PBIT altered molecular targets that are involved in the development of human lung cancer. Although, the mechanisms that can fully account for these effects remain to be determined, the results are encouraging to further evaluate the chemopreventive efficacy of Se-PBIT against the development of NSCLC in a well-defined animal model.
Evaluation of risk factors for cytomegalovirus infection and disease occurring within 1 year of liver transplantation in high-risk patients.

Background Recent studies have demonstrated that cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and disease are associated with increased risk of graft loss and death in high-risk (donor CMV seropositive/recipient CMV seronegative) liver transplant recipients (LTR) despite effective antiviral chemoprophylaxis. Predictors of CMV infection and disease in this important population are incompletely defined. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 227 high-risk first LTR who received primary anti-CMV chemoprophylaxis during the first 100 days after transplant was performed. A large number of patient, donor, operative, and post-transplant potential risk factors were collected. Associations of potential risk factors for CMV infection or disease that occurred during the first year after transplant were assessed using Cox regression models. After Bonferroni adjustment for multiple testing, P-values ≤0.00125 (associations with CMV infection) and ≤0.00122 (associations with CMV disease) were considered as statistically significant. Results CMV infection and disease occurred in 91 (40%) and 43 (19%) of LTR, respectively. In multivariable analysis, increased risk of CMV infection was observed for patients with lower model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score (P = 0.025), lower total bilirubin (P = 0.014), and longer operative time (P = 0.038), whereas increased risk of CMV disease was seen in patients with lower MELD score (P = 0.026), lower total bilirubin (P = 0.044), and lower international normalized ratio (P = 0.043). However, after adjustment for multiple testing, none of these findings approached statistical significance. Conclusion Our results suggest that interventions designed to prevent CMV infection and disease should be applied to all high-risk LTR until more definitive predictors of these complications are identified.
Architectural Vulnerability Factor (or, does a soft error matter?)

Summary form only given. In this talk, the author outlines how the soft error problem is affecting microprocessor design, how to compute the AVFs for various processor structures, and how to estimates AVFs at run-time using a new concept called quantized AVFs.
Intergalactic Medium Emission Observations with the Cosmic Web Imager. II. Discovery of Extended, Kinematically Linked Emission around SSA22 Lyα Blob 2

The intergalactic medium (IGM) is the dominant reservoir of baryons, delineates the large scale structure of the universe at low to moderate overdensities, and provides gas from which galaxies form and evolve. Simulations of a Cold Dark Matter (CDM) dominated universe predict that the IGM is distributed in a cosmic web of filaments, and that galaxies should form along and at the intersections of these filaments (Bond, Kofman, & Pogosyan 1994; Miralda-Escude et al. 1996). While observations of QSO absorption lines and the large-scale distribution of galaxies have confirmed the CDM paradigm, the cosmic web of IGM has never been confirmed by direct imaging. Here we report our observation of the Lyα blob-2 (LAB2) in SSA22, with the Cosmic Web Imager. This is an integral field spectrograph optimized for low surface brightness, extended emission. With 22 hours of total on- and off-source exposure, CWI has revealed that LAB2 has extended Lyα emission which is organized into azimuthal zones consistent with filaments. We perform numerous tests with simulations and the data to secure the robustness of this result, which relies on data with modest signal-to-noise ratio. We have developed a smoothing algorithm that permits visualization of data cube slices along image or spectral-image planes. With both raw and smoothed data cubes we demonstrate that the filaments are kinematically associated with LAB2 and display double-peaked profiles characteristic of optically thick Lyα emission. The flux is 10-20 times brighter than expected for the average emission from the IGM but is consistent with boosted fluorescence from a buried QSO or gravitation cooling radiation. Using simple emission models we infer a baryon mass in the filaments of at least 1−4 × 10^(11)M_☉, and the dark halo mass is at least 2 × 10^(12)M_☉. The spatial-kinematic morphology is more consistent with inflow from the cosmic web than outflow from LAB2, although an outflow feature maybe present at one azimuth. LAB2 and the surrounding gas have significant and coaligned angular momentum, strengthening the case for their association.
Raman study of crystalline peptides containing β turns

Abstract The Raman spectra of crystalline H-ProLeuGlyNH 2 which has a type II β turn, crystalline S -benzylCysProLeuGlyNH 2 which has a type I β-turn, and crystalline gramicidin S which has two β turns and β-sheet structure in its conformation, were investigated. The amide I and amide III bands of the peptides with β turns were generally different from those which are diagnostic for α-helix and β-sheet conformations. The patterns of the amide I and amide III bands, when examined together, indicate that Raman spectra can provide diagnostic evidence for β-turn structure in peptides.
Spatial and temporal sequence of capsule construction in Cryptococcus neoformans

The pathogenic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans is distinguished by an extensive polysaccharide capsule, which impedes host defences and is absolutely required for fungal virulence. Despite the biological importance of the capsule, nothing is known about how it is assembled. Substantial capsule growth occurs in two distinct situations relevant to cryptococcal pathogenesis: formation of new buds and induction of capsule on mature cells. We developed pulse-chase protocols to examine these events in a dynamic way using a variety of microscopy techniques. We show that the capsule overlying buds is newly synthesized and differs physically from the corresponding parental material. New capsule formed by mature cells upon induction of synthesis is added at the inner aspect of the existing structure, displacing pre-existing material outwards. Surprisingly, new polysaccharide material is also deposited throughout the capsule, yielding a progressively denser structure. These results yield the first model of capsule synthesis and open new lines of investigation into the underlying mechanisms.
Using Educative Assessments to Support Science Teaching for Middle School English-language Learners

Grounded in Hallidayan perspectives on academic language, we report on our development of an educative science assessment as one component of the language-rich inquiry science for English-language learners teacher professional learning project for middle school science teachers. The project emphasizes the role of content-area writing to support teachers in diagnosing their students’ emergent understandings of science inquiry practices, science content knowledge, and the academic language of science, with a particular focus on the needs of English-language learners. In our current school policy context, writing for meaningful purposes has received decreased attention as teachers struggle to cover large numbers of discrete content standards. Additionally, high-stakes assessments presented in multiple-choice format have become the definitive measure of student science learning, further de-emphasizing the value of academic writing for developing and expressing understanding. To counter these trends, we examine the implementation of educative assessment materials—writing-rich assessments designed to support teachers’ instructional decision making. We report on the qualities of our educative assessment that supported teachers in diagnosing their students’ emergent understandings, and how teacher–researcher collaborative scoring sessions and interpretation of assessment results led to changes in teachers’ instructional decision making to better support students in expressing their scientific understandings. We conclude with implications of this work for theory, research, and practice.
Assessing classroom assessment techniques

Classroom assessment techniques (CATs) are teaching strategies that provide formative assessments of student learning. It has been argued that the use of CATs enhances and improves student learning. Although the various types of CATs have been extensively documented and qualitatively studied, there appears to be little quantitative research assessing the effectiveness of these techniques in improving student learning. The purpose of this study was to empirically test the assertion that the Muddiest Point, a specific type of CAT, improves student learning. Study results indicated no significant difference, on average, between the control and experimental groups.
Attachment of degradable poly(ethylene glycol) to proteins has the potential to increase therapeutic efficacy

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) was investigated for characterizing poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) attachment (“PEGylation”) and PEG removal (“dePEGylation”) of proteins. Lysozyme was used as a model protein because it is one of the best understood enzymes, has a high ionic strength (high pI value; thus making it suitable for CE), and has a tertiary structure that is known with high resolution. Several PEG derivatives, both hydrolytically degradable and nonde-gradable and with varying reactivities toward amino groups, were used to couple to amino groups (six ϵ-amino and one α-amino) on the surface of the protein. Capillary electrophoresis was found to be useful in following both the PEGylation and dePEGylation of lysozyme. Capillary electrophoresis separation is based on the size of the conjugate, which is determined by the number and molecular weight of the PEG that is attached. Baseline resolution was obtained between the peaks for each PEG chain attached per protein molecule (“PEGmers”) for PEG molecular weights >5000, although individual PEGmers could be recognized at lower molecular weights without baseline separation. Highly modified lysozyme showed complete inactivation, but when released from the degradable PEG, regained >60% of the original in vitro activity. The sites of PEGylation were determined using a tryptic map of the modified and unmodified protein. Typically, peptide fragments are separated by reversed-phase HPLC, but we show that CE can provide a complementary separation technique for determining sites of PEGylation. Capillary electrophoresis has advantages of high efficiency separations, rapid analysis, and ease of use.
TIPS: telephone intervention--problem solving for persons with schizophrenia.

A prospective experimental design was used to examine whether face-to-face meetings designed to establish rapport had an effect on the verbal responses of persons with schizophrenia in subsequent T...