cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mobilizing Money: Organizing Commercial Banking

Banks form the core of a modern financial system: mobilizing capital, facilitating payments, and allocating resources to productive activity. How banks are designed may affect how they perform these key functions and may also relate to the organization of the banking industry as a whole. These structural characteristics may also tie into the cost of banking services as well as into banks’ ability to mobilize resources and to influence the economy overall. This chapter examines the industrial organization of banking, the development of banks’ services, and the performance of the banking industry during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The comparison across all five countries sheds new light on the influence of the banking scope on bank scale, competition, and performance. The results often run contrary to assumptions born out of more recent experience, particularly that of the United States. Industrial Organization of Banking In the realm of commercial and investment banking, it is often assumed that universal banks – those that combine services – are large compared to specialized commercial banks. These sorts of assumptions hinge on the idea that minimum efficient scale ought to be larger for a universal bank, or the notion that universality offers greater opportunities for a bank to grow. Although we cannot say for sure what the minimum efficient scale is for specialized versus universal banks, particularly in the historical context, we can investigate the empirical relationship between bank size and scope of services. The average size of individual banks depends heavily on the use or avoidance of branching networks, and branching in turn influences the number of separate banking firms. Growth of branching networks suggests expansion of the banking industry and improvements in capital mobilization. Deposits to the banking system may grow without branching, of course, because it is possible for institutions in other areas to collect funds regionally and make deposits with larger banks in their base cities. But branching by a single institution may facilitate the flow of information and enable more efficient interregional transfers while diversifying short-term liabilities and possibly safeguarding against systemic instability. Geographical diversification therefore permits lower reserve ratios, which in turn pushes more capital into productive uses.
A simulation model of combined handoff initiation and channel availability in cellular communications

The problem of handoff in cellular communications has several components including: initiation and availability of channel resources. Often researchers consider these issues separately, but overall performance is determined by all. We devise a simulation model to consider the combined effects of these issues on the performance of handoff procedures. The model treats two adjacent base stations with fixed layout of highways and roads and considers fixed channel assignment for the cellular layout. The simulated propagation environment in the coverage area of the cells is generated using models that have been reported in the literature. They represent the received signal power by spatially correlated lognormal variates. The criteria for handoff initiation are based on received signal strength at sampling instants. Hysteresis is used to reduce unnecessary handoffs. Performance criteria of interest are: average number of handoff attempts per call, forced termination probability and blocking probability. Example performance characteristics obtained show relationships between average number of handoff attempts per call, forced termination and blocking probabilities, hysteresis level, and Erlang traffic. Trade-offs between average number of handoff attempts per call, forced termination probability and blocking probability are examined.
Transport-limitations on fluvial sediment supply to the sea

[1] The ability to understand and predict the flux and fate of sediment delivered to the sea by rivers remains an outstanding scientific challenge. Approaches to this challenge are necessarily synthetic, spanning wide ranges in spatial and temporal scales. Here a conventional sediment transport theory used by engineers and sedimentologists at reach and channel scales is applied at the basin scale. Specifically, a straightforward expression proposed by Bagnold and modified accordingly predicts the observed importance of combined wetness and steepness of a source basin as a control of sediment supply to the sea. The reasonable, key assumption underlying the application of sediment transport theory in this context is that the river-mouth sites for which suspended-sediment loads are reported are alluviated, and thus characterized by transport-limited flux of sediment. This analysis also indicates the potential significance of additional, as yet poorly documented factors constraining sediment supply to the sea. These factors, some of which appear to covary systematically with climate, include river-profile concavity, river-mouth channel width and friction, and the characteristic size of sediment in transport.
The calculation of reactions of the type (a, ab) using the plane-wave expansion method (I). General formalism for the direct one-step process

Abstract A formalism for the evaluation of the transition matrix element for reactions of the type (a, ab) in the direct distorted-wave approximation is presented. The plane-wave expansion method is used to represent the optical model wave function for the entrance and exit channels. Because of the use of the plane-wave expansion method the completely off-the-energy-shell behavior is easily demonstrated when distorted waves are used. The use of this expansion method also shows how difficult it is to extract the momentum dependence of the bound particle. We also apply the plane-wave expansion method to evaluate the transition matrix element for the effective f -operator DWTA approach. We also discuss an approximation to the complete transition matrix element which seems equivalent to the DWTA but yet makes use of completely off-the-energy-shell matrix elements.
Catalysis by Ion‐Exchange Resins

The sections in this article are Introduction Classes of Ion-Exchange Resin Catalysts: The Importance of Porosity Examples of Industrial Catalysis by Ion-Exchange Resins Synthesis of Ion-Exchange Resins Structure, Influence of Water, and Acidity in Ion-Exchange Resins Accessibility, Swelling, and Mass Transfer Effects Mechanisms of Reactions Catalyzed by Sulfonic Acid Resins Kinetics of Reactions Catalyzed by Ion-Exchange Resins Deactivation and Stability of Ion-Exchange Resin Catalysts Modified and Metal-Containing Ion-Exchange Resin Catalysts Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Catalysts akin to Ion-Exchange Resins Summary and Outlook Acknowledgments Keywords: ion-exchange resin; sulfonic acid; porosity; macroporous catalysts
Early Interventionists Perspectives of Multicultural Practices with African-American Families:

This study examined the multicultural practice perspectives of 170 early interventionists serving African-American children and families in a southern state of the United States, in relation to the requirements of Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Results of the Early Intervention Multicultural Practices Survey indicated that these participants were positive about the multicultural nature of their individual and agency practices. Participants were less favorable, however, in their ratings of systemic support for multicultural practices. Differences were found for multicultural practice perspectives based on reported racial or cultural self-identification. The results support innovative and systematic inservice multicultural training that includes administrators.
Simulation of Delamination-Migration and Core Crushing in a CFRP Sandwich Structure

Following the onset of damage caused by an impact load on a composite laminate structure, delaminations often form propagating outwards from the point of impact and in some cases can migrate via matrix cracks between plies as they grow. The goal of the present study is to develop an accurate finite element modeling technique for simulation of the delamination-migration phenomena in laminate impact damage processes. An experiment was devised where, under a quasi-static indentation load, an embedded delamination in the facesheet of a laminate sandwich specimen migrates via a transverse matrix crack and then continues to grow on a new ply interface. The quasistatic nature of the indentation results in structural behavior equivalent to that seen in low-velocity impact and also allows for highly detailed real time damage characterization. Several finite element damage simulation methods were investigated. Comparing the experimental results with those of the different models reveals certain modeling features that are important to include in a numerical simulation of delamination-migration and some that may be neglected.
Analysis and modeling of MPEG-4 and H.264 multi-layer video traffic

This paper presents a frame-level hybrid framework for modeling H.264 and MPEG-4 multi-layer variable bit rate (VBR) video traffic. In this work, the base layer is modeled using a combination of wavelet and time-domain methods and the enhancement layer is linearly predicted from the base layer using the cross-layer correlation. Unlike previous studies, we analyze and successfully model both inter-GOP and intra-GOP correlation in VBR sequences. To accurately capture long-range dependent (LRD) and short-range dependent (SRD) properties of VBR traffic, we use wavelets to model the distribution of I-frame sizes and a simple time-domain model for P/B frame sizes. Simulation results demonstrate that our model effectively preserves the temporal burstiness and captures important statistical features (e.g., the autocorrelation function and the frame-size distribution) of original traffic. We also show that our model has better performance than the previous methods in both single and multi-layer sequences.
Assessment of the Atmospheric Impact of Volcanic Eruptions

The dominant global impact of volcanic activity is likely to be related to the effects of volcanic gases on the Earth's atmosphere. Volcanic gas emissions from individual volcanic arc eruptions are likely to cause increases in the stratospheric optical depth that result in surface landmass temperature decline of 2 to 3 K for less than a decade. Trachytic and intermediate magmas are much more effective in this regard than high-silica magmas, and may also lead to extensive ozone depletion due to effect of halogens and magmatic water. Given the assumed relationship between arc volcanism and subduction rate, and the relatively small variation in global spreading rates in the geologic record, it is unlikely that the rates of arc volcanism have varied greatly during the Cenozoic. Hotspot related basaltic fissure eruptions in the subaerial environment have a higher mass yield of sulfur, but lofting of the valcanic aerosol to levels above the tropopause is required for a climate impact. High-latitude events, such as the Laki 1783 eruption can easily penetrate the tropopause and enter the stratosphere, but formation of a stratospheric volcanic aerosol form low-latitude effusive basaltic eruptions is problematical, due to the elevated low-latitude tropopause. Due to the high sulfur content of hotspot-derived basaltic magmas, their very high mass eruption rates and the episodic behavior, hotspots must be regarded as potentially major modifiers of Earth's climate through the action of their volcanic volatiles on the chemistry and physics of the atmosphere.
The effects of stimulus density on orientation specific aftereffects of color adaptation

Chromatic aftereffects to test gratings are affected significantly by differences in adaptation and test stimulus densities, i.e., number of edges per unit area. The strength of the aftereffect, as measured by the degree of angular disparity between adaptation and test grating orientation at which the aftereffect is lost, is a systematic function of adaptation and test density similarity.
Mass spectrometer calibration of Cosmic Dust Analyzer

[1] The time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer (MS) of the Cosmic Dust Analyzer (CDA) instrument aboard the Cassini spacecraft is expected to be placed in orbit about Saturn to sample submicrometer-diameter ring particles and impact ejecta from Saturn's satellites. The CDA measures a mass spectrum of each particle that impacts the chemical analyzer sector of the instrument. Particles impact a Rh target plate at velocities of 1-100 km/s and produce some 10−8 to 10−5 times the particle mass of positive valence, single-charged ions. These are analyzed via a TOF MS. Initial tests employed a pulsed N2 laser acting on samples of kamacite, pyrrhotite, serpentine, olivine, and Murchison meteorite induced bursts of ions which were detected with a microchannel plate and a charge sensitive amplifier (CSA). Pulses from the N2 laser (1011 W/cm2) are assumed to simulate particle impact. Using aluminum alloy as a test sample, each pulse produces a charge of ∼4.6 pC (mostly Al+1), whereas irradiation of a stainless steel target produces a ∼2.8 pC (Fe+1) charge. Thus the present system yields ∼10−5% of the laser energy in resulting ions. A CSA signal indicates that at the position of the microchannel plate, the ion detector geometry is such that some 5% of the laser-induced ions are collected in the CDA geometry. Employing a multichannel plate detector in this MS yields for Al-Mg-Cu alloy and kamacite targets well-defined peaks at 24 (Mg+1), 27(Al+1), and 64 (Cu+1) and 56 (Fe+1), 58 (Ni+1), and 60 (Ni+1) dalton, respectively.
Early clinical indicators of transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy in pediatric neuroblastoma patients undergoing auto-SCT

Patients undergoing auto-SCT for neuroblastoma present a unique population to study transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy (TA-TMA), due to standardized chemotherapy and later exposure to radiation and cis-retinoic acid (cis-RA). We retrospectively analyzed 20 patients after auto-SCT to evaluate early clinical indicators of TA-TMA. A total of 6 patients developing TA-TMA (30% prevalence) were compared with 14 controls. Four of six patients were diagnosed with TA-TMA by 25 days after auto-SCT. Compared with controls, TA-TMA patients had higher average systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels during high-dose chemotherapy and developed hypertension by day 13 after auto-SCT. Proteinuria was a significant marker for TA-TMA, whereas blood and platelet transfusion requirements were not. Serum creatinine did not differ between groups post transplant. However, patients with TA-TMA had a 60% decrease in renal function from baseline by nuclear glomerular filtration rate, compared with a 25% decrease in those without TA-TMA (P=0.001). There was no TA-TMA-related mortality. Significant complications included end-stage renal disease (n=1) and polyserositis (n=3). Patients with TA-TMA were unable to complete cis-RA therapy after auto-SCT. We suggest that careful attention to blood pressure and urinalysis will assist in the early diagnosis of TA-TMA, whereas serum creatinine seems to be an insensitive marker for this condition.
Spectroscopic properties of the intermediary electron carrier in the reaction center of Rhodopseudomonas viridis. Evidence for its interaction with the primary acceptor.

Abstract The spectroscopic properties of the intermediary electron carrier (I), which functions between the bacteriochlorophyll dimer, (BChl) 2 , and the primary acceptor quinone · iron, QFe, have been characterized in Rhodopseudomonas viridis . Optically the reduction of I is accompanied by a bleaching of bands at 545 and 790 nm and a broad absorbance increase around 680 nm which we attribute to the reduction of a bacteriopheophytin, together with apparent blue shifts of the bacteriochlorophyll bands at 830 and possibly at 960 nm. Low temperature electron paramagnetic resonance analysis also reveals complicated changes accompanying the reduction of I. In chromatophores I⨪ is revealed as a broad split signal centered close to g 2.003, which is consistent with I⨪ interacting, via exchange coupling and dipolar effects, with the primary acceptor Q⨪Fe. This is supported by experiments with reaction centers prepared with sodium dodecyl sulfate, which lack the Q⨪Fe g 1.82 signal, and also lack the broad split I⨪ signal; instead, I⨪ is revealed as an approximately 13 gauss wide free radical centered close to g 2.003. Reaction centers prepared using lauryl dimethylamine N -oxide retain most of their Q⨪Fe g 1.82 signal, and in this case I⨪ occurs as a mixture of the two EPR signals described above. However, the optical changes accompanying the reduction of I⨪ are very similar in the two reaction center preparations, so we conclude that there is no direct correlation between the two optical and the two EPR signals of I⨪. Perhaps the simplest explanation of the results is that the two EPR signals reflect the reduced bacteriopheophytin either interacting, or not interacting, with Q⨪Fe, while the optical changes reflect the reduction of bacteriophenophytin, together with secondary, perhaps electrochromic effects on the bacteriochlorophylls of the reaction center. However, we are unable to eliminate completely the possibility that there is also some electron sharing between the reduced bacteriopheophytin and bacteriochlorophyll.
PREVALENCE OF OVERWEIGHT AND OBESITY AMONG US CHILDREN, ADOLESCENTS, AND ADULTS, 1999-2002

ContextThe prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased markedly in the last 2 decades in the United States.ObjectiveTo update the US prevalence estimates of overweight in children and obesity in adults, using the most recent national data of height and weight measurements.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsAs part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a complex multistage probability sample of the US noninstitutionalized civilian population, both height and weight measurements were obtained from 4115 adults and 4018 children in 1999-2000 and from 4390 adults and 4258 children in 2001-2002.Main Outcome MeasurePrevalence of overweight (body mass index [BMI] ≥95th percentile of the sex-specific BMI-for-age growth chart) among children and prevalence of overweight (BMI, 25.0-29.9), obesity (BMI ≥30.0), and extreme obesity (BMI ≥40.0) among adults by sex, age, and racial/ethnic group.ResultsBetween 1999-2000 and 2001-2002, there were no significant changes among adults in the prevalence of overweight or obesity (64.5% vs 65.7%), obesity (30.5% vs 30.6%), or extreme obesity (4.7% vs 5.1%), or among children aged 6 through 19 years in the prevalence of at risk for overweight or overweight (29.9% vs 31.5%) or overweight (15.0% vs 16.5%). Overall, among adults aged at least 20 years in 1999-2002, 65.1% were overweight or obese, 30.4% were obese, and 4.9% were extremely obese. Among children aged 6 through 19 years in 1999-2002, 31.0% were at risk for overweight or overweight and 16.0% were overweight. The NHANES results indicate continuing disparities by sex and between racial/ethnic groups in the prevalence of overweight and obesity.ConclusionsThere is no indication that the prevalence of obesity among adults and overweight among children is decreasing. The high levels of overweight among children and obesity among adults remain a major public health concern.
DNA replication regulated by the priming promoter

ColE1 derivative plasmids were constructed in which the natural promoter that primes replication or, in addition, the region coding for the RNA I control element had been deleted. In all of these molecules priming of the origin was effected by read-through transcription from constitutive or inducible (lacUV5) promoters inserted farther upstream. In the latter case, regulation of lac repressor activity with IPTG resulted in controlled plasmid levels in vivo. These results indicated that, at least in the absence of other control elements, regulation of the priming promoter was sufficient to control DNA replication and determine plasmid copy number.
Phylogeny of Nearctic Members of theAnopheles maculipennisSpecies Group Derived from the D2 Variable Region of 28S Ribosomal RNA

Abstract Phylogenetic affinities among taxa associated with the Nearctic component of theAnopheles maculipennisspecies group (subgenusAnopheles) were inferred from sequence divergence in the D2 variable region of 28S ribosomal RNA. The base composition of this region had a marked GC bias which ranged from 59.9% inAnopheles walkerito 65.1% inAnopheles punctipennisE. Although over two-thirds of the base positions in the D2 region were double-stranded (stem), substitution frequencies at single-stranded (loop) positions (0.068 over all taxa) were 2.7 times greater than at stem positions (0.025). Most mutations were point mutations and were most frequent at loop positions. In the shortest trees generated by both parsimony and distance methods, the four American species traditionally identified with themaculipenniscomplex (Anopheles aztecus, Anopheles earlei, Anopheles freeborni,andAnopheles occidentalis) were monophyletic withA. punctipennisE and W as sister taxa. The latter two correspond to genetically distinct forms from the eastern United States and California, respectively. The sibling species of theAnopheles quadrimaculatuscomplex formed a distinct clade, andA. quadrimaculatusD, with six autapomorphies, was the most divergent of these taxa. Sequence divergence betweenA. walkeriand the other taxa included in the study was of such magnitude as to suggest only a distant affinity to these species.
Effects of Different Initial Imperfections including Residual Stress on the Compressive Bearing Capacity of Steel Angles in Towers

Angles are extensively used in latticed transmission tower. Initial imperfections have a significant impact on the compressive instability and failure of angle components. To study the impact of different initial imperfections on the compressive bearing capacity, general-purpose finite element software ANSYS is used. With shell element SHELL181, selecting angle L200×20 of the slenderness ratio of 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120, the bearing performance analysis with initial imperfections is conducted, including initial bending, section defects, initial eccentricity, residual stress, and a combination of imperfections. At the same time, for the angle components of the optimal slenderness ratio of 40 and slenderness ratio of 80, under the single influence of initial bending, section defects and residual stress, how the size of the value of the imperfections affects the bearing performance is investigated.
Ecological and Ethological Parameters in Anolis bahorucoensis, a Species Having Rudimentary Development of the Dewlap

Anolis b. bahorucoensis is a slender lizard, endemic to Hispaniola, that inhabits the deep shade of the forest understory. Unlike most anoles, the male has only a weakly developed dewlap, an organ important in courtship and territorial displays (and species' recognition). At least some populations of A. b. bahorucoensis are brilliantly colored with a gaudy, contrasting pattern. Experiments conducted in the field indicate that A. b. bahorucoensis is subject to intense predation pressure from at least two large common predatory congeners, A. coelestinus and A. cybotes. These two species occurring in syntopy with A. b. bahorucoensis probably assure that every individual of the latter species is constantly in danger, from several directions simultaneously, and can only survive by instantaneous escape responses, and other anti-predator strategies, that demand priority over every other kind of activity.
Epidermal growth factor and human growth hormone accelerate adaptation after massive enterectomy in an additive, nutrient-dependent, and site-specific fashion

Abstract Background. After massive enterectomy (ME), remnant intestine undergoes compensatory adaptation. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and human growth hormone (hGH) have each been shown to enhance total length small intestine nutrient transport after ME. This study aims to determine the differential effects of EGF and hGH on proximal and distal small intestinal remnants after ME. Methods. New Zealand white rabbits underwent 70% mid-jejunoileal resection. After 1 week, animals received hGH (0.2 mg/kg/day), EGF (1.5 μg/kg/hr), hGH + EGF, or vehicle (equal volume) for 7 days. Sodium-dependent uptake of glucose, glutamine, alanine, leucine, and arginine into brush border membrane vesicles was quantitated. Serum insulin-like growth factor-I concentrations as well as proximal and distal villus and microvillus heights were measured. IGF binding protein-3 and -4 mRNA expression was determined in full-thickness proximal and distal gut remnants. Results. Concomitant hGH and EGF treatment up-regulates glucose (100%), glutamine (80%), and leucine (60%) transport in the proximal remnant; alanine (150%) and arginine (400%) transport in the distal remnant; and microvillus height (25% to 35%) both proximally and distally. Serum IGF-I levels and gross villus heights were not different among groups. Conclusions. Co-infusion of hGH and EGF accelerates intestinal adaptation after ME in an additive, nutrient-dependent, and site-specific fashion via enhanced nutrient transport as well as microvillus hypertrophy.
Sidelobe level performance of adaptive sidelobe canceller arrays with element reuse

The performance of adaptive sidelobe canceller (SLC) arrays that use the same elements for the main channel and auxiliary signals is studied. The SLC with element reuse is different from the conventional SLC because the thermal noise components of the main channel and auxiliary signals may be correlated. The noise correlation may cause serious sidelobe-level (SLL) degradation when the number of degrees of freedom exceeds the number necessary to cancel the jammers present. It is shown how his degradation can be eliminated by forming each auxiliary from subarrays rather than single elements so that an orthogonality condition is satisfied. It is shown that good cancellation and SLL performance can be obtained by using small subarrays with directive auxiliary patterns satisfying the orthogonality condition. >
Paired-associate learning as a correlate of pattern goodness

Ease of encoding of visual information, as reflected by latency and uncertainty of verbal naming response, has been shown to correlate highly with rating of pattern goodness. These experiments tested the hypothesis that ease of learning a visual pattern in a paired-associate task also would correlate significantly with rating of goodness. In Exp. I, 17 patterns were used as stimuli and 17 two-digit numbers as responses. Each pattern consisted of five dots placed in an imaginary three-by-three square matrix. In Exp. II, the numbers were used as stimuli and the patterns as responses. Correlations among mean trials to criterion for Exp. I, mean trials to criterion for Exp. II, and mean rating of goodness were all above .90, confirming the experimental hypothesis. In addition, no ordinal differences were found between rate of learning for patterns as stimuli and for patterns as responses. The results were interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that size of equivalence set, or pattern uncertainty, is the functional unit in pattern perception.
Open and capped (5,5) armchair SWCNTs: A comparative study of DFT-based reactivity descriptors

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to predict the reactivity pattern governing the nucleophilic, electrophilic and radical attacks on the external surface of open and capped (5,5) armchair single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The DFT-based local reactivity descriptors, viz, Fukui function, local softness, relative electrophilicity, relative nucleophilicity and dual reactivity descriptor, have been examined for predicting the reactivity of different carbon atom sites of the considered SWCNTs. The predictions of regioselectivity using relative electrophilicity, relative nucleophilicity and dual reactivity descriptors have been verified by reaction energies calculated for model systems at the M06-2X/6-31G(d) level.
Ionization Chamber Bursts at High Altitudes

A thin-walled, low pressure ionization chamber has been sent into the upper atmosphere by means of balloons to study bursts of ionization. Pulse size, barometric pressure, and temperature were telemetered to the ground by means of a FM audio subcarrier system with a 75-Mc radio link. Measurements have been made of the size and frequency of bursts of ionization greater than that produced by 0.8 polonium alpha-particles (0.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}5.1=4.1 Mev) at altitudes up to that corresponding to an air mass of 17 g/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ remaining overhead.
Output-Adaptive Tetrahedral Cut-Cell Validation for Sonic Boom Prediction

A cut-cell approach to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) that utilizes the median dual of a tetrahedral background grid is described. The discrete adjoint is also calculated, which permits adaptation based on improving the calculation of a specified output (off-body pressure signature) in supersonic inviscid flow. These predicted signatures are compared to wind tunnel measurements on and off the configuration centerline 10 body lengths below the model to validate the method for sonic boom prediction. Accurate mid-field sonic boom pressure signatures are calculated with the Euler equations without the use of hybrid grid or signature propagation methods. Highly-refined, shock-aligned anisotropic grids were produced by this method from coarse isotropic grids created without prior knowledge of shock locations. A heuristic reconstruction limiter provided stable flow and adjoint solution schemes while producing similar signatures to Barth-Jespersen and Venkatakrishnan limiters. The use of cut-cells with an output-based adaptive scheme completely automated this accurate prediction capability after a triangular mesh is generated for the cut surface. This automation drastically reduces the manual intervention required by existing methods.
Developmental maturation of intestinal and renal thiamin uptake: studies in wild-type and transgenic mice carrying human THTR-1 and 2 promoters.

Thiamin (B1) is an essential micronutrient for normal growth and development. Mammals obtain thiamin through intestinal absorption, while in the kidney thiamin is reabsorbed to prevent its loss in the urine, both processes are specialized, carrier-mediated and involve thiamin transporters-1 and 2 (THTR-1 and THTR-2, respectively; products of the SLC19A2 and SLC19A3 genes). Although thiamin appears to play an important role in neonatal growth, little is currently known about the possible regulation of intestinal and renal thiamin uptake during developmental maturation. We addressed these issues by examining intestinal and renal thiamin uptake and expression of THTR-1 and THTR-2 during early stages of life. We utilized wild-type mice (mice express orthologues of both thiamin transporters) and transgenic mice expressing human SLC19A2 or SLC19A3 promoter-reporter transgenes as a model system and examined carrier-mediated thiamin uptake, mTHTR-1 and 2 protein and mRNA levels and luciferase activity in suckling (13 days), weanling (25–27 days), and adult (60–65 days) mice. Carrier-mediated thiamin uptake by jejunal and renal brush border membrane vesicles (BBMV) both decreased with maturation (suckling > weanling > adult) and were associated with a reduction in mTHTR-1 and mTHTR-2 protein, mRNA levels, and the activity of human SLC19A2 and SLC19A3 promoter-reporter constructs in the intestines and kidneys of transgenic mice. These results are the first to demonstrate that intestinal and renal thiamin uptake are developmentally regulated during early stages of life, mediated through mTHTR-1 and mTHTR-2, and suggest the possible involvement of transcriptional regulatory mechanism(s) in this regulation. J. Cell. Physiol. 206: 371–377, 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Field-based simulations of directed self-assembly in a mixed brush system

Self-assembling block copolymer thin films have attracted considerable attention as a promising high resolution lithographic tool due to the 10 nm scale of microdomain ordering and their facility for modulation of size and pattern. However, for block copolymer lithography to be a viable solution for advanced nano-lithographic technologies, several critical requirements need to be satisfied. Our research has focused on developing complementary mixed polymer brush lithography tools satisfying the required criteria, by means of Self-Consistent Field Theory (SCFT) simulations. Specifically, we have concentrated on graphoepitaxial techniques that are widely tested and considered a particularly promising method for controlling the microdomain ordering.
Stereopsis with large disparities: discrimination and depth magnitude.

Abstract Depth discrimination and perceived depth magnitude (indicated by a manual pointing response) were studied for disparities from 0.5° to 8°. For briefly exposed targets, discrimination and depth magnitude yield somewhat different functions of disparity. Discrimination begins to decline when depth magnitude is still increasing. This suggests that the variance of the depth signal increases faster than the magnitude of the signal. This result is consistent with the notion that stereoscopic processing involves the pooling of the activity of disparity detectors.
Reproductive Performance of Female Miniature Swine Ingesting Strontium-90 Daily

A long term study designed to determine the biological effects of daily Sr{sup 90} ingestion in miniature swine has been underway in this laboratory since 1958. The Ultimate objective of this study is to provide data that will assist in defining for man the levels of dietary Sr{sup 90} at which there is no damage or negligible damage to him or his progeny. The animals being used in these studies are miniature swine which have a mature weight of 60 to 80 kg. The dietary requirements, gastrointestinal tract, and bone mass of miniature swine are quite similar to man. These factors, along with a relatively long life span, dictated their use in this study.
Application of NIR Fluorescence Optical Imaging for Quantification of HER2 Receptors Expression in vivo

A novel method to characterize HER2 expression in breast carcinomas in vivo is proposed. Analysis of variations in fluorescent intensity at the tumor site (mouse model) after injection of HER2-specific fluorescent probes substantiates our approach.
The Cold War and After: History, Theory, and the Logic of International Politics, by Marc Trachtenberg

There are historians, there are political scientists, there are international relations theorists, and then there is Marc Trachtenberg. Having been trained as a historian and taught in history depa...
Electrochemical dispersion of Pt microparticles on glassy carbon electrodes

The effect of various electrode pretreatments on the properties of Pt microparticles (dia. ca. 0.1 μm) electrodeposited on glassy carbon (GC) is evaluated. On freshly polished GC surfaces, Pt particles are not observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) after the electrodeposition process. In addition, these electrodes exhibit very low catalytic activity toward hydrogen generation. Heat treatment of GC, prior to deposition at 0.185 V, markedly improves the catalytic activity of the electrode, and Pt particles are observed on the GC surface by SEM. It is believed that a thin layer of finely divided carbon is formed by the polishing procedure. Reduction of Pt onto this layer either did not produce Pt particles or produced particles which are removed when the electrode is washed with water. Heat treatment of the GC prior to deposition removes the carbon layer, allowing Pt reduction to occur on the intrinsic carbon surface with concomitant particle formation. Cyclic voltammograms show multiple reduction waves for the deposition of Pt on GC. In the potential range of 0.2 to 0.5 V, the first reduction exhibits a double peak which is assigned to the reduction of Pt(IV) to Pt(II). However, Pt microparticles are observed by SEM on the GC surface when the deposition potential is held within the limits of the first wave. A slow chemical step (probably disproportionation of Pt(II) to Pt0 and Pt(IV)) is involved in the nucleation and growth of the Pt particles at ⪢- 50 mV. For electrodes exhibiting high particle stability, hydrogen evolution, with exchange current densities comparable to bulk platinum, is achieved at loading levels of 10 to 20 μg cm−2 Pt.
Design limitations on ultra-high velocity projectile launchers

Abstract The maximum velocity attainable in a gasdynamic gun is limited by the maximum sound speed in the driver gas. For a conventional 2-stage light gas gun, the limit is ∼ 10 km/s. Higher velocities are possible, but probably not without the destruction of the gun barrel. As long as this occurs on a time scale longer than the residence time of the projectile, a useful system may still result. Using a newly developed computer code called IGUN, we have evaluated the performance of several multistage designs capable of achieving ultra-high projectile velocities. The main problem is in maintaining the integrity of the projectile. Our calculations indicate that 20 km/s should be achievable without fracturing the projectile. If it is only required to retain near original areal density, velocities in excess of 30 km/s appear feasible.
An exponential separation between the parity principle and the pigeonhole principle

Abstract The combinatorial parity principle states that there is no perfect matching on an odd number of vertices. This principle generalizes the pigeonhole principle, which states that for a fixed bipartition of the vertices, there is no perfect matching between them. Therefore, it follows from recent lower bounds for the pigeonhole principle that the parity principle requires exponential-size bounded-depth Frege proofs. Ajtai (1990) previously showed that the parity principle does not have polynomial-size bounded-depth Frege proofs even with the pigeonhole principle as an axiom schema. His proof utilizes nonstandard model theory and is nonconstructive. We improve Ajtai's lower bound from barely superpolynomial to exponential and eliminate the nonstandard model theory. Our lower bound is also related to the inherent complexity of particular search classes (see Papadimitriou, 1991). In particular, oracle separations between the complexity classes PPA and PPAD , and between PPA and PPP also follow from our techniques (Beame et al., 1995).
Dynamical aspects of animal grouping: Swarms, schools, flocks, and herds

Grouping of animals is a natural phenomenon in which a number of animal individuals are involved in movement as forming a group. Examples are insect swarms and fish schools. In this article an attempt is made to describe the motion of grouping individuals kinematically as distinct from simple diffusion or random walk, to model the grouping on the basis of dynamics of animal motion, and to interpret the grouping from the standpoint of advection-diffusion processes. Also presented is dynamical modeling for the group size distribution as a result of amalgamation and splitting processes of groups. Examples of animal grouping are described in detail. They are insect swarms, zooplankton swarms, fish schools, bird flocks, and mammal herds. The presented mathematical models are compared with data of these animal groupings.
Determining the oxygen content in partly oxidized silicon nitride

The vacuum-extraction method is suitable for determining with adequate accuracy the content of oxygen (oxynitride) in partly oxidized silicon nitride and in silicon-carbide refractories with a nitride and silicon oxynitride bond.
Positron emission tomography with f18-fluorodeoxyglucose in the staging and preoperative evaluation of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

Abstract Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of positron emission tomography with F18-fluorodeoxyglucose in the preoperative evaluation and staging of malignant mesothelioma in patients who were candidates for aggressive combined modality therapy. Methods: Eighteen consecutive patients with biopsy-proven malignant mesothelioma underwent positron emission tomographic scanning. The results of positron emission tomographic imaging were compared with results obtained by computed tomography, mediastinoscopy, thoracoscopy, and pathologic examination of surgical specimens. All patients fasted and received an average of 14.5 ± 2.7 mCi of F18-fluorodeoxyglucose for positron emission tomographic scanning. Attenuation-corrected whole-body and regional emission images of the chest and upper abdomen were acquired and formatted into transaxial, coronal, and sagittal images. Results: All primary malignant mesotheliomas accumulated F18-fluorodeoxyglucose, and the mean standardized uptake value was 7.6 (range, 3.33-14.85; n=9). There were no false-negative results of positron emission tomography. Identification of occult extrathoracic metastases by positron emission tomography was the basis for excluding two patients from surgical therapy. There were two false-positive results of positron emission tomography: increased F18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the contralateral chest that was negative by thoracoscopic biopsy (n = 1) and increased abdominal F18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake after partial colectomy for diverticular disease (n = 1). Conclusions: Positron emission tomography can identify malignant pleural mesothelioma and appears to be a useful noninvasive staging modality for patients being considered for aggressive combined modality therapy. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;120:128-33)
ELECTROCHEMICAL STUDIES OF BIMETALLIC RHENIUM(III) COMPLEXES POSSESSING TWO ACCESSIBLE MIXED-VALENCE STATES

Bimetallic complexes of the general formula [Cl3(PPh3)2ReIII(NC―Ar―CN)ReIII(PPh3)2Cl3] (where NC―Ar―CN represents an aromatic dinitrile) have been prepared and their solution phase electrochemistry examined. Each of these complexes undergoes two one-electron metal-centred oxidations. The potential difference between these oxidations gives a measure of the stability of the ReIII/ReIV mixed-valence state toward disproportionation, and ranges from <0.050 V in the most weakly coupled system (4,4′-biphenyldicarbonitrile bridge) to ca. 0.200 V for the most strongly interacting metal centres (9,10-dicyanoanthracene bridge). Likewise, all of the complexes show two one-electron transfers in either simultaneous or sequential fashion depending on the nature of the bridge.
A Piezoelectric Cascade Impactor for Aerosol Monitoring

An instrument for determining the particle size distribution of aerosols has been designed, built, and calibrated. Its operation is based on the observation of the frequency shift of piezoelectric quartz crystals caused by the deposition of particles onto them by means of inertial impaction. The impactor comprises four stages with cutoff sizes for unit density particles of 18.9, 12.6, 6.3, and 2.5 µm (microns). A flow rate of 8.33×10-6 m3/sec (0.5 liter/min) is used.
Emesis predicts bacteremia in immunocompromised children with central venous catheters and fever.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to determine whether vomiting at presentation of a febrile illness in immunocompromised children with central venous catheters (CVCs) predicts bacteremia. METHODS: A chart review was conducted of children who were admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of cancer or aplastic anemia, fever, and a CVC. Data were collected on the presence or absence of vomiting, catheter type, presence or absence of severe neutropenia, C-reactive protein (Crp) value, and culture results. RESULTS: There were 143 admissions for fever among 48 children. Among 35 admissions with emesis, 19 included bacteremia; whereas, among 107 admissions without emesis, 19 included bacteremia (P 500 cells/mm3. Other factors that were associated with higher rates of bacteremia were underlying diagnosis and catheter type. CONCLUSIONS: Immunocompromised children with a CVC and a fever who presented with vomiting were more likely to have bacteremia than similar children who presented without vomiting. Gram-negative organisms were more likely to be associated with emesis than Gram-positive organisms. The absence of severe neutropenia was not associated with a decreased likelihood of bacteremia. These findings may be useful in identifying children who are at high risk for bacteremia and in determining initial, empiric therapy. Cancer 2009. © 2009 American Cancer Society.
Evaluating visual analytics systems for investigative analysis: Deriving design principles from a case study

Despite the growing number of systems providing visual analytic support for investigative analysis, few empirical studies of the potential benefits of such systems have been conducted, particularly controlled, comparative evaluations. Determining how such systems foster insight and sensemaking is important for their continued growth and study, however. Furthermore, studies that identify how people use such systems and why they benefit (or not) can help inform the design of new systems in this area. We conducted an evaluation of the visual analytics system Jigsaw employed in a small investigative sensemaking exercise, and we compared its use to three other more traditional methods of analysis. Sixteen participants performed a simulated intelligence analysis task under one of the four conditions. Experimental results suggest that Jigsaw assisted participants to analyze the data and identify an embedded threat. We describe different analysis strategies used by study participants and how computational support (or the lack thereof) influenced the strategies. We then illustrate several characteristics of the sensemaking process identified in the study and provide design implications for investigative analysis tools based thereon. We conclude with recommendations for metrics and techniques for evaluating other visual analytics investigative analysis tools.
Rhythmic after-activity to flashes in relation to the background alpha which precedes and follows the photic stimuli.

Abstract 1. 1. Occipital EEG responses to slowly repeated, aperiodic light flashes were studied in normal subjects. The amplitude and time course of the evoked potential after-activity were compared with those of the flash-evoked changes in background alpha. We obtained the latter by averaging the filtered (7–14 c/sec), rectified, and smoothed envelope of the ongoing EEG with respect to the light stimuli. 2. 2. Rhythmic after-activity and alpha blocking roughly paralleled each other in time, but there were no systematic relationships between the latency, duration or amplitude of two measures. Inasmuch as the onset of after-activity showed no consistent relation to the beginning of alpha return, we conclude the after-activity cannot be interpreted as a computer average of background alpha returning in constant phase relation with the stimulus. 3. 3. Averaging was performed with respect to the amplitude of the background alpha when the stimuli occurred. The rhythmic after-activity was of greater amplitude and longer duration when the stimulus fell when the background alpha was of relatively large amplitude. The after-activity must have varied with minute-to-minute or even second-to-second changes in alpha amplitude since the individual responses making up the large alpha and small alpha averages were distributed quite uniformly throughout each minute of the recording session. The alpha blocking or alpha envelope response was also greater during times of large alpha amplitude, but alpha envelope and after-activity responses varied independently from subject to subject, from day to day, or within sessions. 4. 4. Our findings support the idea of a close functional relationship between the neural systems giving rise to the alpha rhythm and evoked after-activity, whether or not these systems are physiologically identical.