cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A uniformly convergent Series for $\zeta(s)$ and closed Formulas, that include Catalan Numbers

There exists an infinite series of ratios by which one can derive the Riemann zeta function �(s) from Catalan numbers and central binomial coefficients which appear in the terms of the series. While admittedly the derivation is not deep it does indicate some combinatorial aspect to the Riemann zeta function. But we actually do find also four additional new closed formulas, which include a formula by which one can compute �(s) for a countably infinite number of discrete positive values for s where the formula contains Catalan numbers not in infinite series. The Riemann zeta function has applications in physics, such as in computations related to the Casimir effect. Our result indicates a link between the Riemann zeta function, combinatorics, Catalan numbers, the central binomial coefficient and the content of a hypersphere, under certain conditions. 12
Neuroplasticity in the mesolimbic dopamine system and cocaine addiction

The main characteristics of cocaine addiction are compulsive drug use despite adverse consequences and high rates of relapse during periods of abstinence. A current popular hypothesis is that compulsive cocaine use and cocaine relapse is due to drug-induced neuroadaptations in reward-related learning and memory processes, which cause hypersensitivity to cocaine-associated cues, impulsive decision making and abnormal habit-like learned behaviours that are insensitive to adverse consequences. Here, we review results from studies on the effect of cocaine exposure on selected signalling cascades, growth factors and physiological processes previously implicated in neuroplasticity underlying normal learning and memory. These include the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signalling pathway, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glutamate transmission, and synaptic plasticity (primarily in the form of long-term potentiation and depression, LTP and LTD). We also discuss the degree to which these cocaine-induced neuroplasticity changes in the mesolimbic dopamine system mediate cocaine psychomotor sensitization and cocaine-seeking behaviours, as assessed in animal models of drug addiction. Finally, we speculate on how these factors may interact to initiate and sustain cocaine psychomotor sensitization and cocaine seeking.
Transport of n-butyrate into human colonic luminal membrane vesicles

Human colonic short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) absorption is associated with increased luminal pH and HCO3- and enhanced Na+ absorption. Therefore, the mechanism of colonic SCFA transport, its dependence on Na+ and HCO3- and interactions with Cl-/HCO3- and Na+/H+ exchangers were characterized. Luminal membrane vesicles (LMV) isolated by divalent cation precipitation from organ donor colons were used for n-butyrate transport. Uptake of n-butyrate into the human colonic LMV was minimal even in the presence of an inward pH gradient, but an outward HCO3- gradient significantly increased uptake rates. HCO3(-)-stimulated butyrate uptake was saturable with an apparent Michaelis constant of 1.5 +/- 0.2 mM and maximal velocity of 105 +/- 3 nmol.mg protein-1.3 s-1. Intravesicular butyrate resulted in trans-stimulation of n-[1-14C]butyrate uptake. Butyrate uptake was inhibited approximately 25-40% by C2-C5 SCFAs and approximately 40% by niflumic acid. Butyrate uptake was not affected by extravesicular Na+, and 22Na uptake was unaltered by extravesicular butyrate. Butyrate uptake was independent of extra- or intravesicular CI-, and butyrate loading produced no changes in 36Cl uptake. We conclude that the predominant mechanism of n-butyrate transport across the human colonic luminal membrane appears to be via a HCO3-/SCFA antiport system independent of Cl-/HCO3- exchange and Na+ transport.
Cadmium Germanium Arsenide (CdGeAs2)

Publisher Summary Cadmium Germanium Arsenide (CdGeAs2) is a tetragonally bonded semiconductor with the chalcopyrite structure and a direct band gap of 0.57 eV at room temperature. The II-IV-V2 chalcopyrite lattice is equivalent to the III-V semiconductor crystal structure, but with ordering of the II and IV components and so a doubling of the unit cell along the c -axis. The chalcopyrite lattice is typically compressed along the c -axis, leading to a crystalline electric field and birefringence. It is noted that chalcopyrite semiconductors are also optically active because of varying degrees of tetragonaldistortion. The CdGeAs2 crystal structure, in particular, is compressed 5.6% along the c -axis. The studies of the crystalline and amorphous phases of CdGeAs2 exhibit that the amorphous phase has a density 2.5 % higher. Because CdGeAs2 has a large nonlinear coefficient as its covalent bonding and can be phase-matched because of its birefringence, therefore, it is of great interest for second-harmonic generation.
Deriving statistical significance maps for SVM based image classification and group comparisons

Population based pattern analysis and classification for quantifying structural and functional differences between diverse groups has been shown to be a powerful tool for the study of a number of diseases, and is quite commonly used especially in neuroimaging. The alternative to these pattern analysis methods, namely mass univariate methods such as voxel based analysis and all related methods, cannot detect multivariate patterns associated with group differences, and are not particularly suitable for developing individual-based diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. A commonly used pattern analysis tool is the support vector machine (SVM). Unlike univariate statistical frameworks for morphometry, analytical tools for statistical inference are unavailable for the SVM. In this paper, we show that null distributions ordinarily obtained by permutation tests using SVMs can be analytically approximated from the data. The analytical computation takes a small fraction of the time it takes to do an actual permutation test, thereby rendering it possible to quickly create statistical significance maps derived from SVMs. Such maps are critical for understanding imaging patterns of group differences and interpreting which anatomical regions are important in determining the classifier's decision.
Characterization of lac+ transductants of Streptococcus lactis.

A phage-mediated transducing system was used in studying certain physiological characteristics of S. lactis C2 wild type, lactose-negative mutants, and lactose-positive transductants. Lac- mutants, obtained by acriflavine treatment of the wild type, were similar to the wild type in all characteristics tested except they lacked β-D-phosphogalactoside galactohydrolase (β-Pgal) and could not transport [14C]lactose; they also had approximately 10% of the proteolytic ability than wild-type cells. The lactose-fermenting characteristic was transduced from the wild type to Lac- mutants. The Lac+ transductants obtained were similar to the wild-type parent with respect to lactose fermentation and level of β-Pgal activity (0.186 U of protein per mg). These transductants, however, had not regained full proteolytic ability and were similar to the Lac- mutant in this respect. Lactic acid production of the transductants in milk was approximately two-thirds that of the wild type. Data suggest that both the lactose-fermenting and proteolytic characters are carried on extrachromasomal particles (plasmids).
A Method To Account for Afterflow at the Pulsing Well During Pulse Tests

The nature of well bore-storage is such that afterflow during a pulse test can affect the reservoir pressure performance and can lead to the calculation of erroneous values for formation transmissibility and storage. This is most likely to occur when the wells of interest are close together or when afterflow persists for a long time relative to the pulse length. This study discusses a technique which was developed to account for the effects of afterflow at the pulsing well during pulse testing of a small production pilot. The technique is not general in that it requires that a computer-generated simulation of each pulse test be made. An application of the method is given.
A Novel Algorithm for Distributed Localization in Wireless Sensor Networks

We present a novel algorithm for localization of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) called Distributed Randomized Gradient Descent (DRGD) and prove that in the case of noise-free distance measurements, the algorithm converges and provides the true location of the nodes. For noisy distance measurements, the convergence properties of DRGD are discussed and an error bound on the location estimation error is obtained. In contrast to several recently proposed methods, DRGD does not require that the blind nodes be contained in the convex hull of the anchor nodes, and it can accurately localize the network with only a few anchors. Performance of DRGD is evaluated through extensive simulations and compared with three other algorithms, namely, the relaxation-based Second-Order Cone Programming (SOCP), the Simulated Annealing (SA), and the Semi-Definite Programing (SDP). Similar to DRGD, SOCP and SA are distributed algorithms, whereas SDP is centralized. The results show that DRGD successfully localizes the nodes in all the cases, whereas in many cases SOCP and SA fail. Finally, we present a modification of DRGD for mobile WSNs and demonstrate the efficacy of DRGD for localization of mobile networks with several simulation results.
Selective formation of desmosomes in chick cell reaggregates

Corneal epithelial cells of the chick have been dissociated at a stage when they will form desmosomes rapidly, and combined with other cells that normally either have or do not have desmosomes. In these experiments different cell types were reaggregated in rotating cultures. Since foreign cells tended to segregate, sorting was inhibited by use of cytochalasin B. Junction formation was the same in the presence or in the absence of the drug. There was little or no evidence that corneal cells would form desmosomes with any of the other cells tested, namely heart ventricle, liver, pigmented retina, or Taper ascites cells. However, corneal cells did form junctions of the intermediate type with other chick cells. Thus desmosome formation was more selective. Corneal cells when dissociated and reaggregated in the absence of foreign cells may form desmosomes between different parts of the same cell surface, although this is a rare occurrence. In the presence of foreign cells, the phenomenon is much less rare. Desmosomes appear to form at the surface, move inward at the base of folds or channels, and finally separate from the channel and float free in the cytoplasm. Detailed evidence supporting this interpreation is presented. Such internalization of desmosomes has been postulated by others to account for cytoplasmic desmosomes in certain tumors. The relation between patterns of segregation and distribution of junctions is discussed.
Alpha Test of a Videogame to Increase Children's Vegetable Consumption.

Abstract Objective: This is a report of an alpha test with a computer of one episode of a casual videogame smartphone application, called Kiddio Food Fight™ (Archimage Inc., Houston, TX), targeted at training parents to increase their 3–5-year-old child's vegetable consumption. Subjects and Methods: This was a qualitative study using semistructured interviews. Sixteen parents from three ethnic groups living with their 3–5-year-old child were recruited. Parents provided screening information and informed consent and played the videogame. Afterward, semistructured intensive interviews were conducted about their experience. Results: Parents generally liked the game. Their suggestions included a reduced list of values, rewording of reasons statements, an improved storyline, and feedback during and at the end of the game. The scoring system was ignored or confusing. Problems with the tool bar and game navigation caused problems in performance. A tutorial was requested. Conclusions: Kiddio Food Fight could have...
Tree leaf litter composition and nonnative earthworms influence plant invasion in experimental forest floor mesocosms

Dominant tree species influence community and ecosystem components through the quantity and quality of their litter. Effects of litter may be modified by activity of ecosystem engineers such as earthworms. We examined the interacting effects of forest litter type and earthworm presence on invasibility of plants into forest floor environments using a greenhouse mesocosm experiment. We crossed five litter treatments mimicking historic and predicted changes in dominant tree composition with a treatment of either the absence or presence of nonnative earthworms. We measured mass loss of each litter type and growth of a model nonnative plant species (Festuca arundinacea, fescue) sown into each mesocosm. Mass loss was greater for litter of tree species characterized by lower C:N ratios. Earthworms enhanced litter mass loss, but only for species with lower C:N, leading to a significant litter × earthworm interaction. Fescue biomass was significantly greater in treatments with litter of low C:N and greater mass loss, suggesting that rapid decomposition of forest litter may be more favorable to understory plant invasions. Earthworms were expected to enhance invasion by increasing mass loss and removing the physical barrier of litter. However, earthworms typically reduced invasion success but not under invasive tree litter where the presence of earthworms facilitated invasion success compared to other litter treatments where earthworms were present. We conclude that past and predicted future shifts in dominant tree species may influence forest understory invasibility. The presence of nonnative earthworms may either suppress of facilitate invasibility depending on the species of dominant overstory tree species and the litter layers they produce.
Going it Alone: The Politics of Signing Statements from Reagan to Bush II*

Objectives. Until recently, the signing statement—a written statement the president can append to a bill after he signs it into law—remained buried in the footnotes of history. However, for modern presidents, the signing statement has become one important, albeit understudied, example of presidential unilateralism—strategies employed to preserve executive prerogatives and advance presidential policy in the face of gridlock. This article examines how presidents exert influence through signing statements and their role in the context of the separation of powers. Methods. Descriptive time-series data and logit models assess signing statement behavior from Ronald Reagan to George W. Bush (1981–2008). Results. The analysis demonstrates how features of the political (especially unified government) and policy context explain variation in the type of signing statement. Conclusion. The evidence suggests presidents have incentives to use constitutional signing statements when Congress is the least likely to challenge them and not necessarily for reasons related to policy gridlock.
Fighting spam, phishing, and online scams at the network level

Recent estimates indicate that upwards of 90% of all email traffic is spam [4]. Spam is more than just a nuisance: it consumes resources on the network and at mail servers, and much of it is also used to mount attacks on users via malware and social engineering attacks (e.g., phishing). In recent years, spammers have increased their virulence, by sending spam from large collections of compromised machines ("botnets"), encapsulating their messages in content that is difficult to filter (e.g., images), and by targeting their messages towards specific groups of users. Indeed, spammers show no sign of slowing, and, worse, their techniques may carry over to other domains (e.g., VoIP, mobile devices) in the future.
Interacting Brain Systems Modulate Memory Consolidation

Emotional arousal influences the consolidation of long-term memory. This review discusses experimental approaches and relevant findings that provide the foundation for current understanding of coordinated interactions between arousal activated peripheral hormones and the brain processes that modulate memory formation. Rewarding or aversive experiences release the stress hormones epinephrine (adrenalin) and glucocorticoids from the adrenal glands into the bloodstream. The effect of these hormones on memory consolidation depends upon binding of norepinephrine to beta-adrenergic receptors in the basolateral complex of the amygdala (BLA). Much evidence indicates that the stress hormones influence release of norepinephrine in the BLA through peripheral actions on the vagus nerve which stimulates, through polysynaptic connections, cells of the locus coeruleus to release norepinephrine. The BLA influences memory storage by actions on synapses, distributed throughout the brain, that are engaged in sensory and cognitive processing at the time of amygdala activation. The implications of the activation of these stress-activated memory processes are discussed in relation to stress-related memory disorders.
The effects of vinblastine on acinar cells of the exorbital lacrimal gland of the rat.

The effects of vinblastine treatment on acinar cells of the rat exorbital lacrimal gland were studied by electron microscopy. Experimental animals of both sexes were given single intraperitoneal injections of (1) vinblastine (4mg/kg body weight) at 1 to 24 h before sacrifice; (2) pilocarpine (20 mg/kg b.w.) for 1 h; or (3) vinblastine for l h followed by pilocarpine for 1 h. Vinblastine treatment caused a number of changes including autophagocytosis, formation of intracisternal granules, and alteration of secretory granules. These changes varied in extent and onset between male and female rats. In addition, the Golgi apparatus was reduced in size and dispersed throughout the cytoplasm. Mitotic figures were commonly observed. Moreover, vinblastine inhibited the pilocarpine-stimulated degranulation of the acinar cells. In view of the known anti-microtubular action of vinblastine, these results suggest that microtubules are involved in various aspects of the transport, packaging, and secretion of exportable proteins in the lacrimal gland. Additionally, autophagocytosis and alteration of secretory granules may partially result from the interaction of vinblastine with membranes.
Examining the physical meaning of the bank erosion coefficient used in meander migration modeling

Widely used models of meander evolution relate migration rate to vertically averaged near-bank velocity through the use of a coefficient of bank erosion (E). In applications to floodplain management problems, E is typically determined through calibration to historical planform changes, and thus its physical meaning remains unclear. This study attempts to clarify the extent to which E depends on measurable physical characteristics of the channel boundary materials using data from the Sacramento River, California, USA. Bend-average values of E were calculated from measured long-term migration rates and computed near-bank velocities. In the field, unvegetated bank material resistance to fluvial shear (k) was measured for four cohesive and noncohesive bank types using a jet-test device. At a small set of bends for which both E and k were obtained, we discovered that variability in k explains much of the variability in E. The form of this relationship suggests that when modeling long-term meander migration of large rivers, E depends largely on bank material properties. This finding opens up the possibility that E may be estimated directly from field data, enabling prediction of meander migration rates for systems where historical data are unavailable or controlling conditions have changed. Another implication is that vegetation plays a limited role in affecting long-term meander migration rates of large rivers like the Sacramento River. These hypotheses require further testing with data sets from other large rivers.
Biogasification of solid wastes by two-phase anaerobic fermentation

Abstract Municipal, industrial and agricultural solid wastes, and biomass deposits cause large-scale pollution of land and water. Gaseous products of waste decomposition pollute the air and contribute to global warming. This paper describes the development of a two-phase fermentation system that alleviates methanogenic inhibition encountered with high-solids feeds, accelerates methane fermentation of solid bed, and captures methane (renewable energy) for captive use to reduce global warming. The innovative system consisted of a solid-bed reactor packed with simulated solid waste at a density of 160 kg/m 3 and operated with recirculation of the percolated culture (bioleachate) through the bed. A rapid onset of solids hydrolysis, acidification, denitrification and hydrogen gas formation was observed under these operating conditions. However, these fermentative reactions stopped after about 2.5 months of solid-bed fermentation at which time total volatile fatty acids (VFA) concentration accumulated to 13,000 mg/l (as acetic) at pH 5, and the reactor head-gas consisted of 75% carbon dioxide, 20% nitrogen, 2% hydrogen and 3% methane. The VFA concentration and gas composition remained virtually constant for an additional 2.5 months of solid-bed fermentation indicating inhibition of the hydrolysis–acidification process. Inhibition of acidogenic fermentation was alleviated by moving the bioleachate to a separate methane-phase fermenter, and recycling methanogenic effluents at pH 7.5 to the solid bed. Coupled operation of the two reactors during the following 4.5 months of two-phase fermentation achieved methanogenic conversion of about 30% of the volatile solids (VS) content of the high-solids feed. Process operation was continuing.
Work in progress — A practical model for achieving gender parity in undergraduate computing: Change the system, not the student

This paper presents a systemic change model of undergraduate computing for accomplishing gender parity. Rather than view women as needing to be modified or repaired to fit the system, this model advocates changing the system to fit the needs of a wider range of students. Changing the system is a more sustainable approach to creating gender parity than providing extra support to students with less experience or background or students who are less likely to feel that people like themselves belong in computing. The systemic change model is founded in research specific to computing education, research on undergraduate retention in general, research on conceptions and misconceptions of computing careers, and research, theory, and practices of communication. The parts of the model and examples of practices that can change the system in ways consistent with research are presented.
Digital Sherpa: a set of high level tools to manage scientific applications in a computational grid

Currently users of high performance computers are overwhelmed with non scalable tasks such as job submission and monitoring, a problem that gets compounded when trying to run complex scientific applications requiring the coordination of several interrelated programs. Digital Sherpa (DS) is a grid tool set for coordinating the execution of multiple jobs on separate HPC resources; DS automates non-scalable tasks such as job submission and monitoring, and includes recovery features such as resubmission of failed jobs and program restarting. DS has been used to develop a Grid enabled version, MGAC-CGA, of the Modified Genetic Algorithms for Crystals and Clusters (MGAC), a parallel distributed application for the prediction of the structures of atomic clusters and organic crystals using Genetic Algorithms (GA). MGAC-CGA has been successfully tested on the NSF TeraGrid and on several clusters at the University of Utah.
Translation of soybean mosaic virus RNA in vitro: evidence of protein processing.

Abstract The genomic RNA of soybean mosaic virus (SMV), a member of the potyvirus group of plant viruses, was translated in both the wheat germ and reticulocyte cell free systems to identify some viral encoded proteins and as an approach to determining the translational strategy of the virus. The RNA was translated into the same specific set of 10 to 12 polypeptides in both in vitro systems. Immunological tests and peptide analyses indicate that six translation products are related to SMV coat protein, and one of these comigrated with coat protein during electrophoresis. Two other antigenically distinct classes of polypeptides were identified by their specific immunoprecipitation with antibody against the SMV cytoplasmic inclusion body protein or tobacco etch virus nuclear inclusion body protein. To determine if any products of the in vitro translation reactions resulted from proteolytic processing of a precursor molecule, translation reactions were carried out with amino terminal label N -formyl[ 35 S]methionyl-tRNA Met i (f-Met), or with [ 35 S]methionine, and the resultant products were compared. The putative SMV coat protein and a translation product related to the nuclear inclusion body protein were not labeled with f-Met indicating that they were generated by proteolytic processing at their amino termini. Consistent with this finding is the accumulation of new polypeptides of greater apparent molecular weight when amino acid analogs were present during translation.
Inhibin and beta type transforming growth factor (TGFβ) have opposite modulating effects on the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH)-induced aromatase activity of cultured rat granulosa cells

We have recently observed that attomolar concentration of exogenously added TGF beta, a molecule structurally related to inhibin, can stimulate the basal secretion of FSH in a pituitary cell culture. Inhibin purified from porcine follicular fluid antagonizes this activity of TGF beta. To understand further the homeostatic regulatory properties of inhibin and TGF beta we have investigated whether the aromatase activity of ovarian granulosa cells is also subject to intra-ovarian modulation by these peptides. Granulosa cells from immature hypophysectomized diethylstilbestrol-treated rats were cultured for 2 days with androstenedione (10(-7) M) as a substrate, oFSH (2 ng), and different amounts of TGF beta or inhibin. Basal estrogen secretion was negligible and remained unaffected by treatment with purified TGF beta or inhibin (10 ng/ml), whereas treatment with oFSH (2 ng/ml) produced a 100-fold increase in estrogen accumulation. The concurrent application of increasing concentrations (10 pg-10 ng/ml) of TGF beta produced dose-dependent increments in the FSH-stimulated accumulation of estrogen with a ED50 of 0.3 +/- 0.02 ng/ml. On the other hand, concurrent incubation of FSH with inhibin ranging from 10 pg to 10 ng/ml decreases the FSH-mediated estrogen secretion. TGF beta antagonizes the inhibition of inhibin on aromatase activity. These findings suggest that inhibin and TGF beta, two closely related molecules, play novel and opposite roles in modulating the follicular functions.
Spectroscopy and lasing performance of a new solid state laser crystal--Nd:GdLiF4

Laser action of Nd3+ doped GdLiF4 (GLF) has been demonstrated for the first time for both pulsed and CW laser pumped operation. A slope efficiency of 60% was obtained in either manner of operation. Detailed comparison studies show that the spectroscopic properties and laser performance of Nd:GLF are very similar to those of Nd:YLF. GLF, on the other hand, can be doped with much higher Nd3+ concentration.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Seeing culture through the eye of the beholder: four methods in pursuit of taste

When it comes to making aesthetic decisions, people commonly account for their taste with intuition. A cultural good, symbol, or object is simply right and respondents “know it when they see it.” This article investigates the cultural meanings professional tastemakers see as they make such deliberations, while also illustrating the problems sociologists have in seeing culture. Using the case of fashion model casting and scouting, I present four methods to trace how cultural producers recognize and value models’ looks in the global fashion market, demonstrating how each method results in a different emphasis on how culture is used to acquire and deploy aesthetic sense. First, interviews capture justifications of aesthetic decisions, as well as general processes about day-to-day work routines, which are next tested with network analysis, the second method, which emphasizes structural arrangements in taste decisions. The third method, ethnography, discovers taste as a situated form of knowledge production and emphasizes culture in interaction. The fourth and related method, observant participation, sees taste as phenomenological as culture becomes embodied and tacit consciousness. Each of these methods is an optical device that renders a particular and complimentary account of taste and affords researchers a certain way to see how culture works.
Single room occupancy (SRO) hotels as mental health risk environments among impoverished women: the intersection of policy, drug use, trauma, and urban space.

Due to the significantly high levels of comorbid substance use and mental health diagnosis among urban poor populations, examining the intersection of drug policy and place requires a consideration of the role of housing in drug user mental health. In San Francisco, geographic boundedness and progressive health and housing polices have coalesced to make single room occupancy hotels (SROs) a key urban built environment used to house poor populations with co-occurring drug use and mental health issues. Unstably housed women who use illicit drugs have high rates of lifetime and current trauma, which manifests in disproportionately high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and depression when compared to stably housed women. We report data from a qualitative interview study (n=30) and four years of ethnography conducted with housing policy makers and unstably housed women who use drugs and live in SROs. Women in the study lived in a range of SRO built environments, from publicly-funded, newly built SROs to privately-owned, dilapidated buildings, which presented a rich opportunity for ethnographic comparison. Applying Rhodes et al.’s framework of socio-structural vulnerability, we explore how SROs can operate as “mental health risk environments” in which macro-structural factors (housing policies shaping the built environment) interact with meso-level factors (social relations within SROs) and micro-level, behavioral coping strategies to impact women’s mental health. The degree to which SRO built environments were “trauma-sensitive” at the macro level significantly influenced women’s mental health at meso- and micro- levels. Women who were living in SROs which exacerbated fear and anxiety attempted, with limited success, to deploy strategies on the meso- and micro- level to manage their mental health symptoms. Study findings underscore the importance of housing polices which consider substance use in the context of current and cumulative trauma experiences in order to improve quality of life and mental health for unstably housed women.
Preliminary Observations on the Treatment of Parchment Paper with Sodium or Calcium Propionate

Summary 1. Unsalted and salted butters deliberately contaminated with mold spores were wrapped in parchment papers, soaked either in sterile distilled water, or 8, 16 and 20 per cent solutions of sodium or calcium propionate, and stored for 11–12 weeks at high humidities at 50° F. to observe the extent of mold growth on the surface of the butter or parchment. 2. Marked inhibition of mold development occurred when the butters were wrapped in parchment papers treated with the solutions of sodium or calcium propionate, especially with the higher concentrations. 3. The inhibition was much more pronounced in the case of salted butter.
Body mass index and colon cancer screening: The road ahead

Screening for colorectal cancer (CRC) has been associated with a decreased incidence and mortality from CRC. However, patient adherence to screening is less than desirable and resources are limited even in developed countries. Better identification of individuals at a higher risk could result in improved screening efforts. Over the past few years, formulas have been developed to predict the likelihood of developing advanced colonic neoplasia in susceptible individuals but have yet to be utilized in mass screening practices. These models use a number of clinical factors that have been associated with colonic neoplasia including the body mass index (BMI). Advances in our understanding of the mechanisms by which obesity contributes to colonic neoplasia as well as clinical studies on this subject have proven the association between BMI and colonic neoplasia. However, there are still controversies on this subject as some studies have arrived at different conclusions on the influence of BMI by gender. Future studies should aim at resolving these discrepancies in order to improve the efficiency of screening strategies.
A qualitative evaluation of capnography use in paediatric sedation: perceptions, practice and barriers

Aims and Objectives We explored perceptions about capnography for procedural sedation and barriers to use in a paediatric emergency department. Background Capnography is a sensitive monitor of ventilation and is increasingly being studied in procedural sedation. While benefits have been found, it has not gained wide acceptance for monitoring of children during sedation. Design A qualitative exploratory study was performed. Methods Using a grounded theory approach, physicians and nurses from the paediatric emergency department participated in one-on-one interviews about their experiences with and opinions of capnography. An iterative process of data collection and analysis was used to inductively generate theories and themes until theoretical saturation was achieved. Results Five physicians and 12 nurses were interviewed. Themes included: Experiences: Participants felt that procedural sedation is safe and adverse events are rare. Normal capnography readings reassured providers about the adequacy of ventilation. Knowledge: Despite experience with capnography, knowledge and comfort varied. Most participants requested additional education and training. Diffusion of Use: While participants expressed positive opinions about capnography, use for sedation was infrequent. Many participants felt that capnography use increased in other paediatric populations, such as patients with altered mental status, ingestions or head trauma. Barriers: Identified barriers to use included a lack of comfort with or knowledge about equipment, lack of availability of the monitor and cannulas, lack of inclusion of these supplies on a checklist for procedural sedation preparedness, and lack of a policy for use of capnography during sedation. Conclusion Capnography use during sedation in the paediatric emergency department is limited despite positive experiences and opinions about this device. Addressing modifiable barriers such as instrument availability, continuing education, and inclusion on a checklist may increase use of capnography during sedation. Relevance to clinical practice Despite the perceived benefits, a broad implementation plan is required to introduce capnography successfully to the paediatric emergency department.
On interaction between MAC and transport layers for media streaming in 802.11 Ad-hoc networks

We examine the validity of TCP-friendliness and the utility of equation-based congestion control as a mean for the media streaming service in 802.11 multi-hop networks. Our investigation is motivated by the recent findings of the bandwidth-delay product of 802.11 multi-hop networks via intensive computer simulations. We show that TCP behavior in 802.11 multi-hop networks is generally inefficient and unstable because the standard TCP is too aggressive considering the low bandwidth-delay product of 802.11 networks. We introduce the concept of the `fractional window' mechanism (which resembles the stop-and-go protocol) for TCP, and show that the modified TCP is more stable and efficient while outperforming the legacy TCP in 802.11-based ad hoc networks. Finally, we show that many of the typical problems of TCP protocol (performance, network fairness, and TCP-friendliness) in 802.11 networks can be solved simply by increasing the bandwidth-delay product of 802.11 networks without any TCP modification. Based on this observation, we conclude that the assumption of the ideal steady-state TCP behavior is generally invalid in 802.11 multi-hop networking environment, and that congestion control based on TCP-friendly equation can hardly provide TCP-fair throughput and smoothness in 802.11 multi-hop networking environment.© (2004) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
It's Not Whether You Win or Lose, but How You Play the Game: Self-Interest, Social Justice, and Mass Attitudes toward Market Transition

To explore systematic differences in economic reasoning and what might account for them, we investigate how sociocultural conditions affect transitions to market economies in the West African country of Benin. We probe the importance of several factors: basic economic norms, utility maximization behavior, individual-level personal capital, and individual-level social capital. The evidence, based on experiments embedded in an opinion survey, indicates that Beninese citizens widely share commitments to the basic foundations of economic interaction, e.g., property rights. The nature of social capital varies across cultural and political contexts and accounts for cross-contextual variation in the costs associated with cooperative behavior and in utility maximization behavior.
An index for comparing the inhibitory action of vasodilators

Abstract An index for comparing the inhibitory effects of vasodilators was developed to gain insight into their mechanism of action on vascular smooth muscle. Rat aortic strips were bathed in Krebs bicarbonate solution and were initially contracted to a stable tension by either phenylephrine or barium chloride. A vasodilator was then added and the remaining tension was noted; this was repeated for cumulative concentrations of vasodilator. At each concentration of vasodilator, the percent reduction in phenylephrine-induced tension (Phe) was compared to the percent reduction in barium-induced tension (Ba) and was expressed as a ratio (Phe/Ba). This ratio clearly separated verapamil and nifedipine (ratio 1) which interferes with intracellular calcium mobilization. This index provides a method for comparing the action of those agents presently classified as non-receptor specific vasodilators which act directly on vascular smooth muscle.
THREE PERIOD HOMOLOGS IN MAMMALS : DIFFERENTIAL LIGHT RESPONSES IN THE SUPRACHIASMATIC CIRCADIAN CLOCK AND OSCILLATING TRANSCRIPTS OUTSIDE OF BRAIN

We have cloned and characterized the mouse cDNA of a third mammalian homolog of the Drosophila period gene and designated it mPer3. The mPER3 protein shows approximately 37% amino acid identity with mPER1 and mPER2 proteins. The three mammalian PER proteins share several regions of sequence homology, and each contains a protein dimerization PAS domain. mPer3 RNA levels oscillate in the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) and eyes. In the SCN, mPer3 RNA levels are not acutely altered by light exposure at different times during subjective night. This contrasts with the acute induction by light of mPer1 and mPer2 RNA levels during early and late subjective night. mPer3 is widely expressed in tissues outside of brain. In liver, skeletal muscle, and testis, mPer RNAs exhibit prominent, synchronous circadian oscillations. The results highlight the differential light responses among the three mammalian Per genes in the SCN and raise the possibility of circadian oscillators in mammals outside of brain and retina.
Efficient searching of globally optimal and smooth multi-surfaces with shape priors

Despite extensive studies in the past, the problem of segmenting globally optimal multiple surfaces in 3D volumetric images remains challenging in medical imaging. The problem becomes even harder in highly noisy and edge-weak images. In this paper we present a novel and highly efficient graph-theoretical iterative method based on a volumetric graph representation of the 3D image that incorporates curvature and shape prior information. Compared with the graph-based method, applying the shape prior to construct the graph on a specific preferred shape model allows easy incorporation of a wide spectrum of shape prior information. Furthermore, the key insight that computation of the objective function can be done independently in the x and y directions makes local improvement possible. Thus, instead of using global optimization technique such as maximum flow algorithm, the iteration based method is much faster. Additionally, the utilization of the curvature in the objective function ensures the smoothness. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first paper to combine the shape-prior penalties with utilizing curvature in objective function to ensure the smoothness of the generated surfaces while striving for achieving global optimality. To evaluate the performance of our method, we test it on a set of 14 3D OCT images. Comparing to the best existing approaches, our experiments suggest that the proposed method reduces the unsigned surface positioning errors form 5.44 ± 1.07(μm) to 4.52 ± 0.84(μm). Moreover, our method has a much improved running time, yields almost the same global optimality but with much better smoothness, which makes it especially suitable for segmenting highly noisy images. The proposed method is also suitable for parallel implementation on GPUs, which could potentially allow us to segment highly noisy volumetric images in real time.
A mitochondrial-DNA-based phylogeny for some evolutionary-genetic model species of Colias butterflies (Lepidoptera, Pieridae)

Abstract We study the phylogenetic relationships among some North American Colias (“sulfur”) butterflies, using mitochondrial gene sequences (ribosomal RNA, cytochrome oxidase I + II) totaling about 20% of the mitochondrial genome. We find that (1) the lowland species complex shows a branching order different from earlier views; (2) several montane and northern taxa may be more distinct than in earlier views; (3) one morphologically conservative Holarctic assemblage, C. hecla , is differentiated at the molecular-genetic level into at least three taxa which occupy distinct positions in the phylogeny and are sisters to diverse other taxa. These conclusions, constituting phylogenetic hypotheses, are supported by parsimony, maximum-likelihood, and Bayesian reconstruction algorithms. They are tested formally, by interior branch tests and paired-site tests, against alternative hypotheses derived from conventional species and subspecies naming combinations. In all cases our hypotheses are supported by these tests and the conventional alternatives are rejected. The “barcoding” subset of cytochrome oxidase I sequence identifies only some of the taxa supported by our full data set. Comparison of genetic divergence values among Colias taxa with those among related Pierid butterflies suggests that species radiations within Colias are comparatively younger. This emerging Colias phylogeny facilitates comparisons of genetic polymorphism and other adaptive mechanisms among taxa, thereby connecting micro- and macro-evolutionary processes.
ESTIMATION OF SOFT TISSUE INTERPOSITION AFTER FEMORAL HEAD AND NECK EXCISION IN DOGS USING VENTRODORSAL PELVIC RADIOGRAPHY

Extended-hip ventrodorsal pelvic radiographs performed on 16 dogs after femoral head and neck excision, with (n = S) and without (n = 8) biceps femoris interpositional muscle flaps, were used to estimate the relative amount of soft tissue interposition between the femoral ostectomy site and acetabulum. A linear measurement was made of the shortest distance between the femoral ostectomy and the acetabulum. The linear measurement was capable of determining the presence of biceps femoris muscle flaps in most dogs prior to flap atrophy or necrosis, but failed to be predictive of limb function as determined by functional limb usage grading, force plate analysis, and thigh circumference measurements.
A Review of the Effects of Opioids on Psychomotor and Cognitive Functioning in Humans

The literature on the effects of opioids on psychomotor and cognitive functioning in humans is evaluated. Some studies have examined the acute and chronic effects of various opioids on different subject populations. In addition, epidemiologic studies have examined the neuropsychological functioning
HYDRODYNAMIC STUDIES IN FISCHER-TROPSCH DERIVED WAXES IN A BUBBLE COLUMN

Gas hold-up and Sauter mean bubble diameter measurements were made in a 0.051 m diameter by 3 m long glass bubble column in the system, nitrogen-molten wax, with three different waxes (paraffin wax FT-300, Sasol's Arge wax and Mobil's reactor wax). Paraffin wax has a tendency to foam and gas hold-up is a strong function of gas distributor type, temperature and start-up procedure, whereas the reactor waxes do not foam and are much less affected by these variables, In experiments at 265°C with a 1.85 mm single hole orifice plate distributor the gas hold-ups were nearly the same for all three waxes. However, significant differences in Sauter mean bubble diameters were obtained in experiments with different waxes; FT-300 wax produced the smallest Sauter mean bubble diameters whereas Mobil's reactor wax produced the largest bubbles. Addition of 1-octadecanol and octadecanoic acid (up to 10wt%) to the FT-300 paraffin wax caused an increase in gas hold-up and a delay in the foam break-up in runs at 265°C with th...
A tutorial on the visualization of forward orbits associated with Siegel disks in the quadratic Julia sets

Abstract This article presents the use of computer graphics to gain a better understanding of the dynamics occurring in the Siegel disk Julia Sets. Traditional images of the Julia Sets usually display only the final behavior of the forward orbits of each point in the discretized complex plane. For each pixel in the image, a forward orbit must be computed—usually the information contained in the orbit is thrown away. This approach examines the orbit as well as its final behavior.
Simulation metamodeling through artificial neural networks

Abstract Simulation metamodeling has been a major research field during the last decade. The main objective has been to provide robust, fast decision support aids to enhance the overall effectiveness of decision-making processes. This paper discusses the importance of simulation metamodeling through artificial neural networks (ANNs), and provides general guidelines for the development of ANN-based simulation metamodels. Such guidelines were successfully applied in the development of two ANNs trained to estimate the manufacturing lead times (MLT) for orders simultaneously processed in a four-machine job shop. The design of intelligent systems such as ANNs may help to avoid some of the drawbacks of traditional computer simulation. Metamodels offer significant advantages regarding time consumption and simplicity to evaluate multi-criteria situations. Their operation is notoriously fast compared to the time required to operate conventional simulation packages.