cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Why multiple b-values are required for multi-tensor models. evaluation with a constrained log-euclidean model

Multi-tensor models have been proposed to assess multiple fiber orientations but are known to be numerically challenging. We show that the estimation cannot be performed with a single-shell HARDI acquisition because the fitting procedure leads to an infinite number of solutions ; multiple-shell HARDI acquisitions are required. Additionally, we propose a new log-euclidean constrained two-tensor model capable of assessing crossing fibers configurations with a relative limited number of DW acquisitions. We provide numerical experiments with this model to verify experimentally the necessity of multiple-shell HARDI acquisitions schemes for multitensor models.
Nucleation and growth of Ω phase in Al-4.0 Cu-0.5 Mg-0.5 Ag alloy—An in situ hot-stage TEM study

Abstract An in situ hot-stage TEM study was conducted in an Al-4.0 Cu-0.5 Mg-0.5 Ag (wt%) alloy to study nucleation and growth of the Ω phase. Nucleation of Ω phase was found to occur uniformly with no apparent preference for defects present in the as-quenched microstructure and preferential growth along the {112}α|[100]Ω direction was observed. There was a strong interaction between matrix dislocations and the Ω precipitates. The thickening kinetics were accelerated by the presence of these matrix dislocations at the interface, apparently due to both diffusion and a dislocation dissociation mechanism of a 2[100] → a 3[111] + a 6[11 2 ] , where the Frank partials accommodate the large misfit normal to the habit plane. During growth, impingement of twin-related variants of Ω produces both planar and faceted twin boundaries, depending on the orientation of the boundary plane. Very large (≈2900 nm) and thick (≈300 nm) plates of Ω were found to co-exist with equilibrium θ precipitates at 400°C.
MEC-2 regulates C. elegans DEG/ENaC channels needed for mechanosensation

Touch sensitivity in animals relies on nerve endings in the skin that convert mechanical force into electrical signals. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, gentle touch to the body wall is sensed by six mechanosensory neurons that express two amiloride-sensitive Na+ channel proteins (DEG/ENaC). These proteins, MEC-4 and MEC-10, are required for touch sensation and can mutate to cause neuronal degeneration. Here we show that these mutant or 'd' forms of MEC-4 and MEC-10 produce a constitutively active, amiloride-sensitive ionic current when co-expressed in Xenopus oocytes, but not on their own. MEC-2, a stomatin-related protein needed for touch sensitivity, increased the activity of mutant channels about 40-fold and allowed currents to be detected with wild-type MEC-4 and MEC-10. Whereas neither the central, stomatin-like domain of MEC-2 nor human stomatin retained the activity of full-length MEC-2, both produced amiloride-sensitive currents with MEC-4d. Our findings indicate that MEC-2 regulates MEC-4/MEC-10 ion channels and raise the possibility that similar ion channels may be formed by stomatin-like proteins and DEG/ENaC proteins that are co-expressed in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Some of these channels may mediate mechanosensory responses.
Demystifying the hospital information system/radiology information system integration process.

Most organizations planning to implement picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) are aware of the need to integrate the hospital information system (HIS) and radiology information system (RIS) with the PACS, yet few are acutely aware of the challenges associated with this requirement. This report highlights the results of collaborative efforts between Children’s Hospital Medical Center-Cincinnati (CHMC) applications specialists with expertise in the HIS and CHMC information system, radiology staff familiar with the enterprise and radiology workflow and data flow requirements; and General Electric integration engineers familiar with the SMS HIS and RIS, and GE PACS. CHMC received Board approval, including full funding of the entire PACS project, in October 1998. An aggressive time frame for installation was established, as CHMC’s PACS leadership committed to the selection, design, and implementation of PACS and computed radiography (CR) within 18 to 20 months. CHMC selected GE (Milwaukee, WI) as its PACS vendor in July 1999, and began its implementation in November 1999. We will present the four-stage integration process undertaken at CHMC: (1) planning the integration effort, (2) designing the Interface, (3) building the interface, and (4) testing the Interface.
Effect of Support Pore Size on Activity of Immobilized Sulfhydryl Oxidase

Both sulfhydryl oxidase and heat denatured milk proteins exist as highly associated, large protein complexes; therefore, the catalytic activity of immobilized forms of the enzyme should be dependent upon the pore size of the support matrix. A method was optimized for immobilization of the enzyme on succinamidopropyl-glass with water-soluble carbodiimide to activate carboxyl groups. With both heated skim milk and reduced glutathione substrates most of the activity occurred on the outer surface of the particles for enzyme immobilized on porous beads having mean pore diameters ranging from 500 A to 3000 A. Furthermore, Arrhenius plots did not indicate significant effects of pore diffusion. Also molecular sieve chromatographic experiments showed that enzyme and denatured whey proteins were excluded from the pore volume. Finally, equivalent or higher activity per unit volume of support could be obtained with nonporous materials such as glass beads.
The Large Intestine as a Major Reservoir for Simian Immunodeficiency Virus in Macaques with Long-Term, Nonprogressing Infection

Although patients with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection who are receiving antiretroviral therapy and those with long-term, nonprogressive infection (LTNPs) usually have undetectable viremia, virus persists in tissue reservoirs throughout infection. However, the distribution and magnitude of viral persistence and replication in tissues has not been adequately examined. Here, we used the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) macaque model to quantify and compare viral RNA and DNA in the small (jejunum) and large (colon) intestine of LTNPs. In LTNPs with chronic infection, the colon had consistently higher viral levels than did the jejunum. The colon also had higher percentages of viral target cells (memory CD4+ CCR5+ T cells) and proliferating memory CD4+ T cells than did the jejunum, whereas markers of cell activation were comparable in both compartments. These data indicate that the large intestine is a major viral reservoir in LTNPs, which may be the result of persistent, latently infected cells and higher turnover of naive and central memory CD4+ T cells in this major immunologic compartment.
Collagen prolyl 3-hydroxylation: a major role for a minor post-translational modification?

AbstractProlyl 3-hydroxylation is a rare but conserved post-translational modification in many collagen types and, when defective, may be linked to a number of human diseases with musculoskeletal and potentially ocular and renal pathologies. Prolyl 3-hydroxylase-1 (P3H1), the enzyme responsible for converting proline to 3-hydroxyproline (3Hyp) in type I collagen, requires the coenzyme CRTAP for activity. Mass spectrometric analysis showed that the Crtap−/− mouse was missing 3-hydroxyproline in type I collagen α-chains. This finding led to the discovery of mutations in genes encoding the P3H1 complex as a cause of recessively inherited osteogenesis imperfecta (brittle bone disease). Since then, many additional 3Hyp sites have been identified in various collagen types and classified based on observed substrate and tissue specificity. P3H1 is part of a family of gene products that also includes isoenzymes P3H2 and P3H3 as well as CRTAP and Sc65. It is believed these isoenzymes and coenzyme proteins have evol...
Predicting the energy of the water exchange reaction and free energy of solvation for the uranyl ion in aqueous solution.

The structures and vibrational frequencies of UO2(H2O)42+ and UO2(H2O)52+ have been calculated using density functional theory and are in reasonable agreement with experiment. The energies of various reactions were calculated at the density functional theory (DFT) and MP2 levels; the latter provides the best results. Self-consistent reaction field calculations in the PCM and SCIPCM approximations predicted the free energy of the water exchange reaction, UO2(H2O)42+ + H2O ↔ UO2(H2O)52+. The calculated free energies of reaction are very sensitive to the choice of radii (O and H) and isodensity values in the PCM and SCIPCM models, respectively. Results consistent with the experimental HEXS value of −1.19 ± 0.42 kcal/mol (within 1−3 kcal/mol) are obtained with small cavities. The structures and vibrational frequencies of the clusters with second solvation shell waters: UO2(H2O)4(H2O)82+, UO2(H2O)4(H2O)102+, UO2(H2O)4(H2O)112+, UO2(H2O)5(H2O)72+, and UO2(H2O)5(H2O)102+, were calculated and are in better agree...
Herpes simplex virus from respiratory tract secretions: Epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and outcome in immunocompromised and nonimmunocompromised hosts

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the course of patients with herpes simplex virus (HSV) recovered from respiratory tract secretions, and to compare the demographics, clinical characteristics, and outcomes of immunocompromised versus nonimmunocompromised patiente. Patients and Methods: Retrospective review of medical records of 42 consecutive patiente who had respiratory tract cultures positive for HSV-1 between May 1988 and August 1990 at a major university-affiliated hospital. Results: Twenty-seven patiente (64%) were not immunocompromised. On the average, the nonimmunocompromised patiente were 20 years older (mean age: 67 ± 15, p=0.001), had a higher incidence of tobacco smoking (p = 0.04), and were more frequently endotracheally intubated prior to HSV isolation (p = 0.002). Nonimmuno-compromised patiente more frequently had bronchospasm (44% versus 7%, p=0.01), leukocytosis (16,400 versus 6,900/mm 3 , p=0.001), and difficulty weaning from mechanical ventilation (63% versus 13%, p=0.002). Mortality was also greater in the nonimmunocompromised group (70% versus 33%, p=0.02). In addition, for survivors, days of mechanical ventilation (8 ± 7 versus 2 ± 4, p=0.03), length of stay in the intensive care unit (10 ± 8 versus 2 ± 4 days, p=0.004), and length of stay in the hospital (37 ± 23 versus 16 ± 14 days, p=0.04) were all significantly longer for the nonimmunocompromised patiente. Conclusion: These data suggest that HSV isolation from lower respiratory secretions is associated with a more severe presentation and a worse outcome in immunocompetent patiente than in immunosuppressed patiente.
Cauda equina compression secondary to metastatic carcinoma of the uterine corpus: Preservation of neurologic function and long-term survival following surgical decompression and radiation therapy

Abstract Spinal cord or cauda equina compression secondary to epidural metastasis rarely develops in patients with endometrial carcinoma and the early signs and symptoms of compression can therefore be inadvertently overlooked. A 78-year-old patient who developed bone metastasis with destruction of the fifth lumbar vertebral body and blockage of the cauda equina at L-4, L-5 as the only sites of metastasis is reported. This occurred 2 years after initial treatment of a stage IB, well-differentiated, grade I, adenosquamous carcinoma of the endometrium. The patient remains alive, with good neurological function and free of metastatic disease, 212 years following vertebrectomy, radiation therapy, and adjuvant Provera (medroxyprogesterone acetate) therapy. This patient represents the only case of metastatic endometrial cancer with cauda equina compression in the literature in whom long-term disease-free follow-up has been noted.
Elastic and Anelastic Response of Polycrystalline UO2‐PuO2

A sonic resonance technique was used to investigate the room-temperature elastic and anelastic properties of physically mixed U0.8PU0.2O2 as a function of density, stoichiometry, and cation homogeneity. The effect of porosity on the elastic moduli was linear and is described by E=2102.7 (1–2.03P)± 13.5 Kbars for the Young's modulus, G=823.5(1–2.05P)± 9.1 kbars for the shear modulus, and B= 1584.8(1–1.89P)± 59.1 kbars for the bulk modulus, where P is the volume fraction porosity. Poisson's ratio was 0.28 and was not a function of porosity. The Debye temperature of U0.8Pu0.2O2 computed from the Young's and shear moduli for theoretically dense specimens was 379°K. Variation of the O/M ratio from 1.968 to 2.006 produced no significant change in either the damping capacity or the elastic moduli of single-phase 80%UO2-20% PuO2 solid solutions. An approximate 24% decrease of the room-temperature Young's and shear moduli and an approximate increase by a factor of 14 in the internal friction were observed with gross modifications of plutonium cation homogeneity. Preliminary results suggest that internal friction measurements might be used to assay the homogeneity of UO2-PuO2 solid solutions.
A syndetic approach to referring phenomena in multimodal interaction

User interfaces of many application systems have begun to include multiple devices which can be used together to input single expressions. Such interfaces (and even the whole application systems) are widely labelled multi-modal, since they use different types of communication channels to acquire information.
NECROTISING VASCULITIS ASSOCIATED WITH LETHAL RETICULOENDOTHELIAL DISEASES

SUMMARY. Three cases are reported of necrotising vasculitis occurring with or preceding the onset of a malignant reticular disease. The vasculitis occurred at about the time lymphosarcoma was diagnosed in one patient who had received penicillin. In a second patient the appearance of vasculitis preceded the diagnosis of Hodgkin's granuloma by 2 months. And in a third patient, vasculitis was present about 6 years prior to the development of possible multiple myeloma. These cases emphasize that vasculitis and lymphoma may coexist. The clinician must be alert to the possibility of the development of lymphoma in patients with necrotising vasculitis of chronic course. Treatment with immunosuppressive drugs in two patients resulted in only temporary improvement, and the skin lesions recurred in spite of continued therapy. This raises some doubt concerning the immunological etiology of necrotising vasculitis.
Achieving fiscal fitness: Budgeting basics for patient education managers

Patient education managers must be adept at developing and employing mechanisms for management planning and control; the operating budget is among the most powerful of such management tools. As a component of operational planning, the budget must be based upon clearly formulated program goals and objectives. Focusing on characteristics relevant to budgeting, the organization of one patient education department is described in this article. The budget categories employed by that department are presented as one possible budget framework. A simplified example of estimating costs for a new patient education activity is then illustrated. Emphasizing the imperative of linking funding appeals to administrative priorities, basic guidance concerning justification of funding requests is offered. The use of budget reports to analyze variance between actual and budgeted expenditures is subsequently examined. Finally, the article underscores the fact that continual effort to cultivate administrative support is a requisite for securing increased funding for patient education programs.
An FIA biosensor system for the determination of phosphate.

Abstract A flow injection analysis (FIA) biosensor system for the determination of phosphate was constructed using immobilized nucleoside phosphorylase and zanthine oxidase and an amperometric electrode (platinum vs silver/silver chloride, polarized at 0·7 V). When a phosphate-containing sample was injected into the detection cell, phosphate reacted with inosine in the carrier buffer to produce hypoxanthine and ribose-1-phosphate in the presence of nucleoside phosphorylase. Hypoxanthine was then oxidized by xanthine oxidase to uric acid and hydrogen peroxide, which were both detected by the amperometric electrode. The response of the FIA biosensor system was linear up to 100 μM phosphate, with a minimum detectable concentration of 1·25 μM. phosphate. Each assay could be performed in 5–6 min and the system could be used for about 160 repeated analyses. This system was applicable for the determination of phosphate in various food products and plasma, and the results obtained agreed well with those of the enzymatic assay.
Experimental gliosarcoma induces chemokine receptor expression in rat brain.

Macrophage/microglial infiltration is a characteristic feature of brain tumors. The functional role(s) of these cells is complex and could include both trophic and suppressive effects on tumors. Information has recently emerged about the molecular signals that regulate the accumulation and function of monocytes in pathological disorders. Recent data indicate that the chemokine, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), a potent monocyte activating and chemotactic factor, is a primary regulator of the macrophage response in brain tumors. We hypothesized that if MCP-1 regulates macrophage/microglial infiltration, then expression of the specific MCP-1 receptor, CCR2, will be induced in peritumoral tissue and/or within brain tumors. Identification of a specific receptor that is preferentially expressed in brain tumors could be important both in terms of tumor biology and as a potential therapeutic target. We used an established experimental gliosarcoma model, induced by intracranial transplantation of cultured 9L cells into adult rat brain, to test this hypothesis. RT-PCR analysis showed high levels of both MCP-1 and CCR2 mRNA and Western blot analysis demonstrated increased CCR2 protein in tumor extracts. Immunocytochemistry showed CCR2 immunoreactive microglia in peritumoral tissue and, unexpectedly, that intrinsic tumor cells, rather than monocytes, were the predominant source of CCR2. These results demonstrate that CCR2 expression is markedly upregulated in this brain tumor model.
Movement of glycine across the blood-brain barrier of the rabbit.

The single pass clearance of glycine from the cerebral capillary bed was measured in the rabbit with the indicator diffusion method. It was shown that glycine was extracted to the same degree as fructose (ca. 07). The concentration of glycine injected into the carotid artery was varied some 700-fold without significantly affecting the clearance of this amino acid in transit through the brain. Cross inhibition of the unidirectional movement of glycine was not demonstrable. These present results and most previous studies suggest that this putative neurotransmitter does not cross the blood-brain barrier by a carrier mediated process.
Interaction of Escherichia coli RecA Protein with LexA Repressor I. LexA REPRESSOR CLEAVAGE IS COMPETITIVE WITH BINDING OF A SECONDARY DNA MOLECULE

Essential to the two distinct cellular events of genetic recombination and SOS induction in Escherichia coli, RecA protein promotes the homologous pairing and exchange of DNA strands and the proteolytic cleavage of the LexA repressor, respectively. Since both of these activities require single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and ATP, the inter-relationship between these reactions was investigated and found to display many parallels. The extent of active complex formed between RecA protein and M13 ssDNA, as measured by both ATP hydrolysis and LexA proteolysis, is stimulated in a similar manner by either a reduction in magnesium ion concentration or the presence of single-stranded DNA binding (SSB) protein. However, unexpectedly, SSB protein inhibits both LexA proteolysis and ATP hydrolysis (in assays containing repressor) at concentrations of RecA protein that are substoichiometric to the ssDNA, arguing that LexA repressor affects the competition between RecA and SSB proteins for limited ssDNA binding sites. Additionally, attenuation of LexA repressor cleavage in the presence of double-stranded DNA or by an excess of ssDNA suggests that interaction of the RecA nucleoprotein filament with either LexA repressor or a secondary DNA molecule is mutually exclusive. The significance of these results is discussed in the context of both the regulation of inducible responses to DNA damage, and the competitive relationship between the processes of SOS induction and genetic recombination.
The Worldview Matrix as a Strategy When Designing Mixed Methods Research

Researchers in the social sciences have seen a strong shift known as mixed methods. Despite the widespread utilization of mixed methods across disciplines, the field is evolving both as a methodology, and in terms of the methods used. Mixed methods advocates including Creswell, Collins, Greene, Johnson, Onwuegbuzie, Mertens, Morse, Tashakkori, Teddlie, and interpretive research advocates including Denzin, Flick, and Morgan have all cited pragmatism as the dominant paradigm in mixed methods research. Christ, Maxwell, and Lipscomb recently indicated that alternative paradigms also are viable and available. Considering how paradigms are used in the field of mixed methods research helps the field continue to grow. This paper addresses current discussions about alternatives to pragmatism including critical realism, and, then, presents a tool called the worldview matrix that is designed to assist researchers, methodology teachers, and students to clarify and to organize their mixed methods research designs.
The integration of mind into physics

The proper goal of science is a unified theory of all of nature, including our thoughts. An adequate theory of this kind will resolve the quantum measurement problem, which is to reconcile the nonclassical character of the quantum world with the classical character of our perceptions of it. A framework for such a theory is described. It weds the opposing views of Bohr and Einstein. Bohr held that quantum theory provides rules that relate aspects of our knowledge, while Einstein claimed that basic theory should describe what could be reality itself, not merely our knowledge of it.
Behavior patterns in pigeons during autoshaping with an incremental conditioned stimulus

Pigeons were trained on a variant of the autoshaping procedure in which a keylight stimulus of increasing brightness was used to signal the passing of a 30-sec interfood interval (IFI). Key-pecking developed in all subjects within the first session (65 trials). Within trials, pecking began midway through the IFI, increased throughout the remainder, and decreased just before food delivery. Other behavioral stereotypies were also recorded: Low light levels were associated with a retreat to the rear of the test chamber, and medium light levels (during the midportion of the IFI) were associated with high rates of pacing toward and away from the food source. Probe trials revealed that pecking, pacing, and retreat were all under strong stimulus control; that is, when the light was held constant at its lowest or highest brightness, or when the brightness ramp was presented in reverse order, the behavior pattern almost invariably remained tied to stimulus brightness. Results are discussed in terms of associative and nonassociative sources of the form and sequential characteristics of the behavior.
Nifedipine alleviates alterations in hippocampal kindling after repeated ethanol withdrawal.

Background: Current clinical treatment of alcohol detoxification commonly includes pharmacotherapy to lessen the potential for seizures, especially in those patients undergoing repeated treatment. Basic research continues to study the alcohol withdrawal-related kindling of seizures both to understand the mechanisms involved and to identify alternative treatments. Ethanol withdrawal has been shown to result in the delay of electrical kindling at several brain sites, which suggests a long-lasting disruption of neuronal function. Methods: This study focused on the participation of the L-type voltage-gated calcium channels in this process by the treatment of animals during withdrawal with nifedipine, an agent that blocks these channels. Animals were randomly assigned to ethanol (ethanol-exposed/ethanol-naive) and drug treatment (nifedipine/vehicle) groups. Subjects receiving ethanol were exposed to five cycles of 3 days' ethanol exposure, with each exposure cycle separated by a 1-day withdrawal period. Drug treatment was administered twice during each withdrawal period. Twenty days after completion of ethanol exposure, animals received daily kindling stimulations to hippocampal area CA3 until the kindling criterion was attained. Results: Ethanol-exposed animals that received vehicle treatment during ethanol withdrawal required more daily stimulations to become fully kindled than did ethanol-naive controls. This delay in seizure development was most pronounced in the progression from focal seizure behaviors to more generalized seizures. Animals that received the same ethanol exposure but that were treated with nifedipine required significantly fewer stimulations than did ethanol-exposed animals that received vehicle. Ethanol-exposed/ nifedipine-treated animals did not differ from ethanol-naive controls that received vehicle or nifedipine. Conclusions: Alcohol withdrawal-related alterations in seizure-sensitive neural circuitry such as the hippocampus persist long after cessation of ethanol exposure. Furthermore, the L-type voltage-gated calcium channels are involved in this effect in that blockade of these channels during acute withdrawal alleviates alterations in seizure mechanisms on a long-term basis.
Attenuated psychosis syndrome: need for debate on a new disorder.

This ‘pro' statement of the controversial issue, defending the need for a new disorder classification of attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS), provides data supporting the clinical validity of this category and responds to the most frequently asserted criticisms. It provides arguments why APS is not pathologizing non-ill behaviors and is not stigmatizing for those affected but rather they merit clinical attention for what is already manifest. It also argues against the view that establishing the diagnostic category of APS results in an unreasoned excessive use of antipsychotic medications but rather encourages prevention and early intervention programs. Finally, bodies of research are presented which could contribute to further validating APS and provide the preconditions for moving this category from Section 3 to Section 2 of DSM-5.1.
Effects of Lattice Relaxation on Composition and Morphology in Strained In x Ga 1- x As y Sb 1- y Epitaxial Layers

In x Ga1−x As y Sb1−y is an important semiconductor material for a variety of mid-infrared devices. Its tunable bandgap, adjustable lattice constant, and other material properties make it appealing for developing optoelectronic devices in the 2 μm to 4 μm region. In this work, we report on the mechanisms of strain relaxation in In x Ga1−x As y Sb1−y epitaxial layers with low arsenic and high indium concentrations grown on GaSb (100) substrates. Samples were grown via solid-source molecular beam epitaxy with indium mole fractions between x = 0.1 (0.7% lattice mismatch) and x = 0.4 (2.5% lattice mismatch), and arsenic mole fractions between y = 0 and y = 0.02. Sample thicknesses between 10 nm and 100 nm were produced in order to observe the progression of structure formation. Samples were monitored in situ via reflection high-energy electron diffraction and ex situ using scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, backscattering Raman spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. Results suggest that strain relaxation occurs preferentially along the [011] direction, although some crosshatching is observed. A compositional gradient in the growth direction is also observed, suggesting preferential incorporation of gallium at strained interfaces in order to minimize strain energy.
On the Dirichlet problem for minimal graphs in hyperbolic space

Soit Ω⊆R n , n≥2, un domaine borne. On etudie le probleme de Dirichlet suivant: Δf−f i f j •f ij /(1+|df| 2 )+n/f=0 dans Ω, f>0 dans Ω, f| ∂Ω =0 sur ∂Ω. On considere le comportement a la frontiere de la solution
Brainstem frequency-following response and simple motor reaction time.

Simple motor reaction times (RT) in humans show marked trial-to-trial variations. In the present study, a brief tone (400 Hz, 37.5 ms duration) that was the imperative stimulus in a RT paradigm evoked the brainstem frequency-following response (FFR). Horizontal and vertical montage FFRs were recorded to evaluate neural responses with putative origins in auditory nerve and central brainstem, respectively. The main question concerned the possible relationship between trial-to-trial variations in RT speed and FFR response properties. The results showed a reliable pattern in which fast RT trials yielded larger amplitudes (relative to slow trials) in earlier milliseconds of the FFR, and slow RT trials yielded relatively larger amplitudes in later milliseconds of the response. These results support the conclusion that early processing in the auditory brainstem is not automatic and invariant. Rather, short-latency evoked potentials appear to reflect trial-to-trial variations related to events far removed from the first synapes of sensory coding, perhaps depending upon cortically mediated influences such as cognition or attention.
Postseismic relaxation following the 1992 M7.3 Landers and 1999 M7.1 Hector Mine earthquakes, southern California

[1] Postseismic relaxation (measured postseismic deformation less the deformation that would have occurred at the preseismic rate) has been monitored at the same 10 monuments over ∼6 years following both the 1992 Landers and the 1999 Hector Mine earthquakes. For both earthquakes the displacement components of the observed relaxation are well described by γi + αif1(t), where γi and αi are constants peculiar to each component at each monument, t is the time after the earthquake, and f1(t) is a temporal function common to all components and all monuments for that earthquake. The temporal function f1(t) can be approximated by bt + c loge(1 + t/τ), where τ = 38.7 ± 15.2 days and 25.6 ± 7.7 days for the Landers and Hector Mine relaxations, respectively. Because the estimated values of τ do not differ significantly, the transient term loge(1 + t/τ) in the temporal function may be the same for both earthquakes. The asymptotic (t → ∞) relaxation rates αib are only a few mm/a and do not appear to be significantly different following the two earthquakes. The asymptotic deformation rates appear to be slightly greater than the preseismic deformation rates, but the preseismic rates were not measured directly. Thus, the deformations of the Landers array measured over the first 5.6 years following the Landers earthquake and over the first 6.4 years following the Hector Mine earthquake are generally consistent with a simple model in which the transient postearthquake relaxation depends upon time as loge(1 + t/τ) with τ = 28 ± 5 days and the asymptotic postseismic speeds of the monuments exceed the preseismic speeds by at most only a few millimeters per annum.
Potential for coal-to-liquids conversion in the U.S.-resource base.

By applying the multi-Hubbert curve analysis to coal production in the United States, we demonstrate that anthracite production can be modeled with a single Hubbert curve that extends to the practical end of commercial production of this highest-rank coal. The production of bituminous coal from existing mines is about 80% complete and can be carried out at the current rate for the next 20 years. The production of subbituminous coal from existing mines can be carried out at the current rate for 40–45 years. Significant new investment to extend the existing mines and build new ones would have to commence in 2009 to sustain the current rate of coal production, 1 billion tons per year, in 2029. In view of the existing data, we conclude that there is no spare coal production capacity of the size required for massive coal conversion to liquid transportation fuels. Our analysis is independent of other factors that will prevent large-scale coal liquefaction projects: the inefficiency of the process and either emissions of greenhouse gases or energy cost of sequestration.
Astrocyte-mediated control of cerebral microcirculation

Characterization of astrocyte Ca2+ dynamics has been a topic of considerable emphasis for more than a decade. Only recently, however, has the physiological significance of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling started to become clear. Several studies have shown that astrocyte Ca2+ levels become elevated in response to neuronal input and that this, in turn, influences synaptic activity. A novel function of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling has been described by Zonta et al., whereby neuron-induced astrocyte Ca2+ elevations can lead to secretion of vasodilatory substances from perivascular astrocyte endfeet, resulting in improved local blood flow. This finding represents a breakthrough in our knowledge both of astrocyte function and of the mechanism of activity-dependent cerebral blood flow regulation.
The strong, sensitive type : Effects of gender stereotypes and leadership prototypes on the evaluation of male and female leaders

Abstract The disparity between the success of male and female leaders may result from the incongruity between the female sex role and the leadership role. We provide an in-depth test of role congruity theory [Eagly, A. H., & Karau, S. J. (2002). Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. Psychological Review, 109, 573–598] through a mix of qualitative, experimental, and survey methodologies. Our studies identify current male and female leader prototypes and show evidence of both descriptive and prescriptive biases associated with gender in evaluating leaders. In addition, we examined participant sex-type finding that feminine individuals expect that leaders are more sensitive than masculine individuals, who expect that leaders are more masculine, strong, and tyrannical than feminine individuals. Similarly, sensitivity was more strongly associated with female leadership, whereas masculinity, strength, and tyranny were more strongly associated with male leadership. However, for female leaders to be perceived as effective they needed to demonstrate both sensitivity and strength, although male leaders only needed to demonstrate strength.
Cutaneous granulomatous vasculitis: its relationship to systemic disease

Microscopic and medical review of twenty-six patients with skin biopsy specimens that showed granulomatous vasculitis demonstrated vascular histiocytic granulomas with fibrinoid destruction of blood vessels in the dermis and panniculus. Cultures of the biopsy specimens were nonspecific. The skin lesions varied from erythema to papulonodular and vesicular eruptions; they were usually on the extremities but also involved the trunk. Eight patients had systemic lymphoproliferative diseases: three, lymphoma; two, angioimmunoblastic lymphadenopathy; two, preleukemia; and one, chronic granulocytic leukemia. Five of these eight patients died within 2 years after the onset of skin lesions. The four patients with systemic vasculitis died within 1 year after the onset of skin lesions. Five patients with arthritis, four with gastrointestinal disease, three with systemic sarcoidosis or sarcoidlike disease, and one with tuberculosis had a more favorable prognosis. The histologic pattern of cutaneous nonlymphomatoid granulomatous vasculitis is associated with significant systemic disease, especially lymphoproliferative disorders. Patients with lymphoproliferative disorders or systemic vasculitis have a much poorer prognosis than those with inflammatory or infectious granulomatous disease.
Another Look at the Statistician's Role in Experimental Planning and Design

In recent articles in The American Statistician, Hooke (1980) and Hunter (1981) discussed the role of the statistician in the experimental effort. They emphasized that the statistician's most important contribution to research programs often lies in helping to develop the logic of experimentation. The experiences resulting from collaborative efforts of scientists, engineers, and statisticians at the Battelle Columbus Laboratories are consistent with these views. We have found that often the most substantive contribution resulting from the interaction of researchers and statisticians has been to bring about a better understanding of the logical issues involved in the study. In addition, we have observed that many times these contributions are made during the initial planning stages of the experimental program that precede formal consideration of statistical design and data analysis issues. Much of the statistical literature focuses on the contribution that randomization, factorial designs, and other formal statistical concepts can make to the logical development of experimental programs. Few authors have discussed methods for obtaining important qualitative and quantitative information during the initial planning stages of research projects. For example, important information can be obtained through the construction of logic diagrams that outline the proposed tasks in the experimental program. The exercise of creating such diagrams can serve as a catalyst to generate supporting evidence for the need for the tasks, to uncover logical inconsistencies in the experimental approach, or to generate new ideas. In some cases deterministic models can be developed and used for sensitivity, uncertainty, or dimensional analyses. These types of analyses often reveal important parameters and variables, and they often highlight assumptions that are critical to producing valid inferences from the data which will be obtained from the experiment. In many cases these preliminary analyses can result in
Scheduling School Buses

In the scheduling situation considered here, we are given a set of routes, each associated with a particular school. A single bus is assigned to each route, picking up the students and arriving at their school within a specified time window. The scheduling problem is to find the fewest buses needed to cover all the routes while meeting the time window specifications. We present two integer programming formulations of the scheduling problem and apply them to actual data from New Haven, Connecticut for two different years, as well as to 30 randomly generated problems. Linear programming relaxations of these integer programs were found to produce integer solutions more than 75 percent of the time. In the remaining cases, we found that the few fractional values can be adjusted to integer values without increasing the number of buses needed. Our method reduces the number of buses needed by about 25 percent compared to the manual solutions developed by the New Haven school bus scheduler.
Some New Contributions to the Theory of the Main Geomagnetic Field

The magneto-hydrodynamic theories of the earth's main magnetic field rest on the process of simple induction. Since emagn>>emech, this is only possible, if the stronger magnetic field become force-free or pressure-compensated. It is supposed, that the period of≈50 years, that is to be find in the secular variations of the magnetic field vector, in the amplitudes of the Chandler-Wobble and in the lenght of a day are caused by a magneto-hydrodynamic oscillation. The origin of the dipolefield of the earth is to be find in the boundary-layer of the core.
Women, poverty and AIDS: an introduction.

PIP: By the mid-1990s, global human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections among women are expected to equal those among men. This trend reflects economic, political, and cultural factors that limit women's ability to protect themselves from HIV transmission. Studies in developing countries have indicated that HIV-infected women (other than sex workers) do not average significantly more sex partners than uninfected controls; the chief risk factors are poverty, migration to urban centers for employment as domestics, and sexual contact with soldiers or truck drivers. Social marketing projects aimed at increasing condom availability overlook the fact that, in many cultures, fidelity is confirmed by having sex without a condom. The same social forces that place poor women at greater risk of HIV infection are responsible for the inadequate allocation of resources to assist women with HIV and those who serve as caretakers of infected family members. The articles in this monograph illustrate the interaction of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), gender, and poverty in North America and on a global level.
An extension of the divide-and-conquer method for a class of symmetric block-tridiagonal eigenproblems

A divide-and-conquer method for computing eigenvalues and eigenvectors of a block-tridiagonal matrix with rank-one off-diagonal blocks is presented. The implications of unbalanced merging operations due to unequal block sizes are analyzed and illustrated with numerical examples. It is shown that an unfavorable order for merging blocks in the synthesis phase of the algorithm may lead to a significant increase of the arithmetic complexity. A strategy to determine a good merging order that is at least close to optimal in all cases is given. The method has been implemented and applied to test problems from a quantum chemistry application.
Landowner willingness to embed production agriculture and other land use options in residential areas of Chittenden County, VT

Abstract Throughout the world, urbanization is causing a loss of agricultural land as residential and commercial development expand. In Chittenden County, Vermont, U.S.A., this land use conversion has resulted in subdivision of farms into large residential parcels. Some of these residential parcels retain sizeable areas of undeveloped prime agricultural soil, yet the land is effectively removed from agricultural production. This study explored landowner willingness to enroll a portion of their land in a cooperative land management (CLM) scheme. Our results show support for embedding production agriculture and other cooperative land use options in residential parcels. Almost half of the respondents (45.6%) indicated they would enroll a portion of their land in a CLM program, while another 28.4% said “maybe”. A cluster analysis partitioned the respondents into five clusters based on the following variables: percent agricultural land on parcel, parcel size, years in residence, and the population density of the town where the parcel is located. Willingness to participate in the CLM program and different land use options (livestock grazing, vegetables, fruit, field crops, biofuel, maple sugaring, wildflowers, medicinal plants, wildlife corridor, and recreational trails) varied across the clusters. A cluster containing a high percentage of agricultural land (“farms”) had the highest support for production agriculture options, while a cluster of long term residents (old timers) had the lowest. These results are encouraging for farmers seeking access to affordable farmland and for planning efforts seeking increased regional landscape multifunctionality.
Decision Analysis Models for Social Attitudes Toward Inequity

Social preferences for equity in the distribution of net benefits are not represented in a cost-benefit study by the sum of the individuals' net present values. This paper presents two different decision analysts models for representing such an equity issue. For each model, conditions on the tradeoffs between different individuals are shown to imply that preferences can be represented by a special type of group value function. Procedures are presented by which such a group value function can be determined and used as part of a public policy evaluation.
(S, S)-diisopropylethanediol (“DIPED”): A new chiral director for the α-chloro boronic ester synthesis

Abstract (S,S)-Diisopropylethanediol, “DIPED”, has been synthesized by means of our new general chiral diol synthesis based on α-chloro boronic esters, and has in turn been shown to be an effective chiral (R) directing group in this synthesis, consistently yielding (R)/(S)-ratios in the 25:1 to 30:1 range with a series of typical substrates.
Contemporary Compressive Stress and Seismicity in Eastern North America: An Example of Intra-Plate Tectonics

A large region of high horizontal compressive stress is delimited in eastern North America from a combination of fault plane solutions of earthquakes, in situ stress measurements, and geologic observations. Each of these methods, including in situ stress determination by both overcoring and hydrofracturing, yields nearly identical directions for the principal stresses. The maximum compressive stress trends east to northeast over an area extending from west of the Appalachian Mountain system to the middle of the continent, and from southern Illinois to southern Ontario. In eastern North America, intra-plate earthquakes appear to occur in areas of high stress along unhealed fault zones of late Paleozoic or younger age. An example of this is the seismic belt trending from Boston to the northwest through Ottawa. This seismic zone appears to be located along a continental extension of the Kelvin seamount chain which is postulated by others to be a transform fault related to the early opening of the North Atlantic. Similarly, the 1929 Grand Banks earthquake and the Charleston, South Carolina, seismic trend appear to be located along extensions of other oceanic fracture zones. The relation between high stress and unhealed fault zones may provide a means to assess the earthquake risk within plates. The observed pattern of stresses appears to be post-Mesozoic in origin. This work supports Voight9s hypothesis that the compressive stress observed within the North American plate may be generated by the same mechanism that drives the movements of large lithospheric plates. If this is indeed the case, stress measurements may furnish one of the best clues to the driving mechanism of plate tectonics.
Real-time online unsupervised detection and classification for remotely sensed imagery

Realtime online processing is important to provide immediate data analysis for resolving critical situations in real applications of hyperspectral imaging. We have developed a Constrained Linear Discriminant Analysis (CLDA) algorithm, an excellent approach to hyperspectral image classification, and investigated its realtime online implementation. Because the required prior object spectral signatures may be unavailable in practice, we propose its unsupervised version in this paper. The new algorithm includes unsupervised signature estimation in realtime followed by realtime CLDA algorithm for classification. The unsupervised signature estimation is based on linear mixture model and least squares error criterion. The preliminary result using an HYDICE scene demonstrates its feasibility and effectiveness.