cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Online Kernel Scalar Quantization Scheme for Signal Classification

The number of applications requiring signal classification continues to climb, fueled at least partly by the increase in sophistication and throughput of mobile devices. One particular use case of interest is when a sensor can record samples, process the samples, and transmit this data. In this paper, we are interested in understanding the design and behavior of these relay-like classification nodes. We propose a system model consisting of a compress-and-forward relay network where the data at a given relay node is quantized and broadcasted to a fusion center which will determine a corresponding class label for the sample data using online process. In this context, we propose and study an online kernel scalar quantization learning strategy to estimate the decision function and associated empirical conditional probabilities to enhance the overall classification accuracy rate. In doing so, we devise a jointly optimum classification quantization approach that can be applied in a variety of settings in signal processing, machine learning, and communications.
CHAPTER I – FUNDAMENTAL IDEAS

Publisher Summary In Leibniz's definition, the law of correspondence had to be given by an analytical expression. Physicists found only too often that their empirical data, which exhibited a relationship between physical quantities, resisted analytical formulation. As their ideas became more complex, they were often at a loss to find analytic functions that would fit their empirical data that would predict the correspondence between hitherto unexamined values of the variables. In the absence of any analytic function that would describe an obvious correspondence existing between the variables representing physical quantities, the physicist turned to the more general definition of function that places no restrictions on the form of the correspondence. This chapter presents limits involving infinity, operations on limits, an interpretation of ratio, and a functional notation for an average rate of change.
HIGHWAY AND AIRPORT RUNWAY PAVEMENT INSPECTION USING MOBILE LiDAR

Abstract. With an ever-increasing network of thousands of miles of pavement laid out over highways, road networks, and airport runways, their continuous monitoring is a task of utmost importance to public agencies responsible for their maintenance. The existing approaches mostly rely on a manual detection of pavement distress based on acquired image or video data – an approach that is time-consuming, costly, and whose results are subjective to the designated rater. This necessitates the need for a system that is capable of a quick data acquisition along with an efficient algorithm for the detection and quantification of pavement distress based on the acquired data. This paper proposes a LiDAR-based pavement distress detection and quantification using a mobile mapping system (MMS). Starting with a comparison of a medium-grade and high-grade MMS in terms of their accuracy and captured level of detail, this paper proves the ability of the high-grade MMS to allow the detection of shallow potholes and cracks in the pavement. Next, a fully automated algorithm is proposed to detect pavement distress from 3D point cloud followed by a quantification of the severity (in terms of the depth and volume) of the detected potholes/cracks. Finally, an experimental verification conducted over a 10 mile highway segment and two airport runway strips indicates the efficient performance of the proposed data acquisition system as well as the algorithm to report the pavement distress ranging from shallow cracks over airport runways to deeper potholes along highway segments.
Interactions between the N- and C- termini of mechanosensitive ion channel AtMSL10 support a three-step mechanism for activating its signaling function

ABSTRACT Although a growing number of mechanosensitive ion channels are being identified in plant systems, the molecular mechanisms by which they function remain to be established. Overexpression of the mechanosensitive ion channel MSL (MscS-Like)10 fused to GFP triggers a number of developmental and cellular phenotypes including the induction of cell death, and this function is regulated by seven phosphorylation sites in its soluble N-terminus. Here, we show that these and other phenotypes required neither overexpression nor a tag and could be also induced by a point mutation in the soluble C-terminus (S640L). In all cases, these gain-of-function phenotypes were suppressed by growth at elevated temperatures. The promotion of cell death and hyperaccumulation of H2O2 in 35S:MSL10S640L-GFP overexpression lines was suppressed by N- terminal phosphomimetic substitutions, and the soluble N- and C-terminal domains of MSL10 physically interacted. Finally, transcriptomic analysis revealed that the complex network of genes induced by these gain-of-function MSL10 alleles overlap with established biotic and abiotic stress-responsive pathways. We propose a three-step model by which tension-activated conformational changes in the C-terminus activate the N-terminus, leading to its dephosphorylation and the induction of adaptive responses. Taken together, this work expands our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction in plants.
COAGULATION CALCULATIONS OF ICY PLANET FORMATION AT 15-150 AU: A CORRELATION BETWEEN THE MAXIMUM RADIUS AND THE SLOPE OF THE SIZE DISTRIBUTION FOR TRANS-NEPTUNIAN OBJECTS

We investigate whether coagulation models of planet formation can explain the observed size distributions of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs). Analyzing published and new calculations, we demonstrate robust relations between the size of the largest object and the slope of the size distribution for sizes 0.1 km and larger. These relations yield clear, testable predictions for TNOs and other icy objects throughout the solar system. Applying our results to existing observations, we show that a broad range of initial disk masses, planetesimal sizes, and fragmentation parameters can explain the data. Adding dynamical constraints on the initial semimajor axis of “hot” Kuiper Belt objects along with probable TNO formation times of 10–700 Myr restricts the viable models to those with a massive disk composed of relatively small (1–10 km) planetesimals.
Utility and Outcomes of Pre-Operative Screening Breast MRI for Planned Bilateral Prophylactic Mastectomy in High-Risk Patients.

Please see the Editorial Comment by Linda M. Sanders discussing this article. Background: There is a paucity of data and consensus guidelines on the utility of preoperative MRI for planned bilatera...
Biomass and distribution of fine and coarse roots from blue oak (Quercus douglasii) trees in the northern Sierra Nevada foothills of California

This research adds to the limited data on coarse and fine root biomass for blue oak (Quercus douglasii Hook and Arn.), a California deciduous oak species found extensively throughout the interior foothills surrounding the Central Valley. Root systems of six blue oak trees were analyzed using three methods — backhoe excavation, quantitative pits, and soil cores. Coarse root biomass ranged from 7 to 177 kg per tree. Rooting depth for the main root system ranged from 0.5 to 1.5 m, with an average of 70% of excavated root biomass located above 0.5 m. Of the total biomass in excavated central root systems, primary roots (including burls) accounted for 56% and large lateral roots (> 20 mm diameter) accounted for 36%. Data from cores indicated that most biomass outside of the root crown was located in fine roots and that fine root biomass decreased with depth. At surface depths (0–20 cm), small-fine ( 2 mm) for 4% of total root biomass collected with cores. Mean fine root biomass density in the top 50 cm was 0.43 kg m−3. Fine root biomass did not change with increasing distance from the trees (up to approximately 5 m). Thus, fine roots were not concentrated under the tree canopies. Our results emphasize the importance of the smallest size class of roots ( 2.0 mm) roots.
Bayesian detection of transient signals in colored noise

The problem of detecting transient signals in colored noise is addressed. The generalized likelihood ratio test fails to provide good performance, and as an alternative, a Bayesian approach is proposed. Its implementation is simplified by adopting an invariant transformation, and a sequential Monte Carlo sampling procedure is provided to compute multidimensional integrations. The simulation results demonstrate the ability of this approach to detect weak and fast decaying signals in colored noise.
Reconstructing Classroom Facts: Transforming Lower Track Science Classrooms

(1998). Reconstructing Classroom Facts: Transforming Lower Track Science Classrooms. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 241-270.
Abstract 17019: Two Distinct mechanisms by which Na+/Ca2+ dysregulation contributes to Arrhythmogenic Diastolic Ca2+ Release

Na + and Ca 2+ imbalance is associated with triggered arrhythmias resulting from diastolic Ca 2+ release (DCR) from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR). Recent evidence suggests Na + channel blockade to be a promising therapy for pathologies, including catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT). However, the specific mechanism(s) as to how Na + /Ca 2+ dysregulation contribute to arrhythmias is unknown. Confocal microscopy of ventricular myocytes isolated from CPVT mice lacking the cardiac calsequestrin was used to assess Ca 2+ handling response to isoproterenol (Iso) and various pharmacological interventions, while electrocardiograms were acquired during catecholamine challenge to assess the roles of various pools of Na + channels in CPVT. We identify two pools of Na + channels: one composed of cardiac-type Na + channels localized to cell periphery, and a ‘local pool’ comprised of neuronal Na + channels colocalizing with RyR2 in the T-tubules. Augmenting function of both Na + channel pools with ATX-II in the presence Iso resulted in SR Ca 2+ overload and activation of Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), which precipitated DCR. These, in turn, translated into frequent arrhythmias in CPVT mice. Selectively augmenting function of ‘local pool’ neuronal Na + channels with β-Pompilidotoxin (β-PMTX) precipitated DCR on the cellular level causing frequent arrhythmias during catecholamine challenge in vivo . However, increasing local Na + fluxes reduced SR Ca 2+ load suggesting that local elevation in cytosolic Ca 2+ rather than global SR Ca 2+ overload underlies DCR and arrhythmias under such conditions. These data suggest two distinct mechanisms for Na + /Ca 2+ dysregulation-mediated arrhythmias. The first relies on SR Ca 2+ overload and CaMKII activation and the other on local contribution of Na + -Ca 2+ exchange to DCR. Consideration of these divergent mechanisms may enhance individualized approach to arrhythmia management.
CAT — A Practical Graph & SDL Based Toolkit for Vulnerability Assessment of 3G Networks

This paper presents the Cellular Network Vulnerability Assessment Toolkit - CAT, designed for end-to-end vulnerability assessment of 3G networks. It is the first tool of its kind to model and represent 3G network vulnerabilities and attacks as attack graphs. CAT uses freely available 3G telecommunication specifications written in SDL, the standard Specification and Description Language to produce attack graphs. Attack graphs generated by CAT are unique due to their: (1) global representation of the network, (2) independence from physical deployments, and (3) depiction of the 3G attack graph model and cascading effects.
The Morality of Capital Punishment: An Exchange

During the month of December, I participated in a debate about the death penalty with Dr. Ernest van den Haag. The debate was sponsored by the newly-formed Duquesne Law School chapter of the Federalist Society. During this debate, I expressed the view that secular society lacks “permission” to impose the death penalty. Dr. van den Haag responded at the time that “we give ourselves permission.” Later, Dr. van den Haag agreed to a brief, further exploration of this theme in the pages of the Duquesne Law Review. What began for me as an exploration of God’s permission for the death penalty in a secular state, has evolved into a consideration of the religious assumptions underlying the death penalty in a secular state. In order to identify these assumptions, it is first necessary to examine the secular justifications for the death penalty given by Dr. van den Haag.
Use of anthropomorphic compressed breast phantoms for comparing ultrasound breast imagers

Two anthropomorphic breast phantoms were used to compare state-of the art ultrasound imagers. The phantoms mimic refractive effects at fat to nonfat boundaries, and include simulated and pathological structures like fibroadenomas, cysts, calcifications and malignant tumors. Images of those structures obtained by means of various ultrasound systems are compared and discussed. In conclusion, the authors recommend use anthropomorphic breast phantoms which simulate the acoustic characteristics of normal and pathological breast tissues to test ultrasound mammography systems prior to their routine use on patients.
A circuit model for carbon nanotube interconnects: comparative study with Cu interconnects for scaled technologies

Semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNT) have gained immense popularity as possible successors to silicon as the channel material for ultra high performance field effect transistors. On the other hand, their metallic counterparts have often been regarded as ideal interconnects for the future technology generations. Owing to their high current densities and increased reliability, metallic-single walled CNTs (SWCNTs) have been subjects of fundamental research both in theory as well as experiments. Metallic CNTs have been modeled for RF applications in (Burke, 2003) using an LC model. We present an efficient circuit compatible RLC model for metallic SW CNTs, and analyze the impact of SW CNTs on the performance of ultra scaled digital VLSI design.
A Bayesian approach to electric field and E-region neutral wind estimation with the Poker Flat Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar

[1] In this paper, we describe an approach for computing vector electric fields in the F region and neutral winds in the E region from incoherent scatter radar (ISR) measurements, applicable especially for Advanced Modular Incoherent Scatter Radar (AMISR) systems, namely, the Poker Flat Incoherent Scatter Radar (PFISR). PFISR is a 128-panel (upgraded from 96 panels in September 2007) AMISR system installed at the Poker Flat Research Range near Fairbanks, Alaska. The pulse-to-pulse steering capabilities of AMISR support the measurement of line-of-sight velocities in multiple look directions essentially simultaneously. This capability in turn allows electric fields and neutral winds to be resolved with minimal assumptions regarding time stationarity of the medium. The multibeamforming capability also allows additional flexibility in the estimation of those parameters, for which experiment planning can become very important. The approach described herein is ideally suited for such planning, is appropriate for the overdetermined problem characteristic of AMISR measurements, and allows in a simple way for the inclusion of appropriate a priori information such as the assumption of negligible parallel electric fields and negligible vertical neutral winds. We present some case studies from the PFISR that demonstrate some of the new capabilities.
Personal History of Psychosocial Trauma in the Early Life of Social Work and Business Students

The incidence of psychosocial trauma in the families of origin of master’s-level social work students was compared with that of their counterparts in a nonhelping profession (master’s-level business majors). Students at one private college in northeastern Pennsylvania completed a questionnaire that sought to examine the extent of alcohol and drug abuse; physical, sexual, and emotional abuse; physical and mental illness; death; suicide; and other traumatic events, such as separation and divorce of parents, during childhood. Demographic data also were obtained. Social work students reported a high frequency of family trauma in early life that was significantly greater than that of the business students. These findings have implications for effective social work practice, social work education, and professional responsibility.
Immigrant Exclusion and Insecurity in Africa: Mass Immigrant Expulsions in Africa

Samuel was born in the late 1950s in Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region in what was then called the Gold Coast and what is today known as Ghana. His parents traveled from Ogbomosho in Nigeria to Ghana in the early 1930s to sell traditional Yoruba cloth. Samuel was schooled in a public school in Kumasi, where he learned the indigenous Ghanaian Ashanti language, Twi. When Samuel speaks Twi, no one can tell and no one even believes that he is of Nigerian background. In Kumasi, he and his parents attended the First Baptist Church, just like they did back in Ogbomosho, to pray with fellow Yorubas in the Yoruba language. In November 1969, Ghana's Prime Minister Kofi Busia issued an Alien Compliance Order, giving Ghana's aliens two weeks to acquire a residence permit or leave the country. Immediately, Samuel left with his parents and siblings. They did not even try to obtain their residence permit because “during that time, most people were fearing for their lives … at the time, people would say ‘you are aliens, go to your country!’” Between 1956 and 1999, more than 50 percent of all sub-Saharan African countries have gone through at least one mass immigrant expulsion, affecting a total of approximately 3.8 million people. South Africa, Nigeria, Cote d'Ivoire, Kenya, Sierra Leone, and Uganda provide examples of countries that issued at least two mass expulsions between their independence and 1999. By contrast, Rwanda, Togo, Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mali never resorted to such violence. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, with five expulsions, is the worst offender.
HOW STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE U.S. JUDICIAL SYSTEM HAVE AFFECTED THE TAKE-UP OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY BY COURTS

Given the centrality of information and communication to the activities and institutions of law it is not surprising that during the early turbulent days of the digital revolution enthusiasts imagined that the new technology would work dramatic changes on this critical sphere, changes far greater in magnitude than those flowing from such past innovations as calculators, tape recorders, or copy machines. Students of government and consultants drew analogies between transformations taking place in the private sector (the emergence of e-commerce and distributed, virtual enterprises) and what governments might or should or would become (e-government). Greater efficiency, improved accessibility and performance, and even gains in public accountability were predicted. Judged against such visions and the changes digital technology has brought about in important commercial areas over the past decade, the take-up of digital technology by U.S. courts has been both slow and uneven. This chapter examines some of the institutional factors that produced this result.
Unmethylated E-cadherin gene expression is significantly associated with metastatic human prostate cancer cells in bone.

BACKGROUND The concurrent determination of methylation status of E-cadherin gene and E-cadherin protein expression remains scant in metastatic prostate cancer cells in bone, the most prevalent site for metastatic growth. Therefore, the study was undertaken to ascertain the methylation status of E-cadherin gene, a most frequent and known epigenetic mechanism of its regulation, and the protein expression in prostate tissue biopsy specimen. METHODS The methylation of E-cadherin gene was determined by methylation specific-PCR and the protein expression by immunohistochemical method in the consecutive sections of each prostate tissue biopsy specimen. RESULTS The unmethylated E-cadherin gene and homogeneous E-cadherin protein expression was significantly associated with BPH as compared to the primary prostate carcinoma (Fisher's Exact P < 0.001). A significant association was observed between the concurrent methylated gene and markedly reduced expression of the protein in the primary prostate cancer cells as compared to the BPH cells, suggesting methylation-dependent regulation of the gene expression in these cases. In contrast to the primary cancer, a highly significant increase in the frequency of metastatic prostate cancer cells in bone exhibited the concurrent expression of unmethylated gene and homogeneous protein (Fisher's Exact P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The study clearly demonstrated a significant association of the concurrent expression of unmethylated E-cadherin gene and E-cadherin protein with metastatic prostate cancer cells in bone, and that its expression may have a role in the intercellular adhesion in the formation of metastatic lesions in bone. Prostate 68: 1681–1688, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Bergmann’s Dilemma and Internalism’s Escape

Michael Bergmann has argued that internalist accounts of justification face an insoluble dilemma. This paper begins with an explanation of Bergmann’s dilemma. Next, I review some recent attempts to answer the dilemma, which I argue are insufficient to overcome it. The solution I propose presents an internalist account of justification through direct acquaintance. My thesis is that direct acquaintance can provide subjective epistemic assurance without falling prey to the quagmire of difficulties that Bergmann alleges all internalist accounts of justification cannot surmount.
Esmolol and cardiopulmonary bypass during reperfusion reduce myocardial infarct size in dogs

Abstract Background . Infarct size can be reduced by β-blockade in acute myocardial ischemia. However it is unknown whether myocardial salvage is still effective when β-blockade is limited to reperfusion. Methods . After initiation of cardiopulmonary bypass, 20 dogs were submitted to 2 hours of regional left ventricular ischemia, followed by 2 hours of reperfusion. In 11 dogs β-blockade was started with the onset of reperfusion (esmolol group). The remaining dogs received no treatment (control, n=9). Infarct size was determined by tetrazolium chloride staining. Myocardial water content (MWC) and ultrastructural damage (electronmicroscopy) were determined from transmural biopsies. Results . Infarct size was significantly smaller in the esmolol group compared with control (49% versus 68%, p p Conclusions . β-Blockade may be cardioprotective during reperfusion through various mechanisms and may enhance myocardial salvage, even when treatment is initiated as late as with the onset of reperfusion.
Photoaffinity labeling of brain adenylate cyclase preparations with azido[125I]iodocalmodulin

A partially purified calmodulin-sensitive adenylate cyclase from bovine cerebral cortex was photoaffinity labeled with azido[125 I]iodocalmodulin. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis followed by autoradiography revealed several cross-linked polypeptides ranging in molecular weight from 37000 to 200000. The calmodulin-sensitive enzyme was submitted to a number of purification steps to determine if any of the calmodulin binding polypeptides copurified with adenylate cyclase activity. Fractionation procedures used included Bio-Gel A5M and Ultragel AcA 34 gel chromatography, isoelectric focusing, and native gradient gel electrophoresis. One cross-linked peptide having a molecular weight of 170000 correlated with adenylate cyclase activity through all purification steps. Native gradient gel electrophoresis in the presence of 0.03% deoxycholate gave one peak of adenylate cyclase activity with a Stokes radius of 40 A, consistent with a molecular weight of 140000-150000. It is proposed that the molecular weight of the adenylate cyclase catalytic subunit is 150,000 and that each catalytic subunit interacts with one calmodulin.
Time Evolution of Simple Quantum-Mechanical Systems. II. Two-State System in Intense Fields

The Schr\"odinger equation for a two-state quantum-mechanical system with sinusoidal perturbation is numerically integrated with respect to time. From these results a general formula for the induced transition probability (as a function of time, perturbation frequency, and perturbation strength) is extracted.
Cluttering: Current scientific status and emerging research and clinical needs

Abstract The following discussion is an attempt to integrate the observations, and insights, of the previous case descriptions in order to establish the scientific status and emerging scientific and clinical needs regarding cluttering. This purpose has a parallel with most beginning clinical contacts—that is, a number of diagnostic and assessment-related questions apply. In line with the focus of the present paper, these questions involve the entire population of those who clutter rather than individuals who are suspected of having a cluttering problem in particular. In parallel with the diagnostic question one might wonder if a fluency disorder like cluttering exists and deserves to be considered a unique and independent clinical entity. Moreover, the differential diagnostic question addresses the possibility that symptoms demonstrated by those who are considered to be a clutterer may be representative for other fluency disorders such as stuttering or neurogenic disfluency. Both questions, in combination, deal with the possibility that cluttering needs to be treated independently from other forms of problematic fluency, both in research and clinical practice. Importantly, it has not been determined at this time if cluttering (1) exists in its own right, (2) is a result exclusively of coexisting perceptuomotor and cognitive anomalies, or (3) both. Assuming that agreement on the essence of cluttering can be achieved, there still is the question of how the identifying characteristics and associated symptomatologies of cluttering need to be measured. The following is an attempt to come to the best possible answers to these questions, using the facts and notions provided in the previous articles.
Partial constraint satisfaction approaches for optimal operation of a hydropower system

Optimal operation models for a hydropower system using partial constraint satisfaction (PCS) approaches are proposed and developed in this study. The models use mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) formulations with binary variables. The models also integrate a turbine unit commitment formulation along with water quality constraints used for evaluation of reservoir downstream water quality impairment. New PCS-based models for hydropower optimization formulations are developed using binary and continuous evaluator functions to maximize the constraint satisfaction. The models are applied to a real-life hydropower reservoir system in Brazil. Genetic Algorithms (GAs) are used to solve the optimization formulations. Decision maker's preferences towards power production targets and water quality improvements are incorporated using partial satisfaction constraints to obtain compromise operating rules for a multi-objective reservoir operation problem dominated by conflicting goals of energy production, wat...
Getting to yes … or no: Nonprofit decision making and interorganizational restructuring

This article explores the decision-making process nonprofit organizations use to determine whether to pursue merger or other forms of interorganizational restructuring. The research uses a case study design, analyzing four examples of interorganizational restructuring. The findings describe both the structure and the characteristics of the processes used in four cases. The research found that the decision-making processes used in the four cases had several core elements. Participants in restructuring customized decision-making processes to meet their needs, and power dynamics shaped those processes. Findings about the characteristics of the process emphasize the importance of communication and trust. How partners used power affected the decision-making process and had implications for postmerger success. Decision-making processes for cases involving two partners exhibited characteristics that were different from those involving multiple partners. Future research should consider the role of trust in restructuring decisions and the responsibilities of board and staff in the restructuring assessment process.
Syneruptive mixing, degassing, and crystallization at Redoubt Volcano, eruption of December, 1989 to May 1990

Abstract The 1989–1990 eruption of Redoubt Volcano included initial energetic vertical venting of pumiceous tephra followed by shedding of dense pyroclastic flows from successive unstable domes. The suite of quenched magmatic materials thus produced, coupled with detailed seismic observations, provides a record of establishment and subsequent evolution of an active magma column in the upper crust. The initial eruptive event involved a dacite magma with rhyolite melt and an andesite magma with dacite melt. The dacite magma contains reaction rim-free hornblende, high Cl concentrations (0.12±0.02 wt.% of melt), and is microlite-free: all evidence for rapid ascent from depth. In contrast, the andesite component is microlite-rich, though this characteristic may have arisen by mixing between the two magmas rather than by slow ascent. Abundant dense juvenile lava-like clasts, with low H2O (0.1–0.3 wt.%), were ejected in the initial eruption event, implying that the magma column had reached the near surface and its upper portion had undergone degassing and bubble collapse prior to explosive disruption. Later eruptive events contain evidence of progressive blending of the two magmatic components, as well as mixing between fresh reservoir-derived and old conduit-resident magma. Magma apparently ascended to the surface from the 6–10-km-deep source chamber in a series of pulses, rather than by steady flow or gradual emptying of a shallowly intruded body. Increased shallow long-period seismicity, which may indicate subsurface degassing from the flowing magma column, occurred ≤5 days before each major eruptive event. Petrologic evidence indicates that each eruption contained some magma that ascended quickly from the chamber. With time, the proportion of new magma in eruptive batches may have decreased. However, even the final dome contains magma that left the chamber no more than a few days before extrusion. Together, the pulses apparently record passage of an andesite plume through Redoubt's dacite magma reservoir.
Infection After Hand Surgery

Postoperative infections are uncommon after hand surgery. Infection can delay recovery and contribute to scarring and stiffness. Measures intended to reduce the risk of infection after hand surgery include hand washing, skin preparation, sterile technique, and prophylactic antibiotics. The role of prophylactic antibiotics for small, clean, elective hand surgery procedures lasting less than 2 hours is debated.
Cloud motion vectors from a network of ground sensors in a solar power plant

Abstract Clouds are the dominant source of PV power output variability and their velocity is a principal input to most short-term forecast models. A new method for deriving cloud speed from data collected at a triplet of sensors at arbitrary positions is presented; cloud speed and the angle of the cloud front are determined from the time delays in two cloud front arrivals at the sensors. Five reference cells at the 48 MW PV plant at Henderson (NV), were used to provide two different triplets of sensors. Over a year of operation cloud speeds from 3 to 35 m s−1 were obtained. Cloud speeds are validated using cross-correlation of power output from 96 inverters at the plant. Overall bias errors were less than 1% and the overall annual RMSE was 20.9%, but results varied with season.
A laboratory technique to speed processing of samples with large numbers of invertebrates.

The amount of time needed to process samples with large numbers of terrestrial invertebrates in the laboratory has been a long-standing obstacle impeding progress in invertebrate conservation biology and applied ecology. Laboratory subsampling of samples with large numbers of invertebrates is one method that saves time and reduces processing cost. In this study, a laboratory vacuum processing technique, consisting of a vacuum pump, aspirator and voice recognition software, was compared with a subsampling technique, and a conventional whole sample counting method. Vacuum processing was the most efficient technique; on average, more than five times more insects were processed per minute compared with whole sample counting and subsampling techniques. Differences in efficiencies among techniques were affected by trap type and invertebrate abundance. The vacuum technique was most efficient when processing high abundance pitfall trap samples, and was less efficient in processing pan trap samples that had invertebrates entangled by algae and other materials. Caution should be exercised when using the technique on soft-bodied or poorly preserved specimens; a subsampling technique may be more appropriate in these cases, especially if specimens must be identified to genus or species level at a later time. The efficiency of the vacuum technique is reduced relative to the amount of time it takes to locate invertebrates in a sample; therefore, the technique does not save substantial time when processing samples with large amounts of substrate or debris, such as is the case with some aquatic invertebrate samples. However, if flotation or another method that separates invertebrates from other materials is used first, then the vacuum method would be useful for these types of samples as well.
Human in vivo 31P spectroscopy of skin: potentially a powerful tool for noninvasive study of metabolism in a cutaneous tissue.

. The first application of human in vivo phosphorus (31P) magnetic resonance spectroscopy to analysis of skin metabolism is presented. Our results confirm that phosphocreatine is a major energy phosphometabolite in human skin. Human in vivo 31P spectroscopy utilizing a skin coil designed in our laboratory can have clinical applications in cutaneous surgery and clinical dermatology, and will facilitate understanding of the pathophysiology of skin disease. In vitro experiments with fresh human skin indicate that complete utilization of phosphocreatine is followed by utilization of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) molecules during ischemia. These experiments also suggest that the majority of phosphocreatine in human skin is localized in epidermal and papillary dermis.
The Job Only a Medical Student Could Do: Have a Smoke, on Me

I envisioned my attending and residents, perhaps nurses I worked with, and patients peering down at us, glaring at the medical student lighting up the old lady's cigarette. So what if it's not stan...
Building a Better Youth Court

Youth courts are an innovative quasi-legal forum in which adolescents pass judgment on their peers in cases involving relatively minor offenses. These courts hold much promise to benefit offending youth, the youthful volunteers who participate in the adjudicative process, the traditional juvenile court system, victims, and surrounding communities. Based on a survey completed of the forty-two youth courts operating in New York State, this article describes the diverse and overlapping objectives, target populations, and operating procedures of the youth tribunals. It discusses the interrelated nature of youth court goals, subjects, and procedures, and offers general prescriptions for the more effective design and operation of youth courts.
Using a geographical information system for monitoring space shuttle launches: Determining cumulative distribution of deposition and an empirical test of a spatial model

Space shuttle launches produce localized hydrochloric acid deposition. The interaction of solid rocket motor exhaust and deluge water released on the pad at the time of launch results in the formation of an exhaust cloud. The spatial pattern and extent of deposition from the launch cloud are predicted by the rocket exhaust effluent diffusion (REED) model. The actual pattern of deposition has been mapped by field surveys for each shuttle launch since 1981. In this paper we use a geographical information system (GIS) to compare model predictions with ground patterns for 49 shuttle launches. We also compile cumulative maps of deposition patterns needed to consider long-term impacts. The direction of launch cloud movement did not differ significantly from model predictions. The REED model overpredicted both the area that received deposition and the maximum distance from the launch pad that deposition occurred. Severe vegetation damage was restricted to near-field deposition areas within 1980 m north of each launch pad. Total area impacted from launches has been 87.0 ha around pad 39A and 52.9 ha around pad 39B. Far-field deposition has caused leaf spotting from acid droplets or aluminum oxide over a wider and more variable area than near-field. A total of 19,397 ha has received deposition, but 63.6% of this area has received deposition only one time and 92.2% not more than three times. GIS techniques provide means to test spatial models and compile information useful for assessing cumulative impacts.
The landslide and local tsunami of 13 September 1999 on Fatu Hiva (Marquesas Islands; French Polynesia)

n 13 September 1999, a local tsunami, comprising two waves separated by a few minutes, hit the village of Omoa, on the island of Fatu Hiva, French Polynesia. It inflicted serious damages to structures built close to the seashore, in particular to the local elementary school. The tsunami was generated by the collapse of a basaltic cliff, located 3 km to the southeast of Omoa, along the coastline. The volume of the landslide is estimated to range from 2 to 5 million m3, of which 60 % fell into the sea. A preliminary simulation of the tsunami provides an acceptable explanation of wave amplitudes, as well as an estimate of the origin time of landslide.
Local skin friction and heat transfer in combined free-forced convection from a cylinder or sphere to a power-law fluid

Abstract Steady-state laminar heat transfer mechanisms of polymeric liquids flowing across a horizontal cylinder or past a sphere of different wall temperatures have been analyzed. The uniquely transformed conservation equations of this nonsimilar problem have been solved with an implicit finite difference method up to the point of boundary layer separation. Of interest are the effects of the power-law index, the buoyancy parameter, and a generalized Prandtl number on the local skin friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number. Both the dimensionless skin friction group and the heat transfer group increase with higher buoyancy effects for any power-law fluid. Furthermore, increasing the buoyancy force will delay the point of flow separation. Dilatant fluids exhibit a distinctively different heat transfer behavior than pseudoplastics in the vicinity of the stagnation point. Higher Prandtl numbers generate lower skin friction and larger heat transfer coefficients.
The radiation polymerization of isobutylene and styrene

Abstract The radiation-induced polymerizations of isobutylene and styrene have both been studied in the liquid phase at -78.5°C. An ionic mechanism is believed to be operative with both monomers. In spite of extreme precautions of drying and purification irreproducible results were obtained. However, a number of interesting conclusions can be drawn from results. In the case of isobutylene, extremely rigorous drying conditions gave far higher G(conversion) values than previously reported. The polymer produced was found to be degraded by the radiation and G(initiation) values were not therefore obtainable. However, the polymers from experiments with very low G(conversion) values were found to have also lower molecular weights and the irreproducibility appeared due to variations in the chain lenght rather than the initiation rate. In the case of styrene in methylene chloride solution, the polymerization-dose curves were steeper initially and then leveled off to a slower, steadier rate. The second slope was comparatively insensitive to moisture. The G(conversion) values varied considerably more than the G(initiation) values, and the wide variations in polymerization rates seemed to be mainly due to changes in the degree of polymerization rather than in the initiation rate. The effect of the addition of soluble organic compounds of high electron affinity was also studied; in general, the rates and the molecular weights were found to be somewhat reduced and in no case were any substantial increases found.
Mechanism of Action of Gonadotropin. III. Binding of Adenosine 3′,5′-Monophosphate by the 105,000 × g Supernatant Fraction from Homogenates of Calf Ovaries1

The binding of adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate (cyclic AMP) to calf ovary cytosol has been investigated by equilibrium dialysis, membrane filter assay, and sucrose density gradient analysis. Protein purified from calf ovary cytosol bound cyclic AMP with an apparent dissociation constant kd of 4.1 × 10-9M. The cyclic AMP-binding protein complex exhibited a sedimentation coefficient of approximately 4S. The cyclic AMP-binding activity was inactivated by pronase, heat treatment, and by the addition of 0.1% SDS. The specificity of binding for cyclic AMP was tested by the addition of a variety of nucleotides to the reaction mixture and their ability to compete with cyclic [3H]AMP for the protein binding sites. At a concentration of 5 × 10-7M, only cyclic AMP competed effectively with cyclic [3H]AMP. At higher concentrations (2.5 × 10-5M), dibutyryl cyclic AMP, cyclic GMP, cyclic CMP, and cyclic UMP were able to displace cyclic [3H]AMP from the binding protein. Purification of the cyclic AMP-binding protein by DE...
Time-resolved IR studies of cyclic enone triplet excited states and their reactions with alkenes

The ππ* triplet excited states of 3-phenyl-2-cyclohexenone (1) and 3-phenyl-2-cyclopentenone (2) have been observed by time-resolved infrared (TRIR) spectroscopy. The reaction of various alkenes with the triplet excited state of 2 has also been studied by TRIR spectroscopy, and the partitioning between fragmentation and ring closure of the biradical intermediates involved has been estimated. Within a series of structurally related biradicals, more stable ones undergo ring closure more efficiently.
Medical Therapy for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in 2007

Medical treatment for patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has evolved significantly over the past 2 decades. Current World Health Organization recommendations suggest a stepwise approach to therapy depending upon disease severity. As-needed use of short-acting bronchodilators is recommended for patients with mild disease. Scheduled dosing of bronchodilators is recommended for patients with more advanced disease. Inhaled beta-agonists and anti-cholinergic agents in combination have proved to be more effective than either agent alone. Long-acting preparations are associated with better disease control and have not been associated with tachyphylaxis. Inhaled corticosteroids are useful for reducing the frequency of exacerbations in patients who experience one or more episodes per year. Oxygen therapy is clearly beneficial in patients with advanced COPD and chronic respiratory failure, and its potential benefits in less severe disease are currently being studied. Pulmonary rehabilitation benefits patients with mild-to-severe disease, although the greatest benefits have been demonstrated in those with moderate COPD. New ultra-long-acting inhaled bronchodilators, phosphodiesterase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, and retinoids intended to promote tissue regeneration are currently being evaluated in clinical trials as future therapeutic agents.
Tonic rhythmic activity of rat cerebellar neurons

Simultaneous recordings of multiple single unit activity in both cerebral and cerebellar cortex, cortical EEG, and both nuchal and vibrissal EMG were obtained in nine unrestrained rats. Putative Purkinje cells of the deep vermal cerebellar cortex exhibited rhythmic discharge of simple spikes with extremely low variability in interspike intervals for several hours. The highly rhythmic nature of spike discharge was remarkably stable across all states of sleep (both slow-wave and rapid eye movement sleep) and wake including quiet waking, grooming, eating, running in a familiar environment, and exploring a novel environment. The frequencies at which oscillatory discharges took place varied, among different cells, between 16 and 142 Hz; however, 75% of the recorded cells discharged at frequencies between 20 and 50 Hz. From recordings in which two to four such cells were recorded simultaneously, evidence was found for multiple cells firing at the same frequency as well as for multiple cells firing at different frequencies. The precise timing of spike discharge in these cells makes them potential candidates to participate in timing functions thought to depend on the cerebellum
Laboratory experiments on factors affecting oviposition site selection in Toxorhynchites amboinensis (Diptera: Culicidae), with a report on the occurrence of egg cannibalism*

. Laboratory experiments tested the effects of water quality and the presence of conspecific and heterospecific immatures on oviposition by Toxorhynchites amboinensis (Doleschall). The females showed a highly significant preference for oak leaf infusion water over distilled water. When twenty starved third and fourth instar Tx. amboinensis larvae were present in the water, substantially fewer eggs were counted from pots containing these conspecifics, than from controls in which no larvae were present. Numbers of eggs from pots containing starved second instar larvae did not differ significantly from controls. Observations of larval behaviour while oviposition was occurring suggested that egg numbers were reduced in containers because of egg cannibalism with third and fourth instar larvae, and not because the larvae caused a deterrent effect. Subsequent experiments confirming the occurrence of substantial egg cannibalism by third and especially fourth instar larvae are described. As with larvae, the presence of Tx. amboinensis pupae in the water had little effect on oviposition. If placed in the water 24 h prior to test, pupae very slightly enhanced its attractiveness, but if introduced immediately before test there appeared to be a slight deterrent effect. With heterospecific larvae, twenty fourth instar Ae. aegypti larvae introduced into infusion water 24 h before test rendered the water slightly attractive, while water in which Ae. aegypti larvae had been reared for 48 h proved highly repellent.
Boldine prevents human liver microsomal lipid peroxidation and inactivation of cytochrome P4502E1

Boldine, an alkaloid found in the leaves and bark of boldo, prevented the ferric-ATP catalyzed peroxidation of human liver microsomes. Lipid peroxidation, dependent upon electron transfer from NADPH or NADH, was comparably inhibited by boldine, with a KI value of about 5 μM. Inactivation and decreased content of human cytochrome P4502E1 as a consequence of incubating microsomes with ferric-ATP and reductant was completely prevented by boldine. However, inactivation of cytochrome P4502E1 by CC14 was not prevented by boldine, although the alkaloid prevented CC14-catalyzed lipid peroxidation. This suggests that the CC14 inactivation of P4502E1 may be independent of CC14-mediated lipid peroxidation. In view of its low toxicity, lack of effect on P450 activity, and strong inhibition of peroxidation of human liver microsomes, boldine may be valuable as an antioxidant and hepatoprotective agent.