cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
DEVELOPMENT OF MEASURES FOR THE STUDY OF CREATIVITY1

Research on creative thinking has been handicapped by lack of adequate criteria. The purpose of this study was to develop a set of tests that could be used as dependent measures in evaluating training or in other research on “creativity.” Four tests were developed, called Formulating Hypotheses, Evaluating Proposals, Solving Methodological Problems, and Measuring Constructs. They are job-sample tests that present realistic tasks such as a behavioral scientist might have to deal with. A scoring method was developed that requires the scorer to assign responses to categories of responses rather than to make subjective evaluations. The categories are assigned scale values based on independent evaluations by an expert panel. Scores can be assigned by computer. Six scores were studied: (1) average quality of the responses the examinee thinks are best, (2) average quality of all responses, (3) average quality of the best response by category scoring, (4) number of responses, (5) number of unusual responses, and (6) number of responses that are both unusual and of high quality. The tests were administered to about 4,000 applicants for admission to graduate school, using an item-sampling procedure. The tests were found to be appropriate in difficulty for advanced students. Reliabilities of most scores were high enough to be useful. Factoring of score intercorrelations reveals a general number-of-responses factor and two quality factors that are defined by quality scores from different combinations of tests. The number scores are quite independent of conventional aptitude and achievement tests, and quality scores have a substantial amount of true variance not predicted by aptitude and achievement tests. The face validity of the tests seems to appeal to students and teachers, but evidence of construct validity is needed.
Hyperglycemic Acidotic Coma and Death in Kearns-Sayre Syndrome

Abstract This paper presents the clinical and metabolic findings in two young boys with long-standing Kearns-Sayre syndrome. Following short exposure to oral prednisone, both boys developed lethargy, increasing somnolence, polydipsia, polyphagia, and polyuria. Both presented in the emergency room with profound coma, hypotension, severe hyperglycemia, and acidosis. Nonketotic lactic acidosis was present in one, and ketosis without a known serum lactate level was present in the other. Respiratory failure rapidly ensued and both patients expired in spite of efforts at resuscitation. We believe these two cases represent a newly described and catastrophic metabolic-endocrine failure in the Kearns-Sayre syndrome.
Paricalcitol, vitamin D3 receptor agonist is superior to vitamin d3 in reducing proliferation of human uterine leiomyoma cells

were exposed to fasudil (10M-10M) for 72 hours, or vehicle control. Changes in gene expression were analyzed using qRT-PCR. Western blot and immunohistochemistry of 3D cultures were used to analyze total protein in cells. RESULTS: Versican transcripts were significantly downregulated in leiomyoma cells grown on 2D format and treated with 10M (0.53 0.1 fold) and 10M (0.38 0.07 fold) fasudil. Though no significant changes were observed in fibronectin and collagen1A RNA transcripts, there was a significant reduction in protein amounts for all three ECM genes. In 3D culture, fasudil did not affect leiomyoma ECM gene expression at the transcript level. Concentration dependent changes were observed in proteins, e.g. fibronection demonstrated an increased expression at lower concentrations followed by decreased expression at higher concentrations, compared to untreated controls. CONCLUSION: The ECM in 3D cultures exhibited a reduced sensitivity to inhibition of the Rho signaling pathway, compared with 2D cultures. The turnover of ECM proteins in 3D cultures may more closely approximate the human disease process than 2D cultures. These data support further analysis of this model as a pre-clinical, in vitro system. Supported by: USUHS Intramural Grant.
Performance of CMOS three-valued logic device (ternary inverter) at liquid nitrogen temperature

Abstract The performance of a CMOS three-valued logic device (ternary inverter) has been studied at liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K) in comparison with its room temperature (296 K) operation. It has been observed that performance improves at 77 K compared with room temperature behaviour. This improvement is attributed to the rise in absolute threshold voltages of n- and p-channel MOSFET devices which in turn allows MOSFET devices to operate between well defined near-above-threshold (on) and subthreshold (off) regions.
Initial results of the infrared Regenerative Amplifier Free-Electron Laser experiment

where y is the electron relativistic factor, e and m are the electron charge and mass, c is thespeed of light, v is the electron velocity vector and E is the electric field of the optical beam.The FEL interaction gives rise to microscopic potential wells, or ponderomotive "buckets,"that trap the electrons. As the strength of the FEL interaction increases, the height of thebuckets increases and the electrons rotate in energy-phase space such that they bunchtogether to form microbunches with a longitudinal spacing of one optical wavelength. These
Psychological outcomes in long-term survivors of childhood leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

Objective. To evaluate and compare psychological outcomes in long-term survivors of pediatric leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and sibling controls. Methods. Adult survivors of childhood leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (N = 5736) and sibling controls (N = 2565) were administered a long-term follow-up questionnaire allowing assessment of symptoms associated with depression and somatic distress. Results. The majority of respondents in this study did not demonstrate symptomatology indicative of depression or somatic distress. Survivors, however, were significantly more likely than sibling controls to report symptoms of depression and somatic distress. Women were significantly more likely to indicate symptoms of depression and somatic distress than were men; however, this difference did not vary by survivor/sibling status. Similarly, socioeconomic (SES) variables predicted symptomatic levels of depression and somatic distress for both survivors and siblings, and these effects did not vary by survivor/sibling status. Among leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma survivors, in addition to gender and SES, the only treatment variable that predicted scores indicating depressive symptomatology was exposure to intensive chemotherapy. Exposure to intensive chemotherapy also predicted scores indicative of somatic distress symptoms. No other medical variables, including diagnostic category, age at diagnosis, time since diagnosis, and duration of treatment, predicted symptomatic scores for depression and somatic distress. Conclusions. This large, sibling-controlled, multisite study of young adult survivors of childhood leukemia, Hodgkin’s disease, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma found that survivors had significant increased risk for reporting symptoms of depression and somatic distress and that intensive chemotherapy added to this risk. However, being a cancer survivor did not compound the effects of gender and SES variables on the 2 outcomes measured. The ability of SES, gender, and treatment-related variables to predict psychological symptoms in this cohort of childhood survivors and sibling controls calls for future research into varied biological and psychosocial pathways by which cancer influences future psychosocial functioning.
The direct effect of tobacco smoke on the intrinsic mechanical properties of cardiac muscle.

Abstract The direct effects of tobacco smoke from Kentucky University Reference cigarettes on the mechanical performance of isolated rat left ventricular muscle preparations were examined. Experiments were carried out with preparations contracting isometrically 12 times per minute at 28°C while at the apex of the length tension curve. Under oxygenated conditions, tobacco smoke bubbled through the bath induced an initial negative inotropic response. With larger volumes of smoke, initial depression was followed by recovery toward control values. Late recovery was inhibited by first passing the tobacco smoke through a Cambridge filter. Tobacco smoke added prior to 60 min of hypoxia, followed by 30 min of reoxygenation, had a dose-dependent deleterious effect on muscle performance during hypoxia and subsequent reoxygenation. The deleterious effect of smoke during hypoxia could largely be prevented by first passing the tobacco smoke through a Cambridge filter. The nicotine present in tobacco smoke could not by itself account for the changes under oxygenated conditions or those seen during hypoxia and reoxygenation. It is concluded that the gaseous phase of tobacco smoke is responsible for the negative inotropic effect seen under oxygenated conditions. The action of the particulate phase of the smoke (which is blocked at least in part by the Cambridge filter) appears to be responsible for the partial recovery of mechanical performance under oxygenated conditions and the potent deleterious effects seen during hypoxia and reoxygenation.
CD4+-dependent immunity to Onchocerca volvulus third-stage larvae in humans and the mouse vaccination model: common ground and distinctions.

Onchocerciasis is a major filarial disease and is the second most common cause of infectious blindness in the world. Disease development after infection with Onchocerca volvulus varies widely and is determined by the host's immune response to the parasite. Vector control and administration of ivermectin has reduced infection and disease rates significantly. However, limitations of these programmes, including ivermectin's selective activity on microfilariae, the need for 10–15 years of annual treatments, logistical obstacles and the potential emergence of drug-resistant strains demand alternative strategies. A vaccine that targets O. volvulus infective third-stage larvae (L3) could provide an additional tool to guarantee successful elimination of infection with O. volvulus. An essential step in the development of immunoprophylactic procedures and reagents is the identification of host immune responses toward antigens of O. volvulus L3 and L3 developing to the fourth-stage larvae that are associated with protection against these stages of the parasite. This review summarises the recent advancements in understanding the immune mechanisms in particular the CD4+ responses to L3 stages in humans and in the mouse vaccination model. Comparison between the two uncovered common immunological elements in naturally exposed humans and mice vaccinated with radiation attenuated L3 or recombinant O. volvulus antigens, as well as significant differences. These studies promisingly suggest that the O. volvulus mouse model is a very useful adjunct to the studying of natural infection in humans and could provide us with the tools to identify the target molecules and the effector immune correlates of protection in humans responsible for attrition of L3 stages. Since some of these antigens may exist in other nematodes, any insight gained into the mechanisms of vaccine-induced anti-O. volvulus L3 protective immunity in both humans and mice could be applicable to the development of vaccines against other nematode infections.
Global cardiovascular reserve dysfunction in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Objectives The purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine cardiovascular reserve function with exercise in patients with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Background Optimal exercise performance requires an integrated physiologic response, with coordinated increases in heart rate, contractility, lusitropy, arterial vasodilation, endothelial function, and venous return. Cardiac and vascular responses are coupled, and abnormalities in several components may interact to promote exertional intolerance in HFpEF. Methods Subjects with HFpEF (n = 21), hypertension without heart failure (n = 19), and no cardiovascular disease (control, n = 10) were studied before and during exercise with characterization of cardiovascular reserve function by Doppler echocardiography, peripheral arterial tonometry, and gas exchange. Results Exercise capacity and tolerance were reduced in HFpEF compared with hypertensive subjects and controls, with lower VO 2 and cardiac index at peak, and more severe dyspnea and fatigue at matched low-level workloads. Endothelial function was impaired in HFpEF and in hypertensive subjects as compared with controls. However, blunted exercise-induced increases in chronotropy, contractility, and vasodilation were unique to HFpEF and resulted in impaired dynamic ventricular-arterial coupling responses during exercise. Exercise capacity and symptoms of exertional intolerance were correlated with abnormalities in each component of cardiovascular reserve function, and HFpEF subjects were more likely to display multiple abnormalities in reserve. Conclusions HFpEF is characterized by depressed reserve capacity involving multiple domains of cardiovascular function, which contribute in an integrated fashion to produce exercise limitation. Appreciation of the global nature of reserve dysfunction in HFpEF will better inform optimal design for future diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
SuperDARN observations of spectral enhancements excited during an ionospheric heating experiment

[1] Observations are reported of undocumented enhancements to the backscattered HF radar spectrum detected by the Kodiak SuperDARN radar during an O-mode heating experiment conducted at the HAARP facility. A total of 27 enhancements were observed, each of which was statistically significant, well correlated with the heater duty cycle, and localized within the heated region above HAARP. Several enhancements are symmetrically spaced around the pump frequency while others occur near electron gyroharmonics. The enhancements are distributed over a frequency range of more than 6.5 MHz and may, we suggest, indicate the presence of Bernstein modes and upper hybrid oscillations stimulated by the HAARP heater.
Lipase-catalyzed modification of rice bran oil to incorporate capric acid.

Capric acid (C10:0) was incorporated into rice bran oil with an immobilized lipase from Rhizomucor miehei as the biocatalyst. Effects of incubation time, substrate mole ratio, enzyme load, and wate...
Synthesis of monodisperse sub-3 nm RE2O3 and Gd2O3:RE3+ nanocrystals

Monodisperse, colloidally stable, sub-3 nm europium sesquioxide (Eu2O3), terbium sesquioxide (Tb2O3), and Eu3+-doped gadolinium sesquioxide (Gd2O3:Eu3+) nanocrystals have been synthesized via a hot solution-phase technique. The oleic acid concentration facilitated the production of the nanocrystals in a range of sizes from sub-2 nm up to 5.0 nm. The Eu2O3 and Gd2O3:Eu3+ nanocrystals exhibit new luminescence peaks at 620 nm, which correspond to modulation of the 7F2 transition of the Eu3+ ion. The Tb2O3 nanocrystals express a new luminescence feature at 548 nm, which corresponds to modulation of the 7F5 transition of the Tb3+ ion.
Listeners invest in an assumed other’s perspective despite cognitive cost

We explored perspective-taking behavior in a visuospatial mental rotation task that requires listeners to adopt an egocentric or "other-centric" frame of reference. In the current task, objects could be interpreted relative to the point-of-view of the listener (egocentric) or of a simulated partner (other-centric). Across three studies, we evaluated participants' willingness to consider and act on partner-specific information, showing that a partner's perceived ability to contribute to collaborative mutual understanding modulated participants' perspective-taking behavior, either by increasing other-centric (Study 2) or egocentric (Study 3) responding. Moreover, we show that a large proportion of participants resolved referential ambiguity in terms of their partner's perspective, even when it was more cognitively difficult to do so (as tracked by online movement measures), and when the presence of a social partner had to be assumed (Studies 1 and 2). In addition, participants continued to consider their partner's perspective during trials where visual perspectives were shared. Our results show that participants will thoroughly invest in either an other-centric or egocentric mode of responding, and that perspective-taking strategies are not always dictated by minimizing processing demands, but by more potent (albeit subtle) factors in the social context.
The discriminatory zone of βhyphen;hCG for vaginal probes

Recent developments in both laboratory measurements and ultrasound technology have revolutionized the management of early pregnancy. The discriminatory zone concept is a direct result of these developments. By correlating the serum beta-hCG values to the size of an intrauterine gestational sac, a value can be chosen that corresponds to the threshold of visualization of the sac. If the beta-hCG is above this value, a sac must be seen, and if it is not, aggressive steps should be taken to determine whether the pregnancy is abnormal or ectopic. The discriminatory zone may vary among institutions due to different equipment and assays. Thus, its value should be calculated individually at each institution. A proper discriminatory zone and a management protocol such as the one above can eliminate much of the uncertainty in the management of suspected ectopic and early pregnancies.
UO2 properties affecting performance

Abstract UO 2 has become the basic reference fuel material for the power reactor industry. The most widely used form is cylindrical, sintered pellets with finished densities in the range 92 to 97% of theoretical. This selection of UO 2 over other potential fuel materials is based on its excellent combination of chemical stability, especially to water reactor coolants; compatibility with potential cladding materials such as stainless steel and zircaloy; dimensional stability under irradiation; very high melting point; and straightforward, economical production from diffusion plant enriched, uranium hexafluoride. These desirable characteristics were recognized at a very early stage in the development of power reactors, and, as a result, the properties of UO 2 have been under intensive study for about 20 years. There has probably been more development work on UO 2 than all other fuel materials combined. The data cited are those most familiar to the authors that are believed to fairly represent a property or illustrate the relationship under consideration. In the first part of this report the basic UO 2 property data are presented and the effect of important variables such as density, temperature, stoichiometry, etc., are discussed. In the second part the property data are discussed in the context of their role in various fuel life-limiting mechanisms that have been shown to be of practical significance for UO 2 -containing fuel rods.
Jewish Educational and Economic Success in the United States: A Search for Explanations:

Jews are much more successful economically and educationally than other ethnic, racial, and religious groups in the United States. This article asks why. It begins with a description of how well Jews do and then presents four potential explanations: human capital, Jewish particularity, marginality, and social capital. Most work attempting to explain Jews' success tests human capital explanations. They account for much of Jews' success but leave much unexplained as well. Researchers speculate about the possible importance of the other explanations but have done very little research to test them. It is suggested that little research has been done because of social scientists' lack of interest in successful groups, lack of data, and Jews' anxiety about possible findings. The basics of a research agenda are set forth.
Determination of inorganic orthophosphate from biological material in the presence of Ficoll

Abstract Ficoll hampers the transfer of unreduced phosphomolybdic acid (PMA) from aqueous to organic phase when determining inorganic phosphate (P1) by the method of Sanui [(1974) Anal. Biochem.60, 489–504]. This reduction in the transfer can be overcome by changing the organic solvent and the acidity in the aqueous phase. An ethyl acetate-isobutanol mixture proved most satisfactory, being sufficiently selective for PMA over molybdic acid (MA) in the presence of the trichloroacetic acid (TCA). Optimal conditions were determined for extraction of PMA into the organic phase with and without Ficoll. A procedure is presented for measuring P1 in biological material off Ficoll gradients. The method is well suited for measurement of P1 in the presence of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for the determination of adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities where only small amounts of protein (1–15 μg) are employed.
Fuel-nitrogen conversion in staged combustion of a high nitrogen petroleum fuel

A theoretical and experimental study was carried out to determine lower bounds of NOx emission from staged combustion of a 0.7% N No. 6 fuel oil. Thermodynamic and chemical kinetic calculations have shown minimum NOx emissions at fuel rich stage equivalence ratios between 1.6 and 1.8 and fuel rich stage temepratures in the range of 1900 to 2100 K. Experiments carried out using the M.I.T. Combustion Research Facility at 1 MW (Thermal) input in the staged combustion mode have led to NOx emissions of 80 ppm at 3% O2 in the range of fuel rich stage equivalence ratios of 1.5 to 1.7, veryclose to that predicted from the model. The temperature effects shown in the model calculations could not be tested because the maximum temperatures in the experiments (1800 K) fell short of those required by the model. The good qualitative agreemement between model and experiment indicates the major role that gas phase chemical kinetics play in the conversion of fuel nitrogen to NOx and N2 respectively.
Gabapentin dosing in the treatment of epilepsy

Abstract Background: Gabapentin is considered a safe and well-tolerated antipileptic drug (AED) with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile and a broad therapeutic index. However, recent studies have used higher doses and faster titration schedules than those used in the pivotal trials that established the efficacy of gabapentin in the treatment of partial seizures. Objective: The purposes of this review were to assess the gabapentin titration and dosing regimens that have been published in peer-reviewed journals, to develop dosing recommendations to maximize antiseizure efficacy without compromising tolerability, and to formulate guidelines for an adequate therapeutic assessment of gabapentin dosage efficacy. Methods: In the absence of sufficient placebo-controlled, double-blind studies, a formal evidence-based assessment could not be performed. However, a MEDLINE search using the search terms gabapentin and epilepsy , spanning back to the year 1986, produced numerous published reports from randomized, placebo-controlled and open-label trials, as well as case reports. These were reviewed to assess the range of dosing and titration schedules reported. Reports that employed gabapentin doses and titration schedules were selected for review. Results: Our review of this literature suggests improved seizure control at higher gabapentin maintenance dosages (≤3600 mg/d) than are used today in clinical practice (1800 mg/d) without an increase in the incidence of adverse reactions. Most of the patients who received high dosages (eg, 3600 mg/d) or experienced fast titration rates tolerated gabapentin well. Side effects occurred around the onset of dosing and were reported in some studies to be transient.
Cross time-frequency distribution function

In this paper, we consider cross time-frequency distributions, with particular emphasis on their ability to preserve phase difference (between two signals) information as a function of time and frequency. In addition, some properties of cross time-frequency distributions are examined and compared with the traditional Cohen's class of time-frequency distributions. Finally, the phase preserving properties of appropriately defined cross time-frequency distributions are illustrated with a pair of Gabor logons.
Incorporating road and parcel data for object-based classification of detailed urban land covers from NAIP images

A map showing various urban features, such as buildings, roads, and vegetation, is useful for a variety of urban planning applications. The objective of this study was to incorporate road and parcel GIS data as well as relevant expert knowledge to classify different urban land covers from 1-meter, 4-band NAIP images. Based on a hybrid simultaneous-classification and one-by-one-classification approach, a total of 14 urban classes are classified. The classification map has an overall accuracy of 90%, demonstrating a noticeable improvement over past comparable studies on detailed urban land cover classification.
Ion exchange pretreatment using desalting plant concentrate for regeneration

Abstract In contrast to the production of fresh water from the oceans, the desalting of inland waters faces two specific restricting circumstances: the raw water supply is limited and must be fully accounted for, and the disposal of any waste brine has serious economic and environmental consequences. Plant design has to limit the quantity of wasted water to a minimum, thus facing calcium sulfate scaling problems in the concentrated waste within membrane desalting equipment. This paper describes some work on using a special scheme of ion exchange pretreatment to avoid the undesirable aspects of lime-soda softening and conventional ion exchange. This ion exchange scheme uses the concentrate from the membrane desalting to regenerate strong acid resin thus eliminating the need to purchase large amounts of chemicals and the problems of disposing of spent chemicals. Test results for several different brackish waters are presented which prove the feasibility of this approach. Its specific application at three potential desalting projects - Yuma Desalting Plant, LaVerkin Springs, and Las Vegas Wash - is described. In the case of Las Vegas Wash, the regenerant would have to come from evaporation ponds due to the relatively low sodium to calcium ratio. Sizing and cost estimates of ion exchange equipment for the Yuma and Las Vegas Wash desalting plants are presented.
RADIATION-TYPE EIKONAL MODEL FOR UNCORRELATED MESON PRODUCTION IN HIGH- ENERGY NUCLEON--NUCLEON COLLISIONS.

A model for uncorrelated meson production in high-energy nucleon-nucleon collisions is proposed, using the eikonal formalism to extract a specific form for the optical potential from nucleon-nucleon elastic scattering data. This potential is used to form the eikonal wave function of the scattering system, from which is constructed a model source density for radiated pions. The normalization is derived from Adler's formulation of the soft-pion limit. Predictions involving no free parameters are compared with pion spectra from $\mathrm{pp}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{+}+\mathrm{anything}$ at 12.2, 19.2, and 30 GeV/c. Good to reasonable agreement is obtained for c.m. emission angles less than 20\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}. The mean multiplicity for charged pions is also found to agree qualitatively with experiment. A covariant formulation of the model, using the Bethe-Salpeter equation, is proposed, but no calculations are presented.
145 EVALUATION OF DIGOXIN DOSAGE IN PREMATURE INFANTS

The effective and safe dosage of digoxin for premature infants has not yet been established. We compared the digoxin serum level, change in left ventricular systolic time interval (LVSTI) and toxic manifestations in 2 groups of premature infants, administering a total digitalizing dose (TDD) of 30μg/kg to Gp.I and a TDD of 20μg/kg to Gp.II. The birthweight (BW) of the 26 pts. in Gp.I (720-3170 gms, mean 1553-SE 112 gms) and the gestational age (GA) (26-35 wks, mean 31.7 wks) were similar to the BW (980-2160 gms,mean 1475-SE 115) and GA (27-35 wks, mean 31.8 wks) of the 12 pts. in Gp.II. Digoxin was administered parenterally ½ TDD, then ¼ TDD 8 hrs. later and the remaining ¼ TDD 8 hrs. later, then 1/8 TDD every 12 hrs. for remainder of study. Radioimmunoassay of serum digoxin levels obtained 72 hrs. after the initial dose and just before the maintenance dose revealed a higher level in Gp.I: 1.4-7.5μg/ml (mean 3.5±SE 0.39) than in Gp.II: 1.2-3.0μg/ml (mean 1.73±SE 0.15), p<.001. In Gp.I the smaller more immature infants had the higher serum levels. In Gp.II the levels were similar, irrespective of BW and GA. Despite lower serum level of digoxin in Gp.II, the echocardiographically determined LVSTI was effectively reduced. Toxicity was noted in only 1 pt. who was in Gp.I, serum level 5.0μg/ml. Serum digoxin half-life in 7 pts. from both groups was 56-88 hrs. (mean 72±SE 5.2hrs). Since hemodynamic effect was achieved with the lower dose (20μg/kg TDD), we recommend this dose for premature infants.
Regression Based Learning of Human Actions from Video Using HOF-LBP Flow Patterns

A human action recognition framework is proposed which models motion variations corresponding to a particular class of actions without the need for sequence length normalization. The motion descriptors used in this framework are based on the optical flow vectors computed at every point on the silhouette of the human body. Histogram of flow(HOF) is computed from the optical flow vectors and these give the motion orientation in a local neighborhood. To get a relationship between the motion vectors at a particular instant, the magnitude and direction of the optical flow vector are coded with local binary patterns(LBP). The concatenation of these histograms(HOF-LBP) are considered as the action feature set to be used in the proposed framework. We illustrate that this motion descriptor is suitable for classifying various human actions when used in conjunction with the proposed action recognition framework which models the motion variations in time for each class using regression based techniques. The feature vectors extracted from the training set are suitably mapped to a lower dimensional space using Empirical Orthogonal Functional Analysis. A regression based technique such as Generalized Regression Neural Networks(GRNN), are used to compute the functional mapping from the action feature vectors to its reduced Eigenspace representation for each class, thereby obtaining separate action manifolds. The feature set obtained from a test sequence are compared with each of the action manifolds by comparing the test coefficients with the ones corresponding to the manifold (as estimated by GRNN) to determine the class using Mahalanobis distance.
Weight gain after adenotonsillectomy is more common in young children.

ObjectiveAdenotonsillectomy (TA), performed for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) or recurrent tonsillitis (RT), has been associated with weight gain after surgery. The objective of this study was to look at a large population of children undergoing TA and the demographic factors that contribute to postoperative weight gain.Study DesignCase series with retrospective chart review.SettingTertiary, urban academic care center.Subjects and MethodsChildren undergoing TA at an academic center between 2008 and 2011 were included in this study. Demographic data (age, gender, race), OSA disease severity, preoperative and 3- to 6-month postoperative normalized body mass index (BMI; z-scores), and changes in z-scores were compared.ResultsComplete weight data after TA were available for 115 children, 85 of whom underwent surgery for OSA. Mean age (7.2 ± 4.3 vs 7.3 ± 4.4 years, P = .955) and gender distribution (38% female vs 50% male; P = .323) were similar for the OSA and RT groups. However, children with OSA were more l...
Canning Quality Evaluation of Pinto and Navy Beans

Thermal processing of pinto and navy beans at 121.1°C for 16 or 14 min in a still retort gave similar sterilization value (Fo= 10) as the processing at 115.6°C for 45 min. The 121.1°C/16 or 14 min process produced beans with greater firmness than the 115.6°C/45 min process. The addition of CaCl2 and EDTA improved firmness and color of canned beans. Calcium chloride also reduced clumping and splitting of the canned beans. Sensory evaluation showed that the acceptability of canned beans was reduced when CaCl2 was increased up to 10 mM. High correlation between firmness and soluble pectin in various bean cultivars implied that soluble pectin content could be used as a parameter for screening bean cultivars with desirable firmness.
Impact of a pharmacist-developed protocol on the cardiac monitoring of methadone in chronic noncancer pain management

Objectives: To describe the roles of pharmacists in a chronic pain management clinic (PMC) and to discuss the impact of a pharmacist-developed protocol on monitoring for rate-corrected QT interval prolongation with methadone when used for chronic noncancer pain.Setting: An academic family medicine department with an affiliated PMC in which pharmacists practice, from 2005 to 2008.Practice description: Pharmacy services in the PMC included taking medication histories and reconciling the medication record at each visit, assessing the efficacy and safety of drug therapy, making therapeutic recommendations to the two PMC physicians, and counseling patients on their drug regimens. These services were provided by faculty pharmacists and by student pharmacists completing their advanced pharmacy practice experiences at the site.Practice innovation: Based on a need identified in a medication use evaluation performed by the pharmacists, a protocol was developed with the objective of increasing the rates of cardiac monitoring in high-risk patients prescribed methadone in all of the department's clinics.Main outcome measure: Rates of electrocardiogram (ECG) monitoring pre- and postprotocol were compared to determine the impact of the protocol.Results: A 19% absolute (136% relative) increase occurred in the proportion of high-risk patients who had an ECG performed (P = 0.02). The proportion of high-risk patients from the PMC who had an ECG increased by 20% (absolute; 27% relative; P = 0.005), with no significant change in the other clinics.Conclusion: The implementation of a pharmacist-developed protocol resulted in improvements in monitoring practices. The improvement was most pronounced in the PMC, which uses pharmacists in the patient care process. This suggests that the involvement of pharmacists in the application of the protocol may be more important than the existence of a protocol.
Late Pleistocene environment of the central Delmarva Peninsula, Delaware-Maryland

The Parsonsburg Sand, which is part fluviatile and part eolian, mantles terraces and uplands in the central Delmarva Peninsula. Its organic horizons are fresh-water peats, which range in age from about 30,000 to 13,000 yr. Pollen assemblages in the sediments suggest colder and perhaps drier conditions than at present.
HIGH-TEMPERATURE ZIRCONIUM PHOSPHATES

The existence of two zirconium phosphate compounds has been established. The “normal” phosphate, ZrP2O7, has a reversible inversion at 300 °C. and dissociates to the zirconyl compound, (ZrO)2P2O7, at 1550°C., with the simultaneous loss of P2O5 as vapor. The room-temperature form of ZrP2O7 is cubic with refractive index 1.657 ± 0.003. The zirconyl compound has a stable existence to temperatures around 1600°C. and is characterized by a very low linear thermal-expansion coefficient.
The bad taste of social ostracism: The effects of exclusion on the eating behaviors of African-American women

African-American women experience disproportionately higher rates of obesity than do Caucasian women. The stress African-American women encounter from experiences of discrimination may influence their eating behaviours, which could contribute to weight gain. Emotional eating theory suggests some people increase their intake of high-calorie foods to cope with stressful experiences. We investigated the effects of social exclusion by other African-American women or by Caucasian women for African-American women's distress and food consumption using a laboratory paradigm. As hypothesised, there were main effects of ostracism and interactions between ostracism and race, although not all of the interactions took the expected form. As hypothesised, African-American women ate more potato crisps after being excluded by Caucasians than by African-Americans. Unexpectedly, African-American women who were excluded by other African-American women self-reported more emotional distress than did African-American women excluded by Caucasian women. These findings suggest that ostracism by both in-group and out-group members are disturbing, although people may respond to in-group and out-group exclusion in different ways. Directions for future research are suggested that could elucidate the circumstances under which different emotional and behavioural coping responses are employed.
Thiazole and imidazole metabolites from the ascidian Aplydium pliciferum

Abstract Two thiazole- and one imidazole-containing metabolites have beenisolated from the Australian ascidian Aplydium pliciferum . Their structures were established by spectral methods and synthesis.
Craniovertebral junction anomalies: Diagnosis and management

The craniovertebral junction is the most complex of the axial skeleton, residing between the skull and the upper cervical spine. Congenital, developmental, and acquired bony abnormalities, result in compression and distortion of the neural structures, the vertebrobasllar vascular system and the cerebrospinal fluid channels. The clinical significance of this has only been recently recognized, and mistaken diagnoses have led to a delayed treatment and at times adverse results. A review of the anatomy, the embryology, and the mechanics of this region is essential to the understanding of the pathophysiology encountered.
Langevin dynamics simulation of DNA ejection from a phage

We have performed Langevin dynamics simulations of a coarse-grained model of ejection of dsDNA from Φ29 phage. Our simulation results show significant variations in the local ejection speed, consistent with experimental observations reported in the literature for both in vivo and in vitro systems. In efforts to understand the origin of such variations in the local speed of ejection, we have investigated the correlations between the local ejection kinetics and the packaged structures created at various motor forces and chain flexibility. At lower motor forces, the packaged DNA length is shorter with better organization. On the other hand, at higher motor forces typical of realistic situations, the DNA organization inside the capsid suffers from significant orientational disorder, but yet with long orientational correlation times. This in turn leads to lack of registry between the direction of the DNA segments just to be ejected and the direction of exit. As a result, a significant amount of momentum transfer is required locally for successful exit. Consequently, the DNA ejection temporarily slows down exhibiting pauses. This slowing down occurs at random times during the ejection process, completely determined by the particular starting conformation created by prescribed motor forces. In order to augment our inference, we have additionally investigated the ejection of chains with deliberately changed persistence length. For less inflexible chains, the demand on the occurrence of large momentum transfer for successful ejection is weaker, resulting in more uniform ejection kinetics. While being consistent with experimental observations, our results show the nonergodic nature of the ejection kinetics and call for better theoretical models to portray the kinetics of genome ejection from phages.
A simple image analysis method for evaluating cell binding to derivatized beads.

Summary We have previously developed a novel method to determine the presence or absence of cell surface lectin receptors using derivatized agarose beads and have used many different derivatized beads in examining other cell surface properties. Thus, we have used beads that were previously utilized mainly for chromatography purposes in a new approach to study cell surface histochemistry. The previous studies analysed cell-bead binding using subjective plus- minus descriptions that suffered from lack of quantification. We needed a quantitative method in this new approach for histochemical cell surface studies. Here we describe a new method using image analysis of photographs that we developed to solve the quantification problem. The histogram feature of Adobe Photoshop was used to analyse cell binding to beads that were isolated by computer. The method is simple and works as more cells bind to the beads, the beads appear darker in color, a feature easily and precisely quantified using Adobe Photoshop.
Contrasting effects of simazine on the photosynthetic physiology and leaf morphology of two Populus clones

Differential effects of simazine (2-chloro-4,6-bis(ethylamino)-s-triazine) on the physiology of two Populus clones were investigated in a greenhouse study. Additions of 5 mg/pot simazine to young plants had no deleterious morphological or physiological effects on clone NC 5328 (P. x euramericana cv. I 45/51; Section Aigeiros), but reduced the rate of CO2 fixation, increased CO2 compensation concentrations and lowered the specific leaf weight of clone NE 388 (P. maximowiczu x P. trichocarpa cv. Kingston; section Tacamahaca). Abaxial leaf conductance to water vapor was not affected in NE 388. Deleterious effects of simazine on NE 388 were detected ca 48 h after exposure of plants to simazine and generally became more pronounced thereafter. Visual symptoms of injury were evident at ca 2 weeks after simazine application. Toxic responses to simazine in clone NE 388 varied in different portions of the crown. Inhibition of photosynthesis and increased CO2 compensation concentrations were more pronounced in the region of recently matured leaves, but were somewhat less in the region of expanding leaves. Older mature leaves in the lower crown region showed no visual symptoms of injury and the rate of photosynthesis and CO2 compensation concentrations were largely unaffected.
Regional differences in the morphology of the rat subfornical organ

Abstract Based upon scanning and transmission electron microscopy 3 regions are distinguished in the rat subfornical organ. The rostral region is dominated by nerve fibers interspersed with relatively few neurons and glial cells. Squamous tt low cuboidal ependymal cells with flat ventricular surfaces bearing a few short microvilli line the center of this region; laterally, ciliated cuboidal ependymal cells predominate. The central region occupies the larges area of the organ and contains most of the neuronal perikarya and glial cells. Many perikarya and neuronal processes are located immediately underneath the ependymal surface. A dense capillary network with wide pericapillary spaces permeates the tissue. In the rostral two-thirds of this region the ependymal cells are either squamous or cuboidal, sometimes with slightly bulging ventricular surfaces bearing longer microvilli. Here supraependymal neurons are particularly numerous. The caudal one-third of the central region is characterized by squamous, cuboidal and columnar ependymal cells whose hemispherical ventricular surfaces are studded with long microvilli and occasional cilia and vesicular protrusions. The caudal region, like the rostral region, is dominated by nerve fibers between which neuronal perikarya and glial cells are present. At this level the choroid plexus is attached to the SFO through highly vascularized pial connective tissue. It is the major point of penetration of the SFO's capillary plexus. The possible significance of these observations and their importance in experimental interventions are discussed.
Identification, isolation, and analysis of a gene cluster involved in iron acquisition by Pseudomonas mendocina ymp

Microbial acquisition of iron from natural sources in aerobic environments is a little-studied process that may lead to mineral instability and trace metal mobilization. Pseudomonas mendocina ymp was isolated from the Yucca Mountain Site for long-term nuclear waste storage. Its ability to solubilize a variety of Fe-containing minerals under aerobic conditions has been previously investigated but its molecular and genetic potential remained uncharacterized. Here, we have shown that the organism produces a hydroxamate and not a catecholate-based siderophore that is synthesized via non-ribosomal peptide synthetases. Gene clustering patterns observed in other Pseudomonads suggested that hybridizing multiple probes to the same library could allow for the identification of one or more clusters of syntenic siderophore-associated genes. Using this approach, two independent clusters were identified. An unfinished draft genome sequence of P. mendocina ymp indicated that these mapped to two independent contigs. The sequenced clusters were investigated informatically and shown to contain respectively a potentially complete set of genes responsible for siderophore biosynthesis, uptake, and regulation, and an incomplete set of genes with low individual homology to siderophore-associated genes. A mutation in the cluster’s pvdA homolog (pmhA) resulted in a siderophore-null phenotype, which could be reversed by complementation. The organism likely produces one siderophore with possibly different isoforms and a peptide backbone structure containing seven residues (predicted sequence: Acyl-Asp-Dab-Ser-fOHOrn-Ser-fOHorn). A similar approach could be applied for discovery of Fe− and siderophore-associated genes in unsequenced or poorly annotated organisms.
Extending the Scope of the Acculturation/Pidginization Model to Include Cognition

This paper examines five cognitive models for second language acquisition (SLA) and assesses how each of them might account for the pidginized interlanguage found in the early stages of SLA. The conclusion drawn from this analysis is that all the models offer some account for how a pidginized interlanguage might be formed, but none provides an adequate explanation of the cognition that would be involved in pidginization. Based on this assessment, the paper discusses criteria for evaluating cognitive models for SLA. In addition, an argument is made that abstract characterizations of learner behavior (principles, rules, strategies, etc.) must not be confused with the cognitive mechanisms that cause the behavior. Finally, it is suggested that the structure and function of the brain might be a good source of ideas about the cognitive architecture and mechanisms involved in SLA and that a complete general theory of second language learning will ultimately have to contain an account of cognitive processing.
Index and storage design in native XML databases

Using a native XML DBMS to efficiently store and retrieve XML data has been well studied in recent years. Various native XML DBMSs were developed, and they support most of the features of XQuery. The core topics of these studies are indexing methods for XML. Most existing native XML DBMSs use range based indexing methods, resulting in significant extra space and system degradation.In this paper, we present a method that maps XML data into relational tables. Our method is still range based, which means it can process queries with regular path expression efficiently. But with the introduction of node grouping, the extra space needed for the indexing is reduced significantly. With fewer tables created, we will show that query processing can also be significantly expedited.