cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multidimensional models and iconic decay: Reply to di Lollo and Dixon.

We discuss two issues raised by Di Lollo and Dixon. First, we formalize the notion of «informational dimensionality» and demonstrate that Loftus's extraction-rate model is equivalent to Di Lollo and Dixon's «dual-decay model» with respect to dimensionality. Second, we describe how the extraction-rate model can be modified to apply it to 2 data sets reported by Di Lollo and Dixon. The major modifications involve (1) the assumption of capacity limitations in short-term memory and (2) the assumption of differential information-extraction rates prior to and after probe presentation in a partial-report paradigm. We demonstrate that although the model can account qualitatively for Di Lollo and Dixon's data, it cannot account for them quantitatively
McGraw-Hill's AccessMedicine™

An online resource from McGraw-Hill, AccessMedicine™ is a valuable tool for medical students, residents, researchers, and all health care professionals. It is updated regularly and contains electronic textbooks, videos, board preparation materials, and patient information. AccessMedicine has straightforward navigation, utilizes a semantic search engine, and searches are ranked by relevance. This article will provide an overview of some of the features in AccessMedicine including: coverage, search capabilities, navigation, and other unique content.
What is Wrong with the 'What-Went-Right' Approach in Educational Policy?

This article critically examines how 'what-went-right' analyses are used to subsequently justify the transfer of reform packages or 'best practices' from one country to another. Similar to evidence-based policy planning, the what-went-right approach needs to be criticized for being presumptuous. There are three fallacies of the what-went-right analysis that the article dismantles: rationality, precision and universality. The article focuses on the facade of universality and examines how the claim to universal solutions is methodologically sustained. First, the author shows how standardized or normative comparison has in recent years overshadowed the other two types of comparison: comparison across time (historical analyses) and comparison across contexts ('simple comparison'). Then, she elaborates on why the what-went-right approach requires policy analysts to downplay differences between educational systems in order to establish comparability between cases. The emphasis on comparability and similarity of cases is a prerequisite to importing 'best practices' from vastly different educational systems. But what if transfer occurs regardless of difference? There is a curious phenomenon that the article addresses in greater detail: the retrospective definition of a local problem. Given the worldwide circulation of 'best practices' and traveling reform packages, policy analysts sometimes are under pressure to align their analyses of local problems with already existing global solutions. The article ends with a reflection on policy borrowing and lending research and situates the what-went-right approach in the broader question of why and how policy analysts 'buy' or 'sell' reform packages that worked well in one context for transfer into another. In this article I examine the reasons why the 'what-went-right' approach has become so popular, the methodological assumptions upon which it depends, as well as its impact upon agenda setting and policy formulation. This approach often leads to the erroneous assumption that what went right in one educational system will inevitably work well in another. Because it is associated with policy borrowing and learning, the approach has drawn the attention of comparative education researchers. The what-went-right approach is related to two other practices in policy studies: evidence- based policy planning and lesson-drawing. The latter is nowadays more commonly defined as learning from 'best practices.' If we were to place the three terms on a continuum ranging from analytical to prescriptive, evidence-based policy planning would be considered the most analytical, lesson-drawing the most prescriptive, and the what-went-right approach would fall somewhere in between. Evidence-based policy planning is, at least in its intention, an instrument for evaluating and understanding the effectiveness of a reform. At the other end of the continuum are 'best practices' that organizations export or import, lend or borrow or, more generally, transfer from one context to another.
Relationship Between Preoperative Pulmonary Function Studies and Prognosis of Patients Undergoing Pneumonectomy for Carcinoma of the Lung

Preoperative pulmonary function has been correlated with the clinical course in 29 patients undergoing pneumonectomy, 26 of them for carcinoma of the lung. We conclude that significant airway obstruction alone is not an immediate contraindication to surgery nor does it preclude long-term survival. Resting hypercapnia and evidence of cardiovascular decompensation are considered strong relative contraindications to pneumonectomy, and in the present study, with one exception, patients with such conditions were not operated upon.
A Sensitive Gelatin Agglutination Test for Detecting Antisperm Agglutinins.

Summary1. An improved macroscopical agglutination test for the detection of agglutinins against human spermatozoa is described. 2. The test employs an antigen of actively motile spermatozoa, and a final concentration of 2.5% gelatin to increase the viscosity of the medium. 3. The viscous gelatin medium prevents dissolution of the weakly bound sperm agglutinates in the higher antiserum dilutions, and retards sedimentation so as to render resuspension unnecessary. 4. The new method appears to be highly sensitive and specific. Agglutinative titers ranging from 1:16,000 to 1:256,000 with a mean of about 1:60,000 have been obtained with 7 anti-human-sperm rabbits′ sera. These titers are over 100-fold higher than those obtained with the usual agglutinative technics. 5. The possible applications of the test are suggested.
News Coverage and Access to Contextual Policy Information in the Case of Recreational Water Rights in Colorado

Local news media help shape the agendas from which new policies emerge. Furthermore, local media help determine public understanding of complex issues. Media should inform citizens and policymakers on important policy issues. This study uses a content analysis of 11 newspapers to understand the manner in which reporters covered a specific environmental policy issue in Colorado. Findings indicate that news coverage did not provide local readers with contextual information important in forming policy opinions. These findings support mass communication and policy scholarship on the limitations of local media in adequately informing citizens and policymakers.
Intimate Partner Violence Victim and Perpetrator Characteristics Among Couples in the United States

This paper describes the characteristics (sociodemographic, drinking and selected psychological attributes) of victims, perpetrators and those who engage in mutual intimate partner violence (IPV) among couples in the U.S. Subjects constitute a multistage area probability sample representative of married and cohabiting couples from the 48 contiguous United States. Results indicate that age is the only variable that appears to have a consistent effect for men and women and across violence-related statuses: Older individuals are less likely to be victims, perpetrators and less likely to be involved in mutually violent relationships. Other variables such as ethnicity, marital status, drinking, impulsivity, depression and powerlessness are either gender or status-specific in their ability to predict victimization, perpetration or victimization/perpetration. Overall, those involved in violent relationships do not appear to be very different from those not involved in violent relationships. The most likely reason for lack of this difference is the nature of IPV in general population samples, which is in most cases moderate.
Role of exogenous and endogenous trophic factors in the regulation of extraocular muscle strength during development.

Purpose Weak eye muscles can cause ophthalmic disorders, and in particular, strabismus. Exogenous trophic factors such as cardiotrophin (CT)-1 and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) have been shown to increase the contractile force of adult heart and skeletal muscles, respectively. In the current study, the effects of endogenous and exogenous trophic factors on extraocular muscle strength and mass were examined in the developing chicken. Methods Superior rectus and superior oblique muscles of hatchling chicks were treated in vivo either to increase levels of trophic factors CT-1, IGF-I, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), or brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), or to decrease their levels with neutralizing antibodies and binding proteins. Forty-eight hours after factors were injected into the orbit, the contractile force of dissected muscles was measured in vitro and the morphology of muscle fibers was compared between control and treated muscles. Results Treatment with CT-1 or IGF-I significantly increased the mean single-twitch force generation and these trophic factors increased muscle fiber diameters when compared to control muscles. A cocktail of antibodies and binding proteins, directed against endogenous IGF-I, GDNF, and CT-1, significantly decreased mean single-twitch force. This cocktail slightly, but significantly, reduced muscle fiber diameters within treated extraocular muscles. Conclusions Endogenous trophic factors regulate and/or maintain extraocular muscle force through a rapid mechanism that appears to involve changes in muscle mass and specifically enlargement of muscle fiber diameters. CT-1 and IGF-I may be considered promising candidate trophic factors for therapeutic strengthening of eye muscles in the developing extraocular muscle system.
Biologically active nuclear-substituted sulfonamides. II. Bacteriostatic and biological activity of some nuclear-substituted sulfathiazoles.

Seven new nuclear-substituted sulfathiazole derivatives were tested in uitro against Pastewella estis and Bacillus subtilis, and were compared with sulfathiazole and sulfanilamife in the presence and absence of para-aminobenzoic acid (PAB) by using a broth dilution method. Each of the nuclear-substituted sulfonamides was at least as active or more active than the parent compound, sulfathiazole. In in uiuo experiments, however, they were not superior to sulfathiazole in the therapy of either plague, staphylococcus, or streptococcus infection in the mouse. Generally, I these compounds are more toxic than sulfathiazole. Since the antibacterial activity of these nuclear-substituted derivatives is antagonized by p-aminobenzoic acid, they conform to the accepted definition of a true sulfanilamide-type compound. On the other hand, two thiophene sulfonamides tested were active antibacterial agents, but they were not inactivated' by PAB. The activity of these nuclear-substituted derivatives modifies some of the current concepts with regard to the relationship between the sulfanilamide structure and antibacterial activity.
Multiplexed High Temperature Sensor Based on Multicore Fiber

A novel temperature sensor based on special multicore fiber (MCF) is studied. Experimental results show a repeatable and stable sensor operation at high temperatures with the capability to multiplex several devices in a single chain.
Scaling law for responsivity roll-off in quantum-well infrared photodetectors under low-temperature and low-irradiance conditions

The peak responsivity of quantum-well infrared photodetectors (QWIPs) is known to decrease or "roll-off" to a lower plateau value as the frequency of an incoming time-varying photon irradiance increases. The time constant associated with the roll-off frequency depends on the amplitude of the applied DC bias, the incoming irradiance, and the device temperature. In this paper we demonstrate the scaling law for the responsivity roll-off and use it to estimate the quantum-well capacitance by first measuring the roll-off frequency as a function of bias and optical flux and then measuring the device dynamic resistance under similar conditions. The slope of the scatter plot of the roll-off angular frequency versus the inverse dynamic resistance is related to the quantum-well capacitance. Using this approach, we estimate the quantum-well capacitance in a fifty-well, Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs QWIP pixel of area 2.44 x 10-4 cm-2 to be ~ 1.22pF at 50 K.© (2002) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
A pilot randomized, controlled trial of metformin versus insulin in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE Few studies support oral diabetic treatment in pregnant women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The objective of this study was to compare the effects of metformin versus insulin on achieving glycemic control and improving maternal and neonatal outcomes in pregnant women with T2DM. STUDY DESIGN A pilot randomized, controlled trial was conducted of metformin versus insulin for the treatment of T2DM during pregnancy. The primary outcome was glycemic control measured with hemoglobin A1c < 7% at delivery. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were compared between groups. RESULTS In this study, 8 women received metformin and 11 received insulin. All women in both groups achieved glycemic control by delivery (HgbA1c: metformin 5.96 ± 5.88 vs. insulin 6.34 ± 0.92%). There were similar rates of cesarean delivery, birth weights, neonatal intensive care unit admissions, respiratory distress syndrome, and neonatal dextrose treatment between groups. There was one case of fetal macrosomia in the insulin group, one case of shoulder dystocia in the metformin group and no cases of failed metformin therapy. CONCLUSION In this pilot study, glycemic control was achieved in women who received metformin and insulin. Larger studies are needed to determine whether metformin can be considered a reasonable alternative to insulin in pregnant women with T2DM.
Statistical investigation of the relationship between interfacial waviness and sensible heat transfer to a falling liquid film

Abstract Experiments are performed to provide an insight into the heat transfer aspects of a wavy liquid film. Local film thickness and liquid temperature are measured simultaneously using a thermal conductance thickness probe and fast response thermocouples as the wavy film falls over an electrically heated wall. Liquid temperature at a fixed distance from the wall generally increases in the thin substrate portion of the film and decreases within the large waves. Temperature shows complex excursions within the large waves due to turbulent eddies and to the relative liquid motion between the large wave and the surrounding substrate. The measurements are examined with the aid of statistical tools to investigate the relationship between film thickness and liquid temperature at various film Reynolds numbers and heat fluxes. The correlation between the two variables is stronger at higher heat fluxes compared to lower fluxes. A crossspectrum analysis shows a distinct band of dominant frequencies in the relationship between the two variables.
Postoperative management of cerebral air embolism: gas physiology for surgeons

Cerebral gaseous microemboli are present in most, if not all, cardiopulmonary bypass-assisted operations. Fortunately, the great majority are subclinical. Clinically significant cases of cerebral air embolism are largely underdiagnosed, undertreated, and underreported. The management of cerebral air embolism has been challenged due to the lack of prospective, randomized studies. Preventive measures that have been implemented throughout the years, resulting from empirically acquired knowledge, have avoided frequent major mishaps. Perfusion accidents, in which massive amounts of gas are pumped into patients, are managed intraoperatively by common-sense heroic measures which, at best, remove 50% of the embolized gas. Postoperative confirmation of a neurologic insult after a cardiopulmonary bypass-assisted operation, in which a cerebral air embolism is likely the source, is one of the most distressing situations a surgical team has to confront, due in part to the lack of pathognomonic diagnostic tools and to the absence of a "scientifically proven" (supported by prospective, randomized studies) therapeutic regimen. In lieu of the latter, we present the physical and physiologic bases that will justify the use of several therapeutic tools when facing a suspected CAE. These tools, when applied rationally, will represent some of the most innocuous modalities in the medical armamentarium.
The effect of long-distance running on plasma immunoreactive glucagon levels.

Twelve highly conditioned long-distance runners were studied to determine the effects of marathon (42 km) and 10,000 m running on plasma immunoreactive glucagon (IRG), serum immunoreactive insulin (IRI), and serum glucose (G) levels. Blood samples were drawn just prior to and immediately upon completion of the run. Marathon running resulted in no significant change in G, IRI, or IRG levels. After running 10,000 m, plasma IRG levels did not change significantly, while IRI and G increased significantly. In evaluating the pooled data from both runs, a significant inverse correlation was observed between δG and δIRG. This relationship between δG and δIRG suggests that glucagon plays a role in maintaining normal blood glucose levels during strenuous exercise.
Maize and soybean root clustering as indicated by root mapping

Horizontal and vertical root mapping was used to relate rooting to a structured soil environment. Selected horizontal planes and associated vertical walls were exposed, and root locations were marked on polyethylene sheets. Separate sheets were used to indicate pores and cracks. Image analysis of the marked sheets indicated location of each root and root number per unit area (N). Number of roots growing in pores and cracks was determined by alignment of the marked sheets. Sixteen undisturbed cores (118 cm3) were taken in a grid pattern from each Ap horizon and adjacent subsoil for determination of root length density (D). Root clustering was associated with high coefficients of variation (ranging from 27 to 102%) for D. D/N (number−1) ratios were 16 (much greater than the theoretical value of 2 for a random root system). Both root branching and location of plant rows caused root clustering. Most of the root mappings were considered clustered by distributional statistics methods. Only a small percentage of roots were growing in preexisting pores and cracks, but many roots were located on ped faces.
Towards Mobile OCR: How to Take a Good Picture of a Document Without Sight

The advent of mobile OCR (optical character recognition) applications on regular smartphones holds great promise for enabling blind people to access printed information. Unfortunately, these systems suffer from a problem: in order for OCR output to be meaningful, a well-framed image of the document needs to be taken, something that is difficult to do without sight. This contribution presents an experimental investigation of how blind people position and orient a camera phone while acquiring document images. We developed experimental software to investigate if verbal guidance aids in the acquisition of OCR-readable images without sight. We report on our participant's feedback and performance before and after assistance from our software
Neonatal outcome in severe preeclampsia at 24 to 36 weeks' gestation: Does the HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) syndrome matter?

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to compare neonatal outcome after preterm delivery of infants whose gestation was complicated by the HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) syndrome, partial HELLP syndrome, or severe preeclampsia. Study Design: We reviewed the maternal and neonatal charts from 269 consecutive pregnancies complicated by the HELLP syndrome or severe preeclampsia managed at our perinatal center. The HELLP syndrome was defined by previously published laboratory criteria. Viable pregnancies were divided into 3 groups: HELLP syndrome, partial HELLP syndrome (at least 1, but not all 3, features of the HELLP syndrome), and severe preeclampsia (no features of the HELLP syndrome). Results were compared by means of χ 2 analysis and Student t test where appropriate. Logistic regression was used to evaluate outcome variables at different gestational ages. Results: There were no significant differences in complications among the 3 groups at each gestational age. There was, as expected, a significant decrease in morbidity and mortality rates with advanced gestational age. Conclusions: In severe preeclampsia, neonatal morbidity and death are related to gestational age rather than to the presence or absence of the HELLP syndrome. Whether expectant management is safe for women with the HELLP syndrome requires further study. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 1999;180:221-5.)
A preliminary evaluation of antioxidant compounds, reducing potential, and radical scavenging of pawpaw (Asimina tribloba) fruit pulp from different stages of ripeness

Abstract This study reports preliminary findings for total phenolics, flavonoids, ascorbic acid, reducing potential, and radical scavenging of pawpaw pulp extracts from underripe, ripe, and overripe fruits. Total phenolics were affected by ripeness {underripe = ripe > overripe}, as were flavonoids (ripe
Studies of polyurethane foam curing by factor analysis

The formation and curing of slabstock foam is studied with the use of Factor Analysis. The Successive Average Orthogonalization (SAO) is used for data decomposition and the Iterative Target Transformation Factor Analysis (ITTFA) is employed for the transformation of eigenvectors to approximated component spectra. Foams with similar formulation but different types of surfactant were analyzed. Most of the previously assigned bands were resolved.
Deuterium Pulse Transient Analysis for Determination of Heterogeneous Ethylene Hydroformylation Mechanistic Parameters

Abstract Deuterium isotopic pulse tracing has been combined with in situ infrared spectroscopy to study heterogeneous ethylene hydroformylation and hydrogenation on a 4 wt% Mn–Rh/SiO 2 catalyst at 513 K and 0.1 MPa. Deuterium pulses into steady-state CO/H 2 /C 2 H 4 flow produced H 2 , HD, D 2 , C 2 H 6− x D x , and C 2 H 6− x D x CO transient responses. The reaction parameters, including intermediate surface coverages and rate coefficients, were determined from the transient responses coupled with compartment models that describe adsorbed intermediates in the pathway for incorporation of D 2 into propionaldehyde. This pathway is shown below: The pathway involves (i) deuterium adsorption, (ii) partial deuteration of adsorbed ethylene to form adsorbed ethyl, (iii) deuteration of adsorbed ethyl to form ethane, (iv) CO insertion into adsorbed ethyl to form adsorbed acyl, (v) deuteration of adsorbed acyl via metal-chemisorbed deuterium to form propionaldehyde, and (vi) deuteration of adsorbed acyl via spillover deuterium to form propionaldehyde. The steady-state rate of hydrogen desorption, which is essential for determination of the reaction parameters, was estimated by use of the HD transient response assuming that the rate of HD production equals the rate of D 2 production and equals the rate of H 2 production at the point where the surface coverages of H and D are approximately equal. Evaluation of rate coefficients indicates that hydrogenation of adsorbed ethyl is intrinsically faster than CO insertion into ethyl, leading to the high selectivity toward ethane over propionaldehyde as product. The propionaldehyde compartment models were able to account for two modes of acyl hydrogenation: (i) from *H on the metal surface and (ii) from spillover *H, or Si–OH. Hydrogenation via metal-adsorbed hydrogen is favored over hydrogenation via spillover hydrogen. Comparison of the rate coefficients for CO insertion and acyl hydrogenation indicates that both steps are kinetically significant, which is consistent with conclusions of previous studies that utilized the Langmuir–Hinshelwood–Hougen–Watson and pseudo-steady-state analysis approaches.
Restorative effects of cyclic AMP on complex bioelectric activities of cultured fetal rodent CNS tissues after acute CA++ deprivation.

Explants of fetal mouse spinal cord and cerebral cortex generate organotypic slow-wave and repetitive-spike discharges in vitro which can be abolished by agents which reduce the concentration of Ca++ available to the tissue. Synaptically mediated discharges are rapidly blocked in Ca++-free balanced salt solution (BSS), or in regular BSS after addition of 10−3 M EGTA, 5–10 × 10−3 M Mg++, or 10−4 M xylocaine, but simple spike potentials can still propagate. When low concentrations of cyclic AMP or dibutyryl cyclic AMP (2 × 10−6 M) are added to the Ca ++-free BSS or Ca++-antagonist-BSS, a temporary (1–20 min) restoration of characteristic complex bioelectric activities occurs (or the onset of depression is delayed if cyclic AMP is initially added). Phosphodiesterase inhibitors, e.g. 10−3 M caffeine, are also effective in restoring these blockades, whereas 5′AMP and ATP are not. Application of 10−6 M cyclic AMP or 10−3 M caffeine in regular BSS greatly enhances excitability of some CNS explants, resembling convulsive effects observed in CNS in situ. The data suggest that cyclic AMP can mobilize Ca++ from membranebound Ca pools within neurons in CNS explants so as to permit Ca++-dependent release of neurotransmitter during Ca++ deficits. Thus, it may also be that under normal conditions, cyclic AMP can regulate the availability of Ca++ for synaptic transmission in the central nervous system, thereby modulating the efficacy of synaptic functions.
Tyr-MIF-1 precipitates abstinence syndrome in morphine-dependent rats

Abstract The endogenous neuropeptide Tyr-MIF-1 (Tyr-Pro-Leu-Gly-amide) has been shown to counteract various opiate actions. In the current study, third ventricular injection of 35 μg Tyr-MIF-1 protected by the enzyme inhibitor bestatin precipitated an abstinence syndrome in morphine-dependent rats, but not in opiate-naive rats. The results raise the possibility that Tyr-MIF-1 might participate in opiate dependence and opiate abstinence syndrome.
Minimum-cost topology adaptation for an ISP's mesh network

We propose a topology adaptation model for Internet service providers for minimizing their total dollar-cost for network operations. We observe significant cost-savings of 21% on a nationwide network employing realistic traffic models and bandwidth cost.
Observations on the behavior of gold during supergene oxidation at Summitville, Colorado, U.S.A., and implications for electrum stability in the weathering environment

Abstract The textural relations, morphology, and composition of gold grains in both oxidized and unoxidized ore from the Summitville, Colorado Au Cu Ag deposit have been investigated in this study. Gold from oxidized Summitville ore is finer grained than that from unoxidized ore, and occurs exclusively in intimate intergrowths with goethite of presumed supergene origin. These oxide-gold grains show no evidence of silver depletion and are enriched in silver relative to primary gold in a few cases. This trend can be explained using the stability relations of silver in electrum at 25°C. At this temperature, electrum with up to 20 wt % Ag may be relatively stable in the weathering environment, provided that chloride contents are sufficiently low in the coexisting aqueous phase. This is in accord with the maximum silver values observed in gold grains in the oxidized zone of the Summitville deposit, and with the negligible chloride content of present mine drainage. The absence of chloride that is implied by these electrum compositions effectively rules out gold-chloride complexes as an explanation for the local remobilization of gold in the oxidized zone at Summitville. It strongly suggests that gold-chloride complexes are not necessary to transport gold, at least on a local scale, in the acidic environment that characterizes many weathering sulfide ore bodies. Local gold mobilization in this environment is believed to reflect the formation of transient gold-thiosulfate complexes.
Deflecting negative self-relevant stereotype activation: The effects of individuation ☆

Under stereotype threat, when an individual risks confirming a negative self-relevant stereotype, activation of the stereotype can inhibit performance on a subsequent, related task. Although a significant amount of research has been devoted to examining the effects of stereotype activation on performance, relatively little is known about successful methods of intervention. Two experiments tested the hypothesis that individuation prior to performance would eliminate impairment due to stereotype activation. In both studies, Caucasian female participants in either a gender-prime or no-prime condition were administered a mathematics test. Gender primed, individuated participants outperformed gender primed, non-individuated participants and performed as well as unprimed, non-individuated (i.e., control) participants, supporting individuation as a protective measure against the detrimental effects of negative stereotype activation.
Photostasis: regulation of daily photon-catch by rat retinas in response to various cyclic illuminances.

Abstract Albino rats were born and raised in 12 hr light: 12 hr dark regimes of illuminances varying from 3- to 800 lx. At 15 weeks of age, the animals were killed and determinations were made of the following: (1) dark-adapted and steady-state rhodopsin levels; (2) rod outer-segment length and photoreceptor-cell density; (3) retinal topography of rhodopsin absorbance, and (4) regeneration rate of visual pigment in vivo. It was found that there is a four-fold drop in the dark-adapted rhodopsin level of animals raised in 400-lx cyclic light compared with those raised in 3 lx. This difference can be accounted for by differences in rod outer-segment length and transverse absorbance of frozen retinal sections. Further, this change in rhodopsin content, coupled with variations in the visual pigment regeneration rate, allows the rat to control the amount of pigment in its retina at steady-state bleach. In this way, the rat can regulate the number of photons its retina catches each day. Animals raised in cyclic illuminances differing by more than two orders of magnitude catch very nearly equal number of photons (1·10 ± 0·2 × 10 16 per eye) during the light period. A reduction in the number of photoreceptor cells also occurs with increasing illuminance, and these changes are more pronounced in the inferior region of the retina. This is not typical of the type of light-induced retinal damage caused by acute exposures.
Distributed observer, duality, and optimal regulator design for multi-agent systems

This paper studies synchronization using reduced state information based on output information passed between neighbor nodes. The node states are estimated using cooperative dynamical observers at each node. It is shown how to design cooperative state variable state feedbacks and observers at each node that are dual to each other, in a sense that extends the classical system theory notion of duality to dynamical systems on graphs. It is shown that unbounded consensus regions that guarantee synchronization on arbitrary strongly connected digraphs can be guaranteed by using OPTIMAL CONTROL AND OBSERVER design methods at each node based on Riccati equations. A duality theorem for systems on graphs is presented and it is shown how to design cooperative dynamical regulators that use output feedback for tracking the state of a control or leader node.
Glossary: healthy public policy

The concept of “healthy public policy” has had distant roots—perhaps one of the earliest acknowledgments was by an aristocrat in pre-revolutionary France, speaking of the poor people of Paris, “It is in our interest to feed them, but it would be dangerous to fatten them”, later recognised in the English Poor Laws and in the first public health charter in 1847, which emphasised housing, finally cascading in 20th century social welfare and environmental policies. The term itself did not appear until the 1980s, largely formalised and disseminated through the World Health Organisation. Inevitably, its meaning has taken on different hues according to the contexts and the purposes of those who use it. The following terms attempt to place healthy public policy within other policy constructs and invite testing in use and discussion. Policy is a guide to action to change what would otherwise occur, a decision about amounts and allocations of resources: the …
Towards novel radiosensitizing agents: the role of cytosolic PLA2α in combined modality cancer therapy.

The radioresistant nature of some tumors serves as an obstacle to curative therapy for several poor-prognosis malignancies. The radiosensitivity of a cancer is dependent not only on the intrinsic ability of tumor cells to recover from radiation-induced damage, but also the ability of stromal elements (e.g., vasculature) in the tumor microenvironment to survive and continue proliferating in the face of ionizing radiation. In this regard, it is important to understand the initial events activating radiation-induced signal transduction pathways. Among these events is the activation of cytosolic phospholipase A2 α and the subsequent production of the lipid second messengers. These events occur within minutes following exposure to ionizing radiation, and have been shown to enhance cell viability through a number of prosurvival signaling pathways. Furthermore, inhibition of cytosolic phospholipase A2 α has now been shown to reduce the viability of endothelial cells in culture after exposure to ionizing radiatio...
Temperature dependence of steel wastage in a bubbling fluidized bed simulator

Abstract Tubes within bubbling fluidized bed combustors have in many instances suffered wastage. The wastage can be quite high at temperatures near 300°C, but it typically shows an abrupt decrease at approximately 400°C. Superheater tubes that operate at higher temperatures generally do not experience wastage. It is widely believed that this decrease in wastage with temperature is due to the development of a continuous oxide layer that protects the metal substrate by virtue of its hardness and resistance to spalling. In this study, the temperature effect is examined using a wear rig specially designed to simulate the impact conditions relevant to in-bed tubes. It was discovered that wastage for mild steel can decrease from a relatively high value to essential zero within the temperature range of 400 to 430°C. This decrease was attributable not to the presence of an oxide scale but to the development of a protective deposit layer. The deposit consisted of an agglomeration of submicron bed material particle...
SU(n) Heisenberg spin chain

Abstract A completely integrable SU(n)-invariant Heisenberg spin chain is derived from an underlying U(n−1)-invariant non-linear Schrodinger equation.
Mantle plumes and magnetic reversals: A surprising link

The history of magnetic field reversals has been described as one of the best known, but least understood, geophysical records on Earth. In contrast, it is only recently that attempts have been made to quantify the history of mantle plume activity. Mantle plumes consist of large volumes of material from the lower mantle that occasionally rise, by buoyancy, from just above the core/mantle boundary. There is no agreement on the cause of magnetic field reversals, nor on how processes above the core/mantle boundary might influence processes below in the outer core, or even if such influence is possible [Loper, 1992]. However, the suggestion by Larson and Olson ]1991[ that mantle plume activity controls magnetic reversal frequency follows a trail of thermodynamic logic that could shed light on these questions, and thus it is important to understand the basis of such a premise, and how it might be tested.
Against Stepping Back: A Critique of Contextualist Approaches to the Semantic Paradoxes

A number of philosophers have argued that the key to understanding the semantic paradoxes is to recognize that truth is essentially relative to context. All of these philosophers have been motivated by the idea that once a liar sentence has been uttered we can ‘step back’ and, from the point of view of a different context, judge that the liar sentence is true. This paper argues that this ‘stepping back’ idea is a mistake that results from failing to relativize truth to context in the first place. Moreover, context-relative liar sentences, such as ‘This sentence is not true in any context’ present a paradox even after truth has been relativized to context. Nonetheless, the relativization of truth to context may offer us the means to avoid paradox, if we can justifiably deny that a sentence about a context can be true in the very context it is about.
Periodic orbits near infinity in the restrictedN-body problem

This paper shows that there exist two families of periodic solutions of the restrictedN-body problem which are close to large circular orbits of the Kepler problem. These solutions are shown to be of general elliptic type and hence are stable. If the restricted problem admits a symmetry, then there are symmetric periodic solutions which are close to large elliptic orbits of the Kepler problem.
The ubiquitous Kronecker product

Abstract The Kronecker product has a rich and very pleasing algebra that supports a wide range of fast, elegant, and practical algorithms. Several trends in scientific computing suggest that this important matrix operation will have an increasingly greater role to play in the future. First, the application areas where Kronecker products abound are all thriving. These include signal processing, image processing, semidefinite programming, and quantum computing. Second, sparse factorizations and Kronecker products are proving to be a very effective way to look at fast linear transforms. Researchers have taken the Kronecker methodology as developed for the fast Fourier transform and used it to build exciting alternatives. Third, as computers get more powerful, researchers are more willing to entertain problems of high dimension and this leads to Kronecker products whenever low-dimension techniques are “tensored” together.
Asymmetric information and multi-stage brain drain

Abstract In this paper, multi-stage decision procedures associated with the occurence of the brain drain are considered within an asymmetric information framework. Qualitative properties of multi-stage brain drain processes are characterized. Given additional assumptions, some policy implications are also provided through comparative statics analysis.
Contour dynamics-An interface method for studying the evolution of large density gradient ionospheric plasma clouds

Abstract A 2-D model is introduced of an ionospheric plasma cloud with a piecewise-constant density gradient and a diffusive-regularized boundary. Using contour dynamics (a boundary integral method) only the boundary between the regions of different densities need to be followed so that the 2-D model reduces to the 1-D motion of closed curves. Numerical results are shown including a comparison of the finite-difference and contour dynamics models.
HIV-1 Vif versus APOBEC3G: newly appreciated warriors in the ancient battle between virus and host

Abstract Recent studies demonstrate that apolipoprotein B mRNA-editing enzyme, catalytic polypeptide-like 3G (APOBEC3G), the newly identified target of HIV-1 Vif, represents an endogenous inhibitor of HIV-1 replication and is a viral-encapsidated cellular protein that deaminates minus-strand reverse transcript cytosine residues to uracils. HIV-1 Vif counteracts the inhibitory activity of APOBEC3G by forming a complex with the enzyme, inducing its degradation and preventing its viral encapsidation. This finding provides valuable insights into virus–host interactions and suggests a potential, novel anti-HIV-1 therapeutic approach.
Foundations of software testing: dependability theory

Testing is potentially the best grounded part of software engineering, since it deals with the well defined situation of a fixed program and a test (a finite collection of input values). However, the fundamental theory of program testing is in disarray. Part of the reason is a confusion of the goals of testing---what makes a test (or testing method) "good." I argue that testing's primary goal should be to measure the dependability of tested software. In support of this goal, a plausible theory of dependability is needed to suggest and prove results about what test methods should be used, and under what circumstances. Although the outlines of dependability theory are not yet clear, it is possible to identify some of the fundamental questions and problems that must be attacked, and to suggest promising approaches and research methods. Perhaps the hardest step in this research is admitting that we do not already have the answers.
Yerba Mate Tea (Ilex paraguariensis): A Comprehensive Review on Chemistry, Health Implications, and Technological Considerations

Yerba Mate tea, an infusion made from the leaves of the tree Ilex paraguariensis, is a widely consumed nonalcoholic beverage in South America which is gaining rapid introduction into the world market, either as tea itself or as ingredient in formulated foods or dietary supplements. The indigenous people have used it for centuries as a social and medicinal beverage. Yerba Mate has been shown to be hypocholesterolemic, hepatoprotective, central nervous system stimulant, diuretic, and to benefit the cardiovascular system. It has also been suggested for obesity management. Yerba Mate protects DNA from oxidation and in vitro low-density lipoprotein lipoperoxidation and has a high antioxidant capacity. It has also been reported that Yerba Mate tea is associated to both the prevention and the cause of some types of cancers. Yerba Mate has gained public attention outside of South America, namely the United States and Europe, and research on this tea has been expanding. This review presents the usage, chemistry, biological activities, health effects, and some technological considerations for processing of Yerba Mate tea. Furthermore, it assesses in a concise and comprehensive way the potential of Ilex paraguariensis as a source of biological compounds for the nutraceutical industry.
Contribution of obesity to the rise in incidence of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective Obesity is an underrecognized risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In recent years, both the prevalence of obesity and the incidence of RA have been rising. Our objective was to determine whether the “obesity epidemic” could explain the recent rise in the incidence of RA. Methods An inception cohort of Olmsted County, Minnesota residents who fulfilled the 1987 American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA in 1980–2007 was compared to population-based controls (matched on age, sex, and calendar year). Heights, weights, and smoking statuses were collected from medical records. Obesity was defined as a body mass index ≥30 kg/m2. Conditional logistic regression was used to assess the influence of obesity on developing RA. Population attributable risk was used to estimate the incidence of RA in the absence of obesity. Results The study included 813 patients with RA and 813 controls. Both groups had extensive medical history available prior to the incidence/index date (mean 32.2 years), and ∼30% of each group was obese at the incidence/index date. The history of obesity was significantly associated with developing RA (odds ratio 1.24, 95% confidence interval 1.01–1.53; adjusted for smoking status). In 1985–2007, the incidence of RA rose by an increment of 9.2 per 100,000 among women. Obesity accounted for 4.8 per 100,000 (52%) of this increase. Conclusion Obesity is associated with a modest risk for developing RA. Given the rapidly increasing prevalence of obesity, this has had a significant impact on RA incidence and may account for much of the recent increase in the incidence of RA.
Left ventricular assist devices as a bridge to cardiac transplantation

Heart failure remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, affecting over five million patients in the United States. Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) have become the standard of care for patients with end stage heart failure. This review highlights the current state of LVAD as a bridge to transplant (BTT) in patients requiring mechanical circulatory support (MCS).
Adiabatic westward drift of Indian monsoon depressions

A large fraction of the rain received by continental India is produced by cyclonic vortices with outer radii of about 1000 km that are contained within the larger scale South Asian monsoon flow. The more intense occurrences of these vortices are called monsoon depressions; these consist of bottom-heavy columns of relative vorticity that propagate to the northwest in time-mean low-level eastward flow. Previous studies have argued that this apparent upstream propagation is caused by dynamical lifting west of the vortex centre, with the resulting ascent producing vortex stretching that shifts the vortex to the west. Here, analysis of over 100 Indian monsoon depressions is used to show that low-level vortex stretching has a spatial structure inconsistent with the observed propagation and is balanced by other terms in the low-level vorticity budget. Instead, monsoon depressions are shown to consist of potential vorticity maxima that have peak amplitude in the middle troposphere and propagate westward by nonlinear, horizontal adiabatic advection (i.e. beta drift). The precipitating ascent in monsoon depressions makes a more minor contribution to the total storm motion and primarily acts to maintain the upright structure of the vortex. These results suggest a new view of Indian monsoon depressions as potential vorticity columns that propagate primarily by adiabatic dynamics.
Optimal and efficient decoding of concatenated quantum block codes

We consider the problem of optimally decoding a quantum error correction code—that is, to find the optimal recovery procedure given the outcomes of partial "check" measurements on the system. In general, this problem is NP hard. However, we demonstrate that for concatenated block codes, the optimal decoding can be efficiently computed using a message-passing algorithm. We compare the performance of the message-passing algorithm to that of the widespread blockwise hard decoding technique. Our Monte Carlo results using the five-qubit and Steane's code on a depolarizing channel demonstrate significant advantages of the message-passing algorithms in two respects: (i) Optimal decoding increases by as much as 94% the error threshold below which the error correction procedure can be used to reliably send information over a noisy channel; and (ii) for noise levels below these thresholds, the probability of error after optimal decoding is suppressed at a significantly higher rate, leading to a substantial reduction of the error correction overhead.