cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using vehicle value as a proxy for income: A case study on Atlanta's I-85 HOT lane

In the two previous decades, high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes have been used to provide shorter and reliable travel option utilizing congestion pricing. To investigate the disproportionate distribution of the HOT lane benefits among demographic groups, previous studies have conducted surveys from a small portion of the travelers. Considering the high cost and time-intensiveness of surveys, this study proposes the application of vehicle value as a proxy for income on the Atlanta I-85 HOT corridor. More than 300,000 license-plate records were collected across all the lanes during peak periods of spring and summer 2012. The State vehicle registration database was employed to obtain vehicle characteristics from license-plate observations, which were then processed to estimate vehicle value. The results show that there is 23% difference between average vehicle value across HOT lane and general purpose lanes. To support the proposed methodology, the research team used targeted market income data which demonstrates notably similar trends of differences across the lanes. This study once again rejects the concept of “Lexus Lane” by illustrating that significant amount of low-income users are using the HOT lane; however, very high income travelers are using HOT lane twice as frequent as low-income travelers.
Effect of amplified spontaneous emission pedestal on femtosecond laser pulse interaction

The overview of research conducted in the Pennsylvania State University that target temporal characterization of a pulse produced by the commercial femtosecond laser systems is presented. The effect of nanosecond pedestal component that, according to the experiment and simulation results, contains significant (possibly up to 50 % or higher) fraction of the total pulse energy is discussed. The experimental data on material drilling rates and melting are overviewed supporting results of temporal characterization of laser pulse.
Molecular genetics in glaucoma

Glaucoma is a family of diseases whose pathology is defined by the progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells. Clinically, glaucoma presents as a distinctive optic neuropathy with associated visual field loss. Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG), chronic angle-closure glaucoma (ACG), and exfoliation glaucoma (XFG) are the most prevalent forms of glaucoma globally and are the most common causes of glaucoma-related blindness worldwide. A host of genetic and environmental factors contribute to glaucoma phenotypes. This review examines the current status of genetic investigations of POAG, ACG, XFG, including the less common forms of glaucoma primary congenital glaucoma (PCG), the developmental glaucomas, and pigment dispersion glaucoma.
Partial restoration of cardio-vascular defects in a rescued severe model of spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a leading genetic cause of infantile death. Loss of a gene called Survival Motor Neuron 1 (SMN1) and, as a result, reduced levels of the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein leads to SMA development. SMA is characterized by the loss of functional motor neurons in the spinal cord. However, accumulating evidence suggests the contribution of other organs to the composite SMA phenotype and disease progression. A growing number of congenital heart defects have been identified in severe SMA patients. Consistent with the clinical cases, we have recently identified developmental and functional heart defects in two SMA mouse models, occurring at embryonic stage in a severe SMA model and shortly after birth in a less severe model (SMN∆7). Our goal was to examine the late stage cardiac abnormalities in untreated SMN∆7 mice and to determine whether gene replacement therapy restores cardiac structure/function in rescued SMN∆7 model. To reveal the extent of the cardiac structural/functional repair in the rescued mice, we analyzed the heart of untreated and treated SMN∆7 model using self-complementary Adeno-associated virus (serotype 9) expressing the full-length SMN cDNA. We examined the characteristics of the heart failure such as remodeling, fibrosis, oxidative stress, and vascular integrity in both groups. Our results clearly indicate that fibrosis, oxidative stress activation, vascular remodeling, and a significant decrease in the number of capillaries exist in the SMA heart. The cardiac structural defects were improved drastically in the rescued animals, however, the level of impairment was still significant compared to the age-matched wildtype littermates. Furthermore, functional analysis by in vivo cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed that the heart of the treated SMA mice still exhibits functional defects. In conclusion, cardiac abnormalities are only partially rescued in post-birth treated SMA animals and these abnormalities may contribute to the premature death of vector-treated SMA animals with seemingly rescued motor function but an average life span of less than 70 days as reported in several studies.
Applications of surface X-ray scattering to electrochemistry problems

Abstract Applications of the synchrotron X-ray scattering technique to electrochemistry problems are briefly reviewed ranging from submonolayer level phenomena, through nanometer size phenomena, to submicron size phenomena; that is, covering the full range of the ‘interphase’ at an electrode surface. The examples include, (i) incipient oxidation/reduction of platinum single crystal surfaces; (ii) submonolayer/monolayer level oxidation/reduction of ruthenium dioxide single crystal surfaces; (iii) copper passivation/depassivation; and (iv) anodic formation of porous silicon and silicon dioxide layers. The design of several X-ray/electrochemical cells is also described.
A comparison of the performance of aphasic children on three sequencing tests

Abstract Thirty aphasic children with a mean age of six years, six months were given a battery of tests which included the ITPA and the Knox Cube Tapping Test. Their performance on the sequencing subtests was compared with the Knox Cubes. They were below age level expectation on all of the tests. Poorest performance was in Auditory-Vocal Sequencing (ITPA). The correlation between the Visual-Motor Sequencing (ITPA) and the Knox Cube Tapping Test was .41. The results lend support to the observation that the core of the disability in the aphasic child may be in temporal sequencing.
Discovery of Vulcan

A LETTER from the Astronomer-Royal, in NATURE, vol. xviii. p. 380, giving the exact position of θ Cancri on the day of the total solar eclipse, intimates that, as the position given by Prof. Watson of the intra-Mercurial planet discovered on that day agrees so closely with that star, it may have been the object discovered, I have thought it advisable to give the facts concerning it, in order to correct such an impression if it still exists. That he had a view of the planet as stated there is no doubt, for I myself saw it some four or five minutes later, using θ as a comparison star, and am able not only to corroborate the discovery, but to substantiate the position given by him. Its proximity to θ enabled me to estimate its position with great exactness, especially in declination. It may be well here to state that I was prevented from searching to the east of the sun, in consequence of forgetting to untie a string with which I had tied, to the eye end of the telescope, a long pole to prevent the wind from shaking it, the end resting on the ground not allowing the instrument to be moved to the eastward. It is undoubtedly to this circumstance, which at the time seemed untoward, that I owe the discovery of Vulcan. In my eagerness to discover this hypothetical planet I had decided to ignore nearly all of the phenomena attending the eclipse, and as, at the commencement of total phase, there was visible neither the chromosphere nor any protuberances—nothing, in fact, but the corona, I almost immediately began the sweeps for it; but my hampered telescope behaved badly, and no regularity in the sweeps could be maintained. Almost at once my eye caught two red stars about 3° south-west of the sun, with large, round, and equally bright discs, which I estimated as of the fifth magnitude, appearing (this was my thought at the time) about as bright in the telescope as the pole star does to the naked eye. I then carefully noted their distances from the sun and from each other, and the direction in which they pointed, &c., and recorded them in my memory, where, to my mind's eye, they are still distinctly visible. I then swept southward, not daring to venture far to the west for fear I should be unable to get back again, and soon came upon two stars resembling in every particular the former two I had found, and, sighting along the outside of the tube, was surprised to find I was viewing the same objects. Again I observed them with the utmost care, and then recommenced my sweeps in another direction, but I soon had them again, and for the third time in the field. This was also the last, as a small cloud hindered a final leave-taking just before the end of totality, as I had intended. I saw no other stars besides these two, not even δ so close to the eastern limb of the sun. The distance between them was about 7′ or 8′.
Does Langmuir collapse produce wave breaking

Abstract While the Zakharov equations predict the spatial collapse of Langmuir waves, this collapse leads to wave intensities such that the Zakharov equations lose validity. Nevertheless, the predictions of these equations can be extrapolated to show that wave breaking is possible at the final stage of collapse. As a first step towards the study of wave breaking, the two-fluid equations are solved numerically in one dimension. Future work is necessary in three dimensions to study collapse and wave breaking using two-fluid, Vlasov, and particle-simulation models.
Water droplet avalanches.

We analyze the statistics of water droplet avalanches in a continuously driven system. Distributions are obtained for avalanche size, lifetime, and time between successive avalanches, along with power spectra and return maps. For low flow rates and different wave viscosities, we observe a power-law scaling in the size and lifetime distributions of water droplet avalanches, indicating that a state with no characteristic time and length scales was reached. Higher flow rates resulted in an exponential behavior with characteristic scales.
Displacement thresholds for motion detection under conditions of chromatic adaptation.

— The smallest, continuous target displacement which is sufficient to cause a sensation of movement was measured under conditions of chromatic adaptation. The experiments were carried out for test target and background field wavelengths which selectively isolate the activity of the colour mechanisms of the human eye. The results show that, when target detection is largely mediated by the red or green colour mechanism, a target displacement of 2–3′ in the foveal region is sufficient to cause a reliable sensation of movement. These displacement thresholds show only a small change as a function of target contrast or background retinal illuminance level. Similar results were obtained when the colour of the test target was the same as that of the background field (e.g. green, yellow or red), when no attempt was made to isolate a single colour mechanism. Test target and background wavelengths which isolate the activity of the blue colour mechanism yield displacement thresholds in the range 5–7′ and show a stronger dependence on target contrast and background retinal illuminance level. The experiments were repeated at several eccentricities and the results show that, for a test target and background field of the same colour and under conditions which isolate the green or red spectral response mechanism, the minimum target displacement required for motion detection appears to increase in a manner similar to the centre-width receptive-field size of broad-band, centre-surround transient neurons in the rhesus monkey retina [De Monasterio and Gouras (1975) J. Physiol., Lond.251, 167–195]. In contrast, displacement thresholds obtained under conditions which isolate the blue colour mechanism do not show significant variation for target presentation locations up to 25° of visual angle. These data relate well to other psychophysical results which reveal the spatial properties of motion-detecting mechanisms in human vision [Barbur and Ruddock (1980b) Biol. Cybernetics37, 93–98].
Structure and Conformational Dynamics of Trichothecene Mycotoxins

A combination of NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling has been employed to characterize the conformation and dynamics of the macrolide ring in verrucarin A and roridin A, two closely related toxins in the trichothecene mycotoxin family. Longitudinal carbon-13 relaxation times demonstrate the relative flexibility of the macrolide ring. The calculations, NOEs, and scalar vicinal coupling constants show that verrucarin A in CDCl3 and CD2Cl2 predominantly adopts a single, well-defined conformation that matches the crystal structure. In contrast, roridin A is present as a mixture of two conformers.
The preparation of group IV organometallic compounds containing gem-dihalocyclopropyl groups

Abstract Seventeen new gem -dihalocyclopropyl-substituted derivatives of carbon, silicon, germanium and tin have been prepared by the Doering-Hoffmann or the phenyl(trihalomethyl)mercurial procedures from allylic and vinylic compounds of these elements. The reaction of vinyltrimethyltin with phenyl(bromodichloromethyl)mercury (to give 2,2-dichlorocyclopropyltrimethyltin) was complicated by a side reaction in which the phenylmercuric bromide formed cleaved the vinyl group from tin. The H 2 PtCl 6 -catalyzed addition trichlorosilane to 1,1-dichloro-2-vinylcyclopropane gave the expected 1,1-dichloro-2-(β-trichlorosilylethyl)cyclopropane, but thermal addition of trimethyltin hydride to this olefin apparently proceeded via a radical chain mechanism to give the ring-opened product. Me 3 SnCH 2 CHCHCH 2 -CCl 2 H.
Collaborative visual tracking of multiple identical targets

Multiple target tracking in video is an important problem in many emerging applications. It is also a challenging problem, where the coalescence phenomenon often happens, meaning the tracker associates more than one trajectories to some targets while loses track for others. This coalescence may result in the failure of tracker, especially when similar targets move close or present partial or complete occlusions. Existing approaches are mainly based on joint state space representation of the multiple targets being tracked, therefore confronted by the combinatorial complexity due to the nature of the intrinsic high dimensionality. In this paper, we propose a novel distributed framework with linear complexity to this problem. The basic idea is a collaborative inference mechanism, where the estimate of each individual target state is not only determined by its own observation and dynamics, but also through the interaction and collaboration with the state estimates of other targets, which finally leads to a competition mechanism that enables different but spatial adjacent targets to compete for the common image observations. The theoretical foundation of the new approach is based on a well designed Markov network, where the structure configuration in this network can change with time. In order to inference from such a Markov network, a probabilistic variational analysis of this Markov network is conducted and reveals a mean field approximation to the posterior density of each target, therefore provides a computationally efficient way for such a difficult inference problem. Compared with the existing solutions, the proposed new approach stands out by its linear computational cost and excellent performance achieved to deal with the coalescence problem, as pronounced in the extensive experiments.
Schedule dependency of schedule-induced air-licking☆

Abstract Rats deprived to 80 per cent of their preexperimental body weights were given one 90-min session per day during which one 45-mg food pellet was delivered every min. They were given access to an air-stream by licking a drinking tube through which air would be pumped while they licked it. Each rat rapidly developed the typical schedule-induced pattern of air-licking which has been previously described. Then variations were introduced into the schedule of food presentation to determine whether the air-licking was indeed schedule dependent. Thus, each rat received a group of 15 pellets at the beginning of each session and every 15 min thereafter. This resulted in a very large decrement in air-licking as did subsequent schedules under which larger meals were presented at greater intervals. In a second experiment the number of pellets delivered at the end of each minute was increased from one to three, resulting in a small decrement in air-licking which was partially attributed to increased satiation. It was concluded that schedule-induced air-licking is schedule dependent.
Formation of hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids from hemozoin-catalyzed oxidation of arachidonic acid

Abstract Hemozoin, a heme byproduct of hemoglobin digestion by malaria parasites, is released into the blood stream of the host upon lysing of infected erythrocytes. Since heme-compounds are potent catalysts of lipid peroxidation, we evaluated the catalytic ability of Plasmodium falciparum-derived hemozoin to oxidize arachidonic acid to hydroxyei-cosatetraenoic acids (HETEs). Hemozoin, β-hematin, and hematin all catalyzed the formation of 15-, 12- and 5-HETE as major products. Although there were no significant differences in total amounts of HETEs generated by hemozoin relative to hematin or β-hematin, there were significant differences in the proportions of certain isomers. 15-HETE was the predominant isomer generated by hemozoin catalysis while 5-HETE was the major product formed by hematin catalysis. Since HETEs are important vasoactive mediators, the non-enzymatic oxidation of arachidonic acid by hemozoin catalysis may contribute to some of the pathophysiology associated with severe and cerebral malaria.
Towards a rational strategy for the human settlement of space

Abstract This paper revisits the core issues of space policy from the viewpoint of optimal decision theory. First it argues for a metric: maximizing the probability that humans and their technology in space someday reach what Rostow called the “economic takeoff” point where autonomous growth becomes possible, not bound by the rate of growth on earth. Next it discusses three concrete requirements to reach that point: benefits to earth which exceed costs to earth, large and diverse enough “exports” from space to earth, and advancements in technology and infrastructure. Energy from space (ES) is now one of the most promising export possibilities, based on what was learned in the last open US government effort on that topic, “JIETSSP,” led jointly by NSF and NASA. I review several options for ES, and propose a new one which, while slightly riskier, offers real hope of electricity at a price that could compete with coal and fission-plus-enrichment.
The validity of high pressure mercury intrusion porosimetry

Abstract The validity of pore size measurements by mercury intrusion was investigated on porous alumina. Mercury intrusion measurements were compared for virgin samples and reintruded samples after removal of mercury. Comparison of these and a distribution measured by capillary condensation showed no evidence of sample damage at high pressures. Mercury intrusion appears valid at high pressures but sample outgassing is important.
Photopenic appearance of the hepatic lesion(s) on technetium-99m red blood cell imaging

A 63-YEAR-OLD MAN with a history of ethanol and tobacco abuse complained of indigestion, heartburn, and dyspepsia. In 1974, he underwent liver biopsy; acute alcoholic hepatitis with cirrhosis was diagnosed. A physician examination showed an enlarged liver palpable 14 cm below the right costal margin with tenderness, engorgement of the superficial abdominal wall veins, and shifting dullness, indicating ascites. Palmar erythema and mild pitting edema in the lower extremities were also present. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the abdomen showed a large, low-density lesion in the central portion of the right lobe of the liver (Fig 1). Since he was scheduled to undergo biopsy of this lesion, the patient was referred for technetium-99m red blood cell (99mTc-RBC) liver imaging to rule out a hemangioma. The study showed hepatomegaly with a photopenic area (Fig 2) corresponding to the lesion on the CT seen in immediate, 15-minute, 30minute, 1-hour, and 3-hour images, consistent with avascular mass or tumor mass undergoing necrosis. Alpha-fetoprotein was 12,000 nL/L (N = < 10 ng/L) and hepatitis B surface anti-
Scanning microdiffraction of polymers.

Scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) has been suggested to have advantages over conventional transmission electron microscopy (CTEM) for the observation of diffraction contrast features and diffraction patterns from radiation-sensitive crystalline polymers. For many applications it is desirable to obtain successive diffraction patterns from very small adjacent areas. Several microarea diffraction techniques are available using CTEM and STEM. The most useful technique is scanning microarea diffraction used in conjunction with STEM dark-field imaging. Using this technique we have obtained diffraction patterns from regions as small as 100 nm×100 nm for a 12 nm thick polyethylene single crystal. Adjacent microarea diffraction patterns can be obtained while only radiation-damaging the diffracting region. This allows mapping of the specimen crystallography on a very fine scale as well as allowing one to obtain a diffraction pattern for selecting various STEM dark-field conditions while only damaging a small portion of the specimen before the dark-field image is recorded.
Digital decoding of in-line holograms for imaging fractal aggregates

The digital inverse filtering technique developed for improving the quality of in-line holograms by suppressing the twin image is shown to be effective for aerosol aggregate holograms. The aggregates are simulated as fractal patterns. Conventional reconstruction results are compared with the results of the digital decoding.
On the Origin of Binary Transneptunian Objects

The observed transneptunian binaries, with components of comparable mass and large separations, cannot be the result of collisions in the present dynamical environment of the Kuiper belt. They could be produced by collision of two planetesimals within the sphere of influence of a third body during low-velocity accretion in the solar nebula. Thus, they are primordial.
A.c. conductivity in AsF5 doped polyphenylacetylene (PPA)

Abstract The a.c. conductivity of semiconducting cis-cisoid polyphenylacetylene (PPA) pellets has been studied at temperatures between 230 and 290 K and frequencies, ƒ, from 37 to 10 5 Hz. The a.c. conductivity (σ a.c. ) is found to be strongly temperature dependent. σ a.c. is proportional to ƒ s with s varying from 0.45 to 0.75 as temperature is raised from 230 to 290 K. Both frequency dispersion and strong temperature dependence of σ a.c. are best explained by the mechanism of hopping conduction in the band-tails.
Model reductions using a projection formulation

A new methodology for model reduction of multi-input multi-output systems exploits the notion of an oblique projection. A reduced model is uniquely defined by a projector whose range and orthogonal to the null space are chosen among the ranges of generalized controllability and observability matrices. The reduced order models match various combinations (chosen by the designer) of four types of parameters of the full order system associated with (i) low frequency response, (ii) high frequency response, (iii) low frequency power spectral density and (iv) high frequency power spectral density. Thus, the proposed method is a computationally simple substitute for many existing methods, has an extreme flexibility to embrace combinations of existing methods and offers some new features.
Ant-Exclusion to Promote Biological Control of Soft Scales (Hemiptera: Coccidae) on Woody Landscape Plants

Ant-exclusion to facilitate biocontrol by endemic natural enemies was investigated for suppressing infestations of two coccids, calico scale, Eulecanium cerasorum (Cockerell), and magnolia scale, Neolecanium cornuparvum (Thro), in landscape settings. Application of sticky bands combined with basal trunk sprays resulted in 92-100% reduction in counts of honeydew-seeking ants, mainly Formica subsericea Say, ascending large, scale-infested sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall) trees. Ant-exclusion was associated with increased numbers of green lacewing, mainly Chrysoperla rufilabris (Burmeister), larvae and spiders on multiple sample dates, and 54 and 69% fewer surviving scale nymphs after the first and second growing seasons. Foliar sooty mold accumulation was also significantly reduced where ants were excluded. In feeding trials, C. rufilabris larvae collected from the tree canopies consumed large numbers of settled scale nymphs. On another site, ant-exclusion led to 82% reduction in magnolia scale densities on Magnolia stellata (Siebold & Zuccarini) Maximowicz, compared with controls, after 1 yr. Nine and 10 ant species were found tending calico and magnolia scales, respectively, at landscape sites in central Kentucky, and in situ observation trials showed that many of them aggressively attack approaching lacewing larvae. Our results suggest that where ants are closely associated with soft scales on woody landscape plants, ant-exclusion has potential as a sustainable pest management strategy.
Analyzing several musical instrument tones using the randomly modulated periodicity model

The waveform of a simple sustained tone emitted from musical instruments such as a flute played by even the best musician is never exactly periodic. There is always some variation over time in the waveform of a single pitch that is characteristic of the instrument itself. In this paper, we employ the signal-coherence function introduced by Hinich [A statistical theory of signal coherence, J. Oceanic Eng. 25(2) (2000) 256-261] to study the subtle variation of tones from several instruments played by accomplished musicians. This measure characterizes the amount of variation in each Fourier component as a random amplitude-modulation component added to a coherent narrowband sinusoid. The signal-coherence function is computed from several digitized acoustic signals of several musical instruments. The signal-coherence functions show that there are important differences between the same notes produced from different instruments. The signal coherence of a vibrato, a deliberate modulation of a tone, is analyzed for the first time using the signal-coherence function. We show that for most practical playing conditions it has a small effect for lower frequencies. This allows characterization of modulation variations in sustained portions of sound with and without vibrato. The signal-coherence processing method applied to musical acoustics could lead to more realistic music synthesizers.
Effects of anorexigenic agents on deprivation-induced fluid consumption by rats

Abstract The effects of single doses of anorexigenic agents were determined on deprivation-induced fluid consumption by rats. The most potent compound was Damphetamine; the least potent was benzphetamine. The data suggest that these drugs are not capable of causing true physical dependence in man.
Relationship of flagging frequency to confidence intervals in the statistical regression approach for automated quality control of Tmax and Tmin

With the widespread use of electronic interfaces in data collection, many networks have increased, or will increase, the sampling rate and add more sensors. The associated increase in data volume will naturally lead to an increased reliance on automatic quality assurance (QA) procedures. The number of data entries flagged for further manual validation can be affected by the choice of confidence intervals in statistically based QA procedures, which in turn affects the number of bad entries classified as good measurements. At any given station, a number of confidence intervals for the Spatial Regression Test (SRT) were specified and tested in this study, using historical data for both the daily minimum (Tmin) and maximum (Tmax), to determine how the frequency of flagging is related to the choice of confidence interval. An assessment of the general relationship of the number of data flagged to the specified confidence interval over a set of widely dispersed stations in the High Plains was undertaken to determine whether a single confidence factor would suffice, at all stations, to identify a moderate number of flags. This study suggests that using a confidence factor ‘f’ larger than 2.5 to specify the confidence interval will flag a reasonable number of measurements (<1%) for further manual validation and a single confidence factor can be applied for a state. This paper initially compares two formulations of the SRT method. This comparison is followed by an analysis of the percentage of observations flagged as a function of confidence interval. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Modeling void formation dynamics in fibrous porous media with the lattice Boltzmann method

Abstract A novel technique for simulating multicomponent fluid flow in the microstructure of a fiber preform is developed, which has the capability of capturing the dynamics of void formation. The model is based on the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method—a relatively new numerical technique which has rapidly emerged as a powerful tool for simulating multicomponent fluid mechanics. The primary benefit of the lattice Boltzmann method is the ability to robustly model the interface between two immiscible fluids without the need for a complex interface tracking algorithm. In a previous paper (Spaid, M. A. A. and Phelan F. R., Jr, Lattice Boltzmann methods for modeling microscale flow in fibrous porous media, Physics of Fluids, 1997, 9(9), 2468 [5] ), it was demonstrated that the lattice Boltzmann method may be modified to solve the Stokes/Brinkman formulation for flow in heterogeneous porous media. Multicomponent infiltration of the fiber microstructure is modeled by combining the Stokes/Brinkman LB method, with the multicomponent LB algorithm described by X. Shan and H. Chen (Lattice Boltzmann model for simulating flows with multiple phases and components, Physics Review E, 1993, 47, 1815 [6] ). Numerical results are presented which compare void formation dynamics as a function of the nominal porosity for a model fiber microstructure. In addition, unsaturated permeabilities obtained from the numerical simulations are compared with saturated results for flow in the model porous microstructure.
Tolerance to Formalin by a Fluidized‐Bed Biofilter and Rainbow Trout Oncorhynchus mykiss in a Recirculating Culture System

Formalin tolerances of a fluidized-bed sand biofilter and rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were tested in a semi-closed freshwater recirculating culture system. Progressively higher formalin levels were tested until fish mortality (±1.9%) occurred. A 1-h exposure to 167 ppm formalin, followed by flushing, was safe for trout (no mortality) at 15.0 C but not at 16.5 C. A 110-ppm indefinite treatment (no flushing) was safe at 17.3 C, but 120 ppm at 17.3 C and 100 ppm at 17.8 C were not. Biofilter nitrification was not impaired by 1-h formdin treatments up to 167 ppm at 16.5 C, and not, usually, by indefinite treatments up to 120 ppm at 17.3 C. However, a find indefinite treatment of 70 ppm was followed by abnormally high nitrite levels for 9 d. Formaldehyde remained detectable in the system for 11 h during indefinite treatment at 120 ppm formalin. Tests on the system's Co2 stripper did not indicate that it removed formaldehyde.
Endosalpingiosis of the Urinary Bladder: A Case of Probable Implantative Origin With Characterization of Benign Fallopian Tube Immunohistochemistry

Mullerianosis of the bladder is an infrequently described lesion consisting of multiple Mullerian-type tissues within the urinary bladder. Few previous cases of pure endosalpingiosis have been described. Here we present a 54-year-old post-menopausal female with a history of prior pelvic surgery with traumatic bladder injury, who was found to have a cystic lesion in the posterior wall of the bladder. Routine histology demonstrated cyst epithelium characteristic of endosalpingiosis. Three benign Fallopian tube specimens were obtained and stained with the relevant immunohistochemical markers for comparison. Results showed an identical immunohistochemical profile between the bladder cyst lining and the normal Fallopian tube controls. This case represents a rare instance of pure endosalpingiosis of the urinary bladder, with a likely implantative origin. This form of bladder Mullerianosis should therefore be considered within the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions of the bladder.
Integrating Functional Data to Prioritize Causal Variants in Statistical Fine-Mapping Studies

Standard statistical approaches for prioritization of variants for functional testing in fine-mapping studies either use marginal association statistics or estimate posterior probabilities for variants to be causal under simplifying assumptions. Here, we present a probabilistic framework that integrates association strength with functional genomic annotation data to improve accuracy in selecting plausible causal variants for functional validation. A key feature of our approach is that it empirically estimates the contribution of each functional annotation to the trait of interest directly from summary association statistics while allowing for multiple causal variants at any risk locus. We devise efficient algorithms that estimate the parameters of our model across all risk loci to further increase performance. Using simulations starting from the 1000 Genomes data, we find that our framework consistently outperforms the current state-of-the-art fine-mapping methods, reducing the number of variants that need to be selected to capture 90% of the causal variants from an average of 13.3 to 10.4 SNPs per locus (as compared to the next-best performing strategy). Furthermore, we introduce a cost-to-benefit optimization framework for determining the number of variants to be followed up in functional assays and assess its performance using real and simulation data. We validate our findings using a large scale meta-analysis of four blood lipids traits and find that the relative probability for causality is increased for variants in exons and transcription start sites and decreased in repressed genomic regions at the risk loci of these traits. Using these highly predictive, trait-specific functional annotations, we estimate causality probabilities across all traits and variants, reducing the size of the 90% confidence set from an average of 17.5 to 13.5 variants per locus in this data.
Potassium-Argon Age and Paleomagnetism of Diabase Dikes in Liberia: Initiation of Central Atlantic Rifting

Tholeiitic diabase dikes that trend northwest-southeast, parallel to the coastline, are common in northwestern Liberia. K-Ar whole-rock and mineral ages determined from dikes that intrude Precambrian crystalline rocks are discordant and range from 186 to 1,213 m.y. Incremental heating experiments on three neutron-irradiated samples of these rocks give “saddle-shaped” 40 Ar/ 39 Ar release diagrams that reach minima of less than 300 m.y. at intermediate temperatures and that do not fit a 40 Ar/ 36 Ar versus 39 Ar/ 36 Ar isochron. K-Ar ages determined from diabase dikes and sills that intrude Paleozoic sedimentary rocks near the coast are all within the range 173 to 192 m.y. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar incremental heating data for one of these samples gives a plateau age and a 40 Ar/ 36 Ar versus 39 Ar/ 36 Ar isochron age that are concordant with the conventional K-Ar age. The conventional and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar K-Ar data show that the dikes intruding Precambrian basement rocks contain large and variable amounts of excess 40 Ar, whereas the diabase intruding Paleozoic sandstone does not. All of the intrusions are probably earliest Jurassic in age. Mean paleomagnetic directions in six dikes and sills that intrude sedimentary rocks are nearly parallel to mean paleomagnetic directions in 19 dikes that intrude Precambrian rock, further evidence for contemporaneity. The paleomagnetic pole derived from all 25 diabase units is at lat 68° N., long 242° E., with α 95 = 5°, in close agreement with other Mesozoic paleomagnetic poles from the African continent. A mean paleomagnetic pole for northwest Africa has been calculated using these data and published paleomagnetic directions from 19 other intrusive rock units that have similar radiometric ages in Morocco and Sierra Leone. This pole is compared with another paleomagnetic pole calculated from published data from 16 localities in igneous rocks of latest Triassic to earliest Jurassic age distributed from Nova Scotia to Pennsylvania. The comparison shows that, with the African and North American continents in their present positions, the two poles differ by 44° of arc, but when the continents are restored to the predrift configuration proposed by Bullard and others (1965), the angular difference diminishes to 3°. This coincidence of paleomagnetic poles provides an earliest limit of 180 ± 10 m.y. for the separation of Africa from North America.
Design and processing of high-density single-mode fiber arrays for imaging and parallel interferometer applications

The design and fabrication procedures for implementing a high-density (16-microm center spacing) single-mode fiber (SMF) array are described. The specific application for this array is a parallel optical coherence tomography system for endoscopic imaging. We obtained fiber elements by etching standard single-mode SMF-28 fibers to a diameter of 14-15 microm. We equalized 1-m lengths of fiber to within 1 mm by using a fiber interferometer setup, and we describe a method for packaging arrays with as many as 100 fibers.
Six-Month Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Three Communities: 1980 to 1982

• Six-month prevalence rates for selected DSM-III psychiatric disorders are reported based on community surveys in New Haven, Conn, Baltimore, and St Louis. As part of the Epidemiologic Catchment Area program, data were gathered on more than 9,000 adults, employing the Diagnostic Interview Schedule to collect information to make a diagnosis. The most common disorders found were phobias, alcohol abuse and/or dependence, dysthymia, and major depression. The most common diagnoses for women were phobias and major depression, whereas for men, the most predominant disorder was alcohol abuse and/or dependence. Rates of psychiatric disorders dropped sharply after age 45 years.
Fostering Academic Self-Concept Advisor Support and Sense of Belonging Among International and Domestic Graduate Students

International doctoral students in the United States face challenges of acculturation in academia yet complete graduate school at higher rates and more quickly than their domestic counterparts. This study examined advisor support, sense of belonging, and academic self-concept among international and domestic doctoral students at a research university in the Midwestern United States. International students placed a higher value on research-related and other academic experiences than domestic students; they also reported a stronger sense of belonging. Advisor support was associated with a stronger sense of belonging and academic self-concept for both groups. However, while sense of belonging was related to academic self-concept among domestic students, there was no relationship between the two among international students.
Synthesis and structure of N-heterocyclic carbene complexes of uranyl dichloride

Treatment of UO2Cl2(thf)3 in THF with two equivalents of 1,3-dimesitylimidazole-2-ylidene (IMes) or 1,3-dimesityl-4,5-dichloroimidazole-2-ylidene (IMesCl2) yields novel monomeric uranyl N-heterocyclic carbene complexes, representing the first examples of actinyl carbon bonds.
Care of the Self and American Physicians' Place in the “War on Terror”: A Foucauldian Reading of Senator Bill Frist, M.D.

American physicians are increasingly concerned that they are losing professional control. Other analysts of medical power argue that physicians have too much power. This essay argues that current analyses are grounded in a structuralist reading of power. Deploying Michel Foucault's "care of the self" and rhetorician Raymie McKerrow's "critical rhetoric," this essay claims that medical power is better understood as a way that medical actors take on power through rhetoric rather than a force that has power over medical actors. Through a close reading of an essay by Senator Bill Frist, this paper argues that physicians experience a process of "subjection" wherein they are both agents of and objects of medical power as it is combined with state and corporate power in the American "war on terror." This alternative mode of analyzing medical power has implications for our collective understanding of its operations and the means by which we propose alternative enactments of medical power.
An Empirical analysis of the financial benefits of health information exchange in emergency departments

Objective To examine the impact of health information exchange (HIE) on reducing laboratory tests and radiology examinations performed in an emergency department (ED). Materials and Methods The study was conducted in an ED setting in Western New York over a period of 2 months. The care of the patients in the treatment group included an HIE query for every encounter, while the care of other patients in the control group did not include such queries. A group of medical liaisons were hired to query the medical history of patients from an HIE and provide it to the ED clinicians. Negative binomial regression was used to analyze the effects of HIE queries on the number of performed laboratory tests and radiology examinations. The log files of the HIE system since 1 year before the ED admission were used to analyze the differences in outcome measures between the 2 groups of patients. Results Ceteris paribus, HIE usage is associated with, respectively, 52% and 36% reduction in the expected total number of laboratory tests and radiology examinations ordered per patient at the ED. Conclusions The results indicate that access to additional clinical data through the HIE will significantly reduce the number of laboratory tests and radiology examinations performed in the ED settings and thus support the ongoing HIE efforts.
Microsporidia 2003: IWOP-8

S FROM THE EIGHT INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOPS ON OPPORTUNISTIC PROTISTS 1. Bacchi, C.J., Yarlett, N. & Weiss, L.M. Polyamine Metabolism and its Inhibition in Encephalitozoon cuniculi. 2. Cali, A, Coyle, C., Takvorian, P.M., Wittner, M., Rhodes III, L.V., Brown, D., Naktin, J., Yound, E., Colasant, G. & Weiss, L.M. Preliminary Evidience for Brachiola algerae as the Etiology of a Case of Myositis. 3. Canning, E.U. & Okamura, B. Potential of Myxozoa as Opportunistic Parasites. WORKSHOPS ON OPPORTUNISTIC PROTISTS 567
Sensitive immune dot blot test for diagnosis of Chlamydia trachomatis infection.

The sensitivity and specificity of an immune dot blot test (IDBT), which relies on a 125I-labeled genus-specific monoclonal antibody to detect the Chlamydia lipopolysaccharide (LPS) antigen, were improved by pretreatment of specimens with proteinase K. This enzyme destroys protein A and therefore eliminates false-positive reactions caused by the presence of Staphylococcus aureus. Proteinase K treatment also improved the ability of the assay to detect the Chlamydia LPS antigen. When the improved IDBT was compared with culture for detection of C. trachomatis in 1,394 urogenital specimens obtained from a genitourinary medicine clinic, the overall sensitivity was 96%, and LPS antigen was detected in 76 of 83 (92%) specimens that yielded less than 10 inclusions in culture. The specificity and positive and negative predictive values of the test were 97, 81.5, and 99%, respectively. Of 123 conjunctival swabs, 7 were positive by both tests and 4 swabs were positive only by IDBT. This improved IDBT provides a simple, reliable alternative to culture for the detection of C. trachomatis in urogenital and conjunctival specimens. Images
The effect of piano lessons on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing skills of primary grade students

A number of studies have reported positive associations between music experience and increased abilities in non-musical (e.g., linguistic, mathematical, and spatial) domains in children. These transfer effects continue to be probed using a variety of experimental designs. The major aim of this quasi-experimental study was to examine the effects of a scaffolded music instruction program on the vocabulary and verbal sequencing skills of two cohorts of second-grade students. One group (n = 46) studied piano formally for a period of three consecutive years as part of a comprehensive instructional intervention program. The second group (n = 57) had no exposure to music lessons, either in school programs or private study. Both groups were assessed on two subtests from the Structure of Intellect (SOI) measure. Results revealed that the experimental group had significantly better vocabulary and verbal sequencing scores at post-test than did the control group. Data from this study will help to clarify the role of ...
Photodegradation of DANS and DR1 electro-optic polymers

We investigated the wavelength dependence of the photodegradation quantum efficiency induced by both one photon and two-photon absorption processes in DANS and DR1 electro optical polymers. Plugging those results into a simulation allowed us to predict the evolution of the local dye concentration as a function of the material's illumination history. In the case of waveguide structures, it can forecast the induced performance evolution.
Effect of reading with reversed speech on frequency of stuttering in adults.

Summary.-This study explored the effect of reading with reversed speech on the frequency of stuttering. Eight adults who stutter served as participants and read four 300-syllable passages while listening to three types of speech stimuli: normal speech (choral reading), reversed speech at normal speed, reversed speech at half speed, and a control condition of no auditory feedback. A repeated-measures analysis of variance showed a significant decrease in stuttering frequency in the choral reading condition but not in reversed speech at normal and half speed. However, the reversed speech at half-speed condition showed a large effect size (02 = 0.32). Data suggest that a forward moving speech feedback is not essential to decrease the frequency of stuttering in adults who stutter.
A three-stage architecture for bidirectional associative memory

Kosko (1988) proposed bidirectional associative memory (BAM), where pairs of patterns are encoded. When one of the pair is presented, the other is expected to be recalled. Wang et al. (1990, 1991) have shown that BAM cannot correctly recall a pattern pair, if it is not at a local minima of the energy function. In this paper we propose a method to compute exact amount of noise in recalling every encoded pattern. This can be used to find vectors for construction of augmented matrices for both Wang et al., and Wang-Lee (1993) methods. The computation of noise also gives, for the first time, a method for obtaining minimum dimension of augmented vectors. We use the noise information to construct augmented matrix for guaranteed recall of every encoded pattern. The novel encoding method proposed here requires only a few additional elements. We also propose a three layer BAM (TLBAM) that requires smaller size correlation matrices. The TLBAM when encoded using the novel augmentation method guarantees correct recall of all stored pairs. The encoded network also requires much fewer elements than any other method.