cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physics-constrained deep learning of multi-zone building thermal dynamics

Abstract We present a physics-constrained deep learning method to develop control-oriented models of building thermal dynamics. The proposed method uses systematic encoding of physics-based prior knowledge into a structured recurrent neural architecture. Specifically, our method incorporates structural prior knowledge from traditional physics-based building modeling into the architecture of the deep neural network model. Further, we also use penalty methods to provide inequality constraints, thereby bounding predictions within physically realistic and safe operating ranges. We observe that stable eigenvalues accurately characterize the dissipativeness of the system, and use a constrained matrix parameterization based on the Perron-Frobenius theorem to bound the dominant eigenvalues of the building thermal model parameter matrices. We demonstrate the effectiveness and physical interpretability of the proposed data-driven modeling approach on a real-world dataset obtained from an office building with 20 thermal zones. The proposed data-driven method can learn interpretable dynamical models that achieve high accuracy and generalization over long-term prediction horizons. We show that using only 10 days’ measurements for training, our method is capable of generalizing over 20 consecutive days. We demonstrate that the proposed modeling methodology is achieving state-of-the-art performance by significantly improving the accuracy and generalization compared to classical system identification methods and prior advanced methods reported in the literature. compared to prior state-of-the-art methods reported in the literature.
A Distributed Algorithm for Multi-Armed Bandit with Homogeneous Rewards over Directed Graphs

This paper studies a distributed multi-armed bandit problem over a network of $N$ agents whose neighbor relationships are described by a directed graph G. Each agent makes a sequence of decisions on selecting an arm from $M$ candidates, yet it only receives a sample of the reward for each decision, which is an unknown random variable. A distributed upper confidence bound (UCB) algorithm is proposed for the agents to cooperatively learn the best decision. It is shown that when all the agents share a homogeneous distribution of each arm reward and G is strongly connected, the algorithm achieves a guaranteed logarithmic regret for all $N$ agents. A sufficient condition under which the proposed distributed algorithm learns faster than the classical single-agent UCB1 is also provided.
Strength of the genetic counselor: patient relationship is associated with extent of increased empowerment in patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy.

Genetic testing and genetic counseling (GC) are increasingly recommended in the cardiovascular setting, with multiple guidelines recommending GC for patients with or at risk for inherited cardiovascular conditions. There are scant data, however, describing patient outcomes to guide evidence-based care. No studies have quantified the influence of the strength of the genetic counselor:patient relationship on outcomes. Individuals referred for first time GC at the Johns Hopkins Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy (ACM) center were surveyed prior to their visit and immediately after, before any genetic test results ordered at the session had been returned. Outcomes and measures were selected based on the Reciprocal Engagement Model of GC and include empowerment assessed by the Genetic Counseling Outcome Scale (GCOS), anxiety assessed by the Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire (CAQ), and genetic counselor:patient therapeutic alliance assessed by the Working Alliance Inventory (WAI-SR). Response rate was 59% (120/203). 54 (45%) of patients had genetic testing ordered prior to their GC visit. There was a significant increase in GCOS score (mean 15.7 points) within 4 weeks post-GC session (p<.0001) with no significant difference in GCOS change between patients who had genetic testing ordered previously and those attending pre-test counseling (17.4 ± 18.2 versus. 14.1 ± 16 [p=.35]). Average CAQ score was high at baseline (1.67 ± 0.68), and there was a significant inverse relationship between pre-GC CAQ score and extent of increase in GCOS score (p=.008) post-GC. Controlling for baseline anxiety, there was a strong positive relationship between the WAI-SR score and GCOS change (B = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.43, 1.17, p<.001). These results demonstrate a significant increase in empowerment after GC in ACM patients and that this outcome is not reliant on the ordering of a genetic test but instead sensitive to the quality of the genetic counselor:patient relationship. Genetic counselors can strive to further improve empowerment by focusing on reducing pre-visit anxiety and alliance building with the patient.
Genomic imprinting in psoriasis and atopic dermatitis: A review

Genomic imprinting is a genetic process where only one allele of a particular gene is expressed in a parent-of-origin dependent manner. Epigenetic changes in the DNA, such as methylation or acetylation of histones, are primarily thought to be responsible for silencing of the imprinted allele. Recently, global CpG methylation changes have been identified in psoriatic skin in comparison to normal skin, particularly near genes known to be upregulated in psoriasis such as KYNU, OAS2, and SERPINB3. Furthermore, imprinting has been associated with multi-chromosomal human disease, including diabetes and multiple sclerosis. This paper is the first to review the clinical and genetic evidence that exists in the literature for the association between imprinting and general skin disorders, including atopic dermatitis and psoriatic disease. Atopy was found to have evidence of imprinting on chromosomes 6, 11, 14, and 13. The β subunit of the IgE receptor on chromosome 11q12-13 may be imprinted. Psoriatic disease may be related to imprinting effects on chromosome 6 for psoriasis and 16 for psoriatic arthritis.
On the "barcode" functionality of the DNA, or The phenomenon of Life in the physical Universe

The information contained in the genome is insufficient for the control of organism development. Thus, the whereabouts of actual operational directives and workings of the genome remain obscure. In this work, it is suggested that the genome information plays a role of a "barcode". The DNA structure presents a pseudo-random number(PRN)with classification tags, so organisms are characterized by DNA as library books are characterized by catalogue numbers. Elaboration of the "barcode" interpretation of DNA implicates the infrastructure of the physical Universe as a seat of biological information processing. Thanks to the PRNs provided by DNA, biological objects can share these facilities in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) mode, similarly to cellular phone communications. Figuratively speaking, populations of biological objects in the physical Universe can be seen as a community of users on the Internet with a wireless CDMA connection. The phenomenon of Life as a collective information processing activity has little to do with physics and is to be treated with the methodology of engineering design. The concept of the "barcode" functionality of DNA confronts the descriptive scientific doctrines with a unique operational scheme of biological information control. Recognition of this concept would require sacrificing the worldview of contemporary cosmology.
Causal broadcasting and consistency of distributed shared data

The paper develops a generalized model to capture the interactions between the ordering of messages exchanged across various entities of a distributed application and the consistency requirements on a shared data across these entities. The model is based on causal broadcasting of data access messages that allows messages to be ordered at all entities as per the constraints specified by the application. This allows each entity to change its local data copy based on the messages processed and still be in agreement with other entities at selected points of message exchanges that are meaningful to the application, which we refer to as stable points in the underlying execution. Since the causal relationships among messages depict an invariant property of the application and stable points are reproducible across different execution instances, application-specific consistency of the data can be enforced in many cases without explicit protocols to reach agreement. The model of integrating causality with data consistency allows more flexibility in the implementation of data access protocols for distributed services and offers potential for increased performance of the protocols. >
The role of oxygen in metabolic regulation

1. Under ordinary conditions the rate of energy metabolism in cells is governed by the ADP-feedback system, since the other reactants (inorganic phosphate, substrate, oxygen, enzymes and co-factors) are present in relative excess. 2. When the supply of oxygen is severely limited, it may assume the characteristics of a rate-limiter, and the pattern as well as the rate of metabolism may be altered. 3. The quantitative estimation of the severity of hypoxia is a more difficult problem than is generally realized. The available approaches include: direct measurement of tissue (perhaps intracellular) oxygen tension with micro-electrodes, measurement of the oxidation-reduction status of cells in terms of the ratios of oxidized and reduced forms of electron carrier components (e. g. NAD : NADH2), measurement of the concentrations of high energy compounds in the tissues, and measurement of the “excess lactate” concentration of tissues. The results of these various methods are not always in agreement, and the cause of this lack of agreement is an important problem to be solved. 4. Other important unsolved problems in this field are the relation between intracellular oxygen tension and the partition of ATP-formation between aerobic and anaerobic pathways, and the possible conservation of limited supplies of ATP by its selective utilization for those functions essential for cell survival. 5. Adaptation to chronic hypoxia may involve systemic adjustments which increase the delivery of oxygen to the cells, and cellular adjustments which enable the cells to survive a decrease in their oxygen supply. The occurrence of the systemic adjustments is well established, but the occurrence of cellular adjustments is controversial. 6. It may be concluded that oxygen tension becomes a metabolic regulator only when the intracellular oxygen tension falls to very low levels indeed. 7. The responses of the cells to this condition of severe oxygen deficiency may include: (a) adaptive enzyme changes which permit more efficient utilization of the available oxygen, (b) increased contribution of anaerobic metabolism, and (c) selective utilization of the available energy supply for those functions which are most essential for the survival of the cells.
Adaptive Temperature Profile Control of a Multizone Crystal Growth Furnace

This paper presents an intelligent adaptive control system for the control of a solid-liquid interface of a crystal while it is growing via directional solidification inside a multizone transparent furnace. The task of the process controller is to establish a user specified axial temperature profile and to maintain a desirable interface shape. Both single input single output and multi input multi output adaptive pole placement algorithms have been used to control the temperature. We also describe an intelligent measurement system to assess the shape of the crystal while it is growing inside a multizone transparent furnace. A color video imaging system observes the crystal in real time, and determines the position and the shape of the interface. This information is used to evaluate the crystal growth rate, and to analyze the effects of translational velocity and temperature profiles on the shape of the interface. Creation of this knowledge base is the first step to incorporate image processing into furnace control.
An electronic order set for acute myocardial infarction is associated with improved patient outcomes through better adherence to clinical practice guidelines.

BACKGROUND Adherence to evidence-based recommendations for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unsatisfactory. OBJECTIVE Quantifying association between using an electronic AMI order set (AMI-OS) and hospital processes and outcomes. DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. SETTING Twenty-one community hospitals. PATIENTS A total of 5879 AMI patients were hospitalized between September 28, 2008 and December 31, 2010. MEASUREMENTS We ascertained whether patients were treated using the AMI-OS or individual orders (a la carte). Dependent process variables were use of evidence-based care; outcome variables were mortality and rehospitalization. RESULTS Use of individual and combined therapies improved outcomes (eg, 50% lower odds of 30-day mortality for patients with ≥3 therapies). The 3531 patients treated using the AMI-OS were more likely to receive evidence-based therapies (eg, 50% received 5 different therapies vs 36% a la carte). These patients had lower 30-day mortality (5.7% vs 8.5%) than the 2348 treated using a la carte orders. Although AMI-OS patients' predicted mortality risk was lower (3.2%) than that of a la carte patients (4.8%), the association of improved processes and outcomes with the use of the AMI-OS persisted after risk adjustment. For example, after inverse probability weighting, the relative risk for inpatient mortality in the AMI-OS group was 0.67 (95% confidence interval: 0.52-0.86). Inclusion of use of recommended therapies in risk adjustment eliminated the benefit of the AMI-OS, highlighting its mediating effect on adherence to evidence-based treatment. CONCLUSIONS Use of an electronic order set is associated with increased adherence to evidence-based care and better AMI outcomes. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2014;9:155–161. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine
Improved Laser Interferometry for Ultrasonic NDE

In spite of its obvious advantages over conventional contact and immersion techniques, laser interferometry has not yet become a practical tool in ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation since its sensitivity is insufficient in most practical applications. Part of the problem is that the maximum signal-to-noise ratio often cited in scientific publications and manufacturers’ specifications cannot be maintained on ordinary diffusely reflecting surfaces. Although these surfaces reflect a fair amount (5–50%) of the incident laser light, this energy is randomly distributed among a large number of bright speckles. Unless the detector happens to see one of these bright speckles, the interferometer’s signal-to-noise ratio will be much lower than the optimum.
ON THE DISTORTION OF RISK ESTIMATES IN MULTIPLE EXPOSURE LEVEL CASE-CONTROL STUDIES

The impact of error in assessing exposure to hypothesized pathogens on distortion of the appearance of relative risk is considered in the case-control study design. We assume there is a true dose-response relationship which links exposure to disease status. We also assume that multiple categories are used to classify levels of exposure, and that the errors which occur are those between adjacent exposure categories. The findings suggest that, if the pattern of errors is random, even though they are numerous, the resulting bias in risk will not be severe enough to mask a substantial risk increment. A large and consistent understatement of exposure by cases, and/or consistent overstatement of exposure by controls, can effectively mask even a strong pattern of risk enhancement. To produce the appearance of risk where there is none would require a substantial error in the opposite direction among the cases and controls.
Does Duration of Steroid Treatment Matter in Pdiatric Optic Neuritis? (P6.019)

OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that a longer course of steroids in treatment of pediatric optic neuritis results in fewer relapses and better final visual acuity. BACKGROUND: Optic neuritis is a rare condition in pediatrics. Data extrapolated from the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial is used in management of pediatric optic neuritis, in the absence of pediatric specific studies. Recent literature promotes a prolonged course of oral steroids to prevent relapse. However, there are no published data to support this view. Patients recently treated in our hospital have received a longer course of steroids, relative to those treated several years ago. DESIGN/METHODS: Retrospective analysis was conducted of 26 consecutive patients (age 4.5 to 19) treated for optic neuritis within the past 10 years. Comparison was made using chi square test between groups receiving 2 week steroid treatment (16/26) versus > 2 week steroid treatment (7/26) to analyze rate of relapses, eventual visual acuity, and reported side effects. Three patients were not treated. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the 2 groups regarding relapses (7/16 vs 3/7, X 2 =2.29, p=0.30), side effects 6/16 vs 3/7, X 2 =0.77, p=0.30), or final visual acuity (> 20/40 in 12/16 vs 5/7, X 2 =5.88, P=0.20). CONCLUSIONS: For the treatment of pediatric optic neuritis, a prolonged course of steroids did not result in a lower relapse rate, increased side effects, or better visual outcome than the standard two-week treatment. This study was limited by a small number of patients. Further prospective studies are necessary to evaluate the effects of a prolonged course of steroids in pediatric optic neuritis. Study Supported by: Dr bonthius, Dr Longmuir and Dr Joshi Disclosure: Dr. Jayakody has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bonthius has nothing to disclose. Dr. Longmuir has nothing to disclose. Dr. Joshi has nothing to disclose.
An assessment of Gigabit Ethernet as cluster interconnect

With the advent of Gigabit Ethernet network technology, a new contender for the next-generation cluster interconnect is on the horizon. We benchmark Gigabit Ethernet and compare it to other cluster interconnects, namely Fast Ethernet, Myrinet and Scalable Coherent Interface. For a meaningful comparison, benchmark experiments are carried out at two levels: TCP/IP networking and MPI parallel programming. Using high-end PCs (Pentium III 450 MHz) and standard system software (Linux and MPICH), our results show that with Gigabit Ethernet, end-to-end throughputs of up to 44 MBytes per second can be achieved. A change from Fast Ethernet to Gigabit Ethernet resulted in performance gains of up to a factor of 5.05 for ftp, up to a factor of 3.10 for MPI point-to-point communication and up to a factor of 2.58 for some NAS parallel benchmarks, depending on communication granularity and message size. Further performance gains seem to require improved protocol processing and node hardware (memory bandwidth, file system, PCI bus).
Number of days required for assessing usual nutrient and antioxidant intakes in a sample from a U.S. healthy college population

Abstract Objective The primary aim of this study was to determine the number of days required to assess usual antioxidant intake with a defined level of accuracy in a sample of healthy college students. The secondary aim of this study was to increase the validity of the calculation of days by first determining the prevalence of misreporting energy intake in 30-d food records (FRs). Method We examined the percentage of misreporting, the within- and between-person variations of nutrient intake, and the minimum days required to estimate a person's true intake with a correlation coefficient r ≥ 0.9. Sixty students from the University of Connecticut completed a 30-d FR, which was analyzed using the Nutrition Data System for Research software combined with Flavonoid and Proanthocyanidin Provisional Table. Results Twenty-seven percent (44 average reporters) included in the dietary analysis misreported after applying the Goldberg cutoff equation. The within-person variation was greater than the between-person variation with the variance ratios ranging from 1.10 to 10.51. After adjusting for energy and sex, a 7-d FR was adequate to achieve r ≥ 0.9 for fat, carbohydrate, protein, lycopene, and proanthocyanidin, whereas α-tocopherol, total carotenoids, and flavonoids required 8 d. The remaining antioxidants required between 10 and 45 d. Conclusions Overall, micronutrients and antioxidants had a greater daily variation than macronutrients and the majority required more than 7 d to assess usual intakes for this population.
Automatic movie skimming with general tempo analysis

Story units are extracted by general tempo analysis including tempos analysis including tempos of audio and visual information in this research. Although many schemes have been proposed to successfully segment video data into shots using basic low-level features, how to group shots into meaningful units called story units is still a challenging problem. By focusing on a certain type of video such as sport or news, we can explore models with the specific application domain knowledge. For movie contents, many heuristic rules based on audiovisual clues have been proposed with limited success. We propose a method to extract story units using general tempo analysis. Experimental results are given to demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed technique.© (2003) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Scaling of flow and transport behavior in heterogeneous groundwater systems

Three-dimensional numerical simulations using a detailed synthetic hydraulic conductivity field developed from geological considerations provide insight into the scaling of subsurface flow and transport processes. Flow and advective transport in the highly resolved heterogeneous field were modeled using massively parallel computers, providing a realistic baseline for evaluation of the impacts of parameter scaling. Upscaling of hydraulic conductivity was performed at a variety of scales using a flexible power law averaging technique. A series of tests were performed to determine the effects of varying the scaling exponent on a number of metrics of flow and transport behavior. Flow and transport simulation on high-performance computers and three-dimensional scientific visualization combine to form a powerful tool for gaining insight into the behavior of complex heterogeneous systems. Many quantitative groundwater models utilize upscaled hydraulic conductivity parameters, either implicitly or explicitly. These parameters are designed to reproduce the bulk flow characteristics at the grid or field scale while not requiring detailed quantification of local-scale conductivity variations. An example from applied groundwater modeling is the common practice of calibrating grid-scale model hydraulic conductivity or transmissivity parameters so as to approximate observed hydraulic head and boundary flux values. Such parameterizations, perhaps with a bulk dispersivity imposed, are then sometimes used to predict transport of reactive or non-reactive solutes. However, this work demonstrates that those parameters that lead to the best upscaling for hydraulic conductivity and head do not necessarily correspond to the best upscaling for prediction of a variety of transport behaviors. This result reflects the fact that transport is strongly impacted by the existence and connectedness of extreme-valued hydraulic conductivities, in contrast to bulk flow which depends more strongly on mean values. It provides motivation for continued research into upscaling methods for transport that directly address advection in heterogeneous porous media. An electronic version of this article is available online at the journal's homepage at http://www.elsevier.nl/locate/advwatres or http://www.elsevier.com/locate/advwatres (see “Special section on vizualization”. The online version contains additional supporting information, graphics, and a 3D animation of simulated particle movement.©1998 Elsevier Science Limited. All rights reserved
Suppression of Para-aminohippurate Transport in the Isolated Perfused Kidney by an Inhibitor of Protein Binding in Uremia

Serum from patients with advanced renal failure contains substances that inhibit binding of small ligands to albumin. The extractable inhibitors of binding to albumin (IX), which were previously shown in rat kidney slices to inhibit para-aminohippurate (PAH) transport, were added to the in vitro perfused rat kidney in an attempt to investigate effects on organic acid transport in the intact organ. Following addition of extract to the perfusate there was an immediate and profound decrease in whole kidney PAH secretion. Mean PAH clearance fell an average of 60% ± 7% after addition of extract from human uremic pleural exudate and an average of 62% ± 6% after addition of similarly prepared extract from normal human urine. There was no change in inulin clearance, vascular resistance, urine flow, or fractional reabsorption of sodium. The effect was shown to be as marked when bovine serum albumin (4.0 g/dL) was added to the perfusate, clearances falling 66% ± 7%. Controls showed no change in PAH or inulin clearance during 90 minutes of in vitro perfusion. An increase in ultraviolet (UV) absorbance by the urine within minutes after addition of inhibitor to the perfusate suggested tubular secretion of a major portion of the extract. Partial recovery of PAH clearance was observed after 20 to 40 minutes in most kidneys and near complete recovery occurred in some kidneys. The inhibitory effect was duplicated by addition of hippurate at 24 mg/dL (1.2 mmol/L) to the perfusate. These findings show that organic acid secretion by whole mammalian kidneys can be specifically and reversibly suppressed by partially purified inhibitors of protein binding in uremia. Similar effects by hippurate and by an extract of normal urine suggest that several protein-bound organic acids accumulating in body fluids of uremic patients may account for both phenomena.
POMERANCHUK EXCHANGE AND LOW-ENERGY THEOREMS IN COMPTON SCATTERING.

The method, introduced in a previous work, of deriving the kinematical properties of zero-mass bosons from the limit of a theory with massive particles is here applied to the problem of Compton scattering. It is shown that the same mechanism that eliminates the factor of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{\ensuremath{\pi}}(t)$ from the nonsense amplitude in pion photoproduction processes and allows the pion pole to occur in such amplitudes also removes the nonsense factor of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{P}\ensuremath{-}1$ from the residue of the Pomeranchuk trajectory in Compton scattering. This allows the Pomeranchuk exchange to contribute to the photoabsorption total cross section. The connection of this result with the vector-dominance model is discussed. A short derivation of the low-energy theorems for Compton scattering using this limiting procedure is also given.
“Concerted cultivation” and unequal achievement in elementary school

Abstract We used ECLS-K data for White first graders in 1999 to quantitatively test Lareau’s [Lareau, Annette, 2003. Unequal Childhoods: Class, Race, and Family Life. University of California Press, Berkeley] theory of the role played by parental concerted cultivation as a mediator of the positive effect of parental SES on children’s school achievement. We measured concerted cultivation using a scale of 29 items, each of which was a parental response to one of the following: perceptions of parental responsibilities towards their child, leisure time activities scheduled for the child, parental relationships with the child’s school, and the number of children’s books at home. We also included measures of parental educational expectations, the teacher’s judgment of the student’s school-related effort and organization, and socio-demographic control variables. We used two distinct measures of achievement—reading test scores, and the teacher’s judgment of the student’s language and literacy skills. In support of Lareau’s theory, we found that parental SES is positively and very strongly associated with concerted cultivation. We also found that concerted cultivation is positively associated with both test scores and the teacher’s judgment of student language and literacy skills, and explains a portion of the effect of parental SES on these achievement measures. However, the portion attributable to concerted cultivation is modest in size.
It's a Family Affair: Intergenerational Mobilization in the Spring 2006 Protests

Up to a million children and teenagers participated in the 2006 immigrant rights marches. Why do young people engage in protest politics, and how are they mobilized into such activities? A longstan...
Scintillation of a gaussian beam reflected by a point target

Free space optical beam propagation is largely limited by the visibility of the channel at a particular location and at a particular time. In the absence of highly scattering particles, such as rain drops and snow flakes, the scintillation is the most severe limitation to system performance in an optical channel. An area of application mathematically similar to optical communications is laser radar. In a laser radar, a beam is transmitted through a channel, the atmosphere in our case, reflected by a target and received either at the same location it was transmitted from (monostatic channel) or another location (bistatic channel). Knowledge of the scintillation of the reflected beam could not only help design an appropriate receiving system, but could also give information about the reflecting object that could be utilized in forming its optical signature. Using our recently developed theory, we calculate the scintillation of a Gaussian beam propagating through atmospheric turbulence and reflected by a point target. The double pass scintillation is investigated for monostatic and bistatic channels and results are compared with our experimental data collected by an eight aperture heterodyne detection system.
Potential for suppressingDiprion similis (Hymenoptera: Diprionidae) with pheromone trapping: A population model

The virgin female introduced pine sawfly,Diprion similis (Hartig), produces a powerful sex pheromone capable of attracting males. Pending chemical identification of the substance, a pilot study in male annihilation is under consideration. A mathematical model was developed to assess the feasibility of population suppression using pheromone-baited traps. Departure from preexisting population models resulted chiefly from the arrhenotokous nature of the sawfly. The model predicts alternating sawfly generations which undergo first a large shift in the sex ratio but no population reduction, followed by a large decrease in population size with a moderating sex ratio. Four generations of intensive trapping would theoretically be sufficient to eliminate the sawfly from an isolated area.
Energy for amino acid absorption, transport and protein synthesis in vivo

Abstract 1. 1. Crocodilians were force-fed fish muscle or mixed amino acids or were injected with mixed amino acids. 2. 2. In those receiving mixed amino acids per Os or i.p., amino acids disappeared at a rate of 122 mmoles/kg per day at 28°C. 3. 3. Energy needed in theory for absorption, transport and protein synthesis exceeded that available from resting metabolism by a wide margin. 4. 4. Absorption of mixed amino acids from the gut and transport of these compounds appeared largely passive. 5. 5. Energy requirements for protein synthesis in vivo appeared to be lower than that predicted from results from experiments in vitro.
AFDC Recipients and Family Caregiving Responsibilities

Abstract This article explores the relationship between family care-giving among AFDC recipients and the length of time women remain on AFDC. Findings demonstrate a relationship between the poor health of children and the length of time a woman remains on AFDC, and provide a basis for suggesting two types of policy initiatives. First, AFDC recipients who have caregiving responsibilities for sick or disabled children should either be allowed to continue receiving public assistance to support their caregiving activities, or the state should provide alternative care options. Second, programs such as universal immunizations for children and universal health care that could improve the health of the poor, and thus alleviate some of the need for family caregiving by AFDC recipients, should be instituted.
Capping of the barbed ends of actin filaments by a high‐affinity profilin–actin complex

Profilin, a ubiquitous 12 to 15-kDa protein, serves many functions, including sequestering monomeric actin, accelerating nucleotide exchange on actin monomers, decreasing the critical concentration of the barbed end of actin filaments, and promoting actin polymerization when barbed ends are free. Most previous studies have focused on profilin itself rather than its complex with actin. A high-affinity profilin-actin complex (here called profilactin) can be isolated from a poly-(L)-proline (PLP) column by sequential elution with 3 M and 7 M urea. Profilactin inhibited the elongation rate of pyrenyl-G-actin from filament seeds in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Much greater inhibition of elongation was observed with spectrin-F-actin than gelsolin-F-actin seeds, suggesting that the major effect of profilactin was due to capping the barbed ends of actin filaments. Its dissociation constant for binding to filament ends was 0.3 microM; the on- and off-rate constants were estimated to be 1.7 x 10(3) M-1 s-1 and 4.5 x 10(-4) s-1, respectively. Purified profilin (obtained by repetitive applications to a PLP column and assessed by silver-stained polyacylamide gels) did not slow the elongation rate of pyrenyl-G-actin from filament seeds. Capping protein could not be detected by Western blotting in the profilactin preparation, but low concentrations of gelsolin did contaminate our preparation. However, prolonged incubation with either calcium or EGTA did not affect capping activity, implying that contaminating gelsolin-actin complexes were not primarily responsible for the observed capping activity. Reapplication of the profilactin preparation to PLP-coupled Sepharose removed both profilin and actin and concurrently eliminated its capping activity. Profilactin that was reapplied to uncoupled Sepharose retained its capping activity. Phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) was the most potent phosphoinositol in reducing the capping activity of profilactin. Dissociation of the tight profilactin complex may serve as a unique mechanism by which profilin helps regulate actin filament growth.
Morphological response of axotomized septal neurons to nerve growth factor.

Septal efferent fibers from, the neurons in the medial septal nucleus are destroyed by fimbria-fornix aspirative lesion. In the present study we used quantitative morphometric techniques to evaluate the response of these axotomized septal neurons to a constant infusion of nerve growth factor (NGF). By 2 weeks following the lesion, approximately 75% of the cholinergic neurons had degenerated in the untreated rats. The remaining cholinergic neurons showed few signs of the effect of the lesion when stained for a polyclonal antibody to ChAT and examined in 40-μm-thick sections. In 1-μm-thick sections the remaining ChAT-immunoreactive (IR) neurons also appeared no different from the intact ChAT neurons. However, non-ChAT-IR neurons had a shrunken nucleus, while all other morphometric parameters appeared normal. NGF infusion protected most of the ChAT-IR neurons from degenerating. The saved neurons had the same parameters as the undamaged ChAT-IR neurons when examined in either 40-μm- or 1-μm-thick sections. In addition, the shrunken appearance of the non-ChAT-IR neurons' nuclei was avoided by the NGF infusions. Enlarged ChAT-IR processes were evident in the dorsolateral quadrant of the septum following damage to the fimbria-fornix. NGF-infusions prevented the formation of these processes. Instead, in the treated animals the dorsal lateral quadrant contained a dense plexus of fine ChAT-IR varicosities. Taken together these results demonstrate that NGF not only can protect the cholinergic neurons from axotomy-induced degeneration but can also cause the saved neurons to maintain the same morphometric appearance as intact ChAT-IR neurons. In addition, the lesion-induced appearance of enlarged ChAT-IR processes was avoided, and NGF prevents some of the degenerative changes that occur in non-ChAT-IR septal neurons after fimbria-fornix aspiration.
Femininity, Masculinity, and Adjustment to Divorce Among Women

Two studies investigated the influence of sex-role identification: (a) on the feelings and expectations of female college students (N = 66) regarding the possibility of their own marriage and subsequent divorce; and (b) among divorced women (N = 32), on their reasons for divorce, and the trauma they experienced during the post-divorce adjustment period. Among college students, femininity was related to pessimistic expectations regarding marriage and divorce, while masculinity was related to more positive expectations. In the divorced sample, less conventional (more masculine) women seemed to adjust more easily. Femininity was related to more passive and conventional reasons for divorce, while masculinity was related to more frequent reports that the divorce was partly due to the women's own needs and behaviors.
Evaporative cooling of sodium atoms.

We have observed evaporative cooling of magnetically trapped sodium atoms. A novel technique, rf induced evaporation, was used to reduce the temperature by a factor of 12 and increase the phase space density by more than 2 orders of magnitude. The elastic collision cross section of cold sodium atoms in the $F\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}1$, ${m}_{F}\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}\ensuremath{-}1$ hyperfine state was determined to be $6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}12}$ c${\mathrm{m}}^{2}$, which implies a positive value of the scattering length.
Conodont (U–Th)/He thermochronology: Initial results, potential, and problems

Abstract We performed He diffusion experiments and (U–Th)/He age determinations on conodonts from a variety of locations to explore the potential of conodont (U–Th)/He thermochronology to constrain thermal and exhumation histories of some sedimentary-rock dominated terrains. Based on two diffusion experiments and age results from some specimens, He diffusion in conodont elements appears to be similar to that in Durango apatite fragments of similar size, and closure temperatures are approximately 60–70 °C (for cooling rates of ∼ 10 °C/m.y.). (U–Th)/He ages of conodonts from some locations yield reproducible ages consistent with regional thermal history constraints and, in at least two cases, require a closure temperature lower than ∼ 80 °C. Other samples however, yield irreproducible ages, and in one case yield ages much younger than expected based on regional geologic considerations. These irreproducible samples show inverse correlations between parent nuclides and age consistent with late-stage open-system U–Th behavior.
Biomechanic Effects of a Contralateral Shoe-Lift on Walking With an Immobilized Knee

Abstract Objectives: A previous study demonstrated that when one knee is artificially immobilized, a contralateral shoe-lift improves the oxygen cost of walking. This study was undertaken to evaluate the kinematic and kinetic effects associated with this shoe-lift. Design: Motion analysis and force platform data were collected in subjects walking (1) normally, (2) with one knee immobilized, (3) with one knee immobilized and with a one-half-inch shoe-lift applied to the contralateral, nonimmobilized shoe, and (4) with a one-inch shoe-lift similarly applied. Kinematic and kinetic data from three trials of each condition were compared graphically and statistically using a repeated measures analysis of variance. Setting: A gait laboratory. Subjects: Eight able-bodied subjects without known neurologic or musculoskeletal problems. Main Outcome Measures: Fifty-two peak kinematic and kinetic variables during various phases of the gait cycle. Results: Statistically significant differences ( p Conclusion: Wearing a contralateral shoe-lift when one knee is immobilized is associated with only small changes in kinematic and kinetic parameters. The shoe-lift may slightly reduce the need for compensatory hip abduction and vaulting on the nonimmobilized side. Importantly, no adverse biomechanic effect from the shoe-lift was noted except for a slightly increased peak knee extension moment on the immobilized side found for the 1″ but not the 12″ shoe-lift.
Schroedinger's Quantum Theory and the Stark Effect

THE theory of atomic oscillations recently advanced by Schroedinger is of extraordinary importance since it throws a new light on the problems of atomic structure and, at the same time, offers a convenient practical method for calculating the Heisenberg-Born intensity matrices. It seemed desirable to apply it to as many special cases as possible. A complete theory of the Stark effect in hydrogen was, therefore, developed.
Ionization due to the interaction between two Rydberg atoms

Using a classical trajectory Monte Carlo method, we have computed the ionization resulting from the interaction between two cold Rydberg atoms. We focus on the products resulting from close interaction between two highly excited atoms. We give information on the distribution of ejected electron energies, the distribution of internal atom energies and the velocity distribution of the atoms and ions after the ionization. If the potential for the atom is not purely Coulombic, the average interaction between two atoms can change from attractive to repulsive giving a Van de Graaff-like mechanism for accelerating atoms. In a small fraction of ionization cases, we find that the ionization leads to a positive molecular ion where all of the distances are larger than 1000 Bohr radii.
Different Patterns of Perceptual Learning on Spectral Modulation Detection Between Older Hearing-Impaired and Younger Normal-Hearing Adults

Young adults with normal hearing (YNH) can improve their sensitivity to basic acoustic features with practice. However, it is not known to what extent the influence of the same training regimen differs between YNH listeners and older listeners with hearing impairment (OHI)—the largest population seeking treatment in audiology clinics. To examine this issue, we trained OHI listeners on a basic auditory task (spectral modulation detection) using a training regimen previously administered to YNH listeners (∼1 h/session for seven sessions on a single condition). For the trained conditions on which pretraining performance was not already at asymptote, the YNH listeners who received training learned more than matched controls who received none, but that learning did not generalize to any untrained spectral modulation frequency. In contrast, the OHI-trained listeners and controls learned similar amounts on the trained condition, implying no effect of the training itself. However, surprisingly the OHI-trained listeners improved over the training phase and on an untrained spectral modulation frequency. These population differences suggest that learning consolidated more slowly, and that training modified an aspect of processing that had broader tuning to spectral modulation frequency, in OHI than YNH listeners. More generally, these results demonstrate that conclusions about perceptual learning that come from examination of one population do not necessarily apply to another.
Modification of Trinder's method for the assay of salicylates in biological fluids

Abstract A modification of Trinder's method for the determination of salicylates in body fluids is described. Adjustment of the pH of the test solution enhances the molar absorptivity of the chromatophoric complex and thus improves sensitivity and precision.
MATERIAL DEPRIVATION, THE ‘POVERTY RATE’ AND HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE IN MODERN AMERICA1

The official US ‘poverty rate’ appears to be a problematic descriptor of poverty trends and levels. Reported results from the ‘poverty rate’ do not track well with other indicators that would ordinarily be expected to bear directly on living conditions. Over the past 30 years, the relationship between the official poverty rate and these other indicators has been perversely discordant. This article outlines the basis of the poverty rate and the problems it now encounters as a reliable measure of material deprivation.
Inbreeding increases susceptibility to powdery mildew (Oidium neolycopersici) infestation in horsenettle (Solanum carolinense L).

Inbreeding is common in flowering plants, but relatively few studies have examined its effects on interactions between plants and other organisms, such as herbivores and pathogens. In a recent paper, we documented effects of inbreeding depression on plant volatile signaling phenotypes, including elevated constitutive volatile emissions (and consequently greater herbivore recruitment to inbred plants) but reduced emission of key herbivore-induced volatiles that attract predatory and parasitic insects to damaged plants. While the effects of inbreeding on plant-insect interactions have been explored in only a few systems, even less is known about its effects on plant-pathogen interactions. Here we report the effects of inbreeding on horsenettle susceptibility to powdery mildew (Oidium neolycopersici), including more rapid onset of infection in inbred plants, particularly when plants were not previously damaged. These data suggest that inbreeding may increase plant susceptibility to pathogen infection and, th...
A novel thermally driven rotor-vane/pressure-exchange ejector refrigeration system with environmental benefits and energy efficiency

The latest results of an ongoing coordinated experimental and computational program on the design and performance of a novel supersonic rotor-vane/pressure-exchange ejector for thermally driven ejector refrigeration systems are presented. For the supersonic rotor-vane/pressure-exchange ejector, careful management of the entropy rise through the oblique shocks and boundary layers is required for obtaining an advance in ejector performance. Since the invention of this new ejector is quite recent, understanding its aerodynamics, with the consequent optimization of performance, is in the formative stage. This paper shows how the supersonic aerodynamics is managed to provide the desirable flow induction characteristics through computational study and, in parallel, experimental results including flow visualization showing actual behavior with different-shaped rotor vanes. The importance of the existence of the tail part with a long expansion ramp, the sharp leading edge such as knife-edge, the proper height of leading edges, for the overall shape of rotor vane, were observed. Also the larger spin-angle rotor vane produces better flow induction and mixing between primary flow and secondary flow.
Application of Ultrafiltered Sweet Buttermilk in the Manufacture of Reduced Fat Process Cheese

Reduced fat Cheddar cheeses, manufactured from pasteurized milk or from pasteurized milk supplemented with 5% ultrafiltered sweet buttermilk, were used to manufacture reduced fat process cheeses (48% moisture, 14.8% fat). A 1:1 blend of 8- and 16-wk-old reduced fat Cheddar cheese and disodium phosphate and trisodium citrate (1:1 blend) at 0.50, 1.25, or 2.00% (wt/wt) were used for each cheese treatment. Process cheeses with added buttermilk had lower fat contents than did the controls (14.48% vs. 15.10%) and had harder bodies because of compositional differences between Cheddar cheeses. Ash and pH were not affected by buttermilk but increased with emulsifying salts. Hardness decreased with emulsifying salts. At similar levels of emulsifying salts process cheeses made with added buttermilk had lower free oil and meltability than did control cheeses but had higher apparent viscosity. Meltability increased in cheeses containing buttermilk by increasing emulsifying salts up to 1.25%. Microstructure studies revealed a finer dispersion of fat in reduced fat process cheeses from the buttermilk treatment at 0.50 and 1.25% emulsifying salts.