cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Desensitization of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor: evidence for heterogeneity of calcium release channels.

Ca release channels from the junctional sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) membranes of rabbit skeletal muscle were incorporated into the lipid bilayer membrane, and the inactivation kinetics of the channel were studied at large membrane potentials. The channels conducting Cs currents exhibited a characteristic desensitization that is both ligand and voltage dependent: 1) with a test pulse to -100 mV (myoplasmic minus luminal SR), the channel inactivated with a time constant of 3.9 s; 2) the inactivation had an asymmetric voltage dependence; it was only observed at voltages more negative than -80 mV; and 3) repetitive tests to -100 mV usually led to immobilization of the channel, which could be recovered by a conditioning pulse to positive voltages. The apparent desensitization was seen in approximately 50% of the experiments, with both the native Ca release channel (in the absence of ryanodine) and the ryanodine-activated channel (1 microM ryanodine). The native Ca release channels revealed heterogeneous gating with regard to activation by ATP and binding to ryanodine. Most channels had high affinity to ATP activation (average open probability (po) = 0.55, 2 mM ATP, 100 microM Ca), whereas a small portion of channels had low affinity to ATP activation (po = 0.11, 2 mM ATP, 100 microM Ca), and some channels bound ryanodine faster ( 20 min). The faster ryanodine-binding channels always desensitized at large negative voltages, whereas those that bound slowly did not show apparent desensitization. The heterogeneity of the reconstituted Ca release channels is likely due to the regulatory roles of other junctional SR membrane proteins on the Ca release channel.
Requirement of pointed-end capping by tropomodulin to maintain actin filament length in embryonic chick cardiac myocytes

Control of actin filament length and dynamics is important for cell motility and architecture and is regulated in part by capping proteins that block elongation and depolymerization at both the fast-growing (barbed) and slow-growing (pointed) ends. Tropomodulin is a capping protein for the pointed end of the actin filament; it is associated with the free, pointed ends of the thin filaments in striated muscle, where it is thought to bind to both tropomyosin and actin. In embryonic chick cardiac myocytes, tropomodulin assembles after the thin, as well as the thick, filaments have become organized into periodic I and A bands, suggesting that tropomodulin might be involved in maintaining actin filament length. Here we show that microinjection of an antibody that inhibits tropomodulin's pointed-end-capping activity in vitro results in a marked elongation of actin filaments from their pointed ends and a > 80% reduction in the percentage of beating cells. This demonstrates that pointed-end capping by tropomodulin is required to maintain actin filament length in vivo and that this is essential for contractile function in embryonic chick cardiac myocytes.
Aeromonas septicemia from hepatobiliary disease.

Two cases ofAeromonas hydrophila septicemia secondary to hepatobiliary disease are reported. In both patients evidence of cholecystitis and ascending cholangitis was present. In one, multiple liver abscesses developed despite apparently adequate antibiotic therapy, and resolution occurred only after surgical drainage of the larger abscesses and infusion of antibiotics via an umbilical venous catheter. Survey of the literature reveals thatAeromonas infections are uncommon and often occur in patients with depressed host defenses, especially in those with diseases of the liver and biliary tract. An increased utilization of the oxidase test necessary to separateAeromonas from other gram-negative bacteria is required to establish the frequency with which these organisms cause human infection.
The multiple spectral factorization method of Wiener and Masani

Hilbert space properties of time series are used heuristically to discuss the prediction problem for single and multiple processes. Equations equivalent to least square criteria are obtained, and the factorization procedure of Wiener and Masani is described. Computational procedures are discussed.
Medical Criteria for the Design of a Dynamic Positron Tomograph for Heart Studies

Design criteria for positron emission tomography are based on the accumulated experiences of PET studies with available instruments, anatomical and physiological characteristics of the thorax and abdomen, and feasible medical science objectives which can be attained with known technology. The system should be capable of simultaneously imaging seven or more planes with 10 mm axial and 7 mm or less transverse resolution. The design of a positron tomograph for the human heart differs from that for the head because the heart and lungs are moving and attenuation from the thorax is great. Studies of myocardial blood flow and metabolism require the simultaneous measurement of tracer concentration in the myocardium and arterial input. Gated data at 5 sec intervals are required for the input function. Complete sampling of 70-100 msec phases of the cardiac cycle precludes gantry motion. The crystal choice, coupling, and electronics should allow data collection rates per image level of 100,000 events per sec with < 50% accidentals. Transmission measurements should be accomplished in 5 minutes with at least 107 events per level for adequate attenuation compensation.
Effect of sucrose and uncouplers on lipid spin labeling of mitochondria

Abstract The functional activity of isolated mitochondria is known to be inhibited by sucrose. An investigation of the effect of sucrose on membrane structure as judged by lipid spin-label localization and mitochondrial function as judged by energizedproton translocation was undertaken. High sucrose concentrations inhibit oxygen-dependent hydrogen transport in mitochondrial and submitochondrial preparations and concomitantly change the partitioning of spin-label probes between polar and nonpolar membrane phases. It was concluded that sucrose probably interacts directly with the phospholipids of the membrane to cause disorder of the lipid structure. This conclusion is supported by using several types of nitroxide spin labels. Uncoupling agents such as fluorocarbonyl cyanide phenylhydrazone and 2,4-dinitrophenol influence lipid spin-label behavior in the same way as sucrose, only to a lesser degree. Changes in membrane structure are not brought about by sucrose in glutaraldehyde-fixed SMP which implies that the lipid domain is protein bounded.
ELITE cities: A low-carbon eco-city evaluation tool for China

Abstract China is pursuing the development of low-carbon eco-cities to limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases emissions; however, it is unclear what constitutes a low-carbon eco-city and how to evaluate it. The eco and low-carbon indicator tool for evaluating cities (ELITE cities) was developed by researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in 2012 to evaluate cities’ performance by comparing them against benchmark performance goals as well as rank them against other cities in China. ELITE cities measures progress on 33 key indicators selected to represent priority issues within eight primary categories. An excel-based tool was then developed to package the key indicators, indicator benchmarks, explanation of indicators, point calculation functions and transparency-oriented data recording instructions. ELITE cities could be a useful and effective tool for local city government in defining the broad outlines of a low-carbon eco-city and assessing the progress of cities’ efforts towards this goal. ELITE cities can also be used by higher-level governments to assess city performance and discern best practices. This paper explains the general framework of the ELITE cities tool, the methods by which the indicators and indicator benchmarks were established, and a detailed guide on tool applications.
Recovering the Forgotten: The Effects of September 11th on Undocumented Latin American Victims and Families

AbstractThis article examines the extent to which undocumented immigrant families were able to access funds designated for the victims of September 11th. We take one community-based organization, Asociacion Tepeyac de New York, or the Tepeyac Association of New York, as a case study of an independent agency that attempted to aid Latin American victims and families in meeting their emergency and long-term needs. We focus particularly on those families whose difficulties were the direct result of their irregular immigration status. A qualitative analysis of the factors that either enabled or hindered the families of undocumented victims to access goverment aid are contrasted across six cases, half of which were families residing in New York and half of which were families residing in Latin America. Findings revealed that even the cases with substantive proof were unable to access comparable amounts of government aid made available to other victims of the World Trade Center tragedy. They further illustrate t...
Stage III endometrial carcinoma: Analysis of patterns of failure and therapeutic implications☆

Abstract From 1967 to 1977 at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital 281 patients with endometrial carcinoma received radiotherapy. Thirty-two patients had Stage III disease. Nineteen patients had clinical Stage III disease and 13 patients had pathologic Stage III disease based on findings following total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO). Follow-up ranged from two to nine years. crude five-year survival rates of 11.7% for clinical Stage III carcinoma of the endometrium and 44% for pathologic Stage III were observed. Local control was achieved in 92% of the patients whose clinical Stage III disease was treated definitively and in all patients whose pathologic Stage III disease was treated postoperatively. Distant metastases occurred in 58% of the clinically staged patients and 23% of the pathologically staged patients. Adjuvant chemotherapy is recommended.
A dynamic shape preserving thinning algorithm

Abstract This paper presents algorithms for improving the quality of skeletons obtained from sequential thinning processes. The algorithms take into consideration the shape of the contours in the dynamic removal and placement of pixels in order to obtain skeletons that are more representative of the shapes of the original patterns. The algorithms have been implemented and tested on different character patterns. The resulting skeletons do preserve important characteristics of patterns such as smooth curves and sharp corners, and they are close approximations of skeletons produced by human subjects.
MSSM parameters from supergravity backgrounds

We find the parameters of the MSSM in terms of bulk supergravity fields for the D-brane model of Berenstein, Jejjala, and Leigh. The model consists of a D3-brane at the singularity of a non-Abelian orbifold ${\ensuremath{\Delta}}_{27},$ which gives the particles of the supersymmetric standard model. We compute the action for the D-brane fields in the presence of both supersymmetric and supersymmetry breaking background fluxes. We get quark, lepton, gaugino, Higgsino, scalar partners and Higgs boson masses as well as soft trilinear couplings as functions of the background fields. This work develops a framework for connecting MSSM phenomenology to brane compactifications.
The effect of hospital experience on mortality among patients hospitalized with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in California

BACKGROUND: Several studies in the 1980s suggested that mortality rates for patients hospitalized with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) were lower in hospitals that cared for greater numbers of AIDS patients. We sought to determine whether this observation persisted in the mid-1990s in California. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We performed an analysis of hospital discharge data for 7,901 adults discharged with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or AIDS-related diagnoses from all acute care hospitals (n = 333) in California during 1994. The main outcome measure was in-hospital mortality, adjusted for severity of illness, comorbidity, prior hospitalizations, and other patient and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: Among 7,901 persons hospitalized with AIDS, the unadjusted inpatient mortality was 9.0%. The adjusted mortality rate varied significantly (P <0.0001) from 12.4% among institutions with the lowest quartile of AIDS experience to 10.3%, 6.3%, and 7.6% by quartile of greater AIDS experience. Increasing severity of illness, comorbidity, and previous hospitalizations were also significant predictors of increased mortality. Sex, race, and insurance status were not associated with hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital mortality for AIDS patients was greater among less experienced hospitals. The difference in mortality rate was equivalent to more than four additional deaths per 100 patients with AIDS admitted to the least experienced hospitals. This finding was not explained by severity of illness, comorbidity, or other case-mix variables.
The electrochemical aspects of some biochemical systems—XI. The coulokinetic behaviour of metabolizing organisms in the presence of cyanide

Abstract The effects of cyanide as an inhibitor of the cytochrome system and formic dehydrogenlyase has been correlated with the coulokinetic data obtained from the metabolism of various substrates by E. coli in the presence of this inhibitor. A negligible coulombic output was obtained with formic acid in the presence of cyanide. This finding reaffirmed the direct relationship between metabolic activity and coulombic output. The potentiated output obtained with glucose as compared to the attenuated output manifested by fructose in the presence of cyanide indicates again the possibility that glucose and fructose are not metabolized via the same metabolic pathway. As cyanide inhibits pyruvate oxidation the lower coulombic output obtained with this substrate is not unexpected. In the presence of cyanide, gluconolactone apparently was not metabolized by E. coli in a normal manner. This implicates this poison as a blocking agent for the pentose phosphate pathway.
Finding direct partition bijections by two-directional rewriting techniques

Abstract One basic activity in combinatorics is to establish combinatorial identities by so-called ‘bijective proofs,’ which consists in constructing explicit bijections between two types of the combinatorial objects under consideration. We show how such bijective proofs can be established in a systematic way from the ‘lattice properties’ of partition ideals, and how the desired bijections are computed by means of multiset rewriting, for a variety of combinatorial problems involving partitions. In particular, we fully characterizes all equinumerous partition ideals with ‘disjointly supported’ complements. This geometrical characterization is proved to automatically provide the desired bijection between partition ideals but in terms of the minimal elements of the order filters, their complements. As a corollary, a new transparent proof, the ‘bijective’ one, is given for all equinumerous classes of the partition ideals of order 1 from the classical book “The Theory of Partitions” by G.Andrews. Establishing the required bijections involves two-directional reductions technique novel in the sense that forward and backward application of rewrite rules heads, respectively, for two different normal forms (representing the two combinatorial types). It is well-known that non-overlapping multiset rules are confluent. As for termination, it generally fails even for multiset rewriting systems that satisfy certain natural invariant balance conditions. The main technical development of the paper (which is important for establishing that the mapping yielding the combinatorial bijection is functional) is that the restricted two-directional strong normalization holds for the multiset rewriting systems in question.
On graphs with equal edge-connectivity and minimum degree

It was proved by Chartrand that if G is a graph of order p for which the minimum degree is at least [12], then the edge-connectivity of G equals the minimum degree of G. It is shown here that one may allow vertices of degree less than 12p and still obtain the same conclusion, provided the degrees are essentially “balanced”; that is, for each vertex with degree less than 12p there is an associated vertex with degree sufficiently greater than 12p.
Reduced power consumption in GaAs-based bipolar cascade lasers

A systematic study of GaAs tunnel junctions for use in bipolar cascade laser diodes was performed. The current voltage characteristics of individual degenerately doped n+ and p+ regions grown by MBE were investigated and the most promising designs were placed within the individual laser substructures. This resulted in a 1 V reduction in operating voltage, as verified by comparing the lasing characteristics of several edge-emitting laser devices.
Effects of physical therapy intervention for children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Background The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of physical therapy intervention in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Procedure Twenty-eight children aged 4–15 years were randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. The intervention group received five sessions of physical therapy and was instructed to perform an individualized home exercise program consisting of ankle dorsiflexion stretching, lower extremity strengthening, and aerobic exercise. Results After 4 months children who received physical therapy intervention had significantly improved ankle dorsiflexion active range of motion and knee extension strength (P < 0.01). Differences were not found between the two groups for any of the other dependent variables. Conclusions Physical therapy intervention for children with ALL receiving maintenance chemotherapy improved two body functions important for normal gait. Physical therapy programs initiated earlier in treatment and with greater emphasis on endurance activities may also improve stamina and quality of life (QOL). © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
INFLUENCE OF CUTOUT GEOMETRY ON STRESSES AT WELDED RIB-TO-DIAPHRAGM CONNECTIONS IN STEEL ORTHOTROPIC BRIDGE DECKS

The geometry of the cutout at the intersection of longitudinal ribs and transverse diaphragm plates in steel orthotropic bridge decks can have a significant impact on the stress in the region of the welded rib-to-diaphragm connections. Many different approaches to detailing this connection have been tried, with mixed success. To provide additional guidance to designers, a finite element parametric study that systematically investigated the effect of altering the geometry of certain variables was performed. Parameters considered included overall cutout shape, cutout depth, diaphragm plate thickness, and deck plate thickness. Results indicate that the suggested cutout geometry shown in the current (2002) AASHTO LRFD Bridge Design Specifications for closed-rib orthotropic bridge decks produces increased stresses on this fatigue-sensitive connection. An improved geometry is proposed to replace that currently presented in the specification. Results of this study indicate that larger cutout geometries offer les...
Factors in AMLR culture supernatant which mediate the cytotoxic T-cell response to hapten-altered self: interaction with macrophages.

Abstract Supernatants from autologous mixed lymphocyte reaction (AMLR) cultures mediated the cytotoxic T-cell response in a system containing T cells and mitomycin C-treated, TNP-modified syngeneic thymocytes. No cytotoxic activity developed in the absence of the AMLR supernatants. The removal of thymic adherent cells abrogated the effect of the AMLR supernatants in the generation of cytotoxic cells. AMLR helper activity was restored following the addition of small numbers of splenic adherent cells. These results led to speculation that the AMLR supernatant interacted with accessory cells. Examination of the supernatant revealed significant levels of colony stimulating factor (CSF), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). Functionally, incubation of the AMLR supernatant with P388D1, a macrophage tumor line, resulted in the production of interleukin 1 (IL-1). CSF is a major inducer of IL-1 synthesis. In addition, the AMLR supernatant induced the expression of Ia antigens on the P388D1 cells. IFN-γ has been reported to mediate this activity. Although both lymphokines were present and appeared to have an effect on macrophages, it was unknown if both were required for cytotoxic T-cell development in this system. Samples of AMLR supernatant were incubated for 10 min at various temperatures. The ability of the AMLR supernatants to mediate cytotoxic T-cell activation was sensitive to incubation at 80 or 90°C. Interestingly, at these temperatures CSF activity in the bone marrow colony-forming cell assay was enhanced. In separate experiments, AMLR culture supernatant was dialyzed against a pH 2 buffer. The induction of IA antigens by these supernatants was sensitive to dialysis at this pH. The similarity with IFN-γ provides further evidence that this activity was mediated by IFN-γ in the AMLR supernatants. The ability of the AMLR supernatants to mediate the cytotoxic T-cell response to altered self was also pH 2 sensitive. In contrast, IL-1 inducing capability and bone marrow colony growth, both CSF activities, were not reduced by pH 2 dialysis. Taken together, these data demonstrate a primary role for an IFN-like molecule, present in the AMLR supernatant, on cytotoxic T-cell activation. CSF involvement in this response is suggested by its IL-1 inducing activity, but cannot be definitively proven in the present study.
Semantic representations of word meanings by the cerebral hemispheres.

Two priming experiments investigated kind and strength of semantic knowledge underlying known, frontier, and unknown low frequency words. Results from Experiment 1 suggest that known words reflect categorical knowledge, but frontier and unknown words reflect thematic knowledge. Thematic knowledge for frontier words appears to be stronger than that for unknown words. Experiment 2 entailed visual half-field presentation of targets. All facilitory effects were restricted to the lvf/RH, and inhibitory effects to the rvf/LH. Experiment 1 findings were mirrored by the RH. Thematic knowledge appears to precede categorical knowledge for the RH, but the opposite may be true of the LH . Results are also discussed in terms of the RH role in meaning acquisition and metacontrol.
Meltdown of the Public Interest and the Need for an Engaged Public Sphere: A Critical (Re-) Interpretation of the Nuclear Accident at Three Mile Island

We argue the need for a national public debate re-assessing the nuclear industry in light of recent Bush Administration initiatives for expansion of the nuclear industry in the US, and expressed support for nuclear power by Barack Obama. Specifically, we use a critical theoretical lens to re-examine the worst nuclear accident in US history at the Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant in 1979. Our three-part argument includes a focus on the conflicting imperatives in institutional and economic spheres; critique of the ideology of nuclear science and technology; and a discussion of processes by which the public sphere is de-politicized and, potentially, re-politicized. Through the critical re-interpretation of the TMI accident, we assert the essential importance of a deliberative, engaged public sphere.
Modeling urban change

Abstract In this paper the simulation of crisis phenomena in complex social systems is explored. Analogies from complex physical systems containing a “large” number of objects are used to guide the modeling effort. A list processing program is developed that simulates the changing racial balance in urban areas.
A non-NH3 pathway for NOx conversion in coupled LNT-SCR systems

a b s t r a c t NOx storage-reduction experiments were performed using a coupled LNT-SCR system consisting of a low- precious metal loaded Pt/Rh LNT catalyst and a commercial Cu-zeolite SCR catalyst. Cycling experiments revealed that when a CO + H2 + C3H6 mixture or C3H6 by itself was used as the reductant, the NOx conver- sion over the SCR catalyst exceeded the conversion of NH3 over the same catalyst. This is explained by the presence of propene, which slipped through the LNT catalyst and reacted with the LNT NOx slip. Separate experiments, conducted under continuous flow and lean-rich cycling conditions, confirmed the ability of propene, as well as ethene, to function as a NOx reductant over the SCR catalyst. Cycling experiments also revealed that the SCR catalyst was able to store propene, such that NOx reduction by stored propene continued into the lean phase (after the switch from rich conditions). According to adsorption experi- ments, significant co-adsorption of NH3 and propene occured in the SCR catalyst, while under lean-rich cycling conditions the contributions of NH3 and C3H6 to NOx conversion were found to be essentially additive. These findings suggest that under actual driving conditions, NOx reduction by non-NH3 reduc- tants (olefins and possibly other hydrocarbons) in the SCR catalyst can contribute to the mitigation of lean and rich phase NOx. © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
EVALUATION OF A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM FOR YOUTH WITH SEVERE EMOTIONAL DISORDERS: An Analysis of Family Experiences and Satisfaction

An innovative pilot program of comprehensive services to youth with severe emotional disorders was evaluated by means of a self-administered questionnaire survey of family members. Results indicate that the program increased use of noninstitutional outpatient services, improved access to services, and enhanced family satisfaction and involvement with treatment planning and implementation.
Design and dosimetric properties of an intraoperative radiation therapy system using an orthovoltage x ray unit

Abstract A 300 kVp orthovoltage therapy machine has been installed in an operating room for intraoperative radiation therapy (TORT). A description is presented of the physical aspects of the treatment system including applicator design, radiation field data, dosimetry, and radiation shielding of the operating room.
Idiopathic hemochromatosis presenting as amenorrhea and arthritis

Idiopathic hemochromatosis in young adults has been increasingly recognized over the last three decades. Younger patients with hemochromatosis frequently have presenting problems other than diabetes, cirrhosis, and hyperpigmentation. A young woman with idiopathic hemochromatosis is described. Arthritis and secondary amenorrhea developed at age 20, and liver biopsy showed hemochromatosis at age 29. Further work-up revealed that the amenorrhea was due to underproduction of pituitary gonadotropins. The patient was treated with phlebotomy. Estrogen and progesterone replacement was begun because of severe osteoporosis. Serum iron studies may be useful in young patients with unexplained amenorrhea and/or arthropathy.
Very High Sensitivity Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer for Diffuse Radiation

A compact instrument to measure the diffuse extreme ultraviolet background with unprecedented resolution and high sensitivity is described. The instrument can cover a bandpass from 350 to 1100 A, has ~5 A spectral resolution, and has simultaneous field imaging with ~5' resolution. Several new techniques were employed to achieve this performance, including the development of a unique, fast optical system optimized for diffuse spectroscopy, a novel low-noise microchannel plate photon detector, a mechanism that permits an accurate determination of all the expected backgrounds, and an electronic system with active baseline restoration and coordinate digitization that is free of differential nonlinearity. This instrument will provide a factor of 1000 increase in sensitivity over existing measurements with reasonable observing times.
Expansion coefficient of polyelectrolytes

The expansion coefficient of a flexible polyelectrolyte molecule is evaluated as a function of the concentration of simple salt added to the solution. It is shown that the coefficient has a term which is inversely proportional to the square root of the concentration of added salt.
Adaptation of Planetary Atmospheres Modeling Methods for Analysis of Coma Dust Optical Properties in Comet C/1995 O1 (Hale–Bopp): I

Abstract Incipient attempts to apply a single-scattering polarized radiative transfer code along with planetary atmospheres spectrum synthesis procedures to photometric analyses of coma dust optical properties in Comet Hale–Bopp have lead to results which are consistent with other independent derivations of dust physical properties like particle composition, size, number densities, and ejection speeds. In the present optical modeling, preperihelion absolute filter photometry of Hale–Bopp's inner coma is compared with synthesized spectra of candidate haze particles. The calculations have demonstrated that the reflectances of crystalline olivine aerosols with effective radii of about 0.15 μm are compatible with the comet's λ ≈ 0.4–0.7 μm spectrum. A good fit to Hale–Bopp's continuum spectrum is achieved with a high preponderance of these bright, submicrometer-sized particles.
IMPACTS OF SECOND HOME DEVELOPMENT ON HOUSING PRICES IN THE SOUTHERN APPALACHIAN HIGHLANDS

This study estimates the value of socioeconomic, spatial and environmental attributes on housing prices of both urban and rural communities in the primary and second home areas of the Southern Appalachian Highlands, using the hedonic property price model. Distance and environmental attributes are valued more heavily in the rural communities of the second home area than in the urban communities of the primary home area. The effect of second homes on housing prices is mainly evident in the rural communities. Second home development impacts a home’s value by US$2,378, or 4.2% of $56,245, the average value of a rural home.
Long-term strategy for sustainable development: strategies to promote far-sighted action

Given progress in policies for pursuing sustainable development, promoting commitment to thinking and acting more far-sightedly has become the primary strategic challenge. In the face of impatience, selfishness, uncertainty, analytical limitations, and vulnerability, strategies for promoting far-sightedness can be identified by assessing how these obstacles can be overcome. Strategies for creating or rescheduling tangible and deference rewards, realigning performance evaluations, implementing cognitive exercises, framing communications, altering decision-making processes, using self-restraint devices both to resist temptation and to enhance credibility, altering institutions to empower the patient, and stabilizing living conditions are the major categories for identifying and assessing the many strategies which arise out of both ordinary and constitutive policy initiatives.
Animal study of pudendal nerve cuff electrode implants for collision block of motor activity

Through previous acute animal studies we have developed an asymmetric two electrode cuff (ATEC) implant for collision block of orthodromic pudendal nerve motor activity. In this paper we describe preliminary results concerning the effectiveness and safety of unilateral pudendal nerve ATECs implanted for 1 month in three adult male dogs. An apparent temporary pressure block of large fiber conduction in the implanted nerve trunks produced distinctive differences between the 2-week and 4-week tests in all three animals. In the first two implants significant nerve trunk tissue damage due presumably to surgical trauma and/or cuff encapsulation decreased the effectiveness of ATEC function; however, with the third implant virtually no damage was detected and ATEC effectiveness was high.
AN ANALYSIS OF CURRENT EXPERIENCE AND RETROSPECTIVE RATING PLANS

ACTUARIES AND STATE INSURANCE authorities agree that insurance rates should not be "excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory."' An insurer's total premium income should cover the expected losses and expenses and provide a reasonable margin for contingencies and surplus; and each insured should pay his fair share of the total cost. Thus ideally all insureds with the same expected losses and expenses2 per unit of exposure should pay the same rate. However, this is impracticable because the experience for each class of insureds would be too limited to be reliable. Therefore, the usual procedure in practice is to group together many insureds with approximately the same loss-producing and expense characteristics and charge them the same rate. As a result, some of the classes are very heterogeneous, and it is not equitable to charge all members of the class the same rate. In the past, three methods have been used to adjust class rates when this seemed desirable. They are (1) schedule rating, (2) experience
Remote sensing of cirrus cloud parameters based on a 0.63‐3.7 µm radiance correlation technique applied to AVHRR data

Using the data gathered from the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) 0.63 and 3.7 µm channels, an algorithm for the inference of cirrus cloud optical depth and mean effective size has been developed for the first time. This scheme is based on the correlation between the 3.7 µm (total) and 0.63 µm radiances that is constructed from radiative transfer calculations involving ice crystal clouds. Application of the algorithm to AVHRR channels has been performed by using data sets that were collected during the First ISCCP Regional Experiment, Phase II, Cirrus Intensive Field Observation (FIRE-II-IFO; November- December 1991) at Coffeyville, Kansas. For validation, the in-situ data collected by the balloon-borne replicator and airborne 2-D probes that were collocated with AVHRR pixels were carefully analyzed for five cases involving single and multiple cirrus cloud layers. We demonstrate that the retrieved cirrus cloud optical depths and mean effective sizes compare reasonably well with those determined from the in- situ analyses.
Full lifecycle development of transitioning remote sensing research to operational applications

A planned life cycle development improves the transition of remote sensing research to operations. The application lifecycle can be broadly divided into three stages: user needs and technical feasibility analysis, prototype development, and production and deployment. There are several checks within each phase to ensure that the final operational system adequately meets users' needs. The authors' experience in NASA's Synergy program shows that the life cycle process should be user centric for the application to be successful
Performance estimation of model-based automatic target recognition using attributed scattering center features

We present a model for classification performance estimation for synthetic aperture radar (SAR) automatic target recognition. We adopt a model-based approach, in which classification is performed by comparing a feature vector extracted from a measured SAR image chip with a feature vector predicted from a hypothesized target class and pose. The feature vectors are compared using a Bayes likelihood match metric that incorporates uncertainty in both the predicted and extracted feature vectors. The feature vectors parameterize dominant scattering centers on the target, and include attributes that characterize the frequency and angle dependence of scattering centers. We develop Bayes matchers that incorporate two different feature correspondence methods. Finally, we compare performance using measured SAR imagery for a 10-class problem under various match operating scenarios.
On the use of Chebyschev-Toeplitz algorithm in accelerating the numerical convergence of infinite series

It is shown that a simple application of the Chebyschev-Toeplitz algorithm enhances the rate of convergence of slowly converging series. The algorithm is applied to series representing the periodic Green's functions involving a single infinite summation. The algorithm yields highly accurate results within relatively fewer terms. A quantitative comparison is shown with methods previously reported in the literature. >
Preferential Treatment in Preselection Decisions According to Sex and Race

Resumes of fictitious applicants for entry-level professional positions were mailed to 458 potential employers, and the responses were analyzed. A three-group experimental design permitted control ...
Letter by Ogunyankin Regarding Article, “Tissue Doppler Imaging in the Estimation of Intracardiac Filling Pressure in Decompensated Patients With Advanced Systolic Heart Failure”

To the Editor: I read with interest the article by Mullens et al1 about patients with severe heart failure, and I agree with their important warning that using annular tissue Doppler velocity indices as the sole predictors of elevated left ventricular (LV) filling pressure is inaccurate. Some points in the article deserve additional clarification. The authors cite published data on the ratio of early transmitral velocity to tissue Doppler mitral annular early diastolic velocity (E/Ea) with pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) in a wide range of cardiac patients. However, the strength of the correlation in the validation articles2,3 may not justify the use of the …
Effect of human pregnancy serum on avian depressor activities of oxytocin and desamino-oxytocin.

SummaryThe effects of human pregnancy and non-pregnancy sera on the avian depressor activities of oxytocin and desamino-oxytocin have been investigated. Pregnancy serum had no effect on desamino-oxytocin under conditions in which oxytocin was inactivated. Non-pregnancy serum was without effect on either compound.
Teaching Cultural Competence: Practical Ideas for Social Work Educators.

The need for inclusion of cultural competence material in Social Work curriculums is well established. There is a dramatic increase in cultural and ethnic diversity in American society. Commensurate with that increase is an alarming rise of racism on college campuses. Social Work programs are required to include cultural competence material and Social Work educators need down-to-earth and practical ideas for doing so. This paper describes five strategies for teaching cultural competence which have been successfully employed in Social Work practice classes. Evaluation results are reported.
Probability Density Function of Power Received in a Reverberation Chamber

This correspondence provides a new derivation for the power received by an antenna in a reverberation chamber.
Hitting promotion hard: A network response to channel surfing and new competition

Abstract Examination of over 600 on‐air promos carried within or adjacent to situation comedies showed that the promos’ salience impacted the ratings of the promoted program. After controlling for the ratings of the lead‐in to the promoted program, significant associations were found for the method of construction of the promo, the familiarity of the promoted program, the amount of clutter within breaks, the position of the promo within the break, and the rating of the program carrying the promotion. The results suggested a six‐part model for maximizing the effectiveness of on‐air promotion.
A cooperative program understanding environment

The large size and high-percentage of domain-specific code in most legacy systems makes it unlikely that automated understanding tools will be able to completely understand them. Yet automated tools can clearly recognize portions of the design. That suggests exploring environments in which programmer and system work together to understand legacy software. This paper describes such an environment that supports programmer and system cooperating to extract an object-oriented design from legacy software systems. It combines an automated program understanding component that recognizes standard implementations of domain independent plans with with a structured notebook that the programmer uses to link object-oriented design primitives to arbitrary source code fragments. This jointly extracted information is used to support conceptual queries about the program's code and design. >
Polymelia and Syndactyly in a Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni).

Abstract A hatch-year Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) recovered from Modoc County, California, US, on 12 August 2012 had malformations of the rear limbs consisting of bilateral polymelia and syndactyly. We describe the malformations and evaluate potential causes. Postmortem examination revealed varus rotation of both femurs and abnormal appendages originating from the distal medial surface of the tibiotarsi with two nonfunctional digits on the right leg and one digit on the left leg. There was syndactyly between digits III and IV of both feet. Avian pox viral dermatitis was present on the skin of the ventral abdomen. A definitive cause of the skeletal malformations was not identified.
Risk in Banking and Capital Regulation

This paper investigates the role of bank capital regulation in risk control. It is known that banks choose portfolios of higher risk because of inefficiently priced deposit insurance. Bank capital regulation is a way to redress this bias toward risk. Utilizing the mean-variance model, the following results are shown: (a) the use of simple capital ratios in regulation is an ineffective means to bound the insolvency risk of banks; (b) as a solution to problems of the capital ratio regulation, the "theoretically correct" risk weights under the risk-based capital plan are explicitly derived; and (c) the "theoretically correct" risk weights are restrictions on asset composition, which alters the optimal portfolio choice of banking firms. THE RECENT INCREASE in bank failures, especially after the 1980 and 1982 Deregulatory Acts, has again ignited a controversy over the risk portfolio of the banking industry. Given the importance of this sector, there has been increased scrutiny of the industry's motives for risk taking and possible regulatory changes to improve its stability. These investigations have centered around two rather complementary areas. The first of these is the role of deposit insurance and how its current pricing procedure encourages risk taking and justifies current bank regulations. The works of Buser, Chen, and Kane [4], Kane [9], and Benston et al. [2] have made substantive contributions. The authors demonstrates the way in which our current fixed-rate insurance system rewards risk taking by the firm and insulates it through deposit insurance from the market discipline that needs to exist to ensure proper risk evaluation. This realization has led these authors to propose a series of regulatory changes to encourage proper portfolio choice within the industry. These include a shift to, market value accounting, risk-based deposit insurance premiums, and additional capital regulation. The last of these serves as a method of coinsurance whereby higher capital levels require the bank to absorb greater losses in the event of failure and encourage additional prudence in management. In essense it is one method of risk reduction that may offset the risk preference imposed on the industry due to the inappropriate insurance pricing. Because the amount of capital influences the probability of bank insolvency and thus the soundness of the entire banking system, the regulators, ceteris paribus, prefer more capital to
Annual modulation of cosmic relic neutrinos

The cosmic neutrino background (CνB), produced about one second after the big bang, permeates the Universe today. New technological advancements make neutrino capture on beta-decaying nuclei (NCB) a clear path forward towards the detection of the CνB. We show that gravitational focusing by the Sun causes the expected neutrino capture rate to modulate annually. The amplitude and phase of the modulation depend on the phase-space distribution of the local neutrino background, which is perturbed by structure formation. These results also apply to searches for sterile neutrinos at NCB experiments. Gravitational focusing is the only source of modulation for neutrino capture experiments, in contrast to dark-matter direct-detection searches where the Earth’s time-dependent velocity relative to the Sun also plays a role. The cosmic neutrino background (CνB) is a central prediction of standard thermal cosmology [1]. It is similar to the cosmic microwave background (CMB) as both are relic distributions created shortly after the big bang. However, while the CMB formed when the Universe was roughly 400,000 years old, the CνB decoupled from the thermal Universe only ∼1 second after the big bang. Indirect evidence for the CνB arises from the contribution of relic neutrinos to the energy density of the Universe.
DSM-IV Pain Disorder: a case against the diagnosis

Pain Disorder has been modified in each of the recent editions of the DSM to improve its clinical applicability. This diagnosis remains fundamentally flawed because it places medical and psychologi...
Sparse Additive Generative Models of Text

Generative models of text typically associate a multinomial with every class label or topic. Even in simple models this requires the estimation of thousands of parameters; in multi-faceted latent variable models, standard approaches require additional latent "switching" variables for every token, complicating inference. In this paper, we propose an alternative generative model for text. The central idea is that each class label or latent topic is endowed with a model of the deviation in log-frequency from a constant background distribution. This approach has two key advantages: we can enforce sparsity to prevent overfitting, and we can combine generative facets through simple addition in log space, avoiding the need for latent switching variables. We demonstrate the applicability of this idea to a range of scenarios: classification, topic modeling, and more complex multifaceted generative models.
Spectral estimation of artist oil paints using multi-filter trichromatic imaging

A practical and easy way to capture images of oil-paintings and estimate their spectral reflectance as a function of position was tested. For the image acquisition, a trichromatic digital camera was used in conjunction with an absorption filter producing six channels. From an a priori statistical analysis of common artist oil paints, spectral reflectance was estimated. These experiments showed that it is possible to estimate the spectral reflectance with an accuracy of average ΔE*94 of 1.7 and spectral reflectance rms error of 2.2%. Of particular interest is guidance towards the design of a universal calibration target for imaging paintings.
Leukotriene pathway in sickle cell disease: a potential target for directed therapy.

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is characterized by recurrent episodes of vaso-occlusion, resulting in tissue ischemia and end-organ damage. Inflammation is critical to the pathogenesis of vaso-occlusion and has been associated with SCD-related morbidity and mortality. Despite the impact of inflammation, no directed anti-inflammatory therapies for the treatment or prevention of vaso-occlusive events currently exist. Among individuals with SCD, asthma is a comorbid inflammatory condition that increases the risk of pain episodes, acute chest syndrome and death. Inflammation associated with asthma could augment the proinflammatory state of SCD, increasing episodes of vaso-occlusion. Leukotrienes are inflammatory mediators that play a prominent role in the pathogenesis of asthma and have been associated with SCD-related morbidity. Targeting inflammatory mediators, such as leukotrienes, is a promising approach for the development of novel therapies for the treatment of SCD. This review will examine the relationship ...