cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Megaflood erosion and meltwater plumbing changes during last North American deglaciation recorded in Gulf of Mexico sediments

Submicrometer variations in the median diameter of siliciclastic mud in Orca Basin, northern Gulf of Mexico, sensitively monitor Laurentide ice sheet runoff to the gulf during early stages of the last deglaciation. Grain-size data document a prominent pulse of very fine-grained sediment to the northern Gulf from 12.6 to 12.0 ka, corresponding with the well-known sea-surface meltwater spike in δ 18 O records. Meltwater megafloods at this time eroded and transported large volumes of clay to the Gulf via the Mississippi River system. The nonquartzose megaflood sediments appear to have been derived from clay-rich midcontinental terrace deposits rather than from glacial outwash supplied by the Laurentide ice margin. Sediment grain-size data, in combination with other terrigenous proxies (clay minerals and reworked calcareous nannofossils), indicate substantial variability in deglacial meltwater discharge and associated sediment load of meltwater runoff. This variability reflects changes in continental plumbing consistent with terrestrial records of North American deglaciation.
An estrogen determination method using gas chromatography.

Abstract The behavior of a number of estrogens and closely related compounds under gas-chromatographic conditions has been studied. The liquid phases used were a methyl silicone polymer, a fluoroalkyl silicone polymer, a phenyl silicone polymer and neopentylglycol succinate. The preparation and use of trimethylsilyl ether derivatives was investigated. These compounds are well suited for the identification and estimation of estrogens. The method was applied to the investigation of the estrogens of pregnancy urine. The “classic” estrogens were separated readily.
Parallel discrete event simulation on shared-memory multiprocessors

This paper describes the implementation and the performance study of three parallel discrete event simulation methods on a shared memory machine. These methods, which share a single user interface, include the Chandy-Misra paradigm with deadlock avoidance; the Time Warp approach with direct, aggressive, and lazy cancellation; and a hybrid approach, which exploits the parallelism available at each point in simulated time. In this study the authors also examine the impact of task-partitioning and of processor self-scheduling on the efficient implementation of the above methods. Two kinds of systems are simulated: a synchronous multiprocessor machine and an asynchronous toroid network with FCFS server nodes. The performance of the implemented methods is discussed, and conclusions are drawn from the obtained results. >
Model-Based Inversion Technique Using Element-Free Galerkin Method and State Space Search

This paper presents a signal inversion technique in nondestructive evaluation (NDE) application for defect profile reconstruction using the element-free Galerkin (EFG) method and state space search. The advantage of EFG method is that it relies only on a set of nodes, instead of a complex mesh to discretize the solution domain. In the inversion procedure, remeshing is avoided to increase the efficiency and accuracy of the solution, which is a major advantage over the traditional finite-element method (FEM). The iterative state space search method using the tree structure is developed for implementing the defect updating scheme. Preliminary results are presented for validation. The robustness of the technique has been shown on noisy signals.
Population inversion in the recombination of optically-ionized plasmas

The possibility of using a high-intensity optical field in conjunction with a gas target to produce a highly ionized plasma filament suitable for recombination XUV lasers in both transient and quasi-steady-state regimes is examined. A distinction is made between low Z ions which can be stripped to the desired ionization state at nonrelativistic intensities and higher Z ions which require relativistic intensities to produce the desired ionization. In the nonrelativistic case (E/sub i/ >
An Econometric Analysis of Advertising, Retail Availability, and Sales of a New Brand

This article is an exploratory study on the question: Does consumer advertising increase retail availability of a new product? Nerlove's procedure is used to estimate a dynamic model. Cross-section and time series data for one product class are pooled. The managerial implications of the model are discussed.
IN VITRO INTERACTION OF U2 SNRNA WITH CYTOPLASMIC 6S PROTEIN COMPLEXES

Interactions of U2 snRNA with anti-Sm precipitable proteins in RNA-free cytoplasmic complexes were analyzed. U2 snRNA was found to bind specifically with proteins in the 6S complexes but not in the 20S complexes. The binding activity was preserved using U2 snRNA having a mutated Sm binding site. Label-transfer experiments indicate that snRNA makes direct contact with anti-Sm precipitable proteins in the 6S fraction with apparent molecular mass of about 16 kDa. These data corroborate that proteins in the 6S core particle are the first to interact with snRNA, and suggest that the proteins recognize snRNA structures in addition to the Sm site.
Suppression of atmospheric turbulence in video using an adaptive control grid interpolation approach

Atmospheric turbulence is a naturally occurring phenomenon that can severely limit the resolution of long distance optical and infrared sensors. Because atmospheric turbulence can degrade the appearance of video captured by these sensors, many of which are already deployed in the field, there is much interest in employing enhancement/restoration processing to improve data quality after acquisition. This paper presents a signal processing approach to suppressing atmospheric turbulence effects in sensor video using an adaptive control grid interpolation method. In this method, a dense dynamic motion vector field is derived from the characteristics of the atmospheric turbulence as seen in the data. The vector field is used in turn as part of the distortion compensation process, while preserving naturally occurring motion, such as that associated with the movement of objects within the stationary scene. The resulting algorithm is shown to produce enhanced video with quality significantly higher than that of the original.
Diagnostic Criteria in Rheumatoid Arthritis

For rheumatoid arthritis (RA), criteria have been developed for classification of groups of patients in population surveys, selection for therapeutic trials, inter-institutional comparison of patients, evaluation of diagnostic trials, diagnosis of RA in individual patients, estimation of disease frequency, and assistance in determining prognosis. The American Rheumatism Association (ARA) "Criteria for the Classification of Rheumatoid Arthritis-Diagnostic Criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis" were published in 1958 and have become a standard. These criteria are empiric and attempt to incorporate reasonable combinations of sensitivity and specificity. Despite the recognition that these criteria should be expected to change with improved knowledge, no further modification has been published. Other criteria such as the ARA "Proposed Criteria for Rheumatoid Arthritis" represent an important effort to encourage uniformity in definitions and use of the term remission. Yet it is well to remember that they have never been tested in prospective studies and are considered preliminary. The Co-operative Systematic Studies in Rheumatic Diseases, when studying slow-acting anti-rheumatic drugs, have chosen to use clinical endpoints such as 50% improvement in joint tenderness and swelling counts (or scores) rather than combined variables which include morning stiffness and changes in laboratory variables. This approach permits the true assessment of drug effects. In summary, current criteria have served us well. Nonetheless, we should not become complacent and should always question their sensitivity, specificity and application.
Mass spectral and pyrolytic fragmentation paths for o‐nitroanisole

Abstract : The mass spectral and pyrolytic dissociations of o-nitroanisole are reported. The parent ion dissociates by two pathways, principally through loss of CH2O, but a significant fraction through loss of NO. The parent-less-30 peak is therefore a doublet, as shown by high resolution measurements. The thermal decomposition at 600C and above proceeds also by two pathways, but these are the loss of HNO and HNO2, to form 1,2-methylenedioxybenzene and benzaldehyde respectively. (Author)
Sketch-sketch revolution: an engaging tutorial system for guided sketching and application learning

We describe Sketch-Sketch Revolution, a new tutorial system that allows any user to experience the success of drawing content previously created by an expert artist. Sketch-Sketch Revolution not only guides users through the application user interface, it also provides assistance with the actual sketching. In addition, the system offers an authoring tool that enables artists to create content and then automatically generates a tutorial from their recorded workflow history. Sketch-Sketch Revolution is a unique hybrid tutorial system that combines in-product, content-centric and reactive tutorial methods to provide an engaging learning experience. A qualitative user study showed that our system successfully taught users how to interact with a drawing application user interface, gave users confidence they could recreate expert content, and was uniformly considered useful and easy to use.
Success potential of automated star pattern recognition

A quasi-analytical model is presented for calculating the success probability of automated star pattern recognition systems for attitude control of spacecraft. The star data is gathered by an imaging star tracker (STR) with a circular FOV capable of detecting 20 stars. The success potential is evaluated in terms of the equivalent diameters of the FOV and the target star area ('uniqueness area'). Recognition is carried out as a function of the position and brightness of selected stars in an area around each guide star. The success of the system is dependent on the resultant pointing error, and is calculated by generating a probability distribution of reaching a threshold probability of an unacceptable pointing error. The method yields data which are equivalent to data available with Monte Carlo simulatins. When applied to the recognition system intended for use on the Space IR Telescope Facility it is shown that acceptable pointing, to a level of nearly 100 percent certainty, can be obtained using a single star tracker and about 4000 guide stars.
Reliable Server Assignment in Networks Using Nature Inspired Metaheuristics

In this paper, a reliable server assignment problem in networks is defined as determining a deployment of identical servers to maximize a measure of service availability, and solved using nature-inspired metaheuristic approaches, namely Ant Colony Optimization, Particle Swarm Optimization, and Clonal Selection Principle of Artificial Immune Systems. In networks, the communication between a client and a server might be interrupted because the server itself is offline or unreachable as a result of catastrophic network failures. Therefore, it is very important to deploy servers at critical network nodes so that the reliability of the system is maximized. A new reliability measure, called critical service rate, is defined to evaluate alternative server assignments with respect to the network's ability to provide services in the case of catastrophic component failures. The structure of the optimal server assignments is studied, and the performances of three nature inspired metaheuristics are investigated in a rigorous experimental study. Based on the computational studies, their advantages and disadvantages are discussed.
A Hybrid Database Management System For The Collection, Display, And Statistical Analysis Of Large And Small Scale Hydroacoustic Survey Data

Hydroacoustic observations of zooplankton and fish can be accomplished using off-the-shelf hardware and software. At a recent workshop on acoustical technology (l) a primary difficulty in the application of that technology to large scale studies was identified, namely information man- agemen t . Hydroacoustic observations, especially when coupled with other underway or continuous sampling of the environment and biota, produce prodigious quantities of data. Effective management of such large data sets requires flexible and ef- ficient tools to store, analyze and permit statistical and other comparisons between and within sets of observations. This paper presents a solution to those problems, by pro- viding a model for coupling a flexible hydroacoustic data analysis package with other commercially available software for graphical presentation, Statistical analyses, and database operations. The system utilizes inexpensive analytical plat- forms (laptop or desktop Pc's), permits efficient data han- dling, and allows detailed imaging of acoustic data to be eas- ily related to other observational or analytical data.
Mechanisms of convulsions in eclampsia

Eclampsia is characterized by generalized convulsions in pregnant women with hypertension and proteinuria. Little is known about what triggers the convulsions in this syndrome. The prevailing view is that convulsions are caused by cerebral vasospasm and cerebral edema. However, many important clinical findings argue against cerebral edema or hypertensive encephalopathy as the sole causes of convulsions in eclampsia. The utero-placental ischemia causes the release of certain molecules such as neurokinin B, inflammatory cytokines, endothelins, and tissue plasminogen activator. These molecules stimulate excitatory neuronal receptors and alter neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, and neuronal survival independent of any vascular effects. Highlighting the neuromodulatory and the convulsive effects of each of these molecules which are elevated in pre-eclampsia, offers a new perspective on the mechanisms of convulsions in eclampsia.
Tolerating multiple faults in multistage interconnection networks with minimal extra stages

Adams and Siegel (1982) proposed an extra stage cube interconnection network that tolerates one switch failure with one extra stage. We extend their results and discover a class of extra stage interconnection networks that tolerate multiple switch failures with a minimal number of extra stages. Adopting the same fault model as Adams and Siegel, the faulty switches can be bypassed by a pair of demultiplexer/multiplexer combinations. It is easy to show that, to maintain point to point and broadcast connectivities, there must be at least S extra stages to tolerate I switch failures. We present the first known construction of an extra stage interconnection network that meets this lower-bound. This 12-dimensional multistage interconnection network has n+f stages and tolerates I switch failures. An n-bit label called mask is used for each stage that indicates the bit differences between the two inputs coming into a common switch. We designed the fault-tolerant construction such that it repeatedly uses the singleton basis of the n-dimensional vector space as the stage mask vectors. This construction is further generalized and we prove that an n-dimensional multistage interconnection network is optimally fault-tolerant if and only if the mask vectors of every n consecutive stages span the n-dimensional vector space.
Spreading velocity of the active area boundary in a thyristor

The modeling, measurement, and magnitude of the plasma-spreading velocity in a modern thyristor structure is discussed. A simple model based on lateral fields present in the p-base of the thyristor is derived. This model is compared with a diffusion model by examining the validity of their predictions. Data on the effects of variations in radial position, current density, temperature, base widths, cathode-emitter short density, and gold recombination site density are presented. Basically, the data show that the spreading velocity is l) independent of radial position 2) a linear function of the log of the current density, 3)increased with increasing temperature, 4) increased with decreasing p-base width, 5) decreased cathode emitter short density, and 6) decreased recombination site density. The derived model is shown to provide a reasonable explanation for these effects which is qualitative and in some cases quantitative.
Analyzing memory bandwidth requirements of video algorithms

Memory bandwidth is emerging as the fundamental impediment to higher performance and lower power computer and communication systems. In this paper, we present an analysis of memory bandwidth requirements for the H.263 video codec algorithms. We make use of memory traces generated as a result of running Telenor's H.263 video encoder and decoder software implementations to simulate a large number of cache configurations. In the area of analysis of video algorithms, this paper focuses on the following issues: We provide a study of how varying cache size, block size, associativity, replacement policy, and organization parameters such as split versus unified cache affects memory bandwidth requirements. A comparative study of encoder and decoder bandwidth requirements is presented. We also study various advanced encoding options provided with the H.263 standard in this light. Based on our study, we provide guidelines for traffic-directed memory system design.
Cohort Differences and Chronic Disease Profiles of Differential Disability Trajectories

Objectives. Research shows declining disability rates, but little is known about whether cohort differences are due to delayed onset, increased recovery, or reduced severity of impairment. Furthermore, disease is considered the proximate cause of disability yet chronic conditions rates are increasing, making it unclear whether the conditions predicting specific disability trajectories are changing. Methods. We use a latent class analysis of disability trajectories and corresponding mortality with three birth cohorts of the National Long-Term Care Survey to determine how long-term experiences of disablement differ by cohort and chronic conditions. Results. More recent cohorts were more likely to experience a decade free of disablement compared with all other disability trajectories. Sensory problems and hypertension correspond to trajectories of non-disablement, whereas hip fracture, stroke, arthritis, and diabetes predict more disabled experiences. Discussion. Later life disability is measured nonparametrically to distinguish patterns among long-term trajectories. Findings suggest that more recent cohorts are more likely to forego or delay disability over a decade rather than experience prolonged periods of mild to severe disablement. Serious health events such as stroke, along with diabetes, characterize trajectories of high impairment, warranting future research.
Correspondence in cooperating teachers' and student teachers' interpretations of classroom events☆

Abstract Using the concept of well remembered events, we examined how members of 13 elementary school cooperating teacher/student teacher dyads interpreted the same teaching events. Members of a dyad remembered the same events and the same “visible” students but thought about them in qualitatively different ways. These differences are discussed in terms of expert-novice studies, a conception of teachers' knowledge as event-structured, and recent inquiry into personal narrative in teaching. Particular attention is given to the consequences of these differences for communication between cooperating teachers and student teachers and for understanding the process of learning to teach.
2009 Hans O. Mauksch Address: Where Are We and How Did We Get Here? A Brief Examination of the Past, Present, and Future of the Teaching and Learning Movement in Sociology

The teaching and learning movement in sociology in general and within the American Sociological Association specifically has a surprisingly long history. This history can be divided into three periods of activity: early efforts (1905 to 1960), innovation and implementation (1960 to 1980), and the institutionalization of gains (1980 to 2009). Beginning in the first period, sociologists interested in teaching and learning focused cycles of attention on the introductory sociology course in higher education, high school sociology courses, and the formation of sections within the American Sociological Association. Hans Mauksch led a period of significant innovation in the 1960s and 1970s. Many of those gains were then institutionalized under the leadership of Carla Howery beginning in the 1980s. Publication related to teaching and learning, which was once spread throughout numerous outlets has, over time, become focused in Teaching Sociology. This article presents an investigation of the past and present of th...
Trefoil factor 2 rapidly induces interleukin 33 to promote type 2 immunity during allergic asthma and hookworm infection

The molecular mechanisms that drive mucosal T helper type 2 (TH2) responses against parasitic helminths and allergens remain unclear. In this study, we demonstrate in mice that TFF2 (trefoil factor 2), an epithelial cell–derived repair molecule, is needed for the control of lung injury caused by the hookworm parasite Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and for type 2 immunity after infection. TFF2 is also necessary for the rapid production of IL-33, a TH2-promoting cytokine, by lung epithelia, alveolar macrophages, and inflammatory dendritic cells in infected mice. TFF2 also increases the severity of allergic lung disease caused by house dust mite antigens or IL-13. Moreover, TFF2 messenger RNA expression is significantly increased in nasal mucosal brushings during asthma exacerbations in children. These experiments extend the biological functions of TFF2 from tissue repair to the initiation and maintenance of mucosal TH2 responses.
Ion-implanted p-n junction capacitors for GaAs DRAMs

The generation-limited storage time of ion-implanted GaAs p-n junction capacitors is reported. Deep n-type potential wells were formed in a lightly p-doped epitaxial layer with 150-keV Si/sup ++/ doses of 5*10/sup 13/ cm/sup -2/ and 1*10/sup 14/ cm/sup -2/. Mg/sup +/ doses of 5*10/sup 14/ cm/sup -2/ were implanted through a thin SiON cap at 40 and 60 keV to form shallow p/sup +/-regions within the n-wells. Storage times obtained from capacitance transient measurements of the p-n-p structures indicate the possibility of planar ion-implanted GaAs dynamic memory cells at room temperature. >
Oklahoma Thunderstorms on 29–30 April 1970. Part II: Radar-Observed Merger of Twin Hook Echoes

Abstract National Severe Storms Laboratory radar film reveals twin hook echoes on the southeast flank of a tornadic thunderstorm (Storm G) that struck Oklahoma City on 30 April 1970. Only one mesocyclone is apparent in surface wind analyses (that associated with G's supercell updraft), but both tornado cyclones produced tornadoes. As the two hook echoes merged into one larger hook, damage diminished. Divergence (−2.6 × 10−3 s−1) shows an overall decrease in updraft strength during the merger. Maximum vorticity (1.3 × 10−3 s−1) overtook the developing hook echoes and increased slightly in response to an accelerating downdraft impulse from the storm's southwest flank. The multiple-tornado cyclones that developed along the accelerating gust front are believed due to vortex sheet rollup induced partly by the horizontal momentum of the downdraft air and partly by an unusual distribution of pressure-gradient forces behind the gust front. Merger of the two tornado cyclones is believed related to updraft propagat...
Performing "Planned Authenticity": Diasporic Korean Girls' Self-Photographic Play

This article explores the digital self-photographic play of contemporary diasporic Korean teen girls living in a Midwest campus town in the United States. Drawing on postcolonial notions of “hybridity,” this article highlights the ways these girls engage in ambivalent photo practices of both identification and dis-identification with their seemingly “authentic” Koreanness,1 allowing them to reclaim their desire as a recognizable “Other” (Bhabha, 1994). Their liminal tactics in their stereotypic photo gesture offers the diasporic girls a way to plan their own articulations of (in)authenticity that challenge dominant notions of “planned authenticity” (Min-ha, 1989, p. 89) so embedded in conventional approaches to multiculturalism. Their playful use of self-photography plays a significant role in allowing them to unlock a liminal, reflexive space where they can demonstrate relational connections between and within their cultural/social positions as global girls. This study concludes by offering art educators...
ANALYSIS OF GENE EFFECTS FOR GRAIN YIELD IN BARLEY

To study the nature and magnitude of gene effects in three barley crosses involving four diverse parents under three fertility environments, generation mean analysis was used for effective tillers per plant, 100-grain weight and grain yield. Dominance main effect and additive x additive type of epistatic gene action were found important in controlling inheritance of all these traits. Despite high magnitude of dominance gene effect, the dominance property would not be exploitable because of duplicate type of gene action found for these traits. However, additive x additive gene effect can offer only limited possibility of genetic improvement through simple selection procedures. The direction of both fixable and non-fixable gene action and of duplicate epistasis implies the use of biparental approach/intermating in early segregating generations.
Characterizing Submarine Ground-Water Discharge Using Fiber-Optic Distributed Temperature Sensing And Marine Electrical Resistivity

Submarine ground-water discharge (SGD) contributes important solute fluxes to coastal waters. Pollutants are transported to coastal ecosystems by SGD at spatially and temporally variable rates. New approaches are needed to characterize the effects of storm-event, tidal, and seasonal forcing on SGD. Here, we evaluate the utility of two geophysical methods–fiber-optic distributed temperature sensing (FO-DTS) and marine electrical resistivity (MER)–for observing the spatial and temporal variations in SGD and the configuration of the freshwater/saltwater interface within submarine sediments. FO-DTS and MER cables were permanently installed into the estuary floor on a transect extending 50 meters offshore under Waquoit Bay, Massachusetts, at the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, and nearly continuous data were collected for 4 weeks in summer 2007. Initial results indicate that the methods are extremely useful for monitoring changes in the complex estuarine environment. The FO-DTS produced time-series data at approximately 1-meter increments along the length of the fiber at approximately 29-second intervals. The temperature time-series data show that the temperature at near-shore locations appears to be dominated by a semi-diurnal (tidal) signal, whereas the temperature at off-shore locations is dominated by a diurnal signal (day/night heating and cooling). Dipole-dipole MER surveys were completed about every 50 minutes, allowing for production of high-resolution time-lapse tomograms, which provide insight into the variations of the subsurface freshwater/saltwater interface. Preliminary results from the MER data show a high-resistivity zone near the shore at low tide, indicative of SGD, and consistent with the FO-DTS results.
Education on, Exposure to, and Management of Vascular Anomalies During Otolaryngology Residency and Pediatric Otolaryngology Fellowship.

Importance The field of vascular anomalies presents diverse challenges in diagnosis and management. Although many lesions involve the head and neck, training in vascular anomalies is not universally included in otolaryngology residencies and pediatric otolaryngology (POTO) fellowships. Objective To explore the education in, exposure to, and comfort level of otolaryngology trainees with vascular anomalies. Design, Setting, and Participants A survey was distributed to 39 POTO fellows and 44 residents in postgraduate year 5 who matched into POTO fellowships from April 22 through June 16, 2014. Main Outcomes and Measures Survey responses from trainees on exposure to, education on, and comfort with vascular anomalies. Results Forty-four residents in postgraduate year 5 who applied to POTO fellowships and 39 POTO fellows were emailed the survey. Fourteen respondents were unable to be contacted owing to lack of a current email address. Thirty-six of 69 residents and fellows (18 fellows and 18 residents [52%]) responded to the survey. Twenty-seven trainees (75%) reported no participation in a vascular anomalies clinic during residency; 6 of these 27 individuals (22%) trained at institutions with a vascular anomalies clinic but did not participate in the clinic, and 28 of the 36 respondents (78%) reported that they had less than adequate or no exposure to vascular anomalies in residency. Among POTO fellows, 11 of 17 (65%) did not participate in a vascular anomalies clinic during fellowship, even though 8 of the 11 had a vascular anomalies clinic at their fellowship program. During fellowship training, 12 of 18 fellows (67%) reported that they had adequate exposure to vascular anomalies. Only 20 respondents (56%) felt comfortable distinguishing among diagnoses of vascular anomalies, and only 4 residents (22%) and 9 fellows (50%) felt comfortable treating patients with vascular anomalies. All fellows believed that training in vascular anomalies was important in fellowship, and 100% of respondents indicated that increased exposure to diagnosis and management of vascular anomalies would have been beneficial to their ability to care for patients. Conclusions and Relevance These data indicate that most otolaryngology trainees do not receive formal training in vascular anomalies in residency and that such training is valued among graduating trainees. Conversely, most POTO fellows felt their exposure was adequate and 50% of fellows felt comfortable treating vascular anomalies. However, 65% of POTO fellows had no participation in a vascular anomalies clinic, where many patients are managed by a multidisciplinary team. This finding may indicate that POTO fellows may have a false sense of confidence in managing patients with vascular anomalies and that residency and fellowship programs may consider changes in didactic and clinical programs.
Review: angiotensin II receptor antagonists prevent headache in patients with mild-to-moderate hypertension.

Source Citation Etminan M, Levine MA, Tomlinson G, Rochon PA. Efficacy of angiotensin II receptor antagonists in preventing headache: a systematic overview and meta-analysis. Am J Med. 2002;112:642...
Perturbed Gaussian copula

Gaussian copula is by far the most popular copula used in the financial industry in default dependency modeling. However, it has a major drawback – it does not exhibit tail dependence, a very important property for copula. The essence of tail dependence is the interdependence when extreme events occur, say, defaults of corporate bonds. In this paper, we show that some tail dependence can be restored by introducing stochastic volatility on a Gaussian copula. Using perturbation methods we then derive an approximate copula – called perturbed Gaussian copula in this paper.
Responses and Thresholds of the Egyptian Economy to Climate Change Impacts on the Water Resources of the Nile River

Are there "thresholds" in greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations above which associated climate change impacts become economically, socially or environmentally unacceptable? If thresholds exist, then emissions might be limited in such a way that GHG concentrations are not exceeded. Environmental, social, and economic systems should be examined in order to determine these threshold levels.
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE EFFECTOR CELL IN AN ANTIBODY DEPENDENT CELL MEDIATED CYTOTOXICITY SYSTEM

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the characterization of the effector cell in an antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity system. A study described in the chapter utilized herpes simplex virus (HSV) type-I-infected Chang liver cells coated with human anti-HSV antibody as targets and human mononuclear cell preparations as effectors. Human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (MC), after Ficoll/Hypaque separation, were further purified by a variety of techniques, including carbonyl iron depletion, plastic adherence, nylon wool adherence, and E rosette depletion, alone and in combination. Evaluation of membrane markers was done at all stages of the separation procedures. Plastic adherence routinely removed 80–90% of the latex positive monocytes from the MC preparations but did not lead to depletion of the ADCC activity, suggesting that the major effector cell was not a monocyte. Carbonyl iron depletion experiments also suggested that the effector cell was not a monocyte, though this technique is even more efficient in removing latex-positive cells.
Analysis of Outcomes for High Tibial Osteotomies Performed With Cartilage Restoration Techniques

Purpose To evaluate reported medium- to long-term outcomes after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) with associated cartilage restoration procedures. Methods A review of the MEDLINE database was performed. The inclusion criteria were English language, clinical outcome study with HTO as the primary procedure, use of a form of cartilage repair included, and the mean follow-up period of at least 2 years. Each identified study was reviewed for study design, patient demographics, type of procedures performed, clinical outcomes, progression to total knee arthroplasty, and complications. Results Eight hundred and twenty-seven patients (839 knees) were included. The most common cartilage preservation technique used in conjunction with HTO was microfracture (4 studies; 22.2%). The mean Lyscholm scores, reported in 50% of the studies, ranged from 40 to 65.7 preoperatively and improved to a range of 67 to 94.6 postoperatively. Four studies (22.2%) used a visual analog scale for evaluation of pain and all had a mean visual analog scale of less than 3 postoperatively. Among studies evaluating conversion to arthroplasty, the rate of conversion was 6.8% and the range of mean number of years from HTO to conversion was 4.9 to 13.0. The overall reported complication rate was 10.3%. Conclusions HTO with cartilage restoration procedures provides reliable improvement in functional status in the medium- to long-term period after surgery and has potential to delay or avoid the need for knee arthroplasty surgery. Level of Evidence Level IV, systematic review of Level I to IV studies.
Toward Understanding Another Gender Gap: How Women in Economic Development Perceive Access to Capital

ABSTRACTThis study uses survey data collected from members of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) to assess gender differences in the perceptions of female economic developers involved in the policy process. The analysis reveals women are more likely than their male counterparts to believe access to capital serves as a barrier to economic development in the communities they serve. This finding is important because bureaucratic perceptions are anticipated to have a gendered dimension, because there is ample evidence that women-owned businesses less frequently obtain external financing than do those owned by men. This obstacle to growing a business may therefore resonate more strongly with female economic developers if their perceptions reflect experiences and socialization processes shared with the women they represent. Results of an ordinal logistic regression model support this contention and contribute to the study of economic development and the role of women in the policy process.
Social Media and the Workplace

Given the all-encompassing nature of the Internet in our lives, it is easy to forget that it is a comparatively new phenomenon. While its underpinnings date back to the 1960's, as a communication, e-commerce and social media platform, for the most part the Internet is barely out of its teens. In the social media environment, it’s even younger. Again, some early adopters can date back to the mid 1990's, but as a cultural phenomenon, social media is barely a few years old. In those few years many people, but business organizations in particular, have developed a substantial “love-hate” relationship with social media. Given that many people spend half (or more) of their waking lives at work, in is inevitable that in utilizing social media to share information about their personal lives people will share information about their work lives as well. Sometimes that information is less than flattering. Gripes about the boss, a co-worker, a customer, an office policy, office politics, can and do invade social media posts. When those comments come to the attention of the company, that attention can and has resulted in discipline up to and including termination.
Taking on Too Much, Too Soon? An Exploration of Experiential Learning of Novice Auditors in an Offshoring Setting

SUMMARY Outsourcing and offshoring have become common practice among audit firms and have introduced dynamic changes to the experiences of novice auditors. Tasks once performed by novice auditors a...
Polymere – viele Monomermoleküle verbinden sich zu einem Makromolekül

Kunststoff, der umgangssprachlich auch als Plastik oder Plaste bezeichnet wird, ist der Werkstoff der modernen Zeit. Zukunftige Geschichtsschreiber werden in der Retrospektive die aktuelle Epoche der Menschheitsgeschichte in Anlehnung an die Steinzeit als Kunststoffzeit deklarieren. Kunststoffe begleiten uns in allen Lebensbereichen, sei es als Verpackungsmaterialien, Fahrradhelme, Aktentaschen, Textilien, Computerchassis, Warmedammungen, Bodenbelage, Zahnpastatuben, Schreibstifte etc.
Incidence of First-Time Lateral Patellar Dislocation: A 21-Year Population-Based Study.

Background:First-time lateral patellar dislocation is a common orthopaedic injury. The purposes of this study were to (1) evaluate the incidence of first-time lateral patellar dislocation in a geog...
Analysis of Polystyrene Samples in the Liquid Phase by Differential Scanning Calorimetry

Recently(1,2) there were published two separate studies of the specific heats of amorphous (henceforth called atactic) and isotactic polystyrene, as measured by adiabatic calorimeters. Whereas in the main the results of the two groups agreed rather well, discrepancies did exist amounting to as much as 7% at high temperatures in the liquid range. In order to determine whether the observed differences were the result of the different polystyrene samples used or of experimental errors, we decided to make a careful comparison of the two polystyrenes using a Perkin-Elmer differential scanning calorimeter. Rather to our surprise, we found that differences in the specific heat particularly between the atactic polystyrene samples did exist in the liquid range above Tg and that only after rather long annealing at 200°C did the specific heat of the two atactic samples approach each other.
The Effects of Nicotine and Tobacco Use on Brain Reward Function: Interaction With Nicotine Dependence Severity

Introduction This study investigated the effects of nicotine/tobacco on neural activation during performance of a monetary incentive delay task. Aims and methods Prior to each scan, nonsmokers received nicotine or placebo nasal spray, and smokers were smoking satiated or 24-hour withdrawn. During the scan, participants made timed responses to reward-related cues and received feedback. Parameter estimates from cue- and feedback-related activation in medial prefrontal regions and the nucleus accumbens were extracted and underwent within- and between-group analyses. Smokers' nicotine dependence severity was included as a continuous predictor variable for neural activation. Results Among smokers (n = 21), withdrawal decreased cue-related activation in the supplementary motor area and ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and the difference in activation (satiety > withdrawal) in these regions negatively correlated with nicotine dependence severity (Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence). Among nonsmokers (n = 22), nicotine increased the difference in nucleus accumbens activation between rewarded and nonrewarded feedback phases. Tobacco withdrawal and acute nicotine also had widespread effects on activation throughout the brain during the feedback phase. Conclusions Acute nicotine in nonsmokers may have increased the salience of feedback information, but produced few effects on reward-related activation overall, perhaps reflecting nicotine's modest, indirect effects on reward processing. Conversely, tobacco withdrawal decreased activation compared with satiety, and this difference between conditions correlated with nicotine dependence severity. This suggests that as smokers become more dependent on nicotine, tobacco withdrawal has a more pronounced effect on reward processing. Implications Relative to the acute effects of nicotine in nonsmokers, withdrawal from daily tobacco use had more significant effects on reward-related brain activation. This study suggests that the effects of tobacco withdrawal on reward-related brain function interact with subjects' level of nicotine dependence severity. These are potentially important sources of variability that could contribute to smoking cessation outcomes.
An automated tracking system for Y-maze behavioral test using kinect depth imaging

This paper presents an image processing system for automated tracking and behavior analysis of the popular Y-maze test on freely behaving rats, using depth imaging provided by a Microsoft Kinect® 2D/3D imager. A contour-based segmentation algorithm was developed to identify the maze shape and extract its arm and center divisions. Using the extraction results, the system is capable of tracking the animal position and arm entry sequence for calculating spontaneous alternations and other measures that are used in analyzing the animal working memory and activity. The system was validated in vivo on seven freely behaving rats, and the results showed perfect agreement with human annotations, 100% accuracy in arm entry tracking and less than 0.1 s error in time stamps of “enter/leave” actions.
Modulation of Hoogsteen dynamics on DNA recognition

In naked duplex DNA, G-C and A-T Watson-Crick base pairs exist in dynamic equilibrium with their Hoogsteen counterparts. Here, we used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation dispersion and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to examine how Watson-Crick/Hoogsteen dynamics are modulated upon recognition of duplex DNA by the bisintercalator echinomycin and monointercalator actinomycin D. In both cases, DNA recognition results in the quenching of Hoogsteen dynamics at base pairs involved in intermolecular base-specific hydrogen bonds. In the case of echinomycin, the Hoogsteen population increased 10-fold for base pairs flanking the chromophore most likely due to intermolecular stacking interactions, whereas actinomycin D minimally affected Hoogsteen dynamics at other sites. Modulation of Hoogsteen dynamics at binding interfaces may be a general phenomenon with important implications for DNA-ligand and DNA-protein recognition.
Mid- and Far-infrared Imaging

The mid- and far-infrared spectra include wavelengths from 3 µm to 1 mm. This spectral band contains lower radiation energy than visible spectra. In this chapter, mid- and far-infrared imaging and spectroscopy techniques and their applications in food and agriculture are discussed.
Animal Models as Assay Systems for the Development of Antivirals

The importance of experimental viral infections in animal models for development and testing of new antiviral agents prior to their use in man should not be understated. While tissue culture systems are of great value in determining if a new drug has activity against a particular virus, these systems should not be used as indicators or predictors of activity in humans. Only where suitable animal models are not available, should a compound be taken from tissue culture directly into human trials. Although one can legitimately argue that most, if not all, animal model infections are not identical to the human disease, it can be demonstrated that a compound does in fact have activity in an in vivo system and early indications of its antiviral activity, tissue distribution, metabolic disposition, pharmacokinetics, and acute toxicity can be realized. Importantly, all of these parameters of drug pharmacodynamics can be correlated with inhibition of viral replication in target organs. Additionally, our understanding of the pathogenesis of many viral infections, the response of the host to infection and interaction between the infection, the host’s response, and a therapeutic agent has been enhanced greatly through the use of animal model systems.
RV-PA Conduit Dilation and Stenting

A number of congenital heart lesions, most frequently those in association with pulmonary atresia, are surgically corrected with the use of right ventricle-to-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) conduits. Conduits may be synthetic, or more commonly valved pulmonary, aortic homografts, or bovine jugular grafts. Over time the conduits become calcified, the valves become dysfunctional, and there is resulting stenosis and/or regurgitation. While many centers address conduit stenosis through surgical replacement, transcatheter conduit dilation and/or stenting can delay the need for surgery by several years (1,2). While it is tempting to view the physiology of right ventricular outflow tract obstruction in this situation as analogous to simple valvar pulmonary stenosis (indeed the obstruction is often at the conduit valve), the underlying anatomy and pathophysiology are substantially different and the technical aspects bear little resemblance.
Effect of casting method on castability of titanium and dental alloys.

Titanium, once considered to be difficult to cast because of its relatively high melting point \(\left( {1670 \pm 50^\circ {\text{C}}} \right)\) and strong chemical affinity, can now be acceptably cast using newly developed casting apparatus. The objectives of this study were to examine the castability of commercially pure (CP) titanium using an ultra high-speed centrifugal casting machine and a pressure difference-type casting unit and to compare the castability of titanium with that of conventional dental casting alloys. To determine castability, two types of patterns were used: a mesh pattern of 22 × 24 mm cut polyether thread sieve, and a saucer pattern (24 mm diameter) perforated to create four T-shaped ends. The casting equipment significantly affected the mold filling of both patterns \(\left( {p < 0.001} \right)\). The castability indices obtained from both patterns of CP titanium cast in the centrifugal casting machine were significantly \(\left( {p < 0.05} \right)\) better than the indices of the castings produced in the pressure-difference casting unit. The radiographs of the saucer pattern cast in the centrifugal casting machine showed some pores that were fewer and smaller in size than the pores found in castings made in the pressure-difference unit. When the ultra high-speed centrifugal casting machine was used with the manufacturer’s recommended mold material, the castability of titanium was similar to that of gold alloy or Ni-Cr alloy cast by conventional means.
Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance in the Oncology Patient

Patients with or receiving potentially cardiotoxic treatment for cancer are susceptible to developing decrements in left ventricular mass, diastolic function, or systolic function. They may also experience valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, or intracardiac masses. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance may be used to assess cardiac anatomy, structure, and function and to characterize myocardial tissue. This combination of features facilitates the diagnosis and management of disease processes in patients with or those who have survived cancer. This report outlines and describes prior research involving cardiovascular magnetic resonance for assessing cardiovascular disease in patients with or previously having received treatment for cancer.