cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Color Image Restoration Using Nonlocal Mumford-Shah Regularizers

We introduce several color image restoration algorithms based on the Mumford-Shah model and nonlocal image information. The standard Ambrosio-Tortorelli and Shah models are defined to work in a small local neighborhood, which are sufficient to denoise smooth regions with sharp boundaries. However, textures are not local in nature and require semi-local/non-local information to be denoised efficiently. Inspired from recent work (NL-means of Buades, Coll, Morel and NL-TV of Gilboa, Osher), we extend the standard models of Ambrosio-Tortorelli and Shah approximations to Mumford-Shah functionals to work with nonlocal information, for better restoration of fine structures and textures. We present several applications of the proposed nonlocal MS regularizers in image processing such as color image denoising, color image deblurring in the presence of Gaussian or impulse noise, color image inpainting, and color image super-resolution. In the formulation of nonlocal variational models for the image deblurring with impulse noise, we propose an efficient preprocessing step for the computation of the weight function w . In all the applications, the proposed nonlocal regularizers produce superior results over the local ones, especially in image inpainting with large missing regions. Experimental results and comparisons between the proposed nonlocal methods and the local ones are shown.
GRK5 overexpression in the RVLM of CHF rats improves autonomic imbalance and restores AT1R and Kv4.3 expressions (686.33)

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterized by an overactive Angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R) signaling axis and autonomic imbalance. AT1R is regulated by its phosphorylation by G protein cou...
Exploring performance on composite quality measures captured by electronic health records for a cohort of New York City clinical practices from 2009 to 2011.

The Primary Care Information Project (PCIP) facilitates the use of Electronic Health Records (EHR) for prevention and chronic disease management in primary care practices across New York City. PCIP was formed as a bureau of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene through a mayoral initiative targeted at getting New York City primary care providers to adopt health information technology. [1] In collaboration with eClinicalWorks (eCW), PCIP integrated a set of quality measures for both adults and children into the EHR [2].These measures followed national clinical guidelines for the management of chronic and preventable diseases [3]. Incorporating QMs into the EHRs allows PCIP to track performance on the quality measures over time. Beyond the numerous clinical measures, there is an interest in developing measures that offer snapshots of clinical care domains, which may inform more readily on public health priorities. The objective of this analysis is to (1) develop composite quality measures based on clinical similarities and EHR utilization and (2) compare practice performance on the composite quality measures at different points in time and (3) practice performance on each of the composite measures over time.
Liquid Corn and Fish Fertilizers Are Good Options for Fertigation in Blackberry Cultivars Grown in an Organic Production System

The impact of organic fertilizer source on the growth, fruit quality, and yield of blackberry (Rubus L. subgenus Rubus Watson) cultivars (Marion and Black Diamond) grown in a machine-harvested, organic production system for the processed market was evaluated from 2011 to 2013. The planting was established in Spring 2010 using approved practices for organic production and was certified in 2012. Plants were irrigated using a dripline under a woven polyethylene groundcover (weed mat) installed for weed management. Two sources of liquid fertilizer were evaluated: 1) a corn steep liquor and fish waste digestion blend (''corn''; 2.5N-1.1P-1.2K); and 2) a fish solubles and molasses blend (''fish''; 4N-0P-1.7K). Fertilizers were applied by fertigation through the drip system at ratesof 56kg·ha L1 nitrogen (N) per year in 2011-12and 90kg·ha L1 N in 2013.The impact of fertigation on drip system performance was evaluated with two maintenance options, ''flushing'' and ''no flushing'' of the driplines. Total yield differed among years, whereas fruit soluble solids concentration and firmness as well as floricane biomass at pruning showed a year 3 cultivar interaction. 'Black Diamond' had greater total yield and average fruit weight than 'Marion', but produced a greater proportion unmarketable fruit. There was no effect of fertilizer source on yield, fruit quality, primocane length, or primocanes/ plant in any year with the exception of fruit w eight, which was greater with corn than with fish. 'Marion' had a greater floricane biomass when fertilized with fish than with corn. Soil nutrients were within the recommended range, except for boron (B), which was below recommended levels. Only soil nitrate-N was affected by fertilizer source, which was greater in'Marion'thanin'BlackDiamond'whenfertilizedwithfish.Primocaneleaftissuenutrient concentrations were within recommended levels for all nutrients, except for calcium (Ca) and B, which were below recommended standards in both cultivars. Primocane leaf potassium (K) and zinc (Zn) concentrations were greater withfish than with corn.There was no fertilizer source or maintenance effect on emitter flow rate of the drip system in either year. However, flow rates decreased an average of 4.5% in the first year and 19% in the secondyear.Overall,therewerenodifferencesbetweenthefertilizersonplant growth,yield, or fruit quality, and both fertilizers were suitable for planting establishment.
Superposed hydrodynamic disturbances from feeders in a starved flow modular intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder

A process dynamic model of surging in a modular self-wiping co-rotating twin screw extruder caused by superposed disturbances from feeders is developed. The changes of output flow rate with time (surging) are predicted for various time dependent input modes such as step function and sinusoidal function inputs into the hopper and other ports part way along the length of the machine.
Redefining the clinical remission period in children with type 1 diabetes.

Purpose: To redefine the clinical remission period for different aged children receiving the current standard of diabetes care. Methods: An electronic patient records system was used to identify 552 children newly diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) from 1997 to 2001 who had an initial hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) value at the time of diagnosis and at least one other value measured in the ensuing year. The insulin dosage previously used to define the remission period [<0.5 units per kg body weight per day (U/kg/d)] was evaluated for the different aged children. Results: The mean insulin dosages for all age groups were >0.5 U/kg/d by 9 months after diagnosis. The mean HbA1c values were above 8% by 6 months after diagnosis for the 6–9 and the 10–12 yr age groups and by 9 months after diagnosis for the ≥13 yr age group. The percentage of children ≤5 yr of age who continued to receive <0.5 U/kg/d of insulin was higher than for the other three age groups. However, this group did not achieve a mean HbA1c value <8% at any time. Conclusion: Older children have a longer remission period than younger children. The clinical definition of the remission period should be redefined to include both the insulin dose and the HbA1c level. Any attempt to extend the remission period in children is more apt to be successful in dealing with older children and with the introduction of the intervention as soon after diagnosis as is feasible.
An examination of eggs challenged with cryopreserved spermatozoa of the American oyster, Crassostrea virginica

Abstract Reliable procedures for cryopreservation of the gametes of marine fish and invertebrates are urgently needed for developing aquaculture of specially bred strains. Availability of the eggs by the millions and external fertilization offer special methodologic advantages. The seawater medium and the acrosome reaction of the invertebrates pose new problems. A cytogenetic study was made of the eggs of the commercial American oyster, Crassostrea virginica, after being challenged with its cryopreserved sperm.
Kinetics of accumulation of selenium from food and water by fathead minnows

Relationships between Se concentration in water and/or food and the kinetics of uptake, accumulation and depuration of Se in fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas Rafinesque) were determined by use of repeated measurements of Se radiotracer activity in live fish. Groups of 10 fish each were maintained in separate aquaria and were continuously exposed to 10, 20 or 40 ng Se ml−1 as Na2SeO4 (selenate) and/or daily offered 157, 314 or 628 ng Se via Daphnia which had ingested Se-laden Chlamydomonas. Within 4 weeks the fish exposed to Se in the water reached an equilibrium body burden of Se at a concentration 25.3 times that in the water. Fish exposed to Se in the food had not reached an equilibrium after 11 weeks, but equilibrium concentrations were calculated to be 0.3 times that in the food according to a kinetic model. The accumulation in fish of Se from both water and food was additive. The rates of depuration suggested the existence of two functional compartments of Se in the fish that could represent different Se compounds.
Dendrochronological parameters of northern red oak (Quercus rubra L. (Fagaceae)) infested with red oak borer (Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae))

Abstract Oak-dominated forests in northwestern Arkansas have recently experienced an oak mortality event associated with an unprecedented outbreak of a native insect, the red oak borer, Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman). To determine whether prior drought was associated with increased E. rufulus infestation level of Quercus rubra L. trees, we employed a suite of dendrochronological measurements from Q. rubra in affected forest stands. We examined patterns of tree growth and physiological indicators of stress including α-cellulose δ13C, intrinsic water-use efficiency (Wi) and photosynthetic discrimination (Δ) in Q. rubra from 1954 to 2002. Basal area increment measurements revealed that Q. rubra with lower levels of E. rufulus infestation experienced approximately 20% greater stem growth than Q. rubra more severely infested for ∼17 years prior to the onset of high rates of Q. rubra mortality. This trend emerged immediately following a severe drought in 1979–1981 and continued through 2002, suggesting that drought influenced E. rufulus infestation levels of some Q. rubra trees. Indicators of tree carbon and water relations (δ13C, Wi, and Δ) revealed no relationship with degree of E. rufulus infestation, except for Δ in 2000, when physiology likely was responding to the advanced stage of decline in heavily infested trees. δ13C, Wi, and Δ responded to drought periods as predicted early in the study period, but lost their sensitivity to drought after differences emerged in stem growth rate with degree of infestation. Though reduced stem growth in heavily infested trees suggests these trees were negatively influenced by E. rufulus infestation, the lack of infestation response of δ13C, Wi, and, for much of the study period, Δ, suggests that infestation had negligible influence on C–water relations. The study highlights how δ13C and δ13C-based parameters may not indicate variation in tree C–water relations when forest disturbances are associated with reductions in tree growth rates.
Effect of Incubation of CO2 and Lewis Acid on the Generation of Toluic Acid from Toluene and CO2

p-Toluic acid is produced by reacting Lewis acid (1), CO2 (2), and toluene (3) at milder conditions. The order of addition of reactants is found to be able to change the course of the reaction toward the desired product and therefore must be 1, 2, and 3. Reaction occurs through in situ formation of a Lewis acid:CO2 adduct created by incubating CO2 and Lewis acid for 1 h prior to the addition of toluene. The order of addition led the reaction to occur with anhydrous Al2Cl6 and a few other Lewis acids than only anhydrous Al2Cl6 in the usual way of addition 2, 3, and 1. Spectacularly CuBr2 produces p-toluic acid as major product when incubated with CO2 at 57 bar and 80 °C prior to addition of toluene whereas bromotoluene is a major product when added with toluene and then pressurized with CO2 at the same temperature and pressure.
Tests of Independence, Treatment Heterogeneity Dose-Related Trend with Exchangeable Binary Data

Abstract Existing methods of testing for treatment effects for clustered binary data include the beta-binomial, quasilikelihood GEE procedures. All of these methods revolve around the mean response and the second-order correlation. However, these two parameters alone do not fully determine the effect of treatment. This article develops nonparametric likelihood ratio procedures to test for independence, heterogeneity dose-related trend in dose—response studies involving exchangeable binary data. The hypotheses of independence, heterogeneity trend are expressed in terms of joint probabilities of similar responses among cluster mates. Constrained maximum likelihood estimates of these probabilities are computed and used to construct test statistics. Unlike the test statistics for independence and heterogeneity, the asymptotic distribution of the likelihood ratio test for trend is not exactly a chi-square. However, an upper bound of its p value is obtained by using a chi-squared distribution. A set of clustere...
Anticipation and execution of a simple reading task enhance corticospinal excitability

Abstract Objective : Electromyographic responses (EMG) evoked in the right hand by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) of the left motor cortex are enhanced during continuous reading. This enhancement is the result of increased excitability of the motor cortex. We proposed that anticipation and reading of single words would also enhance corticospinal excitability. We studied the temporal course of corticospinal excitability changes following left and right hemisphere TMS. Methods : Ten normal volunteers were studied. A warning stimulus (S1) was followed by an imperative stimulus (S2) whereupon a word was presented. Subjects responded by reading the word aloud or reading it silently. In other conditions, no word was displayed and the subjects responded to S2 by saying the word ‘Cat', pursing their lips, or doing nothing. EMG was recorded over the contralateral hand following a TMS pulse over the motor cortex during and after the S1–S2 period. Results : Enhancement of EMG amplitudes was significantly greater following left hemisphere TMS. The enhancement in the S1–S2 period and that following S2 had a time course similar to several event-related brain potentials. Conclusions : There may be a common mechanism underlying both corticospinal excitability and the contingent negative variation, readiness potential and N400.
Total and thyroxine iodine content of thyroid gland after injection of saline anterior pituitary extracts.

SummaryAfter 10 daily intraperitoneal injections of a saline anterior pituitary extract, there is a decrease in the total iodine content of the thyroid gland of the sheep, with a proportionate decrease in its thyroxine content.
Statistics of particle interactions in dense granular material under uniaxial compression

Stress evolution in a dense granular material is closely related to interactions of contacting particles. We investigate statistics related to particle interactions and the relationship between the averaged local relative motion and the macroscopic motion. The validity of the Voigt and Reuss assumptions is examined, and extensions to these assumptions are proposed. Effects of history in the dense granular material are investigated. Statistical samples used in this paper are obtained using three-dimensional numerical simulations of dense granular media under uniaxial cyclical compression. The results show that stresses arise mostly from normal forces between particles, and direct contributions from frictional tangential forces between particles are small. Tangential friction, however, significantly increases the particle contact time, and thus reduces the rate of contact breakage. The contact breakage rate is demonstrated to be a stress relaxation rate. Therefore, stress increases significantly with friction between particles as a result of prolonged relaxation time.
A Risky Science Communication Environment for Vaccines

Controversy over childhood vaccinations is an instance of what might be styled the “science communication problem”—the failure of compelling scientific evidence to resolve public dispute over risks and similar facts ( 1 ). This problem itself has been the focus of scientific study since the 1970s, when psychologists began to investigate the divergence between expert and public opinion on nuclear power. Indeed, the science of science communication that this body of work comprises can now be used not just to explain controversy over risk but also to predict, manage, and in theory avoid conditions likely to trigger it. The example of childhood vaccinations illustrates these points—and teaches an important practical lesson.
The Stratigraphy, Sedimentology, and Fossils of the Haughton Formation: A Post-Impact Crater-Fill, Devon Island, N.W.T., Canada

— After the impact that formed Haughton crater, 22.4 ± 1.4 Ma ago (early Miocene), the cavity filled with water and began to accumulate lacustrine sediments. These preserve detailed evidence of pre-impact stratigraphy and post-impact morphology and development of the crater, as well as of the climatic and biotic regime in which it lay. In this report we formally designate these sediments as the Haughton Formation, of which only a 48 m thick remnant covering approximately 7 km2 still exists. Dolomite-rich, poorly-sorted silt, fine sand, and mud are the principal lithologies. The formation unconformably overlies a blanket of allochthonous impact breccia forming the floor of the original crater. Presence of a debris-flow deposit in the base of the sequence indicates that lacustine deposition began very shortly after crater formation. The Haughton Formation contains a moderately diverse and highly endemic vertebrate fauna as well as palynomorphs and plant macrofossils that indicate a cool-temperate climatic regime. A small percentage of reworked Late Cretaceous and early Tertiary palynomorphs point to the former existence of the Eureka Sound Formation in the drainage area of the crater. In addition, the distribution of the lake beds indicates the absence of an inner ring on the west side of the crater, and the 3° to 3.5° inward dip of Haughton strata implies that the central mass has subsided approximately 300 to 350 m since deposition began.
Rosetta-MPDock: A Novel Computational Tool for Protein-Protein Docking within the Membrane Bilayer

Even though over 50% of drugs target membrane proteins, that are encoded by ∼30% of the genome, as little as 1-2% of the structures in the ProteinDataBank belong to them. This discrepancy arises due to major challenges in over-expression, purification, reconstitution into membrane mimetics, and structure determination by various methods. Not surprisingly, interactions between membrane proteins that occur inside the membrane bilayer are even more difficult to study. Here we present a novel method, RosettaMPDock, to predict protein-protein interactions within the membrane. The tool was developed inside the Rosetta software suite, the leading software for biomolecular structure prediction, docking, and design. RosettaMPDock builds upon a new framework for modeling membrane proteins in Rosetta. This framework follows newest standards for object-oriented design and integrates smoothly into Rosetta3's architecture. It further greatly facilitates the development of new protocols such as RosettaMPDock.
Evaluation of the reinforcing properties and phencyclidine-like discriminative stimulus effects of dextromethorphan and dextrorphan in rats and rhesus monkeys.

Rationale: Dextromethorphan (DXM) and its metabolite, dextrorphan (DXO) have neuroprotective and anticonvulsant properties through their activity as N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor channel blockers. Based on this receptor activity, coupled with reports of DXM abuse, both were evaluated for abuse potential and phencyclidine (PCP)-like behavioral effects in two animal models. Objectives and methods: The discriminative stimulus properties of DXO and DXM were tested in rats (3–56 mg/kg DXM, i.p. and 2.2–40.9 mg/kg DXO, i.p.) and rhesus monkeys (0.3–10 mg/kg DXM, i.m. and 0.25–8.0 mg/kg DXO, i.m.) trained to discriminate PCP from saline using a standard two-lever drug-discrimination paradigm under a fixed-ratio (FR) schedule of food reinforcement. In a second set of experiments, i.v. self-administration of DXO (10–100 µg/kg/infusion) and DXM (10–1000 µg/kg/infusion) were tested under a FR schedule of reinforcement in monkeys trained to lever press for infusions of PCP during daily 1-h sessions. Results: In rats, both DXM and DXO produced a dose-dependent substitution for PCP. When tested in monkeys, DXM yielded partial (1 monkey) and full (2 monkeys) substitution for PCP, while DXO substituted fully for PCP in all four subjects tested. In the self-administration study, in five of the six subjects, at least one dose of DXM served as a positive reinforcer, maintaining infusion rates above those for saline. For DXO, at least one dose maintained infusion numbers well above mean saline infusion numbers in all subjects. Conclusions: Taken together, these data show that DXM has some PCP-like effects in rats and monkeys, but that they are more reliably produced by its metabolite, DXO. Thus, high doses of DXM may have some PCP-like abuse potential in humans but this potential may be associated with, or enhanced by, metabolism of DXM to DXO.
Systemic administration of alcohol to adult rats inhibits leydig cell activity: Time course of effect and role of nitric oxide.

Background: Alcohol has been shown to interfere with testosterone (T) release from Leydig cells. However, the mechanisms responsible for this phenomenon, which may include decreased activity of the luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH)–LH axis, as well as a direct influence of the drug on the testes, are not fully understood. In this work, we investigated the influence of alcohol, administered intragastrically (i.g.) or delivered via vapors, on Leydig cell activity and T release. Leydig cell function was studied by measuring changes in the levels of the steroidogenic proteins steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR), the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), and the cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc). Testosterone release was studied under basal conditions or in response to human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Finally, to identify potential factors mediating the influence of alcohol, we measured the testicular variant of the neuronal nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS), TnNOS, in semipurified Leydig cells. Methods: Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were either injected with alcohol i.g. once or exposed to alcohol vapors (4 h/d) for 1 or 5 days. Controls received the vehicle (i.g. model) or were kept in boxes through which no vapors were circulated. Following these treatments, one series of experiments was devoted to investigate Leydig cell responsiveness by measuring plasma T levels before or after the intravenous injection of hCG (1 U/kg). In another series of experiments, we used semipurified Leydig cell preparations to measure StAR, PBR, P450scc, and TnNOS by Western blot analysis. Results: In the i.g. model, the T response to hCG was blunted for 12 hours following alcohol injection, but showed a rebound at 48 hours. Levels of StAR protein and of PBR, but not of P450scc, were significantly decreased within 10 minutes of drug administration. While StAR then remained depressed for 24 hours, PBR values were variable over this time course. By 48 hours, StAR, PBR, and P450scc levels had increased above control values. Both StAR and PBR levels showed correlations with plasma T levels. In the alcohol vapor models, both regimens of the drug also significantly depressed StAR and PBR protein concentrations, blunted the T response to hCG, and did not alter P450scc. Finally, we observed that alcohol delivered i.g. or via vapors up-regulated TnNOS levels in Leydig cells, but that blockade of NO formation failed to restore a normal T response to hCG. Conclusions: Collectively, these results suggest that (a) the ability of Leydig cells to release T does not show a simple correlation with changes in StAR, PBR, and P450scc levels; (b) the time course of the alcohol-induced changes were protein-specific; and (c) despite the ability of alcohol to stimulate TnNOS expression, NO does not appear to mediate the inhibitory influence of this drug on testicular steroidogenesis in the models that we studied.
A study of convection initiation in a mesoscale model using high-resolution land surface initial conditions

Abstract A coupled convection-resolving mesoscale atmosphere–land surface model (LSM) is used to investigate land surface–planetary boundary layer (PBL) interactions responsible for the initiation of deep, moist convection over the southern Great Plains of the United States on 19 June 1998. A high-resolution land data assimilation system provides initial conditions to the LSM, facilitating examination of soil moisture effects on forecasts of deep convection. During the late morning and early afternoon, the southwestern portion of a simulated southwest–northeast (SW–NE)-oriented surface water vapor gradient zone evolves into an intense dryline, unlike the northeastern portion, which remains relatively weak. Despite these regional differences, midafternoon convection initiation occurs within a ∼100-km-wide region of enhanced PBL depth along much of the SW–NE extent of the water vapor gradient zone. The afternoon PBL depth maximum results from a midmorning-to-early afternoon surface sensible heat flux maximu...
Response---On Establishing a Dialogue in Television Viewing Research

Response to the commentary Pringle, L. G. 1984. A Comment. Marketing Sci.3 125--126 on author's paper Rust, R. T., M. I. Alpert. 1984. An audience flow model of television viewing choice. Marketing Sci.3 113--124.
Spectrophotometric assay of phenolphthalein in biological fluids

Abstract An assay for phenolphthalein in biological fluids has been developed utilizing methods previously applied to the assay of bromosulphalein and to the deconjugation of steroidal compounds in urine. Intestinal perfusate, serum, and urine samples containing phenolphthalein are deproteinized with acidified acetone, the samples dried, and the phenolphthalein redissolved in ethanol. Color is developed with 0.5 m glycine buffer, pH 12, and the samples read at 550 nm after blanking the spectrophotometer with one of the replicates to which acidic glycine buffer is added. To measure conjugated phenolphthalein in urine, the sample is incubated overnight with β-glucuronidase/arylsulphatase prior to phenolphthalein determination as noted above. This method gives an accurate assay of phenolphthalein to 10 −5 m concentrations with coefficients of variation between 2 and 8% and with no resulting interference from hemoglobin or bilirubin.
A clinical prediction rule for classifying patients with low back pain who demonstrate short-term improvement with spinal manipulation.

Study design A prospective, cohort study of patients with nonradicular low back pain referred to physical therapy. Objective Develop a clinical prediction rule for identifying patients with low back pain who improve with spinal manipulation. Summary of background data Development of clinical prediction rules for classifying patients with low back pain who are likely to respond to a particular intervention, such as manipulation, would improve clinical decision-making and research. Methods Patients with nonradicular low back pain underwent a standardized examination and then underwent a standardized spinal manipulation treatment program. Success with treatment was determined using percent change in disability scores over three sessions and served as the reference standard for determining the accuracy of examination variables. Examination variables were first analyzed for univariate accuracy in predicting success and then combined into a multivariate clinical prediction rule. Results Seventy-one patients participated. Thirty-two had success with the manipulation intervention. A clinical prediction rule with five variables (symptom duration, fear-avoidance beliefs, lumbar hypomobility, hip internal rotation range of motion, and no symptoms distal to the knee) was identified. The presence of four of five of these variables (positive likelihood ratio = 24.38) increased the probability of success with manipulation from 45% to 95%. Conclusion It appears that patients with low back pain likely to respond to manipulation can be accurately identified before treatment.
Buyer Beware: Some Words of Caution on the Use of Severe Wind Reports in Postevent Assessment and Research

Abstract Postevent damage surveys conducted during the Bow Echo and Mesoscale Convective Vortex Experiment demonstrate that the severe thunderstorm wind reports in Storm Data served as a poor characterization of the actual scope and magnitude of the surveyed damage. Contrasting examples are presented in which a few reports grossly underrepresented a significant event (in terms of property damage and actual areal coverage of damage), while a large number of reports overrepresented a relatively less significant event. Explanations and further discussion of this problem are provided, as are some of the implications, which may include a skewed understanding of how and when systems of thunderstorms cause damage. A number of recommendations pertaining to severe wind reporting are offered.
Protection of gastric mucosa against hypertonic sodium chloride by 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 or sodium thiosulfate in the rat: evidence for decreased mucosal penetration of damaging agent.

Protection of the gastric mucosa may be the result of either increased cellular resistance to injury (cytoprotection) or, alternatively, decreased exposure of mucosal cells to the damaging agent. To determine whether decreased exposure of mucosal cells to damaging agents plays a role in mucosal protection by 16,16-dm PGE2 or sodium thiosulfate, we estimated the intramucosal concentration of22NaCl and measured its absorption from the gastric lumen into the systemic circulation 1 and 5 min after intragastic administration of hypertonic (25% w/v)22NaCl. In an attempt to explain the differences observed, we also measured the net transmucosal water flux in control animals and rats pretreated with the protective agents. Administration of hypertonic NaCl rapidly (within 1 min) induced extensive hemorrhagic mucosal lesions that were significantly reduced by pretreatment with 16,16-dm PGE2 or sodium thiosulfate. Ultra-low temperature autoradiography indicated that luminal hypertonic22NaCl penetrates the upper layers of the mucosa in relatively high concentrations (12.5% w/v) within 1 min but its concentration decreases rapidly and reached low levels (3.12% w/v) by 5 min. Absorption of NaCl from the gastric lumen into the systemic circulation 1 and 5 min after hypertonic NaCl was lower in both pretreatment groups than in the control. Net gastric transmucosal water flux (from serosa to mucosa) increased (P< 0.05 from 100±2 in controls, to 1470±8 and 715±9 μl in rats pretreated with 16,16-dm PGE2 and sodium thiosulfate, respectively. We conclude that 16,16-dm PGE2 and sodium thiosulfate protect the gastric mucosa against hypertonic NaCl, diminish mucosal penetration of NaCl, decrease mucosal absorption of NaCl, and significantly increase serosal to mucosal transmucosal water flux. We postulate that the increased transmucosal water flux triggered by the mucosal protective agents causes the decreased mucosal penetration of hypertonic NaCl and therefore contributes to mucosal protection.
An optimal algorithm to reconstruct trees from additive distance data

Abstract In this article the question of reconstructing a phylogeny from additive distance data is addressed. Previous algorithms used the complete distance matrix of the n OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Unit), that corresponds to the tips of the tree. This used O ( n 2 ) computing time. It is shown that this is wasteful for biologically reasonable trees. If the tree has internal nodes with degrees that are bounded an O ( n * log( n )) algorithm is possible. It is also shown if the nodes can have unbounded degrees the problem has n 2 as lower bound.
Multi-lateral Privacy-Preserving Localization in Pervasive Environments

Location based services (LBSs) have raised serious privacy concerns in the society, due to the possibility of leaking a mobile user's location information in enabling location-dependent services. While existing location-privacy studies are mainly focused on preventing the leakage of user's location in accessing the LBS server, the possible privacy leakage during the localization process has been largely ignored. Such a privacy leakage stems from the fact that a localization algorithm typically takes the location of anchors (i.e., reference points for localization) as input, and generates the target's location as output. As such, the location of anchors, and consequently the target's location, could be leaked to others. An adversary could further utilize the leakage of anchor's locations to attack the localization infrastructure and undermine the accurate estimation of the target's location. To address this issue, in this paper, we study the multi-lateral privacy preserving localization problem, whereby the location of a target is calculated without the need of revealing anchors' location, and the knowledge of the localization outcome is strictly limited to the target itself. To fully protect user's privacy, our study protects not only the user's exact location information (the geo-coordinates), but also any side information that may lead to a coarse estimate of the location. Three privacy-preserving localization solutions are developed by leveraging combinations of information hiding and homomorphic encryption. These solutions provide different levels of protection for location side information and resilience to node collusion, and have the advantage of being able to trade user's privacy requirements for better computation/communication efficiency. I. INTRODUCTION
The involvement of Type II Neuregulin-1 in rat visuospatial learning and memory.

Abstract The cognitive deficits observed in schizophrenia are considered a core feature of the disease. Neuregulin-1 is a risk gene for schizophrenia that is involved in many neurodevelopmental and synaptic plasticity-related processes relevant to schizophrenia. Here, we have utilized a rat model (Nrg1Tn), which is hypomorphic for the neuregulin-1 (Nrg1) gene, to test whether reduced Type II NRG1 in the rat brain leads to cognitive deficits relevant to schizophrenia. Wild-type and homozygous Nrg1Tn male rats were tested in memory tasks that evaluated spatial memory (Morris water maze) and visuospatial working and reference memory (Can Test). Nrg1Tn rats were not impaired on the Morris water maze, but did show a deficit in the appetitive visuospatial discrimination test. Nrg1Tn rats committed more reference and working memory errors in this test. These results indicate that decreased Type II NRG1 in the brain may lead to deficits in visuospatial learning and memory.
An analysis of interagency communication patterns surrounding incidents of school crime

Need has been recognized for communication and collaboration between the multiple agencies that respond to school crime, but the topic has not been well researched. This study is based on interviews with officials from middle and high schools as well as with police and other juvenile justice officials. Officials in rural, suburban, and urban communities were interviewed about interagency communication and interaction patterns in response to school crime. Findings revealed considerable interagency collaboration in the rural community, some communication in the suburban area, and minimal interaction in the urban setting. Communication between agencies was enhanced and inhibited by cultural, bureaucratic, and individual level factors. Implications are discussed for assessing and improving interagency collaboration.
The influence of composition on the environmental embrittlement of Fe3Al alloys

Abstract This paper reviews recent research on embrittlement of iron aluminides at room temperature brought about by exposure to moisture or hydrogen. The tensile and fatigue crack growth behavior of several Fe–Al alloys, ranging in aluminum content from 16–35 at.%, are described. Some alloys also contain small amounts of Nb, Zr or C. It will be shown that tensile ductility and fatigue crack growth behavior are dependent on composition, type and degree of long range order, environment, humidity level and frequency. Environments studied include vacuum, oxygen, hydrogen gas and moist air. All cases of embrittlement are ultimately traceable to the interaction of hydrogen with the lattice.
Viscoelasticity in polymers: Phenomenological to molecular mathematical modeling

We report on two recent advances in the modeling of viscoelastic polymers: (i) a new constitutive model that combines the virtual stick-slip continuum molecular-based ideas of Johnson and Stacer with the Rouse bead chain ideas; (ii) a two-dimensional version of a model that accounts for stenosis-driven shear wave propagation in biotissue. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq 23: 817-831, 2007
Understanding Tourists' Preferences for Boat Fishing Trips:

As changing regulations result in additional harvest restrictions and a shorter fishing season, recreational fishing opportunities are being impacted negatively. Charter and head boat operators need to adapt to the changing conditions that boat fishing trips face and look for new customers and experiences. The authors provide boat operators with strategic information that will help them to develop new tourism products so they can continue to provide anglers with offshore access in an increasingly competitive regulatory environment. For a better understanding of fishing tourists' trade-off oriented preferences for new product offerings, a stated preference choice model was employed. Two different data analyses were conducted: an aggregate model and segmented models of resident and out-of-state anglers. The preference results indicated that anglers were interested in including non-fishing elements. From a regulatory standpoint, the provision of new fishing trip offerings is a constructive avenue for boat op...
Local control after radiation for prostatic carcinoma: Significance and assessment

Local tumor control is of great importance in the definitive treatment of prostatic carcinoma. Not only is it the best measure of radiation efficacy but its significance in terms of the related morbidity and mortality of tumor recurrence has been clearly shown. On this we would all likely agree. More controversial, however, is the definition of local failure and the manner in which this determination is made. Having until recently largely referred clinical findings by rectal exam, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), ultrasound, and biopsy findings have, of late, presented additional information. Whether data from these evaluations should expand our current definition of local failure is as yet undecided. Surely their predictive value is less disputable. Of prime consideration is the practicality of therapeutic options for disease recurrence. By virtue of their age and initial tumor stage, the majority of patients with local failure after irradiation, including chemical (PSA) and microscopic (positive biopsy) failure, are unlikely to be good surgical candidates. Thus, salvage surgery, like repeat irradiation has questionable benefit and a relatively high risk of significant complications. Although hormonal therapy is fairly innocuous, there is no evidence as yet that treating subclinical disease is advantageous. Therefore, with this particular malignancy that affects men who often die of competing causes with incidental microscopic cancer totally undiagnosed, a pragmatist might prefer to think in terms of clinical cure. However, that is not to say that we will give up our continuing efforts toward improving radiation efficacy and enhancing the therapeutic ratio.
Tunable nanopatterning by diblock copolymers in small confinements

Here we study the effects of confinement on the self-assembly of diblock copolymers. Specifically, we study the hexagonal cylindrical phase as it self-assembles within a narrow confinement. We quantify the structural deformation of the cylindrical morphology that arises from the frustration that the narrow confinements exert on the system when the confinement width is incompatible with the lattice structure of the bulk mesophase. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3695–3700, 2004
On the relationship between the sample size and the number of variables in a linear regression model

The problem of determining the number of variables to be included in the linear regression model is considered under the assumption that the dependent and independent variables have a joint normal distribution. It is shown that for a given sample size n there exists an optimal number k0 (0 ≤ k0 < n-2) of variables among all independent variables in the model, such that the expectation of the mean squared error corresponding to the prediction equation with k0 variables is minimal.Application of this result to ustepwise procedures is discussed.
Achievement of quasi-nanostructured polymer blends by solid-state shear pulverization and compatibilization by gradient copolymer addition

Abstract Nanoblends, in which dispersed-phase domains exhibit length scales of order 100 nm or less, are made using a continuous, industrially scalable, mechanical process called solid-state shear pulverization (SSSP). An 80/20 wt% polystyrene (PS)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blend processed by SSSP and consolidated by platen pressing, without melt processing, exhibits a quasi-nanostructured morphology with many irregular, minor-phase domain sizes of ∼100 nm or less. After short-residence-time single-screw extrusion, the pulverized blend exhibits spherical dispersed-phase domains with a number-average diameter of 155 nm. Thus, SSSP followed by certain melt-processing operations can yield nanoblends. However, the pulverized blend exhibits significant coarsening of the dispersed-phase domains during long-term, high-temperature static annealing, indicating that SSSP followed by other melt processes may yield microstructured blends. In order to suppress coarsening, a styrene (S)/methyl methacrylate (MMA) gradient copolymer is synthesized by controlled radical polymerization. When 5 wt% S/MMA gradient copolymer is added to the PS/PMMA blend during SSSP, the resulting blend exhibits a nanostructure nearly identical to that of the blend without gradient copolymer, and coarsening is nearly totally suppressed during long-term, high-temperature static annealing. Thus, SSSP with gradient copolymer addition can yield compatibilized nanoblends. Morphologies obtained in the pulverized PS/PMMA nanoblend are compared with those in blends of PS/poly(n-butyl methacrylate) and PS/high-density polyethylene made using identical SSSP conditions, providing for commentary on the ability of SSSP to produce nanostructured blends as a function of blend components.
Adolescents’ Acceptance of Same-Sex Peers Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression

This study investigated tenth- and twelfth-grade adolescents’ (N ≤ 264) judgments about the acceptability of same-sex peers who varied in terms of their sexual orientation (straight, gay or lesbian) and their conformity to gender conventions or norms in regard appearance and mannerisms or activity. Overall, the results of this study suggest that adolescents’ conceptions of the acceptability of their peers are related not just to sexual orientation but also conformity to gender conventions. Both straight and gay or lesbian individuals who were non-conventional in their appearance and mannerisms were rated as less acceptable than individuals who conformed to gender conventions or those who participated in non-conventional activities. Most surprisingly, for boys, the straight individual who was non-conforming in appearance was rated less acceptable than either the gay individual who conformed to gender norms or was gender non-conforming in choice of activity.
TH-B-I-611-02: The Science Behind The ICRP 2005 Recommendations: Biological and Epidemiological Information

The ICRP 2005 Recommendations are stated to be “based on a simple, but widely applicable, general system of protection that will clarify its objectives and will provide a basis for the more formal systems needed by operating managements and regulators”. Underlying each of the broad areas of recommendation is a series of Foundation Documents that provide details of the most recent and/or appropriate scientific research in support of the recommendations. This presentation will focus on the approaches for quantitating health effects attributable to radiation exposure and the biological mechanisms that underlie these effects. The adverse health effects are grouped as (1) tissue reactions (2) cancer development in exposed individuals and heritable disease in their offspring. For considerations of tissue injury, ICRP has conducted a comprehensive review of experimental and epidemiological studies to revisit current estimates of thresholds for tissue reactions (deterministic effects) and consider revising these. For hereditary risks, ICRP has significantly modified its approach by using spontaneous human mutation rates in conjunction with radiation‐induced mutation rates from mouse studies. In addition, hereditary risks are considered up to the second generation only. The overall result is a reduction in the genetic risk that will tend to reduce the value of tissue weighting factor for gonads. New epidemiological data on cancer mortality and incidence have been considered by ICRP and the broad conclusion is that the linear no threshold model remains as the best overall fit to the data. An important component of such a conclusion is that extensive data on cancer incidence are available from the A‐bomb Life Span Study (LSS); these provide more accurate diagnosis and take account of relatively high prevalence but low mortality tumors. In addition, models were developed to facilitate transport of risk across populations, particularly based on data from the LSS population. The risk models also incorporated the concept of quality of life detriment, which is a departure from the detriment based on mortality alone. The recent data that impacted the value of DDREF were reviewed, but it was concluded that the current value of 2 was compatible with both human and laboratory animal data. A review of data for the production of non‐cancer diseases after radiation was conducted, particularly for the LSS. While it is clear that there is an increase in several such diseases, the data available are not sufficient for their inclusion in the estimation of detriment at doses in the range of a few tens of mSv. Some of these judgments will be considered in greater detail during the presentation. Educational Objectives: 1. To understand the biological data that for the basis for radiation risk assessments. 2. To understand how new data have necessitated a reconsideration of the basis for radiation protection standards. This abstract has been reviewed in accordance with EPA guidelines but it does not necessarily reflect EPA policy.
On the spectra of certain directed paths

We describe the eigenpairs of special kinds of tridiagonal matrices related to problems on traffic on a one-lane road. Some numerical examples are provided.