cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
P05.11. Time, touch, and compassion: effects on autonomic nervous system and well-being

Methods Healthy volunteers were informed that the study was testing the effects of time and touch on the autonomic nervous system. Each subject underwent 5 sequential study periods in one study session: (1) Warm-up; (2) Control with the practitioner while both read neutral material; (3) Rest; (4) Intervention with practitioner meditating on lovingkindness toward the subject; and (5) Rest. Subjects were randomized to receive one of four interventions: a) 10 minutes tactile; b) 20 minutes tactile; c) 10 minutes non-tactile; or d) 20 minutes nontactile. During all NVCC interventions, the practitioner meditated on lovingkindness toward the subject. For tactile interventions, the practitioner touched subjects on arms, legs, and hands; for non-tactile interventions, the practitioner pretended to read. Subjects were monitored continuously for autonomic activity. Subjects completed visual analog scales (VAS) for well-being, including relaxation and peacefulness, at warm-up; postcontrol; immediately post-intervention; and after the post-intervention rest.
Using the geologic setting of talc deposits as an indicator of amphibole asbestos content

This study examined commercial talc deposits in the U.S. and their amphibole-asbestos content. The study found that the talc-forming environment directly influenced the amphibole and amphibole-asbestos content of the talc deposit. Large talc districts in the U.S. have mined hydrothermal talcs that replaced dolostone. Hydrothermal talcs, created by siliceous fluids heated by magmas at depth, consistently lack amphiboles as accessory minerals. In contrast, mineable talc deposits that formed by contact or regional metamorphism consistently contain amphiboles, locally as asbestiform varieties. Examples of contact metamorphic deposits occur in Death Valley, California; these talc-tremolite deposits contain accessory amphibole-asbestos. Talc bodies formed by regional metamorphism always contain amphiboles, which display a variety of compositions and habits, including asbestiform. Some industrial mineral deposits are under scrutiny as potential sources of accessory asbestos minerals. Recognizing consistent relations between the talc-forming environment and amphibole-asbestos content may be used in prioritizing remediation or monitoring of abandoned and active talc mines.
The biology spectrometer for small-angle X-ray scattering at the national synchrotron light source

Abstract A small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) spectrometer for structural biology has been installed at the National Synchrotron Light Source. This instrument will be used to study a diverse number of biology samples (e.g., membranes, muscle, protein or DNA complexes, viruses) and has been designed, accordingly, to achieve high small-angle resolution (5000 A) and high angular resolution (0.1 mrad). The spectrometer incorporates automated motions for cervical and horizontal beam tracking, and raster scan calibration of the detector, in addition to sample and detector positioning axes. The sample-to-detector distance can be adjusted between 50 and 300 cm, and the 2θ axis between −5 and 45°. To provide unobstructed space below and to one side of the sample, the detector mounting arm is catilevered from an offset 2θ axis. The sample mounting position is designed so that a number of different sample-containing devices may be used. Presently, a three-circle goniometer, membrane sample cell and multiple-capillary sample changer are availabe; additional devices including stopped-flow and T-jump cells are planned. Each spectrometer axis is equipped with a stepping motor and absolute position encoder. A general purpose motor control unit [1], connected by an asynchronous serial link to the experiment control computer, translates function commands from the processor into TTL pulse trains output to the selected motor's power supply and reports each axis' status and position back to the processor.
The topology of central counterparty clearing networks and network stability

□ This paper derives a measure of central counterparty (CCP) clearing-network risk that is based on the probability that the maximum exposure (the N-th order statistic) of a CCP to an individual general clearing member is large. Our analytical derivation of this probability uses the theory of Laplace asymptotics, which is related to the large deviations theory of rare events. The theory of Laplace asymptotics is an area of applied probability that studies the exponential decay rate of certain probabilities and is often used in the analysis of the tails of probability distributions. We show that the maximum-exposure probability depends on the topology, or structure, of the clearing network. We also derive a CCP's Maximum-Exposure-at-Risk, which provides a metric for evaluating the adequacy of the CCP's and general clearing members’ loss-absorbing financial resources during rare but plausible market conditions. Based on our analysis, we provide insight into how clearing-network structure can affect the maxi...
Neuronal and glial enzyme studies in cell culture.

Newborn BALB/c mouse brain was cultured as disaggregated cells after serial trypsin dissociations. The ontogeny of the cultures was followed by assays of cell number, deoxyribonucleic acid, and protein content and by the activities of three enzymes considered to be markers of neuronal differentiation. Aliquots of the freshly dissociated cells were assayed for choline acetylase, acetylcholinesterase, and glutamic acid decarboxylase activities and compared with intact brain. The percentages of recovery of activities, expressed as14C product formed per mg of protein per 10 min, at pH 6.8 and 37°C, were 37% for choline acetylase, 54% for acetylcholinesterase, and 24% for glutamic acid decarboxylase. The remainder of the freshly dissociated cells were placed into culture; enzyme assays were performed as the cells multiplied and then when the cultures became static. Choline acetylase activity increased as the cells rapidly divided, and glutamic acid decarboxylase activity increased only after the cultures became confluent. Under the culture conditions, acetylcholinesterase was not induced, despite active synthesis of acetylcholine. Neuroblastoma clone N18, C1300 cell line, was grown in cell culture, and the activity of acetylcholinesterase was measured as the cells multiplied and came to confluency. The specific activity of mouse neuroblastoma acetylcholinesterase increased 25-fold when the rate of cell division was restricted. The rate of cell division could be regulated by adjusting the serum concentration. By removing fetal calf serum during the growth period, cell division ceased, and acetylcholinesterase activity was significantly and rapidly induced. Choline-O-acetyltransferase specific activity was measured in rapidly dividing and in static cultures. Its specific activity was highest in nondividing cultures, compared to cultures containing actively dividing cells (6-fold), and the specific activity of thymidylate synthetase was increased 2.5-fold in actively dividing cultures, compared to static cultures. Glioblastoma cells obtained from the rat astrocytoma, clone C6, were grown in culture, and glucose metabolism was measured in control cultures, and in cultures containing norepinephrine (0.017 mg per ml). Norepinephrine produced a 50% inhibition in the incorporation ofd-[14C]glucose. Cells incubated for 2 hr in the presence ofd-[14C]glucose, washed and then incubated in control medium or in medium containing norepinephrine, resulted in the release of greater than 50% of radioactive metabolites in the norepinephrine treated plates. Norepinephrine caused a 50% increase in14CO2 production in glioblastoma cells incubated withd-[1-14C]glucose. Norepinephrine, under similar conditions, did not affect the metabolism of glucose in clone C46, C1300 mouse neuroblastoma cells.
The use of infertility services among fertility-impaired couples.

In 1982, 8.4 percent of all currently married American couples had childbearing impairments for reasons other than surgical sterilization (Mosher and Pratt, 1985). This suggests that more than 2.5 million couples were candidates for infertility services, that is, medical advice and assistance in conceiving or successfully carrying a baby to term. Some couples with nonsurgical childbearing impairments, however, may not seek infertility services because they have no desire for children (or for additional children) or because of financial considerations. We know little beyond anecdotal data about which couples with fertility impairments seek infertility services and which do not. Research on infertility has not adequately examined the determinants of the use of infertility services. The clinical literature has focused on the medical and psychological roots of infertility (Kleinman and Senanayake, 1979; Mozley, 1985) as well as on the diagnosis and treatment of the condition (Atlas and Martinelli, 1979; Menning, 1976; Ollivier, Lesser, and Bell, 1984; Rosenfeld and Mitchell, 1979). The demographic literature has focused on rates of childbearing impairments, trends in infertility over time, and the sociodemographic characteristics of couples with fertility impairments (Mosher, 1985; Mosher and Pratt, 1982). A recent study by Horn and Mosher (1984) examined the use of infertility services among ever-married women 15-44 years of age. They found higher utilization rates among older and white women. It is unclear, however, whether these subgroup differences in utilization reflect group differences in rates of infertility or in the use of services among couples with fertility problems. To clarify this issue, it is necessary to hold fertility status constant by focusing on couples with childbearing impairments in analyses of the sociodemographic predictors of the use of infertility services. Understanding the determinants of help-seeking behavior among couples with impaired fertility is important for several reasons. First, infertility affects fertility rates, family size, and potentially, satisfaction with marital and family roles. As such, the utilization of infertility services is an important though neglected aspect of family and fertility behavior. In addition, information about the likelihood that different groups of couples with impaired childbearing capacity will seek help would enable us to identify underserved groups. These efforts will be aided by assessing whether group differences are due to differential motivation to use infertility services or to differential access to such services. Two key sets of factors may affect the use of infertility services. The first set relates to a couple's motivations to seek services and includes desire for children, parity, age, and fertility history prior to the current marriage. The second set relates to informational and economic access to these services. Socioeconomic variables are key here, as they affect a couple's access to knowledge about the availability of services as well as their ability to afford them.
PERFLUOROALKYLATION OF THIOLS. EVIDENCE FOR A RADICAL CHAIN PROCESS

Abstract Perfluoroalkyl sulfides are formed from primary or secondary perfluoroalkyl iodides and aromatic or aliphatic thiolates without UV irradiation. Perfluoroalkyl radicals are intermediates as demonstrated by inhibition and trapping studies.
Sexual health behaviors in a random sample of students at a Mid-Atlantic university: 2010–2011

College students represent a unique population of interest to researchers, college health clinic and wellness program directors, as well as policy makers who are interested in promoting sexual health and well-being in young adults. In order to better understand the needs of this population, a large public, Land-grant University in the Mid-Atlantic region participated in the National College Health Assessment survey during 2010 and 2011. A stratified random sample of full-time undergraduate and graduate students was invited to participate in an online survey. The final sample included 2,304 students. Descriptive statistics using Chi-square highlight the relationships between student sexual practices, sexual health screening and prevention practices, and receipt of sexual health education at the university. Regression analysis was conducted to examine the factors associated with receipt of sexual health education. Implications for college health and wellness stakeholders are discussed.
Growth under stressed conditions in juvenile channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus (Rafinesque) as measured by nucleic acids

Abstract 1. 1. Juvenile channel catfish exposed to stressed conditions (low oxygen and a bacterial infection) showed a decrease in body condition during a 20-day experiment. There was no change in length or condition for control fish, but weight decreased. 2. 2. RNA concentration and RNA:DNA ratios were higher in control fish when initial length or initial weight were removed statistically. Protein:DNA ratios were also higher in control fish. 3. 3. Regression analysis indicated that RNA:DNA ratios were better predictors of final standard length and final wet weight than RNA concentration alone for the stressed conditions, but not the control condition.
Effect of rotavirus vaccination programme on trends in admission of infants to hospital for intussusception.

Summary Background Studies have reported a temporal association between a first dose of rotavirus vaccine (Rotashield) and infant intussusception. We investigated the effect of Rotashield vaccination use on intussusception admissions in ten US states. Methods We analysed electronic databases containing 100% hospital discharge records for 1993–99 from ten US states, where an estimated 28% of the birth cohort had received Rotashield (based on manufacturer's net sales data). We examined records of infants admitted to hospital ( Findings Hospital admission for intussusception among infants younger than 365 days of age during the Rotashield period compared with previously was 4% lower (10 cases) by direct comparison and 10% lower (27 cases) by trend comparison, corresponding to a negative population attributable risk. Among infants aged 45–210 days (target age range for a first Rotashield dose), we estimated an increase in intussusception admissions of 1% (one excess admission) by direct comparison and 4% (4·6 excess admissions) by trend comparison, corresponding to a population attributable risk range of one excess admission in 66·000–302·000. Interpretation We found no evidence of increased infant intussusception admissions during the period of Rotashield availability. The total intussusception admission risk attributable to Rotashield was substantially lower than previous estimates based on studies focusing on the immediate postvaccination weeks.
An overview of the question–response system in Japanese

Abstract Based on an examination of 350 question–response pairs identified across 10 different video-taped, face-to-face interactions among native speakers of Japanese, this paper presents an overview of the question–response system in Japanese conversation. Its descriptions focus on the lexical/morphosyntactic/prosodic resources used for question formulation, the range of action types commonly performed with question-formatted utterances, the kinds of methods used for next speaker selection, and the patterns of fittedness between questions and their responses.
Exploiting the Semantic Web for unsupervised spoken language understanding

This paper proposes an unsupervised training approach for SLU systems that leverages the structured semantic knowledge graphs of the emerging Semantic Web. The approach creates natural language surface forms of entity-relation-entity portions of knowledge graphs using a combination of web search retrieval and syntax-based dependency parsing. The new forms are used to train an SLU system in an unsupervised manner. This paper tests the approach on the problem of intent detection, and shows that the unsupervised training procedure matches the performance of supervised training over operating points important for commercial applications.
Counting degrees of freedom in hierarchical and other richly-parameterised models

SUMMARY Drawing on linear model theory, we rigorously extend the notion of degrees of freedom to richly-parameterised models, including linear hierarchical and random-effect models, some smoothers and spatial models, and combinations of these. The number of degrees of freedom is often much smaller than the number of parameters. Our notion of degrees of freedom is compatible with similar ideas long associated with smoothers, but is applicable to new classes of models and can be interpreted using the projection theory of linear models. We use an example to illustrate the two applications of setting prior distributions for variances and fixing model complexity by fixing degrees of freedom.
ON SERIALIZABLE LANGUAGES

Cai and Furst introduced the notion of bottleneck Turing machines. Based on Barrington’s innovating technique, which is used to showed that polynomial-size branching programs have exactly the same power as NC1, Cai and Furst showed that the languages recognized by width-5 bottleneck Turing machines are exactly the same as those in PSPACE. In this paper, computational power of bottleneck Turing machines with widths fewer than 5 is investigated. It is shown that width-2 bottleneck Turing machines capture ⊕P//OptP, the class of sets recognized by ⊕P-machines with pre-computation in OptP. For languages recognized by bottleneck Turing machines with width-3 and width-4, some lower-bounds and upper-bounds are shown.
An integrated software environment for real-time use of a distributed hydrologic model

The software environment developed to use a distributed rainfall-runoff model in real time is described. The package, called Real-time Interactive Basin Simulator (RIBS), manages the real-time operation of the simulation model, providing several modes of user access to data, results and intermediate states. The user interface can generate hydrographs at any point within the basin, display the time evolution of model variables for any grid element, or represent the spatial distribution of basic or derived variables.
Electric field quenching of fluorescence in the photoionization of solutes by far UV light

Abstract Measurement of the photocurrent and fluorescence of solutions of perylene, pyrene, triphenylamine and tetramethyl-p-phenylene-diamine as a function of applied electric field were made for far UV excitation between 180 and 210 nm. The ratio of the change in fluorescence (ΔF) to the fluorescence at zero field increases linearly with the photocurrent. Quantum yields of ionization (φe) and of ion-pair formation (φip) are derived from the data. The results show that ionization becomes increasingly important for the solutes studied at wavelengths below 210 nm where ion pair yields in some cases approach 40%. In general, ionization yields determined by the electric field quenching of fluorescence technique agree with direct photocurrent measurements using actinomentry. Some differences are observed, however, which are attributed to decomposition channels which can be important for the higher photon energies in the vacuum UV.
Characterization of lens proteins. II. γ-Crystallin of normal and cataractous rat lenses☆

Abstract The γ-crystallin isolated from soluble normal rat lens cortex protein was fractionated into six subfractions (a-f), on SP-Sephadex C-25. Subfraction a, the first peak eluted, constituted 11% and subfractions (b-f) 33, 25, 13, 12 and 6%, respectively of the total protein. The amino acid compositions of the subfractions of the normal rat lens were determined. Arginine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid and tyrosine were the most abundant amino acids followed by glycine, serine and leucine. These data are similar to those previously reported on the subfractions of calf lens γ-crystallin. Glycine was found to be the only N-terminal amino acid in the rat γ-crystallin. The 5+ galactose-induced cataractous rat lens contained less than 10% of the γ-crystallin of the normal rat lens. Six corresponding subfractions were obtained from the γ-crystallin of the cataractous rat lens and the distribution was 5, 27, 41, 13, 12 and 2%. Preparations of γ-crystallin of the calf lens from Sephadex G-75 ( Bjork, 1961 ) and from Sephadex G-200, superfine ( Ocken et al., 1977 ) were fractionated on the SP-Sephadex columns. The separation of both preparations was identical. However, the profiles are different in that our procedure yielded 28% subfraction a while the other yielded 5–8%. The subfractions of γ-crystallin of both the rat and calf were subjected to polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. The protein components shown in the gels were confirmed by the isoelectric focusing patterns. Instability of the subfractionated rat lens γ-crystallin was observed under our experimental conditions. This appears to be due to some form of equilibrium between the major and minor proteins in the subfractions.
NADPH P450 oxidoreductase: Structure, function, and pathology of diseases

Cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) is an enzyme that is essential for multiple metabolic processes, chiefly among them are reactions catalyzed by cytochrome P450 proteins for metabolism of steroid hormones, drugs and xenobiotics. Mutations in POR cause a complex set of disorders that often resemble defects in steroid metabolizing enzymes 17α-hydroxylase, 21-hydroxylase and aromatase. Since our initial reports of POR mutations in 2004, more than 200 different mutations and polymorphisms in POR gene have been identified. Several missense variations in POR have been tested for their effect on activities of multiple steroid and drug metabolizing P450 proteins. Mutations in POR may have variable effects on different P450 partner proteins depending on the location of the mutation. The POR mutations that disrupt the binding of co-factors have negative impact on all partner proteins, while mutations causing subtle structural changes may lead to altered interaction with specific partner proteins and the overall effect may be different for each partner. This review summarizes the recent discoveries related to mutations and polymorphisms in POR and discusses these mutations in the context of historical developments in the discovery and characterization of POR as an electron transfer protein. The review is focused on the structural, enzymatic and clinical implications of the mutations linked to newly identified disorders in humans, now categorized as POR deficiency.
Generalized nonlinear master equations for local fluctuations: Dimensionality expansions and augmented mean field theory

By application of a projection operator technique we derive a formally exact generalization of the nonlinear mean field master equation introduced recently for the study of local fluctuations in a reacting medium. Our starting point is a phenomenological cell master equation. The results of our theory are applicable to the theory of a fluctuating hydrodynamic reacting system. The mean field equation is placed on a firm theoretical foundation by showing it to be the lowest order approximation in an expansion in the dimensionality of the physical space keeping the product of the number of nearest neighbors (an increasing function of dimensionality) and the typical diffusion coefficient constant. A more accurate nonlinear master equation that allows for the correlation and fluctuations in the environment of a given volume element is derived in the form of an augmented mean field equation.
Cultured human brain capillary endothelial cells are permissive for infection by human cytomegalovirus.

Abstract Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is associated with a variety of systemic and neurologic diseases. In vitro HCMV growth is usually studied in fibroblasts, while in vivo HCMV growth is frequently observed in a wide variety of cell types including glia, neurons, and human brain capillary endothelial (HBCE) cells. To examine the biology of HCMV in HBCE cells, we have established a procedure for isolating these cells from human brain temporal lobectomies. Greater than 99.0% of these cultured cells were identified as HBCE cells on the basis of positive staining for factor VIII-related antigen-Von Willebrand's factor (F VIII) and Ulex Europaeus agglutinin I (UEA I[t HCMV antigens were detected by immunocytochemistry in HBCE cells after infection with strain AD 169. Intracellular virions were observed in infected cells by electron microscopy and infectious virus was released from HBCE cells. In addition, infected cells were confirmed as endothelial cells by double staining with antibodies to F VIII and HCMV.
Face sizes of 3-polytopes

Let Rn be the root face valency of a random, rooted n-edged 3-polytope, Xn the valency of a randomly selected face from the faces of n-edged 3-polytopes, and Yn the valency of a randomly selected face from the faces of a randomly selected n-edged 3-polytope. Then for each fixed j Prob(Xn=j)∼Prob(Yn=j)∼4 Prob(Rn=j)j and limn→∞Prob(Xn=j)∼9(6jπ)122−j as j→∞ Also, there exists a B(ϵ) such that Prob(Rn=j)<B(e)(12+e)f for all n,j,ϵ>0.
Inhibition of endotrophin, a cleavage product of collagen VI, confers cisplatin sensitivity to tumours

Endotrophin is a cleavage product of collagenVIα3 (COL6A3). Here, we explore the relationship between thiazolidinediones (TZDs), endotrophin and cisplatin resistance in the context of a mammary tumour model. COL6A3 levels are increased in response to cisplatin exposure in tumours. Endotrophin, in turn, causes cisplatin resistance. The effects of endotrophin can be bypassed, either through use of COL6 null (COL6−/−) mice or by administering TZDs in wild-type mice (leading to a downregulation of endotrophin). Both approaches sensitize tumours to cisplatin through the suppression of endotrophin-induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition. The beneficial effects of TZDs on cisplatin sensitivity are diminished in COL6−/− mice, whereas endotrophin+ tumours are sensitive to the TZD/cisplatin combination. Therefore, the chemosensitization obtained with TZDs is achieved through a downregulation of endotrophin. Treatment with an endotrophin neutralizing antibody in combination with cisplatin completely inhibits tumour growth of tumour allografts. Combined, our data suggest that endotrophin levels are a strong prognostic marker for the effectiveness of the combination therapy of TZDs with cisplatin, and neutralization of endotrophin activity dramatically improves the therapeutic response to combination therapy.
Enhanced transforming activity of pSV2 plasmids in human cells depends upon the type of damage introduced into the plasmid.

Abstract When pSV2-gpt or pSV2-neo plasmids are introduced into human cells by calcium phosphate coprecipitation, the yield of stable transformants (Gpt+ or Neo+) is increased by irradiating the respective plasmid DNA in vitro with UV (254) nm. To identify specific lesions that can increase the transforming activity of plasmids in human cells we examined pSV2 plasmids containing different types of damage. Of the lesions tested, cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers produced the greatest increase, and can nearly fully account for the effect of 254 nm UV on transformation. The enhancement of transformation produced by UV was not altered by the additional treatment of the plasmid DNA with T4 endonuclease V, an enzyme that nicks DNA specifically at pyrimidine dimers. Treatment of plasmid DNA with osmium tetroxide to produce thymine glycols, or with acid and heat to produce apurinic sites did not affect transformation frequency. The enhancement occurred in all the human cell lines tested, whether they contained or not sequences homologous to those in the plasmids, and was independent of the repair capacity of the recipient cells.
Instability of Lactobacillus acidophilus in Yogurt

Abstract Lactobacillus acidophilus added to yogurt decreased in numbers during refrigerated storage. This instability was caused by substance(s) produced by L. bulgaricus, a component species of yogurt cultures. Hydrogen peroxide produced by L. bulgaricus during the manufacture and/or storage of yogurt appeared to be the main substance responsible for the antagonism of L. bulgaricus toward L. acidophilus since added catalase reduced the antagonism.
Modem Applications of Traditional Sanctions

Five case examples of traditional sanctions are presented, as practiced in primitive times and in recent incidents depicting customary law-ways in Cheyenne Indian culture, with Alaskan Natives, and as applied to Micronesian Islanders. Contemporary comparisons of traditional law-ways are made with restitution, reflective justice, forms of banishment, and Beccaria's "Properties of Punishment." Comparisons of modern-day usage of restitution, intensive supervision, house arrest, half-way-in house placement, and weekend jail imprisonment are discussed. A similarity is found between primitive sanctions and current recommendations for "intermediate" penalties to alleviate over crowdedness in prisons and jails and for more appropriate types of punishment.
On the capacity of wireless relaying

We consider wireless relaying: one or more nodes in a wireless (ad-hoc) network assist other nodes in their transmission by partially retransmitting messages. A characteristic of wireless relays - as compared to the work by T.M. Cover and A.A. El Gamal on the relay channel (see IEEE Trans. on Inf. Theory, vol.25, no.5, p.572-84, 1979) - is that they cannot transmit and receive simultaneously at the same frequency. We derive new upper and lower bounds for the capacity of this wireless relay channel. We then apply these result to a 4 terminal network, and show that the gain (considering outage capacity) of using wireless relaying is of the order of 8-9 dB.
Response of Mortar and Concrete to Biaxial Compression

A series of cubical mortar specimens was tested to failure under monotonically increasing proportional biaxial loading, using two types of boundary constraints. The resulting stress-strain curves and strength data were evaluated in order to establish a unified formulation of the material behavior for use in analysis. It was deduced that a unified engineering description of the constitutive behavior covering all applied stress ratios is possible by use of octahedral stress-strain relations. The nonlinearities can be represented by the bulk and shear moduli expressed as functions of stress level. Strength data indicate that constrained boundary displacements of the specimens not only increase the uniaxial strength, but also give relatively higher biaxial strength values. Strain ratios and strain values at failure are investigated in order to shed light on the post-failure behavior of the material.
An active vision computational model of visual search for human-computer interaction

Visual search is an important part of human-computer interaction (HCI). The visual search processes that people use have a substantial effect on the time expended and likelihood of finding the information they seek. This dissertation investigates visual search through experiments and computational cognitive modeling. Computational cognitive modeling is a powerful methodology that uses computer simulation to capture, assert, record, and replay plausible sets of interactions among the many human processes at work during visual search. This dissertation aims to provide a cognitive model of visual search that can be utilized by predictive interface analysis tools and to do so in a manner consistent with a comprehensive theory of human visual processing, namely active vision. The model accounts for the four questions of active vision, the answers to which are important to both practitioners and researchers in HCI: What can be perceived in a fixation? When do the eyes move? Where do the eyes move? What information is integrated between eye movements? This dissertation presents a principled progression of the development of a computational model of active vision. Three experiments were conducted that investigate the effects of visual layout properties: density, color, and word meaning. The experimental results provide a better understanding of how these factors affect human-computer visual interaction. Three sets of data, two from the experiments reported here, were accurately modeled in the EPIC (Executive Process-Interactive Control) cognitive architecture. This work extends the practice of computational cognitive modeling by (a) informing the process of developing computational models through the use of eye movement data and (b) providing the first detailed instantiation of the theory of active vision in a computational framework. This instantiation allows us to better understand (a) the effects and interactions of visual search processes and (b) how these visual search processes can be used computationally to predict people's visual search behavior. This research ultimately benefits HCI by giving researchers and practitioners a better understanding of how users visually interact with computers and provides a foundation for tools to predict that interaction. This dissertation includes-both previously published and co-authored material.
The Holarctic winter stonefly genus Isocapnia, with an emphasis on the North American fauna (Plecoptera: Capniidae)

Abstract This paper presents descriptions, diagnoses, figures, and keys for 12 western North American species of the Holoarctic genus Isocapnia Banks. Complete known distributional records and a cladistic analysis are included for the Nearctic species. Isocapnia fraseri and I. missourii are synonymized with I. integra, and 3 new species are described: I. eichlini n. sp., I. palousa n. sp., and I. rickeri n. sp. Representatives of 5 of the 7 known Palearctic species of Isocapnia were examined and are compared with the Nearctic species. Type localities and distributional data are listed for all 7 Palearctic species.
Sex Difference in the Antiplatelet Effect of Aspirin in Patients with Stroke

Background:There is substantial interpatient variability in response to aspirin after an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA), as assessed by ex vivo effects of aspirin on platelet aggregation. The factors contributing to this variability are not well defined.Objective:To determine whether demographic, social, or clinical characteristics are associated with ex vivo response to aspirin in patients with a history of stroke or TIA.Methods:Eighty-one patients who were taking aspirin for secondary stroke prevention and underwent ex vivo platelet aggregation studies were identified. The medical records of eligible patients were reviewed by clinicians who specialize in the management of stroke patients. Characteristics were compared between 45 patients who had a complete response to aspirin and 36 patients who exhibited an incomplete (partial) response to aspirin based on the results of platelet aggregation testing.Results:The median (range) aspirin dose was similar in complete (325; 81–1950 mg/day...
Defects in Secretory Pathway Trafficking During Sperm Development in Adam2 Knockout Mice

Adam2-null and Adam3-null male mice exhibit reduced levels of one or more ADAM proteins on mature sperm, in addition to the loss of the genetically targeted protein. ADAM protein loss was believed to occur posttranslationally, although the timing of loss and the mechanism by which the loss occurred were not explored. In this study we have found that in Adam3-null mice, fertilin beta (also known as ADAM2) is lost during the formation of testicular sperm. In Adam2-null males, most cyritestin (ADAM3) protein is also lost at this stage, but 25% of cyritestin is lost later, during sperm passage through the epididymis. Although normal levels of cyritestin are synthesized and acquire Endoglycosidase H resistance, indicating transit through the Golgi, the protein does not reach the cell surface. We also discovered that the majority of both fertilin beta and cyritestin are found in a Triton X-100 insoluble compartment on testicular sperm, when most of the cyritestin was observed on the cell surface. This insoluble compartment may represent a sorting platform, because in Adam2-knockout cells, only a small fraction of the cyritestin becomes Triton X-100 insoluble. Thus, it appears that cyritestin loss in Adam2-knockout mice may result, at least in part, from a disruption in protein trafficking.
Systemic inhibition of myeloid dendritic cells by circulating HLA class I molecules in HIV-1 infection

Background: HIV-1 infection is associated with profound dysfunction of myeloid dendritic cells, for reasons that remain ill-defined. Soluble HLA class I molecules can have important inhibitory effects on T cells and NK cells, but may also contribute to reduced functional properties of professional antigen-presenting cells. Here, we investigated the expression of soluble HLA class I isoforms during HIV-1 infection and assessed their functional impact on antigen-presenting characteristics of dendritic cells. Results: Soluble HLA class I molecules were highly upregulated in progressive HIV-1 infection as determined by quantitative Western blots. This was associated with strong increases of intracellular expression of HLA class I isoforms in dendritic cells and monocytes. Using mixed lymphocyte reactions, we found that soluble HLA class I molecules effectively inhibited the antigen-presenting properties of dendritic cells, however, there was no significant influence of HLA class I molecules on the cytokine-secretion properties of these cells. The immunomodulatory effects of soluble HLA class I molecules were mediated by interactions with inhibitory myelomonocytic MHC class I receptors from the Leukocyte Immunoglobulin Like Receptor (LILR) family. Conclusions: During progressive HIV-1 infection, soluble HLA class I molecules can contribute to systemic immune dysfunction by inhibiting the antigen-presenting properties of myeloid dendritic cells through interactions with inhibitory myelomonocytic HLA class I receptors.
Computation and optimization of beam efficiencies for reflector antennas

The difficulties of numerically computing beam efficiency for reflector antennas are identified along with possible remedies. Beam efficiencies are shown for some typical reflector antennas with circular open-waveguide feeds. The optimization of beam efficiency by a feed cluster is presented. It is shown that for highly tapered patterns, an integration over the first few sidelobes is sufficient for roughly obtaining the total far-field power. Beam efficiency is maximized by a highly tapered aperture distribution and so must be balanced against aperture efficiency. In general a smaller f/D ratio produces a higher beam efficiency since the spillover loss is lower. Beam efficiency is calculated as a function of feed radius (related to edge taper) and scan angle. It is concluded that use of a cluster feed can improve beam efficiency when the beam is scanned. >
Economic Impacts of Instream Flow Protection for the Rio Grande Silvery Minnow in the Rio Grande Basin

The United States Endangered Species Act (ESA) prohibits federal actions that jeopardize the existence of any endangered species. The U.S. Supreme Court has affirmed that the language of the ESA and its amendments allows few exceptions to the need to give endangered species highest priority. This article estimates economic impacts associated with one method for increasing instream flows to protect critical habitat requirements of the endangered Rio Grande Silvery Minnow. One proposal for providing minimum streamflows to protect the Silvery Minnow from extinction would guarantee annual year-round streamflows of at least 50 cubic feet per second in the San Acacia reach of New Mexico's Rio Grande. These added flows can be produced through reduced surface diversions by cities and irrigators in central New Mexico low flow dry years when streamflows would otherwise fall below the minnow's required level. Using a 44-year forecast of future basin streamflows, our results show that central New Mexico agricultural ...
Review of the psychological reaction to windows

Literature on the psychological reaction to environments with and without windows is reviewed. It is concluded that acceptance of a windowless space is governed by the characteristics of the space itself. Beneficial qualities of windows include view, sunshine, daylight, and spaciousness. View appears critical in determining preferred size and shape of windows. The paper is an extended summary of NBS Building Science series publication 70.
In-patient international normalized ratio self-testing instruction after mechanical heart valve implantation.

Background Patient self-testing of the international normalized ratio (INR) has been shown to improve management of anticoagulation with warfarin and reduce risks of thromboembolism and bleeding. Self-testing instruction usually begins several weeks after hospital discharge. We evaluated the feasibility of in-hospital INR self-testing instruction in patients recovering from valve replacement. Methods We instituted an education program on a self-testing device before hospital discharge in 50 adult patients (median age, 54 years; 66% men) undergoing cardiac valve replacement with mechanical prostheses. Patients were monitored for 1 month to assess their ability to self-test and the accuracy of the INR measurements. Results Self-testing instruction began on postoperative day 4 (range, 1 to 8 days). Each patient had an average of 3.5 teaching sessions; each session lasted approximately 20 minutes. One month after discharge, all patients (98%) but 1 were able to self-test. No patient required interval instruction. One bleeding episode occurred in a patient whose INR exceeded the therapeutic range. Once warfarin doses were stabilized, 5 patients had subtherapeutic INR values on self-testing. The mean INR test result obtained from the coagulometer correlated well with values obtained by laboratory determination (r = 0.79). Conclusions This evaluation of an in-hospital education program demonstrates that patients are able to learn INR self-testing and that most will continue to use the method without the need for interval instruction. Improved anticoagulation management by early introduction of INR self-testing should reduce thromboembolic and hemorrhagic complications after valve replacement.
An adaptive nearest neighbor algorithm for classification

The k-nearest neighbor rule is one of the simplest and most attractive pattern classification algorithms. It can be interpreted as an empirical Bayes' classifier based on the estimated a posteriori probabilities from the k-nearest neighbors. The performance of the k-nearest neighbor rule relies on the locally constant a posteriori probability assumption. This assumption, however, becomes problematic in high dimensional spaces due to the curse of dimensionality. In this paper we introduce a locally adaptive nearest neighbor rule. Instead of using the Euclidean distance to locate the nearest neighbors, the proposed method takes into account the effective influence size of each training example and the statistical confidence with which the label of each training example can be trusted. We test the new method on real-world benchmark datasets and compare it with the standard k-nearest neighbor rule and the support vector machines. The experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the propose method.
The potential influences of environmental perception on human health

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine the research and theory concerning the potential influences of environmental perception on health and well-being. There is an evident distinction between urban and natural environments in the literature on visual preferences for environments, and in the literature about the restorative influences of environments. People generally prefer natural environments, and believe them to be healthy or restorative. This distinction between natural and urban environments is used as a point of departure to examine evolutionary theories of environmental aesthetics expounded by Kaplan, Kaplan and Ulrich. The major distinction between the theories is Ulrich's assertion of affective primacy in the processing of environmental information. Ulrich's assertion is shown to be consistent with LeDoux's model of subcortical affective processing, and Henry's model of neuro-endocrine responses, both of which in turn support the tentative proposal of two types of affect initiation systems with separate time courses and implications for the health effects of environmental exposures.
Singleton deletions throughout the genome increase risk of bipolar disorder

An overall burden of rare structural genomic variants has not been reported in bipolar disorder (BD), although there have been reports of cases with microduplication and microdeletion. Here, we present a genome-wide copy number variant (CNV) survey of 1001 cases and 1034 controls using the Affymetrix single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) 6.0 SNP and CNV platform. Singleton deletions (deletions that appear only once in the dataset) more than 100 kb in length are present in 16.2% of BD cases in contrast to 12.3% of controls (permutation P=0.007). This effect was more pronounced for age at onset of mania <or=18 years old. Our results strongly suggest that BD can result from the effects of multiple rare structural variants.
Rapid identification of a sparse impulse response using an adaptive algorithm in the Haar domain

This paper proposes a fast convergence adaptive algorithm for identifying a sparse impulse response that is rich in spectral content. A sparse impulse response is referred here as a discrete time impulse response that has a large number of zero or near zero coefficients. The basic idea for rapid identification is to automatically determine the locations of the nonzero impulse response coefficients for their adaptation and eliminate the unnecessary adaptation of zero coefficients. The proposed method, which is called the Haar-Basis algorithm, employs a transform approach by modeling the sparse impulse response in the Haar domain. The Haar transform has many basis sets and each of them contains basis vectors that span the entire time domain range. This special nature of the Haar transform allows for the selection of one small subset of adaptive filter coefficients whose basis vectors span the entire range of the impulse response. These coefficients are adapted at the beginning and are then used subsequently to identify, from the hierarchical structure of the Haar transform, the rest of the filter coefficients that must be adapted to correctly model the unknown sparse impulse response. The consequence is avoiding adaptation of many zero coefficients, leading to a dramatic improvement in either convergence speed or steady state excess mean-square error (EASE), while requiring no a priori knowledge such as the number of nonzero coefficients in the unknown sparse impulse response. The proposed algorithm has been tested with a variety of unknown sparse systems using both white noise input and colored input whose spectrum closely resembles that of speech. Simulation results show that the new approach provides promising results.
The Nature and Value of Ecosystem Services: An Overview Highlighting Hydrologic Services

Ecosystem services, the benefits that people obtain from ecosystems, are a powerful lens through which to understand human relationships with the environment and to design environmental policy. The explicit inclusion of beneficiaries makes values intrinsic to ecosystem services; whether or not those values are monetized, the ecosystem services framework provides a way to assess trade-offs among alternative scenarios of resource use and land- and seascape change. We provide an overview of the ecosystem functions responsible for producing terrestrial hydrologic services and use this context to lay out a blueprint for a more general ecosystem service assessment. Other ecosystem services are addressed in our discussion of scale and trade-offs. We review valuation and policy tools useful for ecosystem service protection and provide several examples of land management using these tools. Throughout, we highlight avenues for research to advance the ecosystem services framework as an operational basis for policy d...