cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Learning Through Participatory Modeling: Reflections on What It Means and How It Is Measured

Participatory modeling has tremendous potential to promote individual and group learning in environmental decision-making processes. We have implemented a participatory modeling process, the Vulnerability, Consequences, and Adaptation Planning Scenarios (VCAPS) process, in 14 communities to support municipal planning in the face of climate change. We emphasize learning through the dynamic process of developing the capacity to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively in support of individual and group decision-making and planning to remedy a problem of common concern. Participant feedback emphasizing the importance of learning via development of capacities that support activities of thinking and planning, rather than learning via the transfer of knowledge, prompted us to consider more deeply how we design participatory modeling processes and evaluate learning in them. In this chapter we provide a brief overview of the VCAPS process. Second, we interpret learning in our VCAPS process using a combination of a socio-cultural theory of action and a framework from developmental psychology. Third, we reflect upon how these insights informed the development of the VCAPS process. Fourth, we comment on the lessons learned for the theory and practice of learning in participatory modeling.
Court and Region in Medieval China: The Case of Tang Bianzhou

Although Bianzhou (modern Kaifeng) is well known as the imperial capital of the Northern Song dynasty, its history prior to the tenth century reveals much about the political fortunes of the Tang dynasty, especially after the An Lushan rebellion. A careful analysis of the backgrounds of the Military Commissioners appointed to govern the region indicates that following an initial period of instability, the Tang court was able to maintain control over this strategically vital transportation hub late into the ninth century and to repeatedly appoint commissioners who had passed the civil-service examinations. This experience helps explain the continuing optimism of Tang elites about the dynasty’s prospects and made Bianzhou itself an important example for the educated elite of why civil values were essential to good government and the survival of the Tang dynasty. Si Bianzhou (actuel Kaifeng) est bien connu comme capitale imperiale des Song du Nord, son histoire avant le Xe siecle nous en apprend beaucoup sur le destin politique des Tang, particulierement apres la rebellion de An Lushan. L’analyse minutieuse du parcours des commissaires militaires successivement nommes a la tete de la region revele qu’apres une periode initiale d’instabilite, la cour des Tang a ete en mesure jusque tard dans le IXe siecle de maintenir son controle sur ce qui etait un nœud strategique de communications et d’y poster l’un apres l’autre des commissaires passes par la voie des examens civils. L’experience contribue a expliquer l’optimisme persistant des elites des Tang concernant l’avenir du regime, le cas de Bianzhou etant a leurs yeux un exemple important des raisons pour lesquelles les valeurs civiles demeuraient essentielles a la qualite du gouvernement et a la survie de la dynastie.
Adaptation of Candida Albicans to Reactive Sulfur Species

Candida albicans is an opportunistic fungal pathogen that is highly resistant to different oxidative stresses. How reactive sulfur species (RSS) such as sulfite regulate gene expression and the role of the transcription factor Zcf2 and the sulfite exporter Ssu1 in such responses are not known. Here, we show that C. albicans specifically adapts to sulfite stress and that Zcf2 is required for that response as well as induction of genes predicted to remove sulfite from cells and to increase the intracellular amount of a subset of nitrogen metabolites. Analysis of mutants in the sulfate assimilation pathway show that sulfite conversion to sulfide accounts for part of sulfite toxicity and that Zcf2-dependent expression of the SSU1 sulfite exporter is induced by both sulfite and sulfide. Mutations in the SSU1 promoter that selectively inhibit induction by the reactive nitrogen species (RNS) nitrite, a previously reported activator of SSU1, support a model for C. albicans in which Cta4-dependent RNS induction and Zcf2-dependent RSS induction are mediated by parallel pathways, different from S. cerevisiae in which the transcription factor Fzf1 mediates responses to both RNS and RSS. Lastly, we found that endogenous sulfite production leads to an increase in resistance to exogenously added sulfite. These results demonstrate that C. albicans has a unique response to sulfite that differs from the general oxidative stress response, and that adaptation to internal and external sulfite is largely mediated by one transcription factor and one effector gene.
Solutions of nonlinear differential equations with feature detection using fast Walsh transforms

Walsh functions form an orthonormal basis set consisting of square waves. Square waves make the system well suited for detecting and representing functions with discontinuities. Given a uniform distribution of 2p cells on a one-dimensional element, it is proved that the inner product of the Walsh Root function for group p with every polynomial of degree (p1) across the element is identically zero. It is also proved that the magnitude and location of a discontinuous jump, as represented by a Heaviside function, are explicitly identified by its Fast Walsh Transform (FWT) coefficients. These two proofs enable an algorithm that quickly provides a Weighted Least Squares fit to distributions across the element that include a discontinuity. It is shown that flux reconstruction relative to the FWT fit in partial differential equations provides improved accuracy. The detection of a discontinuity further enables analytic relations to locally describe its evolution and provide increased accuracy. Examples are provided for time-accurate advection, Burgers' equation, and quasi-one-dimensional nozzle flow.
Cognitive impacts of ambient air pollution in the National Social Health and Aging Project (NSHAP) cohort.

Background Pathways through which air pollution may impact cognitive function are poorly understood, particularly with regard to whether and how air pollution interacts with social and emotional factors to influence cognitive health.
Operative Management of Unstable Radial Head Fractures in a Young Active Population

Background: Radial head and neck fractures are the most common elbow fracture in the general adult population; however, the optimal treatment for radial head fractures remains a topic of ongoing cl...
Causation and Mental Content: Against the Externalist Reading of Ockham

On the dominant interpretation, Ockham is an externalist about mental content. This reading is founded principally on his theory of intuitive cognition. Intuitive cognition plays a foundational role in Ockham’s account of concept formation and judgment, and Ockham insists that the content of intuitive states is determined by the causal relations such states bear to their objects. The aim of this chapter is to challenge the externalist interpretation by situating Ockham’s account of intuitive cognition vis-a-vis his broader account of efficient causation. While there can be no doubt that intuitive states are causally individuated, I argue that, given Ockham’s broader theory of efficient causation, this very fact entails that the content of such states is determined by factors internal (rather than external) to the states themselves.
Progressive Visualization Tasks and Semiotic Chaining for Mathematics Teacher Preparation: Towards a Conceptual Framework

Visualization plays an important role in mathematics learning, but in the United States where many prospective teachers (PTs) have few if any experiences learning mathematics through visualization, mathematics teacher educators are challenged to design tasks that generate within PTs’ thinking an appreciation for the role visualization plays in mathematics learning. This chapter examines the affordances of progressive visualization tasks and semiotic chaining for use in mathematics teacher preparation. To the literature on dyadic and nested forms of semiotic chaining, data analysis in this chapter contributes a new type of semiotic chaining based on Peirce’s three principles of diagrammatic reasoning.
A New Set of Orthogonal Polynomials for the Solution of Anharmonic Oscillator Problems

By utilizing the symbolic algebra software REDUCE we derive a new set of non-classical orthogonal polynomials. They are orthogonal on the real line with respect to the weight function exp(−x4) and are defined explicitly by recursive identities. The effectiveness of the new orthogonal basis is demonstrated on a sample problem where eigenvalues of a sextic anharmonic oscillator are computed.
Analysis of Energy Utilization for Chemical Rockets

Methodology is developed for the comprehensive analysis and quantification of energy utilization in chemical rockets, based on the overall thermochemical and kinetic energy availability of the stor...
Detection of excessive activities in time series of graphs

Considerable efforts have been made to apply scan statistics in detecting fraudulent or excessive activities in dynamic email networks. However, previous studies are mostly based on the fixed and d...
Bringing Clarity to “This Thing Called Giftedness”: A Response to Dr. Renzulli

Dr. Renzulli's Enrichment Triad and SEM models are considered even by critics of gifted education to be supportive of broader inclusion of students from diverse backgrounds. Yet such students continue to be underrepresented in programs for the gifted. A sociocultural perspective makes integral the issue of program impact on inclusiveness. Addressing questions regarding access, generalizability, long-range impact, and curriculum implications of Triad and SEM models would bring greater clarity to the field.
1783 Does Robot-Assisted Laparoscopy Improve Outcomes in Ovarian Dermoid Cystectomy?

Study Objective To evaluate whether using robot assisted laparoscopic technique (RAL) reduces cyst disruption with spillage during benign ovarian teratoma cystectomy compared to straight laparoscopic technique (SLA) and laparotomy (LAP). Design Retrospective cross-sectional analysis. Setting Community teaching hospital. Patients or Participants All patients who underwent unilateral ovarian cystectomy with pathology confirmed dermoid cyst from 1/2013 to 12/2018. 101 patients met inclusion criteria. Interventions Unilateral ovarian cystectomy Measurements and Main Results Intraoperative spillage rates were not significantly different for LAP 19/38 (50%), SLA 28/45 (62%), and RAL 12/18 (67%). See table below for complete results. Conclusion Robot-assisted laparoscopy did not reduce intraoperative spillage of dermoid cyst contents compared to traditional laparoscopy or laparotomy. In patients with large (>6cm) dermoid cysts the use of RAL decreased blood loss, length of postoperative hospital stay, need for inpatient admission and conversion to LAP (compared to SLA), but increased the length of surgery and hospital cost compared to LAP. We conclude that larger dermoid cysts may be treated with RAL instead of LAP. Smaller cysts may have equivalent outcomes with traditional laparoscopic techniques.
Golden Gate: Bridging The Resource-Efficiency Gap Between ASICs and FPGA Prototypes

We present Golden Gate, an FPGA-based simulation tool that decouples the timing of an FPGA host platform from that of the target RTL design. In contrast to previous work in static time-multiplexing of FPGA resources, Golden Gate employs the Latency-Insensitive Bounded Dataflow Network (LI-BDN) formalism to decompose the simulator into subcomponents, each of which may be independently and automatically optimized. This structure allows Golden Gate to support a broad class of optimizations that improve resource utilization by implementing FPGA-hostile structures over multiple cycles, while the LI-BDN formalism ensures that the simulator still produces bit- and cycle-exact results. To verify that these optimizations are implemented correctly, we also present LIME, a model-checking tool that provides a push-button flow for checking whether optimized subcomponents adhere to an associated correctness specification, while also guaranteeing forward progress. Finally, we use Golden Gate to generate a cycle-exact simulator of a multi-core SoC, where we reduce LUT utilization by up to 26% by coercing multi-ported, combinationally read memories into simulation models backed by time-multiplexed block RAMs, enabling us to simulate 50% more cores on a single FPGA.
Outdoor Testing of c-Si Photovoltaic Modules with Spectrally-Selective Mirrors for Operating Temperature Reduction

The efficiency of a c-Si cell drops with increasing cell temperature. A typical photovoltaic module with a c-Si cell will operate 20-30K above ambient temperature. Spectrally-selective photonic mirrors which reflect sub-bandgap light can reduce waste heat generated by parasitic absorption in the module and reduce module operating temperature. Here, a spectrally selective 4-layer and 12-layer mirror are designed and fabricated on module cover glass. When integrated into modules, these mirrors reduce the operating temperature of the module by 0.16K and 1.5K, respectively when compared to a module with bare outer glass.
How Does Wind Project Performance Change with Age in the United States

Summary Wind-plant performance declines with age, and the rate of decline varies between regions. The rate of performance decline is important when determining wind-plant financial viability and expected lifetime generation. We determine the rate of age-related performance decline in the United States wind fleet by evaluating generation records from 917 plants. We find the rate of performance decline to be 0.53%/year for older vintages of plants and 0.17%/year for newer vintages of plants on an energy basis for the first 10 years of operation, which is on the lower end of prior estimates in Europe. Unique to the United States, we find a significant drop in performance by 3.6% after 10 years, as plants lose eligibility for the production tax credit. Certain plant characteristics, such as the ratio of blade length to nameplate capacity, influence the rate of performance decline. These results indicate that the performance decline rate can be partially managed and influenced by policy.
A Pastoral Theology of Disenfranchised Doubt and Deconversion from Restrictive Religious Groups

Individuals raised in restrictive religious groups are taught narrow assumptions. To question these beliefs is emotionally difficult, intellectually challenging and relationally isolating – and to ...
The Value Premium

The value anomaly arises naturally in the neoclassical framework with rational expectations. Costly reversibility and countercyclical price of risk cause assets in place to be harder to reduce, and hence are riskier than growth options especially in bad times when the price of risk is high. By linking risk and expected returns to economic primitives, such as tastes and technology, my model generates many empirical regularities in the cross-section of returns; it also yields an array of new refutable hypotheses providing fresh directions for future empirical research.
Piloting the use of global health measures in a Down syndrome clinic.

Purpose People with Down syndrome (DS) have a unique medical profile which may impact views of health. We aimed to explore the use of global health measures in DS. Methods Prospective survey in the Mass General Hospital Down Syndrome Program (MGH DSP) from December 2018 to July 2019 with Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)® instruments of global health. Analyses included use of scoring manuals, descriptive statistics and dependent samples t test. Results Seventeen adolescents, 48 adults with DS and 88 caregivers returned surveys; 137 were complete. Incomplete responses and notes showed limitations of the instruments in this population. Global health T-scores did not differ from the available comparative standardized scores to these measures from PROMIS® reference population (p > 0.05). Conclusions In the MGH DSP, pilot global health instruments were completed by some adults with DS and caregivers, with some limitations and scores similar to the PROMIS® reference population.
Leptin Induces Epigenetic Regulation of Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin 7 in Rat Adrenal Pheochromocytoma Cells.

Obesity elevates the plasma level of leptin, which has been associated with hypertension. Our recent studies in mice demonstrated that leptin increases blood pressure by activating the carotid sinu...
Effect of institutional ownership on dividends: An agency-theory-based analysis

Abstract This study examines the effect of institutional ownership on dividend payouts through the lens of agency theory. We hypothesize that only institutions with certain traits are likely to monitor. Monitoring institutions will use dividend payouts as a tool to mitigate firms' agency problems, conditional on those firms' financial performance. We find that (1) there is a positive relation between lagged long-term institutional ownership with a large stake and the dividend payout ratio, (2) the positive relation is more salient in firms with high agency costs, and (3) the positive relation is more salient when external monitoring is weak. These findings support that (1) concentrated and long-term institutional investors play a monitoring role and (2) monitoring institutions use dividend payouts as a monitoring device. Our findings are robust to endogeneity tests, level and change models, alternative income-based dividend payout measures, alternative measures of long-term institutions, and sub-period analyses.
Hyperbolic manifolds according to Thurston and Jørgensen

© Association des collaborateurs de Nicolas Bourbaki, 1979-1980, tous droits reserves. L’acces aux archives du seminaire Bourbaki (http://www.bourbaki. ens.fr/) implique l’accord avec les conditions generales d’utilisation (http://www.numdam.org/legal.php). Toute utilisation commerciale ou impression systematique est constitutive d’une infraction penale. Toute copie ou impression de ce fichier doit contenir la presente mention de copyright.
Genetic screens for maternal-effect mutations.

Publisher Summary This chapter describes approaches and methodologies to carry out genetic screens for maternal-effect mutations. Two approaches have been used to identify de novo recessive maternal-effect mutations in zebrafish: (1) an F4 screen based solely on natural crosses and (2) an F3 screen based on gynogenesis, specifically the technique of Early Pressure. These alternatives differ in various important ways, which are summarized in and described throughout this chapter. Once females are identified as exhibiting a maternal-effect phenotype, the mutation needs to be recovered. The observed maternal-effect phenotypes are expected to be caused by maternal homozygosity for recessive mutations, because dominant mutations are unlikely to be propagated through the generations that occur prior to screening. Because homozygosity for recessive maternal-effect mutations in females leads to the inviability of their progeny, a genetic scheme has to allow the recovery of the mutations through genetically related individuals. Fine mapping a maternal-effect mutation can be performed much more efficiently than the initial mapping. Narrowing down the location of a mutation through fine mapping is necessary to identify the molecular nature of the mutated gene through either candidate gene or positional cloning approaches.
Is Presurgical MEG Useful In Intractable Temporal Lobe Epilepsy? (P6.196)

OBJECTIVE: The usefulness of magnetoencephalography (MEG) for the localization of deep ictal foci, particularly temporal ones, has been the subject of much debate. MEG dipole localization is dependent on volume conduction, which reduces the voltage by one over the square of the distance to the source. Thus there is a discussion as to whether MEG is of use for mesial temporal and fusiform ictal source localization, or in TLE (temporal lobe epilepsy) in general. DESIGN/METHODS: By retrospecive EMR (electronic medical record) chart review after the data were entered into RedCap(TM) database, deidentified and complied from 61 pediatric surgical epilepsy patients ages 2 to 18, we identified 19 “temporal” cases, 6 out of those nonlesional, and 13 lesional, including mesial temporal sclerosis (4), tumors or cavernomas or one case of a tuber (5), and encephalomalacia from previous insults (4). Statistical analysis using Berger (Fisher) exact test, as well as Cohen9s Kappa statistic, were performed on this small data set, in order to come up with localization comparisons for the scalp EEG (LTM, long term monitoring), invasive ictal iEEG (intracranial EEG), and noninvasive interictal MEG localization. RESULTS: Using Berger (Fisher) exact test for binomial data with 99% confidence interval, it was (predictably) found that iEEG-LTM localization comparison is in the favor of iEEG with p=0.01, and that iEEG vs MEG localization comparison resulted in a weak p value of 0.2 for all cases, suggesting that iEEG and MEG are not significantly different in temporal lobe seizure localization. This was confirmed by Cohen9s Kappa test. CONCLUSION: The use of MEG in presurgical localization for patients with suspected temporal lobe ictal focus is justified - at least in the pediatric population, where the thickness of scalp and skull is less than in adults, and perhaps provides less of a filter of high-frequency intracranial interictal abnormalities that MEG can localize. Disclosure: Dr. Barkan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sparrow has nothing to disclose. Dr. Collier has received personal compensation for activities with Merck & Co., Inc., and GlaxoSmithKline, Inc. Dr. Collier9s family member holds stock and/or stock options in Abbott Laboratories and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Dr. Collier has received research support from Schering-Plough, Merck & Co., Inc., Gilead Sciences, and Tibotec-Virco. Dr. Funke has nothing to disclose.
Abstract 12099: Activated Notch1 Interacting With LKB1 Reduces Myocardial Ischemic Injury via Modulating AMPK Signaling Pathway

Introduction: The activation of the intrinsic AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) pathway plays an important role in the myocardial response to ischemia, pressure overload, and heart failure. The Notch1 signaling in the adult myocardium is activated transiently in response to myocardial injury, and it has implicated that Notch1 signaling may contribute to cardiac repair. However, the role of Notch1 signaling in myocardial infarction remain uncertain. Hypothesis: The cardioprotective AMPK signaling pathway could mediate the beneficial effects of Notch1 signaling cascade during myocardial infarction. Methods: C57BL/6J male mouse hearts were subjected in vivo to left anterior descending coronary artery ligation for 5 min, 20 min, 24 hr, 1 week and 2 weeks. Mice were treated with dibenzazepine (DBZ), a new Notch γ-secretase inhibitor (5 μmol/kg/day, i.p.) and the vehicle groups were treated with saline. Ischemic heart tissues were harvested for protein, mRNA expression and histologic analysis. Results: The Notch1 signaling was significantly activated during myocardial ischemia in vivo (p ex vivo heart perfusion system, systemic administration of DBZ to hearts led to significantly increase of myocardial infarct size and apoptosis caused by myocardial ischemia (p Conclusions: The activated Notch1 signaling interacts with LKB1 to trigger the activation of cardioprotective AMPK signaling during myocardial ischemia. The Notch1-LKB1-AMPK signaling cascade could be a potential pharmacologic mimic for cardioprotection of ischemic heart disease.
Analysis of direct hippocampal cortical field CA1 axonal projections to diencephalon in the rat

The hippocampal formation is generally considered essential for processing episodic memory. However, the structural organization of hippocampal afferent and efferent axonal connections is still not completely understood, although such information is critical to support functional hypotheses. The full extent of axonal projections from field CA1 to the interbrain (diencephalon) is analyzed here with the Phaseolus vulgaris-leucoagglutinin (PHAL) method. The ventral pole of field CA1 establishes direct pathways to, and terminal fields within, the anterior hypothalamic nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic and lateral preoptic areas, medial preoptic area, and certain other hypothalamic regions, as well as particular midline thalamic nuclei. These results suggest that hippocampal field CA1 modulates motivated or goal-directed behaviors, and physiological responses, associated with the targeted hypothalamic neuron populations.
The relationship between time to arrival of emergency medical services (EMS) and survival from out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest.

Abstract Aim We examined the relationship between time from collapse to arrival of emergency medical services (EMS) and survival to hospital discharge for out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrests in order to determine meaningful interpretations of this association. Methods We calculated survival rates in 1-min intervals from collapse to EMS arrival. Additionally, we used logistic regression to determine the absolute probability of survival per minute of delayed EMS arrival. We created a logistic regression model with spline terms for the time variable to examine the decline in survival in intervals that are hypothesized to be physiologically relevant. Results The observed data showed survival declined, on average, by 3% for each minute that EMS was delayed following collapse. Survival rates did not decline appreciably if the time between collapse and arrival of EMS was 4min or less but they declined by 5.2% per minute between 5 and 10min. EMS arrival 11–15min after collapse showed a less steep decline in survival of 1.9% per minute. The spline model that incorporated changes in slope in the time interval variable modeled this relationship more accurately than a model with a continuous term for time ( p =0.01). Conclusions The results of our analyses show that survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest does not decline at a constant rate following collapse. Models that incorporate changes that reflect the physiological alterations that occur following cardiac arrests are a more accurate way to describe changes in survival rates over time than models that include only a continuous term for time.
MicroRNA-34a modulates c-Myc transcriptional complexes to suppress malignancy in human prostate cancer cells.

MicroRNA-34a (miR-34a), a potent mediator of tumor suppressor p53, has been reported to function as a tumor suppressor and miR-34a was found to be downregulated in prostate cancer tissues. We studied the functional effects of miR-34a on c-Myc transcriptional complexes in PC-3 prostate cancer cells. Transfection of miR-34a into PC-3 cells strongly inhibited in vitro cell proliferation, cell invasion and promoted apoptosis. Transfection of miR-34a into PC-3 cells also significantly inhibited in vivo xenograft tumor growth in nude mice. miR-34a downregulated expression of c-Myc oncogene by targeting its 3′ UTR as shown by luciferase reporter assays. miR-34a was found to repress RhoA, a regulator of cell migration and invasion, by suppressing c-Myc–Skp2–Miz1 transcriptional complex that activates RhoA. Overexpression of c-Myc reversed miR-34a suppression of RhoA expression, suggesting that miR-34a inhibits invasion by suppressing RhoA through c-Myc. miR-34a was also found to repress c-Myc-pTEFB transcription elongation complex, indicating one of the mechanisms by which miR-34a has profound effects on cellular function. This is the first report to document that miR-34a suppresses assembly and function of the c-Myc–Skp2–Miz1 complex that activates RhoA and the c-Myc-pTEFB complex that elongates transcription of various genes, suggesting a novel role of miR-34a in the regulation of transcription by c-Myc complex.
The challenge of collaboration: Information sharing between law enforcement and medical communities

With the proliferation of community policing and public health initiatives, law enforcement and medical professions are increasingly converging on the common goal of prevention. Information sharing between these communities is seen as beneficial to that goal. Actual information exchange and collaboration between the communities, however, is rare. This paper examines barriers to collaboration drawing on current issues of law, technology, and culture. Successful examples of collaboration as well as prescriptions for further collaborative efforts are offered.
Rectangular parallelepiped resonance--a technique of resonance ultrasound and its applications to the determination of elasticity at high temperatures.

The experimental work on resonance ultrasound, especially using the technique called rectangular parallelepiped resonance (RPR) is reviewed and summarized. The work on high‐temperature (at temperatures beyond the Debye temperature) measurements of elastic constants is emphasized. Several applications of this high temperature work are described, including thermal equations of state, the determination of thermodynamic functions, and the determination of the bulk modulus at temperatures beyond experimental capability.
Spectroscopic characterization of the structural and functional properties of natural organic matter fractions

Abstract Natural organic matter (NOM) is known to be complex in nature with varying structural and functional characteristics. In this study, an aquatic NOM was fractionated into the polyphenolic-rich (NOM-PP) and the carbohydrate-rich (NOM-CH) fractions in an attempt to better characterize their chemical and structural properties along with a reference soil humic acid (SHA). Various spectroscopic techniques were employed for the study, including ultraviolet–visible (UV/Vis), 13 C-nuclear magnetic resonance, Fourier-transform infrared, fluorescence, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopies. Results indicate that the relative abundance of aromatic CC and methoxyl (–OCH3) functional groups are in the order of SHA>NOM-PP>NOM-CH. However, the aquatic NOM-PP and NOM-CH fractions are characterized by high contents of carboxylic and alcoholic functional groups relative to the SHA. In particular, the NOM-PP fraction appears to contain more phenolic and ketonic functional groups than the NOM-CH and SHA fractions, and it gives a strong fluorescence and high paramagnetic spin count. On the other hand, the NOM-CH fraction possesses a relatively low amount of carbon but a high amount of oxygen or oxygen-containing structural features, such as carbohydrate-OH and carboxylic groups, and shows the least fluorescence intensity and paramagnetic spin counts. Results of these spectroscopic studies confirm the heterogeneous nature of NOM, and point out the importance of isolation and improved characterization of various NOM subcomponents in order to better understand the behavior and roles of NOM in the natural environment.
A recommended procedure for estimating the cosmic-ray spectral parameter of a simple power law

A simple power law model consisting of a single spectral index a(f(sub i)) is believed to be an adequate description of the galactic cosmic ray (GQ proton flux at energies below 1013 eV. Two procedures for estimating a(f(sub i)), referred as (1) the method of moments, and (2) maximum likelihood, are developed and their statistical performance compared. I concluded that the maximum likelihood procedure attains the most desirable statistical properties and is hence the recommended statistic estimation procedure for estimating a1. The maximum likelihood procedure is then generalized for application to a set of real cosmic ray data and thereby makes this approach applicable to existing cosmic ray data sets. Several other important results, such as the relationship between collecting power and detector energy resolution, as well as inclusion of a non-Gaussian detector response function, are presented. These results have many practical benefits in the design phase of a cosmic ray detector because they permit instrument developers to make important trade studies in design parameters as a function of one of the science objectives, which is particularly important for space-based detectors where physical parameters, such as dimension and weight, impose practical limits to the design envelope.
Rotation numbers of periodic orbits in the Hénon map

For invertible, area-contracting maps of the plane, it is common for a basin of attraction to have a fractal basin boundary. Certain periodic orbits on the basin boundary are distinguished by being accessible (by a path) from the interior of the basin. A numerical study is made of the accessible periodic orbits for the Henon family of maps. Theoretical results on rotary homoclinic tangencies are given, which describe the appearance of the accessible saddles, and organize them in a natural way according to the continued fractions expansions of their rotation numbers.
REACTION MATRIX ELEMENTS FOR SHELL-MODEL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR SPECTRA.

Abstract Two aspects of the evaluation of reaction matrix elements for shell-model studies of nuclear spectra are considered. It is shown that the use of Blatt-Jackson low-energy potentials has approximate validity in studies of nuclear spectra. For a range of nuclei estimates are made of the parameters of harmonic-oscillator single-particle wave functions to be used in the calculation of reaction matrix elements.
Artificial life for philosophers

Abstract Artificial life (ALife) is the attempt to create artificial instances of life in a variety of media, but primarily within the digital computer. As such, the field brings together computationally‐minded biologists and biologically‐minded computer scientists. I argue that this new field is filled with interesting philosophical issues. However, there is a dearth of philosophers actively conducting research in this area. I discuss two books on the new field: Margaret A. Boden's The philosophy of artificial life and Christopher G. Langton's Artificial life: an overview. They cover three areas of philosophical interest: the definition of life, the relationship between life and mind, and the possibility of creating life within a computational environment. This discussion allows me to critique past work in the philosophy of ALife that tends to see the field as a proving ground for traditional arguments from the philosophy of artificial intelligence. Instead, I suggest, what is interesting about ALife is ...
Leptin is Present in Human Milk ♦ 1544

Leptin, the recently cloned product of the obese (ob) gene, is a 16 kD protein secreted by adipocytes. Leptin regulates body weight through suppression of appetite and increases in energy expenditure via interaction with its receptor in the hypothalamus. A multitude of leptin receptor isoforms with unknown functions have also been identified in other tissues including the gastrointestinal tract. Serum leptin has also been identified in significant levels in the fetus and newborn raising speculation regarding its importance as a growth factor. Given studies demonstrating that exclusively breast fed infants are leaner due to decreased energy intakes than formula fed infants, we speculated that leptin absorbed from human milk could participate in mediating the earlier satiety of infants fed human milk. We undertook these studies to both identify the presence and relative levels of leptin in human milk as well as attempt to determine its bioavailability. Random term milk samples were studied from eight mothers during the first two weeks of lactation. Using a standard Western immunoblot approach, 100 micrograms of total protein from skim milk samples were separated and immunoblotted with an anti-leptin antibody and labeled proteins visualized by chemiluminescence. Significant levels of leptin were identified in all samples with no apparent increase noted over time. Utilizing a radioimmunoassay specific for human leptin, daily early morning samples from one mother were studied. The mean concentration of leptin was 2.22 ng/ml with a range of 0.8 - 8.7 ng/ml. To determine if human milk-derived leptin is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, human milk samples with varying concentrations of leptin (3-7 ng/ml) and exogenously added human leptin (36 mcg/ml) were fed to neonatal piglets (n= 3) and serum samples collected at Time 0 and at 15 minute intervals for two hours after feeding. However, no significant amounts of human leptin were identified in pig serum using the leptin RIA specific for human leptin. We conclude that while significant amounts appear to be present in human milk by Western analysis and RIA, we thus far have been unable to demonstrate absorption of intact leptin utilizing currently available assays and an animal model with gastrointestinal physiology similar to the human neonate. However, given the presence of leptin receptors in the gastrointestinal tract, a local effect cannot be excluded. Efforts to determine these local effects are in progress.
Mechanistic interaction study of thin oxide dielectric with conducting organic electrode

Abstract This paper aims at understanding the interaction of intrinsic conducting polymer, PEDT, with ALD-deposited Al 2 O 3 and thermally oxidized Ta 2 O 5 dielectrics, and the underlying mechanisms for increase in leakage currents in PEDT-based capacitors. Conducting polymers offer several advantages as electrodes for high surface area capacitors because of their lower resistance, self-healing and enhanced conformality. However, capacitors with in situ polymerized PEDT show poor electrical properties that are attributed to the interfacial interaction between the organic electrode and the oxide dielectric. This study focuses on characterizing these interactions. A combination of compositional, structural and electrical characterization techniques was applied to polymer-solid-state-capacitor to understand the interfacial chemical behavior and dielectric property deterioration of alumina and tantalum-oxide films. XPS and impedance studies were employed to understand the stiochiometric and compositional changes that occur in the dielectric film on interaction with in situ deposited PEDT. Based on the observations from several complimentary techniques, it is concluded that tantalum-pentoxide has more resistance towards chemical interaction with in situ polymerized PEDT. The thermally oxidized Ta 2 O 5 -PEDT system showed leakage current of 280 nA μF −1 at 3 V with a breakdown voltage of 30 V. On the other hand, Al 2 O 3 -PEDT capacitor showed leakage current of 50 μA μF −1 and a breakdown voltage of 40 V. The study reports direct evidence for the mechanism of resistivity drop in alumina dielectric with in situ polymerized PEDT electrode.
On “Proper Basicality”

There is much to applaud in Evan Fales' penetrating discussion of the nature of basic belief and allied topics.1 He usefully begins by putting the whole topic in historical perspective; and his discussion of the epistemic status of such beliefs as that all crows are black is unusually sensitive to the actual complexities of belief formation. Fales intends "to examine the notion of proper basicality, and the criteria by means of which properly basic propositions are to be distinguished from nonbasic ones;" and he means to do so "with an eye directed in particular towards evaluating Plantinga's claim that what one might have thought were decidedly nonbasic beliefs can be basic, and, indeed, properly so" (375). The beliefs to which he refers are specifically Christian beliefs, such as that Jesus of Nazareth was in fact the divine son of God, that he suffered and died to redeem human beings from their sinful condition, that he rose from the dead, and the like. As Fales says, in Warranted Christian Belief I argued that such beliefs can indeed be properly basic; Fales aims to 'call this into question', as they say. Along the way, he makes trouble for nearly everyone in the neighborhood: classical foundationalist, internalist, externalist, and coherentist anyone, in short, who endorses and relies on the distinction between beliefs that are basic and those that are not. I won't try to defend all of these worthies; they can take care of themselves. What I aim to do instead is defend my claim about the possible proper basicality of Christian belief.
The horizontal density gradient in hydrodynamic models of salinity around river mouths

Abstract Research described in this paper looks at the effect of horizontal density gradient in the vicinity of a river mouth. The model results based on the measured prototype data in Apalachicola Bay, Florida, indicate that horizontal density in the vicinity of a river mouth. The horizontal density gradient terms have been added to a two-dimensional depth averaged model and a two-layer hydrodynamic and salinity model. The salinity results from model with and without the horizontal density gradient terms are presented and compared with prototype data. The statistical analysis of salinity variance at each gage station around the river mouth also demonstrates the effect of the horizontal salinity gradients.
Synthesis and characterization of 1,1′-bis(6-fulvenyl)ferrocene

Abstract Two efficient syntheses of the previously unknown 1,1′-bis(6-fulvenyl)ferrocene are described. The first involves the preparation of the fulvenylcyclopentadienide ligand anion, which is converted to the fulvenylferrocene by addition of ferrous chloride. The second converts the known dilithioferrocene directly to the bis(fulvenyl)ferrocene by reaction with 6-dimethylaminofulvene. Both syntheses are high yield procedures. Also described are syntheses of the known mono-fulvenylferrocene (ferrocenylfulvene).
The development of locative expressions in English, Italian, Serbo-Croatian and Turkish

The ability of children between the ages of 2; 0 and 4; 8 to produce locative pre- or postpositions was investigated in English, Italian, Serbo-Croatian, and Turkish. Across languages, there was a general order of development: (1) ‘in’, ‘on’, ‘under’, and ‘beside’, (2) ‘between’, ‘back’ and ‘front’ with featured objects, (3) ‘back’ and ‘front’ with non-featured objects. This order of development is discussed in terms of nonlinguistic growth in conceptual ability. Language-specific differences in the general pattern of development are discussed in terms of a number of linguistic factors which may facilitate or retard the child's discovery of the linguistic means for encoding concepts.
Hip replacement and hip hemiarthroplasty surgery: Potential opportunities to shorten lengths of hospital stay

Abstract The potential safety and effectiveness of a practice guideline recommending a 5-day postoperative stay in the acute care hospital for hip surgery patients without clinical findings predictive of a complicated hospital course was studied retrospectively in 230 patients hospitalized for total hip replacement, total hip replacement with osteotomy, or hip hemiarthroplasty. Seventy percent of total hip replacement and hip hemiarthroplasty patients were classified as being at "low risk" for complications by the guideline (161 patients, or 73% of patients who remained hospitalized). Use of the guideline could have reduced the hospital length of stay from 8.4 days (standard deviation 3.3) to 5.9 days for these selected low-risk patients. Moreover, physicians' implicit review determined that 0% of patients (95% confidence interval, 0% to 2.3%) had a complication that would have benefited from continued stay in an acute care hospital after the fifth postoperative day. Our practice guideline may have the potential to safely reduce acute care hospital length of stay for patients recovering after total hip replacement and hip hemiarthroplasty. The guideline will require further study in a prospective clinical trial before it can be recommended for widespread use.
Differences in pulsatile ocular blood flow among three classifications of diabetic retinopathy.

PURPOSE. Choroidal blood flow may be determined by pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) measurements. In the present study, the POBF of diabetic patients with increasingly severe retinopathy was compared with that in nondiabetic control subjects. METHODS. The study was a masked cross-sectional analysis. Seventy-seven diabetic subjects, including 13 with mild or no retinopathy, 36 with moderate to severe retinopathy, and 28 with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), previously treated with panretinal photocoagulation (PRP). Fifty-six nondiabetic control subjects served as the comparison group. All subjects underwent masked measurement of POBF in the right eye by Langham pneumotonometry. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) determined whether differences existed between groups. Pair-wise comparisons between groups were conducted by Student’s t-test. RESULTS. The main outcome measures were ophthalmic pulse amplitudes, intraocular pressure (IOP), heart rate, and POBF. Patients with moderate to severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) had POBF 18% higher than the control (mean OBF, 943 L/min). Among PRP-treated subjects with PDR, ocular blood flow was 22% below the control (mean OBF, 619 L/min), and 34% less than moderate to severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic patients with no retinopathy or mild NPDR had OBF indistinguishable from the control (785 vs. 797 L/min). Differences between the four groups were statistically significant by ANOVA (P 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS. POBF is unaffected early in diabetic retinopathy, but increases significantly in eyes with moderate to severe NPDR. POBF is decreased in eyes with laser-treated PDR. These experimental data represent the largest published assessment of POBF in NPDR. This is the first study to examine POBF in subjects with PRP-treated PDR. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2004;45:4504‐4509) DOI:10.1167/iovs.04-0077
NEW PERSPECTIVES FOR ATMS: ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES IN TRAFFIC DETECTION

There is a need for advanced traffic management systems (ATMS) on a local and network level to effectively utilize today`s transportation system. An automated operating system, with round the clock incident detection, would help to initiate the required action on time in case of an accident and would minimize the effect of the incident. One of the key elements of ATMS is the vehicle detection unit. The most commonly used inductive loop detectors have a relatively short life span and frequently malfunction. Any maintenance of loop detectors requires road closures. Also, safety of the crew is an issue. An overview of currently available technologies for traffic control and monitoring is presented, with special emphasis on systems that can be installed and maintained without significantly interfering with the traffic. The paper presents the available technologies, provides comparative information about them, and discusses the technical and conceptual problems typically arising during the deployment. The paper describes video detection systems that currently seem to be the most attractive alternative to the traditional intrusive methods. The new perspectives for traffic monitoring and management not available so far are drawn. The typical architecture of these systems is described, and a few popular video systems aremore » presented in some detail. The most critical deployment issues, such as the choice of the equipment, are described, the location of the sensors is discussed, and data transmission problems are considered.« less