cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the cataractogenic effect of viscoanesthetic solutions on the rabbit crystalline lens

Purpose To evaluate the toxicity and cataractogenic effect of solutions combining sodium (Na) hyaluronate 1.0% and 1.5% with lidocaine 1.0% on the rabbit crystalline lens. The amount of pupil dilation provided by the addition of lidocaine to the Na hyaluronate solutions was also assessed. Setting John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Methods Five solutions were injected into the anterior chamber of 18 pigmented rabbits in a randomized manner by the same surgeon, the intraocular component of VisThesia (Na hyaluronate 1.5%/lidocaine 1.0%), the intraocular component of VisThesia Light (Na hyaluronate 1.0%/lidocaine 1.0%), Ophthalin Plus (Na hyaluronate 1.5%), and a balanced salt solution; and both eyes of 2 other rabbits were injected with nonpreserved aqueous lidocaine 1.0%. The pupil diameter of each eye was measured before injection, immediately after, and 1 and 5 minutes after injection. After a follow-up of 3 months with slitlamp examinations, the rabbits were killed, and their eyes were enucleated. The crystalline lenses were evaluated from a posterior or Miyake-Apple view, and the eyes were fixated in 10% formalin for histopathologic analyses. Results Pupil diameter was significantly larger 1 and 5 minutes after injection in the VisThesia (P = .01 and P = .007) and VisThesia Light (P = .008 and P = .007) groups, whereas the differences were not significant in the Ophthalin Plus (P = .317 and P = .102) and balanced salt solution groups (P = .317 and P = .180). Fast and large pupillary dilation was observed in the aqueous lidocaine group, starting during the injection. No differences in the transparency of the natural lens and the red fundus reflex were noted during slitlamp examinations. Postmortem analyses from a posterior view also showed no differences in the transparency of the crystalline lens. The histopathologic appearance of the lens capsule, anterior and equatorial lens epithelial cells, and epithelial lens bow was comparable in the eyes, without signs of cell vacuolization or disruption. Conclusions Intracameral injection of the solutions used in this study caused no localized opacity or overall change in the transparency of the crystalline lenses as observed during clinical and postmortem examinations as well as histopathologic analyses of the enucleated rabbit eyes. Viscoanesthesia may have application in phakic intraocular lens implantation.
On the basis property for the root vectors of some nonselfadjoint operators

Abstract When does the root system of a nonselfadjoint operator form a Riesz basis of a Hilbert space? This question is discussed in the paper.
SOME LIMITATIONS OF REDUCTIONISTIC MODELS OF MENTAL DISORDERS

The biological perspective has dominated the psychiatric literature since the late 1960s. Today many articles and textbooks are written as though it has been established that major mental disorders are caused by brain disorders. The evidence of which these statements are founded however, is often equivocal. Biological theorists are reductionists. They assume that brain-behavior explanations proceed in one direction, from brain to behavior. Psychosocial factors are considered to be secondary influences, if they are considered at all, in explanations of mental disorders. These theorists tend to overlook two fundamental aspects of reductionistic explanatory models: (1) mental and social phenomena cannot be adequately understood at the level of physical processes, and (2) brain-behavior influences can proceed in either direction. This paper will review the reasons why much evidence of biological causality of mental disorders should be considered to be tentative rather than conclusive. It is argued that adequate explanatory models of mental disorders require adoption of a General Systems Theory model that will allow for the integration of knowledge from multiple levels of analysis, including biological, psychosocial, and cultural influences.
Tri-axial electro-goniometer for spinal motion

In the U.S., 600,000 spinal surgeries are performed annually with exposure of 2,250 mrem of radioactivity from monitoring spinal range of motion per patient post-operative rehabilitation. The goniometer is designed to minimize such exposure and improve reliability of patients' spinal motion parameters for the evaluation of surgical efficacy. This non-invasive device utilizes battery powered sensors that will ultimately reduce costs by $5.04 billion per year.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Superparamagnetic Silica Particles for Extraction of Glycopeptides in the Microtiter Plate Format

Solid-phase extraction of glycopeptides (SPEG) coupled with quantitative proteomic analysis using mass spectrometry has shown great potential for investigating glycoproteins in an effort to discover new diagnostic biomarkers or therapeutic targets. As a solid-phase approach, SPEG can be performed with a microtiter plate to provide a high-throughput platform for large-scale screening of clinical samples. Here we describe the synthesis of superparamagnetic silica particles with hydrazide groups on the surface and further evaluate their use as the solid support for SPEG. We produced nonspherical silica particles containing superparamagnetic iron oxide cores using a modified Stober method and then derivatized their surface with hydrazide-terminated silane. Such composite particles displayed a strong response to the external magnetic field, and this feature enabled us to capture and release the particles easily for automated, high-throughput sample preparation of glycopeptides. When measured with standard glycoproteins, the adsorption capacity of these particles was >36 mg of glycoproteins per g of nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were used in a microtiter plate format for glycopeptide capture using a liquid handler. The captured glycopeptides were then analyzed by LC-MS and LC-MS/MS to determine the specificity and reproducibility of glycopeptide isolation. Our results demonstrate the potential of these superparamagnetic colloidal particles for high-throughput analysis of glycoproteins.
Experimental validation of analytical model for Lamb wave interaction with geometric discontinuity

Non-destructive testing methods based on ultrasonic waves are one of the most popular methods for damage detection in structures. Of these ultrasonic waves Lamb waves are of particular interest for the inspection of large structures for various reasons. Therefore scattering of Lamb waves from flaws has generated a considerable amount of research over last couple of decades. Most of the work has been done using computational tools like Finite Element Methods and experimental technique. In this paper an analytical approach is presented to develop a fundamental understanding of the scattering of Lamb waves from geometric discontinuities in 2 dimensions. We have considered simplest of all geometric discontinuity – a step, as this fundamental understanding can easily be extended to corrosion or crack.
Methodologic Challenges in Developing and Implementing Measures of Quality for Child Health Care

Objective.—To review the major building blocks in measurement of quality for child health care, with recommendations for future research. Methods.—We describe a framework of building blocks for quality measurement and discuss how an investigator's choices for each component are constrained by the special features of child health care. Results.—Methodologic challenges for children's health care include developmental change and dependency on others, fragmentary care and inadequate health care data, unusual care settings, potential for long-term consequences, proxy reporting of outcomes and patient experience, small sample sizes, and lack of evidence that links processes and outcomes of care and of methods for risk adjustment. We cite examples of child-specific measures of quality that illustrate solutions to these challenges. Conclusions.—Children are different from adults, and measures of health care quality for children must differ from those for adults. We suggest future research on measures of quality directed toward overcoming the methodologic problems specific to child health care.
Consumer perceived values of Hawaiian attire: the effects of socio-demographic factors

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose and examine a consumer-perceived value (CPV) formation model in the context of Hawaiian attire (aloha attire). The effects of key socio-demographic factors on perceived values of aloha attire were empirically determined. Design/methodology/approach – CPV is conceptualized as a multi-dimensional construct including emotional value, social value, quality value, and price value. The investigated socio-demographic factors included residential status, age, gender, ethnicity, education level, income level, and type of retailers from which consumers usually purchase aloha attire. The primary data were gathered by a questionnaire survey of US consumers. Using 330 survey returns, factor analysis and multiple regression analysis were utilized for data analysis and hypothesis testing. Findings – The proposed model was proven valid and the four value constructs cumulatively accounted for 68.6 percent of the variance in CPV of aloha attire. Majority of variances of per...
RELATIONSHIPS AMONG SHOOT APICAL MERISTEM ONTOGENIC FEATURES IN TRICHOCEREUS PACHANOI AND MELOCACTUS MATANZANUS (CACTACEAE)

Various morphometric parameters of shoot apical meristems were measured during the ontogeny of Melocactus matanzanus and Trichocereus pachanoi. While some ontogenic features varied dramatically (i.e., apical surface curvature, dK/dl, varied by 0.15-0.17, while the apical volume increased from 105 ,um3 to 107 or 108 ,um3), the percent volume of the central-mothercell zone (CMCZ), pith-rib meristem (PRM), and the peripheral zone (PZ) showed remarkable intraspecific constancy: CMCZ = 9.2%, PRM = 10.4%, PZ = 80% for M. matanzanus, and CMCZ = 10o, PRM = 24.5%, PZ = 65% for T. pachanoi. Seedlings (2 plastochrons old) showed distinctly different percent volumes from older forms: CMCZ = 7.8%, PRM = 5.9%o, PZ = 86% for M. matanzanus, and CMCZ = 8.9%, PRM = 13%, PZ = 77% for T. pachanoi. Geometric expressions of cell patterns within zones of the apex remained relatively constant throughout development. On the basis of intra- and interspecific comparisons of the percent volumes among 23 taxa and the chronology in the appearance of zones within the apex, it is concluded that while there are no apparent biological reasons for the actual percent volume values computed from our sample set, the constancy in zones reflects a high degree of homeostasis which is achieved early in ontogeny. THIS PAPER describes the ontogenic relationships within shoot apical meristem zones and their constituent cells, and was motivated by previous analyses of shoot apical meristems in the Cactaceae (Mauseth, 1978a, b; Mauseth and Niklas, 1979; Niklas and Mauseth, 1980). Despite extreme differences in the absolute
Scaling up Civil Society: Donor Money, NGOs and the Pastoralist Land Rights Movement in Tanzania

Tanzania's pastoralist land rights movement began with local resistance to the alienation of traditional grazing lands in Maasai and Barabaig communities. While these community–based social movements were conducted through institutions and relationships that local people knew and understood, they were not co–ordinated in a comprehensive fashion and their initial effectiveness was limited. With the advent of liberalization in the mid–1980s, they began to gain institutional legitimacy through the registration of pastoralist Non–Governmental Organizations (NGOs). Registered NGOs provided community leaders with a formal mechanism for co–ordinating local land movements and for advocating for land rights at the international level. The connections of pastoralist NGOs to disenfranchised communities, and their incorporation of traditional cultural institutions into modern institutional structures, resonated with the desires of international donors to support civil society and to create an effective public sphere in Tanzania, making these NGOs an attractive focus for donor funding. In spite of their good intentions, however, donors frequently overlooked the institutional impacts of their assistance on the pastoralist land rights movement and the formation of civil society in pastoralist communities. NGO leaders have become less accountable to their constituent communities, and the movement itself has lost momentum as its energies have been diverted into activities that can be justified in donor funding reports. A political movement geared towards specific outcomes has been transformed into group of apolitical institutions geared toward the process of donor funding cycles.
Instructional Blogging in the General Music Room

Blogs, short for Weblogs, began to show up in the late 1990s, based on online discussion boards centered on threaded topics. Currently, a blog typically refers to a Web site in which an individual posts entries and then allows for commentary from the readers. If scholars look to some educational theory, both novice and experienced bloggers can use existing frameworks to help create meaningful experiences in their general music classrooms. In addition, blogging gives students an audience and provides them an authentic reason to write about music and musical experiences.
Symbolic Interactionism and Psychoanalysis: Some Convergences, Divergences, and Complementarities*

In spite of a number of fundamental contrasts between the assumptions and methodologies of symbolic interactionist and psychoanalytic theories of social interaction in general and socialization in particular, the two perspectives embrace several common interpretations of human action. Moreover, many of the divergences can be appreciated as complementing, rather than contradicting, each other. Some of the more important convergences and complementarities, as well as unresolved differences, are noted and briefly treated under four broad rubrics: (1) human nature and human habitat; (2) the nature and stages of socialization; (3) the structure and functions of personality; and (4) the nature of social relationships. The points of synthesis implied by the complementarities between the two perspectives do not necessarily lead to eclecticism. On the other hand, such syntheses can enhance the analytical power of each perspective.
The opportunity cost of information: an economic framework for understanding the balance between assessment and control in sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) management

Fisheries managers must make trade-offs between competing management actions; however, the inherent trade-offs associated with information gathering are seldom explicitly considered. Incorporating ...
Digital Calibration of Capacitor Mismatch in Sigma-Delta Modulators

This paper presents a capacitor mismatch calibration technique in multibit discrete-time sigma-delta (ΣΔ) modulators based on a capacitor error model, including nonideal integrator gain errors. This model enables the compensation of mismatch-induced nonlinear memory errors in conversion using a simple flnite impulse-response structure. Single-bit pseudorandom noise (PN) is utilized to identify the error coefficients, and an analog-domain PN removal technique is devised to minimize the input signal dynamic-range loss due to the PN circulation in the ΣΔ loop. The behavioral simulation demonstrates that the proposed scheme effectively compensates for the multibit capacitor mismatch errors in the first- and second-order ΣΔ modulators.
Validation of an integrated biomechanical modeling approach to the ergonomic evaluation of drywall installation

The present study validated an integrated biomechanical modeling approach that the researcher has previously developed to study the physical demands for drywall installers. In particular, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the impact of some quantitative assumptions that have been made to facilitate the modeling approach. Through setting up null hypothesis for each assumption and changing one parameter at a time, the new model output values were compared to the original ones. Using student t-tests to evaluate the statistical differences of the mean values, the sensitivity analysis was achieved by determining if any assumption or parameter has significant impact on the model. The results indicated that the modeling approach seemed to be the most sensitive to both the distribution of work cycles for a typical 8-hour workday and the distribution and values of Euler angles that are used to determine the "shoulder rhythm." Whereas other assumptions including the distribution of trunk postures did not appear to have significant impact on the model output values. It was concluded that the integrated approach might provide an applicable examination of exposure variability particularly reflected by the non-routine feature of the work.
A method for detecting microcalcifications in Digital Mammograms

Microcalcification clusters are often an important indicator for the detection of malignancy in mammograms. In many cases, microcalcifications are the only indication of a malignancy. However, the detection of microcalcifications can be a difficult process. They are small and can be embedded in dense tissue. This paper presents a method for automatically detecting microcalcifications. We utilize a high-boost filter to suppress background clutter enabling segmentation even in very dense breast tissue. We then use a threshholding and region growing technique to extract candidate microcalcifications. Likely microcalcifications are then identified by a linear classifier. We apply this method to images selected from the LLNL/UCSF Digital Mammogram Library, and produce a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves to detail the trade-off between probability of detection and false alarms. Finally, we exam the ability to properly select a threshold to achieve a desired probability of detection based upon a training set.
Andes Virus Nucleocapsid Protein Interrupts Protein Kinase R Dimerization To Counteract Host Interference in Viral Protein Synthesis

Pathogenic hantaviruses delay the type I interferon response during early stages of viral infection. However, the robust interferon response and induction of interferon-stimulated genes observed during later stages of hantavirus infection fail to combat the virus replication in infected cells. Protein kinase R (PKR), a classical interferon-stimulated gene product, phosphorylates the eukaryotic translation initiation factor eIF2α and causes translational shutdown to create roadblocks for the synthesis of viral proteins. The PKR-induced translational shutdown helps host cells to establish an antiviral state to interrupt virus replication. However, hantavirus-infected cells do not undergo translational shutdown and fail to establish an antiviral state during the course of viral infection. In this study, we showed for the first time that Andes virus infection induced PKR overexpression. However, the overexpressed PKR was not active due to a significant inhibition of autophosphorylation. Further studies revealed that Andes virus nucleocapsid protein inhibited PKR dimerization, a critical step required for PKR autophosphorylation to attain activity. The studies reported here establish a hantavirus nucleocapsid protein as a new PKR inhibitor. These studies provide mechanistic insights into hantavirus resistance to the host interferon response and solve the puzzle of the lack of translational shutdown observed in hantavirus-infected cells. The sensitivity of hantavirus replication to PKR has likely imposed a selective evolutionary pressure on hantaviruses to evade the PKR antiviral response for survival. We envision that evasion of the PKR antiviral response by NP has likely helped hantaviruses to exist during evolution and to survive in infected hosts with a multifaceted antiviral defense. IMPORTANCE Protein kinase R (PKR), a versatile antiviral host factor, shuts down the translation machinery upon activation in virus-infected cells to create hurdles for the manufacture of viral proteins. The studies reported here reveal that the hantavirus nucleocapsid protein counteracts the PKR antiviral response by inhibiting PKR dimerization, which is required for its activation. We report the discovery of a new PKR inhibitor whose expression in hantavirus-infected cells prevents the PKR-induced host translational shutdown to ensure the continuous synthesis of viral proteins required for efficient virus replication.
Daily left prefrontal transcranial magnetic stimulation therapy for major depressive disorder: a sham-controlled randomized trial

CONTEXT: Daily left prefrontal repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been studied as a potential treatment for depression, but previous work had mixed outcomes and did not adequately mask sham conditions. OBJECTIVE: To test whether daily left prefrontal rTMS safely and effectively treats major depressive disorder. DESIGN: Prospective, multisite, randomized, active sham-controlled (1:1 randomization), duration-adaptive design with 3 weeks of daily weekday treatment (fixed-dose phase) followed by continued blinded treatment for up to another 3 weeks in improvers. SETTING: Four US university hospital clinics. PATIENTS: Approximately 860 outpatients were screened, yielding 199 antidepressant drug-free patients with unipolar nonpsychotic major depressive disorder. INTERVENTION: We delivered rTMS to the left prefrontal cortex at 120% motor threshold (10 Hz, 4-second train duration, and 26-second intertrain interval) for 37.5 minutes (3000 pulses per session) using a figure-eight solid-core coil. Sham rTMS used a similar coil with a metal insert blocking the magnetic field and scalp electrodes that delivered matched somatosensory sensations. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: In the intention-to-treat sample (n = 190), remission rates were compared for the 2 treatment arms using logistic regression and controlling for site, treatment resistance, age, and duration of the current depressive episode. RESULTS: Patients, treaters, and raters were effectively masked. Minimal adverse effects did not differ by treatment arm, with an 88% retention rate (90% sham and 86% active). Primary efficacy analysis revealed a significant effect of treatment on the proportion of remitters (14.1% active rTMS and 5.1% sham) (P = .02). The odds of attaining remission were 4.2 times greater with active rTMS than with sham (95% confidence interval, 1.32-13.24). The number needed to treat was 12. Most remitters had low antidepressant treatment resistance. Almost 30% of patients remitted in the open-label follow-up (30.2% originally active and 29.6% sham). CONCLUSION: Daily left prefrontal rTMS as monotherapy produced statistically significant and clinically meaningful antidepressant therapeutic effects greater than sham. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00149838. Language: en
PrlA and PrlG suppressors reduce the requirement for signal sequence recognition.

Selection for suppressors of defects in the signal sequence of secretory proteins has led most commonly to identification of prlA alleles and less often to identification of prlG alleles. These genes, secY/prlA and secE/prlG, encode integral membrane components of the protein translocation system of Escherichia coli. We demonstrate that an outer membrane protein, LamB, that lacks a signal sequence can be exported with reasonable efficiency in both prlA and prlG suppressor strains. Although the signal sequence is not absolutely required for export of LamB, the level of export in the absence of prl suppressor alleles is exceedingly low. Such strains are phenotypically LamB-, and functional LamB can be detected only by using sensitive infectious-center assays. Suppression of the LamB signal sequence deletion is dependent on normal components of the export pathway, indicating that suppression is not occurring through a bypass mechanism. Our results indicate that the majority of the known prlA suppressors function by an identical mechanism and, further, that the prlG suppressors work in a similar fashion. We propose that both PrlA and PrlG suppressors lack a proofreading activity that normally rejects defective precursors from the export pathway. Images
Moment and maximum likelihood estimators for Weibull distributions under length- and area-biased sampling

Many of the most popular sampling schemes used in forestry are probability proportional to size methods. These methods are also referred to as size-biased because sampling is actually from a weighted form of the underlying population distribution. Length- and area-biased sampling are special cases of size-biased sampling where the probability weighting comes from a lineal or areal function of the random variable of interest, respectively. Often, interest is in estimating a parametric probability density of the data. In forestry, the Weibull function has been used extensively for such purposes. Estimating equations for method of moments and maximum likelihood for two- and three-parameter Weibull distributions are presented. Fitting is illustrated with an example from an area-biased angle-gauge sample of standing trees in a woodlot. Finally, some specific points concerning the form of the size-biased densities are reported.
THE EFFICACY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF MARITAL AND FAMILY THERAPY: A PERSPECTIVE FROM META‐ANALYSIS

This article reviews the major findings from a multiproject meta-analysis of the effects of marital and family therapy (MFT). Across 163 randomized trials, MFT demonstrates moderate, statistically significant, and often clinically significant effects. No orientation is yet demonstrably superior to any other, nor is MFT superior to individual therapy. Cost effectiveness information is scant in these 163 studies, but supportive. Randomized experiments yield very different answers from nonrandomized experimental studies of the effects of MFT, calling into question whether we should mix the two in reviews. We have also found several new differences in the ways that marital therapy (MT) and family therapy (FT) studies are conducted, making them harder to compare. Finally, important questions still exist about whether any psychotherapy, including MFT, yet has sufficient information about how well research generalizes to everyday clinical practice.
Systems-wide proteomic characterization of combinatorial post-translational modification patterns.

Protein post-translational modifications (PTMs) have been widely shown to influence protein–protein interactions, direct subcellular location and transduce a variety of both internal and externally generated signals into cellular/phenotypic outcomes. Mass spectrometry has been a key tool for the elucidation of several types of PTMs in both qualitative and quantitative manners. As large datasets on the proteome-wide level are now being generated on a daily basis, the identification of combinatorial PTM patterns has become feasible. A survey of the recent literature in this area shows that many proteins undergo multiple modifications and that sequential or hierarchal patterns exist on many proteins; the biology of these modification patterns is only starting to be unraveled. This review will outline combinatorial PTM examples in biology, and the mass spectrometry-based techniques and applications utilized in the investigations of these combinatorial PTMs.
A Nyström implementation of an augmented electric field integral equation for low frequency electrical analysis

The electric field integral equations (EFIE) solved by method of moments (MOM) [1] is widely used in scattering, antenna, and microwave circuit problems. However, it is well known that EFIE will break down when applied to electrically small structures or low frequency problems. A loop-star decomposition for the RWG discretization overcomes this problem and provides a valid solution from zero to microwave frequencies [2]. But the global loop search becomes a obstacle for complicated geometries. The separated potential integral equation (SPIE) augmented with continuity equations [3, 4] uses charge as additional unknowns to remove the imbalance of the vector potential and scalar potential in the conventional EFIE. With the enforcement of the current continuity constraint and proper frequency scaling, the augmented electric field integral equation with RWG discretization avoids the low frequency breakdown and provides an accurate representation of the electric fields.
Reduction of neural network models for identification and control of nonlinear systems

Structural learning is a proven pruning technique which induces decay of redundant weights. This paper introduces a method to significantly reduce the size of multilayer feedforward neural networks used as plant models and controllers. Initially oversized models are reduced during training thereby eliminating the need for a priori model order selection. A modification of structural learning is used to train the networks. Several examples nonlinear identification and control are presented. Order reduction can be performed both off-line and online. The reduced neural models and controllers lessen the computational load and thus benefit real time applications.
Nurse case management with a therapeutic algorithm for people living with diabetes, hypertension and raised LDL cholesterol: after 1 year 22% of those receiving the intervention have all three parameters under control versus 10% of those receiving usual care

Commentary on: A Ishani, N Greer, BC Taylor, et al.. Effect of nurse case management compared with usual care on controlling cardiovascular risk factors in patients with diabetes: a randomized controlled trial.Diabetes Care2011;34:1689–94.
Rapid Growth and Recrystallization of Cave Pearls in an Underground Limestone Mine

Abstract An underground limestone mine in Quincy, Illinois, contains “cave” pearls forming in splash pools. To better examine cave-pearl growth, seeds of different composition were placed in two pools and left for either 8 or 22 months. The resulting cave pearls accumulated ~ 1 to 6 mm of low-Mg calcite with growth rates of 0.4 to 5.5 mm/yr. These pearls are composed of: (1) thinly laminated alternations of micrite and microspar, mainly on the bases, (2) dendrite crystals, mainly on the top and sides, and (3) equant calcite spar that crosscuts earlier-formed laminations. X-ray diffraction and microprobe analysis shows that all three fabrics are low-Mg calcite with no detectable compositional differences. Scanning electron microscopy reveals fossil exopolymeric substances (EPS) and fossil microbes, but they are widely scattered. The micrite–microspar laminae range from 50 μm thick. The 8-month cave pearls contain approximately 100 couplets, and the 22-month pearls contain 50–150 couplets. Therefore, individual couplets are forming in days to weeks. This does not correlate with any known climate signal, and their origin remains a mystery. The dendrite layers are thicker than the micrite–microspar laminated areas with growth rates up to 5.5 mm/year, attributable to rapid CO2 degassing assisted by the mine ventilation. The equant calcite spar tends to start within microspar laminae and then extends as a triangular reaction front up to 1.5 mm into overlying laminae, obliterating the original fabric. This recrystallization fabric is mainly, but not only, within the laminated layers and starts in as little as 1 to 2 months after laminae precipitation. Ostwald ripening (aggrading neomorphism) is the likely drive for this recrystallization as the outer layers of the pearl continue to grow during recrystallization of the interior. This rapid recrystallization from calcite to calcite has significant ramifications for the use of speleothems for paleoclimate studies and for the rate of early carbonate diagenesis.
A survey of constraints in automated assembly planning

This paper is a survey of constraints used in automated assembly planning, where "constraints" are interpreted broadly to include requirements, preferences, and suggestions to the planner. We list a large number of constraints that have appeared in the assembly planning literature and categorize them along several dimensions. These dimensions include strategic vs. tactical constraints; requirements vs. criteria to optimize vs. suggestions; and constraints encoding manufacturing requirements vs. those imposed by the automated planning process itself. We also consider the information needed to assess each constraint, particularly as it affects the efficiency of planning with the constraint. Finally, we present our planned framework for incorporating many of the surveyed constraints into an interactive version of the Archimedes assembly planner.
The multidisciplinary PhD program at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

A multidisciplinary doctorate program that encompasses all departments is discussed. Although initial admission is to a disciplinary PhD program, the degree is actually granted by the graduate school itself. The background and operation of the program as well as problems involved in such a venture are discussed. >
Cellulose, chitosan, and keratin composite materials. Controlled drug release.

A method was developed in which cellulose (CEL) and/or chitosan (CS) were added to keratin (KER) to enable [CEL/CS+KER] composites to have better mechanical strength and wider utilization. Butylmethylimmidazolium chloride ([BMIm+Cl–]), an ionic liquid, was used as the sole solvent, and because the [BMIm+Cl–] used was recovered, the method is green and recyclable. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results confirm that KER, CS, and CEL remain chemically intact in the composites. Tensile strength results expectedly show that adding CEL or CS into KER substantially increases the mechanical strength of the composites. We found that CEL, CS, and KER can encapsulate drugs such as ciprofloxacin (CPX) and then release the drug either as a single or as two- or three-component composites. Interestingly, release rates of CPX by CEL and CS either as a single or as [CEL+CS] composite are faster and independent of concentration of CS and CEL. Conversely, the release rate by KER is much slower, and when incorporate...
Distal sensory polyneuropathy is associated with neuropsychological test performance among persons with HIV.

While distal sensory polyneuropathy (DSP) is the most common neurological condition associated with HIV, causing nerve damage in upper and lower extremities, its impact on neuropsychological test performance is unclear. In this study, we analyzed baseline data for 278 HIV-infected participants with comprehensive neurological and neurocognitive evaluations to examine the contribution of DSP and anatomic distribution of neuropathic signs (upper extremity or lower extremity) on standardized domain scores. We found that participants with DSP performed significantly worse in multiple domains containing timed psychomotor tests (i.e., motor, information processing speed and executive functioning). With regard to executive functioning, differences were limited to a test with a motor component (Trail Making Test, Part B). The group with clinically detectable neuropathic signs in the upper extremities and the group with signs limited to the lower extremities both performed worse in the motor domain than the group without DSP. Participants with DSP demonstrated a unique pattern of impairment limited to neuropsychological domains with timed psychomotor tests. These results suggest that caution should be used in interpretation of neuropsychological tests in patients with DSP, as some abnormalities may be exacerbated by peripheral nervous system pathology.
The Role of Physical Processes in Determining the Interdecadal Variability of Central Arctic Sea Ice

The importance of the Arctic region for global climate change has recently been highlighted in the results from general circulation model simulations under increasing atmospheric CO 2 scenarios. The warming that is predicted by these studies is most pronounced in the polar regions, indicating that it may be the first place in which the effects of global climate change will be detected. However, the natural variability that is present in the Arctic climate system is largely unknown and is likely to obscure the detection of anthropogenically forced changes. Additionally, there is little information on the internal processes of the Arctic ice pack, which are important for determining the variability of the ice cover. In an effort to address these issues, the variability of the Arctic ice volume is examined using a single column sea ice‐ocean mixed layer model. The model contains an ice thickness distribution and the parameterization of export and ridging due to ice divergence and shear. Variability in the ice cover is forced by applying stochastic perturbations to the air temperature and ice divergence forcing fields. Several sensitivity tests are performed in order to assess the role of different physical processes in determining the variability of the perennial Arctic ice pack. It is found that the surface albedo and ice‐ocean feedback mechanisms act to enhance the variability of the ice volume and are particularly important for the simulated response of the sea ice to fluctuations in air temperature, accounting for approximately 62% and 25% of the ice volume variance, respectively. The details of the ice thickness distribution also significantly affect the simulated variability. In particular, the ridging process acts to decrease the simulated variability of the ice pack. It reduces the variance of the ice volume by 50% when air temperature stochastic forcing is applied.
The CNN: a brain-like computer

Summary form only given. The cellular neural/nonlinear network (CNN) and the CNN based cellular nonlinear wave computer concepts are introduced. The CNN is also referred to as a brain-like computer. The summary of a multilayer CNN retina model is presented. Physical implementations are reviewed; including emulated digital as well as mixed mode and optical implementations. Using single chip visual microprocessors for the highest speed camera computer, the Bi-i is described. Practical applications are highlighted.
Quercetin acutely relaxes airway smooth muscle and potentiates β-agonist-induced relaxation via dual phosphodiesterase inhibition of PLCβ and PDE4

Asthma is a disease of the airways with symptoms including exaggerated airway narrowing and airway inflammation. Early asthma therapies used methylxanthines to relieve symptoms, in part, by inhibiting cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (PDEs), the enzyme responsible for degrading cAMP. The classification of tissue-specific PDE subtypes and the clinical introduction of PDE-selective inhibitors for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (i.e., roflumilast) have reopened the possibility of using PDE inhibition in the treatment of asthma. Quercetin is a naturally derived PDE4-selective inhibitor found in fruits, vegetables, and tea. We hypothesized that quercetin relaxes airway smooth muscle via cAMP-mediated pathways and augments β-agonist relaxation. Tracheal rings from male A/J mice were mounted in myographs and contracted with acetylcholine (ACh). Addition of quercetin (100 nM-1 mM) acutely and concentration-dependently relaxed airway rings precontracted with ACh. In separate studies, pretreatment with quercetin (100 μM) prevented force generation upon exposure to ACh. In additional studies, quercetin (50 μM) significantly potentiated isoproterenol-induced relaxations. In in vitro assays, quercetin directly attenuated phospholipase C activity, decreased inositol phosphate synthesis, and decreased intracellular calcium responses to Gq-coupled agonists (histamine or bradykinin). Finally, nebulization of quercetin (100 μM) in an in vivo model of airway responsiveness significantly attenuated methacholine-induced increases in airway resistance. These novel data show that the natural PDE4-selective inhibitor quercetin may provide therapeutic relief of asthma symptoms and decrease reliance on short-acting β-agonists.
Cost/Benefit Analysis of Establishing an Offshore Banking Center: The Case of Anchorage

The unabated fluctuation of oil prices in the world markets and their drastic decline since 1985 has prompted the state of Alaska, and other states whose economies rely primarily on oil, to look more seriously into the possibilities of diversifying the sources of their income. One possibility is to consider the establishment of an international financial center (IFC) in Anchorage, the largest city in Alaska. The proposed center would function as an interbank market, comprised of foreign and local financial institutions, in which short-term, medium-term and long-term international lending and borrowing—for purposes of investment, financing, hedging, and speculation—denominated in Eurocurrencies are consummated. Lenders and borrowers would include multinational corporations, banks, and governments.
Indexical Speech across Samoan Communities

By extending the work of linguistic anthropologists on indexicality to transnational communities, this article shows how a simple instruction to "sit down" can be a way of making physically distant worlds emotionally and ethically close. Comparison of the use and context of this expression among Samoan speakers in two communities, a Western Samoan village and a suburban neighborhood in southern California, illustrates the power of language to bridge the gap. "Talking space" is at the same time a socialization strategy to teach children proper ways of behaving in front of adults and an attempt to provide cultural and socioethical continuity despite the distance between the islands from which immigrant Samoans come and the new environment in which they live and raise their children.
Maximum likelihood and suboptimal schemes for micro-Doppler estimation using carrier diverse Doppler radars

Carrier diverse radars, known as dual-frequency radars, employ two different frequencies, and can be effective in determining the moving target range in urban sensing and through-the-wall radar applications. The authors derive the maximum likelihood (ML) estimator for the micro-Doppler motion parameters from the dual-frequency radar returns. Micro-Doppler signatures, which are commonly associated with vibrating, oscillating and rotating objects, have emerged to be an important tool in target detection and classification. Unlike linear models, the respective ML estimator does not assume a closed-form expression. The authors solve the ML estimator for dual-frequency radar operations by applying an iteratively reweighted non-linear least squares algorithm (IRNLS), which is initiated using suboptimal solutions. The ML-IRNLS algorithm is applied to both simulated and experimental radar returns for estimating the range and the motion parameters of indoor targets.
Photonic Neural Networks

The prospects of optical computing are well reported by T. Kaminuma, et al. [1]. Their view is described below. Coherence, i.e. in-phase, laser light can be guided to pass through two convex lenses as a broad parallel beam. If an object of varying light intensity was placed in front of the first lens, the output of the second lens will be a copy of the original image with a reversed orientation. In such an arrangement, the image has gone through a 2-dimensional Fourier transformation by the first lens and brought to its focal point. The transformed result actually undergoes a reverse Fourier transform by the second lens so that the final result is reversed left-to-right and top-to-bottom.
Response to Intervention for English Language Learners: Current Development and Future Directions

The concept of providing scientifically based instruction, progress monitoring, and data-based decision-making within a tiered model seems like an appropriate and promising approach for English language (EL) learners (Klinger and Edwards, 2006). Unfortunately, making an assumption that what works with native English speakers will work with students from diverse language backgrounds may be inaccurate (McLaughlin, 1992). Although substantial empirical support exists for the use of a response-to-intervention (RTI) approach to address literacy problems with native English speakers (e.g., Burns, Appleton, and Stehouwer, 2005; Mathes et al., 2005; Vellutino, Scanlon, and Tanzman, 1998), very little data exist about the effectiveness of this approach with EL learners (Vaughn et al., 2006). This chapter will define the challenges associated with serving students from diverse language backgrounds and will review what is currently known about using an RTI approach with EL learners. The review will focus on evidence related to literacy assessment and instruction due to the relationship between literacy and other academic pursuits and the paucity of research in other academic domains. The chapter will end with an example and a presentation of the issues related to using an RTI approach for making critical education decisions for EL learners. 30.1 Importance of the Issue: The Growing Concern
Diameter Dependence of the Excitation Spectra of Silver and Gold Nanorods

An analysis of the excitation spectra of silver and gold nanorods with different cross sections, lengths, and diameters was performed using time-dependent density functional theory at the LB94/DZ level. Silver nanorods show a strong longitudinal peak, corresponding to excitations along the main axis (z axis) of the nanorods, and a smaller transverse peak, corresponding to excitations in the xy plane of the nanorods. For systems with a large cross-section (star-shaped and large pentagonal nanorods), the single transverse peak is split into a wide band. The orbitals involved in these transitions are delocalized cylindrical orbitals. Constructive addition of the dipole moments of these transitions is observed for the strong longitudinal and transverse peaks, which is likely at the origin of the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon. The wavelength of the longitudinal peak increases linearly with increasing length, crossing over the transverse peak or transverse band, which remains at nearly constant energy an...
Identification of Potential Areas for Building Retrofit Using Thermal Digital Imagery and CFD Models

Monitoring actual energy performance of existing buildings and measuring performance deviations from benchmarked values can help identify the potential areas for building retrofit. However, current building auditing practices include application of energy simulation tools or sensor networks, which can be time-consuming and may only provide system or appliance-level retrofit suggestions. In this paper, a quick and cost-effective approach is presented to recognize potential areas for building upgrade using digital and thermal imagery in addition to Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) models. In the proposed method, a dense 3D point cloud model of an existing building is first generated using an image-based 3D reconstruction algorithm. Next, thermal images are fused by a novel thermal mapping algorithm. The expected thermal performance is then simulated by CFD analysis using the dimensions extracted from the reconstructed 3D building model. Finally, the actual and expected thermal performance models are automatically superimposed within a new Energy Performance Augmented Reality (EPAR) environment wherein performance deviations are visualized. The proposed method is validated on several rooms in an existing instructional facility. The experimental results reflect the promise that EPAR models can be used as a building retrofit decision-making tool to facilitate the retrofit process.
Lysosomal-type PLA2 and turnover of alveolar DPPC

This study evaluated the role of a lysosomal-type phospholipase A2 (aiPLA2) in the degradation of internalized dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and in phospholipid synthesis by the rat lung. U...