cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adsorption of phenols onto hydrous ZnS(s): effect of cosolvent and temperature

Abstract The adsorption of phenols onto hydrous ZnS(s) surface in the presence of cosolvent, namely, methanol, was studied. Adsorption of phenols onto hydrous ZnS(s) surface follows a linear relationship between adsorption density and equilibrium concentration. In the presence of a cosolvent, the extent of phenol adsorption decreases except catechol. Apparently, the adsorption of phenols is determined by hydrophobic partition whereas the adsorption of catchol is governed by specific chemical interaction. Adsorption of phenols is an endothermic process; the extent of phenol adsorption increases with increasing temperature. This is attributed to the hydrophobic characteristics of the phenol adsorbents.
Caffeine, a drug for all seasons

COMMENTARY ON: Increased caffeine consumption is associated with reduced hepatic fibrosis. Apurva A. Modi, Jordan J. Feld, Yoon Park, David E. Kleiner, James E. Everhart, T. Jake Liang, Jay H. Hoofnagle. Hepatology, 2010 Jan;51(1):201–9. Copyright© 2009 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Matrix-array 3-dimensional echocardiographic assessment of volumes, mass, and ejection fraction in young pediatric patients with a functional single ventricle: a comparison study with cardiac magnetic resonance

Background— Quantitative assessment of ventricular volumes and mass in pediatric patients with single-ventricle physiology would aid clinical management, but it is difficult to obtain with 2-dimensional echocardiography. The purpose of the present study was to compare matrix-array 3-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) measurements of single-ventricle volumes, mass, and ejection fraction with those measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) in young patients. Methods and Results— Twenty-nine patients (median age, 7 months) with a functional single ventricle undergoing CMR under general anesthesia were prospectively enrolled. The 3DE images were acquired at the conclusion of the CMR. Twenty-seven of 29 3DE data sets (93%) were optimal for 3DE assessment. Two blinded and independent observers performed 3DE measurements of volume, mass, and ejection fraction. The 3DE end-diastolic volume correlated well (r=0.96) but was smaller than CMR by 9% (P<0.01), and 3DE ejection fraction was smaller than CMR by 11% (P...
The FLES Methods Course: Key to K-12 Certification

This article discusses the components of a FLES methods course in a state where K-12 certification in second languages is now mandated. Special emphasis is placed on Integrated or Content-based Instruction, second language acquisition, and a unique practicum incorporated into the methods course which enables the participants to demonstrate such techniques as Total Physical Response, storytelling, and dramatization. Finally, the course evaluation procedure is presented as a means of assuring that teachers' needs are being met as their second language programs expand to upper levels.
The Politics of Policy Analysis

What I would like to do today is to share a little bit of my experience in trying to influence policy, and to share with you some of the things that I have learned about trying to influence policy through using analysis. Let me start by laying out explicitly a couple of my assumptions. I am assuming that by policy analysis we really mean economic analysis directed to policy issues. And, I am going to make clear that I am confining my remarks to the regulatory context. By that I do not mean the context in which we find out what
Integration of an adaptive parallel N-body solver into a particle-by-particle electron-beam interaction simulator

An adaptively refinable Fast Multipole library called Pbody has been developed and used to rigorously analyze statistical electron-electron interactions at high density field free regions in crossovers in electron beam lithography systems. The parallel algorithm and associated interaction decision regimes, communication and processor load balancing are portable to multiple processor networks supporting C and MPI. Beam blur effects at beam currents up to 30 (mu) A can be analyzed in a few hours. A basic imaging system with a crossover and no initial angular or energy spread was analyzed. At a given time step, electrons which experience a transverse force sufficient to influence the beam blur were first recorded. This set of electrons was then analyzed for the number of close neighbors and their relative contributions to the transverse statistical force. The data indicates that interactions with multiple rather than nearest neighbors almost immediately becomes the norm rather than the exception once the current reaches a level at which the average spacing between the electrons is about 48 micrometer.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Morphine-like stimulus effects in the monkey: Opioids with antagonist properties

Abstract The discriminative stimulus properties of opioids with a wide spectrum of agonist and antagonist properties were evaluated in squirrel monkeys trained to discriminate between morphine and saline in a two-choice discrete-trial avoidance task. Stimulus control was considered to be established when the monkeys reliably completed at least 22 trials of a 25-trial session on the lever appropriate for the drug state. Tests of stimulus generalization were conducted with compounds that were previously shown in the rat to produce discriminative stimulus effects that are: (a) morphine-like (profadol, WY-16, 225, pentazocine, butorphinol, nalmexone); (b) cyclazocine-like (cyclazocine, ketocyclazocine, levallorphan); (c) neither morphine-like nor cyclazocine-like (nalbuphine and nalorphine). Profadol and WY-16,225 were equipotent with morphine in producing morphine-like stimulus effects. Naloxone antagonized the morphine-appropriate responding produced by all three compounds, but 10 times more naloxone was needed to block the stimulus effects of WY-16,225 than to block those of either morphine or profadol consistent with the known antagonist properties of WY-16,225. None of the other drugs produced complete morphine-like stimulus control of behavior but, with the exception of nalorphine, the highest dose of each resulted in about half of the trials being completed on the morphine-appropriate choice lever. These results confirm the heterogeneous nature of the discriminative stimulus effects of opioids with mixed agonist and antagonist properties and indicate the importance of interspecies comparisons.
ß-functions and the exact renormalization group

Abstract We relate s-functions to the flow of relevant couplings in the exact renormalization group. The specific case of a cutoff γφ 4 theory in four dimensions is discussed in detail. The underlying idea of convergence of the flow of effective lagrangians is developed to identify the s-functions. A perturbative calculation of the s-functions using the exact flow equations is sketched. The analysis may be extended to any system with a cutoff.
Converged three-dimensional quantum mechanical reaction probabilities and delay times for the F+H2 reaction on a potential energy surface with a realistic exit valley

Abstract Fully converged quantum mechanical F+H 2 →HF+H reaction probabilities are reported for initial rotational quantum numbers j =0, 2, and 4, total angular momentum J =0, and a range of translational energies from 0.7 to 3.4 kcal/mol for potential energy surface No. 5A of Steckler et al. State-to-state delay times are also calculated and are used to test for the occurrence of resonances. We find that the ν′=3 HF product vibrational state has no delay in its threshold compared to ν′=2. Furthermore, no resonance structure is observed in the time delays for orbital angular momentum l =0. Both findings are consistent with experiment. The ν′=3 probability is higher than that for ν′=2 for initial l =0, but the ratio decreases for higher l .
Sub-micron elastic property characterization of materials using a near-field scanning optical microscope

The ability to characterize the sub-surface mechanical properties of a bulk or thin film material at the sub-micron level has applications in the microelectronics and thin film industries. In the microelectronics industry, with the decrease of line widths and the increase of component densities, sub-surface voids have become increasingly detrimental. Any voids along an integrated circuit (IC) line can lead to improper electrical connections between components and can cause failure of the device. In the thin film industry, the detection of impurities is also important. Any impurities can detract from the film's desired optical, electrical, or mechanical properties. Just as important as the detection of voids and impurities, is the measurement of the elastic properties of a material on the nanometer scale. These elastic measurements provide insight into the microstructural properties of the material. We have been investigating a technique that couples the high-resolution surface imaging capabilities of the apertureless near-field scanning optical microscope (ANSOM) with the sub-surface characterization strengths of high-frequency ultrasound. As an ultrasonic wave propagates, the amplitude decreases due to geometrical spreading, attenuation from absorption, and scattering from discontinuities. Measurement of wave speeds and attenuation provides the information needed to quantify the bulk or surface properties of a material. The arrival of an ultrasonic wave at or along the surface of a material is accompanied with a small surface displacement. Conventional methods for the ultrasound detection rely on either a contact transducer or optical technique (interferometric, beam deflection, etc.). However, each of these methods is limited by the spatial resolution dictated by the detection footprint. As the footprint size increases, variations across the ultrasonic wavefront are effectively averaged, masking the presence of any nanometer-scale sub-surface or surface mechanical property variations. The use of an ANSOM for sensing ultrasonic wave arrivals reduces the detection footprint allowing any nanometer scale variations in the microstructure of a material to be detected. In an ANSOM, the ultrasonic displacement is manifested as perturbations on the near-field signal due to the small variations in the tip-sample caused by the wave arrival. Due to the linear dependence of the near-field signal on tip-sample separation, these perturbations can be interpreted using methods identical to those for conventional ultrasonic techniques. In this paper, we report results using both contact transducer (5 MHz) and laser-generated ultrasound.© (2001) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Hyperoxia-induced developmental plasticity of the hypoxic ventilatory response in neonatal rats: contributions of glutamate-dependent and PDGF-dependent mechanisms.

Abstract Rats reared in hyperoxia exhibit a sustained (vs. biphasic) hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR) at an earlier age than untreated, Control rats. Given the similarity between the sustained HVR obtained after chronic exposure to developmental hyperoxia and the mature HVR, it was hypothesized that hyperoxia-induced plasticity and normal maturation share common mechanisms such as enhanced glutamate and nitric oxide signaling and diminished platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signaling. Rats reared in 21% O 2 (Control) or 60% O 2 (Hyperoxia) from birth until 4–5 days of age were studied after intraperitoneal injection of drugs targeting these pathways. Hyperoxia rats receiving saline showed a sustained HVR to 12% O 2 , but blockade of NMDA glutamate receptors (MK-801) restored the biphasic HVR typical of newborn rats. Blockade of PDGF-β receptors (imatinib) had no effect on the pattern of the HVR in Hyperoxia rats, although it attenuated ventilatory depression during the late phase of the HVR in Control rats. Neither nitric oxide synthase inhibitor used in this study (nNOS inhibitor I and l -NAME) altered the pattern of the HVR in Control or Hyperoxia rats. Drug-induced changes in the biphasic HVR were not correlated with changes in metabolic rate. Collectively, these results suggest that developmental hyperoxia hastens the transition from a biphasic to sustained HVR by upregulating glutamate-dependent mechanisms and downregulating PDGF-dependent mechanisms, similar to the changes underlying normal postnatal maturation of the biphasic HVR.
Children's Perceptions of the Psychosocial Climate of School-Age Child Care Programs

Abstract The purpose of this study was to further test the psychometric properties of a scale developed to measure children's perceptions of their after-school teacher and to understand the scale's relationship to the quality of the school-age child care program. Eleven after-school programs were observed and rated on program quality, and 146 children completed the VOT scale. Results found a positive and significant relationship between children's perceptions of the psychosocial climate of the after-school program and program quality. Overall, participating programs were of minimal quality and children had a more positive than negative perception of teachers. There were no significant gender differences on the VOT scale, but there were significant differences between age groups. First- and 2nd-graders had the highest mean score on the scale, while 5th- and 6th-graders had the lowest. The VOT has strong construct validity as well as relevance and utility in understanding overall program quality as perceive...
Stochastic chaos and resonance in a bistable stochastic system.

We study a periodically driven bistable system in the presence of fluctuations. The spectral properties of the Fokker-Planck equation are studied using the finite element method. The ground Floquet state exhibits stochastic resonance. The dynamics of the Fokker-Planck equation governing the system is equivalent to that of a quantum system governed by an underlying Hamiltonian that can be obtained from the Fokker-Planck equation. When the Hamiltonian system exhibits the transition to chaos, the decay rates of the Fokker-Planck equation show level repulsion. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Effect of exchange coupling of polycrystalline antiferromagnetic layers on the magnetization behavior of soft magnetic layers

The complementary nature of the exchange bias field and the coercivity enhancement in ferromagnetic (F)-antiferromagnetic (AF) exchange-coupled layer systems is explained based on an extended Fulcomer and Charap's model, in which the directional distribution of the easy axes plays a decisive role in governing the magnetization behaviors. The model was further extended to deal with the AF-layer thickness ranging from zero to infinity taking into account of Neel's spin fanning model. A comprehensive explanation of the influence of exchange coupling on the magnetization behavior of the F-layer is given. It is shown that a rotational magnetization process is inherent for the samples in which the exchange coupling effect is dominant. The same model explains the temperature dependence of the exchange bias field and coercivity and the memory effect observed after annealing. The varieties of phenomena are mostly ascribed to the existence of distribution in the magnetic properties, net spin moment at the AF-grain surface and AF-grain size.
Burning of a spherical fuel droplet in a uniform flowfield with exact property variation

An analytical/numerical model is developed for single droplet evaporation and burning in a convective flowfield. The model is based on the boundary-layer approach, and chemical reaction kinetics are represented by a one-step, finite-rate reaction mechanism, while variation of gas properties with temperature and gas composition is based on the kinetic theory of gases. Four droplet models differing in the degree of complexity concerning property variation and chemistry are compared. Comparisons are also provided with existing empirical correlations for convective droplet evaporation and burning.
A bisection-extreme point search algorithm for optimizing over the efficient set in the linear dependence case

The algorithms and algorithmic ideas currently available for globally optimizing linear functions over the efficient sets of multiple objective linear programs either use nonstandard subroutines or cannot yet be implemented for lack of sufficient development. In this paper a Bisection-Extreme Point Search Algorithm is presented for globally solving a large class of such problems. The algorithm finds an exact, globally-optimal solution after a finite number of iterations. It can be implemented by using only well-known pivoting and optimization subroutines, and it is adaptable to large scale problems or to problems with many local optima.
"Imitators" of the ARDS: implications for diagnosis and treatment.

A cute lung injury (ALI) and ARDS (ALI/ARDS) are defined as follows: (1) an illness having an acute onset, (2) an arterial oxygen tension/inspired oxygen fraction 200 mm Hg (or 300 mm Hg for ALI), (3) the presence of bilateral infiltrates on frontal chest radiographs, and (4) a pulmonary artery occlusion pressure 18 mm Hg if measured, or no clinical evidence of left atrial hypertension when not measured.1,2 There are a group of diffuse, noninfectious parenchymal lung diseases that often present in an acute fashion and fulfill all of the clinical, physiologic, and radiographic criteria for ALI/ARDS. Some of these have distinct BAL characteristics and/or specific histologic findings. It is important to distinguish these from ALI/ARDS because most cases seem to respond to the early initiation of systemic corticosteroid therapy. In addition, studies evaluating novel interventions for ALI/ARDS should not include these patients because their outcomes are dissimilar from ALI/ARDS. This opinion article summarizes what is known about these diffuse noninfectious parenchymal diseases and focuses on the differences in their histologies, BAL findings, prognoses, and treatment responsiveness. We suggest that these conditions should be considered, prompting further diagnostic testing, in every patient thought to have ALI/ARDS ascribed to “pneumonia,” and in those without a well-recognized predisposing factor.
Hyperspectral and gated ICCD imagery for laser irradiated carbon materials

New optical diagnostics for studying laser ablation and induced combustion for carbon materials are key to monitoring the evolving, spatial distribution of the gas plume. We are developing high speed imaging FTIR and gated ICCD imagery for materials processing, manufacture process control, and high energy laser applications. The results from two projects will be discussed. First, an imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer with a 320 x 256 InSb focal plane array frames at 1.9 kHz with a spatial resolution of 1 mm and spectral resolution of up to 0.25 cm -1 . Gas phase plumes above the surface of laser-irradiated black plexiglass, fiberglass and painted thin metals have been spectrally resolved. Molecular emission from CO, CO 2 , H 2 O, and hydrocarbons is readily identified. A line-by-line radiative transfer model is used to derive movies for specie concentrations and temperatures. Second, excimer laser pulsed ablation of bulk graphite into low-pressure (0.05 - 1 Torr) argon generates highly ionized, high speed (M>40) plumes. A gated, intensified CCD camera with band pass filtering has been used to generate plume imagery with temporal resolution of 10ns. The Sedov-Taylor shock model characterizes the propagation of the shock front if the dimensionality of the plume is allowed to deviate from ideal spherical expansion. A drag model is more appropriate when the plume approaches extinction (~10 μs) and extends the characterization into the far field. Conversion of laser pulse energy to the shock is efficient.
Infinite horizon linear quadratic gene regulation in fluctuating environments

We study the evolution of gene regulation in response to environmental fluctuations. For gene dynamics modeled by a linear system, we compute the optimal gene regulator that minimizes the expected square difference between the current protein level and the level that is assumed to be optimal for the current environment plus the cost of protein production/decay, integrated over the life span of the cell. We show that such cost could be represented by a discounted infinite horizon LQR problem with switching equilibria. We also derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of the optimal controller, which can be expressed in terms of a system of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI).
Nets, tiles, and metal-organic frameworks

An account is given of the basic nets that are important in the description and design of metal-organic framework (MOF) structures. These are generally of minimal transitivity, a concept which is explained. Derived nets are defined and the advantages of using derived nets to describe the topology of MOF frameworks with multiple branch points are emphasized.
Food, energy, and the environment

ABSTRACT During the 2009 annual meeting of the Poultry Science Association, a symposium entitled “Global Views of New Agriculture: Food, Energy, and the Environment” was held that focused on several major issues affecting agriculture. Issues included future funding for basic agricultural research, sustainability, bioenergy, and their effects on global food markets. In many ways, a subtitle for the symposium could have been “Agriculture—Why What We Do Matters.” It matters because of the fiscal and physical realities the planet will face in the coming decades relative to human population growth and the increasing demands to feed a hungry world. The challenges are daunting and the technologies to address them will require us to reevaluate the structure and policies we have established relative to agricultural research. In this case, change is all the more difficult because the traditional model of agricultural research has been so successful. One only needs to note the remarkable increases in productivity of the past half century of commodities such as corn and soybeans or feed efficiencies among broilers, laying hens, and turkeys to recognize the significant advancements that have been achieved. However, these historic gains have frequently required increased inputs, most notably fossil fuels. Food production in the future will likely be confronted with concerns involving energy, water, climate change, and the threat of agroterrorism. For example, we will need to develop crops that are more drought-resistant and more tolerant to a wider range of salinities as access to fresh water becomes more problematic. Animal agriculture will also need to adapt to diets composed of atypical feedstuffs. Whether future generations will inherit a world described by Paul Roberts in his books The End of Oil and The End of Food will be in part determined by the research model we adopt in the near term.
Sequence and Structural Characterization of Great Salt Lake Bacteriophage CW02, a Member of the T7-Like Supergroup

ABSTRACT Halophage CW02 infects a Salinivibrio costicola -like bacterium, SA50, isolated from the Great Salt Lake. Following isolation, cultivation, and purification, CW02 was characterized by DNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, and electron microscopy. A conserved module of structural genes places CW02 in the T7 supergroup, members of which are found in diverse aquatic environments, including marine and freshwater ecosystems. CW02 has morphological similarities to viruses of the Podoviridae family. The structure of CW02, solved by cryogenic electron microscopy and three-dimensional reconstruction, enabled the fitting of a portion of the bacteriophage HK97 capsid protein into CW02 capsid density, thereby providing additional evidence that capsid proteins of tailed double-stranded DNA phages have a conserved fold. The CW02 capsid consists of bacteriophage lambda gpD-like densities that likely contribute to particle stability. Turret-like densities were found on icosahedral vertices and may represent a unique adaptation similar to what has been seen in other extremophilic viruses that infect archaea, such as Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus and halophage SH1.
Assisted local anaesthesia for cataract surgery (ALACS).

This paper describes an assisted local anaesthetic technique which we have used almost exclusively for extracapsular cataract extraction and posterior chamber intraocular lens implant surgery over the last 12 months. This ALACS technique was developed from a combined neurolept-local anaesthetic into an assisted local anaesthetic suitable for day-stay cataract surgery. The technique combines the advantages of purely local (retrobulbar and facial) anaesthesia with the advantages usually inherent in a good general anaesthetic. Thus the patient is in a state of general quiescence and psychic indifference throughout the procedure. ALACS provides excellent and long-lasting akinesia and analgesia, with adequate proptosis of the eye which facilitates surgical access. ALACS is suitable for almost all adult cataract and implant surgery. Our results in 704 cases of ALACS are reviewed in terms of visual results and complications both ocular and anaesthetic; the results appear good and the complications minimal. The results of blood gas estimations done intraoperatively in a small number of patients are also presented, and suggest that the technique is systemically safe.
Incremental path repair in hierarchical motion-planning with dynamical feasibility guarantees for mobile robotic vehicles

New requirements of autonomous mobile vehicles necessitate hierarchical motion-planning techniques that not only find a plan to satisfy high-level specifications, but also guarantee that this plan is suitable for execution under vehicle dynamical constraints. In this context, the H-cost motion-planning technique has been reported in the recent literature. We propose an incremental motion-planning algorithm based on this technique. The proposed algorithm retains the benefits of the original technique, while significantly reducing the associated computational time. In particular, the proposed iterative algorithm presents during intermediate iterations feasible solutions, with the guarantee that the algorithm eventually converges to an optimal solution. The costs of solutions at intermediate iterations are almost always nonincreasing. Therefore, the proposed algorithm is suitable for real-time implementations, where hard bounds on the available computation time are imposed, and where the original H-cost optimization algorithm may not have sufficient time to converge to a solution at all. We illustrate the proposed algorithm with numerical simulation examples.
Relationship between shock attenuation and stride length during running at different velocities

The purpose of the study was to investigate the characteristics of shock attenuation during high-speed running. Maximal running speed was identified for each subject [n=8 males, 25 (SD 4.6) years; 80 (8.9) kg; 1.79 (0.06) m] as the highest speed that could be sustained for about 20 s on a treadmill. During testing, light-weight accelerometers were securely mounted to the surface of the distal antero-medial aspect of the leg and frontal aspect of the forehead. Subjects completed running conditions of 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100% of their maximal speeds with each condition lasting about 20 s. Stride length, stride frequency, leg and head peak impact acceleration were recorded from the acceleration profiles. Shock attenuation was analyzed by extracting specific sections of the acceleration profiles and calculating the ratio of head to leg power spectral densities across the 10–20 Hz frequency range. Both stride length and stride frequency increased across speeds (P<0.05) and were correlated with running speed (stride length r=0.92, stride frequency r=0.89). Shock attenuation increased about 20% per m·s–1 across speeds (P<0.05), which was similar to the 17% increase in stride length per m·s–1. Additionally, shock attenuation was correlated with stride length (r=0.71) but only moderately correlated with stride frequency (r=0.40) across speeds. It was concluded that shock attenuation increased linearly with running speed and running kinematic changes were characterized primarily by stride length changes. Furthermore, the change in shock attenuation was due to increased leg not head peak impact acceleration across running speeds.
Paired overbounding and application to GPS augmentation

The relationship between range-domain and position-domain errors remains an open issue for GPS augmentation programs, such as the Federal Aviation Administration's Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS). This paper introduces a theorem that guarantees a conservative error bound (overbound) in the position domain given similarly conservative overbounds for broadcast pseudorange statistics. This paired overbound theorem requires that a cumulative distribution function (CDF) be constructed to bound both sides of the range-domain error distribution. The paired overbound theorem holds for arbitrary error distributions, even those that are non-zero mean, asymmetric or multimodal. Two applications of the paired overbound theorem to GPS augmentation are also discussed. First, the theorem is employed to construct an inflation factor for a non-zero mean Gaussian distribution; in the context of a simulation of worst-case satellite geometries for 10 locations in the United States and Europe, the required inflation factor for broadcast sigma is only 1.18, even for biases as large as 10 cm for each satellite. Second, the theorem is applied to bound a bimodal multipath model tightly; the result shaves more than 40% off the previously established inflation factor derived through a more overly conservative analysis.
Approximately Global Optimization for Robust Alignment of Generalized Shapes

In this paper, we introduce a novel method to solve shape alignment problems. We use gray-scale "images” to represent source shapes, and propose a novel two-component Gaussian Mixture (GM) distance map representation for target shapes. This asymmetric representation is a flexible image-based representation which is able to represent different kinds of shape data, including continuous contours, unstructured sparse point sets, edge maps, and even gray-scale gradient maps. Using this representation, a new energy function based on a novel two-component Gaussian Mixture distance model is proposed. The new energy function was empirically evaluated to be a more robust shape dissimilarity metric that can be computed efficiently. Such high efficiency is essential for global optimization methods. We adopt and modify one of them, the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), to effectively estimate the global optimum of the new energy function. Differently from the original PSO, several new strategies were employed to make the optimization more robust and prevent it from converging prematurely. The overall performance of the proposed framework as well as the properties of each algorithmic component were evaluated and compared with those of some state-of-the-art methods. Extensive experiments and comparison performed on generalized 2D and 3D shape data demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of the method.
The Ibo in Twentieth Century Calabar

The scholarly interest in emerging nations in the post-World War II period had its anthropological and sociological focus on the development of cities in these areas. Nationalism seems to be connected with industrialization and with urbanization. In West Africa much of the attention spent on study of developing cities has concentrated on the importance in such situations of the voluntary organization. It seems quite clear now that voluntary organizations are one of the most often used and most effective techniques for softening the shock of transplantation from the certainties of tribal life into the uncertainties of city life. The formation of voluntary organizations in cities is not restricted to Africa, however. In Central and South America, in Southeast Asia, and in India the voluntary organization has grown and developed and been studied. Most attempts to compare voluntary organizations in these places seem to have assumed that they were a natural or inevitable result of a process called “urbanization”. It does not seem to me to be necessary to compare these social phenomena in the context of such a process. We should compare voluntary organizations in different times and places and under different circumstances in order to enhance our understanding of more general social and cultural processes. This paper attempts two things: the delineation of the history of the formation of voluntary organization of one immigrant group in one West African city; and a comparison between the voluntary organizations of this group and of some other groups. It is hoped that the former will contribute to the body of knowledge we have about voluntary organizations, and that the latter will suggest hypotheses about social and cultural processes in general. It is not sufficient to describe the voluntary organizations of the Ibo in Calabar. It is necessary to trace the history of the town itself; to compare the reaction of the Ibo to the urban environment with that of the Efik, the indigenous inhabitants of the town; and to show in what ways the culture of the Ibo and the Efik predispose them to react in the ways they do.
Discovery of a Novel Class of Phosphodiesterase 10A Inhibitors and Identification of Clinical Candidate 2-[4-(1-Methyl-4-pyridin-4-yl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-phenoxymethyl]-quinoline (PF-2545920) for the Treatment of Schizophrenia

By utilizing structure-based drug design (SBDD) knowledge, a novel class of phosphodiesterase (PDE) 10A inhibitors was identified. The structure-based drug design efforts identified a unique "selectivity pocket" for PDE10A inhibitors, and interactions within this pocket allowed the design of highly selective and potent PDE10A inhibitors. Further optimization of brain penetration and drug-like properties led to the discovery of 2-[4-(1-methyl-4-pyridin-4-yl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl)-phenoxymethyl]-quinoline (PF-2545920). This PDE10A inhibitor is the first reported clinical entry for this mechanism in the treatment of schizophrenia.
Effects of rubratoxin B on liver composition and metabolism in the mouse.

Abstract A single dose of rubratoxin B (0.67 mg/kg, ip) in propylene glycol caused a transient inhibition of leucine incorporation into liver proteins of 20–30 g male mice of the Swiss-Webster strain. This 12-hr suppression was followed by a stimulation of hepatic protein synthesis that persisted for 2 days after dosing. If there was any effect of the rubratoxin initially, it was partially or completely hidden by the comparable effect of the solvent. The highest doses (1.67 mg/kg and 2.67 mg/kg) caused decreases in total glycogen and protein. There was an increase after 24 hr in total liver lipids, principally in the triglycerides, at the highest dose (2.67 mg/kg) employed. Four consecutive daily ip administrations, totaling 0.67 mg/kg of rubratoxin B, resulted in a suppression of animal growth and lowering of food intake: however, liver composition was not altered significantly. No differences were detected in biochemical parameters between animals receiving rubratoxin B ip or po. Considerably greater quantities of rubratoxin B were required orally, however, to produce effects comparable to those observed following ip injection.
A nearly optimal two stage procedure

This article is concerned with the problem of allocating a fixed number of trials between two independent normal populations with unknown means θ and ω, in order to estimate the product θω with squared error loss. Introducing independent normal priors on θ and ω a two stage procedure is introduced and shown to be asymptotically optimal. This problem arises, most obviously, in situations of deter-mining area based on measurements of length and width.
Mitochondrial Deficiency Is Associated With Insulin Resistance

The specific cellular underpinnings or mechanisms of insulin resistance (IR) are not clear. Here I present evidence to support a causal association between mitochondrial energetics and IR. A large body of literature indicates that mitochondrial capacity for oxidative metabolism is lower in human obesity and type 2 diabetes. Whether or not mitochondria play a causal role in IR is hotly debated. First, IR can be caused by many factors, many of which may or may not involve mitochondria. These include lipid overload, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Thus the first tenet of an argument supporting a role for mitochondria in IR is that mitochondria derangements can cause IR, but IR does not have to involve mitochondria. The second tenet of this argument is that animal models in which oxidative metabolism are completely abolished are not always physiologically or pathologically relevant to human IR, in which small metabolic perturbations can have profound effects over a prolonged period. Lastly, mitochondria are complex organelles, with diverse functions, including links with cell signaling, oxidative stress, and inflammation, which in turn can be connected with IR. In summary, mitochondrial “deficiency” is not merely a reduced energy generation or low fatty acid oxidation; this concept should be expanded to numerous additional important functions, many of which can cause IR if perturbed.
Using Analytical Models to Efficiently Explore Hardware Transactional Memory and Multi-Core Co-Design

Transactional memory is emerging as a parallel programming paradigm for multi-core processors. Despite the recent interest in transactional memory, there has been no study to characterize the interaction between hardware transactional memory (HTM) design dimensions and multi-core microarchitecture configuration. In this paper, we investigate the use of analytical modeling techniques to build application-specific performance models for understanding the interaction between HTM and multi-core configurations across large design points and for efficiently exploring the co-design space between the two. A key feature of our modeling technique is the ability to simultaneously capture the individual and combinatorial effects of important HTM design dimensions and core microarchitectural parameters. We show that analytical models can be effective tools for assisting architects in identifying these key effects and the interactions between HTM and multi-core microarchitecture that have a high impact on the performance of transactional memory workloads. The models also enable accurate performance prediction across the joint TM/multi-core design space. By analyzing the regression trees generated from our neural network model building methods, we further reveal heterogeneous interaction between TM workloads, core microarchitectures and TM mechanisms.
The A Subunit of Escherichia coli Heat-Labile Enterotoxin Functions as a Mucosal Adjuvant and Promotes IgG2a, IgA, and Th17 Responses to Vaccine Antigens

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) produces both heat-labile (LT) and heat-stable (ST) enterotoxins and is a major cause of diarrhea in infants in developing countries and in travelers to those regions. In addition to inducing fluid secretion, LT is a powerful mucosal adjuvant capable of promoting immune responses to coadministered antigens. In this study, we examined purified A subunit to further understand the toxicity and adjuvanticity of LT. Purified A subunit was enzymatically active but sensitive to proteolytic degradation and unable to bind gangliosides, and even in the presence of admixed B subunit, it displayed low cyclic AMP (cAMP) induction and no enterotoxicity. Thus, the AB5 structure plays a key role in protecting the A subunit from proteolytic degradation and in delivering the enzymatic signals required for secretion. In contrast, the A subunit alone was capable of activating dendritic cells and enhanced immune responses to multiple antigens following intranasal immunization; therefore, unlike toxicity, LT adjuvanticity is not dependent on the AB5 holotoxin structure or the presence of the B subunit. However, immune responses were maximal when signals were received from both subunits either in an AB5 structure or with A and B admixed. Furthermore, the quality of the immune response (i.e., IgG1/IgG2 balance and mucosal IgA and IL-17 secretion) was determined by the presence of an A subunit, revealing for the first time induction of Th17 responses with the A subunit alone. These results have important implications for understanding ETEC pathogenesis, unraveling immunologic responses induced by LT-based adjuvants, and developing new mucosal vaccines.
Comparison of signal-averaging electrocardiographic systems using device specific criteria in 104 normal subjects.

The advent of several signal-averaged electrocardiogram (SAECG) systems for late potential (LP) assessment warrants comparisons to assess intersystem reproducibility and variability. Simultaneous SAECGs on two systems. Arrhythmia Research Technology (ART) and Marquette (MEI), were performed on 104 normal volunteers (53 males, age 44 ± 14 years), and analyzed filtered QRS duration (TEQRS), root mean square voltage (RMS40), and low amplitude signal duration (LAS40), filtered at 40–250 Hz. The Gomes criteria (TFQRS > 114 msec, RMS40 38 msec) were used as criteria for LP. The data was also analyzed using the recently proposed system specific criteria for MEI (TFQRS >120 msec, RMS40 38 msec). Where appropriate, statistical analysis was performed using simple linear and Spearman's rank correlation, analysis of variance, Finn's R and cNemar's test. Results: The means ± SD for ART and MEI were: TFQRS: 97.2 ± 8.9 vs 108.2 ± 7.2 msec (R = 0.76), RMS40: 31.8 ± 17.8 vs 45.3 ± 19.9 μV (R = 0.53), and LAS40: 32.2 ± 8.4 vs 30 ± 7.4 (R = 0.54). When the Gomes criteria were applied, the number of subjects identified by each system as abnormal were: TFQRS = 3 vs 22 (P = 20 vs 8 (P = 0.004), LAS40 = 21 vs 9 (P = 0.004), TFQRS/RMS40 = 3 vs 6 (P = 0.38), TFQRS/LAS40 = 3 vs 7 (P = 0.22), RMS40/LAS40 40 = 17 vs 8 (P = 0.02), and all three criteria = 3 vs 6 (P = 0.38) for ART vs MEI, respectively. Percent agreement was 81.7% for TFQRS and 84.6% for RMS40 and LAS40 when single criteria were applied. Agreement improved when combined criteria were utilized (87.5%–95.2% for any two criteria and 95.2% for all three criteria). The intersystem agreement that was not due to chance was 0.63–0.69 for single criteria and 0.75–0.90 for combined criteria. Disagreement was highly significant for the three criteria when used singly and for RMS40 and LAS40 combined. Disagreement was not significant when TFQRS was used in combination with ≥ one other criteria. When the MEI criteria were applied, there was a decrease in the number of subjects identified by the MEI system as abnormal, using the TFQRS criteria singly or in combination. Percent agreement for system specific TFQRS measurements was 94.2% for single criteria and 97.1% for combined criteria. The intersystem agreement that was not due to chance improved (88–0.94). Disagreement between system specific criteria for TFQRS was not significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Our data indicate that although there is a general correlation between ART and MEI measurements, variability is substantial, leading to significant differences when the criteria for LP are applied, especially for single parameter determinations. Thus, there is a need to establish system specific normal ranges and more accurate criteria for LP parameters.
Political Culture, Local Government and Progressive Personnel Practices The Case of Collective Bargaining Provisions and a Test of Elazar's and Lieske's Measures of Political Culture

The American federal system allows for a great deal of variability in policy implementation by municipal and county governments Devolution of that responsibility from the federal government to stat...
Managing hindering self-focused attention in counseling sessions

AbstractObjective:This study examined the moderation effects of management strategies on the association between hindering self-focused attention and counseling self-efficacy. Method: Participants were 160 counselor trainees. A hierarchical regression was used to analyze the data, and a simple effect analysis was used to explore the nature of the interaction. Results: Results indicated that, for trainees who used more basic counseling techniques, counseling self-efficacy remained the same no matter their hindering self-focused attention experiences. However, for those who used less basic counseling techniques, their counseling self-efficacy dropped when they had more experiences of hindering self-focused attention. Similarly, for trainees who used more self-awareness to understand clients, these trainees reported a similar level of counseling self-efficacy no matter their hindering self-focused attention experiences. Conversely, for those who used less self-awareness as a tool to understand their clients ...
Phenotypic variance inflation in fossil samples: an empirical assessment

Evolutionary change during the interval in which a fossil sample accumulates will inflate the variance of that sample relative to the population-level standing variation. If this effect is widespread and severe, paleontological samples will not provide reliable estimates of population variation. Although the few published studies conducted to test this possibility have found similar levels of variation in samples differing greatly in temporal acuity, the paucity of case studies prevents assessing the generality of this pattern. In this paper, two independent, literature-based approaches are used to greatly expand the data available to address this issue. The first approach compares morphometric variability in Quaternary mammal samples with samples from related modern populations. The second approach artificially lumps separate samples from evolving lineages and calculates the variance effects of this analytical time-averaging. Both approaches yield consistent results indicating that variance observed in time-averaged samples is typically only slightly inflated (approximately 5%) relative to population-level values. This finding suggests that rates of evolution are typically slow when scaled to within-population variation, providing support for relative stasis as the dominant mode of within-lineage evolution. An important practical consequence of these findings is that time-averaged fossil samples generally show trait variances and covariances that are similar to population-level parameters, which has been an important but implicit assumption in many paleontological studies of phenotypic variation.
Telerehabilitation: Current Challenges to Deployment in the United States

Telerehabilitation is the use of technology to deliver rehabilitation services when the patient and practitioner are in different physical locations. This commentary presents current challenges to the deployment of telerehabilitation in the United States: profession-centric nomenclature, limited efficacy research, inter-state license portability barriers, and inadequate reimbursement.
Dislocation Ledge Sources: Dispelling the Myth of Frank–Read Source Importance

In the early 1960s, J.C.M. Li questioned the formation of dislocation pileups at grain boundaries, especially in high-stacking-fault free-energy fcc metals and alloys, and proposed grain boundary ledge sources for dislocations in contrast to Frank–Read sources. This article reviews these proposals and the evolution of compelling evidence for grain boundary or related interfacial ledge sources of dislocations in metals and alloys, including unambiguous observations using transmission electron microscopy. Such observations have allowed grain boundary ledge source emission profiles of dislocations to be quantified in 304 stainless steel (with a stacking-fault free energy of ~23 mJ/m2) and nickel (with a stacking-fault free energy of ~128 mJ/m2) as a function of engineering strain. The evidence supports the conclusion that FR dislocation sources are virtually absent in metal and alloy deformation with ledges at interfaces dominating as dislocation sources.