cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of interferometric directionality for noise reduction [also Letter 34(7)2168(Jul1995)]

Accurate static fringe-pattern analysis is very important for the successful application of a variety of interferometric techniques. In most cases of practical application, especially in aerodynamic flow testing, substantial noise can be introduced due to prevailing adverse environments. A means for efficiently reducing interferometric noise is thus desirable. Conventional noise reduction has mostly depended on ordinary averaging or median filtering in a squared mask to remove high-frequency components. These techniques, however, can induce some side effects of image blurring. If the structural integrity needs to be preserved, the method to be adopted should be able to eliminate noise efficiently without altering local intensity gradients, that is, local contrasts. In this paper, the concept of directional smoothing is introduced and its application to interferometric noise reduction is presented. Interferograms provide locally similar fringe directions, that is, isophase lines contaminated by noise, and thus contain directional information. In essence, the method exploits this valuable fringe directionality by setting up a slender mask of large aspect ratio along a fringe. A new value, that is, the average or median intensity of the mask, is then assigned to each pixel. The mask can be straight or curved. For a straight mask, the average direction of fringes within a processing region is employed. A curved mask is made to conform to a fringe curve. The proposed method is tested by computer simulation of experiments as well as with real interferograms. The results appear to be promising as compared with conventional techniques, especially for high-level noise.
Effect of Solvent Treatment on Solution-Processed Colloidal PbSe Nanocrystal Infrared Photodetectors

PbSe colloidal nanocrystals were used to fabricate infrared photodetectors. Low dark currents were obtained by using chemical treatments to improve the nanocrystal film quality and passivate traps in the nanocrystals. The effects of different nanocrystal capping groups, including oleic acid, octylamine, ethanedithiol, and benzenedithiol, on the nanocrystal film quality and the photodiode characteristics were studied. The spectral responsivities and quantum efficiencies of the photodetectors were also measured. We found that the physical quality of the films was very sensitive to the capping groups used for the nanocrystals as well as the specific exchange reactions. Specifically, the dithiol capping groups were found to enhance the rectification of the photodetectors and significantly reduce the dark current in the devices by effectively passivating the surface traps.
Diabetes Research in the Department of Veterans Affairs

OBJECTIVE —To provide an overview of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) research activities, highlighting diabetes-related research. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Diabetes is an important component of the VA research portfolio. All four VA research services support aspects of diabetes research. VA diabetes research projects and funding were examined from 1998 to 2003. RESULTS —VA scientists are conducting research on diabetes genetics, etiology, diagnosis, therapy, epidemiology, health services, and rehabilitation. VA research funding is available to answer important veteran-relevant questions through peer review, Center of Excellence activities, and multisite trial mechanisms. Many VA scientists also receive research support from nonfederal sources, including private corporations and nonprofit foundations. The VA Office of Research and Development actively supports training the next generation of researchers through their career development awards and the VA health profession training programs. CONCLUSIONS —The VA’s diabetes research portfolio is extensive and includes many investigators, trainees, and fellows. There is substantial leveraging of VA diabetes research with support from other federal and nonfederal funding agencies, foundations, and private corporations. VA diabetes research findings benefit the global diabetes care community.
The function of distress calls given by tufted titmice (Parus bicolor): an experimental approach

Abstract I studied the response of tufted titmice (Parus bicolor) to distress-call playbacks to discern the function of distress calls given in a non-breeding context. At baited locations, titmice were presented with three different stimuli: (1) a hawk model, (2) a distress-call playback, and (3) a hawk model in association with a distress-call playback. The reactions of titmice to these stimuli were measured in terms of the number of titmice attracted to the stimuli, time spent by titmice in the area around the stimuli, and the number of visits made by titmice to the area around the stimuli. Titmice approached closer to and spent more time near the source of the distress call when the call was not associated with a hawk model than when a hawk model was present. In either case, the approach of titmice was slow and cautious. Exposure to a hawk model in the absence of a distress-call playback caused titmice either to mob the model or ignore it. Titmice recognized the hawk model more often when it was associated with a distress-call playback than when it was presented alone. These observations are in accordance with predictions of the hypothesis that distress calls warn other birds of danger. Conversely, many observations contradicted the hypothesis that distress calls are calls for help.
Milk Yield and Metabolic Measures of Cows Fed Grain Free Choice During Early Lactation

Abstract Holstein cows were assigned at parturition to three treatments of two intakes of concentrate. In treatment 1, 14 cows were fed 7kg concentrate and hay free choice the entire 16 wk experimental period. In treatment 2, 14 cows were fed 7kg concentrate on day 2 postpartum and an additional 1kg concentrate every 2 days until free choice feeding of concentrate was achieved. Alfalfa hay was restricted to 5 kg/day. In treatment 3, 14 cows were fed 7kg concentrate and alfalfa hay free choice for 4 wk postpartum, then fed an additional 1kg concentrate every 2 days until free choice feeding of concentrate was achieved. Alfalfa hay was restricted to 5 kg/day after wk 4. Cows fed limited concentrate for 16 wk consumed less total dry matter than cows in treatment groups 1 or 2 (17.8 to 20.4 kg/day). Likewise, milk yield was lower for cows fed restricted concentrate rations (30.0 to 33.5 kg/day). There were no differences in daily intake of dry matter and milk yield between cows fed limited concentrate the first 4 wk and cows fed concentrate free choice the entire period. Molar percentages of propionate in rumen fluid were increased by feeding large amounts of concentrate. Glucagon immunoreactivity in plasma was elevated in cows fed high concentrate rations whereas insulin was increased slightly. Neither inorganic phosphorus nor urea nitrogen in plasma were affected by treatment. Compared to cows fed concentrate free choice, limited feeding of concentrate to cows for 4 wk postpartum did not affect milk yield but did reduce concentrate consumption by 10% over 16 wk.
Analgesic activities of PEM-420, the active eutomer of pemedolac

PEM-420, the active isomer of pemedolac, inhibited the writhing responses induced by phenylbenzoquinone (PBQ), acetic acid, and acetylcholine in mice with ED50's of 0.80, 0.92, and 0.075 mg/kg p.o., respectively. In the rat acetic acid writhing assay, PEM-420 exhibited an ED50 value of 8.4 mg/kg p.o. In the Randall-Selitto test, PEM-420 raised the pain threshold of the yeast-injected paw (ED50-0.55 mg/kg p.o.). Like other NSAIDs, PEM-420 inhibited the PBQ-induced production of PGI2 and PGE2 in the mouse peritoneal cavity, with ED50 values of 0.5 and 1.2 mg/kg p.o., respectively. It had weak ulcerogenic liability in rats (acute UD50=99 mg/kg p.o. in fasted rats; subacute UD50=74 mg/kg/day for 4 days in fed rats). The data indicate that PEM-420 is a potent and safe peripheral analgesic.
Comparative biochemistry of collagen crosslinks: Reducible bonds in invertebrate collagens

Abstract Collagenous tissues from three invertebrates, a sponge Haliclona oculata, a sea urchin Strongylocentrotus droebachensis and a sea cucumber Thyone briarius, were analysed for reduced compounds after treatment with tritiated sodium borohydride. Relatively high concentrations of several reduced components were detected, which eluted in identical positions to the reduced aldehydes and Schiff bases which recently have been isolated from vertebrate collagens and are thought to be intermediates in the biosynthesis of stable covalent intramolecular and intermolecular crosslinks. The findings imply that aldehyde-mediated crosslinks in collagen originate in primitive organisms and are widely distributed phylogenetically.
The Classic: Observations on Pathogenesis and Treatment of Congenital Clubfoot

This Classic article is a reprint of the original work by Ignacio V. Ponseti and Jeronimo Campos, Observations on Pathogenesis and Treatment of Congenital Clubfoot. An accompanying biographical sketch on Ignacio V. Ponseti, MD, is available at DOI 10.1007/s11999-009-0719-8 and a second Classic article is available at 10.1007/s11999-009-0720-2. This article is ©1972 by Lippincott Williams and Wilkins and is reprinted with permission from Ponseti IV, Campos J. Observations on Pathogenesis and Treatment of Congenital Clubfoot. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1972;84:50–60.
Comparison of 90Y-Ibritumomab Tiuxetan and 131I-Tositumomab in Clinical Practice

We retrospectively evaluated our single-center clinical experience with 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan and 131I-tositumomab for therapy of refractory non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma (NHL). We evaluated the hypothesis that the patient-specific dosing regimen used with 131I-tositumomab results in less bone marrow toxicity than does the weight-based dosing regimen used with 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan. Methods: Thirty-eight patients (25 male and 13 female; median age, 64 y) received radioimmunotherapy for NHL (20 received 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan; 18 received 131I-tositumomab). Patient and disease characteristics were evaluated to determine whether any were prognostic indicators of short- or long-term clinical response. The 12-wk response rate and clinical and hematologic toxicities attributable to each therapy were assessed. The response rate at 12 wk was correlated with long-term overall survival. Results: Twenty-six patients received full-radiation-dose radioimmunotherapy and 12 received attenuated doses because of hematologic concerns. The 12-wk overall response rate for all patients was 47%, and the complete response rate was 13%. The 12-wk overall response rate did not significantly differ between the 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan and 131I-tositumomab groups. Responses at 12 wk were more frequent in patients with normal levels of serum lactate dehydrogenase, no bone marrow involvement, and International Prognostic Index scores of no more than 2 (P ≤ 0.04). Grade 3 or 4 thrombocytopenia occurred in 57% and 56% of patients treated with 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan and 131I-tositumomab, respectively. Grade 3 or 4 neutropenia was observed in 57% and 50%, respectively. The time to the absolute neutrophil count nadir was shorter for the 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan group than for the 131I-tositumomab group (36 ± 9 vs. 46 ± 14 d, P = 0.01). The mean percentage decline in platelet count after radioimmunotherapy was greater in the 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan group than in the 131I-tositumomab group (79% ± 17% vs. 63% ± 28%, P = 0.04). Overall survival was longer in responders than in nonresponders 12 wk after therapy (P ≤ 0.05). Conclusion: Both 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan and 131I-tositumomab were well tolerated. We observed response rates at the lower range of those reported in the literature, possibly because of referral bias, dose attenuation, and reasonably liberal acceptance criteria for a patient to receive therapy. Initial response assessments 12 wk after radioimmunotherapy predict longer-term response. 131I-tositumomab caused significantly less severe declines in platelet counts than did 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan and may be a more appropriate choice for patients with limited bone marrow reserve, but large, randomized, prospective trials are needed to better compare the performance of these 2 treatments.
Foreground object detection in highly dynamic scenes using saliency

In this paper, we propose a novel saliency-based algorithm to detect foreground regions in highly dynamic scenes. We first convert input video frames to multiple patch-based feature maps. Then, we apply temporal saliency analysis to the pixels of each feature map. For each temporal set of co-located pixels, the feature distance of a point from its kth nearest neighbor is used to compute the temporal saliency. By computing and combining temporal saliency maps of different features, we obtain foreground likelihood maps. A simple segmentation method based on adaptive thresholding is applied to detect the foreground objects. We test our algorithm on images sequences of dynamic scenes, including public datasets and a new challenging wildlife dataset we constructed. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed algorithm achieves state-of-the-art results.
Production of negative hydrogen ions in neutral H+H collisions.

A formulation of collision theory is presented to analyze the process by which ${\mathrm{H}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}}$ and ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$ ions are produced from charge exchange in H(1s)+H(1s) and H(2s)+H(1s) collisions in the energy range of 100 eV to 100 keV. A simple closure approximation to the full Green's function allows an analytic evaluation of the amplitudes. The anomalously large cross sections observed experimentally around 0.5 keV, one maximum near 10\char21{}20 keV, and the interference feature around 2\char21{}4 keV are reproduced, respectively, in the theory by the excitation-exchange amplitude, the direct amplitude, and their interference. The same theoretical procedure is employed in the treatment of both the 1s and 2s initial projectile states, providing a unified picture of the H+H collision system at low and intermediate energies.
Annual patterns of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone and inhibin in normal men

Reproductive functions in most animals demonstrate seasonal fluctuations that allow young to be born at a time of the year favourable for their survival. Whether there is a seasonal change in the human reproductive system is unclear. In the present study, we measured serum concentrations of luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, testosterone and inhibin in the same 16 normal men sampled monthly for 1 year. A statistically significant increase in all four measured hormones was found in June, with a nadir in August. Our findings suggest that a circannual rhythm of gonadotrophins and testicular hormones exists in normal men. The mechanism leading to this rhythm and the importance of the rhythm in human biology are unknown.
The Catch-22 of Conservation: Indigenous Peoples, Biologists, and Cultural Change

Resurgent protectionists advocate a return to strict nature protection characterized by excluding most people from ecologically fragile areas. Certain groups of indigenous residents, namely those with low population densities, simple technologies, and subsistence economies, are seen as conservation friendly, but groups who are experiencing demographic growth, using Western technologies, and producing for the market are perceived as incompatible with biodiversity conservation. Using insights from common property theory as well as ethnographic observations of the Huaorani Indians of Ecuador, I illustrate how such assumptions constitute a “conservation Catch-22” in which cultural conditions deemed compatible with biodiversity conservation are precisely those from which we would not predict conservationist practices to emerge. Romanticized conditions deemed harmonious with nature lack the incentives necessary for people to develop conservationist practices. Conservation is not a state of being, but a social process inextricably linked to social and political institutions influencing resource management.
The role of the hyperpolarization-activated cationic current I(h) in the timing of interictal bursts in the neonatal hippocampus.

Under both pathological and experimental conditions, area CA3 of the adult or juvenile hippocampus generates periodic population discharges known as interictal bursts. Whereas the ionic and synaptic basis of individual bursts has been comprehensively studied experimentally and computationally, the pacemaker mechanisms underlying interictal rhythmicity remain conjectural. We showed previously that rhythmic population discharges resembling interictal bursts can be induced in hippocampal slices from first postnatal week mice, in Mg2+-free solution with GABAAreceptor-mediated inhibition blocked. Here we show that these neonatal bursts occurred with high temporal precision and that their frequency and regularity were greatly reduced by the bradycardic agent ZD-7288 when applied at concentrations and durations that selectively block the hyperpolarization-activated, cationic current I h. Augmenting I hby elevating intracellular cAMP dramatically increased burst frequency in a protein kinase A-independent manner. Burst amplitudes were strongly correlated with the preceding, but not the following, interburst intervals. The experimentally observed distribution of interburst intervals was modeled by assuming that a burst was triggered whenever the instantaneous rate of spontaneous EPSPs (sEPSPs) exceeded a threshold and that the mean sEPSP rate was minimal immediately after a burst and then relaxed exponentially to a steady-state level. The effect of blocking I h in any given slice could be modeled by decreasing only the steady-state sEPSP rate, suggesting that the instantaneous rate of sEPSPs is governed by the level of I h activation and raising the novel possibility that interburst intervals reflected the slow activation kinetics of I h in the neonatal CA3.
Optimizing BCG therapy.

Abstract Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is still the most appropriate primary therapy for high-risk patients and appropriate primary or secondary therapy for patients with intermediate-risk disease. The highest disease-free rates will be found in patients who are BCG naive, have low tumor burden, are stage Ta or CIS, and those relatively younger (
The List Strength Effect: A Contextual Competition Account

Research on the list strength effect (LSE) has shown that learning some words on a list more strongly than others impairs memory for the weakly learned words when tested with a recall task. Norman (2002) demonstrated that the LSE also occurs within the recollection process of a recognition test. In this study, a mechanistic dual-process account of the LSE was tested that simultaneously makes predictions concerning additional sources of context in interference effects. In two experiments, we attempted to replicate Norman’s (2002) findings and provide the basis for our modeling efforts. We found evidence for a recollection LSE in raw measures of responding, with memory performance also benefiting from reinstatement of perceptual characteristics at test. However, large differences in the hits between the lists were accompanied by small differences in false alarms, such that whend' is calculated, differences between the lists are not significant. We propose an account of the LSE whereby the actual effect of competition between items on the list is small, although present, and difficult to distinguish from large effects of bias due to the strength manipulations. We argue that our findings provide support for a mechanistic explanation of LSE that is based on competition of source activation and changes in the thresholds for responses.
EVALUATION OF KANG‐FUNG‐SOL MEDIUM FOR SELECTIVITY OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA FROM LABORATORY MEDIUM AND GROUND BEEF

deMan Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) medium has usually been used for the recovery of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from various food products. However, it also allows non-LAB to grow due to its nutritive ingredients. Three kinds of agar media, MRS, Kang-Fung (KF), and Kang-Fung-Sol (KFS), were evaluated for selective growth of LAB from mixed cultures. All bacteria tested grew well on MRS medium. KF medium was effective for the inhibition of gram-negative bacteria, but not for some gram-positive bacteria. KFS medium completely inhibited the growth of all non-LAB tested. Furthermore, the growth of LAB tested on KFS medium was not significantly different from that on MRS or KF medium. Microbial counts from inoculated ground beef of Pediococcus pentosaceus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella arizonae did not show a significant difference between MRS and KF medium. However, no non-LAB were recovered from ground beef using KFS medium. The recovery of Pediococcus pentosaceus was not significantly different on all three media tested. This research shows that KFS medium can be used to isolate and enumerate LAB in liquid medium or ground beef in the presence of other microorganisms.
Nutrition treatment for HIV wasting: a prescription for food as Medicine.

Background: The optimal nutrition approach for the promotion of weight gain in HIV-infected adults with wasting remains unclear. Previous dietary interventions report minimal success and provide inadequate information regarding the counseling approach, contact time, session format, and issues addressed with the subject. The methods we report were incorporated in a 12-week intervention trial for the reversal of HIV-wasting. Methods: All subjects involved in the intervention trial for the reversal of HIV-wasting received weekly, customized, one-on-one counseling and an oral nutrition supplement (480 kcal/d with 30 g protein). The nutrition aims were to (1) increase caloric intake to surpass daily energy requirements by 500 kcal/d (suggested caloric intake: 40 to 50 kcal/kg current weight); (2) increase protein intake (1.6 to 1.8 g/kg current weight per day); and (3) identify foods that may exacerbate or curtail side effects associated with HIV. Also assessed were preconceptions, nutrition knowledge level an...
Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin induces vacuolation of primary human mucosal epithelial cells.

We investigated whether Helicobacter pylori cytotoxin induces vacuolation in primary epithelial cells from normal human mucosa. Epithelial cells purified by enzyme digestion and elutriation were evaluated for vacuolation in a blinded protocol by light and electron microscopy before and after incubation with culture supernatant (CS) from H. pylori 60190, which has vacuolating activity for HeLa cells (Tox 1 ), and isogenic H. pylorimutant 60190-v1, which lacks this activity (Tox 2 ). Primary epithelial cells (>98% pure) exposed to CS from Tox 1 H. pylori exhibited marked vacuolation (52% 6 5% of cells) compared with epithelial cells exposedtoeitherCSfromTox 2 H.pylori(23% 63.2%)oruninoculatedcontrolbroth(23% 63.7%)(P<0.05)
Plant FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 expressed in a eukaryotic host: GTPase activity and self-assembly.

Plants and algae contain the FtsZ1 and FtsZ2 protein families that perform specific, non-redundant functions in plastid division. In vitro studies of chloroplast division have been hampered by the lack of a suitable expression system. Here we report the expression and purification of FtsZ1-1 and FtsZ2-1 from Arabidopsis thaliana using a eukaryotic host. Specific GTPase activities were determined and found to be different for FtsZ1-1 vs. FtsZ2-1. The purified proteins readily assembled into previously unreported assembly products named type-I and -II filaments. In contrast to bacterial FtsZ, the Arabidopsis proteins do not form bundled sheets in the presence of Ca2+.
The Problem of Doping Wide Gap II-VI Compound Semiconductors and Its Solutions

Wide gap II-VI compound semiconductors are difficult to be doped amphoterically. After more than thirty years of research in II-VI compound semiconductors, there does not even exist a satisfatory simultaneous explanation as to why ZnSe can be easily doped n-type while undoped ZnTe only exhibits p-type conductivity. In this paper we propose an explanation based on the III-V/II-VI analogy which for the first time can explain these phenomena, and provide solutions to the problem of doping II-VI compound semiconductors.
Modeling of Gas‐Phase Transport and Composition Evolution during the Initial‐Stage Sintering of Boron Carbide with Carbon Additions

Densification of 4 B C during sintering can be aided by removing the native 23 BO (condensed) layer present on the starting 4 B C powder. B2O3 can be removed by adding excess C and holding the powder compact at an intermediate temperature below the normal sintering temperature. This allows time for CO and minor boron gases to diffuse out from the porous compact before the pores close. This process is examined using a computational model based on co-diffusion of multiple gas species, which enables prediction of the gas and condensed phase composition as a function of time and position in the specimen. The model, previously described elsewhere, was originally applied to the 2
Almost global existence of solutions of quasi-linear hyperbolic equations

We consider the quasi-linear hyperbolic initial value problem (1) of the Introduction, and prove that for any T>0 there is a bound such that if the norm of the initial data is smaller than that bound then the solution of (1) exists on all of [0, T].
A comparison of endovascular revascularization with traditional therapy for the treatment of acute mesenteric ischemia

Objectives Few centers have adopted endovascular therapy for the treatment of acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI). We sought to evaluate the effect of endovascular therapy on outcomes for the treatment of AMI. Methods A single-center, retrospective cohort review was performed on all consecutive patients with thrombotic or embolic AMI presenting between 1999 and 2008. Patients with mesenteric venous thrombosis, nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia, and ischemia associated with aortic dissection were excluded. Demographic factors, preoperative metabolic status, and etiology were compared. Primary clinical outcomes included endovascular technical success, operative complications, and in-hospital mortality. Results Seventy consecutive patients were identified with AMI (mean age, 64 ± 13 years). Etiology of mesenteric ischemia was 65% thrombotic and 35% embolic occlusions. Endovascular revascularization was the preferred treatment (81%) vs operative therapy (19%). Successful endovascular treatment was achieved in 87%. Endovascular therapy required laparotomy in 69% vs traditional therapy in 100% (P Conclusions Endovascular therapy has altered the management of AMI, and there are measurable advantages to this approach. Using endovascular therapy as the primary modality for AMI reduces complications and improves outcomes.
End-Digit Preference and the Quality of Blood Pressure Monitoring in Diabetic Adults

OBJECTIVE —Although tight blood pressure (BP) control is proven to reduce diabetes-related cardiovascular risk, it has been difficult to achieve in practice, perhaps in part because of low-quality monitoring data. We hypothesized that low-quality BP data, reflected in end-digit preference (EDP), remains common in primary care of diabetic adults. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Data were abstracted from the charts of 404 adults with type 2 diabetes seen at 16 academically affiliated clinics from 1999 to 2001. End-digits of systolic and diastolic BPs taken with nonautomated sphygmomanometers were extracted, and prevalence of EDP for zero was calculated. Associations between EDP and selected patient characteristics were determined using multiple logistic regressions. RESULTS —EDP was highly prevalent in the BP measurements taken by nonphysicians (4,333 BPs; 50% of systolic, 50% of diastolic readings ended in zero; P < 0.001) and physicians (1,347 BPs; 69% of systolic, 64% of diastolic readings ended in zero; P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, nonphysicians showed greater EDP for systolic BP in older patients (odds ratio [OR] 1.07 per 5 years) and women (OR 1.36 vs. men) and for diastolic BP in African-Americans (OR 1.25 vs. whites; all P < 0.05); physicians showed greater EDP for diastolic BP in less obese patients (OR 0.97 per 5 kg/m2 increment in BMI; P = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS —Low-quality BP measurement is common in primary care of diabetic adults. Procedural and technological improvements to BP measurement deserve attention as part of an overall strategy to tighten BP control and reduce cardiovascular risk.
Generic language and judgements about category membership : Can generics highlight properties as central?

Many languages distinguish generic utterances (e.g., ‘Tigers are ferocious’) from non-generic utterances (e.g., ‘Those tigers are ferocious’). Two studies examined how generic language specially links properties and categories. We used a novel-word extension task to ask if 4- to 5-year-old children and adults distinguish between generic and specific language, and judge that predicating a property of a depicted novel animal using generic language (e.g., ‘Bants have stripes’), rather than non-generic language (e.g., ‘This bant has stripes’) implies a more kind-relevant connection between category and property. Participants were asked to endorse an extension of the label taught to a novel animal matching the target instance on either overall similarity or the mentioned property. Wording was found to have a significant effect on responses for both age groups. Altogether, the results of these studies suggest that the generic may be a default interpretation for young children, who need to learn the semantics of...
Does Age at Diabetes Diagnosis Influence Long-Term Physical and Behavioral Outcomes?

Type 1 diabetes is a complex chronic illness. Because self-care is such an essential element of successful diabetes management, cognitive and behavioral aspects of childhood development may interfere with effective self-care behaviors and impact the probability of later complications. The objective of this study was to examine whether the age at diagnosis of diabetes is significantly related to physical and behavioral outcomes in adulthood. It may be that children diagnosed in adolescence spend their first few years with diabetes rebelling against the therapeutic demands of treatment. An intense phase of inadequate care could lead to health consequences later in life; behaviors adopted in adolescence could also linger long into adulthood. Conversely, it is possible that being diagnosed very early in life leads to a dependence on others that affects health and behavior long into the future. This study used the patient survey data collected as part of the Translating Research into Action for Diabetes (TRIAD) study, which has been previously described (1). All patients with diabetes who participated in the TRIAD study, had baseline patient survey and chart review data for the period between July 2000 and October 2001, and reported being diagnosed with diabetes at or before 21 years of age were selected for inclusion in this study. The CASRO response rate was 69% (2). We extracted information about health and social outcomes. Health outcomes included reported weight, BMI, prevalences …
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMIC DRAG ON AN OSCILLATING SPHERE

The case of a dielectric sphere executing small-amplitude oscillations in an incompressible, conducting fluid with a uniform magnetic field aligned along the axis of oscillation is studied. For the case of large Hartmann and Reynolds numbers, the MHD equations are linearized. Solutions correct to O(Rm) are obtained for the velocity, pressure, current, and electric and magnetic fields in the fluid. The MHD drag on an oscillating dielectric sphere in mercury was experimentally determined in aligned fields to 0·8 Wb/m2. The experimental results agree well with the theory. The theory and experiment were extended to include the regime where the perturbed velocity is not small compared with the velocity present in the absence of a magnetic field. The validity of using the inviscid velocity to compute the current is verified by measuring the angular dependence of the induced electric field.
Designing virtual social networks for for-profit open innovation

A major supplier of computer products would like the users of its software platforms to enhance the value of its software platforms by engaging in peer production and open innovation. The company is designing a social network that is based on Web 2.0 technologies and acts as a virtual user group. This paper discusses the most important issues pertaining to that endeavor including the need to develop new metrics for network structure and performance. The relative merits of various performance metrics is tested against empirical data. The paper also discusses an approach for forecasting revolutions in network performance in an open innovation system through simulation.
Chondroma of a lumbar vertebral body in a child. An unusual tumor resembling a chordoma.

The case reported is an uncommon tumor of the spine of cartilaginous origin with some similarities to a tumor of notochordal origin. The etiology of the tumor is discussed and its unique features of age of onset, rare location, and complicated histology are described.
Voltage-gated calcium currents have two opposing effects on the secretion of aldosterone

Using Ca2+ channel blockers with different specificities for L- and T-type Ca2+ channels, we have investigated the roles of these two channel types in K(+)-induced aldosterone secretion. In whole cell voltage-clamp experiments, the spider toxin omega-agatoxin-IIIA (omega-Aga-IIIA) completely blocks L-type Ca2+ channels but has no effect on T-type Ca2+ channels. In contrast, Ni2+ and 1,4-dihydropyridines block both L- and T-type Ca2+ channels. Secretion induced by 7 mM extracellular K+ concentration ([K+]o) is unaffected by omega-Aga-IIIA but is strongly inhibited by Ni2+ or the 1,4-dihydropyridine, nitrendipine. This suggests that physiological increases in [K+]o stimulate aldosterone secretion primarily by enhancing Ca2+ entry through T-type Ca2+ channels. Surprisingly, secretion induced by 60 mM [K+]o is enhanced by omega-Aga-IIIA or Ni2+ and is inhibited by the L-type Ca2+ channel activator BAY K 8644. Nitrendipine (1 nM) also stimulates such secretion, although higher concentrations are inhibitory (concentration inhibiting 50% of maximal response approximately 30 nM). If extracellular Ca2+ concentration is reduced from 1.25 to 0.5 mM, secretion induced by 60 mM [K+]o is enhanced, and Ni2+ or low nitrendipine become inhibitory. Together, these results that L-type Ca2+ currents can reduce steroidogenesis and that the role of these currents was previously misconstrued because 1,4-dihydropyridines modify secretion by multiple mechanisms. Thus Ca2+ entry can function as a negative modulator of steroid secretion.
Interventions to Address Medical Conditions and Health-Risk Behaviors Among Persons With Serious Mental Illness: A Comprehensive Review

People with serious mental illness (SMI) have mortality rates 2 to 3 times higher than the overall US population, largely due to cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as obesity and diabetes mellitus and other conditions, such as HIV/AIDS, is heightened in this group. Based on the recommendations of a National Institute of Mental Health stakeholder meeting, we conducted a comprehensive review examining the strength of the evidence surrounding interventions to address major medical conditions and health-risk behaviors among persons with SMI. Peer-reviewed studies were identified using 4 major research databases. Randomized controlled trials and observational studies testing interventions to address medical conditions and risk behaviors among persons with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder between January 2000 and June 2014 were included. Information was abstracted from each study by 2 trained reviewers, who also rated study quality using a standard tool. Following individual study review, the quality of the evidence (high, medium, low) and the effectiveness of various interventions were synthesized. 108 studies were included. The majority of studies examined interventions to address overweight/obesity (n = 80). The strength of the evidence was high for 4 interventions: metformin and behavioral interventions had beneficial effects on weight loss; and bupropion and varenicline reduced tobacco smoking. The strength of the evidence was low for most other interventions reviewed. Future studies should test long-term interventions to cardiovascular risk factors and health-risk behaviors. In addition, future research should study implementation strategies to effectively translate efficacious interventions into real-world settings.
Federal Circuit Blocks Trademark for Being Disparaging to Muslims

Section 2 of the Lanham Act contains a variety of limitations on trademark registration. 2 Some are widely used—for example, the prohibition on merely generic marks. Others rarely come into play, including a registration bar for any mark containing “matter which may disparage.” In its first ever interpretation of this statutory provision, the Federal Circuit in In re Geller affirmed a decision of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) that denied federal registration to the mark STOP THE ISLAMISATION OF AMERICA. The Federal Circuit agreed with the TTAB that the mark would be disparaging to a substantial composite of the American Muslim community. The stakes are high here because the Federal Circuit is the typical route for appeals of TTAB decisions, and a highly anticipated decision from the TTAB on disparagement involving the WASHINGTON REDSKINS mark is due soon. Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer tried to register their STOP THE ISLAMISATION OF AMERICA mark in connection with services of “understanding and preventing terrorism.” Geller and Spencer are known for their criticism of Islam, particularly their opposition to the construction of a mosque and Islamic Center near the former site of the World Trade Center. Organizations started by Geller and Spencer, including Stop the Islamisation of America, have been designated as hate groups in the United Kingdom and attracted widespread criticism in this country. This background appeared to influence the Federal Circuit’s view as to whether Geller and Spencer’s mark was disparaging.
Searching for "Home" in Dixie: Identity and Education in the New Latin@ South.

This study explores how 3 Latino male college students who attended rural, K–12 North Carolina schools use their conceptions of home to fight against oppressive forces in the southern United States. Specifically, through the use of life history data, I unpack both the challenges that they face and the agency-laden decisions that they make to navigate various tensions related to their Latin@ identities. This work extends current literature on men of color in schools, which largely omits the experiences of Latino male students that come of age in rural, southeastern, US settings.
Murder Most Human: A Case for a Categorical Ban of Life-Without-Parole Sentences for All Juvenile Offenders with Guidelines for Release Decisions for Former Juvenile Life-Without-Parole Cases

The Supreme Court has made clear that there is a categorical ban of mandatory life without parole sentences for all juveniles. This ban of mandatory sentences necessarily includes juveniles convicted of the most heinous murders. However, juveniles convicted of murder can be sentenced to life without parole when the sentence is meted out on an individual basis, with due consideration given to the individuality of the offender and the unique circumstances surrounding the offense. As enunciated in Miller v. Alabama, “sentencing a child to life without parole is excessive for all but ‘the rare juvenile offender whose crime reflects irreparable corruption’.” Why no categorical ban of life without parole for all juveniles offenders? One impediment to a categorical ban of juvenile life without parole sentences for all juveniles, including juvenile convicted of murder, may be found in the Court’s understanding of the crime of murder and the character of offenders convicted of murder, which I will argue is misguided. A more fluid assessment of murder dynamics, juvenile development, and crime desistance suggest sentence length parameters to guide release decisions for juveniles serving life terms.
Arching in Granular Soils

Arching is characterized by a stress distribution where the load is transferred from softer to stiffer regions of a structure forming a stable configuration. Since it is a stable arrangement, arching is not a typical limit state problem. However, it can be formulated in a manner that allows using the static theorem of limit analysis to assess the likelihood of arching. Radial stress fields within piles of sand are constructed to search for stress distributions that promote arching. Governing equations are derived for radial stress distributions with regions varying from the yielding stress state to the elastic stress state. The stress fields with an elastic core promote arching, whereas the field where all material is in the active limit state does not support arching. However, if a passive limit state is induced in a sand heap, arching over the central part of the pile base becomes a distinct feature of the fully plastic stress field. Considerations are limited here to wedge-shaped sand heaps, though many of the conclusions are applicable to conical (axi-symmetrical) sand piles. INTRODUCTION Investigation of stress fields in sand piles indicates some characteristics of arching that do not confirm the stereotypical belief that arching is associated with a transfer of load from yielding parts of the structure to the stiffer parts. It appears that equally plausible arching stress fields are ones where the load is transferred through the sand in the stress state at or close to the limit, over the sand that has not reached the yield state or is significantly below the limit. 1 Professor, Department of Civil and Env. Engrg., University of Michigan, 2340 G.G. Brown Bldg., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2125, U.S.A., e-mail: rlmich@umich.edu 2 Graduate Assistant, Texas AM formerly University of Michigan, U.S.A.
Regulatory Control of Amine Scrubbing for CO2 Capture from Power Plants

Tight integration between the amine scrubbing plant, coal-fired power plant, and enhanced oil recovery (EOR) facility creates process design and control challenges for post-combustion CO2 capture. A dynamic model of an advanced amine scrubbing process and a steady state model of a 550 MWe power plant were used to examine four bounding cases that represent different system components dominating the regulatory process control strategy. Satisfying the operational and economic objectives of one system component resulted in unfavorable dynamic performance for the remainder of the system. When a step change decrease occurred in either the CO2 delivery rate from the capture plant to the EOR facility or the steam extraction rate from the power plant to the capture plant, more than 3 h was required for the amine plant to reach a new steady state. Attempting to control the CO2 removal rate from the flue gas can not be satisfactorily achieved through regulatory control alone. Controlling stripper temperature and pre...
Impact of Violence and Relationship Abuse on Grades of American Indian/Alaska Native Undergraduate College Students:

Violence and relationship abuse are pervasive public health problems that have a range of negative effects, with exceptionally high prevalence among ethno-racial minority youth. This study assesses the prevalence of these types of violence among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students and examines the impact of victimization on academic performance of AI/AN and non-AI/AN student populations using self-reported college health survey data. Results show that students who identified fully or partially as AI/AN reported markedly higher rates of all types of violence/abuse than did other students, and students who had experienced violence/abuse had lower grade point averages (GPAs) compared with those who had not. Recommendations for future research and direct practice with AI/AN students are discussed.
EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF MEMBRANE WATER BASED DRILLING FLUID SYSTEM

The membrane structure characteristics, efficacy and mechanism of a membrane filtrate reducer CMJ?2-XNJ?1 have been introduced. And the properties of the water based drilling fluid composed by CMJ?2-XNJ?1 with cover additive JH-1, viscosity reducer JN-1 have been studied. Results indicate that CMJ?2-XNJ?1 can form membrane structure with excellent performance, and its water based drilling fluid system has excellent flow property, low filter loss and thin cake, strong inhibition, good lubrication, good salt resisting, strong temperature resisting, and anti-contamination and good protection of oil reservoir. The system has no fluorescence and toxicity, it can meet the needs of environmental protection.
Analysis of cause of death among residents in Shennongjia area, Hubei province

Objective To understand the main causes of death and patterns of diseases among population in Shennongjia area, and to provide evidences for prevention and control strategies. Methods Death reports were acquired from information system of China Center of Disease Control and Prevention. All the death reports of Shenlongjia residences were categorized and coded according to International Classification of Disease 10(ICD 10). Deathreg2005 was applied to analyze crude mortality, standardized mortality and constitution of death. χ2is used to analyze the statistic differences and P0.05 would be considered as statistical significant. Results In 2013, the rude mortality rate was 570.05/100, 000 and the standardized mortality rate was 414.37/100, 000. Cancers, cerebrovascular diseases, injuries, heart diseases and respiratory diseases were the top five causes of death. The mortality rates of these diseases were 111.75/100, 000, 95.43/100, 000, 85.38/100, 000, 72.83/100, 000, and 72.83/100, 000 respectively. These five diseases counted respectively 19.60%, 16.74%, 14.98%, 12.78%, and 12.78% of the total death. Conclusions Non-communicable diseases and injuries, which were the main causes of death in Shennongjia, were already the burden and major public health issues for this area.
Delay-Predictability Tradeoffs in Reaching a Secret Goal

We formulate a model of sequential decision-making, dubbed the Goal Prediction game, to study the extent to which an overseeing adversary can predict the final goal of an agent who tries to reach that goal quickly, through a sequence of intermediate actions. Our formulation is motivated by the increasing ubiquity of large-scale surveillance and data collection infrastructures, which can be used to predict an agent's intentions and future actions, despite the agent's desire for privacy.Our main result shows that with a carefully chosen strategy, the predictability of the agent's goal can be made inversely proportional to the time she is willing to spend in reaching it, and that this is essentially the best possible. Moreover, this characterization depends on the topology of the agent's state space only through its diameter.