cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Improved approximations for the Steiner tree problem

For a set S contained in a metric space, a Steiner tree of S is a tree that connects the points in S. Finding a minimum cost Steiner tree is an NP-hard problem in euclidean and rectilinear metrics as well as in graphs. We give an approximation algorithm and show that the worst-case ratio of the cost of our solutions to the optimal cost is better than previously known ratios in graphs, and in rectilinear metric on the plane. Our method offers a trade-off between the running time and the ratio; on one hand it always allows to improve the ratio, on the other it allows to obtain previously known ratios with much greater efficiency. We use properties of optimal rectilinear Steiner trees to obtain significantly better ratio and running time in rectilinear metric.
2-D Axisymmetric Finite Difference Modeling of Thermistor Probe Heating on the Kidney

Developing a means of determining whether or not there is adequate perfusion in a newly transplanted kidney is the impetus for this study. The concept analyzed is that of a self-heating thermistor probe located between the kidney and the adjacent body tissue, inserted during the transplant procedure. When appropriate perfusion is present in the kidney, more heat will be dissipated in the organ tissue than when perfusion is insufficient for transplant success. If the heat dissipation for a given probe temperature above the bulk tissue is monitored, this might be able to be used as an indicator of procedural success or failure. To assess the sensitivity of this approach a numerical model has been developed and is reported here. An axisymmetric two-dimensional finite-difference formulation is used. Results are shown using typical values of properties for perfused and non-perfused tissue. The sensitivity of the approach to these properties indicates the type of accuracy that will be required in the clinical application of the technique.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Lithium enhances accumulation of [3H]inositol radioactivity and mass of second messenger inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate in monkey cerebral cortex slices.

: We previously reported that lithium, in the presence of acetylcholine, increased accumulations of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate in brain cortex slices from the guinea pig, rabbit, rat, and mouse. In the mouse and rat, the Li+-induced increases required supplementation of the medium with inositol. This probably relates to the following facts: (a) Brain cortices of the mouse and rat contain in vivo concentrations of inositol half of that of the guinea pig. (b) Incubated rat brain cortex slices are depleted of inositol by 80%. (c) The slices require 10 mM inositol supplementation to restore in vivo concentrations. We now show that in monkey brain cortex slices, therapeutic concentrations of Li+ increase accumulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate. The inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate level is not increased. Neither inositol nor an agonist is required. The same effects are seen whether inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate is quantified by the [3H]inositol prelabeling technique or by mass assay, although mass includes a pool of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate that is metabolically inactive. Thus, in a therapeutically relevant model for humans, Li+ increases inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate levels in brain cortex slices, as was previously seen in lower mammals at non-rate-limiting concentrations of inositol.
Dimensionally stable materials for space interferometers

Future NASA missions in astrophysics, Earth observation, and solar system exploration that require optical communication, optical and infrared imaging, or high precision astrometric measurements impose very stringent demands for the dimensional stability of precision structures and science instrument components. The objective of this paper is to identify the major mechanisms that influence the dimensional behavior of common optomechanical materials, to identify the mechanisms that are important for the proposed missions with critical dimensional stability requirements, and to compare the mission requirements with state-of-the- art material and measurement technologies. This paper discusses the tradeoffs of passive vs. active means of achieving the dimensional stability requirements. The reduction of power consumption and mass, the reliability improvements as a function of the dimensional stability of the structural materials for a typical interferometer are calculated.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Analytic invariants and the Schwarz-Pick inequality

We find numerical analytic invariants distinguishing between the infinite dimensional analogues of the classical Cartan domains of different type. Further, we define an invariant Hermitian metric on the classical bounded symmetric domains and certain infinite dimensional analogues and show that of all such metrics this is the only one (up to a constant multiple) which yields the best constant in the Schwarz-Pick inequality.
Data-driven batch scheduling

In this paper, we develop data-driven strategies for batch computing schedulers. Current CPU-centric batch schedulers ignore the data needs within workloads and execute them by linking them transparently and directly to their needed data. When scheduled on remote computational resources, this elegant solution of direct data access can incur an order of magnitude performance penalty for data-intensive workloads. Adding data-awareness to batch schedulers allows a careful coordination of data and CPU allocation thereby reducing the cost of remote execution. We offer here new techniques by which batch schedulers can become data-driven. Such systems can use our analytical predictive models to select one of the four data-driven scheduling policies that we have created. Through simulation, we demonstrate the accuracy of our predictive models and show how they can reduce time to completion for some workloads by as much as 80%.
Accounting For Alignment Uncertainty in Phylogenomics

Uncertainty in multiple sequence alignments has a large impact on phylogenetic analyses. Little has been done to evaluate the quality of individual positions in protein sequence alignments, which directly impact the accuracy of phylogenetic trees. Here we describe ZORRO, a probabilistic masking program that accounts for alignment uncertainty by assigning confidence scores to each alignment position. Using the BALIBASE database and in simulation studies, we demonstrate that masking by ZORRO significantly reduces the alignment uncertainty and improves the tree accuracy.
Combined descriptive and explanatory information improves peers' perceptions of autism.

Abstract Authors examined the combined effects of descriptive and explanatory information on peers’ perceptions and behavioral intentions toward an unfamiliar child with autism. Children (N=576; M age=10.06 years) were randomly assigned to view two videotapes of a boy engaging in typical and autistic behaviors receiving either descriptive (AUT-D) or descriptive and explanatory information (AUT-D+E). Children responded to measures of attitudes (Adjective Checklist) and behavioral intentions (Shared Activities Questionnaire). Children rated the typical boy more favorably than the boy showing autistic symptoms. When compared to descriptive information alone, the combination of descriptive and explanatory information resulted in improved third- and fourth-graders’ but not fifth-graders’ attitudes toward the child with autism. Combined information improved behavioral intentions across grades; however, girls (vs. boys) were more responsive to information as evidenced by differences in academic intentions. The combination of descriptive and explanatory information about autism appears to have a positive effect on children’s attitudes and behavioral intentions. Implications of the findings are briefly discussed as well as study limitations and recommendations for future research.
Detection of Transplant Rejection Chemokine Protein Biomarker in Physiological Salt Concentration

Monokine induced by interferon gamma (MIG) is an important biomarker for early monitoring of transplant rejection. This letter presents a novel technique for detecting human MIG by using immunologically-modified field effect transistors. Detection of MIG with anti-MIG antibody in high concentration phosphate buffer saline solution was achieved for the first time. To provide specific MIG detection capability, anti-MIG IgG molecular affinity interface receptors were formed on a short self-assembled monolayer on a floating gold sensing gate of a biochemically modified AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor device.
Hospice care: current status and future prospects

Abstract Hospices address the total needs of terminally ill persons and their families through sensitive, relevant, rational, and empathic care. Hospices are both very old and very new. Known since medieval times, hospices again became prominent in the 1960s in England and came to North America in the 1970s. Home care is an important goal of the hospice concept, but inpatient care can be provided through three different types of hospices: the free-standing unit, the specialized unit within the general hospital, and the interdisciplinary hospice consulting team. In this paper, we summarize the principles of the hospice and discuss its current status.
Fixation of ejaculated spermatozoa for electron microscopy.

EJACULATED spermatozoa cannot be preserved satisfactorily by conventional fixation procedures for electron microscopy. Osmium tetroxide (OsO4) fixation of crude ejaculate consistently produces a variety of artefacts such as separation of the plasma membrane from the acrosome, widening of nuclear vacuoles, erosion of the acrosome, and swelling of mitochondria1–3. These alterations could be the consequence of the rapid destruction of the fixative by the proteins of the seminal plasma. Similar results are obtained whenever the semen is washed either in salt solutions3,4 or in other media5–7 before osmium tetroxide fixation. In these cases, the structural alterations of the sperm are probably caused by osmotic imbalances. Fixation with glutaraldehyde is also unsuccessful in that it is associated with the typical artefacts of this fixative (our unpublished work).
The impact of an antireflux catheter on target volume particulate distribution in liver-directed embolotherapy: a pilot study.

Abstract Purpose To determine if there are differences in hepatic distribution of embolic particles following infusion with a standard end-hole catheter versus an antireflux microcatheter. Materials and Methods This prospective study included nine patients (age, 48–86 y) enrolled for treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (n = 6), liver-dominant metastatic disease (n = 2), or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 1) with resin yttrium-90 ( 90 Y) microspheres. Before 90 Y treatment, each patient received two same-day sequential lobar infusions of technetium 99m ( 99m Tc) macroaggregated albumin (MAA) via a conventional end-hole catheter and an antireflux microcatheter positioned at the same location. Differences in technetium 99m–MAA distribution within tumor and nontarget sites were evaluated by single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) on a qualitative and semiquantitative basis. The antireflux microcatheter was used for the ensuing 90 Y treatment, with posttreatment 90 Y positron emission tomography/computed tomography to assess distribution of 90 Y microspheres. Results Decreases in hepatic nontarget embolization were found in all patients when the antireflux catheter was used. These decreases ranged from a factor of 0.11 to a factor of 0.76 (mean, 0.42; σ = 0.19), representing a 24%–89% reduction. Increased tumor deposition was also noted in all patients, ranging from a factor of 1.33 to a factor of 1.90 (mean, 1.68; σ = 0.20), representing a relative increase of 33%–90%. Both findings were statistically significant ( P Conclusions Although this pilot study identified differences in the downstream distribution of embolic particles when the antireflux catheter was used, further investigation is needed to determine if these findings are reproducible in a larger patient cohort and, if so, whether they are associated with any clinical impact.
InfoPlanet: Visualizing a semantic web to improve search results through exploration and discovery

InfoPlanet visualizes a semantic web that results from users searching on a specific term. This technique helps people explore a dictionary of semantic relationships and discover a set of terms related to their search term. The objectives of the project include the adaptation of suitable ontology to support modeling of general concepts on the web and make those concepts suitable for visual display, the storage and retrieval of those interactively updated concepts based on semantic analytics, and the design of an optimized user interface that enables serendipity and exploration of search terms. It derives ontological and knowledge base information from a lexical database and a commonsense reasoning system, and integrates its own rules to store interconnected concepts. These concepts can be retrieved interactively to a meta-search module to provide interpretation of what the user is looking for and prediction of what the user might be interested in. It also collects user interaction data and gradually learns the semantic relationships among interconnected concepts. Semantic search involves contextual meaning of words and complex motivations of web users, and thus constantly needs verification or clarification from users. Visualization of search query may help to minimize users' effort in such a process. Using InfoPlanet makes searches more effective and enhances the knowledge base of InfoPlanet through successful searches. The project addresses the challenges of designing an intuitive, exploratory tool for web search.
Analysis of noise properties of a class of exact methods of inverting the 2-D exponential radon transform [SPECT application]

A general approach that the authors proposed elsewhere reveals the intrinsic relationship among methods for inversion of the 2-D exponential Radon transform described by Bellini et al. (1979), by Tretiak and Metz (1980), by Hawkins et al. (1988), and by Inouye et al. (1989). Moreover, the authors' approach provides an infinite class of linear methods for inverting the 2-D exponential Radon transform. In the work reported here, the authors systematically investigated the noise characteristics of the methods in this class, obtaining analytical forms for the autocovariance and the variance of the images reconstructed by use of various methods. The noise properties of a new "quasi-optimal" method were then compared theoretically to those of other methods of the class. The authors' analysis demonstrates that the quasi-optimal method achieves smaller global variance in the reconstructed images than do the other methods of the class. Extensive numerical simulation studies confirm this prediction.
A Family of Mn16 Single-Molecule Magnets from a Reductive Aggregation Route

The synthesis and magnetic properties of three isostructural hexadecametallic manganese clusters [Mn16O16(OMe)6(O2CCH2Ph)16(MeOH)6] (1), [Mn16O16(OMe)6(O2CCH2Cl)16(MeOH)6] (2), and [Mn16O16(OMe)6(O2CCH2Br)16(MeOH)6] (3) are reported. The complexes were prepared by a reductive aggregation reaction involving phenylacetic acid, chloroacetic acid or bromoacetic acid, and NBun4MnO4 in MeOH. Complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c and consists of 6 MnIV and 10 MnIII ions held together by 14 μ3-O2-, 2 μ-O2-, 4 μ-MeO-, and 2 μ-O2CCH2Ph- groups. The remaining 14 μ-O2CCH2Ph- ligands, 2 μ-MeO- groups, and 6 terminal MeOH molecules constitute the peripheral ligation in the complex. Variable-temperature, solid-state dc magnetic susceptibility measurements on 1−3 in the temperature range 5.0−300 K reveal that all three complexes are dominated by intramolecular antiferromagnetic exchange interactions. Low-lying excited states preclude an exact determination of the spin ground state for 1−3 by magnetiza...
On the training of future neuroscientists: insights from the Grass laboratory.

The understanding of nature is a continuous process that requires the transference of current knowledge to future generations. In this NeuroView, we address the critical issue of training of future scientists, an essential aspect of scientific progress. As an example of the impact training programs can have on shaping future scientists, we focus on the experience of the Grass Laboratory, which provides early career investigators the opportunity to embark on independent research experiences. This uniquely designed program has contributed enormously to fostering the development of neuroscientists in the past 60 years and has left a recognizable mark on 20 th and 21 st century neuroscience research.
Radiation-induced defect formation and reactivity of model TiO2 capping layers with MMA: a comparison with Ru

Our goal is to provide insights into surface processes that affect the reflectivity and lifetimes of TiO 2 and Ru-capped multilayer mirrors used in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Several surface-sensitive ultrahigh-vacuum techniques are used to characterize thermally-induced and electron-induced surface reactions of methyl methacrylate (MMA), a model for hydrocarbons found in EUV lithography vacuum chambers; low-energy electron beams are used to mimic excitations initiated by EUV radiation. Carbon film growth is measured on TiO 2 surfaces during electron bombardment (at 20 eV and 100 eV) in MMA vapor; C growth rates are compared on Ru surfaces. The initial rates on the clean surfaces are very different: a C film grows more rapidly on TiO 2 than on Ru. However, the limiting growth rates are the same for C thicknesses greater than ~1 to 1.5 nm, when MMA interacts with a C film. Irradiation of the C films in O 2 gas, or in MMA + O 2 , has a mitigating effect on TiO 2 surfaces.
Airway Protective Mechanisms

Cough and swallow are highly coordinated reflex behaviors whose common purpose is to protect the airway. The pharynx is the common tube for air and food/liquid movement from the mouth into the thorax, has been largely overlooked, and is potentially seen as just a passive space. The thyropharyngeus muscle responds to cough inducing stimuli to prepare a transient holding area for material that has been removed from the subglottic airway. The cricopharyngeus muscle participates with the larynx to ensure regulation of pressure when a bolus/air is moving from the upper airway through to the thorax (i.e., inspiration or swallow) or the reverse (i.e., expiration reflex or vomiting). These vital mechanisms have not been evaluated in clinical conditions but could be impaired in many neurodegenerative diseases, leading to aspiration pneumonia. These newly described airway protective mechanisms need further study, especially in healthy and pathologic human populations.
Estrous Behavior and Ovarian Activity in Prepuberal and Postpuberal Dairy Heifers

Abstract The reproductive tracts of 53 Holstein heifers were examined per rectum twice weekly beginning at least 30 days before the first ovulation and continuing until ten days after the third ovulation, to determine pre- and postpuberal ovarian activity. The heifers were observed twice daily for estrus. The mean interval from birth to first ovulation was 42.3 weeks and from first to second ovulation and second to third, 20 days. The first ovulation was accompanied by silent estrus in 74% of the heifers. The occurrence of silent estrus declined to 43% at the second ovulation and to 21% at third ovulation. These differences were highly significant (P Normal corpora lutea occurred during 79.9% of the cycles, cystic corpora lutea during 12.6%, cystic follicles during 2.5%, and anovulation during 5%. The occurrence of anovulation was significantly greater at first estrus than at subsequent estrous periods (P
A discordant-sibship test for disequilibrium and linkage : No need for parental data

The sibship disequilibrium test (SDT) is designed to detect both linkage in the presence of association and association in the presence of linkage (linkage disequilibrium). The test does not require parental data but requires discordant sibships with at least one affected and one unaffected sibling. The SDT has many desirable properties: it uses all the siblings in the sibship; it remains valid if there are misclassifications of the affectation status; it does not detect spurious associations due to population stratification; asymptotically it has a chi2 distribution under the null hypothesis; and exact P values can be easily computed for a biallelic marker. We show how to extend the SDT to markers with multiple alleles and how to combine families with parents and data from discordant sibships. We discuss the power of the test by presenting sample-size calculations involving a complex disease model, and we present formulas for the asymptotic relative efficiency (which is approximately the ratio of sample sizes) between SDT and the transmission/disequilibrium test (TDT) for special family structures. For sib pairs, we compare the SDT to a test proposed both by Curtis and, independently, by Spielman and Ewens. We show that, for discordant sib pairs, the SDT has good power for testing linkage disequilibrium relative both to Curtis's tests and to the TDT using trios comprising an affected sib and its parents. With additional sibs, we show that the SDT can be more powerful than the TDT for testing linkage disequilibrium, especially for disease prevalence >.3.
Radix-16 Evaluation of Certain Elementary Functions

This paper describes a family of algorithms for evaluation of a class of elementary functions including division, logarithms, and exponentials. The main objective is to demonstrate the feasibility of higher radix implementations, in particular, radix 16, and to compare performance with radix 2. The emphasis is not on optimality of a single algorithm, but rather on the optimality of a class of algorithms. An attempt to implement a much wider class of functions than is presently done in arithmetic units is encouraged by the current level of digital technology and the existence of suitable algorithms. Besides the definitions of the algorithms, which are based on continued products and continued sums, details related to implementation are discussed.
Distribution of Myosin Heavy Chain (MHC) Isoforms in Tracheal Smooth Muscle From Preterm And Newborn Lambs. • 1822

Distribution of Myosin Heavy Chain (MHC) Isoforms in Tracheal Smooth Muscle From Preterm And Newborn Lambs. • 1822
Beyond the Federal Depository Library Program: Providing Access to Information From a Reinvented Government

Abstract The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), conceived in the nineteenth century, has served the American people and libraries for 100 years. It has provided free access to government information through a network of depository libraries distributed throughout the country. Currently, Democratic and Republican political leaders advocate reinventing, rethinking, reengineering, and renewing government. Despite significant differences between the political parties on specific changes, there is a consensus vision of a transformed or reinvented national government. What does this mean for the FDLP and access to government information? This essay looks beyond the current debates about specific legislation on the Government Printing Office or funding levels for the FDLP and outlines a vision of a reinvented federal government based on ideas expressed by Alvin and Heidi Toffler, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and Vice President Al Gore. This paper identifies the basic challenges that their ideas present for the FDLP and depository libraries. The author concludes that these challenges will move the United States beyond the FDLP as it is presently constituted and will force librarians to rethink fundamentally how they provide access to government information.
Tailored circular Bragg phenomena in TiO2 sculptured thin films through post-deposition processing

Chiral sculptured thin films (STFs) of TiO 2 deposited by the serial bi-deposition method can be modified post-deposition to tailor the circular Bragg phenomenon which occurs due to their periodic helical morphology. This post-deposition tailoring is accomplished through annealing and/or wet chemical etching. Annealing of the chiral STF in spectral-hole-filters (SHFs) transforms the material structure from non-crystalline to an anatase structure which is more stable and provides better optical performance. The transformation causes a blue-shift of the circular Bragg phenomenon (CBP) which is quantified and correlated with material properties. Further annealing causes a significant change in morphology, which resembles a "string of pearls", and may be the cause of a loss of transmission. Wet chemical etching is also capable of blue-shifting the Bragg regime of a non-crystalline SHF, while having very little effect on a crystalline SHF. The spectral shift of the Bragg regime is limited by the ability of the nanowires, of which the STFs are composed, to remain attached to the substrate. Wet chemical etching and annealing can be used in combination to allow more control of post-deposition processing.
AC conductivity of Na-βAℓ2O3 from 102 Hz to 1011 Hz and from 0.02K to 600K: A generalized treatment

Abstract The extensive dielectric response data for Na-βAlumina are interpreted in terms of a generalized distribution of glass-like two-level structural states (TLS). These glass-like states exist due to the inherent topological disorder of the Na ions in the diffusing planes of Na-βAlumina. AC conductivity probes this distribution directly through resonant or relaxation absorption of radiation, or indirectly through the coupling of Na ion motion (hopping), via the infrared divergence mechanism, to the ensemble of two-level states.
A Note on State Minimization of Asynchronous Sequential Functions

A procedure is described for minimizing the number of states in an asynchronous sequential function when the restriction exists that the input cannot change while the sequential function is in an unstable state. Furthermore, a procedure is described for minimizing the number of states in a sequential function when the restriction also exists that each output can change at most once during the time required for a transition from one stable state to another.
Prospective Pathologic Analysis of Female Cystectomy Specimens: Risk Factors for Orthotopic Diversion in Women

Objectives. To prospectively evaluate our previously established pathologic risk factors in women undergoing cystectomy for bladder cancer and to determine if these criteria identify appropriate female candidates for orthotopic diversion. Methods. Prospective pathologic evaluation was performed on 71 consecutive female cystectomy specimens removed for primary transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. The histologic grade, pathologic stage, presence of carcinoma in situ, number, and location of tumors were determined. In addition, final pathologic analysis of the bladder neck and proximal urethra was performed and compared with the intraoperative frozen-section analysis of the distal margin (proximal urethra). Results. Tumor at the bladder neck and proximal urethra was seen in 14 (19%) and 5 (7%) cystectomy specimens, respectively. Bladder neck tumor involvement was found to be the most significant risk factor for tumor involving the urethra (P <0.001). All patients with urethral tumors demonstrated concomitant bladder neck tumors. However, more than 60% of patients with bladder neck tumors had a normal (tumor-free) proximal urethra. Furthermore, no patient with a normal bladder neck demonstrated tumor involvement of the urethra. Intraoperative frozen-section analysis of the distal surgical margin was performed on 47 patients: 45 without evidence of tumor and 2 patients with urethral tumor involvement. In all cases, the intraoperative frozen-section analysis was correctly confirmed by final permanent section. Conclusions. We prospectively demonstrate that bladder neck tumor involvement is a significant risk factor for urethral tumor involvement in women. However, despite bladder neck tumor involvement, a number of women undergoing cystectomy for bladder cancer have a normal urethra and may be candidates for orthotopic diversion. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that intraoperative frozen-section analysis of the distal surgical margin accurately and reliably evaluates the proximal urethra and currently determines which patients undergo orthotopic diversion at our institution.
Framing the telephone interview as a participant-centred tool for qualitative research: a methodological discussion:

This paper discusses telephone interviewing as a qualitative research method and defines qualitative telephone interviews as participant-centered. In a research project which consisted of internet ...
Merope tuber Newman (Mecoptera: Meropeidae) Collected in Association with Carrion in Greene County, Ohio, USA: An Infrequent Collection of an Elusive Species

Collections of the earwigfly, Merope tuber Newman (Mecoptera: Meropeidae), have been sparse. Little is known about the life history, behavior or ecology of this elusive mecopteran species. Found only in North America, within eastern forests, increased trapping records have recently demonstrated a previously undetected western expansion for this species. This paper is the first documentation of M. tuber on carrion and in Greene County, Ohio, USA and the second record of specimens collected in western Ohio. Four specimens (two males and two females) were caught using glue traps during Aug. 2010 at a carrion resource, a first trapping occurrence of this type for M. tuber.
Multidepth imaging by chromatic dispersion confocal microscopy

Confocal microscopy has shown potential as an imaging technique to detect precancer. Imaging cellular features throughout the depth of epithelial tissue may provide useful information for diagnosis. However, the current in vivo axial scanning techniques for confocal microscopy are cumbersome, time-consuming, and restrictive when attempting to reconstruct volumetric images acquired in breathing patients. Chromatic dispersion confocal microscopy (CDCM) exploits severe longitudinal chromatic aberration in the system to axially disperse light from a broadband source and, ultimately, spectrally encode high resolution images along the depth of the object. Hyperchromat lenses are designed to have severe and linear longitudinal chromatic aberration, but have not yet been used in confocal microscopy. We use a hyperchromat lens in a stage scanning confocal microscope to demonstrate the capability to simultaneously capture information at multiple depths without mechanical scanning. A photonic crystal fiber pumped with a 830nm wavelength Ti:Sapphire laser was used as a supercontinuum source, and a spectrometer was used as the detector. The chromatic aberration and magnification in the system give a focal shift of 140μm after the objective lens and an axial resolution of 5.2-7.6μm over the wavelength range from 585nm to 830nm. A 400x400x140μm 3 volume of pig cheek epithelium was imaged in a single X-Y scan. Nuclei can be seen at several depths within the epithelium. The capability of this technique to achieve simultaneous high resolution confocal imaging at multiple depths may reduce imaging time and motion artifacts and enable volumetric reconstruction of in vivo confocal images of the epithelium.
Emergency Planning in the Urban-Wildland Interface: Subdivision-Level Analysis of Wildfire Evacuations

This project was motivated by recent research that has advocated the need for a better understanding of and planning for evacuations of residential subdivisions under threat from wildfires. Prior work has suggested that the density of housing units and ineffective evacuation routing and egress may have contributed to fatalities in subdivisions in which residents were unable to evacuate when the need arose. To evaluate the effects of development density and street network layout, this study utilized simulation to represent and evaluate various evacuation scenarios at the neighborhood level under ranges of housing density and threat urgency. The results of this study illustrate the relationships between the traffic that can be accommodated by a roadway network; the location and number of egress points; and the time during which vehicles enter and exit the network. Most significantly, it showed how changes in traffic volume need to be accompanied by corresponding increases or decreases in time and/or egress capacity to move evacuees out of the threat zone. Similarly, changes in the network (i.e., adding and/or modifying the location of exits) were also shown to significantly decrease evacuation clearance times and increase the total exiting traffic.
First report of severe hemocytopenia and immunodepression in the sunray venus clam, Macrocallista nimbosa, a potential new aquaculture species in Florida

Abstract The Florida cultured hard clam industry has drastically increased over the past thirty years but is built upon a single species. In order to increase economic stability and growth of the industry, the sunray venus clam, Macrocallista nimbosa , is now being evaluated as a potential new aquaculture species. Very little is known about the physiological characteristics of this species. It is important to investigate the sunray venus clam's physiology, to predict its susceptibility to environmental variations, pathogens or pollutions. The objective of this study was to characterize the hemocytes in adult sunray venus clams, using flow cytometry. The present work led to the discovery of severe immunodepression in M. nimbosa from Florida. Immunodepressed individuals accounted for about 17% of clams and displayed a drastic loss of circulating hemocytes (hemocytopenia) as well as no immune capacity. Immunodepression was thought as resulting from a recent infection. Although immunodepressed individuals were not dying, severe immunosuppression may constitute a serious threat to the ability of sunray venus clams to cope with environmental or pathogenic stresses. Due to its current evaluation as a potential new aquaculture species in Florida, further investigations are necessary to determine the etiological agent and the impact on sunray venus clam populations.
A method for the isolation of rat submandibular salivary gland polysomes on linear sucrose density gradients

Abstract A procedure for isolating rat submandibular salivary gland polysomes on sucrose density gradients has been described. Electron micrographs of the gland revealed the existence of a very well-developed system of membranebound ribosomes. These morphological findings dictated the use of vigorous homogenization of tissue, a detergent, and low g-forces during tissue fractionation procedures for maximal recovery of this cellular organelle. The methodology allowed for the isolation of polysomes susceptable to RNase degradation and able to incorporate labeled amino acids into protein in a cell-free system.
Remuneration and recidivism: The long-term impact of unemployment compensation on ex-offenders

The relationship between unemployment and crime is the subject of research and debate. We present evidence that suggests that recidivism among ex-offenders can be reduced by providing unemployment compensation available immediately after their release from prison. A California program made such benefits—transitional aid—available during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Using a 5-year follow-up and a failure-time model, we show how recidivism among an eligible group was consistently lower over those 5 years than for an ineligible group.
Kinetics of inhibition of foliar gas exchange by exogenous ethylene: an ultrasensitive response

summary The objective of this study was to examine the inhibition of foliar gas exchange as a function of ethylene (C2H4) concentration in order to evaluate the potential role of stress C2H, in mediating changes in gas exchange in response to environmental stress. Net photosynthesis (PN) and stomatal conductance to H2O vapour (gs H2o) were measured in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr cv. Davis) seedings after a 4 h exposure to one of a range of exogenous C2H4 concentration (0–20μII−1)in a controlled environment system. Declines in both Ps and gs H2O shifted from first-order (liner decline) to zero-order (saturation response) with increasing C2H4 concentration. The response of gs H2O to C2H4, was more pronounced than the response of Ps, with maximal declines for gs H2O of 32–48%, and half-maximal response at 0.15μII−1. Corresponding parameters for PN were 18–29%, inhibition and half-maximal response at 0–35μII−1. Both response curves were similar to those documented for C2H4, binding and for hormonally mediated C2H4 actions. Kinetic analysis of the saturation patterns by the Hill equation showed both responses to be ultrasensitive, i.e. they provide a relatively large change in gas exchange for a small change in C2H4 concentration. Based on this ultrasensitivity, we propose that endogenous stress C2H4 mediates some of the responsiveness of gas exchange to environmental stresses of natural and anthropogenic origin.
Sleep, sleep-dependent procedural learning and vigilance in chronic cocaine users: Evidence for occult insomnia.

Abstract Sleep disturbance has been implicated in cocaine use; however, the nature of the disturbance and its potential effects on cognition and learning are largely unknown. Twelve chronic cocaine users completed a 23-day inpatient study that included randomized, placebo-controlled, cocaine self-administration sessions. Six subjects received cocaine on each of days 4–6 and placebo on days 18–20, the other six received cocaine on each of days 18–20 and placebo on days 4–6. Sleep was measured by polysomnography, the Nightcap ® sleep monitor, and self-reported measures. Simple and vigilance reaction times were measured daily; a motor-sequence test of procedural learning was administered four times. Electrophysiological measures of sleep showed a different pattern than self-reported sleep across cocaine administration and abstinence: total sleep time and sleep latency were at their worst by 14–17 days of abstinence while self-reported sleep was at its best. Vigilance correlated positively with electrophysiologically measured sleep and negatively with self-reported measures. Similarly, sleep-dependent procedural learning correlated with total sleep time and was impaired at 17 days abstinence relative to 2- and 3-days abstinence. Slow-wave activity was lowest at days 4–9 of abstinence and highest during use and days 10–17 of abstinence. With sustained abstinence, chronic cocaine users exhibit decreased sleep, impaired vigilance and sleep-dependent procedural learning, and spectral activity suggestive of chronic insomnia. However, they report subjectively improving sleep, indicating they are unaware of this “occult” insomnia. These results suggest the possibility of homeostatic sleep drive dysregulation in chronic cocaine users.
Vertical Competition, Horizontal Competition, and Mobile Capital An Empirical Investigation

American states and localities levy several taxes on business capital. Vertical tax competition arises as a state and its local governments tax a common base, while horizontal competition takes pla...
Microvariations in Harmony and Value-Relativized Parametrization.

This paper explores a parametric delimitation of the space of possible harmony patterns with respect to the class of feature-values that are visible. Extending the framework of Calabrese (1995), the proposal is that alternating morphemes that are searching for a harmonic value may have access toall-values, only asingle-value, or thecontrastivevalues of the harmonic feature. Two cases of microvariation are explored: [ATR] vowel harmony in Standard Yoruba vs. Ife Yoruba, which reduces to the setting of the relativization-value toallvs.contrastive, and vowel-consonant interactions mediated by [high] harmony in Sanjiazi Manchu vs. Sibe, which reduces to the parametric setting ofcontrastivevs.single-value.
Norms, preferences, and conditional behavior:

This article addresses several issues raised by Nichols, Gintis, and Skyrms and Zollman in their comments on my book, The Grammar of Society: The Nature and Dynamics of Social Norms. In particular,...
A NAC for Regulating Metabolism: the Nitrogen Assimilation Control Protein (NAC) from Klebsiella pneumoniae

The nitrogen assimilation control protein (NAC) is a LysR-type transcriptional regulator (LTTR) that is made under conditions of nitrogen-limited growth. NAC's synthesis is entirely dependent on phosphorylated NtrC from the two-component Ntr system and requires the unusual sigma factor σ54 for transcription of the nac gene. NAC activates the transcription of σ70-dependent genes whose products provide the cell with ammonia or glutamate. NAC represses genes whose products use ammonia and also represses its own transcription. In addition, NAC also subtly adjusts other cellular functions to keep pace with the supply of biosynthetically available nitrogen.
Modeling and control of crystal shape in continuous protein crystallization

In this work, a continuous crystallization process with a fines trap is modeled in an effort to produce tetragonal hen-egg-white (HEW) lysozyme crystals with a desired shape distribution. The crystal shape of tetragonal lysozyme crystals is defined by the aspect ratio of the crystal heights in the direction of the (110) and (101) faces. A kinetic Monte Carlo (kMC) simulation is used to model the crystal nucleation, growth, and dissolution through a fines trap in a continuous crystallization process. Specifically, the crystal growth processes are simulated through adsorption, desorption, and migration mechanisms, and the crystal growth rates are calibrated through experimental data (Durbin and Feher, 1986). Additionally, a nucleation rate expression is developed based on the results from an experimental work (Galkin and Vekilov, 2001) to simulate the crystals nucleated at different times. Then, the method of moments is used to approximate the dominant behavior of a population balance equation (PBE) describing the evolution of the crystal volume distribution through the three leading moments. The moment model is used, along with solute mass and energy balance equations, to design a model predictive controller (MPC), which allows for the crystallizer to produce crystals with a desired shape distribution. In the proposed MPC, the jacket temperature is manipulated to appropriately suppress the influence of undesired effects such as process disturbances and measurement noise, while handling significant changes in the set-point value. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a continuous process with a fines trap can produce crystals with a low polydispersity.
An Examination of Life Events as Possible Antecedents to Change

The focus of this paper is on stress events as possible antecedents of stability and change in adulthood. At baseline the life span sample consisted of 52 high school seniors, 50 newlyweds, 54 middle-aged parents, and 60 persons facing retirement. Contacted at three points over a 5-year interval, these men and women were questioned about their emotional experiences and symptomatology. Exposure to stress events during the past year was assessed at the third contact. Repeated measurement analysis of variance statistics indicated that the emotions and symptoms of women were more affected by exposure to stress; men changed more as a function of time than of stress. There was also evidence that psychological characteristics of both sexes may predispose them toward greater or lesser exposure to stress.
Recent US timeshare purchasers: Who are they, what are they buying, and how can they be reached?

Abstract Recent purchasers of timeshare intervals was the focus of this study. Data from a sample composed of 10,224 randomly selected timeshare owners in the US revealed that recent buyers of timeshare are affluent, well educated members of the baby boom generation. They are often repeat purchasers of timeshare and are purchasing intervals for its exchange opportunity and to save money on future vacations. Recent buyers are also growing in sophistication in terms of what they are buying, from whom, and how much they are paying. As the timeshare offering has improved and gained stature among affluent consumers, timeshare owners—and the resorts that service them—will influence the tourism industry well into the 21st century due to their size, discretionary income and growth potential.
Service Delivery Platforms as IT Realization of OMA Service Environment: Service Oriented Architectures for Telecommunications

This paper presents a new definition of service delivery platform based on recent industry standard activities at OMA (open mobile alliance): the OSE (OMA service environment). The proposed blueprint is consistent with NGN (next generation networks) as well as legacy networks. The SDP blueprint discussed in this paper follows SOA (service oriented architecture) principles and basic IT technologies and principles. It clarifies many aspects misunderstood or confused in the telco industry like: How to develop faster and at lower cost competitive telco services; What is SOA for telcos; How do Parlay and IMS relate; How to characterize or implement the IMS service layer; How do IMS, Vanilla SIP and other SIP service deployment relate; What is SCIM and how to implement it; How to accommodate legacy, new and future network technologies; how to achieve true convergence across multiple networks; How to support third party content and service providers, etc. The paper also discusses options to realize a SDP. In particular, it analyzes J2EE readiness for telco deployments, discusses SDP implemented as J2EE realization of OSE. The paper concludes with a recommendation to base SDPs on J2EE middleware and provides some prediction of the evolution of the platform to provide mobile, voice and communications capabilities to enterprises as well as telcos.
Critique of the “Bradley Center Mental Health Assessment Kit” or “Personal Data Kit”

This is a critical evaluation of the method employed by the Bradley Center, Inc., of Columbus, Georgia, to train ministers and general physicians (and more recently public health nurses and social workers) to assess the nature and intensity of parishioners' or patients' emotional problems. It is concluded that the use of the Bradley Center “Personal Data Kit” or “Mental Health Assessment Kit” without an adequate validation study constitutes a potential hazard to the welfare of counselees. Suggestions are made whereby many of the errors and dangers inherent in the kit could be corrected.
Generalized partial feedback based orthogonal space-time block coding

Recently, a full rate orthogonal space-time block code achieving full diversity while preserving low decoding complexity with very limited feedback was proposed. Based on a feedback of only p-1 bits, these codes exhibit a higher coding gain as well. In this work, we propose a low complexity, though close to optimal, feedback selection scheme. Furthermore, we analyze the performance of these codes with arbitrary number of transmit and receive antennas. We show that with this feedback based codes full diversity of nT nRP is obtained. Finally, we provide closed form expressions for the ergodic and outage mutual information as well as error rates.
Large-scale fiber interferometric sensor arrays with multiple optical amplifiers

Many applications require using common input and output fibers to support a large number of interferometric fiber sensors located far from the receiving electronics. Passive multiplexing of sensors is limited by splitting and dissipative losses to approximately 10 sensors per pair of fibers. A large scale array (200-1000 sensors) will thus require 40-200 telemetry fibers, which is unmanageable in practice. We report a novel method for multiplexing hundreds of sensors per pair of fibers, which incorporates fiber amplifiers into a time-domain multiplexed array with a ladder topology.