cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Branding athletes: Exploration and conceptualization of athlete brand image

In this study, the current issues of athlete brand management are discussed and the construct of athlete brand image is conceptualized. A conceptual model of athlete brand image (MABI) is developed incorporating three key dimensions: athletic performance, attractive appearance, and marketable lifestyle. These dimensions are defined by an athlete's on-field characteristics, attractive external appearance, and off-field marketable attributes. This study contributes to the sport branding literature by providing the first comprehensive conceptual framework of athlete brand image and offering managerial implications for building and managing the brand image of individual athletes.
Macrophyte-epiphyte biomass and productivity in an eelgrass (Zostera marina L.) community

The biomass, productivity (14C), and photosynthetic response to light and temperature of eelgrass, Zostera marina L. and its epiphytes was measured in a shallow estuarine system near Beaufort, North Carolina, during 1974. The maximum of the biomass (above-ground) was measured in March; this was followed by a general decline throughout the rest of the year. The average biomass was 105.0 g dry wt m−2; 80.3 g dry wt m−2 was eelgrass and 24.7 g dry wt m−2 was epiphytes. The productivity of eelgrass averaged 0.88 mg C g−1 h−1 which was similar to that of the epiphytes, 0.65 mg C g−1 h−1. Eelgrass and epiphyte productivity was low during the spring and early summer, gave a maximum during late summer and fall, and declined during the winter; this progression was probably due to environmental factors associated with tidal heights. On an areal basis, the average annual productivity was 0.9 g C m−2 day−1 for eelgrass and 0.2 g C m−2 day−1 for the epiphytes. Rates of photosynthesis of both eelgrass and epiphytes increased with increasing temperature to an asymptotic value at which the system was light saturated. Both eelgrass and epiphytes had a temperature optimum of < 29 °C. A negative response to higher temperatures was also reflected in biomass measurements which showed the destruction of eelgrass with increasing summer temperatures. The data suggest that the primary productivity cycles of macrophytes and epiphytes are closely interrelated.
Hallmarks of radiation carcinogenesis: ignored concepts

Abstract The research challenge in radiobiology is to determine the biological and health effects of low-level acute and chronic low-level ionizing radiation effects. The public's perception is that “any” radiation is ultimately going to “cause” bad health effects. Clearly, the scientific view is that any demonstrated health effect (e.g., birth defects and cancer) must have an underlying biological effect consisting of either a measurable molecular, biochemical or cellular consequence. However, not all measurable molecular, biochemical or cellular events need to lead to a health effect. DNA damage has been the primary focus of radiation targets, with either cell death (primarily, necrosis) or mutations (gene and chromosomal) as being the cellular consequence. In addition, mutagenesis of genes (oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and DNA repair genes) has been assumed to play the major process in health consequences such as radiation-induced birth defects and cancer. To complicate the interpretation of low-level radiation exposure is the unresolved issue of “thresholds or non-thresholds” for both molecular and cellular biological and health effects. The lack of experimental and epidemiological data on low-level radiation and controversies related to no-threshold, linear dose responses and concepts of the “bystander effect”, adaptive response and genomic instability will be discussed.
Improving adolescent sexual risk assessment with event history calendars: a feasibility study.

Abstract Introduction Nurses assess adolescent sexual risk to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. However, barriers to sexual risk assessment include lack of time and adolescent-friendly services. The purpose of this feasibility study is to evaluate the clinical utility and feasibility of using an Event History Calendar (EHC) for sexual risk assessment. Method Latina females aged 15 to 19 years (n = 30) completed an adolescent risk assessment EHC, reviewed it with a nurse, and reported their perceptions of the EHC. Two nurse practitioners used the EHCs to identify the adolescent’s risk behavior and reported their perceptions of EHC risk assessment and communication. Results Descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis indicated the EHC is a time-efficient, adolescent-friendly risk assessment tool that facilitates identification and discussion of sexual risk and co-morbid risk behaviors. Discussion Although larger scale evaluation of the EHC is needed, it is useful for improving adolescent risk assessment and communication.
A lower estimate for the achromatic number of irreducible graphs

The achromatic number of a graph is the largest number of independent sets its vertex set can be split into in such a way that the union of any two of these sets is not independent. A graph is irreducible if no two vertices have the same neighborhood. The achromatic number of an irreducible graph with n vertices is shown to be >=(12-0(1))logn@?log logn, while an example of Erdos shows that it need not be log n/log 2+2 for any n. The proof uses an indiscernibility argument.
Data management for large community trials in Nepal

The current accessibility and sophistication of hardware and software has made it possible to design high-quality data management systems for community-based trials in resource-poor environments. We designed, implemented, and operated an effective data management system for the Nepal Nutrition Intervention Project Sarlahi (NNIPS), a placebo-controlled community trial to assess the impact of vitamin A supplementation on the preschool mortality of 38,000 children in the Sarlahi district of Nepal. A data center was established in Kathmandu, approximately 8 hr drive from the study area. The trial is now completed and over 200,000 forms have been processed. The majority of potential data discrepancies were identified and corrected by field workers during the interviews. Supervisors and forms editors located at the field office corrected most data errors. Once forms reach Kathmandu, the average number of data entry errors was 3.1 per 10,000 keystrokes for the eight data entry operators employed during the study. Extensive computerized checking of data during data entry found out-of-range, missing, or inconsistent data in only 1% of forms. Timely analysis of field worker performance provided ongoing feedback to supervisors and analysis for the Data Safety and Monitoring Committee, and for publication of results.
The Epidemiology of Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea is a chronic condition characterized by frequent episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep. Its effect on nocturnal sleep quality and ensuing daytime fatigue and sleepiness are widely acknowledged. Increasingly, obstructive sleep apnea is also being recognized as an independent risk factor for several clinical consequences, including systemic hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and abnormal glucose metabolism. Estimates of disease prevalence are in the range of 3% to 7%, with certain subgroups of the population bearing higher risk. Factors that increase vulnerability for the disorder include age, male sex, obesity, family history, menopause, craniofacial abnormalities, and certain health behaviors such as cigarette smoking and alcohol use. Despite the numerous advancements in our understanding of the pathogenesis and clinical consequences of the disorder, a majority of those affected remain undiagnosed. Simple queries of the patient or bed-partner for the symptoms and signs of the disorder, namely, loud snoring, observed apneas, and daytime sleepiness, would help identify those in need of further diagnostic evaluation. The primary objective of this article is to review some of the epidemiologic aspects of obstructive sleep apnea in adults.
Modeling of Ultrashort Pulse-Train Laser Heating of Metal Films

Recently, a new laser micromachining technique using multiple ultrashort pulses with a picosecond-to-nanosecond separation as a train group has demonstrated some promising application potential, which also has high scientific merits in micro-/nano-scale ultrafast energy transport. However, the underlying physics of this technique remain poorly understood. In this study, the improved two-temperature model recently developed by the authors is used to analyze the pulse train technology, in which the full-run quantum treatments are used to calculate the significantly varying properties, including the electron heat capacity, electron relaxation time, electron conductivity, reflectivity, and absorption coefficient. This paper reports the effects of the pulse number per train, pulse separation, and repetition rate. Results from the present study have demonstrated that 1) it can increase the photon efficiency and further reduces the heat-affected zone; 2) the number of bursts required for melting decreases with the repetition rate, but at tens of MHz or higher, the repetition rate has a negligible impact; 3) the lattice temperature right after the thermolization time first increases to a peak and then decreases as the pulse separation increases.© 2005 ASME
Diffractive lens design for optimized focusing

We utilized nonlinear optimization to design phase-only diffractive lenses that focus light to a spot, whose width is smaller than that dictated by the far-field diffraction limit. Although scalar-diffraction theory was utilized for the design, careful comparisons against rigorous finite-difference time-domain simulations confirm the superfocusing effect. We were able to design a lens with a focal spot size that is 25% smaller than that formed by a conventional lens of the same numerical aperture. An optimization strategy that allows one to design such lenses is clearly explained. Furthermore, we performed careful simulations to elucidate the effects of fabrication errors and defocus on the performance of such optimized lenses. Since these lenses are thin, binary, and planar, large uniform arrays could be readily fabricated enabling important applications in microscopy and lithography.
Numerical simulation of a building with one transparently insulated wall

A numerical simulation model is developed to study the thermal performance of an outdoor test-room with one Transparently Insulated (TI) wall. The thermal behavior of the room is examined under different control strategies for the shading device. Simulation results indicate significant energy savings. However, appropriate control strategies are required to prevent overheating of the room and discomfort.
Transforming Growth Factor‐β and Notch Signaling Mediate Stem Cell Differentiation into Smooth Muscle Cells

The differentiation of stem cells into smooth muscle cells (SMCs) plays an important role in vascular development and remodeling. In addition, stem cells represent a potential source of SMCs for regenerative medicine applications such as constructing vascular grafts. Previous studies have suggested that various biochemical factors, including transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) and the Notch pathway, may play important roles in vascular differentiation. However, the interactions of these two signaling pathways in the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have not been clearly defined. In this study, we profiled the gene expression in MSCs in response to TGF-beta, and showed that TGF-beta induced Notch ligand Jagged 1 (JAG1) and SMC markers, including smooth muscle alpha-actin (ACTA2), calponin 1 (CNN1), and myocardin (MYOCD), which were dependent on the activation of SMAD3 and Rho kinase. In addition, knocking down JAG1 expression partially blocked ACTA2 and CNN1 expression and completely blocked MYOCD expression, suggesting that JAG1 plays an important role in TGF-beta-induced expression of SMC markers. On the other hand, the activation of Notch signaling induced the expression of SMC markers in MSCs and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Notch activation in hESCs also resulted in an increase of neural markers and a decrease of endothelial markers. These results suggest that Notch signaling mediates TGF-beta regulation of MSC differentiation and that Notch signaling induces the differentiation of MSCs and hESCs into SMCs, which represents a novel mechanism involved in stem cell differentiation.
Affordable Clustered Housing-Care: A Category of Long-Term Care Options for the Elderly Poor

ABSTRACT What we label as affordable clustered housing-care options are making it increasingly possible for poor and frail older Americans to age in place comfortably and securely in residential-like settings combining both affordable shelter and long-term care. The hallmark of these housing arrangements is their sizable population clusters of low-income frail persons in need of supportive services. Despite their greater availability and the compelling factors underlying their growth, the diversity of their supportive services and operations cloud their identity resulting in uncertainty as to whether they have a common mission. In response to the need for a more careful delineation of this aging in place option, this paper describes the distinguishing features of these hybrid settings and constructs a typology of their representative exemplars or prototypes.
Elder abuse and neglect: a survey of clergy awareness, knowledge, and intervention preferences.

This article explores the research question: What is the perceived level of elder abuse and neglect awareness and knowledge among Protestant clergy members in Kentucky? Of the 300 clergy contacted, 160 participated, for a response rate of 53.3%. Pearson Chi-Square analyses were used to determine statistical significance, and phi coefficient correlations examined the strength of the associations between variables. Findings indicate that approximately 44% of clergy members in this study report some “awareness” of elder abuse and neglect. However, 56% of clergy respondents do not know that Kentucky is an “any person” mandatory reporting state. Specifically, participating clergy appear poorly informed about legal requirements for reporting elder abuse and neglect and perceive types of abuse differently. Untrained clergy with little formal training indicate a willingness to provide therapy to victims despite reporting that they do not feel qualified to do so. For a copy of the original research survey, please ...
Perception of Approaching and Retreating Floor-Projected Shapes in a Large, Immersive, Multimedia Learning Environment:

Perception of floor-projected moving geometric shapes was examined in the context of the Situated Multimedia Arts Learning Laboratory (SMALLab), an immersive, mixed-reality learning environment. As predicted, the projected destinations of shapes which retreated in depth (proximal origin) were judged significantly less accurately than those that approached (distal origin). Participants maintained similar magnitudes of error throughout the session, and no effect of practice was observed. Shape perception in an immersive multimedia environment is comparable to the real world. One may conclude that systematic exploration of basic psychological phenomena in novel mediated environments is integral to an understanding of human behavior in novel human-computer interaction architectures.
Electronic structure of the c(4 × 2) reconstructed Ge(0 0 1) surface

Abstract We investigate the electronic structure of the c (4 × 2) reconstructed Ge(0 0 1) surface using band structure calculations based on density functional theory and the generalized gradient approximation. In particular, we take into account the details of surface reconstruction by means of well relaxed crystal structures. The surface electronic states are identified and the local density of states is compared to recent data from scanning tunneling spectroscopy. We obtain almost perfect agreement between theory and experiment for both the occupied and unoccupied states, which allows us to clarify the interpretation of the experimental data.
Mechanism of activation of bovine kidney pyruvate dehydrogenase a kinase by malonyl‐CoA and enzyme‐catalyzed decarboxylation of malonyl‐CoA

The activity of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, which phosphorylates and thereby inactivates the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, was stimulated by malonyl-CoA. Treatment with [2-14C]malonyl-CoA resulted in acylation of sites in the complex. Both acylation and activation of kinase activity increased in a time-dependent manner with a parallel increase in those activities when the malonyl-CoA:CoA ratio was varied. Protein-bound acyl groups were labilized by performic acid treatment indicating their attachment to protein at thiol residues; however, the product released was volatile, which is not characteristic of malonic acid. While malonyl-CoA was initially free of acetyl-CoA, stimulation of kinase activity and acylation of sites in the complex by malonyl-CoA were shown to be contingent upon enzyme-catalyzed decarboxylation. Decarboxylation appeared to be catalyzed by a trace contaminant present in highly purified preparations of both the pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes. Under conditions in which both free CoA was removed (by conversion to succinyl-CoA) and then, after various periods, free acetyl-CoA was removed (by enzymic conversion to acetyl phosphate), both acetylation of sites in the complex and activation of kinase activity increased in a time-dependent manner. Concomitantly there was a decrease in the concentration dependence for activation of the kinase by malonyl-CoA. Our results strongly support the conclusion that activation of kinase activity is associated with acylation of sites in the complex, and that, in the case of malonyl-CoA, those processes depend on enzyme-catalyzed decarboxylation.
Targeted Ablation of miR-21 Decreases Murine Eosinophil Progenitor Cell Growth

MiR-21 is one of the most up-regulated miRNAs in multiple allergic diseases associated with eosinophilia and has been shown to positively correlate with eosinophil levels. Herein, we show that miR-21 is up-regulated during IL-5-driven eosinophil differentiation from progenitor cells in vitro. Targeted ablation of miR-21 leads to reduced eosinophil progenitor cell growth. Furthermore, miR-21−/− eosinophil progenitor cells have increased apoptosis as indicated by increased levels of annexin V positivity compared to miR-21+/+ eosinophil progenitor cells. Indeed, miR-21−/− mice have reduced blood eosinophil levels in vivo and reduced eosinophil colony forming unit capacity in the bone marrow. Using gene expression microarray analysis, we identified dysregulation of genes involved in cell proliferation (e,g, Ms4a3, Grb7), cell cycle and immune response as the most significant pathways affected by miR-21 in eosinophil progenitors. These results demonstrate that miR-21 can regulate the development of eosinophils by influencing eosinophil progenitor cell growth. Our findings have identified one of the first miRNAs with a role in regulating eosinophil development.
EFFECTS OF CONTEXTUAL CONSTRAINTS UPON RATE AND ACCURACY

Several researchers have demonstrated various effects of syntactic and context constraints upon reading (2, 4) . However, utilization of syntax by normally achieving and underachieving readers has seldom been reported. This study examined accuracy of word recognition and rate of reading for two groups of readers of materials with and without syntactic, or contextual, constraints. These fourth grade subjects were randomly selected from students reading above and one or more vears below grade level as determined by an individual achievement test ( 5 ) . The 12 better readers had a mean reading grade equivalent of 4.9, the poorer readers 2.8. Experimental materials included a second grade basal reader story of 175 words, which was presented in two conditions, original and random word order. The latter condition presented the words from the original passage randomlv ordered in horizontal strings. All subjects orally read both passages in random order. Scoring for accuracy was done from audbtaped recordings and considered any disagreement between print and utterance as an error. A 2 x 2 analvsis of variance on accuracy of words recognition indicated significant effects for groups ( P = 10.2. df = 1/22, P < .Ol ) . condition of resent at ion (P = 30.8. d f = 2/44, p < .01), and the interaction ( P = 15.9, d f = 2/44, p < .01). A second analysis of variance on rate of reading indicated significant effects for grouvs (P = 8.7. df = l(22, p < .01), for conditions of presenration (P = 9.9, d f = 2/44, P < .01), but no ~nteraction. The table includes a summary of the data for each group on both measures.
Lower bounds and series for the ground-state entropy of the Potts antiferromagnet on Archimedean lattices and their duals

We prove a general rigorous lower bound for $W(\Lambda,q)=\exp(S_0(\Lambda,q)/k_B)$, the exponent of the ground state entropy of the $q$-state Potts antiferromagnet, on an arbitrary Archimedean lattice $\Lambda$. We calculate large-$q$ series expansions for the exact $W_r(\Lambda,q)=q^{-1}W(\Lambda,q)$ and compare these with our lower bounds on this function on the various Archimedean lattices. It is shown that the lower bounds coincide with a number of terms in the large-$q$ expansions and hence serve not just as bounds but also as very good approximations to the respective exact functions $W_r(\Lambda,q)$ for large $q$ on the various lattices $\Lambda$. Plots of $W_r(\Lambda,q)$ are given, and the general dependence on lattice coordination number is noted. Lower bounds and series are also presented for the duals of Archimedean lattices. As part of the study, the chromatic number is determined for all Archimedean lattices and their duals. Finally, we report calculations of chromatic zeros for several lattices; these provide further support for our earlier conjecture that a sufficient condition for $W_r(\Lambda,q)$ to be analytic at $1/q=0$ is that $\Lambda$ is a regular lattice.
Emission of the contact ion pair of rhodamine dyes observed by single molecule spectroscopy

Abstract Spectra of single molecules of different rhodamine dyes deposited on a glass surface and on a methyl-terminated silanised glass surface were recorded by means of confocal fluorescence microscopy. The observation of an emission, blue shifted in comparison to the solution spectrum of these rhodamine dyes, is reported. It is suggested that this shorter wavelength emission is related to the contact ion pair formation of the single rhodamine dye molecule.
A MODIFIED STEEPEST DESCENT METHOD WITH APPLICATIONS TO MAXIMIZING LIKELIHOOD FUNCTIONS

In maximizing a non-linear function G(θ), it is well known that the steepest descent method has a slow convergence rate. Here we propose a systematic procedure to obtain a 1–1 transformation on the variables θ, so that in the space of the transformed variables, the steepest descent method produces the solution faster. The final solution in the original space is obtained by taking the inverse transformation. We apply the procedure in maximizing the likelihood functions of some generalized distributions which are widely used in modeling count data. It was shown that for these distributions, the steepest descent method via transformations produced the solutions very fast. It is also observed that the proposed procedure can be used to expedite the convergence rate of the first derivative based algorithms, such as Polak-Ribiere, Fletcher and Reeves conjugate gradient methods as well.
Performance testing of engineered corium cooling systems

Abstract The coolability of ex-vessel core debris continues to be an issue of concern in the realm of light water reactor safety. Extensive research into corium/concrete interaction phenomena has been unable to establish the certainty of melt quench and stabilization within the containment boundary for all credible cases of cooling restricted to top flooding. As a result, there has been continuing interest in engineered systems that can augment cooling. This paper describes the testing of two passive cooling concepts that inject water into corium from below via nozzles embedded within the basemat: one with porous concrete nozzles and the other with a type of composite nozzle. The latter supplements water injection with noncondensable gas to stabilize flow and suppress vapor explosions. Each test involved a 136 kg melt composed of 56/23/14 wt% UO 2 /ZrO 2 /siliceous concrete at an initial depth of 30 cm. The setup with the porous concrete nozzles successfully injected water into the melt at heads as low as 2.3 m. The composite nozzle test was partially successful, with three nozzles delivering coolant while a fourth was damaged by the melt and failed to inject water. The melts cooled twice as fast as similar ones tested in a top flooding configuration. These experiments confirmed earlier work at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe and elsewhere indicating that cooling via bottom water injection is a particularly effective method for quenching ex-vessel corium melts.
Ultrathin graphite foam: a three-dimensional conductive network for battery electrodes.

We report the use of free-standing, lightweight, and highly conductive ultrathin graphite foam (UGF), loaded with lithium iron phosphate (LFP), as a cathode in a lithium ion battery. At a high charge/discharge current density of 1280 mA g–1, the specific capacity of the LFP loaded on UGF was 70 mAh g–1, while LFP loaded on Al foil failed. Accounting for the total mass of the electrode, the maximum specific capacity of the UGF/LFP cathode was 23% higher than that of the Al/LFP cathode and 170% higher than that of the Ni-foam/LFP cathode. Using UGF, both a higher rate capability and specific capacity can be achieved simultaneously, owing to its conductive (∼1.3 × 105 S m–1 at room temperature) and three-dimensional lightweight (∼9.5 mg cm–3) graphitic structure. Meanwhile, UGF presents excellent electrochemical stability comparing to that of Al and Ni foils, which are generally used as conductive substrates in lithium ion batteries. Moreover, preparation of the UGF electrode was facile, cost-effective, and ...
COUNTRYSIDE BIOGEOGRAPHY OF NEOTROPICAL HERBACEOUS AND SHRUBBY PLANTS

As human impacts on the environment intensify, the future of plant and animal biodiversity will depend increasingly on the floras surviving in human-dominated "countryside" habitats. To begin to characterize these floras for the Neotropics, we investigated the richness and composition of herbaceous and shrubby plant communities in six forested and deforested habitats, in three replicated study areas (7.5-km in diameter), of southern Costa Rica. We chose habitat types that are common throughout the tropics, to begin building a general understanding of both the habitats of origin and the diversity of countryside floras. Focal forest habitats were understory, 1- to 2-year-old tree-fall gaps, and riverbanks, all in primary forest. Focal deforested habitats were ungrazed road verges, grazed pasture, and riverbanks in grazed pasture. Non-riverbank habitats were sampled both near and far from. forest edge. In total, we sampled 772 species from 79 families, similar to 40% of the non-tree plant diversity of the region. Only 6% of identified species are known to be exotic. In each study area, understory and pasture plots were consistently species poor, while tree-fall gaps and road verges near forest were consistently the most species-rich habitats. In each study area, we found the same proportion of species restricted to forested habitats (similar to 45%) and deforested habitats (similar to 37%), and the same proportion of "countryside-habitat generalists" ( similar to 18%) occurring in both forested and deforested habitats. However, different forested habitats supported different proportions of country side-habitat generalists in each study area, although understory plots consistently 'supported the fewest generalists. Among forested habitats, riverbanks were the most similar floristically to deforested habitats. Pasture riverbanks and road verges near forest supported plant communities most similar to those in forested habitats. The uniqueness and richness of each habitat suggests that countrysides with diverse land uses can support many native herbaceous and shrubby plant species. As it becomes increasingly difficult to protect large tracts of undisturbed tropical forest, we suggest that conservation goals expand to encompass maintenance of heterogeneity in countryside landscapes.
Evaluating and improving local hyperspectral anomaly detectors

This paper addresses two issues related to the detection of hyperspectral anomalies. The first issue is the evaluation of anomaly detector performance even when labeled data is not available. The second issue is the estimation of the covariance structure of the data in local detection methods, such as the RX detector, when the number of available training pixels n is not much larger than (and may even be smaller than) the data dimensionality p.
STARVATION INCREASES THE SOLUBILITY OF VOLATILE ANAESTHETICS IN RAT LIVER

We evaluated the effect of starvation on anaesthetic solubility in tissues involved in lipid transport (blood) or metabolism (liver) and in a tissue not involved in either (brain). The liver/gas partition coefficients of isoflurane, enflurane, halothane and methoxyflurane in rats increased by 15–20 % after 6 h of starvation and reached a maximum increase of 35–42% after 24 h of starvation. After 48 h of starvation the coefficients had returned to control values. Blood/gas and brain/gas partition coefficients were not changed or were inconsistently changed by starvation. The maximum change in blood or brain solubility was 14% (at 6 h), and 29 of 32 mean values changed less than 10%.
Using gaming engines and editors to construct simulations of fusion algorithms for situation management

In this paper we discuss issues in testing various cognitive fusion algorithms for situation management. We provide a proof-of-principle discussion and demo showing how gaming technologies and platforms could be used to devise and test various fusion algorithms, including input, processing, and output, and we look at how the proof-of-principle could lead to more advanced test beds and methods for high-level fusion in support of situation management. We develop four simple fusion scenarios and one more complex scenario in which a simple rule-based system is scripted to govern the behavior of battlespace entities.
The Relationships of Total, Bound, and Free Water and Fat Content to Subjective Scores for Eating Quality in Two Beef Muscles

SUMMARY Subjective scores for eating quality of two beef muscles, longissimus dorsi (LD) and biceps femoris (BF), cooked to two final internal temperatures were related to fat content and to the amount of bound and free water. Steaks from muscle were cooked to final internal temperatures of 68 and 85°C. As the temperature increased the meat was drier, harder, and more mealy, and contained less connective tissue, but the fragmentation of muscle fibers was not changed. Softness scores were associated with higher amounts of fat and decreased amounts of total water in both muscles cooked to 68°C. As. the amount of fat increased in raw and cooked beef, the amount of total water decreased. The amount of bound water, expressed as a percentage of total water, remained relatively constant in raw and cooked steaks. Differences between the muscles and the effects of heat were discussed.
Collision-Free Motion Planning of Two Robots

An approach to collision-free motion planning of two moving robots in a common workspace is presented. Each robot is represented by a sphere containing the wrist and the manipulator hand. The results from a strictly straight line trajectory planning method are utilized for planning a path avoiding potential collisions. Due to the distinct nature of the potential collisions between the two moving robots, a new classification of path requirement situations is presented and utilized for planning a collision-free path. Notions of collision map and time scheduling are developed and applied for realizing a collision-free motion planning. A procedure is developed for the time scheduling of the straight line trajectory. An example is shown for the time scheduling of the trajectory, which shows the significance of the proposed approach in collision-free motion planning of the two moving robots.
The role of organized tropical storms and cyclones on intraseasonal oscillations in the Asian monsoon domain based on INSAT satellite measurements

The role of organized tropical storms and typhoons within the West Pacific-Indian Ocean dipole of low frequency activity is examined with the aid of INSAT satellite observations. Two Asian summer monsoon seasons-1984 and 1987-are analyzed in conjunction with a satellite derived convective index. The former year was noted as an above average Indian monsoon; the latter year as an extreme Indian monsoon failure. The analysis demonstrates that the dipole region is actually an organized collection of seven smaller scale high amplitude, low frequency centers which blur together to form the semblance of a dipole which had been originally identified in 2.5° resolution outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR) data derived from NOAA satellite measurements. The centers are basically situated over oceanic regions in the eastern and western sectors of the dipole, although, an isolated high amplitude center is also found over central Tibet. Of considerable interest is that the locations of the seven centers, whereas not equivalent, are very similar for both the 1984 and 1987 seasonsinar. The analysis indicates that there are coherent phase relationships between the eastern sector of the dipole and the western sector, but that it is not a simple dipole-like process. Rather, the four high amplitude centers, within the western sector, all fall within a longitudinal channel in which the well known, northward propagating behavior of Monsoon convection anomalies serves to modulate the east-west phase lag along the meridional channel. The result is that the western paelfic phase lags the equatorial Indian Ocean center whereas it generally phase leads the more northern centers within the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. In the two years studied here, there is little evidence of east-west propagation of anomalies between he two centers. The contribution of organized tropical storms and cyclones to the amplitude and phase characteristics of the high amplitude centers is irregular but important, particularly in the eastern sector of the dipole, where up to 50% of the variance can be explained by organized storms. It is also shown that the influence of storms on the phase propagation characteristics of convective anomalies is irregular but significant.
Invention and Drafting in the Digital Age: New Approaches to Thinking about Writing

In this article, the author provides technology-based techniques for prewriting invention and drafting that offer students new ways to look at and think about writing topics and tasks. Rather than creating electronic versions of existing paper-and-pencil invention strategies, the author suggests strategies using commonly owned and used computer applications such as Microsoft PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Publisher in ways that offer meaningful technology integration.
Tell Me You Love Me No Matter What: Relationships and Self-Esteem among GLBQ Young Adults

Studies have shown that familial rejection can lead to mental health concerns and lowered self-esteem in gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) individuals (Gonsiorek & Rudolph, 1991; Szymanski & Gupta, 2009). Yet, analyzing GLBT experiences from a binary perspective (i.e., acceptance versus rejection) does not account for the richness and complexity of familial responses. Through a qualitative study, 24 gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer (GLBQ) individuals reflected upon how their families communicated four types of messages about sexual orientation. Participant narratives also reveal the ways family communications incited fear of coming out and negatively impacted their self-esteem. Implications for counseling professionals and family members are included.
Simulation Study of Aspects of the Classical Hydrogen Atom Interacting with Electromagnetic Radiation: Elliptical Orbits

The present study examines the behavior of a classical charged point particle in near-elliptic orbits about an infinitely massive and oppositely charged nucleus, while acted upon by applied electromagnetic radiation. As recently shown for near-circular orbits, and now extended here to the elliptical case, rather surprising nonlinear dynamical effects are readily produced for this simple system. A broad range of stability-like conditions can be achieved by applying radiation to this classical atom. A perfect balance condition is examined, which requires an infinite number of plane waves representing harmonics of the orbital motion. By applying a scale factor to this radiation, stability-like conditions are produced where periodic variations in semimajor and semiminor axes occur for extended periods of time, before orbital decay eventually takes over due to the effects of radiation reaction. This work is expected to lead to both practical suggestions on experimental ideas involving controlling ionization and stabilization conditions, as well as hopefully aiding in theoretical explorations of stochastic electrodynamics.
An Investigation of Romantic Jealousy among Black Undergraduates.

In this study the relationships among jealousy and self-esteem, insecurity, external locus of control, and sex were examined. A sample of 128 undergraduates completed 4 self report inventories and stepwise multiple regression analysis indicated that self-esteem and insecurity accounted for 28% of the total variance in jealousy. Contrary to prediction, however, external locus of control did not account for a significant amount of the variance in jealousy. Results are discussed in terms of the contributing roles of each predictor variable.
Growth of oversized grafts in neonatal heart transplantation

Background. Because of the severe shortage of neonatal organ donors, oversized cardiac allografts are frequently transplanted. This study examined body and graft growth of neonates who receive an oversized heart. Methods. We studied 51 neonates, who received transplants between November 1986 and August 1992m, for changes in body weight, left ventricular mass, and enddiostolic volume measured at 1 week, 1, 3, and 6 months, and yearly after cardiac transplantation. Patients were divided into two groups according to donor/recipient weight ratios: the normal group, where the donor/recipient weight ratio was 1.5 or less (1.06 ± 0.05; n=24), and the oversized group, where the donor/recipient weight ratio was more than 1.5 (2.22 ± 0.10; n=27). Results. After cardiac transplantation, body weight increased continuously in both groups with no difference between groups. In the oversized group, left ventricular end-diastolic volume at 1 week and left ventricular mass at 1 week and 1 month were significantly higher than those in the normal group ( p Conclusions. These data suggest that oversized cardiac allografts shrink at first and then grow as the recipient grows. There appears to be a size adaptation of the large cardiac allograft to accommodate to the reduced requirements of the neonate.
Boosting-genetic clustering algorithm

K-means is one of the most popular techniques for clustering problem. However, the quality of resulting clusters heavily depends on the selection of initial centroids and may converge to a local optimum rather than global optimum. Genetic algorithm (GA) has been proposed by many researchers to solve a global solution for clustering problem. Even though GA yields higher accuracy result, it is only practical for small datasets. Clustering large datasets with GA is extremely slow or even impossible. In this paper, we proposed a new clustering algorithm, called Boosting-Genetic Clustering Algorithm (BGCA). Inspired by boosting algorithms, the BGCA algorithm combines multiple clustering results on a small number of specially selected samples and iteratively improves the accuracy of the inconsistent regions of data points. Experimental evaluation shows that BGCA yields a higher accuracy than traditional k-means and is very efficient for clustering large datasets.
Fast vessel identification using polyphase decomposition and intercomponent processing

Polyphase decomposition is a down sampling operation that produces a set of low-resolution representations of an image. Such representations themselves are different by a phase in frequency domain, hence called polyphase components. An inter-component processing operation extracts meaningful features by performing simple logical operations over selected components. This strategy is applied to angiographic analysis to develop a fast feature-oriented vessel identification technique, which consists of polyphase decomposition on a binary image, followed by inter-component processing. The inter-component processing among selected components produces a feature map in which a non-zero pixel indicates an occurrence of a vessel geometrical feature or pattern in the original image. Using feature templates, a sequence of vessel-featured maps is generated. Fast vessel identification is performed by fusing the feature maps and displaying them according to the emergence orders of vessel geometric features, such as position, diameter, length and direction. Collective display provides a method to visualize vessel features across multiple resolutions. High-speed performance is attributed to low-resolution representation of polyphase components and simple data manipulation of inter-component processing. The tradeoff of such vessel identification technique is associated with an uncertainty for accurate measurement, arising from the inherent translations in polyphase decomposition. Therefore, accurate vessel measurements will need refinement in the original image.
Lack of genitourinary physical examination before urologic consultation--a quality of care issue.

Objective To quantify the frequency of genitourinary (GU) physical examinations obtained by the emergency department or primary hospital team before obtaining a urologic consultation and evaluate the role of the different demographic and clinical factors. Materials and Methods For 6 weeks, from July to August 2010, 420 consecutive patients evaluated by the urology consultation service had their medical charts reviewed retrospectively, with the frequency of GU physical examination performed by the emergency department or primary hospital team recorded. Results Of 357 patients requiring a urologic consultation, 88 of 324 (27%) had a GU physical examination performed by the emergency department and 98 of 319 (31%) had a GU physical examination performed by the primary hospital team before the urologic consultation. The emergency department was 6 times more likely to perform a GU physical examination on a male patient than a female patient, and the primary team was twice as likely to perform a GU physical examination on a male patient than a female patient. The likelihood of examination by either team decreased as patients became older. Race was not significantly associated with the likelihood of examination. Conclusion The results of our study indicate that examinations are performed less than one-third of the time before obtaining a urologic consultation, with the frequency related to age and sex. The low rate of preconsultation examination creates concern for quality of care, the correctness of billing, and unnecessary urologic consultations.
THE EFFECTS OF SEX AND MUTATION RATE ON ADAPTATION IN TEST TUBES AND TO MOUSE HOSTS BY SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE

Some hypotheses for the evolution of sex focus on adaptation to changing or heterogeneous environments, but these hypotheses have rarely been tested. We tested for advantages of sex and of increased mutation rates in yeast strains in two contrasting environments: a standard and relatively homogeneous laboratory environment of minimal medium in test tubes, and the variable environment of a mouse brain experienced by pathogenic strains. Evolving populations were founded as equal mixtures of sexual and obligately asexual genotypes. In the sexuals, cycles of sporulation, meiosis, and mating were induced approximately every 50 mitotic generations, with the asexuals undergoing sporulation but not ploidy cycles or recombination. In both environments, replicate negative control populations established with the same pair of strains were propagated with neither mating nor meiosis. In test tubes with no sex induced, sexuals were fixed in all five replicates within 250 mitotic generations, whereas in mice with no sex induced, asexuals were fixed in all four replicates by 170 generations. Inducing sex altered these outcomes in opposite directions in test tubes and mice, decreasing the fixation frequencies of sexuals in test tubes but increasing them in mice. These contrasts with asexual controls suggest an advantage for sex in mice but not in test tubes, although there was no difference between test tubes and mice in the numbers of populations fixed for sexuals. In analogous experiments testing for an advantage of increased mutation rates, wild-type genotypes became fixed at the expense of mutators in every replicate of both test tube and mouse populations, indicating a disadvantage for mutators in both environments. Increased rates of point mutation do not appear to accelerate adaptation.
Charge Transport and Rectification in Arrays of SAM-Based Tunneling Junctions

This paper describes a method of fabrication that generates small arrays of tunneling junctions based on self-assembled monolayers (SAMs); these junctions have liquid-metal top-electrodes stabilized in microchannels and ultraflat (template-stripped) bottom-electrodes. The yield of junctions generated using this method is high (70−90%). The junctions examined incorporated SAMs of alkanethiolates having ferrocene termini (11-(ferrocenyl)-1-undecanethiol, SC11Fc); these junctions rectify currents with large rectification ratios (R), the majority of which fall within the range of 90−180. These values are larger than expected (theory predicts R ≤ 20) and are larger than previous experimental measurements. SAMs of n-alkanethiolates without the Fc groups (SCn−1CH3, with n = 12, 14, 16, or 18) do not rectify (R ranged from 1.0 to 5.0). These arrays enable the measurement of the electrical characteristics of the junctions as a function of chemical structure, voltage, and temperature over the range of 110−293 K, wi...
Bootstrap: a fast blind adaptive signal separator

A fast multidimensional adaptive algorithm, Bootstrap, is proposed for multiple signal separation. It separates multiple uncorrelated signals imposed on each other. The bootstrap adaptive algorithm, which does not require training sequences, uses an optimization criteria that is based on minimization of output signal correlations. The learning process of this algorithm is compared with that of the least mean square (LMS) algorithm for different eigenvalue spreads. It has been found from computer simulations that the Bootstrap algorithm converges much faster than the LMS algorithm. The learning process of the Bootstrap algorithm is almost independent of eigenvalue spread. >