cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhancement of optical properties of nanoscaled objects by metal nanoparticles

We provide a simple analytical model for the modification of optical properties of active molecules and other objects when they are placed in the vicinity of metal nanoparticles of subwavelength dimensions. Specifically, we study the enhancement of optical radiation, electroluminescence, and photoluminescence absorbed or emitted by these objects. The theory takes into account the radiative decay of the surface plasmon mode supported by the metal nanospheres--a basic phenomenon that has been ignored in electrostatic treatment. Using the example of Ag nanospheres embedded in a GaN dielectric, we show that enhancement for each case depends strongly on the nanoparticle size-enabling optimization for each combination of absorption cross section, original radiative efficiency, and separation between the object and metal sphere. The enhancement effect is most significant for relatively weak and diluted absorbers and rather inefficient emitters that are placed in close proximity to the metal nanoparticles.
Implementing time-varying contour trees

In this video, we describe our experiences in implementing an algo-rithm to compute time-varying contour trees and highlight the chal-lenges in applying this algorithm to real-world scientific datasets. For ease of illustration we restrict our explanations to contour trees of time-varying functions defined on the plane.
Ion permeation and block of P2X(2) purinoceptors: single channel recordings.

P2X2 purinoceptors are cation-selective channels activated by ATP and its analogues. Using single channel measurements we studied the channel's selectivity for the alkali metal ions and organic monovalent cations NMDG+, Tris+, TMA+, and TEA+. The selectivity sequence for currents carried by alkali metal ions is: K+ > Rb+ > Cs+ > Na+ > Li+, which is Eisenman sequence IV. This is different from the mobility sequence of the ions in free solution suggesting there is weak interaction between the ions and the channel interior. The relative conductance for alkali ions increases linearly in relation to the Stokes radius. The organic ions NMDG+, Tris+, TMA+ and TEA+ were virtually impermeant. The divalent ions (Mn2+, Mg2+, Ca2+ and Ba2+) induced a fast block visible as a reduction in amplitude of the unitary currents. Using a single-site binding model, the divalent ions exhibited an equilibrium affinity sequence of Mn2+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > Ba2+.
Sets determined by finitely many X-rays

A measurable set in ℝn which is uniquely determined among all measurable sets (modulo null sets) by its X-rays in a finite set L of directions, or more generally by its X-rays parallel to a finite set L of subspaces, is called L-unique, or simply unique. Some subclasses of the L-unique sets are known. The L-additive sets are those measurable sets E which can be written E ∼ {x∈ℝn:Σifi(x) * 0}. Here, ∼ denotes equality modulo null sets, * is either ≥ or >, and the terms in the sum are the values of ridge functions fi orthogonal to subspaces Si in L. If n=2, the L-inscribable convex sets are those whose interiors are the union of interiors of inscribed convex polygons, all of whose sides are parallel to the lines in L. Relations between these classes are investigated. It is shown that in ℝn each L-inscribable convex set is L-additive, but L-additive convex sets need not be L-inscribable. It is also shown that every ellipsoid in ℝn is unique for any set of three directions. Finally, some results are proved concerning the structure of convex sets in ℝn, unique with respect to certain families of coordinate subspaces.
A framework for environmental quality assessment

Asserts that an environmental quality assessment programme is essential in ensuring sustainable development. Management needs a programme to enable it to provide value in its product and service delivery at high quality while also ensuring the safety and health of both the users of its services and the environment. Argues that, in order to achieve this goal, the value chain of the product must be studied from its inception to the end of the product’s life. Provides discussions and suggestions as to how this study could be undertaken and achieved.
Effects of carbon dioxide and climate change on ocean acidification and carbonate mineral saturation

[1] We use an earth system model of intermediate complexity to show how consideration of climate change affects predicted changes in ocean pH and calcium carbonate saturation state. Our results indicate that consideration of climate change produces second-order modifications to ocean chemistry predictions made with constant climate; these modifications occur primarily as a result of changes in sea surface temperature, and climate-induced changes in dissolved inorganic carbon concentrations. Under a CO2 emission scenario derived from the WRE1000 CO2 stabilization concentration pathway and a constant climate, we predict a 0.47 unit reduction in surface ocean pH relative to a pre-industrial value of 8.17, and a reduction in the degree of saturation with respect to aragonite from a pre-industrial value of 3.34 to 1.39 by year 2500. With the same CO2 emissions but the consideration of climate change under a climate sensitivity of 2.5°C the reduction in projected global mean surface pH is about 0.48 and the saturation state of aragonite decreases to 1.50. With a climate sensitivity of 4.5°C, these values are 0.51 and 1.62, respectively. Our study therefore suggests that future changes in ocean acidification caused by emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere are largely independent of the amounts of climate change.
Ultrastructural Studies of Cornea, Iris and Lens in a Case of Siderosis Bulbi

Transmission electron microscopy studies of cornea, iris and lens from a case of ocular siderosis due to a retained intraocular foreign body (IOFB) and vitreous hemorrhage are presented. We observed widespread degeneration of lens epithelium, iris stromal cells and iris pigment epithelium associated with intra- and extracellular siderosomes. A direct relationship was found between the degree of cell degeneration and the number of intracellular siderosomes in lens epithelium. This is contrary to findings in other siderotic tissues which show intracellular iron deposition to be associated with increased ability to detoxify iron. The cornea showed siderosomes only within keratocytes, and there was no evidence of a relationship between siderosome accumulation and cell degeneration. The literature on ultrastructural studies of ocular siderosis is reviewed and the current theory of the mechanism of chronic iron toxicity is discussed.
Long-term treatment of Parkinson's disease with levodopa.

Abstract Long-term studies have confirmed the results of earlier studies which indicated that levodopa is the single most effective drug available for the control of disability seen in Parkinson's disease. Anticholinergic drugs are also effective and may be superior to levodopa for the control of some features of the disease in a small percentage of patients. Adverse reactions to levodopa continue to emerge throughout the duration of therapy. It is not possible on the basis of clinical assessment to identify individuals who are likely to respond to treatment or who are likely to develop adverse reactions.
Optical system for closest vector selection with applications to neural nets

In this paper we present a design for an optical system which performs Closest Vector Selection (CVS) and which could be competitive with present electronic approaches. The application of closest vector selection has been an important one in communications. The incorporation of closest vector selection into neural nets, which have the capability of learning, yields a very powerful tool. The optical implementation has a potential capability better than that obtainable with electronic computers. In this paper, first the background will be presented and then the device itself will be described.
Regulation of cyclins by adhesion: Elements in the anchorage‐signalling pathway

Loss of adhesion leads to cell cycle arrest at the G1/S boundary in normal, adhesion-dependent, mesenchymal cells. This arrest is accompanied by the inability to produce cyclin A. Using deletional and mutational analysis of the cyclin A promoter, we have identified a CCAAT element that mediates the adhesion-dependent transcriptional activation of cyclin A. Specific binding of a novel 40/115 kDa heteromeric protein complex, which we have named CBP/cycA, to this CCAAT element was detectable only in cycling cells, not in cells arrested in G0 or at the anchorage checkpoint at the G1/S boundary. However, during the G0 and G1 phases of the cell cycle, CBP/cycA appeared to be present but sequestered by a retinoblastoma (Rb) family member. Activity of Rb family members is generally thought to be controlled by the cyclin D-cdk4/cdk6 and cyclin E-cdk2 kinases. We have found that cyclin E-cdk2 complexes from cells G1-arrested by adhesion deprivation, though present at normal levels, are catalytically inactive. These results suggest that control of cell cycle progression by adhesion is mediated by a pathway involving cyclin E-cdk2, Rb, and CBP/cycA, ultimately controlling transcriptional activation of cyclin A at the G1/S boundary. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Two thumbs up: A survey of librarian-book reviewers

A Web-based voluntary survey of librarians who write book reviews reveals an array of opinions on such topics as classification of book reviews as a “professional activity” within librarianship, how book reviews should be prepared and written, what the book reviewer's current role is, and the future of that role in a world of online reviews.
Repeated immunolesions display diminished stress response signal.

Abstract Cholinergic basal forebrain neurons (CBFNs) retrogradely transport neurotrophins released in the hippocampus and cortex as part of a general response to injury in a process that is impaired in the aged rodent and can be spared by the exogenous addition of pharmacological doses of nerve growth factor (NGF). This observation suggests that components of stress response signal transduction pathways in the aged CNS can be exogenously activated. The extent and mechanism of the endogenous stimulation of NGF in response to injury can be mimicked via treatment with 192 IgG-saporin of rat CNS, an immunolesion model. Here we report on the use of a conditioning lesion paradigm to determine if repeated partial immunolesions have a conditioning effect on the immunolesion-induced increases in NGF protein or decreases in choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity. We report that chronic repeated immunolesions, as used here, were not as effective as a one time equivalent immunolesion in terms of induced NGF protein increases or decreasing ChAT and AChE activity in the hippocampus and cortex. Thus, chronic lesions resulting in cholinergic impairment typical of the aged CNS may differ from acute toxic models as a result of desensitization due to a conditioning effect of chronic subthreshold lesioning events in the CNS.
An orthogonal analysis of the form, symmetry and asymmetry of the dental arch.

Abstract 1. 1. A fourth degree orthogonal polynomial may be used to represent the dental arch. 2. 2. The quadratic and quartic terms measure the symmetry. They measure the taperedness and the squaredness of the symmetry respectively. 3. 3. The linear and cubic terms measure the asymmetry. They measure the lopsidedness and the tiltedness of the asymmetry respectively. 4. 4. The above procedure may be used in classifying classes of dental arches in terms of dental arch isomorphism.
La configuración de la mirada en dos películas de Verónica Chen

AbstractThis article provides an introduction to the work of Argentine director Veronica Chen and an analysis of her films Vagon fumador (2001) and Agua (2005), both of which remain unstudied. The films are contextualized within the New Argentine Cinema, a movement that has attracted much critical attention, but which remains a predominantly masculine environment. Chen's aesthetics of time and space are analysed and linked to a message of depersonalization and marginalization typical of many films of the movement, while the manipulation of the spectator's gaze through distortion, mediation, and the thematization of the act of looking are established as the more original elements of her style. Though she resists the 'feminist' label and deliberately avoids the representation of woman and the feminine as a central theme, her work nevertheless bears consideration in the light of feminist film theory. This theoretical framework illuminates the argument that Chen creates a formal rupture from our expectations ...
Nature of urea effect on anion binding by macromolecules

Abstract The binding of methyl orange by bovine serum albumin is suppressed by urea. However, the inhibition is largely reversible if urea is removed either by dialysis (fast or gradient) or by dilution. Binding by a synthetic polymer, polyvinylpyrrolidone, which is unordered and swollen in water, is also suppressed by urea. These observations indicate that urea effects are mediated largely through its action on the solvent.
Diastereoselective synthesis of bis-beta-lactams

Abstract Schiff bases derived from (±)-4-aldehydo-2- -azetidinones react with acid chlorides and triethylamine to produce (±)-bis-β-lactams in a diastereoselective fashion. The steric course of β-lactam fonnation was determined in one case by using chiral HPLC separation of enantiomers. Definitive evidence in support of this enantiospecific course of β-lactam formation was obtained from single crystal X-ray diffraction studies on a racemic bis-β-lactam.
Returns to Human Capital and Investment in New Technology

This paper presents a simple framework that illustrates the link between skill-based wage differentiation and human capital acquisition given skill-biased technical progress. The analysis points to the economic costs resulting from labor market and income redistribution policies that prevent the skill premium from playing its role in fostering human capital accumulation and the adoption of new technologies. The study compares key economic indicators among Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Differences in wage differentiation and investment in new technologies among these countries could be related to policies affecting labor markets; such practices may reflect social choices.
Vaporization technique to measure mutagenic activity of volatile organic chemicals in the ames/Salmonella assay

The purpose of this research was to develop and characterize a sensitive test method to detect mutagenic activity of volatile liquid organic chemicals (i.e, volatiles) in the Ames/Salmonella assay. A Tedlar bag vaporization technique was developed, which increased contact time between the volatiles and bacterial test system, circumvented volatilization limitations in the standard plate incorporation and preincubation methods, allowed chemical analysis during incubation, and was flexible in design. The vaporization technique was evaluated concurrently against the plate incorporation and preincubation techniques with eight liquid volatile mutagens in the Ames/Salmonella mutagenicity assay with Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA102. Results suggested that when volatile organic chemicals with boiling points below 63 degrees C were tested for mutagenic activity, the most sensitive test conditions were the vaporization technique with TA100. GC analysis of epichlorohydrin and butylene oxide concentrations within Tedlar bags suggested that these two chemicals volatilized and were contained in the media after 1 hr of incubation at 37 degrees C. The mutagenic activity of six volatile liquid mutagens was similar in single and triple plate Tedlar bags. Three general test groups of volatile organic chemicals were identified by test data: chemicals which had boiling points below 63 degrees C, for which the vaporization technique was the most sensitive test procedure (ethylene, propylene, and butylene oxides and methylene chloride); chemicals which had boiling points from 107 degrees to 132 degrees C, for which the vaporization technique was still useful, but where sensitivity was only slightly increased over the preincubation technique (1-bromo-2-chloroethane, epichlorohydrin, and ethylene dibromide); and 3) a chemical which had a boiling point at 194 degrees C, where the preincubation technique was the most appropriate test method (styrene oxide).
Iatrogenic Giant Osborn Waves

A 57-year-old man was admitted after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. He received bystander basic life support followed by prolonged resuscitation at the emergency department and was subsequently transferred to the intensive care …
A Low-Noise 150–210 GHz Detector in 45 nm CMOS SOI

This letter presents a G-band detector in a 45 nm silicon-on-insulator CMOS technology. The measured detector responsivity is 3 kV/W at 170-180 GHz with a 3 dB bandwidth of 150-210 GHz. The detector results in a Noise-Equivalent-Power (NEP) of 8-10 pW/Hz1/2 at a bias current of 50-200 μA for an IF of 10 MHz and is well matched with an input return loss > 10 dB at 167-194 GHz. The responsivity and NEP values are close to the best SiGe detectors, and show that advanced CMOS nodes are suitable for ~ 200 GHz imaging arrays.
The optimal rate of industrialization in developed and developing centrally-planned economies: A general equilibrium approach

Abstract The investment policies of Czechoslovakia and Romania are examined by means of counterfactual experiments employing econometric models of these countries. Alternative investment policies considered are: (1) an increase in aggregate investment with unchanged sectoral distribution; (2) a shift in investment from other sectors to manufacturing; and (3) a shift in investment from manufacturing to services. For Czechoslovakia policy (2) is deemed superior to the historical pattern of investment and to the other two hypothetical policies, while for Romania policy (3) is best. The general equilibrium evaluation of development policies shows the conflicts among planners' goals in setting investment policy and the effect of external constraints, such as the availability of food and raw material imports, on planners' ability to implement desirable strategies.
The reflectance of thin cellulose nitrate films

A calibration is given for the weight per unit area of thin cellulose nitrate films in terms of the reflectance of such films for monochromatic visible radiation. Such a calibration has been used in the determination of the weight per unit area of thin cellulose nitrate films upon which gold smokes were later deposited.
Determinants of Life Satisfaction: a Note on a Race-interaction Hypothesis

A "race interaction" hypothesis would suggest that factors important to the life satisfaction of whites may not be important to the life satisfaction of blacks. In this paper we suggest that dummy variable regression with interaction terms allows an assessment of differential effects by race. Using data from 438 white and 219 black elderly respondents, it is shown that most factors influencing life satisfaction of elderly people have similar effects among blacks and whites. Although greater numbers of impairments lead to lower life satisfaction for both races, the negative effect is considerably stronger among black than among white respondents.
Adsorption and reaction of gaseous H(D) atoms with D(H) adatoms on Pt(111) and Sn/Pt(111) surface alloys

Abstract The reaction of gas phase H(D) atoms with adsorbed D(H) atoms on Pt(1 1 1) and two different Sn/Pt(1 1 1) surface alloys was studied by temperature programmed desorption (TPD). The incident H(D) atoms were produced by thermal dissociation in a Pt tube source operated at 1300 K. The alloy surfaces were prepared in situ by vapor deposition of Sn onto a Pt(1 1 1) single crystal to form the (2×2) and (√3×√3) R 30°-Sn/Pt(1 1 1) surfaces, which have a well-defined structure and composition with relative Sn surface concentrations of 0.25 and 0.33, respectively. A kinetic barrier eliminates dissociative H 2 (D 2 ) chemisorption on both of these surface alloys, but abstraction reactions of incident H(D) atoms with preadsorbed H or D adatoms occur at 110 K on Pt(1 1 1) and both Pt–Sn alloys. This is well below the temperatures for thermal recombination on these surfaces, indicating that the reactions proceed by a direct or pseudo-direct reaction mechanism. Values for the H→D abstraction cross-section, σ R , on Pt(1 1 1) and the (2×2) and (√3×√3) R 30°-Sn/Pt(1 1 1) surface alloys were determined to be 0.21, 0.93, and 1.7 A 2 , respectively. The corresponding D→H abstraction cross-sections for the two alloys were determined to be 0.8, and 1.5 A 2 , respectively. The values of σ R for both H→D and D→H reactions increase with Θ Sn and indicate a significant structural sensitivity for H abstraction reactions. There is no significant kinetic isotope effect on either alloy surface, however there is evidence that incident H atoms are slightly more efficient in abstracting adsorbed D atoms than vice versa.
Commentary: Gender and health.

Feminists introduced the concept of gender several decades ago to distinguish between biological sex and the social construction of masculinity and femininity. This distinction has enabled health researchers to move beyond comparative analyses of male and female morbidity and mortality rates (though there is still room for improvement as the breakdown of health statistics by sex is not universal beyond vital statistics). Researchers use the concept of gender to study the impact of womens status in society on their health and healthcare. It is not enough to know for example that women live longer than men (except in Afghanistan) or that womens deeper poverty limits their access to health services. We need to know the economic social and political mechanisms of prejudice and discrimination that lead to ill health and poor healthcare for women and men. The concept of gender has also opened up the fields of gay and lesbian health research and led to the study of the transgendered; these studies proved critical to preventing of the spread of HIV. (excerpt)
Structure characterization of electrosprayed [A·PheGlyGly-H]+ (A = Ca, Sr, Ba, Cu, Fe, Zn, Mn, and Eu) clusters through collision-induced dissociation and extended DFT studies

Abstract Clusters of singly deprotonated tripeptide PheGlyGly bound to doubly charged alkaline earth, transition, and lanthanide metal ions are generated and analyzed through electrospray ionization/collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry (CID MS/MS). Experimental results show that these clusters undergo fragmentation to generate metal-bound ion products. The extent of fragmentation for [Ca·PheGlyGly-H]+, [Sr·PheGlyGly-H]+, and [Ba·PheGlyGly-H]+ shows metal ion radius dependence, whereas no such correlation is found for [Cu·PheGlyGly-H]+, [Zn·PheGlyGly-H]+, [Fe·PheGlyGly-H]+, and [Mn·PheGlyGly-H]+. Fragmentation behavior of [Eu·PheGlyGly-H]+ is similar to those of both the alkaline earth and transition metal-bound clusters, with stronger characteristics of the former. Density functional theory calculations are performed to assign structures and make qualitative comparisons of ion–ligand binding energies for the cluster series. The binding energy is greater for transition metal ion-bound species than the alkaline earth metal ion-bound ones due to ligand–field stabilization, and Cu2+ adopts a weakly negative charge upon complexation, leading to unique dissociation behavior of [Cu·PheGlyGly-H]+. Observation of sequence ions and those arising from dehydration and deammoniation supports the mobile cation model, and consideration of the dissociation energetics suggests the possibility that the cluster fragmentation process may involve predissociation.
High-order difference potentials methods for 1D elliptic type models

Abstract Numerical approximations and modeling of many physical, biological, and biomedical problems often deal with equations with highly varying coefficients, heterogeneous models (described by different types of partial differential equations (PDEs) in different domains), and/or have to take into consideration the complex structure of the computational subdomains. The major challenge here is to design an efficient numerical method that can capture certain properties of analytical solutions in different domains/subdomains (such as positivity, different regularity/smoothness of the solutions, etc.), while handling the arbitrary geometries and complex structures of the domains. In this work, we employ one-dimensional elliptic type models as the starting point to develop and numerically test high-order accurate Difference Potentials Method (DPM) for variable coefficient elliptic problems in heterogeneous media. While the method and analysis are simple in the one-dimensional settings, they illustrate and test several important ideas and capabilities of the developed approach.
Local norepinephrine depletion and learning-related neuronal activity in cingulate cortex and anterior thalamus of rabbits.

Multi-unit neuronal activity was recorded in posterior cingulate cortex (area 29) and the anterior ventral (AV) thalamic nucleus during discriminative instrumental avoidance learning wherein a response (stepping in an activity wheel) to a 0.5-s tone (CS+) prevented a foot-shock 5 s after CS+ onset. Presentations of a different tone (CS-) on 50% of the conditioning trials in an irregular sequence with the CS+ did not predict shock and thus required no response. Two groups of rabbits received intracranial micro-injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) to locally deplete the NE in area 29 or the AV nucleus. Vehicle was injected in the non-depleted area in each group and a third group received vehicle injections in both areas. Dopamine neurons in subjects that received 6-OHDA were protected by pre-treatment with GBR-12909. Neuronal data were collected during two pre-training sessions in response to the tones only and when the tones and shock were presented unpaired. Thalamically depleted rabbits made more, and cortically depleted rabbits made fewer, avoidance responses than controls during the early stages of behavioral acquisition, and cortically depleted rabbits made fewer responses than controls and thalamically depleted rabbits during extinction testing administered after the completion of acquisition. One effect of NE depletion on neuronal activity was entirely local: elimination of neuronal sensitization effects (enhanced discharges elicited by tones during the unpaired tone-shock pre-training treatment relative to pre-training with tones only). Other neuronal effects of NE depletion were system-wide, i.e., they occurred whether the depletion was cortical or thalamic. These were: attenuation of area 29 tone-elicited neuronal discharges and enhancement of AV thalamic discharges before and during training; elimination in area 29 of neuronal discrimination between CS+ and CS-, induced in controls by CS+-shock pairings in the first conditioning session; induction of this neuronal discrimination, not present in controls, in the AV nucleus during the first conditioning session; attenuation of discharge enhancements elicited in controls by unexpected stimuli (presentation of auditory stimuli different in quality and incidence from the CS+). Excepting the noted losses at the outset of training, the results did not support an involvement of NE in the production of cingulate cortical or AV thalamic excitatory and discriminative training-induced neuronal activity. The system-wide alterations due to NE depletion implicated NE in the processing of unexpected events and in the production of dynamic neuronal patterns relevant to mnemonic retrieval. Several of the depletion-related neuronal changes were similar to the effects of hippocampal formation (subicular) lesions, suggesting that NE-dependent functions in area 29 and the AV nucleus are governed by hippocampal efferents, which may control the release of NE in these areas.
Simulation and Optimization of an Anaerobic Digestion System

An automated procedure for the design of an optimized (for both configuration and operating point) anaerobic digestion system is presented. The procedure is based on modern nonlinear programming algorithms and numerical models of the various system components (biological, thermal, and economic). The model simulates yearly digester system operation, and uses this to calculate the after-tax net present value for a particular system design. The optimal design is found using BIAS, a method of multipliers code. Substantial improvements in the net present value were found when the optimized design was compared to the designs in current use. A sensitivity analysis revealed that the price of energy and the energy conversion efficiency were the parameters which influenced system economics most strongly for the best system configuration at the optimal operating point.
Effect of in vitro methylation at CpG sites on gene expression in a genome functioning autonomously in a vertebrate host

The effect of in vitro methylation at the HpaII sites in polyoma DNA on viral gene expression and the maintenance of the methyl groups upon replication in vivo were examined. Most of the methylatable sites are located in the early region coding for the viral large T antigen which is essential for the replication and infectivity of the viral DNA. Methylated or mock-methylated polyoma DNA produced the same number of virus plaques appearing at the same time post-transfection in either case. The lack of effect on the infectivity of the viral DNA indicates that the expression of the T antigen gene was not inhibited by methylation. Replication in vivo of the DNA also resulted in a total loss of the methyl groups introduced in vitro. These results underscore basic differences between the behavior of an autonomously functioning papovavirus DNA and the animal cell DNA vis-a-vis methylation at CpG sites. These differences might be due to subtle variations in the mechanism of regulation of gene expression and replication in the two systems.
Regulated secretion of conventional lysosomes

Regulated secretion has been traditionally regarded as a specialized process present in only a few cell types. Similarly, the secretory lysosomes of hematopoietic cells have been viewed as 'modified' organelles that acquired the machinery for regulated exocytosis. However, there is evidence that conventional lysosomes can, in many cell types, respond to rises in the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration by fusing with the plasma membrane. These findings profoundly change the current view of lysosomes as a 'final' station of the endocytic pathway and suggest a previously unsuspected active role for this organelle.
Predicting goal achievement during stroke rehabilitation for Medicare beneficiaries.

AbstractPurpose: Few studies have investigated the ability of treatment teams to predict functional improvement and whether an association between predicted goals and discharge function in patients with stroke exists. This study investigated goal prediction during stroke rehabilitation delivered in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRF) and the factors associated with goal prediction. Methods: A serial, cross-sectional design analyzing the Medicare IRF Patient Assessment Instrument dataset. The sample included 179 479 admissions for stroke aged over 65 years in 968 IRFs. Generalized estimating equations (GEE) controlled for facility cluster effects were used for analysis of time trends for length of stay (LOS), predicted Functional Independence Measure (FIM) scores, discharge FIM scores and predicted-discharge difference FIM scores (goal FIM scores minus discharge FIM scores). GEE models were employed to determine the correlation between predicted FIM and discharge FIM scores and factors associated wit...
Relative independence of conditioned EEG changes from cardiac and respiratory activity.

Abstract To investigate the system specificity of learned changes in EEG spectra in man and to rule out the possibility that changes in cardiac or respiratory activity mediate the observed central nervous system changes, 14 subjects were trained to produce occipital alpha and beta frequency activity differentially. Standard operant methods, including a discriminative stimulus, were used. Heart and respiration rates were recorded simultaneously. Subjects showed discriminant control of the EEG spectra, but no significant changes were found in either heart or respiratory systems. Our data indicate that conditioned changes in the EEG spectra are not mediated by shifts in either heart or respiration rates. Instead they suggest that the EEG generating system is relatively independent of the brain systems controlling respiration and heart function.
Accurate vapor pressure equation for refrigerants

Abstract This paper contains parameters for a universal vapor pressure equation describing methane, ethane, propane, n-butane, i-butane, R-11, R-12, R-22, R-23, R-32, R-123, R-124, R-125, R-134a, R-141b, R-142b, R-143a and R 152a. These parameters have been generated using experimental vapor pressures reported in literature. The vapor pressure equation, based upon asymptotic behavior at the triple and critical points, has three adjustable fluid-dependent parameters. This equation describes the entire vapor pressure curve within the apparent accuracy of the experimental values.
Real-time discrimination of spectra by time-domain adaptive filtering in a Fourier transform interferometer

We present a programmable spectral discrimination system with minimal data extraction and processing, insensitive to scan nonlinearities. We demonstrate real-time discrimination of monochromatic sources 30 nm apart, employing a spectrometer with a nominal resolution of 200 nm. ©2001 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: (300.6300) Spectroscopy, Fourier transforms; (120.6200) Spectrometers and spectroscopic instrumentation
Compressive Sensing MRI with Wavelet Tree Sparsity

In Compressive Sensing Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CS-MRI), one can reconstruct a MR image with good quality from only a small number of measurements. This can significantly reduce MR scanning time. According to structured sparsity theory, the measurements can be further reduced to O(K + log n) for tree-sparse data instead of O(K + K log n) for standard K-sparse data with length n. However, few of existing algorithms have utilized this for CS-MRI, while most of them model the problem with total variation and wavelet sparse regularization. On the other side, some algorithms have been proposed for tree sparse regularization, but few of them have validated the benefit of wavelet tree structure in CS-MRI. In this paper, we propose a fast convex optimization algorithm to improve CS-MRI. Wavelet sparsity, gradient sparsity and tree sparsity are all considered in our model for real MR images. The original complex problem is decomposed into three simpler subproblems then each of the subproblems can be efficiently solved with an iterative scheme. Numerous experiments have been conducted and show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art CS-MRI algorithms, and gain better reconstructions results on real MR images than general tree based solvers or algorithms.
Non-invasive carboxyhemoglobin monitoring: screening emergency medical services patients for carbon monoxide exposure.

Introduction:Carbon monoxide (CO) toxicity is a significant health problem. The use of non-invasive pulse CO-oximetry screening in the emergency department has demonstrated that the rapid screening of numerous individuals for CO toxicity is simple and capable of identifying occult cases of CO toxicity.Objective:The objective of this study was to extend the use of this handheld device to the prehospital arena, assess carboxyhemoglobin (SpCO) levels in emergency medical services (EMS) patients, and correlate these levels with clinical and demographic data.Methods:This was a retrospective, observational, chart review of adult patients transported to hospital emergency departments by urban fire department EMS ambulances during a six-week period. Each ambulance used a non-invasive pulse CO-oximeter (Rad-57, Masimo Inc.) to record patients' COHb concentrations (SpCO) along with the standard EMS assessment data. Spearman's Rank Correlation tests and Student's t-tests were used to analyze the data and calculate relationships between SpCO and other variables (age, gender, respiratory rate, heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry).Results:A total of 36.4% of the patients transported during the study had SpCO documented. Of the 1,017 adults included in this group, 11 (1.1%) had an SpCO >15%. There was no correlation between SpCO and heart rate, ventilatory rate, mean arterial pressure, and oxygen saturation.Conclusions:Screening for CO toxicity in the EMS setting is possible, and may aid in the early detection and treatment of CO-poisoned patients.
What Explains the Incidence of the Use of a Common Sediment Control on Lots with Houses Under Construction

To analyze compliance with one aspect of the regulation of stormwater discharge, we estimate a random-utility model of the probability that a builder uses a silt fence to control sediments on a lot with a house under construction in an urbanizing county of South Carolina. The probability increases if the builder is responsible to the subdivision’s developer or if a homeowners association exists. The probability also increases as the cost to install a silt fence decreases or the number of houses under construction per built house in a subdivision increases. The results can help county officials target inspection to improve compliance.
Live gang migration of virtual machines

This paper addresses the problem of simultaneously migrating a group of co-located and live virtual machines (VMs), i.e, VMs executing on the same physical machine. We refer to such a mass simultaneous migration of active VMs as "live gang migration". Cluster administrators may often need to perform live gang migration for load balancing, system maintenance, or power savings. Application performance requirements may dictate that the total migration time, network traffic overhead, and service downtime, be kept minimal when migrating multiple VMs. State-of-the-art live migration techniques optimize the migration of a single VM. In this paper, we optimize the simultaneous live migration of multiple co-located VMs. We present the design, implementation, and evaluation of a de-duplication based approach to perform concurrent live migration of co-located VMs. Our approach transmits memory content that is identical across VMs only once during migration to significantly reduce both the total migration time and network traffic. Using the QEMU/KVM platform, we detail a proof-of-concept prototype implementation of two types of de-duplication strategies (at page level and sub-page level) and a differential compression approach to exploit content similarity across VMs. Evaluations over Gigabit Ethernet with various types of VM workloads demonstrate that our prototype for live gang migration can achieve significant reductions in both network traffic and total migration time.
MARBLS: a visual environment for building clinical alert rules

Physicians and nurses usually rely on hospital information systems (HIS) for detecting a variety of adverse clinical conditions and reminding repetitive treatments. However, the acquisition of alert rules expected by HIS from experts remains a challenging, error-prone, and time-consuming process. In this work, we present MARBLS (Medical Alert Rule BuiLding System) - a visual environment to facilitate the design and definition of clinical alert rules. MARBLS enables a two-way, synchronized visual rule workspace and visual query explorer. Monitoring rules can be built by manipulating block components in the rule workspace, by querying and generalizing region of interests in the visual query explorer via direct manipulations, or a combination of both. Informal testing with doctors has shown positive feedback.
How Much Do Mathematics Skills Improve With Age? Evidence From LTT NAEP

The Long-Term Trend (LTT) mathematics assessment of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) used the same set of items from 1982 through 2004, including 20 items that were administered to 9- and 13-year-olds, 29 items that were administered to 13- and 17-year-olds, and 4 items that were administered at all three ages. This study used these items to identify areas of mathematics that had substantial gain from one age level to the next and to identify patterns of gain by age and how those patterns changed over time. Findings included the facts that older students usually did better on items than younger students, although item context and wording was often as important as mathematical knowledge in explaining differences in performance by age. LTT NAEP included a unique set of estimation items and analysis of performance on those items showed that students at all levels could identify an appropriate estimate only when numbers were small and the context for the estimate was familiar. The LTT data also indicated that addition and subtraction skills of 9-year-olds increased and the estimation skills of 13- and 17-year olds improved in some contexts from 1982 through 2004.
Greater progression of athletic performance in older Masters athletes

BACKGROUND The number of new world records has decreased substantially in most athletic events in recent years. There has been enormous growth in participation at Masters events, and older athletes have been competing at the highest levels with much younger athletes. However, the progression of athletic performance over time has not been well investigated in Masters athletes. OBJECTIVE AND METHODS To determine whether older Masters athletes improved athletic performance over time, running and swimming times from 1975 to 2013 were collected biennially. The running event of 100 m was chosen specifically, as it is one of the most popular track and field events that would have attracted a large number of competitors. The middle distance of 400 m as well as 100 m freestyle swimming were also examined to determine whether the results in 100 m sprint event can be confirmed in other events. RESULTS The improvements in fastest 100 m running times over time were not significant. However, all the Masters age-group records improved significantly over time. The slopes of improvements over the years were progressively greater at older age groups with the greatest progression observed at oldest age groups of 75-79 years examined. The general trends were similar for 400 m middle-distance running and 100 m freestyle swimming. CONCLUSIONS While younger athletes' performance has stagnated, Masters athletes improved their athletic performance significantly and progressively over the years. The magnitude of improvements was greater in older age groups gradually closing the gap in athletic performance between younger and older participants.
Postoperative Ileus in the Lower Extremity Arthroplasty Patient

Postoperative ileus is a recognized complication of lower extremity surgery. In a review of 21,589 patients who underwent either total hip or total knee arthroplasty between 1988 and 1997, 0.32% developed postoperative ileus. The ileus lasted >3 days in 46% of patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the risk factors associated with ileus during 3 days after total joint arthroplasty. The average age of the patients with prolonged ileus was 69.1 years, and 70% were male. The development of a prolonged ileus was associated significantly with younger age (P<.005) and male gender (P<.02). In total knee arthroplasty, more cases of postoperative ileus were seen in bilateral surgery. Patients who are younger, male, and undergoing bilateral total knee arthroplasty are at an increased risk of having a more prolonged postoperative ileus and should be monitored closely.
Building Adaptive Camera Models for Video Surveillance

We address the limited automatic scanning functionality of standard PTZ camera systems. We present an adaptive, scene-specific model using standard PTZ camera hardware. The adaptive model is constructed automatically by detecting human activity in motion history images (MHIs) using an iterative candidacy-classification-reduction process. The target motion is quantified and employed in the construction of a global activity map, which in turn is used to direct or navigate the camera
Time-domain analysis of guided propagation on near-field optical antennas

A direct observation of the electromagnetic wave propagation on optical antennas is reported. The propagation mode and its effects on apertureless near-field optical microscopy are studied with terahertz time-domain spectroscopy.
Coping with multiple dimensions of work‐family conflict

One way to reduce work‐family conflict is for individuals to have the ability to effectively cope with the stressful demands. The relationships between four styles of work and family coping (direct action, help‐seeking, positive thinking, and avoidance/resignation) and levels of work‐family conflict are considered. Two different forms of work‐family conflict (time‐based and strain‐based) were examined as well as the effect of direction (work interfering with family, family interfering with work) to examine the efficacy of different coping styles. Help‐seeking and direct action coping used at home were associated with lower family interfering with work conflict levels. Avoidance/resignation coping was associated with higher conflict levels of all types. The results suggest individuals may have greater control and opportunity for positive change within the family domain compared with the work environment.
Entrapped Malecot Nephrostomy Tube: Etiology and Management

Nephrostomy tubes occasionally are resistant to extraction. During the last 7 years 3 such patients with entrapped Malecot nephrostomy tubes have been treated successfully at our university. The entrapped nephrostomy tubes were removed by endoscopically incising an anchoring tissue bridge that had grown over a flange. A small endoscope was easily advanced through the lumen of the entrapped catheter to allow for adequate visualization and electrocautery of the anchoring tissue bridge. With this method an entrapped Malecot nephrostomy tube may be removed intact without significant injury to the renal parenchyma. Malecot nephrostomy tubes should be used with caution for long-term drainage of small intrarenal pelves.
Real‐time or faster‐than‐real‐time simulation of airflow in buildings

Real time flow simulation is crucial for emergency management in buildings, such as fire and accidental or intentional release of chemical/biological agents (contaminants). The simulation results can then be used to impose proper measures to minimize casualties. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is accurate, but too time consuming. Nodal models are fast, but not informative. To obtain a fast and informative solution, this study proposes an intermediate approach between nodal models and CFD by introducing a Fast Fluid Dynamics (FFD) method. This investigation used the FFD methods with and without turbulence treatments to study systematically four basic flows in buildings and compared the numerical results with the corresponding CFD results and the data from the literature. The results show that, on one side, the FFD can offer much richer flow information than nodal models do, but less accurate results than CFD does. On the other side, the FFD is 50 times faster than the CFD. The results also show that the FFD with the laminar assumption has the best overall performance on both accuracy and speed. It is possible to conduct faster-than-real-time flow simulations with detailed flow information by using the FFD method.