cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Euselachian diversity through the uppermost Cretaceous Hell Creek Formation of Garfield County, Montana, USA, with implications for the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction in freshwater environments

Abstract Temporal changes in the diversity of euselachians (e.g., sharks and rays) across the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundary are not well understood, particularly from freshwater ecosystems. Here, we quantitatively analyze euselachian diversity during the last ca. 2 Ma of the Cretaceous using 1518 teeth from 40 vertebrate microfossil localities within the nonmarine facies of the Hell Creek Formation, northeastern Montana, USA. We identify 10 euselachians including one hybodont, five orectolobiforms, one lamniform, one sclerorhynchiform, and two rajiforms. Among these, two are novel and described herein. Diversity metrics reveal an increase in species richness and heterogeneity from the lower to middle portions of the Hell Creek Formation. Thereafter, diversity remained elevated and stable with no turnover until ~5 m below the K-Pg boundary. Above this horizon, including the last ~50 kyr of the Cretaceous, raw species richnesses dropped precipitously, and all euselachians (except possibly Myledaphus) went locally extinct across the boundary. Preceding this drop in richness, changes in euselachian community structure occurred, including steady declines in the relative abundances of M. pustulosus. These patterns do not support regression of the Western Interior Seaway as the single proximal cause of euselachian extinctions across the K-Pg boundary. Rather, euselachian local extinctions likely were the result of the multiple environmental perturbations occurring just before (volcanism, climate change) and at the K-Pg boundary (bolide impact). This high-resolution temporal pattern of euselachian diversity adds to those from other local taxa (e.g., mammals, lissamphibians) to present a more complex view of the K-Pg mass extinction of the continental biota.
Multiple, independent, common variants overlapping known and putative gut enhancers at RET, SEMA3 and NRG1 underlie Hirschsprung disease risk in European ancestry subjects

Abstract Purpose Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) is a developmental disorder of the enteric nervous system (ENS) characterized by congenital aganglionosis, and where individual cases harbor coding risk variants in ENS genes. Low-penetrance, common, noncoding variants at RET, SEMA3 and NRG1 loci have been associated in HSCR as well, implicating variable gene expression mediated by cis-regulatory element (CRE) variants as the causal mechanism. However, the extent and combinatorial effects of all putative CRE variants within and across these loci on HSCR is unknown. Methods Using 583 HSCR subjects, one of the largest samples of European ancestry studied, and genotyping 56 tag variants we evaluated association of all common variants overlapping putative gut CREs and fine-mapped variants at RET, SEMA3 and NRG1. Results We demonstrate that 28 and 8 tag variants, several of which are independent, overlapping putative-enhancers at the RET and SEMA3 loci, respectively, and, 2 fine-mapped tag variants at NRG1 locus, are associated with HSCR. We demonstrate that risk increases with increasing risk allele dosage from multiple variants within and across these loci and varies >25- fold. Conclusion Gene regulatory networks in HSCR-relevant cell types quantify the total burden of risk alleles through sensing reduced gene expression of multiple genes on disease.
Nesting ecology of White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) in Great Salt Lake, Utah

We studied the nesting ecology of White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) at 3 sites within the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA. Ibises built nests in small mounds (mean height = 14.4 ± 4.3 cm) above shallow water (mean depth = 12.0 ± 6.6 cm) located within patchy vegetation (mean percent vegetative cover = 17.2 ± 17.8% vegetative cover) with mean vegetation height of 31.7 ± 9.8 cm. White-faced Ibis typically laid a clutch of 3 or 4 eggs (mean clutch size = 3.08 ± 0.76) and initiated nests over a 50 d period between 24 April 2012 and 12 June 2012. Mean nest success was 38% (95% CI: 31–45%) and hatching success of eggs from successful nests was 76 ± 26%. Although most of the breeding parameters estimated for White-faced Ibis nesting in Utah were comparable to other populations in Oregon and Idaho (USA), nest success may now be lower than has been historically documented.
Electronic Dance Music: From Spectacular Subculture to Culture Industry:

This article is an attempt to show the dialectical nature of Guy Debord’s (1967/1994, The Society of the Spectacle, Aldgate Press) concept of the spectacle, showing how its employment as a resistan...
Editorial: Research Will Help Prepare America for the Rollout of Its New Crisis Hotline.

In Mathieu and colleagues'1 recent systematic review, the authors present important research insights about young people who call hotlines, why they call them, the types of services that callers receive, and the quality of this care. Albeit important on its own, it is particularly timely for American practitioners and policymakers. In December 2020, US President Donald J. Trump signed the National Suicide Designation Act of 2020 into law, designating 9-8-8 as the universal telephone number for accessing the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. In this editorial, I highlight how the insights provided by Mathieu et al.1 have implications for the rollout of the new 9-8-8 number.
Design, Implementation, and Examination of a Remote Patient Monitoring System for Pediatric Obesity: Protocol for an Open Trial Pilot Study

Background: Pediatric obesity is a critical public health issue. Augmenting care in multidisciplinary pediatric obesity clinics with innovative evidence-based technology to improve weight status and health outcomes is needed. Objective: This study describes the design and methods of an open trial pilot study to examine a remote patient monitoring system (RPMS) for children aged 8-17 years who are receiving treatment in a multidisciplinary pediatric obesity clinic. Methods: Participants will include 45 youth with obesity and their parents. Families will receive standard care in the clinic and the RPMS for 3 months. The RPMS consists of a tablet, weight scale, and pedometer. The system provides daily educational content and involves the use of the pedometer and weekly weigh-ins. Children and parents will complete baseline, posttreatment (month 3), and follow-up assessments (month 6). The primary aim of the study is to examine feasibility and satisfaction with the RPMS and assess its initial effectiveness. Results: We hypothesize high feasibility and satisfaction, with rates over 75%. Furthermore, after RPMS treatment, children will exhibit improved weight status, health outcomes, dietary intake, physical activity, health-related quality of life, self-efficacy, and home-food environment compared to before treatment. These gains are expected to persist at follow-up. Conclusions: This study is novel in that it is the first to design, implement, and examine an RPMS in a pediatric obesity clinic. If the RPMS is feasible, effective, and easily accessible, it may prove to be a practical, acceptable, and cost-effective weight management treatment for youth seeking treatment for severe obesity. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04029597; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04029597
Laparoscopy is increasingly used for pediatric inguinal hernia repair

Abstract Introduction Inguinal hernia repairs (IHR) are commonly performed by pediatric surgeons in the United States. The operative approach depends on surgeon preference with no definitive prospective studies comparing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) versus traditional inguinal hernia repair (TIHR). We aim to assess current practice, hypothesizing that laparoscopy is increasingly used for pediatric IHR. Material & Methods The Children's Hospital Association (CHA) Pediatric Health Information System was queried for IHRs performed between 01/01/2009 and 12/31/2018. Demographics, procedure type, hernia laterality, and cost were obtained. Patients were grouped by procedure type (laparoscopic/traditional). Results 125,249 IHRs were performed at 32 CHA hospitals during the ten-year study period. 115,782 (92.4%) were TIHR and 9467 (7.6%) LIHR. Use of laparoscopy increased 5-fold from 3% to 15% over the study period. When comparing laparoscopic to traditional IHR groups, there were more females (28.3% vs 12.6%), African-Americans (19.7% vs 14.4%), government-insured (50% vs 45.2%), younger patients (4.2 vs 4.4 years), bilateral IHRs (11.4% vs 7.9%), and higher adjusted total hospital cost ($3,791 vs $2995) in the laparoscopic group (p Conclusions Laparoscopy for pediatric IHR is increasing at CHA hospitals where nearly 1 in 6 children currently undergoes a laparoscopic repair. The long-term outcomes with laparoscopic repair are worthy of future study.
Improving Detection of Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment with Sex-Specific Cognitive Norms.

BackgroundDespite a female advantage in verbal memory, normative data for verbal memory tests used to diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) often are not sex-adjusted.ObjectiveTo determine whether sex-adjusted norms improve aMCI diagnostic accuracy when accuracy was evaluated by progression to AD dementia over time.MethodsNon-sex-specific and sex-specific verbal memory test norms were incorporated into Jak/Bondi aMCI criteria and applied to older (age 65-90) non-demented women (N = 1,036) and men (N = 355) from the Rush Memory and Aging Project. Using sex-specific aMCI diagnosis as the "true" condition versus non-sex-specific aMCI diagnosis as the "predicted" condition, we identified True Positives, False Positives, True Negatives, and False Negatives and compared AD dementia risk over 10 years among groups.ResultsRates of aMCI were higher in men versus women (χ 2 = 15.39, p < 0.001) when determined based on typical diagnostic criteria, but this difference reversed when using sex-specific diagnostic criteria (χ 2 = 8.38, p = 0.004). We identified 8%of women as False Negatives and 12%of men as False Positives. Risk of incident AD dementia in False Positive men was significantly lower than in True Positive men (HR = 0.26, 95%CI = 0.12-0.58, p = 0.001). Risk of incident AD dementia in False Negative women was substantially higher than in True Negative women (HR = 3.11, 95%CI = 2.09-4.63, p < 0.001).ConclusionResults suggest that previous reports of higher aMCI rates in men versus women may be an artifact of non-sex-adjusted norms/cut-scores. Incorporation of sex-specific norms/cut-scores for verbal memory impairment into aMCI diagnostic criteria may improve diagnostic accuracy and avoid diagnostic errors in approximately 20%.
TH‐EF‐BRD‐01: Fluence Map Optimization Using a Voxel‐Based Reduced‐Order Constrained Optimization Model

Purpose: To develop a method for adaptively imposing dose constraints on individual voxels and structures in IMRT planning, such that a sequence of computationally tractable, low-dimensional constrained optimization problems is solved that leads to plans satisfying dose-volume and other clinical constraints. Methods: The previously proposed Reduced Order Constrained Optimization (ROCO) algorithm is applied to parameterize an IMRT problem by a small number of coefficients on learned principal components, instead of a large number of independent beamlet fluences. A sequence of constrained optimization problems is solved over the set of coefficients in which the importance of each voxel and structure is adaptively changed in the objective function. Instead of manually investigating good settings for these parameters, an adaptive gain scheduling rule based on control theory automatically adjusts the weights, quickly converging to a plan satisfying the clinical constraints. In particular, we apply a decentralized proportional-integral controller that adjusts structure weights using dose-volume constraint (DVC) violation feedback. We compare our method against a previous approach in which subsets of voxels were iteratively selected and hard-constrained in an attempt to satisfy DVCs. Results: The technique was tested on five different non-nodal prostate cases, each resulting in clinically acceptable plans in less than 2.5 minutes on average. The quality of plans is far superior to the alternate method, significantly reducing OARs doses while meeting PTV V95 goals. Conclusion: Compared to alternative optimization schemes in the full intensity space, the propose scheme offers fast convergence rate, demands significantly less memory resources and computational effort, which allows larger IMRT problems to be addressed.
Simulation and evaluation of different statistical functions for describing lag time distributions of a bacterial growth curve

The objective of this study was to simulate the lag time distribution of individual bacterial cells in a population incubated under an isothermal condition. Spores of Clostridium sporogenes PA 3679 inoculated to ground beef were incubated at 37 °C to develop a growth curve and determine its apparent lag time. The lag times of individual cells were simulated using normal, lognormal, Gumbel, gamma, Weibull, and exponential distributions. The growth process was modeled using the McKellar model. A 4th order Runge–Kutta method was used to solve the McKellar model in conjunction with the Nelder–Mead method. The objective of the numerical analysis was to search for the parameters in each lag time distribution model and the kinetic parameters (specific growth rate and mean lag time) of the growth model such that a minimized residual sum of squared errors (RSS) was found. Although different in shapes, the simulation results showed that the performance of normal, lognormal, Gumbel, and gamma distributions was practically the same when used to fit the growth curve, yielding the same estimates of initial and stationary phase bacterial concentrations, specific growth rate, and mean lag time as well as RSS. The lognormal, Gumbel, and gamma distributions of the lag times were slightly skewed to the right of the mean. The standard deviations of the lag times with these distributions were relatively small, suggesting that cells may leave the lag phase almost simultaneously. The Weibull and exponential distributions were also suitable for describing the distribution of lag times, but with larger standard deviations. In general, all these statistical distributions were found suitable for simulating the distribution of lag times of individual cells in a population.
A framework for integrated Internet and ad hoc network security

Extending mobile IP to ad hoc networks with the foreign agent (FA) acting as the bridge between the wired network and ad hoc networks can provide the global Internet connectivity for ad hoc hosts. The existing research in the area of the integrated wired and ad hoc network is carried out in a nonadversarial setting. This work proposes an effective solution to solve the security related problems encountered in these integrated networks. The proposed approach uses the modified minimal public based authentication protocol not only for mobility binding at the home agent (HA) but also for access control and route discovery. This security protocol also excludes malicious nodes from performing the ad hoc network routing. This paper focuses on preventing ad hoc hosts from the attacks of antiintegrity, anticonfidentiality, antiauthentication and duplication.
The indentation and scraping of a metal surface: A molecular dynamics study

The molecular dynamics computer simulation method is used to study the indentation and scraping of a clean metal surface by a hard diamond tool. Both two and three dimensional models are considered. The embedded atom method is used to represent a metallic work material. To make connection with macroscopic continuum models, we calculate the stress field from the atomistic computer experiment. The agreement is excellent during the initial elastic indentation. However, the onset of plastic deformation occurs at a much higher yield stress in the atomistic simulations. This enhanced hardness, with shallow indentations, corresponds to the theoretical yield stress required to create dislocations and leads to a dramatic increase in specific cutting energy for small depths of cut. Remarkably, the range of plastic deformation in our three dimensional simulations is only a few lattice spacings, unlike the several hundred lattice spacings dislocations readily propagate in our two dimensional simulations. This suggests that dislocations are not a very efficient mechanism for accommodating strain at this nanometer length scale in three dimensions.
Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist suppresses Langerhans cell activity and promotes ocular immune privilege.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the capacity of Langerhans cells (LCs) to abrogate ocular immune privilege can be suppressed by the topical application of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). METHODS: Cautery was applied to corneas of BALB/c mice on day 0 to induce centripetal migration of LCs. Immune privilege was tested by the ability to induce anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID) to intracamerally injected soluble antigen 1 to 2 weeks after cautery application. The number of LCs was enumerated by immunofluorescent staining. In other experiments, freshly procured Thy-1-depleted epidermal cells, with or without LC depletion, were injected directly into virgin murine corneas before testing for ACAID. All test animals were randomized for treatment with either topical IL-1ra or placebo in a masked fashion for 1 to 2 weeks after induction of LC migration and before intracameral injection of antigen. RESULTS: Intracorneal injection of freshly procured LC-depleted epidermal cells into normal eyes failed to abrogate ACAID, whereas LC-containing cell populations uniformly led to loss of immune privilege (P 80%) suppression of LC migration compared with untreated controls (P < 0.01). Additionally, topical IL-1ra treatment of eyes with intracorneally injected LCs preserved immune privilege and ACAID induction (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: IL-1 mediates mechanisms of immunity in corneal inflammation that subvert the normal eye's immune privileged state. However, its antagonism with topical administration of IL-1ra preserves ocular immune privilege and ACAID through suppression of LC function.
Commentary on Martin Campbell-Kelly, "software as an economic activity"

Campbell-Kelly provides a valuable overview of the (limited) literature on the history of the computer software industry and an especially useful agenda for further research. He correctly criticizes the rapidly growing literature on this industry for its lack of rigor, minimal use of the (admittedly modest) quantitative data, and its focus on narratives of the histories of individual firms or software products. His call for better analysis and data on populations of software firms, for the collection of better longitudinal data, much of which necessarily will rely on employment data, rather than measures of output, and his advocacy of closer integration with the academic literature on innovation all are valuable guidelines for future research.
Mitochondrial reticulum for cellular energy distribution in muscle

Intracellular energy distribution has attracted much interest and has been proposed to occur in skeletal muscle via metabolite-facilitated diffusion; however, genetic evidence suggests that facilitated diffusion is not critical for normal function. We hypothesized that mitochondrial structure minimizes metabolite diffusion distances in skeletal muscle. Here we demonstrate a mitochondrial reticulum providing a conductive pathway for energy distribution, in the form of the proton-motive force, throughout the mouse skeletal muscle cell. Within this reticulum, we find proteins associated with mitochondrial proton-motive force production preferentially in the cell periphery and proteins that use the proton-motive force for ATP production in the cell interior near contractile and transport ATPases. Furthermore, we show a rapid, coordinated depolarization of the membrane potential component of the proton-motive force throughout the cell in response to spatially controlled uncoupling of the cell interior. We propose that membrane potential conduction via the mitochondrial reticulum is the dominant pathway for skeletal muscle energy distribution.
Transport of Glucose, Gluconate, and Methyl α-D-Glucoside by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Glucose transport by Pseudomonas aeruginosa was studied. These studies were enhanced by the use of a mutant, strain PAO 57, which was unable to grow on glucose but which formed the inducible glucose transport system when grown in media containing glucose or other inducers such as 2-deoxy-d-glucose. Both PAO 57 and parental strain PAO transported glucose with an apparent Km of 7 μM. Free glucose was concentrated intracellularly by P. aeruginosa PAO 57 over 200-fold above the external level. These data constitute direct evidence that glucose is transported via active transport by P. aeruginosa. Various experimental data clearly indicated that P. aeruginosa PAO transported methyl α-d-glucose (α-MeGlc) via the glucose transport system. The apparent Km of α-MeGlc transport was 7 mM which indicated a 1,000-fold lower affinity of the glucose transport system for α-MeGlc than for glucose. While only unchanged α-MeGlc was detected intracellularly in P. aeruginosa, α-MeGlc was actually concentrated intracellularly less than 2-fold over the external level. Membrane vesicles of P. aeruginosa PAO retained transport activity for gluconate. This solute was concentrated intravesicularly several-fold over the external level. A component of the glucose transport system is believed to have been lost during vesicle preparation since glucose per se was not transported. Instead; glucose was converted to gluconate by membrane-associated glucose dehydrogenase and gluconate was then transported into the vesicles. Although this may constitute an alternate system for glucose transport, it is not a necessary prerequisite for glucose transport by intact cells since P. aeruginosa PAO 57, which lacks glucose dehydrogenase, was able to transport glucose at a rate equal to the parental strain.
Total arch replacement with frozen elephant trunk technique

Our technique for replacing the aortic arch has evolved in recent years from femoral artery cannulation with retrograde cerebral perfusion and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest, to innominate artery cannulation as our first choice, combined with antegrade cerebral perfusion during systemic circulatory arrest with a nasopharyngeal temperature target of 24 °C, and a trifurcated Y-graft (1-3). We have recently reported in high-risk patients that endovascular technology facilitates the repair of arch aneurysms(4). With the help of endovascular stent grafts, we perform total arch replacement with a frozen elephant trunk (FET) in patients whose aneurysm extends through the upper or the entire descending thoracic aorta. If the aneurysm involves the aortic arch and the upper descending thoracic aorta, the repair is performed as a one-stage procedure with antegrade stent delivery of the endograft. If the aneurysm extends into the entire descending aorta, the repair is performed either in one stage with antegrade or retrograde delivery of the endograft or in two stages with retrograde delivery of the stent graft as the second stage of the repair. Our decision to proceed with one-stage versus two-stage repair is based on specific aortic arch anatomy, the complexity of the proximal repair, and the patient’s comorbidities.
A New Approach to Estimating Switching Regressions

Abstract In recent years much attention has been focussed on the problem of discontinuous shifts in regression regimes at unknown points in the data series. This article approaches this problem by assuming that nature chooses between regimes with probabilities λ and 1 — λ. This allows formulation of the appropriate likelihood function maximized with respect to the parameters in the regression equations and λ. The method is compared to another recent procedure in some sampling experiments and in a realistic economic problem and is found satisfactory.
Experimental-analytic approach to derive software performance

Abstract An experimental-analytic approach to derive software performance is presented. The approach unifies static and dynamic performance analysis techniques. The goal is to develop practical means to obtain precise, indepth, and relevant performance information, especially execution time, for guiding design decisions. First, computation cost functions of a program are derived. This is done by modelling the program using the computation structure model and then applying a flow analysis technique to derive the program's cost function. In addition, program instrumentation techniques are employed to measure control flows and to trace program variables. Finally, precise execution-time information is computed by evaluating the cost function against the control flows measured. The three classes of parameters (execution time, control flow, and program variables) can be analysed selectively and interactively; this gives an insight into the design's behaviour. To cope with tedious and frequent analyses of large and complex software, a tool (COPES) is built that automates the static and dynamic techniques required. The implementation and the use of this tool are illustrated.
Neural network approach in multichannel auditory event-related potential analysis

Even though there are presently no clearly defined criteria for the assessment of P300 event-related potential (ERP) abnormality, it is strongly indicated through statistical analysis that such criteria exist for classifying control subjects and patients with diseases resulting in neuropsychological impairment such as multiple sclerosis (MS). We have demonstrated the feasibility of artificial neural network (ANN) methods in classifying ERP waveforms measured at a single channel (Cz) from control subjects and MS patients. In this paper, we report the results of multichannel ERP analysis and a modified network analysis methodology to enhance automation of the classification rule extraction process. The proposed methodology significantly reduces the work of statistical analysis. It also helps to standardize the criteria of P300 ERP assessment and facilitate the computer-aided analysis on neuropsychological functions.
Role of the C Terminus of the Interleukin 8 Receptor in Signal Transduction and Internalization

Interleukin 8 (IL-8) is a potent neutrophil chemoattractant and activator. Two IL-8 receptor subtypes, A and B, are expressed in neutrophils. In this work, we analyzed the role of the C terminus domain of the IL-8 receptor on the signal transduction and receptor internalization mechanisms. The IL-8 receptor A was tagged with an epitope corresponding to the monoclonal antibody 1D4 to monitor the localization of the IL-8 receptor. We demonstrated IL-8-dependent receptor internalization by monitoring the density of surface 125I-labeled IL-8 binding sites and by immunofluorescence microscopy. Truncation of the last 27 amino acids of the IL-8 receptor A severely impaired the IL-8-induced internalization of the receptor. Of importance was the observation that binding of IL-8 to receptors A and B triggered a dramatically faster rate of internalization of receptor B than receptor A, suggesting that the heterologous C termini among receptor subtypes modulate the rate of internalization of IL-8 receptors. However, substitution of the C terminus of the receptor subtype A for the C terminus of receptor B reduced the internalization rate of receptor A. Furthermore, we found that the rate of internalization of IL-8 receptor B triggered by IL-8 was faster than the one induced by the IL-8-related peptide, melanoma growth stimulatory activity. Studies with human neutrophils pretreated with 100 nM IL-8 for 5 min revealed a positive and a negative calcium response mediated by receptors A and B, respectively. In contrast, neutrophils pretreated with melanoma growth stimulatory activity showed positive calcium responses to both receptors A and B. These data suggest that the neutrophil responses mediated by IL-8 are modulated by the rate of internalization of receptors.
Did Einstein Really Believe that Principle Theories are Explanatorily Powerless

Einstein is widely understood as regarding “principle theories” (such as the theory of relativity) as explanatorily powerless. This brief paper shows that Einstein’s remarks admit of another interpretation, according to which principle theories possess explanatory power. This interpretation is motivated primarily by showing that James Jeans made remarks very similar to Einstein’s at nearly the same time, but Jeans reconciled those remarks with holding principle theories to be explanatory. Einstein’s remarks could well be getting at the same point as Jeans’s. This view of principle and constructive theories is independently valuable. It undermines Salmon’s “friendly physicist” example as an argument for the view that there are facts that can be explained by both principle and constructive theories.
Imaging polarimetry in scene element discrimination

ABSTRACT Recent work has shown that the use of a calibrated digital camera fitted with a rotating linear polarizer canfacilitate the study of Stokes parameter images across a wide dynamic range of scene radiance values.Here, we show images of a MacBeth color chips, Spectralon gray scale targets and Kodak gray cards. Wealso consider a static aircraft mounted on a platform against a clear sky background. We show that thecontrast in polarization is greater than for intensity, and that polarization contrast increases as intensitycontrast decreases. We also show that there is a great variation in the polarization in and between each ofthe bandpasses: this variation is comparable to the magnitude ofthe variation in intensity. INTRODUCTIONPolarization can yield image intelligence additional to that accessible from radiometric intensity, wavelength-dependence, texture, topography, or feature shape, size or relative disposition. Polarizedradiation may be described by means of four parameters, known as Stokes parameters. G.G. Stokes, in1852, introduced four quantities that are functions only ofthe observables ofthe electromagnetic wave andare known as Stokes parameters. Generally, radiometric information is contained within the first Stokesparameter, while polarimetric information is contained in the other three. Relatively few researchers haveexplored the possibility of using polarization as a source of contrast information for feature extraction.Little has been done to study the wavelength-dependence of polarization.In a seminal paper, Walraven1 used a 35mm camera to obtain sets of four slides of scenes using a polarizingfilter at O 450 900 and 135° relative orientation of the polarization direction about the optic axis of thecamera. He measured the photographic density of the emulsion and related this to scene radiance. Theintensity of the radiation that passes through the polarization filter is given byI' (0) =
Integrated resource management systems: Coupling expert systems with data-base management and geographic information systems

Decision making in natural resource management is becoming increasingly information-intensive because of the rising public concerns about resource conservation and environmental quality. The volume of information that must be analyzed and the complexity of the decision-making process demands that computerized systems be developed to provide decision support services. An integrated systems approach that couples data-base management, geographic information systems, and expert systems is needed. We refer to such an approach as integrated resource management automation (IRMA) and describe a prototype system that is currently being tested in the Nicolet National Forest. This type of information system is likely to play an increasingly important role in the management of natural resources in the future.
An accuracy assessment of global navigation wildlife-tracking collars in the southern clilean Patagonia

En el Parque Nacional Torres del Paine hemos evaluado la precision de tres tipos de collares diferentes. Los collares utilizan los sistemas de navegacion global mediante satelites (GNSS) y se utilizan en el seguimiento de la fauna salvaje. La evaluacion fue determinada comparando las posiciones del collar en relacion con coordenadas de control establecidas previamente y con posiciones muy precisas. Las coordenadas de control las establecimos utilizando receptores portadores de observacion GNSS de doble frecuencia y comparando estas posiciones de alta precision con las de relativamente baja precision, de frecuencia unica, de un solo codigo de seguimiento en dos escenarios: (i) pruebas estacionarias: tres collares de tres fabricantes diferentes fueron evaluados mediante marcadores de control permanente, y (ii) pruebas itinerantes: el collar de un fabricante se evaluo en ambientes utilizados por animales portadores de collar. Estos ambientes incluyen tres tipos de habitats con topografia y copas de los arboles que pudieran aumentar la obstruccion del contacto con los satelites. Los resultados estacionarios muestran que incluso en condiciones ideales, hay diferencias estadisticamente significativas en la precision media de la posicion entre los collares, pero que estas diferencias son pequenas en comparacion con el tamano de los rangos de hogar de los tipos de animales a los que se les equiparia con collar. La evaluacion del muestreo itinerante demostro que bajo el cielo abierto, los errores promedio fueron consistentes con las afrmaciones del fabricante, pero que las distancias del error medio y el fallo de corregir los errores (fallo en la coleccion de posiciones en horarios establecidos) aumento con segun se incrementa la obstruccion del cielo.
Prospective evaluation of the long-term outcomes after deep small-bowel spiral enteroscopy in patients with obscure GI bleeding

Background Spiral enteroscopy can be safe and effective in the short term for evaluation of obscure GI bleeding, but long-term data are lacking. Objective To assess the long-term clinical outcomes after deep small-bowel spiral enteroscopy performed for obscure GI bleeding. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Academic referral center. Patients This study included 78 patients who underwent antegrade spiral enteroscopy for evaluation of obscure GI bleeding. Intervention Diagnostic spiral enteroscopy with hemostatic therapeutic maneuvers applied as indicated. Main Outcome Measurements Postprocedure evidence of recurrent overt GI bleeding, blood transfusion requirements, need for iron supplementation, serum hemoglobin values, and the need for additional therapeutic procedures. Results Long-term follow-up data (mean [± standard deviation] 25.3 ± 7.5 months; range 12.9-38.8 months) were obtained in 61 patients (78%). Among those with long-term follow-up data, overt bleeding before spiral enteroscopy was present in 62%, compared with 26% in the follow-up period ( P P P = .0002), and the need for iron supplementation ( P = .0487) and additional procedures ( P Limitations Single-center study, intervention bias. Conclusion In patients with obscure GI bleeding, deep small-bowel spiral enteroscopy is safe and effective in reducing the incidence of overt bleeding. An increase in hemoglobin values along with a decrease in blood transfusion requirement, need for iron supplementation, and need for additional therapeutic procedures were found over long-term follow-up. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT00861263.)
Growth and dissolution kinetics of tetragonal lysozyme

The growth and dissolution kinetics of lysozyme in a 25 ml solution bridge inside a closed growth cell was investigated. It was found that, under all growth conditions, the growth habit forming (110) and (101) faces grew through layer spreading with different growth rate dependence on supersaturation/temperature. On the other hand, (100) faces which formed only at low temperatures underwent a thermal roughening transition around 12 C.
Disturbances in body ownership in schizophrenia: evidence from the rubber hand illusion and case study of a spontaneous out-of-body experience.

Background A weakened sense of self may contribute to psychotic experiences. Body ownership, one component of self-awareness, can be studied with the rubber hand illusion (RHI). Watching a rubber hand being stroked while one's unseen hand is stroked synchronously can lead to a sense of ownership over the rubber hand, a shift in perceived position of the real hand, and a limb-specific drop in stimulated hand temperature. We aimed to assess the RHI in schizophrenia using quantifiable measures: proprioceptive drift and stimulation-dependent changes in hand temperature. Methods The RHI was elicited in 24 schizophrenia patients and 21 matched controls by placing their unseen hand adjacent to a visible rubber hand and brushing real and rubber hands synchronously or asynchronously. Perceived finger location was measured before and after stimulation. Hand temperature was taken before and during stimulation. Subjective strength of the illusion was assessed by a questionnaire. Results Across groups, the RHI was stronger during synchronous stimulation, indicated by self-report and proprioceptive drift. Patients reported a stronger RHI than controls. Self-reported strength of RHI was associated with schizotypy in controls Proprioceptive drift was larger in patients, but only following synchronous stimulation. Further, we observed stimulation-dependent changes in skin temperature. During right hand stimulation, temperature dropped in the stimulated hand and rose in the unstimulated hand. Interestingly, induction of RHI led to an out-of-body experience in one patient, linking body disownership and psychotic experiences. Conclusions The RHI is quantitatively and qualitatively stronger in schizophrenia. These findings suggest that patients have a more flexible body representation and weakened sense of self, and potentially indicate abnormalities in temporo-parietal networks implicated in body ownership. Further, results suggest that these body ownership disturbances might be at the heart of a subset of the pathognomonic delusions of passivity.
Complexation of metal carbonyl units with [α-PW11O39]7− and [α2-P2W17O61]10−: insights into the chiral “twisted-sandwich” dimeric structures

Several polyoxometalate-supported metal carbonyl complexes, K7Na3P2W23O80{Re(CO)3}2·38H2O (1), (C3H10N)8Na2P2W23O80{Re(CO)3}2·10H2O (1a) and (C3H10N)6KNa3P2W23O80{Mn(CO)3}2·7H2O (2), have been prepared from the dimerization of the monovacant Keggin [α-PW11O39]7− with metal carbonyl complexes [M(CO)3]+ (M = Re, Mn) in acidic aqueous solutions. The resulting “twisted-sandwich” architectures are chiral, but their crystalline solids are racemic. A detailed investigation involving syntheses, crystal structures, and electrochemistry is presented.
Substrate screening of the interaction between adsorbed atoms and molecules: Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, and C H 4 on graphite

This paper treats the electrodynamic screening by the substrate of the van der Waals interaction between adsorbed particles. The free-space interaction is modified by a perturbation $\ensuremath{\Delta}V$, which describes the effect of the substrate. The McLachlan expression for $\ensuremath{\Delta}V$ is evaluated for the cases of Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe, and C${\mathrm{H}}_{4}$ adsorbed on graphite basal planes, and a potential energy between adsorbed molecules (atoms) is calculated. The main effect is a reduction in well depth of 15-20% from the free-space values. Experimental data are semiquantitatively consistent with these potentials. Discussion of the results and their implications is given.
Scalable and accurate estimation of probabilistic behavior in sequential circuits

We present a new methodology for fast and accurate simulation of signal probabilities in sequential logic. It can be used for analyzing soft error effects at the logic level, estimating circuit reliability, and the like. Experimental results for large benchmarks show that signal error probabilities can be estimated over many cycles with high accuracy.
Mine-drainage treatment wetland as habitat for herptofaunal wildlife

Land reclamation techniques that incorporate habitat features for herptofaunal wildlife have received little attention. We assessed the suitability of a wetland, constructed for the treatment of mine-water drainage, for supporting herptofaunal wildlife from 1988 through 1990 using diurnal and nocturnal surveys. Natural wetlands within the surrounding watershed were also monitored for comparison. The treatment wetland supported the greatest abundance and species richness of herptofauna among the sites surveyed. Abundance was a function of the frog density, particularly green frogs (Rana clamitans) and pickerel frogs (R. palustris), while species richness was due to the number of snake species found. The rich mix of snake species present at the treatment wetland was believed due to a combination of an abundant frog prey base and an amply supply of den sites in rock debris left behind from earlier surface-mining activities. Nocturnal surveys of breeding male frogs demonstrated highest breeding activity at the treatment wetland, particularly for spring peepers (Hyla crucifer). Whole-body assays of green frog and bullfrog (R. catesbeiana) tissues showed no differences among sites in uptake of iron, aluminum, and zinc; managanese levels in samples from the treatment wetland were significantly lower than those from natural wetlands. These results suggest that wetlands established for water quality improvement can provide habitat for reptiles and amphibians, with the species composition dependent on the construction design, the proximity to source populations, and the degree of acidity and heavy-metal concentrations in drainage waters.
Complications of Robotic Total Mesorectal Excision

Since the concept of minimally invasive surgery was introduced, advances in technology have broadened laparoscopic approaches to the gastrointestinal tract. In particular, the development of robotic surgery has provided surgeons with greater comfort and the ergonomic tools necessary to overcome some of the limitations associated with conventional laparoscopic surgery. The da Vinci robotic system has been widely used in urological and gynecologic surgery and has now expanded into gastrointestinal procedures, including colorectal surgery. However, the robotic approach carries its own potential set of complications. This review will summarize the complications associated with robotic-assisted colorectal surgery in the current published report as well as robotic surgical failures seen when using the da Vinci robotic system.
A naturalistic on-off-on trial of dextromethorphan/quinidine for agitation associated with cerebellar injury.

Mr. A, a 47 year-old man with a complicated medical history including HIV and neurovascular syphilis, presented to an urban academic medical center with complaints of headache, vertigo, facial numbness, and intractable hiccups. He reported being awakened from sleep by a loud popping sound coming from the back of his neck with immediate onset of his presenting symptoms. Exam was remarkable for dysarthric speech and copious oral secretions that he was unable to swallow. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed areas of restricted diffusion in the left inferior cerebellar hemisphere and the left lateral aspect of the medulla consistent with an acute infarct of the left posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA). Subsequent CT angiography revealed an occlusion of the left vertebral artery thought to be due to dissection. Psychiatry was consulted on the 13th hospital day due to worsening episodic agitation that had begun on the 7th hospital day. He was noted to have very poor frustration tolerance, often becoming upset with his dietary restrictions and perceived delay in responses to his requests. He had pulled out his intravenous (IV) lines on several occasions and had pushed over his IV pole. Psychiatric consultation had finally been prompted by nursing becoming upset that Mr. A was watching pornography on his laptop
DBM technologies for free-space laser communications

The concept of double-beam modulation (DBM) has been demonstrate using SWAOM, SWSAWM, and DMB frequency-locked lasers (DBM-FLL). The concept and characteristics of DBM are reviewed, and some initial experiments to demonstrate the concept of DMB-FLL are described. DBM technologies for space communications are briefly addressed.
Use of the lateral line and tactile senses in feeding in four antarctic nototheniid fishes

Fishes of the family Nototheniidae (Pisces: Perciformes) dominate antarctic fish communities and have radiated to fill diverse niches. The most southern species must operate under an extended austral night and under thick sea ice, yet have eyes more typical of shallow coastal fishes. In winter, the eyes are probably useless, except for detecting bioluminescence. I compared the responses of four species to hydromechanical and tactile signals: two benthivores,Trematomus bernacchii andT. pennellii, a benthic planktivore,T. nicolai, andPagothenia borchgrevinki, which feeds near the ice undersurface and within ice cracks. The planktivores have dorsal mouths, with eyes oriented dorsally or laterally (Pagothenia); their lateral line canals and receptor organs are larger dorsally. The benthivores have more ventrally oriented mouths and eyes. All species responded to hydromechanical cues to the head, but only the two benthivores responded to trunk hydromechanical stimuli or tactile stimuli to the ventral trunk or pelvic fins. Possibly responses to plankton along the trunk are of little use if a reorientation washes pelagic prey away. In responding to trunk stimuli,T. bernacchii reorients its head to the target in two stages by slowly pivoting on its pelvic fins. In contrast,T. pennellii reorients in a single quick flip. It is argued that, becauseT. bernacchii has wider canals thanT. pennellii, it must move more slowly to reduce self-generated noise. It is likely that further studies of winter diet and prey behavior may reveal the relative advantages of the two repositioning styles.