cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Evaporation of single atoms from an adsorbate island or a step to a terrace: Evaporation rate and the underlying atomic-level mechanism.

We examine the kinetics of atom ``evaporation'' from an adsorbate island onto the surrounding single-crystal surface. In our model the atoms forming the island move on a square lattice with rate constants qualitatively consistent with the values found for metal-on-metal systems. At the temperatures of interest here the rates are such that only atoms having no neighbors along the island's edge can evaporate. The rate constant of this elementary evaporation step is denoted by ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{e}}$. Our simulations show that an atom leaves an N-particle island at a time t with a probability proportional to exp[-${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{Nt}}$]. The rate constant ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{N}}$ is determined by simulations and has several very interesting properties. (1) It depends on temperature according to the Arrhenius formula, but with an activation energy that is substantially higher than that of ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{e}}$. (2) The rate constants ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{N}}$ and ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{e}}$ are connected through ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{N}}$/${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{e}}$=〈${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{s}}$〉, where 〈${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{s}}$〉 is the mean number of single edge atoms per island. (3) In most cases one can use for 〈${\mathit{n}}_{\mathit{s}}$〉 in this relationship a value calculated from an equilibrium ensemble; this leads to a very efficient method for calculating ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{N}}$. (4) The size dependence of ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{N}}$ is unexpected: we find that ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{N}}$ is proportional to ${\mathit{N}}^{0.36}$ for all temperatures, and for several values of ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{e}}$. These findings provide insights into the statistical properties of evaporation and also lead to a substantial simplification of simulations of particle transport between islands; rather than simulate all atomic events in detail, one can perform preliminary calculations to obtain the evaporation rates ${\mathit{k}}_{\mathit{N}}$, for all the island sizes N of interest, and then use these rates to simulate the atom exchange kinetics. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Computer simulation of the vacancy-wind effect in a concentrated alloy with long-and short-range order

Abstract Diffusion via the agency of vacancies in an s.c. binary alloy with long-and short-range order has been simulated using a Monte Carlo method. Results for the vacancy-wind factor occurring in the Darken relation connecting the intrinsic diffusivity, the tracer diffusivity and the thermodynamic factor were collected over the entire composition range at six temperatures. The results obtained are in excellent agreement with Manning's expression, which is exact for the random alloy, substituted with previously obtained computer-simulated values of the tracer diffusivities.
Iterative Optical Vector-Matrix Processor

An iterative optical vector-matrix processor capable of solving systems of linear algebraic equations or vector-matrix equations is described. The basic system uses a vector-matrix multiplier, consisting of a linear light emitting diode (LED) input array and fiber optic interconnections to a matrix mask interfaced to a linear output photodetector ar-ray. When the photodetector's outputs are returned to the LED inputs via a microprocessor electronic feedback system, an iterative optical processor results. The operation, description, and fabrication of this system are described, and its use as a rather general purpose optical processor is emphasized.© (1984) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Tracheobronchial injuries after blunt chest trauma in children—Hidden pathology☆

Abstract Background: Blunt thoracic injuries in children are unique because the pliability of the chest wall allows transmission of massive external force directly into the mediastinum. Children presenting after blunt chest trauma may have complete disruption of the airway with little external sign of injury. Without prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment, the risk for progressive respiratory failure is high. Methods: Four children with tracheobronchial injuries were referred to a pediatric trauma center from 1994 to 1997. All children, age 18 months to 13 years, suffered unusual crush injuries. All diagnoses were based on unresolved pneumothorax or pneumomediastinum. Results: Bronchoscopy identified the location of injury as posterior trachea (n = 1) and right mainstem bronchus (n = 2). A tertiary bronchial injury (n = 1) was missed by initial tracheogram and subsequent bronchoscopy but identified during surgical exploration. All children survived after thoracotomy and primary repair of the injury. Conclusions: Tracheobronchial disruption is a rare, life-threatening injury. Suspicion should be high when pneumomediastinum and pneumothorax are refractory to adequate pleural drainage. Flexible bronchoscopy with intubation distal to the injury may be necessary to prevent loss of the airway. Advance preparation should include setups for bronchoscopy, thoracotomy, and cardiopulmonary bypass. Patient survival depends on preparation and prompt surgical intervention.
Dimensional characteristics of the SCL-90-R: evaluation of gender differences in dually diagnosed inpatients

The dimensional characteristics of the SCL-90-R were assessed for both male and female dually diagnosed inpatients. Subjects included 402 males and 227 females who presented with concurrent psychiatric and substance use disorders at a private psychiatric hospital. Confirmatory factor analyses resulted in the rejection of four previous measurement models for both genders including the original nine symptom dimensions. Subsequent principal component analyses resulted in four- and seven-component solutions for males and females, respectively; the majority of item covariation was accounted for by the first component. These results are consistent with previous research that has suggested a primary global distress factor and are in contrast to studies that have demonstrated factorial invariance across gender.
PROFESSIONALISM IN MEDICAL EDUCATION: AN INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE

Despite considerable attention to professionalism in medical education nationwide, the majority of attention has focused on training medical students, and less on residents and faculty. Curricular formats are often didactic, removed from the clinical setting, and frequently focus on abstract concepts. As a result of a recent curricular innovation at the University of Washington School of Medicine (UWSOM) in which role-model faculty work with medical students in teaching and modeling clinical skills and professionalism, a new professionalism curriculum was developed for preclinical medical students. Through student feedback, that curriculum has changed over time, and has become more focused on the clinical encounter. This new and evolving curriculum has raised awareness of the existence of an "ecology of professionalism." In this ecological model, changes in the understanding of and attention to professionalism at one institutional level lead to changes at other levels. At the UWSOM, heightened attention to professionalism at the medical student level led to awareness of the need for increased attention to teaching and modeling professionalism among faculty, residents, and staff. This new understanding of professionalism as an institutional responsibility has helped UWSOM teachers and administrators recognize and promote mechanisms that create a "safe" environment for fostering professionalism. In such an institutional culture, students, residents, faculty, staff, and the institution itself are all held accountable for professional behavior, and improvement must be addressed at all levels.
The Reworking of Conservation Geographies: Nonequilibrium Landscapes and Nature-Society Hybrids

(2000). The Reworking of Conservation Geographies: Nonequilibrium Landscapes and Nature-Society Hybrids. Annals of the Association of American Geographers: Vol. 90, No. 2, pp. 356-369.
Interfacial molecular imprinting of Stöber particle surfaces: a simple approach to targeted saccharide adsorption.

Abstract The use of surfactant headgroups for interfacial imprinting is established as a simple and tunable approach to create molecularly imprinted silica nanoparticles based on a modification of the Stober method. Adsorption of d -glucose and d -xylose (initial concentrations ranging from 0.139 to 1.67 mol/l) is measured on silica nanoparticles created by the addition of a glucose-based surfactant (n-octyl-β- d -glucopyranoside (C8G1)) or surfactant mixtures (C8G1 and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)) to Stober particles shortly after their precipitation. Silica particles synthesized in the presence of C8G1 as an imprinting surfactant have a significantly higher affinity for glucose over xylose (as much as 3.25 times greater at 0.25 M saccharide), and an enhanced affinity for glucose relative to non-imprinted silica particles (as much as 4 times greater at 0.25 M), which adsorb glucose and xylose similarly. Glucose imprinting is significantly enhanced using a surfactant mixture of 1:1 C8G1/CTAB. The interfacial activity of the nonionic imprinting surfactant at the silica surface is suggested to be improved by the presence of interfacial cationic CTAB, which is driven to the silica surface through electrostatic interactions. The concept of imprinting through the interaction of surfactant headgroups with the soft surface of silica particles is supported by the importance of the time of addition of the surfactants. The greatest enhancement in glucose adsorption is observed when the surfactants are added 1 min after precursor addition (at the onset of aggregated particle formation, as indicated by solution turbidity) and the silica affinity for glucose decreases with the time of surfactant addition. The versatility of the surfactant imprinting of Stober particles is demonstrated by the enhanced adsorption of xylose relative to glucose on particles imprinted using a 1:1 mixture of n-octyl-β- d -xylopyranoside and CTAB, suggesting that the process can be customized to selectively adsorb target molecules of interest.
Preserving the Activity of Cellulase in a Batch Foam Fractionation Process

Foam fractionation is one of the low operating-cost techniques for removing proteins from a dilute solution. The initial bulk solution pH and air superficial velocity play an important role in the foam-fractionation process. Denaturation of proteins (enzymes) can occur, however, during the foam fractionation process from the shear forces resulting from bursting air bubbles. At the extreme bulk solution pHs (lower than 3.0 and higher than 10.0), the enzymatic activity of cellulase in the foamate phase drops significantly. Within these two pH bounds an increase in the air superficial velocity, V0, and a decrease in the bulk solution pH leads to a decrease in the separation ratio (SR), defined as the ratio of the protein concentration in the foamate to the protein concentration in the residue. On the other hand, an increase in V0 provides a higher foamate-protein recovery. The process efficiency is defined as the product of foamate-protein recovery times the SR times the cellulase activity. The optimal operating condition of the cellulase foam-fractionation process is taken into account at the maximum value of the process efficiency. In this study, that optimal condition is at an air superficial velocity of 32 cmJmin and a bulk-solution pH of 10.0. At this condition, the recovered foamate is about 80% of the original protein mass, the SR is about 12, and the enzymatic activity is about 60% of the original cellulase activity.
Adenoviral L4 33K forms ring-like oligomers and stimulates ATPase activity of IVa2: implications in viral genome packaging

The mechanism of genome packaging in adenoviruses (AdVs) is presumed to be similar to that of dsDNA viruses including herpesviruses and dsDNA phages. First, the empty capsids are assembled after which the viral genome is pushed through a unique vertex by a motor which consists of three minimal components: an ATPase, a small terminase and a portal. Various components of this motor exist as ring-like structures forming a central channel through which the DNA travels during packaging. In AdV, the IVa2 protein is believed to function as a packaging ATPase, however, the equivalents of the small terminase and the portal have not been identified in AdVs. IVa2 interacts with another viral protein late region 4 (L4) 33K which is important for genome packaging. Both IVa2 and 33K are expressed at high levels during the late stage of virus infection. The oligomeric state of IVa2 and 33K was analyzed in virus-infected cells, IVa2 and 33K transfected cells, AdV particles, or as recombinant purified proteins. Electron microscopy of the purified proteins showed ring-like oligomers for both proteins which is consistent with their putative roles as a part of the packaging motor. We found that the ATPase activity of IVa2 is stimulated in the presence of 33K and the AdV genome. Our results suggest that the 33K functions analogous to the small terminase proteins and so will be part of the packaging motor complex.
S-oxidation of thioureylenes catalyzed by a microsomal flavoprotein mixed-function oxidase.

Abstract A flavoprotein mixed-function oxidase that catalyzes NADPH-dependent oxidation of thioureylenes by oxygen was isolated from pig liver microsomes and shown to be identical with the flavoprotein amine oxidase isolated earlier. The oxidation products obtained from the thioureylene, methimazole, were identified as N -methylimidazole and sulfite. The stoichiometry of the reaction indicated that 2 moles NADPH and 2 moles oxygen were required for each mole of methimazole oxidized. In addition to all of the thioureylenes tested, the flavoprotein also catalyzes the oxidation of dithiothreotol and its cyclic disulfide. At the pH optimum for the flavoprotein mixed-function oxidase, virtually all of the methimazole metabolized by homogenates of pig liver appears to be catalyzed by this membrane-bound oxidase. The methimazole oxidase activity also appears to correlate with the concentration of this oxidase in microsomes isolated from homogenates of rat, rabbit and guinea-pig liver, but species differences in the response of this mixed-function oxidase to activators were observed.
Participatory documentation: a case study & rationale

This poster focuses on how consumers learn to use marketing automation software, what types of documentation they prefer, and why. Interviews with U.S. and U.K. marketers demonstrate that implementing marketing automation software requires users to re-learn their jobs, and requires companies to reconfigure organizational structures and workflows. Accordingly, users are interested in knowing how counterparts apply the software, despite raising concerns about privacy. Based on these findings, the poster illustrates the advantages that software companies - especially those operating on a Waterfall development model - can gain by allowing users to participate in creating and refining documentation. In addition to reducing the learning curve for users, participatory documentation enables companies to gather feedback that is critical to making documentation and software more usable.
Effects of ethnicity and socioeconomic status on survival and severity of fibrosis in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C virus

The ethnicity and socioeconomic status of the host may affect the progression of hepatitis C virus (HCV). We aimed to compare survival and fibrosis progression in Hispanic white (HW) and non-Hispanic white (NHW) recipients of liver transplantation (LT) with HCV. All HW and NHW patients with HCV who underwent transplantation between January 2000 and December 2007 at 2 centers were retrospectively assessed. The primary outcomes were the time to death, death or graft loss due to HCV, and significant fibrosis [at least stage 2 of 4]. Five hundred eleven patients were studied (159 HW patients and 352 NHW patients), and the baseline demographics were similar for the 2 groups. NHW patients were more likely to be male, to have attended college, and to have private insurance, and they had a higher median household income (MHI). The unadjusted rates of survival (log-rank P = 0.93), death or graft loss due to HCV (P = 0.89), and significant fibrosis (P = 0.95) were similar between groups. In a multivariate analysis controlling for center, age [hazard ratio (HR) per 10 years = 1.43, P = 0.01], donor age (HR per 10 years = 1.25, P < 0.001), and rejection (HR = 1.47, P = 0.048) predicted death, whereas HW ethnicity (HR = 1.06, P = 0.77) was not significant. Independent predictors of significant fibrosis were HW ethnicity (HR = 2.42, P = 0.046), MHI (HR per $10,000 = 1.11, P = 0.01), donor age (HR per 10 years = 1.13, P = 0.02), cold ischemia time (HR = 1.06, P = 0.03), and the interaction between ethnicity and MHI (HR = 0.82, P = 0.03). In conclusion, there is no difference in post-LT survival or graft loss due to HCV between HW patients and NHW patients. Socioeconomic factors may influence disease severity; this is suggested by our findings of more significant fibrosis in HW patients with a low MHI.
Older Golfers: Serious Leisure and Successful Aging

Abstract This qualitative study investigates the premise that serious leisure supports successful aging (Rowe & Kahn, 1997). Older golfers were studied because golf is popular with older adults, and its characteristics suggest it has potential to contribute to successful aging and that it is well suited for serious leisure. In-depth interviews were used to assess subjects' (n = 19) seriousness about golf and its contribution to successful aging. Golfers (8 males, 11 females) ranged in age from 67 to 87 (x=77). Analysis revealed four types of golfers with varying degrees of seriousness (Stebbins, 1992) about golf. Core devotees viewed golf as a central focus of their lives. Moderate devotees emphasized their enjoyment of golf and all it involved. Social golfers viewed golf's primary role as providing a framework for meeting people and interacting with friends. Golf as therapy players felt golf helped them cope with physical and emotional challenges. Core devotees were more able to identify specific contrib...
Test sequence in the management of gastrointestinal bleeding.

Background and study aim: A large variety of test procedures is available to diagnose and treat patients with suspected gastrointestinal bleeding. The aim of the study was to investigate which test sequence should be utilized in managing gastrointestinal bleeding. Methods: For each endoscopic, radiologic, or laboratory test procedure, professional fees and facility costs were estimated based on payments allowed by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services during the fiscal year 2010. A threshold analysis was used to compare the costs associated with different test sequences of varying clinical scenarios. Results: A threshold represents the lowest expected probability of success, for which a test would still be indicated. In a work-up including all possible management options, the threshold associated with laboratory tests and gastric lavage was 1 %, esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) 8 %, colonoscopy 9 %, nuclear scan 9 %, enteroscopy 11 %, computed tomography (CT) angiography 14 %, capsule endoscopy 23 %, and angiography with transcatheter embolization 25 %. Varying sets of thresholds were calculated for different clinical scenarios. The thresholds of EGD and colonoscopy remained low in most scenarios. In sensitivity analysis, rising risk of complications or costs of a procedure also lead to rising threshold values for it, potentially rendering the particular procedure untenable. Conclusions: A low threshold indicated a preferred management option that should be used early rather than late in a sequence of multiple possible test procedures to work up instances of gastrointestinal bleeding.
STRUCTURE AND OXIDATION STATES OF Ir AND Pt ONE-DIMENSIONAL INORGANIC COMPLEXES*

This paper reviews attempts to accurately characterize several anisotropically conducting inorganic complexes. Structural data are presented on K/sub 2/Pt(CN)/sub 4/.3H/sub 2/O, K/sub 1/ /sub 75/Pt(CN)/sub 4/.1.5H/sub 2/O, K/sub 1/ /sub 6/Pt(C/sub 2/O/sub 4/)/sub 2/.1.2H/sub 2/O, and Ir(CO)/sub 3/Cl. In this discussion, emphasis is placed on the relationship of the structural properties, metal-metal distance and ligand conformation, and the partial oxidation state of the metal. 31 references, 19 figures, 2 tables.
New "micro push-pull" catheter system for localized perfusion of diminutive structures in brain.

Abstract A new double-lumen micro-catheter has been adapted for use in an integrated push-pull cannula system for perfusion of brain tissue of the unrestrained animal. The catheter consists of a single strand of polyethylene tubing available in sizes with an external diameter ranging from 280–480 microns. A microcapillary pipette is drawn and inserted into each lumen of the two channels. The pipettes are then connected by polyethylene tubing to calibrated gas-tight syringes mounted on the reciprocating decks of an infusion-withdrawal pump. Since the diameter of the orifice of each lumen is equal, the simultaneous delivery and withdrawal of an osmotically balanced artificial CSF at a perfusion site is assured. In prototype experiments, the tissue exchange of 3H-norepinephrine and 14C-dopamine incorporated into the CSF perfusate was examined simultaneously at hypothalamic sites in the rat. At perfusion rates of 12.5 and 25.0 μl/min, the mean recovery of the catecholamine neurotransmitters in terms of the radio-label residual in the perfusate ranged between 85–88 percent. The principal advantages of the new system are its flexibility, ease of sterilization and its diminutive size which enables perfusion, for the first time, of individual nuclei or fiber tracts in the brain of a laboratory animal such as the rat. Thus, a more precise delivery of a drug or other chemical agent to the site of perfusion as well as the collection of a released transmitter substance from the same anatomical locus can now be accomplished.
Who Is an American

Cynthia Weber's documentary “I Am an American” is an audacious and creative intervention into the field of international relations (IR). It bypasses the usual conceptual boxes that the discipline imposes upon us since day one of graduate school: for example, only abstract arguments have force, only written articulations are acceptable, and only topics of “high politics” matter. With her documentary, Weber shows that we gain richer debates and insights if we extend these maxims: for example, abstract arguments and concrete emotions have force; indeed, one often informs the other; sometimes, visual images articulate what the written form cannot; and topics of “high politics” are not so “high” or “political” only when ordinary lives are marked forever, like losing a loved one to war or the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) (viz. Weber 2005). In form alone, Weber's project shakes the discipline from its tendency to remain removed from and complacent about the very subject that accounts for it: that is, relations international. But, this documentary bears more import than mere form; its content blazes a pioneering path as well. Weber's documentary conveys at least three layers of meaning. 4 The first offers a dissenting voice to a series of images produced by the American Ad Council to promote unity through patriotism in the United States shortly after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. These, she felt, gave an incomplete understanding of what it meant to be an American, especially for those designated as “unsafe citizens” (Weber 2008). The Ad Council's campaign, for example, did not include the poor, the illegal, the dissenting, the grieving, or the hateful in its multi-ethnic, multi-cultural pastiche of America. In omitting these Americans, Weber implies, the Ad Council risked propagating the very notion of an America that has no relation to the furies that unleashed 9/11. …
Fabrication of one-piece hollow obturators.

Abstract This technique is a controlled process in which the thickness of the obturator can be easily modified by adding to or shaving off the dimensionally stable silicone putty. All phases of the obturator fabrication are heat-cured and not autopolymerized, thus negating the disavantages of other techniques. The technique provides more predictable results in obturator fabrication as it uses silicone putty as the obturating material as opposed to sugar, asbestos, or other silicone rubber foams that can be messy, dangerous, and unstable. This technique can also be used for patients with atrophic maxillae where the hollow denture can significantly reduce the weight of the restoration.
First report of Fusarium proliferatum causing rot of garlic bulbs in North America

cv.Italian Red) rotted in a drying shed at the Plant Introductionfarm in Pullman, Washington. Softened cloves displayedwater-soaked, tan lesions, often with white myceliumnear the bulb axis. Similar symptoms were noted in thesame cultivar commercially grown in Idaho, 10 km fromPullman, and purchased at a retail outlet in July 2002.In each case, surface-disinfested tissue plated on agar pro-duced a
The influence of introversion/extraversion on the skin conductance response to stress and stimulus intensity☆

Abstract A series of studies compared skin conductance level (SCL) for introverts and extraverts during a series of tones varying in both stimulus intensity (SI) and the amount of stress preceding the tones. When a difficult paired-associate task preceded the tones, both groups were about the same for 83 dB tones but extraverts were much higher at 103 dB, introverts failing to show an increase as a function of SI. There were no differences between the two groups following a simple paired-associate task, both groups showing a similar increase with increased SI. Finally, SCL was higher for introverts than extraverts during tones preceded by a rest period, and this was especially true for the early trials and for lower SI (75 and 83 dB compared with 100 and 103 dB). Taken together, these results suggest that SCL is higher for extraverts at higher levels of arousal but that the reverse is true for lower levels of arousal. This relationship is consistent with the theory that introverts have a “weak nervous system” which develops transmarginal or protective inhibition under stress.
Electrothermal actuators fabricated in four-level planarized surface micromachined polycrystalline silicon

This paper presents the results of tests performed on a variety of electrothermal microactuators and arrays of these actuators. The results are intended to aid designers of thermally actuated mechanisms, and they would apply to any surface micromachined polysilicon MEMS processes. Results presented include force and deflection vs. input power, maximum operating frequency, and the effects of long term operation. The end result is a set of proposed ideal actuator and array geometries for different applications' force requirements. In addition, various methods of arraying these actuators together are presented. Comparisons of these arraying methods allow the designer to choose which method best matches the fabrication process available and the application requirements. Finally, a thermally actuated stepper motor is used to demonstrate a useful application of these arrays.
Rapid movement of wastewater from on-site disposal systems into surface waters in the Lower Florida Keys

Viral tracer studies have been used previously to study the potential for wastewater contamination of surface marine waters in the Upper and Middle Florida Keys. Two bacteriophages, the marine bacteriophage ϕHSIC and theSalmonella phage PRD1, were used as tracers in injection well and septic tank studies in Saddlebunch Keys of the Lower Florida Keys and in septic tank studies in Boot Key Harbor, Marathon, of the Middle Keys. In Boot Key Harbor, both phages were detected in a canal adjacent to the seeded septic tank within 3 h 15 min of the end of the seed period. The tracer was then detected at all sampling sites in Boot Key Harbor, including one on the opposite side of U.S. Highway 1 in Florida Bay, and at an Atlantic Ocean beach outside Boot Key Harbor. Rates of migration based on first appearance of the phage ranged from 1.7 to 57.5 m h−1. In Saddlebunch Keys, ϕHSIC and PRD1 were used to seed a residential septic tank and a commercial injection well. The septic tank tracer was not found in any surface water samples. The injection well tracer was first detected at a site most distant from the seed site, a channel that connected Sugarloaf Sound with the Atlantic Ocean. The, rate of tracer migration from the injection well to this channel ranged from 66.8 to 141 m h−1. Both tracer studies showed a rapid movement of wastewater from on-site sewage treatment and disposal systems in a southeasterly direction toward the reef tract and Atlantic Ocean, with preferential movement through tidal channels. These studies indicate that wastewater disposal systems currently in widespread use in the Florida Keys can rapidly contaminate the marine environment.
Synthetic Ion-exchange Resins as a Medium for Plant Growth

SEVERAL authors have examined the utilization of exchange resins as sources of plant nutrients1–5. The method generally used was to provide the required quantity of each nutrient in the exchanger phase without considering the resulting concentrations or ratios of these nutrients in the bulk solution. In all cases, severe deficiencies of the divalent nutrient ions, particularly calcium and magnesium, were reported.
On exploiting transient contact patterns for data forwarding in Delay Tolerant Networks

Effective data forwarding in Delay Tolerant Networks (DTNs) is challenging, due to the low node density, unpredictable node mobility and lack of global information in such networks. Most of the current data forwarding schemes choose the nodes with the best cumulative capability of contacting others as relays to carry and forward data, but these nodes may not be the best relay choices within a short time period, due to the heterogeneity of the transient node contact patterns. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to improve the performance of data forwarding in DTNs by exploiting the transient node contact patterns. We formulate the transient node contact patterns based on experimental studies of realistic DTN traces, and propose appropriate forwarding metrics based on these patterns to improve the effectiveness of data forwarding decision. When applied to various data forwarding strategies, our proposed forwarding metrics achieve much better performance compared to existing schemes with similar forwarding cost.
RNA metabolism in the retina in relation to cyclic lighting.

Abstract The kinetics of 3 H-uridine incorporation into RNA in retinas of adult Rana pipiens was established using quantitative autoradiographic methods following recovery of eyes from animals injected and killed at 3 hr intervals throughout a diurnal lighting cycle (14L:10D). Grain counts over nuclei of rods, cones, and pigment epithelial cells were highest during the middle of the light portion of the diurnal cycle and were lowest during the middle of the dark period. Frogs kept dark past the normal time of light onset showed reduced 3 H-uridine incorporation. Thus, the daily pattern of RNA metabolism in the frog retina is at least in part controlled by the diurnal lighting cycle.
Melanocortin-4 receptor-null mice display normal affective licking responses to prototypical taste stimuli in a brief-access test

We tested whether MC4R null mice display altered gustatory function relative to wild-type controls that may contribute to the characteristic hyperphagia and obesity associated with this gene deletion. Mice were tested for their licking responses to prototypical taste solutions (sucrose, NaCl, quinine, citric acid) in series of daily 30-min sessions in which a range of concentrations of each tastant was available in randomized blocks of 5-s trials. Notwithstanding some minor deviations, the concentration-response functions of the MC4R null and wild-type mice were basically the same for all of the prototypical compounds tested here. Thus, taste-based appetitive and avoidance behavior is expressed in the absence of the MC4 receptor, demonstrating that this critical component in the melanocortin system is not required for normal affective gustatory function to be maintained.
Isotopic oxygen exchange rates between [V18O42]12− and water

From kinetic studies of18O-exchange between aqueous solutions of K12V18O42 · 16H2O and water it is concluded that [V18O42]12− exists as a discrete ion in this medium. The rate of exchange is relatively slow (t1/2ca. 6×104s at 0°C) and obeys the McKay equation within the precision obtainable. The sensitivity of the ion to its environment in the solid state, leading to induced exchange, prevented a decision as to whether all oxygens are kinetically equivalent. It is clear, however, that the ions remains intact for long periods in solution in the absence of air.
Assay of proteolytic enzyme with a leucine-selective electrode.

Abstract A potentiometric method utilizing a leucine-selective membrane electrode has been developed for the assay of proteolytic enzyme. Subtilisin Carlsberg was used for the enzymatic digestion of casein in solution. Responses on the reaction media were linear on a semilog plot for active enzyme concentrations ranging from 0.6–60 μg/ml. The system uses commercially available components as well as simplified methods of solution handling without precipitation or filtration steps. This method offers significant advantages in terms of simplicity, speed, and cost over the traditional techniques.
SURVEY OF WILD DUCKS AND GEESE FOR Pasteurella spp.

Nasal pharyngeal swabs were taken from 400 waterfowl and 37 feral pigeons (Columba livia) and cultured for the presence of Pasteurella multocida, the causative agent of fowl cholera. Blood samples were also taken from these birds and tested for antibodies for P. multocida. Pasteurella multocida was not isolated from any of the birds. However, two of the waterfowl had antibodies for P. multocida. The nasal pharynges of 50 Canada geese (Branta canadensis) were also cultured for Pasteurella anatipestifer, the causative agent of anatipestifer infection. Pasteurella anatipestifer was isolated from 4 of these geese. Experimental inoculation of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) demonstrated that they are susceptible to anatipestifer infection.
Microbial Fe(III) reduction in subsurface environments

Until recently, nonenzymatic processes were generally considered to account for much of the Fe(III) reduction in subsurface environments. However, it is now clear that enzymatic Fe(III) reduction catalyzed by microorganisms which conserve energy to support growth by completely oxidizing organic compounds to carbon dioxide accounts for most of the Fe(III) reduction. Microbial Fe(III) reduction in deep pristine aquifers releases dissolved inorganic carbon into groundwater which may increase aquifer porosity. The Fe(II) released into the groundwater is an important groundwater quality problem in many aquifers. Microbial oxidation of organic contaminants coupled to Fe(III) reduction removes significant amounts of pollutants from many contaminated aquifers. Fe(III) reduction and hence contaminant removal can be accelerated in aquifer sediments with the addition of Fe(III) chelators or humic substances. Both of these amendments alleviate the need for Fe(III) reducers to come into direct physical contact with Fe(III) oxides in order to reduce them. Some Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms can reduce contaminant metals and metalloids such as uranium, technetium, cobalt, chromium and selenium. This metabolism may be useful for remediation of metal-contaminated subsurface environments. Fe(III) reducers and some of the insoluble Fe(II) products of Fe(III) reduction can reducively dechlorinate chlorinated contaminants. Magnetite that is similar to that produced by known Fe(III)-reducing microorganisms has been recovered at depths as great as 6.7 km on Earth and has been observed in a Martian meteorite. Thus, microbial oxidation of organic matter coupled to the reduction of Fe(III) to Fe(II) appears to be a important process in a variety of subsurface environments.
Epitaxial Growth of Yb2O3 Buffer Layers on Biaxially Textured-Ni (100) Substrates by Sol-Gel Process

In order to develop an alternative buffer layer architecture using the sol-gel process to produce YBCO (YBa2Cu307+) coated conductors, Yb203 has been chosen as the candidate material. Buffer layers of fi03 were epitaxkdly grown on biaxially textured-Ni (100) substrates by the sol gel process for the first time. The ~03 precursor solution was prepared from an alkoxide sol-gel route in 2-xnetho~ethanol and was deposited on textured-Ni (100) substrates by either spin coating or dip coating methods. The amorphous film was then processed at 1160oC under flowing (96%)MH2(4%) gas mixture for one hour. The fi03 iihn exhibited a strong c-axis orientation on the Ni (100) substrates. The phi and omega scans indicated good in plane and out of plane orientations. The X-ray (222) pde figure showed a cube-on-cube epitaxy. High current YBCO films were grown on the Y&03 sol-gel buffered-Ni substrates.
GeM-Tree: Towards a Generalized Multidimensional Index Structure Supporting Image and Video Retrieval

In this paper, we propose a tree-based multidimensional structure, GeM-Tree, which indexes both images and videos within a single general framework utilizing Earth Moverpsilas Distance. It can support different content-based image and video retrieval approaches, and can accommodate applications where the cross-similarity between images and videos need to be considered during content-based retrievals. Furthermore, it is flexible enough to index different video classification units and can maintain the hierarchical relationship between them. In addition, it uses a construct called hierarchical Markov model mediator to introduce high-level semantic relationships among images and different levels of video units. The experimental results indicate that GeM-Tree is a promising generalized index structure for multimedia data with low computational overhead, is flexible enough to support different retrieval approaches and generates query results with high relevance.
Advanced synthetic aperture radar imaging and feature analysis

We review and discuss advanced algorithms for synthetic aperture radar image formation, the effect of motion perturbation on radar imaging, synthetic aperture radar imaging of ground moving targets, and micro-Doppler feature analysis.
Recursive Estimation of the Stein Center of SPD Matrices and Its Applications

Symmetric positive-definite (SPD) matrices are ubiquitous in Computer Vision, Machine Learning and Medical Image Analysis. Finding the center/average of a population of such matrices is a common theme in many algorithms such as clustering, segmentation, principal geodesic analysis, etc. The center of a population of such matrices can be defined using a variety of distance/divergence measures as the minimizer of the sum of squared distances/divergences from the unknown center to the members of the population. It is well known that the computation of the Karcher mean for the space of SPD matrices which is a negatively-curved Riemannian manifold is computationally expensive. Recently, the LogDet divergence-based center was shown to be a computationally attractive alternative. However, the LogDet-based mean of more than two matrices can not be computed in closed form, which makes it computationally less attractive for large populations. In this paper we present a novel recursive estimator for center based on the Stein distance - which is the square root of the LogDet divergence - that is significantly faster than the batch mode computation of this center. The key theoretical contribution is a closed-form solution for the weighted Stein center of two SPD matrices, which is used in the recursive computation of the Stein center for a population of SPD matrices. Additionally, we show experimental evidence of the convergence of our recursive Stein center estimator to the batch mode Stein center. We present applications of our recursive estimator to K-means clustering and image indexing depicting significant time gains over corresponding algorithms that use the batch mode computations. For the latter application, we develop novel hashing functions using the Stein distance and apply it to publicly available data sets, and experimental results have shown favorable comparisons to other competing methods.
Hilbert and Fourier transforms of polynomial ratio time signals

Polynomial curve fittings have long been used to smooth data and provide functions from which, at specified times, samples may be obtained. Relationships of these polynomials to frequency content can be determined by including a denominator polynomial which does not essentially affect the fit over the data interval. Both Fourier and Hilbert transforms are found for general polynomial ratios, and their subsequent properties, duals of polynomial ratio frequency functions, are discussed.
Analysis of noise-induced phase synchronization in nervous systems: from algorithmic perspective

In many cases, a key step in neuronal information processing is phase synchronization of neurons (as oscillators). Substantial evidence suggests that an universal mechanism is behind the synchronization. Recently, stochastic equations were proposed to model the synchronization. However, it is unclear what force ultimately drives this universal mechanism. From algorithmic perspective, we analyze solutions of these stochastic equations. The result enhances the current analysis for the phase synchronization; importantly, it shows that noise is the ultimate driving force.
Two-Year Impact of the Alternative Quality Contract on Pediatric Health Care Quality and Spending

OBJECTIVE: To examine the 2-year effect of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts’ global budget arrangement, the Alternative Quality Contract (AQC), on pediatric quality and spending for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and non-CSHCN. METHODS: Using a difference-in-differences approach, we compared quality and spending trends for 126 975 unique 0- to 21-year-olds receiving care from AQC groups with 415 331 propensity-matched patients receiving care from non-AQC groups; 23% of enrollees were CSHCN. We compared quality and spending pre (2006–2008) and post (2009–2010) AQC implementation, adjusting analyses for age, gender, health risk score, and secular trends. Pediatric outcome measures included 4 preventive and 2 acute care measures tied to pay-for-performance (P4P), 3 asthma and 2 attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder quality measures not tied to P4P, and average total annual medical spending. RESULTS: During the first 2 years of the AQC, pediatric care quality tied to P4P increased by +1.8% for CSHCN ( P P CONCLUSIONS: During the first 2 years of the contract, the AQC had a small but significant positive effect on pediatric preventive care quality tied to P4P; this effect was greater for CSHCN than non-CSHCN. However, it did not significantly influence (positively or negatively) CSHCN measures not tied to P4P or affect per capita spending for either group.
Functional morphology of extreme jaw protrusion in Neotropical cichlids.

The New World cichlids Petenia splendida and Caquetaia spp. possess extraordinarily protrusible jaws. We investigated the feeding behavior of extreme (here defined as greater than 30% head length) and mod- est jaw-protruding Neotropical cichlids by comparing feed- ing kinematics, cranial morphology, and feeding perfor- mance. Digital high-speed video (500 fps) of P. splendida, C. spectabile, and Astronotus ocellatus feeding on live guppy prey was analyzed to generate kinematic and per- formance variables. All three cichlid taxa utilized cranial elevation, lower jaw depression, and rotation of the sus- pensorium to protrude the jaws during feeding experi- ments. Extreme anterior jaw protrusion in P. splendida and C. spectabile resulted from augmented lower jaw de- pression and anterior rotation of the suspensorium. Mor- phological comparisons among eight cichlid species re- vealed novel anterior and posterior points of flexion within the suspensorium of P. splendida and Caquetaia spp. The combination of anterior and posterior loosening within the suspensorium in P. splendida and Caquetaia spp. permit- ted considerable anterior rotation of the suspensorium and contributed to protrusion of the jaws. Petenia splen- dida and C. spectabile exhibited greater ram distance and higher ram velocities than did A. ocellatus, resulting pri- marily from increased jaw protrusion. Petenia splendida and C. spectabile exhibited lower suction feeding perfor- mance than A. ocellatus, as indicated by lower suction- induced prey movements and velocities. Thus, extreme jaw protrusion in these cichlids may represent an adapta- tion for capturing elusive prey by enhancing the ram ve- locity of the predator but does not enhance suction feeding performance. J. Morphol. 257:96 -106, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Limiting variety in non-nutrient-dense, energy-dense foods during a lifestyle intervention: a randomized controlled trial

Background: Dietary variety is a factor that influences consumption but has received little attention in obesity treatment. Objective: This study examined the effect of limiting the variety of different non-nutrient-dense, energy-dense foods (NND-EDFs) (ie, chips, ice cream, cookies) on dietary intake and weight loss during an 18-mo lifestyle intervention. Design: Two hundred two adults aged 51.3 6 9.5 y with a BMI (in kg/m 2 )o f 34.96 4.3 (57.8% women, 92.2% white) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 interventions: Lifestyle (1200‐1500 kcal/d, 30% of energy as fat; n = 101) or Lifestyle + limited variety (LV) (limit variety of NND-EDFs, ie, 2 choices; n = 101). Both interventions involved 48 group sessions. Dietary intake, NND-EDF hedonics, NND-EDF variety in the home, and weight were assessed at 0, 6, 12, and 18 mo. Results: Intent-to-treat analyses showed that the Lifestyle+LV group consumed less variety (P , 0.01) and energy daily (P , 0.05) from NND-EDFs than did the Lifestyle group at 6, 12, and 18 mo. The Lifestyle+LV group consumed less total energy daily (P , 0.05) at 6 mo than did the Lifestyle group. The Lifestyle+LV group reported less (P , 0.05) NND-EDF variety in the home at 6 and 18 mo than did the Lifestyle group. The hedonics of one chosen NND-EDF decreased more (P , 0.05) in the Lifestyle+LV group. Despite these effects, no difference in percentage weight loss occurred at 18 mo (Lifestyle+LV: 29.9 6 7.6%; Lifestyle: 29.6 6 9.2%). Conclusions: Limitations in dietary variety decreased intakes in the targeted area but did not affect weight loss. Limiting variety in more areas may be needed to improve weight loss and weight-loss maintenance. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01096719. Am J Clin Nutr 2012;95:1305‐14.
Invited talk: The role of spontaneous activity in sensory processing

Spontaneous, background activity in sensory areas is often similar in both magnitude and form to evoked responses. Embedding responses evoked by sensory stimuli in such strong and complex background activity seems like a confusing way to represent information about the outside world. However, modeling studies indicate that, contrary to intuition, information about sensory stimuli may be better conveyed by a network displaying chaotic background activity than in a network without spontaneous activity.