cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Spatially explicit spectral analysis of point clouds and geospatial data

The increasing use of spatially explicit analyses of high-resolution spatially distributed data (imagery and point clouds) for the purposes of characterising spatial heterogeneity in geophysical phenomena necessitates the development of custom analytical and computational tools. In recent years, such analyses have become the basis of, for example, automated texture characterisation and segmentation, roughness and grain size calculation, and feature detection and classification, from a variety of data types. In this work, much use has been made of statistical descriptors of localised spatial variations in amplitude variance (roughness), however the horizontal scale (wavelength) and spacing of roughness elements is rarely considered. This is despite the fact that the ratio of characteristic vertical to horizontal scales is not constant and can yield important information about physical scaling relationships. Spectral analysis is a hitherto under-utilised but powerful means to acquire statistical information about relevant amplitude and wavelength scales, simultaneously and with computational efficiency. Further, quantifying spatially distributed data in the frequency domain lends itself to the development of stochastic models for probing the underlying mechanisms which govern the spatial distribution of geological and geophysical phenomena. The software package PySESA (Python program for Spatially Explicit Spectral Analysis) has been developed for generic analyses of spatially distributed data in both the spatial and frequency domains. Developed predominantly in Python, it accesses libraries written in Cython and C++ for efficiency. It is open source and modular, therefore readily incorporated into, and combined with, other data analysis tools and frameworks with particular utility for supporting research in the fields of geomorphology, geophysics, hydrography, photogrammetry and remote sensing. The analytical and computational structure of the toolbox is described, and its functionality illustrated with an example of a high-resolution bathymetric point cloud data collected with multibeam echosounder. HighlightsComputational/analytical methods for explicit spectral analysis of spatial data.Python toolbox (PySESA) for efficient analysis of geospatial point clouds.Spectral quantities are spatially referenced in a continuous sense as random fields.Allows appropriate scaling of amplitude statistics by internal spatial correlations.Generic texture/roughness characterization and feature detection/classification.
Attitudinal Consistency Among Political Elites: Implications of Support for the Equal Rights Amendment

This study looks at attitudes toward the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) held by two geographically distant groups of political elites. My purpose is to examine attitudinal consistency with respect to feminist issues and to ascertain the extent to which approval of the ERA is related to support for a variety of feminist public policy goals. Moderate relationships are found between the feminist policy indices and support for ERA but the indices are more closely related to positive attitudes toward the women's movement. Partial correlational analysis shows that the relationships between support for ERA and support for the women's issues become weaker in each sample when controlling for the effects of approval of the women's movement. Although the existence of a feminist ideology seems supported by the data, doubt remains about the wisdom of assuming that approval of the ERA is concomitant with endorsement of specific political issues which would enhance legal equality with political or social equality.
Estimating marginal costs for increased capacity in a local area network

Presents a methodology for calculating the marginal cost of adding additional workstations to a local area network (LAN). A base LAN is presented, and the four areas of hardware, software, training, and support, where additional capacity is often added, are considered. Each of these areas has different technical concerns and within an area, the marginal cost depends on the available capacity of its network resources and the additional capacity demanded. A discussion of the marginal aspects of these changes is given, and then a marginal cost estimation methodology, complete with a straightforward estimation sheet, is presented. These notions are applied to four different scenarios, to demonstrate how the cost of adding capacity changes as the network changes. >
"Hypoglycemic" anxiety. The role of reinforcement in psychophysiological disorders.

Treatment of a case of anxiety believed to be associated with hypoglycemia is reported. The treatment involved relaxation training and changes in the contingent relationship between anxiety and eat...
Selenium in global food systems.

Food systems need to produce enough of the essential trace element Se to provide regular adult intakes of at least 40 microg/d to support the maximal expression of the Se enzymes, and perhaps as much as 300 microg/d to reduce risks of cancer. Deprivation of Se is associated with impairments in antioxidant protection, redox regulation and energy production as consequences of suboptimal expression of one or more of the Se-containing enzymes. These impairments may not cause deficiency signs in the classical sense, but instead contribute to health problems caused by physiological and environmental oxidative stresses and infections. At the same time, supranutritional intakes of Se, i.e. intakes greater than those required for selenocysteine enzyme expression, appear to reduce cancer risk. The lower, nutritional, level is greater than the typical intakes of many people in several parts of the world, and few populations have intakes approaching the latter, supranutritional, level. Accordingly, low Se status is likely to contribute to morbidity and mortality due to infectious as well as chronic diseases, and increasing Se intakes in all parts of the world can be expected to reduce cancer rates.
Developing Theories of Mind: Understanding Concepts and Relations between Mental Activities.

The purpose of the study was to expand our knowledge of older children's understanding of the unique features and potential relations existing among mental activities. 8- and 10-year-olds as well as adults were asked to rate the similarity of pairs of mental activity scenarios in terms of how their mind would be used for each one. The scenarios involved primarily Prospective Memory, List Memory, Recognition Memory, Comprehension, Inference, Planning, Comparison, or Selective Attention. There was a developing tendency to organize mental activities on the degree to which memory was a component of the activity. Several distinctions were also more likely to be made with age: the distinction between recall and recognition, the distinction between the roles of internal and external cues in mediating cognitive activity, and the distinction among the various roles of attentional processes in regulating input from the sensory world. Together, these findings suggest that a constructivist theory of mind develops in later childhood.
A multi-resolution displacement estimator for ultrasonic myocardial strain imaging

Low signal-to-noise ratio regions and large deformations in myocardial strain imaging cause peak hopping artifacts, especially near peak systole. To solve this problem, we propose a multi-resolution Viterbi search algorithm to maximally utilize tissue continuity and finite strain constraints to improve displacement estimation. Data from an isolated rabbit heart experiment were used to validate the proposed algorithm. An 86.1% reduction in peak hopping artifacts strongly suggests that the proposed algorithm is effective for myocardial strain imaging.
Evaluation and Selection of Standardized Psychological Instruments for Research and Clinical Practice

TOPIC. The evaluation and selection of standardized psychological instruments for research and clinical practice. PURPOSE. To present a systematic strategy to facilitate the instrument evaluation and selection process. SOURCES. Psychometric theory, published literature, and clinical-research experience. CONCLUSION. A careful instrument evaluation process informs the examiner, increases the likelihood that the best available instrument will be selected, and improves research and clinical practice by ensuring the integrity of standardized instruments.
A model of the radiative properties of the El Chichon stratospheric aerosol layer

An accurate multiple-scattering model has been employed to examine the effect of an aerosol layer at 25 mb, corresponding to the El Chichon observations, on the reflection, transmission and absorption of radiation by the stratosphere as a function of latitude, optical thickness and aerosol size distribution. Results are presented and parameterized for each of two wavelength intervals in the shortwave region and 17 wavelength intervals in the longwave region for three models of the aerosol size distribution. They include one model representing the unperturbed stratospheric aerosol plus two models based on measurements of the El Chichon aerosol size distribution. In addition to models of the radiative properties of the aerosol layer, a simple model of the latitudinal distribution of aerosol optical thickness as a function of time is developed, based on diffusive transport in latitude and exponential decay in time. These parameterizations for solar and infrared radiation, together with the dispersion model, permit climate models to account for the evolution of an aerosol size distribution from post-volcanic conditions to background conditions.
A Method for Obtaining Differential 8-13 μ Spectra of the Moon and Other Extended Objects

A method is described for measuring spectral emissivity differences in the 8-13 micro region between two points on the lunar surface which may have different temperatures. Spectral emissivity differences of 0.5% on the moon can be detected in this wavelength region, excluding the strong 9.2-10 micro atmospheric ozone band where the accuracy is reduced to 2%. The application of this method to the bright planets is discussed.
The microwave Doherty amplifier

A microwave Doherty amplifier has been designed using PHEMT devices in a novel configuration at L-band. Power-added efficiency of 61% is achieved at -1 dB gain compression in CW and is maintained at 61% at 5.5 dB back-off from the above point. The theory, design and measurement for this new amplifier are discussed. >
Automatic targeting method and accuracy study in robot assisted needle procedures

We present an automatic needle targeting method for fluoroscopy-guided percutaneous access procedures. The approach is derived from the manual needle superimposition technique making it intuitive and familiar to surgeons and radiologists. The proposed algorithm is insensitive to image distortion and does not require any C-Arm calibration or initial pose estimation. Needle alignment is performed using a direct adaptive visual servoing approach; once the desired orientation is achieved, insertion is performed using under joystick control. The algorithm was implemented and tested using our AcuBot robot, purposely built for percutaneous image guided interventions. A series of tests were performed showing that the proposed approach increases accuracy and reduces radiation exposure.
Variations in the Three-Dimensional Structure of the Atmospheric Circulation with Different Flavors of El Niño

Abstract Two rather different flavors of El Nino are revealed when the full three-dimensional spatial structure of the temperature field and atmospheric circulation monthly mean anomalies is analyzed using the Japanese Reanalysis (JRA-25) temperatures from 1979 through 2004 for a core region of the tropics from 30°N to 30°S, with results projected globally onto various other fields. The first two empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) both have primary relationships to El Nino–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) but feature rather different vertical and spatial structures. By construction the two patterns are orthogonal, but their signatures in sea level pressure, precipitation, outgoing longwave radiation (OLR), and tropospheric diabatic heating are quite similar. Moreover, they are significantly related, with EOF-2 leading EOF-1 by about 4–6 months, indicating that they play complementary roles in the evolution of ENSO events, and with each mode playing greater or lesser roles in different events and seasons. Th...
Modeling and control of a nonholonomic Wheeled Mobile Robot with wheel slip dynamics

In order to model a Wheeled Mobile Robot (WMR) system to improve its maneuverability in a real environment, wheel dynamics, which may violate no-slipping and pure rolling constraints, needs to be studied. In this paper, wheel dynamics with slip is modeled and introduced into the robot overall dynamics. Wheel slip phenomenon is captured and at the same time accommodated. Considering both lateral and longitudinal slip phenomena due to traction, a WMR system becomes an underactuated dynamic system. A time-invariant discontinuous feedback law is developed to asymptotically stabilize the system to the desired configuration with exponential convergence rate. Simulation results are provided to validate the theoretical results.
The Consumer Product Safety Act: A Special Case in Consumerism:

What is being done to protect the consumer from hazardous products? This article reports on new federal legislation concerning consumer product safety. It examines the implications of this legislat...
VARIATION IN BLOOD GROUP FREQUENCIES IN POPULATIONS OF SONG SPARROWS OF THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY REGION.

The song sparrow (Melospiza melodia Wilson) has a large geographic range in North America, from Alaska to central Mexico, and in both western and eastern parts of the continent. Song sparrows are highly polytypic; 36 subspecies are presently described. The average number of subspecies per passerine species is 3.3 (Dickerman, 1963). Morphological variation between races is extremely high, as exemplified by the naming of three "species" of song sparrows from the western part of the continent during the period of exploration of that region in the 19th century (insignis, Kodiak Island; rujina, Alaska; gouldii, California). As exploration continued, and further collecting was done, the three western "species" were found to intergrade with one another and the eastern "species." Intraspecific variation is especially pronounced in an area of 45 by 65 miles surrounding San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun bays. Four races are recognized at present from this area (A.O.U. Checklist, 1957). However, Marshall (1964) has indicated that by accepted taxonomic standards the present four races could be subdivided into a total of nine distinct races in this relatively small area. As a result of their extreme variability, the populations of the San Francisco Bay area have been intensively studied, and cited as an example of profuse race formation in texts on evolution (i.e., Mayr, 1963, p. 457). Marshall (1948a, 1948b), who studied the Bay Area populations from both an ecological and taxonomic standpoint, found that song sparrows occupy a variety of habitats, each of which must include a permanent source of water, a vegetational mosaic containing clumps of nesting and escape cover, and relatively open areas for foraging. Three subspecies are found entirely within the marshes of the San Francisco Bay system, while the fourth occupies upland areas surrounding the Bay system (see Fig. 1). Melospiza melodia pusillula is found in salt marshes bordering San Francisco Bay; samuelis inhabits salt marshes about San Pablo Bay; while maxillaris occupies brackish marshes around Suisun Bay. M. m. gouldii inhabits a variety of riparian and moist chaparral environments, but is also found in freshwater and salt marshes where these plant communities are contiguous with moist uplands. The present study attempts to contribute to an understanding of the processes involved in the divergence of these populations by examining patterns of variation in erythrocyte antigen frequencies.
Decays of the T z =-2 nuclei 20 Mg, 24 Si, and 36 Ca

Beta-delayed protons have been observed from the decays of the mass separated ${T}_{z}=\ensuremath{-}2$ nuclides $^{20}\mathrm{Mg}$, $^{24}\mathrm{Si}$, and $^{36}\mathrm{Ca}$. From these proton spectra the mass excesses of the lowest $T=2$ states in the ${T}_{z}=\ensuremath{-}1$ nuclei $^{20}\mathrm{Na}$, $^{24}\mathrm{Al}$, and $^{36}\mathrm{K}$ are determined to be 13420\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}50 keV ($^{20}\mathrm{Na}$), 5903\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}9 keV ($^{24}\mathrm{Al}$), and - 13168\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}22 keV ($^{36}\mathrm{K}$). The complete $A=20,24, \mathrm{and} 36$ isospin quintets have all their members bound against isospin allowed particle-decay modes, providing a stringent test of the isobaric multiplet mass equation. Good agreement is observed for all these quintets using only the quadratic form of this equation.RADIOACTIVITY $^{20}\mathrm{Mg}$, $^{24}\mathrm{Si}$, $^{36}\mathrm{Ca}$ (mass separated); measured $\ensuremath{\beta}$-delayed protons; deduced ${T}_{\frac{1}{2}}$ and proton branching; derived mass excesses of the lowest ${0}^{+}$, $T=2$ states in $^{20}\mathrm{Na}$, $^{24}\mathrm{Al}$, and $^{36}\mathrm{K}$; deduced coefficients of the isobaric multiplet mass equation.
Soft-tissue tumors.

A variable number of soft-tissue tumors, depending largely on the experience of the pathologist, cannot be precisely classified by light microscopy, and electron microscopy and/or immunocytochemistry may be required. The applications and limitations of these techniques in the diagnosis of selected soft-tissue tumors are briefly reviewed.
Using Patient Reported Outcomes in Oncology Clinical Practice.

Abstract Background and aims Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are increasingly being implemented into the care of patients with cancer. The use of a standard set of PROs (e.g., pain) in cancer is becoming established and there is interest in what additional PROs might provide valuable information. The goal of this observational study was to examine how the PROs of self-efficacy for pain and other symptoms assessed at the point of service were associated with pain, symptom severity and distress, and physical and psychosocial functioning in a sample of breast and gastrointestinal patients. We also sought to examine differences in these relationships by cancer type (breast and gastrointestinal) as well as understand differences in self-assessment mode (paper/pencil or electronic tablet). Methods 178 patients with breast ( n =65) and gastrointestinal cancer ( n =113) completed the Chronic Pain Self Efficacy Scale, M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory, and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy – General questionnaires. Measures were completed with paper and pencil and electronically using a tablet computer while patients waited for their clinical appointment. Responses from the initial completed questionnaires on both the paper and electronic instruments were analyzed. Results Patients' self-efficacy scores for pain and other symptoms correlated positively with pain, symptom severity and distress, and physical and psychosocial functioning; patients with lower levels of self-efficacy reported poorer outcomes and functioning overall. The results were independent of cancer type and mode of assessment. No statistically significant differences were found in the PROs when collected by electronic technology versus paper-pencil mode; patients were very satisfied with using the tablet computer to complete the PRO measures. Conclusions and implications Our results suggest that self-efficacy for pain and symptom management may be a beneficial addition to clinic-based PRO assessment batteries for patients with cancer and other chronic diseases. Existing short, validated symptom self-efficacy scales could easily be integrated into clinical practice to help healthcare providers identify patients that might benefit from intervention. Study results also support existing research that suggests electronic approaches are a practical way to collect PRO data, including self-efficacy data, in the clinic. Overall, our data suggest that patients who have particularly low levels of self-efficacy for pain and symptom management may be at risk for higher levels of pain and disability. Thus, if self-efficacy for pain and symptom management were routinely collected at the time of clinical service, psychosocial interventions to improve self-efficacy for pain and symptom management, and in turn overall quality of life, could be implemented in a timely fashion.
Physiological role for leptin in the control of thermal conductance

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role played by leptin in thermoregulation, we studied the effects of physiological leptin replacement in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice on determinants of energy balance, thermogenesis and heat retention under 3 different ambient temperatures. METHODS The effects of housing at 14 °C, 22 °C or 30 °C on core temperature (telemetry), energy expenditure (respirometry), thermal conductance, body composition, energy intake, and locomotor activity (beam breaks) were measured in ob/ob mice implanted subcutaneously with osmotic minipumps at a dose designed to deliver a physiological replacement dose of leptin or its vehicle-control. RESULTS As expected, the hypothermic phenotype of ob/ob mice was partially rescued by administration of leptin at a dose that restores plasma levels into the physiological range. This effect of leptin was not due to increased energy expenditure, as cold exposure markedly and equivalently stimulated energy expenditure and induced activation of brown adipose tissue irrespective of leptin treatment. Instead, the effect of physiological leptin replacement to raise core body temperature of cold-exposed ob/ob mice was associated with reduced thermal conductance, implying a physiological role for leptin in heat conservation. Finally, both leptin- and vehicle-treated ob/ob mice failed to match energy intake to expenditure during cold exposure, resulting in weight loss. CONCLUSIONS The physiological effect of leptin to reduce thermal conductance contributes to maintenance of core body temperature under sub-thermoneutral conditions.
Dance Floor Democracy: The Social Geography of Memory at the Hollywood Canteen. By Sherrie Tucker.

Operating from October 3, 1942, to November 22, 1945, the Hollywood Canteen was a unique enterprise within the greater national United Service Organizations (USO) structure during World War II (WWI...
Adenopathy in HIV-positive patients: Mammography and sonographic imaging

Lymph node enlargement can be identified as an isolated finding on mammography. Several nonneoplastic etiologies of adenopathy have been described. We present two cases of adenopathy related to infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in otherwise asymptomatic patients. HIV infection should be considered in the differential diagnosis of adenopathy seen on mammography.
Thienopyridine-Associated Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia Purpura: Updated Antibody Results From the SERF-TTP Study.

Abstract 892 Background: The thienopyridines, ticlopidine and clopidogrel, have been associated with thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura (TTP). However, few studies have reported information on antibodies to ADAMTS13 among patients with thienopyridine-associated TTP. We previously reported on two mechanistic pathways of thienopyridine-associated TTP with some overlapping features. Evaluation of ADAMTS13 autoantibodies was undertaken to improve understanding of these syndromes. Methods: Clinical and laboratory findings were evaluated for 30 ticlopidine-, 10 clopidogrel-associated TTP cases, and 54 cases of idiopathic TTP. Results: Among patients with thienopyridine-induced TTP, those with a history of ticlopidine versus clopidogrel use were more likely to present with severe thrombocytopenia (platelet Conclusion: Ticlopidine causes TTP by a pathway involving a neutralizing autoantibody to ADAMTS13 while clopidogrel causes TTP by an ADAMTS13-independent pathway. Although ADAMTS13 autoantibodies are present in both idiopathic and ticlopidine-associated TTP, spontaneous relapses are not seen in ticlopidine-associaated TTP, suggesting that drug-dependent antibodies are present. Clopidogrel associated TTP is distinct from idiopathic TTP in that ADAMTS13 autoantibodies are absent and response to TPE is poor. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Keynote address Thursday: Addressing semiconductor industry needs: Defining the future through creative, exciting research

In the history of the semiconductor industry, there has been no other period in time with as much uncertainty in the way forward. But with uncertainty comes great opportunity. There is a need for transformative innovation fueled by breakthrough research to reinvigorate the growth of the industry. This talk will identify some of the new exciting challenges the industry is facing and research areas where investment is needed to address them. Systems of the future-autonomous vehicles, internet of things, selfadaptive configurations modeled on biology-will require advanced techniques to test them, secure them, reduce their power, and produce them without error. This increase in complexity coupled, with a decreasing ability to rely on deterministic circuits, requires new approaches to be created by cross-disciplinary teams co-optimizing across the entire design hierarchy space.
The evolution of news and media website design: trend analysis of rich media, social sharing, and ad placements

News and Media websites have evolved over time, with increasing complexity in their design, content, and monetization strategy. In this study we examined and reported the trends of rich media (images and video), social sharing (newer and older social media), and ad placements (display ads and native ads) for eight high-ranked news and media websites in four categories: online television news (CNN, FoxNews), online newspapers (LA Times, NY Times), online magazines (Wired, Forbes), and technology blogs (TechCrunch, TheNextWeb) over the course of 10 years.
Macroscopic Alignment and Assembly of π-Conjugated Oligopeptides Using Colloidal Microchannels

One-dimensional (1-D) supramolecular self-assembly offers a powerful strategy to achieve long-range unidirectional ordering of organic semiconducting materials via noncovalent interactions. Using a hierarchical assembly, electronic and optoelectronic materials can be constructed for applications including organic conducting nanowires, organic field-effect transistors (OFETs), and organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs). Despite recent progress, it remains challenging to precisely align and assemble 1-D structures over large areas in a rapid and straightforward manner. In this work, we demonstrate a facile strategy to macroscopically align supramolecular fibers using a templating method based on sacrificial colloidal microchannels. Through use of this approach, colloidal microchannels are generated on a solid surface using a simple fabrication method, followed by the spontaneous self-assembly of π-conjugated oligopeptides inside large arrays of microchannels triggered by solvent evaporation. Following oligopeptide assembly and removal of sacrificial microchannels, the structural properties of oligopeptide fibers were characterized using atomic force microscopy (AFM), atomic force microscope-infrared spectroscopy (AFM-IR), photoinduced force microscopy (PiFM), fluorescence polarization microscopy, and electron microscopy. These results reveal the macroscopic alignment of oligopeptide fibers into ordered structures over millimeter length scales, facilitated by colloidal microchannel templating. In addition, the charge transport properties (I-V curves) of π-conjugated oligopeptides assembled using this method were determined under a wide range of applied voltages using interdigitated array electrodes and conductive AFM. Overall, this work illustrates a simple yet robust strategy to pattern 1-D supramolecular fibers over large areas, thereby offering new routes for assembling materials for organic electronics.
Backyard flock production.

Abstract Keeping backyard poultry, especially egg laying hens, has become a popular trend in the United States, and across the world. People who are interested in consuming local food with less of an environmental impact and better welfare for the animals are driving this phenomenon. Despite the desire for better welfare, these flocks face their own unique challenges. From a research perspective, backyard flocks are difficult to track and sample using random, unbiased methodology. However, what little research has been done shows that backyard flocks face welfare concerns related to health and disease transmission, poor access to veterinary care, and public health issues. Further research to understand these challenges, as well as the dissemination of quality information to flock owners, are much needed.
Taq1A polymorphism and medication effects on inhibitory action control in Parkinson disease.

BACKGROUND Dopamine therapy in Parkinson disease (PD) can have differential effects on inhibitory action control, or the ability to inhibit reflexive or impulsive actions. Dopamine agonist (DAAg) medications, which preferentially target D2 and D3 receptors, can either improve or worsen control of impulsive actions in patients with PD. We have reported that the direction of this effect depends on baseline levels of performance on inhibitory control tasks. This observation suggests that there may exist certain biologic determinants that contribute to these patient-specific differences. We hypothesized that one important factor might be functional polymorphisms in D2-like receptor genes. AIM The goal of this study was to determine whether the direction of DAAg effects on inhibitory control depends on functional polymorphisms in the DRD2 and DRD3 genes. METHODS Twenty-eight patients with PD were genotyped for known functional polymorphisms in DRD2 (rs6277 and rs1800497) and DRD3 (rs6280) receptors. These patients then completed the Simon conflict task both on and off DAAg therapy in a counterbalanced manner. RESULTS We found that patients with the rs1800497 Taq1A (A1) polymorphism (A1/A1 or A1/A2: 11 subjects) showed improved proficiency to suppress impulsive actions when on DAAg; conversely, patients with the A2/A2 allele (14 patients) became less proficient at suppressing incorrect response information on DAAg therapy (Group × Medication, F(1, 23) = 5.65, p < 0.05). Polymorphisms in rs6277 and rs6280 were not associated with a differential medication response. CONCLUSION These results suggest that certain DRD polymorphisms may determine the direction of DAAg effects on critical cognitive control processes impaired in PD. Our findings have implications for understanding pharmacogenomics interactions on a larger scale and the role these may play in the wide variability of treatment effects seen in the PD population.
New Strategies in the Use of Bone Marrow (or Hematopoietic Stem Cell) Transplantation to Treat Cancers of the Blood

I am delighted to participate in this wonderful series of lectures. I listened to a number of them on my computer and hope that I can do justice to the speakers who preceded me and to those who will follow me.
Multimedia Presentations in Educational Measurement and Statistics: Design Considerations and Instructional Approaches

Proper interpretation of standardized test scores is a crucial skill for K-12 teachers and school personnel; however, many do not have sufficient knowledge of measurement concepts to appropriately interpret and communicate test results. In a recent four-year project funded by the National Science Foundation, three web-based instructional presentations in educational measurement and statistics were developed and evaluated (Zwick et al., 2008). These modules were found to be particularly effective for pre-service K-12 teachers. The primary challenge of the project was to deliver the material in three short 25-minute web-based presentations. In this paper, we discuss the design principles, technical considerations, and specific instructional approaches implemented in the modules, invoking principles from cognitive psychology research. Based on evidence gathered from our project and previous research in teacher education and multimedia learning, we offer suggestions for presenting educational measurement and ...
Fiscal Policy and the EMU

One of the critical issues involved in the continued integration of the EU is the fiscal policy implication of the EMU. The following discussion explores the relationship between fiscal policies and the economic and monetary integration process. Although the economic union and monetary union are two separate entities, in accordance with the Delors Report1, the Maastricht Treaty called for a simultaneous pursuit of both.
School lunch source and adolescent dietary behavior.

Introduction As rates of childhood obesity rise, the nutritional content of lunches eaten at school is more heavily scrutinized. We examined the association between dietary behaviors and the number of days that adolescents bring lunch to school. Methods We analyzed cross-sectional data for 2,774 adolescents who responded to the 2005 California Health Interview Survey and reported dietary behaviors for a weekday. Results In bivariate analyses, adolescents who typically brought their lunch from home 5 days per week ate fast food on fewer occasions; consumed fewer servings of soda, fried potatoes, and high-sugar foods; and ate more fruit and vegetables compared with adolescents who never brought their lunch to school. In linear regressions controlling for demographics, body mass index, desire to change weight, parent education, and adult presence after school, students who typically brought their lunch to school 5 days per week ate fast food 0.35 fewer times and consumed 0.35 fewer servings of soda, 0.10 fewer servings of fried potatoes, 0.25 fewer servings of high-sugar foods, and 0.95 more servings of fruit and vegetables per day compared with students who never brought their lunch to school. Conclusion These findings suggest that adolescents who bring lunch to school from home have more positive dietary behaviors than do adolescents who get their lunches from other sources. Improving the nutritional quality of foods offered from other sources, such as the National School Lunch Program and competitive foods, could help improve adolescent dietary behaviors.
Squeezed-Light Generation in Optical Waveguides

Within the past few years, squeezed states of light have been generated in a number of distinct physical systems [1]. All of them can be categorized into the following two groups: i) those exploiting the resonant nonlinear interaction of light with two-level atoms and ii) those involving the nonresonant nonlinearity of the interaction of high-intensity light with transparent media. The experiments in the first group have included intracavity four-wave mixing in an atomic beam [2], forward four-wave mixing in a Doppler-broadened gaseous medium [3], and the strong interaction of a small-volume high-finesse optical cavity with a beam of two-level atoms [4]. The experiments in the second group, namely forward four-wave mixing in a single-mode optical fiber [5] and intracavity parametric down-conversion in a nonlinear crystal [6], have been more interesting from an applications point of view and indeed the latter has emerged to be a prototypical system for the generation of squeezed light. Over 60% squeezing has been measured in light emitted by a cavity containing the MgO:LiNbO3 down-converter [6].
Indications for Deep Brain Stimulation Therapy in Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a degenerative movement disorder that affects 7 to 10 million people worldwide. The cardinal clinical features of PD are resting tremor, muscle rigidity, bradykinesia, and postural instability. These movement abnormalities are principally caused by death of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra. Most patients in early-stage PD respond well to medical therapy, usually levodopa, which alleviates these cardinal symptoms by replacing dopamine. After years of levodopa therapy, however, many patients develop motor fluctuations and experience an increase in “off” time (periods of time where the benefits of medications are limited). Deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy is a surgical treatment that dramatically improves motor fluctuations as well as the principal features of bradykinesia, tremor, and rigidity. Additionally, DBS can be used to treat medication-induced dyskinesias. Although DBS therapy does not slow the progression of PD, it has been proven to improve motor fluctuations and quality of life beyond what can be achieved with best medical therapy. Patient selection is critically important in order to obtain these significant benefits, and dopamine responsiveness is a key diagnostic test. Due to the heterogeneity of PD symptoms and the complexity of accurate diagnosis, a team process for patient selection should be used. In this chapter, we will review the indications and patient selection criteria for DBS therapy for Parkinson’s disease.
A Behavioral Economic Analysis of Demand for Texting while Driving

The overarching goal of the present study was to determine whether a behavioral economic framework of demand analysis is applicable to texting while driving. To this end, we developed a novel hypothetical task designed to quantify the intensity and elasticity of the demand for social interaction from texting while driving. This task involved a scenario in which participants receive a text message while driving, and they rated the likelihood of replying to a text message immediately versus waiting to reply until arriving at a destination when the amounts of a fine for texting while driving ranged from $1 to $300. To assess the construct validity of the task, the scenario presented two delays to a destination (15 min and 60 min). The demand for social interaction from texting was more intense (greater at the lowest amount of the fine) and less elastic (less sensitive to the increase in the amounts of the fine) for drivers who self-reported a higher frequency of texting while driving than for those who self-reported a lower frequency of texting while driving. Demand was also more intense and less elastic under the 60-min delay condition than under the 15-min condition. The results of this proof-of-concept study suggest that behavioral economic demand analyses are potentially useful for understanding and predicting texting while driving.
Computational study on surface energy of amorphous DLC with respect to hybridization state of carbon and potential functions

Abstract In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to measure the surface energy of amorphous carbon (a-C) in relation to its hybridization state. Liquid quenching method was used to prepare the a-C samples. To control the sp2/sp3 ratio of a-C, two different approaches were attempted, i.e., changing the quenching rate and the density of carbon atoms. The results showed that the quenching rate did not yield any appreciable change in sp2/sp3 ratio, whereas the number of sp3 bonding was proportional to the density. With the controlled sp2/sp3 ratio in a-C, its surface energy was measured using two interactive potentials, i.e., Tersoff and Airebo, where the coordination cutoff length was set to 1.75 A. In both potentials, the measured surface energy showed a non-monotonous correlation with the hybridization state. Even though the two potentials produced very similar value of maximum surface energy of a-C, they had different trends of surface energy with sp3% (=the percentage of sp3 hybridized atoms with respect to total number of atoms in the sample) – the measured surface energy increased with sp3% under Tersoff potential but decreased with sp3% under Airebo potential. This trend of surface energy with carbon hybridization state can be interpreted by the combined effects of non-polar interaction (or dispersive component) induced by sp3 bonds and polar interactions by dangling bonds. In case of Tersoff potential, the dominant factor for the surface energy value was either the dispersive or the polar components depending on the level of sp3% in the sample, whereas the surface energy under Airebo potential was dominantly affected by the number of triple dangling bonds (sp0).
Playing Well With Others: Collaborating on children's right to play

Access to play has been recognized as a universal right of children (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 31) and promoted by international and national organizations with a focus on c...
Anticoagulants interfere with the angiogenic and regenerative responses mediated by platelets

Fil: Oneto, Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas. Instituto de Medicina Experimental. Academia Nacional de Medicina de Buenos Aires. Instituto de Medicina Experimental; Argentina
Current Topics in the Study of Sound Conduction to the Inner Ear

We discuss eight areas of continued middle ear research. These include (1) new high-resolution descriptions of ossicular structure; (2) factors that control the bandwidth of the middle ear’s response to sound; (3) how the tympanic membrane (TM) couples sound to the ossicular chain; (4) the contribution of complex ossicular motions to sound transmission; (5) the reverse coupling of sound generated in the inner ear to the external ear; (6) the question of inner ear “third windows”; (7) new ways to diagnose conductive hearing loss; and (8) new data and models of how bone conduction stimulates the inner ear. The major new results in these areas are highlighted and their relevance considered.
Climate-induced managed retreat in the U.S.: A review of current research

Abstract Human responses to climate change are continuing to evolve. At one time, mitigation (reduction) of human emissions of greenhouse gases appeared to offer the best response to prevent the worst impacts of a changing climate. It soon became clear, however, that the world would not be able to reduce emissions quickly enough or to a level sufficient to prevent, in the words of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, “dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system”. Climate change is already altering the frequency and severity of extreme weather events worldwide, and these trends are expected to increase in the foreseeable future. Accordingly, it is well recognized that adapting in place to the changing climate is necessary. Yet, that may not be enough. An additional step in responding to climate risks is emerging, one that requires fundamentally and permanently changing the human interactions with nature in parts of the world. This strategy is often referred to as “managed retreat,” but that term has become controversial, and other terms are needed that express inclusion of the positive societal benefits that can emerge from proactive action. This paper provides a review of the emerging themes within the literature of managed retreat as a climate risk management approach, uses examples from the transportation and infrastructure sector, collects and identifies important nomenclature and definitions, key decision-making considerations, and research gaps that warrant immediate attention. The results of this review are intended to be useful to academic climate change adaptation researchers and infrastructure practitioners alike.
Surgical Treatment of Combined ACL and Medial-Sided Knee Injuries: Acute and Chronic

Medial collateral ligament (MCL) injuries are the most common ligamentous injury of the knee. The extent of injury can range from a minor first-degree (1°) sprain to an extensive third-degree (3°) sprain that can propagate across the knee, rupturing both cruciate ligaments and result in a complete knee dislocation. A common pattern involves the combined anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and MCL injury that is the focus of this chapter. The vast majority of these combined medial-sided injuries are treated nonoperatively with delayed reconstruction of the ACL injury in athletically active individuals. The MCL and associated medial structures are carefully assessed on physical exam, and classification of injury is based upon abnormal limits of joint motion. In vitro cadaveric biomechanical testing has given us a better understanding of ligament deficiency and altered joint motion. Consistency in terminology is necessary for proper classification of injury and reproducible categorization of injury patterns in order to be able to compare both nonoperative and operative treatment of various injury patterns. Recently validated in vitro studies allow for the first biomechanically justified medial ligamentous reconstructive technique.
Active and reactive power flow analysis of a STATCOM with virtual synchronous machine control

To facilitate integration of renewable energy sources, static synchronous compensators (STATCOMs) are a typical solution to smooth the point of common coupling (PCC). A recently proposed control method, virtual synchronous machine (VSM), which controls grid-interfaced inverters to behave like synchronous machines, has been applied to STATCOMs and shows improved performance over conventional D-Q frame-based STATCOMs. However the limitations of the VSM method have not been studied. This paper addresses possible concerns about active power compensation which may lead to dc link voltage collapse during the transients introduced by the VSM method with some solutions proposed and compared.
Confidence regions for parameters in linear models with additional information

Using given significant additional information it is possible to improve different confidence regions for the regression parameters in a linear model. Thereby, the given informations may concern the expectation and (or) the variance of the observations, and an improvement is possible in the sense of the decrease of the confidence regions' size. In particular it is possible to improve the so called confidence ellipsoids which are often used to estimate the considered parameters.
Multi-Tasking and Legal Writing

This Article addresses the growing trend toward more and more multitasking and the effect it has on law students and lawyers, particularly their writing, learning, and analysis. It distinguishes between two types of multitasking – parallel processing and task switching – and explores when each increases or decreases efficiency. Using recent research on multitasking and the human brain, the Article reports on some of the early findings that suggest that habitual multitasking changes a person’s cognitive style and may diminish one’s capacity for focused, in-depth thinking. The Article concludes with some suggestions for monitoring and managing the multitasking habit
A holographic-moiré technique to obtain separate patterns for components of displacement

A symmetrical double-beam illumination is used in conjunction with a fictitious fringe system to obtain a moire pattern which represents the projection of the displacement vector into a single plane. The fictitious system of fringes is generated by a rotation of the photographic plate. This additional degree of freedom makes it possible to optically superimpose holograms, to apply spatial filtering techniques, and to control fringe localization. The method is applicable for displacement determination throughout the entire holographic range. A disk subjected to diametral compression is used to demonstrate that displacements and strains on the order of magnitude of those found in real engineering problems can be determined very accurately.
Two dimensional /spl theta/-image encoding using Boltzmann machine

A new image transformation, two-dimensional /spl theta/-transformation, is introduced in this paper. The time complexity for a /spl theta/-transformation is very low. Therefore, for a certain class of images, /spl theta/-transformation is a very efficient algorithm for image compression and image indexing. Boltzmann machine can be used to implement a class of /spl theta/-transformation. >