cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calculating dependent surveillance update rates by modeling the time-dependence of information value

The time-dependence of information has historically been managed though manual procedures, typically developed heuristically, specifying how frequently or under what conditions aging information should be refreshed. In the design of Automatic Dependent Surveillance (ADS) applications, when aircraft should automatically broadcast state information (e.g., position, velocity, or intent) must be addressed more rigorously. To answer questions about how frequently or under what conditions aging information should be updated, when the cost of seeking information must be accounted, a novel model of time-dependent information value is developed for a class of proceduralized decision problems, common in aviation. The model combines elements of classic, time-invariant information value theory, which is incapable of modeling the relationship between information value and information age, with estimation techniques. The time-dependent information value model is applied to investigate the rate at which aircraft should broadcast state information in an ADS environment. Results are presented for aircraft flying on parallel trajectories as well as on crossing trajectories. Results also provide general insight into the time-dependence of information value and its implications on information management processes.
Investigation of Racial Disparities in Early Supportive Medication Use and End-of-Life Care Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Stage IV Breast Cancer

PurposeEarly supportive care may improve quality of life and end-of-life care among patients with cancer. We assessed racial disparities in early use of medications for common cancer symptoms (depression, anxiety, insomnia) and whether these potential disparities modify end-of-life care.MethodsWe used 2007 to 2012 SEER-Medicare data to evaluate use of supportive medications (opioid pain medications and nonopioid psychotropics, including antidepressants/anxiolytics and sleep aids) in the 90 days postdiagnosis among black and white women with stage IV breast cancer who died between 2007 and 2012. We used modified Poisson regression to assess the relationship between race and supportive treatment use and end-of-life care (hospice, intensive care unit, more than one emergency department visit or hospitalization 30 days before death, in-hospital death).ResultsThe study included 752 white and 131 black women. We observed disparities in nonopioid psychotropic use between black and white women (adjusted risk rati...
Incidental Hydronephrosis on Bone Scintigraphy: Sonographic Verification

AbstractWe studied 98 kidneys in 55 patients with bone scintiscans and renal sonography. Among the 29 kidneys in which hydronephrosis was suspected on bone scintiscans only 12 were truly hydronephrotic by renal ultrasound. In the other 17 cases extrarenal pelves, postural stasis, early urinary tract obstruction or renal parenchymal disease may have contributed to the discrepant findings. By ultrasound criteria there were no false negative readings for hydronephrosis on scintiscan. While it is safe to interpret absence of hydronephrosis caution should be used in diagnosing hydronephrosis, since less than half of the cases actually will have the disease when suspected on a bone scintiscan.
Advances in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

COPD is one of the commonest causes of morbidity and mortality in the world and is increasing in prevalence. Current therapies are not very effective and no current treatment prevents the relentless progression of airflow limitation that characterizes this disease. Smoking cessation is the only strategy that reduces this decline in lung function and, although bupropion is the most effective aid to quitting, more effective treatments of nicotine addition are needed. The mainstay of treatment is bronchodilators for symptom relief and inhaled anticholinergics and beta2-agonists are useful by reducing hyperinflation of the lungs. A new once daily inhaled anticholinergic is the most effective bronchodilator, but long-acting inhaled beta2-agonsts are also useful. Theophylline is used as an additional bronchodilator in more severe patients and may have some anti-inflammatory action. By contrast, inhaled corticosteroids are poorly effective and do not reduce disease profession, although recent studies with combination inhalers (corticosteroid + long-acting beta2-agonist) have shown better effects. Long-term oxygen therapy is needed by patients with pulmonary hypertension and right heart failure. There is a pressing need to develop new classes of therapy, and several new drugs are currently in development, including inteleukin-8 antagonists, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, protease inhibitors and antioxidants.
Motivating College Students: An Exploration of Psychological Needs from a Communication Perspective

The purpose of this study was to identify the various ways that instructors communicatively fulfill college students’ basic psychological needs (i.e. autonomy, competence, relatedness) in the classroom. Participants were 119 undergraduate students who completed open-ended, self-report questionnaires. Analyses of the coded data revealed that a variety of instructor communication behaviors and practices previously identified in the effective teaching literature fulfill students’ needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. According to Deci and Ryan’s (1985) self-determination theory, the fulfillment of these needs intrinsically motivates students to learn, develops their cognitive capacities, and equips them for short-term and long-term success.
Corporate Social Responsibility and Discretionary Social Initiatives in Sport: A Position Paper

ABSTRACTThe growing efforts in the study of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in sport are based on the notion that CSR represents the efforts of corporations to do something ‘good’ to society or some elements of society. In the process, sport management scholars have disregarded an alternate perspective on CSR espoused by economics Nobel Laureate Milton Freedman who said the CSR of a business is its ‘business’. This position paper expounds on Milton's doctrine as an emphasis on goal attainment as a social responsibility, and extends the view to include not harming others and rectifying the mistakes that may harm others in the process of attaining the goals as two more social responsibilities of all profit and nonprofit organisations. These social responsibilities are contrasted with the social initiatives an organisation may undertake to benefit society. These social initiatives may or may not be related to the core business of the organisation.
Meal frequency and timing: impact on metabolic disease risk.

Purpose of review The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the most recent human intervention trials that have examined the impact of meal frequency or meal timing on metabolic disease risk factors. Recent findings Findings from intervention studies published over the past 12 months indicate that weight loss may be more pronounced with decreased meal frequency (two meals per day) versus increased meal frequency (six meals per day) under hypocaloric conditions. However, under isocaloric conditions, no effect on body weight was noted. Plasma lipid concentrations and glucoregulatory factors (fasting glucose, insulin, and insulin sensitivity) were not affected by alterations in meal frequency. As for meal timing, delaying the lunchtime meal by 3.5 h (from 1.30 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.) has no impact on body weight, but may impair glucose tolerance in young healthy adults. Summary In sum, altering meal frequency has little impact on body weight, plasma lipids, or glucoregulatory factors, whereas eating the majority of calories later in the day may be detrimental for glycemic control. These preliminary findings, however, still require confirmation by longer term, larger scale controlled trials.
Parallel and Distributed Processing

Publisher Summary Parallel and distributed processing (PDP) is a major paradigm of computation. PDP is also the preferred computational model for fault tolerant and robust behavior. This chapter discusses the strong analogy between PDP models of computation and physical systems, and their relevance to specific visual tasks. The chapter describes artificial neural systems, also known as neural networks (NN), as the suitable model for PDP computation. The chapter explains how ANS, as the result of competitive processes, yields the solution to specific visual tasks, which are appropriately described as minimization problems. Neural networks were originally suggested to account for biological memory systems. PDP models correspond to distributed computation, where a large number of highly interconnected simple processing elements (PEs) operate in parallel. Neural networks are concerned with the study of dynamic systems that implement information processing tasks, such as constrained optimization, through their internal state responses to continuous input. Through the NNs collective dynamics, the emergent behavior, which results from competition and cooperation between neighboring PEs, yields the optimal solution subject to contextual constraints implicitly embedded in the net of interconnections.
Environmental Impact of Geothermal Power Plants

This chapter aims to present a comprehensive picture of the environmental advantages offered by geothermal power plants as well as their possible detrimental effects. Certain environmental impacts associated with the development of geothermal sites and the operations of plants are inevitable. There have now been more than one hundred years of experience in developing geothermal fields, and in building, operating, upgrading, and even decommissioning geothermal plants of various types. Most countries have laws that regulate the construction and operation of power plants with the intent of preserving the natural environment and safeguarding the health and well-being of people as well as the flora and fauna of the region. Abatement technology is available and usually deployed to mitigate the most potentially harmful impacts. Compared with other types of power plants, geothermal plants hold significant advantages for many of these impacts. There is great concern worldwide about atmospheric emissions of carbon dioxide, CO2, owing to its heat-trapping properties and the fear of its effect on the global climate. In an attempt to control global warming, rules and regulations are being discussed around the world that would penalize plants that emit carbon into the atmosphere. Geothermal reservoir production at rates much greater than recharge can lead to surface subsidence. Geothermal binary plants are environmentally benign, essentially zero-emission plants, especially when fitted with air-cooled condensers.
Entertainment-education through participatory theater: Freirean strategies for empowering the oppressed

Thepresent chapter describes participatory theater in SouthAfrica, Brazil, and India as a means of empowering audience individuals to lead social change. The focus on participation by oppressed individuals as a means of organizing for social changewas recognized as important by scholars and practitioners ofdevelopment communication since the 1990s.Here this direction is integrated with the entertainment-education strategy, for the potential beneﬁt of both participatory communication and E-E.
Complementary Lock-and-Key Ligand Binding of a Triplet Transmitter to a Nanocrystal Photosensitizer.

Owing to the difficulty in comprehensively characterizing nanocrystal (NC) surfaces, clear guidance for ligand design is lacking. In this work, a series of bidentate bis(pyridine) anthracene isomers (2,3-PyAn, 3,3-PyAn, 2,2-PyAn) that differ in their binding geometries were designed to find the best complementary fit to the NC surface. The efficiency of triplet energy transfer (TET) from the CdSe NC donor to a diphenylanthracene (DPA) acceptor mediated by these isomers was used as a proxy for the efficacy of orbital overlap and therefore ligand binding. 2,3-PyAn, with an intramolecular N-N distance of 8.2 A, provided the best match to the surface of CdSe NCs. When serving as a transmitter for photon upconversion, 2,3-PyAn yielded the highest upconversion quantum yield (QY) of 12.1±1.3 %, followed by 3,3-PyAn and 2,2-PyAn. The TET quantum efficiencies determined by ultrafast transient absorption measurements showed the same trend.
Research in Medical Physics: What, Why, and How

Research in medical physics has led to a huge number of innovations over the past 30 years. Medical physics is of course a broad scientific field, but in general can be categorized as either diagnostic imaging physics or the physics of radiation oncology. In this paper, these two areas will be discussed separately.
Who Spread That Rumor: Finding the Source of Information in Large Online Social Networks With Probabilistically Varying Internode Relationship Strengths

We address the problem of estimating the source of a rumor in large-scale social networks. Previous works studying this problem have mainly focused on graph models with deterministic and homogenous internode relationship strengths. However, internode relationship strengths in real social networks are random. We model this uncertainty by using random, nonhomogenous edge weights on the underlying social network graph. We propose a novel two-stage algorithm that uses the modularity of the social network to locate the source of the rumor with fewer sensor nodes than other existing algorithms. We also propose a novel method to select these sensor nodes. We evaluate our algorithm using a large data set from Twitter and Sina Weibo. Real-world time series data are used to model the uncertainty in social relationship strengths. Simulations show that the proposed algorithm can determine the actual source within two hops, 69%–80% of the time, when the diameter of the networks varies between 7 and 13. Our numerical results also show that it is easier to estimate the source of a rumor when the source has higher betweenness centrality. Finally, we demonstrate that our two-stage algorithm outperforms the alternative algorithm in terms of the accuracy of localizing the source.
Are marginalized two-part models superior to non-marginalized two-part models for count data with excess zeroes? Estimation of marginal effects, model misspecification, and model selection

The marginalized two-part models, including the marginalized zero-inflated Poisson and negative binomial models, have been proposed in the literature for modelling cross-sectional healthcare utilization count data with excess zeroes and overdispersion. The motivation for these proposals was to directly capture the overall marginal effects and to avoid post-modelling effect calculations that are needed for the non-marginalized conventional two-part models. However, are marginalized two-part models superior to non-marginalized two-part models because of their structural property? Is it true that the marginalized two-part models can provide direct marginal inference? This article aims to answer these questions through a comprehensive investigation. We first summarize the existing non-marginalized and marginalized two-part models and then develop marginalized hurdle Poisson and negative binomial models for cross-sectional count data with abundant zero counts. Our interest in the investigation lies particularly in the (average) marginal effect and (average) incremental effect and the comparison of these effects. The estimators of these effects are presented, and variance estimators are derived by using delta methods and Taylor series approximations. Though the marginalized models attract attention because of the alleged convenience of direct marginal inference, we provide evidence for the impact of model misspecification of the marginalized models over the conventional models, and provide evidence for the importance of goodness-of-fit evaluation and model selection in differentiating between the marginalized and non-marginalized models. An empirical analysis of the German Socioeconomic Panel data is presented.
Is Your Supply Chain Business Operation a Good Fit for Online Reverse Auctions

This industry note explores the benefits of online reverse auctions for both buyers and suppliers in contrast to the negative implications for procurement process. Information was gathered from numerous sources to create a comprehensive analysis of benefits and shortcomings of online reverse auctions. The argument presented shows a strong temptation for buyers to participate in online reverse auctions: price reductions. However, buyers should approach online reverse auctions with caution as total cost savings can be misleading and participation may result in damaged relationships with suppliers. Buyers’ determination to use online reverse auctions relies on product specifications, supplier relationships, the current supply and demand environment, indirect costs, and several other factors that will vary for each product and for each buyer. Therefore, an all-encompassing decision model cannot be presented to accommodate each scenario. However, a generic framework is proposed for managers determining if participation in online reverse auctions is appropriate for their business. In practice, additional company specific information can be applied to the decision making model. It may be noted, the research reported in professional literature on online reverse auctions does not offer a process for managers to follow when evaluating whether to implement online reverse auctions. This note includes a generic decision framework specifically for buyers as well as an abbreviated decision model for suppliers.
Performance Practice of Early American Hymnody: Tempo and the “Moods of Time”

Modern time signatures indicate metrical organization in notated music. However, in most American hymnals and psalters published between 1721 and 1809, time signatures also signify very specific tempi. This notational practice, further removed from modern usage than any other element of this music, derives from proportional notations abandoned in art music in the seventeenth century. As technically complex music was published using this notation in the 1760s, these time signatures began to be used more subtly. In combination, they provide metrical effects unlike those possible with modern time signatures: doubling or halving tempo, or maintaining the pulse while altering its division or larger metric organization. Viewed from the perspective of modern notation, these functions diverge from their appearance. This article clarifies the correlation between time signature and tempo indicated in eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century American tunebooks (hymnals), arguing for its inclusion in modern performances of this repertoire. Internal evidence and related pedagogical practices suggest these tempi were intended to be observed; most early American theorists, composers, and compilers advocated adherence. Any revival of repertoire first published in this notation, including the works of such composers as William Billings, Daniel Read, and Supply Belcher, would profit by observing these tempi. In a repertoire frequently devoid of interpretive markings, time signatures provide invaluable clues to performers.
Trends in slipped capital femoral epiphysis: is the rate declining?

Abstract Purpose Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is an adolescent hip condition with a high risk of complication. The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in treatment using a pros...
Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of Kv1.1 potassium channel subunits impairs atrial repolarization in mice.

Voltage-gated Kv1.1 potassium channel α-subunits, encoded by the Kcna1 gene, have traditionally been regarded as neural-specific with no expression or function in the heart. However, recent data re...
Trochleoplasty: Groove-Deepening and Entrance Grooveplasty

Trochleoplasty is a safe and effective surgical technique for addressing certain types of trochlear dysplasia in the setting of patellar instability. This article discusses groove-deepening trochleoplasty and entrance grooveplasty, including indications, associated procedures, outcomes, and complications.
Interaction profiling methods to map protein and pathway targets of bioactive ligands.

Abstract Recent advances in -omic profiling technologies have ushered in an era where we no longer want to merely measure the presence or absence of a biomolecule of interest, but instead hope to understand its function and interactions within larger signaling networks. Here, we review several emerging proteomic technologies capable of detecting protein interaction networks in live cells and their integration to draft holistic maps of proteins that respond to diverse stimuli, including bioactive small molecules. Moreover, we provide a conceptual framework to combine so-called ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ interaction profiling methods and ensuing proteomic profiles to directly identify binding targets of small molecule ligands, as well as for unbiased discovery of proteins and pathways that may be directly bound or influenced by those first responders. The integrated, interaction-based profiling methods discussed here have the potential to provide a unique and dynamic view into cellular signaling networks for both basic and translational biological studies.
The General Equilibrium Effects of HOV Lanes on Congestion, Sprawl, Energy Use, and Carbon Emissions

High-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes have been promoted to encourage carpools, reduce traffic congestion, and improve air quality. At the partial equilibrium level, commuting with three workers per automobile clearly reduces highway congestion, lowers carbon emissions, and saves energy compared to three single drivers. This paper develops a numerical urban simulation model to generate the general equilibrium effects of HOV lanes on urban spatial structure, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions. The major findings are that while HOV lanes reduce traffic congestion and improve welfare, the fall in transportation cost leads to urban sprawl, which results in higher dwelling energy use and a larger carbon footprint. Overall, the HOV lane policy has little effect on total energy consumption and carbon emissions. This is another classic case of general equilibrium effects reversing the partial equilibrium effects of an urban policy. In contrast, a gasoline tax policy leads less urban sprawl but is less effective at lowering energy consumption and carbon emissions. Imposing congestion tolls is a more effective tool at reducing traffic congestion, saving energy, and lowering carbon emissions.
Acceptability and Feasibility of a Multicomponent Telehealth Care Management Program in Older Adults With Advanced Dementia in a Residential Memory Care Unit

The aim of the current study was to examine the acceptability and feasibility of a multicomponent care management program in older adults with advanced dementia in a long-term memory care unit. Eig...
Engaging Multicultural and Multilingual Families

Patricia Edwards’ book New Ways to Engage Parents: Strategies and Tools for Teachers and Leaders, K-12 (Teachers College Press, 2017) offers a practitioner-focused guide to improving family engagem...
Practices for Demonstrating Energy Savings from Commercial PACE Projects

Author(s): Leventis, Greg; Deason, Jeff | Abstract: Nearly three-fourths of U.S. states have authorized local governments to use voluntary special assessments on commercial properties to finance energy improvements that boost economic development, create jobs, increase property values and advance energy goals. Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (C-PACE) financing allows building owners to repay the borrowed capital — from private or public sources — over time using their property as security. Berkeley Lab is supporting the Department of Energy’s Commercial PACE Working Group by developing a series of C-PACE issue briefs. The second brief in this series, Practices for Demonstrating Energy Savings from Commercial PACE Projects, looks at common practices for demonstrating energy savings to support state and local governments that sponsor C-PACE programs and want to track their energy impacts. This brief reviews: -The value proposition and trade-offs of conducting energy impact assessments for C-PACE programs; -Methods to quantify energy savings impacts from energy efficiency building improvements; and -Available resources and tools to support energy impact assessments. C-PACE programs may benefit from energy impact assessments for many reasons, including: -Validating the public benefits of the programs -Demonstrating that C-PACE can deliver participant benefits -Illustrating program impacts on public policy goals -Generating data to help improve program performance Many C-PACE programs are collecting data on project energy savings impacts, and these data can be leveraged to further support decision making and program implementation. Potential drawbacks to energy impact assessments may include added cost and burdens on property owners (e.g., the need to collect building energy consumption data). Where these burdens are considerable, they might slow program uptake. State and local governments can balance the benefits of energy impact assessments with the range of costs and accuracy inherent to available assessment methodologies. Additionally, depending on the policy context in the state or local government, a C-PACE program may be able to leverage existing efforts (e.g., building energy benchmarking programs) to reduce impact assessment costs, align with building owner practices and expectations, and efficiently assess program impact.
Treatment of Disease

This chapter identifies four types of situations in which parents and physicians are likely to encounter disagreement. The chapter also points toward avenues toward resolution. The first situation is one in which the parent refuses a measure proffered by a physician. The second is the circumstance in which the parent demands treatment the physician deems inappropriate. The third paradigm involves disagreement among custodial parents regarding the child. Finally, either a parent or a physician can abuse her power to undercut the appropriate authority of the other. Each of these paradigms requires different analysis, pointing to a different approach to solution. The State Intervention Test is useful in identifying the problem and pointing toward a solution. With regard to unreasonable demands for care, the traditional Roman Catholic distinction between ordinary and extraordinary care proves very useful.
Low-cost GPS Time Synchronization: The “Totally Accurate Clock”

The “Totally Accurate Clock” (“TAC”) has been developed as a simple, low-cost way to provide accurate and precise epoch timing for VLBI and SLR stations. The TAC provides a precise one pulse/second (1PPS) signal for external use which has been shown to have 30–50 nsec RMS scatter (the range being dependent on the measurement averaging interval) when compared to Hydrogen Maser frequency standards with no operator intervention. This precision is achieved despite the effects of S/A (Selective Availability, wherein the US Military intentionally degrades the stability of the GPS satellite clock signals). S/A effects are reduced by averaging over many GPS satellites since the S/A modulation is incoherent between the GPS satellites. The overall Allan Variance has been measured to be ~ (50 nsec/T) for time intervals T from a few seconds to 3 days. The accuracy of the timing pulse has been shown to be <20 nsec compared to the USNO master clocks. The 1PPS timing epoch can be set (under software control) to any arbitrary offset from the UTC second with 1 nsec resolution.
Combinatorial Testing: Theory and Practice

Abstract Combinatorial testing has rapidly gained favor among software testers in the past decade as improved algorithms have become available and practical success has been demonstrated. This chapter reviews the theory and application of this method, focusing particularly on research since 2010, with a brief background providing the rationale and development of combinatorial methods for software testing. Significant advances have occurred in algorithm performance, and the critical area of constraint representation and processing. In addition to these foundational topics, we take a look at advances in specialized areas including test suite prioritization, sequence testing, fault localization, the relationship between combinatorial testing and structural coverage, and approaches to very large testing problems.
Martian surface heat production and crustal heat flow from Mars Odyssey Gamma-Ray spectrometry

[1] Martian thermal state and evolution depend principally on the radiogenic heat-producing element (HPE) distributions in the planet's crust and mantle. The Gamma-Ray Spectrometer (GRS) on the 2001 Mars Odyssey spacecraft has mapped the surface abundances of HPEs across Mars. From these data, we produce the first models of global and regional surface heat production and crustal heat flow. As previous studies have suggested that the crust is a repository for approximately 50% of the radiogenic elements on Mars, these models provide important, directly measurable constraints on Martian heat generation. Our calculations show considerable geographic and temporal variations in crustal heat flow, and demonstrate the existence of anomalous heat flow provinces. We calculate a present day average surface heat production of 4.9 ± 0.3 × 10−11 W · kg−1. We also calculate the average crustal component of heat flow of 6.4 ± 0.4 mW · m−2. The crustal component of radiogenically produced heat flow ranges from <1 mW · m−2 in the Hellas Basin and Utopia Planitia regions to ∼13 mW · m−2 in the Sirenum Fossae region. These heat production and crustal heat flow values from geochemical measurements support previous heat flow estimates produced by different methodologies.
Heteroskedastic inefficiency in a cost frontier model: An application to nuclear power plant construction costs

Abstract This paper adapts the use of a stochastic cost frontier by allowing for heteroskedasticity in the inefficiency error term. Results from nuclear power construction costs indicate that a heteroskedastic inefficiency cost frontier model is preferable to ordinary least squares estimates and a homoskedastic cost inefficiency model. In fact the homoskedastic model is unable to detect the presence of cost inefficiency. We find that the variance of the cost inefficiency increased over time and perhaps decreased with the experience of the architects and engineers on the project.
Presynaptic Depression of Glutamatergic Synaptic Transmission by D1-Like Dopamine Receptor Activation in the Avian Basal Ganglia

Vocal behavior in songbirds exemplifies a rich integration of motor, cognitive, and social functions that are shared among vertebrates. As a part of the underlying neural substrate, the song system, the anterior forebrain pathway (AFP) is required for song learning and maintenance. The AFP resembles the mammalian basal ganglia-thalamocortical loop in its macroscopic organization, neuronal intrinsic properties, and microcircuitry. Area X, the first station in the AFP, is a part of the basal ganglia essential for vocal learning. It receives glutamatergic inputs from pallial structures and sends GABAergic outputs to thalamic structures. It also receives dense dopaminergic innervation from the midbrain. The role of this innervation is essentially unknown. Here we provide evidence that dopamine (DA) can modulate the glutamatergic inputs to spiny neurons in area X. In whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings from neurons in brain slices of adult zebra finches, we found that activation of D1-like DA receptors depresses ionotropic glutamatergic synaptic current in area X spiny neurons. This effect is mediated by a presynaptic site of action, mimicked by activation of adenylyl cyclase, and blocked by protein kinase A inhibitor and an adenosine A1 receptor antagonist. These results suggest that, in addition to altering the input-output function of spiny neurons by modulating their excitability, as we have shown previously, DA can directly influence the excitatory inputs to these neurons as well. Thus, DA can exert fine control over information processing through spiny neurons in area X, the dynamics of the AFP output, and ultimately song learning and maintenance.
Improving Touchscreen Accessibility in Self-Service Technology

There is a growing trend towards touchscreens in self-service terminals, such as ATMs and airport check-ins. However, these touchscreen-based interfaces pose significant accessibility challenges, particularly for people with visual impairment. This paper presents two research and development projects aimed at improving touchscreen accessibility of self-service technology: one describing the development of a physical input device and another investigating gesture-based input techniques. These two projects are used to illustrate the key challenges of accessibility in self-service technology.
A verification scheme for pipelined vector architectures

As a means for improving performance, advanced vector processors use an extension of pipelining, called vector chaining, whereby the execution of independent instructions is overlapped. The complexity of vector chaining architectures, together with their inherent parallelism and asynchrony, renders their verification extremely difficult. This paper presents an efficient simulation-based scheme for verifying such architectures. The scheme presented here can be applied to other verification problems where the simulation expected results are not deterministic but belong to set a of computable possibilities.
Patellofemoral stresses during open and closed kinetic chain exercises : An analysis using computer simulation

Rehabilitation of the symptomatic patellofemoral joint aims to strengthen the quadriceps muscles while limiting stresses on the articular cartilage. Some investigators have advocated closed kinetic chain exercises, such as squats, because open kinetic chain exercises, such as leg extensions, have been suspected of placing supraphysiologic stresses on patellofemoral cartilage. We performed computer simulations on geometric data from five cadaveric knees to compare three types of open kinetic chain leg extension exercises (no external load on the ankle, 25-N ankle load, and 100-N ankle load) with closed kinetic chain knee-bend exercises in the range of 20 degrees to 90 degrees of flexion. The exercises were compared in terms of the quadriceps muscle forces, patellofemoral joint contact forces and stresses, and "benefit indices" (the ratio of the quadriceps muscle force to the contact stress). The study revealed that, throughout the entire flexion range, the open kinetic chain stresses were not supraphysiologic nor significantly higher than the closed kinetic chain exercise stresses. These findings are important for patients who have undergone an operation and may feel too unstable on their feet to do closed chain kinetic chain exercises. Open kinetic chain exercises at low flexion angles are also recommended for patients whose proximal patellar lesions preclude loading the patellofemoral joint in deeper flexion.
Dynamics of domain walls in ferrodistortive materials II. Applications to Pb 5 Ge 3 O 11 - and SbSI-type ferroelectrics

In this article we apply the theory developed in the previous publication to the uniaxial displacive ferroelectrics ${\mathrm{Pb}}_{5}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{11}$ and SbSI. We show that the parameters of our model can be determined from available experimental data for these substances. The values obtained are physically reasonable. With no adjustable parameters we calculate for lead germanate the wave-number and temperature dependence of the low-temperature central peak, the density of domain walls, and the polarization switching. For SbSI we evaluate the temperature and pressure dependence of the low-temperature central peak. The theoretical results agree quantitatively with the experimental data. We predict the, as yet unmeasured, temperature-dependent wall diffusion coefficient in ${\mathrm{Pb}}_{5}$${\mathrm{Ge}}_{3}$${\mathrm{O}}_{11}$ and the mobility of its domain walls in a field.
Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis in emergency department patients

Elderly patients with undiagnosed polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis are not uncommon, and they may present to the emergency department with nonspecific physical complaints. We describe the cases of two patients who had the "typical" constellation of symptoms. It is important that emergency physicians consider the diagnosis and provide appropriate testing, therapy, and follow-up.
Vortex Generation in a Numerical Thunderstorm Model

Abstract Detailed analysis of mesocyclone formation was performed using a three-dimensional numerical thunderstorm model. The vorticity equation was used to determine rates of generation and advection of vorticity in the modeled mesocyclones. Experiments were run with varied base state wind profiles to examine the role of vertical wind shear in the formation of vortices within thunderstorms. Analysis of mechanisms involved in vortex growth showed that during early and mature storm regimes important contributions were made by three processes: tilting of horizontal vorticity into the vertical stretching of these vortices by wind convergence, and vertical advection of vorticity. The combination of these processes served to create strong vortex couplets through extensive vertical columns in the modeled storms. Numerical experiments also showed that mature storm mesovortex strength was a nonlinear function of ambient vertical wind shear magnitude. Maximum vortex strength reached or exceeded 10−2 s−1 vorticity....
Algorithm 699: a new representation of Patterson's quadrature formulae

A method is presented to reduce the number of coefficients necessary to represent Patterson's quadrature formulae. It also reduces the amount of storage necessary for storing function values, and produces slightly smaller error in evaluating the formulae.
Low-Earth-orbit atomic oxygen erosion of polymer surfaces

Spacecraft in low Earth orbit (250-700 km altitude) encounter a residual atmosphere that is 90% atomic oxygen in its ground electronic state produced by the solar uv photodissociation of molecular oxygen. At a relative velocity of 8 km s", an observer on the spacecraft at an altitude of 300 km experiences an average flux of 10 oxygen atoms cm~ s" approaching in the ram direction with a relative kinetic energy of 5 eV. When exposed to this flux, vitreous carbon, polymers, and many polymer-based composite materials suffer surface erosion. Upon microscopic examination, the roughened surface is seen to consist of troughs and points that have a shag-carpet appearance. We show that, when a target atom has weak bonds tangential to the surface, the impact energy of the incident O atom rapidly dissipates into the bulk of the solid, and the target atom cannot react. This produces a point. By contrast, when tangential bonds are strong, the reverse occurs, and a trough results. The anisotropic bonding on which this model depends can be found in both polymers and vitreous materials.
Microcomputer Generation of Dynamic Stereo Graphics for Clinical Use

A programmable device for creating a variety of visual stimuli is described. Employing a microprocessor for overall control permits flexibility in choice of images, while time-critical functions are performed by semi-independent modules of digital logic. The display unit is a modified commercial television receiver. Both clinical and research applications can be supported.
Developing prediction weights by matching battery factorings.

Between-sample shrinkage of validity from sample errors is compounded when usual multiple regression techniques are employed to estimate weights for new battery components. A rationale is described for increasing prediction weight validity through a combination of a reduced-rank regression technique and a method for determining maximal factored congruence between two sets of measures. A numerical illustration is based on data drawn from a problem in academic prediction.
Session 1: Radioenzymatic Assay for Histamine: Development and Validation

Henry DP, Bowsher RR, Verburg KM. Radioenzymatic assay for histamine: development and validation. Scand J Gastroenterol 1991, 26(suppl 180), 26–31Radioenzymatic assays are sensitive analytic tools that use an enzyme to quantify a substrate for that enzyme. Purified histamine N-methyltransferase has been used as the basis for an assay for histamine. The sensitivity of the procedure is <10fmol. The specificity of the assay is increased when the transferase reaction is carried out at 0–3°C. Data documenting the precision of the assay, the stability of histamine in human plasma, and the gastric secretory rate of histamine are presented along with a chronologic description of the development of the technique.
Developmental analysis of the smellblind mutants: evidence for the role of sodium channels in Drosophila development

We have recently found evidence that two smellblind mutants, originally identified as olfactory mutants, define a new class of mutation in the para (paralytic) sodium channel gene (Lilly et al., in press). These two mutants have previously been shown to be heat-sensitive developmental lethals: animals raised at elevated temperatures die as embryos or as young larvae (Lilly and Carlson, 1990, Genetics 124, 293-302). This article shows, surprisingly, that both mutants are not only heat-sensitive lethals, but also cold-sensitive lethals: when raised at reduced temperatures, the mutants develop to the adult stage, but then die prematurely. Moreover, this effect is sexually dimorphic, in that lethality is substantially greater for females than males. The association of cold-sensitivity with mutations of a sodium channel gene has recently been found in the case of a cold-sensitive human muscle disease, paramyotonia congenita, in which sodium channel function is defective (Ptacek et al., 1992, Neuron 8, 891-897). The heat-sensitive and cold-sensitive periods for the two smellblind mutants are determined through a series of reciprocal temperature shift experiments and are found to be different. Most, if not all, of the contribution to the heat-sensitive lethality occurs before metamorphosis, whereas the cold-sensitivity is particularly pronounced after the onset of metamorphosis. These results are discussed in terms of the developmental role of the para sodium channel and the role of electrical activity in Drosophila development.
Moderation in the pursuit of justice: Explaining Japan's failure in the international whaling negotiations

Since 1982, the bargaining tactics and strategy pursued by Japan in the yearly meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), in its attempt to lift a whaling moratorium and prevent the creation of a Southern Ocean sanctuary have been notably unsuccessful. But Japan has persisted and continued using the same approach. The purpose of this article is to analyze and explain Japan's bargaining behavior in the IWC. After explicating the modern history of negotiations within the IWC, the author notes several attributes of Japan's bargaining behavior: moderation or reasonableness, persistence as a strategy, passivity, and legalism. Three possible explanatory variables are advanced: rational choice, cultural molding or a “Japanese way,”; and domestic constraints on the negotiators. After testing these variables, it is concluded that all three are needed to understand Japanese bargaining behavior.
Meta-Analysis of the Relationship between Communication Apprehension and Cognitive Performance.

Although numerous studies have examined the relationship between communication apprehension (CA) and cognitive performance (e.g., IQ grade point averages, course grades, assignment grades, and test scores), the findings are equivocal. One area of findings suggests that students in the traditional educational environment experiencing high CA are at a distinct disadvantage when compared to their low or moderate counterparts. A second area of findings suggests that no significant relationship exists. A third area indicates that the nature of the instructional environment is a significant mediating variable that moderates the effects of CA on cognitive performance. In the present study, a meta‐analysis was conducted of 23 manuscripts containing information on 30 experiments that examined CA and cognitive performance. Results confirmed a statistically significant negative correlation between CA and cognitive performance. Implications for future research and classroom instruction are discussed.
Alterations of renal hemodynamics in unilateral ureteral obstruction mediated by activation of endothelin receptor subtypes.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) for 21 hours causes severe renal vasoconstriction. We examined the role of endothelin (ET)-A receptor in renal hemodynamic alterations induced by UUO.Materials and Methods: Hemodynamic and clearance experiments were performed in 3 groups of anesthetized dogs. In group 1, 6 sham operated dogs received intrarenal infusion of the specific ET-A receptor antagonist BQ-610 (Peninsula Laboratories, Inc., Belmont, California), followed by infusion of the nitric oxide synthase substrate L-arginine. In the 7 group 2 dogs release of 21-hour UUO was followed by intrarenal infusion of BQ-610 and L-arginine. In the 5 group 3 dogs release of 21-hour UUO was followed by L-arginine infusion.Results: UUO caused marked decreases in renal blood flow (RBF) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1. In group 1 BQ-610 and L-arginine infusion did not alter RBF or GFR. In contrast, BQ-610 infusion in group 2 after UUO release led to a signif...
Using bioinspired thermally triggered liposomes for high-efficiency mixing and reagent delivery in microfluidic devices.

High-efficiency mixing is of fundamental importance for the successful development and application of lab-on-a-chip devices. In this report, we present the use of bioinspired thermally triggered liposomes for the controlled delivery and subsequent rapid mixing of reagents in a microfluidic device. In this technique, reagents are encapsulated inside the aqueous interior of liposomes that are dispersed evenly throughout a microfluidic system. Mixing of the encapsulated reagent and reaction do not occur until the reagent is released by a thermal trigger. This approach takes advantage of the dramatically increased lipid membrane permeability of liposomes near the gel-to-liquid phase transition temperature (Tm) to deliver reagents at a precise location in the microfluidic device through the modulation of temperature. Implementation of this technique requires the encapsulation of the desired reagent in a liposome whose formulation has an appropriate Tm, as well as accurate spatial control of the temperature in ...