cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of cyanobacteria and cyanotoxins removal/inactivation in drinking water treatment.

This review focuses on the efficiency of different water treatment processes for the removal of cyanotoxins from potable water. Although several investigators have studied full-scale drinking water processes to determine the efficiency of cyanotoxin inactivation, many of the studies were based on ancillary practice. In this context, “ancillary practice” refers to the removal or inactivation of cyanotoxins by standard daily operational procedures and without a contingency operational plan utilizing specific treatment barriers. In this review, “auxiliary practice” refers to the implementation of inactivation/removal treatment barriers or operational changes explicitly designed to minimize risk from toxin-forming algae and their toxins to make potable water. Furthermore, the best drinking water treatment practices are based on extension of the multibarrier approach to remove cyanotoxins from water. Cyanotoxins are considered natural contaminants that occur worldwide and specific classes of cyanotoxins have shown regional prevalence. For example, freshwaters in the Americas often show high concentrations of microcystin, anatoxin-a, and cylindrospermopsin, whereas Australian water sources often show high concentrations of microcystin, cylindrospermopsin, and saxitoxins. Other less frequently reported cyanotoxins include lyngbyatoxin A, debromoaplysiatoxin, and β-N-methylamino-l-alanine. This review focuses on the commonly used unit processes and treatment trains to reduce the toxicity of four classes of cyanotoxins: the microcystins, cylindrospermopsin, anatoxin-a, and saxitoxins. The goal of this review is to inform the reader of how each unit process participates in a treatment train and how an auxiliary multibarrier approach to water treatment can provide safer water for the consumer.
Bowel injuries caused by ingestion of multiple magnets in children: a growing hazard.

There are no definite guidelines on the management of ingested magnetic objects in children. The aim of this study was to present our experience and to highlight the importance of strict follow-up. Within 6 months period, four children presented to the emergency department after ingestion of multiple magnets. We reviewed retrospectively the patients’ documents, radiological reports, operative findings and outcome. We also performed a literature search for all reports of multiple magnets ingestion on MEDLINE and EMBASE. Daily abdominal radiographs to monitor migration of magnetic objects together with clinical examination revealed early detection of perforations in two patients. Explorative laparoscopy and suturing of perforations resulted in a rapid recovery and good cosmetic appearance. Literature search resulted in 44 published articles with a total of 52 cases of multiple magnet ingestion in children. This report stresses the need for prompt follow-up and early detection of complications in order to operate those patients without delay. Laparoscopy is the method of choice in exploring the abdomen when perforation is suspected.
Evidence for holes beyond the recombination zone and trions in the electron transport layer of organic light-emitting diodes

Recent electroluminescence (EL) detected magnetic resonance and transient EL studies reveal the presence and role of holes that drift beyond the recombination zone and approach the cathode in small molecular organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with specific materials and structures. In particular, these studies suggest that these holes are responsible for trion (i.e., a bipolaron stabilized by a counterpolaron on an adjacent molecule) formation in the electron transport layer, and may contribute to EL spikes observed at the end of a bias pulse. The significance of these holes to overall OLED performance is discussed.
Griseofulvin: A novel interaction with bovine brain tubulin

Griseofulvin is an anti-fungal drug whose mechanism of action is directed against microtubules. Although it inhibits the assembly of mammalian brain tubulin, its binding to tubulin has not been directly measured successfully. We have examined the interaction of griseofulvin with tubulin fluorometrically by measuring the quenching of tubulin tryptophan fluorescence by griseofulvin. From Scatchard analysis, we found that griseofulvin bound to tubulin at one class of binding site with an affinity constant of 1.2 +/- 0.19 x 10(4) M(-1), and the binding was largely reversible. Griseofulvin caused a major change in the conformation of tubulin in that it increased the sulfhydryl titer of tubulin approximately 2-fold. The drug affected both the alpha and beta subunits of tubulin equally. Interestingly, griseofulvin did not increase the sulfhydryl titer of the tubulin-colchicine complex although the binding site of griseofulvin was distinctly different from that of colchicine. The change of conformation of tubulin upon interaction with griseofulvin did not affect the exposure of hydrophobic areas on tubulin as shown by binding of bis-5,5'-[8(N-phenyl)aminonapthalene-1-sulfonic acid] (BisANS). Even in combination with colchicine, griseofulvin had very little effect on BisANS binding to tubulin. Thus, griseofulvin appears to interact with tubulin in a manner that is very different from that of many other tubulin ligands.
One hundred consecutive coarctation resections followed from one to thirteen years

Abstract The technique of operative repair for coarctation of the aorta is now well standardized and the immediate surgical mortality has been lowered to less than 5% in most large series. Long term follow up, however, is only recently being reported. This paper describes the current status of 100 consecutive patients who underwent elective resection from 1–13 yr ago. There was only one operative death. In contrast with other reports, residual systemic hypertension is rare in the 97 surviviors. These observations confirm that coarctation of the aorta can be repaired surgically with an acceptable operative mortality; the outlook of the survivors appears excellent.
On Integration of Solid-State Transformer With Zonal DC Microgrid

The contribution of this paper has been focused on investigating a new microgrid architecture that integrates the solid-state transformer with zonal dc microgrids. By utilizing the dc and ac links of the solid-state transformer, both ac and dc networks can access the distribution system, which renders the coordinate management of the power and guarantees high power supply reliability. In addition, the presented system together with the proposed power management strategy can minimize the effect of newly established zonal dc microgrid to the existing power grid, of which promises a better stability. To this end, this paper takes the photovoltaic and battery as the typical renewable energy resource and energy storage device, and develops a simulation platform for system study. Simulation results are shown to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposal.
Oxidative deamination of sulfur amino acids by bacterial and snake venom l-amino acid oxidase

We have investigated the oxidative deamination for all available sulfur amino acids by the crystalline snake venom l -amino acid oxidase from Crotalus terrificus terrificus and a particulate bound oxidase from an atypical Proteus rettgeri. Specific activity, pH optimum, Km and Vmax values were determined for each sulfur amino acid. For the bacterial enzyme the affinity for the various substrates at pH 7.5 in decreasing order is l -homocysteine, l -cysteine, l -methionine, l -homocystine, S-ribosyl- l -homocysteine, S-adenosyl- l -homocysteine, S-adenosyl- l -methionine, methionine sulfoxide, l -djenkolic acid, S-aderosyl- l -homocysteine sulfoxide, and l -cystine. No measurable activity was observed with cysteic acid, homocysteic acid, lanthionine, cystathionine, or S-ribosyl- l -homocysteine sulfoxide. The snake venom enzyme had a somewhat more limited specificity. There was no measurable activity with any of the sulfoxides, S-adenosyl- l -methionine, cysteic acid, homocysteic acid, lanthionine, or cystathionine. The affinity for the various substrates at pH 7.5 in decreasing order is l -methionine, l -homocystine, l -homocysteine, S-adenosyl- l -homocysteine, S-ribosyl- l -homocysteine, l -djenkolic acid, l -cysteine, and l -cystine. The keto acids produced from the various substrates with both enzymes were identified by chemical analysis and by thin-layer chromatography of the free keto acid or their dinitrophenylhydrazones against known standards. All the resultant keto acids appear to correspond to their parent compounds. Homocystine was found to be completely oxidized to 4,4′-dithio-bis (2-ketobutyric acid). S-Adenosyl- l -methionine, which is resistant to attack by most enzymes including snake venom l -amino acid oxidase, was readily oxidized to S-adenosyl-α-keto-γ-methiolbutyrate by the bacterial enzyme. The mercapto-α-keto acids derived from homocysteine and cysteine were found to be unstable resulting in the liberation of hydrogen sulfide and α-ketobutyrate or pyruvate, respectively.
Integrating HIV-Prevention Strategies in a Therapeutic Community Work-Release Program for Criminal Offenders:

The increasing number of drug-involved offenders under the supervision of the criminal justice system offers a unique opportunity for HIV risk-reduction intervention. This article discusses the HIV...
Body Image in Older Adults: Links with Religion and Gender

Research has confirmed a healthy link between young adults’ religiosity and body image. This study explored this relationship in 127 older men and women (mean = 74 years) who completed measures on two dimensions of body image (body satisfaction and anxiety about an aging appearance) and on different indices of religiosity. Men reported higher body satisfaction and lower anxiety about an aging appearance than women. For men, body satisfaction correlated with many religiosity variables and was predicted by religious well-being, existential well-being, and manifestation of God in their body; aging-appearance anxiety was unrelated to religiosity. For women, body satisfaction was weakly related to religiosity but aging-appearance anxiety was predicted by intrinsic orientation, religious well-being, and existential well-being; in all cases higher religiosity predicted lower anxiety about an aging appearance. Results are discussed in the context of differing cultural standards of aging and attractiveness for men and women.
Social Differentiation in Colonial Brazil

To the extent that the social sciences have been concerned with thestratification of Latin American societies they have shown a well-knowntendency to dichotomize their structures into a small upper class of wealthy and powerful landowners and a poor and powerless lower class hetero-geneously composed of rural workers, urban proletarians, petty traders, artisans, and the like. As a rule, the emergence of new classes and thegrowing internal differentiation of emergent or traditional classes are somewhat reluctantly admitted only as the societies of Latin America have demonstrated the ability to depart from their agrarian tradition and topursue the irreversible course of modernization. There has been a strong inclination to ignore or to minimize those aspects of the social structure which suggest a higher degree of complexity than the stereotype of a two-class system seems to indicate.
Failure to prevent degeneration of insect muscles with pepstatin.

Abstract The inhibitor of cathepsin D-like enzymes, pepstatin, inhibits 20% of the acid proteolytic activity of non-degenerating and 54% of the activity of degenerating insect intersegmental muscles. pH profiles of the pepstatin-sensitive and insensitive activities suggest the presence of three acid proteases. Injection of the drug into the hemocoele of the insect, or iontophoresis directly into the muscle fibers, fails to prevent the loss of birefringence that normally accompanies resorption of the muscle, even though sufficient pepstatin enters the fiber to inhibit proteolysis as tested in vitro . The pepstatin-sensitive enzymes appear not to control the initial loss of organization of the fibers.
Transcriptional and translational dynamics of light neurofilament subunit RNAs during Xenopus laevis optic nerve regeneration.

Abstract Neurofilaments (NFs), which comprise one of three cytoskeletal polymers of vertebrate axons, are heteropolymers of multiple NF subunit proteins. During Xenopus laevis optic nerve regeneration, NF subunit composition undergoes progressive changes that correlate with regenerative success. Understanding the relative contributions of transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene regulatory mechanisms to these changes should therefore provide insights into the control of the axonal growth program. Previously, we examined this issue with respect to the medium neurofilament protein (NF-M). Because the integrity of NF heteropolymers depends upon maintaining properly balanced expression among multiple subunits, we have now extended this analysis to include the four light NF subunits — peripherin, the light NF triplet protein (NF-L), and two additional α-internexin-like proteins. Within 3 days after an optic nerve crush injury to one eye, primary transcript levels of NF subunits increased in both eyes. Levels of mRNA, however, increased in only the operated eye and did so later than did increases in primary transcript, indicating that mRNA levels are under significant post-transcriptional regulation. As measured by polysome profiling, the translational efficiencies of individual NF subunit mRNAs also shifted throughout regeneration, with operated eye mRNAs being generally more translationally active than those of unoperated eyes. Also, in operated eyes, the precise mix of efficiently and poorly translated messages throughout regeneration varied independently for each subunit, indicating that their translations are fine-tuned separately. These results suggest a model whereby traumatic disruption of visual circuitry leads to increased expression of NF primary transcripts in both eyes. These increases are subsequently modulated post-transcriptionally to accommodate shifting demands at each phase of regeneration for NF heteropolymers of differing composition in regrowing axons.
Matrix‐Bound VEGF Mimetic Peptides: Design and Endothelial‐Cell Activation in Collagen Scaffolds

Long term survival and success of artificial tissue constructs depend greatly on vascularization. Endothelial cell (EC) differentiation and vasculature formation are dependent on spatio-temporal cues in the extracellular matrix that dynamically interact with cells, a process difficult to reproduce in artificial systems. Here we present a novel bifunctional peptide that mimics matrix-bound vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and can be used to encode spatially controlled angiogenic signals in collagen scaffolds. The peptide is comprised of a collagen mimetic domain that was previously reported to bind to type I collagen by a unique hybridization mechanism, and a VEGF mimetic domain with pro-angiogenic activity. Circular dichroism and collagen binding studies confirm the triple helical structure and the collagen binding affinity of the collagen mimetic domain, and EC culture studies demonstrate the peptide's ability to induce endothelial cell morphogenesis and network formation as a matrix-bound factor in 2D and 3D collagen scaffolds. We also show spatial modification of collagen substrates with this peptide that allows localized EC activation and network formation. These results demonstrate that the peptide can be used to present spatially directed angiogenic cues in collagen scaffolds, which may be useful for engineering organized microvasculature.
Seasonal temperature-salinity changes and thermocline development in the mid-Atlantic Bight as recorded by the isotopic composition of bivalves

Stable isotope records across annual growth increments in specimens of the surf clam Spisula solidissima from the mid-Atlantic Bight shelf from 10 m and 45 m depths reflect the changes in temperature and nutrient concentrations on the shelf over the year. The δ 18 O and δ 13 C records from clams at the two depths record well-mixed conditions in the water column during the winter months and the development of a thermocline during the summer. Spring high productivity and a transient salinity excursion in surface waters are also recorded. Reconstructing the paleoceanography of late Cenozoic temperate continental shelves may be possible using stable isotope records from fossil Spisula solidissima and other bivalves.
IMPEDANCE-BASED HEALTH MONITORING OF CIVIL STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS

This paper presents experimental evidence on the use of the impedance-based health-monitoring technique on components typical of civil structures. The basic principle behind this technique is to utilize high-frequency structural excitations (typically >30 kHz) through a surface-bonded piezoelectric sensor/actuator to detect changes in structural point impedance due to the presence of damage. Real-time damage detection on composite-reinforced concrete walls was investigated and the capability of this technique to detect imminent damage, well in advance of actual failure, was confirmed. Concepts that directly applied to this technique itself, such as effects of boundary condition changes and the effects of temperature changes, were also investigated. Experimental investigations were carried out on a 1/4-scale bridge element and a pipe joint commonly found in civil structures, to verify robustness of the technique to changes in environmental conditions. Data collected from the tests demonstrate the capabilit...
Mining semiconductor manufacturing data for productivity improvement — an integrated relational database approach

Abstract The semiconductor manufacturing process is a very complex process due to the large number of processes, the diverse equipment set, and the complexities associated with its non-linear process flows. Today, management seeks effective real time reporting on different key parameters such as work-in-process (WIP), cycle time, scrap, and tool up-time in an effort to monitor factory performance so that the business goals are met. The complexity of wafer fabrication (fab) processing, however, has necessitated the need for multiple multi-million dollar Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM) systems to be implemented in order to collect real time data. CIM systems deployed in semiconductor manufacturing settings capture real time data about every detail of the factory such as equipment throughputs, WIP, and product and equipment history. Most of the data collected, however, tends to be archived rather than used due to the difficulty of data extraction and presentation. The challenge, therefore, is to transform the massive data in the different CIM databases into meaningful information that is easy to access as well as easy to interpret and manipulate. This paper presents an integrated relational database approach for modeling and collecting semiconductor manufacturing data from multiple database systems and transforming the data into useful reports. A summary of the key reports generated is presented as well. These reports help to monitor factory performance by tracking different key metrics. These reports were implemented in one of Motorola’s wafer fabs and have contributed significantly in improving factory performance.
Mini-SMIFTS: an uncooled LWIR hyperspectral sensor

A long-wave infrared hyperspectral sensor using an interferometer and an uncooled microbolometer array camera was built and tested. The sensor showed signal to noise ratios near 200 for ambient temperature scenes with 33 wavenumber resolution at a frame rate of 50 Hz. Straightforward performance improvements in optics and reported detector performances suggest signal to noise ratios near 1000 at 10 wavenumber resolution should be achievable.
Modeling of Jointed Connections in Segmental Bridges

Precast segmental construction of bridges can accelerate construction and minimize the cost of medium span bridges in environmentally sensitive and difficult to access locations. Despite these benefits, the use of precast segmental bridges in seismic regions of the United States remains limited. A main obstacle to their use is concern regarding the seismic response of segment joints. Recent experimental research programs studied the seismic performance of segmental superstructures. However, an estimate of the seismic response of full-scale segmental bridges to real earthquake records remains unknown. This paper presents a segment joint modeling approach and is an important first step toward accurately estimating the seismic response of superstructure segment joints to input ground motions. The approach is a compromise between the detailed and computationally intensive continuum mechanics based finite element approach and a simple approach that models the joints with rotational springs. The approach considers the nonlinear tendon-grout slip response and was validated with data from large-scale experiments. Numerous modeling sensitivity studies were performed and recommendations for implementation in full-scale models are presented.
The role of epithelial Toll-like receptor signaling in the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation

Emerging evidence suggests that the innate immune system, comprised of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and their associated molecules, plays a pivotal role in the regulation of intestinal inflammation and in the response to invading pathogens. Although TLRs are thought to have predominantly beneficial effects in pathogen recognition and bacterial clearance by leukocytes, their dysregulation and unique signaling effects within intestinal epithelia in the setting of inflammation may have devastating consequences. For instance, activation of TLR4 in enterocytes leads to an inhibition of enterocyte migration and proliferation as well as the induction of enterocyte apoptosis-factors that would be expected to promote intestinal injury while inhibiting intestinal repair. TLR signaling has been shown to be abnormal in several intestinal inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and necrotizing enterocolitis. This review serves to examine the evidence regarding the patterns of expression and signaling of TLRs in the intestinal mucosa at basal levels and during physiologic stressors to gain insights into the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation. We conclude that the data reviewed suggest that epithelial TLR signaling-acting in concert with TLR signaling by leukocytes-participates in the development of intestinal inflammation. We further conclude that the evidence reviewed provides a rationale for the development of novel, epithelial-specific, TLR-based agents in the management of diseases of intestinal inflammation.
Mutagenicity studies of R-amino salt, a metabolite of amaranth (FD & C Red No. 2), in mouse lymphoma cells heterozygous at the thymidine kinase locus and in the rat dominant lethal test

Abstract The R-amino salt of amaranth (FD & C Red No. 2) was tested for mutagenicity in the thymidine kinase heterozygous (TK+−) mouse lymphoma assay and in the dominant lethal test. The results from the mouse lymphoma assay showed a dose-related increase in mutation frequency compared with values for the negative controls. Giant cells were present in the cultures after treatment and a distinct change of colour was observed when the R-amino salt was dissolved in the tissue-culture medium. In the dominant lethal test. the effect of R-amino salt was not statistically significant.
Spectral-domain polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography at 850 nm

Spectral-Domain Polarization-Sensitive Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-PS-OCT) is a technique developed to measure the thickness and birefringence of the nerve fiber layer in vivo as a tool for the early diagnosis of glaucoma. A clinical SD-PS-OCT system was developed and scans were made around the optic nerve head (ONH) using ten concentric circles of increasing diameter. One healthy volunteer was imaged. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and birefringence information was extracted from the data. Polarization-sensitive OCT images were acquired at video rate (29 frames per second (fps), 1000 A-lines / frame) and at 7 fps (1000 A-lines / frame). The last setting improved the signal to noise ratio by approximately 6 dB. Birefringence measurements on the healthy volunteer gave similar results as earlier reported values that were obtained with a time-domain setup. The measurement time was reduced from more than a minute to less than a second.
Adaptive Identification on the Group of Rigid-Body Rotations and its Application to Underwater Vehicle Navigation

This paper reports a novel stable adaptive identifier on the group of rigid-body rotations, and its application to a sensor-calibration problem arising in underwater vehicle navigation. The problem addressed is the identification of an unknown rigid-body rotation map from input-output data. General least-squares (LS) and adaptive identification techniques are commonly employed to identify general linear maps from input-output data, but do not guarantee that the resulting identified map is a rigid-body rotation. At present, an LS singular value decomposition approach is the standard method for identification constrained to the group of rigid-body rotations. This paper reports the first exact adaptive identifier on the group of rigid-body rotations, together with a proof of asymptotic stability. Techniques for navigating underwater vehicles are reviewed, and the Doppler-alignment calibration problem is posed. The reported adaptive identifier is employed to solve this problem, and performance of this adaptive identifier is evaluated on both laboratory and field experimental data. The results reported herein compare favorably with results obtained via previously reported LS techniques. The methodology reported herein may be of broader interest because of its applicability to more general problems in the identification, dynamics, and control on the group of rigid-body motions
Coping with stress, coping with violence: Links to mental health outcomes among at-risk youth.

Coping reactions to stressful events are important links between difficult experiences and the emergence of psychopathology. In this study we compared youths’ negative coping with stress in general to their negative coping with violence in particular, and utilized a person-centered analytic approach to examine how patterns of coping relate to various mental health outcomes. We utilized survey interview measures to collect data from a sample of 131 youth (ages 11–14, 100 % ethnic minority) residing in an economically distressed metropolitan area of the northeast. We observed significant relations between youths’ tendencies to cope with stress and violence via externalized-internalized strategies (e.g., yelling to let off steam, crying) and their mental health symptoms. However, we generally did not observe relations between engagement in distancing coping strategies (e.g., making believe nothing happened) and any problematic outcomes. Negative coping does not appear be a monolithic construct uniformly associated with negative outcomes for youth. Distancing coping might represent an especially useful short-term coping response for youth living in socioeconomically distressed conditions from the standpoint of inhibiting symptom development.
Terminal-to-Interior Energy Transfer in a "Linear" Oligomeric Diphosphine-Bridged Complex of Re(I).

Oligomeric complexes of Re(I) have been prepared from fac-Re(chelate)(CO)3OTf and linear diphosphines such as 1,2-bis-diphenylphosphinoethylene by careful control of stoichiometry, solvent, and tem...
Synthesis of nonracemic y-alkoxy allylstannanes by stereospecific anti[1,3]-stannyl migration

Abstract The y-alkoxy allylstannane 5b , prepared in high yield by BF 3 · OEt 2 promoted [1,3] rearrangement of the ( S )-α-alkoxy allylstannane 4b , affords the syn 1,2-diol derivatives 8 and 9 in high yield and excellent ee upon condensation with various aldehydes.
A further examination of the selection of problem-solving strategies: The effects of deadlines and analytic aptitudes

Abstract Christensen-Szalanski 1978 formalized and tested a cost-benefit model of problem-solving strategy selection. This paper reports the results of two additional studies which test the model's predictions of the effects of varying the immediacy of solution deadlines and the analytic aptitude upon strategy selection. The results were consistent with the model's predictions and support the belief that the temporal and energetic costs of thinking are important to the selection process.
The reduction of amides with lithium aluminium hydride.

Ein einfacher Mechanismus wurde vorgeschlagen und ein experimenteller Beweis gegeben, um die Bildung von Aminen oder Abspaltungsprodukten in der Reduktion von Amiden mit Lithiumaluminiumhydrid zu erklaren.
Mechanism of photo-induced desorption of molecules weakly adsorbed on a metal surface

Using mass spectrometry flight-time measurements, photodesorption of HFCO, H2CO, CH2CO and CH3Cl from Ag(111) under pulsed nanosecond laser irradiation has been investigated in the experimental photon energy range of 1.17 eV <EQ hv <EQ 4.67 eV. All these molecules are physisorbed on Ag(111). No threshold behavior has been established within this energy range. The translational energy distribution of the desorbing molecules is characterized by a Maxwell-Boltzmann temperature in the range 110 - 150 K. The low translational temperatures and low photon energy thresholds, though in striking contrast to the high average translational temperatures and threshold behavior reported for photodesorption of chemisorbed molecules from metal surfaces, can be understood in terms of the prevailing electron attachment model. However, it requires that the substrate electrons attach to the molecules with positive electron affinities. In an alternative model, electron scattering excites the high frequency, v equals 1 molecular vibrational levels, possibly through dipole interactions. In this case, desorption results from vibrational predissociation in the adsorbate- surface bond.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Wavelet domain model-based restoration

This paper describes a wavelet domain restoration algorithm, based on a so-called C/D/C system model that accounts for system blur at the image acquisition level, for the potentially important effects of aliasing, and for additive noise. Wavelet domain modeling discretizes the image acquisition kernel, and in this way the image restoration problem is formulated as a discrete least squares problem. The treatment of noise is related to the singular values of the image acquisition kernel. The performance of our wavelet domain restoration algorithm is assessed. We show that pixel- scale features can be restored exactly in the absence of noise. In the presence of noise results are similar, except for some noise-amplification and ringing artifacts that we control with the proper choice of an algorithm parameter. This paper extends work in wavelet domain C/D/C model-based restoration, and builds on research using the C/D/C model in digital image restoration.© (1998) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Understanding and developing models for detecting and differentiating breakpoints during interactive tasks

The ability to detect and differentiate breakpoints during task execution is critical for enabling defer-to-breakpoint policies within interruption management. In this work, we examine the feasibility of building statistical models that can detect and differentiate three granularities (types) of perceptually meaningful breakpoints during task execution, without having to recognize the underlying tasks. We collected ecological samples of task execution data, and asked observers to review the interaction in the collected videos and identify any perceived breakpoints and their type. Statistical methods were applied to learn models that map features of the interaction to each type of breakpoint. Results showed that the models were able to detect and differentiate breakpoints with reasonably high accuracy across tasks. Among many uses, our resulting models can enable interruption management systems to better realize defer-to-breakpoint policies for interactive, free-form tasks.
Nonlinear reversed‐field pinch dynamics with nonideal boundaries

The nonlinear behavior of the reversed‐field pinch bounded by a resistive shell or a distant conducting wall is investigated with a three‐dimensional magnetohydrodynamic code. Nonlinear interaction between modes enhances fluctuation levels as the conducting wall is removed. The enhanced fluctuation induced v×b electric field, which produces the dynamo effect, suppresses toroidal current, and enhances surface helicity dissipation. Thus, loop voltage must increase to sustain the current and maintain helicity balance.
Bilingual children's use of lexical strategies under narrative monologue and dialogue conditions.

Purpose: This study examined lexical strategies produced by Spanish-English bilingual kindergartners across two different narrative elicitation tasks. Method: Fifty participants (M = 67.24 months) produced narratives in English under monologue and dialogue conditions. Participants were placed in high and low language performance groups determined by results from a bilingual language screener. Per parent report, children were matched by age, current language use, and age of first exposure to English. Analyses examined strategy types across participants’ performance levels and task condition. Further evaluation compared strategy usage with general language productivity measures. Results: Child learners access similar lexical strategies as reported for adult second language learners. Performance level did not differentiate strategy type and frequency of use. Overall, participants relied more on all-purpose words and codeswitching in the monologue condition, while employment of word approximation and literal translation increased during the mediated dialogue sessions. Conclusions: Participants adjusted lexical strategy use according to narrative condition. The application of mediated learning serves as an instructional model that reveals information specific to young second language learners. Application of all-purpose words, word approximations, and literal translation influenced utter ance length and lexical diversity.
Vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease

Abstract Objective: Vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor are potent stimulators of angiogenesis. Children with cyanotic congenital heart disease often experience the development of widespread formation of collateral blood vessels, which may represent a form of abnormal angiogenesis. We undertook the present study to determine whether children with cyanotic congenital heart disease have elevated serum levels of vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. Methods: Serum was obtained from 22 children with cyanotic congenital heart disease and 19 children with acyanotic heart disease during cardiac catheterization. Samples were taken from the superior vena cava, inferior vena cava, and a systemic artery. Vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor levels were measured in the serum from each of these sites by enzyme–linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Vascular endothelial growth factor was significantly elevated in the superior vena cava ( P = .04) and systemic artery ( P = .02) but not in the inferior vena cava ( P = .2) of children with cyanotic congenital heart disease compared to children with acyanotic heart disease. The mean vascular endothelial growth factor level, determined by averaging the means of all 3 sites, was also significantly elevated ( P = .03). Basic fibroblast growth factor was only significantly elevated in the systemic artery ( P = .02). Conclusion: Children with cyanotic congenital heart disease have elevated systemic levels of vascular endothelial growth factor. These findings suggest that the widespread formation of collateral vessels in these children may be mediated by vascular endothelial growth factor. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2000;119:534-9)
Predicting requirement change propagation, using higher order design structure matrices: an industry case study

This research examines higher order design structure matrices as requirements change modelling tools to predict requirement change propagation through two large-scale industry design projects. Due to the iterative nature of design, requirements will evolve and change. Changes in requirements can propagate to other requirements on different subsystems leading to possible increases in the project cost and lead-time. Predicting these requirement changes enables the designers to foresee unanticipated changes and maximises the probability for the project's success. These studies reveal that second-order relationships are influential in predicting requirement change propagation. Unforeseen propagation occurring in first-order form was rare, rather it was occurring in second order. Modelling requirements change exposes these secondary relationships early in the engineering change (EC) definition process, thereby enhancing the decision-making process and augmenting cost estimation. A modelling tool, such as that ...
Solution of non-LTE transfer problems

Abstract In the outer layers of a stellar atmosphere, the radiation at line and continuum wavelengths strongly influences the relative number of atoms in various states of excitation andionization. Conversely, the radiation at a given point often depends on the atomic populations throughout a large surrounding region. Therefore, we have a local dependence of ni on Iv, together with a nonlocal dependence of Iv on values of ni. Various procedures involving either differential equations or integral equations can be used to solve for either Iv or ni. The main topic of this review is the integral-equation approach, with emphasis on numerical methods developed in recent years for the solution of physically realistic problems.
Predicting image matching using affine distortion models

We propose a novel method for predicting whether an image taken from a given location will match an existing set of images. This problem appears prominently in image based localization and augmented reality applications where new images are matched to an existing set to determine location or add virtual information into a scene. Our process generates a spatial coverage map showing the confidence that images taken at specific locations will match an existing image set. A new way to measure distortion between images using affine models is introduced. The distortion measure is combined with existing machine learning and structure from motion techniques to create a matching confidence predictor. The predictor is used to generate the spatial coverage map and also compute which images in the original set are redundant and can be removed. Results are presented showing the predictor is more accurate than previously published approaches.
An hp‐adaptive finite element method for electromagnetics. Part 3: A three‐dimensional infinite element for Maxwell's equations

This paper is a continuation of Reference [26] (Cecot, Demkowicz and Rachowicz, Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 2000; 188: 625–643) and describes an implementation of the infinite element for three-dimensional, time harmonic Maxwell's equations, proposed in Reference [15] (Demkowicz and Pal, Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 1998; 164: 77–94). The element is compatible with the hp finite element discretizations for Maxwell's equations in bounded domains reported in References [16–18] (Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 1998; 152: 103–124, 1999; 169: 331–344, 2000; 187: 307–337). Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MENTAL HEALTH IN A FRAGMENTED SOCIETY: The Shattered Crystal Ball

Effects of current social and political forces on mental health are considered, with particular attention to the way in which the unrelenting acceleration of change undermines the individual's sense of temporal continuity. The contributions and limitations of the mental health professions are examined, and it is suggested that the major challenge of psychotherapy in our time may be to aid individuals in coping with a world in flux.
Accessibility, Diversity, Environmental Quality and the Dynamics of Intra‐Urban Population and Employment Location

This paper investigates intra-urban population and employment shifts over 1980–2000, using the Cincinnati Metropolitan Area as a case study. Population and employment are disaggregated by ethnicity (White, Black, Others) and industry (10 sectors) to better capture different location behaviors. Inter-industry relationships are considered when constructing accessibility variables. Additional diversity, locational and socio-economic variables are included. A location-specific index of air quality is also considered, as a proxy for environmental quality. A structural equation model is specified to account for the dynamic interactions between populations, activities, and air quality. The results reveal strong interactions between ethnic groups, confirm the existence of agglomeration effects, and suggest that diversity has positive effects on both firms and households in both periods (1980–1990 and 1990–2000). For firms, better access to their potential customers and employees is more important than better access to their input–output sectors. Better air quality attracts population, which in turn worsens it. The results reveal changing dynamics, from 1980–1990 to 1990–2000, for different population and activity groups, and suggest that overall, firm location behaviors are more stable than household behaviors.
The where and how of PIP regulation of cone photoreceptor CNG channels.

In this issue, [Dai et al.][1] present an investigation of the biophysics of phosphatidylinositide (PIP) regulation of the cyclic-nucleotide gated (CNG) channels expressed in cone photoreceptors. Although PIPs facilitate or stabilize the activation of many other types of ion channels, they strongly
Rational Follow-Up After Curative Cancer Resection

Cancer recurrence after complete resection of the primary tumor is dreaded by patients and physicians alike. Intensive follow-up after curative resection is considered a marker of good practice and frequently perceived as an antidote against recurrence by patients and families. In the United States, there is abiding faith in frequent imaging and blood tests as the best tools for the job. Thoughtful practice, clinical guidelines, retrospective reviews of prospectively gathered data, and clinical trials of follow-up have focused on the number, frequency, and sequence of modalities. A different perspective on which to predicate follow-up of patients with curatively treated cancer is to consider whether meaningful treatment options exist for recurrence. In cancers for which there are meaningful treatment options, it is reasonable to expect that moreintensive follow-up may improve survival. This commentary discusses this perspective in the context of the established literature in patients with colorectal and breast cancers, two cancers considered to have effective treatments for metastatic and recurrent disease as compared with non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and pancreatic cancer, which do not.
In vivo GABA detection with improved selectivity and sensitivity by localized double quantum filter technique at 4.1T

Abstract Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter for the normal function of mammal and human brain. It is difficult to detect GABA signal with the conventional single quantum technique due to its relatively low concentration and overlapping with other signals from creatine (Cr), glutathione (GSH), as well as macromolecules. Using a high-selective read pulse, DANTE, and at the facility of increased sensitivity and chemical shift resolution at high-field 4.1T, GABA editing by double quantum filter (DQF) with robust suppression of Cr and GSH was achieved. Our editing efficiency of 40–50% was achievable on a GABA phantom (50 mM GABA and 61 mM choline). Furthermore, GABA editing spectra were acquired with echo time TE = 77 ms, and any possible macromolecular contamination to GABA editing spectra was found to be negligible. This high-field DQF setup was applied to 11 healthy volunteers, and the mean GABA level was measured to be 1.12 ± 0.15 mM in the occipital lobe in reference to 7.1 mM Cr concentration.
Bilateral and Unilateral Olfactory Sensitivity: Relationship to Handedness and Gender

Unlike most major sensory systems, the majority of olfactory projections are ipsilateral. Both hemispheres can process olfactory information in a manner analogous to what is seen in other sensory systems, although, as noted below, they may do so differently. Gordon and Sperry (1969) found that patients whose corpus callosum and other forebrain commissures were surgically sectioned could only names odors presented to the left nostril; odors presented to the right nostril could be identified by pointing to an object associated with the smell.
Kenya, India and the British Empire Exhibition of 1924

The British Empire Exhibition of 1924 was one of the last in a long series of imperial spectacles propagandising empire. But its rhetoric of racial unity and impartial governance was undermined by ...
Influence of genetic architecture on contemporary local evolution in the soapberry bug, Jadera haematoloma: artificial selection on beak length

Little is known about the influence of genetic architecture on local adaptation. We investigated the genetic architecture of the rapid contemporary evolution of mouthparts, the flight polymorphism and life history traits in the soapberry bug Jadera haematoloma (Hemiptera) using laboratory selection. The mouthparts of these seed-feeding bugs have adapted in 40‐50 years by decreasing in length following novel natural selection induced by a host switch to the seeds of an introduced tree with smaller fruits than those of the native host vine. Laboratory selection on beak length in both an ancestral population feeding on the native host and a derived population feeding on the introduced host reveals genetic variance allowing a rapid response (heritabilities of 0.51‐0.87) to selection for either longer or shorter beaks. This selection resulted in reverse evolution by restoring long beaks in the derived population and forward evolution by re-creating short beaks in the ancestral bugs. There were strong genetic correlations (0.68‐0.84) in both populations between beak lengths and the frequency of flight morphs, with short beaks associated with short wings. The results reveal a genetically interrelated set of adaptive multivariate traits including both beak length and flight morph. This suite of traits reflects host plant patchiness and seeding phenology. Weaker evidence suggests that egg mass and early egg production may be elements of the same suite. Reversible or forward evolution thus may occur in a broad set of genetically correlated multivariate traits undergoing rapid contemporary adaptation to altered local environments.