cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Positive Effect of Black Density on White Crossover Voting: Reconsidering Social Interaction Theory

Objective. Social interaction theory has received considerable attention. One limitation of previous studies has been that they did not examine how the positive effect of racial interaction on white racial tolerance may be enhanced or reduced by other factors. This article tests five hypotheses derived from the basic assumption of social interaction theory. Methods. Employing EI procedure, a newly developed ecological inference method, this study uses the precinct-level data from New Orleans' 29 biracial elections to estimate white crossover voting at the neighborhood level. The hypotheses are tested by both ordinary least squares and weighted least squares models. Results. White crossover voting is positively related to black density. The positive effect of black density, however, is relatively weak. Other factors such as the racial composition of candidate field and election type are more important. Conclusions. Caution needs to be exercised in accepting social interaction theory. The level of racial competition in biracial elections may reverse white support for black candidates.
Closure of the direct containment heating issue for Zion

Abstract This paper, which was originally published in more detail (M.M. Pilch, M.D. Allen, D.L. Knudsen, D.W. Stamps and E.L. Tadios, Rep. NUREG/CR-6075, Supplement 1, 1994b (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM)), provides closure of the direct containment heating (DCH) issue for the Zion plant. It incorporates the comments and suggestions of the peer reviewers of NUREG/CR-6075 (M.M. Pilch, H. Yan, and T.G. Theofanous, Rep. NUREG/CR-6075, SAND93-1535, 1994a (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM)) and specifically includes assessments of four new splinter scenarios defined in working group meetings and modeling enhancements recommended by the working groups. In the four new scenarios, consistency of the initial conditions has been implemented by using insights from systems-level codes. scdap/relap5 was used to analyze three short-term station blackout cases with different leak rates. In all three cases, the hot leg or surge line failed well before the lower head and thus the primary system depressurized to a point where DCH was no longer considered a threat. However, these calculations were continued to lower head failure in order to gain insights that were useful in establishing the initial and boundary conditions. The most useful insights are that the reactor coolant system pressure is low at vessel breach, metallic blockages in the core region do not melt and relocate into the lower plenum, and melting of upper plenum steel is correlated with hot leg failure. The scdap/relap5 output was used as input to contain to assess the containment conditions at vessel breach. The containment-side conditions predicted by contain are similar to those originally specified in NUREG/CR-6075. The methodology originally developed in NUREG/CR-6075 (M.M. Pilch, H. Yan, and T.G. Theofanous, Rep. NUREG/CR-6075, SAND93-1535, 1994a (Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM)) was used to analyze the new splinter scenarios. Some modeling enhancements in response to working group discussions were implemented for these analyses. The entrainment of hydrogen pre-existing in the atmosphere into a burning jet was examined more carefully. In addition, the impact of DCH-induced deflagrations on DCH loads was quantified. A new computational tool—the two-cell equilibrium—Latin hypercube sampling (TCE-LHS) code—was developed for this effort to perform Monte Carlo sampling of the scenario distributions. The TCE-LHS code was benchmarked against the original Scenario I calculations in NUREG/CR-6075 performed using the alpha code, which is based on the method of discrete probability distributions. The results were in excellent agreement. The analyses of the new scenarios showed no intersection of the load distributions and the containment fragility curves, and thus the containment failure probability was negligible for each scenario. These supplemental analyses complete closure of the DCH issue for Zion.
Maximizing U.S. Population

With regard to the special section on “Human-dominated ecosystems” ([25 July, pp. 485–525][1]), who will be brave enough to echo the 25-year-old call of the President's Commission on Population Growth and the American Future to stabilize this country's population, which was about 205 million in 1972 ([1][2])? Congressional disregard of the commission's admonition that immigration policy would have to respect demographic goals means that, instead of leveling off at 240 million people by the year 2030 and then slowly declining ([2][3]), the U.S. population will probably reach 500 million by mid-21st century ([3][4]). It has become “politically incorrect” to present the data showing that immigrant women now contribute nearly 18% of all births nationally (making the difference between well-below replacement fertility and well-above) and nearly 50% of births in California ([4][5]). (The year 2000 census will likely not measure this source of population growth because there is no question asking for the birthplace of parents.) These data portend a substantial increase in childbearing-age population by 2010. By choosing to maximize rather than optimize population, our political leaders have sealed our ecological fate. 1. [↵][6]President's Commission on Population Growth and the American Future, Final Report to President Nixon, Congress and the American People (U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC, 1972). 2. [↵][7]L. Bouvier and L. Grant, How Many Americans? (Sierra Club, San Francisco, 1994), p. 65. 3. [↵][8]1. D. Ahlburg, 2. J. Vaupel , Demography 27, 639 (1990). [OpenUrl][9][PubMed][10][Web of Science][11] 4. [↵][12]B. M. Burke, Populat. Environ. 19 , 15 (1997). [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.277.5325.485 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #ref-2 [4]: #ref-3 [5]: #ref-4 [6]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [7]: #xref-ref-2-1 "View reference 2 in text" [8]: #xref-ref-3-1 "View reference 3 in text" [9]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DDemography%26rft.stitle%253DDemography%26rft.issn%253D0070-3370%26rft.aulast%253DAhlburg%26rft.auinit1%253DD.%2BA.%26rft.volume%253D27%26rft.issue%253D4%26rft.spage%253D639%26rft.epage%253D652%26rft.atitle%253DAlternative%2Bprojections%2Bof%2Bthe%2BU.S.%2Bpopulation.%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F2249750%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [10]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=2249750&link_type=MED&atom=%2Fsci%2F277%2F5333%2F1745.5.atom [11]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=A1990EF79300010&link_type=ISI [12]: #xref-ref-4-1 "View reference 4 in text"
Spiral sampling: theory and an application to magnetic resonance imaging

The problem of reconstructing a two-dimensional function from a set of spiral samples is addressed in this paper. Our earlier research considered the special case in which the spiral samples were acquired along a linear spiral trajectory. In this paper we extend the earlier work and consider generalized, e.g., nonlinear spiral trajectories. We show that, in general, there is no exact reconstruction procedure for such trajectories. We furnish an approximate reconstruction method and bound the resulting error. Simulation results support the view that a nonlinear spiral scan has a potential advantage in a situation in which the data-collection time is limited. Such a situation arises, for example, in fast magnetic resonance imaging.
The mass spectra of some copper(II) complexes related to anti‐carcinogens

Fragmentations of the molecular ions of three α-diketone-bis(thiosemicarbazone) complexes of copper (II) are tabulated and rationalized.
Resources in Review

Abstract A Brief Green History of Planet Earth, by Ann Fitzpatrick Alper. Kettering, OH: PPI Publishing, 1996, 141 pages. Conservative Environmentalism: Reassessing the Means, Redefining the Ends, by James R. Dunn and John E. Kinney. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. 1996. 274 pages.
Conditional simulation of non-Gaussian random fields

Abstract The method of conditional simulation of homogeneous or inhomogeneous non-Gaussian random fields is developed. It represents a combination of two previously developed methods, namely of the iterative method for unconditional simulation of non-Gaussian random fields put forward by Shinozuka and Yamazaki, and of the Hoshiya method for conditional simulation of Gaussian random fields. To gain physical insight, several numerical examples are evaluated. High accuracy of the proposed method is demonstrated.
Spatiality of regional inequality

Spatial inequality has drawn renewed scholarly interests and societal concerns. This paper reviews the literature on regional inequality, with a focus on spatiality of regional economic/income inequality, to make a timely contribution for a better understanding of the complexity and dynamics of spatial inequality. We find that existing theories disagree over temporal trends and underlying forces of regional inequality, and spatio-temporal models have been favored by economic geographers. It also shows that the research on regional inequality covers all continents of the world, including both developed and developing countries. The scope of research has also been broadened, expanding to household and environmental inequalities. The paper proposes components of spatiality of regional inequality, including scale, location, physical geography, place, space, spatial network, and spatial-temporal models. The paper also proposes areas for future research.
Methodology for Ranking the Elements of Water-Supply Networks

This paper presents a scenario-based methodology for the ranking of the elements of a water-supply network according to their value to the network’s owner. The failures of the elements due to random causes and to malevolent acts are considered. The methodology is based on multiattribute utility theory and a graph theory-based network analysis algorithm. This methodology extends approaches proposed in the literature by taking into consideration the capacity of the infrastructure’s elements and their mean time to repair. The water-supply infrastructure of a midsize city serves as a case study. We model the infrastructure system as a network and create scenarios to evaluate the consequences of the failure of each of its elements. For each scenario, we evaluate the supply level to the various users considering the capacity of their connection to the available resources. We then evaluate the disutility of this supply level to the decision makers using multiattribute utility theory. The accident scenarios are r...
Production of Infectious Hepatitis C Virus by Well-Differentiated, Growth-Arrested Human Hepatoma-Derived Cells

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has been shown to induce the differentiation of primary hepatocytes in vitro. When actively dividing poorly differentiated human hepatoma-derived (Huh7) cells were cultured in the presence of 1% DMSO, cells became cytologically differentiated and transitioned into a nondividing state, characterized by the induction of hepatocyte-specific genes. Moreover, these cells were highly permissive for acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and persistent long term infection of these cultures could also be achieved. As HCV naturally replicates in highly differentiated nondividing human hepatocytes, this system may more accurately mimic the conditions under which HCV replicates in vivo than previous models using poorly differentiated rapidly dividing hepatoma cells.
Religion and Medicine IV: Religion, Physical Health, and Clinical Implications

In the fourth and final article of this religion and medicine series, I summarize the results of a comprehensive and systematic review of research examining religion's relationship to physical health and mortality. This review focuses on pain and disability, cardiovascular disease, immune and neuroendocrine function, susceptibility to infection, cancer, and overall mortality. I also explore what these research findings mean for medical practice and suggest patient-centered applications that are sensitive to ethical concerns.
Thermodiffusion saturation of α-titanium with nitrogen from a rarefied atmosphere

We investigate experimentally and analytically the kinetics of diffusion saturation of α-titanium with nitrogen from a rarefied atmosphere (1 Pa) in the temperature range 750-850°C. The influences of the temperature-time parameters on the depth of the nitrided layer and the change of its microhardness are assessed.
A test for S-S associations in a conditional counting task

Conditional numerical discriminations were established in runway-trained rats by presenting daily a pair of reward series that differed in the number of rewarded trials preceding a terminal nonrewarded trial. One kind of series contained three rewarded trials (RRRN or NRRRN), which always occurred in either a smooth, black runway or a rough, white runway (counterbalanced). The other series contained four rewarded trials (RRRRN or NRRRRN), which occurred in a runway of the other brightness and texture. The reward on each rewarded trial was 5.045-g Noyes pellets until Day 22. For Days 22-32, the series containing four Rs was altered so that the number of pellets on each respective trial was 14, 7, 3, and 1. To test whether S-S associations controlled the serial discriminations after Day 32, we rearranged the order of elements in the 14-7-3-1-0 series to 20-7-3-14-0. Rapid approach to the terminal series element on the test day would have implied the operation of S-S associations (14 pellets would have been a cue for upcoming 7, not 0), but the approach to that element remained slow, suggesting that the animals continued their counting of rewarded trials during the training with the S-S-relevant 14-7-3-1-0 series, irrespective of the order of the series elements.
Block-Effect Reduction In Transform Coding

With the advancement in computational speed, transform coding has been a promising technique in image data compression. Traditionally, an image is divided into exclusive rectangular blocks or subimages. Each subimage is a partial scene of the original image and they are processed independently. In low-bit rate applications, block boundary can develop due to discontinuities between the subimages. A two-stage transform coding scheme to reduce such effect is proposed. The first stage transformation is applied to the subimages, each being a reduced under-sampled image of the original. The second stage transformation is applied to the transform coefficients obtained at the first stage. A simple coder with discrete Walsh-Hadamard transform and uniform quantization is used to compare the preliminary simulation results obtained from the proposed scheme and the traditional method.
Correction of glucose intolerance and the impaired insulin release of chronic renal failure by verapamil

Correction of glucose intolerance and the impaired insulin release of chronic renal failure by verapamil. Insulin release from pancreatic islets is impaired in chronic renal failure (CRF), and this is due to the state of secondary hyperparathyroidism of CRF. This defect in association with resistance to the peripheral action of insulin-caused glucose intolerance in CRF. It has been suggested that the impaired insulin release induced by excess parathyroid hormone (PTH) is related to the ability of the hormone to augment calcium entry into the pancreatic islets, resulting in accumulation of calcium in the pancreas. Therefore, a calcium channel blocker may antagonize this effect of PTH, and hence normalize glucose tolerance in CRF. The present study examined this postulate by studying intravenous glucose tolerance and insulin release from pancreatic islets in normal and CRF rats and in CRF animals treated with the calcium channel blocker, verapamil. Rats with 42 days of CRF displayed impaired glucose tolerance, significant reduction (P
Evaluation of the serotonin receptor blocker methiothepin in broilers injected intravenously with lipopolysaccharide and microparticles

There has been considerable interest in the role of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension due to episodes of primary pulmonary hypertension in humans linked to serotoninergic appetite-suppressant drugs. In this study, we investigated the effect of 5-HT on the development of pulmonary hypertension induced by injecting bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS; endotoxin) and cellulose microparticles intravenously, using the nonselective 5-HT(1/2)receptor, antagonist methiothepin. In Experiment 1, broilers selected for ascites susceptibility or resistance under conditions of hypobaric hypoxia were treated with methiothepin or saline, followed by injection of LPS, while recording pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP). In Experiment 2 ascites-susceptible broilers were treated with methiothepin or saline, followed by injection of cellulose microparticles, while recording PAP. In Experiment 3, an i.v. microparticle injection dose shown to cause 50% mortality was injected into ascites-susceptible and ascites-resistant broilers after methiothepin or saline treatment. Injecting methiothepin reduced PAP below baseline values in ascites-susceptible and ascites-resistant broilers, suggesting a role for 5-HT in maintaining the basal tone of the pulmonary vasculature in broilers. Injecting microparticles into the wing vein had no affect on the PAP in the broilers treated with methiothepin, suggesting that 5-HT is an important mediator in the pulmonary hypertensive response of broilers to microparticles. Furthermore, injecting an 50% lethal dose of microparticles into ascites-susceptible and ascites-resistant broilers pretreated with methiothepin resulted in reduced mortality. Serotonin appears to play a less prominent role in the pulmonary hypertensive response of broilers to intravenously injected LPS, indicating that other mediators within the innate response to inflammatory stimuli may also be involved. These results are consistent with our hypothesis that pulmonary hypertension syndrome ensues when vasoconstrictors, such as 5-HT, overwhelm the dilatory effects of vasodilators, such as NO, thereby effectively reducing the pulmonary vascular capacity of pulmonary hypertension syndrome-susceptible broilers.
Alterations in the fine structure of the mature retina of dogs irradiated as neonates.

Newborn beagles were exposed bilaterally to 150 or 280 roentgens (R) of x or γ whole-body radiation. The eyes were removed 7 or 16 weeks after irradiation and were studied by light and electron microscopy. The fine structure of the neural retina dysplasia is described. At a time when the retina should be fully formed there is agenesis of the outer segments of the photoreceptor cells, rosette formation and dysplasia of retina layers extending through the inner nuclear layer. The deeper layers appear but little affected. Since the eyes were collected several weeks after irradiation, the acute response of damage to cell organelles and cell death was not seen. The dysplasia was bilateral, being most severe at the retina periphery, and appeared to be irreparable since it persisted for at least 4 months after irradiation. The occurrence of the lesion was dose-dependent and was provoked by dose rates of 5 or 25 R/min. A portion of these data were presented at the Third International Congress of Radiation Research, Cortina D'Ampezzo, Italy, June 1966. Representative and manufacturers are named for identifications only, and listing does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Public Health Service and the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare.
Metal-nonmetal transition induced by reorientation of the fluorine molecules in stage-2 graphite-fluorine compounds.

X-ray (001) diffraction spectra of fluorine-intercalated graphite compounds with a carbon-to-fluorine ratio between 6.4 and 2.5 are presented. Analysis of the peak intensities and positions indicates that two different phases are formed in this composition range. In the low- and high-concentration regions, we found homogeneous phases with c-axis repeat distances of 9.49 and 11.1 A\r{}, respectively. In the former phase, the fluorine molecules lie almost parallel to the carbon layers and in the second phase they change their orientation and lie perpendicular to the layers. No continuous change between the two phases was found, although the two phases coexist in the midcomposition range. This observation explains the unique behavior of both the in-plane and c-axis dc conductivity and the optical reflectivity from the c face, reported for this material in the low- and the high-fluorine-concentration region. A metal-nonmetal first-order transition is driven by reorientation of the fluorine molecules between the host graphite layers.
Abstract 3229: Biomarker validation for a rare malignancy in a mouse model

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Purpose: Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare malignancy often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Clinical validation of a biomarker that would allow for earlier diagnosis as well as detection of recurrence following therapy is limited by the rarity of the tumor. Soluble mesothelin-related peptide (SMRP), which can be detected in patients’ serum, is a cleavage product of mesothelin, a tumor-associated cell surface protein over-expressed in >80% of MPMs. The purpose of this study is to validate the pharmacodynamics of SMRP as a tumor biomarker of prognosis and therapy response using a clinically and pathologically relevant orthotopic xenograft model of MPM. Experimental Design: Orthotopic MPM xenograft mice (athymic nude and SCID-beige) were established by direct pleural injection of human mesothelioma cells (MSTO-211H) retrovirally transduced to stably express mesothelin and the GFP-Firefly Luciferase fusion gene. Quantitative bioluminescence imaging (BLI) and MRI were used to serially monitor tumor burden and progression and were correlated with serum SMRP levels (Mesomark® ELISA assay). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed following xenografting of mesothelin and non-mesothelin expressing tumors. The utility of SMRP as a biomarker of therapeutic response was validated by treating MPM mice with either: (a) Cisplatin (4mg/kg IP weekly), (b) thoracic radiation (20Gy total in 5 fractions), (c) combination chemoradiation, or (d) no treatment and correlating serial SMRP levels to survival and BLI signal. Results: MPM cells secreting SMRP demonstrated increased invasion and migration in vitro as assessed by the modified Boyden Chamber assay compared to cells without SMRP secretion, 124 vs 48 cells per high-powered field (p<0.0001) and 49 vs 32 cells (p=0.017), respectively. In MPM xenograft mice, increasing SMRP levels correlated with tumor progression by quantitative BLI (spearman r=0.89, p=0.04) and decreased survival (p=0.001). SMRP demonstrated improved sensitivity for detecting early MPM tumors compared to MRI. SMRP levels significantly decreased following treatment versus control mice (p=0.03) and were predictive of survival (hazard ratio = 4.5, 95%CI 1.53-13.1). In addition, SMRP detected tumor recurrence following treatment earlier than MRI. Conclusions: We have shown that a serum biomarker of tumor progression and therapy response can be successfully studied in a clinically relevant animal model. To our knowledge, this is the first report utilizing BLI as a reproducible tool, in conjunction with an orthotopic animal model, to quantitatively assess pleural tumor burden and biomarker pharmacodynamics. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3229.
Computer Use in Required Business Statistics Courses at AACSB Member Schools

Abstract Computers are efficient, necessary tools used by decisionmakers. Practitioners must deal with various computer systems and software alternatives. This 1990 study investigates the efforts (by a survey) of 669 American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) association members toward incorporation of computer use in the applied business statistics curriculum. One third of the questionnaires were returned and analyzed. The results revealed that computer applications are not a requirement at about one fourth of the schools, whereas approximately the same proportion indicated that computer use was a requirement in both the first and second courses. Additionally, the preferred software packages included Minitab and SAS, which were accessed with personal computers in over half of the reporting schools.
Transport properties of waves in absorbing random media with microstructure

Diffusion of waves in absorbing random media with microstructure is studied. A resonant correction to the transport mean free path ${\mathit{l}}_{\mathit{T}}$ is calculated. It is shown that in the certain range of wavelengths this correction leads to a growth of the ${\mathit{l}}_{\mathit{T}}$ compared to its nonresonant value. Significant changes in the transport velocity, the transport mean free path, and the diffusion constant caused by absorption are also found. In addition, we show that the use of the on-shell transfer matrix can lead to erroneous results. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
The results of utilizing proximal tibial bone graft in reconstructive procedures of the foot and ankle.

Abstract Background The proximal tibia is becoming a popular site for harvesting autogenous bone graft. Reports on the use of the proximal tibia for bone graft have focused on donor-site morbidity. The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical rate of bony healing following the use of proximal tibial bone graft in foot and ankle procedures. Methods This study is a retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent proximal tibial bone grafting as an adjunct to a foot and ankle reconstructive procedure. Patients undergoing this combination of procedures at a single institution over a 2-year period were eligible for inclusion. Results There were no fractures of the donor site or need to prolong non-weightbearing status beyond that required for the primary operation. Twenty-three of the 25 arthrodesis procedures healed completely. Three fracture cases also healed completely. Conclusions Our findings expand on prior studies by demonstrating the efficacy of proximal tibia bone graft in achieving bony healing in foot and ankle procedures with a union rate of 93%.
Neuronal cell proliferation and ocular enlargement in black moor goldfish

The mechanisms that control cell proliferation in the developing nervous system are not well understood. In larval and adult goldfish addition of new retinal neurons continues as the eye grows, but the factors that modulate the rate of cell proliferation are unknown. The eyes of Black Moors grow excessively during postembryonic life, probably as a direct result of abnormally elevated intraocular pressure. Ocular growth must be partly autonomous in Black Moors because in some individuals the two eyes are very different in size. To determine whether cell proliferation and neuronal cell number in the retina were correlated with size of the eye, we counted dividing neuronal progenitor cells (rod precursors) and mature retinal neurons (ganglion cells) in the retinas of ocularly asymmetric fish. Rod precursors, which are scattered across the retina in the outer nuclear layer, were labeled with 3H-thymidine and counted on histological sections processed for autoradiography. Ganglion cells were counted in retinal whole mounts. We found that the total population of dividing rod precursors and the total number of ganglion cells were systematically greater in the large eye compared to the small eye of individual fish. We conclude that control of the rate of neuronal proliferation in the teleost retina is intrinsic to the eye and is probably regulated by the same factors that control ocular growth.
Corticothalamic and corticotectal somatosensory projections from the anterior ectosylvian sulcus (SIV cortex) in neonatal cats: an anatomical demonstration with HRP and 3H-leucine.

Corticothalamic and corticotectal projections from the anterior ectosylvian sulcus (AES) in neonatal cats were studied with anterograde and retrograde neuroanatomical techniques. When the injection site was relatively restricted to the sulcal walls and fundus of the rostral AES (i.e., the SIV cortex), heavy ipsilateral thalamic label was observed in the medial subdivision of the posterior group, in the suprageniculate nucleus, and in the external medullary lamina. No terminal label was seen in the contralateral thalamus although the contralateral homotopic cortex was heavily labeled. Within the ventrobasal complex (VB), dense axonal label was observed in fascicles that traversed VB, but only light terminal label was observed within VB itself. However, in cases where the tracer spread into adjacent SII, terminal label in VB was pronounced. Similarly, when the injection site extended into auditory cortex, terminal label was observed in the lateral and intermediate subdivisions of the posterior group. Rostral AES injections produced distinct, predominantly ipsilateral, terminal label in the superior colliculus that was distributed in two tiers: a discontinuous band in the stratum griseum intermedium and a more diffuse band in stratum griseum profundum. Caudally, dense terminal label was seen in the intercollicular zone and dorsolateral periaqueductal gray. When the injectionmore » site did not include rostral AES, no label was observed in the superior colliculus. Horseradish peroxidase injections into the superior colliculus of neonates produced retrogradely labeled neurons throughout the AES, but none was found on the crown of the gyrus where SII is located. Thus, the neonatal corticotectal somatosensory projection arises exclusively from AES and parallels that found in adults.« less
A G protein-based model of adaptation in Dictyostelium discoideum

A new model is proposed based on signal transduction via G proteins for adaptation of the signal relay process in the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum. The kinetic constants involved in the model are estimated from Dictyostelium discoideum and other systems. A qualitative analysis of the model shows how adaptation arises, and numerical computations show that the model agrees with observations in both perfusion and suspension experiments. Several experiments that can serve to test the model are suggested.
Object-sorting-by-color in a variety of lighting conditions using neural networks and LEGO mindstorms robot

Recognizing object color in a variety of lighting conditions is a challenging area of pattern-recognition. Neural networks have been found to be a good solution for that problem, and they are also quick and accurate, and can be used in real-time. We use a LEGO Mindstorms [1] robot to sort objects based on color in a variety of lighting conditions. We will start from simpler objects (LEGO pieces) and move onto more complex objects (apples, oranges, etc). This project is in progress and we hope to achieve classification accuracies of at least 90%.
Energy-Efficient Lighting: Consumers' Perceptions and Behaviors

The aim of the study was to identify consumers’ perceptions of energy-efficient lighting in relation to their socio-demographic characteristics and the relationship of these perceptions to their behaviors of environmental lighting. A carefully designed questionnaire was sent to 2,000 randomly selected addresses in the Meridian Township area in Michigan. In total, 326 respondents returned a completed questionnaire, a response rate of 16.3%. The questionnaire included three types of measures: energy-efficient lighting perceptions in general, perceptions of compact fluorescent lamps, and environmental lighting behaviors. Environmental lighting behaviors were measured in energy-efficient lighting usage behaviors and habitual behaviors. The results indicate that there was a significant relationship between consumers’ environmental lighting behaviors and lighting perceptions. The consumers who had more positive perceptions towards energy-efficient lighting were more likely to demonstrate the environmental lighting behaviors. The study also revealed some significant differences in consumers’ lighting perceptions and behaviors in relation to socio-demographic characteristics. The findings of the study suggest that policy makers and lighting markets should implement new methods of promoting energy-efficient lighting more effectively and prevent generating further lighting misconceptions.
Situated Naive Physics: Task Constraints Decide What Children Know about Density.

Children's understanding of density is riddled with misconceptions-or so it seems. Yet even preschoolers at times appear to understand density. This article seeks to reconcile these conflicting outcomes by investigating the nature of constraints available in different experimental protocols. Protocols that report misconceptions about density used stimulus arrangements that make differences in mass and volume more salient than differences in density. In contrast, protocols that report successful performance used stimulus arrangements that might have increased the salience of density. To test this hypothesis, the present experiments manipulate the salience of object density. Children between 2 and 9 years of age and adults responded whether an object would sink or float when placed in water. Results indicated that children's performance on exactly the same objects differed as a function of the saliency of the dimension of density, relative to the dimensions of mass and volume. These results support the idea that constraints--rather than stable knowledge--drive performance, with implications for teaching children about nonobvious concepts such as density.
Electrophoretically induced aqueous flow through single-walled carbon nanotube membranes

Electrophoresis, the motion of charged species through liquids and pores under the influence of an external electric field, has been the principle source of chemical pumping for numerous micro- and nanofluidic device platforms. Recent measurements of ion currents through single or few carbon nanotube channels have yielded values of ion mobility that range from close to the bulk mobility to values that are two to seven orders of magnitude higher than the bulk mobility. However, these experiments cannot directly measure ion flux. Experiments on membranes that contain a large number of nanotube pores allow the ion current and ion flux to be measured independently. Here, we report that the mobilities of ions within such membranes are approximately three times higher than the bulk mobility. Moreover, the induced electro-osmotic velocities are four orders of magnitude faster than those measured in conventional porous materials. We also show that a nanotube membrane can function as a rectifying diode due to ionic steric effects within the nanotubes.
Liberal Learning through the Decision Sciences Curriculum.

To formulate a plan for affecting the future, business schools must first understand their origins as well as the multitude of current pressures and demands they face. The fundamental philosophy that drives business education, namely the maximization of shareholder wealth, must now be coupled with an emphasis on societal value creation. Liberal learning principles are vital for students to recognize their role in society, have a sense of purpose, develop human acumen and sound judgment, and hold a holistic perspective. Decision sciences educators are called upon to redesign their curricula to embed connections between business applications and liberal learning principles in decision sciences coursework itself.
Utilization of matching score vector similarity measures in biometric systems

In biometric systems, people may be asked to provide multiple scans for redundancy and quality control. In the case of fingerprint matching systems, repeat fingerprint probes of the same physical finger can be available and data from such multiple samples can be fused for reliable authentication of individuals. Since multiple samples are from the same instance of the finger, some relationships between them, e.g. diversity or similarity, could be observed. In this paper, we investigate such relationships and use them in fusion in order to improve the performance of biometric systems. The relationships between samples are derived by measuring the similarity between matching score vectors with Pearson's correlation and cosine similarity measures. We conduct experiments using the FVC2002 dataset consisting of four fingerprint databases and trainable combination methods, likelihood ratio and multilayer perceptron. The results show that utilization of similarity measures for matching scores can further improve the multi-sample biometric fusion in both combination methods.
HOUSEHOLD WORK, LABOR TIME AND THE SCHOOLING OF GIRLS IN RURAL SOUTH ASIA

This paper uses an applied general equilibrium framework in which family labor use, including the labor of male and female children, is incorporated to examine the effect of income subsidy schemes designed to encourage schooling of children on intra-household resource allocation within rural households in Bangladesh. Various subsidy schemes that are tied to hours of schoolwork by girls or all children are examined under existing preferences and under altered preferences that increase the desire for schooling. The effects of these subsidy schemes are compared to a general income subsidy as well as a scenario where the demand for increased paid domestic work, which often is female child intensive, increases. It is found that household welfare increases most when a subsidy is combined with households altering their preferences by placing greater value on the education of girls. The success of policy experiments that have combined advocacy and educational reform with economic incentives can be explained from this finding.
Evaluating the impact of job training programmes in Latin America: evidence from IDB funded operations

Among active labour market programmes, job training is popular in Latin America as an attempt to help the labour market insertion of disadvantaged youth, and also as a way of providing skills to low-income groups to enable them to deal with the challenges of globalisation. This paper summarises the findings from the first rigorous set of evaluations of job training programmes in Latin America that were made in the context of a project undertaken by the Office of Evaluation and Oversight at the Inter-American Development Bank. This research was complemented by two independent impact evaluations of similar training programmes in Chile and Colombia. The paper reports the results of two evaluations with an experimental design (the Dominican Republic and Colombia), one with a natural experiment (Panama), and four non-experimental evaluations (Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Mexico). Overall, in contrast to the evidence for developed countries, the results suggest that employment effects range from modest to meanin...
The safety of flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing in an outpatient otolaryngology setting.

Objective: To study the safety of flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing in a private otolaryngology office setting. Study Design: Five parameters were prospectively evaluated. These included airway compromise, epistaxis, change in heart rate, level of discomfort, and patient's willingness to repeat the examination in the future. Methods: All persons undergoing flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing between July 1, 1999, and June 30, 2001, were prospectively evaluated. A flexible fiberoptic endoscope with a specially designed air port channel was passed transnasally (without topical anesthesia or nasal constriction) into the more patent nostril. Nasopharyngeal and laryngeal anatomy were first evaluated. Laryngopharyngeal sensory and motor function were then assessed, followed by a comprehensive swallowing evaluation. Five test parameters were examined during each study. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Results: Three hundred forty-nine consecutive examinations in 305 adult patients with dysphagia were performed during the study period. Mild epistaxis occurred in four patients (1.1%). There were no episodes of airway obstruction or laryngospasm. There was no statistically significant difference between the average pretest and post-test heart rates; no patients became symptomatically bradycardic or tachycardic. The discomfort ratings were as follows: 44 patients (12.6%) rated the overall discomfort of the test as none, 169 (48.4%) thought it was mild, 110 (31.5%) described moderate discomfort, and 26 (7.5%) said it was severe. Three hundred forty-two (98%) of the patients would repeat the test in the future; seven patients (2%) said that they would not. Conclusions: Flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing with sensory testing is a safe, well-tolerated procedure to objectively evaluate patients with dysphagia when performed by an experienced speech-language pathologist with an otolaryngologist in attendance in an outpatient office setting.
Retinal and choroidal vessel closure using phthalocyanine photodynamic therapy

Chloro-aluminum sulfonated phthalocyanine (CASPc) is a photoactive dye capable of generating photochemical reactions when excited with 675 nm light. We used CASPc to produce photochemical closure of retinal medullary ray vessels and choroidal vessels in normal rabbits. Irradiation prior to CASPc injection produced no photographic, angiographic, or histologic lesions in any eyes. Identical irradiation of medullary ray and choroidal vessels after CASPc injection produced complete vessel closure in all eyes. Histopathologic examination showed marked thrombosis of medullary ray and choroidal vessels, with minimal damage to contiguous tissues including the neurosensory retina. We conclude that CASPc can produce profound closure of normal retinal and choroidal vessels with minimal deleterious effect on surrounding tissues.
Desorption of chemisorbed Carbon on Mo(1 0 0) by noble gas ion sputtering: Validation of ground test measurements of ion engine lifetimes

We report desorption cross section measurements for one monolayer of chemisorbed carbon on a Mo(1 0 0) surface induced by sputtering with noble gas ions (Ne + ,A r + ,X e + ) at different incident angles, ion energies, and substrate temperatures. Desorption cross sections were determined by using low-energy ion scattering (LEIS) to monitor the increase of the signal from the Mo substrate. A monolayer of p(1 � 1) carbon adatoms on the Mo(1 0 0) surface was created by dosing ethylene (C2H4 )t o thesubstrate at800 K,and characterized byAuger electron spectroscopy(AES)and low energyelectron diffraction (LEED). We find that the carbon desorption cross section increases with increasing mass and energy of the impinging ions, and there is a maximum value for the desorption cross section at an incident angle for the ions of 308 from the surface plane. The desorption cross section also increases up to a substrate temperature of 300 8C. Values for the carbon desorption cross section for carbon adatoms onMo(1 0 0) by400-eVXe + ion sputteringare about2 � 10 � 15 cm 2 ,which isone orderof magnitudehigherthanthose for bulk carbon samples. This information is particularly important for evaluation of ion-engine lifetimes from ground-test measurements in which contaminant carbon is deposited on Mo accelerator grids, potentially altering the sputtering rate of the Mo. Our measurements show that monolayer amounts of carbon on Mo have desorption cross sections that are two orders of magnitude higher than estimates of what would be required to reduce the Mo erosion rate, and thus ground-test measurements can be used with confidence to predict ion-engine wear in space, from this perspective.
Effects of droperidol, pentobarbital, and ketamine on myogenic transcranial magnetic motor-evoked responses in humans

Myogenic motor-evoked responses to transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex (tcmag-MERs) may become clinically useful for the noninvasive assessment of motor pathway conduction during surgery. However, application is hindered because most anesthetic regimens result in severe depression of tcmag-MER amplitudes. As part of our systematic attempts to identify anesthetic agents and supplements suitable for use during tcmag-MER recording, we studied the effect of bolus doses of pentobarbital (1.5 mg/kg), droperidol (0.07 mg/kg), or ketamine (1 mg/kg), administered intravenously, on compound muscle action potentials to transcranial magnetic stimulation in five healthy volunteers. The doses were chosen to be comparable with doses that might be suitable for supplementation of a nitrous oxide/opioid anesthetic technique. Droperidol administration resulted in sustained amplitude depression of both tibialis and adductor pollicis tc-MERs to 30 +/- 9% and 39 +/- 14% of baseline (P < 0.01). Tcmag-MER amplitude changes after pentobarbital were variable, ranging from no change to substantial amplitude depression (to 20% of baseline) in two subjects. In contrast, ketamine administration did not result in significant amplitude depression. In three subjects, tibialis anterior amplitude increased to 150 to 220% of control values in the first 10 minutes after ketamine. Onset latency was unchanged after any drug. These data indicate that tcmag-MERs are moderately depressed after droperidol and pentobarbital but well preserved after ketamine. Ketamine may be a more suitable supplement to opioid/nitrous oxide anesthesia than droperidol or pentobarbital.
Wideband micromachined broadside coupled Schiffman phase shifter

A 15–45 GHz broadside coupled rectangular coaxial line based phase shifter is demonstrated. An analysis, the design, fabrication, measurements and a sensitivity study are conducted and discussed. Amplitude and phase imbalances of <0.25 dB and <2.5°, respectively, are measured. Input port reflection coefficients < −10 dB and an insertion loss below 0.6 dB are also obtained. A conducted sensitivity study shows the small dependence of the device performance on the process variations. The presented results may pave the way for multi-octave analogue phase shifters and beamformers throughout the millimetre-wave range.
Comparison of a Remotely Operated Vehicle and a Submersible for Estimating Abundance of Demersal Shelf Rockfishes in the Eastern Gulf of Alaska

Abstract A miniROVER MKI remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and the submersible Delta were compared for effectiveness in collecting abundance information on demersal shelf rockfishes, Sebastes spp., by means of strip transect sampling, in the eastern Gulf of Alaska. We attempted to run 18 transects with the submersible and 15 transects with the ROV. Seventeen submersible dives and seven ROV dives were completed; one submersible dive was aborted because of sea conditions, and eight ROV dives were aborted because of snags on bottom or other difficulties related to the rugged terrain. The ROV was effective only for covering transects in areas of low relief, such as soft bottom, cobble, and flat pavement. The ROV was not effective in high-relief, rocky areas typically inhabited by demersal shelf rockfishes. The submersible worked well in both low- and high-relief terrain. The submersible's utility for collecting information on demersal shelf rockfish abundance would be increased by using line transect rather tha...