cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fast transient thermophysical measurements at Livermore

The development of the Isobaric Expansion Experiment at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is described. Rod samples are self-heated by current from a capacitor bank while current and sample voltage, sample cross section, and temperature are measured continuously as functions of time. The system allows nearly complete thermodynamic characterization of a material along an isobar in a single shot. The pressure of the isobar is determined by containing the sample in argon gas at a predetermined ambient pressure. Correlation of the measured quantities allows elimination of time as a common parameter. Quantities corresponding to a given time are taken to refer to a single equilibrium state. Temperature stagnation and volume and resistivity changes during phase transitions may be seen and allow the heat of transformation and the slope of the phase line in theP, T plane to be determined. Other derived quantities are specific heatcp, volume-corrected electrical resistivity, and bulk thermal expansion coefficient. A special advantage of the technique is that all quantities are measured on the same sample in a single experiment. The short time duration of the measurements allows access to a temperature range beyond that available to slower methods.
New tool for phase-shift mask evaluation: the stepper equipment aerial image measurement system--AIMS

The aerial image measurement system is an optical system for measurements on phase shift masks under chosen stepper characteristics of NA, sigma, wavelength and depth of focus. The present tool operates at I-line or DUV (248 nm) and commonly 5 or 6 inch reticles can be handled. The image obtained is optically equivalent to that incident on resist, but is highly magnified so that it can be recorded using an UV CCD camera. Typically, features of interest are recorded as a through focus series; image intensity is digitized and may be analyzed in a variety of ways so as to produce intensity contours or profiles. Combined with simple models for predicting resist behavior a great deal of information may be obtained on the expected printing performance of a given reticle as a function of intensity and depth of focus prior to actual resist tests.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Studying α-helix and β-sheet formation in small proteins

Publisher Summary Protein engineering provides a swift and precise means for exploring a protein's structure and activity; however, the effects of these mutations on protein structure and stability cannot be predicted with a comparable precision yet. This chapter discusses on how α-helices pack together to form tertiary structure through redesigning the hydrophobic core of the four-helix-bundle, Rop, and quantifies, the β-sheet forming tendencies of the amino acids using the IgG Fc binding domain of Streptococcal Protein G (β1) as a model system. The chapter discusses that the repacked protein shows significantly increased thermo-stability relative to the wild-type protein. Thus, protein engineering can improve on the natural design, perhaps because the natural protein has evolved to optimize its function rather than its stability. The similarities between the different experimentally measured scales for the β-sheet propensities demonstrate that, there are intrinsic differences in how readily each amino acid can be accommodated in a β-sheet. Future studies will investigate the structural basis of the observed differences in β-sheet propensities, and explore how these differences can be modulated by local environmental effects.
Semiconducting transition-metal oxides based on d 5 cations: Theory for MnO and Fe 2 O 3

Transition-metal oxides with partially filled $d$ shells are typically Mott or charge-transfer insulators with notoriously poor transport properties due to large effective electron/hole masses or due to carrier self-trapping. Employing band-structure calculations and ab initio small-polaron theory for MnO and Fe${}_{2}$O${}_{3}$, we explore the potential of ${d}^{5}$ oxides for achieving desirable semiconducting properties, e.g., in solar energy applications. The quantification of self-trapping energies and the trends with the coordination symmetry suggest strategies to overcome the main bottlenecks, i.e., the tendency for self-trapping of holes due to Mn(II) and of electrons due to Fe(III).
Intraoperative reinfusion of whole blood using a new autoinfusion device

Aortic aneurysm resection is frequently associated with considerable blood loss and requires transfusion. To minimize complications and cost many institutions use a “cell saving” method that allows reinfusion of the washed red cell fraction of blood suctioned from the operative field. The disadvantages of this technique are that homologous transfusion is regularly required to replace platelets and coagulation factors. Red cell transfusion may also be required when there is rapid major blood loss as the wash cycle may be too long to subject a patient, in a high-risk group for coronary artery disease, to anaemia. A new autoinfusion device anticoagulates blood as it is suctioned from the operative field then filters, defoams, and returns it whole to the patient without a processing time lapse. We successfully used the device in a patient for aortic aneurysm resection to reinfuse two-thirds of his blood volume shed over 80 min. Neither banked red cells nor plasma were used. His haematocrit and coagulation profile remained stable throughout surgery and recovery. The potential complications and cost of homologous transfusion were avoided.
Inscriptions of the Sovereign Body in Abdellatif Laâbi

This article examines how the postcolonial francophone writer Abdellatif Laâbi locates the Moroccan monarchy within a history of colonial manipulations of indigenous political institutions. In Laâbi’s literary works, in particular his novel Le fond de la jarre and his early poetic works from the 1960s, L’œil et la nuit and Le Regne de barbarie , the body of the sovereign takes on a palpable materiality that Laâbi uses to expose a foreclosed link between colonial and postcolonial definitions of national culture. I argue that Laâbi’s spectral poetic landscapes mine this negated register of memory in order to figure new modes of aesthetic and political agency.
Copper tolerance of brown-rot fungi : Oxalic acid production in southern pine treated with arsenic-free preservatives

The voluntary withdrawal of chromated copper arsenate (CCA)-treated wood from most residential applications has increased the use of non-arsenical copper-based organic wood preservatives. Because the arsenic component of CCA controlled coppertolerant fungi, scientists have renewed interest in and concern about the decay capacity in the important copper-tolerant group of brown-rot fungi. We have demonstrated that the primary means of inactivating copper in preservatives is by excess production of oxalic acid (OA). Oxalic acid production is a key metabolic indicator of brown-rot decay, and our objective was to estimate the production of OA in five commercial or experimental arsenic-free preservatives. Ten aggressive brown-rot fungi, chosen from previous studies and representing the genera Antrodia, Coniophora, Gloeophyllum, Postia, Serpula, Tyromyces, and Wolfiporia, were tested against southern yellow pine (SYP) blocks that were vacuum-treated with ground contact retentions of copper naphthenate, amine copper azole, alkaline copper quat type D (ACQ-D), N,N -naphthaloylhydroxylamine (NHA), and copper borate in a 12week soil-block test. After determination of block weight loss, blocks were also tested for the presence of OA. Weight loss ranged from 0.3% to 8.3% for treated blocks and from 16.4% to 59.6% for untreated controls. We conclude that SYP treated with these five preservatives limited OA production and prevented decay, and thus confirmed the efficacy of the co-biocides against coppertolerant fungi. © 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The safety and pharmacokinetics in adult subjects of an intravenously administered 99mTc-labeled 17 amino acid peptide (CYT-379)

Abstract A phase I study was designed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of a novel platelet reactive peptide, peptide acetyl-SYGRGDVRGDFKCTCCA-amide (CYT-379), which binds to the fibrinogen receptor of activated platelets and also binds to 99m Tc. Eleven subjects with suspected deep venous thrombosis had 0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 mg of the peptide infused intravenously. Pharmacokinetics were determined by assaying blood samples in 6 of the 11 subjects and by urine sampling in 5 of these 6 subjects. Plasma and whole blood time-activity curves demonstrated an initial fast component with half-time clearance of 0.2 ± 0.01 and 0.2 ± 0.02 h and a slow component with half-time clearance of 2.8 ± 0.3 and 2.7 ± 0.2 h (mean ± SEM for plasma and whole blood, respectively). Urine clearance was 22.6 ± 3.3 and 10.8 ± 1.6 mL/min when normalized to body surface area. The cumulative excretion of 99m Tc-CYT-379 in the urine was 16.6 ± 3.6, 45.6 ± 16.9 and 45.6 ± 1.8% of the administered dose over 0–2, 0–12 and 0–24 h after radiopharmaceutical injection, respectively. Images obtained in 11 subjects immediately, at 1–2, and 4–6 h after injection were evaluated for abnormalities and were compared with duplex Doppler ultrasonography. 99m Tc-CYT-379 images were positive in only 3 of 7 subjects who had a positive duplex Doppler examination in at least one lower extremity. One subject with negative duplex Doppler had also negative 99m Tc-CYT-379 scintigraphy. One subject with negative scintigraphy and two other subjects with positive scintigraphy had no other imaging studies of the deep venous system performed. No adverse reactions were observed during or after the infusion of 99m Tc-CYT-379. 99m Tc-CYT-379 appears to be a safe radiopharmaceutical and demonstrates rapid clearance from plasma in human subjects.
The Need For Cognition: A Meta-Analysis Clarifying the Link to Intelligence and Personality

The need for cognition (NFC) is a construct that measures an individual’s inclination toward and enjoyment of complex and challenging cognitive activity. This meta-analysis offers the first compreh...
WE‐C‐BRC‐08: A Method to Evaluate Region‐Specific Pulmonary Function Using 4D CT Images for Lung Cancer Patients Undergoing Radiation Therapy

Purpose: Collateral radiation exposure to healthy lungtissue during radiation therapy can result in changes in structural and biomechanical properties of the lung. These changes may cause various clinical symptoms. The purpose of this study was to develop a functional imaging technique to assess the lung's region‐specific ventilation and pressure during or after radiation treatment. Method and Materials: With an in‐house developed finite element framework, a heterogeneous elastic model was developed for a lung patient and its Young's moduli were derived from a set of 4D CTimages, acquired during radiation treatment. Each phase of the 4D dataset was registered, using deformable image registration (ITK demons algorithm) with the end‐inhale reference dataset. The resultant deformation matrix was used first to calculate the volumetric variation of each image voxel to generate a 3D ventilation image, and then to compute its corresponding transpulmonary pressure with the mechanical model. Results:Lung volumes on each phase of the acquired 4D dataset were compared with those derived from the deformed model, and were found to be within 1% of each other. The maximum ventilation occurs from phase 1 to phase 2, the earliest expiration phase. The average ventilation increased from 20.2% in phase 2 to 30.8% in phase 5 and their correspondent pressures increased from 1.57 Kpa to 2.25 Kpa. This result is generally consistent with published measurements. Conclusion: This study describes a theoretical approach to calculate the region‐specific ventilation and mechanical functions using deformable image registration. The method may be applied toward understanding how the mechanical properties of damaged lung differ from that of healthy lungtissue, and therefore it has potential applicability as a diagnostic indicator, as well as a tool for predicting radiation‐induced lung damages. Work is underway to correlate this approach with other traditional functional‐imaging modalities used to assess lung function.
A Krylov-subspace Chebyshev method and its application to pulsed laser-molecule interaction

Abstract We present a Krylov-subspace Chebyshev (KSC) method which is especially tailored for computing transition amplitudes. The Hamiltonian matrix is first tridiagonalized using the Lanczos recursive algorithm. The Chebyshev propagator is then used for this tridiagonal matrix to propagate the wave function in the M -dimensional Krylov subspace with high accuracy but negligible cost as compared to the Lanczos step. The dynamics can be extracted from the wave function in the M -dimensional subspace. The method is also extended to the study of molecular interaction with laser pulses and calculations are presented for an illustrative example.
New directions in the development of the ORASIS algorithm

The Optical Real-time Adaptive Spectral Identification System (ORASIS) continues to be developed by the Naval Research Laboratory. Recently, new methods to compress hyperspectral data using ORASIS in combination with wavelets have been demonstrated. Variations on this approach continue to be pursued and will be discussed. In addition, a new method to perform target identification based on Spectral Angle Mapper (SAM) has been demonstrated. When projected into a reduced dimension space, angles between spectra are not conserved. Proper determination of the dimensions and coordinates of the subspace can result in maximizing the angles between a spectrum of interest and the general background. This approach can be used for target identification where the "target" can be a rare spectrum or something found in the general background. Recent improvements to these methods, as well as new applications of the software, are discussed.
Nonlinear propagation of electromagnetic waves in a plasma containing random irregularities.

The problem of propagation of finite-amplitude electromagnetic waves in a plasma containing random irregularities is studied. Using a recently developed perturbation technique, a general equation for finite amplitude coherent waves is derived. Included in this equation are both the effects of quasi-harmonic nonlinear heating of electrons and random scattering by irregularities. The equation is solved in general by the equivalent linearization procedure. The amplitude of the coherent wave is found to be attenuated by collision and scattering. Both attenuation are affected by the nonlinear heating of the electrons. Curves showing the results for a specific example will be presented.
EFFECT OF VEHICLE AND ROUTE ON CLONAZEPAM LEVELS IN RATS

Clonazepam (CLZ) is a useful anticonvulsant; however, studies using different vehicles and routes have found conflicting results. CLZ levels measured in rats after single dose injections of either intraperitoneal (IP) or subcutaneous (SC) CLZ (1.0 mg/kg) dissolved in either propylene glycol (PG), propylene glycol + 18% ethanol (PGEtOH) or polyethylene glycol (PEG 400) were used to calculate the terminal elimination rate constants (beta), area under the time-concentration curve (AUC) and total clearance (CIT). A two way analysis of variance between route of administration and vehicle showed an effect of route on CIT (P<0.001) which depended on which vehicle was administered. When CLZ was dissolved in PG or PEG 400 the beta and CIT was significantly (P<.05) lower, and the AUC was significantly (P<.05) higher after SC than IP injections. The differences in beta, CIT or AUC between SC and IP injections were not significant when CLZ was dissolved in PGEtOH. SC injections produced more stable and reproducible CLZ levels than IP injections regardless the vehicle used. CLZ injections produce different plasma levels depending on the route and the vehicle used. In order to compare studies of CLZ effects, all of these variables must be considered.
Valaciclovir (BW256U87): The L‐valyl ester of acyclovir

Valaciclovir (BW256U87) is an L-valyl ester of acyclovir, which is extensively and almost completely converted to acyclovir. In healthy human volunteers, single valaciclovir doses of 100-1000 mg resulted in dose-proportional increases in acyclovir area under the curve (AUC). The 1,000 mg dose produced an acyclovir peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of 5-6 micrograms/ml, AUC6 of 19 hr. micrograms/ml, time to maximum plasma concentration (Tmax) of 1-2 hr, and half-life (T1/2) of 2.8 hr. Plasma valaciclovir peak levels were < 0.3 micrograms/ml, and the prodrug was undetectable after 3 hr. Multiple valaciclovir doses of 250-2,000 mg given four times daily for 10 days resulted in dose-proportional increases in acyclovir Cmax. There were less than proportional increases in the AUCs. No serious or unexpected adverse events or laboratory abnormalities were reported. In volunteers with advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease (absolute CD4 lymphocyte count < 150 cells/microliters), acyclovir and valaciclovir pharmacokinetic results were nearly identical to those in healthy volunteers. At the 2 g dose administered four times daily, steady-state acyclovir Cmax = 8.4 micrograms/ml, Tmax = 2.0 hr, AUC6 = 30.5 hr. micrograms/ml, and T1/2 = 3.3 hr. Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain were commonly reported; however, only one adverse event (diarrhoea) was causally linked to valaciclovir exposure. There were no renal or neurologic adverse events. Valaciclovir is well absorbed and is rapidly converted to acyclovir, resulting in three- to fourfold higher acyclovir levels than can be achieved with oral acyclovir, even in patients with advanced HIV disease. The safety profile is generally favourable, with no evidence of nephrotoxicity or neurotoxicity.
Finding bald spots on chromosome 20p11.

A genome-wide association scan identifies new susceptibility variants for male pattern baldness on chromosome 20p11 Hillmer et al. (2008) Nature Genetics 40: 1279–1281 Male-pattern baldness susceptibility locus at 20p11 Richards et al. (2008) Nature Genetics 40: 1282–1284
Computing orthogonal polynomials in Sobolev spaces

Numerical methods are considered for generating polynomials orthogonal with respect to an inner product of Sobolev type, i.e., one that involves derivatives up to some given order, each having its own (positive) measure associated with it. The principal objective is to compute the coefficients in the increasing-order recurrence relation that these polynomials satisfy by virtue of them forming a sequence of monic polynomials with degrees increasing by 1 from one member to the next. As a by-product of this computation, one gains access to the zeros of these polynomials via eigenvalues of an upper Hessenberg matrix formed by the coefficients generated. Two methods are developed: One is based on the modified moments of the constitutive measures and generalizes what for ordinary orthogonal polynomials is known as "modified Chebyshev algorithm". The other - a generalization of "Stieltjes's procedure" - expresses the desired coefficients in terms of a Sobolev inner product involving the orthogonal polynomials in question, whereby the inner product is evaluated by numerical quadrature and the polynomials involved are computed by means of the recurrence relation already generated up to that point. The numerical characteristics of these methods are illustrated in the case of Sobolev orthogonal polynomials of old as well as new types. Based on extensive numerical experimentation, a number of conjectures are formulated with regard to the location and interlacing properties of the respective zeros.
Synthesis and characterization of Pt(II) and Pt(II)/Ru(II) complexes with the bidentate bridging ligand dipyrido(2,3-a:3′,2′-h)phenazine (dpop)

Abstract Three new complexes [Pt(dpop)(Cl) 2 ], [(Cl) 2 Pt(dpop)Pt(Cl) 2 ] and [(bpy) 2 Ru(dpop)Pt(Cl) 2 ](PF 6 ) 2 (dpop = dipyrido(2,3-a:3′,2′-h)phenazine) were prepared and studied. The electronic absorption spectra of the complexes display Pt dπ → dpop π* and Ru dπ → dpop π* MLCT transitions at longer wavelengths than for previously reported similar complexes. Results of cyclic voltammograms show reversible dpop centered reductions while for the mixed metal [(bpy) 2 Ru(dpop)Pt(Cl) 2 ] 2+ an irreversible Pt(II) oxidative wave precedes the Ru(II) oxidation/reduction couple. Spectroelectrochemical results show that all oxidative and reductive processes are completely reversible. The [(Cl) 2 Pt(dpop)Pt(Cl) 2 ] complex cleaves in solution with pseudo-first order kinetics resulting in loss of the Pt dπ → dpop π* MLCT transition at 545 nm.
An Update on the Management of Nosocomial Pneumonia

Nosocomial pneumonia is the second most common hospital-acquired infection, after urinary tract infection; however, it carries with it a mortality rate estimated to be between 20% and 50%. Furthermore, patients with nosocomial pneumonia are hospitalized for an additional 7 to 9 days with an attributable cost of $40 000 or more per patient compared to patients without nosocomial pneumonia. While treatment options vary, initial empiric treatment of nosocomial pneumonia should include antimicrobials that will have activity against the organisms that will likely be encountered, including, but not limited to, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter species, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter subspecies, Serratia marcescens, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. During a time of increasing resistance, it is crucial that early recognition along with appropriate treatment and dosing strategies are employed to achieve successful outcomes. The goal of this article is to updat...
Willingness to take risks and college women's career choice

Abstract This study explored the relationship between women's willingness to take risks, as measured by the Adventure scale of the Strong Interest Inventory, and various aspects of career development such as occupational stereotype, career salience, marriage and family influences, educational aspirations, and parental role models. Two samples, both from the Exploration Stage of Super's Career Development Model, were used. Overall, various levels of willingness to take risks were not related to significant differences on the dependent variables. However, a few differences were found for those subjects in the extreme high- and low-Adventure groups for both samples. Weak evidence suggests that in comparison to low-Adventure women, high-Adventure women may enter more nontraditional occupations, may be less certain of marriage and/or delay marriage, desire fewer children, and perceive themselves as more androgynous and instrumental. Future research should be extended to subjects in later career stages.
The metalloprotease Tolloid-related and its TGF-β-like substrate Dawdle regulate Drosophila motoneuron axon guidance

Proper axon pathfinding requires that growth cones execute appropriate turns and branching at particular choice points en route to their synaptic targets. Here we demonstrate that the Drosophila metalloprotease tolloid-related (tlr) is required for proper fasciculation/defasciculation of motor axons in the CNS and for normal guidance of many motor axons enroute to their muscle targets. Tlr belongs to a family of developmentally important proteases that process various extracellular matrix components, as well as several TGF-beta inhibitory proteins and pro-peptides. We show that Tlr is a circulating enzyme that processes the pro-domains of three Drosophila TGF-beta-type ligands, and, in the case of the Activin-like protein Dawdle (Daw), this processing enhances the signaling activity of the ligand in vitro and in vivo. Null mutants of daw, as well as mutations in its receptor babo and its downstream mediator Smad2, all exhibit axon guidance defects that are similar to but less severe than tlr. We suggest that by activating Daw and perhaps other TGF-beta ligands, Tlr provides a permissive signal for axon guidance.
IBM @ WIMBLEDON 2014: How data collected on the courts at The Championship provides tennis match insights to the world

How data collected on the courts at Wimbledon provides tennis match insights to the world. It takes just four seconds for IBM to make one point come to life for the rest of the world. Wimbledon's digital strategy exploits data, statistics and analytics in real time. IBM's digital platforms provide an engaging fan experience throughout The Championships.
The regulation of tryptophan biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

Eighteen auxotrophs of Pseudomonas aeruginosa requiring l-tryptophan for growth were isolated following nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. Mutant blocks for each step of tryptophan biosynthesis were identified by enzymological assay. A regulatory mutant was characterized which was simultaneously constitutive for the gene products of trpA, trpB and trpD. Another class of regulatory mutant appears to synthesize tryptophan synthetase (i.e., trpE and trpF subunits) constitutively. The results implicate three control entities in the pathway of tryptophan biosynthesis: (i) The gene products of trpA, trpB and trpD are repressible by tryptophan, the range of enzyme specific activity varying at least fifty-fold. (ii) No regulation of the trpC gene product could be demonstrated, indicating that its synthesis is constitutive. (iii) The gene products of rpE and trpF are inducible by indoleglycerol 3-phosphate; the magnitude of induction can exceed 100-fold. These results together with some genetic data indicate a general similarity in gene-enzyme relationships between P. aeruginosa and P. putida. A number of specific differences that distinguish the two species are noted. A mutant blocked in the common pathway of aromatic biosynthesis was used to prove that enzymes of tryptophan biosynthesis other than tryptophan synthetase are not inducible by precursors of the common pathway such as chorismate. It is concluded that the concentration of tryptophan that signals total repression of the gene products of trpA, trpB and trpD is lower than the concentrations necessary for maximal feedback inhibition of anthranilate synthetase and for abolition of the induction of tryptophan synthetase.
Design and implementation of a practical digital PWM controller

In this paper, we discussed the architecture of a digital power supply controller chip, implemented in low-cost CMOS technology, consisting of a hardware-based mixed signal digital control loop providing the core digital control functionality, and an instruction-based processing section having an 8051-based MCU at the heart. The hardware digital controller handles the high-bandwidth control loop function. The MCU-based processing section handles the medium bandwidth control-loop and housekeeping functions. Other system functions include an internal oscillator, a PLL clock multiplier, a programmable nonvolatile memory, a software-coded PMBus, a UART and GPIO ports, making a fully integrated highly versatile system-on-a-chip solution for a wide range of power supply applications. This architecture generates a throughput that exceeds a DSP-only solution by moving system task loading away from the instruction-based processor. This flexible architecture allows applications in dc-dc converters, isolated and non-isolated switched power supplies where high efficiency, high speed, high dynamic response, control complexity and cost are critical.
Design factors for educationally effective animations and simulations

This paper reviews research on learning from dynamic visual representations and offers principles for the design of animations and simulations that assure their educational effectiveness. In addition to established principles, new and revised design principle are presented that have been derived from recent research. Our review focuses on the visual design and interaction design of these visualizations and presents existing research as well as questions for future inquiry.
Description and scaling of pectoral muscles in ictalurid catfishes.

The pectoral spine of catfishes is an antipredator adaptation that can be bound, locked, and rubbed against the cleithrum to produce stridulation sounds. We describe muscle morphology of the pectoral spines and rays in six species in four genera of North American ictalurid catfishes. Since homologies of catfish pectoral muscles have not been universally accepted, we designate them functionally as the spine abductor and adductor and the arrector dorsalis and ventralis. The four muscles of the remaining pectoral rays are the superficial and deep (profundal) abductors and adductors. The large spine abductor and spine adductor are responsible for large amplitude movements, and the smaller arrector dorsalis and arrector ventralis have more specialized functions, that is, spine elevation and depression, respectively, although they also contribute to spine abduction. Three of the four spine muscles were pennate (the abductor and two arrectors), the spine adductor can be pennate or parallel, and ray muscles have parallel fibers. Insertions of pectoral muscles are similar across species, but there is a shift of origins in some muscles, particularly of the superficial abductor of the pectoral rays, which assumes a midline position in Ictalurus and increasingly more lateral placement in Ameiurus (one quarter way out from the midline), and Pylodictis and Noturus (half way out). Coincident with this lateral shift, the attachments of the hypaxial muscle to the ventral girdle become more robust. Comparison with its sister group supports the midline position as basal and lateral migration as derived. The muscles of the pectoral spine are heavier than muscles of the remaining rays in all species but the flathead, supporting the importance of specialized spine functions above typical movement. Further, spine muscles were larger than ray muscles in all species but the flathead catfish, which lives in water with the fastest currents. J. Morphol., 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The NorM Efflux Pump of Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis Recognizes Antimicrobial Cationic Compounds

In Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis, we identified a gene that would encode a protein highly similar to NorM of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (Y. Morita et al., Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 42:1778-1782, 1998). A nonpolar insertional mutation in either the gonococcal or meningococcal norM gene resulted in increased bacterial sensitivity to compounds harboring a quaternary ammonium on an aromatic ring (e.g., ethidium bromide, acriflavine hydrochloride, 2-N-methylellipticinium, and berberine). The presence of point mutations within the −35 region of a putative norM promoter or a likely ribosome binding site resulted in an increased resistance of gonococci and meningococci to the same compounds, as well as to norfloxacin and ciprofloxacin. Structure-activity relationship studies with putative NorM substrates have found that a cationic moiety is essential for NorM recognition.
Self-organization in a perceptual network

The emergence of a feature-analyzing function from the development rules of simple, multilayered networks is explored. It is shown that even a single developing cell of a layered network exhibits a remarkable set of optimization properties that are closely related to issues in statistics, theoretical physics, adaptive signal processing, the formation of knowledge representation in artificial intelligence, and information theory. The network studied is based on the visual system. These results are used to infer an information-theoretic principle that can be applied to the network as a whole, rather than a single cell. The organizing principle proposed is that the network connections develop in such a way as to maximize the amount of information that is preserved when signals are transformed at each processing stage, subject to certain constraints. The operation of this principle is illustrated for some simple cases. >
Obituary: Alex Kaplan PhD (1910 – 2006)

Dr. Alex Kaplan, a past president of AACC and noted clinical chemist and educator, died in Seattle on July 2, 2006, at the age of 96. Besides his devotion to AACC, Dr. Kaplan, known affectionately to his friends, colleagues, and students as “Kap”, is best noted for instituting the first Clinical Chemistry postdoctoral training program in the United States at the University of Washington in Seattle. At the time this training program was started in the early 1960s, the field of Clinical Chemistry was still more of an art form than a science. Automation was just in its infancy, and most tests were carried out in test tubes using mouth pipetting and relatively crude “colorimetric” measurements. If a protein-free filtrate was turbid, then the technologist just added a “tad” more precipitating agent to clarify the solution. Laboratories, even in the larger medical centers, were still small by today’s standards, and management was relatively straightforward. The clinical chemist, however, was called on to assist the ordering physician in test interpretation because few clinicians were well versed in acid-base balance tests for liver and kidney diseases and enzymology. Immunoassays were limited, and most hormone assays were nonspecific or required studies in animals such as the bioassays for pregnancy and hormones such as FSH. The creative mind of Dr. Kaplan recognized that times of change were imminent and would require a new breed of clinical chemists well prepared for a revolution in innovation of technology and clinical medicine. Spurred on by Leonard Skeggs’ Autoanalyzer, new chromatographic techniques, and the invention of RIA by Yalow …
Partial resolution of the placental microsomal aromatase complex.

Abstract Incubation of placental microsomes with digitonin under defined conditions results in a solubilization of 15–20% of the total aromatase activity. The aromatase activity remains in the non-turbid supernatant after prolonged centrifugation at 148,000 g , exhaustive dialysis, and column chromatography on Bio-Gel P-10. The particulate and solubilized enzymes are indistinguishable in that the apparent K m for both androstenedione and NADPH are similar. Also, the K m for NADPH of the aromatase is approximately the same as the K m of NADPH-cytochrome c reductase in both the microsomal and solubilized enzyme. Cytochrome P-450 recovered in the digitonin supernatant retained its native spectral characteristics as well as its substrate specificity. The solubilized aromatase can be purified about five-fold (20% recovery). Under these conditions, cytochrome P-450 can be purified about three to five-fold (15% recovery) and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase about 30-fold (100% recovery). Cytochrome P-450 and the reductase could be partially resolved into two fractions by batchwise adsorption on DEAE-cellulose. The unadsorbed fraction contained cytochrome P-450 while that obtained by extraction with 1.0M KCl contained the reductase and a trace of cytochrome P-450. Both of these fractions contained minimal aromatase activity. When these fractions were recombined, however, the rate of aromatization was increased by about two-fold. This observation is consistent with a requirement for both cytochrome P-450 and NADPH-cytochrome c reductase for aromatization of androstenedione.
Angle-of-Attack Control of Drag for Slender Re-entry Vehicle Recovery

A method is described in which drag increase due to angle of attack is used to decelerate a slender,highballistic-coefficient re-entry vehicle for recovery. The angle of attack and drag increase are produced by the application of a controlled wind-fixed yaw moment which causes dynamic undamping of the angle of attack. A small yaw moment can induce large circular coning motion for which the drag is predictable. It is shown that sufficient deceleration for recovery can be obtained after the vehicle has experienced high stagnation pressures for nosetip and heat-shield testing. Practical implementation of the recovery system is discussed.
A Unified Hard/Soft Real-Time Schedulability Test for Global EDF Multiprocessor Scheduling

The issue of deadline tardiness is considered under earliest-deadline-first (GEDF) multiprocessor scheduling. New schedulability tests are presented for determining whether a set of sporadic tasks with arbitrary relative deadlines can be scheduled under either preemptive or non-preemptive GEDF so that pre-defined tardiness bounds are met. These tests are of pseudo-polynomial time complexity, and can be used in hard real-time, soft real-time, and mixed contexts.
An on-vehicle fuel driveability index sensor

The driveability of a vehicle is important to both drivers and vehicle manufacturers. Good driveability can provide drivers with a better driving experience and can result in lower vehicle emissions. The driveability is closely related to the volatility of the fuel used, which is characterized by the driveability index (DI). A sensor of fuel DI has been fabricated and tested on a vehicle. One version is a metal sensor which has an interdigitated cube structure. The sensor element is located in the vapor dome of the fuel tank and is bathed in fuel while the fuel pump is on. After the pump is turned off, a reproducible volume of fuel is retained between the capacitor plates in the sensor element. The sensor element heats the fuel sample, causing it to evaporate while the temperature and remaining liquid volume are monitored. Fuels with different volatility yield differing evaporation rates. By monitoring the fuel level rate of decline as a function of its temperature, a characteristic curve related to the fuel volatility is measured. Six nonoxygenated fuels were used to test the sensor concept. It was found that there was a good correlation between the sensor result and the fuel DI.
A hidden Markov model for language syntax in text recognition

The use of a hidden Markov model (HMM) for language syntax to improve the performance of a text recognition algorithm is proposed. Syntactic constraints are described by the transition probabilities between word classes. The confusion between the feature string for a word and the various syntactic classes is also described probabilistically. A modification of the Viterbi algorithm is also proposed that finds a fixed number of sequences of syntactic classes for a given sentence that have the highest probabilities of occurrence, given the feature strings for the words. An experimental application of this approach is demonstrated with a word hypothesization algorithm that produces a number of guesses about the identity of each word in a running text. The use of first and second order transition probabilities is explored. Overall performance of between 65 and 80 percent reduction in the average number of words that can match a given image is achieved. >
Qigong massage treatment for sensory and self-regulation problems in young children with autism: a randomized controlled trial.

Autism is commonly associated with sensory and self-regulatory disturbances. This article presents a randomized controlled study evaluating the effect of a 5-month intervention directed toward improving sensory impairment, digestion, and sleep in 46 children with autism < age 6. The intervention, Qigong Sensory Training (QST), is a qigong massage intervention based in Chinese medicine. It is two-pronged: Trainers work with children directly 20 times over 5 months, and parents give the massage daily to their children. Improvement was evaluated in two settings�preschool and home�by teachers (blind to group) and parents. Teacher evaluations showed that treated children had significant classroom improvement of social and language skills and reduction in autistic behavior compared with wait-list control participants. These findings were confirmed by parent data, indicating that the gains had generalized across contexts. A model and supporting data for understanding and treating sensory and self-regulation problems in autism is presented
EFFECTS OF STRESSORS ON INVASIVE AND HALOPHYTIC PLANTS OF NEW ENGLAND SALT MARSHES: A FRAMEWORK FOR PREDICTING RESPONSE TO TIDAL RESTORATION

Salt marsh restoration practices based on the reintroduction of tides to hydrologically-altered wetlands may be hindered by a lack of specific knowledge regarding plant community response to environmental change. Since saltmarsh plant communities are controlled by physical stress tolerance and competition, we conducted a field experiment that measured effects of saltwater flooding and competitive interactions on plants as a guide for predicting habitat response to tidal restoration. Six plant species of New England salt marshes were studied: halophytes Spartina alterniflora, Spartina patens, and Juncus gerardii and brackish invasive species Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia, and Lythrum salicaria. Plant shoots were transplanted across a gradient of three flooding and three salinity regimes and arranged into pair-wise competitive combinations. After one growing season, saltwater flooding was found to decrease transplant survival, biomass production, and/or relative growth for all species. Reduction in halophyte growth was largely due to increased flood duration; brackish species were most reduced by increased salinity. Interspecific competition also influenced species growth, although the short duration of the study may have weakened these effects. Transplants paired with S. alterniflora had reduced growth, but combinations with Juncus produced increased growth. Standardized factors of stress tolerance and relative competitive strength were derived for the six study species as a framework for understanding community-level changes in marshes. As an aid to resource managers, experimental results can be used to predict plant community response to existing and potential alterations in saltmarsh tidal hydrology.
High b-value apparent diffusion-weighted images from CURVE-ball DTI.

Purpose To investigate the utility of a proposed clinical diffusion imaging scheme for rapidly generating multiple b-value diffusion contrast in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Materials and Methods Our strategy for efficient image acquisition relies on the invariance property of the diffusion tensor eigenvectors to b-value. A simple addition to the conventional diffusion tensor MR imaging (DTI) data acquisition scheme used for tractography yields diffusion-weighted images at twice and three times the conventional b-value. An example from a neurosurgical brain tumor is shown. Apparent diffusion-weighted (ADW) images were calculated for b-values 800, 1600, and 2400 s/mm2, and a map of excess diffusive kurtosis was computed from the three ADWs. Results High b-value ADW images demonstrated decreased contrast between normal gray and white matter, while the heterogeneity and contrast of the lesion was emphasized relative to conventional b-value data. Kurtosis maps indicated the deviation from Gaussian diffusive behavior. Conclusion DTI data with multiple b-values and good SNR can be acquired in clinically reasonable times. High b-value ADW images show increased contrast and add information to conventional DWI. Ambiguity in conventional b-value images over whether hyperintense signal results from abnormally low diffusion, or abnormally long T2, is better resolved in high b-value images. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2009;30:243–248. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Fire in the American South: Vegetation Impacts, History, and Climatic Relations

Fire plays a key role in many ecosystems of the southeastern U.S. Longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) and Table Mountain pine-pitch pine (P. pungens–P. rigida) forests along with other ecosystems – including oak (Quercus) forests, grasslands, and spruce-fir (Picea-Abies) forests – illustrate the range of fire effects and plant persistence strategies in the American South. Fire history research reveals that fires and fire-associated vegetation were common before the fire exclusion of the past century. Both lightning and anthropogenic ignitions (caused by American Indians or European settlers) contributed to burning, but their relative importance is debated. The humid climate constrains burning, especially by lightning-ignited fires, which often occur during moist conditions. Studies of fire climatology indicate the importance of dry conditions (e.g. drought years and relatively dry areas) for widespread burning in this humid region. Landscape fragmentation also influences burning. In the past some fires also likely grew much larger than today because they were unimpeded by roads, farms, and other barriers.
Measurements of Wind Speeds with an Optical Crossbeam System

An optical crossbeam technique has been developed for the remote sensing of atmospheric winds. The feasibility tests of a complete system are reported. The initial crossbeam system was found to measure atmospheric winds within ±20 percent of those measured with cup anemometers on a meteorological tower. The system consists of two telescopes (light beams) which collect light along narrow beams. The collected light is measured by photodiodes. The light is found to fluctuate in intensity due mainly to scattering by aerosols. The light source is available skylight only. The fluctuations in light are related to the convective wind velocity by employing space-time correlation techniques.
Globalization and the Pursuit of Decent Work: Can the ILO Deliver?

Whether globalization is a relatively recent development or not, it appears that as nations and nongovernmental organizations focus on international competitiveness and the correlative commitment to liberalization and privatization, and the acceptance of interdependencies and integrations among the world’s major economies, these moves have consequences. Taken together with (1) the pursuit of trade liberalization by the West (the quest for open markets for Western products and capital markets), (2) increased international inequalities with respect to capital stock and flows favoring the richest countries, (3) the simultaneous rise in trade protection that reduces or constrains access by developing countries to Western markets, and (4) the incipient and growing emphasis on technology and innovation by many countries and firms including the emergence of information and communication technologies (ICT) including the world wide web and the internet, the prospect of inequality in relationships and income advances.On the other hand, globalization has been accompanied by the instantiation of new institutions coupled with renewed attention being given to existing intergovernmental institutions such as the International Labor Organization that are designed to deal with problems that are either initiated or exacerbated by globalization. Given the difficult economic currents percolating throughout the world, many analysts suggest that the “real question is how labor law can respond to the challenges presented by globalization. In order to promote an efficacious labor law...[it is argued that a] new global goal should be added to the labor law agenda – decent work with a living wage.” The ILO program is advanced around the world through its promotion of “decent work,” an apparently ambiguous slogan calculated to level income inequalities within and between nations. It is the objective of this paper to briefly explore the promise, possibilities and failures of the ILO in an era that apparently features an increasing acceptance by elite opinion formers, banks and financial institutions, and Western world leaders of the presumed value and presumed legitimacy of increased trade integration.