cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparing postural strategy changes following adapted versus non-adapted responses in subjects with and without spinal stenosis

Abstract Musculoskeletal evaluation skills are needed to examine postural compensation techniques, but little is known about ground reaction forces (GRF) in standing posture. Even though a number of studies have evaluated GRF in patients with low back pain (LBP) during vertical perturbations, it would be important to consider compensation characteristics which might be associated with abnormal patterns of postural responses. The vertical excursions of the body center of mass (BCOM) were measured with delay time and normalized amplitude of GRF. Overall, there was no difference based on the vertical excursion of the BCOM ( F =0.12, p =0.90), amplitude of the normalized GRF ( F =0.16, p =0.74), or response time ( F =1.98, p =0.17) between subjects with and without spinal stenosis. There was a gender difference based on the vertical excursion of the normalized BCOM ( F =5.92, p =0.02) as well as the normalized amplitude of GRF ( F =4.17, p =0.04). It was shown that male subjects implemented better adjustment strategies during adapted and non-adapted responses in order to improve body stability. In this way, manual therapists should be aware that gender differences exist in patients with spinal stenosis since the condition may change the individual's postural adjustment ability.
Molecular Basis of receptor/G Protein Coupling Selectivity Studied by Coexpression of Wild Type and Mutant m2 Muscarinic Receptors With Mutant G Alpha(q) Subunits

The molecular basis of receptor/G protein coupling selectivity was studied by using the m2 muscarinic receptor, a prototypical Gi/o-coupled receptor as a model system. We could recently show that the m2 receptor can efficiently interact with mutant G protein αq subunits in which the last five amino acids were replaced with αi2 or αo sequence [Liu, J., Conklin, B. R., Blin, N., Yun, J., & Wess, J. (1995) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 92, 11642−11646]. Additional mutagenesis studies led to the identification of a four-amino-acid motif on the m2 receptor (Val385, Thr386, Ile389, and Leu390) that is predicted to functionally interact with the C-terminal portion of αi/o subunits. To further investigate the structural requirements for this interaction to occur, these four m2 receptor residues were replaced, either individually or in combination, with the corresponding residues present in the Gq/11-coupled muscarinic receptors (m1, m3, and m5). The ability of the resulting mutant m2 receptors to interact with a ...
Improved experimental limit on the electric dipole moment of the electron.

New results are reported in our search for the electric dipole moment ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{e}}$ of the electron in the ground 6 $^{2}$${\mathit{P}}_{1/2}$ state of $^{205}\mathrm{Tl}$. The atomic-beam magnetic resonance method is employed with separated oscillating fields. A magnetic field B defines the axis of quantization, and an electric field E, parallel to B, is applied in the region between the oscillating fields. Laser optical pumping is used for state selection and analysis, and the signal is fluorescence accompanying the decay of excited atoms in the analyzer region. The signature of a nonzero electric dipole moment is a dependence of the signal on the P,T-odd rotational invariant E\ensuremath{\cdot}B (P and T denote parity and time reversal, respectively). Two counterpropagating atomic beams are employed to reduce a systematic effect due to the motional magnetic field E\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}v/c. Auxiliary experiments are performed to isolate and eliminate residual sources of systematic error. The result is ${\mathit{d}}_{\mathit{e}}$=[1.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.2(statistical)\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0(systematic)]\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}27}$ e cm. A detailed discussion is given of the experimental method, sources of systematic error and their elimination, and results.
Development and Implementation of a Curriculum on Cancer Screening for Small Groups of Latino Women

Background. Health programs tailored to serve Latino communities with limited access to health care are necessary. The methods used to develop breast and cervical cancer educational programs and to evaluate their implementation are presented.Methods. A 12-session curriculum was developed to guide weekly group sessions led by trained community health advisors (ie,consejeras). Results. The curriculum has been implemented and revised over time. Assessments of the extent to which the curriculum educational objectives were met were based on diaries completed byconsejeras at the end of the educational sessions and observation ratings of randomly selected educational sessions. The facilitator’s guide includes, for each educational session, (1) information about the materials that will be needed for the session, (2) educational objectives, and (3) scripted text to guide the session.Conclusions. The curriculum has been successfully implemented and represents a carefully constructed tool to foster breast and cervical early detection in underserved Latino communities.
Body image, self-esteem, and depression-proneness: Closing the gender gap.

Gender differences in body image and related correlates have received increasing attention in recent psychological research. The purposes of the present study were to further examine gender differences in body image and its relationship to depression-proneness and self-esteem. The Body Cathexis Scale, the Depression-Proneness Inventory, the Janis-Field Feelings of Inadequacy Scale, and a background questionnaire were administered to 176 female and male undergraduates at a small Midwestern college. Responses were analyzed by gender and by participants' perceived and actual weight. Findings were consistent with sociocultural messages, and showed a pervasive preoccupation with weight and appearance for both men and women. The importance of considering weight, environment, and other demographic data when studying body image is discussed.
Christianity and Islam among the Mossi

T HE twin forces of Christianity and Islam are both seriously contending for the conversion of the pagan masses of the Western Sudan. Islam first penetrated this region during the 11th century and succeeded in converting many people to its faith. Christianity arrived on the scene only 60 years ago, and has not had the time to win many converts. However, there remained many societies in this area which were largely pagan until European conquests exposed them almost simultaneously to the influences of both Christianity and Islam. One such society, the Mossi, has been described as the principal island of resistance to Islam in the Sudan (Gouilly 1952:52). Andre (1924:31) states that the Mossi "offered to the Animists an irreducible rampart against the invasion of Islam." And Delafosse concurs that the Mossi "seem to have been particularly hostile to Islam which has made no progress among them since the Hegira. And although an appreciable number of Moslem strangers (Yars6) lived among them, they have almost all remained pagans" (1912, vol. 3:187). The first Christian Catholic missionaries arrived in Mossi territory in 1900, just four years after French conquest. These missionaries were kindly if fearfully received by the people, who gave them land for building a mission and for cultivating crops. The Mossi helped the Christians cultivate these crops and willingly allowed the children to attend the mission school. Nevertheless, when the missionaries tried to convert the children to Catholicism, the parents objected and withdrew the children from school (Socquet 1956:62). The Protestant American "Assemblies of God" mission first worked among the Mossi in 1926, and in 1931 they reported that the outlook for conversions was "hopeful" (Cooksey and McLeish 1931:215). But from 1926 to date, the Protestants have made negligible progress in their conversions. There are today about 155,000 Moslems, 26,000 Catholics, and 1,760 Protestants in a Mossi population of over 1,500,000. These figures attest to the fact that despite a long history of resistance to foreign religious systems, many Mossi are now abandoning their traditional religion. But the figures also show that while Islam is gaining many converts, the Catholics are making only slight progress, and the American Protestants hardly any at all. There are obviously many reasons for the differential advance of these three religious systems. In this paper I will examine and analyze the processes by which these religious systems attempt to gain converts, and delineate the reasons for their differential
Nuclear Data Uncertainty Quantification: Past, Present and Future

Abstract An historical overview is provided of the mathematical foundations of uncertainty quantification and the roles played in the more recent past by nuclear data uncertainties in nuclear data evaluations and nuclear applications. Significant advances that have established the mathematical framework for contemporary nuclear data evaluation methods, as well as the use of uncertainty information in nuclear data evaluation and nuclear applications, are described. This is followed by a brief examination of the current status concerning nuclear data evaluation methodology, covariance data generation, and the application of evaluated nuclear data uncertainties in contemporary nuclear technology. A few possible areas for future investigation of this subject are also suggested.
Throughput improvements for cellular systems with device-to-device communications

We consider the resource allocation problem in cellular networks which support Device-to-Device Communications (D2D) under the orthogonal resource sharing setting. We propose and analyze two resource allocation schemes that guarantee perfect access fairness among all users, regardless of whether they are cellular or D2D, while taking advantage of multi-user diversity and local D2D communications to provide marked improvements over existing cellular-only schemes. The first scheme, Cellular Fairness Scheme, provides the simplest D2D extension to existing cellular systems, while the second scheme, D2D Fairness Scheme, harnesses maximal performance from D2D enabled systems under the orthogonal sharing setting.
Formation yields of glyoxal and methylglyoxal from the gas-phase OH radical-initiated reactions of toluene, xylenes, and trimethylbenzenes as a function of NO2 concentration.

Aromatic hydrocarbons comprise ∼20% of non-methane volatile organic compounds in urban areas and are transformed mainly by atmospheric chemical reactions with OH radicals during daytime. In this work we have measured the formation yields of glyoxal and methylglyoxal from the OH radical-initiated reactions of toluene, xylenes, and trimethylbenzenes over the NO2 concentration range (0.2−10.3) × 1013 molecules cm−3. For toluene, o-, m-, and p-xylene, and 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene, the yields showed a dependence on NO2, decreasing with increasing NO2 concentration and with no evidence for formation of glyoxal or methylglyoxal from the reactions of the OH-aromatic adducts with NO2. In contrast, for 1,2,3- and 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene the glyoxal and methylglyoxal formation yields were independent of the NO2 concentration within the experimental uncertainties. Extrapolations of our results to NO2 concentrations representative of the ambient atmosphere results in the following glyoxal and methylglyoxal yields, respec...
Protocol failures in cryptosystems

When a cryptoalgorithm is used to solve data security or authentication problems, it is implemented within the context of a protocol that specifies the appropriate procedures for data handling. The purpose of the protocol is to ensure that when the cryptosystem is applied, the level of security or authentication required by the system is actually attained. The author surveys a collection of protocols in which this goal has not been met, not because of a failure of the cryptoalgorithm used, but rather because of shortcomings in the design of the protocol. Guidelines for the development of sound protocols are extracted from an analysis of these failures. >
The role of phonons in paramagnetic relaxation

The coupled spin-lattice-bath system is investigated under conditions of microwave power saturation and the conditions for the existence of a steady-state nonthermal equilibrium phonon distribution are determined. The spin-lattice-bath equations are solved numerically for a few special cases involving a nonequilibrium distribution of phonons. The results of an experiment designed to detect the presence of nonequilibrium phonons are reported. No indication of the presence of such phonons was found. The experiments were performed using Cr3+ impurities in MgO, Al2O3 and K3Co(CN)6 and at T = 4.2°K and 2°K. The sensitivity of the experiment was such that for ruby a phonon temperature rise of ΔT = 0.005 T could have been observed. Finally, the validity of the theory, in view of the experimental results, is discussed.
P-centers are unaffected by phonetic categorization

The perceived onset (P-center) of a word typically does not correspond to its acoustic onset (Marcus, 1981; Morton, Marcus, & Frankish, 1976). Some researchers have suggested that the P-center of a word is solely a product of the acoustic characteristics of the word, whereas others have suggested that a word’s P-center is determined by its phonetic characteristics. The present series of experiments pitted a continuously varying acoustic parameter against a categorical phonetic percept in order to determine whether P-center location was sensitive to the phonetic identity of the prevocalic segments of a syllable. With a/sa/-/ca/-/ta/ continuum and three different /sa/-/sta/continua, we found that phonetic judgments were categorical but P-center judgments were continuous. The results demonstrate that P-center location is not determined by the phonetic identity of syllable initial consonants. Nor, however, is it determined by the rise time or the amplitude envelope of the signal as Howell (1984) has suggested. Instead, as Marcus and Morton et al. recognized, a combination of at least two different parts of the signal is at work, namely, the duration of the prevocalic consonant or consonants and, to a lesser extent, the duration of the syllable rhyme. Although the relevant dimension of each component of the syllable is duration, acoustically defined, the partitioning of the syllable is phonetically motivated. Thus, both the phonetic structure of a syllable and the particular acoustic realizations of its structure affect the location of the P-center.
New perspectives in the treatment of craniosynostosis

The history of ideas on the pathogenesis and treatment of craniosynostosis syndromes is discussed, with special reference to the emerging role of cranio-facial units. Emphasis has changed from correction of established deformities, to early surgery to prevent such deformities, as well as relief of existing pathology such as exorbitism and raised intracranial pressure. These early operations, best performed in the first three months of life, essentially involve unilateral or bilateral fronto-orbital advancements. The coronal suture is released with a craniectomy, extended to the squamosal suture, and a wide temporal decompression performed. The frontal bone and superior orbital margin are mobilized and moved to their new position, and wired in place. Intermediate and late stage operations are also discussed, together with complications.
Rethinking big data in digital humanitarianism: practices, epistemologies, and social relations

Spatial technologies and the organizations around them, such as the Standby Task Force and Ushahidi, are increasingly changing the ways crises and emergencies are addressed. Within digital humanitarianism, Big Data has featured strongly in recent efforts to improve digital humanitarian work. This shift toward social media and other Big Data sources has entailed unexamined assumptions about technological progress, social change, and the kinds of knowledge captured by data. These assumptions stand in tension with critical geographic scholarship, and in particular critical GIS research. In this paper I borrow from critical research on technologies to engage three important new facets of Big Data emerging from an interrogation of digital humanitarianism. I argue first that within digital humanitarianism, Big Data should be understood as a new set of practices, in addition to its usual conception as data and analytics technologies. Second, I argue that Big Data constitutes a distinct epistemology that obscures many forms of knowledge in crises and emergencies and produces a limited understanding of how a crisis is unfolding. Third, I argue that Big Data is constitutive of a social relation in which both the formal humanitarian sector and “victims” of crises are in need of the services and labor that can be provided by digital humanitarians.
Capacitance of microstrip lines on anisotropic substrate using the method of lines and finite elements

A finite elements-based Method of Lines is used to calculate static capacitances for microstrip line structures with layered substrates of arbitrary permittivity tensor. The problem is solved by discretizing the associated static equations in one coordinate variable using finite elements, and obtaining an analytical solution with respect to the remaining variable. Proper boundary and transition conditions are imposed. To validate the solution, comparison is made with results derived from other methods. A significant increase in numerical efficiency afforded by the presented method, relative to the conventional, fully discrete, finite element solution, is demonstrated quantitatively.
LWR reduction and flow of chemically amplified resist patterns during sub-millisecond heating

Chemically amplified resists are critical for sub-30 nm photolithography. As feature sizes decrease, challenges continue to arise in controlling the aerial image during exposure, acid diffusion during post exposure bakes, and swelling during development. Ultimately these processes limit the line width roughness (LWR). While there exists substantial research to modify resists and exposure protocols, post-development treatment of resist patterns to improve the LWR has received only modest attention. In this work, we use a scanned laser spike annealing system to anneal fully developed resist patterns at temperatures of 300-420oC for sub-millisecond time frames. When heated above its glass transition temperature for a controlled time, patterned resist flows to minimize the surface energy resulting in reduced roughness. While LWR and critical dimension (CD) of the resist is very sensitive to the hardbake temperature, SEM and AFM analysis show a >30% reduction in LWR with <1 nm change in CD at 26W (385oC) hardbake power compared to that of features without hardbake. Quantitative determination of surface roughness, resist trench profiles, LWR, and CD is presented and discussed.
Representations of ‘verbs’ in a computerized visual communication system

Abstract versus concrete representations for verbs in a visual, non-verbal communication system for severe aphasics were investigated. Two patients with comparable agrammatic aphasias were studied in paired counter-balanced experiments. Concrete symbols were learned more quickly and generalized slightly faster to apply to new objects. However, neither abstract nor concrete symbols were generalized very well to novel situations. The implications for the organization of semantic information in aphasic patients and for future research on visual communication systems are discussed.
A non-equilibrium approach to modeling metal speciation in acid, aquatic systems: theory and process equations

Abstract A general algorithm (NONEQUI) was developed to simulate reversible sorption and ion exchange kinetics among a variety of heavy metals and substrates in acid (pH
A gravity survey of the Rio Grande trough near Socorro, New Mexico

A gravity survey involving 61 stations was made across the Rio Grande trough near Socorro, New Mexico. The anomaly observed was such that a two-dimensional type of analysis could be used to determine the form of the trough in this area. Separate analyses of the data were made for each of two assumptions: (1) that the Tertiary fill was composed principally of unconsolidated sediments, and (2) that the Tertiary fill was made up primarily of consolidated sediments and volcanics. The analyses yielded limiting values of 2100 and 5800 ft, respectively, for the greatest thickness of Tertiary fill.
Surgical pitfalls in cochlear implantation

Increasing experience with cochlear implantation has led to the identification of potential surgical pitfalls: improper patient selection, poor flap design and handling, facial nerve injury, improper electrode placement, and improper seating of the receiver stimulator. Each of these areas of potential difficulty are reviewed, emphasizing methods of avoidance and management of adverse outcome.
A Note on Models of Finite Geometries Arising from Difference Sets

Under a suitable incidence relation a set of algebraic structures, namely totally symmetric quasigroups arising from abelian group difference sets (λ =1), is shown to form a model of finite projective planes.
Frequency response of periodically sheared homogeneous turbulence

A detailed parametric study is presented for the dynamics of initially isotropic homogeneous turbulence subjected to periodic shear with magnitude S and frequency ω. The study is based on a quasianalytical solution to the anisotropy transport equation, which is shown to provide results for the shear anisotropy in this flow that agree well with direct numerical simulation (DNS), and for some key aspects of the dynamics agree better than do the most widely used second-order moment closures. The present analytical approach allows a more detailed parametric study than is practical via DNS, and provides direct insights into the parametric origins of the resulting dynamics. The long-time limit form of the shear anisotropy provides an analytical expression for the phase lag. The general solution also provides simple scalings in the full equilibrium limit as well as in the quasiequilibrium and saturated nonequilibrium regimes. The transition to the saturated nonequilibrium regime is shown to occur over a narrow r...
From pathways to networks: connecting dots by establishing protein-protein interaction networks in signaling pathways using affinity purification and mass spectrometry.

Signal transductions are the basis of biological activities in all living organisms. Studying the signaling pathways, especially under physiological conditions, has become one of the most important facets of modern biological research. During the last decade, mass spectrometry has been used extensively in biological research and is proven to be effective in addressing important biological questions. Here, we review the current progress in the understanding of signaling networks using mass spectrometry approaches. We will focus on studies of protein-protein interactions that use affinity purification followed by mass spectrometry approach. We discuss obstacles to affinity purification, data processing, functional validation, and identification of transient interactions and provide potential solutions for pathway-specific proteomics analysis, which we hope one day will lead to a comprehensive understanding of signaling networks in humans.
Impact of balloon-assisted enteroscopy on the diagnosis and management of suspected and established small-bowel Crohn's disease.

Background and aims: The role of recently developed balloon-assisted enteroscopy (BAE) in small-bowel Crohn’s disease (CD) is not well established. The purpose of this study is to determine the clinical impact of BAE on patients with suspected and established small-bowel CD. Methods: This study included 22 patients (group A) with suspected small-bowel CD and 43 patients (group B) with established small-bowel CD with or without previous surgery, who underwent BAE, in a prospective BAE registry of a US academic medical institution. All underwent abdominal imaging studies including computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance (MR) enterography before BAE. The main outcome measurements were diagnostic yield and clinical outcomes. Results: In total, 78 BAE procedures were carried out in 65 patients. In group A (n = 22, 25 BAE procedures), enteroscopy led to a diagnosis of CD in six patients (27.3 %). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug-related enteropathy was diagnosed in three patients (13.6 %), whereas no lesions were found in the remaining 13 patients. In group B (n = 43, 53 BAE procedures) enteroscopy revealed active intestinal inflammation with ulcers and/or luminal stenosis in 18 patients (41.9 %), which led to a change and escalation of medical therapy. Five patients without active ulcers underwent successful dilation of small-bowel strictures with resulting resolution of obstructive symptoms. Of the 78 BAE procedures, two patients (2.6 %) had bleeding complications which were successfully treated conservatively. One patient (1.3 %) underwent surgery due to procedure-related perforation. Conclusions: The use of BAE may help improve management in patients with suspected and established small-bowel CD.
Polyamines and central nervous system injury: spermine and spermidine decrease following transient focal cerebral ischemia in spontaneously hypertensive rats

Polyamines (putrescine, spermidine and spermine) are ubiquitous cellular components, but their specific role in central nervous system (CNS) injury has yet to be characterized. CNS injury results in increased activities of ornithine decarboxylase and spermidine/spermine-N(1)-acetyltransferase, and accumulation of putrescine. The present study determined the polyamine profile in three models of CNS injury, in two different species (gerbil and rat) and two strains of rats (Sprague-Dawley and spontaneously hypertensive): (1) transient focal cerebral ischemia in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR); (2) traumatic brain injury in Sprague-Dawley rats; and (3) transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils. While there was a significant increase in putrescine in all three models, spermine and spermidine levels were unaltered in forebrain ischemia and traumatic brain injury. However, transient focal cerebral ischemia shows depletion of spermine and spermidine levels in injured hemisphere compared to contralateral region. Exogenous spermine significantly restored the spermine as well as spermidine levels in the ipsilateral hemisphere after transient focal cerebral ischemia, but did not alter putrescine levels or the ratio of spermidine to spermine. The loss of spermine in particular, may have several consequences that contribute to ischemic injury, including destabilization of chromatin, decreased mitochondrial Ca(2+) buffering capacity, and increased susceptibility to oxidative stress. Based on our and other studies, we propose a tentative antioxidant mechanism of spermine neuroprotection.
On the mechanism of kerogen pyrolysis

Abstract Aromaticities determined by 13 C n.m.r. are reported for five shale oil samples (Green River formation) prepared under widely different pyrolysis conditions. In the absence of high-pressure hydrogen, the total amount of aromatic carbon in the products is nearly twice that in the raw shale. This is true for a wide range of pyrolysis conditions, although the distribution of aromatic carbon between the oil and carbonaceous residue changes. High-pressure hydrogen appears to inhibit both the formation of additional aromatic carbon during pyrolysis and the coking of aromatic oil. An improved kerogen decomposition mechanism is reported that accounts for these effects and provides for changes in the aromaticity of the liquid product with pyrolysis conditions. Further work is necessary to make it quantitative and account for gas formation.
An analysis of the impact of registration factors on turnout in 1992

In 1993 Congress passed and President Clinton signed into law the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. The law contained provisions for uniform mail registration, changes in purge procedures, and changes in some forms of agency registration including motor-voter registration. Using the 1992 National Election Study, I estimate the impact of several of these changes in addition to same-day registration. Same-day registration and motor-voter registration both show strong, positive relationships to turnout, while the results are mixed for mail registration and changed purge procedures.
Investigation of the relationship between adaptation measured binaurally and monaurally.

Recently it has been demonstrated that auditory adaptation can be measured with a monaural technique (Weiler and Friedman, 1973; Weiler and Gross, 1976; Feaster and Weiler, 1975). Because the magnitude of adaptation measured monaurally was nearly identical to that measured binaurally in other experiments, it was assumed that they measured the same phenomenon or phenomena. In the present study the same group of subjects were tested for magnitude of adaptation both monaurally and binaurally. The means were 11.75 dB and 12.17 dB, respectively (N=13). Despite nearly identical means for the present conditions there was no significant correlation (r=+.27) between the magnitude of adaptation measured under the two conditions. Except for the possibility that individual differences in the ability to do monaural versus binaural tasks may have obscured individual similarities in adaptation, the only other explanation the authors can suggest is that the two techniques measure different aspects of loudness adaptation.
Effects of Equine-Assisted Therapy on Gross Motor Skills of Two Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Single-Subject Research Study

Many children with Autism Spectrum Disorder demonstrate deficits in gross motor skills, which hinder their ability to engage in athletic and other play activities. This further inhibits their opportunities to engage in physical activity, live healthy lifestyles, and develop age appropriate social skills; all primary foci of recreational therapy services. One intervention that has gained popularity in recent years for treating individuals with ASD is equine-assisted therapy. This study examined the effects of equine therapy on the gross motor skills of two children with ASD. Results showed moderate to large gains in body coordination, strength and agility, and overall gross motor skills as a result of participation in an equine-assisted therapy intervention. Implications for recreational therapists providing equine-based interventions are discussed.
Metamaterial claddings for homotopic control of waveguide modes

Engineers know that the path followed by an electromagnetic wave is determined according to Fermat's principle by the bulk constitutive properties of the medium in which the wave propagates. Physicists are equally familiar with the fact that the ray path of a wave in a vacuum is influenced by the metric of space. According to Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, massive objects cause spacetime curvature, and the metric or distance measure becomes different from the flat Euclidean metric ds2 = dx2 + dy2 + dz2. In a curved space, waves follow geodesics, leading to such effects as gravitational lensing and a shift in the apparent position of a near-occulted star. It follows from the above two facts that wave propagation paths can be influenced through (1) local electrical interactions governed by the constitutive relationships in Maxwell's equations and (2) distant gravitational interactions through the metric of space. The duality between constitutive relationships and spatial metric interactions has been recently exploited by the electromagnetics community in practical applications. Rays that travel along non-straight paths can in principle be realized either by the gravitational field of some mass distribution or by a medium with a chosen set of constitutive parameters. Even though the gravitational fields would need to be too strong to produce the desired effects in the length scales of interest, properly designed metamaterials can indeed approximate the necessary constitutive parameters. This has been exploited in recent years to develop methods for electromagnetic cloaking [1,2], masking [3,4], field rotation [5], and reflectionless waveguide bends [6].
Issues in functional analysis in behavioral assessment.

The rebirth of interest in functional analysis is described. Clarification among conflicting terms is offered as a way of facilitating research in the area. Three phases of functional approach to assessment are identified: (a) descriptive, (b) interpretive, and (c) verification. Five assessment methods common to assessment, generally, are shown to be useful in both descriptive and verification phases. Evaluation of functional approaches requires attention to the psychometric adequacy of these methods. Accuracy, reliability, and validity concepts are reviewed briefly and their application to functional strategies is described. The use of treatment validity in the functional analysis of functional analysis is mentioned as the ultimate strategy for evaluating the adequacy of this assessment approach. The paper ends with a discussion of problems of multiple control of behavior, behavioral classification systems, training parents and other mediators in the functional approach, cost-effectiveness, and the place of functional analysis in a reorganized health care delivery system.
Regression analysis for long-term survival rate via empirical likelihood

In recent years, regression models have been shown to be useful for predicting the long-term survival probabilities of patients in clinical trials. For inference on the vector of regression parameters, there are semiparametric procedures based on normal approximations. However, the accuracy of such procedures in terms of coverage probability can be quite low when the censoring rate is heavy. In this paper, we apply an empirical likelihood ratio (ELR) method to the regression model and derive the limiting distribution of the ELR. On the basis of the result, we develop a confidence region for the vector of regression parameters. Furthermore, we use a simulation study to compare the proposed method with the normal approximation-based method proposed by Jung [Jung, S., 1996, Regression analysis for long-term survival rate. Biometrika, 83, 227–232.]. Finally, the proposed procedure is illustrated with data from a clinical trial.
The rate region of secure symmetrical multilevel diversity coding

This paper considers the problem of secure symmetrical multilevel diversity coding. It is shown that a simple separate encoding scheme known as superposition coding can achieve the entire admissible rate region of the problem. Key to our proof is to establish a nontrivial conditional version of a subset entropy inequality of Yeung and Zhang, which was previously used to prove the optimality of superposition coding in terms of achieving the entire admissible rate region of the classical symmetrical multilevel diversity coding problem without any secrecy constraint.
Trends in the history of large blackouts in the United States

Despite efforts to mitigate blackout risk, the data available from the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) for 1984-2006 indicate that the frequency of large blackouts in the United States is not decreasing. This paper describes the data and methods used to come to this conclusion and several other patterns that appear in the data. These patterns have important implications for those who make investment and policy decisions in the electricity industry. Several example calculations show how these patterns can significantly affect the decision-making process.
Tutorial on higher-order statistics (spectra) in signal processing and system theory: theoretical results and some applications

A compendium of recent theoretical results associated with using higher-order statistics in signal processing and system theory is provided, and the utility of applying higher-order statistics to practical problems is demonstrated. Most of the results are given for one-dimensional processes, but some extensions to vector processes and multichannel systems are discussed. The topics covered include cumulant-polyspectra formulas; impulse response formulas; autoregressive (AR) coefficients; relationships between second-order and higher-order statistics for linear systems; double C(q,k) formulas for extracting autoregressive moving average (ARMA) coefficients; bicepstral formulas; multichannel formulas; harmonic processes; estimates of cumulants; and applications to identification of various systems, including the identification of systems from just output measurements, identification of AR systems, identification of moving-average systems, and identification of ARMA systems. >
Incomplete Syllogisms as Techniques of Medicalization: The Case of Direct-to-Consumer Advertising in Popular Magazines, 1997 to 2003

The researchers collected a data set of consumer-directed print advertisements for antidepressant medications from three female-directed magazines, three male-directed magazines, and four common readership magazines published between 1997 and 2003. They evaluated these data for advertising techniques that enable drug advertisements to function as agents of medicalization. The investigators discuss the use of incomplete syllogisms in drug advertisements and identify strategies that might lead readers to frame personal physical and/or emotional conditions medically. Key features in advertisements function as the particular and general premises of a syllogism, and the concluding premise--that the reader has a mood disorder--is unarticulated but implied. The researchers examine the implications of incomplete syllogisms in advertisements and suggest that their use might lead readers to redefine their physical and/or emotional problems to fit medical models of mental distress.
Stereoselective Disposition of Ibuprofen Enantiomer Sustained Release Microspheres in Rats: I. Bioavailability Considerations

The purpose of this study was to examine the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) disposition of sustained release microspheres of ibuprofen enantiomers. Male Wistar rats were dosed with three formulations of ibuprofen enantiomers (R and S): intravenous solution (IV), conventional suspensions, and suspensions of the sustained release wax matrix microspheres. Blood samples were withdrawn at predetermined time intervals and analyzed by a stereospecific HPLC assay. The Cmax was reduced, the Tmax delayed, and the (AUC) increased for sustained release (SR) as compared with conventional suspensions (CS) of the enantiomers. In all cases, the AUC for Sibuprofen was greater than that for R-ibuprofen. The bioavailability of the SR formulation of both the enantiomers was much higher than that of the CS. Plasma concentration-time profiles of the intravenous, conventional, and sustained release suspension showed inversion of R- to S-ibuprofen indicating that inversion was both systemic and presystemic. The concentration-time ...
Clock distribution design and verification for PowerPC microprocessors

With the increase of clock speeds, clock skew has become a significant part of the cycle time of high speed microprocessors. While many clock tree routing techniques promise zero or minimal skew, algorithm assumptions or design methodology constraints often prevent a single approach from being suitable for the entire clock design. In this paper we describe a collection of strategies for designing low skew clock distributions. These techniques are applied at various levels of design (synthesis, placement, routing etc.) to yield clock distribution networks of acceptable skew for the two different clock design styles used by PowerPC processors. We also describe a static timing based approach for analyzing the clock network to detect the various clock violations of interest. Finally we outline current deficiencies in our methodology.
Vincent van Gogh (1853–90): the plumbic artist

Following Vincent van Gogh's death in 1890, numerous physicians have offered diagnostic opinions regarding his still unverified illness. The discovery that he had ingested leaded oil paints prompted research that revealed his exposure to additional sources of lead and other toxic substances for 13 years before death. His complaints, derived from poignant letters to his brother, added compelling evidence that he had suffered neurotoxicity, encephalopathy and other consequences of lead. Vincent's suicide may have been precipitated by plumbism. Mankind has endured lead's presence for millennia, yet its destructive effects have been recognized sporadically. That symptoms of plumbism mimic other illnesses should prod a heightened index of suspicion. Had it not been for the financial and emotional support of Vincent by his brother, Theo, and the dedication of the latter's wife, Johanna, the artist's genius might never have been recognized. Widowed by the death of her husband six months after Vincent's demise, J...
Advanced Algorithms for Microscale Particle Image Velocimetry

The recent explosive increase in the use of e uidic microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) has subsequently driven the development of e uidic measurement techniques capable of measuring velocities at length scales small enough to be of use in characterizing and optimizing these new devices. Recently, several techniques have demonstrated spatialresolutions smallerthan 100 πm but largerthan 10 πm. Thesetechniquesincludex-ray microimaging, molecular tagging velocimetry, and microlaser Doppler velocimetry. However, measurements with spatial resolutionssmallerthan 10 πm arenecessary formaking measurementsin many MEMS applications.Only microparticle image velocimetry has demonstrated this high spatial resolution. By the use of a combination of advanced imaging and processing techniques that are described here, spatial resolutions on the order of single micrometers can be achieved. These techniques are used to investigate the e ow though a microfabricated thruster geometry.
Recognition and Source Memory as Multivariate Decision Processes

Recognition memory, source memory, and exclusion performance are three important domains of study in memory, each with its own findings, its specific theoretical developments, and its separate research literature. It is proposed here that results from all three domains can be treated with a single analytic model. This article shows how to generate a comprehensive memory representation based on multidimensional signal detection theory and how to make predictions for each of these paradigms using decision axes drawn through the space. The detection model is simpler than the comparable multinomial model, it is more easily generalizable, and it does not make threshold assumptions. An experiment using the same memory set for all three tasks demonstrates the analysis and tests the model. The results show that some seemingly complex relations between the paradigms derive from an underlying simplicity of structure.
Transforming Growth Factor β1 Receptor II Is Downregulated by E1A in Adenovirus-Infected Cells

Transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) signaling is compromised in many tumors, thereby allowing the tumor to escape the growth-inhibitory and proapoptotic activities of the cytokine. Human adenoviruses interfere with a number of cellular pathways involved in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis, initially placing the cell in a “tumor-like” state by forcing quiescent cells into the cell cycle and also inhibiting apoptosis. We report that adenovirus-infected cells resemble tumor cells in that TGF-β1 signaling is inhibited. The levels of TGF-β1 receptor II (TβRII) in adenovirus-infected cells were decreased, and this decrease was mapped, by using virus mutants, to the E1A gene and to amino acids 2 to 36 and the C-terminal binding protein binding site in the E1A protein. The decrease in the TβRII protein was accompanied by a decrease in TβRII mRNA. The decrease in TβRII protein levels in adenovirus-infected cells was greater than the decrease in TβRII mRNA, suggesting that downregulation of the TβRII protein may occur through more than one mechanism. Surprisingly in this context, the half-lives of the TβRII protein in infected and uninfected cells were similar. TGF-β1 signaling was compromised in cells infected with wild-type adenovirus, as measured with 3TP-lux, a TGF-β-sensitive reporter plasmid expressing luciferase. Adenovirus mutants deficient in TβRII downregulation did not inhibit TGF-β1 signaling. TGF-β1 pretreatment reduced the relative abundance of adenovirus structural proteins in infected cells, an effect that was potentiated when cells were infected with mutants incapable of modulating the TGF-β signaling pathway. These results raise the possibility that inhibition of TGF-β signaling by E1A is a means by which adenovirus counters the antiviral defenses of the host.
Targeted molecular dynamics reveals overall common conformational changes upon hybrid domain swing‐out in β3 integrins

The β3 integrin family members αIIbβ3 and αVβ3 signal bidirectionally through long-range allosteric changes, including a transition from a bent unliganded-closed low-affinity state to an extended liganded-open high-affinity state. To obtain an atomic-level description of this transition in an explicit solvent, we carried out targeted molecular dynamics simulations of the headpieces of αIIbβ3 and αVβ3 integrins. Although minor differences were observed between these receptors, our results suggest a common transition pathway in which the hybrid domain swing-out is accompanied by conformational changes within the β3 βA (I-like) domain that propagate through the α7 helix C-terminus, and are followed by the α7 helix downward motion and the opening of the β6-α7 loop. Breaking of contact interactions between the β6-α7 loop and the α1 helix N-terminus results in helix straightening, internal rearrangements of SDL, movement of the β1-α1 loop toward the metal ion dependent adhesion site (MIDAS), and final changes at the interfaces between the β3 βA (I-like) domain and either the hybrid or the α β-propeller domains. Taken together, our results suggest novel testable hypotheses of intra-domain and inter-domain interactions responsible for β3 integrin activation.
THERMOELASTIC STRESSES AND DEFORMATIONS IN REACTOR FUEL PLATES

Abstract The thermoelastic stresses and displacements in a reactor fuel plate are determined for arbitrary temperature distributions and normal surface tractions which do not vary across the width of the plate and are symmetrical about the mid-plane of the thickness. It is assumed that cross sections perpendicular to the width dimension are in a state of plane strain. The exact solution involving no thin plate approximations is obtained in part A through the use of the Papkovich stress functions and Fourier series methods. The determination of the coefficients of the resulting series for the stresses and displacements requires the numerical solution of infinite sets of simultaneous linear algebraic equations. In part B are derived two approximate solutions based on small thickness-to-length ratios; quantitative estimates of the errors involved in these approximate solutions are obtained by comparison with the exact solution of part A.
Lichtenberg’s Thoughts Concerning Education: An Evaluation

It is the purpose of this final Chapter to interpret and to clarify the various thoughts concerning education that Lichtenberg deemed important enough to record in his “Sudelbucher“ and in his many letters. The inquiry thus far pursued has followed the intrinsic method of research.