cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Microwave System for High Accuracy High Spatial Resolution Dielectric Constant Uniformity Measurement

This paper presents a microwave system using an aperture in a microstrip resonant probe capable of measuring dielectric constant uniformity with high accuracy and high degree of spatial resolution. The volume scanned by the probe aperture is estimated to be 0.0301" × 0.0101" in area and 0.010" in depth and the accuracy achieved in dielectric constant uniformity measurement at 10 Ghz is better than 0.5% by using the resonant probe as part of a frequency discriminator in the measuring system.
Tiazofurin action in leukemia: Evidence for down-regulation of oncogenes and synergism with retinoic acid

New light was thrown on the action of tiazofurin in the treatment of end-stage leukemic patients and in leukemic cells in tissue culture. 1. In a population of 21 consecutive patients 50% responded to tiazofurin treatment, confirming the usefulness of this therapy in end-stage leukemia. 2. In leukemic patients treated with tiazofurin and allopurinol reciprocal action was manifested in the increase in hypoxanthine and the decrease in uric acid concentrations in the plasma. On discontinuation of allopurinol, hypoxanthine levels steeply declined but uric acid concentration increased slowly, taking days to reach pretreatment level. 3. With a new and sensitive method the concentration of the active metabolite of tiazofurin, TAD, was measured in the mononuclear cells of tiazofurin-treated patients. Approximately 5 to 13% of the plasma tiazofurin level was observed as TAD in the mononuclear cells. This TAD concentration was sufficient to account for the inhibition of IMP DH in these cells. 4. Tiazofurin or retinoic acid caused differentiation of HL-60 leukemic cells and inhibition of cell proliferation. 5. By treating leukemic cells incubated with tiazofurin or retinoic acid also with guanosine it was elucidated that the mechanism of the two drugs differed since only the tiazofurin effects were counteracted by guanosine. 6. Tiazofurin and retinoic acid together in HL-60 cells provided synergistic impact on differentiation and cytotoxicity. 7. Tiazofurin resulted in down-regulation of the expression of ras and myc oncogenes in three systems: K562 human erythroleukemic cells, rat hepatoma 3924A cells and human HL-60 leukemia cells. 8. Because both tiazofurin and retinoic acid are licensed drugs, their potential use in combination chemotherapy may have clinical relevance in the treatment of end-stage leukemia where our earlier studies have demonstrated the usefulness of tiazofurin.
Tuning of reconfigurable antennas by motion detection

In this paper we propose a new approach that tunes reconfigurable antennas by detecting motion in a specific location. The tuning circuit is based on an infra red (IR) emitter and another IR sensor that detects movement in a specific area and generates a predetermined voltage. This generated voltage can later be changed via a potentiometer to tune the antenna. The whole biasing circuit is software controlled by an “arduino” board, portable and powered by batteries. In this paper we show how this circuit can also be used to bias varactors integrated on a reconfigurable “filtenna” structure.
Speech reading enhancement using a sinusoidal substitute for voice fundamental frequency

Abstract This study compared the effectiveness of three acoustic supplements to speechreading: the low-pass-filtered output of an electroglottograph, a variable-frequency sinusoidal substitute for voice fundamental frequency (FO), and a constant-frequency sinusoidal substitute that served as a representation of voicing. Both sinusoidal signals were synthesized at constant amplitude during periods of voicing. The sinusoidal signals were prepared off-line by a combination of automatic and manual estimation of the FO contours of video-recorded sentences. These signals were then resynchronized with the audio portions of the original recording. In 12 normally-hearing adults, the electroglottograph signal and the variable-frequency sinusoidal FO substitute both increased the number of words recognized in sentences of known topic by between 30 and 35 percentage points. The magnitude of this effect was greater for longer sentences but independent of basic speechreading ability. The constant-frequency substitute provided a 13 percentage point increase, suggesting that approximately one-third of the FO speechreading enhancement effect could be accounted for by voicing detection alone.
Glutamate modulation of GABA transport in retinal horizontal cells of the skate.

Transport of the amino acid GABA into neurons and glia plays a key role in regulating the effects of GABA in the vertebrate retina. We have examined the modulation of GABA-elicited transport currents of retinal horizontal cells by glutamate, the likely neurotransmitter of vertebrate photoreceptors. Enzymatically isolated external horizontal cells of skate were examined using whole-cell voltage-clamp techniques. GABA (1 mm) elicited an inward current that was completely suppressed by the GABA transport inhibitors tiagabine (10 μm) and SKF89976-A (100 μm), but was unaffected by 100 μm picrotoxin. Prior application of 100 μm glutamate significantly reduced the GABA-elicited current. Glutamate depressed the GABA dose-response curve without shifting the curve laterally or altering the voltage dependence of the current. The ionotropic glutamate receptor agonists kainate and AMPA also reduced the GABA-elicited current, and the effects of glutamate and kainate were abolished by the ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonist 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline. NMDA neither elicited a current nor modified the GABA-induced current, and metabotropic glutamate analogues were also without effect. Inhibition of the GABA-elicited current by glutamate and kainate was reduced when extracellular calcium was removed and when recording pipettes contained high concentrations of the calcium chelator BAPTA. Caffeine (5 mm) and thapsigargin (2 nm), agents known to alter intracellular calcium levels, also reduced the GABA-elicited current, but increases in calcium induced by depolarization alone did not. Our data suggest that glutamate regulates GABA transport in retinal horizontal cells through a calcium-dependent process, and imply a close physical relationship between calcium-permeable glutamate receptors and GABA transporters in these cells.
Trajectory analysis of forest canopy effects on chemical flux in throughfall

Short interval sampling of precipitation inputs and stem flow-throughfall (SF-TF) outputs was conducted in a subalpine balsam fir forest to analyze the controls on canopy ion flux. A canopy hydrology model was used to separate the effects of abiotic and biotic processes. The time lag between precipitation inputs and SF-TF outputs caused by the storage of water in the canopy required that time-course patterns of SF-TF flux be examined graphically. The resulting trajectory analyses disclosed patterns from which we generalized about canopy processing of precipitation inputs. Changes in the ion concentration gradient across canopy tissue surfaces appeared to be an important factor in regulating the rate of flux of ions between canopy tissues and SF-TF. These changes were in turn determined by changes in such factors as apoplast ion concentrations and the residence time of water in the canopy. These generalizations permit qualitative predictions of SF-TF flux in other canopies over time based on only rudimentary knowledge of canopy structure and function.
Bacteriorhodopsin: Photochemistry and energy conversion

Abstract A new, dynamic functional structure and photochemical mechanism are presented for bacteriorhodopsin, in which the azomethine (Schiff-base) linkage is deprotonated and exists in a tautomeric form in the non-photolyzed molecule. When the retinal chromophore in trans conformation absorbs photon, the azomethine linkage can interact with the e-amino group of the neighboring lysine via a nucleophilic reaction. Thus, the first photochemical intermediate is an energy-rich double-protonated conjugate acid of an amidine base, which then undergoes deprotonation and hydrolysis, while the retinal becomes temporarily detached from the lysine residues. The cycle is completed when the deprotonated azomethine linkage is spontaneously reformed. The model clarifies most experimental observations.
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and raft inhibitors shorten the period of Period1 -driven circadian bioluminescence rhythms in rat-1 fibroblasts

Alterations in circadian rhythm generation may be related to the development of mood disorders. Although it has been reported that the most popular antidepressant, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) affect circadian phase, no data are available that describe the effects of SSRIs on other circadian parameters (period, amplitude and damping rate) in dissociated cells. In the present study we used real-time monitoring of bioluminescence in rat-1 fibroblasts expressing the Period1-luciferase transgene, and that in Period1-luciferase transgenic mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) explants, in order to characterize the effects of SSRI on circadian oscillator function in vitro. We found that mRNA of the serotonin transporter (SERT), a target of SSRIs, was expressed in rat-1 fibroblasts. Sertraline, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, citalopram and paroxetine all significantly shortened the period of Period1-bioluminescence rhythms in rat-1 fibroblasts. The amplitude was reduced by sertraline, and the damping rate was decreased by sertraline, fluoxetine, flvoxamine and paroxetine. The effect of sertraline was dose-dependent, and it also shortened the circadian period in the SCN. SERT is associated with lipid microdomains, which are required for efficient SERT activity. Indeed, cholesterol chelating reagent methyl-beta-cyclodextrin significantly reduced the period and the amplitude in rat-1 fibroblasts. Furthermore, lipid binding reagent xylazine significantly reduced the period. In summary our data present evidence that SSRIs affect circadian rhythmicity. The action of SSRIs is likely mediated by suppression of SERT activity. A better understanding of the relationship between mental illness and biological timing may yield new insight into disease etiology and avenues for treatment.
THE INJECTION OF SULFATES INTO VALONIA

Potassium chloride and sulfate were injected into the vacuole of Valonia. The surviving cells tolerated the presence of these solutions. Sulfate, although ordinarily absent from the sap, is not rapidly eliminated when introduced. Hence the sulfate occasionally found in cells of normal appearance may have entered due to temporary injury followed by recovery.
Esophageal Perforation following Use of Esophageal Airway

The esophageal airway has gained increasing acceptance in airway management during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and its enthusiastic advocates are urging expansion of its use. A fatal case of esophageal perforation following the use of an esophageal airway is presented. Possible contributing factors are discussed. A modified esophageal airway which seems safer and more versatile, effective, and economic is described.
Ergodic Properties and Julia Sets of Weierstrass Elliptic Functions

We discuss properties of the Julia and Fatou sets of Weierstrass elliptic ℘ functions arising from real lattices. We give sufficient conditions for the Julia sets to be the whole sphere and for the maps to be ergodic, exact, and conservative. We also give examples for which the Julia set is not the whole sphere.
Knee joint torques: A comparison between women and men during barefoot walking

Abstract Kerrigan DC, Riley PO, Nieto TJ, Della Croce U. Knee joint torques: comparison between women and men during barefoot walking. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2000;81:1162-5. Objective: To determine if knee joint torques, which are likely relevant to the development and, possibly, progression of knee osteoarthritis, are equivalent between genders during natural, barefoot walking. Design: Collected stereophotogrammetric and force platform data during comfortable, barefoot walking. Knee joint torques were plotted and statistically compared between genders using both an unpaired t test ( p Setting: A gait laboratory. Participants: One hundred ten healthy, nondisabled young women and men. Main Outcome Measures: Four knee joint torque parameters normalized for height and weight: (1) peak and (2) duration of sagittal flexor joint torque from early to midstance, and (3) first and (4) second peak coronal (frontal) varus torque values during the stance period. Results: No statistically significant differences between genders were found, and the values were equivalent between genders for each of the 4 knee joint torque parameters. Conclusion: These findings support the hypothesis that under similar barefoot conditions women and men have a similar intrinsic biomechanic risk for knee osteoarthritis. Future research to assess the effects of other potential biomechanic factors, such as shoe-wear and activity type, may assist not only in preventing knee joint osteoarthritis, but also in developing new rehabilitative strategies to treat osteoarthritis of the knee. © 2000 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Fluence-dependent radiation damage in helium (He) ion-irradiated Cu/V multilayers

We have explored the capacity of Cu/V interfaces to absorb helium ion radiation-induced defects spanning a peak damage range of 0.6–18 displacements per atom (dpa). The study provides evidence of alleviated nucleation of He bubbles in the multilayer films from Cu/V 50 nm to Cu/V 2.5 nm. Layer interfaces are retained in all irradiated specimens. Peak bubble density increases monotonically with fluence, and is lower in multilayers with smaller individual layer thickness. Radiation hardening decreases with decreasing layer thickness and appears to reach saturation upon peak radiation damage of 6 dpa. Size- and fluence-dependent radiation damage in multilayers is discussed.
Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering Detection of pH with Silica-Encapsulated 4-Mercaptobenzoic Acid-Functionalized Silver Nanoparticles

Sensors based upon surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are attractive because they have narrow, vibrationally specific spectral peaks that can be excited using red and near-infrared light which avoids photobleaching, penetrates tissue, and reduces autofluorescence. Several groups have fabricated pH nanosensors by functionalizing silver or gold nanoparticle surfaces with an acidic molecule and measuring the ratio of protonated to deprotonated Raman bands. However, a limitation of these sensors is that macromolecules in biological systems can adsorb onto the nanoparticle surface and interfere with measurements. To overcome this interference, we encapsulated pH SERS sensors in a 30 nm thick silica layer with small pores which prevented bovine serum albumin (BSA) molecules from interacting with the pH-indicating 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) on the silver surfaces but preserved the pH-sensitivity. Encapsulation also improved colloidal stability and sensor reliability. The noise level corresponded to l...
Mycoplasmal upper respiratory infection presenting as leukocytoclastic vasculitis

Mycoplasma is a virulent organism that is known to primarily infect the respiratory tract; however, affection of the skin, nervous system, kidneys, heart and bloodstream has been observed in various forms, which include Stevens Johnson syndrome, erythema multiforme, toxic epidermal necrolysis, encephalitis, renal failure, conduction system abnormalities and hemolytic anemia. Small vessel vasculitis is a lesser-known complication of mycoplasma pneumonia infection. We report a case of mycoplasmal upper respiratory tract infection with striking cutaneous lesions as the presenting symptom. Mycoplasmal infection was confirmed by serology testing, skin biopsy was suggestive of leukocytoclastic vasculitis. This case brings forth an uncommon manifestation of mycoplasmal infection with extra-pulmonary affection, namely small vessel vasculitis.
Modified parton distributions and the HERA high-2 anomaly

Abstract A recent proposal seeks to explain the anomaly in the HERA high- Q 2 neutral current e + p data by modifying the parton distribution functions at moderate-to-high- x and large Q 2 . We investigate the consequences of this proposal for the HERA high- Q 2 data itself, in the neutral current e − p channel and especially in the charged current e ± p channels. We find that there are striking signatures in the charged current which already serve to rule out many possibilities, including the (symmetric) intrinsic charm hypothesis. For those not ruled out, interesting signals are predicted in e − p scattering.
Particulate Emission Control from Pulp Mill Recovery Boilers with Electrostatic Precipitators

The theory of electrostatic precipitators as it applies to the collection of particulate from a pulp mill recovery boiler is reviewed. Emphasis is placed on the fundamental physical relationships that exist between the electrical and aerodynamic characteristics of the particulate. A discussion of the difference in the behavior of the precipitator with the conventional and low odor systems is included. A comparison of the design and measured mass efficiency from a number of installations in included.
The corbiculae of bees

Les corbicules, qui servent a transporter le pollen et d'autres materiaux au nid, designent l'espace qu'entourent les franges des longs poils de la brosse a pollen. Elles sont bien connues sur les tarses des pattes posterieures chez les Euglossini et les Bombini (bourdons). ainsi que chez les ouvrieres des Apini (abeilles melliferes) et des Meliponini (abeilles sans dard), c'est-a-dire chez les Apidae a corbicules. Par contre il n'est generalement pas reconnu qu'elles existent aussi sur la partie inferieure des femurs des pattes posterieures des femelles de la plupart des abeilles a langue courte, sur les cotes du propodeum (premier segment abdominal en avant du petiole) de nombreuses especes d'andrenes (Andrena sp.) et sur les tibias des pattes posterieures d'au moins une espece de la tribu des Eucerini. Sur les figures les parties en pointilles representent la surface de l'interieur des corbicules. La corbicule femorale represente le type le plus courant et peut etre une synapomorphie des Andrenidae, des Colletidae et des Halictidae, qui unit ces familles en un clade provenant d'une abeille ancestrale; de meme la corbicule du tibia est une synapomorphie unissant en un clade les quatre tribus des Apidae a corbicules.
Informative Path Planning for Improving Classification Performance through Kinematic Decisions

As an information-gathering agent, unmanned system inevitably relies on its sensing abilities to perceive the world. Such a gathered information is vital for making further significant decisions, thus often operating under the assumption that maximizing the amount of information would result in minimizing the likelihood of committing erroneous decisions. In this work, we question this assumption by carefully examining the relationship between information and the probability of making erroneous decisions, then investigate the implication of the relationship in a Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) path planning problem. First, we conduct a functional analysis of two performance metrics (i.e., mutual information and the probability of misclassification) with respect to the sensing abilities. The analysis suggests an effective region of sensor space that can improve the classification performance when multiple measurements are to be taken sequentially. Based on the results of the analysis, we establish sensing strategies to a UAV path planning problem where the sensor performance depends on the relative position (i.e., range and azimuth) of the UAV with respect to the object of interest. Specifically, we use two sliding mode controllers, each of which accounts for a particular sensing strategy, with a hybrid-system switching scheme. We validate our approach with numerical simulation results.
Choice of STATs and other substrates specified by modular tyrosine-based motifs in cytokine receptors

Many members of the cytokine receptor superfamily initiate intracellular signaling by activating members of the Jak family of tyrosine kinases. Activation of the same Jaks by multiple cytokines raises the question of how these cytokines activate distinct intracellular signaling pathways. Selection of particular substrates--the transcriptional activator Stat3 and protein tyrosine phosphatase PTP1D--that characterize responses to the ciliary neurotrophic factor-interleukin-6 cytokine family depended not on which Jak was activated, but was instead determined by specific tyrosine-based motifs in the receptor components--gp130 and LIFR--shared by these cytokines. Further, these tyrosine-based motifs were modular, because addition of a Stat3-specifying motif to another cytokine receptor, that for erythropoietin, caused it to activate Stat3 in a ligand-dependent fashion.
Treatment Strategies and Clinical Trial Design in ADPKD

More frequent utilization and continuous improvement of imaging techniques has enhanced appreciation of the high phenotypic variability of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, improved understanding of its natural history, and facilitated the observation of its structural progression. At the same time, identification of the PKD1 and PKD2 genes has provided clues to how the disease develops when they (genetic mechanisms) and their encoded proteins (molecular mechanisms) are disrupted. Interventions designed to rectify downstream effects of these disruptions have been examined in animal models, and some are currently tested in clinical trials. Efforts are underway to determine whether interventions capable to slow down, stop, or reverse structural progression of the disease will also prevent decline of renal function and improve clinically significant outcomes.
Preoperative vascular mapping for facial allotransplantation: four-dimensional computed tomographic angiography versus magnetic resonance angiography.

Background:Facial allotransplantation requires a detailed arterial and venous assessment for surgical planning. Target vessels are often depleted by multiple reconstructive attempts or the severe facial injury itself. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively compare the diagnostic performanc
Rat-pup killing and maternal behavior in male Long-Evans rats: Prenatal stimulation and postnatal testosterone

During each of the last 5 days of pregnancy, Long-Evans rats received one of the following conditions: 45 min of restraint and intense illumination, 3 min of handling, 3 min of restraint and.1 mg of androstenedione, and 3 min of restraint and.1 ml sesame oil. Half of the offspring of each group received testosterone postnatally. In adulthood, the handled group’s offspring killed many pups with or without exogenous testosterone; the other offspring killed many only with testosterone. More animals that received androstenedione prenatally and testosterone postnatally killed pups than animals that received either oil or 45 min of restraint and intense illumination prenatally and testosterone postnatally. A subsequent manipulation found that fewer prenatally unhandled animals killed than the prenatally handled animals in this experiment. These prenatally unhandled animals required less time to retrieve pups (and more of them did so) than did any of the other groups.
POSTER: Signal anomaly based attack detection in wireless sensor networks

This paper presents a feasibility study of novel attack detection mechanisms in wireless sensor networks (WSN) based on detecting anomalies and changes in sensor signals and data values. Typical WSN attacks are considered in the empirical study of various attack detection techniques utilizing features based on sensor signal strength and other WSN technological parameters and using machine learning classification techniques such as clustering, rule learners, and neural networks. For the attack detection implementation the study employed WSN built from Sun kits available on the market and extended Sensor Network Anomaly Detection System (SNADS) framework of methods and tools.
Factors determining forward voltage drop and forward blocking in the field terminated diode (FTD)

Using exact numercial solutions of the full set of semiconductor device equations the field terminated diode (FTD) structure is investigated. It is shown that the grid structure reduces current flow by causing the electron current to funnel around the grid and at the same time diverting hole current through the grid. In addition, it is shown that the best tradeoff between forward blocking capability and forward drop for a given grid aspect ratio is achieved by low doped, shallow, and closely spaced grids.
Seed quality evaluation of eight kenaf cultivars

Abstract Kenaf ( Hibiscus cannabinus L.), a promising nonwood fiber crop, produces a high oil content seed that loses viability as exposure to high temperature and humidity increases. Because a large proportion of kenaf seed production in the United States is located in areas with high temperature and humidity, identifying kenaf germplasm with superior seed quality and resistance to weathering and seed coat pathogens should provide beneficial information to both growers and genetic improvement programs. Eight cultivars were evaluated in a darkened seed germinator in the laboratory at 18.5°C for differences in germination, susceptibility to seed coat mold growth, and coefficient of velocity of germination. Laboratory results indicated that percent germination was generally greatest for cultivars Tainung 2, Cubano, Tainung 1, Cuba 108, and Everglades 71 and lowest for 19-117-2. Susceptibility to seed coat mold growth of Cuba 108, Cubano, Tainung 2, and Everglades 71 was consistently less than 19-117-2. Coefficient of velocity of germination or rate of germination was greatest for Tainung 2 and lowest for Everglades 71. In 1991, stand establishment of Everglades 71 and Tainung 2 was greater than 19-117-2. Stand establishment and postemergence damping-off were determined at 42 days after planting. Stands of Everglades 71, Tainung 2, Cuba 108, and Tainung 1 were significantly greater than 19-117-2, 45-9, Cubano, and 78-18RS10 in the 1992 study. Cultivars differed for postemergence damping-off, with Tainung 2, Cuba 108, Tainung 1, and Cubano having less incidence than 78-18RS10. Laboratory and field studies indicated that kenaf cultivars differed in seed quality, stand establishment, and seedling disease susceptibility. Identification and improvement of favorable seed quality traits should result in more uniform stand establishment, seedling vigor, and resistance to the seed-seedling pathogen complex.
Collaboration and the need fortrust

Reform efforts increasingly promote collaboration – admonishing principals to include both teachers and parents in democratic decision processes and encouraging teachers to work toward greater collaboration with their colleagues. The hypotheses that the level of collaboration was related to the level of trust was supported in bivariate correlational analyses. There was a significant link between collaboration with the principal and trust in the principal, collaboration with colleagues and trust in colleagues, and collaboration with parents and trust in parents. Canonical correlation reinforced the importance of trust in predicting the overall level of collaboration within a school. Among the set of trust variables, trust in clients was most influential in predicting the set of collaboration variables. Collaboration with parents was the most potent of the collaboration variables in this analysis. These finding argue for the importance of trust in nurturing collaborative relationships.
Risk factors for adverse maternal outcomes among women with HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) syndrome.

Abstract Objective: This study was undertake to determine risk factors for adverse maternal outcomes among women with HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) syndrome. Study Design: Maternal medical records of pregnancies complicated by HELLP syndrome managed between July 1, 1992, and April 30, 1999, were reviewed. Risk factors evaluated included maternal age, parity, race, previous preeclampsia, chronic hypertension, gestational age at diagnosis, mean arterial blood pressure, nadir blood platelet count ( 32 weeks' gestation (P 150 U/L, and a peak serum lactate dehydrogenase level of >1400 U/L were not independent risk factors for adverse outcome. Conclusions: Among women with HELLP syndrome, African American race is a risk factor for eclampsia. Both acute renal failure and abruptio placentae are associated with disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. Laboratory parameters of HELLP syndrome are not independent risk factors for adverse maternal outcome. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2000;183:444-8.)
Electronic Evolution of Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT): From the Isolated Chain to the Pristine and Heavily Doped Crystals

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) is the prototypical conjugated polymer used in the doped state as the hole injection/transport layer in organic (opto)electronic devices. Numerous experimental studies have been successful only in drawing a partial microscopic picture of PEDOT due to its complex morphology, which has also hampered application of theoretical approaches. Using density functional theory methods, combined with refined structural models built upon crystallographic data of PEDOT and other substituted polythiophenes, our work seeks to establish a comprehensive understanding of the electronic and geometric structures of PEDOT, as an isolated chain and in the pristine and doped bulk phases. We find that ethylenedioxy substitution planarizes the polythiophene backbone but the experimentally observed bandgap reduction is caused mainly by a stronger destabilization of the valence band than the conduction band via donor-type substitution. The calculated crystal of pristine PEDOT has a monoclini...
The relationship between alcohol use and attempts and success at smoking cessation

Abstract This study assessed the relationships between alcohol use and smoking cessation in a general population sample ( N = 2115) of adults living in a country in north Florida. Nearly half of the sample had ever smoked. Of these, 44% had successfully quit; 34% had tried unsuccessfully to quit; 21% reported never having tried to quit. In multivariate analyses which controlled for background factors, heavy drinkers were found to be less likely to attempt to quit smoking. And, if they had attempted to quit, they were less likely to succeed. Having quit drinking was very strongly related to success at smoking cessation, and slightly negatively related to attempts to quit smoking. Individuals who enjoyed smoking with alcohol were more likely to attempt to quit smoking and to be successful at quitting than those who did not enjoy smoking and drinking concurrently. Those who enjoyed smoking at stressful times were less likely to have tried to quit than those not using smoking to cope with stress. The authors suggest social-situational and stress perspectives as conceptual frameworks for future research.
Challenges in computer architecture evaluation

We focus on problems suited to the current evaluation infrastructure. The current limitation and trends in evaluation techniques are troublesome and could noticeably slow the rate of computer system innovation. New research has been recommended to help and make quantitative evaluations of computer systems manageable. We support research in the areas of simulation frameworks, benchmarking methodologies, analytic methods, and validation techniques.
Causal versus Constitutive Explanations (or, On the Difficulty of Being so Positive…)

Gerald Rosenberg's lucid, insightful, and provocative review of my book Rights at Work strikes me as quite positive in several different, even divergent senses of the word. The review is positive first of all in that it extends copious compliments to my efforts and achievements. Rosenberg uses lots of laudatory adjectives in describing various characteristics of the book and identifies several ways in which the book makes important contributions to scholarship. Even the specific criticisms in the second half of the review are framed in ways that recognize virtues along with alleged limits or shortcomings in my work. It is always nice to receive reviews that are positive in this sense, and I thank him for such an affirmative appraisal.
Cholane Derivatives with Potential Ligating Groups at the 3‐ and 24‐Positions

Abstract Starting from readily available lithocholic acid, a number of new cholane derivatives have been prepared consisting of the same or different electron‐donor groups at the 3‐ and 24‐positions. Yields ranged from good to excellent. The donor groups were chosen on the basis of their known ability to coordinate to transition‐metal ions and include pyridyl, 1,3‐dithiolanyl, phenylthioether, and oxime ether groups.
Transient and Cyclic Responses of Strain-Generated Potential in Rabbit Patellar Tendon Are Frequency and pH Dependent

The goal of this study was to expand understanding of strain-generated potential (SGP) in ligamentous or tendinous tissues. Most SGP studies in the past have focused on cartilage or bone. Herein, rabbit patellar tendon (PT) was used as a model. Each patellar tendon had two Ag/AgCl electrodes inserted at axial positions of 1/4 and 1/2 from patellar to tibial insertions. Each specimen was electrically isolated, gripped in a servohydraulic test system, and then subjected to a short session of uniaxial haversine tension (2.5 percent maximum strain) at a frequency of 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 5.0 Hz. A cyclic (sinusoidal) electrical potential superimposed upon a larger transient (exponentially asymptotic) potential was consistently observed. Upon termination of loading, the cyclic SGP ended, and the shifted baseline of the SGP exponentially decayed and asymptotically returned to a residual potential which over all specimens was not different than the original potential. The transient and cyclic SGPs were frequency dependent (P < 0.001, P = 0.06, respectively). To our knowledge, this transient portion of the SGP, although theoretically predicted by Suh (1996, Biorheology, 33, pp. 289-304) and Chen (1996, Ph.D. thesis, University of Wisconsin-Madison) has not been observed in other experiments using different protocols. Additional PTs were dehydrated and the rehydrated in solution at different pH levels. The magnitude of SGPs increased in basic solution (pH 9.5) but diminished in pH 4.7 buffer. This pH dependency suggests that electrokinetics is the dominant mechanism for the transient and cyclic responses of the SGPs, although this study does not provide direct evidence.
The Role of Pediatricians in Families With a History of Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Colon cancer is not an entity that pediatricians routinely confront; however, a family history of colon cancer can have pediatric implications when it is part of familial adenomatous polyposis syndrome. Colonic (multiple intestinal polyps) and extracolonic manifestations (such as hepatoblastoma or brain tumors) can be the presenting features in children. The authors present 2 patients from different families with familial adenomatous polyposis who presented with the extracolonic manifestation of this syndrome and a family history of colon cancer. Identification of these families and education of their primary care givers can lead to improved screening and management of these high-risk individuals.
An integrated photobioreactor and foam fractionation unit for the growth and harvest of Chaetoceros spp. in open systems.

Abstract The separation of cells from large volume cultures by centrifugation is a costly and time-consuming process that has prompted the exploration of alternative propitious separation strategies. Foam fractionation is a technique that can be used to concentrate large cell culture volumes, significantly decreasing centrifugation time requirements. A foam fractionation system is relatively inexpensive and easy to maintain. This study was aimed at empirically determining optimal levels of the major factors influencing foam fractionation of the marine diatom Chaetoceros spp. in a pilot scale, open culture, integrated photobioreactor and foam fractionation unit. The experimental system consisted of eight 220 l fiberglass photobioreactors that served as growth chambers and foam fractionating units. Bubble size, air flow rate (AFR), cell density (CD), overflow height (OH), pH and foam fractionation run time (RT) were factors investigated while harvesting the outdoor open cultures. Flocculating agents and surfactants were not added to the diatom cultures at any time. Experiments were conducted to determine how variable levels influence dry weight yield, harvesting efficiency (HE) and foam volume collected. Experimentally determined setpoints resulted in harvesting efficiencies exceeding 90% while extracting less than 12% of the total culture volume in a period of 30 min. These results indicate that foam fractionation is a practical tool for harvesting Chaetoceros spp. diatoms.
How efficiently a ganglion cell codes the visual signal

The retina's visual message is transmitted to the brain by ganglion cells that integrate noisy synaptic inputs to create a spike train. We asked how efficiently the retinal ganglion cell spike generator creates the spike train message. Intracellular and extracellular recordings were made from in vitro guinea pig retina, in response to a spot of light flashed over the receptive field center. Responses were analyzed with an "ideal observer, " a program that discriminated between two contrasts based on an optimal decision rule. Spike trains from ganglion cells had thresholds as low as 1% contrast, but thresholds for the corresponding graded potentials were lower by a factor of 2. Using a computational model of the ganglion cell, we asked what factors in the spike generator mechanism are responsible for the spike train's loss in performance. The model included dendritic/axonal morphology, noisy synaptic inputs and membrane channels. Adaptation of spike rate was provided by K(Ca) channels which were activated by Ca/sup 2+/ flux during spikes. When K(Ca) channels were included, they controlled the duration of the inter-spike interval and thus set the level of noise in the spike train. These results imply that the spike generator adds noise to the spike train signal.
The psychobiology of undersocialized aggressive conduct disorder: A theoretical perspective

Undersocialized aggressive conduct disorder is conceptualized within the framework for personality and motivation of Jeffrey Gray. The disorder is seen as reflecting a dominance of the reward system over the behavioral inhibition system. Evidence for this conceptualizing coming from behavioral, psychophysiological, biochemical, and pharmacological studies is reviewed. Relevant findings from these studies include perseverative responding for reward, indices of inefficient noradrenergic and serotonergic functioning, and electrodermal underresponding. Additional research to test the proposed hypothesis is suggested.
Effects on body temperature of the unanaesthetized cat of sodium chloride solutions of varied pH, injected into a lateral cerebral ventricle.

Abstract Intracerebroventricular injections of saline solutions with pH values from 4·4–11·6 did not appreciably alter body temperature in the cat. Solutions with pH values outside this range had a tendency to cause hyperthermia.
An Engineering Estimate for Plug-Flow Convection in Porous Media Discarding Fluid Conduction

Metal and graphite foam are relatively new types of porous materials characterized by having high-solid phase conductivities. In many cooling applications of these materials, including high-power electronics, low-conductivity fluids flow through them, e.g., air. A simple approximate engineering solution for the convection heat transfer inside a two-dimensional rectangular porous media subjected to constant heat flux on one side is presented. The conduction in the fluid is set to zero, and for simplicity, a plug flow is considered. As a result, the non-local-thermal equilibrium equations are significantly simplified and solved. The solid and fluid temperatures decay in what looks like an exponential fashion as the distance from the heated wall increases. The results are in good agreement with one more complex analytical solution in the literature, in the region far from the heated wall only.
Testing quantile-preserving spreads

This paper derives a two-sample non-parametric procedure for testing quantile-preserving spreads. The asymptotic properties of the test statistic are studied, and the use of the test is demonstrated in comparing the dispersion of the returns on a stock-index between months.
Weighing Stars: Aggregating Online Product Reviews for Intelligent E-commerce Applications

A new task in text-sentiment analysis adds usefulness scoring to polarity/ opinion extraction to improve product- review ranking services, helping shoppers and vendors leverage information from multiple sources. Human language is a medium not only for exchanging information but also for conveying subjective opinions and emotion. Recently, interest in text-subjectivity and sentiment analysis has increased as part of the larger research effort in affective computing, which aims to make computers understand and generate human-like emotions through language and other expressive activities such as gesture.
Heterogeneous Cloud Computing

Current cloud computing infrastructure typically assumes a homogeneous collection of commodity hardware, with details about hardware variation intentionally hidden from users. In this paper, we present our approach for extending the traditional notions of cloud computing to provide a cloud-based access model to clusters that contain a heterogeneous architectures and accelerators. We describe our ongoing work extending the Open Stack cloud computing stack to support heterogeneous architectures and accelerators, and our experiences running Open Stack on our local heterogeneous cluster test bed.
The Limit of Detection of a Weak Acid, in the Presence of Another, by Potentiometric Acid-Base Titrimetry and Deviation-Pattern Recognition

Abstract When a solution containing a single monobasic weak acid is titrated potentiometrically with a strong base, non-linear regression analysis of the data yields a random scatter of the residuals around the best fit to the appropriate equation. If the same equation is used when a second weak acid is also present, systematic errors arise and yield a deviation plot having a characteristic shape. If the amplitude of that plot is substantially larger than the random error of measurement, the presence of the second acid can be detected, and its concentration can then be evaluated by non-linear regression onto the equation that takes its presence into account. The amplitude increases as the relative concentration of the second acid increases, and as the difference between the values of pKa for the two acids increases. Examination of these dependences shows, for example, that it should be possible to detect 1 per cent of an impurity for which pKa differs by 0.57 unit from that of the major component.
LIFE HISTORY TYPE AND WATER STRESS TOLERANCE IN NINE CALIFORNIA CHAPARRAL SPECIES (RHAMNACEAE)

Chaparral species of California, USA, exhibit three life history types in response to fire: non-sprouters (NS), facultative sprouters (FS), and obligate sprouters (OS). Adult non-sprouters are killed by fire; thus populations reestablish only through fire- stimulated seed germination and seedling recruitment. Facultative sprouters reestablish by both vegetative sprouting and seed germination. Obligate sprouters reestablish only by vegetative sprouting and do not recruit seedlings post-fire. Previous data suggest that post-fire NS and FS seedlings reestablish as open-canopy gap specialists, whereas OS seedlings primarily reestablish in deep shade during fire-free intervals. Their non-refractory seeds are killed by fire. We hypothesized that these differences in life history, compared within the same taxonomic group, would result in a range of relative resistance to water stress such that NS . FS . OS. To test our hypothesis, we estimated resistance to water stress using resistance to xylem cavitation (the water potential at 50% loss in hydraulic conductivity; W50) for stems and roots in nine species of the family Rhamnaceae: Ceanothus megacarpus, C. crassifolius, and C. cuneatus (NS); C. spinosus, C. oliganthus, and C. leucodermis (FS); and Rhamnus ilicifolia, R. crocea, and R. californica (OS). Stems of NS species displayed greater resistance to cavitation (W50 ¼� 8.38 6 0.47 MPa) compared to both the FS (W50 ¼� 5.07 6 0.55 MPa) and OS species (W50 ¼� 5.99 6 0.38 MPa), whereas FS and OS species were not different. For roots, the general pattern was the same, but roots were generally less cavitation resistant than stems. A hydraulic model predicted that water uptake in OS species was limited by extensive cavitation in vulnerable root xylem, consistent with a reliance on deep soil water. Water uptake in cavitation-resistant NS species was most limited by soil hydraulic resistance, consistent with maximizing extraction of shallow soil water. These results suggest a link between life history and water stress tolerance in chaparral.
Characterising dredgeability of aggregate deposits for clamshell dredge

The lack of metrics to assess clamshell formation dredgeability limits the ability of engineers to predict the dredgeability of compact material and increases the risks associated with clamshell selection. Work done and motor energy are possible dredgeability metrics that can be estimated using micro–processor based machine monitoring. The objective of this work was to test the hypotheses that work done by the pistons during dredging, by a hydraulically actuated dredge, is a better predictor of clamshell dredgeability than motor energy. The research hypothesis was tested by comparing the measure of uncertainty surrounding mean estimates and the coefficient of variation. From this work, it can be concluded that work done is a better predictor of formation dredgeability than motor energy.
Geriatric depression and cognitive impairment

Cognitive impairment is common in geriatric depression, and depressed individuals with co-morbid cognitive impairment are at increased risk for a number of adverse medical, psychiatric and cognitive outcomes. This review focuses on clinical issues surrounding the co-occurrence of these two conditions within the context of current research. We (1) review the clinical criteria and prevalence of depression, as well as co-morbid cognitive impairment, (2) discuss factors associated with persistent cognitive impairment in depression, including dementia, and (3) review research relevant to the assessment and treatment of cognitive impairment and dementia in the context of depression. We conclude that current research on depression and cognition can inform clinical decisions that reduce the occurrence of adverse outcomes. Clinicians are encouraged to develop proactive approaches for treatment, which may include combinations of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions.