cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low power design under parameter variations

Design considerations for low-power operations and robustness with respect to variations typically impose contradictory design requirements. Low-power design techniques such as voltage scaling, dual-Vth and gate sizing can have large negative impact on parametric yield under process variations. In this tutorial, we focus on circuit/architectural design techniques for low power under parameter variations. We consider both logic and memory design and encompass modeling, analysis as well as design methodology to simultaneously achieve low power and variation tolerance. Design techniques to minimize power under parametric yield constraint as well as major process adaptation techniques using voltage scaling, adaptive body biasing or logic restructuring will be presented. Techniques to deal with within-die parameter variations in logic and memory circuits primarily caused by random dopant fluctuations will be discussed with emphasis on frequency assignments and body biasing. Finally, we will discuss temperature-aware design, dynamic adaptation to temperature and cover on-going research activities in related area such as low-power and variation tolerant multi-core processor design.
Differential regulation of matrix Gla protein (MGP) gene expression by retinoic acid and estrogen in human breast carcinoma cells

Expression of matrix Gla protein (MGP) gene and its regulation by retinoic acid (RA) and estrogen was investigated in eight human breast cancer cell lines. The promoter region of the MGP gene contains a consensus retinoic acid response element (RARE) and the MGP gene expression has been shown to be strongly induced by RA in other systems. Our results suggest that RA negatively regulates MGP mRNA expression in human breast cancer cells that have high levels of estrogen receptors (ER), i.e. MCF-7, ZR-75 and BT474 and positively regulates its expression in cells with either no ERs, i.e. MDA-MB-468 or very low levels of ERs, i.e. T47D. This indicates that ER levels may affect RA modulation of MGP gene expression in human breast cancer cells. The inhibitory effect of RA on MGP gene expression was abolished in RRO-I, the RA-resistant MCF-7 subline. We also demonstrate for the first time that estrogen strongly induces MGP gene expression in ER-positive cells and that estrogen-mediated induction of MGP is blocked by RA even in otherwise RA-resistant cells.
Qualitative assessment of gene expression in affymetrix genechip arrays

Abstract Affymetrix Genechip microarrays are used widely to determine the simultaneous expression of genes in a given biological paradigm. Probes on the Genechip array are atomic entities which by definition are randomly distributed across the array and in turn govern the gene expression. In the present study, we make several interesting observations. We show that there is considerable correlation between the probe intensities across the array which defy the independence assumption. While the mechanism behind such correlations is unclear, we show that scaling behavior and the profiles of perfect match (PM) as well as mismatch (MM) probes are similar and immune-to-background subtraction. We believe that the observed correlations are possibly an outcome of inherent non-stationarities or patchiness in the array devoid of biological significance. This is demonstrated by inspecting their scaling behavior and profiles of the PM and MM probe intensities obtained from publicly available Genechip arrays from three eukaryotic genomes, namely: Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), Homo sapiens (humans) and Mus musculus (house mouse) across distinct biological paradigms and across laboratories, with and without background subtraction. The fluctuation functions were estimated using detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) with fourth-order polynomial detrending. The results presented in this study provide new insights into correlation signatures of PM and MM probe intensities and suggests the choice of DFA as a tool for qualitative assessment of Affymetrix Genechip microarrays prior to their analysis. A more detailed investigation is necessary in order to understand the source of these correlations.
Nitrogen Use in Tifway Bermudagrass, as Affected by Trinexapac-Ethyl

Nutrient movement from turfgrass systems into surface and ground water is a public concern. Data indicate that actively growing turf rapidly immobilizes applied N, thus restricting nutrient movement. It is possible, however, that growth suppression with plant growth regulators (PGRs) could reduce N demand and thus N uptake, resulting in greater leaching losses. An experiment was conducted with column lysimeters to investigate the effects of trinexapac-ethyl (TE) on nitrate leaching and N-use efficiency in Tifway bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon × C. transvaalensis). The experiment was conducted in a growth chamber with day/night temperature set at 29/24°C and a 12-h photoperiod. Trinexapac-ethyl was applied twice at 4-wk intervals at 0.11 kg a.i. ha -1 . Ammonium nitrate (AN) was applied at 50 kg N ha -1 2 wk after each TE application, and again 6 wk after the second TE application. Separate sets of columns received 15 N-labeled AN for the first two applications. Irrigation was scheduled to provide a leaching fraction of 50%; leachate was collected after each irrigation and analyzed for nitrate and ammonium. Cumulative nitrate leaching was unaffected by TE after the first two N applications, but was reduced =60% by TE following the third N application. Trinexapac-ethyl reduced 15 N allocation to clippings by 25% and increased 15 N allocation to roots and rhizomes; total recovery of applied N in tissues was 65%. Results demonstrate chemical growth suppression with TE does not reduce N uptake or increase nitrate leaching from bermudagrass.
Effect of Trimetaphosphate Ions on the Process of Mineralization

The effect of trimetaphosphate on mineral deposition was studied. Small concentrations of trimetaphosphate in a calcifying solution slowed the rate of calcium and phosphate deposition onto etched enamel and caused the formation of a solid phase, the chemical composition of which approximated that of hydroxyapatite and fluorapatite. The mechanism of the trimetaphosphate ion effect was due to its accumulation on the enamel mineral surface.
Grand unification of preon models

We investigate several preon models within the context of grand unification. We use the value of ${\ensuremath{\alpha}}_{s}$ (i.e., ${\ensuremath{\Lambda}}_{\stackrel{-}{\mathrm{MS}}}$, where $\stackrel{-}{\mathrm{MS}}$ indicates the modified minimal-subtraction scheme) and the precolor scale ${M}_{\mathrm{PC}}$ as input into the renormalization-group equations, and calculate the value of ${{sin}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}}_{W}({M}_{W})$ and the unification mass scale ${M}_{U}$. As a consistency check we follow the precolor coupling constant down from ${M}_{U}$ to ${M}_{\mathrm{PC}}$ to see where precolor becomes strong. The models which are consistent with present neutral-current data and proton-lifetime limits yield values of ${M}_{U}$ somewhat larger than the standard SU(5) model. The unification group $G$ is not constrained by the analysis. We consider both $\mathrm{SU}(N)$ and $\mathrm{SO}(N)$ as precolor groups and allow for two breaking patterns $G\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{SU}{(3)}_{C}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{SU}{(2)}_{L}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{U}{(1)}_{Y}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{precolor}$ or the low right-handed mass-scale possibility $G\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{SU}{(3)}_{C}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{SU}{(2)}_{L}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{SU}{(2)}_{R}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{U}{(1)}_{B\ensuremath{-}L}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}\mathrm{precolor}$. Of the various $\mathrm{SO}(N)$ possibilities examined none are found to satisfy all the constraints.
Experimental design: The neglected aspect of environmental monitoring

Environmental monitoring i regulatory mandates and public concer of the environment. Much of the data a collected without explicit statement of I little regard for principles of experimen[a~ u~o,~... Mismatches between the monitoring design and the hypotheses of interest arise when inappropriate designs are used, hypotheses are poorly stated or change over time, and when data collected for one purpose are used for other purposes (i.e., data are used to evaluate 9 ,--,4,~4 tc~
High-order nonreflecting boundary conditions for the dispersive shallow water equations

Time-dependent dispersive shallow water waves in an unbounded domain are considered. The infinite domain is truncated via an artificial boundary B, and a high-order non-reflecting boundary condition (NRBC) is imposed on B. Then the problem is solved by a finite difference scheme in the finite domain bounded by B. The sequence of NRBCs proposed by Higdon is used. However, in contrast to the original low-order implementation of the Higdon conditions, a new scheme is devised which allows the easy use of a Higdon-type NRBC of any desired order. In addition, a procedure for the automatic choice of the parameters appearing in the NRBC is proposed. The performance of the scheme is demonstrated via a numerical example.
Kinetic evidence for common photosynthetic step in diverse seaweeds

The turnover time of photosynthetic oxygen production was the same, near 0.5 msec, for the seaweeds Ulva lactuca, Codium fragile, Porphyryaumbilicalis, Chondrus crispus, Champia parvula and Fucus vesiculosis. This turnover time did not change for sun- and shade-adapted U. lactuca and P. umbilicalis. The similarity of these turnover times to those of other algae, higher plants, and cyanobacteria is strong evidence for similarity in the kinetics, and thus for a universal mechanism of photosynthesis. Evolution in the light-gathering apparatus responsible for the color of seaweeds has occurred without variation in the mechanism of photosynthesis. The size of the Emerson-Arnold photosynthetic unit (the ratio of chlorophyll to oxygen formed in a single tumover light flash) in the green seaweeds is about the same as that in algae, i.e., 2000. It is about half this number for the red and brown seaweeds. The different accessory pigments in the latter two groups compensate for the smaller amount of chlorophyll. The size of the unit was independent of sun- and shade-adaptation in U. lactuca, but did increase in shade-adapted P. umbilicalis.
Concentrated DNA Rheology and Microrheology

We present mechanical measurements of the frequency-dependent linear viscoelastic storage and loss moduli, G′(ω) and G″(ω), and the yield stress, τy, and yield strain, γy, for calf thymus DNA (13 kbp) over a range of mitotically relevant concentrations from C DNA = 1 to 10 mg/ml. For large C DNA , we find a dominant plateau elasticity, G′ p , at high ω. As ω decreases, G′ falls until it is equal to G′ at the crossover frequency, ω c , below which G″ dominates. We measure G′ p ∼ C DNA 2.25 and ω c ∼ C DNA −2.4, consistent with scaling exponents for classical polymer solutions. The mechanical |G*(ω)| agree well with those measured using a new microrheological technique based on video tracking microscopy of thermally-driven fluorescent colloidal spheres and a frequency-dependent Stokes-Einstein equation. We have developed this technique to probe how enzymes, typically available in small quantities, can affect the rheology of the DNA. Using it, we report preliminary measurements of a higher ω c for a DNA network in which the ATP-powered enzyme Topoisomerase II transiently cuts and rebinds the DNA, thereby relaxing entanglements.
Ultrathin films of oriented bacteriorhodopsin: Nanostructured films for investigating the primary photoevent in vision processes

In this work, a protocol for investigating Bacteriorhodopsin (BR) biomimetic systems as ultrathin films is presented. BR is one of the most well studied proteins important for investigating the primary photo-event in vision processes. The use of macromolecular assembly approaches for deposition onto solid support substrates, e.g. SiOx, gold- or ITO-coated glass (electrode) provide advantages in that surface sensitive measurements can be used to correlate photocurrent generation, photoelectric response, pH change, chromophore behavior, etc. with protein orientation at interfaces. Membrane and protein morphology were correlated to measurements using surface sensitive techniques, such as atomic force microscopy (AFM), ellipsometry, quartz crystal microbalance (QCM), etc. on solid-substrate systems. These studies can lead to applications in optobioelectronic devices (biosensors) including patterning in transducer array configurations, where the film structure is important. Hybrid films are possible with supramolecular assembly approaches, e.g. adsorption of membrane with lipidbilayers. We report our initial results on highly ordered and oriented BR protein arrays of controlled thickness, layer order, and orientation. This was done primarily using the alternate polyelectrolyte deposition (APD) or layer-by-layer (LbL) approach to functionalize substrate surfaces.
Introducing decision support for smart mobile health behavior change applications

We developed Therapeutic Lifestyle Change Decision Aid (TLC DA) system to support an informed choice about which behavior change to work on when multiple unhealthy behaviors are present. The system collects significant amount of information which is used to generate tailored messages to consumers in order to persuade them in following certain healthy lifestyles. One of the current limitations of the system is the necessity to collect vast amount of information from users who have to manually enter all required data. By identifying optimal set of self-reported parameters we should be able to minimize the data entry burden of the app users. The main goal of this study was to identify primary determinants of health behavior choices made by patients after using the TLC DA system. Using discriminant analysis an optimal set of predictors was identified which determined healthy behavior choices of users of a computer-mediated decision aid. We were able to reduce the initial set of 45 baseline variables to 5 primary variables driving consumer decision making regarding health behavior choice. The resulting set included smoking status, smoking cessation success estimate, self-efficacy, body mass index and diet status. Prediction of smoking cessation choice was the most accurate (73%) followed by weight management choice (67%). Physical activity and diet choices were much better identified in a combined cluster (76%–87%). The resulting minimized parameter set can significantly improve user experience.
Summer Production of Coho Salmon Stocked in Mount St. Helens Streams 3–6 Years after the 1980 Eruption

Abstract We monitored habitat use and summer production of stocked underyearling coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch from 1983 to 1986 in three streams affected by the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens, Washington. Two streams were in the blast area and one was on a volcanic mudflow terrace, Midsummer water temperatures frequently exceeded presumed stressful thresholds and occasionally surpassed the incipient lethal limit. Temperatures at the study sites (up to 29.5°C) may have been the highest ever recorded in small streams in western Washington. In addition, there was relatively little submerged cover and limited pool habitat. Despite the severe conditions created by the eruption, production rates of stocked coho salmon at all sites ranged from 15.1 to 143.8 mg/m2·d (2.3–21.6 g/m2 over an average 150-d summer period) and were equal to or greater than those measured in other streams of comparable size in the region. Coho salmon production in the streams was more strongly influenced by population biomass and...
Time-domain Green's Function Method for three-dimensional nonlinear subsonic flows

The Green's Function Method for linearized 3D unsteady potential flow (embedded in the computer code SOUSSA P) is extended to include the time-domain analysis as well as the nonlinear term retained in the transonic small disturbance equation. The differential-delay equations in time, as obtained by applying the Green's Function Method (in a generalized sense) and the finite-element technique to the transonic equation, are solved directly in the time domain. Comparisons are made with both linearized frequency-domain calculations and existing nonlinear results.
Infectious Clones of Novel Lineage 1 and Lineage 2 West Nile Virus Strains WNV-TX02 and WNV-Madagascar

We report the generation of West Nile virus (WNV) infectious clones for the pathogenic lineage 1 Texas-HC2002 and nonpathogenic lineage 2 Madagascar-AnMg798 strains. The infectious clones exhibited biological properties similar to those of the parental virus isolates. We generated chimeric viruses and found that viral factors within the structural and nonstructural regions of WNV-TX contribute to the control of type I interferon defenses. These infectious clones provide new reagents to study flavivirus immune regulation and pathogenesis.
Direct molecular diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy.

Hecht BK, Donnelly A, Gedeon AK, Byard RW, Haan EA, Mulley JC. Direct molecular diagnosis of myotonic dystrophy. Clin Genet 1993: 43: 276–285. © Munksgaard, 1993 Myotonic dystrophy (DM) arises from an unstable trinucleotide (CTGn) repeat sequence within the DM locus at 19q13.3. Twenty-three myotonic dystrophy families containing 205 persons with no symptoms, minimal manifestations, classic DM or congenital DM were investigated to validate the application of the pM10M6 probe to direct molecular diagnosis. Affected family members had been diagnosed clinically and the unaffected family members had been assigned carrier probabilities close to either zero or 100%, using closely linked flanking markers. Southern analysis identified all 89 DM gene carriers as having expansions of the unstable element. PstI detected all small expansions of the repeat sequence as easily seen discrete bands; but large expansions were usually seen as diffuse smears, sometimes difficult to distinguish from lane background. EcoRI concentrated these diffuse smears, associated with somatic instability, into discrete bands which were easy to detect; but it did not resolve the smaller expansions present in 9 (10%) of the DM carriers. It is essential that PstI and EcoRI gels are run in parallel to detect all DM gene carriers. The extent of expansion of CTG correlated with age of onset and disease severity. Biopsies of various fetal tissues from two terminated pregnancies confirmed the diagnosis obtained by CVS and revealed no heterogeneity between tissues at this developmental stage. Further expansion occurred during the culture of CVS cells, indicating that direct prenatal diagnosis needs to be carried out on CVS tissue rather than on cultured cells. The intergenerational change of the repeat sequence from DM parent to DM offspring showed a significant parental sex difference for those parents with large expansions. Contraction of the unstable element was observed in the three males carrying the largest expansions and could explain why congenital DM is exclusively of maternal origin.
The three pillars of institutional theory and FDI in Latin America: An institutionalization process

Abstract This paper describes the process of institutionalization and legitimization in countries in Latin America and its impact on organizational decision-making regarding inward foreign direct investment (FDI). It argues that institutionalization is a process that works through all three pillars—cognitive, normative, and regulative—and that this process can legitimize a host market for foreign investors. The study examines institutional reform in 16 Latin American countries using several indices of institutional change occurring between 1970 and 2000. Results indicate that institutional processes that legitimize more effectively through the cognitive and normative pillars (e.g. educational attainment, bilateral investment treaties, privatization, and political uncertainty) are better indicators of inward FDI than those that legitimize primarily through the regulative pillar (e.g. tax reform, trade reform, and financial account liberalization).
On Bayes Estimation for Mixtures of Two Exponential-Life-Distributions from Right-Censored Samples

In life testing and reliability estimation, the underlying failure time distribution need not be homogeneous. It can be a mixture of two distinct lifetime distributions due to two different failure modes. A failure-time distribution is assumed which is the mixture of two exponential distributions. Estimation of the two scale parameters, the mixing parameter, and the reliability is considered. MLEs, and Bayes estimators with respect to proper priors and to Jeffreys' vague priors, are given based on right-censored data. The right-censorship considered here includes types I & I and random right-censoring as special cases. Monte Carlo simulation indicates that the proper Bayes estimators are best with respect to root mean square error (RMSE) under the assumed priors and that the MLEs perform weli overall and are quite satisfactory in practice. The Bayes estimators with respect to Jeffreys' vague priors for the scale parameters do not perform as well as the MLE in the sense of RMSE and tend to have a greater bias.
Maternal obesity and immune dysregulation in mother and infant: A review of the evidence

Obesity is a worldwide public health epidemic. Increasing numbers of reproductive-age women enter pregnancy overweight or obese and there is now convincing data that this adverse in utero environment impacts both fetal and lifelong development. Epidemiologic evidence has shown a simultaneous increase in obesity and asthma rates in developed countries and maternal obesity is a risk factor for infant asthma and wheeze. Here we review the state of research linking maternal obesity and immunomodulation in both mother and infant, with specific attention to the relationship between maternal obesity and offspring asthma. We will also propose several different mechanisms by which maternal obesity may predispose offspring to this chronic condition and briefly summarize interventions that have been trialed to limit this association.
Separation of Additive and Subtractive Moiré Patterns

Abstract : A spatial filtering technique for observing several different moire patterns in the same image of superposed gratings and for separating them at will, is described. In addition to the commonly observed moire pattern, and the equivalent patterns obtained by fringe sharpening or multiplication, patterns can be observed that correspond to different forms of the indicial equation describing the parametric properties of moire phenomena. In particular both the additive and subtractive moires are obtained individually, over the field. This method, combined with a previously developed method for obtaining spatial partial derivatives from deformed gratings (as a direct moire rather than moire of moire), permits the experimental determination of the whole field of Cartesian shears and rigid rotations. The method is applied to a circular ring subjected to diametral compression. (Author)
Concurrence of the Acarapis Species Complex (Acari: Tarsonemidae) in a Commercial HoneyBee Apiary in the Pacific Northwest

An examination of a commercial honey-bee apiary for theAcarapis species complex revealed the following: queens were essentially free fromAcarapis parasitism colonies were more frequently infested withA. dorsalis andA. woodi thanA. externus; individual worker-bee hosts were rarely parasitized by more than oneAcarapis species. Observed sex ratios, for all three mite species, under the conditions of the relatively low infestation rate observed in this study, favored females over males.
Adenosine metabolism in human erythrocytes.

Abstract 1. 1. The metabolism of [8-14C]adenosine was examined in human erythrocytes and erythrocyte lysates. 2. 2. The metabolism of [8-14C]adenosine in erythrocytes is largely dependent upon its concentration. 3. 3. Adenosine deaminase and adenosine kinase activities were assayed in crude erythrocyte lysates. No adenosine phosphorylase activity was detected. 4. 4. Adenosine deaminase exhibited a Km for adenosine of 4 · 10−5 M. Substrate inhibition of the enzyme was exhibited at concentrations of adenosine greater than 2 · 10−4 M. No inhibition of deaminase activity by equimolar or greater concentration of AMP, ADP, ATP, GDP, GTP, Pi, guanylic acid or 2,3-diphosphoglycerate was noted, but 20 % inhibition by high concentrations of adenine and inosine was observed. 5. 5. Adenosine kinase required ATP (Km = 4 · 10−4 M), adenosine (Km = 1.9 · 10−6 M), and Mg2+ for activity. No substrate inhibition by adenosine occurred at concentrations 20 times its Km. Adenosine 5′-triphosphate and Mg2+ were inhibitory at concentrations greater than 1.25 mM and 0.50 mM, respectively. The reaction of ATP with adenosine kinase was competitively inhibited by AMP, ADP, guanylic acid, GDP, IMP, and adenine. Adenosine 5′-triphosphate was variably replaceable as the phosphate donor by a wide range of triphosphates.
Influence of fiber-type composition on recovery from tourniquet-induced skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion injury.

This study was designed to determine if previously reported differences in the functional impairment of muscles composed of predominantly different fiber types occurs following extended periods of ...
Form, effect size and power in moderated regression analysis

This paper presents the results of a simulation study designed to show how a moderator variable affects the form of the relationship between two other variables. Particular attention is paid to the relationship of the strength of a moderator to statistical significance and the magnitude of the increment in R2 associated with the moderator. The increment in R2 is viewed as an incomplete measure of the strength of moderator effects. We propose a standardized measure of the strength of moderator effects based on the rate of change in the slope of the regression surface. The relation of sample size and statistical power to this measure is investigated.
Churchill the phrase forger

The famous phrases that adorn Churchill's speeches during the climactic phase of his career, 1938–1942, are not novel coinages. Some he borrowed from other politicians or writers; many are recurring ideas and locutions of his own, of which he gave polished, definitive versions at a critical juncture.
Differential cytolysis of murine spleen, bone-marrow and leukemia cells by melittin reveals differences in membrane topography.

Summary L1210 leukemia cells are 2–4 fold more sensitive to the cytolytic effects of melittin, the membrane-active toxin of bee venom, than normal DBA/2 mouse spleen and bone-marrow cells. Lysis of the normal cells was abolished when either 75 mM galactosamine, glucosamine or 100μM β-lactoglobulin was added to the melittin-cell reaction, but lysis of the leukemia cells was unaffected. The amino-groups appeared necessary for blocking melittin-mediated lysis since glucose, galactose and the N-acetyl derivatives were not inhibitory. Bone-marrow cells were more readily protected from lysis than spleen cells. Since melittin-inhibitor complexes were not detected by gel chromatography and the inhibitor could be added to the cell suspension after melittin, the evidence suggests that bone-marrow cells are rich in membrane binding sites for carbohydrates that decrease in mature spleen cells and are virtually absent after neoplastic transformation.
fMRI Measures of Perceptual Filling-in in the Human Visual Cortex

Filling-in refers to the tendency of stabilized retinal stimuli to fade and become replaced by their background. This phenomenon is a good example of central brain mechanisms that can selectively add or delete information to/from the retinal input. Importantly, such cortical mechanisms may overlap with those that are used more generally in visual perception. In order to identify cortical areas that contribute to perceptual filling-in, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging to image activity in the visual cortex while subjects experienced filling-in. Nine subjects viewed an achromatic disc with slightly higher luminance than the background and indicated the presence or absence of filling-in by a keypress. The disc was placed in either the upper or lower left quadrant. Similar high-contrast stimuli were used to map out the retinotopic representation of the disc. Unexpectedly, the lower-field high-contrast stimulus produced more parietal cortex activation than the upper-field condition, indicating preferential representation of the lower field by attentional control mechanisms. During perceptual filling-in, we observed significant contralateral reductions in activation in lower-tier retinotopic areas V1 and V2. In contrast, increased activation was consistently observed in visual areas V3A and V4v, higher-level cortex in the intraparietal sulcus, posterior superior temporal sulcus, and the ventral occipital–temporal region, as well as the pulvinar. The filling-in activation pattern was remarkably similar for both the upper- and lower-field conditions. Behaviorally, filling-in was reported to be easier for the lower visual field, and filling-in periods were longer for the lower than the upper quadrant. We suggest this behavioral asymmetry may be partially due to the preferential parietal representation of the lower field. The results lead us to propose that perceptual filling-in recruits high-level control mechanisms to reconcile competing percepts, and alters the normal image-related signals at the first stages of cortical processing. Moreover, the overall pattern of activation during filling-in resembles that seen in other studies of perceptually bistable stimuli, including binocular rivalry, indicating common control mechanisms.
Early-stage non-Spitzoid cutaneous melanoma in patients younger than 22 years of age at diagnosis: long-term follow-up and survival analysis.

Abstract Purpose We evaluated prognostic factors among young patients with early stage melanoma, with particular attention to survival, recurrence, and development of a second primary melanoma. Methods We retrospectively reviewed patients (age Results One hundred patients with in-situ melanoma (n=16) or stage 1A (n=48) or 1B (n=36) melanoma were identified. Median age was 19.4years (range, 11.2–21.9), and median follow-up was 7.6years (range, 0.1–31.7). Median tumor thickness was 0.76mm (range, 0.23–2.0). No lesions were ulcerated. All patients underwent wide local excision with negative margins, and 21 had a concomitant negative sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). Sixteen patients developed recurrences, and 8 subsequently died of progressive melanoma. There were 2 non-melanoma-related deaths. Endpoints were 20-year overall survival (77.4%), melanoma-specific mortality (20.1%), recurrence rate (34.0%), and probability of developing a second primary melanoma (24.7%). Greater tumor depth and Clark level were associated with worse prognosis, but age, sex, and tumor mitotic rate were not correlated with recurrence or survival. Conclusion Among younger early-stage melanoma patients, greater lesion depth conferred higher recurrence risk and mortality. Our data did not define the role of sentinel lymph node biopsy in this group.
Lateral warefront measurements of high-power semiconductor lasers using a three-mirror cyclic interferometer

phased-array lasers, high-order supermodes with twin-lobed far-fields are usually dominant. Even when single-lobedoperation is obtained, the far field is often much broader than the diffraction limit.Measurements of near-field phase fronts in high-power diode lasers are important because they can provideinformation necessary for development of devices operating in the lowest-order mode, with single-lobed far field. Forexample, phase information is necessary in designing phase-correcting systems such as variable-phase-shift zoneplates. Two-point sampling of near-field interference patterns using Young's double-slit aperture was reported'. Inour earlier experiments2, we used a four-mirror Mach-Zehnder shearing interferometer. That scheme suffered fromdifficulties in satisfying the equal optical path requirements and from the short coherence length of carrier-guidedarrays. These problems are eliminated in our new design, featuring a rigorously equal-path three-mirror cyclic inter-ferometer illustrated in Fig. 1.The main feature of the cyclic interferometer is that the two counterpropagating beams follow exactly the samepath around a close circuit. Hence, good fringe visibility can be obtained without any optical path compensation.Shears or tilts can be introduced by rotating the mirrors or the beam-splitter. Also, a parallel optical plate is added toprovide an extra shear without perturbing any other components of the interferometer. The choice of an odd numberof mirrors is preferable since this configuration is insensitive to a displacement of any of the mirrors or of the beam-splitter, as opposed to an even-mirror case, where mirror displacements would cause an additional shear.In our earlier work2, we used a simple wave aberration theory to explain qualitatively the observed fringe pat-terns. We have now improved phase retrieval from the nonuniformly illuminated interference patterns, adopting aFourier transform algorithm with sidelobe-frequency-shift error correction3.The experimental set-up for obtaining the near-field phase distributions of free-running semiconductor laserarray is shown in Fig. 2. An objective with large numerical aperture is used to collimate and relay the near-field imageof the laser array into the cyclic interferometer. A demagnifying lens is used to reimage the fringe pattern at theinterferometer output onto a CCD camera. A full frame scanning video analyzer, X-Y recorder, full frame video digi-tizer, and personal computer are used to record and store automatically the fringe data collected by the CCD camera.We have performed measurements on commercial 10-stripe carrier-guided laser arrays (SDL-24 1OC) with 6rim-wide stripes on 10 jim centers. During the experiments, the free-running laser array was operated at 10% abovethe cw threshold current. At higher injection currents (> 1.11 ),
Assimilation of the high-frequency radar measurements for coastal currents using ROMS

Surface current observations made by high-frequency radar in the Monterey Bay region during August 2003 are assimilated using a three-dimensional variational data assimilation scheme developed for the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS-DAS). The observed upwelling and relaxation surface currents in Monterey Bay are well recovered in the analysis. A new mapping method based on ROMS-DAS is also proposed. This method is based on a variational algorithm for the calculation of stream function and velocity potential from given velocity fields, and has the ability to interpolate vectors over any irregular domain.
Ultraviolet and visual wavelength spectroscopy of gas around ETA Carinae

Observational results of Eta Carinae are reported, especially spectroscopy of the outer 'S condensation' supplemented by data on the homunculus and its core. Theoretical calculations of atmosphere/wind models and of the shock-heated S condensation are needed for a proper analysis of the data, but some simplified results are discussed. The helium abundance at the surface of Eta Car appears to be roughly 0.4, and most of the CNO is nitrogen. There does not appear to be any reason, at present, to alter the often quoted temperature estimate of 30,000 K for the radiating surface (which may or may not be the surface of the star itself). The presently observed mass loss rate is probably less than 10 exp -2.4 solar masses/yr if the outflow is not strongly direction-dependent. Finally, a largely forgotten but highly relevant historical conjecture concerning Eta Car is mentioned.
Computational intelligence in bacterial spore detection and identification

Optical techniques are very promising for detecting and identifying bacterial spores. They are potentially superior to the existing “wet chemistry” approaches regarding several important features of an effective alarm system, such as speed, in-field use, continuous monitoring, and reliability. In this paper we discuss the role that computational intelligence (CI) can play in the control and optimization of optical experiments, and in the analysis and interpretation of the large amount of data they provide. After a brief discussion of the use of CI in the classification of optical spectra, we introduce the recently proposed FAST CARS (Femtosecond Adaptive Spectroscopic Techniques for Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Scattering) technique. Here the role of CI is essential: using an adaptive feedback approach based on genetic algorithms, the hardware system evolves and organizes itself to optimize the intensity of the CARS signal.
Bone mineral density is not diminished by mild to moderate chronic renal insufficiency.

Bone mineral density is not diminished by mild to moderate chronic renal insufficiency Background Persons with end-stage renal disease are at higher risk for osteopenia and hip fracture relative to the age-matched general population. Persons with mild to moderate chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) may have reduced bone mineral density (BMD) as a result of abnormalities in acid-base and vitamin D-parathyroid hormone homeostasis. Methods We analyzed data on 13,848 adults aged 20 and above from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III; 1988–1994). Regression models were used to determine the relationship between femoral BMD and renal function, the latter assessed using serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen or Cockcroft-Gault creatinine clearance. To control for confounding, we fit sex-stratified models that adjusted for age, weight, height, race-ethnicity, menopausal status, estrogen use, activity level, family history of osteoporosis, diuretic use, and dietary intake of calcium and alcohol. Results Although subjects with reduced renal function had significantly lower femoral BMD in unadjusted analysis, the association between CRI and bone mineral density was extinguished after adjustment in the multivariate models. In fact, controlling for only sex, age and weight was sufficient to extinguish any negative association between decreased renal function and decreased bone mineral density. Conclusion Although subjects with worse renal function have significantly lower femoral BMD, this association can be explained by confounding, principally by sex, age and weight. After taking into account the facts that women, older individuals and smaller individuals have less renal function and lower BMD, renal function itself is not independently associated with BMD.
A similarity model for representing soil spatial information

Abstract A fuzzy logic based model (called a similarity model) was developed to represent soil spatial information so that soil landscape is perceived as a continuum in both the parameter space and the geographic space. The similarity model consists of two components: the similarity representation component and a raster representation scheme. The similarity representation component uses a set of prescribed soil taxonomic categories as the central concepts of the fuzzy soil classes and represents a soil at a given location as a set of similarity values to these central concepts. The collection of these similarity values forms an n-element vector called a soil similarity vector. With the use of a raster representation scheme, soil spatial information over an area can be represented as an array of soil similarity vectors. This similarity model has two main advantages for representing spatial soil information over conventional polygon-based soil maps. Firstly, the details of soil spatial information can be represented at the resolution of a raster data model rather than at the minimal mapping sizes as in conventional polygon-based soil maps. secondly, under the similarity representation, the deviation of a soil at a given location from typical soil classes can be preserved and its properties can then take values intermediate to the typical values of the prescribed soil types. A case study conducted in the Lubrecht Experiment Forest of western Montana demonstrated that soil spatial information represented under the similarity model has a higher resolution at both the attribute level and the spatial level than that in the conventional soil map of the area.
Sequential estimation for dependent observations with an application to non-standard autoregressive processes

Abstract This paper is concerned with a general approach for sequential estimation for dependent observations, and an application to a non-standard first order autoregressive process having Weibull errors. The natural estimator of the autoregressive parameter when the errors are non negative turns out to be an extreme value estimator. The least squares estimator serves as an alternative to the extreme value estimator. For fully sequential sampling schemes, the asymptotic risk accuracy of the extreme value estimator and the least squares estimator are established. Furthermore, when the errors are exponentially distributed it is shown that (asymptotically) the expected sample size corresponding to the extreme value estimator differs from the best fixed sample size (in absolute value) by at most 1 unit. Finally, the efficiencies of the two competing sequential estimators are computed for different values of the index of the Weibull distribution.
Primacy-recency and the sequential presentation of attitudinal stimuli

The present investigation dealt with the effect of the sequential presentation of positive and negative attitudinal stimuli on impression formation. There were four experimental groups of 10 Ss each: complete similarity to S’s attitudes, complete dissimilarity, and two 50% similarity conditions with a progression from similarity to dissimilarity and the reverse. The four conditions were found to differ significantly (p < .001), but the difference between the two 50% groups was not significant. Neither a primacy nor a recency effect was found.
Air Pollution Epidemiology: Considerations in Time-Series Modeling

AbstractRecent epidemiological studies have indicated that ambient air pollution, including PM-10, is associated with excess mortality and morbidity. These studies have included both cross-sectional comparisons across communities and time-series analyses over time in single communities. Time-series analysis offers certain advantages, primarily in that the study population is the same over time, so that it acts as its own “control.” However, modeling such data is complicated by the fact that other environmental factors and other causes of illness can confound the results unless they are adequately addressed. For example, wintertime influenza epidemics cause long-wave peaks in respiratory mortality, and variations in emissions, dispersion, and atmospheric chemistry can cause seasonal cycles in pollution. Such superimposed long-wave variations in both health outcomes and pollutant concentrations can undermine the statistical validity of time-series models by inducing autocorrelation, and can create long-wave...
Rewiring cortex: the role of patterned activity in development and plasticity of neocortical circuits.

Visually driven activity is not required for the establishment of ocular dominance columns, orientation columns, and long-range horizontal connections in visual cortex, although spontaneous activity appears to be necessary. The role of activity may be instructive or simply permissive; evidence for an instructive role requires inquiry into the role of the pattern of activity in shaping cortical circuits. The few experiments that have probed the role of patterned activity include the effects of artificial strabismus, artificial stimulation of the optic nerve, and rewiring visual projections from the retina to the auditory thalamus and cortex. These experiments demonstrate that patterned activity is vital for the maintenance of thalamocortical, local intracortical, and long-range horizontal connections in cortex.
Preparation of uniform colloidal cadmium and lead selenide particles

Abstract Colloidal cadmium selenide and lead selenide particles of narrow size distribution were prepared by decomposition of selenourea in solutions of corresponding metal salts. While both salts were crystalline, CdSe powders showed nearly spherical morphology whereas PbSe consisted of particles of cubic symmetry. In the latter case greater uniformity was achieved if homogeneous precipitation was carried out in methanol-water mixtures.
THE SYSTEMS FORMED BY ZIRCONIUM AND HAFNIUM TETRACHLORIDE WITH ACETONITRILE AND ISOAMYL ETHER

Abstract The system zirconium (hafnium) tetrachloride, isoamyl ether, and acetonitrile shows a binodal curve which is truncated by a line representing equilibrium of a solid phase, MCl4 : 2CH3CN with two liquid phases of varying compositions. The compound MCl4 : 2 isoamyl ether was observed only in equilibrium with a saturated solution of the pure solvent. Only a slight difference in the distribution of zirconium and hafnium between the two phases was noted. The solutes concentrated in the acetonitrile phase, and the hafnium did so to a slightly greater extent than did the zirconium. The maximum separation factor was Hf Zr = 1·8 .
Source-location privacy in energy-constrained sensor network routing

As sensor-driven applications become increasingly integrated into our lives, issues related to sensor privacy will become increasingly important. Although many privacy-related issues can be addressed by security mechanisms, one sensor network privacy issue that cannot be adequately addressed by network security is confidentiality of the source sensor's location. In this paper, we focus on protecting the source's location by introducing suitable modifications to sensor routing protocols to make it difficult for an adversary to backtrack to the origin of the sensor communication. In particular, we focus on the class of flooding protocols. While developing and evaluating our privacy-aware routing protocols, we jointly consider issues of location-privacy as well as the amount of energy consumed by the sensor network. Motivated by the observations, we propose a flexible routing strategy, known as phantom routing, which protects the source's location. Phantom routing is a two-stage routing scheme that first consists of a directed walk along a random direction, followed by routing from the phantom source to the sink. Our investigations have shown that phantom routing is a powerful technique for protecting the location of the source during sensor transmissions.
International Lumberyards, Inc.: An Information System Consulting Case

Based on issues faced by an actual company, this case focuses on the design of an appropriate information systems architecture for International Lumberyards, Inc. (ILI). The design necessitates consideration of both the business strategy and the information technology that can support that strategy, since the business strategy needs to be both informed and supported by the information system. A strategy that is not supported by the requisite infrastructure will fail. Likewise, implementing technology that is not aligned with the business strategy will result, at a minimum, in a waste of resources. In the setting described in the case, the technology (or lack thereof) resulted in very constrained processes. A new technology infrastructure, aligned with the business strategy, will allow for future growth as well as addressing the limitations of the current environment. The case description forces consideration of how the organization's multiple locations will communicate with each other, and also what type ...