cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alternative methods for estimating price elasticities of imports.

Abstract This article compares three commonly-used methods for estimating import price elasticities: (1) trade-weighted price elasticities of domestic demand and supply along with price transmission; (2) direct estimates based on ad hoc import demands; and (3) Armington model estimates. Using data from El Salvador's grain markets (white maize, red beans, and rice), the results indicate that the second method provides the most reliable estimates and that the Armington procedure may not be appropriate for estimations of this type. However, the first method offers the best guesstimates to assess potential rather than historical import response as trade is liberalized.
Observing protein synthesis, export, and tryptophan incorporation by front‐surface fluorescence

Front-surface detection of emission from fluorophores in the presence and absence of light-scattering particles was contrasted to right-angle and wave-guide detection. We found that front-surface detection was the least prone to the reabsorption, inner-filtering, and scattering effects that can plague fluorescent measurements. Front-surface detection was thus used to assess the use of protein and ANS fluorescence as a means of monitoring events in bacterial fermentations. Protein fluorescence appeared to track well changes in optical density during balanced growth. However, during the lag associated with diauxic growth and after exposure to ampicillin, protein fluorescence became decoupled from cellular growth in a manner consistent with prior observations and the known effect of ampicillin on cells. ANS proved to be nontoxic and capable of reporting the occurrence of protein release from cells. The spectral shifts of tryptophan indicated that the incorporation of tryptophan into cellular protein can be monitored.
Poster: A Time-Saving Scheme for Ambulance Transportation with Support of Software-Defined Networking

If Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is deployed on the ambulance, the doctor / care giver could remotely diagnose / take care of the patient after the patients are onboard. The patient get more chance to survive. After analyzing how to present patients earlier care, this paper's goals are to (1) enable an ambulance to transport the patient to hospitals as early as possible (2) ensure the paramedic provide care earlier via SDN. A set of graphic algorithms have been proposed and the experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of our solution.
AN ITERATIVE ALGORITHM FOR CELL SEGMENTATION USING SHORT-TIME FOURIER TRANSFORM

In this paper, an iterative cell image segmentation algorithm using short-time Fourier transform magnitude vectors as class features is presented. The cluster centroids of the magnitude vectors are obtained by the K-means clustering method and used as representative class features. The initial image segmentation classifies only those image pixels whose surrounding closely matches a class centroid. The subsequent procedure iteratively classifies the remaining image pixels by combining their spatial distance from the regions already segmented and the similarities between their corresponding magnitude vectors and the cluster centroids. Experimental results of the proposed algorithm for segmenting real cell images are provided.
A metallographic examination of crack-path propagation in embrittled 12% Cr steel

Abstract A 12% Cr 422 stainless steel high-temperature steam flange bolt was extremely embrittled after approximately 30 years of service at approximately 565–590°C. The bolt microstructure is primarily Cr-rich M 23 C 6 carbides in ferrite. Fracture was “intergranular,” along the prior austenite grain boundaries, which are covered with a high density of primarily Cr-rich carbides. A detailed microstructural examination was made of the fracture surface profile of an impact sample and of crack initiation and growth in a metallographically polished and etched surface deformed in bending. Much of the intergranular cracking occurred by separation at the interface of the grain boundary particles and the ferrite. Heat treatment by austenitizing and tempering to restore the toughness produced fewer and finer carbides on the prior austenite boundaries. During aging, the density and size of these carbides increased, and this appears to be the main cause of the embrittlement.
Strange circus: Eisenstein's sex drawings

ABSTRACTSergei Eisenstein made drawings more or less constantly from the time he was a child until the end of his life, with only a short break in the 1920s when he was making his first films. Among the thousands of preserved drawings is a large collection depicting people (and animals, and various anthropomorphized features of sexual anatomy) having sex. Rarely discussed or analysed, the sex drawings are usually seen in a purely biographical context, but they were thematically and aesthetically fundamental to Eisenstein's artistic and theoretical writing, which explores the diverse ways that perception, consciousness and creativity originate in the body. Far from being only ‘the return of the repressed’, Eisenstein used the drawing process as a laboratory to examine the often violent extremes of desire as he was developing his ideas on the wellsprings of artistic creativity in the body's inner divisions and the human wish for connection and ecstatic transcendence and transformation.
Metal binding specificity in carbonic anhydrase is influenced by conserved hydrophobic core residues.

The role of highly conserved aromatic residues surrounding the zinc binding site of human carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) in determining the metal ion binding specificity of this enzyme has been exami...
Molten phase of the flux line lattice in a high TC superconductor as a quantum fluid

Abstract It is shown that the melting of the flux line lattice in the high Tc Superconductors is dominated by the zero point fluctuations and that the molten phase must be treated as a quantum fluid. It is pointed out that the use if equipartition theorem in connection with the Lindemann criterion for melting in all the previous works may be inappropriate.
Differential running in rats under an alternating (FR 2) schedule in an automated runway

Performance of rats in an automated runway was reinforced on an alternating (FR 2) schedule. The Ss ran consistently faster during reinforced trials than during nonreinforced trials. This result is in agreement with those previously obtained by others using manually-operated runways, and does not support the possibility of accounting for previous results on the basis of experimenter-introduced cues.
Analysis of the two-dimensional quantum plasma magnetoconductivity tensor

Abstract The dynamic nonlocal magnetoconductivity tensor of a two-dimensional plasma subject to Landau quantization in a magnetic field is analyzed here. Results are presented for the nondegenerate case, classical limit, quantum strong field limit, degenerate case, semiclassical limit and for De Haas-Van Alphen oscillatory corrections, including some exceptionally simple and highly tractable representations.
Fibrosarcoma of the heart metastatic to the brain

A right parietal lobe metastasis of a fibrosarcoma originating in the left atrium of the heart was resected twice in a 33-year-old man. Light microscopy showed lightly packed, pleomorphic spindle cells with abundant collagen production and an alcian blue-positive matrix. Electron microscopy confirmed the fibroblastic character of these cells. Review of the literature reveals one other cardiac fibrosarcoma metastatic to the brain. The case presented is the first reported example of successful surgical resection of this unusual metastatic sarcoma. Although he succumbed to metastatic disease, the patient remained neurologically intact until the time of death.
A Perception-Based Method for the Noise Control of Construction Machines

During operation, construction machines generate high noise levels which can adversely affect the health and the job performance of operators. The noise control techniques currently applied to reduce the noise transmitted into the operator cab are all based on the decrease of the sound pressure level. Merely reducing this noise parameter may be suitable for the compliance with the legislative requirements but, unfortunately, it is not sufficient to improve the subjective human response to noise. The absolute necessity to guarantee comfortable and safe conditions for workers, requires a change of perspective and the identification of different noise control criteria able to combine the reduction of noise levels with that of psychophysical descriptors representing those noise attributes related to the subjective acoustical discomfort. This paper presents the results of a study concerning the “customization” of a methodology based on Sound Quality for the noise control of construction machines. The purpose is to define new hearing-related criteria for the noise control able to guarantee not only reduced noise levels at the operator position but also a reduced annoyance perception.
Attaching-effacing Escherichia coli Infections in Cattle

Diarrheagenic Escherichia coli are now broadly placed into 6 classes based on virulence mechanisms. One of these classes, enterotoxigenic E coli, is the most common cause of diarrhea in beef and dairy calves in the first 4 days of life. Two other diarrheagenic classes, enterohemorrhagic E coli (EHEC) and enteropathogenic E coli (EPEC), are important causes of disease in human beings, but less well substantiated causes of diarrhea in calves. E coli strains that cause hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome in humans, express high levels of Shiga toxin, cause attaching-effacing (A/E) lesions in intestinal epithelial cells, and possess a specific 60-MDa EHEC plasmid are known as EHEC. One feature EHEC and EPEC have in common is the causation of intestinal epithelial lesions known as attaching and effacing (A/E). Attaching-effacing E coli (AEEC) is a designation for those E coli strains known to cause A/E lesions or at least carry the genes for this trait, and therefore include organisms that fall into either the EHEC or EPEC classes. Because cattle are carriers of many different serotypes of EHEC, much emphasis has been placed on the public health and food safety concerns associated with the fecal shedding of these organisms. However, much less emphasis has been given to their roles as diarrheagenic pathogens of cattle. The goal of this article is to address the question of pathogenicity, with a review that focuses on the results of studies of natural and experimental infections with these organisms. The authors conclude that there is overwhelming evidence that many different serogroups of AEEC are diarrheagenic pathogens of calves.
Maximal irredundant functions

Abstract A real-valued function g : V → [0, 1] on the vertex set of a graph is irredundant if g(v) > 0 implies there exists a vertex w in the closed neighborhood of v, N[v], such that g(N[w]) = 1. Irredundant functions are a real-valued generalization of irredundant sets. In this paper we define a real-valued analog to the well-known graph parameter ir(G), and show how to compute it. We also provide a polynomial-time algorithm for recognizing maximal irredundant functions.
Personal Perspectives on Mentoring

Mentoring has been an essential component of my training and my career in gastroenterology. I have enjoyed a wonderful experience in gastroenterology and, as a woman, have a somewhat different perspective on the role of mentorship in medicine and gastroenterology. However, complex professional and personal situations are not unique to women and the general principles of mentorship are broadly applicable to career development for men or women. At every stage of my career, I have received useful suggestions that have shaped my decisions, identified a niche that suits me, developed my skills, and provided guidance and feedback on how “the plan” was working. These colleagues and mentors led me to choose medicine and gastroenterology and helped to develop my career in academics. Having the benefit of being associated with GI programs at 4 different institutions, I believe that the most important aspects of mentorship are based on the personality of the professional environment and the ability to find a good “match” from the pool of mentors every program has at its disposal. I was fortunate to train at McMaster University, which, as I appreciate more now, provided a rich experience in an innovating and inspiring environment that focused on the positive and moved past the impossible. This is an institution that gave the medical profession evidencebased medicine (deemed as one of the top 15 medical developments by the British Medical Journal1) and problem-based learning—2 innovative strategies that were the pillars of the Faculty of Health Sciences when it was founded in 1974. Their research groups were organized by multidisciplinary themes, uncluttered by departmental boundaries, which was a model that provided opportunities for a focused research development but in a broader, very informative, and educational context. While I was at McMaster, the GI research program received a major boost with the creation of their Intesti-
Sodium chondroitin sulfate-protein complexes of cartilage. I. Molecular weight and shape.

Abstract 1. 1. Sodium chondroitin sulfate (SCS)-protein complexes of hyaline cartilage contain protein markedly different in amino acid composition from that of collagen. 2. 2. Light-scattering and viscosity data support the existence of a rodlike basic molecular unit. The molecular weight is 4.0 × 106, the length is 3700 A., the linear density is about 1000 avog./A. The structure proposed conceives the protein moiety as a core 3700 A. in length along which are distributed about 62 units of SCS, each of 50,000 molecular weight. Each linear SCS molecule, attached by one or more bonds to the protein core, retains its flexibility which allows an increase in average lateral chain extension with decrease in ionic strength. 3. 3. Aggregates, which have molecular weights as great as 50 × 106, are possibly formed by both lateral and end-to-end, hydrogen-bonded association of basic units. Additional protein may also be involved. 4. 4. The physiological significance of the results is discussed.
Potential role of tryptophan and chloride in the inhibition of human myeloperoxidase

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) binds H2O2 in the absence and presence of chloride (Cl-) and catalyzes the formation of potent oxidants through 1e(-) and 2e(-) oxidation pathways. These potent oxidants have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases including atherosclerosis, asthma, arthritis, and cancer. Thus, inhibition of MPO and its by-products may have a wide application in biological systems. Using direct rapid kinetic measurements and H2O2-selective electrodes, we show that tryptophan (Trp), an essential amino acid, is linked kinetically to the inhibition of MPO catalysis under physiological conditions. Trp inactivated MPO in the absence and presence of plasma levels of Cl(-), to various degrees, through binding to MPO, forming the inactive complexes Trp-MPO and Trp-MPO-Cl, and accelerating formation of MPO Compound II, an inactive form of MPO. Inactivation of MPO was mirrored by the direct conversion of MPO-Fe(III) to MPO Compound II without any sign of Compound I accumulation. This behavior indicates that Trp binding modulates the formation of MPO intermediates and their decay rates. Importantly, Trp is a poor substrate for MPO Compound II and has no role in destabilizing complex formation. Thus, the overall MPO catalytic activity will be limited by: (1) the dissociation of Trp from Trp-MPO and Trp-MPO-Cl complexes, (2) the affinity of MPO Compound I toward Cl(-) versus Trp, and (3) the slow conversion of MPO Compound II to MPO-Fe(III). Importantly, Trp-dependent inhibition of MPO occurred at a wide range of concentrations that span various physiological and supplemental ranges.
Traditional finite element analysis: Opportunities for parallelism?

Abstract Several large production MSC/NASTRAN FEA models are presented and their analysis is discussed in terms of how one might extract the inherent parallelism (if any) using a CRAY Y-MP supercomputer. The objective is to reduce the elapsed time for analysis. Comments are made as to the relative efficiencies of different modal extraction schemes for forced frequency response analysis.
EPR characterizations of α‐chymotrypsin active site dynamics in reversed micelles at enhanced gas pressures and after subjection to clathrate formation conditions

Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy is used to characterize the active site dynamics of alpha-chymotrypsin solubilized in reversed micelles. Of particular interest is the behavior of the enzyme when the micellar system is subjected to enhanced gas pressures and low temperatures. At specific thermodynamic conditions, clathrate hydrates from from the intramicellar water, reducing the micelle size and water content. Also, beyond a critical pressure, micellar instbility results. The EPR spectra under these conditions indicate that the rotational correlation times increase appreciably only when the water-to-surfactant molar ratio, W(0), is reduced to values lower than 10. The EPR characterization also reveals a remarkable resilience of the enzyme when subjected to pressure-induced changes; when returned to ambient conditions, activity and active site dynamics are fully restored. (c) 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Perceptual Effects of Chronic Retinal Stimulation

Can functional vision be restored in blind human subjects using a microelectronic retinal prosthesis? The initial indications suggest that, yes, it is possible. However, the visual experience of these subjects is nothing like a digital scoreboard-like movie, with each electrode acting as an independent pixel. The work described here in this chapter suggests that there are interactions between pulses and across electrodes, at the electrical, retinal, or even cortical level that influence the quality of the percept. In particular, this work addresses the question, “how does the percept change as a function of pulse timing on single and multiple electrodes”? The motivation for the work described here is that these interactions must be understood and predictable if we are to develop a functional tool for blind human patients. In this chapter, we review work evaluating perceptual effects using chronic electric stimulation in three different implantable systems.
Recalcitrant posterior tibialis tendinitis from an unstable first ray

Summary We report a case of chronic posterior tibialis tendinopathy related to instability of the first ray. A method for assessing first ray mobility is described. Options for treatment are discussed. For this patient, surgical arthrodesis of the first metatarsocuneiform joint and Achilles tendon lengthening eliminated instability of the first ray and improved the capacity of the medial longitudinal arch to carry weight, allowing the chronically inflamed tendon to heal, and the patient to return to full activity.
Searching for all N = 4 supergravities with global SO(4)

Abstract A more compact superspace formulation for the ungauged N = 4 supergravity theories without auxiliary fields is given. Superspace geometry is used to search for all N = 4 supergravities with at least SO(4) global symmetry. We find that the general solutions to the unconstrained Bianchi identities, with the field content of N = 4 supergravity, are equivalent to the known SO(4) and SU(4) supergravities up to field redefinitions. Therefore, the N = 4 supergravities follow uniquely from their known field representations and the Bianchi identities with no further constraints.
On the Relation Between Low Density Separation, Spectral Clustering and Graph Cuts

One of the intuitions underlying many graph-based methods for clustering and semi-supervised learning, is that class or cluster boundaries pass through areas of low probability density. In this paper we provide some formal analysis of that notion for a probability distribution. We introduce a notion of weighted boundary volume, which measures the length of the class/cluster boundary weighted by the density of the underlying probability distribution. We show that sizes of the cuts of certain commonly used data adjacency graphs converge to this continuous weighted volume of the boundary.
Evolution of late‐life fecundity in Drosophila melanogaster

Late-life fecundity has been shown to plateau at late ages in Drosophila analogously to late-life mortality rates. In this study, we test an evolutionary theory of late life based on the declining force of natural selection that can explain the occurrence of these late-life plateaus in Drosophila. We also examine the viability of eggs laid by late-age females and test a population genetic mechanism that may be involved in the evolution of late-life fecundity: antagonistic pleiotropy. Together these experiments demonstrate that (i) fecundity plateaus at late ages, (ii) plateaus evolve according to the age at which the force of natural selection acting on fecundity reaches zero, (iii) eggs laid by females in late life are viable and (iv) antagonistic pleiotropy is involved in the evolution of late-life fecundity. This study further supports the evolutionary theory of late life based on the age-specific force of natural selection.
Role of Recombination in the Long-Term Retention of Transposable Elements in rRNA Gene Loci

Multiple theoretical studies have focused on the concerted evolution of the tandemly repeated rRNA genes of eukaryotes; however, these studies did not consider the transposable elements that interrupt the rRNA genes in many organisms. For example, in insects, R1 and R2 have been stable components of the rDNA locus for hundreds of millions of years, suggesting either that they have minimal effects on fitness or that they are unable to be eliminated. We constructed a simulation model of recombination and retrotransposition within the rDNA locus that addresses the population dynamics and fitness consequences associated with R1 and R2 insertions. The simulations suggest that even without R1 and R2 retrotransposition the frequent sister chromatid exchanges postulated from various empirical studies will, in combination with selection, generate rDNA loci that are much larger than those needed for transcription. These large loci enable the host to tolerate high levels of R1 and R2 insertions with little fitness consequences. Changes in retrotransposition rates are likely to be accommodated by adjustments in sister chromatid exchange (SCE) rate, rather than by direct selection on the number of uninserted rDNA units. These simulations suggest that the rDNA locus serves as an ideal niche for the long-term survival of transposable elements.
PROTO-UTO-AZTECAN AS A MESOAMERICAN LANGUAGE

New evidence is presented in support of the hypothesis that Proto-Uto-Aztecan (PUA) was spoken by a community of cultivators in the northwest quadrant of Mesoamerica. New cognates are presented in support of reconstructions of meanings of PUA words within the maize-cultivation domain. It is argued that some of this vocabulary was borrowed from an Otomanguean language, perhaps Proto-Oto-Chinantecan. In addition, it is argued that PUA included a vocabulary in the domain of pottery. New reconstructions of a pottery lexicon are proposed, and arguments that this vocabulary was borrowed from an Otomanguean language are presented. If PUA speakers were familiar with pottery, then PUA was spoken as late as 4400–4100 b.p. and did not begin to break up into its daughter languages until after knowledge of pottery reached its speakers.
A randomized, blinded trial of the antioxidant pegorgotein: no reduction in neuropsychological deficits, inotropic drug support, or myocardial ischemia after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Abstract Objective: To determine whether patients receiving pegorgotein preoperatively would be less likely than patients receiving placebo to demonstrate postoperative cerebral or myocardial dysfunction and thus would be less likely to (1) demonstrate a decline in neuropsychologic testing after cardiopulmonary bypass, (2) receive inotropic drug support, or (3) demonstrate electrocardiographic signs of ischemia or infarction. Design: Prospective, randomized, blinded clinical trial. Setting: University teaching hospital and clinics. Participants: Sixty-seven patients with normal left ventricular function undergoing elective, primary coronary artery bypass surgery. Interventions: Six to 18 hours before aortic cross-clamping, patients received a single dose of placebo (n = 22); pegorgotein, 2,000 IU/kg intravenously (n = 23); or pegorgotein, 5,000 IU/kg intravenously (n = 22). Measurements and Main Results: Patients in the three groups were similar; the mean ages were 65, 66, and 67 years, and there were seven, eight, and seven women in the placebo; pegorgotein, 2,000 IU/kg; and pegorgotein, 5,000 IU/kg groups. Fifty-one of 67 patients demonstrated neuropsychologic deficit 5 to 7 days postoperatively (n = 17, 19, and 15 for placebo, 2,000 IU/kg, and 5,000 IU/kg; p = NS). Median duration of cardiopulmonary bypass was longer in patients with two or more deficits at 4 to 6 weeks than in those with fewer than two deficits (121 v 98 minutes; p = 0.04). No patient demonstrated a perioperative stroke. Twenty-seven patients required inotropic drug support after cardiopulmonary bypass (n = 8, 11, and 8 for placebo, 2,000 IU/kg, and 5,000 IU/kg; p = NS). Inotropic drug support was associated with history of angina (p = 0.01) and increasing weight (p = 0.03). Nine patients demonstrated early postoperative ischemia or infarction (n = 1, 7, and 1 for placebo, 2,000 IU/kg, and 5,000 IU/kg; p = 0.07). Conclusions: This study showed no positive influence of pegorgotein on the incidence of any of the findings and showed a trend toward an increased incidence of myocardial ischemia or infarction.
Nonlinear ultrasonically induced birefringence in gold sols: Frequency-dependent diffusion.

Ultrasonically induced birefringence has been used to study coupled translational and rotational motions of large (100-nm) nonspherical colloidal gold particles in fluids. The effect is nonlinear in that the induced birefringence is quadratic in the ultrasonic amplitude. A theory is developed to explain the dependence of the observed signal on concentration, viscosity, temperature, particle size, and on the ultrasonic intensity and frequency. This enables us to determine the frequency dependence of the viscous drag on the translational motion of nonspherical Brownian particles.
Cenozoic geology of the Yerington district, Nevada, and implications for the nature and origin of Basin and Range faulting

In the Yerington district, western Nevada, pre-Tertiary rocks are overlain by an Oligocene ignimbrite sequence and Miocene andesites. Basin and Range normal faulting began in Miocene time, as andesitic volcanism died out (17 to 18 m.y. ago), and has continued to the present. The faults dip east and are curved, concave upward, with net displacements in a nearly east-west direction. Movement on the curved faults has resulted in steep westward tilting of the Miocene andesites and of all older rocks. Alluvium and 8- to 11-m.y.-old basalt flows deposited during the period of faulting are tilted gently west. The oldest faults, which dipped steeply east when they were active, are now inactive and dip gently eastward as a result of westward tilting on other faults. Younger faults dip more steeply east, and the youngest faults, those responsible for present Basin and Range topography, are the steepest. More than 100 percent of east-west extension has taken place across the district because of normal faulting. The rate of extension was most rapid between 17 and 11 m.y. ago and was slower after 11 m.y. ago. The extension is deep seated rather than thin skinned and apparently involves thinning of the crust. Several theories of origin for Basin and Range structure can be rejected because of the field data at Yerington, and the theory that Basin and Range structure was caused by a continental spreading axis best fits the data. Basin and Range spreading seems to have been most active between the projections of the Mendocino and Murray fractures. It may have first started south of the Great Basin, when these fractures were farther south relative to the continent and when the oceanic spreading axis that had been between these fractures was interacting with the continent.
Sound and complete state estimation for linear dynamical systems under sensor attacks using Satisfiability Modulo Theory solving

We address the problem of detecting and mitigating the effect of malicious attacks on the sensors of a linear dynamical system. We develop a novel, efficient algorithm that uses a Satisfiability Modulo Theory approach to isolate the compromised sensors and estimate the system state despite the presence of the attack, thus harnessing the intrinsic combinatorial complexity of the problem. Simulation results show that our algorithm compares favorably with alternative techniques, with respect to both runtime and estimation error.
PV inverter performance and reliability: What is the role of the IGBT?

The inverter is still considered the weakest link in modern photovoltaic systems. Inverter failure can be classified into three major categories: manufacturing and quality control problems, inadequate design, and electrical component failure. It is often difficult to deconvolve the latter two of these, as electrical components can fail due to inadequate design or as a result of intrinsic defects. The aim of the current work is to utilize the extensive background in both inverter performance testing and component reliability found at Sandia National Laboratories to assess the role of component failures in PV performance and reliability. Although there is no consensus on the least reliable component in a modern inverter system, the IGBT is often blamed for failures and hence this was the first component we studied. A commercially available 600V, 60A, silicon IGBT found in common residential inverters was evaluated under normal and extreme operating conditions with DC and pulsed biasing schemes. Although most of the sample devices were robust even under extreme conditions, a few of the samples failed during operation well within the manufacturer-specified limits. Additionally, we have begun in situ monitoring of IGBTs as well as other components within an operating 700 W, single-phase inverter. The in situ testing will guide future device-level work since it allows us to understand the conditions that are experienced by inverter components in a realistic operating environment.
Exact expectation analysis of the LMS adaptive filter for correlated Gaussian input data

The author presents a method for deriving a set of linear update equations that can be used to predict the exact statistical behavior of a finite-impulse-response (FIR) least-mean-square (LMS) adaptive filter operating on finite-time-correlated input data. Using this method, one can derive exact bounds on the LMS step size to guarantee mean and mean-square convergence. The equation-deriving procedure is recursive and algorithmic, and a program written in the MAPLE symbolic-manipulation software package that automates the derivation for arbitrarily long adaptive filters operating on correlated data is described. Extensive computer simulations indicate that the exact analysis is much more accurate than previous analysis in predicting adaptation behavior under correlated data conditions. The results also indicate that analysis based on the commonly used independence assumption can be inaccurate in predicting the transient behavior of adaptive filters, even in slow adaptation situations. >
The Piezo-Electric Resonator and Its Equivalent Network

The theory of the piezo-electric and the mechanical behavior of a quartz resonator is stated following Voight and Cady. The functions of the quartz as dielectric and as vibrator are shown to be separable and replaceable by a condenser in parallel with an electrical resonator, i.e., a series chain of inductance, resistance, and capacity. For a Curie-cut quartz rod excited lengthwise through the transverse piezo-electric effect into compressional vibration at the fundamental frequency the series elements become L=M/4ϵ2b2; R= N/4ϵ2b2; C=4b2ϵ2/g. This mode of vibration may be termed the "fundamental normal mode" since the vibration direction is normal to the electric field. For a Curie-cut quartz plate excited through the longitudinal piezo-electric effect into compressional vibration at the fundamental thickness frequency, the series elements become L =e2M/4ϵ2l2b2; R=e2N/4ϵ2l2b2; C=4ϵ2l2b2/e2g. This mode of vibration may be termed the "fundamental parallel mode" since the vibration direction is parallel to the electric field. M, N, and g are respectively the half-mass, mechanical resistance factor, and "equivalent stiffness" of the rod or plate whose thickness along the field is e, and dimensions normal to the field are l and b, the latter being along the optic axis. The parallel capacity is shown to be less than that for a quartz dielectric which is free to assume piezo-electric strain and to be equal to that for unstrained quartz. Phase and amplitude variations of current to the resonator are shown as obtained with the cathode ray oscillograph.
Glucose Parameters Are Altered in Mouse Offspring Produced by Assisted Reproductive Technologies and Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer

Fortunately, the majority of children conceived through assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) appear healthy; however, metabolic abnormalities, including elevated glucose and increased and altered adipose tissue deposition, have been reported in adolescents. To parse out factors that may be responsible, we investigated the effects of two different ARTs--in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)--as well as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) on glucose clearance, body weight, and body composition of young adult mice. Female and male mice generated through ART weighed more than control (naturally conceived [STOCK]) mice at birth. No differences in body weight were observed in males up to 8 wk of age. ART females took longer than control mice to clear a glucose bolus, with glucose clearance most impaired in SCNT females. IVF females secreted more insulin and had a higher insulin peak 15 min after glucose injection compared with all other groups. Male mice exhibited no differences in glucose clearance, but IVF males required more insulin to do so. SCNT females weighed more than IVF, ICSI, and STOCK females, and they had higher fat content than ICSI females and higher leptin levels than all other groups. These results show that glucose parameters are altered in young adult mice conceived through techniques associated with ART before onset of obesity and may be responsible for its development later in life. The present study suggests that more investigation regarding the long-term effects of manipulations associated with ART is warranted.
History, Evolution, and Future Status of Energy Storage

Advanced energy storage has been a key enabling technology for the portable electronics explosion. The lithium and Ni-MeH battery technologies are less than 40 years old and have taken over the electronics industry and are on the same track for the transportation industry and the utility grid. In this review, energy storage from the gigawatt pumped hydro systems to the smallest watt-hour battery are discussed, and the future directions predicted. If renewable energy, or even lower cost energy, is to become prevalent energy storage is a critical component in reducing peak power demands and the intermittent nature of solar and wind power. An electric economy will demand more electrification of the transportation sector and it is likely that all vehicles sold by the end of this decade will have some level of hybridization. Energy storage capabilities in conjunction with the smart grid are expected to see a massive leap forward over the next 25 years.
Cardiac tamponade: contrast reflux as an indicator of cardiac chamber equalization

Traumatic hemopericardium remains a rare entity; it does however commonly cause cardiac tamponade which remains a major cause of death in traumatic blunt cardiac injury. We present a case of blunt chest trauma complicated by cardiac tamponade causing cardiac chamber equalization revealed by reflux of contrast. A 29-year-old unidentified male suffered blunt chest trauma in a motor vehicle collision. Computed tomography (CT) demonstrated a periaortic hematoma and hemopericardium. Significant contrast reflux was seen in the inferior vena cava and hepatic veins suggesting a change in cardiac chamber pressures. After intensive treatment including cardiac massage this patient expired of cardiac arrest. Reflux of contrast on CT imaging can be an indicator of traumatic cardiac tamponade.
Nutrition and the immune system of the gut

Studies suggest that the development and expression of the regional immune system in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is relatively independent of systemic immunity. This is reflected in significant differences in functional response of T cells and B cells and affects cytokine patterns and activation pathways when regional immunity is compared to systemic immunity. Nutrients have fundamental and regulatory influences on the immune response of the GI tract and, therefore, on host defense. In addition to the effect of nutrition during development, the local impact of different dietary and antigenic elements on the regional immune system contributes to potential diversion of the two systems throughout life. The route of exposure during antigenic contact is known to affect host immune response, whether it be a normal process, happening in the context of normal environmental encounter with nonpathogenic microbes or planned immunization, or occurring as a result of resolution of a potentially pathologic process i.e., an infectious encounter. Interactions at the local level profoundly influence systemic immune response, in part because of intrinsic differences in these systems, and also because of different requirements for optimal function. Although inflammatory processes are central to host defense in the periphery, the protective blocking action of the secretory immunoglobulin A immune response is crucial to local host defense, and, therefore, to the integrity of GI tract immune function. For these reasons, interaction with normal bacteria of the GI tract may be seen as the model of how the system has evolved and provide clues to the restoration of balance in the immunocompromised host. Reduction of normal commensal bacteria in the context of infection or after antibiotic treatment may interfere with nutrient availability and impair beneficial stimulation of GI immune response. This impairment may be associated with continued colonization with opportunistic microbes and inflammatory immune response that could lead to malabsorption and malnutrition. Study of the impact of nutrient imbalance on the function of the GI tract has profound implications for clinical medicine and may in the future lead to the rational design of preventive approaches to support immune response and host defense.
Mass transfer in various hollow fiber geometries

Abstract Mass transfer coefficients in commercial modules, including blood oxygenators, agree with literature correlations at high flows but are smaller at low flows. The smaller values at low flows probably result from channelling in the hollow fiber bundle. For the special case of flow within the fibers, the slight polydispersity of the hollow fibers causing this channelling can be used to predict deviation from the Leveque limit. These deviations can not be predicted from extensions to the Leveque analysis, or the analysis by Graetz. For the special case of flow outside the fibers, the mass transfer coefficients in commercial modules of various geometries are surprisingly similar, and fall below those of carefully handmade modules. These results can be used to develop still better membrane module designs.
Person Tracking with a Mobile Robot using Two Uncalibrated Independently Moving Cameras

This paper presents an efficient person tracking algorithm for a vision-based mobile robot using two independently moving cameras each of which is mounted on its own pan/tilt unit. Without calibrating these cameras, the goal of our proposed method is to estimate the distance to a target appearing in the image sequences captured by the cameras. The main contributions of our approach include: 1) establishing the correspondence between the control inputs to the pan/tilt units and the pixel displacement in the image plane without using the intrinsic parameters of the cameras; and 2) derivation of the distance information from the correspondence between the centers of masses of the segmented color-blobs from the left and the right images without stereo camera calibration. Our proposed approach has been successfully tested on a mobile robot for the task of person following in real environments.
Major histocompatibility complex class I-recognizing receptors are disease risk genes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a heterogeneous syndrome of which a subset of patients develops vascular inflammation. The genetic determinants that confer risk for rheumatoid vasculitis are not known, but patients with vascular complications are known to have an expansion of CD4+CD28null T cells, a cell population potentially involved in endothelial damage. CD4+CD28null T cell clones isolated from RA patients with vasculitis were found to express killer cell immunoglobulin–like receptors (KIRs) with the stimulatory KIR2DS2 often present in the absence of opposing inhibitory receptors with related specificities. To test the hypothesis that the KIR2DS2 gene is involved in the development of vasculitis, association studies were performed. The KIR2DS2 gene was significantly enriched among patients with rheumatoid vasculitis compared with normal individuals (odds ratio 5.56, P = 0.001) and patients with RA but no vasculitis (odds ratio 7.96, P = 0.001). Also, the distribution of human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C, the putative ligand for KIRs, was significantly different in patients with rheumatoid vasculitis in comparison with the control populations. These data suggest that HLA class I–recognizing receptors and HLA class I genes are genetic risk determinants that modulate the pattern of RA expression. Specifically, KIR2DS2 in conjunction with the appropriate HLA-C ligand may have a role in vascular damage by regulating CD4+CD28null T cells.
Effects of Media on Recovery of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Pseudomonas fluorescens from Spinach

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is an important foodborne pathogen implicated in contamination of leafy greens and can cause hemorrhagic colitis in humans. Efficient recovery and enumeration of E. coli O157:H7 (Ec) and Pseudomonas fluorescens from produce are crucial for efficacy of biocontrol of Ec. Biocontrol refers to the suppression, reduction or control of one organism with another. P. fluorescens (Pf) is used for biocontrol research due to its colonization potential and suppressive activity against many microbes. We evaluated the sensitivity and selectivity of Restaino and Frampton (R & F) E. coli O157:H7 chromogenic medium (RFCM) and the effect of storage time and temperature on recovery of Ec and Pf from cultures and spinach. Ec and Pf were inoculated at the same level. Microbial counts differed between media and Ec was identified on RFCM based on color (blue-black precipitate), while Pf had distinct white/translucent colonies that fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Bacterial populations from mixed cultures plated on media and recovered ranged from 3.6–8.7 and 4.2–7.7 log cfu/mL for Ec and Pf, respectively. Microbial counts on spinach ranged from 6.0–8.2 and 6.5–8.6 log cfu/g for the above bacteria. Bacterial recovery increased with storage time of 0–48 h, implying a possible increase of contact time for bacterial attachment. The RFCM was best suited for simultaneous recovery of Ec and Pf based on differentiation of colonies on media and can be an effective tool for biocontrol research. Practical Applications Efficient recovery and accurate enumeration of Escherichia coli O157:H7, the human pathogen and Pseudomonas fluorescens, the biocontrol agent, from leafy greens are crucial for assessment of biocontrol efficacy. P. fluorescens has been used for biocontrol of some foodborne and plant pathogenic microbes from leafy greens, phyllosphere and rhizosphere of agronomic crops based on its competitive and antagonistic ability. Other than the generation of antibiotic resistant strains (foodborne pathogens) or use of green fluorescent-labeled mutants, there are limited options available for simultaneous recovery and enumeration of biocontrol and pathogenic bacteria. This research provides information on the recovery and differentiation of E. coli O157:H7 and P. fluorescens from media and inoculated spinach. The potential implication is a methodology for evaluation of the effectiveness of a biocontrol agent, with applications to other leafy greens. Accurate recovery and enumeration of biocontrol and pathogenic bacteria would promote optimal determination of biocontrol efficacy, a component of postharvest intervention strategy. This study validates the use of selective medium with specific applications for this type of research.
Sperm Retrieval in Adolescents and Young Adults with Klinefelter Syndrome: A Prospective, Pilot Study

Objective To assess sperm retrieval rates in adolescents and young adults with Klinefelter syndrome, with the ultimate goal of improving fertility in this population. Secondary aims were to evaluate other clinical characteristics of the cohort and identify predictors of sperm retrieval. Study design Patients 12-25 years of age with Klinefelter syndrome (47,XXY) were recruited at the Boston Children's Hospital. Physical examination, biochemical evaluation, scrotal ultrasonography, and semen analysis were performed. Neurocognitive data were collected. Microdissection sperm extraction (unilateral micro-testicular sperm extraction) was offered to individuals with no sperm in their ejaculates. Given the small sample size, analysis was primarily descriptive. Results Fifteen patients were enrolled. None had sperm in their ejaculates. Ten patients underwent unilateral micro-testicular sperm extraction. Sperm retrieval rate was 50%. From a neurocognitive standpoint, subjects reported problems with peers, conduct, and overall difficulties. Incidentally, one-third of the patients were found to have testicular microlithiasis and 17% of subjects with renal ultrasound imaging had bilateral renal medullary nephrocalcinosis. Conclusions This pilot study suggests that sperm retrieval rates in adolescents and young adults with Klinefelter syndrome are comparable with those reported in older men. However, larger studies are needed to confirm our findings. The clinical significance of the scrotal and renal ultrasound findings merits further investigation. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT01817296 .