cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fast Inverse Motion Compensation Algorithms for MPEG and for Partial DCT Information

Abstract In prior work, we developed a fast inverse motion compensation method that can be implemented directly on the DCT domain representation derived from the compressed bitstreams conforming to MPEG, H.261, and H.263 standards. That work was restricted to compressed-domain representations wherein the motion-vectors have integer pel accuracy. Here, we extend this work to fractional-pel accurate motion-vectors. We also extend the prior work to speed up the inverse motion compensation process in the DCT domain by explicitly exploiting the sparseness of the DCT domain representation. Using partial DCT information, we show that the DCT domain method has substantially lower operation count than the conventional spatial domain approach which requires decompression followed by inverse motion-compensation.
Clinical and hemodynamic bases of the roentgen findings in cyanotic congenital heart disease

Abstract Routine clinical, radiographic and electrocardiographic examinations in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease usually lead to a presumptive diagnosis of the functional derangement. The clinical and electrocardiographic information that enhance the diagnostic accuracy of roentgenographic findings are detailed. Generally, definitive anatomic diagnosis requires selective angiocardiography. Physiologic consequences of the anomalies are determined by measurement of intravascular pressures and resistances, blood flow and direction of shunt.
Clostridial infection in children

A survey of the isolation of Clostridium spp. from 1543 specimens sent to anaerobic microbiology laboratories revealed 113 isolates from 107 specimens (7.0% of all specimens) from 96 children. The isolates comprised 43 (38%) unidentified Clostridium spp., 37 (33%) C. perfringens, 13 (12%) C. ramosum, five (4%) C. innocuum, six (5%) C. botulinum, three (3%) C. difficile, two (2%) C. butyricum, and one isolate each of C. bifermentans, C. clostridiiforme, C. limosum and C. paraputrificum. Most clostridial isolates were from abscesses (38), peritonitis (26), bacteraemia (10), and chronic otitis media (7). Predisposing or underlying conditions were present in 31 (32%) cases. These were immunodeficiency (12), malignancy (9), diabetes (7), trauma (7), presence of a foreign body (6) and previous surgery (6). The clostridia were the only bacterial isolates in 14 (15%) cases; 82 (85%) cases had mixed infection. The species most commonly isolated with clostridia were anaerobic cocci (57); Bacteroides spp. (B. fragilis group) (50), Escherichia coli (22), pigmented Prevotella or Porphyromonas spp. (18) and Fusobacterium spp. (10). Most Bacteroides and Escherichia coli isolates with clostridia were from abdominal infections and skin and soft tissue infections adjacent to the rectal area; most pigmented Prevotella and Porphyromonas isolates were from oropharyngeal, pulmonary, and head and neck sites. Antimicrobial therapy was given to all patients, in conjunction with surgical drainage in 34 (35%). Only two patients died. These data illustrate the importance of Clostridium spp. in paediatric infections.
An improved I/O buffer correlation methodology between silicon and the SPICE model

High-performance systems that involve tightly-constrained design parameters create significant challenges for board designers. The ability to simulate a complex design before laying out the board has become a critical factor in the success of a project. From the manufacturers' standpoint, releasing a SPICE model involves the risk of exposing confidential circuit netlists. Altera provides the IBIS model, which is a behavioral method of modeling I/O buffers derived from the SPICE model. Extensive correlation between the SPICE model and silicon increases reliability and accuracy of IBIS generation. However, long correlation timeline and various factors such as modeling complexity jeopardize the timely release of a model to customers. This paper demonstrates Altera's I/O buffer silicon versus model correlation evolution from its infancy to where it is today. Research on correlation methodology was carried out to minimize the PCB interconnect effect that complicates these modeling efforts. Statistical data collection and analysis in an automated environment adds value to increase customers' confidence in our IBIS model. The simplification efforts benefit Altera and the industry by increasing correlation efficiencies, reducing material costs, improved time to market, and the providing highly reliable IBIS model to customers.
Record Hole Mobility at High Vertical Fields in Planar Strained Germanium on Insulator With Asymmetric Strain

Long channel asymmetrically strained Ge narrow width p-MOSFETs were fabricated from (100) biaxially strained Ge (strain ~ 2.5%) on insulator. Devices with widths of 0.425-15 μm were fabricated with and channel directions. Reducing the mesa width caused mobility to increase for but decrease for channel orientations. The highest mobility was observed for 0.425- μm-wide mesas with channel direction with an enhancement of 45%-50% relative to biaxially strained Ge at Ninv=6×1012 cm-2 and a record mobility of 955 cm2/Vs at Ninv=1013 cm-2. Mesas up to 2- μm wide were observed to have enhanced mobilities relative to biaxial Ge, suggesting that even relatively wide mesas can be affected by patterning-induced strain relaxation.
Motion of small bodies in classical field theory

I show how prior work with R. Wald on geodesic motion in general relativity can be generalized to classical field theories of a metric and other tensor fields on four-dimensional spacetime that (1) are second-order and (2) follow from a diffeomorphism-covariant Lagrangian. The approach is to consider a one-parameter-family of solutions to the field equations satisfying certain assumptions designed to reflect the existence of a body whose size, mass, and various charges are simultaneously scaled to zero. (That such solutions exist places a further restriction on the class of theories to which our results apply.) Assumptions are made only on the spacetime region outside of the body, so that the results apply independent of the body's composition (and, e.g., black holes are allowed). The worldline 'left behind' by the shrinking, disappearing body is interpreted as its lowest-order motion. An equation for this worldline follows from the 'Bianchi identity' for the theory, without use of any properties of the field equations beyond their being second-order. The form of the force law for a theory therefore depends only on the ranks of its various tensor fields; the detailed properties of the field equations are relevant only for determining the charges for amore » particular body (which are the ''monopoles'' of its exterior fields in a suitable limiting sense). I explicitly derive the force law (and mass-evolution law) in the case of scalar and vector fields, and give the recipe in the higher-rank case. Note that the vector force law is quite complicated, simplifying to the Lorentz force law only in the presence of the Maxwell gauge symmetry. Example applications of the results are the motion of 'chameleon' bodies beyond the Newtonian limit, and the motion of bodies in (classical) non-Abelian gauge theory. I also make some comments on the role that scaling plays in the appearance of universality in the motion of bodies.« less
Commentary on an article by Sigurd Liavaag, MD, et al.: “Immobilization in External Rotation After Primary Shoulder Dislocation Did Not Reduce the Risk of Recurrence. A Randomized Controlled Trial”

Sigurd Liavaag and coauthors are to be commended for their manuscript, “Immobilization in External Rotation After Primary Shoulder Dislocation Did Not Reduce the Risk of Recurrence. A Randomized Controlled Trial.” This multicenter trial in Norway demonstrated no apparent clinical benefit of three weeks of immobilization in external rotation following primary anterior shoulder dislocation in 188 subjects. The authors of this clinical trial focused on a clinically relevant age group (range, sixteen to forty years), executed an effective stratified block randomization, monitored treatment compliance, and reported excellent follow-up (98% at two years). The findings of Liavaag et al. mirror those of Finestone et al.1, who also reported no apparent benefit of immobilization in external rotation. The patients in the study by Finestone et al. were all male, were younger (mean …
Foreign Investment in the Nonmetropolitan U.S. South and Midwest: A Case of Mimetic Location Behavior?:

This study asks a basic question about foreign direct manufacturing investment (FDI) in the United States: are its location patterns really "foreign"? This question is motivated by the observation that rather than changing the geography of U.S. manufacturing, foreign manufacturers appear to be mimicking the location patterns of their domestically owned counterparts. A conditional logit procedure is used to analyze the reasons why foreign manufacturers have been attracted to nonmetropolitan counties of the South and Midwest. This analysis supports the case for a mimetic explanation of their location decisions.
Expression and topographical localization of cell surface fucosyltransferase activity during epididymal sperm maturation in the mouse

We have demonstrated previously that spermatogenic cells in the mouse testis have high levels of fucosyltransferase activity. Furthermore, a significant portion of this activity has been localized to the cell surface (Millette et al.: Cell Biology of the Testis and Epididymis, 1987). Differential expression of fucosyltransferases and their function as ecto-enzymes may be important in the processes of sperm maturation and fertilization in mammals. Accordingly, here we report the activity levels of fucosyltransferase (FT) in spermatozoa isolated from the mouse caput and cauda epididymides. Calculated on a per cell basis, spermatozoa from the caput epididymis have significantly more FT activity than do spermatozoa from the cauda epididymis (18.07 +/- 2.2 pmol/million cells compared with 2.8 +/- 0.09 pmol/million cells). Furthermore, caput sperm exhibit a more significant increase in FT activity when assayed in the presence of Nonidet P-40. Calculated on the basis of cell surface area, however, FT activity remains constant on the head portion of spermatozoa isolated from all portions of the male reproductive tract and from capacitated spermatozoa. Measurements of FT activity in extracts of isolated sperm tails from cells at different stages of maturation indicate a greatly diminished activity in tails from sperm in the cauda epididymis. The total sperm surface area is composed predominantly of the plasma membrane surrounding the flagellar apparatus. Therefore, our data demonstrate that FT activity is retained selectively on the different topological regions of sperm, with losses during sperm maturation in the epididymis being restricted to the tail segment. Maintenance of high levels of FT activity of the plasma membranes of the mouse sperm head raise the possibility that FT is indeed involved in some aspects of sperm-egg recognition.
A Room Temperature Hydrogen Sensor With High Sensitivity and Selectivity Using Nanocrystalline Semiconductor Particles

Micro hydrogen sensor with interdigitated electrodes and indium doped nanopolycrystalline SnO2 particles was fabricated and tested. Giant sensitivity as high as 105 with good repeatability and recovery was observed. The sensor showed an excellant selectivity of hydrogen (H2 ) sensing over helium (He).Copyright © 2005 by ASME
An Ultra Low-Noise MOSFET device with improved SNR for DCO-type applications

An Ultra-Low Noise (ULN) MOSFET device used as a g m -pair in a DCO circuit is presented. Device 1/f noise reduces by >12X while circuit SNR improves by >1.2dB for an optimized process. While strong process correlation for device 1/f noise is seen, a weak correlation at circuit level is noticed. Noise is primarily dependent on halo implant conditions while SNR dispersion is influenced by Fluorine (F) addition. Overall, the ULN device improves SNR yield by ∼3% and the optimized circuit-and-device performance is seen for reduced-halo and no-F process condition.
The smallest nontoroidal chiral maps

In this paper, we display those chiral maps which have fewest edges among those of genus greater than one. One of these is a branched covering of a regular map on the torus, and the other is its dual.
THE STRENGTHS OF THE DIASPORA

This is a time of renewal in the Jewish calender, the end of one year and the beginning of another. Yet there is a feeling—and it is no more than that—that beginning anew may this year relate to Israel-Diaspora relations, particularly in the shadow of the intifada. Are Diaspora Jews distancing themselves from Israel while, paradoxically, identifying with it? Is the post-Shoah generation of Jews as mesmerized by the existence of a Jewish state as the fading 1948 one? What is the place of America in the Jewish world? A secondary role to Israel or a symbiotic one? And what of all those independent and critical voices which continually pierce the ordered uniformity of communal organizations. Are we witnessing the emergence of a new Diaspora identity? THE JEWISH QUARTERLY asked a number of writers to air their views on the vexed question of the future of Diaspora Jewry.
A Novel Approach for Designing Interpolation Filter Using Basis Functions

Based on the special basis functions, a piecewise function with adjustable parameters is used to construct the impulse response of the interpolation filter. These parameters are then calculated when this function approximates the desired impulse response according to some optimization criterion in time domain. This polynomial-based interpolation filter can be efficiently implemented using a modified Farrow structure. The design example shows that the number of multipliers and the designing burden is greatly reduced for this proposed approach compared with two other polynomial-based methods.
Olfactory and Oviposition Responses of the House Fly to Domestic Manures with Notes on an Autogenous Strain.

The odor or odors in a manure that stimulate olfactory response of house flies, Musca domeslica L., were most effective during the first minute of exposure in an olfactometer. The responses of 2-, 4-, and 8-day-old flies, fed on sucrose and on protein, to the odors of 8 manures were not significantly different in olfactometer tests. Odor source taken from air passed over the surface of manure was not effective in eliciting a positive response in house flies, while an odor source taken from air passed through a mixture of water and manure was effective. In the olfactometer tests cow manure was the most attractive odor to house flies. Pig manure was the most favorable site for oviposition, strain of house flies that exhibit the phenomenon of autogeny was colonized. The preoviposition period of autogenolis house flies was more than twice as long as that of anautog-enolls flies. They laid fewer eggs, which were less viable, than the anautogenous strain.
some determinants of sex roles in a changing Indian town

During an investigation of family organization and child-rearing practices in a changing Indian town some variations in sex role behavior were observed. These are described for a more traditional and a more modern sector of the town, and social network theory is used to explain some of the differences found. In addition, certain variations in the organization of sex roles among lower socioeconomic households are attributed to economic factors.
Contribution of arginase activation to vascular dysfunction in cigarette smoking

Abstract Background Cigarette smoke increases the risk of several cardiovascular diseases and has synergistic detrimental effects when present with other risks that contribute to its pathogenesis. Oxidative injury to the endothelium via reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) dysregulation is a common denominator of smoking-induced alterations in vascular function. However, the mechanisms underlying ROS and NO dysregulation due to smoking remain unclear. We tested if arginase (Arg) activation/upregulation contributes to this phenomenon by constraining nitric oxide synthase (NOS) activity. Methods Arg2 knockout (Arg2 −/− ) and control C57BL/6J mice were either exposed to cigarette smoke, 6 h/day/2 weeks (Second Hand Smoking; SHS) or housed in normal environment (Non Smoking; NS). Arg activity, NO and ROS levels were determined by measuring urea production, fluorescent dye (DAF), and dihydroethedium (DHE) respectively in isolated mouse aorta. Results Arg activity and ROS levels were higher NO lower in SHS compared to NS mice. SHS failed to lower NO levels in Arg2 −/− mice. Endothelial dependent vasodilation (EDV) was attenuated in SHS mice as compared to controls (78.80% ± 8 vs 46.58% ± 5). This impaired EDV was abolished in Arg2 −/− mice (67.48% ± 7 in SHS vs. 78.80% ± 8 in NS). Vascular stiffness was increased in SHS mice as compared to NS controls but remained unchanged in Arg2 −/− mice. Conclusion Endothelial NOS is uncoupled by smoking exposure, leading to endothelial dysfunction and vascular stiffness, a process that is prevented by Arg2 deletion. Hence, we identify Arg2 upregulation as a critical pathogenic factor and target for therapy in oxidative injury following smoking exposure through reciprocal regulation of endothelial NOS.
A Semantic Framework for Modeling and Reasoning about Reflective Middleware

Open distributed systems evolve dynamically, and their components interact with environments that are not under their control. A reflective model of distributed computation supports separation of concerns (for example, functionality and different QoS properties) and dynamic adaptation to changing environments or requirements. In such an ODS, a wide range of services and activities must execute concurrently and share resources. To avoid resource conflicts, deadlocks, inconsistencies, and incorrect execution semantics, the underlying resource management system--middleware--must ensure that concurrent system activities compose in a correct manner. Designers and programmers must consider interactions within and across reflective levels, clearly spell out the semantics of shared distributed resources, and develop new notions of overall system correctness that account for a dynamic,distributed, and reflective setting.
Cell therapy for critical limb ischemia: moving forward one step at a time.

Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is a common disorder and a major cause of morbidity and mortality.1 The most severely affected patients, with rest pain, ulcerations, or gangrene, are given a diagnosis of critical limb ischemia (CLI). These patients have a particularly poor prognosis, with high rates of limb amputation and mortality. Despite improvements in medical therapy for atherosclerosis and associated comorbidities as well as improvements in interventional and surgical techniques to improve limb perfusion, CLI continues to carry a major risk of limb amputation.2,3 A significant portion of patients with CLI are considered “no option” for revascularization, and no medical therapy has been shown to be capable of reducing the need for amputation. Therefore, novel therapies are needed to treat this disorder. Articles see p 15 and 26 In the late 1990s, there was a paradigm shift in our understanding of the mechanisms for neovascularization in adult mammals. Previously, it was thought that angiogenesis (ie, the sprouting of new vessels from previously existing vasculature) was the only means available for the formation of new vessels in adults. The discovery of bone marrow-derived circulating progenitor cells capable of contributing to differentiation into endothelial cells and contributing to neovascularization of ischemic tissue introduced the concept of postnatal vasculogenesis (ie, the formation of vessels de novo using the building blocks of progenitor cells).4,5 Preclinical studies then provided evidence that a variety of stem and progenitor cell types, delivered locally into ischemic tissue, could exert therapeutic effects in models of ischemia.6–8 Subsequently, a new approach to the treatment of ischemic conditions has emerged and is rapidly evolving, with investigators advancing the use of progenitor cell-based therapies in patients with advanced ischemic conditions.9,10 The therapeutic use of progenitor cells poses certain unique …
Ability of the glucocorticoid modulatory element to modify glucocorticoid receptor transactivation indicates parallel pathways for the expression of glucocorticoid modulatory element and glucocorticoid response element activities.

Abstract The glucocorticoid modulatory element (GME) of the rat tyrosine aminotransferase gene is located at −3.6 kb and 1 kb upstream of the glucocorticoid response elements (GREs). The GME has the unique transcriptional properties of modulating both the dose–response curve of agonists bound to the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) and the residual agonist activity of GR-bound antisteroids. The expression of GME activity involves the binding of two novel proteins (GMEB-1 and GMEB-2) that we have recently cloned. However, the mechanistic details are limited. The DNA sequence requirements for GME activity (CGTC) also remain poorly defined, which restricts efforts to identify other GME modulated genes. To help understand the mechanism for the unusual activities of the GME and to identify permissive gene environments for GME activity, we compared the changes in GME activity and GRE action (i.e. the fold induction by GR) caused by modifying several parameters. Phasing between the GME and downstream tandem GREs was unimportant, in contrast to other cis -acting elements like the GRE, while GME activity decreased rapidly when placed at increasingly larger distances 3′ to a tandem GRE. A minimal promoter was less effective in supporting GME than GRE activity. Although CREB binds to the GME, overexpression of CREB reduced GRE, but not GME, activity and a CRE was inactive when substituted for the GME. No effect of the GME was observed on the binding of GRs to a single GRE. However, the GME upstream of a single GRE was also unable to produce a left shift in the Dex dose–response curve under conditions where the GME was active with two GREs. In the absence of any GREs, the GME displayed intrinsic activity by elevating basal level expression. Collectively, these results indicate that an optimal position for a functional GME is within 250 bp upstream of a tandem GRE driving a complex promoter. Furthermore, as the changes in GME activity did not correlate with those for fold induction from the GRE, the mechanisms for expression of GME and GRE activities appear to utilize parallel, as opposed to common pathways.
The swelling of rat liver mitochondria by thyroxine and its reversal.

The in vitro swelling action of L-thyroxine on rat liver mitochondria as examined photometrically represents an acceleration of a process which the mitochondria are already inherently capable of undergoing spontaneously, as indicated by the identical kinetic characteristics and the extent of thyroxine-induced and spontaneous swelling, the nearly identical pH dependence, and the fact that sucrose has a specific inhibitory action on both types of swelling. However, thyroxine does not appear to be a "catalyst" or coenzyme since it does not decrease the temperature coefficient of spontaneous swelling. The temperature coefficient is very high, approximately 6.0 near 20 degrees . Aging of mitochondria at 0 degrees causes loss of thyroxine sensitivity which correlates closely with the loss of bound DPN from the mitochondria, but not with loss of activity of the respiratory chain or with the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation. Tests with various respiratory chain inhibitors showed that the oxidation state of bound DPN may be a major determinant of thyroxine sensitivity; the oxidation state of the other respiratory carriers does not appear to influence sensitivity to thyroxine. These facts and other considerations suggest that a bound form of mitochondrial DPN is the "target" of the action of thyroxine. The thyroxine-induced swelling is not reversed by increasing the osmolar concentration of external sucrose, but can be "passively" or osmotically reversed by adding the high-particle weight solute polyvinylpyrrolidone. The mitochondrial membrane becomes more permeable to sucrose during the swelling reaction. On the other hand, thyroxine-induced swelling can be "actively" reversed by ATP in a medium of 0.15 M KCl or NaCl but not in a 0.30 M sucrose medium. The action of ATP is specific; ADP, Mn(++), and ethylenediaminetetraacetate are not active. It is concluded that sucrose is an inhibitor of the enzymatic relationship between oxidative phosphorylation and the contractility and permeability properties of the mitochondrial membrane. Occurrence of different types of mitochondrial swelling, the intracellular factors affecting the swelling and shrinking of mitochondria, as well as the physiological significance of thyroxine-induced swelling are discussed.
The Role of Trehalose Biosynthesis in Plants

The role of trehalose in plants is a curious one. Originally believed to serve as an osmoprotectant, its presence in plants at very low levels makes this role unlikely. This month's High Impact article by Avonce et al., titled “The Arabidopsis Trehalose-6-P Synthase AtTPS1 Gene Is a Regulator of
Do Individual Representatives Influence Government Transfers? Evidence from Japan

Conventional wisdom is that during the second half of the twentieth century, Japanese Diet members served as “pipelines” between the national treasury and their constituents. This article employs two identification strategies to estimate how much individual Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) incumbents in the Lower House of the Diet influenced the distribution of government transfers during the period 1977 to 1992. The first exploits the changes in representation following the midterm deaths of Japanese representatives. The second uses the discontinuity in LDP representation when LDP candidates win or lose elections by very narrow margins. Overall, the influence of individual representatives on central-to-locality transfers is relatively small. However, the LDP incumbents who win office by small electoral margins do appear to affect per capita central government transfers to the municipalities where the incumbent had substantial electoral support.
The effects of temporally variable dispersal and landscape structure on invasive species spread

Many invasive species are too widespread to realistically eradicate. For such species, a viable management strategy is to slow the rate of spread. However, to be effective, this will require detailed spread data and an understanding of the influence of environmental conditions and landscape structure on invasion rates. We used a time series of remotely sensed distribution maps and a spatial simulation model to study spread of the invasive Lepidium latifolium (perennial pepperweed) in California's Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. L. latifolium is a noxious weed and exhibited rapid, explosive spread. Annual infested area and empirical dispersal kernels were derived from the remotely sensed distributions in order to assess the influence of weather conditions on spread and to parameterize the simulation model. Spread rates and dispersal distances were highest for nascent infestations and in years with wet springs. Simulations revealed that spread rates were more strongly influenced by the length of long-distance dispersal than by temporal variation in its likelihood. It is thus important to capture long-distance dispersal and the conditions that facilitate spread when collecting data to parameterize spread models. Additionally, management actions performed in high-spread years, targeting long-distance recruits, can effectively contain infestations. Corridors were relatively unimportant to spread rates; their effectiveness at enhancing rate of spread was limited by the species' dispersal ability and the time needed to travel through the corridor. In contrast, habitat abundance and shape surrounding the introduction site strongly influenced invasion dynamics. Satellite patches invading large areas of invasible habitat present especially high risk.
Theory of DX Centers in AlxGa1-x Alloys

A theoretical model forDX centers which explains their unusual electronic properties in terms of two distinct bonding configurations for donor impurities in AlxGa1-x As alloys is examined. The results of our ab initio self-consistent pseudo-potential calculations show that forx > ≃20%, the normal fourfold coordinated substitutional site becomes unstable with respect to a large lattice distortion. The model explains the large difference between the thermal and optical ionization energies of DX centers.
Vocational Misfit: Source of Occupational Stress Among Accountants

The career path of management accountants involves rotation through disparate positions that, we hypothesized, puts these professionals at risk for episodes of vocational misfit. Survey data from 188 management accountants were examined through correlational analyses and structural equation modeling. As predicted, many respondents (40%) met Hollands (1985b) criterion for vocational misfit. Poor vocational fit was significantly associated in correlational analysis with job dissatisfaction, how self-esteem, and turnover, and in a structural equation model, with a stress process that included both stressors and strains.
Preparation of gluten free rice flour biscuits.

Gluten is the main structure-forming protein in wheat flour, and is responsible for the elastic characteristics of dough, and contributes to the appearance and crumb structure of many baked products. The component of gluten that causes problems for people with coeliac disease. The only effective treatment for coeliac disease is a strict adherence to a gluten-free diet throughout the patient's lifetime. This can be achieved by formulation of gluten free products. The present investigation was undertaken to prepare gluten free rice flour biscuits. Three samples were prepared with 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2 proportions of brown rice flour and white rice flour. Overall acceptability of rice flour biscuits was found in the range from 7.3 to 8.0. Acceptable gluten free biscuits can be prepared from rice flour.
Phosphate Metabolism in Rhizobium

Phosphorus is often the limiting nutrient for crop production throughout the world and studies have demonstrated the importance of phosphorus to the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis. However, there is little information about phosphorus acquisition and metabolism in the rhizobia-either free living or bacteroids. Using mutants defective in specific mechanisms of phosphate acquisition or regulation, we are studying phosphorus exchange between the bacteroid and legume host, and the global effects of phosphorus limitation on gene expression in rhizobia. The results of studies using Rhizobium meliloti and Rhizobium tropici as models will be briefly summarized to provide a minireview featuring: aspects of bacteroid phosphate metabolism, characterization of mutants defective for phosphatases, phosphate transport or regulation, and identification of phosphate-stress-inducible genes. Data obtained from these studies suggest the alfalfa and bean symbioses may differ with respect to the manner in which phosphorus is provided to the bacteroids, and that phosphorus limitation has global effects on gene expression in rhizobia.
Comparison of incidence of ptosis after combined phacotrabeculectomy with mitomycin C and phacoemulsification

Objective: To compare the incidence of upper eyelid blepharoptosis after combined phacotrabeculectomy with mitomycin C and phacoemulsification surgeries and the relationship of bleb morphology to the incidence of ptosis. Design: Retrospective observation study. Participants: We included 46 patients after combined phacotrabeculectomy and 44 patients with phacoemulsification in the former group, and all eyes underwent a standardized two-site surgery with intra-operative mitomycin C. Materials and Methods: Postoperative ptosis was defined as a reduction of upper marginal reflex distance 2 mm in the operated eye compared to the fellow eye. Trabeculectomy bleb measurements were carried out using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (VisanteTM, Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA, USA) which included bleb height and total area of the bleb. Results: There were 8 eyes (17.4%) and 5 eyes (11.4%) with postoperative ptosis in the phacotrabeculectomy and phacoemulsification groups, respectively ( P = 0.342). In multivariate regression analysis, reduced total bleb area was significantly associated with upper eyelid ptosis after adjusting for age, gender, and type of anesthesia. The trend seemed to show that increased bleb height was also associated with ptosis, but this did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Incidence of persistent ptosis after phacoemulsification combined with trabeculectomy and mitomycin C is similar compared to stand alone phacoemulsification surgery in a multiethnic Asian population. Bleb morphology may play an important role in postoperative ptosis development and should be considered in the evaluation of upper eyelid blepharoptosis.
Infection and immunization of cats with the Kawakami-Theilen strain of feline leukemia virus.

SummaryInjection of high doses of KT-FeLV feline leukemia virus produced both viremia and leukemia in a portion of 1- to 2-day-old kittens but not in 17- to 24-week-old animals. Contact of susceptible cats with infected cagemates did not result in viremia or disease. Development of cytotoxic antibody was coordinated with protection against viremia and disease in kittens challenged with FeL V virus. The rapid evolution of resistance to KT-FeLV virus precluded the development of a practical means for conventional vaccination and challenge experiments in cats. Killed vaccine given to pregnant queens did, however, afford protection against FeLV virus on challenge in the progeny.
Measuring DC Corona Inception and Extinction Voltage by Pulse Counts Using UV Corona Monitor

In order to guide the design and improvement of grading and shielding rings to meet the requirements of UHV projects in China,research on corona characteristics of these components is needed. A new method to measure DC corona inception and extinction voltage based on UV corona monitor was presented. Measurements of corona inception and extinction voltage on the rob tip in a rob-plate setting under both positive and negative DC voltage were carried out in the laboratory. The same measurements on grading rings with different diameters under positive DV voltage were performed in State Grid Electric Power Research Institute. The results show that this method can be used to obtain the corona inception and extinction voltage.
Research on Streamline Distribution of Flow through Anisotropic Porous Media with Complex Boundary

The steady-state flow mathematical model for anisotropic reservoir with impermeable barrier is developed. The pressure equation of arbitrary point of formation is obtained by using boundary element method (BEM) to the model solution, and streamline field generating technique is then proposed, including the streamline distribution diagram with anisotropic flow field, complex boundary and impermeable area effects as well as streamline feature analysis. The study shows that the streamline distribution is sensitive to the existing anisotropic flow field and impermeable area. Hence, the plotted diagram could more visually reflect the flowing tracks of reservoir fluid between injector and producer, providing an important basis for optimization of well pattern and injection strategy.
Outcomes with image-based interstitial brachytherapy for vaginal cancer

Abstract Purpose To compare clinical outcomes of image-based versus non-image-based interstitial brachytherapy (IBBT) for vaginal cancer. Methods and materials Of 72 patients with vaginal cancer treated with brachytherapy (BT), 47 had image guidance (CT=31, MRI=16) and 25 did not. Kaplan–Meier (KM) estimates were generated for any recurrence, local control (LC), disease-free interval (DFI), and overall survival (OS) and Cox models were used to assess prognostic factors. Results Median age was 66 and median follow-up time was 24months. Median cumulative EQD2 dose was 80.8Gy in the non-IBBT group and 77Gy in the IBBT group. For non-IBBT versus IBBT, the 2-year KM LC was 71% vs. 93% ( p =0.03); DFI was 54% vs. 86% ( p =0.04); and OS 52% vs. 82% ( p =0.35). On multivariate analysis, IBBT was associated with better DFI (HR 0.24, 95% CI 0.07–0.73). Having any 2 or more of chemotherapy, high-dose-rate (HDR) BT or IBBT (temporally correlated variables) significantly reduced risk of relapse (HR=0.33, 95% CI=0.13–0.83), compared to having none of these factors. Conclusion Over time, the use of chemotherapy, HDR, and IBBT has increased in vaginal cancer. The combination of these factors resulted in the highest rates of disease control. Image-guided brachytherapy for vaginal cancer patients maximizes disease control.
Federal and State Regulation

Regulation of foreign banking embraces all of the complexities of overlapping jurisdiction. These problems focus on the operational relationships between firms domiciled in one country, the governments and regulatory agencies of the country of domicile, and the governments and regulatory agencies of the country in which that bank conducts its overseas operations. The U.S. situation is further confounded by a federal system in which state and national governments share regulatory authority and in which a multiplicity of regulatory agencies operate at the national level. Discussion of the regulation of foreign banks operating in the United States is deferred until Chapter 7.
Listeria monocytogenes Isolates Carrying Virulence-Attenuating Mutations in Internalin A Are Commonly Isolated from Ready-to-Eat Food Processing Plant and Retail Environments.

ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes is a human foodborne pathogen that may cause an invasive disease known as listeriosis in susceptible individuals. Internalin A (InlA; encoded by inlA) is a virulence factor that facilitates crossing of host cell barriers by L. monocytogenes. At least 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in inlA that result in a premature stop codon (PMSC) have been described worldwide. SNPs leading to a PMSC in inlA have been shown to be causally associated with attenuated virulence. L. monocytogenes pathogens carrying virulence-attenuating (VA) mutations in inlA have been commonly isolated from ready-to-eat (RTE) foods but rarely have been associated with human disease. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of VA SNPs in inlA among L. monocytogenes from environments associated with RTE food production and handling. More than 700 L. monocytogenes isolates from RTE food processing plant (n = 409) and retail (n = 319) environments were screened for the presence of VA SNPs ...
Nonparametric estimation of mean residual life function using scale mixtures

It is often of interest in clinical trials and reliability studies to estimate the remaining lifetime of a subject or a device given that it survived up to a given period of time, that is commonly known as the so-called mean residual life function (mrlf). There have been several attempts in literature to estimate the mrlf nonparametrically ranging from empirical estimates to more sophisticated smooth estimation. Given the well known one-to-one relation between survival function and mrlf, one can plug-in any known estimates of the survival function (e.g., Kaplan–Meier estimate) into the functional form of mrlf to obtain an estimate of mrlf. In this chapter, we present a scale mixture representation of mrlf and use it to obtain a smooth estimate of the mrlf under right censoring. Asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator are also presented. Several simulation studies and a real data set are used for investigating the empirical performance of the proposed method relative to other well-known estimates of mrlf. A comparative analysis shows computational advantages of the proposed estimator in addition to somewhat superior statistical properties in terms of bias and efficiency.
Impact of Dendrimer Terminal Group Chemistry on Blockage of the Anthrax Toxin Channel: A Single Molecule Study

Nearly all the cationic molecules tested so far have been shown to reversibly block K+ current through the cation-selective PA63 channels of anthrax toxin in a wide nM–mM range of effective concentrations. A significant increase in channel-blocking activity of the cationic compounds was achieved when multiple copies of positively charged ligands were covalently linked to multivalent scaffolds, such as cyclodextrins and dendrimers. Even though multivalent binding can be strong when the individual bonds are relatively weak, for drug discovery purposes we often strive to design multivalent compounds with high individual functional group affinity toward the respective binding site on a multivalent target. Keeping this requirement in mind, here we perform a single-channel/single-molecule study to investigate kinetic parameters of anthrax toxin PA63 channel blockage by second-generation (G2) poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers functionalized with different surface ligands, including G2-NH2, G2-OH, G2-succinamate, and G2-COONa. We found that the previously reported difference in IC50 values of the G2-OH/PA63 and G2-NH2/PA63 binding was determined by both on- and off-rates of the reversible dendrimer/channel binding reaction. In 1 M KCl, we observed a decrease of about three folds in k o n and a decrease of only about ten times in t r e s with G2-OH compared to G2-NH2. At the same time for both blockers, k o n and t r e s increased dramatically with transmembrane voltage increase. PAMAM dendrimers functionalized with negatively charged succinamate, but not carboxyl surface groups, still had some residual activity in inhibiting the anthrax toxin channels. At 100 mV, the on-rate of the G2-succinamate binding was comparable with that of G2-OH but showed weaker voltage dependence when compared to G2-OH and G2-NH2. The residence time of G2-succinamate in the channel exhibited opposite voltage dependence compared to G2-OH and G2-NH2, increasing with the cis-negative voltage increase. We also describe kinetics of the PA63 ion current modulation by two different types of the “imperfect” PAMAM dendrimers, the mixed-surface G2 75% OH 25% NH2 dendrimer and G3-NH2 dendron. At low voltages, both “imperfect” dendrimers show similar rate constants but significantly weaker voltage sensitivity when compared with the intact G2-NH2 PAMAM dendrimer.
Heralding single photons from a high-Q silicon microdisk

Integrated quantum photonics has recently attracted considerable attention due to the promise of realizing chip-scale quantum information processing with unprecedented capability and complexity. Their implementation relies essentially on a high-quality chip-scale photon source to support diverse quantum functionalities. Microresonator-based photon sources are a promising solution for generating bright, pure, and single-mode photons with excellent power efficiencies. However, their low Klyshko efficiency, typically around a few percentages, is a major bottleneck restricting this type of device from practical quantum applications. In this paper, we improve the Klyshko efficiency of a telecom-band heralded single-photon source from a high-Q silicon microdisk to as high as 48%. We characterize the photon antibunching properties at the same time, with a conditional self-correlation below 0.01 at a detected photon pair flux up to 0.002 counts per 5 ns gate at a repetition rate of 3 MHz. At an optical peak power of 73 μW, the photon source has a large photon flux of 0.01 counts per gate, a high Klyshko efficiency of 46%, and a strong photon antibunching with a conditional self-correlation smaller than 0.05. In particular, we find a relation between the Klyshko efficiency and high-order correlations for the first time to our knowledge. This relation contributes to the understanding of photon statistics in the heralding process and also provides a method to verify the Klyshko efficiency. The improved heralding efficiency, together with the great photon antibunching property and power efficiency, renders the microresonator-based photon source promising for diverse quantum applications, including linear-optical quantum computing and quantum key distribution.
Cultural Variables in Asian Indian Families

The author explores the cultural values and mores of a select group of Asian immigrants in the United States and identifies and analyzes problems of acculturation. These issues affect generational ...
Human iPSC-derived chondrocytes mimic juvenile chondrocyte function for the dual advantage of increased proliferation and resistance to IL-1β

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) provide an unlimited patient-specific cell source for regenerative medicine. Adult cells have had limited success in cartilage repair, but juvenile chondrocytes (from donors younger than 13 years of age) have been identified to generate superior cartilage. With this perspective, the aim of these studies was to compare the human iPSC-derived chondrocytes (hiChondrocytes) to adult and juvenile chondrocytes and identify common molecular factors that govern their function. Phenotypic and functional characteristics of hiChondrocytes were compared to juvenile and adult chondrocytes. Analyses of global gene expression profiling, independent gene expression, and loss-of-function studies were utilized to test molecular factors having a regulatory effect on hiChondrocytes and juvenile chondrocyte function. Here, we report that the iPSC-derived chondrocytes mimic juvenile chondrocytes in faster cell proliferation and resistance to IL-1β compared to adult chondrocytes. Whole genome transcriptome analyses revealed unique ECM factors and immune response pathways to be enriched in both juvenile and iPSC-derived chondrocytes as compared to adult chondrocytes. Loss-of-function studies demonstrated that CD24, a cell surface receptor enriched in both juvenile chondrocytes and hiChondrocytes, is a regulatory factor in both faster proliferation and resistance to proinflammatory cues in these chondrocyte populations. Our studies identify that hiChondrocytes mimic juvenile chondrocytes for the dual advantage of faster proliferation and a reduced response to the inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. While developmental immaturity of iPSC-derived cells can be a challenge for tissues like muscle and brain, our studies demonstrate that it is advantageous for a tissue like cartilage that has limited regenerative ability in adulthood.