cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Arbitrary-norm separating planefn1fn1This material is based on research supported by NSF Grant CCR-9322479 and AFOSR Grant F49620-97-1-0326.

A plane separating two point sets in n-dimensional real space is constructed such that it minimizes the sum of arbitrary-norm distances of misclassified points to the plane. In contrast to previous approaches that used surrogates for distance-minimization, the present work is based on a precise norm-dependent explicit closed form for the projection of a point on a plane. This projection is used to formulate the separating-plane problem as a minimization of a convex function on a unit sphere in a norm dual to that of the arbitrary norm used. For the 1-norm, the problem can be solved in polynomial time by solving 2n linear programs or by solving a bilinear program. For a general p-norm, the minimization problem can be transformed via an exact penalty formulation to minimizing the sum ofa convex function and a bilinear function on a convex set. For the one and infinity norms, a finite successive linearization algorithm can be used for solving the exact penalty formulation.
Interfacial contribution to mechanical properties of multilayer materials

Abstract Multilayer materials are model systems for investigating how interfaces determine the mechanical properties of composite materials. Some multilayer materials exhibit a supermodulus effect where certain elastic moduli are enhanced by factors of three or more at critical values of layer thickness. Recent investigations have demonstrated that the enhancements in the biaxial and Young's modulus in the best superlattice materials appear to be much smaller than in the original samples studied a decade ago. The shear modulus usually shows a softening. Computer simulation studies indicate that lattice distortions at coherent (epitaxial) interfaces play a significant role. Even more important is interfacial atomic disorder.
Vemurafenib and radiation therapy in melanoma brain metastases

Brain metastases in malignant melanoma carries a poor prognosis with minimal response to any therapy. The purpose of this pilot analysis was to find the effectiveness of vemurafenib, an oral BRAF inhibitor, and radiation therapy in V600 mutated melanoma with brain metastases. BRAF mutation status of the melanoma patients was determined by real-time PCR assay. Retrospective analysis was performed on twelve patients who had the mutation and were treated with either stereotactic radiosurgery or whole brain radiation therapy prior to or along with vemurafenib at a dose of 960 mg orally twice a day. Clinical and radiological responses, development of new brain metastases, overall survival and toxicity were assessed. Improvement in neurological symptoms was seen in 7/11 (64 %) following therapy. Radiographic responses were noted in 36/48 (75 %) of index lesions with 23 (48 %) complete responses and 13 (27 %) partial responses. Six month local control, freedom from new brain metastases and overall survival were 75, 57 and 92 %. Four patients had intra-tumoral bleed prior to therapy and two patients developed steroid dependence. One patient experienced radiation necrosis. This retrospective study suggests that melanoma patients with brain metastases harboring BRAF mutation appear to be a distinct sub-group with a favorable response to vemurafenib and radiation therapy and acceptable morbidity.
BONE MINERALIZATION IN PRETERM INFANTS FED HUMAN MILK

Bone mineral status was assessed in 20 healthy, appropriately grown infants <1600g birthweight assigned randomly to one of 2 diets: 1. Preterm human milk (PT milk) pooled by postpartum week and fed corresponding to infants postnatal age, providing calcium 22-26 mg/dl, phosphorus 13-17 mg/dl. 2. Supplemented PT milk, an equal mixture of premature infant formula and PT milk providing calcium 72-74 mg/dl, phosphorus 37-38 mg/dl. All infants were fed by gavage at 180 ml/kg/day and received 400 IU Vitamin D daily. Infants fed PT milk had significantly lower serum phosphorus levels at 4 and 5 wk (4.6±0.4 and 4.1±0.4 mg/dl) than infants fed supplemented PT milk (6.1±0.2 and 6.0±0.2 mg/dl), p<.005. They also had significantly higher serum alkaline phosphatase levels at 4 and 5 wk (569±81 and 824±127 IU/1) than the supplemented group (340±40 and 347±49 IU/1), p<.02. The serum differences were reflected in lower bone mineral content (BMC) of humerus by photon densitometry at 5 wk (PT milk, .084±.005 vs supplemented PT milk .107±.007 g/cm, p<.05). At 35-37 postconceptual wk, infants in both groups were discharged on standard infant formula (calcium 51 mg/dl, phosphorus 39 mg/dl). At 44 postconceptual weeks, infants initially fed either PT milk or supplemented PT milk, had similar serum phosphorus (6.7±0.2 and 7.2±0.2 mg/dl) and alkaline phosphatase (301±33 and 285±23 IU/1; BMC in both groups (.252±.021 and .246±.014 g/cm) was comparable to that of healthy term infants (.223±.006). Preterm infants fed unsupplemented PT milk show bone demineralization. BMC increases significantly after routine formula feeding irrespective of PT milk supplementation.
A freeze‐fracture study of avian epiphyseal cartilage differentiation

The morphological features of avian epiphyseal cartilage have been investigated by freeze-fracture techniques. Progressive changes occurred in both the cells and the matrix during differentiation. Chondrocytes changed in shape from small flattened cells with few, short cellular processes, to enlarged ovoid cells with numerous long processes often associated with extracellular vesicles. In the matrix these vesicles appeared first in the cellular lacunae, then in the extralacunar matrix, becoming larger and more numerous. Large membrane-associated particles (MAPS) were seen on the p faces of the plasmalemma. These became progressively concentrated on and around the cellular processes, with few large MAPS being seen on the e face. Similar distribution of MAPS was seen in the matrix vesicles. Domains of hydrated proteoglycan aggregates were manifest as regular fracture patterns in the extralacunar matrix of the upper regions of the plate. Collagen fibrils progressively increased in size and state of aggregation, often being associated with matrix vesicles and in the end, with long plate-like mineral crystals. These findings, while in basic agreement with patterns observed with TEM, reveal important new features concerning cellular and matrix structure during cartilage differentiation.
A single valine residue plays an essential role in peripherin/rds targeting to photoreceptor outer segments.

Peripherin/retinal degeneration slow (rds) is an integral membrane protein specifically localized to the light-sensing organelle of the photoreceptor cell, the outer segment. Within the outer segment, peripherin is found at the edges of photoreceptor discs, where it plays a critical role in disc morphogenesis and maintenance. Peripherin loss or mutations are often associated with severe forms of visual impairments. Like all other resident outer segment proteins, peripherin is synthesized in the photoreceptor cell body and subsequently transported to the outer segment. In an effort to further examine peripherin’s delivery to outer segments, we undertook a careful examination of its targeting sequence. Using a fluorescently labeled reporter expressed in the rods of transgenic tadpoles, we narrowed peripherin’s targeting sequence to ten amino acids within its C-terminal tail. This small stretch of amino acid residues is both necessary and sufficient for outer segment targeting. We also conducted alanine scanning of all residues within this sequence and found that only a single residue, valine at position 332, is essential for outer segment targeting. This valine is conserved in all species and its mutation is sufficient to completely abrogate the targeting of full-length peripherin in mouse rods.
Mapping High Sea Winds from Space: A Global Climatology

High winds at sea are feared by sailors, but their distribution is poorly known because ships have avoided them as much as possible. The accumulation of spaceborne scatterometer measurements now allows a global mapping of high winds over the ocean. Seven years of Quick Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) data gathered since July 1999 show that high-wind events, defined as wind speeds greater than 20 m s−1 (“strong gale” and higher on the Beaufort scale), mostly happen in winter. Over coastal regions, land orography is the major cause of high winds, forcing wind jets of various types. Over the open ocean, high winds tend to be collocated with the extratropical storm tracks, along which migratory low and high pressure systems travel eastward. In comparison, tropical cyclones do not leave a strong signature in the climatology of high-wind occurrence except in the western Pacific east of Taiwan. In the extratropics, sea surface temperature (SST) fronts and their meanders significantly change the frequency of high-wind e...
Revisiting the definitions of the sombric horizon in soil taxonomy and world reference base for soil resources

Abstract A review of the literature suggests that the sombric horizon (from French sombre , dark) was established in Soil Taxonomy (ST) and the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) from limited data and without a clear understanding of how this horizon forms. This paper reviews data on sombric horizons, evaluates four hypotheses regarding their origin, and offers suggestions for improving the identification of sombric horizons. Of the 30 pedons recognized in the literature as having sombric or sombric-like horizons, 12 fully satisfied the existing criteria in ST and the WRB. Soils with a true sombric horizon may be restricted to the highlands of central Africa (Burundi, Rwanda, Congo) on relatively cool (mean annual air temperature 16–20 °C), moist (mean annual precipitation 1450–2000 mm) plateaus and mountains at elevations ranging from 1450 to 2000 m. Soils with a sombric horizon occur primarily on highly weathered materials from a variety of crystalline rocks. The surface of the sombric horizon occurs at depths of 40 to 110 cm from the surface (average = 76 cm) and ranges from 27 to 100 cm in thickness (average = 63 cm). The sombric horizon commonly is dark reddish brown (5YR 3/3), acidic (average pH = 4.7), low in exchangeable bases (average base saturation = 4%), high in organic C (average = 1.3%), and despite abundant clay (average = 56%) has a low cation-exchange capacity (average = 12 cmol(+)/kg soil). Based on existing data, the sombric horizon contains humus that has migrated downward in the soil, possibly in response to climate and vegetation change. Sombric horizons are not to be confused with sombric-like horizons which may contain andic soil properties or spodic materials. In Soil Taxonomy , soils with sombric horizons are classified primarily as Sombriudoxes (8 pedons) and Sombrihumults (4 pedons). In the World Reference Base for Soil Resources, sombric horizons occur primarily in Umbric Ferralsols (Sombric).
EFFECT OF LIGHT ON THE COLOR STABILITY OF STERILE AQUEOUS BEEF EXTRACT

Warm white fluorescent light (120 ft-c) had a significant (P < 0.01) effect on the color stability of sterile aqueous beef extract free of fat. At the end of 26 days there was a complete loss of oxymyoglobin in samples stored in a 1°C walk-in cooler and exposed to light for 12 hr each day. There was a 60%loss of oxymyoglobin ln the control samples stored in dark for the same period. A possible mechanism for the photochemistry of the conversion of oxymyoglobin into metmyoglobin is suggested.
The Role of Nuclear Factor Kappa B in the Pathogenesis of Pulmonary Diseases: Implications for Therapy

The nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) transcription factor plays a key role in the induction of pro-inflammatory gene expression, leading to the synthesis of cytokines, adhesion molecules, chemokines, growth factors and enzymes. Results of studies in in vitro and in vivo models of inflammation and malignancy have also suggested central roles for NF-κB in programmed cell death, or apoptosis. NF-κB plays a central role in a variety of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases. In the common lung diseases associated with a significant inflammatory component such as severe sepsis, acute lung injury, acute respiratory distress syndrome, cystic fibrosis and asthma, the pathogenic roles of NF-κB have been extensively investigated. In COPD, activation of NF-κB has been implicated in disease pathogenesis but its exact role is less clearly demonstrable in this heterogeneous patient population. However, the principal risk factor for COPD, cigarette smoking, is strongly associated with NF-κB activation. Activation of NF-κB has been demonstrated in mineral dust diseases and probably plays a role in the pathogenesis of these chronic illnesses. NF-kB also plays a variety of roles in lung cancer including resistance to chemotherapy, inhibition of tumorigenesis and inducing expression of antiapoptotic genes. The complex NF-κB pathway offers a variety of potential molecular targets for chemotherapeutic intervention. A variety of agents aimed at modulating NF-κB activity are in various stages of investigation.
A Climatic Chamber for Investigations in Atmospheric Physics

ANALYSIS of the available information1 shows that the pronounced electrification accompanying snowstorms and sandstorms is explicable qualitatively in terms of a mechanism of charge transfer accompanying temperature gradients in ice or sand. Preliminary experiments2 indicated that in order to test this theory quantitatively it is necessary to impose strict temperature control on the experiments which must be conducted within a sufficiently large volume for realistic measurements of space-charge density to be made.
Does ceramide play a role in neural cell apoptosis

Ceramide is a lipid second messenger, that is generated in response to stimulation of the cell death pathways by a number of ligands binding to surface receptors, growth factor withdrawal, treatment with chemotherapeutic agents, or high doses of ionizing radiation or oxidizing agents. Depending on the target cell, ceramide induces diverse biological responses including apoptosis, cell-cycle arrest, differentiation, and also proliferation. In this review we consider the evidence for its role in apoptosis in cells of the nervous system. J. Neurosci. Res. 60:141–149, 2000 © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Meaning making, adversity, and regulatory flexibility.

Despite the widely accepted belief that meaning making is essential for mental health following adversity, the available research continues to provide mixed findings: meaning making is sometimes evident, sometimes not, and more frequently than we would expect associated with poor health outcomes. The papers that comprise this special issue of Memory put flesh to those bones by approaching the question from a narrative memory perspective. Meaning making, these studies demonstrate, is a multi-faceted phenomenon and whether it is necessary or adaptive depends on which particular form of meaning making is considered and on the context and timing in which it occurs. To situate these insights in a broader framework I consider parallels with the emergent literature on regulatory flexibility and briefly review recent research and theory on that construct as it has been applied in the literatures on coping and emotion regulation. Finally, I close by suggesting a basic framework, informed by the flexibility constru...
Effect of Psychopathy on Physical Aggression Toward Gay and Heterosexual Men

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the effect of psychopathy on antigay aggression. Participants were 84 heterosexual men who competed in an aggression paradigm in which electric shocks were received from and administered to a randomly determined fictitious opponent (heterosexual male, gay male) during a competitive reaction time task. Aggression was operationalized as shock intensities administered to the opponent. Prior to the task, all participants completed measures of psychopathy, sexual prejudice, and state anger; viewed a male-male erotic video; and reported state anger a second time. After controlling for sexual prejudice, analyses revealed that psychopathy significantly predicted aggression toward the gay, but not the heterosexual, male confederate. Psychopathy was not associated with increases in anger in response to the erotic video. These findings indicate that psychopathy is a significant marker for antigay violence, though anger experienced in response to homosexuality does not...
Myers-Briggs Personality Types of Art Collectors:

27 art collectors (13 men, 14 women) completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Their age range was 37 to 86 years and the mean 59.5 yr. Seventy percent were classified as Intuition types instead of Sensation types (versus its 25% incidence in the general population). This corresponds to personality profiles of artists and the disproportionately high incidence of high scores on the related Openness to Experience factor in studies of creative personalities, thereby supporting the contention that persons creating art and appreciating art have personality traits in common.
Ovarian hormone loss induces bioenergetic deficits and mitochondrial β-amyloid

Previously, we demonstrated that reproductive senescence was associated with mitochondrial deficits comparable to those of female triple-transgenic Alzheimer's mice (3xTgAD). Herein, we investigated the impact of chronic ovarian hormone deprivation and 17β-estradiol (E2) replacement on mitochondrial function in nontransgenic (nonTg) and 3xTgAD female mouse brain. Depletion of ovarian hormones by ovariectomy (OVX) in nontransgenic mice significantly decreased brain bioenergetics, and induced mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress. In 3xTgAD mice, OVX significantly exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction and induced mitochondrial β-amyloid and β-amyloid (Aβ)-binding-alcohol-dehydrogenase (ABAD) expression. Treatment with E2 at OVX prevented OVX-induced mitochondrial deficits, sustained mitochondrial bioenergetic function, decreased oxidative stress, and prevented mitochondrial β-amyloid and ABAD accumulation. In vitro, E2 increased maximal mitochondrial respiration in neurons and basal and maximal respiration in glia. Collectively, these data demonstrate that ovarian hormone loss induced a mitochondrial phenotype comparable to a transgenic female model of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which was prevented by E2. These findings provide a plausible mechanism for increased risk of Alzheimer's disease in premenopausally oophorectomized women while also suggesting a therapeutic strategy for prevention.
Catalysis of disulfide bond formation and isomerization in the Escherichia coli periplasm

Disulfide bond formation is a catalyzed process in vivo. In prokaryotes, the oxidation of cysteine pairs is achieved by the transfer of disulfides from the highly oxidizing DsbA/DsbB catalytic machinery to substrate proteins. The oxidizing power utilized by this system comes from the membrane-embedded electron transport system, which utilizes molecular oxygen as a final oxidant. Proofreading of disulfide bond formation is performed by the DsbC/DsbD system, which has the ability to rearrange non-native disulfides to their native configuration. These disulfide isomerization reactions are sustained by a constant supply of reducing power provided by the cytoplasmic thioredoxin system, utilizing NADPH as the ultimate electron source.
Effective field theory and projective construction for Z k parafermion fractional quantum Hall states

The projective construction is a powerful approach to deriving the bulk and edge field theories of non-Abelian fractional quantum Hall (FQH) states and yields an understanding of non-Abelian FQH states in terms of the simpler integer quantum Hall states. Here we show how to apply the projective construction to the ${Z}_{k}$ parafermion (Laughlin/Moore-Read/Read-Rezayi) FQH states, which occur at filling fraction $\ensuremath{\nu}=k/(kM+2)$. This allows us to derive the bulk low-energy effective field theory for these topological phases, which is found to be a Chern-Simons theory at level 1 with a $U(M)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}Sp(2k)$ gauge field. This approach also helps us understand the non-Abelian quasiholes in terms of holes of the integer quantum Hall states.
Survival of Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Listeria monocytogenes during storage on beef sanitized with organic acids

Sterile beef tissue was inoculated with either Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7 or Listeria monocytogenes Scott A and washed with 23C distilled water, 1% lactic acid or 1% acetic acid. The washed tissue was subjected to simulated dry chilling or spray chilling followed by storage at 5C. The washed tissue was stored at 5C for up to 21 days at 26% relative humidity, and total bacterial populations were determined by plating on nonselective and selective agars. There was no significant difference in the surviving populations of S. typhimurium, Escherichia coli O157:H7, or L. monocytogenes after storage, irrespective of chilling method. The surviving populations of bacteria were significantly lower on acid washed adipose tissue, when compared to the comparable water washed tissue. These results indicate that although injury and recovery of pathogenic bacteria may occur as a result of organic acid carcass sanitizing treatments, there was no practical significance of this phenomenon after 3 days of storage.
Coupling long‐term studies with meta‐analysis to investigate impacts of non‐native crayfish on zoobenthic communities

SUMMARY 1. Biological invasions are widely recognised as a significant component of human-caused environmental change and a primary threat to native biodiversity. The negative impacts of species invasions are particularly evident for freshwater crayfish faunas. 2. This study provides novel insight into the ecological effects of native and non-native crayfish on zoobenthic communities (with emphasis on the non-native rusty crayfish, Orconectes rusticus) across broad scales by combining a meta-analysis of small-scale experimental studies with a long-term observational study conducted over a 24 year period in Sparkling Lake, Wisconsin, U.S.A. (46� 00¢N, 89� 42¢W). 3. The meta-analysis summarised quantitatively the results of cage experiments for seven species of crayfish spanning four continents. We found that total zoobenthos densities (primarily Gastropoda and Diptera) were significantly lower in treatments containing crayfish relative to controls; a result that was significant for non-native crayfish but not for crayfish in their native range, perhaps owing to a small sample size. In contrast to other species, rusty crayfish were also negatively associated with Ephemeroptera. 4. Results from the time series analysis comparing temporal trends in rusty crayfish and invertebrate abundances from Sparkling Lake were consistent with the findings from the meta-analysis. Rusty crayfish were negatively correlated with the abundance of total zoobenthos, Diptera, Ephemeroptera and Odonata, as well as families of Trichoptera. 5. By coupling the results from short and long-term research, our study offers greater insight into the nature of crayfish-invertebrate interactions in aquatic systems, revealing consistent effects of invasive crayfish on native fauna. The control and management of invasive species is facilitated by the knowledge that well executed small-scale studies may be extrapolated to understand larger-scale ecological interactions.
Antibody-Mediated Rejection: Hyperacute Rejection Reality in Liver Transplantation? A Case Report

Hyperacute rejection is rare among ABO-compatible liver transplantations. The mechanism is donor preformed antibodies causing graft loss within a few days. Herein, we have described a case of an ABO-compatible liver transplantation that underwent hyperacute rejection, needing retransplantation for treatment. A 27-year-old man of blood group A positive who displayed fulminant hepatic failure due to hepatitis B (in agreement with the O'Grady criteria), received an ABO-compatible graft. He developed significant asthenia, fever, hypotension, oliguria, and coagulopathy. Ultrasonography revealed total thrombosis of the portal vein and absence of dilatation of bile ducts. The patient was priorized for retransplantation and underwent a good subsequent evolution. On anatomopathologic exam the explant revealed thrombosis of the intrahepatic branches of the portal vein with venous and ischemic infarcts compatible with a diagnosis of hyperacute rejection. The clinical findings of hyperacute rejection were characterized by progressive elevation of bilirubin and thrombocytopenia associated with signs of hepatic failure during the first days after transplantation. In this case, the histological exam was compatible with hyperacute rejection, excluding the diagnoses of hepatic artery thrombosis or biliary obstruction, despite the negative test for anti-HLA antibodies. The diagnosis of hyperacute rejection could be made associated with a short ischemic time and a good response after retransplantation.
Universal input battery charger circuit for PHEV applications with simplified controller

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are equipped with a high energy density battery pack, which should be externally charged form the grid. This requires a high power battery charger circuit which can operate at universal input voltage and be capable of maintaining the required output voltage and current with low ripple. The topology composed of PWM boost rectifier cascaded with a bidirectional DC/DC converter is a simple and low cost solution for this application. However, when individual average mode current controllers are used for each converter, the controller parameters have significant effect on the circuit performance. Moreover, feedforward compensator is necessary at the AC/DC conversion stage, if the circuit is working with universal input voltage. In this paper, to make the design and implementation process easier, a simplified controller is proposed in the battery charger circuit which produces pulses according to the sign of the error of the feedback and which does not require any parameter. Since it is the most critical and restrictive case, charging mode of operation is addressed for the controller design. The simplified control is compared with conventional PI control in terms of performance, stability and robustness for universal input operation and the simulation results are supported with experimental verification.
Incidence of infection after Mohs micrographic and dermatologic surgery before and after implementation of new sterilization guidelines.

Background Clinical guidelines regarding surgical instrument sterilization established by accrediting organizations should be based on peer-reviewed scientific literature. Few data exist in the scientific literature to support the changes in sterilization protocols imposed by accrediting organizations. Objective We sought to determine whether recently established guidelines for the sterilization of surgical instruments have had any clinical impact on postsurgical infection rates. Methods Infections rates after excisional and Mohs micrographic surgery before and after implementation of new Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations sterilization guidelines were examined retrospectively. All surgeries were performed at an academic outpatient office. Results In all, 1415 patients underwent a total of 1688 surgeries. No significant differences were observed in mean patient age ( P = .113), mean number of Mohs micrographic surgical levels ( P = .067), final defect size ( P = .305), patient gender ( P = .072), repair type ( P = .691), or infection rate ( P = .453). No major differences in predisposing factors were identified in patients who developed postsurgical infections. Limitations This was a retrospective study conducted at a single academic institution. Conclusions In our practice, recent changes in surgical instrument sterilization protocols have had no impact on postsurgical infection rates. The implementation of such guidelines places an additional burden on the health care system without providing any improvement in patient outcomes.
Consumer Preferences for Fresh Food Items with Multiple Quality Attributes: Evidence from an Experimental Auction of Pork Chops

This study illustrates an application of experimental auction methods, using both experimental economics and experimental design, to evaluate consumer perceptions and willingness to pay (WTP) for fresh pork chops. We test and reject hypotheses that (a) market prices and consumers' WTP are unaffected by the level of attributes embodied in the pork chops, (b) appearance (based on photographs or actual product) and actual taste are equally good sources of consumer information, and (c) consumers are consistent in their preferences for fresh pork attributes. A major conclusion is that predicting consumer demand for fresh pork (or any fresh food) based on appearance without tasting is unproductive.
Interlimb coordination and gait in the brown lemur (Lemur fulvus) and the talapoin monkey (Miopithecus talapoin)

Patterns of interlimb coordination based on telemetered electromyography of extensor muscles are described for the brown lemur (Lemur fulvus) and the talapoin monkey (Miopithecus talapoin) in order to address the issue of possible motor programs for quadrupedal stepping in primates. Differences in modal patterns of ipsilateral limb coupling (phase intervals) between walking and galloping indicate that gait-specific programs do exist in primates, especially for symmetrical gaits. These preferred patterns distinguish primates from most other mammals (e.g., the domestic cat), but do not rule out the possibility of subtle differences among primates in species-specific mechanisms of neural control. Variability about the preferred modes is better interpreted as an expression of the flexibility or facultative capabilities of the neural mechanisms controlling locomotion than as “errors” in the motor program.
Efficient Graph Algorithm Using Limited Communication on a Fixed-Size Array of Processors

Parallel algorithms for finding the minimum spanning tree of a weighted undirected graph and the bridge-connected and biconnected components of an undirected graph on a linear array of processors are presented. On an n-vertex graph, our algorithms perform in O(n2/p) time on an array of size p, for all p, 1 ≤ p ≤ n, thus providing optimal speedup for dense graphs. The paper describes two approaches to limit the communication requirements for solving the problems. The first is a divide-and-conquer strategy applied to Sollin's algorithm for finding the minimum spanning tree of a graph. The second uses a novel data-reduction technique that constructs an auxiliary graph with no more than 2n-2 edges, whose bridges and articulation points are the bridges and articulation points of the original graph.
Triggering memories with online maps

The increasing popularity of applications that share location information over the internet enables the mapping of people's pictures and activities. Such applications often focus on the now, ignoring the importance of places and stories from the past. Inspired by recent work in HCI around reminiscing, in this paper we present a study in which 16 people used Google My Maps to write about their past, using place as a trigger for memories. People had a wide variety of strategies for choosing which places they remembered and the stories they told about those places; on balance they liked the idea of using maps as a tool for reminiscing, suggesting that this is a promising line of inquiry for further work.
Bacillus anthracis Virulent Plasmid pX02 Genes Found in Large Plasmids of Two Other Bacillus Species

In order to cause the disease anthrax, Bacillus anthracis requires two plasmids, pX01 and pX02, which carry toxin and capsule genes, respectively, that are used as genetic targets in the laboratory detection of the bacterium. Clinical, forensic, and environmental samples that test positive by PCR protocols established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for B. anthracis are considered to be potentially B. anthracis until confirmed by culture and a secondary battery of tests. We report the presence of 10 genes (acpA, capA, capB, capC, capR, capD, IS1627, ORF 48, ORF 61, and repA) and the sequence for the capsule promoter normally found on pX02 in Bacillus circulans and a Bacillus species closely related to Bacillus luciferensis. Tests revealed these sequences to be present on a large plasmid in each isolate. The 11 sequences consistently matched to B. anthracis plasmid pX02, GenBank accession numbers AF188935.1, AE011191.1, and AE017335.3. The percent nucleotide identities for capD and the capsule promoter were 99.9% and 99.7%, respectively, and for the remaining nine genes, the nucleotide identity was 100% for both isolates. The presence of these genes, which are usually associated with the pX02 plasmid, in two soil Bacillus species unrelated to B. anthracis alerts us to the necessity of identifying additional sequences that will signal the presence of B. anthracis in clinical, forensic, and environmental samples.
Transport properties of low-sanidine single-crystals, glasses and melts at high temperature

Thermal diffusivity (D) was measured using laser-flash analysis from oriented single-crystal low-sani- dine (K0.92Na0.08Al0.99Fe 3+ Si2.95O8), and three glasses near KAlSi3O8. Viscosity measurements of the three super- cooled liquids, in the range 10 6.8 to 10 12.3 Pa s, confirm near- Arrhenian behavior, varying subtly with composition. For crystal and glass, D decreases with T, approaching a constant near 1,000 K: Dsat * 0.65 ± 0.3 mm 2 s -1 for bulk crystal and *0.53 ± 0.03 mm 2 s -1 for the glass. A rapid decrease near 1,400 K is consistent with crossing the glass transition. Melt behavior is approximated by D = 0.475 ± 0.01 mm 2 s -1 . Thermal conductivity (klat) of glass, calculated using previous heat capacity (CP) and new density data, increases with T because CP strongly increases with T. For melt, klat reaches a plateau near 1.45 W m -1 K -1 , and is always below klat of the crystal. Melting of potassium feldspars impedes heat transport, providing positive thermal feedback that may promote further melting in continental crust.
Design of an Advanced Heavy Tactical Truck: A Target Cascading Case Study

The target cascading methodology is applied to the conceptual design of an advanced heavy tactical truck. Two levels are defined: an integrated truck model is represented at the top (vehicle) level and four independent suspension arms are represented at the lower (system) level. Necessary analysis models are developed, and design problems are formulated and solved iteratively at both levels. Hence, vehicle design variables and system specifications are determined in a consistent manner. Two different target sets and two different propulsion systems are considered. Trade-offs between conflicting targets are identified. It is demonstrated that target cascading can be useful in avoiding costly design iterations late in the product development process.
Emerging Approaches to Setting Faculty Salaries

U recently, faculty salaries were largely a taboo topic in the public discourse about the university. That tradition may be ending, however. Salaries are a prominent feature of the reward systems under which academic work i s done, and not surprisingly, they are also becoming a prominent topic in discussions about productivity on campus. Consequently, there is a growing need to examine salary data and policies.
Daily Variation in Natural Disaster Casualties: Information Flows, Safety, and Opportunity Costs in Tornado Versus Hurricane Strikes

Casualties from natural disasters may depend on the day of the week they strike. With data from the Spatial Hazard Events and Losses Database for the United States (SHELDUS), daily variation in hurricane and tornado casualties from 5,043 tornado and 2,455 hurricane time/place events is analyzed. Hurricane forecasts provide at-risk populations with considerable lead time. Such lead time allows strategic behavior in choosing protective measures under hurricane threat; opportunity costs in terms of lost income are higher during weekdays than during weekends. On the other hand, the lead time provided by tornadoes is near zero; hence tornados generate no opportunity costs. Tornado casualties are related to risk information flows, which are higher during workdays than during leisure periods, and are related to sheltering-in-place opportunities, which are better in permanent buildings like businesses and schools. Consistent with theoretical expectations, random effects negative binomial regression results indicate that tornado events occurring on the workdays of Monday through Thursday are significantly less lethal than tornados that occur on weekends. In direct contrast, and also consistent with theory, the expected count of hurricane casualties increases significantly with weekday occurrences. The policy implications of observed daily variation in tornado and hurricane events are considered.
Fuzzy Logic and the Market: A Configurational Approach to Investor Perceptions of Acquisition Announcements

Prior research on mergers and acquisitions (M&As) has substantially advanced our understanding of how isolated acquirer- and deal-specific factors affect abnormal stock returns. However, investors ...
WheatExp: an RNA-seq expression database for polyploid wheat

For functional genomics studies, it is important to understand the dynamic expression profiles of transcribed genes in different tissues, stages of development and in response to environmental stimuli. The proliferation in the use of next-generation sequencing technologies by the plant research community has led to the accumulation of large volumes of expression data. However, analysis of these datasets is complicated by the frequent occurrence of polyploidy among economically-important crop species. In addition, processing and analyzing such large volumes of sequence data is a technical and time-consuming task, limiting their application in functional genomics studies, particularly for smaller laboratories which lack access to high-powered computing infrastructure. Wheat is a good example of a young polyploid species with three similar genomes (97 % identical among homoeologous genes), rapidly accumulating RNA-seq datasets and a large research community. We present WheatExp, an expression database and visualization tool to analyze and compare homoeologue-specific transcript profiles across a broad range of tissues from different developmental stages in polyploid wheat. Beginning with publicly-available RNA-seq datasets, we developed a pipeline to distinguish between homoeologous transcripts from annotated genes in tetraploid and hexaploid wheat. Data from multiple studies is processed and compiled into a database which can be queried either by BLAST or by searching for a known gene of interest by name or functional domain. Expression data of multiple genes can be displayed side-by-side across all expression datasets providing immediate access to a comprehensive panel of expression data for specific subsets of wheat genes. The development of a publicly accessible expression database hosted on the GrainGenes website - http://wheat.pw.usda.gov/WheatExp/ - coupled with a simple and readily-comparable visualization tool will empower the wheat research community to use RNA-seq data and to perform functional analyses of target genes. The presented expression data is homoeologue-specific allowing for the analysis of relative contributions from each genome to the overall expression of a gene, a critical consideration for breeding applications. Our approach can be expanded to other polyploid species by adjusting sequence mapping parameters according to the specific divergence of their genomes.
A geo-historical perspective on the distribution and variation in Senecio s.l. (Asteraceae, Senecioneae) in Mexico and C. America

Senecio s.l., in Mexico and C. America includes 165 species, which occur chiefly in the highlands of C. Mexico, the Guatemalan region, Costa Rica, and adjacent Panama. The species are distributed among several convenient groups, most of which are centered in these highlands regions. A few species have affinities with temperate N. American groups or with S. American assemblages. Many species are notably intergradant with their allies, which presumably results from a fortuitous combination of a pliable and open breeding system, rapid and recent fluctuations in local climates, and the influence of mankind in creating the disturbed habitats favored by many senecios.
Optimal Trading with Predictable Return and Stochastic Volatility

We consider a class of dynamic portfolio optimization problems that allow for models of return predictability, transaction costs, and stochastic volatility. Determining the dynamic optimal portfolio in this general setting is almost always intractable. We propose a multiscale asymptotic expansion when the volatility process is characterized by its time scales of fluctuation. The analysis of the nonlinear Hamilton- Jacobi-Bellman PDE is a singular perturbation problem when volatility is fast mean-reverting; and it is a regular perturbation when the volatility is slowly varying. These analyses can be combined for multifactor multiscale stochastic volatility model. We present formal derivations of asymptotic approximations and demonstrate how the proposed algorithms improve our Profit & Loss using Monte Carlo simulations.
The Good Neighbors Project: A Collaboration Between a Neighborhood Social Service Agency, Neighborhood Residents, and University Faculty and Students

The Good Neighbors Project (GNP) represents an innovative and collaborative partnership between a neighborhood social service agency and faculty from the Colleges of Education, and Human Ecology at The Ohio State University. The site of the project is a neighborhood adjacent to the university and within the area targeted for investment by the University. During the early 1990s, the University initiated a planning process and pledged $28 million for neighborhood improvement. A part of the investment is commitment by OSU faculty to a holistic approach to development, engaging neighborhoods, social service agencies, faculty, staff, and students in a teaching/learning community. For faculty, the effort is coordinated by the Campus Collaborative, an interprofessional group of 42 University units providing a structure for faculty and staff to focus on human service aspects of the revitalization of University neighborhoods through community-based teaching, learning, and inquiry. The Good Neighbors Project was funded by the Campus Collaborative Seed Grant program to encourage and support the integration of teaching and learning in University neighborhoods.
Effects of Ephedrine Upon Blood Lactic Acid and Respiratory Metabolism in Man

The work of Cori and others has definitely established the ability of epinephrine materially to increase the blood lactic acid and blood sugar. Cori and Buchwald1 produced positive increments in blood lactic acid and sugar in man by continuous intravenous injections of epinephrine. Similar results were obtained in rabbits by subcutaneous injections.Ephedrine has produced results similar to those given by epinephrine. Himwich, et al.,2 and Nitzescu and Munteanu3 report work upon amytalized dogs in whom they obtained increases in blood lactic acid after ephedrine injections of 40-50 mg. per kilo. Wilson4 found a hyperglycemia in dogs and rabbits after the subcutaneous injection of ephedrine in doses of 10-30 mg. per kilo.The experiments herein reported were performed upon normal students. Ephedrine sulfate was ingested in aqueous solution in doses of 60-90 mg. Venous blood samples were drawn at intervals without stasis and the blood lactic acid determined by the method of Friedemann and Kendall.5 Blood suga...
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors: inhibition of growth, a novel mechanism of action

Angiotensin II, a known vasopressor agent, recently has been implicated as a growth factor in the heart and vascular smooth muscle. Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, which block angiotensin II synthesis, have been found to prevent or reverse cellular growth in the heart and vasculature--a novel mechanism of action. Further study is required to determine the precise mechanisms through which angiotensin II promotes growth as well as the mechanisms through which ACE inhibitors block growth. Large scale clinical trials are needed to delineate further the effectiveness of ACE inhibitors in humans, especially regarding vascular smooth muscle growth.
Identification by electrophoresis of Culex adults (Diptera: Culicidae) in light-trap samples.

Culex samples from light-trap collections, normally difficult to identify to species by morphology, were identified by starch gel electrophoresis. The enzyme migration rates for 4 species of Culex ( Cx. pipiens, Cx. restuans, Cx. salinarius , and Cx. territans ) were compared. Six of the 14 enzyme banding patterns separated Cx. pipiens and Cx. restuans , while 1, “malic” enzyme, uniquely characterized each of the 4 species. Electrophoretic identifications of weekly samples from 5 light traps showed an emergence of Cx. restuans in early June and a later activity of Cx. pipiens in July. The electrophoretic identifications permitted estimation of the proportions of each species in the more than 25,000 Culex mosquitoes collected by light traps in the local mosquito abatement program, St. Joseph County, Indiana, USA.
Digital holography with nonlinear diffusion regularization

We experimentally demonstrate a new digital holography reconstruction method based on nonlinear diffusion regularization.
MALE ALTERNATIVE REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGIES IN A MARINE ISOPOD CRUSTACEAN (PARACERCEIS SCULPTA): THE USE OF GENETIC MARKERS TO MEASURE DIFFERENCES IN FERTILIZATION SUCCESS AMONG α-, β-, AND γ-MALES.

Three discrete male morphs coexist in Paracerceis sculpta, a marine isopod crustacean inhabiting the northern Gulf of California. Ornamented α-males establish themselves in the spongocoels of intertidal sponges, where females congregate to breed. Smaller β-males, resembling sexually mature females, enter spongocoels by deception, while tiny γ-males invade spongocoels by stealth. Isopods breed year-round, and the operational sex ratio fluctuates widely over short durations. When females are abundant, receptive females accumulate in spongocoels, and these spongocoels are preferentially invaded by β- and γ-males. To test the hypothesis that the density of receptive females affects relative fertilization success among male morphs, individual β- and γ-males, heterozygous for a dominant cuticular pigmentation allele, were placed in artificial spongocoels with an unmarked α-male and densities of one, two, and three unmarked, receptive females. The fertilization success of each male was determined by counting the number of marked and unmarked progeny each female produced. Alpha-males guard females effectively and sire nearly all young when one female is in a spongocoel. The success of β- and γ-males increases, however, and may even exceed the success of α-males when two or three females are present. The regular occurrence of more than one receptive female in the harems of α-males may contribute to the persistence of β- and γ-males in this species.
Design and Realization of Microcode Communication Module Based on MPC8260 And NP7250

This paper presented a scheme of building all-IP platform based on AMCC's switch chipsets including NP7250、NPX5700 and NPX5800,mainly introducing designing and realization methods of the microcode communicating module between the high-powered embedded microprocessor MPC8260 and the network processor NP7250.The microcode communicating module included two parts:one part is the communicating module—UCOM located in the user data side(network processor unit);the other is communicating task of UCOM_TASK located in the control side(host cpu).