cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermopower of cadmium and tungsten single crystals in a magnetic field

The thermopowers of single crystals of Cd and W have been measured between 1.5 and 4 K in a magnetic field directed along high symmetry axes. Care has to be taken in the elimination of probe misalignment effects. The thermopower results are consistent with experimental values for electrical and thermal resistivity tensor elements which occur in the equation for the thermopower in a high magnetic field. However, the apparent departure from the expected field dependence of ϱ xy has led us to question current theory.
Thermodynamically consistent Bayesian analysis of closed biochemical reaction systems.

Estimating the rate constants of a biochemical reaction system with known stoichiometry from noisy time series measurements of molecular concentrations is an important step for building predictive models of cellular function. Inference techniques currently available in the literature may produce rate constant values that defy necessary constraints imposed by the fundamental laws of thermodynamics. As a result, these techniques may lead to biochemical reaction systems whose concentration dynamics could not possibly occur in nature. Therefore, development of a thermodynamically consistent approach for estimating the rate constants of a biochemical reaction system is highly desirable. We introduce a Bayesian analysis approach for computing thermodynamically consistent estimates of the rate constants of a closed biochemical reaction system with known stoichiometry given experimental data. Our method employs an appropriately designed prior probability density function that effectively integrates fundamental biophysical and thermodynamic knowledge into the inference problem. Moreover, it takes into account experimental strategies for collecting informative observations of molecular concentrations through perturbations. The proposed method employs a maximization-expectation-maximization algorithm that provides thermodynamically feasible estimates of the rate constant values and computes appropriate measures of estimation accuracy. We demonstrate various aspects of the proposed method on synthetic data obtained by simulating a subset of a well-known model of the EGF/ERK signaling pathway, and examine its robustness under conditions that violate key assumptions. Software, coded in MATLAB®, which implements all Bayesian analysis techniques discussed in this paper, is available free of charge at http://www.cis.jhu.edu/~goutsias/CSS%20lab/software.html . Our approach provides an attractive statistical methodology for estimating thermodynamically feasible values for the rate constants of a biochemical reaction system from noisy time series observations of molecular concentrations obtained through perturbations. The proposed technique is theoretically sound and computationally feasible, but restricted to quantitative data obtained from closed biochemical reaction systems. This necessitates development of similar techniques for estimating the rate constants of open biochemical reaction systems, which are more realistic models of cellular function.
Medical comorbidities in autism: challenges to diagnosis and treatment.

Ever since its original description by Leo Kanner in 1943, autism has been generally defined by its clinical characteristics and core symptoms that include impaired social skills, isolated areas of interest, and delayed and disordered language. Over time, it has become apparent that autism is a heterogeneous disorder with regard to its clinical presentation, etiology, underlying neurobiology, and degree of severity. As a result, the termed diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) has come into common usage. With advancements in clinical care, there has come the appreciation that many ASD children, adolescents, and adults may have medically relevant disorders that may negatively impact their developmental progress and behavior, but which frequently go undetected. Many of these medical conditions are treatable, often resulting in improved developmental gains and quality of life for the patient and family. In addition, the possibility exists that some of these medical conditions may suggest the presence of important genetic and/or biologic markers, which, if identified, can refine our ability to be more precise in categorizing clinical and genetic subtypes within the autism spectrum.
Recovery from punishment as a function of number of pre- punishment reinforcements

Ss were given from 200 to 3000 reinforcements in a Skinner box, then shocked for every response until they met a criterion of suppression. The following day, latency of the first response was recorded. Amount of suppression (latency on post-shock day) decreased with number of pre-punishment reinforcements up to 1000, but for greater numbers of reinforcements suppression increased.
Utility of nonspecific resting electrocardiographic features for detection of coronary artery stenosis by Computed Tomography in acute chest pain patients: from the ROMICAT trial

Twelve-lead surface electrocardiography (ECG) and computed tomography (CT) are used to evaluate for myocardial ischemia and coronary artery disease (CAD), respectively. We aimed to determine features on resting ECG that predict coronary artery stenosis by cardiac CT. In 309 acute chest pain patients, we compared the initial triage resting ECG to contrast-enhanced 64-slice cardiac CT angiography. We assessed for 6 quantitative (QT interval, QTc interval, QTc > 440 ms, gender-specific QTc, QT dispersion and QRS duration) and 4 qualitative ECG parameters (ST depression >0.05 to ≤0.1 mV, T wave inversion ≥0.1 mV, T wave flattening, and any T wave abnormalities) and for the presence of coronary stenosis by CT (>50% luminal narrowing). Specificities of these ECG parameters were excellent (83.6–97.0%) while sensitivities were poor (12.2–29.3%). For coronary stenosis detection, the ECG features with the greatest performance were the presence of ST depression (positive likelihood ratio [LR+] 4.09) and T wave inversion (LR+ 4.58). In multivariable analyses, the risk for coronary stenosis increased by 33–41% for every 20 ms prolongation of the QTc interval after adjusting for age, gender, and cardiac risk factors or adjustment for Framingham risk score. Similarly, there was an increase of fourfold with the presence of ST depression >0.05 to ≤0.1 mV or T wave inversion ≥0.1 mV. In acute chest pain patients, resting ECG features of QTc interval prolongation, mild ST depression, and T wave inversion are independently associated with the presence of CT coronary stenosis and their presence suggests an increase risk of CAD.
Bacterial Division: The Fellowship of The Ring

The Z ring, composed of the tubulin homolog FtsZ, is essential for bacterial cell division. Recently a new protein, ZapA, has been discovered that localizes to the Z ring and stabilizes it, probably by promoting the bundling of FtsZ protofilaments.
In vitro characterization of Salmonella typhi mutant strains for live oral vaccines.

Abstract Several Salmonella typhi attenuated mutant strains, suggested as candidates for live oral vaccine, were examined for their characteristics in vitro in comparison with parental strains Ty2 and CDC10-80. Three methods were used: interaction of bacteria with the human monocyte-macrophage U937 cell line evaluated by microscopic examination, bacterial growth in the cell culture medium estimated by absorbance and bacterial resistance to human plasma assessed by the viable count technique. The most informative data were obtained in the test with U937 cells. Ty2 penetrated almost 100% of the cells, multiplied rapidly and caused death of the cells. CDC10-80 infected about 30% of the cells, multiplied slightly and did not kill the cells. The Ty2 mutant galE via EX462 behaved like CDC10-80. Bacteria of the galED Ty21a, Vi + Ty21a, 541Ty and 543Ty, found in only 3–4% of the cells, did not multiply within the cells and decreased in number with time. These findings correlate with the reported virulence of these strains for humans. With the second method, the rate of bacterial growth in cell culture medium did not differentiate Ty2, CDC10-80 and EX462. They grew at the same rate and faster than the remaining mutants. The plasma resistance test did not discriminate between EX462 and other mutants. These tests did not reveal any difference between Vi + Ty21a and Vi -Ty21a.
Delayed multiattribute product differentiation

We develop a two-stage model for versioning products with respect to both vertical and horizontal attributes. At first, a firm positions its top-quality ''flagship'' product in a market with an imperfectly known distribution of tastes and reservation prices. In the second stage, the firm learns these consumer characteristics and has the option of extending its product line by versioning the flagship product using pure horizontal differentiation, quality degrading, or both. The firm's nonconvex versioning problem is solved analytically for the two-product case. We find that ex ante extending the product line through vertical differentiation is optimal for low marginal cost of quality (development cost); otherwise pure horizontal differentiation is superior. Given quasilinear consumer preferences and a uniform distribution of consumer characteristics, versioning with respect to both horizontal and vertical attributes is never optimal. Under delayed differentiation the optimal policy is contingent on the observed demand realization and may lead to horizontal cannibalization and price dispersion for equal-quality products. The firm tends to increase its investment in product quality unless it adopts a state-contingent policy of horizontal versioning for high and vertical versioning for low demand realizations. Following a state-contingent policy, the optimal upfront development effort may be significantly lower than under full ex-ante commitment. The option value of delayed differentiation is generally nonmonotonic in the firm's development cost.
SOLUTION TO A PROBLEM CONCERNING THE INTERSECTION OF MAXIMAL FILTERS AND MAXIMAL IDEALS IN A DISTRIBUTIVE LATTICE

It is well known that in a distributive lattice L, every filter is an intersection of prime filters, and dually. Moreover, L is relatively complemented if and only if every prime filter (ideal) is maximal. In 1947, A. Monteiro [3] posed the question of determining whether a distributive lattice, in which every filter is an intersection of maximal filters, and dually, is necessarily relatively complemented. This question also appears as Problem 39 in G. Gr/itzer [2; p. 156]. Monteiro states that J. Dieudonn6 and L. Nachbin have independently shown that neither the condition that every filter is an intersection of maximal filters, nor its dual, implies the other. We will solve this problem in the negative by constructing a non-Boolean distributive lattice L which satisfies the above conditions on the filters and ideals L. The referee was most helpful in simplifying the explanation of the construction of L. This lattice is necessarily infinite for if a finite distributive lattice is such that each of its filters is an intersection of maximal filters then it is a Boolean algebra. Indeed, this follows from the fact that if F, F1,..., F, are prime filters and F = Of="1 Fi then F=Fto for some io~ {1,..., n}.
Correction: Nonlinear rheology of entangled polymers at turning point

Correction for ‘Nonlinear rheology of entangled polymers at turning point’ by Shi-Qing Wang et al., Soft Matter, 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c4sm02664k.
College students' views of male and female college teachers: Part I—Evidence from the social laboratory and experiments

A review of laboratory and experimental research on college students' preconceptions of male and female college teachers shows that, in the majority of studies, students' global evaluations of male and female college teachers as professionals were not different; in a minority of studies, however, male teachers received higher overall evaluations than did female teachers. For the most part, the perceptions and ratings of the two genders in most other areas either showed no differences or inconsistent differences across studies. Moreover, most studies found that male teachers and female teachers were not perceived differently by male and female students. Interaction effects found in a particular study between the teacher's gender and other factors (teacher's expressiveness, physical attractiveness, mode of teaching, academic field and the like) usually were not confirmed by findings in other studies. More studies found indications of students' perception of female teachers (compared to those of male teachers) being more heavily influenced by these other factors. Ratings of teachers were sometimes enhanced by gender-typical attributes and behaviors and sometimes by gender-atypical attributes and behaviors.
RECENT PWAS-SHM DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LABORATORY FOR ACTIVE MATERIALS AND SMART STRUCTURES

This paper will present recent results obtained in the Laboratory for Active Materials and Smart Structures in the development of piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) technologies for structural health monitoring (SHM) applications. One development consists in a carefully conducted study of the convergence of commercially available finite element method (FEM) codes used in the simulation of guided waves traveling in thin-wall structures. Furthermore, the interaction of these waves with various types of damage was studied with the FEM method and compared with experimental results. Another development consists in an analytical model for the prediction of the interaction between PWAS-generated guided waves and structural damage. This topic has been developed and coded in a MATLAB GUI under the name of Wave Form Revealer (WFR). The WFR software allows for the linear and nonlinear analysis of multimodal guided waves in interaction with various damage types characterized by damage interaction parameters. The study of energy transduction between the PWAS and thin-wall structure subjected to guided wave SHM was undertaken in the context of multiple guided wave modes and very interesting energy tuning principles for optimal power consumption have been developed. The paper ends with conclusions and suggestions for further work.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Panic Attacks as Ictal Manifestations of Parietal Lobe Seizures

Although most panic attacks appear to be primary psychiatric disturbances, some evidence suggests a biologic basis for panic disorder, possibly associated with temporal lobe dysfunction. Fear is a common affective change associated with some complex partial seizures (CPS) originating from the right temporal lobe. We describe a previously unreported association between panic attacks and seizures originating from the parietal lobe in 2 patients with right parietal lobe tumors. Intracranial monitoring documented correlations between the symptoms of fear and restricted regional parietal cortical discharges. Surgical resections of the lesions (one total, one subtotal) resulted in complete recovery or improvement.
Comparison of aerosol acidity in urban and semi-rural environments

During the summer of 1990 acid aerosol measurements were conducted simultaneously in Pittsburgh, Uniontown, and State College, Pennsylvania. Acid aerosols and ammonia concentrations were compared at these cities. Aerosol acidity was found to be lower in the urban area (Pittsburgh) than the semi-rural areas. Ammonia levels were higher at the urban site than in the semi-rural environments, probably due to the higher population density at the urban site. During acid episodes, the dominating sulfur species in Pittsburgh were found to be a mixture of totally and partially neutralized sulfates, i.e. (NH4)2SO4 and NH4HSO4, while in State College and Uniontown sulfur species were primarily a mixture of NH4HSO4 and H2SO4. Diurnal variation was found for H+ and SO42−, while NH3 exhibited no diurnal pattern. High spatial correlations were found for SO42− levels between Pittsburgh and the semi-rural areas, implying a regional transport. In spite of the significant absolute differences, H+ concentrations also were found to be significantly correlated across sites, as well as with each other at individual sites.
A diffusion process approximation approach to restricted sequential tests with early stopping

Modified restricted sequential plans with the potential for early stopping and expected stopping times close to those of the SPRT are given for testing binomial distributions.These plans are based upon the conditional probability of rejecting the null hypothesis given the accumulated data. A normal diffusion process approximation to the binomial random walk is used to obtain the conditional probabilities at each stage of the trial and thusdetermine an acceptance boundary for the null hypothesis. Plans derived using the diffusion process are compared with plans obtained by an exact method in terms of error probabilities and stopping time distributions. Some limiting relationships are also examined.
Contamination Impact of Station Brush Fire on Cleanroom Facilities

Brush and forest fires, both naturally occurring and anthropogenic in origin, in proximity to space flight hardware processing facilities raise concerns about the threat of contamination resulting from airborne particulate and molecular components of smoke. Perceptions of the severity of the threat are possibly heightened by the high sensitivity of the human sense of smell to some components present in the smoke of burning vegetation.On August 26th, 2009, a brushfire broke out north of Pasadena, California, two miles from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Station Fire destroyed over 160,000 acres, coming within a few hundred yards of JPL. Smoke concentrations on Lab were very heavy over several days. All Lab operations were halted, and measures were taken to protect personnel, critical hardware, and facilities. Evaluation of real-time cleanroom monitoring data, visualinspection of facilities, filter systems, and analysis of surface cleanliness samples revealed facility environments andhardware were minimally effected.Outside air quality easily exceeded Class Ten Million. Prefilters captured most large ash and soot; multi-stage filtration greatly minimized the impact on the HEPA/ULPA filters. Air quality in HEPA filtered spacecraft assembly cleanrooms remained within Class 10,000 specification throughout. Surface cleanliness was inimally affected, as large particles were effectively removed from the airstream, and sub-micron particles have extremely long settling rates. Approximate particulate fallout within facilities was 0.00011% area coverage/day compared to 0.00038% area coverage/day during normal operations. Deposition of condensable airborne components, as measured in real time, peaked at approximately1.0 ng/cm2/day compared to 0.05 ng/cm2/day nominal.
Signals controlling Cajal body assembly and function

Cajal bodies (CBs) are subnuclear domains that participate in the biogenesis of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) and telomerase. CBs are found in cells with high splicing demands, such as neuronal and cancer cells. The purpose of this review is to highlight what is known about the signals that impact the formation and activity of CBs. Particular attention is paid to phosphorylation as a major regulator of CB formation and composition, but a non-biochemical mediated pathway (mechanotransduction) that impacts CBs is also discussed. Amongst the CB components, recently published work on coilin (the CB marker protein) strongly suggests that this protein, and the CB by extension, is a global sensor that responds to environmental signals. Disruption of these signals, which would result in a decreased capacity to generate snRNPs and telomerase, is predicted to be beneficial in the treatment of cancer.
QoS Model of a Router with Feedback Control

The Internet has evolved into a shared, integrated platform of a broad range of applications with different Quality-of-Service (QoS) requirements. Routers are an important part of the Internet and play a critical role in assuring QoS. A router is usually placed between two networks to receive data packets from one network and then transmit those data packets to another network if necessary. Data packets are the actual units of data traveling on computer networks. A data packet has two parts: header and data. The data carries messages, such as e-mail text, from computer applications. The header carries information that is required to control and manage the transmission of the data packet on computer networks. Existing approaches for providing QoS involve prediction or estimation for traffic characterization to determine parameters required of static traffic admission control. However, prediction or estimation inaccuracy in traffic characterization can result in inappropriate parameter settings for static admission control and, in turn, compromise QoS or resource utilization. This study presents a QoS model of a router with feedback control that monitors the state of resource usage and adaptively adjusts parameters of traffic admission control to overcome prediction or estimation inaccuracy and achieve a balance between QoS and resource utilization. The QoS model of a router with feedback control is simulated to test its performance on QoS and resource utilization in both heavy and light traffic conditions. The performance of the QoS model of a router with feedback control is also compared with that of two basic QoS models of a router with static admission control using admission control parameters resulting from over- and under-characterization of traffic, respectively. The simulation results show that the QoS model of a router with feedback control achieves a better balance between QoS and resource utilization than the basic QoS models with over- and under-characterizations of traffic in the heavy traffic condition. This study also shows that the three models of routers demonstrate similar QoS performances and resource utilization in the light traffic condition. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Removal of sodium dodecyl sulfate from proteins.

Abstract A convenient and relatively simple electrodialysis method for the removal of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) from proteins is described. Six samples can be processed simultaneously. The kinetics of removal of SDS from proteins by equilibrium dialysis and electrodialysis have been studied.
ANALYSIS OF DIPHOTON EVENTS AT CDF

The Collider Detector at Fermilab Collaboration has analyzed events with two photons in the central detector. The cross section is measured and compared to theoretical models. The diphoton mass spectrum is searched for anomalous narrow peaks and a search for gauge–mediated SUSY is performed with events with two photons and missing Et.
Microbiological changes in mayonnaise-based salads during storage.

Abstract Within 6 h of manufacture of coleslaw, Florida, potato, Spanish and vegetable salads the concentration of acetic acid in the mayonnaise component decreased by absorption into the plant tissue, and the pH increased. Except in Spanish salad, where the concentration of acetic acid remained at an inhibitory level, these changes allowed the growth of microorganisms in salads stored at 10°C, but not at 5°C, and emphasized the need for careful control of temperature during the distribution and sale of these products.
Variation in performance of two co‐occurring mosquito species across diverse resource environments: insights from nutrient and stable isotope analyses

1. Inputs of animal and plant detritus are the main energy sources for food webs in a number of isolated container systems, including discarded automobile tyres and tree holes. Containers are dominated by mosquitoes in the genera Culex and Aedes, which among other differences often engage in different foraging behaviours. We hypothesised that because Aedes feed more by browsing surfaces, whereas Culex often filter the water column, these mosquitoes would show variation in performance and differentially affect detritus. Effects of different ratios of animal and plant detritus on survival, mass, and development time for two common container mosquito species, Culex restuans L. and Aedes albopictus Skuse, were examined. We also quantified detrital contribution to biomass via isotopic and nutrient analysis and the effect of larvae on detrital decay. 2. Adult male and female mass of both species was highest with some animal detritus and lowest in only leaf detritus. Aedes albopictus survival was higher than C. restuans across most detritus ratios. 3. Aedes albopictus had higher values of 15N and in some cases 13C across all detritus ratios compared with C. restuans; A. albopictus had lower nitrogen in tissue. Aedes albopictus appeared to be more efficient at obtaining potentially limiting nutrients and had a greater overall effect on detrital decay – a possible consequence of greater foraging effort. 4. Findings further support the view that mosquito performance can be influenced by detritus type, and provide a more precise hypothesis (i.e. lower need for nitrogen) that may explain the superior competitive ability of A. albopictus over other container mosquitoes.
Democratizing the Quasi-Leninist Regime in Taiwan

Analysis of the process of democratization should focus not on socioeconomic change, but on the origin and development of political opposition and on the structure of political bargaining between the regime and its challengers. The recent democratic breakthrough in Taiwan is attributable to the capabilities of the political opposition in agenda setting, the shifting of bargaining arenas, and the creation of incentives for the reformist leaders of the regime to play the game. Democratization in Taiwan will continue because the ruling party has been able to maintain its dominant position in new political frameworks.
Prolonged Latent Schistosomiasis

THE LIFE span ofSchistosoma japonicum, the cause of Oriental schistosomiasis, is not well established. Although it is estimated that more than 60 million people are infected, longevity studies in endemic areas are complicated by the incidence of reinfection. Report of a Case A 51-year-old man was hospitalized on Feb 3, 1976, because of acute severe abdominal pain of approximately five hours' duration that began when he strained at stools and "felt something pop." Review of systems and past history were noncontributory. His temperature at the time of admission was 37 °C. He had generalized abdominal tenderness that was greatest in the left lower quadrant. Bowel sounds were diminished. The WBC count was 19,000/cu mm, with 75% segmented and 17% band neutrophils. A roentgenogram of the abdomen showed a small amount of free air beneath the right hemidiaphragm. Laparotomy was performed approximately two hours after admission, and a large amount
The Non-preemptive Scheduling of Periodic Tasks upon Multiprocessors

The non-preemptive scheduling of periodic task systems upon processing platforms comprised of several identical processors is considered. The exact problem has previously been proven intractable even upon single processors; sufficient conditions are presented here for determining whether a given periodic task system will meet all deadlines if scheduled non-preemptively upon a multiprocessor platform using the earliest-deadline first scheduling algorithm.
Social class and family size as determinants of attributed machismo, femininity, and family planning: a field study in two South American communities.

The major objective of the present investigation was to ascertain how stereotypes of machismo and femininity are related to acquired family size and perceptions of family planning. An indirect measurement approach was employed in which lower-class and upper-middle-class urban adults in Cali, Colombia, responded to photos of Colombian families which varied in size and completeness. The principal findings of the investigation revealed that (1) lower-class subjects described parents in the photos as significantly more macho and feminine because of their children than upper-middle-class subjects; (2) although no overall family size effect on attributions of machismo and femininity to parents emerged, lower-class female subjects described parents of large complete families as significantly more macho and feminine than parents of small complete families; (3) male subjects from both social classes described male spouses in the photos as more dominant and in greater control of the marital relationship as family size in the photos increased; and (4) perceptions of the incidence of family planning behaviors decreased linearly with family size for both social classes, although lower-class females attributed more family planning to spouses of large families than upper-middle-class females. Discussion of these results attempted to account for social class differences in the significance of parenthood as an indicator of sex-role identity and the psychological relevance of male dominance as a factor in fertility.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 increases synthesis of collagen type I via induction of the mRNA-binding protein LARP6 expression and binding to the 5' stem-loop of COL1a1 and COL1a2 mRNA

Collagen content in atherosclerotic plaque is a hallmark of plaque stability. Our earlier studies showed that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) increases collagen content in atherosclerotic plaques of Apoe−/− mice. To identify mechanisms we investigated the effect of IGF-1 on the la ribonucleoprotein domain family member 6 (LARP6). LARP6 binds a stem-loop motif in the 5′-UTR of the mRNAs encoding the collagen type I α-subunits (α1(I) and α2(I)), and coordinates their translation into the heterotrimeric collagen type I molecule. In human aortic smooth muscle cells (SMCs), IGF-1 rapidly increased LARP6 expression and the rate of collagen synthesis and extracellular accumulation. IGF-1 increased both LARP6 and collagen type I expression via a post-transcriptional and translation-dependent mechanism involving PI3K/Akt/p70S6k-signaling. Immunoprecipitation of LARP6, followed by qPCR indicated that IGF-1 increased the level of COL1a1 and COL1a2 mRNA bound to LARP6. Mutation of the 5′ stem-loop of Col1a1 mRNA, which inhibits binding of LARP6, abolished the ability of IGF-1 to increase synthesis of collagen type I. Furthermore, overexpression of a 5′ stem-loop RNA molecular decoy that sequesters LARP6, prevented the ability of IGF-1 to increase pro-α1(I) and mature α1(I) expression in cultured medium. IGF-1 infusion in Apoe−/− mice increased expression of LARP6 and pro-α1(I) in aortic lysates, and SMC-specific IGF-1-overexpression robustly increased collagen fibrillogenesis in atherosclerotic plaque. In conclusion, we identify LARP6 as a critical mediator by which IGF-1 augments synthesis of collagen type I in vascular smooth muscle, which may play an important role in promoting atherosclerotic plaque stability.
Dynamic mutual calibration and view planning for cooperative mobile robots with panoramic virtual stereo vision

This paper presents a panoramic virtual stereo vision approach to the problem of detecting and localizing multiple moving objects (e.g., humans) in an indoor scene. Two panoramic cameras, residing on different mobile platforms, compose a virtual stereo sensor with a flexible baseline. A novel "mutual calibration" algorithm is proposed, where panoramic cameras on two cooperative moving platforms are dynamically calibrated by looking at each other. A detailed numerical analysis of the error characteristics of the panoramic virtual stereo vision (mutual calibration error, stereo matching error, and triangulation error) is given to derive rules for optimal view planning. Experimental results are discussed for detecting and localizing multiple humans in motion using two cooperative robot platforms.
A new link to airway obstruction in asthma

The factors that regulate airway goblet cell metaplasia and mucus secretion are essential to understanding how airway obstruction occurs in asthma. In this issue, Xiang et al. demonstrate the existence of an airway epithelial, extraneuronal GABAergic signaling system that promotes mucus overproduction during allergic airway inflammation (pages 862–867).
Energy Flux Method for Die-to-Database Inspection of Critical Layer Reticles

With growing implementation of low k1 lithography on DUV scanners for wafer production, detecting and analyzing photomask critical dimension (CD) errors and semitransparent defects is vital for qualifying photomasks to enable high IC wafer yields for 130nm and 100nm nodes. Using the TeraStar pattern inspection system's image computer platform, a new die-to-database algorithm, TeraFlux, has been implemented and tested for the inspection of small "closed" features. The algorithm is run in die-to-database mode comparing the energy flux difference between reticle and the database reference for small closed features, such as, contacts, trenches, and cells on chrome and half-tone reticles. The algorithm is applicable to both clear and dark field reticles. Tests show the new algorithm provides CD error detection to 6% energy flux variation with low false defect counts. We have characterized the sensitivity and false defect performance of the die-to-database energy flux algorithm with production masks and programmed defect test masks. A sampling of inspection results will be presented. Wafer printability results using the programmed defects on a programmed defect test reticle will be presented and compared to the inspection defect sensitivity results.
The effects of continued exposure to medium field augmented and virtual reality on the perception of egocentric depth

Research in the perception of depth in augmented and virtual reality has reported a consistent underestimation of egocentric depth with regard to stationary objects located along the ground plane. However, there has been a rather large disparity in the degree of underestimation reported from study to study with some studies reporting as much as a 68% underestimation of egocentric depth while others report as little as 6% [Jones et al. 2008]. The current study investigates the judgment of egocentric distance in real, augmented, and virtual environments and finds that subjects' judgments improve in accuracy as exposure continues in the absence of explicit feedback.
Transient response of multidegree‐of‐freedom linear systems to forcing functions with inequality constraints

Optimal control theory is employed to analyze the transient response of discrete linear systems to forcing functions whose dependence on time is not known, but which lie within specified bounds. Attention is focused on the complete determination of the forcing function that will induce (a) maximum displacement of any specified mass element; (b) maximum relative displacement of any two adjacent masses; and (c) maximum acceleration of a given mass. Undamped mechanical systems with an arbitrary number of degrees of freedom are considered wherein only a single forcing function acts. In general, the desired forcing function is found to be a bang‐bang type function, that is, a function which switches from the upper to the lower bound and vice versa at certain instants of time. The general procedure for finding these switching times is presented.
Simulating Radar Observations of Precipitation at Higher Frequencies from Lower-Frequency Polarimetric Measurements

AbstractThe translation of radar data from one frequency to another based on electromagnetic absorption and scattering models has been used to convert S-band measurements to higher frequencies, such as those within the X or Ku bands, in order to create realistic simulations. As the target frequency of simulations for weather radar increase to X band and above, the size of large raindrops and hail either approach or exceed the radar wavelength, resulting in a radar cross section that is no longer in the linear Rayleigh region. The Mie solution to scattering models is then required. With the advent of dual-polarization systems, a more complete characterization of the effect of precipitation on radar is possible in order to improve model effectiveness. However, typical curve- or surface-fitting methods still have limitations as particle size increases. A more robust solution is presented here in the form of a neural network that incorporates the nonlinear relationship among various polarimetric observation v...
Clinical Spectrum and Diagnostic Techniques of Coronary Heart Disease in the Elderly

Coronary heart disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the older population. The recognition of such disease in the elderly varies in a number of parameters from that noted in younger patients. There are a number of physiologic changes in cardiac function as a result of aging, and they have an important bearing on the recognition of cardiac disease in the elderly. This review stresses the particular features of coronary disease in the aged and contrasts them with features more readily recognized in younger patients. Changes in the development of angina pectoris, heart failure, and the diagnosis of myocardial infarction vary significantly in the elderly population. The role of diagnostic modalities varies considerably in sensitivity and specificity when comparing younger and older patients. Potential areas for further research are stressed.
The use of OCLC for cataloging U.S. government publications: a feasibility study

Abstract The feasibility of cataloging current acquisitions in a selective depository collection of U.S. government publications using OCLC was examined with respect to the availability and quality of records, methodology, various time factors, staffing needs, and costs. It was determined that records for 96% of the current acquisitions for a one-month test period could be located on OCLC within three months of receipt, while 75% could be found in a first search performed two days to three weeks after receipt. Nearly 99% of the records found were of either acceptable or high quality, requiring little local alteration or addition. Less than 3% of the titles received would require original cataloging.
Thioacetamide Inhibition of Liver and Serum Amylase Production

SummaryLiver damage was produced in rats by administration of thioacetamide both by intraperitoneal injection and feeding via a stomach tube. Such damage is accompanied by a diminished liver amylase synthesis and leads to lowering of liver and serum amylase levels to 50% of normal or less with the higher doses of drug.
A nuclear encoded and mitochondrial imported dicistronic tRNA precursor in Trypanosoma brucei.

The mitochondrial tRNAs of Trypanosoma brucei are nuclear encoded and imported into the mitochondrion. A heterogeneous population of RNAs having characteristics of precursor tRNAs have previously been identified within the mitochondrion ofT. brucei, suggesting that import occurs via a precursor molecule. In order to identify nuclear genes encoding tRNAs targeted to the mitochondrion, individual mitochondrial tRNAs were separated using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and enzymatically sequenced. A 1.1-kilobase pair genomic DNA fragment was cloned containing three tRNA genes, tRNA1Ser, tRNALeu, and tRNA2Ser. Dicistronic precursors containing the tRNA1Ser and tRNALeu transcripts with a 59-nucleotide intergenic sequence were identified by reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reactions and the 5′ end of the precursors determined. The dicistronic precursor tRNA is present both in the cytosol and the mitochondrion supporting a model for tRNA import involving precursor tRNA transcripts.
A communication from the editor on the special reader's opinion survey

The IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement {IEEE Trans. Instrum. Meas.) is an official publication of the IEEE Society on Instrumentation and Measurement (S-IM). It is both an archival publication through which technical communication is conducted and a medium through which the Society communicates with its members. This Transactions, now 30 years old, traces its history to May 1952, when it was first published by the Professional Group on Instrumentation of the Institute of Radio Engineers. Historically, the Society publishes four quarterly Transactions a year, one of which (the December issue prior to 1982 and now the March issue) is designated a special issue containing selected papers from the Society-sponsored conferences, Conference on Precision Electromagnetic Measurement (CPEM) and the Electrical and Electronic Measurement and Test Instrument Conference (EEMTIC).
Optimal design for study-abroad scholarship: the effect of payback policy.

This paper examines the optimal design for a study‐abroad scholarship. A student is awarded a fixed‐amount scholarship to participate in the program but will have to pay back the scholarship if his/her performance fails to meet a target level. When the program is highly productive, the scholarship is low and the target performance is high. The opposite case prevails if the disutility from studying is high. A higher program cost leads to a higher target performance and a cost sharing between the university and the students. When the uncertainty regarding performance evaluation in the program increases, the target performance decreases while the scholarship amount is higher.
The neutrino mixing angle θ13: Reactor and accelerator experiments

Abstract Recent measurements of the neutrino mixing angle θ 13 cap a decade of observations which have clearly established the oscillation of neutrino flavor. Measurements of reactor ν ¯ e disappearance over ∼ km distances have provided a precise value for this mixing angle. Detection of ν e in beams of ν μ from particle accelerators also support a non-zero value of θ 13 , and comparisons between these two techniques are sensitive to the remaining unknowns of neutrino oscillation. The unexpectedly large value for θ 13 allows for future tests of the neutrino mass hierarchy and CP-violation in neutrino oscillation. Measurement of the energy dependence of reactor ν ¯ e disappearance has been used to determine the larger neutrino mass-squared difference, | Δ m 31 2 | ≈ | Δ m 32 2 | . Consistency with observations of accelerator ν μ disappearance supports the three-flavor model of neutrino flavor oscillation.
Perforated Porous Plate Burner to Model Composite Propellant Combustion

T concept of a perforated porous plate burner is presented. The burner scale models the principal details of the vapor phase in nonmetallized composite propellants. Vapor evolution from the continuous binder is simulated by gaseous fuel transpiration through a woven porous plate; discrete vapor evolution from the oxidizer particles is simulated by gaseous oxidizer passage through perforations in the porous plate. The 1.2 mm-diam perforations establish the flame at a distance of the order of millimeters above the surface according to dimensional analysis and mixing controlled combustion assumption. * The flame standoff distance is measured with variations in the flow rate of reactants, mean pressure, and oscillations of reactant feed rates. By isolating the condensed phase and surface details present in propellants, the expanded vapor phase lends itself to easy analysis. Interpretation in terms of a one-dimensional theory yields the surface heat transfer rate as a function of measured variables. Direct visualizations of the flame structure vividly reveal several details in heterogeneous combustion.
Nondiscriminated Wheel-Running Avoidance Learning in Mice

Summary.-24 CFW mice were trained in a newly developed wheelrunning apparatus for avoidance learning in mice. Scrambled shock could be delivered through a ball bearing which supports the shaft of the wheel. Responses were defined as rotation of the wheel quarter, half, and full turn for three groups. Animals quickly developed the running response under a nondiscriminated avoidance schedule in all groups. These findings are consistent with previous data for rats. In a rotating wheel situation it has been shown that some animals occasionally fail to acquire a running response to avoid shocks (Bolles, Stokes, & Younger, 1966, Exp. 2). This seemed to be due to the well known responses of animals when a shock scrambler was not used, i.e., they freeze on the grids of the same shock polarity. However, no improvement was observed when using the rotating wheel, probably because of technical difficulties in delivering scrambled shock to the rotating grid floor. Recently, Iso (1984) developed a new rotating wheel apparatus for rats in which scrambled electric shock could be delivered through a special ball bearing which supports the shaft of the wheel. He found that rats quickly acquired and stably maintained nondiscriminated running avoidance responding in his newly developed apparatus (Iso, 1986). The purpose of the present study was to investigate acquisition of nondiscriminated avoidance in mice using this type of a redesigned rotating wheel apparatus for the mouse. Animals were 24 male CFW mice at 8 to 9 wk. of age. They weighed 40.1k1.9 gm. on average at the start of the experiment. They were divided into three groups of different requirement of rotation and maintained with access to food and water ad lib. in their home cages throughout the experiment. The apparatus was a rotating wheel of 220 mm in diameter and 55 mm in width. The grid "floor" was made of 3-mm diameter stainless steel rods which were placed at intervals of 11 mm (center to center distance). The response was defined as rotation of the wheel 4/4 full turn for the first group, as 1/2 full turn for the second, and as two times of 34 full turn for the last group,
Predicting simulation parameters of biological systems using a Gaussian process model

Finding optimal parameters for simulating biological systems is usually a very difficult and expensive task in systems biology. Brute force searching is infeasible in practice because of the huge (often infinite) search space. In this article, we propose predicting the parameters efficiently by learning the relationship between system outputs and parameters using regression. However, the conventional parametric regression models suffer from two issues, thus are not applicable to this problem. First, restricting the regression function as a certain fixed type (e.g. linear, polynomial, etc.) introduces too strong assumptions that reduce the model flexibility. Second, conventional regression models fail to take into account the fact that a fixed parameter value may correspond to multiple different outputs due to the stochastic nature of most biological simulations, and the existence of a potentially large number of other factors that affect the simulation outputs. We propose a novel approach based on a Gaussian process model that addresses the two issues jointly. We apply our approach to a tumor vessel growth model and the feedback Wright–Fisher model. The experimental results show that our method can predict the parameter values of both of the two models with high accuracy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining, 2012 © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Link Rendezvous Protocol for Cognitive Radio Networks

In an opportunistic dynamic spectrum access environment, individual nodes sense the local spectrum and choose their operating frequencies and bandwidth in collaboration with the other participating nodes. To make their spectrum access decisions, the nodes need to communicate with the existing nodes operating in the area. In this paper we propose an approach which establishes this first connection with a minimum risk of interference. We propose a link rendezvous strategy which relies on frequency domain decision statistics. Nodes wishing to join the network are emitting and scanning for a simple carrier with a small number of sidetones. We describe the strategy in the context of collaborative spectrum sensing. To validate our approach, we describe a series of experiments using the GNU Radio software defined radio toolkit. We show that an attention signal of length equivalent to a single FFT frame can be detected in a high noise environment using two sidetones.