cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical Symbolic Substitution Architectures

Publisher Summary This chapter illustrates that optical information processing techniques have shown remarkable promise over all-electronic techniques for computation-intensive applications. Optical computing systems can allow two- and three-dimensional interconnections, non-interfering communication, and ultrahigh switching speed. The main thrust in optical computing research is, thus, being geared toward the development of alternate algorithms and architectures to exploit all the advantages that optics can offer. Symbolic substitution has been proposed as a very powerful means for implementing optical computing operations. This technique exploits the parallelism of optics to first perform spatial search for all the occurrences of a particular pattern and then replace all occurrences of this pattern with another pattern. Symbolic substitution requires a coherent source for recognition and substitution.
Helix stability of oligoglycine, oligoalanine, and oligo-β-alanine dodecamers reflected by hydrogen-bond persistence.

Helices are important structural/recognition elements in proteins and peptides. Stability and conformational differences between helices composed of α- and β-amino acids as scaffolds for mimicry of helix recognition has become a theme in medicinal chemistry. Furthermore, helices formed by β-amino acids are experimentally more stable than those formed by α-amino acids. This is paradoxical because the larger sizes of the hydrogen-bonding rings required by the extra methylene groups should lead to entropic destabilization. In this study, molecular dynamics simulations using the second-generation force field, AMOEBA (Ponder, J.W., et al., Current status of the AMOEBA polarizable force field. J Phys Chem B, 2010. 114(8): p. 2549-64.) explored the stability and hydrogen-bonding patterns of capped oligo-β-alanine, oligoalanine, and oligoglycine dodecamers in water. The MD simulations showed that oligo-β-alanine has strong acceptor+2 hydrogen bonds, but surprisingly did not contain a large content of 3(12) -helical structures, possibly due to the sparse distribution of the 3(12) -helical structure and other structures with acceptor+2 hydrogen bonds. On the other hand, despite its backbone flexibility, the β-alanine dodecamer had more stable and persistent <3.0 A hydrogen bonds. Its structure was dominated more by multicentered hydrogen bonds than either oligoglycine or oligoalanine helices. The 3(1) (PII) helical structure, prevalent in oligoglycine and oligoalanine, does not appear to be stable in oligo-β-alanine indicating its competition with other structures (stacking structure as indicated by MD analyses). These differences are among the factors that shape helical structural preferences and the relative stabilities of these three oligopeptides.
Lossless compression of color images in the RGB domain

Although much work has been done towards developing lossless algorithms for compressing image data, most techniques reported have been for two-tone or gray scale images. It is generally accepted that a color image can be easily encoded by using a gray scale compression technique on each of the three (say, RGB) color planes. Such an approach however fails to take into account the substantial correlations which are present between color planes. Although several lossy compression schemes that exploit such correlations have been reported in the literature, we are not aware of any such techniques for lossless compression. Because of the difference in goals, the best ways of exploiting redundancies for lossy and lossless compression can be, and usually are, very different. In this paper we propose and investigate a few lossless compression schemes for color images. Both prediction schemes and error modeling schemes are presented that exploit inter-frame correlations. Implementation results on a test set of images yield significant improvements.
SYNERGISM IN MOSQUITOCIDAL ACTIVITY OF 26 AND 65 KDA PROTEINS FROM BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS SUBSP. ISRAELENSIS CRYSTAL

Abstract Three major protein components, 130, 65 and 26 kDa of solubilized Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis crystal were separated by gel filtration. The isolated 26 kDa protein is inactive against mosquito larvae at 6.4 μg ml protein. The 65 kDa protein is also inactive towards mosquito larvae at low concentrations and shows but weak activity at higher concentrations. However, 26 and 65 kDa proteins simultaneously present at low concentrations exhibit high mosquitocidal activity. Similar synergistic effects are observed between 26 and 130 kDa proteins. These results differ from the findings of other investigators who have reported that a single protein component is sufficient for mosquitocidal activity [(1984) FEBS Lett. 175, 377-382; (1985) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 126, 961-965]. Our data suggest that the simultaneous presence of at least two proteins is required for activity. SynergismMosquitocidal activityCrystal protein
NSSL dual-Doppler radar measurements in tornadic storms: a preview

Abstract Some results of the first 10 cm dual-Doppler radar measurements in a tornadic storm are presented. A mesoscale, cyclonic circulation confirms proposed single Doppler vortex signature and indicates that the curved reflectivity hook echo is around the periphery of the circulation. The interpolated tornado position is within the mesocyclone where high-variance Doppler velocity spectra suggest strong velocity gradients.
Effect of root pruning and sub-lethal rates of dinoseb on hollow heart of potatoes

Potatoes, cv. Norgold Russet were pruned or sprayed with sub-lethal rates of dinoseb (2-sec- butyl-4, 6 dinitrophenol) to slow tuber growth and initiation of hollow heart. The percentage by weight and number of tubers with hollow heart was reduced by root pruning; however, there was also a general but lesser reduction in total yield from these treatments. The same trends were found to occur from dinoseb applications, though with the rates used, the reductions in yield and hollow heart were not as great and usually not significantly different from controls. The commercial application of these techniques is complicated by the difficulty in accurately determining the period of initiation and severity of the problem. Also, the root pruning done in these trials required a special custom built implement, while the use of the sub-lethal rates of dinoseb entailed uncertainty concerning the degree of injury to be caused by a chosen rate of application.
New Integrals of Motion and the Orbital History of the Moon

The theory that the Moon was captured by the Earth seems as probable as the theory that the two bodies were formed at the same time, according to current ideas.
60 Hz ultra-high voltage electric field effect on onion root mitotic index: A lack of impact

Abstract Mitotic index of onion roots was used as an assay to screen for potential effects of electric fields from an experimental ultra-high voltage transmission line. Electric field during the study ranged from ambient (0.130 kV/m) to 15.5 kV/m, and exposure periods ranged from 5 to 15 days. No evidence of an effect on mitotic index could be demonstrated in any of the samples. Analyses by Duncan's multiple comparison test showed no relationship of experimental results to electric field strength.
Face processing biases in social anxiety: An electrophysiological study

Studies of information processing biases in social anxiety suggest abnormal processing of negative and positive social stimuli. To further investigate these biases, behavioral performance and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) were measured, while high- and low-socially anxious individuals performed a modified version of the Erikson flanker task comprised of negative and positive facial expressions. While no group differences emerged on behavioral measures, ERP results revealed the presence of a negative face bias in socially anxious subjects as indexed by the parietally maximal attention- and memory-related P3/late positive potential. Additionally, non-anxious subjects evidenced the presence of a positive face bias as reflected in the centrally maximal early attention- and emotion-modulated P2 and the frontally maximal response monitoring-related correct response negativity. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of different processing stages to different biases in high- versus low-socially anxious individuals that may prove important in advancing models of anxious pathology.
Using Localized Impedance Measurements to Study Muscle Changes in Injury and Disease

We measured localized impedance on the surface of the thigh to determine the properties of underlying muscle; these include rho 1, the resistivity for current flowing parallel to the fibers, and theta avg, the average phase along the thigh (normalized to a standard length). The results for a modest sampling of nominally healthy subjects show that the theta avg values are substantially higher than the whole body phases encountered in standard bioimpedance analysis. When the sample is augmented to include subjects undergoing hemodialysis and/or recovering from serious illness or leg injury, the behavior of the position dependence of the phase theta (z) and the rho 1 vs. theta avg average distribution both strongly indicate a correlation between very low phase angles and injury or disease. Furthermore, measurements on a subject in a weight training program after injury provide evidence of a monotone increase in rho 1 with increasing strength. Measurements on dialysis patients during treatment show a nonlinear response of thigh muscle to the degree of fluid removal and wide disparities between individuals.
Modulation of vocal fold scar fibroblasts by adipose-derived stem/stromal cells.

Objectives/Hypothesis: To explore whether adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (ASCs) have therapeutic potential for treating scarred superficial lamina propria through the effects of secreted hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) on scar fibroblasts. Study Design: In vitro study using coculture system. Methods: Scar fibroblasts (SFs) were isolated from ferret vocal folds electrocauterized 2 weeks previously. ASCs were isolated from ferret lipoaspirated subcutaneous abdominal fat. For coculture experiments, the two cell types were combined in Transwell plates for 6 days, followed by 1 or 3 days of monoculture after removing the upper chamber. Assays were then performed on cells and media from the bottom chamber. We measured: 1) the production of healuronic acid (HA), collagen and HGF via enzymelinked immunosorbent assays, 2) the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), 3) cell proliferation, and 4) apoptosis of SFs (2, 3, and 4 via flow cytometry). Other experiments examined the effects of HGF on SFs and the effects of HGF neutralization in the coculture system. Results: Coculture led to significant decreases in SF collagen production (P < .05), cell proliferation (P < .05), and α-SMA expression (P < .05), whereas HA production increased (P < .05). Coculture also increased HGF secretion from ASCs (P < .05). Neutralization of HGF abolished the inhibitory effects of ASCs on SF collagen synthesis (P < .05). Conclusions: ASCs influence SFs to adopt a less fibrotic profile. It appears that HGF is at least one of the soluble factors responsible for this effect. Implanted ASCs could potentially ameliorate vocal fold scar by acting as long-term, intrinsic sources of HGF.
Effects of Thermal Conducting Media on the Skin Surface During Laser Irradiation

Objectives To investigate the effects of thermally conductive, optically transparent media placed on skin during treatment with the flashlamp excited dye laser (FEDL). The use of higher energy densities to treat persistent cutaneous vascular lesions may result in a decrease in the number of treatment sessions. However, increased fluences can cause complications of scarring, hyperpigmentation, infection, skin texture changes, or hypopigmentation. The thermally conductive media should assist in dissipating surface thermal energy and thereby protect the skin from the complications. Study Design This was a prospective laboratory study using an animal model. The results were verified in a prospective, pilot, human-use trial. Methods The threshold for acute skin damage and measurements of the thermal transients were made using a rabbit model. The threshold for purpura was noted with and without the use of a sapphire as a thermal conductor. The thermal transients were measured with small thermocouples placed subcutaneously. On a human subject, purpura intensities were photographed and measured using computer morphometrics after treatment with the FEDL and skin surface protection with air, glass, sapphire, and diamond as conductive media. Results With the interposition of the sapphire thermal conductor during the FEDL treatment, excessive temperature increases of the epidermis were prevented during the laser pulse compared with glass and controls. Both sapphire and diamond resulted in decreased purpuric intensities with the applications of equivalent fluences. Wound recovery time for the purpura was decreased by approximately half a day when any of the surface conductors were used. Conclusions The decreased transient temperature and decrease in purpura seen with the use of sapphire and diamond protecting the epidermis during treatment with the FEDL should result in fewer untoward effects during treatment of vascular lesions and facilitate their management.
Fuzzy type-1 and type-2 TSK modeling with application to solar power prediction

The random nature of solar energy resources is an obstacle to their penetration in power systems. The most practical way to predict this renewable source of energy is to use meteorological data. However, such data are usually provided in a linguistic form that cannot be exploited using traditional quantitative methods but which can be modeled using fuzzy logic. This paper proposes type-1 and type-2 Takagi-Sugeno-Kang (TSK) fuzzy systems for the modeling and prediction of solar power plants. The paper considers TSK models with type-1 antecedents and crisp consequents, type-1 antecedents and consequents, and type-2 antecedents and crisp consequents. The design methodology for tuning the antecedents and consequents of each model is described. Finally, input-output data sets from a solar plant are used to obtain the three TSK models and their prediction results are compared. The results show that type-2 TSK models with type2 antecedents and crisp consequents provide the best performance based on the solar plant data.
OCT4 as a target of miR-34a stimulates p63 but inhibits p53 to promote human cell transformation

Human cell transformation is a key step for oncogenic development, which involves multiple pathways; however, the mechanism remains unclear. To test our hypothesis whether cell oncogenic transformation shares some mechanisms with the process of reprogramming non-stem cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC), we studied the relationship among the key factors for promoting or inhibiting iPSC in radiation-transformed human epithelial cell lines derived from different tissues (lung, breast and colon). We unexpectedly found that p63 and OCT4 were highly expressed (accompanied by low expressed p53 and miR-34a) in all transformed cell lines examined when compared with their non-transformed counterparts. We further elucidated the relationship of these factors: the 3p strand of miR-34a directly targeted OCT4 by binding to the 3′ untranslated region (3′-UTR) of OCT4 and, OCT4, in turn, stimulated p63 but inhibited p53 expression by binding to a specific region of the p63 or p53 promoter. Moreover, we revealed that the effects of OCT4 on promoting cell oncogenic transformation were by affecting p63 and p53. These results support that a positive loop exists in human cells: OCT4 upregulation as a consequence of inhibition of miR-34a, promotes p63 but suppresses p53 expression, which further stimulates OCT4 upregulation by downregulating miR-34a. This functional loop contributes significantly to cell transformation and, most likely, also to the iPSC process.
Guidance of transcatheter aortic valve replacement by echocardiography.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has recently emerged as an alternative to surgical aortic valve replacement for patients with severe aortic stenosis who are at “high risk” or deemed inoperable. Careful pre-procedural preparation requires multi-modality imaging. Intra-procedural imaging frequently relies on transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). This review will discuss the role of TEE in pre-implantation assessment, intra-procedural guidance, and post-implantation evaluation.
Two New Nearctic Species of Molophilus Curtis Crane Fly (Diptera: Tipulidae)

Abstract. Two new species of Molophilus Curtis crane fly were discovered in Michigan. Molophilus michigan Taber and Molophilus muscarius Taber were collected in black ash (Fraxinus nigra Marshall) swamp in much of July, and the former species was collected well into August. Both flies belong to the gracilis species group. They are most similar to Molophilus huron Alexander and Molophilus paludicola Alexander but can be distinguished by structures of male terminalia.
Facing up to the issues: Reply to Hellige (1983)

Abstract In a recent article in this journal, Hellige ( Brain and Cognition , 2 , 199–203, (1983)) presented a critique of the chimeric-face technique that was used by us to validate a hand preference questionnaire. Data were presented by Hellige to show that the left visual field (LVF) bias that occurs on this task is due primarily to differences in detail in the features of the two faces and not because of right hemisphere dominance for face perception. In our rebuttal, we acknowledge that the two faces are not mirror-image duplicates of each other, but contend that this fact does not explain why differences between left-handers and right-handers have been observed on this task. Further data on the role of handedness as well as other variables impacting on this task are presented. A possible explanation is also offered for the rather small extent of LVF bias that Hellige obtained when he used corrected (i.e., true mirror-image) versions of Jaynes' chimeric faces.
An experimental study of slip considering the effects of non-uniform colloidal tracer distributions

Various studies have suggested that the no-slip condition may not hold for Newtonian liquids flowing over (for the most part) non-wetting surfaces. This paper describes an experimental study of steady Poiseuille flow at various Reynolds numbers up to 0.12 of four different aqueous monovalent electrolyte solutions through naturally hydrophilic and hydrophobically coated fused-silica channels with a depth of 33 μm. The slip lengths for these flows were estimated using a local method based on a new particle velocimetry technique that determines velocities at three different wall-normal distances within the first 400 nm next to the wall. These results are corrected using direct measurements of the near-wall particle distribution, which is highly non-uniform as expected due to repulsive electric double-layer interactions between the 100 nm tracer particles and the wall. In all cases, the slip lengths were not more than 23 nm and for all but one case, zero within their uncertainties. As illustrated here, the standard assumption of uniformly distributed tracers can significantly increase slip length estimates obtained using local methods and near-wall velocity data.
Signal processing innovations for flexible multipayload E/O system

With the variety of advanced payloads available in E/O systems, operators can easily become confused or overwhelmed with the amount of data available to them. FLIR systems has taken the approach of backing sensor applications with advanced signal processing and control systems to reduce the data set to relevant information and reduce operator workload. Architectures are discussed for signal processing and implementations with FPGA and DSP chips are compared and contrasted. Three signal processing case studies are covered in detail: autofocus, haze penetration and image blending.
Inter‐strain differences in the development of the pattern of periplasm distribution during cleavage of honeybee eggs

During cleavage of honeybee eggs two peaks arise in the longitudinal distribution pattern of the periplasm which coincide with the site of the differentiation center and the site of a mesodermal center. A very similar pattern is exhibited by the dorsal plasmstrip, a narrow band of thicker periplasm which is formed during cleavage along the dorsal midline of the egg. The present paper describes the development of the dorsal plasmstrips of two inbred strains of honeybees during early cleavage stages. Differences between the two strains reside in the total size of their dorsal plasmstrips and in the timing of the formation of the anterior peak which coincides with the site of the differentiation center. The bearing of these findings upon embryological studies is discussed.
Divergent effects of a dnaK mutation on abnormal protein degradation in Escherichia coli

Summary Escherichia coli bacteria produce at least one 70 kD stress protein, the product of the dnaK gene. We have compared the rates of degradation of different types of abnormal proteins in null Ion E. coli with a partial deletion of the dnaK gene with the rates observed in null Ion dnaK+ cells. We have found that both canavanyl proteins and puromycyl polypeptides are degraded more slowly in the null dnaK mutants than in the dnaK+ strain. However, a temperature-sensitive mutant Lacl protein is degraded more rapidly in the null dnaK strain. The stability of this temperature-sensitive Lad protein was also examined in detail under various other conditions.
T-CELL INDEPENDENT HUMAN PNEUMOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE SYNTHESIS

Antibody responses to Pneumococcal Polysaccharide type 3 (PnAb) are independent of T Cells in the murine model. To confirm the putative T cell independent nature of the response in humans, we studied PnAb secretion by in vitro lymphoctye cultures. Twelve day culture supernatants of blood mononuclear cells drawn before and 1 and 3 weeks post-immunization with Pneumococcal Vaccine were assayed for total IgG and PnAb by ELISA. Maximum PnAb secretion occurred at 1 week post-immunization in both unstimulated (177 ± 90 ng/ml) and pokeweed stimulated (300 ± 200 ng/ml) cultures. PnAb secretion was not due to polyclonal stimulation since no change in anti-tetanus toxoid secretion was found and a paradoxical decrease in total IgG secretion occurred (pre=2.4 mcg, 1 wk post = 1.3 mcg, p < .001). Addition of purified pneumococcal type 3 antigen (.001-10 ng/ml) had no effect on PnAb secretion. B cell enriched T cell depleted cultures had similar PnAb kinetics to unfractionated mononuclear cells: pre = 1.5 ± 1.6 ngAb/mcgIgG, 1 wk post = 180 ± 175 ngAB/mcgIgG, 3 wk post = 381 ± 380 ngAb/mcgIgG. Addition of T cells ± pokeweed mitogen, purified IL-2, or allogeneic T helper factor from mixed lymphocyte culture supernatant had no effect on PnAb secretion expressed per mcg total IgG. These studies suggest that Pneumococcal Polysaccharide type 3 is a T cell independent antigen in humans which may activate B cells in a manner distinct from conventional protein antigens.
Angiotensin generation in teleost fish determined by radioimmunoassay and bioassay.

Abstract Renin-like activity has been found in the plasma and kidneys of both marine and freshwater teleosts. A reliable and sensitive method is needed for the determination of plasma renin activity to study the physiological function of the renin-angiotensin system in fishes. Partially purified angiotensin (presumably angiotensin I) from the toadfish, Opsanus tau, was bound by a human angiotensin I antibody, whereas angiotensin from the eel was not. The activity of toadfish angiotensin, measured by the vasopressor bioassay in the rat with angiotensin II-amide as a standard and by the radioimmunoassay method for human angiotensin I, was nearly equal in the range of 5–70 ng (angiotensin eq)/ml. Angiotensin was generated from toadfish plasma or plasma and kidney extract by incubating in vitro with Dowex resin and EDTA (bioassay system) or EDTA and phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (radioimmunoassay system). Formation of angiotensin increased with time initially in both methods and then reached a plateau. The optimum pH for incubating plasma in the radioimmunoassay system was 6.2–6.5. Plasma renin activity (rate of angiotensin generation) and plasma angiotensinogen levels determined by the radioimmunoassay system were well-correlated with those determined by the bioassay system in the same plasma, although the levels were higher in the radioimmunoassay. The amounts of plasma necessary to measure plasma renin activity and angiotensinogen with the radioimmunoassay method are 50 and 5 μl, respectively, and the measurements showed good reproducibility. Thus, plasma renin activity may be determined in the same fish by drawing small amounts of blood repeatedly, without producing significant hemodynamic changes. The radioimmunoassay method also allows the measurement of a large number of samples simultaneously, since angiotensin generated in the incubated mixture can be determined directly without extraction.
On Rectified Diffusion and Sonoluminescence

If acoustically driven, a gas-filled bubble may exist indefinitely even in an unsaturated liquid through a process known as “rectified diffusion.” When the oscillation period is small compared with the gaseous diffusion time, the radius of the steadily oscillating bubble can be determined by asymptotic methods, in the way pioneered by Eller and Flynn (1965). The next term in their expansion is evaluated here and is shown to be significant if the radius of the bubble is small or if the amplitude of its oscillations is large. For the identical level of saturation and the same conditions of excitation, multiple solutions are possible. As a result of resonance between overtones of the frequency of free bubble oscillation with the frequency of the acoustic drive, there generally exist, in addition to a stable large-radius, stable small-radius states. The relevance of the present results to sonoluminescence is briefly discussed.
Self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols on gold: the adsorption and wetting properties of monolayers derived from two components with alkane chains of different lengths

This paper describes the preparation and wetting properties of two-component self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) obtained by the competitive adsorption of one short-chain (HS(CH2)10Sh) and one long-chain (HS(CH2)21Lg) alkanethiol onto gold from dilute ethanolic solutions. The four possible combinations of the tail groups CH3 and CH2OH were investigated: Sh = CH3/Lg = CH2OH, Sh = CH2OH/Lg = CH3, Sh = CH2OH/Lg = CH2OH, and Sh = CH3/Lg = CH,. The compositions of these SAMs are not the same as the compositions of the solutions from which they were formed. Although the relationship between the composition of the SAM and the composition of the solution suggests that some phase separation may be occurring within the SAM, contact angles with water and hexadecane show that significant disorder still remains in the interfacial region.
Effects of cyclic stress on the magnetic hysteresis parameters of polycrystalline iron

Abstract Experiments have been conducted to investigate the changes in the hysteresis curves that result from large strain amplitude (d l / l =0.005 and 0.003) cyclic stresses. It was found that the remanence of the material increased sharply during the first few stress cycles but subsequently the increase in remanence was less pronounced. Coercivity was found to decrease rapidly in the initial stages for the same reason. This is known as fatigue softening. The magnitudes of the changes in the magnetic properties were dependent on both the strain amplitude and the number of stress cycles experienced. It appears that the effects of stress on magnetization consist of two components, one due to the applied stress and the other due to the cumulative effects of previous stress history.
Estimating the implicit price of energy efficiency improvements in the residential housing market: A hedonic approach

Abstract In this study a hedonic price model has been used to examine the impact which efficiency improvements have on housing values. Our study represents an improvement over a previous attempt to examine this issue in that the independent variable used in our analysis is designed to reflect variation in structural efficiency levels among sample homes, rather than variation in occupant lifestyles and preferences. In addition, a flexible functional form is used to prevent bias due to misspecification of the hedonic price equation. The study results reveal that efficiency improvements are capitalized into housing prices in Des Moines, Iowa. At the average efficiency level of homes in the sample, an efficiency improvement which results in a $1 decrease in the level of expenditures necessary to maintain the house at 65 ° F (in the average heating season) will increase the expected selling price of the house by $11.63. The premium obtained for an equivalent efficiency improvement will be greater than $11.63 in a relatively efficient home, and less than $11.63 in a relatively inefficient home. Without further information concerning the price expectations and discount rates utilized by Des Moines home buyers, and the average remaining life of fuels saving investments in the sample, it cannot be determined whether the housing market is pricing fuel savings efficiently. Regardless of whether or not the implicit price of fuel savings is the outcome of an efficient market, information on this implicit price facilitates the estimation of an average resale value of fuel saving investments. In addition, the results of this study refute the hypothesis that efficiency improving investments are not capitalized into housing prices.
Adaptive context reasoning in pervasive systems

It is hard to believe that the internet is now in its adolescent stage. Our information age is replete with communication capable, intelligent, sensor equipped devices. Social networks, web services, and global information repositories make a wealth of information available instantly. There exist endless possibilities for creating useable knowledge. However, the importance of information quality becomes more urgent as information quantity increases. Integrity of knowledge directly affects its value and usefulness. Deciphering integrity can be difficult without the appropriate middleware quality measures in place. Since, context middleware separates applications from the concerns of quality enhanced context-sensing data and reasoning, it also bears responsibility for maintaining expected information quality. To accomplish this, the context middleware must aggregate quality factors as it senses raw data from heterogeneous sources and reasons to infer new knowledge. Additionally, middleware must periodically monitor its quality performance and adapt to meet requirements. In this work, we: i) propose a specification for information quality along with new middleware quality measures that reflect middleware success in adapting to maintain specified requirements; ii) describe the operation of conceptual components supporting quality maintenance and adaptable context reasoning, a refinement to our previous conceptual architecture for hybrid context reasoning; and iii) identify quality propagation challenges created by hybrid high level context reasoning; offering solutions to both issues of context quality aggregation and propagation.
Thermal adaptation of maternal and embryonic phenotypes in a geographically widespread ectotherm

Current theories predict the thermal adaptation of both maternal and embryonic phenotypes such that the fitness of the entire life cycle is maximized. Our studies of the eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) have generated evidence that maternal and embryonic phenotypes are designed to promote growth and development in cold environments. Females in colder environments allocate more energy per egg enabling offspring to grow faster and reach a larger size at hatching. Females in cold environments also nest exclusively in warm, open sites that maximize rates of embryonic growth and development, although this behavior involves risky migrations. Likewise, thermal adaptation of embryonic physiology also promotes growth and development in cold environments. When incubated in the laboratory under shared environmental conditions, embryos from colder environments developed faster and grew more efficiently than embryos from warmer environments, which is a pattern called counter-gradient variation. Because thermal adaptation can produce geographic variation in a suite of maternal and embryonic phenotypes, biologists should develop theories of coadaptation that consider costs and benefits of behavioral and physiological strategies at both stages of the life cycle. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Native north American Azolla weevil, Stenopelmus rufinasus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), uses the invasive old world Azolla pinnata as a host plant.

Azolla pinnata R. Br., an Old World mosquito fern, was found to be naturalized in waterways of southern Florida near Jupiter in May 2007 (Bodle 2008). This tiny aquatic fern is native to a large area of the tropics, subtropics, and warm temperate regions of Africa, Asia, and Australia (Sweet & Hills 1971; PIER 2007). Azolla pinnata has fame as a promoted component of rice culture in China because of the nitrogen fixing symbiotic bacteria that live in its leaves (Moore 1969). The fern is a Federal Noxious Weed (Kay & Hoyle 2000) that was found to be naturalized in North Carolina in 1999, where it continues to have a presence (Bodle 2008). Azolla pinnata has also naturalized in New Zealand where it displaced the native A. rubra R.Br. in much of the country (PIER 2007). Another mosquito fern, the western North American native A. filiculoides Lamarck (Lumkin 1993), has invaded Europe and South Africa, where it became an important weed (Hill 1998). The source of the naturalized A. pinnata in Florida is unknown. The discovery of plants at an aquarium and water garden shop in North Carolina (Kay & Hoyle 2000) indicates either purposeful or accidental introduction through aquatic plant commerce as a likely source.
Differential chilling sensitivity in cucumber (Cucumis sativus) seedlings

Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv. Poinsett 76) seeds were chilled at 2.5°C in a study of the chilling sensitivity and recovery of radicle tissue. The effect of chilling on radicle growth and the production of carbon dioxide and ethylene was measured. Chilling sensitivity of radicles increased as they grew from 1 to 7 mm in length. The length, not the age of the radicles, determined the level of chilling sensitivity. Apical tissue was most sensitive to chilling and slowest to recover from chilling, followed by subapical and basal tissue. Our data demonstrate that the chilling sensitivity of young seedling radicles differs along their length and that the rapid chilling-induced inhibition of elongation is probably due to an inability of meristematic cells to remain viable and active when chilled.
Black holes in cutoff gravity.

We study the core of a black hole in a simple model for quantum gravity in which quantum effects are represented by an upper cutoff on the curvature. The singularities are replaced by perfectly well-behaved regions, and an infalling observer ends up in an exponentially expanding de Sitter-like core. Past and future core can "almost" be spliced together to connect a black hole and a white hole in the manner of Kerr and Reissner-Nordstr\"om solutions.
An economic model of contraceptive choice: analysis of family planning acceptors in Bogota.

Abstract This paper reports on the decision‐making process leading to the choice of a particular contraceptive method. Specifically, a model was developed and tested which determines the choice between the IUD and the pill using data obtained from the 1969 Profamilia family planning program adopter's questionnaires in Bogota, Colombia. A linear probability model was employed to estimate the effects of the independent variables on the probability of adopting the IUD over the pill. Briefly, income, education, parity level, and age were found to be significant while a spacing/limiting variable was not significant.
Analysis of the colonoscopic findings in patients with rectal bleeding according to the pattern of their presenting symptoms.

Patients presenting with rectal bleeding were prospectively categorized according to the pattern of their presentation into those with outlet bleeding (n=115), suspicious bleeding (n=59), hemorrhage (n=27), and occult bleeding (n=68). All patients underwent colonoscopy and this was complete in 94 percent. There were 34 patients with carcinoma and 69 with adenomas >1 cm diameter. The percentage of neoplasms proximal to the splenic flexure was 1 percent in outlet bleeding, 24 percent with suspicious bleeding, 75 percent with hemorrhage, and 73 percent with occult bleeding. Barium enema was available in 78 patients and was falsely positive for neoplasms in 21 percent and falsely negative in 45 percent. Colonoscopy is the investigation of choice in patients with suspicious, occult, or severe rectal bleeding. Bleeding of a typical outlet pattern may be investigated by flexible sigmoidoscopy.
Optimal trajectory determination of a single moving beacon for efficient localization in a mobile ad-hoc network

An ad hoc network of small robots (sensor nodes) adjusting their positions to establish network connectivity would be able to provide a communication infrastructure in an urban battlefield environment. A sensor node would be capable of moving to a particular position to establish network connectivity, provided it knows its current position, positions of other sensor nodes and the radio propagation characteristics of the sensor area. In this paper, we present a pseudo formation control based trajectory algorithm to determine the optimal trajectory of a moving beacon used in localization of the sensor nodes in real-time. The trajectory and the frequency of transmission of the GPS based position information of the moving beacon influences the accuracy of localization and the power consumed by the beacon to localize. Localization accuracy and reduction in the number of position information messages can be achieved, in real-time, by determining the optimal position from where the beacon should transmit its next position information. This will decrease the time required to localize, and power consumed by the beacon in comparison to random or predetermined trajectories. We first show that optimal position determination is a pseudo formation control problem. Next, we show the pseudo formation control problem formulated as an unconstrained optimization problem under the free space propagation model. We further present the modeling of the beacon incorporating the trajectory algorithm based on the pseudo formation control in a discrete event simulator. Simulation results, comparing the performance of localization with pseudo formation control based trajectory against random waypoint and predetermined trajectories for the beacon are presented. The simulation results show that the localization accuracy is significantly improved along with reduction in the number of position information messages transmitted when the beacon traverses along the pseudo formation control based trajectory.
Paul Meehl’s search for the optimal epistemology for the behavioral and social sciences

Paul Meehl spent a large portion of his life in a search for the optimal epistemology for the behavioral and social sciences. Meehl (1978) is one of his finest examples of that quest. He asked broad questions: How should we conduct research? How should we test our theories? How should we analyze and interpret our data? Meehl was not the first to point out to psychologists the dangers to reliance on statistical significance testing in data interpretation. Jones (1995) did this earlier, and Carver (1978) sounded the alarm the same year that the Meehl article we celebrate here appeared. Nevertheless, Meehl deserves credit for presenting an erudite analysis of the harm done by significance testing to progress towards cumulative knowledge in psychology and for stating the indictment unusually bluntly. In his words:
Recutting the distal femur to increase maximal knee extension during TKA causes coronal plane laxity in mid-flexion

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to quantify the effects of distal femoral cut height on maximal knee extension and coronal plane knee laxity. Methods Seven fresh-frozen cadaver legs from hip-to-toe underwent a posterior stabilized TKA using a measured resection technique with a computer navigation system equipped with a robotic cutting guide. After the initial femoral resections were performed, the posterior joint capsule was sutured until a 10° flexion contracture was obtained with the trial components in place. Two distal femoral recuts of + 2 mm each were then subsequently made and the trials were reinserted. The navigation system was used to measure the maximum extension angle achieved and overall coronal plane laxity [in degrees] at maximum extension, 30°, 60° and 90° of flexion, when applying a standardized varus/valgus load of 9.8 [Nm] across the knee. Results For a 10 degree flexion contracture, performing the first distal recut of + 2 mm increased overall coronal plane laxity by approximately 4.0° at 30° of flexion (p = 0.002) and 1.9° at 60° of flexion (p = 0.126). Performing the second + 2 mm recut of the distal femur increased mid-flexion laxity by 6.4° (p Conclusions Recutting the distal femur not only increases the maximum knee extension achieved but also increases coronal plane laxity in midflexion.
Mobility and Layer 2 Tunnels

An increase in the size and requirements of a mobile workforce is driving the development of better mobility oriented services in terms of both content and connectivity. Even though traditional {Mobile IP} has been the primary means of providing mobility to nodes roaming between foreign networks, its extension to support the mobility of entire networks leads to an increase in the encapsulation overheads. In addition, the increasing perception within the mobile workforce as to the inadequacies of Layer 3 connectivity provided by traditional Mobile IP opens up the possibility of considering the mobility problem from a Layer 2 perspective. This paper presents a Layer 2 extension to the traditional implementation of Mobile IP by replacing the IP-IP tunnels of Mobile IP with L2TPv3 based Layer 2 tunnels. Simulations results obtained from performance evaluation indicate comparable performance of the proposed Layer 2 mobility solution with respect to traditional {Mobile IP} in terms of real-time and best-effort traffic streams. The proposed Layer 2 mobility solution increases the possible services available to mobile nodes with minimal performance degradation.
PKU in adolescents: rationale and psychosocial factors in diet continuation

Follow-up of early-treated children with PKU has shown that diet discontinuation in childhood presents risks of cognitive and emotional dysfunction in a substantial number of adolescents and young adults. This dysfunction includes IQ loss, mental processing abnormalities, learning difficulties, anxiety and personality disorders. In addition, neurologic deterioration has been reported in several such individuals. As a consequence of this current understanding of PKU, diet continuation, at least through adolescence and in the young adult years, is now recommended. Many centers are extending this to a policy of "diet for life". This represents a major challenge to adolescents and their families. Metabolic control using the criteria applied during childhood is virtually impossible to achieve past 12 years of age. Time constraints, social pressures, financial limitations and growing independence from the family combine to interfere with dietary control. Added to these difficulties are the biological changes during teenage years which reduce phenylalanine tolerance. To meet these challenges, we have identified a number of psychosocial factors that interfere with adherence to medical recommendations. The factors most highly related to metabolic control were social support for the diet and positive perceptions of treatment. This information has led to the development of support programs for adolescents and young adults with PKU.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Modeling spray impingement using linear stability theories for droplet shattering

This paper compares several linear-theory-based models for droplet shattering employed for simulations of spray impingement on flat wall surface or a circular cylinder. Numerical simulations are conducted using a stochastic separated flow (SSF) technique that includes sub-models for droplet dynamics and impact. Results for spray impingement over a flat wall indicate that the linear theory applicable for a single droplet impact over-predicts the number of satellite (or secondary) droplets upon shattering when compared to experimental data. The causes for the observed discrepancies are discussed. Numerical simulation results for spray impingement over for a circular cylinder in cross flow are obtained and discussed.
Assessment of total immunoreactive lactoferrin in hematopoietic cells using flow cytometry.

Cell-associated lactoferrin (Lf) was analyzed using a new method involving cell permeabilization, indirect immunofluoroscence staining, and flow cytometry. Statistical techniques to evaluate the results for percentage of positive cells, relative fluorescence and homogeneity of Lf distribution were also devised. Most normal adult neutrophils (97.1 ± 0.3% (SEM), range 92.7–99.6%, n = 41) had brilliant fluorescence homogenously distributed among the cells. There was significantly greater homogeneity of neutrophil Lf distribution in post-menopausal than pre-menopausal females. Inchronic myelogenous leukemia (n = 13) and cord blood (n = 7), fractions of Lf-positive neutrophils were decreased (77.3 ± 7.5%, range 13.3–96.3%; 71.4±9.3, range 32.0–95.6%, respectively). Normal monocyte-rich isolates had moderate fluorescene (28.7±3.6%, range 9.3–76.8%, n = 22). Among blood lymphocyte-rich preparations, 13.1 ± 1.3% of cells had weak positivity (range 4.9–26.6%, n = 19); monoclonal B and T lyphocytes had similar parameters. No other cells had detectable Lf. Our results were significantly correlated with those obtained manually (r = 0.98, P<0.001), and are consistent with Lf quantity and distribution determined using other methods.
Observation of Triplet Exciton Formation in a Platinum-Sensitized Organic Photovoltaic Device

Organic photovoltaics (OPVs) constitute a promising new technology due to their low production costs. However, OPV efficiencies remain low because excitons typically diffuse only ∼5-20 nm during their lifetime, limiting the effective thickness of the light-absorbing layer. One strategy to improve OPVs is to increase exciton lifetimes by converting them into triplet states, which typically persist 10(3)-10(5) times longer than singlet excitons. We present femtosecond transient absorption and steady-state photovoltaic measurements of a model OPV system consisting of diphenyltetracene (DPT) films doped with platinum tetraphenylbenzoporphyrin (Pt(TPBP)). Photoexcitation of Pt(TPBP) creates a singlet excitation that rapidly intersystem crosses to a triplet state before transferring to the DPT host matrix. This transfer is rapid and efficient, occurring in 35 ps with an 85% conversion ratio of porphyrin singlets to DPT triplets. These triplet excitons lead to enhanced photocurrent response that increases with device thickness.