cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Solid-State 29Si MAS NMR Study of Titanosilicates

The relationship among the 29Si NMR chemical shift, the number of titanium polyhedra coordinating each silicon tetrahedron, and the oxygen formal charge is examined for titanosilicates with known crystal structures. A systematic downfield chemical shift is observed when increasing numbers of titanium polyhedra coordinate a given silicon tetrahedron, which is similar to the trend seen for aluminosilicates. The chemical shift increases linearly with increasing oxygen formal charge for both titanosilicates and aluminosilicates. Summation of the oxygen formal charge accounts for effects on the chemical shift from coordination geometry, nonbridging oxygen, and cation valence. Silicates with a high oxygen formal charge, or more than one nonbridging oxygen per silicon, deviate from the linear trend observed for aluminosilicates and titanosilicates. The chemical shift/structure correlations derived from titanosilicates with known crystal structures are used to determine the local bonding configurations for a new ...
Orientations called “right-side up”: Effects of stimulus alignment

Children were shown two orientations of a figure, and asked to choose one as “right-side up.” The two orientations were either horizontally aligned (one to the side of the other) or vertically aligned (one above the other). Alignment is not important for figures that elicit a strong preference. Where preferences are not strong, choices are biased towards the upper member of a vertical pair. Results suggest that the effects of stimulus alignment on response to orientation are in part a function of the type offigure.
Protooncogene amplification and tumor ploidy in human ovarian neoplasms.

Abstract DNA from 24 ovarian tumors, including 16 carcinomas, was examined for amplification of the proto-oncogenes c- myc , int -2, and c- erb B-2. All cases of carcinoma were also examined by flow cytometry for DNA ploidy and cell cycle analysis, and eight cases of carcinoma were examined for estrogen and progesterone receptors. Protooncogene amplification was not detected in the DNA of benign ovarian neoplasms, or of ovarian carcinomas with low malignant potential. Amplification of c- myc was detected in six of 12 cases of invasive carcinoma, int -2 amplification was present in one case, and c- erb B-2 amplification was not detected in any case. Among the seven cases evidencing protooncogene amplification, three cases showed aneuploidy in tumor DNA, while four showed diploidy. Two cases which showed aneuploidy in tumor DNA did not demonstrate any degree of protooncogene amplification. Protooncogene amplification was frequently associated with morphologic nuclear anaplasia and high mitotic count. Six of the seven cases demonstrating c- myc or int -2 were of the serous type or showed some degree of serous differentiation, while none of the four cases of purely mucinous carcinoma had evidence of amplification. While the total number of cases in the study was limited, it would appear from the trend demonstrated by the data that protooncogene amplification (particularly c- myc ) may be involved in the ovary.
WS16-04Doppler ultrasound: potential in early pregnancy

Remarkable changes and continuous growth and development of the early maternal-fetal circulation could be studied by Doppler ultrasound. This approach seems to give more light in understanding of the early pregnancy development. Doppler ultrasound was reported accurate to separate different segments of uterine blood flow during pregnancy. Color flow is used to anatomically locate arcuate, radial and spiral arteries. Pulsed Doppler is then used to study different flow patterns of visualized vessels. Studies of maternal-fetal circulation in early pregnancy may help for better understanding of physiological and pathophysiological hemodynamic changes in the circulation. Investigation of maternal (main uterine, arcuate, radial and spiral) arteries; placental (umbilical, chorionic arterioles) vessels and embryonic/fetal (heart, aorta and intracranial circulation) arteries flow patterns may help to diagnose abnormal implantation and embryonic development. More studies are necessary in order the Doppler technique to be used for clinical assessment in early pregnancy. Safety aspects should also be considered. However, potentials of this technique are promising in study of early pregnancy failure, chromosomal abnormalities, development of pre-eclampsia and IUGR.
1,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol: Inhibition of Action in Organ-cultured Intestine by Actinomycin D and α-Amanitin

THE stimulatory action of vitamin D on intestinal calcium absorption has been much studied following the pioneering work of Nicolaysen1 and several important features of the mechanism are fairly well established2. Doubt concerning the chemical identity of the biologically active form of vitamin D has arisen, however, leading to extensive investigations of this aspect3–5. Two important proposals arose out of this work; first, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) must be first converted to 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25-diOH-CC) (ref. 6) before it can act on the intestine; and second, 1,25-diOH-CC stimulates intestinal calcium transport directly by an actinomycin D-insensitive process6.
Activation of glycogen phosphorylase in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells and isolated hepatocytes by organophosphates

Several organophosphates including diisopropylfluorophosphonate (DPF) and a variety of compounds used as chemical warfare agents produced dose- and time-dependent increases in phosphorylase-a, the phosphorylated form of glycogen phosphorylase in rat pheochromocytoma cells, PC12, and isolated hepatocytes. Increases in phosphorylase-a did not occur in cells exposed to the carbamates, physostigmine or pyridostigmine, or to O-ethyl S-2-diisopropylaminoethylmethyl-phosphonathiolate (VX), an organophosphate which is protonated at physiological pH. When extracellular pH was increased to pH 8, VX acted like the other organophosphates and increased phosphorylase-a activity. The possibility that organophosphates increase phosphorylase-a in intact cells by releasing Ca2+ from intracellular binding sites is supported by the following findings: organophosphate-induced increases in phosphorylase-a did not correlate with changes in cyclic AMP in the two cell types studied; in PC12 cells, increases in this activity occurred in the absence of extracellular calcium and were not inhibited by the calcium channel blocker, verapamil; fluorescence of the calcium sensitive dye, Quin-2, in PC12 cells preloaded with the acetoxymethyl ester of the dye was increased by soman; finally, addition of the calcium ionophore, A23187, to PC12 cells maintained in calcium-free medium caused sarin-stimulated phosphorylase-a activity to return rapidly to basal levels. Collectively, these data argue strongly that organophosphates increase phosphorylase-a activity in intact cells via a novel mechanism involving release of calcium from intracellular binding sites.
Amino Acid Crossword Puzzle.

Learning the 20 standard amino acids is an essential component of an introductory course in biochemistry. Later in the course, the students study metabolism and learn about various catabolic and anabolic pathways involving amino acids. Learning new material or concepts often is easier if one can connect the new material to what one already knows; thus, a crossword puzzle was developed to connect some of the fundamental properties of the standard amino acids (composition of the side chains) with some of the latter, metabolic properties.
A pH-Sensitive Laser-Induced Fluorescence Technique To Monitor Mass Transfer in Multiphase Flows in Microfluidic Devices

We present a pH-sensitive laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique to investigate mass transfer in reactive flows. As a fluorescent dye, we used 5-(and-6)-carboxy SNARF-1, which, when excited with a pulsed Nd:YAG laser at 532 nm, provides good sensitivity in the range 4 ≤ pH ≤ 12. For validation, we first applied the dye to single-phase reactive flows by investigating the neutralization of sodium hydroxide with hydrochloric acid. Comparison to the classical passive mixing case showed that this dye was able to capture the reaction progress and to quantify the mass transport. Next, we investigated the absorption of CO2 in an alkaline solution using gas–liquid flow and found that the LIF technique is able to quantify the local mass-transfer rate in microfluidic systems. Results for different microchannel geometries highlight the strong connection between local mass transfer and secondary flow structures in gas–liquid Taylor flow.
Adrenocortical Responsiveness to ACTH and Angiotensin II in Hypophysectomized Dogs and Dogs Treated with Large Doses of Glucocorticoids1

In dogs hypophysectomized 4 weeks previously, and in dogs treated for 30 days with large doses of glucocorticoids, the increments in 17-hydroxycorticoid and aldosterone secretion produced by graded doses of ACTH and i angiotensin II were determined. In both groups of dogs, neither ACTH nor angiotensin II stimulated 17-hydroxycorticoid secretion. In the chronically hypophysectomized dogs, neither hormone had a marked stimulatory effect on aldosterone secretion, but in the steroid-treated dogs the increments in aldosterone secretion produced by angiotensin II and ACTH were not significantly different from those in untreated control dogs. This suggests that deficiency of some pituitary factor other than ACTH was responsible for the decreased increments in aldosterone secretion in the chronically hypophysectomized dogs. The data also suggest that there are 2 separate secretory systems in the adrenal, one secreting 17-hydroxycorticoids and the other secreting aldosterone. (Endocrinology 81: 1147, 1967)
Fundamental studies of the properties of photoresists based on resins containing polymer-bound photoacid generators

Conventional chemically amplified photoresist formulations are complex mixtures that include a protected polymer resin and a small molecule photoacid generator (PAG). The limited compatibility of the PAG with resist resin and the mobility of the small molecule additive can lead to problems including PAG phase separation, non-uniform initial PAG and photoacid distribution, and acid migration during the post-exposure baking (PEB) processes. The incorporation of PAG units into the main chain of the polymer resin is one possible method to alleviate these problems. Recently, we have investigated methacrylate based resists which incorporate novel PAG functional groups into the polymer main chain. These materials have demonstrated good resolution performance for both 193 nm and EUV exposure for sub-100 nm patterning. However, limited information is available on the effect of binding the PAG to the polymer on PAG photoreactivity and photoacid diffusivity. In this work, the photoacid generation rate constant (commonly referred to as the Dill C parameter for the PAG) of both triflate polymer-bound PAG and blended PAG photoresists based on poly(γ-butyrolactone methacrylate -co-2-ethyl-2-adamantyl methacrylate ) resists were determined by a new technique utilizing both quantitative FTIR spectroscopy and kinetic model fitting. The results indicate that the polymer-bound PAG resist has a lower photoacid generation rate constant (C=0.0122) than the blend PAG one (C=0.2647). This large difference in Dill C parameters would indicate that the sensitivity of the polymer-bound PAG resist is substantially lower than that of the analogous blended sample which is consistent with contrast curve data for these two samples.
Preliminary report: Detrusor hyperreflexia in schizophrenia

The object of this study was to demonstrate detrusor hyperreflexia (DH) in schizophrenic patients. Twelve consecutive schizophrenic patients were evaluated by DSM-IIIR diagnostic criteria and other standard psychiatric measures, urological history and examination, and urodynamic study All were referred for clinical indication, voiding dysfunction, or incontinence. Two patients were excluded for confounding variables, mental retardation and benign prostatic hypertrophy. Of the ten evaluable patients, four hud DH. Detrusor hyperreflexia does occur in a subset of schizophrenic patients, even in the absence of other recogni/ed disease to explain the occurrence. This relationship, previously unreported. warrants further investigation. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Peer Review Practices of Mass Communication Scholarly Journals

Research and publication are important to today 's teacher-scholar. Gettingpublished in refereed journals is considered by many the surest way to tenure and promotion. Peer review has not been a popular area of study, but, increasingly, questions are being raised about current peer review practices in a variety of disciplines, including mass communication. This study examines peer review practices in mass communication. Results indicate that both researchers and referees have mixed feelings about peer review and about specific journals, but that they are dissatisfied with particular philosophies that underlie scholarship in the discipline.
Mitofusins Mfn1 and Mfn2 coordinately regulate mitochondrial fusion and are essential for embryonic development

Mitochondrial morphology is determined by a dynamic equilibrium between organelle fusion and fission, but the significance of these processes in vertebrates is unknown. The mitofusins, Mfn1 and Mfn2, have been shown to affect mitochondrial morphology when overexpressed. We find that mice deficient in either Mfn1 or Mfn2 die in midgestation. However, whereas Mfn2 mutant embryos have a specific and severe disruption of the placental trophoblast giant cell layer, Mfn1-deficient giant cells are normal. Embryonic fibroblasts lacking Mfn1 or Mfn2 display distinct types of fragmented mitochondria, a phenotype we determine to be due to a severe reduction in mitochondrial fusion. Moreover, we find that Mfn1 and Mfn2 form homotypic and heterotypic complexes and show, by rescue of mutant cells, that the homotypic complexes are functional for fusion. We conclude that Mfn1 and Mfn2 have both redundant and distinct functions and act in three separate molecular complexes to promote mitochondrial fusion. Strikingly, a subset of mitochondria in mutant cells lose membrane potential. Therefore, mitochondrial fusion is essential for embryonic development, and by enabling cooperation between mitochondria, has protective effects on the mitochondrial population.
C-epic compactifications

Abstract Let K be a compactification of the Tychonoff space X , and ρ K :C(K)→C(X) the map which restricts functions ( ρ K ( f )= f | X , for f ∈ C ( K )). In case ρ K is an epimorphism in the category of Archimedean l -groups with unit (or equivalently, in Archimedean f -rings), we say that K is a C -epic compactification of X , or X is C -epic in K . This is “formally” equivalent to corresponding conditions in certain categories of frames, σ -frames, locales, and spaces with filter; from this some inferences can be drawn easily. Also, there is a workable criterion coming directly from the l -group theory which involves the canonical surjection K τ ← βX from the Stone–Cech compactification βX . In any event, some specific results are: (1) if X is C -epic in K , then the restriction K τ ← υX is one-to-one ( υX being the Hewitt realcompactification) and conversely if υX is Lindelof, (2) if X is zeroset-embedded in K , then X is C -epic in K , (3) if X is C -epic in K , then K and βX have the same basically disconnected cover, (4) X is C -epic in each of its compactifications if and only if X is almost Lindelof. Various results related to these and various examples are presented. Many questions remain.
Visual Persistence as Measured by Reaction Time

Latency of reaction to onset of a visual display was subtracted from latency of reaction to offset. Persistence was defined as difference between the two latency values. Persistence was inversely related to stimulus duration and was comparable for monoptic presentation and for presentation of the first half of the stimulus duration to one eye and the second half to the other. A power function described the relation between persistence and stimulus duration. The possible effects of central intermittency on this type of reaction time measure are discussed.
On the tractability of multivariate integration and approximation by neural networks

Let q ≥ 1 be an integer, Q be a Borel subset of the Euclidean space Rq, µ be a probability measure on Q, and F be a class of real valued, µ-integrable functions on Q. The complexity problem of approximating ∫ f dµ using quasi-Monte Carlo methods is to estimate en(F,µ)=x1,.....xn∈Q sup f ∈F|∫ f dµ-1/n Σk=1nf(xk)|. The problem is said to be tractable if there exist constants c,α,β independent of q (but possibly dependent on µ and F) such that en(F,µ)≤cqαn-β. We explore different regions (including manifolds), function classes, and measures for which this problem is tractable. Our results include tractability theorems for integration with respect to non-tensor product measures, and over unbounded and/or non-tensor product subsets, including the unit spheres of Rq with respect to various norms. We discuss applications to approximation capabilities of neural and radial basis function networks.
Production of Mouse Urinary Bladder Carcinomas by Sodium Cyclamate

Sodium cyclamate was suspended in cholesterol pellets that were surgically implanted in the urinary bladders of mice. In duplicate experiments, incidences of mouse bladder carcinomas observed in animals exposed to these pellets were 78 and 61 percent compared with incidences of 13 and 12 percent in control mice exposed to pellets of pure cholesterol. The exposure of the mouse bladder to sodium cyclamate was very brief, as the time required for 50 percent of the compound to disappear from the pellets was about 1 hour. This experimental technique was found to be highly sensitive, reproducible, and predictive of the bladder carcinogenicity of orally administered cyclamate.
The use of p-nitrophenyl N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-L-alaninate as substrate for elastase.

Abstract A sensitive, rapid spectrophotometric method for the determination of the esterase activity of elastase (EC 3.4.4.7) with the aid of a synthetic substrate, p -nitrophenyl N - tert -butyloxycarbonyl-L-alaninate, is described. At an assay pH of 6.5, K m (app) = 3 · 10 −4 M, k cat = 5.7 s −1 , and as little as 1 μg enzyme/ml can be satisfactorily determined.
Why watermarking is nonsense

The ease with which early watermarking algorithms were broken has given rise to a new set of schemes that are usually robust to a wide variety of attacks. We argue that this has created an illusion of progress, when in reality there is none. Most published watermarking algorithms, like their predecessors, protect all objects in a neighborhood surrounding the marked object. We point out that while this is necessary, it is very far from being sufficient. To withstand adversarial attack, a watermarking scheme would have to protect all valuable variations of an object, not merely ones that are close to it.
Flexural Waves in Fluid-Filled Tubes Subject to Axial Impact

We experimentally studied the propagation of coupled fluid stress waves and tube flexural waves generated through projectile impact along the axis of a water-filled tube. We tested mild steel tubes, 38–40 mm inner diameter and wall thicknesses of 0.8 mm, 6.4 mm, and 12.7 mm. A steel impactor was accelerated using an air cannon and struck a polycarbonate buffer placed on top of the water surface within the tube. Elastic flexural waves were observed for impact speeds of 5–10 m/s and plastic waves appeared for impact speeds approaching 20 m/s for a 0.8 mm thickness tube. We observed primary wave speeds of 1100 m/s in a 0.8 mm thickness tube, increasing to the water sound speed with 6.4 mm and 12.7 mm thickness tubes. Comparison of our measurements in the 0.8 mm thickness tube with Skalak's water hammer theory indicates reasonable agreement between the predicted and measured peak strains as a function of the impact buffer speed (1956, “An Extension to the Theory of Water Hammer,” Trans. ASME, 78, pp. 105–116). For thick-walled tubes, the correlation between the experimentally determined peak pressures and strains reveals the importance of corrections for the through-wall stress distribution.
Approximations to π Derived from Integrals with Nonnegative Integrands

Paper 18: Stephen K. Lucas, “Approximations to π derived from integrals with nonnegative integrands,” American Mathematical Monthly, vol. 116 (2009), p. 166–172. Copyright 2009 Mathematical Association of America. All Rights Reserved.
Dynamic surface tension of aqueous surfactant solutions: I. Basic paremeters

Abstract A treatment to deal with dynamic surface tension data of surfactant solutions is suggested. The typical dynamic surface tension versus long time curve is divided into four stages: induction region, fast fall region, meso-equilibrium region, and equilibrium region. An empirical equation is suggested to fit the dynamic surface tension data and used to obtain the parameters: induction time, meso-equilibrium half-time, meso-equilibrium time, and fall rate of dynamic surface tension. The effect of electrolyte, surfactant concentration, and temperature change on these parameters is described and discussed.
Detection of sample parameters in secondary electron microscope images: test results

Secondary electron microscope images (SEIs) are analyzed in an automatic system to provide material properties for fracture analyses etc. The image processing presently used is summarized and initial results presented. Our new grain boundary (GB) detection and line following algorithms are presented. Line following locates triple junctions (TJs) (points where 3 grains meet). Initial versions of advanced algorithms to calculate TJ angles, reduce false GBs and TJs and select a reduced number of good probe points are advanced using a new noise map. Registration and formation of mosaic images are also addressed. Results on about 2000 sector images in 5 slices are presented.
The Self-diffusivity of Amorphous Solid Water Near 150 K

Abstract Molecular beam techniques are used to create nanoscale thin films composed of different isotopes of amorphous solid water (ASW). The metastable ASW composites are then heated above the glass transition temperature, T g , and the extent of isotopic intermixing is determined using temperature programmed desorption. The observed self-diffusion in the 150–160 K range is roughly a millionfold greater than that expected for crystalline ice. The magnitude and temperature dependence of the self-diffusivity are consistent with an amorphous solid that melts into a deeply supercooled liquid prior to crystallization. The overall temperature dependence for the diffusivity of liquid water, supercooled liquid water (238–273 K), and of ASW (150–160 K) is well described by the Vogel–Fulcher–Tamman equation. These results suggest that ASW above its T g is a deeply supercooled metastable extension of normal liquid water prior to crystallizing near 160 K. Additionally, rapid H/D isotopic exchange occurs in concert with the translational diffusive motion.
Health status and heterogeneity of cost-sharing responsiveness: how do sick people respond to cost-sharing?

This paper examines whether the responsiveness of health care utilization to cost-sharing varies by health status and the implications of such heterogeneity. First, we show theoretically that if health care utilization of those in poor health is less responsive to cost sharing, this, combined with the skewness of health expenditures in health status, leads to overestimates of the effect of cost sharing. This bias is exacerbated when elasticities are generalized to populations with greater expenditure skewness. Second, we show empirically that cost-sharing responsiveness does differ by health status using data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. Medicare beneficiaries are stratified into health status groups based on activity of daily living (ADL) impairments and self-reported health status. Separately, for each of the health status groups, we estimate the effect of Medigap insurance on Part B utilization using a two-part expenditure model. We find that the change in expenditures associated with Medigap is smaller for those in poorer health. For example, when stratified using ADLs, Medigap insurance increases expenditures for ‘healthy’ groups by 36.4%, while the increase for the ‘sick’ group is 12.7%. Results are qualitatively the same for different forms of supplemental insurance and different methods of health status stratification. We develop a test to demonstrate that adjusting our results for selection bias would result in estimates of greater heterogeneity. Our results imply that a lowerbound estimate of the bias from neglecting heterogeneity is about 2–7%. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determination of nominal accelerating potential.

We present a simple linear relationship between the nominal accelerating potential (NAP) and the ratios of ionization measurements made with constant source--detector distance and at two different phantom thicknesses. This relationship can be used as a standard, unambiguous method for determining NAP for use in dosimetry and quality control.
Numerical study on crack propagation in high velocity perforation

Perforation response of a target under high velocity projectile impact is controlled by a number of factors such as the thickness of a target, the mass and geometrical shape of a projectile, etc. In this paper, through-thickness crack propagation in perforation problems is studied numerically on the basis of a newly constructed fracture locus formulated in terms of the effective plastic strain and the stress triaxiality. Through a series of numerical simulations using ABAQUS/Explicit, an expression relating crack length to indentation depth is developed. This expression is very general and applicable to both a beam and a circular plate over a wide range of the impact velocity, the mass ratio, and the thickness, provided that the target fails by shear plugging. It is found that the critical indentation depth for the formation and ejection of a plug is about 20-30% of the target thickness for 2024-T351 aluminum alloy, which can be used as an elementary fracture criterion. The average crack tip speed was found to be of order of 1000m/s, which is one-third of the elastic shear wave speed of 2024-T351 aluminum alloy.
The new abolitionists? The World Bank and the 'boldness' of global school fee elimination reforms

This article explores the ambiguity within the World Bank's (WB) stance on primary school fees by examining the recently launched school fee abolition initiative. Drawing on key texts from this initiative and two decades of WB educational policy, we suggest that the discursive work around school fees performed by the Bank is a reflection of broader historical shifts in its representation as a development institution. Our three-part analysis shows how the language of school fee abolition, its putative boldness as a policy initiative, and the careful construction of non-adversarial partnerships work to reposition the WB as a champion of global education rights without relinquishing its neoliberal policy prescriptions. The analysis demonstrates the inseparability of two strands of discourse analysis – the linguistic and the discursive – and the socially productive nature of their interaction.
Stabilization and Disturbance Attenuation Over a Gaussian Communication Channel

We consider the problem of stabilizing an unstable system driven by a Gaussian disturbance using a feedback signal transmitted over a memoryless Gaussian communication channel. By applying the concept of entropy power, we show that the mean square norm of the state vector must satisfy a lower bound that holds for any causal, measurable communication and control strategies that result in signals having well defined differential entropy. In addition, we show that use of nonlinear, time varying strategies does not allow stabilization over a channel with a lower signal-to-noise ratio than that achievable with linear time invariant state feedback. Finally, we show that for scalar systems the lower bound on the mean square norm of the state is tight, and achievable using linear time invariant communication and control.
THE EFFECT OF INTERSTITIAL LAYERS ON THERMAL BOUNDARY CONDUCTANCE BETWEEN LENNARD-JONES CRYSTALS

Thermal transport at the interface between Lennard-Jones crystals is explored via non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. The vibrational properties of each crystal are varied by changing the atomic mass of the crystal. By applying a constant thermal flux across the two-crystal composite system, a steady-state temperature gradient is established and thermal boundary conductance at the interface between the crystals is calculated via Fourier’s law. With the material properties of the two crystals fixed, thermal boundary conductance can be affected by an intermediate layer inserted between the two crystals. It is found that when the interstitial layer atomic mass is between those values of the crystals comprising the interface, interfacial transport is enhanced. This layer helps bridge the gap between the different vibrational spectra of the two materials, thus enhancing thermal transport, which is maximized when the interstitial layer atomic mass approaches the average mass of the two fixed crystals. The degree of enhancement depends on the vibrational mismatch between the interstitial layer and the crystals comprising the interface, and we report an increase in thermal boundary conductance of up to 50 %. NOMENCLATURE
Wavelets generated by IIR filter banks

The relation between orthogonal finite impulse response filter banks and orthonormal bases of compactly supported wavelets has been established by Daubechies (1988). Building on this result, the authors use infinite impulse response (IIR) filter banks to construct more general orthonormal wavelet bases, which have infinite support, but rapid decay. They give a complete constructive method which gives all rational orthogonal two-channel filters banks. A family of wavelets is developed which have similar smoothness and moment properties to those of Daubechies. Wavelet bases are derived for the space of piecewise polynomial functions, which are alternatives to the Battle-Lemarie bases (Battle, 1987; Lemarie, 1988) and have the desirable property of being realizable. Relevant design exchanges are presented. >
The Development of a Matrix Reference Standard for Anti-Epileptic Analysis

As blood level determinations of glucose, calcium, triglycerides and electrolytes have become important in the treatment and diagnosis of disease, so has the determination of anti-epileptic blood levels become important to the neurologist in the treatment of seizure disorders. The ranges of both therapeutic and toxic serum concentrations have been determined for phenytoin, phenobarbitone, ethosuximide, primidone and trimethadione. The optimal frequency of dosage can be determined by the patient’s drug clearance rate. Compliance can be monitored by determining blood levels of the drug. As the demand for anti-epileptic blood level determinations has increased, clinical laboratories have responded by developing methods consistent with the time and equipment available. Concomitant with these developments, a large number of scientific publications has appeared dealing with the determination of anti-epileptic drugs in biologic fluid.
Understanding intrinsic characteristics and system implications of flash memory based solid state drives

Flash Memory based Solid State Drive (SSD) has been called a "pivotal technology" that could revolutionize data storage systems. Since SSD shares a common interface with the traditional hard disk drive (HDD), both physically and logically, an effective integration of SSD into the storage hierarchy is very important. However, details of SSD hardware implementations tend to be hidden behind such narrow interfaces. In fact, since sophisticated algorithms are usually, of necessity, adopted in SSD controller firmware, more complex performance dynamics are to be expected in SSD than in HDD systems. Most existing literature or product specifications on SSD just provide high-level descriptions and standard performance data, such as bandwidth and latency.In order to gain insight into the unique performance characteristics of SSD, we have conducted intensive experiments and measurements on different types of state-of-the-art SSDs, from low-end to high-end products. We have observed several unexpected performance issues and uncertain behavior of SSDs, which have not been reported in the literature. For example, we found that fragmentation could seriously impact performance -- by a factor of over 14 times on a recently announced SSD. Moreover, contrary to the common belief that accesses to SSD are uncorrelated with access patterns, we found a strong correlation between performance and the randomness of data accesses, for both reads and writes. In the worst case, average latency could increase by a factor of 89 and bandwidth could drop to only 0.025MB/sec. Our study reveals several unanticipated aspects in the performance dynamics of SSD technology that must be addressed by system designers and data-intensive application users in order to effectively place it in the storage hierarchy.
The Recovery of Three-Dimensional Structure from Image Curves

A class of inferences is described which allows the recovery of three-dimensional structures from the two-dimensional curves in an image. Unlike most previous methods, these inferences do not require restrictive assumptions or prior knowledge regarding the scene. They are based on the assumption that the camera viewpoint and the positions of the illumination sources are independent of the objects in the scene. From these independence assumptions, it can be shown that many potential interpretations of image curves are highly improbable. By eliminating these improbable interpretations it is possible to segment the image into sets of related image features and derive many three-space relations.
Fabrication of adjustable cylindrical mirror segments for the SMART-X telescope

The adaptive optics system for the SMARTX telescope consists of piezoelectric PbZr 0.52 Ti 0.48 O 3 (PZT) thin films deposited on the backside of the mirror. To achieve sufficient strain response from the piezoelectric films, the substrates chosen are thin, flexible glass pieces that can be slumped into the desired curvature. Preliminary testing has been performed using flat pieces and parts that were slumped into a cylindrical geometry. Commercially available boro-aluminosilicate glass segments (100 × 100 mm) were slumped along one axis to a radius of curvature of 220 mm. 2-μm-thick PZT films were deposited via RF magnetron sputtering on flat glass substrates to demonstrate the viability of the processing approach. The deposited PZT showed high yield (>95%) on 1-cm 2 electrodes. The films exhibited relative permittivity values near 1500 and loss tangents below 0.05. In addition, the remanent polarization was 20 μC/cm 2 with coercive fields near 30 kV/cm. 1-μm-thick films with comparable electrical parameters were then deposited onto the slumped substrates. To understand the piezoelectric response of the films and characterize the device performance, influence function measurements were performed. The typical cell response using a 4 V (1.3V c ) drive voltage corresponded to a 0.5 μm out-of-plane displacement, which relates to an in-plane strain value larger than 150 ppm. Both of these parameters meet benchmark requirements for reaching the targeted 0.5 arcsecond resolution goal of the SMART-X telescope. These results demonstrate a viable route to fabricate highly functional mirror segments for the SMART-X telescope.
Directional Routing for Wireless Mesh Networks: A Performance Evaluation

Routing in multi-hop wireless networks involves the indirection from a persistent name (or ID) to a locator. One of the biggest issues in routing is providing adequate connectivity while scaling the network. Recently, Bow-Nan Cheng et al., (2006) has attempted to mitigate this issue by using directional communication methods to find intersections between source-rendezvous and rendezvous-destination paths, providing effective routing in unstructured, flat networks. Cheng et al. showed that by "drawing" two lines orthogonal to each other at each node, it is possible to provide over 98% connectivity while maintaining only order O(N3/2) states. It is interesting, however to investigate what happens when additional lines are "drawn" and how that affects connectivity, path length and state complexity. In this paper, we examine how transmitting along one, two, three, and four lines affects routing and provide both analytical bounds for connectivity as well as packetized simulations on how these methods stack up in a more realistic environment. We show that by sending packets out in more directions, increased connectivity and smaller average path length results only up to a point. The trade-off, however, is added state information maintained at each node. We also show that in mobile environments, adding additional lines increases the chances for successful packet delivery only marginally.
Pedestrian paths: why path-dependence theory leaves health policy analysis lost in space

Path dependence, a model first advanced to explain puzzles in the diffusion of technology, has lately won allegiance among analysts of the politics of public policy, including health care policy. Though the central premise of the model-that past events and decisions shape options for innovation in the present and future-is indisputable (indeed path dependence is, so to speak, too shallow to be false), the approach, at least as applied to health policy, suffers from ambiguities that undercut its claims to illuminate policy projects such as managed care, on which this article focuses. Because path dependence adds little more than marginal value to familiar images of the politics of policy-incrementalism, for one-analysts might do well to put it on the back burner and pursue instead "thick descriptions" that help them to distinguish different degrees of openness to exogenous change among diverse policy arenas. Language: en
To prosper, organizational psychology should … overcome methodological barriers to progress

Progress in organizational psychology (OP) research depends on the rigor and quality of the methods we use. This paper identifies ten methodological barriers to progress and offers suggestions for overcoming the barriers, in part or whole. The barriers address how we derive hypotheses from theories, the nature and scope of the questions we pursue in our studies, the ways we address causality, the manner in which we draw samples and measure constructs, and how we conduct statistical tests and draw inferences from our research. The paper concludes with recommendations for integrating research methods into our ongoing development goals as scholars and framing methods as tools that help us achieve shared objectives in our field.
Cytosolic fatty acid binding proteins catalyze two distinct steps in intracellular transport of their ligands.

Cytosolic long-chain fatty acid binding proteins (FABPs) are found in tissues that metabolize fatty acids. Like most lipid binding proteins, their specific functions remain unclear. Two classes have been described. Membrane-active FABPs interact directly with membranes during exchange of fatty acids between the protein binding site and the membrane, while membrane-inactive FABPs bind only to fatty acids that are already in aqueous solution. Despite these binding proteins, most fatty acids in cell cytoplasm appear to be bound to membranes. This paper reviews data suggesting that FABPs catalyze transfer of fatty acids between intracellular membranes, often across considerable intracellular distances. This process occurs in three distinct steps: dissociation of the fatty acid from a ‘donor’ membrane, diffusion of the fatty acid across the intervening water layer, and binding to an ‘acceptor’ membrane. Membrane-active FABPs catalyze dissociation of the fatty acid from the donor membrane and binding to the acceptor membrane, while membrane-inactive FABPs catalyze diffusion of fatty acids across the aqueous cytosol. Thus, FABPs catalyze all three steps in intracellular transport. A simple quantitative model has been developed that predicts the rate of intracellular transport as a function of the concentration, affinity and diffusional mobility of the binding protein. Different FABPs may have evolved to match the specific transport requirements of the cell type within which they are found. (Mol Cell Biochem 239: 35–43, 2002)
Breaking through the barriers [semiconductor lasers]

In this era of high-end microelectronic integrated-circuit processing there are numerous examples of practical circuit designs containing many tens of thousands of transistors. The state-of-the-art for semiconductor photonic integrated circuits-those in which the information is carried entirely by optical rather than electrical signals-has been limited, however, to only a handful of devices. This article outlines two of the critical barriers to photonic integration and describes some recent advances in the technology that contribute to overcoming those barriers. Some examples of the implementation of these technologies are also presented.
Ionic binding characteristics of monoclonal autoantibodies to DNA from NZB.h-2bm12 mice

NZB (H-2d) mice are well known for the production of IgM autoantibodies to ssDNA. However, an FI cross between NZB and either NZW or SWR mice is required to produce IgG nephritogenic antibodies to dsDNA and glomerulonephritis. The contribution of parental class II loci in the hybrid mice is clearly important to the development of anti-dsDNA antibodies, In contrast, NZB mice congenic with the labm12 mutation develop IgG autoantibodies to dsDNA despite being homozygous for Ia. As a part of our effort to examine the mechanisms of disease development in NZB.H-2bm12 mice, we have generated a panel of monoclonal antibodies against nucleic acids. A subgroup of these antibodies exhibited strong electrostatic interaction with nucleic acids as evidenced by inhibition of their binding by a moderate increase in ionic strength. Interestingly, the effect of salt was either all or none; e.g., antibodies were either markedly inhibited or virtually unaffected. The importance of this ionic interaction was highlighted by an...
International Ethics and the Responsibility to Protect

I examine the roots of “Responsibility to Protect” in international ethics. International responsibility to protect is as a whole at odds with international law, but deeply familiar to Liberal international ethics. But, controversially, I argue that even the Realist and Marxist traditions include commitments to human respect that make humanitarian concerns far from foreign. I then explore how it evolved out of the crisis in Kosovo and the question of its policy significance today in cases in which it has been invoked, ranging from Myanmar to Kenya and Guinea – sometimes explicitly, sometimes implicitly, successfully and not. My conclusion is that R2P has contributed to the increasing pluralism, contested and contestable, of the normative architecture of world politics, and thus has produced confusion. But, this confusion may reduce as RtoP norms are accumulated in customary law and reshape the discourse of international ethics. In any case, where the alternative to pluralism is clarity that either abandons vulnerable populations or imposes unrealistic expectations of enforced human rights, confusion is a step forward, a resource for responsible policy and the best we are likely to get if we continue to care about both vulnerable populations and national sovereignty.
THE ANGULAR CORRELATION FUNCTION OF WAVE SCATTERING BY A BURIED OBJECT EMBEDDED IN RANDOM DISCRETE SCATTERERS UNDER A RANDOM ROUGH SURFACE

Radar detection of a target embedded in geophysical media can be obscured by clutter. In this article the angular correlation function ( ) ACF is studied for wa! e scattering by an object embedded in random discrete scatterers under a rough surface. The ACF is calculated by using realization a! eraging, frequency a! eraging, and angular a! eraging. The results of the ACF for ! olume scattering, combined ! olume, and rough surface scattering and with a buried object are shown and compared. It is found that the ACF can be used to distinguish scattering by random discrete scatterers, random rough surface, and a deterministic buried object. The clutter return can be suppressed and the target becomes conspicuous. The ratio of ACF of the scattered wa! e with a target and that without a target can be 10 dB larger than the ratio of intensities. ! 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 14, 144! 151, 1997.
Stress, leukocyte trafficking, and the augmentation of skin immune function.

Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions represent cell-mediated immune responses that exert important immunoprotective (resistance to viruses, bacteria, and fungi) or immunopathologic (allergic or autoimmune hypersensitivity) effects. We have used the skin DTH response as an in vivo model to study neuro-endocrine-immune interactions. We hypothesized that just as an acute stress response prepares the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems for fight or flight, it may also prepare the immune system for challenges (e.g., wounding) that may be imposed by a stressor (e.g., an aggressor). Studies showed that acute (2 hours) stress experienced before primary or secondary cutaneous antigen exposure induces significantly enhanced skin DTH. This enhancement involves innate as well as adaptive immune mechanisms. Adrenalectomy eliminates the stress-induced enhancement of DTH. Acute administration of physiological concentrations of corticosterone and/or epinephrine to adrenalectomized animals enhances skin DTH. Compared with those in controls, DTH sites from acutely stressed or hormone-injected animals show significantly greater erythema and induration, numbers of infiltrating leukocytes, and levels of cytokine gene expression. In contrast to acute stress, chronic stress is immunosuppressive. Chronic exposure to corticosterone or acute exposure to dexamethasone significantly suppresses skin DTH. These results suggest that during acute stress, endogenous stress hormones enhance skin immunity by increasing leukocyte trafficking and cytokine gene expression at the site of antigen entry. Elucidation of mechanisms mediating a stress-induced enhancement of skin immune function is important because such immunoenhancement can have protective (wound healing, resistance to infection) or pathological (allergic or autoimmune hypersensitivity) consequences.