cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theory of non-linear electrical conductivities for an electron-impurity system

Abstract A general theory is developed for the non-linear conductivities of a system of non- interacting electrons in a potential field of impurities. A formal solution of the Liouville equation for the system subjected to an arbitrary number of electromagnetic wave modes is obtained by using a K -operator technique. By using this result, a rigorous expression for the Fourier-Laplace transform of the electric current density, j ( q , z ), is derived, and is written out in a single line; in order to obtain a non-linear conductivity of an arbitrary rank, one only need to find the residue of j ( q , z ) at an appropriate pole. The dependence of the non-linear conductivities on the impurity concentration can be studied in a systematic manner by applying the (proper) connected diagram expansion, which was developed earlier by one of the present authors (S.F.) for the linear conductivity.
Infantile spasms in down syndrome: A report of 5 cases and review of the literature

Five patients with Down syndrome (DS) and infantile spasms were examined in a four-year interval. Previous reports of this association have been infrequent except during experimental treatment with 5-hydroxytryptophan, a precursor of serotonin. Malformations of the brain in DS are associated with an increased incidence of epilepsy, and both gross and cytoarchitectural anomalies have been described. The severity and distribution of these central nervous system anomalies presumably predispose to the infantile spasms. The contribution of altered serotonin metabolism is uncertain.
Trafficking Kinetics of the Insulin-Regulated Membrane Aminopeptidase in 3T3-L1 Adipocytes

In fat and muscle cells insulin causes the marked translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 from its intracellular location to the plasma membrane. We and others have discovered an insulin-regulated membrane aminopeptidase (designated IRAP) that colocalizes with intracellular GLUT4 and also translocates markedly in response to insulin. This study describes the trafficking kinetics of IRAP in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. By means of a surface biotinylation method, the half-time for the increase in IRAP at the plasma membrane in response to insulin was found to be 2 min. The increase was completely blocked by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin. In insulin-treated cells, biotinylated IRAP, initially at the plasma membrane, equilibrated with the intracellular pool with a half-time of 2 min. Thus, IRAP continuously recycles. Finally, vesicles isolated from the intracellular membranes with antibodies against IRAP and GLUT4 showed the same protein composition. In conjunction with results in the literature, these findings indicate that IRAP and GLUT4 traffic through the same intracellular compartments.
Necessary (but Not Sufficient) Innovation: Comment on Fox and Jones (1998), Koehly and Shivy (1998), and Russell, Kahn, Spoth, and Altmaier (1998).

In the Special Section on Innovative Quantitative Research Methods, C. M. Fox and J. A. Jones (1998), L. M. Koehly and V. A. Shivy (1998), and D. W. Russell, J. H. Kahn, R. Spoth, and E. M. Altmaier (1998) have presented statistical methods related to Rasch modeling, social network analysis, and latent variable structural equation modeling for experimental designs, respectively. These methods address 3 critically important issues in counseling psychology research: (a) measuring constructs, (b) modeling processes of change, and (c) operationalizing social relations. It is argued that innovation in methods is necessary to study complex phenomena, but sophisticated methods should not be used to disguise insufficient conceptualizations of the research problem.
Influence of geometric parameters on the hydrodynamics control of solar chimney

Abstract Hydrogen generating station (HGS) by water electrolysis is based on three principal compartments: hydraulic pumping system, water electrolysis process and energy supply whose can be free source like solar chimney power plans (SCPP). The HGS can be controlled if governed one of these three compartments especially the energy supply SCPP. The aim of this study is to investigate numerically the airflow behavior through a Solar Chimney. The transport equations that describe the flow, for different geometric tower parameters were modeled and solved numerically using the finite volume method. This methodology allows us a detailed visualization of the effects of some geometrical parameters such as the tower height and tower radius. It has been shown in this work that the dimensions of the tower play an important role in designing of such systems by increasing or decreasing the mass flow rate. Consequently, the hydrodynamic field is directly controlled by varying the tower dimensions. However the thermal field is indirectly controlled by decreasing the system mean temperature.
Mild heat and calcium treatment effects on fresh-cut cantaloupe melon during storage

Abstract The effect of mild heat fruit pre-treatment on some properties of fresh-cut cantaloupe melon during storage was determined. Whole fruit, previously held at 4 °C, was immersed in heated water (60 °C) with and without dissolved calcium lactate (1%). Fresh-cut processing was done immediately, either after treatment or after storage at 4 °C for 24 h. Headspace gas accumulation during storage indicated reduced respiration in heat-treated fruit. Reduced lipase activity occurred in heat treated fruit during storage at 10 °C, while the fruit that was cut 24 h after treatment had a reduced peroxidase activity, unlike fruit that was processed immediately after heating. Isoelectric focussing indicated production of heat shock proteins (PI = 5.1 and 6.5) as a result of heat-treatment. Textural measurements showed increased hardness, chewiness and cohesiveness, but springiness decreased in heat-treated fruit. Presence of calcium in the treatment solution did not affect respiration and textural changes caused by heat treatment. Lipase activity was, however, higher in fruit heated in calcium solutions. Results indicated the potential improvement of shelf life of cut cantaloupe melon by mild heat pre-treatment of the fruit, and that the addition of calcium to the treatment water did not further improve product quality.
α-PHENYL-N-TERT-BUTYL-NITRONE ATTENUATES LIPOPOLYSACCHARIDE- INDUCED NEURONAL INJURY IN THE NEONATAL RAT BRAIN

Although white matter damage is a fundamental neuropathological feature of periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), the motor and cognitive deficits observed later in infants with PVL indicate the possible involvement of cerebral neuronal dysfunction. Using a previously developed rat model of white matter injury induced by cerebral lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection, we investigated whether LPS exposure also results in neuronal injury in the neonatal brain and whether alpha-phenyl-n-tert-butyl-nitrone (PBN), an antioxidant, offers protection against LPS-induced neuronal injury. A stereotactic intracerebral injection of LPS (1 mg/kg) was performed in Sprague-Dawley rats (postnatal day 5) and control rats were injected with sterile saline. LPS exposure resulted in axonal and neuronal injury in the cerebral cortex as indicated by elevated expression of beta-amyloid precursor protein, altered axonal length and width, and increased size of cortical neuronal nuclei. LPS exposure also caused loss of tyrosine hydroxylase positive neurons in the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental areas of the rat brain. Treatments with PBN (100 mg/kg) significantly reduced LPS-induced neuronal and axonal damage. The protection of PBN was associated with an attenuation of oxidative stress induced by LPS as indicated by the reduced number of 4-hydroxynonenal, malondialdehyde or nitrotyrosine positive cells in the cortical area following LPS exposure, and with the reduction in microglial activation stimulated by LPS. The finding that an inflammatory environment may cause both white matter and neuronal injury in the neonatal brain supports the possible anatomical correlate for the intellectual deficits and the other cortical and deep gray neuronal dysfunctions associated with PVL. The protection of PBN may indicate the potential usefulness of antioxidants for treatment of these neuronal dysfunctions.
A flexible model of incomplete dominance in neighborhood competition for space

Here I develop a flexible model of competition for space. In this model the degree of dominance of one species over another can be continuously varied. The mechanistic motivation for the model is competition for light in plants. Within this mechanistic interpretation, the degree of dominance of one species over another is controlled by crown shape; the model can be used more generally, however, by considering the parameters that describe crown shape simply to be adjustable parameters. The model is first developed in a form that can be used in theoretical studies of species coexistence and community structure; it is shown to reduce in opposing limits to models very similar to those proposed by J. G. Skellam (1951. Biometrika 38 , 196–218) for complete dominance and by C. T. de Wit (1960. Versl. Landbouwk. Onderz. 66 , 1–82) for no dominance. I then modify this form to allow its use in neighborhood simulation models and demonstrate that the value of the shape parameter can be very important in determining the quantitative results of simulations.
Synthesis, Structure, and Reactivity of Three-Coordinate Vanadium(III) Chalcogenolates and Vanadium(V) Chalcogenide Chalcogenolates

Reaction between [(Me3Si)2N]2V(Br)(THF) and (THF)2LiER (E = Se,Te; R = Si(SiMe3)3, SiPh3) afforded the three-coordinate [(Me3Si)2N]2VER complexes in 60−80% yield. The −SeSi(SiMe3)3 complex and both...
The neophobia-optimality explanation of contrafreeloading rats: a reassessment.

We report a single experiment examining the utility of a neophobia—optimality model in explaining barpressing for earned food in the presence of free food. Rats were trained to barpress and given similar amounts of experience with earned food but different amounts of experience with empty free food containers and/or the contextual cues surrounding the containers. All subjects were subsequently administered four repeated tests for earned food preference. The results support the neophobia—optimality model. Those animals with the most habituation to the free food source, without feeding from it, showed the lowest preference for earned food. Conversely, those animals with the least habituation to the free food source showed the highest earned food preference. The implications of these data for modifying the neophobia—optimality model are discussed.
Sensor and computing resource management for a small satellite

A small satellite in a low-Earth orbit (e.g., approximately a 300 to 400 km altitude) has an orbital velocity in the range of 8.5 km/s and completes an orbit approximately every 90 minutes. For a satellite with minimal attitude control, this presents a significant challenge in obtaining multiple images of a target region. Presuming an inclination in the range of 50 to 65 degrees, a limited number of opportunities to image a given target or communicate with a given ground station are available, over the course of a 24-hour period. For imaging needs (where solar illumination is required), the number of opportunities is further reduced. Given these short windows of opportunity for imaging, data transfer, and sending commands, scheduling must be optimized. In addition to the high-level scheduling performed for spacecraft operations, payload-level scheduling is also required. The mission requires that images be post-processed to maximize spatial resolution and minimize data transfer (through removing overlapping regions). The payload unit includes GPS and inertial measurement unit (IMU) hardware to aid in image alignment for the aforementioned. The payload scheduler must, thus, split its energy and computing-cycle budgets between determining an imaging sequence (required to capture the highly-overlapping data required for super-resolution and adjacent areas required for mosaicking), processing the imagery (to perform the super-resolution and mosaicking) and preparing the data for transmission (compressing it, etc.). This paper presents an approach for satellite control, scheduling and operations that allows the cameras, GPS and IMU to be used in conjunction to acquire higher-resolution imagery of a target region.
The Poverty of Services for Battered Lesbians

This paper addresses the poverty of services available to lesbian victims of partner abuse, despite the need for such services. Drawing on data from a survey of 1,505 help providers (to which 566 responded), the paper focuses on the services that the help providers themselves claim to offer. The data reveal a serious disparity in help providers' rhetoric and offical policies and the reality of the services available. The paper concludes with suggestions for improving services to battered lesbians.
Effects of age, sex, and independent life events on amygdala and nucleus accumbens volumes in child bipolar I disorder.

Background Relationships between environment and cortical-limbic-striatal pathways are not well-researched in child bipolar I disorder (BP-I). Methods This was a controlled, blindly rated magnetic resonance imaging study of children with DSM-IV BP-I, manic or mixed type, compared with matched typically developing children (TC). Results There were 47 subjects (21 BP-I, 26 TC) aged 14.0 ± 3.1 (BP-I onset age 8.8 ± 4.2). Total intracranial volume was greater in male subjects ( n = 28) versus female subjects ( n = 19) [ F (1,44) = 24.3, p n = 47), a greater number of independent life events (ILE) was associated with smaller AMG [ F (1,36) = 7.8, p = .009] and NAcc [ F (1,36) = 9.4, p = .004] volumes, controlling for total intracranial volume (TICV), group, age, sex, and family psychopathology. Use of stimulant medication at the time of the scan was associated with larger AMG volume [ F (1,41) = 9.0, p = .005], controlling for TICV, group, age, and sex. In male subjects, the age × group interaction was a significant predictor in general linear models of AMG ( p = .028) and NAcc ( p = .030) volumes. Effects of low maternal warmth were not significant. Conclusions Findings suggest that ILE affect AMG and NAcc volume, but further research is needed to examine specificity to child BP-I. Furthermore, differential age × group (child BP-I vs. TC) effects only in male subjects are consistent with differential brain development by sex.
Implications of the Elaboration Likelihood Model for interviewer decision processes

One dimension of corporate social performance is concern for employee relations. The selection interview represents one of the earliest points at which employers develop relationships with future employees. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (Petty & Cacioppo, 1986) is useful for predicting when variables which are irrelevant for predicting performance on the job can influence an interviewer's rating of an applicant. Such knowledge is helpful for organizations in terms of improving the validity of their selection interview decisions and enhancing applicants' perceptions of fairness.
The degradation of polystyrene during extrusion

An investigation was made of the magnitude and mechanism of shear degradation of a narrow distribution, high molecular weight (Mw = 670,000) polystyrene. An Instron rheometer was used to perform the extrusion at temperatures from 164° to 250°C. The change in molecular weight distribution was studied by gel permeation chromatography. The maximum shear stress employed was 5.83 kg/cm2. It was found that degradation could be induced at high stress at temperatures of 50°C lower than degradation of polystyrene would occur exclusively due to thermal forces. An activation energy for the degradation, calculated at constant shear rate, was +20.2 kcal/mole. The direction and magnitude of this value are consistent with degradation induced through a mechanical reduced activation for thermal degradation.
Waiting for change: Adjustment and reform in Cuba

Abstract Buffeted by the collapse of trading relations with the former socialist bloc and the continuing US embargo, Cuba has attempted to adjust to external crisis via tighter rationing to curtail demand and traditional planning and sectoral strategies to expand the supply of tradables. This overall program has failed and Cuba has recently begun timid steps toward a more market-oriented approach. We argue that the centerpiece of a new strategy should be a rapid privatization which can be designed to absorb the monetary overhang, widely distribute assets and control, and protect the social safety net that has characterized the Cuban economy.
Piezoresistivity in PTCR barium titanate ceramics : I. Experimental findings

Positive temperature coefficient of resistance (PTCR) barium titanate is the active material in a ceramic sensor which employs piezoresistivity to detect changes in applied stress. High-purity, chemically prepared barium titanate is donor-doped with 0.30 at.% lanthanum, and <0.10 at.% of a transition-metal counterdopant may be added to enhance the PTCR effect. Tape-cast sheets of undoped and PTCR BaTiO 3 are laminated to produce a three-layer trilaminate-a sintered structure which has two semiconducting PTCR layers separated by an insulating layer. The trilaminate is stressed in a four-point bend configuration (placing one semiconducting layer completely in tension, the other in compression), and the resistivities for both stress states are measured concurrently as functions of applied stress and temperature. Results are presented for various semiconducting layer compositions and sintering conditions.
A language for legal Discourse I. basic features

In two previous papers on the prospects for intelligent legal information systems 122, 271, I advocated the development of “deep conceptual models” of particular legal domains. My motivation was both practical and theoretical. On the practical side, I argued, our long-term goal should be an integrated analysis/planning/retrieval system that matches as closely as possible the way a lawyer actually thinks about a legal problem. On the theoretical side, my work with Sridharan on the TAXMAN project [31, 32, 441 had clarified the importance of an adequate domain theory in any attempt to model the arguments of lawyers in hard cases, For both purposes, I claimed, deep conceptual models are essential.
Sentence comprehension, syntax and vowel duration in aged people

The comprehension of English syntax was tested for 29 people, aged 71–93 years, using the Rhode Island Test of Language Structure (Engen and Engen, 1983). Nineteen of the subjects were native monolingual speakers of English or bilingual English/Yiddish speakers, ten had acquired English as a second or third language. The native monolingual/bilingual group made 20% fewer errors than the second-language group. Although some individuals had high error rates, there was no consistent age-related increase in syntactic errors for the native speakers of English. Vowel duration was determined for 24 subjects. Older speakers tended to have longer vowel durations, but individual differences override this trend. The subjects who had the highest syntactic error rates produced longer vowels. The effects are consistent with deficits in comprehension and slower speech production deriving from particular disease processes rather than from ageing, in itself. They may be effects of decreased output of the neurotransmitter d...
Educational Professionals' Knowledge and Acceptance of Evolution

This study sought to determine if we could identify a cadre of educational professionals with sufficient knowledge and acceptance of biological evolution to objectively evaluate the merits of the e...
Disposition of Xenobiotics: Species Differences

Species differences are a major obstacle in predicting toxicity of xenobiotics from one species to another. Species differences in toxicity of drugs and other chemicals may be due to differences in pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics. This paper illustrates the point that species differences in pharmacokinetics of xenobiotics may be the result of differences in any of the processes contributing to the disposition of a xenobiotic. This is an important point because biotransformation as a cause of species differences for the disposition of xenobiotics has been overemphasized in the past, whereas only scant attention has been paid to the other 3 major contributing processes to disposition, viz. absorption, distribution, and excretion. This brief overview presents a balanced examination of all 4 major processes (absorption, distribution, biotransformation and excretion) as they affect the pharmacokinetics of xenobiotics in various species.
A Sparsity-Aware Approach for NBI Estimation in MIMO-OFDM

In this paper, we present a novel approach based on compressive sensing theory to estimate and mitigate asynchronous narrow-band interference (NBI) in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing systems with multiple transmit and/or multiple receive antennas. We consider the practical scenarios where one or multiple asynchronous NBI signals experience fast fading and/or frequency-selective fading channels. Furthermore, we propose a novel technique for estimating the desired signal's channel in the presence of unknown NBI. Our approach does not require any prior information about the NBI. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our proposed techniques in mitigating NBI and approaching the interference-free performance limit over practical ranges of NBI power levels, spectral widths, and mobility levels.
A descriptive and comparative study of the prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders in low-income adults with type 2 diabetes and other chronic illnesses.

OBJECTIVE —To determine whether type 2 diabetes contributes to the presence of depressive and anxiety disorder diagnoses in low-income adults with hypertension, asthma, and/or arthritis. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS —Using a cross-sectional design, this study administered a structured diagnostic interview to low-income primary care patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, arthritis, and asthma, as well as to those with no chronic illness ( n = 326), to determine the 12-month prevalence of depressive and anxiety disorders. A logistic regression (LR) model was used to assess whether a diagnosis of depression and/or anxiety was associated with type 2 diabetes after adjusting for known risk factors. RESULTS —A high prevalence rate of depressive and/or anxiety disorders was found in the total sample (29%) and in all three illness groups: type 2 diabetes (36%), other chronic illnesses (24%), and no chronic illness (31%). Using LR, a main effect was detected for illness group when age and education were controlled (χ 2 = 22.66, df 4, P = 0.000). Specifically, the odds of occurrence of a depressive and/or anxiety disorder in those with comorbid type 2 diabetes were twice that in the nondiabetic, chronically ill comparison group (odds ratio 2.26, 95% CI 1.28–4.01, P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS —These results suggest a positive contribution of type 2 diabetes to increased rates of depressive and/or anxiety disorders in patients with hypertension, asthma, and/or arthritis and support prior research that type 2 diabetes may serve as an indicator of depression and anxiety in low-income adults treated in primary care clinics.
Linking fecal bacteria in rivers to landscape, geochemical, and hydrologic factors and sources at the basin scale.

Linking fecal indicator bacteria concentrations in large mixed-use watersheds back to diffuse human sources, such as septic systems, has met limited success. In this study, 64 rivers that drain 84% of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula were sampled under baseflow conditions for Escherichia coli, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron (a human source-tracking marker), landscape characteristics, and geochemical and hydrologic variables. E. coli and B. thetaiotaomicron were routinely detected in sampled rivers and an E. coli reference level was defined (1.4 log10 most probable number⋅100 mL−1). Using classification and regression tree analysis and demographic estimates of wastewater treatments per watershed, septic systems seem to be the primary driver of fecal bacteria levels. In particular, watersheds with more than 1,621 septic systems exhibited significantly higher concentrations of B. thetaiotaomicron. This information is vital for evaluating water quality and health implications, determining the impacts of septic systems on watersheds, and improving management decisions for locating, constructing, and maintaining on-site wastewater treatment systems.
Rethinking Earthquake Prediction

—We re-examine and summarize what is now possible in predicting earthquakes, what might be accomplished (and hence might be possible in the next few decades) and what types of predictions appear to be inherently impossible based on our understanding of earthquakes as complex phenomena. We take predictions to involve a variety of time scales from seconds to a few decades. Earthquake warnings and their possible societal uses differ for those time scales. Earthquake prediction should not be equated solely with short-term prediction—those with time scales of hours to weeks—nor should it be assumed that only short-term warnings either are or might be useful to society. A variety of "consumers" or stakeholders are likely to take different mitigation measures in response to each type of prediction. A series of recent articles in scientific literature and the media claim that earthquakes cannot be predicted and that exceedingly high accuracy is needed for predictions to be of societal value. We dispute a number of their key assumptions and conclusions, including their claim that earthquakes represent a self-organized critical (SOC) phenomenon, implying a system maintained on the edge of chaotic behavior at all times. We think this is correct but only in an uninteresting way, that is on global or continental scales. The stresses in the regions surrounding the rupture zones of individual large earthquakes are reduced below a SOC state at the times of those events and remain so for long periods. As stresses are slowly re-established by tectonic loading, a region approaches a SOC state during the last part of the cycle of large earthquakes. The presence of that state can be regarded as a long-term precursor rather than as an impediment to prediction. We examine other natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, severe storms and climate change that, like earthquakes, are also examples of complex processes, each with its own predictable, possibly predictable and inherently unpredictable elements. That a natural system is complex does not mean that predictions are not possible for some spatial, temporal and size regimes. Long-term, and perhaps intermediate-term, predictions for large earthquakes appear to be possible for very active fault segments. Predicting large events more than one cycle into the future appears to be inherently difficult, if not impossible since much of the nonlinearity in the earthquake process occurs at or near the time of large events. Progress in earthquake science and prediction over the next few decades will require increased monitoring in several active areas.
Systematic transperineal ultrasound-guided template biopsy of the prostate: three-year experience.

Abstract Objectives To review the technique of transperineal saturation prostate biopsy and to update our results on patients at high risk of prostate cancer. Methods A total of 210 men who met the study inclusion criteria underwent systematic transperineal ultrasound-guided template biopsy of the prostate. All patients had previously undergone at least one set of transrectal prostate biopsies and 170 (81%) had undergone two or more. The mean number of prostate cores obtained before the template biopsy was 17.4. A mean of 21.2 cores (range 12 to 41) were obtained at the template biopsy, depending on prostate size. The study inclusion criteria included prostate-specific antigen level of 10 ng/mL or greater, prostate-specific antigen velocity of 0.75 ng/mL per year or greater, or the presence of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and/or atypical small cell acinar proliferation on the previous biopsy. Results Adenocarcinoma was detected in 78 men (37%). Cancer was detected in the transition zone in 60 (77%) of these 78 men, including 36 (46%) in whom cancer was identified uniquely in the transition zone. Gleason sum 6 (range 3 to 9) was the most common biopsy grade. Thirty patients underwent radical prostatectomy, and 27 (90%) had pathologic Stage pT2 disease as the final pathologic stage. Complications from biopsy were limited to postprocedural urinary retention in 11% of patients. Conclusions A systematic transperineal template biopsy provides uniform sampling of the entire prostate. This technique appears to enhance the identification of transition zone cancers not detected by previous transrectal prostate biopsy in patients at high risk of prostate adenocarcinoma.
Functional Interactions of Neurotrophins and Neurotrophin Receptors

Hypothesis Programmed neuronal cell death is a prominent feature of vertebrate embryonic development. Timing and extent of cell death are dependent on the influence of the targets those neurons innervate, The number of neurons in the adult nervous system and the density of innervation of their targets are determined by a competitive process in which tissues produce, in limiting quantities, trophic factors that support neuronal survival. Neurons actively compete to establish optimum contact with the target, and those making the least effective contacts with the target are eliminated by cell dea th. If each target of inner­ vation elaborated a unique trophic factor, the resulting mechanism would provide a means of enforcing the correct patterns of connectivity between
An Efficient Interpolation-Based Chase BCH Decoder

BCH codes are adopted in many systems, such as flash memory, optical communications, and digital video broadcasting. By trying 2η test vectors, the soft-decision Chase decoding algorithm of BCH codes can achieve significant coding gain over hard-decision decoding. Previous one-pass Chase schemes find the error locators based on the Berlekamp's algorithm and need hardware-demanding selection methods to decide which locator corresponds to the correct code word. In this brief, a novel interpolation-based one-pass Chase decoder is proposed for BCH codes. By making use of the binary property of BCH codes, an innovative yet low-complexity method is developed to select the interpolation output leading to successful decoding without bringing any performance loss. The code word recovery step is also significantly simplified through nontrivial mathematical derivations. From architectural analysis, the proposed decoder with η = 4 for a (4200, 4096) BCH code has 2.3 times higher efficiency in terms of throughput-over-area ratio than the prior one-pass Chase decoder based on the Berlekamp's algorithm, while achieving the same error-correcting performance.
Proof by Induction Using Test Sets

A new method for proving an equational formula by induction is presented. This method is based on the use of the Knuth-Bendix completion procedure for equational theories, and it does not suffer from limitations imposed by the inductionless induction methods proposed by Musser and Huet and Hullot. The method has been implemented in RRL, a Rewrite Rule Laboratory. Based on extensive experiments, the method appears to be more practical and efficient than a recently proposed method by Jouannaud and Kounalis. Using ideas developed for this method, it is also possible to check for sufficient completeness of equational axiomatizations.
Characterization of dermatoglyphics in PHOX2B-confirmed congenital central hypoventilation syndrome.

OBJECTIVE. Individuals with congenital central hypoventilation syndrome have characteristic variants in the PHOX2B gene (primarily polyalanine expansion mutations). The PHOX2B gene acts as a transcriptional activator in the promotion of pan-neuronal differentiation in the autonomic nervous system during early embryologic development, with a primary role in the sympathetic noradrenergic phenotype in vertebrates. Because sympathetic innervation has been hypothesized to affect the development of dermatoglyphic pattern types, we hypothesized that individuals with PHOX2B-confirmed congenital central hypoventilation syndrome would have characteristic dermatoglyphic patterning and that the dermatoglyphic phenotype would be related to the disease-defining PHOX2B genotype. METHODS. Dermatoglyphic pattern type frequency, left/right symmetry, and genotype/phenotype correlation were assessed for 33 individuals with PHOX2B-confirmed congenital central hypoventilation syndrome and compared with published control data. RESULTS. Dermatoglyphic pattern type frequencies were altered in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome cases versus controls. In particular, there was an increase of arches in females and ulnar loops in males, with the largest differences for the left hand and for individuals with both congenital central hypoventilation syndrome and Hirschsprung disease. Dissimilarity scores between the congenital central hypoventilation syndrome and congenital central hypoventilation syndrome + Hirschsprung disease cases were not significantly different, nor were dissimilarity scores between all of the female and all of the male cases. No significant association was found between the number of polyalanine repeats in the PHOX2B genotypic category and dermatoglyphic pattern frequencies in the congenital central hypoventilation syndrome study groups. CONCLUSIONS. These results represent the first report describing specific dermatoglyphic patterning in congenital central hypoventilation syndrome and suggest a relationship between PHOX2B and the expression of dermatoglyphic pattern types. An expanded congenital central hypoventilation syndrome data set to include the full spectrum of PHOX2B mutations is necessary to further delineate the role of PHOX2B in dermatoglyphic patterning.
Putting prey back together again: integrating predator-induced behavior, morphology, and life history

The last decade has seen an explosion in the number of studies exploring predator-induced plasticity. Recently, there has been a call for more comprehensive approaches that can identify functional relationships between traits, constraints on phenotypic responses, and the cost and benefits of alternative phenotypes. In this study, we exposed Helisoma trivolvis, a freshwater snail, to a factorial combination of three resource levels and five predator environments (no predator, one or two water bugs, and one or two crayfish) and examined ten traits including behavior, morphology, and life history. Each predator induced a unique suite of behavioral and morphological responses. Snails increased near-surface habitat use with crayfish but not with water bugs. Further, crayfish induced narrow and high shells whereas water bugs induced wide shells and wide apertures. In terms of life history, both predators induced delayed reproduction and greater mass at reproduction. However, crayfish induced a greater delay in reproduction that resulted in reduced fecundity whereas water bugs did not induce differences in fecundity. Resource levels impacted the morphology of H. trivolvis; snails reared with greater resource levels produced higher shells, narrower shells, and wider apertures. Resource levels also impacted snail life history; lower resources caused longer times to reproduction and reduced fecundity. Based on an analysis of phenotypic correlations, the morphological responses to each predator most likely represent phenotypic trade-offs. Snails could either produce invasion-resistant shells for defense against water bugs or crush-resistant shells for defense against crayfish, but not both. Our use of a comprehensive approach to examine the responses of H. trivolvis has provided important information regarding the complexity of phenotypic responses to different environments, the patterns of phenotypic integration across environments, and the potential costs and benefits associated with plastic traits.
Intensity-dependent exciton dynamics of (6,5) single-walled carbon nanotubes: momentum selection rules, diffusion, and nonlinear interactions.

The exciton dynamics for an ensemble of individual, suspended (6,5), single-walled carbon nanotubes revealed by single color E22 resonant pump–probe spectroscopy for a wide range of pump fluences are reported. The optically excited initial exciton population ranges from approximately 5 to 120 excitons per ∼725 nm nanotube. At the higher fluences of this range, the pump–probe signals are no longer linearly dependent on the pump intensity. A single, predictive model is described that fits all data for two decades of pump fluences and three decades of delay times. The model introduces population loss from the optically active zero momentum E22 state to the rest of the E22 subband, which is dark due to momentum selection rules. In the single exciton limit, the E11 dynamics are well described by a stretched exponential, which is a direct consequence of diffusion quenching from an ensemble of nanotubes of different lengths. The observed change in population relaxation dynamics as a function of increasing pump i...
Quality of care in systemic lupus erythematosus: the association between process and outcome measures in the Lupus Outcomes Study

Objectives Although process measures to assess quality of care in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are available, their relationship to long-term outcomes has not been studied. Using a prospective, longitudinal cohort study, we examined the associations between high-quality care and two important SLE outcomes, disease activity and damage. Methods Data were derived from the University of California, San Francisco Lupus Outcomes Study. Participants were followed from 2009 through 2013, responding to yearly surveys. Primary outcomes in this study were clinically meaningful increases in disease activity and damage, assessed by the Systemic Lupus Activity Questionnaire (SLAQ) and the Brief Index of Lupus Damage (BILD), respectively. Using multivariable regression, we examined the relationship between high performance on 13 validated quality measures (receipt of ≥85% of quality measures), and disease outcomes, adjusting for disease status, sociodemographic characteristics, healthcare services and follow-up time. Results The 737 participants were eligible for a mean of five quality measures (SD 2, range 2–12). There were 155 and 162 participants who had clinically meaningful increases in SLAQ and BILD, respectively . In our models, we found no statistically significant relationship between performance on quality measures and changes in SLAQ. However, receiving higher-quality SLE care was significantly protective against increased disease damage (adjusted OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.4 to 0.7), even after adjusting for covariates. Discussion In this community-based cohort, we illustrate for the first time a strong link between processes of care, defined by SLE quality measures, and the subsequent accumulation of disease damage, an important outcome.
In Vivo Production of Nitric Oxide in Rats after Administration of Hydroxyurea

The metabolism of nitrovasodilators such as glyceryl trinitrate and nitroprusside provides the active moiety of these drugs (that is, nitric oxide). This process is not limited to the known nitrovasodilators, but also occurs with nitroaromatic antimicrobials. Here we report that the administration of hydroxyurea, an antitumor drug, to rats at pharmacological doses formed detectable nitrosyl hemoglobin, which increased with dose. At higher doses, nitrosyl hemoprotein complexes could also be detected in liver tissue. [15N]hydroxyurea was synthesized and compared with [14N]hydroxyurea. These observations verified that nitric oxide detected as nitrosyl hemoglobin or nitrosyl hemoprotein complexes in rats was the result of the metabolism of hydroxyurea. The time course and dose-dependence of nitric oxide generation were also investigated. Hydroxyurea's antineoplastic activity is caused by its direct action on ribonucleotide reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in DNA synthesis. Because nitric oxide also inhibits ribonucleotide reductase, this metabolite may supplement this action of hydroxyurea. In addition, the known ability of hydroxyurea to ease the pain of sickle cell anemia patients may be the result of vasodilation by the drug-derived nitric oxide.
Long‐term outcome of hepatitis B e antigen–negative hepatitis B surface antigen carriers in relation to changes of alanine aminotransferase levels over time

The baseline alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level was reported to have prognostic value in chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, during which ALT may change over time. Instead of baseline ALT, this study aimed to study the prognostic value of the height of ALT during the course of chronic HBV infection. A total of 4376 asymptomatic hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative, surface antigen (HBsAg) carriers with baseline ALT less than 2 times the upper limit of normal (ULN) were monitored with ALT measurement and ultrasonography every 3 to 12 month for over 3 years. Maximal ALT levels during follow-up were correlated with long-term outcomes using morbidity and mortality data from hospital records, cancer registration, and national mortality database. Baseline ALT level was normal in 3673 subjects and increased to abnormal level in 1720 (46.8%) during a mean follow-up period of 13.4 ± 5.2 (3.0-28.7) years. The incidence of liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and mortality increased with increasing maximal ALT level during follow-up, especially in those with maximal ALT of at least 2 times ULN, as compared with those who maintained normal ALT. Cox regression analysis indicated that age at entry, sex, and maximal ALT level during follow-up were significant independent factors associated with the development of cirrhosis, HCC, and mortality whereas cirrhosis was also an independent factor for HCC development and mortality. Conclusion: Persistently normal ALT was associated with excellent long-term prognosis, whereas increasing ALT levels of at least 2 times ULN during follow-up was associated with increasing morbidity and mortality. ALT of at least 2 times ULN is therefore an appropriate threshold for anti-HBV therapy, whereas those with ALT 1 to 2 times ULN require liver biopsy for decision. (HEPATOLOGY 2009.)
Interdecadal modulation of ENSO teleconnections

Abstract Seasonal climate anomalies over North America exhibit rather large variability between years characterized by the same ENSO phase. This lack of consistency reduces potential statistically based ENSO-related climate predictability. The authors show that the North Pacific oscillation (NPO) exerts a modulating effect on ENSO teleconnections. Sea level pressure (SLP) data over the North Pacific, North America, and the North Atlantic and daily rainfall records in the contiguous United States are used to demonstrate that typical ENSO signals tend to be stronger and more stable during preferred phases of the NPO. Typical El Nino patterns (e.g., low pressure over the northeastern Pacific, dry northwest, and wet southwest, etc.) are strong and consistent only during the high phase of the NPO, which is associated with an anomalously cold northwestern Pacific. The generally reversed SLP and precipitation patterns during La Nina winters are consistent only during the low NPO phase. Climatic anomalies tend to...
Taxless Administrative Financing

What happens when local bureaucracies in China fail to receive sufficient state budgeted funds? Focusing on Zouping, a county in Northern China, this essay examines the strategies that empower local agencies to self-finance personnel and administrative costs. The overarching logic of these strategies, which I label taxless administrative financing, can be summed up in a colloquial Chinese phrase: “license not budgets” (gei zhengce bu gei qian). Instead of allocating budgeted funds from tax revenue to fund public administration fully, the state enacts policies that “license” local bureaucracies to self-finance, such as by collecting fees or earning revenue through market activities. An account of taxless administrative financing has two important implications. First, it is distinguished from popular perceptions of local bureaucracies as corrupt agents who extract revenue arbitrarily and in defiance of state policies. Instead, it emphasizes that the state makes policies that license agencies to generate revenue for self-financing. Second, it highlights the continuity and adaptation of prebendal practices in pre-modern China in a contemporary context of market reform, placing the self-financing measures of local bureaucracies in historical and comparative light.
On the application of the Kjeldahl method of nitrogen determination to serological problems. (Preliminary note.)

Practically no variation in the nitrogen content of rabbit serum (centrifuged) is produced by the usual variations in temperature at which the blood sample (sealed) is kept during the initial separation of the serum. Sera separated in the incubator, ice chest and at room temperature are identical, within the limits of the experimental error.An increase of as much as 100 per cent. in nitrogen content may be brought about by increasing the length of time the serum is allowed to stand in contact with the clot. This increase is most rapid and most pronounced in samples kept at incubator temperature.Variations as great as 40 per cent. may be observed in different samples removed from the same rabbit at the same bleeding. Small consecutive samples drawn at five-minute intervals may show differences as great as 10 per cent.Variations as great as 40 per cent. above or below the average may be observed in sera of normal rabbits of the same age, size and breed, kept and bled under identical conditions.
The forensically important blow fly, Chrysomya megacephala (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is more likely to walk than fly to carrion at low light levels

One factor that influences estimates of time since death using entomological evidence is whether or not blow flies nocturnally oviposit. Field studies focusing on egg laying have found it occurs on an inconsistent basis. A key but poorly understood factor in nocturnal oviposition is a blow fly's ability to locate carrion under low light levels. It has been speculated that blow flies are more likely to walk than fly to carrion during the night, but this has not been empirically tested. We directly compared guided walking versus flying using infrared sensors under low light levels in laboratory conditions for Chrysomya megacephala (F.) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), a blow fly previously described to be nocturnal. We found C. megacephala is more likely to walk than fly toward carrion under low light levels (p=0.016). We did not, however, find differences between males and females for walking (p=0.48) or flying (p=0.42) despite male C. megacephala possessing eyes better suited for increased light capture. These results demonstrate the need to better understand where blow flies go at night, as bodies found within a fly's walking distance are more likely to be colonized.