cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Interval-Based Celestial Geolocation Using a Camera Array

To replicate classical celestial navigation algorithms with modern technologies, a hemispherical camera array is used to capture panoramic images of the sun for the purpose of obtaining azimuth and zenith angles. A novel geolocation algorithm is presented to use these angles to determine the absolute location without aid of satellites. It derives both the geolocation estimates and the error intervals based on measurement noise levels. Hough Transform, charge-coupled device blooming, and interval analysis are employed to improve accuracy even with lower quality sensors. The proofs of our theoretical results based on an interval analysis handle arbitrary celestial references. Calibration of and geolocation from our experimental prototype demonstrates the feasibility and potential of our system. We obtain geolocation to within a rectangular area of 0.533 km $\times 1.6$ km using an array of inexpensive cameras with $640\times 480$ pixels resolution. Our simulation result shows that the improvement of sensor precision with technology already available can reduce the area of uncertainty to less than $200~{\mathrm{ m}}^{2}$ .
Theorizing Family-Based Nature Activities and Family Functioning: The Integration of Attention Restoration Theory With a Family Routines and Rituals Perspective

Time spent in nature has been recognized as beneficial for individuals, but the benefits of nature engagement for families remain significantly underresearched and lack theoretical underpinnings. We draw from the family studies, family leisure, and environmental psychology literature to suggest a new theoretical approach—integrating attention restoration theory and a routines and rituals perspective to study family-based nature activities. Attention restoration theory shows how certain types of behavioral settings have different effects on restored attention, which may influence interactions between family members, and a family routines and rituals perspective predicts greater developmental benefits from certain types of ritualized activities over onetime experiences. We argue that participation in family-based nature activities can serve as a pathway for positive family functioning more so than other types of leisure contexts.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Infections in a Pregnant Adolescent Population.

Abstract Study Objective Our objective was to identify risk factors associated with maternal infections and placental inflammation in pregnant adolescents attending an urban adolescent maternity clinic. Design This cross-sectional, descriptive study used survey and medical chart data collected at entry and prospectively across gestation. The prevalence of maternal infections and placental inflammation was determined and potential risk factors were identified. Setting Rochester Adolescent Maternal Program (RAMP) in Rochester, NY. Participants Racially and ethnically diverse pregnant adolescents (n = 158 ≤ 18 y at entry) were recruited. Interventions and Main Outcome Measures Main outcome measures were diagnosis of an infection or inflammatory condition in relation to demographic, anthropometric, dietary, socioeconomic, and health data. Results The three most prevalent infections diagnosed in this study population were recto-vaginal colonization of group B Streptococcus (GBS) (38%), bacterial vaginosis (BV) (40%) and candida (42%). African-American teens (AOR = 4.6; 95% CI: 1.74-13.02) and those with higher pre-pregnancy BMI (ppBMI; AOR = 1.2; 95% CI: 1.04-1.31) were more likely to test positive for BV across gestation. Older maternal age decreased the likelihood of positive tests for trichomoniasis (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.26-0.92) and gonorrhea (OR = 0.38; 95% CI: 0.16-0.82). Higher mean dietary vitamin D intake (mcg/d) was associated with a lower likelihood of testing positive for recto-vaginal GBS (OR = 0.87; 95% CI: 0.77-0.98). Conclusion Addressing modifiable risk factors associated with dietary intake and pre-pregnancy weight may help reduce health disparities among pregnant minority adolescents. Additionally, targeted sexual health education may greatly benefit younger female adolescents.
Inducing Cooperation with a Carrot Instead of a Stick

The Supreme Court’s reasoning in Leegin turned on the insight that manufacturers may use resale price maintenance (RPM) for procompetitive purposes. This paper presents a model of manufacturer-retailer interactions that clarifies why, as a rule, retailers and manufacturers are joint beneficiaries of service-inducing RPM. The model identifies factors that determine how RPM-generated benefits are allocated between a manufacturer and its retailers. The paper then shows that manufacturers may use market share discounts (MSD) in lieu of RPM or other vertical restraints to induce retailer performance. The outcomes and efficiency effects that are achieved with RPM can be replicated and usually surpassed if manufacturers substitute MSD for RPM, thereby enabling a manufacturer to retain all incremental profit rather than conceding some of it to retailers.
Surgical correction of the failed orchiopexy

The reasons for failure of orchiopexy were investigated by reviewing the records of 350 boys with undescended testis. There were 36 boys (10 per cent) who had experienced failure of an initial surgical procedure. We found that the standard surgical techniques of local inguinal dissection, high ligation of a patent processus vaginalis, extensive retroperitoneal mobilization of the spermatic vessels and vas deferens, and/or creation of a dartos pouch were sufficient to correct these failures. Retroperitoneal dissections were required to correct the undescended testes in 58 per cent of the boys. Only 37 per cent of the boys could be treated satisfactorily by localized inguinal dissection. It appears that standard surgical techniques, especially aggressive retroperitoneal dissection, are adequate to correct even troublesome cases of undescended testis.
Neoplastic Disease of the Spine

The spinal axis may be divided into three compartments: extradural, intradural extramedullary, or intramedullary. When evaluating spinal pathology, it is essential to first determine the compartment affected by the lesion in order to arrive at an appropriate diagnosis. Different neoplasms affect different compartments by virtue of their corresponding anatomic contents. For example, primary bone neoplasms such as osteoblastoma occur in the extradural compartment where the bony vertebral elements reside. As a result, one may use location as a reliable discriminatory factor in the quest for accurate diagnosis. That said, the same exact pathology may often times affect different compartments in isolation or simultaneously. For example, metastatic disease may involve any of the compartments including the intramedullary space. Some tumors may affect more than one compartment simultaneously. The classic example of this is a peripheral nerve sheath tumor such as a schwannoma. These neoplasms often involve the intradural extramedullary space, but also extend beyond the confines of the spinal canal into the extradural space via the adjacent neural foramina or vice versa.
A phase I study of selumetinib (AZD6244/ARRY-142866) in combination with cetuximab (cet) in refractory solid tumors and KRAS mutant colorectal cancer (CRC).

3103 Background: KRAS mutations have been recognized as clinically important predictors of resistance to EGFR-directed therapies in CRC. Oncogenic activation of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling cascad...
Does morphology matter in 2017? An approach to morphologic clues in non‐neoplastic blood and bone marrow disorders

Numerous non-neoplastic and neoplastic conditions manifest with distinctive features in blood. Although automated complete blood count (CBC) data are essential, CBC information alone is insufficient for diagnosis. Consequently, morphologic review of blood smears is still relevant in the era of sophisticated automated analyzer systems. Pathologist interpretation of the peripheral blood smear, in conjunction with CBC and clinical information, can provide rapid diagnostic information and guide cost-effective targeted laboratory testing. Pathologist review of blood smears can be used to diagnose cases in which the clinical findings are misleading or nonspecific. Here, we discuss a selection of cases in which the pathologist examination of the blood smear can aid in rapid and accurate diagnosis and guide appropriate treatment. Exemplary non-neoplastic disorders with distinctive morphologic blood features of RBC, neutrophils, monocytes, and lymphocytes will be highlighted. The differential diagnostic considerations in blood smears with RBC destruction will be presented, expanding beyond microangiopathic hemolytic anemia. Lymphocyte morphologic assessment guides differential diagnosis including the identification of rare germline disorders. In each case presented, the integration of morphologic features guided additional testing with confirmation of the diagnosis. Peripheral blood smear review is timely and cost effective, even in an era of sophisticated automated laboratory testing.
A comparative study of discrete fracture network and equivalent continuum models for simulating flow and transport in the far field of a hypothetical nuclear waste repository in crystalline host rock

Abstract One of the major challenges of simulating flow and transport in the far field of a geologic repository in crystalline host rock is related to reproducing the properties of the fracture network over the large volume of rock with sparse fracture characterization data. Various approaches have been developed to simulate flow and transport through the fractured rock. The approaches can be broadly divided into Discrete Fracture Network (DFN) and Equivalent Continuum Model (ECM). The DFN explicitly represents individual fractures, while the ECM uses fracture properties to determine equivalent continuum parameters. We compare DFN and ECM in terms of upscaled observed transport properties through generic fracture networks. The major effort was directed on making the DFN and ECM approaches similar in their conceptual representations. This allows for separating differences related to the interpretation of the test conditions and parameters from the differences between the DFN and ECM approaches. The two models are compared using a benchmark test problem that is constructed to represent the far field (1 × 1 × 1 km 3 ) of a hypothetical repository in fractured crystalline rock. The test problem setting uses generic fracture properties that can be expected in crystalline rocks. The models are compared in terms of the: 1) effective permeability of the domain, and 2) nonreactive solute breakthrough curves through the domain. The principal differences between the models are mesh size, network connectivity, matrix diffusion and anisotropy. We demonstrate how these differences affect the flow and transport. We identify the factors that should be taken in consideration when selecting an approach most suitable for the site-specific conditions.
Perceptions of control and unrealistic optimism in early-phase cancer trials.

Purpose Recent research has found unrealistic optimism (UO) among patient-subjects in early-phase oncology trials. Our aim was to investigate the cognitive and motivational factors that evoke this bias in this context. We expected perceptions of control to be a strong correlate of unrealistic optimism. Methods A study of patient-subjects enrolled in early-phase oncology trials was conducted at two sites in the USA. Respondents completed questionnaires designed to assess unrealistic optimism and several risk attribute variables that have been found to evoke the bias in other contexts. Results One hundred and seventy-one patient-subjects agreed to be interviewed for our study. Significant levels of perceived controllability were found with respect to all nine research-related questions. Perceptions of control were found to predict unrealistic optimism. Two other risk attribute variables, awareness of indicators (p=0.024) and mental image (p=0.022), were correlated with unrealistic optimism. However, in multivariate regression analysis, awareness and mental image dropped out of the model and perceived controllability was the only factor independently associated with unrealistic optimism (p Conclusion Patient-subjects reported that they can, at least partially, control the benefits they receive from participating in an early-phase oncology trial. This sense of control may underlie unrealistic optimism about benefiting personally from trial participation. Effective interventions to counteract unrealistic optimism may need to address the psychological factors that give rise to distorted risk/benefit processing.
Performance analysis of stationary Hadamard matrix diffusers in free-space optical communication links

Wireless communication systems that employ free-space optical links in place of radio/microwave technologies carry substantial benefits in terms of data throughput, network security and design efficiency. Along with these advantages comes the challenge of counteracting signal degradation caused by atmospheric turbulence in free-space environments. A fully coherent laser source experiences random phase delays along its traversing path in turbulent conditions forming a speckle pattern and lowering the received signal-to-noise ratio upon detection. Preliminary research has shown that receiver-side speckle contrast may be significantly reduced and signal-to-noise ratio increased accordingly through the use of a partially coherent light source. While dynamic diffusers and adaptive optics solutions have been proven effective, they also add expense and complexity to a system that relies on accessibility and robustness for successful implementation. A custom Hadamard diffractive matrix design is used to statically induce partial coherence in a transmitted beam to increase signal-to-noise ratio for experimental turbulence scenarios. Atmospheric phase screens are generated using an open-source software package and subsequently loaded into a spatial light modulator using nematic liquid crystals to modulate the phase.
Developing a post-treatment survivorship care plan to help breast cancer survivors understand their fertility

Reproductive-aged breast cancer survivors (BCS) who have completed initial cancer treatment frequently want to know about their future fertility potential. The purpose of this qualitative study was to assess if the fertility-related content presented in the survivorship care plan prototype met the informational needs of post-treatment BCS and to provide an opportunity for the target audience to review and react to the proposed content and design. We conducted and analyzed transcripts from seven focus groups with BCS to evaluate their reactions to the survivorship care plan prototype. We independently coded transcripts for consistent themes and sub-themes and used a consensus-building approach to agree on interpretation of results. We identified five themes that describe the post-treatment BCS’ responses to the prototype survivorship care plan in the context of their informational needs and experiences: (1) the prototype’s fertility-related information is relevant; (2) desire for clinical parameters to help survivors understand their infertility risk; (3) fertility-related information is important throughout survivorship; (4) evidence-based content from a neutral source is trustworthy; and (5) the recommendation to see a fertility specialist is helpful, but cost is a barrier. BCS have concerns and needs related to their fertility potential after initial breast cancer treatment. The evidence-based information offered in our prototype survivorship care plan was acceptable to BCS and has significant potential to address these needs. Additional primary data that identify post-cancer treatment indicators of fertility would advance this effort.
Reststrahlen Effects in Drift Experiments for NaCl in the Far-Infrared Region

The alkali metal halides possess the NaCl structure under ambient conditions of temperature and pressure (O h 5 , Fm3m with Z = 1). No activity is observed in the first-order Raman spectrum, but an F1u mode (triply degenerate) is observed in the far infrared region.
Intraoperative oxygen concentration and neurocognition after cardiac surgery: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication of cardiac surgery. Studies have identified potentially injurious roles for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and subsequent reperfusion injury. Cognitive dysfunction has also been linked to the deleterious effects of hyperoxia following ischemia-reperfusion injuries in several disease states, but there has been surprisingly little study into the role of hyperoxia in reperfusion injury after CPB. The potential for tightly regulated intraoperative normoxia to ameliorate the neurocognitive decline following cardiac surgery has not been investigated in a prospective manner. We hypothesize that the use of a protocolized management strategy aimed towards maintenance of an intraoperative normoxic level of oxygen, as opposed to hyperoxia, will reduce the incidence of POCD in older patients undergoing cardiac surgery. One hundred patients aged 65 years and older undergoing non-emergency coronary artery bypass grafting surgery on cardiopulmonary bypass will be enrolled in this prospective, randomized, controlled trial. Subjects will be randomized to receive a fraction of inspired oxygen of either 35% or 100% while under general anesthesia throughout the intraoperative period. The primary outcome measure will be the incidence of POCD in the acute postoperative phase and up to 6 months. The assessment of neurocognition will be undertaken by trained personnel, blinded to study group, with the telephone Montreal Cognitive Assessment (t-MoCA) tool. Secondary outcome measures will include assessment of delirium using the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM and CAM-ICU), as well as time to extubation, days of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU and hospital stay and mortality at 6 months. With the aim of later identifying mechanistic aspects of the effect of oxygen tension, blood, urine, and atrial tissue specimens will be taken at various time points during the perioperative period and later analyzed. This trial will be one of the first randomized controlled studies to prospectively assess the relationship between intraoperative oxygen levels and postoperative neurocognition in cardiac surgery. It addresses a promising biological avenue of intervention in this vulnerable aging population. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02591589 , registered February 13, 2015.
Successful Reintegration and Mental Health: An Examination of Gender Differences Among Reentering Offenders

Men and women exiting the correctional system represent a population at high risk for mental health problems, and the body of research on the mental health needs of former prisoners is growing. The...
Rubbish, Reuse, and Ritual at the Ancient Maya Site of El Zotz, Guatemala

This article questions the limits of archaeological categories. It highlights the ways in which labels created to interpret archaeological phenomena can, over time, become reified and even appear as archaeological entities themselves. To illustrate this point, I provide a common example from Mesoamerican archaeology, where one particular archaeological category—“termination”—is applied to a diverse array of complex assemblages of fragmented materials. The “termination” label is widely accepted, but ambiguous. Over time, the term has become so capacious as to not only describe quite varied archaeological assemblages, but also explain how they came to be formed and why they exist. This article critically examines the history, usage, and limits of “termination” as a cultural concept, an archaeological category, and a hermeneutic tool. Drawing on a case study from the ancient Maya site of El Zotz, Guatemala, I show that attention to the specific ways that people in the past manipulated, collected, and buried the components of an assemblage can yield more nuanced interpretations of ancient practices than those provided by an a priori label like “termination.” Extending indicators of pre- and post-depositional processes commonly employed in osteological analyses (e.g., visible burning, breakage, and surface modification patterns) to other types of artifacts (including lithics and ceramics) not only reveals the curation and ritual reuse of refuse by the ancient Maya of El Zotz, but also troubles the stability of the category of “termination.” More broadly, I call attention to the fact that employing reified archaeological categories may actively impede the identification of differences among ancient activities. Reflexively reconsidering archaeological labels not only prevents archaeologists from seeing the past as a mirror of the present, effectively explained by the categories and concepts we generate, but also raises new possibilities for rethinking traditional interpretations and long-held assumptions.
Direct measurement of hydrogen diffusivity and solubility limits in Zircaloy 2 (formula unit of ZrH0.0155) using incoherent quasi-elastic neutron scattering

Abstract The diffusivity of hydrogen is an important property of light water nuclear reactor (LWR) fuel cladding. LWR cladding absorbs hydrogen during normal operation, a contributing factor to embrittlement that decreases the lifetime of the fuel. Mass transport of hydrogen is dictated by an Arrhenius behavior typical of solid state diffusion and the associated activation energy is therefore a property relevant to LWR fuel performance. We have used incoherent quasi-elastic neutron scattering (QENS) to directly measure the diffusivity of hydrogen in recrystallized Zircaloy 2 with a hydrogen concentration of 170 μg/g. We rely upon the low-Q expansion for long-range diffusion to determine diffusivity as a function of temperature between 572 and 780 K. We find the diffusivity is given by D(T) = 0.0067 exp (-0.461 eV/kT) [cm2/s] below 670 K and by D(T) = 0.0012 exp (-0.36 eV/kT) [cm2/s] above 670 K. Our activation energy below 670 K agrees with the value typically used to assess hydrogen diffusivity in LWR cladding [Kearns, Journal of Nuclear Materials 43 (1972) 330], but is approximately 20% lower above 670 K. The two different activation barriers are attributed to impurity trapping of hydrogen solutes at lower temperature that ceases to influence diffusivity at higher temperature. The application of the Oriani model for diffusion with impurity trapping to our system demonstrates the plausibility of this hypothesis. We believe this mechanism may be responsible for historical discrepancies of measured hydrogen diffusivity in Zr-based alloys. The elastic intensity versus temperature in fixed window scans exhibit inflection points that are in good agreement with the published terminal solid solution solubility limits for hydrogen in Zircaloy 2.
Kidneys Prefer a High Fat4 Diet.

Ectopic or supernumerary ureteric bud (UB) branches can result in urinary tract obstruction. In this issue of Developmental Cell, Zhang et al. (2019) show that Ret and Fat4, which are expressed on the surface of the UB and surrounding stromal cells, respectively, interact directly to restrict branching during UB outgrowth.
Using hairy roots for production of secondary metabolites in Artemisia

Secondary metabolites are a group of chemical compounds in plants which have various functions and applications in different industries such as leather and pharmaceutical products. Artemisia is a genus of important vascular plants which contains many species. There are many chemical compounds in Artemisia which are still unknown. Additionally, hairy root culture in plants is considered to be one of the new techniques applied to production of secondary metabolites which denotes the vast application of this technique. Hairy root culture as a differentiated tissue has been under consideration for many researchers which is because of its genetic stabilization; its rapid growth in a hormone-free medium is also very important. The current study is conducted with the objective of hairy root induction in explant parts of some Artemisia species with various strains of Agrobacterium rhizogenes. The results show that total protein content and enzyme activity during hairy root induction has an ascending procedure. Phenol and flavonoid content have shown considerable increase. The sterol and essential oil have also shown interesting consistency towards each other. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of production secondary metabolites and antioxidant activities by hairy root-derived Artemisia. This study may open possibilities for production of the pharmaceutically high-value secondary metabolites.
A review of urban forest modeling: Implications for management and future research

Urban forest modeling is becoming increasingly complex, global, and transdisciplinary. Increased modeling of urban forest structure and function presents an urgent need for comparative studies to assess the similarities and differences between modeling techniques and applications. This paper provides a systematic review of 242 journal papers over the past two-decades, and identifies 476 case studies. We assess model case studies among different locations, units and scales, compare the ability and functional capacity of the models and different tools, compare papers published in different disciplines, and identify new emerging topics in the field of urban forest modeling. Conclusions from this analysis include: (1) the spatial distribution of case studies is primarily clustered around the US, Europe, and China, with the most popular units to model being streets and parks; (2) the most commonly used model types are the i-Tree toolset, ENVI-met, computational fluid dynamic models, and the Hedonic price model; (3) uncertainty assessment of urban forest models is limited; (4) spatially explicit models are critically important for estimating of ecosystem services as well as for environment management; (5) most case studies focus on biophysical benefits with few studies estimating economic and social benefits; and (6) linkages between urban forests and their social-psychological and health effects are less common due to subjectivity and uncertainty in expressing and quantifying human cultures, attitudes and behaviors. Based on a comparison of different models and a syntheses of case studies, we make suggestions for future research connecting urban forestry and urban ecosystems, model development, and ecosystem services. Such knowledge is critical for policy- and decision-makers, and can help improve urban forest planning, design and management.
Cell-type specific effects of genetic variation on chromatin accessibility during human neuronal differentiation

Common genetic risk for neuropsychiatric disorders is enriched in regulatory elements active during cortical neurogenesis. However, the mechanisms mediating the effects of genetic variants on gene regulation are poorly understood. To determine the functional impact of common genetic variation on the non-coding genome longitudinally during human cortical development, we performed a chromatin accessibility quantitative trait loci (caQTL) analysis in neural progenitor cells and their differentiated neuronal progeny from 92 donors. We identified 8,111 caQTLs in progenitors and 3,676 caQTLs in neurons, with highly temporal, cell-type specific effects. A subset (~20%) of caQTLs were also associated with changes in gene expression. Motif-disrupting alleles of transcriptional activators generally led to decreases in chromatin accessibility, whereas motif-disrupting alleles of repressors led to increases in chromatin accessibility. By integrating cell-type specific caQTLs and brain-relevant genome-wide association data, we were able to fine-map loci and identify regulatory mechanisms underlying non-coding neuropsychiatric disorder risk variants.
Interfacility transports by emergency medical services in the United States: Estimates from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

Abstract Objective To describe characteristics of encounters in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) brought by interfacility transport by emergency medical services (EMS) from other EDs or urgent care settings. Methods We performed a cross-sectional study of the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, a multistage probability survey of nonfederal of visits to U.S. EDS. We evaluated patients who were brought to the ED as an interfacility transport by EMS from another ED or urgent care setting between 2014 and 2017. We report demographics, clinical characteristics and treatment factors of ED encounters brought interfacility transport and assessed factors associated with discharge from the receiving ED. Results Of 562.9 million ED encounters during the assessed period, 4.5 million were brought by interfacility transport by EMS (1.1 million per year). This represented 0.8% (95% CI 0.6–1.0%) of all ED encounters and 5.3% (95% CI 4.4–6.3%) of ED encounters transported by EMS. Most encounters brought by interfacility transport were adults (85%) who were publicly insured (62%). 39% had at least one abnormal vital sign. Most encounters received diagnostic testing (84%) and were seen within 30 min of presentation (61%). 54% were admitted, and 36% were discharged from the ED. Encounters without chronic complex conditions and with normal triage vital signs were associated with ED discharge (p Discussion Interfacility transports between EDs transported by EMS account for
Malignant Gastrointestinal Obstruction: Options for Decompression and Nutrition

Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) is a relatively common condition affecting patients with advanced malignancy. Therapeutic interventions should be aimed at maintaining quality of life. Given the lack of prospective controlled studies in this patient population, patient management is often based on local practice patterns and anecdotal experience. To foster a collaborative approach among the members of the patient care team involving internal medicine, oncology, palliative care, clinical nutrition, surgery, gastroenterology, and interventional radiology physicians, it is important to improve our understanding of MBO. The purpose of this article is to describe the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, as well as medical, surgical, and nonsurgical palliative options available to patients with MBO for purposes of decompression and nutrition.
Structure Sensitive Scattering of Atoms and Molecules From Solid Surfaces

The study of the collisional process in the initial interaction between a gas particle and solid surface is one means of investigating the structure of surfaces. The collisional interaction must not, however, modify that structure but simply reflect it implying that elastic interactions should be of primary interest. Inelastic interactions (including reactive interactions) are of lesser utility in structural studies. In the following a brief review of the use of atomic and molecular beam scattering for surface structure determination is presented (1).
Topology control, resources allocation and routing in wireless sensor networks

The recently proposed self-organizing redundancy-cellular architecture (SoRCA) can significantly simplify wireless sensor network (WSN) topologies. We present three additional components for SoRCA: the distributed resource allocation algorithm (DRAA), the optimal path algorithm (OPA) and the distributed probabilistic routing algorithm (DPRA). The number of channels required for SoRCA is calculated and channels can be assigned by applying DRAA. Various WSN properties such as network lifetime are analytically derived assuming channelized MAC protocols and traffic models predicted based on OPA and DPRA.
End-to-end linkage (EEL) clustering algorithm: a study on the distribution of Meissner corpuscles in the skin.

A novel hierarchical clustering algorithm was applied to the distribution of Meissner corpuscles in the skin of mammals. This method, called end-to-end linkage (EEL), is useful for grouping data that consists of chain-like contingencies in the multivariable space. Unlike the traditional techniques which uncover hyperspherical clusters (e.g. single linkage), EEL considers the shortest distance between the predefined end pairs of the two clusters as an inter-group distance. This scheme allows characterizing the internal structure of data better than other hierarchical techniques. The anatomical data used in the case study is important for studying the sense of touch. The results show a substantial improvement over the traditional single-linkage method. On average, the number of correctly classified corpuscles is increased to twice the number identified by the single-linkage method. EEL can also be used for analyzing other sensory modalities where geometric relationships need to be explored. In addition, the report contains corpuscle density and epidermal-ridge width data obtained from several species.
Putting Declarative Meta Control to Work

Abstract : We present a logic programming system that accomplishes three important goals: equivalence of declarative and operational semantics, declarative specification of control information, and smoothness of interaction with nonlogic-based programs. The language of the system is that of Generalized Horn Clause Intuitionistic Logic with negation as inconsistency. Meta level predicates are used to specify control information declaratively, compensating for the absence of procedural constructs that usually facilitate formulation of e - cient programs. Knowledge that has been derived in the course of the current inference process can at any time be passed to non-logic-based program modules. Traditional SLD inference engines maintain only the linear path to the current state in the SLD search tree: formulae that have been proved on this path are implicitly represented in a stack of recursive calls to the inference engine, and formulae that have been proved on previous, unsuccessful paths are lost altogether. In our system, previously proved formulae are maintained explicitly and therefore can be passed to other reasoning modules. As an application example, we show how this inference system acts as the knowledge representation and reasoning framework of Pret\a program that automates system identification.
Control of ornithine decarboxylase activity in alpha-difluoromethylornithine-resistant L1210 cells by polyamines and synthetic analogues.

Abstract The regulation of ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) activity by the polyamine derivatives N1,N8-bis(ethyl)-spermidine and N1,N12-bis(ethyl)spermine was studied using a line of L1210 cells resistant to alpha-difluoromethylornithine (D-R cells), which contain very high levels of ODC, and a synthetic mRNA prepared from a plasmid containing an insert corresponding to ODC mRNA adjacent to an SP6 RNA polymerase promoter. Studies in which ODC protein was labeled in the D-R cells by exposure to [35S]methionine indicated that the polyamine derivatives and their physiological counterparts led to an increased rate of degradation of ODC and to a rapid reduction in ODC synthesis without affecting the content of ODC mRNA. Direct evidence that the polyamine derivatives act by inhibiting the translation of the ODC mRNA was obtained by studying their effects on the translation of ODC mRNA in reticulocyte lysates. This translation was strongly inhibited by the addition of N1,N8-bis(ethyl)spermidine, spermidine, N1,N12-bis(ethyl)spermine, or spermine but was not affected much by putrescine. The inhibition of the translation of ODC mRNA by either of the bis(ethyl) polyamine derivatives occurred at concentrations which stimulated total protein synthesis showing the selectivity of the reduction in ODC. The effects of polyamine derivatives and polyamines on translation of the plasmid-derived ODC mRNA were identical with those found with the D-R L1210 cell mRNA. This synthetic ODC mRNA lacks 261 bases of the 5'-leader sequences and 200 bases plus the poly(A) section from the 3'-nontranslated sequence. Therefore, these regions appear not to influence sensitivity of the ODC mRNA to inhibition of translation by polyamine derivatives.
Biochemistry of lathyrism: I. Collagen biosynthesis in normal and lathyritic chick embryos☆

Abstract Soluble and insoluble collagen fractions were isolated from the skin and bone of normal and lathyritic chick embryos varying times after injection of uniformly labeled l -proline-C14. The amount and specific activity of the isolated hydroxyproline indicate that the excessive amounts of soluble collagen produced in the lathyritic embryo are largely newly synthesized. The data also show that collagen synthesis and breakdown are occurring more rapidly in the lathyritic state than in the normal.
The Schardinger dextrins.

Publisher Summary The Schardinger dextrins are a group of homologous oligosaccharides, obtained from the breakdown of starch by the action of Bacillus macerans amylase. They bear the name “Schardinger” in recognition of the fact that, Schardinger first identified Bacillus macerans and first described their preparation and properties in reliable detail. The Bacillus macerans enzyme is distinctive in that it degrades starch with the production of almost no reducing power. Even though most enzyme preparations have a detectable hydrolytic activity (as measured by increase in copper reducing values) yet this is exceedingly small in comparison with other amylases at extents of conversion, which are similar as judged by decrease in viscosity or iodine-staining ability. At present, it is still debatable whether B. macerans amylase preparations are mixtures of two (or more) amylases, of which one has hydrolytic activity and another produces crystalline dextrins, or whether the hydrolytic activity is an intrinsic property of the same enzyme that produces crystalline dextrins. Although the enzyme has been enriched many-fold, it has so far eluded attempts to bring it into well-defined crystalline form. The usual laboratory method for obtaining B. macerans amylase is to culture the organism on an autoclaved potato or oatmeal medium in the presence of calcium carbonate at 37-45° for 2-4 weeks.
An automated cross‐correlation based event detection technique and its application to a surface passive data set

In studies on heavy oil, shale reservoirs, tight gas and enhanced geothermal systems, the use of surface passive seismic data to monitor induced microseismicity due to the fluid flow in the subsurface is becoming more common. However, in most studies passive seismic records contain days and months of data and manually analysing the data can be expensive and inaccurate. Moreover, in the presence of noise, detecting the arrival of weak microseismic events becomes challenging. Hence, the use of an automated, accurate and computationally fast technique for event detection in passive seismic data is essential. The conventional automatic event identification algorithm computes a running-window energy ratio of the short-term average to the long-term average of the passive seismic data for each trace. We show that for the common case of a low signal-to-noise ratio in surface passive records, the conventional method is not sufficiently effective at event identification. Here, we extend the conventional algorithm by introducing a technique that is based on the cross-correlation of the energy ratios computed by the conventional method. With our technique we can measure the similarities amongst the computed energy ratios at different traces. Our approach is successful at improving the detectability of events with a low signal-to-noise ratio that are not detectable with the conventional algorithm. Also, our algorithm has the advantage to identify if an event is common to all stations (a regional event) or to a limited number of stations (a local event). We provide examples of applying our technique to synthetic data and a field surface passive data set recorded at a geothermal site.
First demonstration of a conductor backed coplanar waveguide fed quasi-Yagi antenna

A planar microstrip fed quasi-Yagi antenna has been developed, which demonstrates excellent radiation characteristics over a broad frequency range. In this paper, the concepts that have made the microstrip quasi-Yagi so successful are applied in the development of a conductor backed coplanar waveguide (CB-CPW) antenna with the same desirable radiation characteristics. An X-band prototype with CB-CPW feed is presented with a measured bandwidth of 27%, 14 dB front-to-back ratio, and lower than -16 dB cross polarization level at 9 GHz.
Layered source-channel coding: A distortion-diversity perspective

Source-channel coding in time-varying channels without perfect side information at the transmitter suffers from uncertainty which may not always be averaged out. In channel coding, a main approach to address such uncertainty has been the outage formulation. In source coding, the main approaches to deal with such uncertainty have been multiple description coding (MDC) and successive refinement (SR). In this paper, we consider layered source-channel coding schemes relying on the MDC technique, originally proposed by Laneman et al, and the SR technique. We introduce the concept of distortion-diversity tradeoff, akin to the rate-diversity tradeoff, to consider the performance of these schemes. Our distortion-diversity perspective sheds some light on the performance comparison between various source-channel coding approaches in different operation regions.
Compressing images with wavelet/subband coding

We have developed software modules (both stand-alone and in the biomedical image analysis and display package ANALYZE) that perform wavelet-based compression on both 2-D and 3-D gray scale images. We present examples of such compression on a variety of medical images, and comparisons with JPEG and other compression schemes. We also show examples of the improvements gained by true 3-D compression of a 3-D image (as opposed to 2-D compression of each slice), and discuss issues such as the treatment of edge effects and human visual system response in the context of a wavelet-based approach. Finally, we discuss extensions of the current approach to still more efficient compression schemes. >
Vibrational and electronic excitations of {Na}/{Mo(100) }

Abstract The vibrational and electronic excitations of Na atoms chemisorbed on Mo(100) have been investigated with high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). An intense loss mode at 19 meV is assigned to perpendicular vibrations of the Na atoms. While the frequency of this mode does not shift with coverage within ± 1 meV, the intensity is strongly coverage dependent, becoming too weak to be observed above the work function minimum (∼0.5 ML). The absence of a frequency shift is contrary to the expectations of the Gurney model as well as more recent theoretical calculations. Work-function changes, the coverage dependence of the dynamic charge and low coverage electronic losses are all accounted for by the phenomenological Newns-Anderson model.
X-ray intensifying screens greatly enhance the detection by autoradiography of the radioactive isotopes 32P and 125I.

Abstract Detection of both γ-ray ( 125 I) and high energy β ( 32 P) particle-emitting radioisotopes by autoradiography is significantly enhanced by the use of X-ray intensifying screens. We have compared five commercially available intensifying screens (containing different inorganic phosphors) in combination with a number of films and exposure conditions. One calcium tungstate (Dupont, Cronex Lighting Plus intensifying screen produces an 8- to 10-fold enhancement in the detection of 32 P and a 30- to 40-fold enhancement in the detection of 125 I when an autoradiogram is made with Kodak RP ROYAL X-OMAT film at −70°C. With one intensifying screen, 10 dpm of 32 P and 50 dpm of 125 I in an area of 10 mm 2 are readily detectable in a 20-hr exposure.
Effects of Tetracaine on Voltage-activated Calcium Sparks in Frog Intact Skeletal Muscle Fibers

The properties of Ca2+ sparks in frog intact skeletal muscle fibers depolarized with 13 mM [K+] Ringer's are well described by a computational model with a Ca2+ source flux of amplitude 2.5 pA (units of current) and duration 4.6 ms (18 °C; Model 2 of Baylor et al., 2002). This result, in combination with the values of single-channel Ca2+ current reported for ryanodine receptors (RyRs) in bilayers under physiological ion conditions, 0.5 pA (Kettlun et al., 2003) to 2 pA (Tinker et al., 1993), suggests that 1–5 RyR Ca2+ release channels open during a voltage-activated Ca2+ spark in an intact fiber. To distinguish between one and greater than one channel per spark, sparks were measured in 8 mM [K+] Ringer's in the absence and presence of tetracaine, an inhibitor of RyR channel openings in bilayers. The most prominent effect of 75–100 μM tetracaine was an approximately sixfold reduction in spark frequency. The remaining sparks showed significant reductions in the mean values of peak amplitude, decay time constant, full duration at half maximum (FDHM), full width at half maximum (FWHM), and mass, but not in the mean value of rise time. Spark properties in tetracaine were simulated with an updated spark model that differed in minor ways from our previous model. The simulations show that (a) the properties of sparks in tetracaine are those expected if tetracaine reduces the number of active RyR Ca2+ channels per spark, and (b) the single-channel Ca2+ current of an RyR channel is ≤1.2 pA under physiological conditions. The results support the conclusion that some normal voltage-activated sparks (i.e., in the absence of tetracaine) are produced by two or more active RyR Ca2+ channels. The question of how the activation of multiple RyRs is coordinated is discussed.
Stereoselective coupling of hemigossypol to form (+)-gossypol in moco cotton is mediated by a dirigent protein

The terpenoid gossypol, a secondary metabolite found in the cotton plant, is synthesized by a free radical dimerization of hemigossypol. Gossypol exists as an atropisomeric mixture because of restricted rotation around the central binaphthyl bond. The dimerization of hemigossypol is regiospecific in cotton. In the case of some moco cotton, the dimerization also exhibits a high level of stereoselectivity. The mechanism that controls this stereoselective dimerization is poorly understood. In this paper, we demonstrate that a dirigent protein controls this stereoselective dimerization process. A partially purified protein preparation from cotton flower petals, which by itself is unable to convert hemigossypol to gossypol, converts hemigossypol with a 30% atropisomeric excess into (+)-gossypol when combined with an exogenous laccase, which by itself produces racemic gossypol.
Resource Utilization and Costs Associated with the Diagnostic Evaluation of Nonrefluxing Primary Hydronephrosis in Infants

Purpose: Long-term evaluation of postnatal nonrefluxing primary hydronephrosis presents a dilemma for urologists since most cases resolve without surgery. We report longitudinal resource utilization and costs associated with diagnostic evaluation of infants with isolated primary nonrefluxing hydronephrosis to determine the costs associated with diagnosing a surgical case, and we assess the implications using a cost-consequences analysis.Materials and Methods: A retrospective chart review was used to capture resource utilization for all patients younger than 6 months with hydronephrosis evaluated at our institution during a 5-year period. Infants with confounding urological diagnoses were excluded. Payer and societal perspectives were used. Costs were estimated from resource utilization, including radiographic imaging and clinical encounter types. Data were collected from first clinic visit until surgery or resolution or 3 years, whichever was shortest.Results: Of 165 included patients surgical rates for h...