cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors that influence platelet recovery after transfusion: resolving donor quality from ABO compatibility.

BACKGROUND : A system was established to examine the extent to which the apheresis donor determines platelet recovery after transfusion, to measure the impact of ABO identity, and to predict outcome by evaluating the donor. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS : The percentage of platelet recovery was measured after prophylactic transfusion of apheresis units divided from single donors to paired recipients with uncomplicated thrombocytopenia secondary to leukemia chemotherapy. Platelet microaggregation induced by citrate was measured at the time of apheresis. RESULTS : Platelet recoveries in paired recipients correlated strongly when both transfusions were ABO- identical. When one recipient was ABO-identical and the other was ABO-nonidentical, nonidentical transfusions yielded one-third the recovery of ABO-identical transfusions. In ABO-identical transfusions, platelet recovery in donors having microaggregates in the before-apheresis ACD sample was one-third that in donors without microaggregates. This difference was observed at 1 and 24 hours. Expression of P-selectin in the apheresis units at the time of transfusion correlated well with ACD microaggregates in the before-apheresis sample. CONCLUSION : When transfusions of platelets are ABO-identical, donor quality dominates recovery in circulation. Donor quality is predicted by a rapid and simple assay of citrate-induced microaggregation performed at the time of apheresis. When donor quality is factored out, ABO identity prevails.
ADVANCED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY USE

The application of information technology (IT) is no longer a function of cost reduction alone or clear economic justification: it is a matter of survival in a globally competitive world. Yet the perceived business value of IT, which influences adoption decisions, varies among corporations. This article reports on the adoption of Information technologies—including online data bases, imaging, distributed computing, and EDI—by a sample of corporations in the US, Europe, and Japan.
Detection of coronary atherosclerosis in young adult hearts using intravascular ultrasound.

BACKGROUND Coronary atherosclerosis has been demonstrated in young adults by postmortem pathology. Angiographic evaluation of coronary disease in young adults is limited by ethical issues and the insensitivity of angiography for detecting early pathology. Catheter-based intracoronary ultrasound has proven useful both in detecting and quantitating coronary disease, but the ultrasound appearance of young, angiographically normal, coronary arteries has not been well defined. METHODS AND RESULTS Twenty-five subjects were examined with intracoronary ultrasound within 1 month of cardiac transplantation. Mean age of the donor hearts was 28 years (range, 14-43 years). Measurements of an index of intimal thickening were obtained at four left anterior descending coronary artery sites in each patient. All study patients had angiographically normal coronary arteries. Ultrasound in 14 subjects demonstrated a three-layered appearance of the coronary vessel wall with a mean intimal index of 0.16 +/- 0.07. The other 10 subjects, including all donors under the age of 25 years, had coronary vessel wall layers too thin to be imaged separately at the 30-MHz sound frequency. Five subjects had ultrasound evidence of focal intimal thickening greater than 500 microns. The donors of these hearts each had risk factors for coronary artery disease. Two subjects died within 5 weeks of their ultrasound study. Histological measurements of the vessel wall layers were similar to the corresponding ultrasound values. CONCLUSIONS This study provides a reference for the intravascular ultrasound appearance of young adult coronary arteries and confirms pathology findings that young subjects with angiographically normal vessels have a range of coronary intimal thickening, which includes occasional evidence of focal, early atheromatous lesions.
Deterrence and brutalization: The dual effects of executions

On April 21, 1992, California received wide national attention when Robert Alton Harris was executed in the gas chamber at San Quentin. Harris's execution marked a reintroduction of the death penalty in California after a 25-year moratorium. We use weekly time-series data on the level and type of criminal homicide incidents in the state from 1989 through 1995 to exploit the quasi-experimental qualities of this naturally occurring “experiment,” and assess the impact of Harris's execution on the incidence of homicide. As in several recent studies, we disaggregate criminal homicides into forms of murder highly likely to be affected by capital punishment: felony-murders of nonstrangers, for which we predict a deterrent effect, and argument-murders of strangers, for which we predict a brutalization effect. On the basis of an autoregressive integrated moving-average approach to time-series analysis, we find (as predicted) a significant decline in the level of nonstranger felony-murders and a significant increas...
Europa Orbiter tour design with Io gravity assists

Abstract For a Europa Orbiter mission, the strategy for designing Jovian System tours that include Io flybys differs significantly from schemes developed for previous versions of the mission. Assuming that the closest approach distance of the incoming hyperbola at Jupiter is below the orbit of Io, then an Io gravity assist gives the greatest energy pump-down for the least decrease in perijove radius. Using Io to help capture the spacecraft can increase the savings in Jupiter orbit insertion Δ V over a Ganymede-aided capture. The tour design is guided by Tisserand graphs overlaid with a simple and accurate radiation model so that tours including Io flybys can maintain an acceptable radiation dosage. While Io flybys increase the duration of tours that are ultimately bound for Europa, they offer Δ V savings and greater scientific return, including the possibility of flying through the plume of one of Io's volcanoes.
Thermal stabilization of xylose isomerase from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes

The thermostability of D-xylose isomerase from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosulfurigenes was enhanced by site-directed substitutions of aromatic amino acids in the active site. This enhancement may be explained as the consequence of the reduction of the area of water-accessible hydrophobic surface. The kinetics of thermoinactivation of the enzyme in aqueous solution was also investigated, and we report that in addition to the well known divalent cations, the monovalent cation, K+, also protects the enzyme against thermoinactivation. The kinetic data suggest that the formation of incorrect conformations of the enzyme (“scrambled structure”) is the dominant factor governing the process of thermoinactivation at elevated temperature (80–90°C).
Emergence of reproducible spatiotemporal activity during motor learning

The motor cortex is capable of reliably driving complex movements yet exhibits considerable plasticity during motor learning. These observations suggest that the fundamental relationship between motor cortex activity and movement may not be fixed but is instead shaped by learning; however, to what extent and how motor learning shapes this relationship are not fully understood. Here we addressed this issue by using in vivo two-photon calcium imaging to monitor the activity of the same population of hundreds of layer 2/3 neurons while mice learned a forelimb lever-press task over two weeks. Excitatory and inhibitory neurons were identified by transgenic labelling. Inhibitory neuron activity was relatively stable and balanced local excitatory neuron activity on a movement-by-movement basis, whereas excitatory neuron activity showed higher dynamism during the initial phase of learning. The dynamics of excitatory neurons during the initial phase involved the expansion of the movement-related population which explored various activity patterns even during similar movements. This was followed by a refinement into a smaller population exhibiting reproducible spatiotemporal sequences of activity. This pattern of activity associated with the learned movement was unique to expert animals and not observed during similar movements made during the naive phase, and the relationship between neuronal activity and individual movements became more consistent with learning. These changes in population activity coincided with a transient increase in dendritic spine turnover in these neurons. Our results indicate that a novel and reproducible activity-movement relationship develops as a result of motor learning, and we speculate that synaptic plasticity within the motor cortex underlies the emergence of reproducible spatiotemporal activity patterns for learned movements. These results underscore the profound influence of learning on the way that the cortex produces movements.
The Electrical Potential Difference Across the Cell Membrane of Heart Muscle Biophysical Considerations

The electrical potential difference across the cell membrane of heart muscle cells is a diffusion potential arising from the interaction of fixed charges within the membrane pores with NaCl and KCl diffusing into and out of the cell. The magnitude and sign of this potential difference depend on the relative permeabilities, of the membrane to K, Na, and Cl. The resting membrane is predominantly permeable to K, while the action potential is characterized by a transient increase in Na permeability. An intracellular solution of high K concentration and low Na concentration is separated by the cell membrane from an extracellular solution having a low K concentration and a high Na concentration. These concentration differences are maintained by active transport processes that utilize the energy derived from cellular metabolic reactions to transport Na and K "uphill" against electrical and concentration gradients.
The thermal conductivity of sapphire between 0.4 and 4 °K

Abstract Measurements are given of the thermal conductivity K of 4 samples of single crystal sapphire between 0.4 and 4 °K. Between 2 and 4 °K the values of K/ T 3 were independent of T in agreement with the Casimir theory with values for 2 samples agreeing with theory in magnitude and 2 disagreeing by being 15% low. Below 2 °K values of K/ T 3 increased greatly with decreasing T .
Finite-type invariants for graphs and graph reconstructions

Abstract Many of the fundamental open problems in graph theory have the following general form: How much information does one need to know about a graph G in order to determine G uniquely. In this article we investigate a new approach to this sort of problem motivated by the notion of a finite-type invariant, recently introduced in the study of knots. We introduce the concepts of vertex-finite-type invariants of graphs, and edge-finite-type invariants of graphs, and show that these sets of functions have surprising algebraic properties. The study of these invariants is intimately related with the classical vertex- and edge-reconstruction conjectures, and we demonstrate that the algebraic properties of the finite-type invariants lead immediately to some of the fundamental results in graph reconstruction theory.
Boundary-enhancement in propagation-based x-ray phase-contrast tomosynthesis improves depth position characterization

Propagation-based x-ray phase-contrast (PB XPC) tomosynthesis combines the concepts of tomosynthesis and XPC imaging to realize the advantages of both for biological imaging applications. Tomosynthesis permits reductions in acquisition times compared with full-view tomography, while XPC imaging provides the opportunity to resolve weakly absorbing structures. In this note, an investigation of the depth resolving properties of PB XPC tomosynthesis is conducted. The results demonstrate that in-plane structures display strong boundary-enhancement while out-of-plane structures do not. This effect can facilitate the identification of in-plane structures in PB XPC tomosynthesis that could normally not be distinguished from out-of-plane structures in absorption-based tomosynthesis.
Inhibition of hydrogen sulfide generation from disposed gypsum drywall using chemical inhibitors.

Abstract Disposal of gypsum drywall in landfills has been demonstrated to elevate hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) concentrations in landfill gas, a problem with respect to odor, worker safety, and deleterious effect on gas-to-energy systems. Since H 2 S production in landfills results from biological activity, the concept of inhibiting H 2 S production through the application of chemical agents to drywall during disposal was studied. Three possible inhibition agents – sodium molybdate (Na 2 MoO 4 ), ferric chloride (FeCl 3 ), and hydrated lime (Ca(OH) 2 ) – were evaluated using flask and column experiments. All three agents inhibited H 2 S generation, with Na 2 MoO 4 reducing H 2 S generation by interrupting the biological sulfate reduction process and Ca(OH) 2 providing an unfavorable pH for biological growth. Although FeCl 3 was intended to provide an electron acceptor for a competing group of bacteria, the mechanism found responsible for inhibiting H 2 S production in the column experiment was a reduction in pH. Application of both Na 2 MoO 4 and FeCl 3 inhibited H 2 S generation over a long period (over 180 days), but the impact of Ca(OH) 2 decreased with time as the alkalinity it contributed was neutralized by the generated H 2 S. Practical application and potential environmental implications need additional exploration.
A PLA microcontroller using horizontal firmware

Abstract This paper is concerned with a high speed microcontroller suitable for block-structured firmware design. The approach is to express the sequencing structure of a microprogram by sequencing constructs or transactions which invoke context-free blocks of microcode. The underlying hardware structure is based on separate PLAs to store the microsequencing and microcode firmware and a sequencing generating processor. The proposed scheme has significant advantages over earlier designs in terms of executing speed of the horizontally formatted transactions and also simplicity of the processor design. Firmware design by means of this scheme is supported by a variety of tools already developed.
A Novel Normalized Cross-Correlation Based Echo-Path Change Detector

A double-talk detector is used to freeze acoustic echo canceller's (AEC) filter adaptation during periods of near-end speech. Increased sensitivity towards double-talk results in declaring echo-path changes as double-talk which adversely effects the performance of an AEC as we freeze adaptation when we really need to adapt. Thus, we need an efficient and simple echo-path change detector so as to differentiate any echo-path variations from double-talk condition. In this paper, we derive a novel test statistic for echo-path change detection. The proposed decision statistic detects any echo-path variations, is normalized properly and is computationally very efficient as compared to existing techniques. Simulations demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.
Ancestral plasticity and the evolutionary diversification of courtship behaviour in threespine sticklebacks

At the onset of adaptive differentiation caused by colonization of new environments, patterns of ancestral plasticity can influence trait expression, and thus determine which phenotypes are exposed to selection. This hypothesis can be evaluated in the postglacial adaptive radiation of threespine stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus, in northwestern North America. The very large oceanic populations that gave rise to the freshwater radiation are unlikely to have changed significantly since colonization was initiated, so the pattern of plasticity in oceanic fish can be used to infer the ancestral pattern. We demonstrate that courtship behaviour in oceanic sticklebacks is plastic and suggest that its expression is mediated by large cannibalistic foraging groups that attack and consume young in nests defended by males. We then demonstrate that, under laboratory conditions, males from two benthic (bottom-feeding) populations, where group cannibalism is common, zigzag less than males from a limnetic (plankton-feeding) population in which such groups do not form. The difference in courtship behaviour of these ecotypes parallels that seen in the field and the pattern of plasticity observed in oceanic fish. Ecotypic differences were also retained in laboratory-reared fish from one limnetic and one benthic population. Biting was a more common component of courtship in the laboratory than in the field, and males from freshwater populations bit more than those from the oceanic population, a difference that disappeared in laboratory-reared benthic and limnetic males. Our results suggest that ancestral plasticity may have influenced the subsequent evolution of some elements of courtship behaviour in the stickleback radiation.
Magnetic Properties Of Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 17-x/Ga/sub x/ Compounds

Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 17-x/Ga/sub x/ compounds with x=0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been fabricated by arc-melting, and annealed for different times. The structure and magnetic properties for these compounds were studied. X-ray diffraction measurements show that these compounds have the rhombohedral Th/sub 2/Zn/sub 17/ structure and are single phase except for Nd/sub 2/Fe/sub 13/Ga/sub 4/ which contains some /spl alpha/-Fe and another unknown phase. Lattice parameters and unit cell volume are found to increase with increasing Ga concentration. Structural and magnetic measurements on magnetically aligned powder samples show that all the samples studied have an easy-plane anisotropy.
Preparation of Specifically Deuterated RNA for NMR Studies Using a Combination of Chemical and Enzymatic Synthesis

The syntheses of ATP, GTP, UTP, and CTP with deuterium labels on the 3‘, 4‘, and 5‘ carbons (2−5) is described. A combination of chemical and enzymatic synthesis is used where d,l-ribose-3,4,5,5‘-d4 (±1) is first produced from glycerol-d8 by chemical methods, and then the four 3‘,4‘,5‘,5‘-labeled NTPs (2−5) are prepared from (−1) using enzymes from the purine salvage and pyrimidine biosynthetic metabolic pathways. New procedures were developed for the large scale preparation of GTP and CTP, and existing procedures were modified for the preparation of ATP and UTP. A 30-nucleotide RNA derived from the HIV-2 TAR RNA was prepared with unlabeled NTPs and deuterated NTPs (2−5) to illustrate the dramatic effects of deuteration on the NMR spectra of RNA. The NOESY spectra of the deuterated RNA exhibits greatly reduced spectral crowding compared to that of the unlabeled RNA, and assignment of NOEs to the H2‘ protons is simplified due to the specific deuteration pattern. Also, the nonselective T1 and T2 relaxation ...
SKF-38393, a dopamine receptor agonist, attenuates 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced neurotoxicity.

Abstract Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by progressive degeneration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons. Several factors such as inhibition of the mitochondrial respiration, generation of hydroxyl radicals and reduced free radical defense mechanisms causing oxidative stress, have been postulated to contribute to the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) treated animals is a useful experimental model of PD, exhibiting most of the clinical features, as well as the main biochemical and pathologic symptoms of the disease. In the present study, we have examined a dopaminergic (D 1 ) receptor agonist, SKF-38393 HCl (SKF) for its possible neuroprotective action against MPTP-induced insults on dopaminergic neurons. MPTP is converted by monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) to its neurotoxic metabolite 1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyridinium (MPP + ), which is then taken up into the dopaminergic neurons. SKF-38393 had no effects either on total or monoamine oxidase B in the striatum. SKF-38393 blocked the MPTP-induced depletion of glutathione and attenuated MPTP-induced depletion of dopamine. Furthermore, it enhanced the activity of superoxide dismutase and hence mimicked the action of selegiline. The results of these studies are interpreted to suggest that SKF-38393 may prove a valuable drug in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Infinite dilution activity coefficients and Henry's law constants of compounds in water using the inert gas stripping method

Abstract Henry's law constants and infinite dilution activity coefficients were measured for toluene, 1-butanol, anisole, 1,2-difluorobenzene, 4-bromotoluene, 1,2,3-trichlorobenzene, and 2,4-dichlorotoluene in water using the inert gas stripping method at ambient pressure (approximately 86.2 kPa) and at temperatures between 281.15 K and 323.15 K. Fugacity ratios, required to determine infinite dilution activity coefficients for the solid solutes, were calculated from literature values for the heat of fusion and the liquid and solid heat capacities. Chemicals were chosen based on missing or conflicting data from the literature.
Technology and architecture in an age of terrorism

Abstract In the wake of the events of September 11, 2001, a number of hastily arranged measures were taken to thwart further terrorist attacks. Understandably, there was little time to design architecturally harmonious airport security stations or protective concrete barriers to follow up those that were put into service in an ad hoc way. Now that terrorism has become a defining condition of our age, it is necessary for engineers, architects, and other professionals to rise to the occasion and design into buildings and public spaces defensive security features that are functionally and aesthetically integral, thereby reclaiming somewhat our quality of life.
Ligament reconstruction with trapezium retention arthroplasty for carpometacarpal arthritis

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide a qualitative and quantitative assessment of results in a consecutive series of patients with carpometacarpal arthritis using a trapezium-retaining interposition arthroplasty. Methods Between 1999 and 2002, 16 patients with basal joint arthritis were treated with a trapezium-retaining interposition arthroplasty. Fourteen of these patients were evaluated at a mean follow-up time of 20 months (minimum, 12 months) and were compared based on clinical outcome, presurgical and postsurgical x-ray evaluation, and range of motion, grip-strength, and pinch-strength values. Results Average trapezial height values as quantified by the trapezial space to proximal phalanx ratio were very similar before and after surgery. Average grip-strength values improved significantly. Although average pinch-strength and average range of motion values improved neither of these comparison values were significant. Thirteen of the 14 patients (93%) were satisfied with their results as quantified by postsurgical Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand questionnaires. Conclusions Ligament reconstruction with trapezium retention arthroplasty of the basal joint not only successfully maintains trapezial height but also yields patient satisfaction rates comparable to those achieved with other forms of basal joint arthroplasty.
Common Elements Correlation

Summary This work demonstrates common elements correlation, its extension to negative correlation, and the production of bivariate normal samples for a specified correlation matrix.
Urachal anomalies: defining the best diagnostic modality.

Abstract Objectives. Urachal abnormalities are uncommon and the literature is primarily comprised of case reports. Conclusions regarding the presentation and diagnosis of these abnormalities may be elucidated by reviewing a large experience. Methods. The records of 45 patients with urachal abnormalities in the pediatric age group were reviewed from 1970 to 1997. This included 24 boys and 21 girls with an age range from 1 day to 20 years (average 4.0 years). The presenting complaint was periumbilical discharge in 19 patients (42%), umbilical cyst or mass in 15 (33%), abdominal or periumbilical pain in 10 (22%), and dysuria in 1 (2%). The diagnosis consisted of a urachal sinus in 22 children (49%), a urachal cyst in 16 (36%), and a patent urachus in 7 (15%). Various radiographic studies were used to establish the diagnosis. Results. Patients with a urachal sinus had 16 voiding cystourethrograms performed (only 1 diagnostic), 9 sinograms (all diagnostic), 8 ultrasounds (4 diagnostic), and 1 excretory urogram (normal). Those with a urachal cyst had 8 voiding cystourethrograms (1 diagnostic), 5 excretory urograms (all normal), 4 ultrasounds (all diagnostic), and 1 computed tomography scan (diagnostic). Children with a patent urachus had 2 excretory urograms (both diagnostic), 1 voiding cystourethrogram (diagnostic), and 2 ultrasounds (normal). One baby with a patent urachus was diagnosed prenatally during ultrasound screening. The diagnosis was made by history and physical examination alone in 5 children and at the time of surgery in 1. Treatment consisted of surgical excision of the urachal abnormality with a cuff of bladder in 22 children, surgical excision without a bladder cuff in 22, incision and drainage of a urachal cyst (1%), and laparoscopic excision of a patent urachus with a bladder cuff in another (1%). There were three wound infections postoperatively. None developed any long-term sequelae. Conclusions. The diagnosis of urachal abnormalities can be made with certainty if a good physical examination and the appropriate radiographic test are performed. A patient who presents with periumbilical drainage should have a sinogram performed, which should be diagnostic for both a urachal sinus and a patent urachus. Any child who presents with a periumbilical mass should have an ultrasound performed, which should be diagnostic for a urachal cyst.
Electron scattering in a crystal lattice

Abstract For some types of crystals it is permissible to assume that within a spherical region surrounding each ion the potential is spherically symmetric and that in the innerspace between these spherical regions the potential is constant. Schrodinger's equation is solved for such a potential distribution in which the spherical potential wells are not all alike. Both propagating and non-propagating solutions are considered. An asymptotic evaluation of the wave scattered by an impurity ion is carried out. From this, a calculation of residual resistance in alkali metal alloys is obtained.
On the Foundations of Chemical Reactivity Theory

In formulating chemical-reactivity theory (CRT) so as to give it a deep foundation in density-functional theory (DFT), Parr, his collaborators, and subsequent workers have introduced reactivity indices as properties of isolated reactants, some of which are in apparent conflict with the underlying DFT. Indices which are first derivatives with respect to electron number are staircase functions of number, making electronegativity equalization problematic. Second derivative indices such as hardness vanish, putting hardness-based principles out of reach. By reformulating CRT within our partition theory, which provides an exact decomposition of a system into its component species, we resolve the conflict. We show that the reactivity of a species depends on its chemical context and define that context. We establish when electronegativity equalization holds and when it fails. We define a generalization of hardness, a hardness matrix containing the self-hardness of the individual species and the mutual hardnesses of the pairs of species of the system, and identify the physical origin of hardness. We introduce a corresponding generalization of the Fukui function as well as of the local and global softnesses and the softness kernel of the earlier formulation. We augment our previous formulation of the partition theory by introducing a model energy function and express the difference between the exact and the model forces on the nuclei in terms of the new reactivity indices. For simplicity, our presentation is limited to time-reversal invariant systems with vanishing spin density; it is straightforward to generalize the theory to finite spin density.
Demonstrating the Uses of the Novel Gravitational Force Spectrometer to Stretch and Measure Fibrous Proteins

The study of macromolecular structure has become critical to the elucidation of molecular mechanisms and function. There are several limited, but important bioinstruments capable of testing the force dependence of structural features in proteins. Scale has been a limiting parameter on how accurately researchers can peer into the nanomechanical world of molecules, such as nucleic acids, enzymes, and motor proteins that perform life-sustaining work. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) is well tuned to determine native structures of fibrous proteins with a distance resolution on par with electron microscopy. However, in AFM force studies, the forces are typically much higher than a single molecule might experience 1, 2. Optical traps (OT) are very good at determining the relative distance between the trapped beads and they can impart very small forces 3. However, they do not yield accurate absolute lengths of the molecules under study. Molecular simulations provide supportive information to such experiments, but are limited in the ability to handle the same large molecular sizes, long time frames, and convince some researchers in the absence of other supporting evidence2, 4. The gravitational force spectrometer (GFS) fills a critical niche in the arsenal of an investigator by providing a unique combination of abilities. This instrument is capable of generating forces typically with 98% or better accuracy from the femtonewton range to the nanonewton range. The distance measurements currently are capable of resolving the absolute molecular length down to five nanometers, and relative bead pair separation distances with a precision similar to an optical trap. Also, the GFS can determine stretching or uncoiling where the force is near equilibrium, or provide a graded force to juxtapose against any measured structural changes. It is even possible to determine how many amino acid residues are involved in uncoiling events under physiological force loads 2. Unlike in other methods where there is extensive force calibration that must precede any assay, the GFS requires no such force calibration 5. By complementing the strengths of other methods, the GFS will bridge gaps in understanding the nanomechanics of vital proteins and other macromolecules.
List-decoding of parity-sharing Reed-Solomon codes in magnetic recording systems

An (n,k) Reed-Solomon (RS) code is used in a magnetic recording system to help reduce the word failure rate (WFR). If the channel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) exceeds a certain value, the full power of a given RS code may be needed only on a few occasions to guarantee a target WFR. When this occurs, a parity-sharing scheme can be used to group a number of RS codewords into a larger codeword, block. The target WFR can, therefore, be achieved at a higher code rate. An efficient list-decoding technique has recently been developed by Guruswami and Sudan (G-S) that allows error correction beyond the classical "half-the-minimum-distance" bound. Koetter and Vardy (K-V) have further extended the G-S algorithm to perform soft-decision list-decoding. This work will show that G-S hard-decision and K-V soft-decision list-decoding of parity-sharing codes are both effective and computationally manageable schemes on the discrete memoryless and partial response channels.
Optimization of network signal timing

A typical urban traffic network is a complicated large-scale stochastic system which consists of many interconnected signalized traffic intersections. This paper develops a decentralized real-time adaptive control strategy for the traffic networks based on Markov decision theory. Computer simulation results of this new approach on a five intersection traffic network indicate significant improvement over the traditional fully actuated control algorithm.
BILIARY EXCRETION OF RADIOACTIVE IRON AND TOTAL IRON AS INFLUENCED BY RED CELL DESTRUCTION

Iron is eliminated in the bile of normal dogs at a low but quite constant rate, 0.2 mg. per day. The feeding of large amounts of iron to normal dogs does not cause an increased iron excretion in the bile nor does the injection of considerable quantities of colloidal iron by vein. When red cell destruction is brought about by acetyl-phenylhydrazine the elimination of biliary iron may increase tenfold and parallels the increased output of bile pigment. When red cells containing radioactive iron are destroyed by acetyl-phenylhydrazine there is a significant increase in radioactive iron excreted in the bile which parallels the bile pigment excretion—Charts A and C. The excretion of iron and bile pigment is independent of the volume of bile. When hemoglobin is destroyed the pigment radicle is totally excreted as bile pigment but only 3 per cent of the released iron is eliminated in the bile with conservation of the remainder. The importance of the liver and spleen as storehouses of iron is again confirmed. The body conserves iron even when it is present in marked excess.
Dynamic Version of the Economic Lot Size Model

(This article originally appeared in Management Science, October 1958, Volume 5, Number 1, pp. 89-96, published by The Institute of Management Sciences.) A forward algorithm for a solution to the following dynamic version of the economic lot size model is given: allowing the possibility of demands for a single item, inventory holding charges, and setup costs to vary over N periods, we desire a minimum total cost inventory management scheme which satisfies known demand in every period. Disjoint planning horizons are shown to be possible which eliminate the necessity of having data for the full N periods.
Mathematical Modeling and the Design of Studies in Drug Research

In the most general sense, a drug can be thought of as having two dose response curves:P1(d) = Proportion of patients who “respond” at dose ≤ d.P2(d) = Proportion of patients who suffer adverse reactions at dose ≤ d.The ideal drug is one with the two curves widely separated, where the first curve is steep (so a small range of doses are adequate to most patients) and the second curve is shallow. Both pre-clinical animal studies and human clinical studies are used to estimate the form and placement of those curves. However, the curves can never be fully characterized, and there are important definitional problems that have to be resolved, such asWhat is a “response”?Who are the patients?What adverse reactions?Time dependent patterns of response?Etc.As a drug is developed, segments of this overall mathematical model are formulated and studies are used to estimate parameters or test different submodels. This paper will try to present a coherent picture of how the designs of traditional studies fit this proces...
Predicting and Mapping Potential Whooping Crane Stopover Habitat to Guide Site Selection for Wind Energy Projects

Migratory stopover habitats are often not part of planning for conservation or new development projects. We identified potential stopover habitats within an avian migratory flyway and demonstrated how this information can guide the site-selection process for new development. We used the random forests modeling approach to map the distribution of predicted stopover habitat for the Whooping Crane (Grus americana), an endangered species whose migratory flyway overlaps with an area where wind energy development is expected to become increasingly important. We then used this information to identify areas for potential wind power development in a U.S. state within the flyway (Nebraska) that minimize conflicts between Whooping Crane stopover habitat and the development of clean, renewable energy sources. Up to 54% of our study area was predicted to be unsuitable as Whooping Crane stopover habitat and could be considered relatively low risk for conflicts between Whooping Cranes and wind energy development. We suggest that this type of analysis be incorporated into the habitat conservation planning process in areas where incidental take permits are being considered for Whooping Cranes or other species of concern. Field surveys should always be conducted prior to construction to verify model predictions and understand baseline conditions.
RE‐STATEMENT OF THE LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE B.A. DEGREE IN TERMS OF ATTAINMENT*

Author's Summary— Need of a re-statement of foreign language requirements for the B.A. which will place the emphasis upon attainment in the subject rather than upon credits or courses studied. Plan just adopted by the University of Wisconsin.
Mineralogy, Diagenesis, and Porosity in Vicksburg Sandstones, McAllen Ranch Field, Hidalgo County, Texas

ABSTRACT Average porosity from porosimeter analyses of Vicksburg sandstone core plugs from McAllen Ranch gas field is approximately 15 percent, but average porosity from point counts is only 6.5 percent due to exclusion of microporosity. Average permeability is less than 1.5 millidarcys. These low porosities and permeabilities are due to extensive diagenetic modification of a chemically unstable sand. The Vicksburg Formation in Hidalgo County was deposited in a deltaic environment. Most of the reservoir sandstones are submature fine-grained lithic arkoses and feldspathic volarenites containing less than 30 percent quartz. Primary porosity was most commonly occluded by precipitation of authigenic minerals, predominantly calcite cement. The onset of extensive calcite precipitation occurred at relatively shallow burial depth (approximately 3,000 ft; 915 m) in the Hidalgo County area, and carbonate cements are abundant in most samples to depths in excess of 13,600 ft (4,145 m). Most porosity present is secondary porosity which formed by dissolution of cements and grains. Diagenetic modification is much greater in Vicksburg sandstones of Hidalgo County than in other Tertiary sandstones of the Texas Gulf Coast. This is due to the chemically unstable mineral assemblage and the high thermal gradient in this area.
The Subservient, Co-Equal, Affective, and Social Integration Styles and their Implications for the Arts

(1995). The Subservient, Co-Equal, Affective, and Social Integration Styles and their Implications for the Arts. Arts Education Policy Review: Vol. 96, No. 5, pp. 31-37.
A very low cost experimental setup for MIMO systems: How to build it with less than $500

A step-by-step approach to build a very low cost automated measurement setup for MIMO systems is presented in this paper. The price of the system can be lowered to $500 by reusing specific hardware elements. The performance of the setup is also evaluated with results obtained from an indoor environment measurement campaign conducted at UCI Radiofrequency laboratory.
The Critical Value of Focus Group Discussions in Research With Women Living With HIV in Malawi

This article is based on a critical ethnography about HIV and gender-based issues of power and violence conducted in Malawi in 2008. In all, 72 women living with HIV were recruited from four antiretroviral treatment clinics, three rural and one urban, to participate in 12 focus groups. Informed by a postcolonial feminist perspective, we analyze the process and products of these focus groups to interrogate their capacity to facilitate collective engagement with the social and structural realities confronting women in a resource-limited, highly AIDS-affected country. We present exemplars to show how women together created collective narratives to mobilize individuals to action. Findings indicate that focus groups can be used innovatively to benefit both the research and the participants, not only as a critical method of inquiry with marginalized groups but also as a forum in which validating dialogue, mutual support, and exchange of strategic information can generate transformative change to improve women's lives.
Admissible linear estimators in mixed linear models

Inhomogeneous linear estimation in the general mixed model with possible singular covariance matrix is considered. It is shown that this problem reduces to the homogeneous linear estimation in a simpler model. In consequence, some necessary and sufficient conditions for the admissibility are derived from Rao (1976, Ann. Statist. 4 1023–1037).
Modeling and control of a programmable filter for separation of biologically active molecules

We present the modeling and control of a programmable filter applicable to the separation of biologically active molecules like proteins and DNA. Conventional methods of separation are bulky, costly and time-intensive. We propose a diaphragm valve design that can filter molecules based on their size by controlling a narrow gap formed between two flat parallel plates. Modeling and experiments performed on a prototype implementation of the gap are presented. Preliminary tests performed on our closed-loop control system indicate that a resolution of 0.2 nm can be achieved for the gap size. Further, to account for any tilt between the plates, we propose the design of a flexure that can compensate for the tilt and ensure the formation of a uniform gap. Dynamic modeling of the flexure and simulations of the tilt-compensation are presented.
Implementation of a fast path planner on an industrial manipulator

A fast path planner is implemented on a SUN Sparc workstation that controls a Puma 560 manipulator. Path planning is achieved by decomposing the robot configurations into body formations and arm postures, and a two-phase path planning procedure. In the off-line planning phase, the defined formations and postures are generated, and a two dimensional collision table is set up, while in the online planning phase, a graph search is carried out to find a sequence of adjacent collision free formations and postures. The software for implementation of the path planner consists of several main modules for configuration generation, link volume modeling, obstacle data base, collision table, graphic simulator, robot interface and path finder. Extensive tests involving several thousand trial have been carried out in an environment cluttered with complex shaped obstacles such chairs, computer terminals and pipelines. The planning time and planning success rate are determined experimentally for different resolutions. The path planner finds and executes a collision free path in nearly all cases where such a path exists. The path planner is fast, and the online planning time is a couple of seconds on the average for a modified Puma 560 working in an environment containing some twenty complex shaped obstacles.
Application of the cayley form to general spacecraft motion

The study of N-dimensional rigid-body motion is a well-developed field of mechanics. Some of the key results for describing the kinematics of these bodies come from the Cayley transform and the Cayley-transform kinematic relationship. Additionally, several forms of the equations of motion for these bodies have been developed by various derivations. By using Cayley kinematics, the motion of general mechanical systems can be intimately related to the motion of higher-dimensional rigid bodies. This is done by associating each point in the configuration space with an N-dimensional orientation. An example of this is the representation of general orbital and attitude motion of a spacecraft as pure rotation of a four-dimensional rigid body. Another example is the representation of a multibody satellite system as a four-dimensional rigid body.
RoboCart: toward robot-assisted navigation of grocery stores by the visually impaired

This paper presents RoboCart, a proof-of-concept prototype of a robotic shopping assistant for the visually impaired. The purpose of RoboCart is to help visually impaired customers navigate a typical grocery store and carry purchased items. The current hardware and software components of the system are presented. For localization, RoboCart relies on RFID tags deployed at various locations in the store. For navigation, RoboCart relies on laser range finding. Experiences with deploying RoboCart in a real grocery store are described. The current status of the system and its limitations are outlined.
Enhanced Antibacterial Potential in UBP43-Deficient Mice against Salmonella typhimurium Infection by Up-Regulating Type I IFN Signaling

ISG15 is an IFN-inducible ubiquitin-like protein and its expression and conjugation to target proteins are dramatically induced upon viral or bacterial infection. We have generated a UBP43 knockout mouse model that is lacking an ISG15-specific isopeptidase to study the biological role of the protein ISGylation system. We report that UBP43-deficient mice are hypersensitive to LPS-induced lethality and that TIR domain-containing adapter inducing IFN-beta --> IFN regulatory factor 3 --> type I IFN is the major axis to induce protein ISGylation and UBP43 expression in macrophages upon LPS treatment. In ubp43(-/-) macrophages, upon LPS treatment we detected increased expression of IFN-stimulated genes, including genes for several cytokines and chemokines involved in the innate immune response. The ubp43(-/-) mice were able to restrict the growth of Salmonella typhimurium more efficiently than wild-type mice. These results clearly demonstrate two aspects of IFN-signaling, a beneficial effect against pathogens but a detriment to the body without strict control.
RNAi: Future in insect management

RNA interference is a post- transcriptional, gene regulation mechanism found in virtually all plants and animals including insects. The demonstration of RNAi in insects and its successful use as a tool in the study of functional genomics opened the door to the development of a variety of novel, environmentally sound approaches for insect pest management. Here the current understanding of the biogenesis of the two RNAi classes in insects is reviewed. These are microRNAs (miRNAs) and short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Several other key approaches in RNAi -based for insect control, as well as for the prevention of diseases in insects are also reviewed. The problems and prospects for the future use of RNAi in insects are presented.
A Measurement Error Approach to Assess the Association between Dietary Diversity, Nutrient Intake, and Mean Probability of Adequacy

Collection of dietary intake information requires time-consuming and expensive methods, making it inaccessible to many resource-poor countries. Quantifying the association between simple measures of usual dietary diversity and usual nutrient intake/adequacy would allow inferences to be made about the adequacy of micronutrient intake at the population level for a fraction of the cost. In this study, we used secondary data from a dietary intake study carried out in Bangladesh to assess the association between 3 food group diversity indicators (FGI) and calcium intake; and the association between these same 3 FGI and a composite measure of nutrient adequacy, mean probability of adequacy (MPA). By implementing Fuller's error-in-the-equation measurement error model (EEM) and simple linear regression (SLR) models, we assessed these associations while accounting for the error in the observed quantities. Significant associations were detected between usual FGI and usual calcium intakes, when the more complex EEM was used. The SLR model detected significant associations between FGI and MPA as well as for variations of these measures, including the best linear unbiased predictor. Through simulation, we support the use of the EEM. In contrast to the EEM, the SLR model does not account for the possible correlation between the measurement errors in the response and predictor. The EEM performs best when the model variables are not complex functions of other variables observed with error (e.g. MPA). When observation days are limited and poor estimates of the within-person variances are obtained, the SLR model tends to be more appropriate.