cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feasibility of group voice therapy for individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Abstract Purpose The primary purpose was to demonstrate the feasibility of executing treatment tasks focused on increasing loudness in a group format for individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD). A second purpose was to report preliminary pre-to-post treatment outcomes for individuals with PD immediately after they complete the group program. Methods The group intervention is described. Fifteen adults with PD who participated in the group and three clinicians leading the group provided feedback about the execution of the intervention. The participants also provided voice samples and self-ratings of voice handicap once before completing the 8-week voice group and once immediately after completing the voice group. Outcome measures included voice intensity, fundamental frequency (F0) mean, standard deviation and range, maximum phonation time, and listener judgment of loudness. Results Feedback from the clinicians suggested that many, but not all, of the voice activities could be executed within a group setting. Participants with PD indicated they understood the focus of the group and that subjectively they felt the group was helpful for increasing loudness. Statistically significant increases occurred for voice intensity, F0 maximum, and F0 range. Voice handicap scores decreased significantly and 80% of the participants were judged louder post intervention. Conclusions Clinician and participant feedback indicated that it was feasible to execute most LSVT ® tasks in a group format with some modifications. The preliminary outcome data indicate that the targeted behavior (voice dB and loudness) did change in the predicted direction as did several other measures. Future studies comparing outcomes of group intervention to the gold standard LSVT ® , and exploring retention of treatment gains over time, are needed. Learning outcomes: After reading the manuscript, readers will be able to: (1) Describe previous attempts at group intervention to improve voice for individuals with Parkinson's disease. (2) List three ways that the group intervention tried in this study differed from LSVT ® . (3) Identify three limitations to this study that must be addressed before advocating implementation of the group approach in clinical situations.
Solvation Ultrafast Dynamics of Reactions. 11. Dissociation and Caging Dynamics in the Gas-to-Liquid Transition Region

In this paper we give a full account of the work presented in earlier communications [Lienau et al. Chem. Phys. Lett. 1993, 213, 289; 1994, 218, 224; J. Chim. Phys. 1995, 92, 566]. With femtosecond time resolution, studies are presented of the dynamics in real time of an elementary chemical reaction, the dissociation and recombination of iodine in supercritical rare-gas solvents, in the gas-to-liquid transition region. Through pressure variation, the properties of the solvent, helium, neon, argon, or krypton, are changed from those of an essentially ideal gas at low densities to those of a liquidlike fluid at pressures of several thousand bar. Of particular interest here are (i) the impact of solute−solvent interactions on the coherence of the wave packet nuclear motion, (ii) the collision-induced predissociation of the B state, and (iii) the geminate recombination of the atomic fragments and the subsequent vibrational energy relaxation within the A/A‘ states. In helium and neon, the coherence of the vibrational motion persists for many picoseconds, even at pressures of 2000 bar. For pressures between 100 and 2000 bar of helium and neon, the dephasing rate is only weakly affected by the solvent density. In all solvents, the solvent-induced predissociation rate increases nearly linearly with solvent density. In argon at 2500 bar, the predissociation rate reaches 1.05 ps^(-1). Relative geminate recombination yields for the formation of new A/A‘ state iodine molecules and the time scale for the geminate recombination and the subsequent A/A‘ state vibrational relaxation dynamics are also studied. The solvation and chemical dynamics are examined, using simple analytical models, in relation to the solvent density and polarizability. With the help of molecular dynamics, detailed in the accompanying paper, we present a microscopic picture of the elementary processes under the free and solvation conditions encompassing the different density regimes in the gas-to-liquid transition region.
Complex relationships between substrate sequence and sensitivity to alterations in γ-secretase processivity induced by γ-secretase modulators.

γ-Secretase catalyzes the final cleavage of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), resulting in the production of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides with different carboxyl termini. Presenilin (PSEN) and amyloid precursor protein (APP) mutations linked to early onset familial Alzheimer’s disease modify the profile of Aβ isoforms generated, by altering both the initial γ-secretase cleavage site and subsequent processivity in a manner that leads to increased levels of the more amyloidogenic Aβ42 and in some circumstances Aβ43. Compounds termed γ-secretase modulators (GSMs) and inverse GSMs (iGSMs) can decrease and increase levels of Aβ42, respectively. As GSMs lower the level of production of pathogenic forms of long Aβ isoforms, they are of great interest as potential Alzheimer’s disease therapeutics. The factors that regulate GSM modulation are not fully understood; however, there is a growing body of evidence that supports the hypothesis that GSM activity is influenced by the amino acid sequence of the γ-secretase substrate. We have evaluated whether mutations near the luminal border of the transmembrane domain (TMD) of APP alter the ability of both acidic, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-derived carboxylate and nonacidic, phenylimidazole-derived classes of GSMs and iGSMs to modulate γ-secretase cleavage. Our data show that point mutations can dramatically reduce the sensitivity to modulation of cleavage by GSMs but have weaker effects on iGSM activity. These studies support the concept that the effect of GSMs may be substrate selective; for APP, it is dependent on the amino acid sequence of the substrate near the junction of the extracellular domain and luminal segment of the TMD.
First principles study of coenzyme B12. Crystal packing forces effect on axial bond lengths.

In this work we analyze the structure of coenzyme B12 (AdoCbl) by means of periodic density functional theory (DFT) in order to elucidate the influence of the corrin side chains and the crystalline environment on the properties of axial bonds. The Co−Nax axial bond is very weak and its strength of less than 8 kcal/mol is four times smaller than Co−C which in solution is ∼31 kcal/mol. The proper description of the Co−Nax distance has been problematic in previous DFT calculations and the source of disagreement between experiment and theory remained unexplained. To resolve this discrepancy, periodic DFT calculations within the Car−Parrinello molecular dynamics (CPMD) framework were carried out on three different structural models of increased complexity. The simplest model (DBI-Ado+) contains the naked corrin ring with a total of 96 atoms. The second model is the full coenzyme B12 (AdoCbl) with 209 atoms which has been taken from crystallographic analysis. To understand the extent to which the crystal packin...
The stimulation of liver growth and demethylase activity following phenobarbital treatment.

Summary Multiple subcutaneous injections of phenobarbital into rats result in an increase in drug-metabolizing activity of the liver, as measured by an increase in demethylase activity. After the cessation of phenobarbital treatment the demethylase activity returns to normal. Associated with the increase in demethylase activity is an increase in liver weight, total protein, and nuclear count. Hepatocyte proliferation precedes the measurable increase in the nuclear count. After the last injection of phenobarbital, liver weight, total protein, and nuclear count slowly return to normal levels, following closely the decrease in demethylase activity.
Reduced-Complexity Verification for Initial-State Opacity in Modular Discrete Event Systems

Abstract In this paper, we propose and analyze reduced-complexity methodologies for verifying initial-state opacity in modular discrete event systems. Initial-state opacity requires that the membership of the system initial state to a given set of secret states S remains opaque (uncertain) to an intruder who has complete knowledge of the system model and observes system activity through some natural projection map. In the modular setting we consider, the given system is modeled as a composition (synchronous product) of M modules [ G 1 , G 2 , …, G M ] where each module G i is a non-deterministic finite automaton with N i states with the set of secret states S is of the form S = [( x 1 , x 2 , …, x M )| x i S i ], where S i is the set of secret states for module G i . Assuming that the pairwise shared events are pairwise observable and that the intruder observes events that are observable in at least one module, we provide a modular algorithm for verifying initial-state opacity with O ( MN M–1 2 N2 ) state and time complexity, where N = max i N i . This is a considerable reduction compared to the O (2 ( NM )2 ) state and time complexity of the centralized verification method, which verifies initial-state opacity by considering the composed system as a monolithic system.
Dark matter: Past, present, and future

The words “dark matter” are a shorthand for an enormous range of evidence indicating (a) that various astronomical mass-to-light (M/L) ratios are larger than can be accounted for by visible stars and gas at any temperature and (b) that M/L systematically increases as one measures it on larger and larger distance scales. The evidence is reviewed historically and attention given to the range of possible gravitating substances (collectively “dark matter candidates”) that might make up all or part of the stuff. A handful are currently taken seriously, but the total inventory is at least several dozen. Dark energy comes at the end, but is also to be taken seriously.
Changes in Ecosystem Carbon and Nitrogen in a Loblolly Pine Plantation over the First 18 Years

Eighteen years after the establishment of a loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) plantation, ecosystem C content had approximately tripled (from 54 to 161 Mg C ha -1 ) primarily because of increases in tree biomass. Ninety-three percent of the net ecosystem C accumulated in biomass (100 Mg C ha -1 ) and 6% of net ecosystem C accumulated in the forest floor (13 Mg C ha -1 ).No statistically significant changes in soil C were found. Growth responses to fertilization noted in Year 4 were no longer statistically significant in Year 18. Nitrogen accumulation in aboveground biomass and forest floor were approximately equal (averaging approximately 270 kg N ha -1 each) and could have come from a combination of atmospheric deposition, soil N mineralization, and, in the treated plots, fertilizer input. No statistically significant changes in soil N content were found. The results of this study are similar to those from a previous study in a loblolly pine plantation in South Carolina but contrast with those in nearby deciduous forests where substantial changes in soil C and N over similar time periods have been noted.
Nonparametric Copula Density Estimation in Sensor Networks

Statistical and machine learning is a fundamental task in sensor networks. Real world data almost always exhibit dependence among different features. Copulas are full measures of statistical dependence among random variables. Estimating the underlying copula density function from distributed data is an important aspect of statistical learning in sensor networks. With limited communication capacities or privacy concerns, centralization of the data is often impossible. By only collecting the ranks of the data observed by different sensors, we estimate and evaluate the copula density on an equally spaced grid after binning the standardized ranks at the fusion center. Without assuming any parametric forms of copula densities, we estimate them nonparametrically by maximum penalized likelihood estimation (MPLE) method with a Total Variation (TV) penalty. Linear equality and positivity constraints arise naturally as a consequence of marginal uniform densities of any copulas. Through local quadratic approximation to the likelihood function, the constrained TV-MPLE problem is cast as a sequence of corresponding quadratic optimization problems. A fast gradient based algorithm solves the constrained TV penalized quadratic optimization problem. Numerical experiments show that our algorithm can estimate the underlying copula density accurately.
Measuring the exponential nonlinearity of spectrophotometers.

A new method for measuring the exponential nonlinearity of a spectrophotometer is presented that uses the reflectance from a glass–water interface as a reflection standard. The method is equivalent in absolute accuracy to other, more complicated schemes, but is simple to use and requires relatively little additional equipment.
Manifest Anxiety and Visual Acuity

21 high-anxiety and 21 low-anxiety Ss, as designated by the MAS, were tested on a visual acuity task. The stimuli were 33 circles. In some there was a small gap in the perimeter; others were closed. Ss task was to locate the position of the gap. The high-anxiety Ss had a mean error of 11.90 while the low-anxiety Ss had a mean error of 6.43 (p < .01). These results confirm that high-anxiety Ss make more errors than low-anxiety Ss on a visual task.
Proliferative activity of urothelium and tumors of renal pelvis, ureter, and urinary bladder evaluated by thymidine labeling.

Carcinoma of the urinary bladder is among the more frequent neoplasms in the United States, with an estimated 37,100 new cases diagnosed in 1982, 27,000 in males and 10,100 in females.' In addition, more than 2,000 new cases of carcinoma of the renal pelvis and ureter would be expected during the same one-year period. 1.2 The urethra is less often the site of the presenting carcinoma," but carcinoma in situ of the urethra may coexist with invasive bladder carcinoma," and subsequently become invasive after treatment of the bladder carcinoma. 5 Both stage" and histologic grade? influence the course of the disease and response to therapy. The proliferative rate of urothelial carcinoma could be another determinant of prognosis. Prior studies have shown that normal epithelium and carcinomas of the urinary bladder can be labeled in vitro with tritiated thymidine and S-phase cells thereby detected.v" Veenema, Fingerhut, and Craff!" and Hainau and Dornbernowsky? reported that carcinomas of high histologic grade had a;high thymidine labeling index (TLI) compared with low-grade carcinomas. Histologically low-grade carcinomas with high TLI tended to have rapid clinical courses. 10 Flat transitional cell carcinomas were
Spatial and Temporal Patterns in the Microbial Diversity of a Meromictic Soda Lake in Washington State

The microbial community diversity and composition of meromictic Soap Lake were studied using culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches. The water column and sediments were sampled monthly for a year. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes showed an increase in diversity with depth for both groups. Late-summer samples harbored the highest prokaryotic diversity, and the bacteria exhibited less seasonal variability than the archaea. Most-probable-number assays targeting anaerobic microbial guilds were performed to compare summer and fall samples. In both seasons, the anoxic samples appeared to be dominated by lactate-oxidizing sulfate-reducing prokaryotes. High numbers of lactate- and acetate-oxidizing iron-reducing bacteria, as well as fermentative microorganisms, were also found, whereas the numbers of methanogens were low or methanogens were undetectable. The bacterial community composition of summer and fall samples was also assessed by constructing 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. A total of 508 sequences represented an estimated >1,100 unique operational taxonomic units, most of which were from the monimolimnion, and the summer samples were more diverse than the fall samples (Chao1 = 530 and Chao1 = 295, respectively). For both seasons, the mixolimnion sequences were dominated by Gammaproteobacteria, and the chemocline and monimolimnion libraries were dominated by members of the low-G+C-content group, followed by the Cytophaga-Flexibacter-Bacteroides (CFB) group; the mixolimnion sediments contained sequences related to uncultured members of the Chloroflexi and the CFB group. Community overlap and phylogenetic analyses, however, not only demonstrated that there was a high degree of spatial turnover but also suggested that there was a degree of temporal variability due to differences in the members and structures of the communities.
Growth of oriented aluminium nitride films on silicon by chemical vapour deposition

Aluminium nitride films were grown on silicon substrates using the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) method. The properties of the films were studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscope (AFM) measurements, X-ray diffraction and Raman scattering. The resulting films were strongly textured and had a preferential orientation with the c-axis normal to the surface, the Raman spectra showed two peaks at 607 and 653 cm−1 and two large bands at 750 and 900 cm−1 of smaller intensity. Both the macro- and micro-Raman spectra showed the same peaks.
Wide Band Dual-Beam U-Slot Microstrip Antenna

A wide band dual-beam microstrip antenna is proposed in this communication. Two radiation beams off broadside are obtained by operating the patch antenna at the higher order TM02 mode instead of the fundamental mode, which radiates a broadside beam. Broadening the antenna bandwidth is achieved by using the U-slot technique. Unlike previous work on the conventional U-slot microstrip antenna, the effect of the U-slot inclusion on the performance of a patch antenna operating at the TM02 mode is studied across the entire achieved bandwidth. The antenna analysis is carried out with the aid of full wave simulation, and an antenna prototype is fabricated and measured for validation. Good agreement between the simulated and measured results is observed. The antenna operating frequency range is 5.18-5.8 GHz with VSWR less than 2, which corresponds to 11.8% impedance bandwidth. It exhibits two radiation beams, directed at 35° and -33° with 7.92 dBi and 5.94 dBi realized gain, respectively at 5.5 GHz.
The Two-Envelope Paradox Resolved

In the standard version of the two-envelope paradox I am invited to play a game in which I may select one of two sealed envelopes. I am told (reliably) that both contain money, one twice as much as the other. After making my selection I am given the choice of swapping envelopes or sticking with my original pick. The paradox arises from the following reasoning, which gives the counterintuitive result that, whichever envelope I originally selected, it is in my interest to swap:
Measurements of cloud condensation nuclei activity and droplet activation kinetics of fresh unprocessed regional dust samples and minerals

Abstract. This study reports laboratory measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) activity and droplet activation kinetics of aerosols dry generated from clays, calcite, quartz, and desert soil samples from Northern Africa, East Asia/China, and Northern America. Based on the observed dependence of critical supersaturation, sc, with particle dry diameter, Ddry, we found that FHH (Frenkel, Halsey and Hill) adsorption activation theory is a far more suitable framework for describing fresh dust CCN activity than Kohler theory. One set of FHH parameters (AFHH ∼ 2.25 ± 0.75, BFHH ∼ 1.20 ± 0.10) can adequately reproduce the measured CCN activity for all species considered, and also explains the large range of hygroscopicities reported in the literature. Based on a threshold droplet growth analysis, mineral dust aerosols were found to display retarded activation kinetics compared to ammonium sulfate. Comprehensive simulations of mineral dust activation and growth in the CCN instrument suggest that this retardation is equivalent to a reduction of the water vapor uptake coefficient (relative to that for calibration ammonium sulfate aerosol) by 30–80%. These results suggest that dust particles do not require deliquescent material to act as CCN in the atmosphere.
The fluorescence of fluorescamine-amino acids.

Abstract Fluorescamine reacts with various amino acids to yield solutions exhibiting different amounts of fluorescence, and the fluorogenic reaction does not go to completion. To investigate these phenomena, we measured the lifetimes and quantum yields of the fluorescamine-amino acids and studied their rates of formation by stopped-flow fluorescence and transmission measurements. The quantum yields were similar (0.11 ± 0.03), as were the lifetimes (3.5 ± 0.5 ns). The only exceptions were the derivatives of tryptophan and cysteine, which were internally quenched. It was concluded that the chemical yields of the fluorescamine-amino acids varied greatly. Kinetic experiments showed wide variations in rates, with some amino acids requiring several seconds for reaction under some conditions. Proline, on the other hand, reacted rapidly, with a second order rate constant of 6.2 × 10−4 liter mol−1 s−1. Sequential additions of fluorescamine to amino acids were more efficient in producing the fluorescent product than the same amount of reagent added all at once; this suggested that fluorescamine was inactivated by a concentration-dependent process. A mechanism to explain the low chemical yields is proposed in which both base and amine catalyze the inactivation of fluorescamine.
Effect of work glove and type of muscle action on grip fatigue

Fatigue plays a major role in limiting work performance. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the effect of wearing a work glove on handgrip fatigue; (2) to compare the effect of a sustained grip contraction of concentric versus eccentric nature, named in this study isometric and eccentric; and (3) to determine if there is a relationship between physiological muscle performance and subjective perceptional fatigue during isometric and eccentric gripping. The study had 2 ×2 repeated measures design. The two factors were: (1) glove condition (glove, no glove); and (2) type of contraction (eccentric and isometric). The measurements taken were: (1) time to limit of endurance (T lim); (2) rate of perceived effort (RPE); (3) mean power frequency (MPF) derived from the electromyogram (EMG); and (4) the fatigue objective-subjective relationship (FOSR, which is the correlation coefficient between RPE and MPF). Twenty-one normal subjects maintained a handgrip of 60% of their maximal effort until exhau...
Assessment of Soil Modeling Capability for Orion Contingency Land Landing

Twenty-one swing tests were conducted at the NASA Langley Landing and Impact Research (LandIR) Facility in 2006 to evaluate Orion boilerplate ground landings as a function of impact velocity and pitch. In this article, experimental results from two capsule swing tests and three vertical drop tests are compared with numerical results. The numerical results were derived by using the nonlinear dynamic finite-element code LS-DYNA. The swing tests were conducted at 0° and -15° pitch, impacting a level soil mat at a 17.68 m/s (58 fps) horizontal velocity and 1.52 m/s (5 fps) vertical impact velocity. Three vertical drop tests were conducted with the boilerplate capsule at 0° pitch. Each test was conducted to measure the impact on a level soil mat with varying impact velocities: 3.66 m/s , 7.31 m/s , and 10.97 m/s (12, 24, and 36 fps). Results of the study show the potential of using numerical modeling for vertical drop test and swing test simulations. Discrepancies between the numerical and experimental si...
Brain energy metabolism and mitochondrial dysfunction in acute and chronic hepatic encephalopathy

One proposed mechanism for acute and chronic hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a disturbance in cerebral energy metabolism. It also reviews the current status of this mechanism in both acute and chronic HE, as well as in other hyperammonemic disorders. It also reviews abnormalities in glycolysis, lactate metabolism, citric acid cycle, and oxidative phosphorylation as well as associated energy impairment. Additionally, the role of mitochondrial permeability transition (mPT), a recently established factor in the pathogenesis of HE and hyperammonemia, is emphasized. Energy failure appears to be an important pathogenetic component of both acute and chronic HE and a potential target for therapy.
RACE, IDENTITY, POLITICS AND HISTORY

Presentation et commentaire de Afrocentrism: Mythical pasts and imagined homes de Stephen Howe (1998), ouvrage qui propose une approche historique du mouvement afrocentriste. L'A. met plus specifiquement en evidence l'interpretation de Howe de l'afrocentrisme en tant qu'ideologie ethnonationaliste, et le probleme de l'interpretation historique et anthropologique, faite par les mouvements afrocentristes, aux Etats-Unis ou en Afrique, de la realite historique.
Global surface reconstruction by purposive control of observer motion

What real-time, qualitative viewpoint-control behaviors are important for performing global visual exploration tasks such as searching for specific surface markings, building a global model of an arbitrary object, or recognizing an object? In this paper we consider the task of purposefully controlling the motion of an active, monocular observer in order to recover a global description of a smooth, arbitrarily-shaped object using the occluding contour. By studying the epipolar parameterization, we develop two basic behaviors that allow reconstruction of a patch around any point in a reconstructible surface region. These behaviors rely only on information extracted directly from images (e.g., tangents to the occluding contour), and are simple enough to be executed in real time. We then show how global surface reconstruction can be provably achieved by (1) integrating these behaviors to iteratively "grow" the reconstructed regions, and (2) obeying four simple rules. >
Strategies for improving the parametric yield and profits of 3D ICs

Three-Dimensional (3D) Integrated Circuits (ICs) that integrate die with Through-Silicon Vias (TSVs) promise to continue system and functionality scaling beyond the traditional geometric 2D device scaling. 3D integration also improves the performance of ICs by reducing the communication time between different chip components through the use of short TSV-based vertical wires. This reduction is particularly attractive in processors where it is desirable to reduce, the access time between the main logic die and the L2 cache or the main memory die. Process variations in 2D ICs lead to a drop in parametric yield (as measured by speed, leakage and sales profits), which forces manufacturers to speed bin their chips and to sell slow chips at reduced prices. In this paper we develop a model to quantify the impact of process variations on the parametric yield of 3D ICs, and then we propose a number of integration strategies that use a graph-theoretic framework to maximize the performance, parametric yield and profits of 3D ICs. Comparing our proposed strategies to current yield-oblivious methods, it is demonstrated that it is possible to increase the number of 3D ICs in the fastest speed bins by almost 2times, while simultaneously reducing the number of slow ICs by 29.4%. This leads to an improvement in performance by up to 6.45% and an increase of about 12.48%-in total sales revenue using up-to-date market price models.
Accumulation of Some Flavor Compounds in Full- and Reduced-fat Cheddar Cheese Under Different Ripening Conditions

Reduced-fat cheese showed higher levels of ethanol and lower acetoin than full-fat samples throughout ripening regardless of conditions. Total headspace volatiles, as well as butanoic and hexanoic acids, increased with ripening time and temperature. Full- and reduced-fat cheeses developed distinctly different headspace volatile profiles throughout ripening. The effects of ripening conditions were more notable in full-fat samples. Ripening reduced-fat Cheddar cheese at an elevated temperature for a limited time may enhance development of some desirable volatiles such as butanoic acid.
Architecture-based runtime software evolution

Continuous availability is a critical requirement for an important class of software systems. For these systems, runtime system evolution can mitigate the costs and risks associated with shutting down and restarting the system for an update. We present an architecture-based approach to runtime software evolution and highlight the role of software connectors in supporting runtime change. An initial implementation of a tool suite for supporting the runtime modification of software architectures, called ArchStudio, is presented.
Passive classification of wireless NICs during rate switching

Computer networks have become increasingly ubiquitous. However, with the increase in networked applications, there has also been an increase in difficulty to manage and secure these networks. The proliferation of 802.11 wireless networks has heightened this problem by extending networks beyond physical boundaries. We propose the use of spectral analysis to identify the type of wireless network interface card (NIC). This mechanism can be applied to support the detection of unauthorized systems that use NICs which are different from that of a legitimate system. We focus on rate switching, a vaguely specified mechanism required by the 802.11 standard that is implemented in the hardware and software of the wireless NIC. We show that the implementation of this function influences the transmission patterns of a wireless stream, which are observable through traffic analysis. Our mechanism for NIC identification uses signal processing to analyze the periodicity embedded in the wireless traffic caused by rate switching. A stable spectral profile is created from the periodic components of the traffic and used for the identity of the wireless NIC. We show that we can distinguish between NICs manufactured by different vendors and NICs manufactured by the same vendor using their spectral profiles.
Mechanisms of self-organization for the collagen fibril lattice in the human cornea

The transparency of the human cornea depends on the regular lattice arrangement of the collagen fibrils and on the maintenance of an optimal hydration—the achievement of both depends on the presence of stromal proteoglycans (PGs) and their linear sidechains of negatively charged glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). Although the GAGs produce osmotic pressure by the Donnan effect, the means by which they exert positional control of the lattice is less clear. In this study, a theoretical model based on equilibrium thermodynamics is used to describe restoring force mechanisms that may control and maintain the fibril lattice and underlie corneal transparency. Electrostatic-based restoring forces that result from local charge density changes induced by fibril motion, and entropic elastic restoring forces that arise from duplexed GAG structures that bridge neighbouring fibrils, are described. The model allows for the possibility that fibrils have a GAG-dense coating that adds an additional fibril force mechanism preventing fibril aggregation. Swelling pressure predictions are used to validate the model with results showing excellent agreement with experimental data over a range of hydration from 30 to 200% of normal. The model suggests that the electrostatic restoring force is dominant, with the entropic forces from GAG duplexes being an order or more smaller. The effect of a random GAG organization, as observed in recent imaging, is considered in a dynamic model of the lattice that incorporates randomness in both the spatial distribution of GAG charge and the topology of the GAG duplexes. A striking result is that the electrostatic restoring forces alone are able to reproduce the image-based lattice distribution function for the human cornea, and thus dynamically maintain the short-range order of the lattice.
On the Topological Design of Distributed Computer Networks

The problem of data transmission in a network environment involves the design of a communication subnetwork. Recently, significant progress has been made in this technology, and in this article we survey the modeling, analysis, and design of such computercommunication networks. Most of the design methodology presented has been developed with the packet-switched Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET) in mind, although the principles extend to more general networks. We state the general design problem, decompose it into simpler subproblems, discuss the solutions to these subproblems, and then suggest a heuristic topological design procedure as a solution to the original problem.
Morningstar Mutual Fund Ratings Redux

We perform an extensive examination of how the new Morningstar rating system, introduced in June 2002, predicts future fund performance. Specifically, we examine all domestic equity funds that were rated by Morningstar as of June 30, 2002. We then examine the performance of these funds over the next three years, July 2002-June 2005. Using four different performance metrics, adjustments for loads, and three different methodologies for dealing with survivorship bias, we find widespread support for the notion that the new Morningstar rating system can predict future performance, at least within the first three years out-of-sample. Specifically, we find that higher rated funds, for the most part, significantly outperform lower rated funds. Moreover, the effect is relatively monotonic as even the next to lowest rated funds (2-star funds) significantly outperform the lowest rated funds (1-star funds). These results are quite different from those of Blake and Morey (2000) and Morey (2002b) which show that the older Morningstar rating system did not predict future performance well.
Rites of Passage in Families with Adolescents

In previous generations society defined expectations and constructed events to promote individual development, a functional family organization, and cultural continuity. Culturally defined and accepted rites of passage that were previously observed in families with adolescents have given way to a more vague and meaningless set of adolescent expectations and affirmations. It is proposed that this change has interfered with the mission of the family to promote functional adolescent development and with the ability of the family during this life cycle stage to operate with a sense of community attachment. This paper addresses the importance of rites of passage as they pertain to family development and change and presents ideas about making them explicit in family therapy to change family interaction and structure. Prescribed family rituals that are straightforward, developmentally relevant, and interactional can be effective without consideration to whether they are paradoxical. Three clinical illustrations are presented to highlight this therapeutic approach.
Gate current dependence of low-frequency noise in GaAs MESFET'S

Characteristics of low-frequency noise generators in ion-implanted GaAs MESFET's on semi-insulating substrates were determined using measurements at 300°K and 105°K in the frequency range of 10Hz to 50KHz. The noise magnitude shows strong dependence on gate leakage current and its spectral response is a combination of both 1/f and 1/f2types. The high-field gate-leakage current dependence of excess LF noise suggests the tunneling of electrons into deep level defects and their subsequent thermal emission to the conduction band.
Intrinsic Resistance to Inhibitors of Fatty Acid Biosynthesis in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Is Due to Efflux: Application of a Novel Technique for Generation of Unmarked Chromosomal Mutations for the Study of Efflux Systems

Many strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa are resistant to the antibiotics cerulenin and thiolactomycin, potent inhibitors of bacterial fatty acid biosynthesis. A novel yeast Flp recombinase-based technique was used to isolate an unmarked mexAB-oprM deletion encoding an efflux system mediating resistance to multiple antibiotics in P. aeruginosa. The experiments showed that the MexAB-OprM system is responsible for the intrinsic resistance of this bacterium to cerulenin and thiolactomycin. Whereas thiolactomycin was not a substrate of the MexCD-OprJ pump expressed in a Δ(mexAB-oprM) nfxB mutant, cerulenin was efficiently effluxed by the MexCD-OprJ system. It was also found that the MexAB-OprM system is capable of efflux of irgasan, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial compound used in media selective for Pseudomonas.
FDG-PET and beyond: molecular breast cancer imaging.

Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning has gained widespread acceptance for the diagnosis, staging, and management of a variety of malignancies, including breast cancer. This has heralded an exciting new era of molecular imaging research of which using FDG as the primary PET tracer is only the beginning. The fundamental strength of PET over conventional imaging is the ability to convey functional information that even the most exquisitely detailed anatomic image cannot provide. As the standard PET radiotracer in current clinical use, FDG is a glucose analog that is taken up by cells in proportion to their rate of glucose metabolism. The increased glycolytic rate and glucose avidity of malignant cells in comparison to normal tissue is the basis of the ability of FDG-PET imaging to accurately differentiate cancer from benign tissue irregardless of morphology. The level or intensity of FDG uptake on PET is semiquantified and reported as the standardized uptake value (SUV). A multitude of new PET tracers are under development, many of which are aimed at targeting cellular processes that are more specific than glucose metabolism. In relation to breast cancer, these tracers include thymidine analogs such as [F-18]fluoro-L-thymidine (FLT) that target DNA replication as a measure of cell proliferation, annexin V derivatives that evaluate apoptosis, estrogen receptor (ER) tracers such as 16 -[F-18]fluoroestradiol-17 (FES), and engineered antibody fragments that directly target HER-2/neu receptors. In addition to new tracers, scanner technology is also rapidly evolving. Chief among these is the advent of the dual modality PET/CT scanner, which at the very least increases patient convenience by permitting PET and computed tomography (CT) imaging in a single appointment. But perhaps more importantly, initial studies indicate that the sum of the two modalities is better than either used separately and also may be an extremely useful tool in preradiation therapy planning. Other new scanning devices are also being developed, including small gantry PET scanners designed specifically for breast imaging, and handheld PET probes for direct intraoperative localization of tracer-avid tumor foci.
Analysis of Pitching Velocity in Major League Baseball Players Before and After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction

Background:Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstructions are relatively common among professional pitchers in Major League Baseball (MLB). To the authors’ knowledge, there has not been a study specifically analyzing pitching velocity after UCL surgery. These measurements were examined in a cohort of MLB pitchers before and after UCL reconstruction.Hypothesis:There is no significant loss in pitch velocity after UCL reconstruction in MLB pitchers.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:Between the years 2008 to 2010, a total of 41 MLB pitchers were identified as players who underwent UCL reconstruction. Inclusion criteria for this study consisted of a minimum of 1 year of preinjury and 2 years of postinjury pitch velocity data. After implementing exclusion criteria, performance data were analyzed from 28 of the 41 pitchers over a minimum of 4 MLB seasons for each player. A pair-matched control group of pitchers who did not have a known UCL injury were analyzed for comparison.Results:Of the...
Highly-sensitive intracavity detection using polarization mode beating techniques

We propose a highly-sensitive fiber optic sensor based on polarization mode beating techniques for measuring nanometric changes in optical pathlength. The high sensitivity and narrow laser linewidth show a potential application for ultra-sensitive biological measurements.
Sleep Disorders and the Eye

During the past decade, associations between sleep disorders and certain ophthalmologic disorders have been increasingly recognized. To review the literature on these important associations, we conducted a PubMed search using combinations of the following terms: sleep disorders, sleep apnea, circadian rhythm disorder, continuous positive airway pressure, eye disease, floppy eyelid syndrome, glaucoma, ischemic optic neuropathy, papilledema, nocturnal lagophthalmos, and vision loss. We limited our search to articles published in English that involved human participants. All available dates were included. One of the most common sleep disorders, obstructive sleep apnea, has been associated with a variety of eye diseases, including glaucoma, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, floppy eyelid syndrome, papilledema, and continuous positive airway pressure-associated eye complications. Nocturnal lagophthalmos manifests during sleep and is defined as the failure to fully close the eyelids at night. Finally, blindness is associated with increased risk of circadian rhythm disorders. On the basis of the existing published literature, we discuss these rarely recognized associations, potential pathophysiologic mechanisms, and the effect these associations have on the clinical management of patients. The knowledge of these associations is important for the primary care physician, ophthalmologist, and sleep physician so that underlying sleep disorders or ophthalmologic disorders can be detected.
Use of a harvested radial artery graft with preservation of the vena comitantes to reduce spasm risk and improve graft patency for extracranial to intracranial bypass: Technical note.

Abstract Background and significance The vessels of choice for cerebrovascular high-flow direct bypass procedures are the radial artery and the saphenous vein. Radial artery grafts have become favored over saphenous vein grafts because of higher patency rates and better size matching to appropriate recipient vessels. Radial grafts are prone to spasm however, and this may be seen in 4–10% of cases and can be associated with ischemic sequelae. The standard technique for radial artery harvest calls for complete separation of the artery from its adventitial attachments and associated venous network. There is reason to believe that this could contribute to spasm risk and possibly even thrombosis. Radial graft outcomes appear to be improved when the vena comitantes is preserved in cardiac and peripheral applications. We report the novel use of a harvested radial artery graft with preservation of its venae comitantes for extracranial to intracranial bypass. Clinical presentation The patient is a 59-year-old male who had a blunt head trauma with associated loss of consciousness and who was led to the incidental discovery of a large fusiform middle cerebral artery (MCA) aneurysm. Conclusion Preservation of the vena comitantes when harvesting a radial arterial graft for bypass, along with dual (arterial and venous) anastomoses, and concomitant use of intra-operative vaso-dilatory maneuvers to prevent spasm, may improve overall graft patency and patient outcome.
Statistical Mechanics of Classical Distinguishable Particles

An alternative definition of the entropy in terms of the logarithm of the probability distribution of thermodynamic variables is proposed, which is consistent with all desired thermodynamic properties. The factor of 1/N! connected with Gibbs’ Paradox is shown to arise naturally for distinguishable particles
Yield Response of Cotton Cultivars to Early-Season Applications of Chlordimeform and Aldicarh

Chlordimeform and aldicarb were evaluated in small plots in field studies for effects on yield of seven cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., cultivars in 1985 and 1986 and nine cultivars in 1987. Aldicarb (1.68 kg [AI]/ha) was incorporated above the seed at planting time, and six chlordimeform (0.14 kg [AI]/ha) applications were made on a 5-8-d schedule beginning at the second-to-fourth-true-Ieaf stage. High thrips population densities significantly reduced yields and earliness (percentage first harvest) in the plots not treated with aldicarb for some cultivars in 1985, but not in 1987. Aldicarb significantly enhanced earliness in 1985, likely because of thrips control. In 1986, aldicarb significantly increased yields at second harvest. Chlordimeform significantly increased total yields for ‘Coker 315’ and ‘PD-1’ but not for the five other cultivars in 1985. In 1986, chlordimeform significantly enhanced earliness and yields at first harvest and significantly reduced damage to squares by Heliothis spp. during late July. Neither aldicarb, cultivar, chlordimeform, nor interactions significantly influenced total yields in 1986 or earliness in 1987. Cultivar was the only factor that significantly influenced total yields in 1987. Increases in earliness and in total yields probably were due to insect control.
Effects of anticestodal agents on mitochondria from the nematode, Ascaris lumbricoides.

Several anticestodal drugs were shown previously to inhibit the mitochondrial 32P-ATP exchange reaction in the cestode Hymenolepis diminuta. It was postulated, on the basis of similarities in their energy metabolism, that the same anticestodal agents should also inhibit the exchange reaction in the mitochondria of the nematode, Ascaris lumbricoides. Most of these compounds did effectively inhibit the reaction in the nematode mitochondria, indicating that the selective toxicity for cestodes is a result of differences in permeability between the two groups of helminths.
China and global internet governance: toward an alternative analytical framework

Drawing on historical methods, this study assesses the conventional “cyber-sovereignty” framework, which has been used to capture and interpret China’s stance toward global Internet governance. This framework focuses on political control and tends to reduce China’s policies to the attempts by an authoritarian state to elevate governments and intergovernmental organizations to be the only legitimate governors of global cyberspace. As it traces the evolution of China’s relationship with the global Internet in the past three decades, the study demonstrates that China’s stance is more complex than the prevalent framework allows and that it is both built upon and different from the US-centric, market-oriented Internet governance scheme. This study recognizes the inadequacy of the conventional framework and invokes a theory of critical political economy of communication, thereby offering an alternative model to explicate the complex power dynamics behind China’s changing strategies. The alternative model advanc...