cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Coded Noncoherent Communications

This paper presents detailed results on the relative merits of encoding blocks of binary digits into a set of equiprobable, equal energy, orthogonal signals each containing n bits of information. During a time interval of T seconds, one signal from this set is selected and transmitted over the ``Rician'' channel, further perturbed by additive white Gaussian noise and noncoherently detected at the receiver by matched filters and follow-up envelope detectors. Word and bit error probabilities (and bounds on these) are graphically illustrated for various degrees of coding and for various forms of the channel model. Particular emphasis is placed on the Gaussian channel. Special cases of Viterbi's results for coded phase-coherent communications are compared with those obtained in this paper. Bandwidth considerations are also discussed. The results are useful to the engineer who is faced with the problem of designing coded communication systems where power is limited to the point that phase coherence cannot be established at the receiver. Typical examples are space communications where it is desired to telemeter scientific data from small scientific satellites or space probes or for scatter-channel links which are to be used for relaying data between two widely separated points on the earth.
Computer analysis of beta-ray and conversion-electron spectra observed with low-resolution detectors☆

Abstract A computer program that permits one to resolve β-ray and conversion-electron energy spectra into their various components, taking into account experimental distortions, has been written. The program is designed to treat spectra taken with low-resolution detectors in which distortions of the true energy spectra are quite serious. Effects of the distortions upon the continuous β spectra are handled by an iterative least-squares fitting technique. An initial set of endpoint energies E 0 i for the various components is assumed, the true energy spectrum corresponding to the set E 0 i is computed from the Fermi treatment of β decay, the spectrum is distorted with the use of response functions appropriate to the detection system and the resulting calculated spectrum is compared with the observed spectrum. Adjustments of the intensities and endpoint energies are made and a new iteration is performed. The process is continued until termination requirements are met. Output information includes the final values of the intensities and endpoint energies of the various components and uncertainties in their values, as well as statistical goodness-of-fit data. One of the main advantages of this treatment is that it retains all of the statistical information present in the observed spectrum. As written, the calculation of response functions is designed for plastic scintillators used under conditions in which scattering is a serious problem. However, the calculation of response functions is entirely contained within one subroutine which can be easily modified for use with other detection systems.
Calreticulin Mutated Essential Thrombocythemia Presenting as Acute Coronary Syndrome

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by a clonal expansion of megakaryocytes. ET can result in both arterial and venous thrombosis. Involvement of the coronary arteries has been reported. Patients who harbor a CALR mutation are half as likely to suffer a thrombotic event as compared to patients with a JAK2 mutation. We report a case of CALR-mutated ET whose initial disease manifestation was a non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.
Effect of ingestion of isomeric fatty acids on cholesterol and lipids of serum and liver.

The effect of the ingestion of large amounts of thetrans, trans isomer of linolein upon the cholesterol and lipid levels of the blood and liver was investigated using hypercholesterolemic rats. The serum levels of esterified fatty acids and cholesterol of rats fed the diets containing 30% oftrans, trans linoleic acid glycerides and safflower oil were 15 and 25%, respectively, lower than those fed coconut oil. However, a weight loss associated with less intake of thetrans isomer as compared with a gain with the other two fats must be considered. The serum levels of labeled cholesterol of rats administered radioactive cholesterol along with thetrans isomer were intermediate in maximum value as compared to the levels obtained with coconut and safflower oils. These results suggest that thetrans isomers are not as effective as thecis isomers in lowering the cholesterol and lipids of the blood. The livers of the former group had a lower fat content than the latter which might be accounted for in part by the lower fat intake
Murine Mammary Tumour Cells In Vitro. Ii. Recruitment of Quiescent Cells

The development of a pure quiescent (Q) tumour cell population can be induced in three mouse mammary tumour lines (66, 67 and 68H) by nutrient deprivation. When these Q cells were removed from nutrient-deprived cultures and replated in fresh medium at a lower cell concentration within 72 hr of entering quiescence virtually all of the Q cells could re-enter the proliferating (P) state. This recruitment was characterized by an increase in cell volume, an increase in total cellular RNA, and a resumption of cell division. The length of the Q to P transition varied among the three cell lines and the depth of the quiescent state depended on the amount of time the cells had been quiescent. Once re-entry into the P compartment was completed, cell-cycle times, as estimated by the culture doubling time, were the same as the cells that had not entered the Q state, however, after 72 hr in quiescence, not all of the 66 cells could reattach after trypsinization and of those that could reattach approximately equal to 50% were incapable of either increasing their RNA levels to that of proliferating G1 cells or entering S. Clonogenicity of the nutrient-deprived Q cells in these lines decreases exponentially from time the cells enter quiescence with approximate half-times of 32, 34, and 96 hr for the 66, 68H and 67 cells, respectively. Since clonogenicity was already declining at a time when all the Q cells could re-enter the P compartment, the ability of a Q cell to form a colony is not determined solely by its capacity to re-enter the proliferating compartment.
Alfalfa Nitrogen Credit to First‐Year Corn: Potassium, Regrowth, and Tillage Timing Effects

Compared with corn (L.) following corn, N guidelines for first-year corn following alfalfa (L.) in the U.S. Corn Belt suggest that N rates can be reduced by about 168 kg N ha when ≥43 or 53 alfalfa plants m are present at termination. These guidelines have been questioned by practitioners, however, as corn grain yields have increased. We conducted experiments at 16 locations in Minnesota to address questions regarding N availability to first-year corn after alfalfa relating to the effect of carryover fertilizer K from alfalfa and the amount and timing of alfalfa regrowth incorporation. Corn grain yield, silage yield, and fertilizer N uptake were not affected by carryover K or amount or timing of regrowth incorporation. Maximum corn grain yield ranged from 12.0 to 16.1 Mg ha among locations but responded to fertilizer N at only one. At that location, which had inadequate soil drainage, the economically optimum N rate (EONR) was 85 kg N ha, assuming prices of US$0.87 kg N and US$132 Mg grain. The EONR for silage yield across 6 of 15 locations where it was measured was 40 kg N ha, assuming US$39 Mg silage. These results demonstrate that on highly productive medium- to fine-textured soils in the Upper Midwest with ≥43 alfalfa plants m at termination, first-year corn grain yield is often maximized without fertilizer N, regardless of alfalfa regrowth management or timing of incorporation, but that small N applications may be needed to optimize silage yield.
Air traffic optimization on data-driven network flow model

This paper presents a new framework for Traffic Flow Management and Airspace Health Monitoring based on data-driven approach for air traffic flows modeling using historical data. The large-scale 3-dimensional flow network of the Cleveland center airspace provides valuable insight on airspace complexity. A linear formulation of the Traffic Flow Management Problem is proposed, taking into account estimations of controller workload based on flow geometry. Preliminary results for the problem are discussed, pointing out clues for further research.
Scanning electrochemical microscopy. 36. A combined scanning electrochemical microscope-quartz crystal microbalance instrument for studying thin films.

The design of a combined scanning electrochemical microscope−quartz crystal microbalance (SECM−QCM) with separate potential control of the tip and substrate is described. Both lateral and vertical tip movements near the substrate affect the QCM resonant frequency because of perturbations of the longitudinal and shear waves of the quartz crystal (QC) acoustic wave sensor. The SECM−QCM was used to study etching of a thin Ag layer deposited on the QC contact by generating an etchant, iron(III) tris(bipyridine), at the tip near the surface. The SECM−QCM was also used to monitor film mass and surrounding electrolyte composition during potential cycling of a film of C60 on an electrode.
Immunologic and physical characterization of human chorionic gonadotropin and its subunits in cultures of human malignant trophoblast.

Culture fluids and cell homogenates from cultures of BeWo human malignant trophoblast cells were examined for the presence of chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and its subunits by gel filtration on a calibrated Sephadex G-200 column. Culture fluids, cell homogenates, and gel filtration eluates were radioimmunoassayed in homologous hCG, hCGα, and hCGβ assays. The gel filtration pattern from the culture fluid consisted of 3 discrete antigenie peaks, including hCG and hCGβ of normal size and hCGα of apparently larger than normal size. There was approximately twice as much hCG as hCGβ or hCGα in the culture fluid. The gel filtration profile from the cell homogenate consisted mainly of a broad peak of hCGβ but only small amounts of hCG and hCGα. The major hCGβ and hCGα peaks were of apparently smaller molecular weight than highly purified hCGβ and hCGα standards, respectively. The dose-response behavior of trophoblast cell homogenate in the homologous radioimmunoassays for hCG, hCGα, and hCGβ provided additional ev...
Latchup in voltage tolerant circuits: a new phenomenon

Abstract The semiconductor industry relies on latchup testing of integrated circuits (ICs) to detect and prevent catastrophic failures under extreme conditions. The test is mandatory to ensure that parasitic components do not adversely affect the normal behavior of the ICs, especially in CMOS technologies. This phenomenon has been well documented over the years. For the newer technologies with lower power consumption (supplies in the range of 1–2 V), one might consider them to be less susceptible to latchup. However, the presently designed ICs with nanometer technologies continue to require “high voltage” interface compatibility through applications such as PCI, etc. Moreover, some of the IC pins are exposed to much higher level ESD stresses (IEC test) due to pin connections between systems. As a consequence, latchup has become more difficult while manifesting itself into new scenarios including system level ESD effects. This paper first reviews the background of the latchup phenomenon and then introduces a new form of latchup called Signal Latchup that could very well be a critical issue for the newer IC applications where high voltage compatibility is required. In this same context, System Level ESD latchup is also described. This paper gives the background of CMOS latchup, followed by a description of the latchup initiation and latchup immunity test methods. The system board reliability is discussed. The new Signal Latchup phenomenon is introduced. An illustration of Signal Latchup occurring in voltage tolerant circuits and the design improvement to overcome this are presented in detail. The impact of process technology on these new latchup effects is evaluated and the system ESD latchup is presented. The Signal Latchup and ESD system Latchup testing is covered. Finally, the conclusions are given.
TCT-380 Integrated intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) optical coherence tomography (OCT) system for identifying thin-cap fibroatheroma

It has been found that the majority of acute coronary events are caused by the rupture of a thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA), characterized by a large lipid or necrotic core with a relatively thin fibrous cap. Identifying vulnerable plaques and optimizing the therapy accordingly holds great promise for
Concise Review: Modeling Central Nervous System Diseases Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) offer an opportunity to delve into the mechanisms underlying development while also affording the potential to take advantage of a number of naturally occurring mutations that contribute to either disease susceptibility or resistance. Just as with any new field, several models of screening are being explored, and innovators are working on the most efficient methods to overcome the inherent limitations of primary cell screens using iPSCs. In the present review, we provide a background regarding why iPSCs represent a paradigm shift for central nervous system (CNS) disease modeling. We describe the efforts in the field to develop more biologically relevant CNS disease models, which should provide screening assays useful for the pharmaceutical industry. We also provide some examples of successful uses for iPSC-based screens and suggest that additional development could revolutionize the field of drug discovery. The development and implementation of these advanced iPSC-based screens will create a more efficient disease-specific process underpinned by the biological mechanism in a patient- and disease-specific manner rather than by trial-and-error. Moreover, with careful and strategic planning, shared resources can be developed that will enable exponential advances in the field. This will undoubtedly lead to more sensitive and accurate screens for early diagnosis and allow the identification of patient-specific therapies, thus, paving the way to personalized medicine.
THE IMPACT OF SIMPLE PRIORITY RULE COMBINATIONS ON DELIVERY SPEED AND DELIVERY RELIABILITY IN A HYBRID SHOP

This study examines the effects of using different priority rules at different stages of a multistage, flow-dominant shop. A simulation model is constructed of a manufacturing system comprised of three stages: gateway, intcrmcdiatc, and finishing. As is typical of a flow-dominant shop, the overall flow of the simulated system (gateway to intermediate to finishing) is consistent with a flow shop, but processing in the intermediate stage involves multiple work centers and resembles a job shop. Shop performance is observed when four well-known priority heuristics are applied in different combinations in the gateway, intermediate, and finishing stages of the process. Multiple performance measures addressing the strategic objectives of delivery speed and delivery reliability are recorded under two different shop load conditions. Results show that the measures of both delivery speed and delivery reliability are affected by the priority rule combinations, and that a tradeoff exists between average performance and consistency of performance. Certain priority rule combinations affect performance in predictable ways, allowing the user to assess tradeoffs between delivery speed and delivery reliability.
Comparative growth of cultured blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, M. trossulus and their hybrids, in naturally occurring mixed-species stocks

In Atlantic Canada, both Mytilus edulis and M. trossulus occur naturally in sympatric populations and readily hybridize forming genotypically complex assemblages that vary widely in relative species composition throughout the region. We monitored growth in single year-class cohorts of rope-cultured Mytilus spp. during a 14-month period from sleeving of seed to harvest at three commercial mussel farms in Notre Dame Bay, Newfoundland, Canada. Electrophoretic variation at the mannose phosphate isomerase (Mpi) enzyme locus was used to categorize the two species (M. edulis and M. trossulus) and their hybrids. Seed populations varied significantly among sites in relative proportions of each species and hybrids. Growth in shell length, wet weight and shell weight varied significantly with Mpi genotype at all three farm sites. Growth in flesh weight varied significantly with Mpi genotype at two of the three sites. Growth rates for all weight variables were consistently significantly greater in M. edulis than in sympatric M. trossulus. Growth in shell length was significantly different between sympatric M. edulis and M. trossulus at only one farm site. Growth rates of hybrids were typically intermediate between sympatric M. edulis and M. trossulus, but were often statistically similar to one or other of M. edulis or M. trossulus. We conclude that the production of rope-cultured blue mussels in Atlantic Canada is significantly influenced by genotype-dependent growth variation in naturally occurring mixed-species stocks. Our results also suggest that farm site production may be increased and intrasite variability reduced at farm sites currently using indigenous mixed-species stocks by substitution and growout of transplanted seed from unispecific M. edulis stocks.
Eye movement-related inhibition of primate visual neurons

Abstract The influence of saccadic eye movements (EM) upon spontaneous neuronal activity was studied in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and striate visual cortex (VC) of ence´phale isole´monkeys. EM were spontaneous and occurred in total darkness to eliminate the effects of retinal image displacement. The activity of LGN cells was not altered in association with EM. In contrast, 76% of cells studied in VC displayed a period of inhibition related to spontaneous EM in total darkness. EM-related inhibition of VC neurons was directionally specific; for each cell there was one quadrant of EM direction for which inhibition was most prominent. The majority of VC neurons showed inhibition in relation to EM directed into only one quadrant of the visual field. Reliable detection of EM-related inhibition required the formation of average histograms of neuronal firing time-locked to EM. For individual EM (even of optimum direction), a consistent degree of inhibition was not seen. The time course of EM-related inhibition of VC neurons is consistent with that reported for saccadic suppression. These results support the concept of a central mechanism (corollary discharge) acting at the cortical level being of significance in saccadic suppression.
Beyond the Typical: One Mother's Unique Challenge to Continue Providing Breastmilk for Her Special Needs Baby

Newborn Care Poster Presentation Background Breastfeeding is the undisputed optimal feeding method for infants. In response, Healthy People 2020 called for an increase in the number of infants who are breastfed at 1 year to 34.1%. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the breastfeeding rate for 2012 as only 25.5%. To accomplish the breastfeeding goal of Healthy People, mothers need excellent breastfeeding support throughout the entire first year. In 2005, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that infants breastfeed exclusively for 6 months and should continue breastfeeding for at least 1 year as complimentary foods are added. Studies have shown an overwhelming number of infant health benefits associated with breastfeeding, including protection of the infant from bacteremia, diarrhea, respiratory tract infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, otitis media, urinary tract infection, late‐onset sepsis in preterm infants, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, lymphoma, leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and childhood obesity. The more breastfeeding support a mother receives, the more likely she will be able to offer these benefits to her child. This support is even more important when a mother faces challenges that put her at risk for breastfeeding cessation. Case The mother (MB) of a 9‐month‐old infant called the lactation resource line at our institution seeking breastfeeding advice. She shared her infant's history, which was significant for severe gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms since birth, including blood in stool, vomiting, and fussiness. When MB was exclusively breastfeeding, she was able to control his symptoms with maternal diet elimination. With the introduction of solid foods however, the symptoms returned. With the help of her pediatrician MB was able to determine and eliminate the offending foods. At the time of the call, MB was suffering from mastitis and was placed on an antibiotic, which seemed to be triggering the same GI symptoms for her infant. Faced with the prospect of pumping and discarding her milk until the completion of the antibiotic treatment, she was calling for advice. The lactation consultant was able to research this otherwise safe medication and devise a feeding plan with MB. It was paramount to feed the infant when the concentration of the medication in MB's milk was at its lowest to minimize the infant's symptoms. Conclusion The implementation of this creative feeding plan allowed MB and her infant to continue breastfeeding with minimal GI disturbances. MB was extremely happy to be able to continue providing the optimal nutrition for her infant.
Update on Ablation for Barrett’s Esophagus

Endoscopic ablation has dramatically changed the treatment algorithm for patients with Barrett’s esophagus. Studies clearly show the benefits of this approach for patients with high-grade dysplasia and intramucosal carcinoma. Recent studies also provide evidence in support of this approach for patients with low-grade dysplasia but not for patients with nondysplastic Barrett’s epithelium. Endoscopic ablation is safe and efficacious in most but not all patients and disease progression may occur during initial therapy as well as after successful completion in a small difficult to identify subset of patients. Furthermore, the past year has provided us with a better understanding of the durability of endoscopic ablation with highly variable rates of disease recurrence. Studies are underway to help determine predictors of response and recurrence.
Abbott's Artery

Abstract The term Abbott's artery appears to have been first used by Schuster and Gross [1] in describing an anomalous vessel not infrequently encountered during operation for coarctation of the aorta. Numerous sites of origin of this vessel have been listed but often do not correlate with the original description by Abbott. The term serves its purpose well if it alerts the operating surgeon to the possibility of anomalous vessels in this congenital disorder.
Protein-RNA contacts in Sendai virus nucleocapsids revealed by photo-crosslinking.

Abstract Contacts between protein species and nucleic acid bases in the genomic RNA of Sendai virus nucleocapsids were examined by ultraviolet light (uv)-induced crosslinking. Both NP, the nucleocapsid structure unit, and P, the less abundant protein species implicated in viral transcription, were efficiently linked to the RNA, indicating that both species contact RNA bases. However, the RNA serves as template for viral RNA polymerases in the intact nucleocapsid, so these contacts must either be reversible or restricted to noncoding regions of the bases.
A PDE Based Method for Fuzzy Classification of Medical Images

We propose a novel variational approach to automatically soft-segment medical images into a fixed number of classes. Our method combines fuzzy classification and active contours in a single variational framework. This approach allows the use of tools from both de-formable geometry and clustering in a well-defined setting and provides a useful, unsupervised segmentation technique. The model was tested on synthetic and MRI brain data, with promising results.
Structural marsh management effects on coastal fishes and crustaceans

Structural marsh management, using levees and water-control structures, is used in the coastal zone for many objectives, for example, to reduce marsh loss, to enhance waterfowl habitat, to revegetate open-water areas, and to reduce saltwater intrusion. The literature was evaluated to categorize structural marsh management and to determine some of its effects on fishes and crustaceans. Structural marsh management had positive effects on standing stock of most resident organisms and negative effects on marine-transient organisms. Emigration was negatively affected for both resident and marine-transient organisms. Techniques such as opening structures at critical migration times, designing structures that offer the greatest management flexibility, and using structures to create a flow-through system could reduce these impacts. More effort should be put into monitoring managed areas to determine if the objectives are being met and to evaluate the effects on fishes and crustaceans. Although frequent manipulation could reduce these impacts, the costs and problems incurred may outweigh the anticipated benefits.
The computational complexity of the high level architecture data distribution management matching and connecting processes

Abstract The High Level Architecture (HLA) is an architecture standard for constructing federations of distributed simulations that exchange data at run-time. HLA includes interest management capabilities (known as “Data Distribution Management”) that reduce the data sent during a federation execution using the simulations' run-time declarations describing the data they plan to send and wish to receive. The total computation associated with Data Distribution Management during the execution of a federation can be separated into four processes: declaring, matching, connecting, and routing. These processes are defined and the computational complexities of the matching and connecting processes during a federation execution are determined. The matching process requires total time with a lower bound in Ω(n log n) and an upper bound in O ( n 2 ), where n is the number of run-time data distribution actions performed by the simulations. The commonly used approach to implementing the connecting process, multicast grouping, contains a problem that is NP-complete.
Students’ perceptions of teaching innovations in medical school: Are things changing?

This research traces medical students’ perceptions of the first year of medical training in an experimental, problem‐based curriculum. The purpose of the study was to ascertain whether their learning experiences differ from what has been reported about perceptions in traditional training programs. A content analysis of structured student diaries revealed that their experiences follow closely the three‐phase model described by Becker, Geer, Strauss and Hughes (1961). The students shift from their initial perspective of “wanting to learn it all,” to a provisional perspective of “can't learn it all,” to a final perspective of “learn what the faculty wants.” We conclude that, without changing the institutional structure of the medical school, curricular reforms are not likely to change students’ perception of their socialization into medicine.
Isolation and analysis of the proteins of plant nuclei: interaction of hormones with nuclear proteins in isolated nuclei of Phaseolus vulgaris.

Abstract Incubation of intact segments or isolated nuclei of bean hypocotyls with IAA-2- 14 C and kinetin-8 14 C, showed that these hormones associate with the nuclear proteins. Differences in the degree of association of these hormones with the nuclear proteins were found between the isolated nuclei or intact segments. Partially purified nuclei from undifferentiated hook and the more differentiated lower section of bean hypocotyl displayed quantitative and qualitative changes in nuclear proteins due to hormone treatments. Four of the five nuclear protein fractions of each of the tissues were quantitatively reduced by the hormone treatments. The acidic proteins associated with DNA were increased by IAA but not be kinetin. However, most of the protein electrophoretic patterns were qualitatively unchanged by hormone treatment.
Pre-existing Immunity and Passive Immunity to Adenovirus 5 Prevents Toxicity Caused by an Oncolytic Adenovirus Vector in the Syrian Hamster Model

We have used Syrian hamsters to examine the role of pre-existing immunity to adenovirus (Ad) 5 in the toxicity of the oncolytic Ad vector INGN 007. Groups of hamsters were or were not immunized with Ad5. Half the hamsters were immunosuppressed using cyclophosphamide (CP), then injected intravenously (i.v.) with 3× the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of INGN 007 (in immunocompetent hamsters), and toxicity and vector replication in the liver were quantitated. In nonimmunized immunocompetent hamsters, toxicity was observed early but the hamsters recovered by day 6 after vector injection. In nonimmunized immunosuppressed hamsters, the vector was lethal by 3 days. Pre-existing neutralizing antibody (NAb) prevented liver infection and hepatotoxicity in both immunocompetent and immunosuppressed hamsters. In another study, passive immunization of immunosuppressed hamsters 1 day before a lethal dose (1× MTD) of INGN 007 prevented liver infection and replication, but immunization 1 day after vector administration was barely effective. When immunosuppressed hamsters were passively immunized 1 day after injection of 1/3rd the MTD of INGN 007, then significant protection was observed against liver infection and toxicity. Therefore, serum NAb are sufficient to prevent oncolytic Ad vector liver infection and toxicity. We saw no evidence that pre-existing immunity was associated with increased vector toxicity.
Dynamic energy landscapes of riboswitches help interpret conformational rearrangements and function.

Riboswitches are RNAs that modulate gene expression by ligand-induced conformational changes. However, the way in which sequence dictates alternative folding pathways of gene regulation remains unclear. In this study, we compute energy landscapes, which describe the accessible secondary structures for a range of sequence lengths, to analyze the transcriptional process as a given sequence elongates to full length. In line with experimental evidence, we find that most riboswitch landscapes can be characterized by three broad classes as a function of sequence length in terms of the distribution and barrier type of the conformational clusters: low-barrier landscape with an ensemble of different conformations in equilibrium before encountering a substrate; barrier-free landscape in which a direct, dominant “downhill” pathway to the minimum free energy structure is apparent; and a barrier-dominated landscape with two isolated conformational states, each associated with a different biological function. Sharing concepts with the “new view” of protein folding energy landscapes, we term the three sequence ranges above as the sensing, downhill folding, and functional windows, respectively. We find that these energy landscape patterns are conserved in various riboswitch classes, though the order of the windows may vary. In fact, the order of the three windows suggests either kinetic or thermodynamic control of ligand binding. These findings help understand riboswitch structure/function relationships and open new avenues to riboswitch design.
Artificial neural network model for transient crossflow microfiltration of polydispersed suspensions

Robust artificial neural network (ANN) models for membrane fouling induced by polydispersed feed suspensions during crossflow microfiltration were derived and validated. ANNs performed highly accurate simulations of time-variant specific fluxes for several feed suspensions under a wide range of hydrodynamic parameters. Hence, ANNs incorporate the integral effects of complex colloidal transport and deposition mechanisms as well as changes in cake morphology and resistance with hydrodynamics better than mathematically complicated mechanistic models. An important contribution of this research is that it is demonstrated that ANNs need not be used simply as black boxes and cause-effect information can be quantitatively extracted from network connection weights to assist in model development and experimental design. Such an analysis revealed that the initial permeate flux is the most important operational variable influencing membrane fouling. However, in contrast to crossflow filtration of monodispersed suspensions, the shear rate was found to only weakly influence specific flux.
A classification system to assess the crystallization tendency of organic molecules from undercooled melts

Assessing the viability of an amorphous formulation strategy is of great importance in an era of drug discovery where a large percentage of new molecules have solubility limited dissolution rates, and disruption of the crystal lattice is a potential strategy to improve this process. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the glass forming ability (GFA) of a large data set of organic molecules and also to evaluate potential links between GFA and glass stability (GS). The crystallization tendency from the undercooled melt was evaluated for a group of 51 organic molecules and separated into three separate classes [class (I), class (II), class (III)] based upon the presence/absence of observable crystallization during a heating/cooling/heating cycle, as measured using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Class (I) molecules were further delineated based upon the observation of a crystalline [class (I-A)] or amorphous [class (I-B)] solid after quench cooling in liquid N(2). Principal component analysis (PCA) of various physiochemical descriptors suggested that molecules with low GFA tended to be low molecular weight (MW), rigid structures while class (III) molecules tended to be higher MW, more complex structures. For select compounds, it was observed that crystallization from the glassy state was much faster for compounds with a lower GFA. It is believed that nuclei are quenched into the glass during cooling for class (I-B) and (II) molecules, leading to more facile crystallization below T(g). In addition, these quenched in nuclei are also thought to be responsible for the recrystallization observed for these classes of molecules upon heating above T(g). In conclusion, the DSC screening method and classification scheme may be a useful tool to quickly assess the GFA and potential GS of new chemical entities during early drug development.
Error Detection Using Model Checking vs. Simulation

Design simulation and model checking are two alternative and complementary techniques for verifying hardware designs. This paper presents a comparison between the two techniques based on detection of design errors, performance, and memory use. We perform error detection experiments using model checking and simulation to detect errors injected into a verification benchmark suite. The results allow a quantitative comparison of simulation and model checking which can be used to understand weaknesses of both approaches.
KMC clustering model comparison in BCC iron

Abstract A Kinetic Monte Carlo code was developed to study defect diffusion and clustering in structural steels, using pure iron as a surrogate. The code was used to perform Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of vacancy diffusion and clustering with different cluster interaction radius models. Cluster interaction radius models from Deo and Ortiz were compared. Cluster time evolutions and final cluster size distributions were compared. Results showed a shift from high-density, small-size clusters in the Deo model to low-density large-size clusters in the Ortiz model. The variable-radius cluster interaction model from Ortiz was found to better reproduce the cluster distribution trends found experimentally.
Connecticut judicial council reports

The Connedicut legislature accepts some and rejects other recommendations made by the Judicial Council.
Pulmonary Rehabilitation Improves Exercise Capacity in Older Elderly Patients with COPD

Pulmonary rehabilitation has been shown to improve exercise capacity in patients with COPD. It has been suggested that this improvement applies to all age groups; however, to our knowledge, the effects of pulmonary rehabilitation on older elderly patients (≥75 years of age) have not been studied. We compared changes in 12-min walking distance (12MD) and self-assessment scores in 47 older elderly patients with moderate to severe COPD who completed inpatient or outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation with those achieved by 87 younger patients who participated in the same programs from 1987 to 1992. There were 28 older elderly individuals (mean ± SEM, 78 ± 1 years) in the outpatient group and 56 younger patients (64 ± 1 years). There were no differences between older and younger outpatients with respect to FEV 1 , FEV 1 /FVC, maximum inspiratory pressure (PImax), baseline 12MD, or baseline self-assessment score. After outpatient pulmonary rehabilitation, 12MD and self-assessment scores improved significantly in both groups. Inpatients included 19 older elderly individuals (81 ± 1 years) who were also similar to the 31 younger inpatients (64 ± 1 years) in FEV 1 , FEVi/FVC, PImax, and baseline self-assessment score, but they tended to be more limited in terms of baseline 12MD (p=0.09). After inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation, significant improvements in 12MD and self-assessment were seen in both groups. We conclude that comprehensive outpatient and inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation programs are as beneficial in older elderly patients with COPD as they are in younger patients with similar lung function abnormalities. Patients 75 years of age or older should be considered for comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation.
Beyond the early adopters of online instruction: Motivating the reluctant majority

Abstract Now that most of the innovators and early adopters of online instruction are comfortably teaching online, many institutions are facing challenges as they prepare the next wave of online instructors. This research study examines how faculty in this “next wave” (the majority of adopters) differ from the innovators and early adopters of online instruction. A specific online course development program is described and the experiences of the “majority” in the program are examined in relation to the experiences of previous participants (the innovators and early adopters).
In over Our Heads: Applying Kegan's Theory of Development to Community College Students:

Kegan's constructive-develomental theory builds on the work of Piaget, Erickson, Kohlberg, and Perry to conceptualize the process of human development from infancy through adulthood. Kegan emphasizes the period of adolescence onward, encompassing the ages of community college students. The authors outline the basic concepts of Kegan's theory, particularly as it applies to education. Based on their teaching experiences, they illustrate how Kegan's theory can be used by instructors to understand the dynamics of the community college classroom using entries from student journals. The illustration provided can be used by instructors to explore their own expectations when they make assignments and to begin understanding how students develop during a semester.
Hegel on legal and moral responsibility

When Hegel first addresses moral responsibility in the Philosophy of Right, he presupposes that agents are only responsible for what they intended to do, but appears to offer little, if any, justification for this assumption. In this essay, I claim that the first part of the Philosophy of Right, “Abstract Right”, contains an implicit argument that legal or external responsibility (blame for what we have done) is conceptually dependent on moral responsibility proper (blame for what we have intended). This overlooked argument satisfies the first half of a thesis Hegel applies to action in the Encyclopaedia Logic, namely, that the outer must be inner, and thus provides a necessary complement for his more explicit treatment of the second half of that thesis, that the inner must be outer. The claim that agents are only responsible for what they intended to do might appear, at first, to risk conflating legal and moral responsibility and to lack the necessary means to deal with the phenomenon of moral luck, but ...
Predictors of Completion Axillary Lymph Node Dissection in Patients With Immunohistochemical Metastases to the Sentinel Lymph Node in Breast Cancer

Background Axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) in patients with immunohistochemistry (IHC)-determined metastases to the sentinel lymph node (SLN) is controversial. The goal of this study was to examine factors associated with ALND in IHC-only patients.
Physiological and analytical variation in cholesterol and triglycerides

Plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels were determined, on each of two AutoAnalyzer systems in 11 healthy subjects, weekly over a 10-week and monthly over a 12-month period. Analytical variation was 1–2% for cholesterol and 2–5% for triglyceride. Cholesterol and triglyceride values on frozen quality control serum pools were not indicative of absolute values on fresh plasma. Even though the two AutoAnalyzer systems averaged within 1–2 mg/dl for triglyceride and cholesterol on the serum quality control pools during the 12-month period, the two systems differed by 7–8 mg/dl on fresh or frozen plasma samples. The coefficient of physiological variation on the 10 weekly samples averaged 5% (range 3–10%) for plasma cholesterol and 18% (range 9–27%) for plasma triglyceride. Analysis of the monthly samples suggested significant (P<0.05) seasonal trends: cholesterol was highest in the winter months and lowest in October, whereas triglyceride was highest in January and February and lowest in May and December. We conclude that intra-individual variation can be an important source of error in attempting to make a genetic diagnosis of hyperlipidemia and/or in evaluating hypolipidemic regimens in a given subject.
Cytochemical analysis of enzyme activity during regeneration in Blepharisma intermedium Bhandary.

SYNOPSIS. Transection and repair in Blepharisma intermedium modify the distribution of several enzymes. The number of active phagosomes is reduced and there are increased staining reactions for acid phosphatase, the nucleases and type-B esterases in the ground cytoplasm. 5'-Nucleotidase activity is localized in the cytoplasmic matrix. Except for ribonuclease, the enzymes may have a perimacronuclear deposition at some period during regeneration. Acid phosphatase may be involved in development of the oral membranelles. Adenosine triphosphatase and lactic dehydrogenase have a moderate staining intensity whereas malic and succinic dehydrogenases have a strong reaction in the cytoplasm; in addition, these enzymes may be localized in the kinetics involved in the neoformation of the oral concrescence. Nuclear reorganization is attended by an increased frequency of peripheral dehydrogenase activity in the late stages of regeneration. These observations are compared with catalytic systems known to function in protozoan metabolism and in vertebrate regeneration.
A Computational Study of a Capillary Discharge Pellet Accelerator Concept for Magnetic Fusion Fueling

An ablation-dominated capillary discharge using low atomic number elements for plasma formation to flow into an ablation-free extension barrel is a concept that provides a high energy–density plasma flow sufficient to propel fuel pellets into the tokamak fusion plasma chamber. In this concept, the extension barrel is made from a non-ablating material by coating the interior wall of the barrel with nanocrystalline diamond to eliminate mixing the propelling plasma with any impurities evolving from the barrel ablation. The electrothermal plasma code ETFLOW models the plasma formation and flow in the capillary discharge and the flow into the extension barrel to accelerate frozen deuterium pellets. The code includes governing equations for both the capillary and the extension barrel, with the addition of the pellet’s terms. It also includes ideal and non-ideal plasma conductivity models. The joule heating term in the energy conservation equation is only valid in the capillary section. The pellet momentum and kinetic energy are included in the governing equations of the barrel, with the addition of the effect of viscous drag terms. The electrothermal capillary source generates the plasma via the ablation of a sleeve inside the main capillary housing. The acceleration of the pellet starts in the extension barrel when the pressure of the plasma flow from the capillary reaches the release limit. The code results show pellet exit velocities in excess of 2 km/s for source/barrel systems with low-Z liner materials in the source for 5, 20, 45, and 80 mg pellets. The study shows that an increase in the length of both the source and the extension barrel increases the pellet exit velocity with the limitation of slowdown effects for plasma expansion and cooling off inside the barrel.
Effect of the Prone Position on the Phases of the Cardiac Cycle

The phases of the cardiac cycles were studied in eight normal volunteers on a specially assembled table which permitted access to the precordium in the prone, as well as in the conventional supine position. There were no significant changes over supine values for mechanical systole, external isovolumic contraction time, pre-ejection components, ejection time, ejection time indices and the isovolumic relaxation preiod, despite a highly significant (p
Cross-validation study of methods and technologies to assess mental models in a complex problem solving situation

This paper reports a cross-validation study aimed at identifying reliable and valid assessment methods and technologies for natural language (i.e., written text) responses to complex problem-solving scenarios. In order to investigate current assessment technologies for text-based responses to problem-solving scenarios (i.e., ALA-Reader and T-MITOCAR), this study compared the two best developed technologies to an alternative methodology. Comparisons amongst the three models (benchmark, ALA-Reader, and T-MITOCAR) provided two findings: (a) the benchmark model created the most descriptive concept maps; and (b) the ALA-Reader model had a higher correlation with the benchmark model than did T-MITOCAR's. The results imply that the benchmark model is a viable alternative to the two existing technologies and is worth exploring in a larger scale study.
Reset-free system for real-time polarization control and synthesis.

A reset-free polarization control/synthesis system is described. The desired polarization state can be selected by keyboard control with no insertion or rearrangement of optical components.
Complications of coarctation repair.

Surgery's role in the treatment of coarctation has been established, and the benefit to life expectancy and quality of life is undeniable. Three postaortic coarctation repair complications are discussed, with review of existing literature: recurrent or residual aortic coarctation, postrepair aneurysm formation, and spinal cord ischemia. Incidence, potential causative factors, and outcome of surgical or transcatheter treatment for recurrent and residual aortic coarctation are reviewed. A literature review of postrepair aneurysm formation focuses on etiologic factors such as use of patch aortoplasty repair techniques, aortic arch hypoplasia, congenital abnormality of the aortic wall, and persistent hypertension after repair. The spectrum, onset, incidence, and potential risk factors for postcoarctation repair spinal cord ischemia are reviewed. Use of adenosine receptor agonists to achieve a state of ischemic resistance is under investigation to address this potential hazard of coarctation repair. Complications after surgery do occur in certain subsets of patients, but the risk of subsequent intervention is still lower than the hazards associated with the natural course of the defect.