cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Existence of multiple closed CMC hypersurfaces with small mean curvature

Let $(M^{n+1},g)$ be a closed Riemannian manifold, $n+1\geq 3$. We will prove that for all $m \in \mathbb{N}$, there exists $c^{*}(m)>0$, which depends on $g$, such that if $0 0$, there exist at least $\gamma_0c^{-\frac{1}{n+1}}$ many closed $c$-CMC hypersurfaces (with optimal regularity) in $(M,g)$. This extends the theorem of Zhou and Zhu, where they proved the existence of at least one closed $c$-CMC hypersurface in $(M,g)$.
Can Improvements Be Made to the Police Response

This chapter provides a basis for examining the police response to the occurrence of riots. The chapter presents a discussion on the public’s acceptance of and confidence in the police in the context of a riot and examines the influence that crowd psychology has on the police. The chapter also provides a review of the riot response tactics currently being used by the police and discusses the use of containment, dispersal, and negotiation and analyzes a case study of the New York Police Department’s approach to negotiated protest. The final section of the chapter summarizes the information contained in this book and examines a number of specific areas from which the police can move forward in their development of riot response strategies and tactics.
Axial-mode solid-state thermoacoustic instability: An analytical parametric study

Abstract Solid-state thermoacoustic (SSTA) instability refers to the occurrence of unstable thermoelastic oscillations of solid media when in presence of a spatial temperature gradient. Recently, theoretical and numerical studies have shown that both standing and traveling thermoacoustic waves can exist in solids. The many mechanisms available in solids to tailor either their physical or effective properties offer remarkable opportunities to enhance and tune the performance of SSTA devices. A thorough understanding of the functional relationships controlling the complex dynamics in solid-state thermoacoustics (SSTAs) is critical to design efficient SSTA machines. In this paper, we first recast the governing equations of SSTAs into dimensionless form; then, we develop accurate analytical approaches to solve for the mode shapes and complex frequencies for 1) a standing-wave fixed-mass SSTA rod, and 2) for a traveling-wave looped SSTA rod. It is found that the growth-rate-to-frequency ratio is governed by the dimensionless coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the Gruneisen parameter, the hot-to-cold temperature ratio, the normalized stage location and length, the dimensionless radius, the end mass ratio for the fixed-mass rod, and the thermal buffer segment (TBS) length for the looped rod. Based on these newly identified dimensionless parameters a thorough numerical analysis is conducted in order to shed light on the optimal design of SSTA devices.
Cell Cycle Characteristics, Maturation, and Phagocytosis In Vitro of Blast Cells From Patients With Chronic Myelocytic Leukemia

Cell cycle characteristics, phagocytosis and maturation of immature white blood cells from seven patients with Ph1-positive chronic myelocytic leukemia were studied in vitro. In five patients whose cells contained only one Ph1 chromosome there were two in early stable phase, one in transitional phase, and two in blastic crisis. The other two patients had cell lines with more than one Ph1 chromosome in addition to cells containing one Ph1 chromosome. Cell cycle times in the seven patients as determined with tritiated thymidine ranged from 48 to 59 hr regardless of stage of the disease with one exception (32 hr in a patient who died within 1 wk). A small percentage of myeloblasts was arrested in early S or G2 for the duration of the study of up to 1 wk. Maturation in vitro was observed with appearance of the first labeled metamyelocytes at 2 hr and first labeled mature segmented and nonsegmented neutrophils at 10 hr (with the median time of 22 hr of in vitro culture). Results of this study suggest that cell precursors in blastic transformation have a diminished capability to mature despite the early presence of mature neutrophils in vitro. Early appearance of labeled mature neutrophils and irregularity of the time sequence are characteristic of cells from patients in blastic transformation. Immature granulocytic precursors were shown capable of phagocytosis in vitro, suggesting that although nuclear maturation was delayed, membrane and cytoplasmic function was intact. This dissociation may be characteristic of leukocytes from patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia.
The ‘other America’ and its performers: pathways to socialism in the DEFA Indianerfilme

The DEFA Indian films, known as ‘Red Westerns’ or Indianerfilme, depict historical confrontations between Native American tribes and an expansionist United States. The Indianerfilme have attracted ...
Ductile keratin/deacetylated chitin composites with nanoparticle-induced formation of ordered and entangled structures

Abstract Highly ductile and wet-durable bio-composites from keratin reinforced by chitin-nanoparticles with engineered deacetylation have been developed. Though featuring good biodegradability and biocompatibility, poultry-feather-extracted keratin-based composites usually suffered from poor ductility and moisture stabilities because of poor interfacial properties, limited recovery of ordered protein structures and crosslinkages. In this work, chitin-nanoparticles with engineered deacetylation were used to reinforce keratin. Via engineered deacetylation, chitin-nanoparticles not only improved interfacial interactions but also formed crosslinkages with keratin. As a result, ordered keratin structures with high degree of entanglement in composites were substantially formed without addition of any coupling agents. Furthermore, engineered deacetylation for chitin could adjust the wet performance of composites via control of hydrophilicity of matrix and reinforcements. Via control of regularity and hydrophilicity of molecules by chitin-nanoparticles, mechanical properties and wet performance of keratin-based composites can be substantially improved. Reinforced keratin composites had a 230%, 260%, 540% increase in breaking strain, breaking stress and ductility, respectively as well as 94% weight retention after immersed in water for 1 week.
Magnetic resonance imaging-guided stereotactic body radiotherapy for prostate cancer (mirage): a phase iii randomized trial

Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) is becoming increasingly used in treating localized prostate cancer (PCa), with evidence showing similar toxicity and efficacy profiles when compared with longer courses of definitive radiation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided radiotherapy has multiple potential advantages over standard computed tomography (CT)-guided radiotherapy, including enhanced prostate visualization (abrogating the need for fiducials and MRI fusion), enhanced identification of the urethra, the ability to track the prostate in real-time, and the capacity to perform online adaptive planning. However, it is unknown whether these potential advantages translate into improved outcomes. This phase III randomized superiority trial is designed to prospectively evaluate whether toxicity is lower after MRI-guided versus CT-guided SBRT. Three hundred men with localized PCa will be randomized in a 1:1 ratio to SBRT using CT or MRI guidance. Randomization will be stratified by baseline International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) (≤15 or > 15) and prostate gland volume (≤50 cc or > 50 cc). Five fractions of 8 Gy will be delivered to the prostate over the course of fourteen days, with or without hormonal therapy and elective nodal radiotherapy (to a dose of 5 Gy per fraction) as per the investigator’s discretion. The primary endpoint is the incidence of physician-reported acute grade ≥ 2 genitourinary (GU) toxicity (during the first 90 days after SBRT), as assessed by the CTCAE version 4.03 scale. Secondary clinical endpoints include incidence of acute grade ≥ 2 gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity, 5-year cumulative incidences of physician-reported late grade ≥ 2 GU and GI toxicity, temporal changes in patient-reported quality of life (QOL) outcomes, 5-year biochemical recurrence-free survival and the proportion of fractions of MRI-guided SBRT in which online adaptive radiotherapy is used. The MIRAGE trial is the first randomized trial comparing MRI-guided with standard CT-guided SBRT for localized PCa. The primary hypothesis is that MRI-guided SBRT will lead to an improvement in the cumulative incidence of acute grade ≥ 2 GU toxicity when compared to CT-guided SBRT. The pragmatic superiority design focused on an acute toxicity endpoint will allow an early comparison of the two technologies. Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT04384770. Date of registration: May 12, 2020. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04384770 Version 2.1, Aug 28, 2020.
The Variability and Determinants of Testosterone Measurements in Children: A Critical Review.

Aims:This critical review aimed to summarize: (1) the variability and determinants of testosterone (T) measurements; and (2) reference values for the variability and determinants of T measurements ...
Crystalline ices – Densities and comparisons for planetary and interstellar applications

Abstract Results are presented from recent density measurements on twenty-nine crystalline ices at temperatures applicable to the outer Solar System and the interstellar medium. For each ice we report both a density and a refractive index at 670 nm, quantities needed to calculate infrared band strengths, complex indices of refraction, and, ultimately, molecular abundances. Comparisons are made between densities obtained from micrometer-size crystalline ice samples prepared by vapor-phase deposition and the larger crystals (mm scale) used in diffraction work, and often made by the slow cooling of a liquid or a vapor in a sealed capillary tube. A strong positive correlation is found between the two sets of crystalline-ice densities.
Evaluation of the Surgical Resident

The task of evaluating a surgical resident is extremely important. In order to do it well a great deal of thought must be put into the evaluation process. Based on the resources and time available to the surgical department, a thoughtful job can be done during this process, and the results can be useful to many different segments of the academic community.
Design theory of thin film hyperbolic metamaterial colimators

Hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) research has led to the fabrication of devices which have unbounded k-space ellipsoids. Alternating layers of films with alternating signs of relative permittivity or permeability in a given direction enable multi-layer surfaces that are, in theory, either perfectly reflective or transmissive at an angle dependent upon the free space wave vector and ratios of the permittivity or permeability in the normal and transverse directions. By having knowledge of the electromagnetic properties of the constituent materials of a multi-layer HMM over a given bandwidth, the functionality of these structures can be altered by changing the fill fraction of the constituents. One potential device design that results is that of a flat electromagnetic wave collimator. The degree to which a multi-layer HMM collimates comes from the contrast in the magnitudes of the relative permeability or permittivity in the normal and transverse directions. With a large material parameter contrast at a given frequency, the number of transverse wave vectors that allow for successful EM wave propagation at the HMM/atmosphere interface approaches zero. This leads to propagation of a narrow angular cone of waves relative to the surface normal of the HMM. Herein we show that analytical calculations are in relatively good agreement with finite element method electromagnetic simulations performed in COMSOL’s RF module and compare dispersion relations of known materials to the resulting collimation generated in a corresponding HMM. We thereby use existing material data and predictive theories show how to tailor the frequency response of HMMs.
Atmospheric Dynamics: Fundamental concepts and physical laws

We begin by discussing the fundamental concepts and the laws of physics that underlie the formulation of any dynamical analysis of atmospheric problems. We elaborate on how to conceptualize a fluid medium and how to mathematically quantify the state of a fluid in Section 1.1. We proceed to review a set of physical laws that govern the behavior of all disturbances in a dry atmosphere setting, detailing their physical meaning and mathematical representations in Sections 1.2 through 1.6. The observed distributions of two important mean characteristics of the atmosphere, namely its stratification and baroclinicity, are finally examined in Section 1.7. Basic notions Continuum hypothesis Although the atmosphere may be visualized as a collection of randomly moving gas molecules in constant collision with one another, we conceptualize it as a fluid when we make dynamical atmospheric analyses by invoking a continuum hypothesis . We only seek to quantify the macroscopic properties of the atmosphere. One such property is the wind defined to be the average velocity of the molecules in a very small volume about each location. We call such a loosely defined amount of air molecules an atmospheric fluid parcel. We therefore think of the atmosphere as a fluid medium consisting of innumerable parcels . Furthermore, we assume that each property of the atmosphere varies continuously in time and space, whereby we may evaluate their derivatives with respect to the space variables and time in an analysis.
Low thermal conductivity of CsBiNb2O7 epitaxial layers

The thermal conductivity of an epitaxial layer of CsBiNb2O7 grown by pulsed-laser deposition is measured by time-domain thermoreflectance in the temperature range 100<T<600 K. Characterization by x-ray diffraction and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy show that the sample has the n=2 structure of the Dion–Jacobson series of phases. The conductivity of this layered oxide is ≈60% of the predicted minimum thermal conductivity in this temperature range; the thermal conductivity at room temperature, 0.4 W m−1 K−1, is comparable to the lowest conductivity ever observed in an oxide crystal.
Magnetic resonance imaging versus ultrasonography for the in utero evaluation of central nervous system anomalies.

Object The use of fetal MR imaging for the in utero evaluation of pathological conditions of the CNS is widely accepted as an adjunct to fetal ultrasonography studies. Magnetic resonance imaging is thought to characterize CNS anomalies better, and to provide a more exact diagnosis and accurate prognosis. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of and indications for fetal MR imaging in evaluating fetuses with different CNS abnormalities that were seen initially on prenatal sonograms. Methods Over a 3-year period, fetuses with prior sonographic evidence of CNS abnormalities who consequently received prenatal MR imaging at Columbus Nationwide Children's Hospital within 2 weeks of the fetal ultrasonography study were included in this study. For each patient, radiological reports from both studies were reviewed, analyzed, and compared with the findings at postnatal imaging or physical examination. Results of the 2 modalities were then compared in terms of diagnostic accuracy. Results Twenty-six fe...
Multi-phase permanent magnet motor drives

In this paper, a new five-phase brushless permanent magnet motor is proposed. The proposed motor has concentrated windings so the produced back-EMF is almost trapezoidal. The motor is supplied with the combined sinusoidal plus third harmonic of currents. For presenting the superior performance of the proposed five-phase motor, its three and five-phase counterparts are also analyzed. By changing the number of turns and slot width, the amount of copper and iron are kept constant in all motors so that the copper and core losses are almost the same. Finite element method is used for studying the flux density and calculating the developed static torque. Also, the developed torque is obtained using the mathematical model in d-q frame. The average torque and the torque ripple of all cases are presented and compared.
Wave Propagation, Instability, and Breakdown of Vortices

The themes of wave propagation and hydrodynamic stability have played prominent roles in attempts to understand the phenomenon of vortex breakdown. Recent theoretical and experimental work provide evidence that waves and instabilities are important elements of the vortex breakdown process. Breakdown of vortex cores at high Reynolds numbers may occur in one of two forms, the apparently axisymmetric (“bubble”) or the “spiral” form. The application of soliton theory and hydrodynamic stability theory to both forms is discussed, together with a new large amplitude theory for axisymmetric waves.
On the Design of Reliable Control Systems

This paper presents preliminary results on the design of reliable control systems characterized by open-loop stable controllers, and capable of withstading the outage of any sensor in a predefined subset or of any actuator in a predefined subset of control loops. The approach is based on the relationship between the existence of solutions to an algebraic Riccati inequality and the existence of stabilizing, H ? -norm-bounding controllers.
What Can You Say with Only Three Pixels

The size limitations of mobile devices can make information display especially difficult. Micro-displays must take into account the viability of different sizes and configurations for informing users, the flexibility they provide for different types of messages, and under which conditions these results are achieved. An experiment was performed to measure user learning and comprehension of five sets of messages of increasing information size and complexity on a simulated three-light visual display. Results show that these “pixel-based” displays can transmit detailed, information-rich messages up to 6.75 bits in size with minimal training.
Endogenous von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor protein regulates catecholaminergic phenotype in PC12 cells.

Loss of von Hippel-Lindau ( VHL ) gene function leads to VHL disease, whichis characterized by vascular tumors of the central nervous system, renal clear cell carcinomas, and pheochromocytomas. Pheochromocytomas express high levels of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine biosynthesis. PC12 cells that express VHL antisense RNA had 5–10-fold reduced levels of endogenous pVHL and 2–3-fold increased levels of TH protein and mRNA. Nuclear run-on analysis revealed an augmentation of TH gene transcription with enhanced efficiency of transcript elongation in the 3′ region of the gene. Transient coexpression of the VHL antisense RNA with a TH promoter reporter construct increased TH promoter activity by 2–3-fold. A decrease in pVHL accumulation also resulted in an increase in TH mRNA accumulation and transcription of the TH gene during hypoxia. This is the first evidence that endogenous pVHL is a physiological regulator of the catecholaminergic phenotype. Thus, loss of pVHL function may be causative in pheochromocytoma-associated hypercatecholaminemia and arterial hypertension.
Game-theoretic approaches for complex systems optimization

A complex system is an artificial system that cannot be modeled analytically or optimized in an effective manner, usually because it possesses the following properties: (1) the system can only be modeled as a simulation, (2) the size of the problem is untenable, so that even if the system could be modeled analytically, it would be impractical to solve it exactly, (3) necessary information required for problem solving is distributed in nature. This thesis presents methods for modeling and optimizing systems with the above challenging properties. We first discuss the important modeling decision of whether to include stochasticity. By employing a real-world case study, we show that a standard numerical procedure can indeed help us make this decision. Next, we use the challenging problem of finding coordinated signal timing plans to motivate the need of a new paradigm for simulation optimization. We employ the game-theoretic paradigm of sampled fictitious play (SFP) to iteratively converge to a locally optimal solution. The key to the empirical success of SFP is parallelization. Through parallelization, SFP is robustly scalable to realistic size networks modeled with high-fidelity simulations. Compared to other less adaptive approaches, significant savings are achieved. This procedure is standardized so that we can use it to solve many unconstrained discrete optimization problems. However, for constrained problems, additional effort is required in using SFP. We introduce the idea of feasible space mapping which, when combined with SFP, can be used in decomposing and approximating large-scale dynamic programming models. With a large scale decision making problem in automotive manufacturing, we demonstrate that high quality solutions can be obtained by this approach in several orders of magnitude faster time than the traditional global algorithm. Finally, for distributed problems, we address the decentralization issue with a market-based approach. The market-based approach involves: (1) agent strategy development, (2) empirical game-theoretic analysis, (3) assessing efficiency of the solution obtained by the market-based approach. We first introduce the market-based approach, with special attention on the strategy-pruning techniques. We then use task allocation for dynamic information processing environments as an example to illustrate the methodology and demonstrate its effectiveness.
Theoretical investigation of the vibrational properties of BeH2 and Li2BeH4

First-principles calculations of BeH2 and Li2BeH4 were performed and compared to inelastic neutron scattering. The crystal structure (P21/c space group) of Li2BeH4 contains BeH4 tetrahedral units similar to those in alpha-BeH2 (Ibam space group), but separated from each other by Li atoms. Calculated vibrational density of states revealed the origin of the observed major vibrational modes. Charge density maps and electronic density of states indicate interplay between covalent and ionic bonding in Li2BeH4 and provide a better understanding of the nature of the bonding in these materials.
Surface recombination velocity measurement for silicon solar cells

For the design and fabrication of silicon solar cells approaching theoretical ultimate conversion efficiencies, surface recombination velocity plays a crucial role. A technique using a scanning electron microscope with pulsed electron beam has been developed for thy measurement of this important parameter for silicon surfaces. It is shown that the surface recombination velocity(s) increases by an order of magnitude when a freshly etched sample is left out for a few hours, presumably due to generation of surface states. A textured front surface field (FSF) cell with a high-low junction near the surface shows the effect of minority carrier reflection and an apparent reduction of s, whereas a tandem junction (TJ) cell with n+-p junction near the surface gives larger s value.
Improving parenting and parent-teen communication to delay or prevent the onset of alcohol and drug use in young adolescents with emotional/behavioral disorders: A pilot trial.

This study examined the feasibility and preliminary efficacy of a brief parent-based prevention intervention to delay or prevent the initiation of alcohol and drug use in young adolescents with emotional/behavioral disorders. Findings from a small randomized clinical trial comparing the individualized family substance use preventive intervention based on the Family Check-Up model (FCU condition) to a Psychoeducation (PE) session revealed that parents in both conditions reported an increase in alcohol-related communication at three and six months as well as an increase in general family communication. Parents in the FCU condition reported an increase on overall substance-related communication, and reported experiencing less problematic family communication compared to those in PE. Parents in the PE condition reported greater increases in parental monitoring than parents in the FCU condition. Study findings suggest a larger trial is indicated to test individual and family factors that lead to differential e...
Antibodies Generated against Streptococci Protect in a Mouse Model of Disseminated Aspergillosis

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) resulting from infection by Aspergillus fumigatus is a leading cause of death in immunosuppressed populations. There are limited therapeutic options for this disease and currently no vaccine. There is evidence that some anti-A. fumigatus mAbs can provide protection against IA. However, vaccine development has been impeded by a paucity of immunological targets on this organism demonstrated to provide protective responses. Sialylated oligosaccharide epitopes found on a variety of pathogens, including fungi and group B streptococci (GBS), are thought to be major virulence factors of these organisms facilitating pathogen attachment to host cells and modulating complement activation and phagocytosis. Because some of these oligosaccharide structures are conserved across kingdoms, we screened a panel of mAbs raised against GBS serotypes for reactivity to A. fumigatus. This approach revealed that SMB19, a GBSIb type-specific mAb, reacts with A. fumigatus conidia and hyphae. The presence of this Ab in mice, as a result of passive or active immunization, or by enforced expression of the SMB19 H chain as a transgene, results in significant protection in both i.v. and airway-induced models of IA. This study demonstrates that some Abs generated against bacterial polysaccharides engage fungal pathogens and promote their clearance in vivo and thus provide rationale of alternative strategies for the development of vaccines or therapeutic mAbs against these organisms.
Influence of geometry on the Hall effect in ballistic wires.

We present a systematic investigation of the influence of cross geometry on the Hall effect in narrow ballistic wires. Various differently shaped cross regions have been fabricated, which demonstrate that near zero magnetic field the Hall resistance can be quenched, enhanced over its classical value, or even negative. A ``last plateau'' is seen in all devices, proving that its cause is not intimately linked to the quenching. A simple physical picture is presented showing how these effects come about from the scattering of electrons in such geometries.
Long-term mandibular adaptations to protrusive function: an experimental study in Macaca mulatta.

Abstract Twenty-three male juvenile rhesus monkeys (( Macaca mulatta ) were used in an experimental study of long-term mandibular adaptations to induced protrusive function. Serial protrusive appliances were placed in 11 experimental animals and mandibular adaptations were monitored cephalornetrically. Twelve animals were used as controls. After 48 weeks significant increases in increments of condylar growth and in overall mandibular length were noted in the treated animals. At the end of the 144-week experimental period, the mandibles of the treated animals were 5 to 6 mm longer than those of the control animals. The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that the mandible has a genetically predetermined length.
The National Sedimentation Laboratory: 50 years of soil and water research in a changing agricultural environment

The papers in this issue are based on selected presentations made at a symposium convened to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the National Sedimentation Laboratory (NSL) of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Oxford, Mississippi. The mission of the NSL is to find solutions to problems associated with soil erosion and sediment delivery from upland areas, erosion and sedimentation in stream channels, the impact of sediment and other agricultural contaminants on the biological well-being of receiving surface water bodies, and the loss of nutrients and agricultural chemicals from agricultural activities on the landscape. The papers in this issue present a broad overview of current research activities by NSL scientists and their colleagues. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Airborne measurements of laser backscatter from the ocean surface

The data are taken with three different pulsed laser sources, one each in the ultraviolet (337.1 nm), visible (532.1 nm) and infrared (9.5 microns). The principal instrument is the airborne oceanographic lidar of the NASA Wallops Flight Facility. The data on mean laser backscatter and its variation with angle off nadir are found to be consistent with previous analytical work and some previous experimental work. The absolute calibration of this backscatter in terms of an effective Lambertian reflectance is less precise, but the data support values near nadir of approximately 0.20 for low wind speeds. It is noted that these values are 1 order of magnitude larger than the Fresnel reflectance for an air/water discontinuity in the refractive index. Whereas the normalized standard deviation (modulation factor) of backscatter is less well understood analytically, it is defined by these measurements to range from a few percent to over 50 percent at nadir and to increase off nadir as the tangent of theta or faster. The data are uncertain beyond 15 deg off nadir owing to a dynamic range limitation.
Preweanling Rats Solve the Morris Water Task via Directional Navigation

Adult rats show a preference for directional navigation over place navigation in the Morris water task. Here, the authors investigated whether preweanling rats with a newly developed ability to perform the water task also solve the task via directional navigation. After 24-day-old rats were trained to find a hidden platform in a fixed spatial location, a no-platform probe trial was conducted with the pool either in the same position as that used during training (no shift group) or shifted to a new position in the room (shift group). The authors found that rats in the shift group did not search for the platform at its absolute spatial location but rather navigated in the same direction that the platform was located during training and searched at the correct distance from the pool wall, resulting in a search at a location that was never trained. This pattern of results suggests that young rats learn to solve the water task by navigating in a particular direction rather than navigating to a precise place--a finding that may have implications for understanding hippocampal development.
Point target detection, location, and track initiation: initial optical lab results

Abstract Point targets (with size equal to the point spread function (PSF) of the detector system) in starfield, earth and cloud backgrounds are considered. We consider target detection from the background( using two frames of data and allowing the use of simpler sensor systems), target location estimatesof the target's position to subpixel accuracy (allowing the use of fewer sensor elements with bettersensitivity and cost), and track initiation (to confirm targets to be passed to a multi-target tracker).Real background sensor data and equivalently real targets are used and optical lab results are provided. 1 Introduction We consider the SDI (arid ADI) target acquisition issues of the detection and tracking of objects in midcourse when a strong background is present. We use simulated correlated noise data to model thebackground in a dowrtlooking scenario and a real starfield background (with various practical sensor errors) for the background in an uplooking scenario. In both cases, our algorithm can accomodatebackground shifts between frames (due to platform stability in an earth based or low orbit satellite
Edge information at landmarks in medical images

In many current medical applications of image analysis, objects are detected and delimited by boundary curves or surfaces. Yet the most effective multivariate statistics available pertain to labelled points (`landmarks') only. In the finite-dimensional feature space that landmarks support, each case of a data set is equivalent to a deformation map deriving it from the average form. This paper reviews a recent extension of a spline-based approach so as to incorporate edge information, and extends it further to apply to images that incorporate landmarks. In this implementation, edgels are restricted to landmark loci: they are interpreted as pairs of landmarks at infinitesimal separation in a specific direction. To shears of these infinitesimal edgels correspond well-defined incremental deformations of the entire image. There results a very flexible new strategy for normalizing the geometry of a specimen scene before representing its grey levels as functions of position. Applications of this strategy will include more powerful approaches to picture averaging and more precise visualizations of biological processes that affect the shapes of medical images, their content, or both.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Effect of promethazine on double tetracycline bone labeling in old mice

Abstract Twenty-five-month-old female B6AF 1 mice were injected intramuscularly (i.m.) with declomycin (75 mg/kg) 50 days and 2 days, or 20 days and 2 days, before sacrifice, and cross-sections of their femoral shafts were examined quantitatively for areas of tetracycline fluorescence. Two groups of mice received promethazine HCl in their drinking water (12 mg/dl) for 1 year, and the control groups were untreated. It was found that: (a) the number of discrete areas of cortical and endosteal tetracycline deposition was increased slightly in the groups given promethazine; (b) the length of the endosteal and cortical tetracycline deposits were 2–3 times greater, respectively, in the promethazine treated groups; and (c) the distance between the cortical tetracycline deposits and the endosteum was 2.5 times greater in the promethazine groups. These results support the view that net bone deposition in osteopenic old mice is enhanced by promethazine.
Which brainstem cells generate the respiration cycles

We make a major step towards answering the question posed in the title, using as model the mouse foetus in its 17–19 embryonic days. We use (a) 2-photon microscopy to image the brainstem cell activity ([Ca2+]) in the pre-Boetzinger complex, and (b) electrical recordings from the phrenic nerve, which indicate the diaphragm contraction during inspiration. We classify the brainstem regions (individual cells or groups of cells) into ‘active’ and ‘inactive’, based on whether they contribute or not to the individual electrical signal peaks. As features, we use the Continuous Wavelet Transform-based Semblance responses, for comparing non-periodic and/or periodic-like signals. We use our novel Generative Mixture Model (GMM) possibilistic clustering to obtain the desired classes robustly. This way, we model the inspiration control as a physiological process, which is a crucial step towards understanding how the living brain controls breathing.
Lipid Peroxidation and Phospholipid Hydrolysis in Fish Muscle Microsomes and Frozen Fish

The interaction between lipid peroxidation and phospholipase A2 was investigated in fish muscle microsomes and frozen fish muscle. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), a phospholipid hydrolysis product produced by the activity of phospholipase A2, was detected in the lipids extracted from microsomes peroxidized by incubation with NADH and ADP-Fe3+. No detectable level of LPC was found in the microsomal lipids when NADH was withdrawn from the reaction mixture nor in the untreated microsomal lipids. LPC level in the lipids extracted from unheated microsomes was considerably higher than that from heat-treated microsomes when both were peroxidized by incubation with ascorbate and Fe3+. Phospholipase A2 was activated by either NADH-dependent or ascorbate-induced lipid peroxidation in vitro. The levels of lipid peroxidation in fish muscle were higher when fish were stored at higher frozen storage temperatures and so were the levels of LPC.
An improved mesoscopic oxidation model of metals in lead bismuth eutectic

The oxidation process of metals in lead bismuth eutectic (LBE) environment is studied at a mesoscopic scale. An improved stochastic cellular automaton model based on an improved Moore neighborhood is proposed to investigate the development of a continuous oxide layer of metals in LBE. The ionization of metal and the oxidation reaction were simulated with consideration of the transport of oxygen along the grain boundaries and the diffusion of metallic ions. The growth of oxide layer in two directions is observed and the volume expansion effect can be realized by changing the volume control parameter. The model was benchmarked with a diffusion process, both with the analytical solution and with the previous work. Significant agreement was reached between the data. The developed model is also mapped with the experimental data from an LBE loop. A parametric study was conducted in order to check the importance of the main explicit parameters of the mesoscopic model.
A heuristic method for identifying modules for product architectures

Abstract Developing product architectures is a key phase in design and development processes. It encompasses the transformation of product function to alternative product layouts. In this paper, we describe a new approach for identifying modules for product architectures. We begin by reviewing the terminology and motivation for modular products. The new concepts of a functional basis and time ordered function chains are used to formally derive functional models of products. Then, three heuristic methods for identifying modules from functional models are presented. Using the formal functional decomposition and heuristic methods, modular design can be executed earlier in the product development process, as illustrated by the example of a consumer power-tool product and a larger, complex maintenance device. A database of 70 consumer products is used to verify and confirm the overall modular design approach.
Another View of Conventions

Conventions consist of conventionally accepted reasons for dereliction, deviation, distinction, or good fortune. Their use facilitates coordination of interpersonal effort through appeal to shared understandings that emerge from the push and pull of social interaction, but then constrain further rounds of that interaction. The use of conventions differs from three other well defined and widely used forms of reason giving: codes, technical accounts, and stories. All four do relational work, but conventions operate most easily and effectively when participants in social relations are simply confirming the character of those relations rather than establishing them anew, contesting them, terminating them, or transforming them. In those cases, participants are more likely to employ codes, technical accounts, or stories.
Superhydrophilic Thin-Film Composite Forward Osmosis Membranes for Organic Fouling Control: Fouling Behavior and Antifouling Mechanisms

This study investigates the fouling behavior and fouling resistance of superhydrophilic thin-film composite forward osmosis membranes functionalized with surface-tailored nanoparticles. Fouling experiments in both forward osmosis and reverse osmosis modes are performed with three model organic foulants: alginate, bovine serum albumin, and Suwannee river natural organic matter. A solution comprising monovalent and divalent salts is employed to simulate the solution chemistry of typical wastewater effluents. Reduced fouling is consistently observed for the superhydrophilic membranes compared to control thin-film composite polyamide membranes, in both reverse and forward osmosis modes. The fouling resistance and cleaning efficiency of the functionalized membranes is particularly outstanding in forward osmosis mode where the driving force for water flux is an osmotic pressure difference. To understand the mechanism of fouling, the intermolecular interactions between the foulants and the membrane surface are a...
Two-phase flow in small-scale ribbed and finned passages for compact evaporators and condensers

Abstract Complex small-scale finned and ribbed passages are being used with increasing frequency in compact high-performance evaporators and condensers. The complexity and small scale of these passages causes the flow and transport mechanisms to differ substantially from those in larger simpler tubes more commonly used in power, process and refrigeration applications. Special features of two-phase and transport in ribbed and finned passages are described. Results of recent investigations which have illuminated some of the very different mechanisms that arise in these circumstances are also summarized. The effects of liquid shedding from discontinuous structures, the strong role of surface tension forces, and the existence of recirculation zones and lateral nonuniformity of the flow are especially important in these small-scale passages. The impact of these features on modeling of two-phase transport in evaporators and condensers is also discussed.
Two Novel Mutations Found in a Patient with 17α-Hydroxylase Enzyme Deficiency

Context: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia resulting from 17α-hydroxylase deficiency (17OHD) is a rare disorder associated with hypertension. Subject and Methods: We describe a phenotypically and hormonally affected female patient with 17OHD. DNA sequencing of her CYP17 gene revealed a maternal heterozygous mutation in exon 2 (R125Q) and a paternal heterozygous mutation in exon 8 (R416H). These are novel mutations in the CYP17 gene that completely eliminate enzyme activity. Conclusion: Identification of novel mutations in the CYP17 gene is vital in understanding the molecular mechanisms of its deficiency and in providing additional information about the structure and enzymatic functions of P450c17.
Increased sialylation of anti-Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (CD176) antibodies in patients with gastric cancer: a diagnostic and prognostic potential.

Aim. To study whether alterations in the sialylation of antibodies (Ab) specific to the Thomsen-Friedenreich (TF) glycotope have a diagnostic and prognostic potential in gastric cancer. Methods. Serum samples were taken from patients with gastric carcinoma (n = 142) and controls (n = 61). The level of TF-specific antibodies and their sialylation was detected using ELISA with synthetic TF-polyacrylamide conjugate as antigen and sialic acid-specific Sambucus nigra agglutinin (SNA). Results. The level of TF-specific IgM was significantly decreased in cancer compared with controls (P ≤ 0.001). Cancer patients showed a higher level of SNA binding to anti-TF IgM and IgA (P ≤ 0.001) irrespective of disease stage, tumor morphology, and gender. Changes in the SNA/Ab index demonstrated moderate sensitivity (66–71%) and specificity (60–73%) for stomach cancer. The best diagnostic accuracy (100%) was achieved in 29% patients with high SNA binding and low anti-TF IgM level. This subset of patients demonstrated the poorest survival. Conclusion. Our findings are the first evidence that the increased sialylation of TF-specific Abs combined with a low level of anti-TF IgM is strongly linked to gastric cancer and patients survival, which can be used as a novel biomarker for cancer detection and prognosis.
Quantitative photoacoustic spectroscopy of chemically-modified silica surfaces

Abstract The degree of surface coverage on chemically-modified silica gel was determined by using photoacoustic spectroscopy. Vibrational overtones in the near-infrared were employed for the examination of modified materials containing bonded aliphatic, aromatic, and aminoalkyl functions. A linear relationship between photoacoustic signal amplitude and carbon or nitrogen content on the chemically-modified surface was obtained.
Copolymerization of halogenated phenols and syringic acid

Abstract Enzyme-catalyzed copolymerization of phenols with one to five chlorines (4-chlorophenol; 2,4- and 2,6-dichlorophenol; 4-bromo-2-chlorophenol; 2,3,6- and 2,4,5-trichlorophenol; 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol; and pentachlorophenol) and syringic acid was studied with an extracellular laccase of the fungus Rhizoctonia praticola . This reaction is of interest since it presents a model for explaining the incorporation of anthropogenic compounds into humic substances. When the laccase was incubated together with the halogenated phenols and syringic acid, two types of hybrid products were found: (1) phenols covalently bound to an orthoquinone product of syringic acid resulting in the formation of quinonoid oligomers, and (2) phenols covalently bound to decarboxylated products of syringic acid resulting in the formation of phenolic oligomers. Mass spectra of hybrid oligomers gave typical chlorine isotopic patterns which coincided with their respective chlorophenol monomer. It was concluded that all hybrid products contained only one halogenated phenol molecule and that no dehalogenation took place.
The engineering design of continuous electrophoresis

In the design of continuous electrophoresis devices, the main variables are the gap width, the flow rate and inlet temperature of the buffer, the electric field strength, the point of injection of the proteins, and the orientation of the flow to the gravitational field. Best values for many of these can be derived from first principles by requiring that the flow be stable, and that streak spreading be minimized. The result is a downflow device, with larger gap width than is usual, warm inlet buffer solution, and protein injection slightly downstream of the start of the electrodes. If cooling is improved by increasing the thermal conductivity of the cooling walls, the gap width must be reduced and the buffer flow increased. The performance possible with perfect cooling walls is similar to that obtained in space because, in both cases, the limiting factor is not thermal convection but the high temperature generated at the mid-point between the cooling walls.
Bioinformatics for Clinical Next Generation Sequencing

BACKGROUND: Next generation sequencing (NGS)-based assays continue to redefine the field of genetic testing. Owing to the complexity of the data, bioinformatics has become a necessary component in any laboratory implementing a clinical NGS test. CONTENT: The computational components of an NGS-based work flow can be conceptualized as primary, secondary, and tertiary analytics. Each of these components addresses a necessary step in the transformation of raw data into clinically actionable knowledge. Understanding the basic concepts of these analysis steps is important in assessing and addressing the informatics needs of a molecular diagnostics laboratory. Equally critical is a familiarity with the regulatory requirements addressing the bioinformatics analyses. These and other topics are covered in this review article. SUMMARY: Bioinformatics has become an important component in clinical laboratories generating, analyzing, maintaining, and interpreting data from molecular genetics testing. Given the rapid adoption of NGS-based clinical testing, service providers must develop informatics work flows that adhere to the rigor of clinical laboratory standards, yet are flexible to changes as the chemistry and software for analyzing sequencing data mature.