cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
OFDM waveform design compromising spectral nulling, side-lobe suppression and range resolution

Motivated by dual use of OFDM signal format for communications and radar in ever-worsening Electromagnetic (EM) coexistence environments, this paper deals with transmit waveform design problem considering multiple design objectives. Spectral nulling is a typical way for friendly coexistence with narrow band systems. However, a Non-Contiguous Orthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (NC-OFDM) waveform generated by turning off the interfering sub-carriers does not lead to satisfactory results. In this paper a convex optimization based waveform design framework is used to achieve deep spectral nulling while retaining low waveform autocorrelation side lobes and good range resolution. Because of dual use of the waveform, the data blocks to transmit are either unknown or chosen from a known dataset. Optimal sub-carrier weights are obtained for given transmission data blocks. In addition, waveform design for unknown data blocks are discussed and examined.
Dopant Activation and Epitaxial Regrowth in P-Implanted Pseudomorphic Ge0.12Si0.88 Layers On Si(100)

A pseudomorphic Ge0.12Si0.88 film 265 nm thick grown on a Si(100) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy was implanted at room temperature with a dose of 1.5 × 1015 cm2 of 100 keV P ions. The projected range of the ions is about 125 nm, which is well within the film thickness. Only the top portion of the Ge0.12Si0.88 layer was amorphized by the implantation. Both implanted and non-implanted samples were subsequently annealed in vacuum for 30 minutes from 400 °C to 800 °C. Values of electron Hall sheet mobility and concentration in the implanted Ge0.12Si0.88 epilayer were measured after annealing. The solid phase epitaxial regrowth is complete at 550 °C, where the implanted phosphorus reaches ~ 100 % activation. The regrown Ge0.12Si0.88 layer exhibits inferior crystalline quality to that of the virgin sample and is relaxed, but the non-implanted portion of the film remains pseudomorphic at 550 °C. When annealed at 800 °C, the strain in the whole epilayer relaxes. The sheet electron mobility values measured at room temperature in the regrown samples (Tann ≥ 550 °C) are about 20% less than those of pure Si.
Control the Host Cell Cycle: Viral Regulation of the Anaphase-Promoting Complex

Viruses commonly manipulate cell cycle progression to create cellular conditions that are most beneficial to their replication. To accomplish this feat, viruses often target critical cell cycle regulators in order to have maximal effect with minimal input. One such master regulator is the large, multisubunit E3 ubiquitin ligase anaphase-promoting complex (APC) that targets effector proteins for ubiquitination and proteasome degradation. The APC is essential for cells to progress through anaphase, exit from mitosis, and prevent a premature entry into S phase. These far-reaching effects of the APC on the cell cycle are through its ability to target a number of substrates, including securin, cyclin A, cyclin B, thymidine kinase, geminin, and many others. Recent studies have identified several proteins from a number of viruses that can modulate APC activity by different mechanisms, highlighting the potential of the APC in driving viral replication or pathogenesis. Most notably, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) protein pUL21a was recently identified to disable the APC via a novel mechanism by targeting APC subunits for degradation, both during virus infection and in isolation. Importantly, HCMV lacking both viral APC regulators is significantly attenuated, demonstrating the impact of the APC on a virus infection. Work in this field will likely lead to novel insights into viral replication and pathogenesis and APC function and identify novel antiviral and anticancer targets. Here we review viral mechanisms to regulate the APC, speculate on their roles during infection, and identify questions to be addressed in future studies.
Multispecies diffusion models: A study of uranyl species diffusion

[1] Rigorous numerical description of multispecies diffusion requires coupling of species, charge, and aqueous and surface complexation reactions that collectively affect diffusive fluxes. The applicability of a fully coupled diffusion model is, however, often constrained by the availability of species self-diffusion coefficients, as well as by computational complication in imposing charge conservation. In this study, several diffusion models with variable complexity in charge and species coupling were formulated and compared to describe reactive multispecies diffusion in groundwater. Diffusion of uranyl [U(VI)] species was used as an example in demonstrating the effectiveness of the models in describing multispecies diffusion. Numerical simulations found that a diffusion model with a single, common diffusion coefficient for all species was sufficient to describe multispecies U(VI) diffusion under a steady state condition of major chemical composition, but not under transient chemical conditions. Simulations revealed that for multispecies U(VI) diffusion under transient chemical conditions, a fully coupled diffusion model could be well approximated by a component-based diffusion model when the diffusion coefficient for each chemical component was properly selected. The component-based diffusion model considers the difference in diffusion coefficients between chemical components, but not between the species within each chemical component. This treatment significantly enhanced computational efficiency at the expense of minor charge conservation. The charge balance in the component-based diffusion model can be enforced, if necessary, by adding a secondary migration term resulting from model simplification. The effect of ion activity coefficient gradients on multispecies diffusion is also discussed. The diffusion models were applied to describe U(VI) diffusive mass transfer in intragranular domains in two sediments collected from U.S. Department of Energy's Hanford 300A, where intragranular diffusion is a rate-limiting process controlling U(VI) adsorption and desorption. The grain-scale reactive diffusion model was able to describe U(VI) adsorption/desorption kinetics that had been previously described using a semiempirical, multirate model. Compared with the multirate model, the diffusion models have the advantage to provide spatiotemporal speciation evolution within the diffusion domains.
Bias point selection in the importance sampling Monte Carlo simulation of systems

We consider the issue of whether it is better to bias the random variables at the input, at the output, or at some intermediate point of a system. We show that in a very general setting, the closer to the output that we can bias our system simulation variables, the better off we will be. We show that surprisingly, in some important special cases, the performance can be equal no matter where the bias point is selected. In the second part of the paper, we present a very general large deviation-type theorem on the variance rates of importance sampling estimators. We then use this theorem to consider, in a quantitative fashion, what the difference in the variance rates can be for input versus output formulations. We present several examples illustrating the developed theory.
Coping with rapidly changing information technology: challenges facing Africa's less-developed countries

Information technology (IT) is changing rapidly and is bringing radical changes and opportunities to our economic, social and political spheres of life. However, along with these opportunities are a few challenges for information systems users and managers everywhere. In Africa's less-developed countries, these challenges are similar to those encountered in the industrialised world, and maybe more difficult to cope with. Successful coping requires capital, technical know-how, and a modern telecommunications infrastructure, all of which are deficient in many parts of Africa. IT applications can significantly impact competitive advantages in trade and development, and are deemed critical to the success of any organisation. This paper examines the problems that can be encountered with rapid changes in IT, and how organisations in the less-developed countries in Africa can cope.
Qubit rotation with multiple phase-locked pulses in single quantum dots

Coherent optical control of qubits in single quantum dots shows that rotation of a single qubit can be achieved with multiple phase-locked pulses. Two pulses with well-defined pulse areas (/spl sim//spl pi//2) are phase-adjusted to rotate the qubit between |0> and |1>.
Hope and the Other Strengths: Lessons from Animal Farm

Abstract Using a metaphor based on George Orwell's Animal Farm, the author suggests that hope forms an especially robust predictor of well-being in particular, and other outcome markers more generally.
Chemical profile of vagal preganglionic motor cells innervating the airways in ferrets: the absence of noncholinergic neurons.

In ferrets, we investigated the presence of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and markers for nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in preganglionic parasympathetic neuro...
Ideal body size beliefs and weight concerns of fourth-grade children.

Objective The purpose of this study was to assess racial and gender differences in perceptions of ideal body size among White and Black fourth-grade children. Method: A random sample of 817 children (51.4% female, 51.8% White, and mean age 9 years) participated in a body image and weight concern survey. Results: Using socioeconomic status (SES), race, and gender as independent variables, Black children selected significantly heavier ideal sizes than White children for self, male child, female child, adult male, and adult female. Although almost one half (46%) of Black females wanted to be thinner than their current size, their body size selections were significantly larger than those of White females. Black and White males differed only in the selections of ideal female child and adult sizes. Cross-gender comparisons indicated females and Whites experience more body dissatisfaction and weight concern than males and Blacks. Discussion: Our study indicates that early in the sociocultural development of children, gender, race, and SES are influential factors in selecting ideal body size and determining body satisfaction. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 21: 279–284, 1997.
ST6Gal-I expression in ovarian cancer cells promotes an invasive phenotype by altering integrin glycosylation and function

Ovarian adenocarcinoma is not generally discovered in patients until there has been widespread intraperitoneal dissemination, which is why ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy. Though incompletely understood, the mechanism of peritoneal metastasis relies on primary tumor cells being able to detach themselves from the tumor, escape normal apoptotic pathways while free floating, and adhere to, and eventually invade through, the peritoneal surface. Our laboratory has previously shown that the Golgi glycosyltransferase, ST6Gal-I, mediates the hypersialylation of β1 integrins in colon adenocarcinoma, which leads to a more metastatic tumor cell phenotype. Interestingly, ST6Gal-I mRNA is known to be upregulated in metastatic ovarian cancer, therefore the goal of the present study was to determine whether ST6Gal-I confers a similarly aggressive phenotype to ovarian tumor cells. Three ovarian carcinoma cell lines were screened for ST6Gal-I expression, and two of these, PA-1 and SKOV3, were found to produce ST6Gal-I protein. The third cell line, OV4, lacked endogenous ST6Gal-I. In order to understand the effects of ST6Gal-I on cell behavior, OV4 cells were stably-transduced with ST6Gal-I using a lentiviral vector, and integrin-mediated responses were compared in parental and ST6Gal-I-expressing cells. Forced expression of ST6Gal-I in OV4 cells, resulting in sialylation of β1 integrins, induced greater cell adhesion to, and migration toward, collagen I. Similarly, ST6Gal-I expressing cells were more invasive through Matrigel. ST6Gal-I mediated sialylation of β1 integrins in ovarian cancer cells may contribute to peritoneal metastasis by altering tumor cell adhesion and migration through extracellular matrix.
On the Evolution of Codon Volatility

Volatility of a codon is defined as the probability that a random point mutation in the codon generates a nonsynonymous change. It has been proposed that higher-than-expected mean codon volatility of a gene indicates that positive selection for nonsynonymous changes has acted on the gene in the recent past. I show that strong frequency-dependent selection (minority advantage) in large populations can increase codon volatility slightly, whereas directional positive selection has no effect on volatility. Factors unrelated to positive selection, such as expression-related or GC-content-related codon usage bias, also affect volatility. These and other considerations suggest that codon volatility has only limited utility for detecting positive selection at the DNA sequence level.
6 Residential Burial, Gender Roles, and Political Development in Late Prehistoric and Early Cherokee Cultures of the Southern Appalachians

Native people in the southern Appalachians began placing graves in and around residences in the 13th century C.E. Burials previously were placed in specialized burial mounds that likely belonged to individual kin groups. For several centuries, the practice of residential burial was contemporaneous with burial in or near public buildings that sometimes were built on platform mounds. During this time, residential versus ‘public’ burial became related to spatial symbolism of gender and leadership roles. These changes suggest a developmental trajectory that distinguishes southern Appalachian societies from their contemporaries elsewhere in the southeastern U.S.
Semi-supervised Learning for Handwriting Recognition

We present a framework of adaptive (self-training) semi-supervised learning as applied to the problem of handwriting recognition. Each problem instance itself is treated as a set of unlabeled "training'' data; a general model, trained on a set of labeled data, is adapted into an appropriate problem specific model. Learning is continued until convergence is reached, yielding better results than the generalized model alone. An implementation of the framework was tested on English and Arabic handwritten documents. The initial supervised learning model gave word recognition performance of 81% and 67% for English and Arabic respectively. The subsequent semi-supervised learning adjustments yielded 86% and 77% word recognition performance for English and Arabic respectively.
Noise Effects in Nonlinear System Identification with Applications to Structures and Systems with Viscoelastic Elements

The effect of noise on least-squares based estimation of nonlinear system parameters is described. While both bias and variance are affected by noise, bias is the more difficult problem to deal with. Variance can be reduced by us ing more data, but bias can, in some cases, become greater when more data is used. A parameter estimation technique, that utilizes the steady-state response of a fractional derivative model of the uni-directional dynamic response of a polyurethane foam block, is analyzed to illustrate why the estimation bias occurs. Also described is the influence of unmodeled dynamics on the esti mates of parameters in a model of a mode of a cantilever beam.
Putting Your Business on the Map: Geographic Information Systems for Small Business

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) are a specialized type of computer information system that allows users to display a wide range of data on a map. The increasing availability of demographic and other information in computerized form has lead to an expansion of the use of GIS into the business world. The increasing power of relatively inexpensive personal computers, improvements in user interfaces for GIS, and falling prices for an increasingly diverse range of GIS data products have all contributed to a situation where small businesses can take advantage of capabilities that were previously the exclusive domain of the large corporation. This article provides an introduction to GIS capabilities for the small business end-user and provides information to aid the reader in deciding whether GIS may be applicable to their business decision making needs.
Medical Therapies and Their Effects on Skin Cancer

Patients with fair skin, sun damage, and genetic predisposition to skin cancer need to be followed closely for the development of skin cancer. There are therapies that are additional risk factors in these patients, and some of these will be discussed in this chapter.
Factors affecting germination and emergence of glyphosate-resistant hybrid corn (Zea mays L.) and its progeny

Laboratory and greenhouse experiments were conducted to compare the effects of agronomic and environmental factors on germination and emergence of glyphosate-resistant (GR) hybrid corn (Mycogen 2G6...
Dynamic electron localization initiated by particle-bath coupling

We consider the quantum evolution and relaxation of an electron or hole which is coupled to a set of bath modes. In most applications the bath modes would be the vibronic coordinates but the model considered applies to any type of dynamic boson environment. The method is developed specifically for the problem of dynamic polaron formation in small nonperiodic systems. It can describe a broad group of experimental situations, including in particular electron localization in organics and polymeric materials and devices. The immediate bath is allowed to dissipate energy to a secondary bath. The bath obeys classical dynamics which puts some restriction on the range of validity of this approach. Using the density matrix formalism on a tight binding model consisting of a linear chain coupled to vibronic coordinates, we demonstrate in real time how the interaction with a dissipative bath makes the initial quantum distribution reach a steady-state population. This calculation is based on the Ehrenfest dynamics approximation. As an example we consider coupling at a single impurity site and find that for given parameters (bath coupling, site energy, and relaxation rate), the particle becomes dynamically localized in space on a particular time scale. This localized particle can be called a polaron. We define a population formation time in the same way as done in the experimental measurement. This formation time is studied as a function of the coupling strength, bandwidth, and energy dissipation rate. Energy dissipation plays a crucial role in the spatial localization process. The formation time shortens as the electron-vibration coupling increases, and as the intersite tunneling increases, but lengthens with impurity trap depth. Polaron formation is suppressed for sufficiently wide electronic bands.
ON OPTIMAL RIGID BODY MOTIONS

Optimal rigid body angular motions are investigated in the absence of direct control over one of the angular velocity components. A numerical survey of first order necessary conditions for optimality reveals th'at over a large range of boundary conditions there are, in general, several distinct extremal solutions. A classification in terms of sub-families of extremal solutions is presented. Domains of existence of the extremal sub-families are established. A locus of Darboux points is obtained, and global optimality of extremal solutions is observed in relation to Darboux points. Local optimality for the candidate minimizers is verified by investigating the second order necessary conditions.
Radical Reactions of the Cobalt-Complexed Propargyl Acetals: Inter- and Intramolecular Variants

Propargyl acetals are used as a new type of substrate in cobaltocene-induced radical reactions stereodirected by a π-bonded Co2(CO)6 metal core. The experimental protocol involves treatment of the cobalt-complexed acetals with triflic anhydride, an in situ generation of ionic propargyl triflates, and a single-electron, low-temperature reduction of α-alkoxy-stabilized, Co2(CO)6-complexed propargyl cations. Inter- and intramolecular reactions provide a facile access to polyfunctional, topologically diverse 3,4-dialkoxy-1,5-alkadiynes and 3,4-dialkoxy-1,5-cyclodecadiynes with a predominant formation of the respective d,l-diastereomers (73–100% d,l). The stereo- and chemoselectivities are found to be dependent upon the (1) bulkiness of the gamma substituent (1,3-steric induction; d,l- 73–100%), (2) presence of a phosphorus ligand altering the π-bonded metal core (axial ligand induction; d,l- 91–97%), and (3) steric hindrance created by an alpha alkoxy group (1,1-steric induction; d,l- 83–92%).
Ligand Effects and Ligand Design in Homogeneous Gold(I) Catalysis

Gold catalysis is considered one of the most important breakthroughs in organic synthesis during the past decade, but a rational understanding of ligand effects in gold catalysis is lacking. Most gold-catalyzed reactions go through three major stages: (i) electronic activation of alkyne (or allene) to generate a vinyl gold intermediate; (ii) protodeauration to generate the product and regenerate the cationic gold catalyst; (iii) decay of the active gold catalyst. Our research provides a clearer understanding of how ligands influence each of the three stages in the gold catalytic cycle. What is even more important, by not focusing on a particular gold-catalyzed reaction, we have been able to categorize most gold-catalyzed reactions and propose a ligand design protocol for each category of gold-catalyzed reactions.
A method for predicting house fly attraction of electromagnetic radiant energy.

Musca domestica L. responses to various radiance and wavelength bands were used to predict theoretical attraction of fluorescent lamps in fly traps. Responses to monochromatic electromagnetic radiant energies were evaluated in a lobular response chamber. Radiant energy of selected wavelengths and radiances was provided by a xenon lamp, a grating monochromator, and neutral density filters. Responses to bands 20 nanometer (nm) wide between 290 and 630 nm at 1 radiance and 2 air temperatures and to 350-nm radiation at 4 radiances and 1 air temperature were determined, Bands 310-370 nm were the most attractive. Male and female response was the same in both air temperatures. House fly attraction was increased 1 normal equivalent deviate by increasing radiance 47 times.
Sterol synthesis is up-regulated in cholesterol-loaded pigeon macrophages during induction of cholesterol efflux.

The extent to which cholesterol synthesis is modulated in macrophage foam cells by changes in cholesterol influx and efflux was determined using thioglycollate-elicited peritoneal macrophages from normal and cholesterol-fed White Carneau (WC) and Show Racer (SR) pigeons. In peritoneal macrophages from normocholesterolemic pigeons, sterol synthesis from [(14)C]-acetate was down-regulated by more than 90% following incubation in vitro with beta-VLDL. Sterol synthesis was increased when the cellular free cholesterol concentration was decreased in response to stimulation of cholesterol efflux with apoHDL/phosphatidylcholine vesicles and cyclodextrin. Peritoneal macrophages isolated from hypercholesterolemic pigeons were loaded with cholesterol to levels similar to foam cells from atherosclerotic plaques (375-614 microg/mg cell protein), and had an extremely low rate of sterol synthesis. When cholesterol efflux was stimulated in these cells, sterol synthesis increased 8 to 10-fold, even though the cells remained grossly loaded with cholesterol. Cholesterol efflux also stimulated HMG-CoA reductase activity and LDL receptor expression. This suggests that only a small portion of the total cholesterol pool in macrophage foam cells was responsible for regulation of sterol synthesis, and that cholesterol generated by hydrolysis of cholesteryl esters was directed away from the regulatory pool by efflux from the cells. When the increase in sterol synthesis was blocked with the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor mevinolin, there was no difference in the cholesterol content of the cells, or in the mass efflux of cholesterol into the culture medium.Thus, under these conditions, the increase in cholesterol synthesis during stimulation of cholesterol efflux does not appear to contribute significantly to the mass of cholesterol in these macrophage foam cells. Whether a similar situation exists in vivo is unknown.
47 The energy landscape for protein folding and biomolecular machines

It is amazing how cells have created a number of molecular machines specialized for undertaking tasks needed to control and maintain cellular functions with exquisite precision. Due to fact that bi...
Real-Time, Multiplanar Computerized Tomography: A New Diagnostic Modality Used in the Detection and Endoscopic Removal of a Distal Ureteral Fibroepithelial Polyp and Adjacent Calculus

AbstractUreteral fibroepithelial polyps are rare benign mesodermal tumors that occur predominantly in the upper ureter. We report on a patient with a fibroepithelial polyp in the distal ureter that resulted in entrapment of a calculus and partial obstruction of the collecting system. Preoperatively, diagnosis by standard radiographic methods, such as excretory urogram, retrograde pyelogram and conventional computerized tomography with and without contrast enhancement, was not possible because of the close proximity of the fibroepithelial polyp, the ureteral calculus and calcifications in the adjacent internal iliac artery.The new diagnostic modality of real-time, multiplanar computerized tomography imaging using the Sun/Pixar computer system and the 2D/3D Orthotool software was used to make the correct preoperative assessment. Subsequently, the patient underwent ureteroscopic resection of the polyp and extraction of the calculus. A year later she was free of symptoms and there was no evidence of regrowth ...
Imaging of targeted lipid microbubbles to detect cancer cells using third harmonic generation microscopy

The use of receptor-targeted lipid microbubbles imaged by ultrasound is an innovative method of detecting and localizing disease. However, since ultrasound requires a medium between the transducer and the object being imaged, it is impractical to apply to an exposed surface in a surgical setting where sterile fields need be maintained and ultrasound gel may cause the bubbles to collapse. Multiphoton microscopy (MPM) is an emerging tool for accurate, label-free imaging of tissues and cells with high resolution and contrast. We have recently determined a novel application of MPM to be used for detecting targeted microbubble adherence to the upregulated plectin-receptor on pancreatic tumor cells. Specifically, the third-harmonic generation response can be used to detect bound microbubbles to various cell types presenting MPM as an alternative and useful imaging method. This is an interesting technique that can potentially be translated as a diagnostic tool for the early detection of cancer and inflammatory disorders.
Running a programming contest with Mooshak: conference tutorial

Increasing numbers of high schools are offering programming courses, and like any other academic activity in high school, programming provides an opportunity to compete with other high schools. The proposed tutorial will enable attendees to organize programming team practices and contests using a free tool, and help attendees manage contests with success.
The processing of extraposed structures in English.

In most languages, most of the syntactic dependency relations found in any given sentence are PROJECTIVE: the word–word dependencies in the sentence do not cross each other. Some syntactic dependency relations, however, are NON-PROJECTIVE: some of their word–word dependencies cross each other. Non-projective dependencies are both rarer and more computationally complex than projective dependencies; hence, it is of natural interest to investigate whether there are any processing costs specific to non-projective dependencies, and whether factors known to influence processing of projective dependencies also affect nonprojective dependency processing. We report three self-paced reading studies, together with corpus and sentence completion studies, investigating the comprehension difficulty associated with the non-projective dependencies created by the extraposition of relative clauses in English. We find that extraposition over either verbs or prepositional phrases creates comprehension difficulty, and that this difficulty is consistent with probabilistic syntactic expectations estimated from corpora. Furthermore, we find that manipulating the expectation that a given noun will have a postmodifying relative clause can modulate and even neutralize the difficulty associated with extraposition. Our experiments rule out accounts based purely on derivational complexity and/or dependency locality in terms of linear positioning. Our results demonstrate that comprehenders maintain probabilistic syntactic expectations that persist beyond projective-dependency structures, and suggest that it may be possible to explain observed patterns of comprehension difficulty associated with extraposition entirely through probabilistic expectations.
Physiological Adaptations to Environmental Stressors

Human biologists have long recognized the important role that environmental stressors play in shaping variation in human physiology and morphology. Among human populations around the world, body size and proportions are strongly influenced by differences in environmental temperature. Human populations living in cold, arctic climates are relatively heavy with large trunks and shortened limb lengths. Conversely, tropical populations are lighter and typically have more linear physiques. These patterns of variation are consistent with the classic “ecological rules” of Bergmann and Allen. Physiological adaptations to temperature stress involve strategies that regulate heat loss and production. Acclimation to cold stress involves increasing the efficiency of metabolic heat production and of heat delivery to peripheral tissues through earlier vasodilation. In contrast, acclimation to heat stress involves enhancing the capacity to dissipate heat production through greater vasodilation of peripheral blood vessels and increased sweat rates. Adaptations to high altitude hypoxia involve increasing the uptake and delivery of oxygen to peripheral tissues. Sea-level visitors to altitude respond by increasing the rate and depth of breathing and markedly increasing the oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. In contrast, native high altitude populations show a different set of responses including enlarged lung volumes and a modest increase in oxygen carrying capacity of the blood. The adaptations acquired during growth and development at altitude are critical for promoting complete functional adaptation to hypoxic stress.
Resting-state functional connectivity by independent component analysis-based markers corresponds to areas of initial seizure propagation established by prior modalities from the hypothalamus.

Abstract The aims of this study were to evaluate a clinically practical functional connectivity (fc) protocol designed to blindly identify the corresponding areas of initial seizure propagation and also to differentiate these areas from remote secondary areas affected by seizure. The patients in this cohort had intractable epilepsy caused by intrahypothalamic hamartoma, which is the location of the ictal focus. The ictal propagation pathway is homogeneous and established, thus creating the optimum situation for the proposed method validation study. Twelve patients with seizures from hypothalamic hamartoma and six normal control patients underwent resting-state functional MRI, using independent component analysis (ICA) to identify network differences in patients. This was followed by seed-based connectivity measures to determine the extent of fc derangement between hypothalamus and these areas. The areas with significant change in connectivity were compared with the results of prior studies' modalities use...
Board Level Reliability of Wafer Level Chip Scale Packages With Copper Post Technology

Thermal cycling performance of wafer level chip scale packages (WLCSP) depends on many factors: board design, assembly process and bump processes. The typical failure mode observed for this package is fracture between die and solder bump interface. To strengthen the base of the solder ball during thermal cycling, electroplated copper post was embedded on the RDL and is encapsulated in a low stress molding compound. The post increases the standoff which is believed to have better reliability. Time-to-failure, plotted in a Weibull distribution will be used to illustrate interesting and significant differences.
Pharmacokinetics of Vincristine in Infants with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

An understanding of vincristine (VCR) pharmacokinetics (PK) is important to achieve drug dosing that optimizes efficacy and minimizes toxicity. Limited information is available on the PK behavior of VCR in infants. Objectives: To determine the PK of VCR in infants, and to compare the PK parameters of infants to those in older children. Methods: A subset of 28 patients enrolled on the Pediatric Oncology Group 9407 infant leukemia study participated in this VCR PK study. PK samples were collected following the administration of VCR (0.05 mg/kg) i.v. push on week 1, day 1 of treatment. Twenty-eight patients, median age 7.1 months (range, 0.1–11.9 months) had blood samples collected for analysis of VCR concentrations at 5 minutes, and 0.5, 1, 4, and 24 h after drug administration. Samples were analyzed using a validated LC-MS method. A two-compartment model was fit to each patients data using Bayesian estimation (Adapt II software). Conclusions: PK parameters in infants 6 months of age were similar. CL in this population ranged from 7.8–31 ml/min/kg and was correlated with body weight, however only 25% of the variability in VCR CL could be accounted for by this variable. CL and t1/2 values are similar to those previously reported in older children. Evaluation of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic correlation is ongoing. Results: | | VCR (mean ± SD) | |:--------------------- | --------------- | | AUC (mcg•hr/L ) | 41.7 ± 19 | | CL (ml/min/kg) | 19.2 ± 6 | | Vc (L/kg) | 1.3 ± 1 | | t 1/2 elimination (h) | 17.1 ± 8.3 | | Kcp (hr-1) | 5.2 ± 1.7 | | Kpc (hr-1) | 0.3 ± 0.14 |
Porous Silicon as Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries

Lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous in our modern society, powering everything from cell phones, laptops, and power tools.They are also powering emerging applications such as electric vehicles and used for on-grid power stabilization. Lithium-ion batteries are a significant and growing part of this market due to their high specific energy. The worldwide market for lithium-ion batteries is projected to reach more than USD 9 billion by 2015. While lithium-ion batteries are often selected for their high specific energy, the market is demanding yet higher performance, usually in terms of energy stored per unit mass of battery. Many groups have recently turned their attention toward developing a silicon-based anode material to increase lithium-ion battery density. Silicon continues to draw great interest as an anode for lithium-ion batteries due to its large specific capacity as compared to the conventional graphite. Despite this exciting property, its practical use has been limited due to a large volume change associated with the insertion and extraction of lithium, which oftentimes leads to cracking and pulverization of the anode, limiting its cycle life. To overcome this problem, significant research has been focused toward developing various silicon nanostructures to accommodate the severe volume expansion and contraction. The structuring of the silicon often involves costly processing steps, limiting its application in price sensitive commercial lithium-ion batteries. To achieve commercial viability, work is being pursued on silicon battery anode structures and processes with a special emphasis on the cost and environment. In this review book chapter, we will summarize recent development of a cost-effective electrochemically etched porous silicon as an anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Briefly, the new approach involves creating hierarchical micron-and nanometer-sized pores on the surface of micron-sized silicon particulates, which are combined with an excellent conductor binder.
A novel diagnostic test generation methodology and its application in production failure isolation

Faster failure isolation is critical for manufacturing yield ramp and product time to market. Higher diagnosis resolution is essential for faster defect isolation and root-cause identification. A detection oriented test set is targeted for fault coverage and does not provide maximum diagnostic resolution. In this paper, we present the design and architecture of a state of the art diagnostic ATPG tool for industrial-scale designs. We develop a novel diagnostic test generation methodology which first generates deterministic diagnostic test content to distinguish the diagnosis suspects. If tester memory is available then additional N-detect oriented tests are generated to augment the content. Further, we present techniques to improve performance of diagnostic fault simulation for industrial-scale designs. Experimental results on Intel® Core™ microprocessor designs indicate 3X-114X speed up with up-to 2X memory overhead. Silicon failure data collected on sort wafer fails showed the effectiveness of the hybrid diagnostic content in improving the diagnostic resolution by 2.8x to 3X when compared with content generated from an industry standard diagnostic test generator. Silicon results are evaluated on Intel® Core™ microprocessor.
Coercive Power and State Formation in Northern Vietnam

Archaeological researchers have long contemplated the origins of ancient states, and ongoing research has produced numerous theoretical explanations accounting for archaic state formation. Although the array of cases from varied geographic and temporal settings reflects localized, historical particularities and cultural variability, many researchers have noted general patterning and commonalities in contributing factors for political centralization. Garnering much scholarly attention is the phenomenon of warfare, along with attendant cultural practices related to coercion. A central question has centered on the relationship between coercive power and the political consolidation of persistent authority inherent to states. Using a case study from prehistoric northern Vietnam, this chapter explores the relationship between sociopolitical change and leadership strategies related to competition, militarism, and ideological influence. The case elucidates how coercive power was a vital and pivotal component of a sociopolitically transformative process, one which resulted in the establishment of permanent and institutionalized forms of political authority in Vietnam’s Red River delta over two thousand years ago. Specifically, this chapter deals with archaeological and textual data related to the Co Loa settlement, located in the Red River delta near present-day Hanoi. According to a mixture of folklore and textual accounts, the heavily fortified city was purportedly founded by the semi-legendary kingdom of Au Lac during the third century BC.
The Clemson Juvenile Delinquency Project: Major Findings from a Multi-Agency Study

Clemson University researchers have conducted a multi-agency, multi-cohort study on juvenile offending and recidivism. Important features of the study are a sample size of approximately 100,000 delinquents and 100,000 non-delinquents; the merging of data sets from a state department of juvenile justice with those of departments of mental health, social services, education, and (adult) law enforcement; and statistical analyses focusing on the role of age, race, gender, child maltreatment, mental health disorders and school-related disabilities on juvenile referrals, prosecutions, re-offending and incarceration. Published findings strongly support earlier empirical and clinical work on influences on juvenile delinquency. The present article emphasizes our findings related to five important issues: the impact of prosecution on repeat offending, the effects of the juvenile's race on solicitor recommendations, the significance of one-time juvenile offending, the empirical support for the concept of "resilience," and the magnitude of associations between childhood history and later criminal offending.
Population-level coordination of pigment response in individual cyanobacterial cells under altered nitrogen levels

Cyanobacterial phycobilisome (PBS) pigment-protein complexes harvest light and transfer the energy to reaction centers. Previous ensemble studies have shown that cyanobacteria respond to changes in nutrient availability by modifying the structure of PBS complexes, but this process has not been visualized for individual pigments at the single-cell level due to spectral overlap. We characterized the response of four key photosynthetic pigments to nitrogen depletion and repletion at the subcellular level in individual, live Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 cells using hyperspectral confocal fluorescence microscopy and multivariate image analysis. Our results revealed that PBS degradation and re-synthesis comprise a rapid response to nitrogen fluctuations, with coordinated populations of cells undergoing pigment modifications. Chlorophyll fluorescence originating from photosystem I and II decreased during nitrogen starvation, but no alteration in subcellular chlorophyll localization was found. We observed differential rod and core pigment responses to nitrogen deprivation, suggesting that PBS complexes undergo a stepwise degradation process.
Effect of Low CO2 Growth on PSA E and DES 6 cDNAS in Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii

A CO2 concentrating mechanism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii increases the efficiency of photosynthesis. This is seen from the apparent increase in affinity for CO2 when the alga is grown in low CO2 conditions. In C. reinhardtii this concentrating mechanism is induced only under low CO2 conditions. This adaptation to low CO2 occurs in concurrence with the synthesis of a number of new proteins. To identify the components involved in this mechanism a cDNA library has been constructed. This library has been differentially screened for clones upregulated under low CO2 conditions (1). Several putative cDNAs such as those encoding carbonic anhydrases, LHCs, and cyclophilins have been scored as upregulated under low CO2 conditions. Here we discuss the identification and the possible roles played by the clones 49 110 (Lci 4) and 171 1 (Lci 6).
Heterosis, combining ability and genetic effect, and relationship with genetic distance based on a diallel of hybrids from five diverse Gossypium barbadense cotton genotypes

The cultivated tetraploid Gossypium barbadense L. cotton produces superior natural fibers for the textile industry in the world. However, the possibility in utilization of heterosis to further increase its lint yield has not been extensively explored. In this study, two commercial US Pima cotton cultivars and three exotic G. barbadense lines, together with all of their possible hybrids in F1 and F2 progeny without reciprocals, were tested for lint yield, yield components, and fiber quality traits in four environments in 2005–2007. With a few exceptions, genotype (G), environment (E), and G × E were all significant or highly significant for all the traits studied. General combining ability (GCA) variances for all the traits in both F1 and F2 were also significant, while specific combining ability (SCA) variances were detected only for lint yield, fiber length, and micronaire in both generations and boll weight in F1. GCA × E was also detected for lint percent, seed index, and fiber length in both F1 and F2, and boll weight in F1, but none of the traits had significant SCA × E. As a group, F1 and F2 out-yielded the parent group by 20–40% and 6–10%, respectively. Mid-parent heterosis (MPH) for lint yield in F1 was generally positive, ranging from −4.7 to 116.4% with an average of 21.2–48.7%, while lint yield MPH in F2 ranged from −23.3 to 69.4% with an average of 6.4–12.4%. However, useful heterosis in lint yield was only detected in the hybrid between the two US commercial cultivars Pima S-7 and DP 340. MPH for other traits was low or not detected. MPH in F2 was lower than that in F1 but they were generally positively correlated. The genetic distances (GD) of the parents (based on 467 polymorphic RAPD and AFLP markers) between the five parents was not consistently correlated with MPH and SCA of their hybrids and dominant effects for lint yield and other traits. However, significant and positive correlations between GD of parents and the performance of their hybrids were detected for lint yield, lint percentage, and lint index in both F1 and F2 in most of the tests. GD of parents was also correlated with their GCA and additive effects in lint yield, lint percent, lint index, micronaire, plant height, and elongation. The results suggest that the close correlation between GD and hybrid performance per se was mainly due to the existence of GCA and additive effects from parents.
Impact of carvedilol before angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy on cardiac function.

The study by Sliwa et al. ([1][1]) is indeed an eye-opener for those who depend on expert opinions such as those from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines ([1,2][1]). However, despite a well-executed study, I am not sure the conclusions drawn by the editor and
Magnetic equivalent circuit-based simulation of a 6-Phase generation system

In this research, a dynamic magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC)-based model of a 6-phase wound rotor synchronous generator has been developed. The model is coupled with dual active rectifier bridges to enable detailed switching waveform-level simulations of an MVDC generation system. The MEC model of the generator accurately captures time and spatial harmonics as well as saturation of magnetic material and it represents a reasonable balance between accuracy and computation time compared to lumped parameter or finite element models. In this paper, it is shown that the model enables one to efficiently and accurately explore system dynamics and alternative controls under cases in which a single generator sources multiple healthy or faulted buses.