cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Scattering of sound by sound

Abstract The previous results for the scattered field of two plane monochromatic sound waves is shown to possess a singularity as the wave vectors become equal. A new solution which removes this singularity is presented.
China's Urban Housing Reform: Recent Achievements and New Inequities

China's urban housing reform started in the early 1980s, as a part of comprehensive economic reform. The old system was dominated by work units that provided substantial in-kind services to their employees, including heavily subsidised housing. It brought three serious problems: housing shortages, corruption and inequities. The goals of housing reform were to solve these problems through urban housing privatisation, commercialisation and socialisation. This study examines China's urban housing reform through a case study of the city of Jinan. It first reviews the history of housing development in Jinan from the 1950s to the 1980s, and then analyses Jinan's reform practices in the 1990s. Its finding is that, after many years' efforts, housing reform in Jinan has made substantial progress, but mostly with respect to privatisation. The problem of housing shortages has been addressed and crowding has lessened considerably. Anecdotal evidence suggests that corruption is less widespread than in the past. The ot...
A neural network architecture for figure-ground separation of connected scenic figures

Abstract A neural network model, called an FBF network, is proposed for automatic parallel separation of multiple image figures from each other and their backgrounds in noisy gray-scale or multicolored images. The figures can then be processed in parallel by an array of self-organizing Adaptive Resonance Theory (ART) neural networks for automatic target recognition. An FBF network can automatically separate the disconnected but interleaved spirals that Minsky and Papert introduced in their book Perceptrons. The network's design also clarifies why humans cannot rapidly separate interleaved spirals, yet can rapidly detect conjunctions of disparity and color, or of disparity and motion, that distinguish target figures from surrounding distractors. Figure-ground separation is accomplished by iterating operations of a Feature Contour System (FCS) and a Boundary Contour System (BCS) in the order FCS-BCS-FCS, hence the term FBF. The FCS operations include the use of nonlinear shunting networks to compensate for variable illumination and nonlinear diffusion networks to control filling-in. A key new feature of an FBF networks is the use of filling-in for figure-ground separation. The BCS operations include oriented filters joined to competitive and cooperative interactions designed to detect, regularize, and complete boundaries in up to 50% noise, while suppressing the noise. A modified CORT-X filter is described. which uses both on-cells and off-cells to generate a boundary segmentation from a noisy image.
A Renormalization Group Classification of Nonstationary and/or Infinite Second Moment Diffusive Processes

Anomalous diffusion processes are often classified by their mean square displacement. If the mean square displacement grows linearly in time, the process is considered classical. If it grows like tβ with β 1, the process is considered subdiffusive or superdiffusive, respectively. Processes with infinite mean square displacement are considered superdiffusive. We begin by examining the ways in which power-law mean square displacements can arise; namely via non-zero drift, nonstationary increments, and correlated increments. Subsequently, we describe examples which illustrate that the above classification scheme does not work well when nonstationary increments are present. Finally, we introduce an alternative classification scheme based on renormalization groups. This scheme classifies processes with stationary increments such as Brownian motion and fractional Brownian motion in the same groups as the mean square displacement scheme, but does a better job of classifying processes with nonstationary increments and/or processes with infinite second moments such as α-stable Levy motion. A numerical approach to analyzing data based on the renormalization group classification is also presented.
A factor analytic study of the psychological implications of the computer for the individual and society

The coming of the computer age has provided widespread discussion of the effects on the individual and society of this most recent and powerful intellectual and technological revolution. Discussions of the psychological implications of the computer have produced a literature that is primarily polemic and, in any case, not measurement oriented with respect to identifying basic issues and central attitudes. In this article, measurement procedures including the development and testing of the Cybernetics Attitude Scale (the computer’s psychological effect in each of 10 sectors of society) and a factor analytic study of the collected data are presented. The article concludes with a discussion of the research implications of the factor analytic findings and the ways in which these findings illumine the problem of the meaning of the computer for the individual and society.
Context Dependent Spectral Unmixing

A hyperspectral unmixing algorithm that finds multiple sets of endmembers is introduced. The algorithm, called Context Dependent Spectral Unmixing (CDSU), is a local approach that adapts the unmixing to different regions of the spectral space. It is based on a novel objective function that combines context identification and unmixing into a joint function. This objective function models contexts as compact clusters and uses the linear mixing model as the basis for unmixing. The unmixing provides optimal endmembers and abundances for each context. An alternating optimization algorithm is derived. The performance of the CDSU algorithm is evaluated using synthetic and real data. We show that the proposed method can identify meaningful and coherent contexts, and appropriate endmembers within each context.
Dizziness, Vertigo, and Presyncope: What's the Difference?

Dizziness is a general term used to express subjective patient complaints related to changes in sensation, movement, perception, or consciousness. There are four types of dizziness: vertigo, disequilibrium, presyncope/syncope, and dizziness as a result of psychological disturbances. Differentiating the type of dizziness will assist in the course of the evaluation.
Acute child and mother psychophysiological responses and subsequent PTSD symptoms following a child's traumatic event

This study examined the relationship between acute cortisol responses to trauma and subsequent PTSD symptoms (PTSS) in children and their biological mothers. Urinary cortisol levels were assessed in 54 children aged 8-18 upon admission to a level-1 trauma center. Six weeks posttrauma, 15-hour urine samples were collected from children and their mothers. Depression and PTSS were assessed at 6 weeks (N = 44) and 7 months (N = 38) posttrauma. Higher child in-hospital cortisol significantly predicted 6-week child PTSS. This was true only for boys at 7 months. In mothers, lower 6-week cortisol levels significantly predicted 7-month PTSS. Results extend findings of differing directions of acute hormonal predictors of PTSS in adults versus children to a sample of genetically related individuals.
Recollections of Thomas John Wydrzynski

In appreciation of his contribution to the Photosystsem II research and commemoration of the book Photosystem II: The Light-Driven Water-Plastoquinone Oxido-Reductase, co-edited with Kimiyuki Satoh, I present here some of my recollections of Thomas John Wydrzynski and by several others with whom he has associated over the years at Urbana (Illinois), Berkeley (California), Standard Oil Company-Indiana (Illinois), Berlin (Germany), Gothenburg (Sweden), and Canberra (Australia). We not only recognize him for his unique career path in Photosystem II research, but also for his qualities as a collaborative scientist working on the only system on Earth that has the ability to oxidize water to molecular oxygen using the energy of sunlight.
Tracer permeabilities underestimate transmembrane solute flux under a concentration gradient

Abstract The measured flux of sucrose across Cuprophan dialysis membrane in the presence of a concentration gradient is significantly greater than the flux predicted from radioactive tracer permeabilities measured in the absence of a concentration gradient. The difference can be explained if the membrane is heteroporous. Similar results are expected for other heterogeneous biological or artificial membranes.
Diffusion and excitation transfer of excited alkali-metal atoms

We report calculations of diffusion, excitation transfer, width, and shift cross sections. We use these cross sections to obtain the diffusion coefficient and the width and line shift due to collisions of alkali-metal atoms in the impact approximation. The results are compared to analytical expressions obtained from semiclassical treatments, and with measured widths for sodium atoms. Extension to other alkali metal atoms is also given.
Oil emulsions enhance transcuticular movement of captan in apple leaves

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether oil emulsions enhanced penetration of captan, a chloroalkyl thio heterocyclic non-systemic fungicide through apple leaf cuticles. Cuticles from apple leaves were isolated with enzymes and treated with 1% soybean oil emulsified with Latron B-1956® and K1, and two commercial soybean oil emulsions, dormant oil and SunSpray on the outer morphological surface. Where captan and oil were applied together, the percentage of captan that penetrated the cuticle never exceeded 3.5% even under a worst-case scenario but this could be sufficient to cause phytotoxicity. When applied on the outer morphological surface of the cuticle, all oil formulations increased captan penetration by more than 50% over the amount penetrated through control cuticles. The greatest penetration of captan was through cuticles treated with dormant oil. A significant amount of captan (51% over the control amount) penetrated through the inner morphological surface of the cuticle. Captan penetration was more than 40% greater through the abaxial than through the adaxial cuticles. Increasing captan concentration increased captan penetration and a linear relationship existed between captan concentration and captan penetration through the cuticle. The study clearly showed that oil emulsions facilitated penetration of significant amount of captan through the cuticle, which may have serious implications for phytotoxicity of leaves.
Low frequency nonlinear fabry‐perot resonator

An optical nonlinear Fabry-Perot interferometer is simulated using a low frequency nonlinear transmission line circuit. The analog model may be used to study the phenomenon of bistability and harmonic frequency generation.
Morphology, histochemistry, and function of epaxial cervical musculature in the horse (Equus caballus).

The semispinalis capitis and splenius muscles of the horse were analyzed for gross morphology, microarchitecture, fiber length, and fiber type. Although these two muscles are similar in size and anatomical position, they are very different from one another in structural design and histochemistry, implying diverse functional roles in the animal's behavior. The histochemical staining profile was limited to two fiber types: slow oxidative and fast glycolytic. The splenius muscle has simple architecture, long fibers, and a 60/40 ratio of SO to FG cross-sectional area. The semispinalis capitis has complex architecture with short-fibered, concentric compartments dorsal to its central tendon and longer-fibered compartments ventrally. The entire dorsal region has an increasing gradient of slow oxidative fiber percentage from caudal to cranial (58–71% SO). In contrast, the ventral region has a decreasing gradient of slow oxidative fibers from caudal to cranial (48–67% FG). These patterns can be interpreted within the context of the cervical musculature during locomotion and posture to indicate the functional advantages of this organization. J. Morphol. 251:182–194, 2002. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Definiteness of pattern ending and uniformity of pattern size: Their effects upon learning number sequences

Two experiments were conducted in which Ss learned umber sequences containing rule-defined patterns. To the extent that Ss used the rules, their errors were expected to predominate on the beginning member of each pattern. The patterns were of either uniform or varied size and had either definite or indefinite endings. The results indicated errors predominated on beginning members and the pattern-length cues, as well as the Ss' ability to identify the patterns, facilitated learning. Across four groups the correlations between the Ss' tendency to chunk the patterns and their rate of learning averaged about .70.
Sensation seeking and need for achievement among study-abroad students.

(2000). Sensation Seeking and Need for Achievement Among Study-Abroad Students. The Journal of Social Psychology: Vol. 140, No. 4, pp. 533-535.
Valence tautomerism for catechol/semiquinone complexes of the trans-M(Bupy)2(3,6-DBQ)2 (MMn, Fe, Co) series

Studies directed at the investigation of metal-quinone electron transfer have been carried out for members of the M(Bupy)2(3,6- DBQ)2 series where Bupy is 4-tert-butylpyridine, 3,6-DBQ is the 3,6-di-tert-butylbenzoquinone ligand in either its reduced semiquinonate or catecholate form, and M is Mn, Fe or Co. Structural characterization on Mn(Bupy)2(3,6-DBCat)2 and Fe(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)(3,6-DBCat) (Mn(Bupy)2(3,6-DBCat)2: triclinic, P1, a=10.294(15), b=10.632(8), c=11.085(5) A, α=93.00(3), β=90.78(3), γ=112.12(3)°, V=1122(1) A3 and Z=1; Fe(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)(3, 6-DBCat): triclinic, P1, a=10.326(2), b=10.646(2), c=11.192(2) A, α=92.40(2), β=92.17(1), γ=111.87(1)°, V=1138.9(4) A3 and Z=1) has shown that the molecules are in the trans isomeric form. Features of the inner coordination spheres about both metal ions are in accord with the charge distributions indicated. Crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry disorders the Cat and SQ ligands of the iron complex. Both Co(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)(3,6-DBCat) and Mn(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)(3,6-DBCat) show low-energy charme transfer transitions in the region between 3000 and 5000 cm−1, and exhibit valence tautomeric equilibria in solution and in the solid state. Equilibria for the cobalt complex involve shifts between CoIII(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)(3,6-DBCat) and CoII(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)2 charge distributions in separate electron transfer and metal spin transition steps. Solid state equilibria for the manganese complex appear to occur between MnIII(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)(3,6-DBCat) and MnIV(Bupy)2(3,6-DBCat)2 charge distributions, with an additional shift to the MnII(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)2 form in toluene solution. Fe(Bupy)2(3,6-DBSQ)(3,6-DBCat) shows a low intensity transition at 2150 nm, but fails to show evidence for a tautomeric equilibrium.
The deposition of chromium by the use of an inductively-coupled radio-frequency plasma torch

This paper discusses attempts to deposit a layer of hard Cr metal, with properties similar to those of layers currently obtained by electrolytic methods, onto a metallic substrate using an inductively-coupled, radio-frequency plasma torch (ICP-RF) torch. Preliminary studies indicated that it might be possible to produce a suitable layer using a number of chromium-based compounds. For this study, Cr powders and a chromium precursor were injected into the high temperature region of the plasma plume, where thermal decomposition of the feed material produced Cr atoms that deposited onto the surface of metal substrates placed below the plasma torch. The films produced were examined to determine thickness, chemical compositions, and adherence. Since the goal of the project was to develop a coating method that was not only industrially suitable but also environmentally safe, care was taken to monitor the emissions produced by the system during deposition.
Surface Activity of Ethylene Oxide and Propylene Oxide Polymers of Steroidal Compounds

The effects of the ethylene oxide polymers of ursolic acid, some of its derivatives, and cholic acid on surface and interfacial tensions and on the formation of oil-in-water emulsions and transparent emulsions are described. In addition, the cotton tape modification of the Draves test was employed for evaluation of these compounds as wetting agents. The propylene oxide polymers of these same initiators were found to be incapable of aiding in the formation of water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsions. These polymers were evaluated by preparing a series of water-in-oil ointments and by noting their effects on interfacial tension.
Intraflagellar transport is required in Drosophila to differentiate sensory cilia but not sperm.

Abstract Background: Intraflagellar transport (IFT) uses kinesin II to carry a multiprotein particle to the tips of eukaryotic cilia and flagella and a nonaxonemal dynein to return it to the cell body. IFT particle proteins and motors are conserved in ciliated eukaryotes, and IFT-deficient mutants in algae, nematodes, and mammals fail to extend or maintain cilia and flagella, including sensory cilia. In Drosophila , the only ciliated cells are sensory neurons and sperm. no mechanoreceptor potential ( nomp ) mutations have been isolated that affect the differentiation and function of ciliated sense organs. The nompB gene is here shown to encode an IFT protein. Its mutant phenotypes reveal the consequences of an IFT defect in an insect. Results: Mechanosensory and olfactory neurons in nompB mutants have missing or defective cilia. nompB encodes the Drosophila homolog of the IFT complex B protein IFT88/Polaris/OSM-5. nompB is expressed in the ciliated sensory neurons, and a functional, tagged NOMPB protein is located in sensory cilia and around basal bodies. Surprisingly, nompB mutant males produce normally elongated, motile sperm. Neuronally restricted expression and male germline mosaic experiments show that nompB -deficient sperm are fully functional in transfer, competition, and fertilization. Conclusions: NOMPB, the Drosophila homolog of IFT88, is required for the assembly of sensory cilia but not for the extension or function of the sperm flagellum. Assembly of this extremely long axoneme is therefore independent of IFT.
Modeling the Fontan circulation: where we are and where we need to go.

The Fontan procedure and its subsequent modifications over the past 30 years can be described as a class of surgical procedures for patients born with complex congenital heart disease exhibiting a single-ventricle physiology. The long-term outcome for children currently undergoing a Fontan procedure remains worrisome because of multiple late morbidities observed. Despite significant modeling efforts spanning three decades, improvements to the Fontan procedure have occurred without comprehensive validation from these modeling studies. Careful examination shows that modeling studies to date offer only a “glimpse through a keyhole” into understanding and modeling a representative range of the variations in anatomy and physiology that exist in Fontan patients. Suggestions for future investigations are provided.
Investigations of some magnetic and mineralogical properties of the Laschamp and Olby flows, France

Rock-magnetic, paleomagnetic and petrologic properties of samples from the Laschamp and Olby basalt formations in France were studied to aid in determining the validity of the Laschamp geomagnetic field reversal reported by Bonhommet and Babkine. The Laschamp flow contains ilmenomagnetite, with partial alteration of the magnetite to hematite. Ilmenomagnetite in the Olby flow has largely recrystallized at high temperatures to a composite mozaic intergrowth of pseudobrookite, titanohematite and magnesioferrite, with rare residual magnetite and lamellae of ilmenite. The remanent magnetization is stable and resides primarily in single-domain magnetite particles. Our results indicate that the magnetizations of the Laschamp and Olby flows faithfully record the direction of the ambient magnetic field in which they cooled.
Children in Global Migrations

Despite popular images of the adverse disruptions caused by migration in today's global world, the migration of children in the contemporary world often repeats patterns from the past. We are also witnessing genuinely new elements. In either case, to understand and evaluate these matters requires historical understanding of childhood and knowledge about earlier migrations, such as those of the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. Important areas affected by migration with significant consequences for children include education, social mobility, family authority, gender roles, and the potential contributions that older children can make to strategies for family success and survival. Changes in these areas have resulted in important social transformations and can be expected to do so again. Understanding contemporary globalization should involve the knowledge of American historians especially because of the long experience in the United States with many of the factors associated with globalization that are currently being played out around the world. The paper looks at how the American experience with migration in the context of free market economic activity and of the resulting interpenetration of many cultures can help us to frame questions about migration and globalization today.
Compartmental Analysis of Carcinogenic Experiments - Formulation of A Stochastic-Model

Numerous models for tumor formation and development have been proposed and analyzed. The present model is rather unique by virtue of its incorporation of casual biological theory into the chance mechanisms. This is accomplished by using the very flexible technique of compartmental modeling. An important consequence is that the present model readily lends itself to many types of generalizations and analyses, some of which are explored in this paper. The complete stochastic solution for the model is derived. Factorability of the hazard rate is established. Use of the stochastic solution for “safe dose” estimation is considered.
Compressive and Tensile Properties of Molybdenum Disulfide Compacts

Compact of molybdenum disulfide powder were made, without the use of a binder, over a wide range of compacting pressures and length-to-diameter ratios. Their specific gravity, hardness, and compressive and tensile properties were determined at approximately sea-level pressure and 75 F. The ultimate compressive strength and ultimate tensile strength were found to be essentially functions of specific gravity only, and the relationships are presented. The modulus of elasticity was found to be essentially the same in compression and in tension, and is also presented as a function of specific gravity. Presented as an American Society of Lubrication Engineers paper at the Lubrication Conference held in Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 18–20, 1966.
Planetary science: A new recipe for Earth formation.

Experimental results suggest that if Earth initially grew by the accumulation of highly chemically reduced material, its core could contain enough uranium to drive the planet's magnetic field throughout Earth's history. See Letter p.337
Vortex Shedding from the End of a Tube as a Result of Buoyancy Effects

ONE of the most interesting phenomena observed in fluid flow is that of vortex shedding, the best known example of which is the von Karman vortex street behind a cylinder or similar obstacles normal to the flowing stream. For such two-dimensional systems, there is considerable information available. However, for axially symmetric systems, there appears to be little more than the recent results of Magarvey and Bishop1 on spheres. Therefore, a study of vortex shedding in axially symmetric systems was initiated under Battelle sponsorship. In one system, vortices as shown in Fig. 1 were observed in alkaline water (containing amounts of sodium carbonate neutralized by up to 1.24 c.c. nitric acid/litre) discharging from a long vertical tube into a large plenum chamber. The chamber contained slightly acidic water (up to 7.65 c.c. nitric acid/litre). Reynolds numbers down to the experimental limit of above 200 were investigated. The flow pattern was revealed by phenolphthalein added to the inlet water supply.
High-resolution spectroscopy of gamma-ray bursts

We report on results from the Goddard germanium Gamma-Ray Burst Spectrometer flown on the ISEE-3 spacecraft. Spectral and temporal studies of two events on 4 and 19 November, 1978 are presented. The power law spectral indices were found to be respectively −1.82 and −1.31, the latter being the hardest event thus far detected. Evidence for two lines in the 4 November event is presented — a broad feature at ∼420 keV and a narrower one at 740 keV. These are consistent with a common redshift if the parent lines are assumed to be the positron annihilation line (511 keV) and the first excited state of iron (847 keV). If this interpretation is correct, it is shown that additional lines from higher levels of iron and possibly other nuclei are expected and that they may represent a significant contribution to the total spectrum above 1 MeV.
Linear combinations of overlapping variance estimators for simulations

We examine properties of linear combinations of overlapping standardized time series area estimators for the variance parameter of a stationary stochastic process. We find that the linear combination estimators have lower bias and variance than their overlapping constituents and nonoverlapping counterparts; in fact, the new estimators also perform particularly well against the benchmark batch means estimator. We illustrate our findings with analytical and Monte Carlo examples.
Simultaneous Fibrinogen and Platelet’ Survival with [75Se]Selenomethionine in Man

Summary. Simultaneous fibrinogen and platelet survivals were determined with a cohort label, [75Se]selenomethionine, in patients with hepatocellular disease and abnormal serial thrombin times (STT) and in control patients. The fibrinogen survival curves were divided into an anabolic and catabolic phase. In a control group maximum labelling of fibrinogen (anabolic phase) occurred within 24 hr and mean fibrinogen survival (catabolic phase) was 7.8 ± 2.8 days. Patients with hepatocellular disease fell into two groups, those with short fibrinogen survivals and those with normal fibrinogen survivals. In general, the more abnormal the STT the shorter the fibrinogen survival. The anabolic phase of the curve was also abnormal in that there was delay in incorporation of label in these patients. Average platelet survival in control patients was 10.6 ± 3.3 days and similar results were obtained in the patients with hepatocellular disease. In the latter no correlation was noted between platelet survival and fibrinogen survival. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that in hepatocellular disease fibrinogen anabolism is abnormal and short fibrinogen survival, when present, is due to either the production of an abnormal fibrinogen or defibrination or both.
Oxygenation properties and 2,3-diphosphoglycerate of human adult and fetal blood.

Oxygen dissociation curves of human adult and cord blood were constructed over a wide range of pH values (5.9-8.7). The cord blood was characterized by a high oxygen affinity as compared with adult blood in the pH region above 6.3. Below that pH region the relationship was reversed.The intracellular pH and 2, 3-diphosphoglycerate (DPG) content of red cells of these two kinds of blood were little different. Upon their incubation at 38°C, both kinds of blood showed an increase in oxygen affinity concomitant with a decrease in the DPG content. From these experiments with the two sorts of blood incubated for various lengths of time it was concluded that the higher oxygen affinity of fetal blood was due mostly to the predominant presence of hemoglobin F, which is not different in oxygen affinity from hemoglobin A but which is quite different in susceptibility to the inhibitory effect of DPG upon oxygen affinity.
Computed Tomography Vs Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Identifying Acute Lesions in Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

Background and Objective: Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in children. Computed tomography (CT) is the modality of choice to screen for brain injuries. MRI may provide more clinically relevant information. The purpose of this study was to compare lesion detection between CT and MRI after TBI. Methods: Retrospective cohort of children (0–21 years) with TBI between 2008 and 2010 at a Level 1 pediatric trauma center with a head CT scan on day of injury and a brain MRI scan within 2 weeks of injury. Agreement between CT and MRI was determined by κ statistic and stratified by injury mechanism. Results: One hundred five children were studied. Of these, 78% had mild TBI. The MRI scan was obtained a median of 1 day (interquartile range, 1–2) after CT. Overall, CT and MRI demonstrated poor agreement (κ = −0.083; P = .18). MRI detected a greater number of intraparenchymal lesions (n = 36; 34%) compared with CT (n = 16; 15%) (P Conclusions: Compared with CT, MRI identified significantly more intraparenchymal lesions in pediatric TBI, particularly in children with abusive head trauma. The prognostic value of identification of intraparenchymal lesions by MRI is unknown but warrants additional inquiry. Risks and benefits from early MRI (including sedation, time, and lack of radiation exposure) compared with CT should be weighed by clinicians.
Glucocorticoid mediated transcriptional repression of c-myc in apoptotic human leukemic CEM cells

Suppression of c-myc has been implicated as a critical event in some glucocorticoid-evoked apoptotic systems. It is therefore of interest to understand the mechanism of glucocorticoid-regulation of the c-myc gene. In the present study, a detailed analysis of dexamethasone (Dex)-evoked regulation of the human c-myc gene in human leukemic CEM-C7 cells has been performed. Dex suppresses c-myc mRNA and immunoreactive protein expression in clone CEM-C7 and subclone CEM-C7-14 cells. Nuclear run-on assays suggested that the regulation occurred at the level of transcription initiation. The half-life of c-myc mRNA was approximately 30 min and its stability was not affected by Dex treatment. In addition, Dex suppressed luciferase gene expression driven by -2052 to +34 bp c-myc promoter in transfected CEM-C7-14 cells. This result further supports that c-myc gene is suppressed by Dex at the transcriptional level in apoptotic human leukemic cells.
Respiratory Mechanics and Ventilator Waveforms in the Patient With Acute Lung Injury

Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome is a syndrome of low respiratory compliance. However, longstanding knowledge of applied respiratory mechanics and refined imaging techniques have shown that this is clearly an oversimplified view. Though the average compliance of the respiratory system is reproducibly low, regional mechanics may vastly differ; lung, airway, and chest wall mechanics may be variably affected; finally, these abnormalities may be very dynamic in nature, being influenced by time, posture, and the way positive-pressure ventilation is applied. Modern mechanical ventilators are equipped to display pressure, flow, and volume waveforms that can be used to measure respiratory compliance, airway resistance, and intrinsic positive end-expiratory pressure. These basic measurements, once the domain of applied physiologists only, are now available to aid clinicians to choose the appropriate ventilator settings to promote lung recruitment and avoid injury during lung-protective ventilatory strategies. High-resolution lung imaging and bedside recording of physiologic variables are important tools for clinicians who want to deliver specialized care to improve the outcome of critically ill patients in acute respiratory failure.
Transient-Voltage-Clamp Circuit Design Based on Constant Load Line Impedance for Voltage Regulator Module

A transient-voltage-clamp (TVC) circuit acts as a replacement of bulk capacitors, which is required for voltage regulator (VR) module (VRM) to clamp output voltage spikes. With the TVC circuit, VRM size is greatly reduced with similar transient performance. This paper presents a new TVC circuit. This TVC circuit is designed based on the constant load line impedance which is recently given by Intel's VRM11.0. The TVC circuit works in parallel with VR decoupling capacitors to achieve faster voltage regulation. The impedances of the VR, output capacitors, and the proposed TVC circuit are analyzed. The TVC circuit design procedure is described, and the transient performance and power consumption are discussed. The theoretical analysis is verified by simulation results. Moreover, the proposed TVC circuit is fabricated with a 0.6-μm CMOS process, and experimental results verify the simulation results and theoretical analysis.
Job Distress is no Laughing Matter in Marriage, or is it?

The present study examines the different ways in which couples use humor to deal with problems when they also are experiencing troubles at work. A review of psychological research on humor and sociological studies on blue-collar marriage suggests two models for predicting the above relationship. The companionship model predicts that job distress relates to less sharing of laughter and humor. The coping model predicts that job distress is associated with the couple using more humor to deal with negative marital affect. The above models are tested in a sample of fifty-two married couples (balanced for social class) who were videotaped while trying to resolve a troublesome issue of recurring disagreement. They also completed questionnaires measuring job distress, companionship and conflict avoidance. The observational and self-report data converge in showing that the companionship model is more applicable to white-collar husbands than to blue-collar husbands, and this seems to be related to the difference in...
Post-Cardiothoracic Surgery Atrial Fibrillation: A Review of Preventive Strategies

Objective:To review the available literature addressing preventive strategies of post-cardiothoracic surgery atrial fibrillation (post-CTS atrial fibrillation).Data Sources:Pertinent articles related to the etiology, risk factors, and preventive strategies were identified through a MEDLINE search (1966–March 2007) using the MeSH terms atrial fibrillation, cardiothoracic surgery, cardiac surgery, etiology, neurohormonal, sympathetic, volume, fluid, inflammation, risk factors, operative, pacing, β-adrenergic blockers, amiodarone, sotalol, calcium-channel blockers, magnesium, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, statins, fatty acids, PUFA, steroids, and nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs.Study Selection and Data Extraction:Articles evaluated were limited to human studies, published in the English language, with a Jadad score greater than 3. References of identified articles were reviewed for additional pertinent articles.Data Synthesis:Post-CTS atrial fibrillation most commonly occurs on the second or third postop...
Ethanol exposure of neonatal rats does not increase biomarkers of oxidative stress in isolated cerebellar granule neurons.

Abstract Oxidative stress is a candidate mechanism for ethanol neuropathology in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Oxidative stress often involves production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), deterioration of the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and cell death. Previous studies have produced conflicting results regarding the role of oxidative stress and the benefit of antioxidants in ethanol neuropathology in the developing brain. This study investigated the hypothesis that ethanol neurotoxicity involves production of ROS with negative downstream consequences for MMP and neuron survival. This was modeled in neonatal rats at postnatal day 4 (P4) and P14. It is well established that granule neurons in the rat cerebellar cortex are more vulnerable to ethanol neurotoxicity on P4 than at later ages. Thus, it was hypothesized that ethanol produces more oxidative stress and its negative consequences on P4 than on P14. A novel experimental approach was used in which ethanol was administered to animals in vivo (gavage 6g/kg), granule neurons were isolated 2–24h post-treatment, and ROS production and relative MMP were immediately assessed in the viable cells. Cells were also placed in culture and survival was measured 24h later. The results revealed that ethanol did not induce granule cells to produce ROS, cause deterioration of neuronal MMP, or cause neuron death when compared to vehicle controls. Further, granule neurons from neither P4 nor P14 animals mounted an oxidative response to ethanol. These findings do not support the hypothesis that oxidative stress is obligate to granule neuron death after ethanol exposure in the neonatal rat brain. Other investigators have reached a similar conclusion using either brain homogenates or cell cultures. In this context, it is likely that oxidative stress is not the sole and perhaps not the principal mechanism of ethanol neurotoxicity for cerebellar granule neurons during this stage of brain development.
Co-evolutionary variance can guide physical testing in evolutionary system identification

Co-evolution of system models and system tests can be used for exploratory system identification of physical platforms. Here we demonstrate how the amount of physical testing can be reduced by managing the difficulty that a population of tests poses to a population of candidate models. If test difficulty is not managed, then disengagement between the two populations occurs: The difficulty of the evolved test data supplied to the model population may grow faster than the ability of the models to explain them. Here we use variance of model outputs for a given test as a predictor of the tests' difficulty. Proper engagement of the co-evolving populations is achieved by evolving tests that induce a particular amount of variance. We demonstrate this claim by identifying nonlinear dynamical systems using nonlinear models and linear approximation models.
BMP2 is superior to BMP4 for promoting human muscle-derived stem cell-mediated bone regeneration in a critical-sized calvarial defect model

Muscle-derived cells have been successfully isolated using a variety of different methods and have been shown to possess multilineage differentiation capacities, including an ability to differentiate into articular cartilage and bone in vivo; however, the characterization of human muscle-derived stem cells (hMDSCs) and their bone regenerative capacities have not been fully investigated. Genetic modification of these cells may enhance their osteogenic capacity, which could potentially be applied to bone regenerative therapies. We found that hMDSCs, isolated by the preplate technique, consistently expressed the myogenic marker CD56, the pericyte/endothelial cell marker CD146, and the mesenchymal stem cell markers CD73, CD90, CD105, and CD44 but did not express the hematopoietic stem cell marker CD45, and they could undergo osteogenic, chondrogenic, adipogenic, and myogenic differentiation in vitro. In order to investigate the osteoinductive potential of hMDSCs, we constructed a retroviral vector expressing BMP4 and GFP and a lentiviral vector expressing BMP2. The BMP4-expressing hMDSCs were able to undergo osteogenic differentiation in vitro and exhibited enhanced mineralization compared to nontransduced cells; however, when transplanted into a calvarial defect, they failed to regenerate bone. Local administration of BMP4 protein and cell pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC), which improves cell survival, did not enhance the osteogenic capacity of the retro-BMP4-transduced cells. In contrast, lenti-BMP2-transduced hMDSCs not only exhibited enhanced in vitro osteogenic differentiation but also induced robust bone formation and nearly completely healed a critical-sized calvarial defect in CD-1 nude mice 6 weeks following transplantation. Herovici's staining of the regenerated bone demonstrated that the bone matrix contained a large amount of type I collagen. Our findings indicated that the hMDSCs are likely mesenchymal stem cells of muscle origin and that BMP2 is more efficient than BMP4 in promoting the bone regenerative capacity of the hMDSCs in vivo.
A Novel QPC Detector for the Health Monitoring of Rotating Machines

Higher-order spectra such as the bispectrum/bicoherence are widely used for the analysis of various nonlinear phenomena. However, the traditional bicoherence definition fails when its 'phase randomization' assumption is not satisfied, and this assumption is often not appropriate for continuous health monitoring of rotating machines. Therefore, we propose a novel quadratic phase coupling detector based on the bicoherence. Through theoretical and experimental comparison, it is shown that our approach is superior to previously proposed methods at high SNRs, and can also address partially coupled cases which previous approaches completely failed to deal with.
Biological Delignification of Aspen Wood by Solid-State Fermentation with the White-Rot Fungus Merulius tremellosus.

Solid-state fermentation of aspen (Populus tremuloides) wood with Merulius tremellosus for 8 weeks removed 52% of the lignin but only 12% of the total wood weight, and increased the cellulase digestibility to 53% from 18%. Water-soluble and enzyme-solubilized lignin degradation products accumulated. Delignification was fastest at temperatures between 25 and 32.5°C and at a water-to-wood ratio of 2. Initial pH values between 4 and 6 were optimal; M. tremellosus acidified the wood to below pH 3.5 as it grew. The fungus tolerated CO2 concentrations of at least 14% and O2 concentrations down to 7% in the bulk gas phase. Both simple and complex nitrogen supplements inhibited delignification. Supplementary KH2PO4, MgSO4, CaCl2, thiamine, and trace elements had little effect on the fermentation. Four isolates of M. tremellosus had very similar abilities to delignify aspen wood. Biological delignification with M. tremellosus may be a useful pretreatment for enzymatic saccharification or ruminant feeding.
Atomistic calculations of interfacial energies, nucleus shape and size of θ′ precipitates in Al-Cu alloys

h 0 (Al2Cu) is one of the primary strengthening precipitates in Al–Cu alloys. Although the precipitation sequence of various metastable phases in Al–Cu alloys is well known, fundamental information such as the shape and critical size of a homogeneous h 0 nucleus is not available. In this work, we developed modified embedded-atom method potentials for Al–Cu alloys. The interfacial energies between a h 0 precipitate and the Al matrix along experimentally observed orientations were calculated and compared with prior first-principles calculations. The critical sizes and nucleation barriers were obtained through both the classic theory for homogeneous nucleation and atomistic calculations. The results demonstrate that a plate-shaped nucleus with a semicoherent match between three face-centered cubic Al units and two h 0 units along the edge of the plate is energetically favored.
A Framework for Clustering Massive-Domain Data Streams

In this paper, we will examine the problem of clustering massive domain data streams. Massive-domain data streams are those in which the number of possible domain values for each attribute are very large and cannot be easily tracked for clustering purposes. Some examples of such streams include IP-address streams, credit-card transaction streams, or streams of sales data over large numbers of items. In such cases, it is well known that even simple stream operations such as counting can be extremely difficult because ofthe difficulty in maintaining summary information over the different discrete values. The task of clustering is significantly more challenging in such cases, since the intermediate statistics for the different clusters cannot be maintained efficiently. In this paper, we propose a method for clustering massive-domain data streams with the use of sketches. We prove probabilistic results which show that a sketch-based clustering method can provide similar results to an infinite-space clustering algorithm with high probability. We present experimental results which validate these theoretical results, and show that it is possible to approximate the behavior of an infinite-space algorithm accurately.
A biologically plausible network for the computation of orientation dominance

The determination of dominant orientation at a given image location is formulated as a decision-theoretic question. This leads to a novel measure for the dominance of a given orientation θ, which is similar to that used by SIFT. It is then shown that the new measure can be computed with a network that implements the sequence of operations of the standard neurophysiological model of V1. The measure can thus be seen as a biologically plausible version of SIFT, and is denoted as bioSIFT. The network units are shown to exhibit trademark properties of V1 neurons, such as cross-orientation suppression, sparseness and independence. The connection between SIFT and biological vision provides a justification for the success of SIFT-like features and reinforces the importance of contrast normalization in computer vision. We illustrate this by replacing the Gabor units of an HMAX network with the new bioSIFT units. This is shown to lead to significant gains for classification tasks, leading to state-of-the-art performance among biologically inspired network models and performance competitive with the best non-biological object recognition systems.
Regeneration: Tissue Engineering, Maintenance, and the Time of Performance

As the Science Gallery of Dublin's Trinity College celebrates 10 years of art-science collaboration at SymbioticA, how are artists and critics articulating the politics of bioart? Recasting the Tissue Culture and Art Project's Pig Wings Project (2002) within a genealogy of feminist maintenance art highlights bioart's capacity to engage meaningfully with gender, race, and class in biotechnology.
Oxalic acid: a prospective tool for reducing Varroa mite populations in package bees.

Numerous studies have investigated using oxalic acid (OA) to control Varroa mites in honey bee colonies. In contrast, techniques for treating package bees with OA have not been investigated. The goal of this study was to develop a protocol for using OA to reduce mite infestation in package bees. We made 97 mini packages of Varroa-infested adult bees. Each package contained 1,613 ± 18 bees and 92 ± 3 mites, and represented an experimental unit. We prepared a 2.8% solution of OA by mixing 35 g OA with 1 l of sugar water (sugar:water = 1:1; w:w). Eight treatments were assigned to the packages based on previous laboratory bioassays that characterized the acute contact toxicity of OA to mites and bees. We administered the treatments by spraying the OA solution directly on the bees through the mesh screen cage using a pressurized air brush and quantified mite and bee mortality over a 10-day period. Our results support applying an optimum volume of 3.0 ml of a 2.8% OA solution per 1,000 bees to packages for effective mite control with minimal adult bee mortality. The outcome of our research provides beekeepers and package bee shippers guidance for using OA to reduce mite populations in package bees.
Do College Accounting Curriculums Teach To The CPA Exam? Should They?

here has always been tremendous pressure on accounting programs throughout the United States to ensure the success of their graduates. Success can be measured through various forms of outcomes assessment. However, for accounting students the most common and universally accepted outcome is the pass rate of graduates on the uniform Certified Public Accounting (CPA) exam. Due to intense pressure to obtain a decent “pass rate”, many accounting programs have been designed to “help” the students with the CPA exam. In order to examine this issue, our focus question is whether or not this should be the direction of accounting curriculums. In other words, do accounting courses teach toward the CPA exam? Should they?